Undead Origins

[Voadam]

5e

5e Compilation

Spoiler

Undead: Undead are once-living creatures brought to a horrifying state of undeath through the practice of necromantic magic or some unholy curse. (5e SRD v 5.1)
Necromancy spells manipulate the energies of life and death. Such spells can grant an extra reserve of life force, drain the life energy from another creature, create the undead, or even bring the dead back to life. (5e SRD v 5.1)
Creating the undead through the use of necromancy spells such as animate dead is not a good act, and only evil casters use such spells frequently. (5e SRD v 5.1)
Undead are once-living creatures brought to a horrifying state of undeath through the practice of necromantic magic or some unholy curse. (D&D Basic Rules Version 1.0)
Undead are once-living creatures brought to a horrifying state of undeath through the practice of necromantic magic or some unholy curse. (Monster Manual)
Orcus, the Prince of Undeath, has the power to transform manes into undead monsters, most often ghouls and shadows. (Monster Manual)
The dead do not always rest peacefully. (Monsters & Creatures: A Young Adventurer's Guide)
Dybbuk's Possess Corpse power. (Mordenkainen's Tome of Foes)
As a necromancer, you've always had an easy time making friends. Hah! That's hilarious because your friends are undead. (Acquisitions Incorporated)
Savvy players might note that the undead minions Hoobur creates to harry the party don't follow the standard rules by which a spellcaster character might create undead. (Acquisitions Incorporated)
Chronically understaffed, especially in those wards catering to poor Outer City residents, the hospital has constant security problems, from angry patients to spontaneously arising undead, unethical or experimental treatments by priests of non-good faiths, or excessive withdrawals from the stores of painkilling narcotics. (Baldur's Gate Descent Into Avernus)
Undead are once-living creatures brought to a horrifying state of undeath through the practice of necromantic magic or some unholy curse. (DM Basic Rules V0.5)
Once-living creatures brought to a horrifying state of undeath through the practice of necromantic magic or some unholy curse. (Dungeons & Dragons Starter Set Stranger Things)
Perhaps a wizard unlocks the secret to immortality (or undeath) and spends eons exploring the farthest reaches of the multiverse. (Dungeon Master's Guide)
The Death domain is concerned with the forces that cause death, as well as the negative energy that gives rise to undead creatures. (Dungeon Master's Guide)
Once-living creatures brought to a horrifying state of undeath through the practice of necromantic magic or some unholy curse. (Dungeons & Dragons vs Rick and Morty)
The Mourning had no effect on existing undead, and a large number of new undead came into being when the cataclysm occurred. Various spirits (such as ghosts and specters) linger near the places where they died, and the corpses that litter an abandoned battlefield might rise up to continue fighting whenever a living creature comes near. Some of these entities are similar to undead that might be encountered outside the Mournland, but others have alterations that are tied to the unusual manner of their deaths. (Eberron: Rising from the Last War)
Most colossi are tombs, filled with the bodies of the crews that perished in the cataclysm. But the Mourning affected everything in bizarre ways, so a venture inside a colossus is often terrifying. A horrific monster might have made its lair in a colossus's interior in the years since the Mourning. The master docent in another one might speak through the brass horns that the crews used to communicate, growing increasingly incoherent and/or sinister. The crew of a colossus might be undead-zombies lumbering through the colossus's interior, or spirits doomed to haunt it until they can find blessed release. (Eberron: Rising from the Last War)
The Emerald Claw violates graves near a small village, animating the corpses into undead laborers to help build an eldritch machine. (Eberron: Rising from the Last War)
A victim who was killed by a House Tarkanan assassin returns as an undead that tries to kill anyone who bears an aberrant mark. (Eberron: Rising from the Last War)
In the sewers below Sham, a mad necromancer puts the final touches on a device that will turn the city's residents into undead. (Eberron: Rising from the Last War)
Six years ago, shortly after Kaius's accession, a figure known as Lady Illmarrow emerged as the leader of the Order of the Emerald Claw. Few of her followers know anything about her, other than her great skill as a necromancer; many members of the Order refer to her as Queen of the Dead. Some members of the order believe she will ultimately raise Karrnath above all other nations. Others simply trust that she will grant them personal power. They believe that she is poised to become a god of death, and that when she ascends to divinity, they will be granted immortality or at least the eternal life of undeath. (Eberron: Rising from the Last War)
Once-living creatures brought to a horrifying state of undeath through the practice of necromantic magic or some unholy curse. (Essentials Kit)
The sinking of Tammeraut did not spell the end for Syrgaul and his band of pirates. As his ship plunged into the sea. he called out to his fiendish patron. Orcus heeded his call and imbued Syrgaul and his crew with undeath, the twisted form of immortality he offers his followers. (Ghosts of Saltmarsh)
Off the coast, near heavily trafficked sea lanes, cultists of Orcus create a gateway on the seabed that links to the Abyss. The water above swirls and plunges downward, creating a whirlpool that devours ships and sea life. (Ghosts of Saltmarsh)
Living creatures pulled to the bottom of the whirlpool are slain, warped with Abyssal energy, and unleashed into the sea as undead creatures. Unless someone finds the gate, slips through it into the Abyss, and destroys the unhallowed site found on the other side, the whirlpool will unleash a horde of undead sailors and sea creatures that can transform the region around it into a dead zone. (Ghosts of Saltmarsh)
Ghost ships are incorporeal vessels that carry undead crews. The crews often died in a grisly manner and have unfinished business that keeps them tethered to the Material Plane. (Ghosts of Saltmarsh)
The serpents in the hills around the valley offer a deadly hazard to those wishing to find the garden. Grandmother's magic has made the snakes' venom particularly deadly; those suffering a bite from these enchanted snakes typically die within hours of being injected. To make matters worse, the bodies of those who die from the poison sometimes return as foul undead monstrosities. (Midgard Worldbook for 5th Edition and Pathfinder)
The fire lords make their home in a range of volcanoes called the Blodejord (“Crib of Earth’s Blood,” in the Jotun tongue), rising around the charred and desolate remains of what once was a stunningly fertile valley. Fire and ash erupt into the air, and any who die covered by the Crib’s enchanted ashes rise again as twisted undead. (Midgard Worldbook for 5th Edition and Pathfinder)
Fire giant necromancers of Sengajordensblod are using the Crib-ash to raise an undead horde and to forge Surtalogi, the great weapon of Ragnarok. (Midgard Worldbook for 5th Edition and Pathfinder)
Every attempt to march an army on the city of Tramplevania had been met with mountain trained pegasi harassing from all angles, using the terrain they knew so well to wear down invading armies before they could reach the city gates. The frequent violence has given rise to restless spirits of those same invaders lurking in the trails leading to the city, seeking revenge on the living. (Ponyfinder Campaign Setting)
Vampiric Sorcerous Origin Ruler of the Night power. (Ponyfinder Campaign Setting)
Abactor Hask Malevanor: See Mummy, Abactor Hask Malevanor.
Abastet, Maatkare: See Banshee, Maatkare Abastet.
Acererak: See Demilich, Acererak.
Acererak: See Lich Archlich, Acererak.
Adult Blue Dracolich: See Dracolich Adult Blue.
Alagondar's Skeletal Horse: See Skeleton Lady Alagondar's Skeletal Horse, Undead Riding Horse.
Alina: See Ghost, Alina.
Allip: When a mind uncovers a secret that a powerful being has protected with a mighty curse, the result is often the emergence of an allip. Secrets protected in this manner range in scope from a demon lord's true name to the hidden truths of the cosmic order. The allip acquires the secret, but the curse annihilates its body and leaves behind a spectral creature composed of fragments from the victim's psyche and overwhelming psychic agony. (Mordenkainen's Tome of Foes)
A few sages and spellcasters have sought to learn the truth about Gith's fate using arcane magic, only to fall victim to a bizarre curse that transforms them into the formless creatures known as allips. (Mordenkainen's Tome of Foes)
Alhoon: See Mind Flayer Alhoon.
Amasis, Arkara: See Lich Ravenfolk Sorcerer, Arkara Amasis.
Anastrasya Karelova: See Vampire Spawn, Anastrasya Karelova.
Ancient Gold Undead Dragon: See Undead Dragon Gold Ancient.
Anemone Zombified: See Zombie Zombified Anemone
Angvyr Ssetha: See Ghoul Darakhul, Duchess Angvyr Ssetha, The Lady of Chains, Slave Mistress of Chaingard.
Aquatic Beast Harmless Zombified: See Zombie Zombified Harmless Aquatic Beast.
Archlich: See Lich Archlich.
Archlich Orgupash: See Lich, Archlich Orgupash.
Ariel du Plumette: See Ghost, Prince Ariel du Plumette, Ariel the Heavy.
Ariel the Heavy: See Ghost, Prince Ariel du Plumette, Ariel the Heavy.
Arkara Amasis: See Lich Ravenfolk Sorcerer, Arkara Amasis.
Ascendant Councilor: The most powerful of the undying can separate their spirits from their physical forms, existing as beings of pure light. This state is the ultimate goal of the elves of Aerenal, and such beings are known as ascendant councilors. (Eberron: Rising from the Last War)
Assassin's Ghost: See Ghost Assassin's Ghost.
Avatar of Death: ?
Axeholm's Dwarf Castellan: See Ghoul, Axeholm's Dwarf Castellan.
Balenus: See Vampire Warrior, Commander Balenus of the Ghost Knights.
Banshee: The woeful banshee is a spiteful creature formed from the spirit of a female elf. (D&D Basic Rules Version 1.0)
This woeful spirit is a banshee, a spiteful creature formed from the spirit of a female elf. (Monster Manual)
Banshees are the undead remnants of elves who, blessed with great beauty, failed to use their gift to bring joy to the world. Instead, they used their beauty to corrupt and control others. Elves afflicted by the banshee's curse experience no gladness, feeling only distress in the presence of the living. As the curse takes its toll, their minds and bodies decay, until death completes their transformation into undead monsters. (Monster Manual)
A banshee becomes forever bound to the place of its demise, unable to venture more than five miles from there. It is forced to relive every moment of its life with perfect recall, yet always refuses to accept responsibility for its doom. (Monster Manual)
The corrupted spirit of a female elf. These cursed creatures misused their great beauty in life and are now condemned to suffer for their cruelty in death. (Monsters & Creatures: A Young Adventurer's Guide)
Some of her most fervent followers seek out the secret of attaining undeath for themselves. Kiaransalee favors them by bringing them back as undead, but unlike other gods of similar sort, Kiaransalee doesn't offer the undeath of lichdom but a lowly existence as a banshee, a revenant, or a wight. (Mordenkainen's Tome of Foes)
The woeful banshee is a spiteful creature formed from the spirit of a female elf. (DM Basic Rules V0.5)
Dolurrh Manifest Zone feature. (Eberron: Rising from the Last War)
A banshee is the hateful spirit of a once-beautiful female elf. (Essentials Kit)
Banshee, Maatkare Abastet: ?
Banshee, Miraal: Miraal was a sea elf killed by Moesko, who took her spellcasting focus-an opalescent conch as a trophy. (Essentials Kit)
Banshee, Patrina Velikovna: In life, Patrina Velikovna was a dusk elf who, having learned a great deal about the black arts, was nearly a match for Strahd's powers. She felt a great bond with him and asked to solemnize that bond in a dark marriage. Drawn to her knowledge and power, Strahd consented, but before he could drain all life from Patrina, her own people stoned her to death in an act of mercy to thwart Strahd's plans. Strahd demanded, and got, Patrina's body. She then became the banshee trapped here. (Curse of Strahd)
Banshee, Vyldara: The site was abandoned and sealed up long years ago after being haunted by a banshee-the restless spirit of a moon elf ambassador named Vyldara who tried and failed to foment civil unrest among the dwarves. The dwarves imprisoned the elf and sent messages to her people, asking that they come to collect her. Before envoys could be sent, Vyldara killed two guards trying to escape, only to be cut down by dwarven axes before she could succeed. (Essentials Kit)
Barnabas: See Flameskull, Barnabas.
Baron Metus: See Vampire, Baron Metus.
Baron of Doresh: See Vampire Spellcaster, Lord Fandorin, Baron of Doresh, Fey Lord of the Grisal Marches.
Baron Urslav: See Vampire, Baron Urslav, The Crawling Lord of Vallanoria, Keeper of the Red Sisters.
Baroness of Doresh: See Vampire Warlock, Lady Mihaela, Baroness of Doresh, Pale Lady of Fandorin.
Beggar Ghoul: See Ghoul Beggar Ghoul.
Beholder Death Tyrant: On rare occasions, a beholder's sleeping mind drifts to places beyond its normal madness, imagining a reality in which it exists beyond death. When such dreams take hold, a beholder can transform, its flesh sloughing away to leave a death tyrant behind. (Monster Manual)
When a beholder sleeps, its body goes briefly dormant but its mind never stops working. The creature is fully aware, even though to an outside observer it might appear oblivious of its surroundings. Sometimes a beholder's dreams are dominated by images of itself or of other beholders (which might or might not actually exist). On extremely rare occasions when a beholder dreams of another beholder, the act creates a warp in reality- from which a new, fully formed beholder springs forth unbidden, seemingly having appeared out of thin air in a nearby space. This "offspring" might be a duplicate of the beholder that dreamed it into existence, or it could take the form of a different variety of beholder, such as a death kiss or a gazer (see "Beholder-Kin"). It might also be a truly unique creature, such as could be spawned only from the twisted imagination of a beholder, with a set of magical abilities unlike that of its parent. In most cases, the process yields one of the three principal forms of the beholder: a solitary beholder, a hive, or a death tyrant. (Volo's Guide to Monsters)
Beholder Zombie: See Zombie Beholder Zombie.
Black Wyrmling Undead: See Undead Dragon Black Wyrmling.
Black Fang: See Ghoul Darakhul, Emperor Vilmos Marquering, The Black Fang.
Blackfly, Drago: See Ghoul Darakhul, Duke Drago Blackfly.
Blood Zombie: See Zombie Blood Zombie.
Bodak: A bodak is the undead remains of someone who revered Orcus. (Volo's Guide to Monsters)
A worshiper of Orcus can take ritual vows while carving the demon lord's symbol on its chest over the heart. Orcus's power flays body, mind, and soul, leaving behind a sentient husk that sucks in all life energy near it. Most bodaks come into being in this way, then unleashed to spread death in Orcus's name. Orcus created the first bodaks in the Abyss from seven devotees, called the Hierophants of Annihilation. These figures, as mighty as balors, have free will but serve the Prince of Undeath directly. Any one of these bodaks can turn a slain mortal into a bodak with its gaze. (Volo's Guide to Monsters)
These soulless terrors, each one risen from the remains of someone who revered Orcus, Lord of the Undead. exist only to spread further suffering and death. (Ghosts of Saltmarsh)
Bodak, Hierophants of Annihilation: Orcus created the first bodaks in the Abyss from seven devotees, called the Hierophants of Annihilation. These figures, as mighty as balors, have free will but serve the Prince of Undeath directly. (Volo's Guide to Monsters)
Bone Naga: See Naga Bone Naga.
Bonehand, Wierdunn: See Ghoul Darakhul, Duke Wierdunn Bonehand.
Boneclaw: A wizard who tries to become a lich but fails might become a boneclaw instead. (Mordenkainen's Tome of Foes)
The most important part of the transformation ritual occurs when the soul of the aspiring lich migrates to a prepared phylactery. If the spellcaster is too physically or magically weak to compel the soul into its prison, the soul instead seeks out a new master-a humanoid within a few miles who has an unusually hate-filled heart. The soul bonds itself to the foul essence it finds in that person, and the boneclaw becomes forever enslaved to its new master's wishes and subconscious whims. It forms near its master, sometimes appearing before that individual to receive orders and other times simply setting about the fulfillment of its master's desires. (Mordenkainen's Tome of Foes)
Borag the Executioner: See Darakhul, Duke Borag the Executioner, Warlord of Gallwheor.
Burning Skeleton: See Skeleton Burning Skeleton.
Calimara: See Ghost, Calimara.
Captain Ineca Sufocan: See Vampire Elf, Captain Ineca Sufocan.
Catfolk Mummy: See Mummy Catfolk Mummy.
Cave Dragon Dracolich: See Dracolich Cave Dragon.
Centaur Ghost: See Ghost Undead Centaur Ghost.
Chesmaya: See Lich, Lady Chesmaya, Voivodina of the Verdant Tower.
Commander Balenus of the Ghost Knights: See Vampire Warrior, Commander Balenus of the Ghost Knights.
Count Strahd Von Zarovich: See Vampire, Count Strahd Von Zarovich
Count Warrin: See Vampire, Count Warrin.
Countess Urzana Dolingen of Morgau: See Vampire Spellcaster, Countess Urzana Dolingen of Morgau.
Crawling Claw: Crawling claws are the severed hands of murderers animated by dark magic so that they can go on killing. (Monster Manual)
Through dark necromantic rituals, the life force of a murderer is bound to its severed hand, haunting and animating it. If a dead murderer's spirit already manifests as another undead creature, if the murderer is raised from death, or if the spirit has long passed on to another plane, the ritual fails. (Monster Manual)
The ritual invoked to create a crawling claw works best with a hand recently severed from a murderer. To this end, ritualists and their servants frequent public executions to gain possession of suitable hands, or make bargains with assassins and torturers. (Monster Manual)
If a crawling claw is animated from the severed hand of a still-living murderer, the ritual binds the claw to the murderer's soul. The disembodied hand can then return to its former limb, its undead flesh knitting to the living arm from which it was severed. (Monster Manual)
Made whole again, the murderer acts as though the hand had never been severed and the ritual had never taken place. When the crawling claw separates again, the living body falls into a coma. (Monster Manual) Destroying the crawling claw while it is away from the body kills the murderer. However, killing the murderer has no effect on the crawling claw. (Monster Manual)
Crawling Lord of Vallanoria: See Vampire, Baron Urslav, The Crawling Lord of Vallanoria, Keeper of the Red Sisters.
Crawling Strahd Zombie: See Zombie Strahd Zombie Crawling.
Crimson Mist: See Vampiric Mist, Crimson Mist.
Ctenmiir: See Vampire, Ctenmiir.
d'Vol, Erandis: See Lich, Erandis Vol, Erandis d'Vol, Lady Illmarrow, Queen of Death.
Dalaen, Old: See Ghost, Old Dalaen.
Darakhul: See Ghoul Darakhul.
Death Knight: When a paladin that falls from grace dies without seeking atonement, dark powers can transform the once-mortal knight into a hateful undead creature. (Monster Manual)
The Book of Vile Darkness could hold a ritual that allows a character to become a lich or death knight. (Dungeon Master's Guide)
Antipaladin Oath of the Giving Grave Undying Sentinel power. (Midgard Worldbook for 5th Edition and Pathfinder)
Death Knight, Lord Soth: Lord Soth began his fall from grace with an act of heroism, saving an elf named Isolde from an ogre. Soth and Isolde fell in love, but Soth was already married. He had a servant dispose of his wife and was charged with murder, but fled with Isolde. When his castle fell under siege, he prayed for guidance and was told that he must atone for his misdeeds by completing a quest, but growing fears about Isolde's fidelity caused him to abandon his quest. Because his mission was not accomplished, a great cataclysm swept the land. When Isolde gave birth to a son, Soth refused to believe that the child was his and slew them both. All were incinerated in a fire that swept through the castle, yet Soth would find no rest in death, becoming a death knight. (Monster Manual)
Death Knight, Olanthius: Harurnan followed his master into damnation willingly and was transformed into a narzugon devil, while Olanthius, who took his own life rather than bow before Asmodeus, was brought back to serve as a death knight under Zariel's burning gaze. (Baldur's Gate Descent Into Avernus)
One of Zariel's generals, Olanthius, killed himself rather than embrace tyranny. Zariel raised him as a death knight to ensure his loyalty. (Baldur's Gate Descent Into Avernus)
Olanthius took his life rather than face damnation, but he was transformed into an undead monster by Zariel to serve her forevermore. (Baldur's Gate Descent Into Avernus)
Death Tyrant: See Beholder Death Tyrant.
Deathlock: The forging of a pact between a warlock and a patron is no minor occasion-at least not for the warlock. The consequences of breaking that pact can b e dire and, in some cases, lethal. A warlock who fails to live up to a bargain with an evil patron runs the risk of rising from the dead as a deathlock, a foul undead driven to serve its otherworldly patron from beyond the grave. (Mordenkainen's Tome of Foes)
An extraordinarily powerful necromancer might also discover the dark methods of creating a deathlock and then bind it to service, acting in this respect as the deathlock's patron. (Mordenkainen's Tome of Foes)
Deathlock Mastermind: ?
Deathlock Wight: Bereft of much of its magic, a deathlock wight lingers between the warlock it was and the deathly existence of a wight- a special punishment meted out by certain patrons and necromancers. (Mordenkainen's Tome of Foes)
Deathwisp: ?
Defender of the Realm: See Lich, Meskhenit, Reborn Queen-Goddess, Mother of Destiny and Defender of the Realm.
Demilich: The immortality granted to a lich lasts only as long as it feeds mortal souls to its phylactery. If it falters or fails in that task, its bones turn to dust until only its skull remains. This "demilich" contains only a fragment of the lich's malevolent life force-just enough so that if it is disturbed, these remains rise into the air and assume a wraithlike form. (Monster Manual)
A lich that fails or forgets to maintain its body with sacrificed souls begins to physically fall apart, and might eventually become a demilich. (Monster Manual)
Demilich, Acererak: The transformation into a demilich isn't a bitter end for all liches that experience it. Made as a conscious choice, the path of the demilich becomes the next step in a dark evolution. The lich Acererak-a powerful wizard and demonologist and the infamous master of the Tomb of Horrors-anticipated his own transformation, preparing for it by setting enchanted gemstones into his skull's eye sockets and teeth. Each of these soul gems possessed the power to capture the souls on which his phylactery would feed. (Monster Manual)
Acererak abandoned his physical body, accepting that it would molder and dissolve to dust while he traveled the planes as a disembodied consciousness. If the skull that was his last physical remains was ever disturbed, its gems would claim the souls of the insolent intruders to his tomb, magically transferring them to his phylactery. (Monster Manual)
Demilich Acererak Disciple: The transformation into a demilich isn't a bitter end for all liches that experience it. Made as a conscious choice, the path of the demilich becomes the next step in a dark evolution. The lich Acererak-a powerful wizard and demonologist and the infamous master of the Tomb of Horrors-anticipated his own transformation, preparing for it by setting enchanted gemstones into his skull's eye sockets and teeth. Each of these soul gems possessed the power to capture the souls on which his phylactery would feed. (Monster Manual)
Acererak abandoned his physical body, accepting that it would molder and dissolve to dust while he traveled the planes as a disembodied consciousness. If the skull that was his last physical remains was ever disturbed, its gems would claim the souls of the insolent intruders to his tomb, magically transferring them to his phylactery. (Monster Manual)
Liches who follow Acererak's path believe that by becoming free of their bodies, they can continue their quest for power beyond the mortal world. As their patron did, they secure their remains within well-guarded vaults, using soul gems to maintain their phylacteries and destroy the adventurers who disturb their lairs. (Monster Manual)
Devourer: A lesser demon that proves itself to Orcus might be granted the privilege of becoming a devourer. The Prince of Undeath transforms such a demon into an 8-foot-tall, desiccated humanoid with a hollowed-out ribcage, then fills the new creature with a hunger for souls. Orcus grants each new devourer the essence of a less fortunate demon to power the devourer's first foray into the planes. (Volo's Guide to Monsters)
Derro Ghoulish: See Ghoul Ghoulish Derro.
Dizzerax: See Mummy Mummified Goblin King Dizzerax.
Dolingen, Urzana: See Vampire Spellcaster, Countess Urzana Dolingen of Morgau.
Doresain: See Ghoul, Doresain.
Doru: See Vampire Spawn, Doru.
Dracolich: Even as long-lived as they are, all dragons must eventually die. This thought doesn't sit well with many dragons, some of which allow themselves to be transformed by necromantic energy and ancient rituals into powerful undead dracoliches. Only the most narcissistic dragons choose this path, knowing that by doing so, they sever all ties to their kin and the dragon gods. (Monster Manual)
Creating a dracolich requires the cooperation of the dragon and a group of mages or cultists that can perform the proper ritual. During the ritual, the dragon consumes a toxic brew that slays it instantly. The attendant spellcasters then ensnare its spirit and transfer it to a special gemstone that functions like a lich's phylactery. As the dragon's flesh rots away, the spirit inside the gem returns to animate the dragon's bones. (Monster Manual)
Only an ancient or adult true dragon can be transformed into a dracolich . Younger dragons that attempt to undergo the transformation die, as do other creatures that aren't true dragons but possess the dragon type, such as pseudodragons and wyverns. A shadow dragon can't be transformed into a dracolich, for it has already lost too much of its physical form. (Monster Manual)
Dracolich Adult Blue: ?
Dracolich Cave Dragon, Vizorakh the Ravenous: Vizorakh the Ravenous, thought long gone like all cave dragons of sufficient age, clings to existence. This ancient horror sought out great wizards of the Ghoul Imperium and burrowed into forgotten dungeons beneath the earth in search of salvation. On the brink of death, it found its answer. Vizorakh cast its soul into an onyx gemstone the size of an elephant and passed into undeath. It rose again as a dracolich, no longer hungering for flesh but for the souls of its own kind. (Midgard Worldbook for 5th Edition and Pathfinder)
Drago Blackfly: See Ghoul Darakhul, Duke Drago Blackfly.
Dragon Black Wyrmling Undead: See Undead Dragon Black Wyrmling.
Dragon Ancient Gold Undead: See Undead Dragon Gold Ancient.
Dragonson, Thurso: See Vampire Spellcaster, Thurso Dragonson, Duke of Morgau, Master of the Black Hills, Protector of the Fane of Blood, Heir to the Twin Thrones.
Draugir: See Undead Mount, Draugir.
Drowned Ascetic: See Drowned One Drowned Ascetic.
Drowned Assassin: See Drowned One Drowned Assassin.
Drowned Blade: See Drowned One Drowned Blade.
Drowned Master: See Drowned One Drowned Master.
Drowned One Drowned Ascetic: ?
Drowned One Drowned Assassin: ?
Drowned One Drowned Blade: ?
Drowned One Drowned Master: ?
Drowned One Drowned Master, Syrgaul Tammeraut: The sinking of Tammeraut did not spell the end for Syrgaul and his band of pirates. As his ship plunged into the sea. he called out to his fiendish patron. Orcus heeded his call and imbued Syrgaul and his crew with undeath, the twisted form of immortality he offers his followers. (Ghosts of Saltmarsh)
Drowned One, Walker: The pirates, now fully under Orcus's thrall, emerged from the wreckage and marched across the seabed to Firewatch Island. They overran the garrison and carried the remains back to their wrecked ship. There, with Orcus's instruction, they began the laborious process of opening the Pit of Hatred, a rift to the Abyss that can transform corpses into drowned ones. (Ghosts of Saltmarsh)
Feeding off the captain's rage and hate as he died, the energy of the rift animated Tammeraut's crew and turned them into drowned ones. (Ghosts of Saltmarsh)
Dryad Spirit: In a bygone age, the night hag Red Ruth corrupted a community of dryads by fouling the roots of their trees with mind-bending poison. As the dryads fell to evil, their forest was wrenched from the Feywild into Avernus. Those dryads who resisted the poison died trying to merge back into their trees. The rest crumbled to ash and became restless, tortured spirits akin to banshees. (Baldur's Gate Descent Into Avernus)
du Plumette, Ariel: See Ghost, Prince Ariel du Plumette, Ariel the Heavy.
Duchess Angvyr Ssetha: See Ghoul Darakhul, Duchess Angvyr Ssetha, The Lady of Chains, Slave Mistress of Chaingard.
Duchess Mikalea Soulreaper: See Ghoul Darakhul Necrophage, Duchess Mikalea Soulreaper, Lorekeeper of Ossean.
Duke Borag the Executioner: See Darakhul, Duke Borag the Executioner, Warlord of Gallwheor.
Duke Drago Blackfly: See Ghoul Darakhul, Duke Drago Blackfly.
Duke Eloghar Vorghesht: See Ghoul Darakhul, Duke Eloghar Vorghesht, Regent of Evernight, High Priest of Vardesain.
Duke Leander Stross: See Ghoul Darakhul, Duke Leander Stross.
Duke of Morgau: See Vampire Spellcaster, Thurso Dragonson, Duke of Morgau, Master of the Black Hills, Protector of the Fane of Blood, Heir to the Twin Thrones.
Duke Wierdunn Bonehand: See Ghoul Darakhul, Duke Wierdunn Bonehand.
Durst, Rosavalda: See Ghost, Rosavalda Durst, Rose.
Durst, Thornboldt: See Ghost, Thornboldt Durst, Thorn.
Dust Goblin Ghost: See Ghost Dust Goblin Ghost.
Dwarf Castellan: See Ghoul, Axeholm's Dwarf Castellan.
Eidolon: The gods have many methods for protecting sites they deem holy. One servant they rely on often to do so is the eidolon, a ghostly spirit bound by a sacred oath to safeguard a place of import to the divine. Forged from the souls of those who had prove n their unwavering devotion, eidolons stalk temples and vaults, places where miracles have been witnessed and relics enshrined, to ensure that no enemy can gain a foothold against the gods' cause through defilement or violence within these sites. (Mordenkainen's Tome of Foes)
Creating an eidolon requires a spirit of fanatical devotion-that of an individual who, in life, served with unwavering faithfulness. Upon death, a god might reward such a follower with everlasting service in the protection of a holy site. (Mordenkainen's Tome of Foes)
Elf Spirit: ?
Elfshadow: ?
Eloghar Vorghesht: See Ghoul Darakhul, Duke Eloghar Vorghesht, Regent of Evernight, High Priest of Vardesain.
Elven Wizard Ghost: See Ghost Elven Wizard Ghost.
Emperor Nicoforus The Pale: See Ghoul Darakhul, Emperor Nicoforus The Pale.
Emperor Vilmos Marquering: See Ghoul Darakhul, Emperor Vilmos Marquering, The Black Fang.
Erasmus Van Richten: See Vampire, Erasmus Van Richten.
Erandis d'Vol: See Lich, Erandis Vol, Erandis d'Vol, Lady Illmarrow, Queen of Death.
Erandis Vol: See Lich, Erandis Vol, Erandis d'Vol, Lady Illmarrow, Queen of Death.
Escher: See Vampire Spawn, Escher.
Exethanter: See Lich, Exethanter.
Eye of Anu-Akma: See Mummy Lord, God-King Irsu Thanetsi Khamet, Eye of Anu-Akma and Warden of the Red Portal.
Fandorin: See Vampire Spellcaster, Lord Fandorin, Baron of Doresh, Fey Lord of the Grisal Marches.
Father Lucian: See Vampire Spawn, Father Lucian.
Fey Lord of the Grisal Marches: See Vampire Spellcaster, Lord Fandorin, Baron of Doresh, Fey Lord of the Grisal Marches.
Flameskull: Dark spellcasters fashion flameskulls from the remains of dead wizards. When the ritual is complete, green flames erupt from the skull to complete its ghastly transformation. (Monster Manual)
After his transformation, the lich Exethanter took over the temple and turned the skulls of it previous defenders into flameskulls under his command. (Curse of Strahd)
Flameskulls-constructs made from the remains of dead wizards-guard the temple. (Curse of Strahd)
Spellcasters fashion flameskulls from the remains of dead wizards. When the ritual is complete, green flames erupt from the skull to complete its ghastly transformation. (Dungeons & Dragons Starter Set Stranger Things)
Spellcasters fashion flameskulls from the remains of dead wizards. When the ritual is complete, green flames erupt from the skull to complete its ghastly transformation. (Dungeons & Dragons vs Rick and Morty)
Flameskull, Barnabas: Barnabas, once a powerful wizard, had his crypt defiled by an evil nemesis who stole his skull and turned it into a flameskull. (Baldur's Gate Descent Into Avernus)
Folly, Silas: See Ghoul Darakhul, Silas Folly.
Gath: See Lich-Priest Gath.
General Yael: See Ghost, General Yael.
Ghast: See Ghoul Ghast.
Ghost: A ghost is the soul of a once-living creature, bound to haunt a location, creature, or object from its life. (D&D Basic Rules Version 1.0)
A ghost is the soul of a once-living creature, bound to haunt a specific location, creature, or object that held significance to it in its life. (Monster Manual)
A ghost yearns to complete some unresolved task from its life. It might seek to avenge its own death, fulfill an oath, or relay a message to a loved one. A ghost might not realize that it has died and continue the everyday routine of its life. Others are driven by wickedness or spite, as with a ghost that refuses to rest until every member of a certain family or organization is dead. (Monster Manual)
This particular ghost is all that remains of a person drained of life by Strahd. (Curse of Strahd)
A ghost is the soul of a once-living creature, bound to haunt a location, creature, or object from its life. (DM Basic Rules V0.5)
The rakshasa master of a nearby monastery performs rituals to raise troubled ghosts from their rest. (Dungeon Master's Guide)
As a barbarian, you could have been a simple peasant caught in the Mourning. Everyone else in your community was killed, but their spirits were bound to you. Your barbarian rage represents you channeling these vengeful ghosts. (Eberron: Rising from the Last War)
The Talentan reverence for spirits derives from the fact that a variety of spirits haunt the Plains. The region contains an unusual number of manifest zones tied to Dolurrh and Thelanis. Ghosts are more likely to linger in such places, and minor fey are scattered across the Plains. (Eberron: Rising from the Last War)
Shadukar is a grim reminder of the cost of the war. Once known as the Jewel of the Sound, this coastal city was destroyed in a bitter siege against Karrnathi forces. The city has yet to be reclaimed, and it's said to be haunted both by Thrane ghosts and by undead forces left behind by the Karrns. (Eberron: Rising from the Last War)
The Panaceum has an altar that can be used to perform raise dead, but this service isn't without its risks. Sometimes the wrong spirit returns to a body, or malevolent ghosts or wraiths might escape from the netherworld along with the person being raised. (Eberron: Rising from the Last War)
No one knows exactly; what lurks in Old Sharn. The ruins could contain ghosts or other undead, the vengeful spirits of the aberrant-marked people who took refuge in the fallen city. (Eberron: Rising from the Last War)
Today, the district known as Fallen is strewn with the rubble of the fallen tower, mingled with shattered buildings and broken statues. Those who venture into Fallen must deal with the Ravers, feral savages that lurk in the shadows. There's no question that the Ravers exist, but their true nature remains a subject of debate. A common hypothesis is that they're the descendants of the original inhabitants of the district, who were possessed and driven mad by the ghosts of those who died when the tower fell. (Eberron: Rising from the Last War)
The Mourning had no effect on existing undead, and a large number of new undead came into being when the cataclysm occurred. Various spirits (such as ghosts and specters) linger near the places where they died, and the corpses that litter an abandoned battlefield might rise up to continue fighting whenever a living creature comes near. Some of these entities are similar to undead that might be encountered outside the Mournland, but others have alterations that are tied to the unusual manner of their deaths. (Eberron: Rising from the Last War)
Ghosts might linger in a manifest zone associated with Dolurrh. (Eberron: Rising from the Last War)
Strong negative emotions can trap a spirit as a ghost or wraith. (Eberron: Rising from the Last War)
Dolurrh Manifest Zone feature. (Eberron: Rising from the Last War)
Ghost ships are incorporeal vessels that carry undead crews. The crews often died in a grisly manner and have unfinished business that keeps them tethered to the Material Plane. (Ghosts of Saltmarsh)
The black shadows that pass for water in the Shadow Realm run swift and cold, so cold that no matter the surrounding terrain or climate, every stream or river or lake in the plane counts as frigid water. Worse, the spirits of things that died in or near the water constitute a hazard of the plane. (Midgard Worldbook for 5th Edition and Pathfinder)
When Chernobog walks the earth in the dark of the moon and during eclipses, winds rise and howl, animals grow skittish and dogs bite, and ghosts rise from every grave. (Midgard Worldbook for 5th Edition and Pathfinder)
Ghost, Alina: Calimara and Alina are the ghosts of missionaries that died in the brig along with the high priest when the ship sank. (Ghosts of Saltmarsh)
Ghost, Calimara: Calimara and Alina are the ghosts of missionaries that died in the brig along with the high priest when the ship sank. (Ghosts of Saltmarsh)
Ghost, General Yael: I gave up my magic and memories, and Yael gave her life to construct this place to protect the sword. (Baldur's Gate Descent Into Avernus)
Ghost, Lazlo Ulrich: Strahd refuses to let Burgomaster Ulrich's spirit find rest because of what he did to poor Marina. (Curse of Strahd)
Ghost, Old Dalaen: ?
Ghost, Patsy McRoyne: The ghost and the corpse are all that remain of a deceased member of the Order of the Stout Half-Pint, Patsy McRoyne. An examination of the body reveals no weapon wounds, but a successful DC 10 Intelligence (Arcana) or Wisdom (Medicine) check finds evidence of necrotic damage. A familiar sigil has been carved into the corpse's chest-a draconic skull pierced by a sword thrust upward through it. (Acquisitions Incorporated)
Ghost, Pfinston Nezzelech: The ghost of a gnome inquisitive who died when the old city collapsed during the War of the Mark. (Eberron: Rising from the Last War)
Ghost, Pidlwick: If asked how he died, he replies humorlessly, "I fell down the stairs." If Pidlwick II is with the party, the ghost points at the clockwork effigy and says, "He pushed me down the stairs."
Ghost, Prince Ariel du Plumette, Ariel the Heavy: Prince Ariel was a terrible man who longed to fly. He attached artificial wings to a harness and empowered the device with magic, but the apparatus still couldn't bear his weight, and he plunged from the Pillarstone of Ravenloft to his death. (Curse of Strahd)
Ghost, Rosavalda Durst, Rose: The Durst children, Rose and Thorn, were neglected by their parents and locked in this room until they starved to death. (Curse of Strahd)
If asked how they died, Rose and Thorn explain that their parents locked them in the attic to protect them from "the monster in the basement," and that they died from hunger. (Curse of Strahd)
Ghost, Szarr: Long ago, the graveyard was an empty estate owned by the mercantile Szarr family, with only a few family crypts near the cliffs. When a business rival murdered the entire family in their beds, no one was eager to move into their former manor, and the city decided to turn the estate into a single massive graveyard that acts as the primary repository for the city's dead. (Baldur's Gate Descent Into Avernus)
The graveyard itself is a maze of crypts and monuments, its organization nearly impossible for outsiders to discern as the multi-chamber ossuaries of rich merchants and pirate lords loom over the simple plaques and rotting wooden holy symbols of the poor. Natural cavern systems have been expanded and shored up to create extensive crypts, yet over generations maps have been lost or poorly updated, and it's not uncommon for a gravedigger to find themselves striking the wood of a coffin where no coffin should be, or tumbling through into a forgotten stretch of tunnel. Rampant grave robbery by brigands and necromancy-obsessed followers of Myrkul only increases the chaos, as bodies get exhumed and reburied wherever it's convenient. Most significantly, a major landslide decades ago dropped a large portion of the cemetery's cliff into the river below, causing the remaining bone-houses and markers to shift and lean, while also exposing numerous crypts and tomb-tunnels to the air, prompting a fresh rush of grave robbing. Though Baldurians rarely bury their dead with valuables anymore. and many of the easier pickings have been taken, it's common wisdom that some of the greatest treasures of past centuries still lie entombed with their heroes, their headstones wiped anonymously clean by wind and rain. (Baldur's Gate Descent Into Avernus)
Watching over all of this is the powerful Gravemakers crew. Far more than simply caretakers and laborers, the Gravemakers guard the dead-and Tumbledown-from threats. With so much death concentrated in one spot, undead are a constant problem. Skeletons and revenants regularly claw spontaneously out of their graves, while ghouls and ghasts burrow into crypts and catacombs, drawn by the scent of decaying flesh. Wights hide in their tombs by day, while ghosts and wraiths terrorize unsuspecting mortals. Putting down such threats before they can prey on citizens is the Gravemakers' primary job, and though rightfully proud of their prowess, their leader Leone Wen, a lawful good female human knight and servant of Torm, is always looking for fresh recruits or contractors to join them in their crusade. The crew operates out of the half-burned old Szarr Mansion in the cemetery's center, its moldering halls reputedly still infested by the ghosts of the murdered Szarrs-though stories remain split as to whether the ghosts prey on the Gravemakers or aid them in their duty. (Baldur's Gate Descent Into Avernus)
Ghost, Thornboldt Durst, Thorn: The Durst children, Rose and Thorn, were neglected by their parents and locked in this room until they starved to death. (Curse of Strahd)
If asked how they died, Rose and Thorn explain that their parents locked them in the attic to protect them from "the monster in the basement," and that they died from hunger. (Curse of Strahd)
Ghost, Zariel's Knight: The knights' souls are cursed to remain here. They yearn for the afterlife, but the oath they swore to Zariel binds them to her service. (Baldur's Gate Descent Into Avernus)
Ghost Assassin's Ghost: The entity in the mirror is the spirit of a nameless assassin who once belonged to a secret society called the Ba'al Verzi. (Curse of Strahd)
Ghost Dust Goblin Ghost, Kamelk Twice-Killed, Chieftain of the Ghost Head Goblin: ?
Ghost Elven Wizard Ghost: ?
Ghost Ghostly Drake: ?
Ghost Head Goblin Horror: See Zombie Ghost Head Goblin Horror.
Ghost Undead Centaur Ghost: Demon Mountain Road: Corrupted at its source at Demon Mountain, this is a ley line that Rothenian shamans tap but rarely dare to traverse. Filled with haunts, spirits, devils, demons, and undead centaur ghosts, the Demon Mountain Road is said to contain the souls of all those killed by the Master of Demon Mountain over the centuries. (Midgard Worldbook for 5th Edition and Pathfinder)
Ghostly Adventurer: See Spirit, Phantom, Ghostly Adventurer.
Ghostly Drake: See Ghost Ghostly Drake.
Ghoul: Ghouls trace their origins to the Abyss. Doresain, the first of their kind, was an elf worshiper of Orcus. Turning against his own people, he feasted on humanoid flesh to honor the Demon Prince of Undeath. As a reward for his service, Orcus transformed Doresain into the first ghoul. Doresain served Orcus faithfully in the Abyss, creating ghouls from the demon lord's other servants until an incursion by Yeenoghu, the demonic Gnoll Lord, robbed Doresain of his abyssal domain. When Orcus would not intervene on his behalf, Doresain turned to the elf gods for salvation, and they took pity on him and helped him escape certain destruction. Since then, elves have been immune to the ghouls' paralytic touch. (Monster Manual)
Orcus, the Prince of Undeath, has the power to transform manes into undead monsters, most often ghouls and shadows. (Monster Manual)
In most cases, Orcus transforms his followers into undead creatures such as ghouls and wights. (Mordenkainen's Tome of Foes)
Maurezhi are contagion incarnate. Their bite attacks can drain a victim's sense of self. If this affliction is allowed to go far enough, the victim is infected with an unholy hunger for flesh that overpowers their personality and transforms them into a ghoul. (Mordenkainen's Tome of Foes)
Orcus rewards those who spread death in his name by granting them a small portion of his power. The least of these become ghouls and zombies who serve in his legions, while his favored servants are the cultists and necromancers who murder the living and then manipulate the dead, emulating their dread master. (Mordenkainen's Tome of Foes)
Orcus causes up to six corpses within the lair to rise as skeletons, zombies, or ghouls. These undead obey his telepathic commands, which can reach anywhere in the lair. (Mordenkainen's Tome of Foes)
Maurezhi Bite attack.(Mordenkainen's Tome of Foes)
Nabassu Stoul Stealing Gaze attack.(Mordenkainen's Tome of Foes)
Devourers hunt humanoids, with the intent of consuming them body and soul. After a devourer brings a target to the brink of death, it pulls the victim's body in and traps the creature within its own ribcage. As the victim tries to stave off death (usually without success), the devourer tortures its soul with telepathic noise. When the victim expires, it undergoes a horrible transformation, springing forth from the devourer's body to begin its new existence as an undead servitor of the monster that spawned it. (Volo's Guide to Monsters)
Devourer's Imprison Soul power. (Volo's Guide to Monsters)
Hiding in the wardrobes and chests are four ghouls made from gnome and halfling corpses of members of the Order of the Stout Half-Pint. (Acquisitions Incorporated)
These former citizens of the city died when Elturel was drawn into Avernus. Their souls were corrupted by the terrible power of the plane, leaving them in these undead forms. (Baldur's Gate Descent Into Avernus)
Undead Pit. (Baldur's Gate Descent Into Avernus)
When the elf's evil spirit started filling Axeholm's halls with deathly wails, the dwarves abandoned their stronghold, but not before several dwarves slain by the banshee arose as ghouls to feed on their kin. (Essentials Kit)
Ghosts howl and whirl in a magical necromancy storm's wind, while the remains of long-dead mariners stir in their watery graves. During the storm, 1d4 specters, 2d4 ghouls, and 4d6 zombies emerge from the waves to attack the ship. (Ghosts of Saltmarsh)
Create Undead spell. (5e SRD v 5.1)
Animate Ghoul spell. (Midgard Worldbook for 5th Edition and Pathfinder)
Ghoul, Axeholm's Dwarf Castellan: ?
Ghoul, Doresain: Ghouls trace their origins to the Abyss. Doresain, the first of their kind, was an elf worshiper of Orcus. Turning against his own people, he feasted on humanoid flesh to honor the Demon Prince of Undeath. As a reward for his service, Orcus transformed Doresain into the first ghoul. Doresain served Orcus faithfully in the Abyss, creating ghouls from the demon lord's other servants until an incursion by Yeenoghu, the demonic Gnoll Lord, robbed Doresain of his abyssal domain. When Orcus would not intervene on his behalf, Doresain turned to the elf gods for salvation, and they took pity on him and helped him escape certain destruction. Since then, elves have been immune to the ghouls' paralytic touch. (Monster Manual)
Ghoul, Ghul King: ?
Ghoul Beggar Ghoul: ?
Ghoul Darakhul: ?
Ghoul Darakhul, Duchess Angvyr Ssetha, The Lady of Chains, Slave Mistress of Chaingard: ?
Ghoul Darakhul, Duke Borag the Executioner, Warlord of Gallwheor: ?
Ghoul Darakhul, Duke Drago Blackfly: ?
Ghoul Darakhul, Duke Eloghar Vorghesht, Regent of Evernight, High Priest of Vardesain: ?
Ghoul Darakhul, Duke Leander Stross: ?
Ghoul Darakhul, Duke Wierdunn Bonehand: ?
Ghoul Darakhul, Emperor Nicoforus The Pale: ?
Ghoul Darakhul, Emperor Vilmos Marquering, The Black Fang: ?
Ghoul Darakhul, Haresha Winterblood: ?
Ghoul Darakhul, Saint Whiteskull of Brastilor: ?
Ghoul Darakhul, Silas Folly: ?
Ghoul Darakhul, Tonderil the Bonebreaker: ?
Ghoul Darakhul, Vermesail the Gravedancer: ?
Ghoul Darakhul Monk, Sated Fang: ?
Ghoul Darakhul Necrophage, Duchess Mikalea Soulreaper, Lorekeeper of Ossean: ?
Ghoul Darakhul Necrophage, Valengurd the Confessor: ?
Ghoul Ghast: Orcus sometimes infuses a ghoul with a stronger dose of abyssal energy, making a ghast. (Monster Manual)
Courtesy of the magic of Hoobur Gran'Shoop, the rotting dragonborn reanimates as a ghast moments after anyone opens the north cell. (Acquisitions Incorporated)
Undead Pit. (Baldur's Gate Descent Into Avernus)
This deck is a prison for four ghasts-formerly a group of thieves who stowed away in the hold before the Emperor last left port. When the ship was waylaid by the storm, they could not escape from the hold and eventually starved to death. (Ghosts of Saltmarsh)
Create Undead spell, 8th level or higher spell slot. (5e SRD v 5.1)
Animate Ghoul spell, 4th level slot. (Midgard Worldbook for 5th Edition and Pathfinder)
Ghoul Ghoulish Derro: ?
Ghoul Imperial Ghoul: ?
Ghoul Iron Ghoul: ?
Ghoul Large Ghoul: Animate Ghoul spell, 3rd level slot. (Midgard Worldbook for 5th Edition and Pathfinder)
Ghoulish Derro: See Ghoul Ghoulish Derro.
Ghul King: See Ghoul, Ghul King.
Giant Undead: See Haunting Ancestor, Undead Giant.
Gideon Lightward: See Undead Priest, Gideon Lightward.
Githyanki Lich: See Lich Githyanki.
Glutton of Hangksburg: See Vampire Spellcaster, Lord Mayor Rodyan, The Glutton of Hangksburg.
Gnogrot Milkeye: See Lich Goblin, Gnogrot Milkeye.
Gnoll Undead: See Undead Gnoll.
Gnoll Witherling: Sometimes gnolls turn against each other, perhaps to determine who rules a war band or because of extreme starvation. Even under ordinary circumstances, gnolls that are deprived of victims for too long can't control their hunger and violent urges. Eventually, they fight among themselves. The survivors devour the flesh of their slain comrades but preserve the bones. Then, by invoking rituals to Yeenoghu, they bring the remains back to a semblance of life in the form of a gnoll witherling. (Volo's Guide to Monsters)
When a war band grows desperate for food, its members turn on each other. Those who succumb to the violence are devoured, but their service to the war band doesn't end at that point. The survivors preserve the bones of their fallen comrades, so that a pack lord or a flind can perform a ritual to Yeenoghu to turn them into loyal, undead followers known as witherlings. (Volo's Guide to Monsters)
Goblin Ghost Head Goblin Horror: See Zombie Ghost Head Goblin Horror.
Goblin King Dizzerax: See Mummy Mummified Goblin King Dizzerax.
Goblin Lich: See Lich Goblin.
God-King Irsu Thanetsi Khamet: See Mummy Lord, God-King Irsu Thanetsi Khamet, Eye of Anu-Akma and Warden of the Red Portal.
God-King Sut-Akhaman: See Mummy Lord, God-King Sut-Akhaman.
God-Wizard Kuluma-Siris: See Lich, God-Wizard Kuluma-Siris.
Godfrey Gwilym: See Revenant, Sir Godfrey Gwilym.
Gold Ancient Dragon Undead: See Undead Dragon Gold Ancient.
Gray Thirster, Grey Thirster: ?
Grey Thirster: See Gray Thirster, Grey Thirster.
Gwilym, Godfrey: See Revenant, Sir Godfrey Gwilym.
Haresha Winterblood: See Ghoul Darakhul, Haresha Winterblood.
Harmless Aquatic Beast Zombified: See Zombie Zombified Harmless Aquatic Beast.
Hask Malevanor: See Mummy, Abactor Hask Malevanor.
Haunt: Demon Mountain Road: Corrupted at its source at Demon Mountain, this is a ley line that Rothenian shamans tap but rarely dare to traverse. Filled with haunts, spirits, devils, demons, and undead centaur ghosts, the Demon Mountain Road is said to contain the souls of all those killed by the Master of Demon Mountain over the centuries. (Midgard Worldbook for 5th Edition and Pathfinder)
Haunting Ancestor, Undead Giant: Cursed with long lives and restless deaths, these giants are joyless at best and feral at worst. (Midgard Worldbook for 5th Edition and Pathfinder)
With each passing year, increasing numbers of giant corpses—sometimes one or two, other times entire tribes—are driven up from the ground. Their animated bodies rise up to walk the land, pursue strange goals, and protect otherwise barren areas without discernible cause. When a giant’s body fails to rest quietly, its soul returns to haunt its living descendants. (Midgard Worldbook for 5th Edition and Pathfinder)
Heir to the Twin Thrones: See Vampire Spellcaster, Thurso Dragonson, Duke of Morgau, Master of the Black Hills, Protector of the Fane of Blood, Heir to the Twin Thrones.
Helga Ruvak: See Vampire Spawn, Helga Ruvak.
Hierophants of Annihilation: See Bodak, Hierophants of Annihilation.
High Priest of Vardesain: See Ghoul Darakhul, Duke Eloghar Vorghesht, Regent of Evernight, High Priest of Vardesain.
Horngaard, Vladimir: See Revenant, Vladimir Horngaard.
Horror: See Zombie Ghost Head Goblin Horror.
Horse Skeletal: See Skeleton Lady Alagondar's Skeletal Horse, Undead Riding Horse.
Hungry Shade: Long ago, the desert swallowed up the remnants of a foolish Mharoti army. Occasionally, hungry shades emerge from the sands near the ruins of Iram, City of Pillars. These are the undead spirits of the hapless soldiers of the Dragon Empire, doomed to follow their general’s last commands until a new master learns how to control them. (Midgard Worldbook for 5th Edition and Pathfinder)
The sisters are, in truth, a coven of night hags. They work tirelessly to locate black-hearted people whose dreams they can haunt, hounding the hapless victims to death so they can steal their evil souls. They bring these souls to the headwaters of the Nightbrook, and in a dark ritual that requires a memory philter holding emotions of loss, longing, rage, or bitterness, they twist the souls into hungry shades. (Midgard Worldbook for 5th Edition and Pathfinder)
Ibbalan the Illustrious: See Undead Dragon Gold Ancient, Ibbalan the Illustrious.
Illithilich: See Mind Flayer Lich, Illithilich.
Illmarrow, Lady: See Lich, Erandis Vol, Erandis d'Vol, Lady Illmarrow, Queen of Death.
Imperial Ghoul: See Ghoul Imperial Ghoul.
Incorporeal Undead: Dolurrh Manifest Zone feature. (Eberron: Rising from the Last War)
Ineca Sufocan: See Vampire Elf, Captain Ineca Sufocan.
ir'Wynarn, Kaius III: See Vampire, King Kaius ir'Wynarn III, Kaius I.
Iron Ghoul: See Ghoul Iron Ghoul.
Irsu Thanetsi Khamet: See Mummy Lord, God-King Irsu Thanetsi Khamet, Eye of Anu-Akma and Warden of the Red Portal.
Ivliskova, Sasha: See Vampire Spawn, Sasha Ivliskova.
Jander Sunstar: See Vampire, Jander Sunstar.
Jeff Magic: See Lich, Jeff Magic.
Jelayne: See Skeleton Unusual Skeleton, Jelayne.
Kaius I: See Vampire, King Kaius ir'Wynarn III, Kaius I.
Kaius ir'Wynarn III: See Vampire, King Kaius ir'Wynarn III, Kaius I.
Kamelk Twice-Killed, Chieftain of the Ghost Head Goblin: See Ghost Dust Goblin Ghost, Kamelk Twice-Killed, Chieftain of the Ghost Head Goblin.
Karelova, Anastasya: See Vampire Spawn, Anastrasya Karelova.
Karrnathi Undead Soldier: Over decades, a high priest named Malevanor worked with the necromancers of the Blood of Vol to develop the Odakyr Rites, which grant Karrnathi undead the ability to make tactical decisions and operate without direct guidance. The Odakyr Rites work only when performed on the remains of a soldier slain in battle, and only in manifest zones tied to the plane of Mabar. The most significant such zones in Karrnath exist in the cities of Atur and Odakyr (now called Fort Bones). The number of Karrnathi undead soldiers steadily increased over the course of the war, with the losses of Karrnath's living troops offset by the recovery and raising of their remains. Malevanor claimed that Karrnathi undead are animated and granted intelligence by the patriotic spirit of Karrnath. However, many Karrns fear that the undead are vessels for a darker power-and that Lady Illmarrow or someone else will turn the undead against the living. (Eberron: Rising from the Last War)
While we'd like to take the abactor at his word, our research shows that Malevanor was personally involved in the program that produced the infamous Karrnathi undead soldiers. (Eberron: Rising from the Last War)
Kas the Bloody Handed: See Vampire, Kas the Bloody Handed.
Keeper of the Red Sisters: See Vampire, Baron Urslav, The Crawling Lord of Vallanoria, Keeper of the Red Sisters.
Khamet, Irsu Thanetsi: See Mummy Lord, God-King Irsu Thanetsi Khamet, Eye of Anu-Akma and Warden of the Red Portal.
Khazan: See Lich, Khazan.
King Kaius ir'Wynarn III: See Vampire, King Kaius ir'Wynarn III, Kaius I.
King Lucan: See Vampire Warrior, King Lucan.
Klutz Tripalotsky: See Phantom Warrior, Sir Klutz Tripalotsky.
Kroval: See Wraith, Kroval "Mad Dog" Grislek, Master of the Hunt.
Kuluma-Siris: See Lich, God-Wizard Kuluma-Siris.
Lady Alagondar's Skeletal Horse: See Skeleton Lady Alagondar's Skeletal Horse, Undead Riding Horse.
Lady Chesmaya: See Lich, Lady Chesmaya, Voivodina of the Verdant Tower.
Lady Illmarrow: See Lich, Erandis Vol, Erandis d'Vol, Lady Illmarrow, Queen of Death.
Lady Mihaela: See Vampire Warlock, Lady Mihaela, Baroness of Doresh, Pale Lady of Fandorin.
Lady of Chains: See Ghoul Darakhul, Duchess Angvyr Ssetha, The Lady of Chains, Slave Mistress of Chaingard.
Large Ghoul: See Ghoul Large Ghoul.
Lazlo Ulrich: See Ghost, Lazlo Ulrich.
Leander Stross: See Ghoul Darakhul, Duke Leander Stross.
Lich: Liches are the remains of great wizards who embrace undeath as a means of preserving themselves. (Monster Manual)
No wizard takes up the path to lichdom on a whim, and the process of becoming a lich is a well-guarded secret. Wizards that seek lichdom must make bargains with fiends, evil gods, or other foul entities. Many turn to Orcus, Demon Prince of Undeath, whose power has created countless liches. However, those that control the power of lichdom always demand fealty and service for their knowledge. (Monster Manual)
A lich is created by an arcane ritual that traps the wizard's soul within a phylactery. Doing so binds the soul to the mortal world, preventing it from traveling to the Outer Planes after death. A phylactery is traditionally an amulet in the shape of a small box, but it can take the form of any item possessing an interior space into which arcane sigils of naming, binding, immortality, and dark magic are scribed in silver. (Monster Manual)
With its phylactery prepared, the future lich drinks a potion of transformation-a vile concoction of poison mixed with the blood of a sentient creature whose soul is sacrificed to the phylactery. The wizard falls dead, then rises as a lich as its soul is drawn into the phylactery, where it forever remains. (Monster Manual)
The most important part of the transformation ritual occurs when the soul of the aspiring lich migrates to a prepared phylactery. If the spellcaster is too physically or magically weak to compel the soul into its prison, the soul instead seeks out a new master-a humanoid within a few miles who has an unusually hate-filled heart. (Mordenkainen's Tome of Foes)
The road to lichdom offers a way to escape the permanency of death, but that path is long and solitary. (Volo's Guide to Monsters)
Lichdom offers salvation and the prospect of being able to pursue knowledge indefinitely. Having feasted on the brains of people when alive, a mind flayer has no compunction about feeding souls to a phylactery. The only hindrance to a mind flayer becoming a lich is the means, which is a secret some mind flayer arcanists stop at nothing to discover. Yet lichdom requires an arcane spellcaster to be at the apex of power, something many mind flayers find is far from their grasps. (Volo's Guide to Monsters)
South Sarcophagus. The vestige within this sarcophagus offers "the dark gift of Tenebrous" to any humanoid creature of evil alignment that can cast 9th-level wizard spells. Tenebrous's gift is the secret of lichdom. This dark gift grants its beneficiary the knowledge needed to perform the following tasks: (Curse of Strahd)
Craft a phylactery and imbue it with the power to contain the beneficiary's soul. (Curse of Strahd)
Concoct a potion of transformation that turns the beneficiary into a lich Construction of the phylactery takes 10 days. Concocting the potion takes 3 days. The two items can't be crafted concurrently. When the beneficiary drinks the potion, he or she instantly transforms into a Lich under the Dungeon Master's control (use the stat block in the Monster Manual, altering the Lich's prepared spells as desired). (Curse of Strahd)
The beneficiary of this dark gift gains the following flaw: "All I care about is acquiring new magic and arcane knowledge." (Curse of Strahd)
A wizard might steal the items needed to create a phylactery and become a lich. (Dungeon Master's Guide)
The Book of Vile Darkness could hold a ritual that allows a character to become a lich or death knight. (Dungeon Master's Guide)
Everywhere except in the Greater Duchy of Morgau, Anu-Akma promotes purity and preserves order, watching over the timely and dignified death of all. His priests anoint those of royal blood to rise again as mummies or liches, and gnoll mortuary guards and guides protect the vast ossuaries and cemeteries from desecration. (Midgard Worldbook for 5th Edition and Pathfinder)
Lich, Archlich Orgupash: ?
Lich, Erandis Vol, Erandis d'Vol, Lady Illmarrow, Queen of Death: Even as dragons and elves fought to destroy the line of Vol, a child was born to the house: Erandis. A scion of elf and dragon, Erandis bore a Mark of Death unlike any other. In time, it might have been her gateway to immortality and unrivaled power, but she was hunted down and killed long before she could master the mark's magic. Her mother, Minara Vol, escaped with her daughter's body to the icy reaches of Farlnen, far from the conflict. There, Minara unleashed all her necromantic power to raise Erandis as a lich. (Eberron: Rising from the Last War)
Lich, Exethanter: The wizards were dead and gone by the time an evil archmage named Exethanter arrived at the temple. He breached the temple's wards, spoke to a vestige trapped in amber, and discovered the secret to becoming a lich. (Curse of Strahd)
Lich, God-Wizard Kuluma-Siris: ?
Lich, Jeff Magic: ?
Lich, Khazan: Khazan was a powerful archmage who unlocked the secrets of lichdom, then later tried to become a demilich and failed. (Curse of Strahd)
Lich, Lady Chesmaya, Voivodina of the Verdant Tower: ?
Lich, Lottie: ?
Lich, Meskhenit, Reborn Queen-Goddess, Mother of Destiny and Defender of the Realm: ?
Lich, Osvaud the Off-White: ?
Lich, Vecna, The Whispered One, The Master of the Spider Throne, The Undying King, The Lord of the Rotted Tower, Lich-God: Orcus, the demon prince of undeath, taught Vecna a ritual that would allow him to live on as a lich. (Dungeon Master's Guide)
Lich-Priest Gath: ?
Lich-Queen: See Lich Githyanki, Vlaakith, Lich-Queen
Lich Archlich, Acererak: ?
Lich Githyanki, Vlaakith, Lich-Queen: ?
Lich Goblin, Gnogrot Milkeye: ?
Lich Ravenfolk Sorcerer, Arkara Amasis: ?
Lightward, Gideon: See Undead Priest, Gideon Lightward.
Liquid Zombie: See Zombie Liquid Zombie.
Lord Fandorin: See Vampire Spellcaster, Lord Fandorin, Baron of Doresh, Fey Lord of the Grisal Marches.
Lord Mayor Rodyan: See Vampire Spellcaster, Lord Mayor Rodyan, The Glutton of Hangksburg.
Lord of the Rotted Tower: See Lich, Vecna, The Whispered One, The Master of the Spider Throne, The Undying King, The Lord of the Rotted Tower, Lich-God.
Lord Soth: See Death Knight, Lord Soth.
Lorekeeper of Ossean: See Ghoul Darakhul Necrophage, Duchess Mikalea Soulreaper, Lorekeeper of Ossean.
Lottie: See Lich, Lottie.
Lottie's Palace Staff Skeleton: See Skeleton Lottie's Palace Staff Skeleton.
Lucan: See Vampire Warrior, King Lucan.
Lucian: See Vampire Spawn, Father Lucian.
Ludmilla Vilisevic: See Vampire Spawn, Ludmilla Vilisevic.
Maatkare Abastet: See Banshee, Maatkare Abastet.
Mad Dog: See Wraith, Kroval "Mad Dog" Grislek, Master of the Hunt.
Magic, Jeff: See Lich, Jeff Magic.
Maiden Snow: See Snow Maiden.
Malevanor, Hask: See Mummy, Abactor Hask Malevanor.
Marquering, Vilmos: See Ghoul Darakhul, Emperor Vilmos Marquering, The Black Fang.
Master of the Black Hills: See Vampire Spellcaster, Thurso Dragonson, Duke of Morgau, Master of the Black Hills, Protector of the Fane of Blood, Heir to the Twin Thrones.
Master of the Hunt: See Wraith, Kroval "Mad Dog" Grislek, Master of the Hunt.
Master of the Spider Throne: See Lich, Vecna, The Whispered One, The Master of the Spider Throne, The Undying King, The Lord of the Rotted Tower, Lich-God.
McRoyne, Patsy: See Ghost, Patsy McRoyne.
Menet-Ka: Menet-Ka was a minor king in ancient Nuria Natal who was buried beneath an oasis fed by an underground branch of the River Nuria and close to a powerful ley line. The plan was that the blessed waters of the river would flow into the dead king after entombment, and he would return to life gifted with staggering power. Unfortunately, Menet-Ka’s corruption meant he returned as an undead creature, and his tomb now serves as a death trap, designed to steal the breath from any who dare to disturb his final resting place. (Midgard Worldbook for 5th Edition and Pathfinder)
Meskhenit: See Lich, Meskhenit, Reborn Queen-Goddess, Mother of Destiny and Defender of the Realm.
Metus: See Vampire, Baron Metus.
Mihaela: See Vampire Warlock, Lady Mihaela, Baroness of Doresh, Pale Lady of Fandorin.
Mikalea Soulreaper: See Ghoul Darakhul Necrophage, Duchess Mikalea Soulreaper, Lorekeeper of Ossean.
Milkeye, Gnogrot: See Lich Goblin, Gnogrot Milkeye.
Mind Flayer Alhoon: Mind flayers that pursue arcane magic are exiled as deviants, and for them no eternal communion with an elder brain is possible. The road to lichdom offers a way to escape the permanency of death, but that path is long and solitary. Alhoons are mind flayers that use a shortcut. (Volo's Guide to Monsters)
Lichdom offers salvation and the prospect of being able to pursue knowledge indefinitely. Having feasted on the brains of people when alive, a mind flayer has no compunction about feeding souls to a phylactery. The only hindrance to a mind flayer becoming a lich is the means, which is a secret some mind flayer arcanists stop at nothing to discover. Yet lichdom requires an arcane spellcaster to be at the apex of power, something many mind flayers find is far from their grasps. (Volo's Guide to Monsters)
Confronting this awful reality, a group of nine mind flayer deviants used their arcane magic and psionics to weave a new truth. These nine called themselves the alhoon, and ever afterward, all those who follow in their footsteps have been referred to by the same name. Alhoons can cooperate in the creation of a periapt of mind trapping, a fist-sized container made of silver, emerald, and amethyst. The process requires at least three mind flayer arcanists and the sacrifice of an equal number of souls from living victims in a three-day-long ritual of spellcasting and psionic communion. Upon its completion, free-willed undeath is conferred on the mind flayers, turning them into alhoons. (Volo's Guide to Monsters)
Mind Flayer Lich, Illithilich: The path to true lichdom is something only the most powerful mind flayer mages can pursue, since it requires the ability to craft a phylactery and cast the imprisonment spell. (Volo's Guide to Monsters)
Minotaur Skeleton: See Skeleton Minotaur Skeleton.
Miraal: See Banshee, Miraal.
Mist Apparition: ?
Mother of Destiny: See Lich, Meskhenit, Reborn Queen-Goddess, Mother of Destiny and Defender of the Realm.
Mummified: See Mummy Mummified.
Mummy: Raised by dark funerary rituals and still wrapped in the shrouds of death, mummies shamble out from lost temples and tombs to slay any who disturb their rest. (D&D Basic Rules Version 1.0)
Raised by dark funerary rituals, a mummy shambles from the shrouded stillness of a time-lost temple or tomb. Having been awoken from its rest, it punishes transgressors with the power of its unholy curse. (Monster Manual)
The long burial rituals that accompany a mummy's entombment help protect its body from rot. In the embalming process, the newly dead creature's organs are removed and placed in special jars, and its corpse is treated with preserving oils, herbs, and wrappings. After the body has been prepared, the corpse is typically wrapped in linen bandages. (Monster Manual)
The Will of Dark Gods. An undead mummy is created when the priest of a death god or other dark deity ritually imbues a prepared corpse with necromantic magic. The mummy's linen wrappings are inscribed with necromantic markings before the burial ritual concludes with an invocation to darkness. As a mummy endures in undeath, it animates in response to conditions specified by the ritual. Most commonly, a transgression against its tomb, treasures, lands, or former loved ones will cause a mummy to rise. (Monster Manual)
The Punished. Once deceased, an individual has no say in whether or not its body is made into a mummy. Some mummies were powerful individuals who displeased a high priest or pharaoh, or who committed crimes of treason, adultery, or murder. As punishment, they were cursed with eternal undeath, embalmed, mummified, and sealed away. Other times, mummies acting as tomb guardians are created from slaves put to death specifically to serve a greater purpose. (Monster Manual)
The mummies are the undead remains of yuan-ti malisons or purebloods. (Volo's Guide to Monsters)
Zariel's warlocks helped build the Crypt of the Hell-riders to gain infernal power in their mortal world. When they died, their cursed bodies were dragged into Avernus to guard the tomb for eternity. (Baldur's Gate Descent Into Avernus)
Raised by dark funerary rituals and still wrapped in the shrouds of death, mummies shamble out from lost temples and tombs to slay any who disturb their rest. (DM Basic Rules V0.5)
Everywhere except in the Greater Duchy of Morgau, Anu-Akma promotes purity and preserves order, watching over the timely and dignified death of all. His priests anoint those of royal blood to rise again as mummies or liches, and gnoll mortuary guards and guides protect the vast ossuaries and cemeteries from desecration. (Midgard Worldbook for 5th Edition and Pathfinder)
Create Undead spell, 9th level spell slot. (5e SRD v 5.1)
Mummy, Abactor Hask Malevanor: ?
Mummy Catfolk Mummy: ?
Mummy Lord: In the tombs of the ancients, tyrannical monarchs and the high priests of dark gods lie in dreamless rest, waiting for the time when they might reclaim their thrones and reforge their ancient empires. (Monster Manual)
Under the direction of the most powerful priests, the ritual that creates a mummy can be increased in potency. The mummy lord that rises from such a ritual retains the memories and personality of its former life, and is gifted with supernatural resilience. Dead emperors wield the same infamous rune-marked blades that they did in legend. Sorcerer lords work the forbidden magic that once controlled a terrified populace, and the dark gods reward dead priest-kings' prayers by imparting divine spells. (Monster Manual)
Heart of the Mummy Lord. As part of the ritual that creates a mummy lord, the creature's heart and viscera are removed from the corpse and placed in canopic jars. These jars are usually carved from limestone or made of pottery, etched or painted with religious hieroglyphs. (Monster Manual)
Mummy Lord, God-King Irsu Thanetsi Khamet, Eye of Anu-Akma and Warden of the Red Portal: ?
Mummy Lord, God-King Sut-Akhaman: ?
Mummy Mummified Goblin King Dizzerax: ?
Mummy Mummified Sphinx: ?
Naga Bone Naga: In response to the long history of conflict between the yuan-ti and the nagas, yuan-ti created a necromantic ritual that could halt a naga's resurrection by transforming the living naga into a skeletal undead servitor. (Monster Manual)
Necrophage: See Ghoul Darakhul Necrophage.
Nezzelech, Pfinston: See Ghost, Pfinston Nezzelech.
Nicoforus The Pale: See Ghoul Darakhul, Emperor Nicoforus The Pale.
Nightwalker: The Negative Plane is a place of darkness and death, anathema to all living things. Yet there are those who would tap into its fell power. to use its energy for sinister ends. Most often, when such individuals approach the midnight realm, they find they are unequal to the task. Those not destroyed outright are sometimes drawn inside the plane and replaced by nightwalkers, terrifying undead creatures that devour all life they encounter. (Mordenkainen's Tome of Foes)
Stepping into the Negative Plane is tantamount to suicide, since the plane sucks the life and soul from such audacious creatures and annihilates them at once. Those few who survive the effort do so by sheer luck or by harnessing some rare form of magic that protects them against the hostile atmosphere. They soon discover, however, that they can't leave as easily as they arrived. For each creature that enters the plane, a nightwalker is released to take its place. (Mordenkainen's Tome of Foes)
Ogre Zombie: See Zombie Ogre Zombie.
Olanthius: See Death Knight, Olanthius.
Old Dalaen: See Ghost, Old Dalaen.
Orgupash: See Lich, Archlich Orgupash.
Osvaud the Off-White: See Lich, Osvaud the Off-White.
Otmar the Sallow: See Vampire, Otmar the Sallow.
Pale Lady of Fandorin: See Vampire Warlock, Lady Mihaela, Baroness of Doresh, Pale Lady of Fandorin.
Patrina Velikovna: See Banshee, Patrina Velikovna.
Patsy McRoyne: See Ghost, Patsy McRoyne.
Pfinston Nezzelech: See Ghost, Pfinston Nezzelech.
Phantom: ?
Phantom: See Spirit, Phantom, Ghostly Adventurer.
Phantom Warrior: A phantom warrior is the spectral remnant of a willful soldier or knight who perished on the battlefield or died performing its sworn duty. (Curse of Strahd)
Although one is often mistaken for a ghost, a phantom warrior isn't bound by a yearning to complete some unresolved goal. It can choose to end its undead existence at any time. Its spirit lingers willingly, either out of loyalty to its former master or because it believes it must perform a task to satisfy its honor or sense of duty. For example, a guard who dies defending a wall might return as a phantom warrior and continue guarding the wall, then disappear forever once a new guard assumes its post or the wall is destroyed. The period between the time it died and the time it rises as a phantom warrior is usually 24 hours. (Curse of Strahd)
Phantom Warrior, Sir Klutz Tripalotsky: If the sword is pulled from the armor, Sir Klutz appears as a phantom warrior, thanks whoever pulled his weapon free, and agrees to fight alongside that character for the next seven days. Sir Klutz perished years before Strahd became a vampire, so the phantom warrior knows nothing of Strahd's downfall or the curse afflicting Barovia. (Curse of Strahd)
Pidlwick: See Ghost, Pidlwick.
Pixelated Skeleton: See Skeleton Pixelated Skeleton.
Pixelated Zombie: See Zombie Pixelated Zombie.
Plumette, Ariel: See Ghost, Prince Ariel du Plumette, Ariel the Heavy.
Poltergeist: See Specter Poltergeist.
Popofsky, Valenta: See Vampire Spawn, Valenta Popofsky.
Priest Undead: See Undead Priest.
Prince Ariel du Plumette: See Ghost, Prince Ariel du Plumette, Ariel the Heavy.
Protector of the Fane of Blood: See Vampire Spellcaster, Thurso Dragonson, Duke of Morgau, Master of the Black Hills, Protector of the Fane of Blood, Heir to the Twin Thrones.
Purple Worm Undead: See Undead Purple Worm.
Queen of Death: See Lich, Erandis Vol, Erandis d'Vol, Lady Illmarrow, Queen of Death.
Ravenfolk Sorcerer Lich: See Lich Ravenfolk Sorcerer.
Reborn Queen-Goddess: See Lich, Meskhenit, Reborn Queen-Goddess, Mother of Destiny and Defender of the Realm.
Regent of Evernight: See Ghoul Darakhul, Duke Eloghar Vorghesht, Regent of Evernight, High Priest of Vardesain.
Revenant: A revenant forms from the soul of a mortal who met a cruel and undeserving fate. It claws its way back into the world to seek revenge against the one who wronged it. The revenant reclaims its mortal body and superficially resembles a zombie. However, instead of lifeless eyes, a revenant's eyes burn with resolve and flare in the presence of its adversary. If the revenant's original body was destroyed or is otherwise unavailable, the spirit of the revenant enters another humanoid corpse. (Monster Manual)
Some of her most fervent followers seek out the secret of attaining undeath for themselves. Kiaransalee favors them by bringing them back as undead, but unlike other gods of similar sort, Kiaransalee doesn't offer the undeath of lichdom but a lowly existence as a banshee, a revenant, or a wight. (Mordenkainen's Tome of Foes)
Long ago, the graveyard was an empty estate owned by the mercantile Szarr family, with only a few family crypts near the cliffs. When a business rival murdered the entire family in their beds, no one was eager to move into their former manor, and the city decided to turn the estate into a single massive graveyard that acts as the primary repository for the city's dead. (Baldur's Gate Descent Into Avernus)
The graveyard itself is a maze of crypts and monuments, its organization nearly impossible for outsiders to discern as the multi-chamber ossuaries of rich merchants and pirate lords loom over the simple plaques and rotting wooden holy symbols of the poor. Natural cavern systems have been expanded and shored up to create extensive crypts, yet over generations maps have been lost or poorly updated, and it's not uncommon for a gravedigger to find themselves striking the wood of a coffin where no coffin should be, or tumbling through into a forgotten stretch of tunnel. Rampant grave robbery by brigands and necromancy-obsessed followers of Myrkul only increases the chaos, as bodies get exhumed and reburied wherever it's convenient. Most significantly, a major landslide decades ago dropped a large portion of the cemetery's cliff into the river below, causing the remaining bone-houses and markers to shift and lean, while also exposing numerous crypts and tomb-tunnels to the air, prompting a fresh rush of grave robbing. Though Baldurians rarely bury their dead with valuables anymore. and many of the easier pickings have been taken, it's common wisdom that some of the greatest treasures of past centuries still lie entombed with their heroes, their headstones wiped anonymously clean by wind and rain. (Baldur's Gate Descent Into Avernus)
Watching over all of this is the powerful Gravemakers crew. Far more than simply caretakers and laborers, the Gravemakers guard the dead-and Tumbledown-from threats. With so much death concentrated in one spot, undead are a constant problem. Skeletons and revenants regularly claw spontaneously out of their graves, while ghouls and ghasts burrow into crypts and catacombs, drawn by the scent of decaying flesh. (Baldur's Gate Descent Into Avernus)
The revenant was a knight of the Order of the Silver Dragon, which was annihilated defending the valley against Strahd's armies more than four centuries ago. The revenant no longer remembers its name and wanders the land in search of Strahd's wolves and other minions, slaying them on sight. (Curse of Strahd)
The death of Argynvost enraged the spirit of Vladimir Horngaard, the greatest of the dragon's knights. Horngaard returned as a revenant and swore to avenge the destruction of the order. His zeal was so great that it also brought back the spirits of several other knights, who rose as revenants under Vladimir's command. (Curse of Strahd)
Murdered by House Cannith assassins after she learned too much about the house's secret research. (Eberron: Rising from the Last War)
Revenant, Sir Godfrey Gwilym: Unwilling to accept his failure, Vladimir returned as a revenant. So great was his hatred of Strahd and his thirst for vengeance that those feelings fueled the spirits of many of his fellow knights—including Godfrey—to come back as revenants as well. (Curse of Strahd)
Revenant, Vladimir Horngaard: Vladimir Horngaard joined the Order of the Silver Dragon at a young age and quickly earned the friendship of its founder, the silver dragon Argynvost. When he became a knight of the order, he traveled to distant lands to wage war against the forces of evil. The dragon stayed home and, in the guise of a human noble named Lord Argynvost, brought new initiates into the order. (Curse of Strahd)
Enemies of Strahd. Vladimir found himself fighting Strahd's armies time and again as they swept across the land. When it became clear that Strahd couldn't be stopped, the knights of the order led hundreds of refugees to Argynvost's valley, but Strahd tracked them to their sanctuary and overwhelmed them with a vast force. Vladimir, whom Argynvost had made a field commander, couldn't hold back the evil tide and was killed, only after the heartbreak of witnessing Strahd himself slay Vladimir's beloved, his fellow knight Sir Godfrey Gwilym. With the battle won, Strahd surrounded Argynvostholt. Rather than cower in his lair, Argynvost emerged and battled Strahd's armies to the bitter end. (Curse of Strahd)
Deadly Vengeance. Unwilling to accept his failure, Vladimir returned as a revenant. So great was his hatred of Strahd and his thirst for vengeance that those feelings fueled the spirits of many of his fellow knights—including Godfrey—to come back as revenants as well. (Curse of Strahd)
The death of Argynvost enraged the spirit of Vladimir Horngaard, the greatest of the dragon's knights. Horngaard returned as a revenant and swore to avenge the destruction of the order. (Curse of Strahd)
"If you have come to destroy me, know this: I perished defending this land from evil over four centuries ago, and because of my failure, I am forever doomed.” (Curse of Strahd)
Richten, Erasmus: See Vampire, Erasmus Van Richten.
Riding Horse Undead: See Skeleton Lady Alagondar's Skeletal Horse, Undead Riding Horse.
Rodyan: See Vampire Spellcaster, Lord Mayor Rodyan, The Glutton of Hangksburg.
Rosavalda Durst: See Ghost, Rosavalda Durst, Rose.
Rose: See Ghost, Rosavalda Durst, Rose.
Ruvak, Helga: See Vampire Spawn, Helga Ruvak.
Saint Whiteskull of Brastilor: See Ghoul Darakhul, Saint Whiteskull of Brastilor.
Sasha Ivliskova: See Vampire Spawn, Sasha Ivliskova.
Sated Fang: See Ghoul Darakhul Monk, Sated Fang.
Shade Hungry: See Hungry Shade.
Shadow: If a non‐evil humanoid dies from a shadow's strength drain attack, a new
shadow rises from the corpse 1d4 hours later. (5e SRD v 5.1)
As a shadow drains its victim's strength and physical form, the victim's shadow darkens and begins to move of its own volition. In death, the creature's shadow breaks free, becoming a new undead shadow hungry for more life to consume. (Monster Manual)
If a non-evil humanoid dies from a shadow's strength drain attack, a new shadow rises from the corpse 1d4 hours later. (Monster Manual)
A humanoid reduced to 0 hit points by a shadow dragon's shadow breath's damage dies, and an undead shadow rises from its corpse and acts immediately after the dragon in the initiative count. The shadow is under the dragon's control. (Monster Manual)
A humanoid reduced to 0 hit points by a young red shadow dragon's shadow breath's damage dies, and an undead shadow rises from its corpse and acts immediately after the dragon in the initiative count. The shadow is under the dragon's control. (Monster Manual)
Orcus, the Prince of Undeath, has the power to transform manes into undead monsters, most often ghouls and shadows. (Monster Manual)
Hoobur Gran"Shoop's necromantic rituals have caused the humanoids slain here to come back as three shadows. (Acquisitions Incorporated)
Undead Pit. (Baldur's Gate Descent Into Avernus)
They are the remnants of dark souls that perished here long ago. (Curse of Strahd)
Dolurrh Manifest Zone feature. (Eberron: Rising from the Last War)
Silas Folly: See Ghoul Darakhul, Silas Folly.
Sir Godfrey Gwilym: See Revenant, Sir Godfrey Gwilym.
Sir Klutz Tripalotsky: See Phantom Warrior, Sir Klutz Tripalotsky.
Skeletal Alchemist: See Skeleton Skeletal Alchemist.
Skeletal Arms: Orcus lair action. (Mordenkainen's Tome of Foes)
Skeletal Horse: See Skeleton Lady Alagondar's Skeletal Horse, Undead Riding Horse.
Skeletal Juggernaut: See Skeleton Skeletal Juggernaut.
Skeletal Pony Slinger: See Skeleton Skeletal Pony Slinger.
Skeletal Rider: See Skeleton, Skeletal Rider.
Skeletal Rider: See Skeleton Warhorse Skeleton, Skeletal Rider.
Skeletal Swarm: See Skeleton Skeletal Swarm.
Skeleton: Skeletons arise when animated by dark magic. They heed the summons of spellcasters who call them from their stony tombs and ancient battlefields, or rise of their own accord in places saturated with death and loss, awakened by stirrings of necromantic energy or the presence of corrupting evil. (Monster Manual)
Animated Dead. Whatever sinister force awakens a skeleton infuses its bones with a dark vitality, adhering joint to joint and reassembling dismantled limbs. This energy motivates a skeleton to move and think in a rudimentary fashion, though only as a pale imitation of the way it behaved in life. An animated skeleton retains no connection to its past, although resurrecting a skeleton restores it body and soul, banishing the hateful undead spirit that empowers it. (Monster Manual)
While most skeletons are the animated remains of dead humans and other humanoids, skeletal undead can be created from the bones of other creatures besides humanoids, giving rise to a host of terrifying and unique forms. (Monster Manual)
Animated by dark magic, skeletons are bony warriors summoned forth by spellcasters or who arise of their own accord from graves steeped in necromantic energy and ancient evils. (Monsters & Creatures: A Young Adventurer's Guide)
While most skeletons are humanoid, bones of all types can be brought back to life with powerful enough magic, and adventurers may find themselves facing down all manner of strange and deadly skeletal forms! (Monsters & Creatures: A Young Adventurer's Guide)
While standard races such as humans and elves are most common, powerful mages have managed to revive the bones of huge creatures, like dragons and giants—not to mention cobbling together unique creations from a mix of different bones! (Monsters & Creatures: A Young Adventurer's Guide)
Orcus causes up to six corpses within the lair to rise as skeletons, zombies, or ghouls. These undead obey his telepathic commands, which can reach anywhere in the lair. (Mordenkainen's Tome of Foes)
The region containing Orcus's lair is warped by Orcus's magic, creating one or more of the following effects: • Dead beasts periodically animate as undead mockeries of their former selves. Skeletal and zombie versions of local wildlife are commonly seen in the area. (Mordenkainen's Tome of Foes)
If one or more of the black candles on the altar are lit, they shed a green light that reveals black writing on the walls. The writing, which is not visible otherwise, says in Common, "RISE AND BE COUNTED!" If these words are spoken aloud within 5 feet of the altar, the words vanish as bones hidden under the debris at the north end of the room rise up and knit together, forming three animated human skeletons. The skeletons are evil undead, but they obey the commands of whoever spoke the words that raised them, serving that individual until they're destroyed or their master is killed. (Baldur's Gate Descent Into Avernus)
A squad of Baphomet's minotaurs attempted to overrun the chapel, but Gideon and his servants slew them. Gideon then turned them into four minotaur skeletons that attack as soon as any character enters this area. (Baldur's Gate Descent Into Avernus)
Long ago, the graveyard was an empty estate owned by the mercantile Szarr family, with only a few family crypts near the cliffs. When a business rival murdered the entire family in their beds, no one was eager to move into their former manor, and the city decided to turn the estate into a single massive graveyard that acts as the primary repository for the city's dead. (Baldur's Gate Descent Into Avernus)
The graveyard itself is a maze of crypts and monuments, its organization nearly impossible for outsiders to discern as the multi-chamber ossuaries of rich merchants and pirate lords loom over the simple plaques and rotting wooden holy symbols of the poor. Natural cavern systems have been expanded and shored up to create extensive crypts, yet over generations maps have been lost or poorly updated, and it's not uncommon for a gravedigger to find themselves striking the wood of a coffin where no coffin should be, or tumbling through into a forgotten stretch of tunnel. Rampant grave robbery by brigands and necromancy-obsessed followers of Myrkul only increases the chaos, as bodies get exhumed and reburied wherever it's convenient. Most significantly, a major landslide decades ago dropped a large portion of the cemetery's cliff into the river below, causing the remaining bone-houses and markers to shift and lean, while also exposing numerous crypts and tomb-tunnels to the air, prompting a fresh rush of grave robbing. Though Baldurians rarely bury their dead with valuables anymore. and many of the easier pickings have been taken, it's common wisdom that some of the greatest treasures of past centuries still lie entombed with their heroes, their headstones wiped anonymously clean by wind and rain. (Baldur's Gate Descent Into Avernus)
Watching over all of this is the powerful Gravemakers crew. Far more than simply caretakers and laborers, the Gravemakers guard the dead-and Tumbledown-from threats. With so much death concentrated in one spot, undead are a constant problem. Skeletons and revenants regularly claw spontaneously out of their graves, while ghouls and ghasts burrow into crypts and catacombs, drawn by the scent of decaying flesh. (Baldur's Gate Descent Into Avernus)
Undead Pit. (Baldur's Gate Descent Into Avernus)
Whenever a wight is killed in this vault, some of the bones knit together, forming 2d6 animated human skeletons. (Curse of Strahd)
Buried under the earthen floor are eight human skeletons-the animated remains of dead Vallakians that were stolen from the church cemetery and animated by Lady Wachter. They rise up and attack intruders who cross the floor. (Curse of Strahd)
Assemblages of bones animated by dark magic, skeletons heed the summons of those who create them or rise of their own accord in places saturated with deathly magic. (Dungeons & Dragons Starter Set Stranger Things)
Assemblages of bones animated by dark magic, skeletons heed the summons of those who create them. (Dungeons & Dragons vs Rick and Morty)
Early in the Last War, Karrnath turned to the necromancers of the Blood of Vol to bolster the nation's army with undead forces. The skeletons and zombies created by the necromancers were mindless creatures that required guidance. (Eberron: Rising from the Last War)
If a skeletal juggernaut is reduced to 0 hit points, twelve skeletons rise from its remains. (Ghosts of Saltmarsh)
Ghost ships are incorporeal vessels that carry undead crews. The crews often died in a grisly manner and have unfinished business that keeps them tethered to the Material Plane. (Ghosts of Saltmarsh)
Animate Dead spell. (5e SRD v 5.1)
Skeleton Burning Skeleton: ?
Skeleton Lady Alagondar's Skeletal Horse, Undead Riding Horse: ?
Skeleton Lottie's Palace Staff Skeleton: ?
Skeleton Minotaur Skeleton: Slain servants of Baphomet stripped of flesh and animated by Gideon using the power of the Companion. (Baldur's Gate Descent Into Avernus)
Skeleton Pixelated Skeleton: Every body in the room is an undead creature, culled from the endless supply of bodies at area 6.39 and raised by the skull lord using necromantic rituals. (Dragon+: Six Faces of Death (5e))
Skeleton Skeletal Alchemist: ?
Skeleton Skeletal Juggernaut: ?
Skeleton Skeletal Pony Slinger: ?
Skeleton, Skeletal Rider: The human skeleton and warhorse skeleton are all that remain of a rider and mount, both of whom perished trying to escape through the fog that surrounds Barovia. They are doomed to ride through the valley in search of another way out, without hope of salvation. (Curse of Strahd)
Skeleton Skeletal Swarm: This swarm of bones found rising out of the sand in Isle of the Abbey is made from the remains of several animated skeletons. (Ghosts of Saltmarsh)
Skeleton Unusual Skeleton, Jelayne: Jelayne wasn't one to let death keep her down, however, and she continues to lead the group as an unusual skeleton. (Acquisitions Incorporated)
If the adventurers defeat the crew and study Jelayne, a successful DC 10 Intelligence (Arcana or Religion) check confirms that she was raised as undead by a unique ritual that allowed her to keep her intellect and ability to speak. (Acquisitions Incorporated)
Skeleton Warhorse Skeleton: The gnome archmage Hoobur Gran'Shoop animated these dead horses in the aftermath of the attack on Tresendar Manor, commanding them to lie still and attack any humanoid creatures that approach them. (Acquisitions Incorporated)
If the characters poke around the rotting flesh that fell of the horses during the battle, they see that each horse bore scars on its sides that form the image of a draconic skull with a sword driven up through it from the bottom. A character who succeeds on a DC 10 Intelligence (Arcana) check recognizes the sigil as part of a unique necromantic ritual that can turn any creature into an undead creature when it dies. (Acquisitions Incorporated)
Skeleton Warhorse Skeleton, Skeletal Rider: The human skeleton and warhorse skeleton are all that remain of a rider and mount, both of whom perished trying to escape through the fog that surrounds Barovia. They are doomed to ride through the valley in search of another way out, without hope of salvation. (Curse of Strahd)
Skull Lord: A combined being born from three hateful individuals. (Mordenkainen's Tome of Foes)
Infighting and treachery brought the skull lords into existence. The first of them appeared in the aftermath of Vecna's bid to conquer the world of Greyhawk, after the vampire Kas betrayed Vecna and took his eye and hand. In the confusion resulting from this turn of events, Vecna's warlords turned against each other, and the dark one's plans were dashed. In a rage, Vecna gathered up his generals and captains and bound them in groups of three, fusing them into undead abominations cursed to fight among themselves for all time. Since the first skull lords were exiled into shadow, others have joined them, typically after being created from other leaders who betrayed their masters. (Mordenkainen's Tome of Foes)
Skull Lord, Vargo: Created from the bodies of three evil adventurers, the skull lord Vargo has spent hundreds of years in Acheron. (Dragon+: Six Faces of Death (5e))
Vargo was once three evil adventurers who teamed up to defeat the devil Earl Andromalius. When they were defeated, Andromalius subjected them to a horrific curse, combining the three of them into a single undead being. (Dragon+: Six Faces of Death (5e))
Slave Mistress of Chaingard: See Ghoul Darakhul, Duchess Angvyr Ssetha, The Lady of Chains, Slave Mistress of Chaingard.
Snow Maiden: ?
Soth: See Death Knight, Lord Soth.
Soulreaper, Mikalea: See Ghoul Darakhul Necrophage, Duchess Mikalea Soulreaper, Lorekeeper of Ossean.
Spawn of Kyuss: Kyuss was a high priest of Orcus who plundered corpses from necropolises to create the first spawn of Kyuss. (Volo's Guide to Monsters)
From a distance or in poor light, a spawn of Kyuss looks like an ordinary zombie. As it comes into clearer view, one can see scores of little green worms crawling in and out of it. These worms jump onto nearby humanoids and burrow into their flesh. A worm that penetrates a humanoid body makes its way to the creature's brain. Once inside the brain, the worm kills its host and animates the corpse, transforming it into a spawn of Kyuss that breeds more worms. The dead humanoid's soul remains trapped inside the corpse, preventing the individual from being raised or resurrected until the undead body is destroyed. The horror of being a soul imprisoned in an undead body drives a spawn of Kyuss insane. (Volo's Guide to Monsters)
Spawn of Kyuss Burrowing Worm power. (Volo's Guide to Monsters)
Specter: A specter is the angry, unfettered spirit of a humanoid that has been prevented from passing to the afterlife. Specters no longer possess connections to who or what they were, yet are condemned to walk the world forever. Some a re spawned when dark magic or the touch of a wraith rips a soul from a living body. (Monster Manual)
A wraith can make an undead servant from the spirit of a humanoid creature that has recently suffered a violent death. Such a fragment of woe becomes a specter, spiteful of all that lives. (Monster Manual)
Corpses that accumulate on the construct's shell aren't just grisly battle trophies. A cadaver collector can summon the spirits of these cadavers to join battle with its enemies and to paralyze more creatures for eventual impalement. Although these specters are individually weak, a cadaver collector can call up an almost endless supply of them, if given time. (Mordenkainen's Tome of Foes)
Summon Specters power. (Mordenkainen's Tome of Foes)
As Olanthius moves through the catacombs, he compels any ghosts he encounters to fight at his side. Any ghosts that the characters summoned from the urns in the funerary chambers transform into specters under Olanthius's command and join him on his hunt. (Baldur's Gate Descent Into Avernus)
Undead Pit. (Baldur's Gate Descent Into Avernus)
The bedroom once belonged to the family's nursemaid. The master of the house and the nursemaid had an affair, which led to the birth of a stillborn baby named Walter. The cult slew the nursemaid shortly thereafter. The nursemaid's spirit haunts the bedroom as a specter. (Curse of Strahd)
Near an iron stove, underneath one of the sheets, is an unlocked wooden trunk containing the skeletal remains of the family's nursemaid, wrapped in a tattered bedsheet stained with dry blood. A character inspecting the remains and succeeding on a DC 14 Wisdom (Medicine) check can verify that the woman was stabbed to death by multiple knife wounds. (Curse of Strahd)
The Mourning had no effect on existing undead, and a large number of new undead came into being when the cataclysm occurred. Various spirits (such as ghosts and specters) linger near the places where they died, and the corpses that litter an abandoned battlefield might rise up to continue fighting whenever a living creature comes near. Some of these entities are similar to undead that might be encountered outside the Mournland, but others have alterations that are tied to the unusual manner of their deaths. (Eberron: Rising from the Last War)
Dolurrh Manifest Zone feature. (Eberron: Rising from the Last War)
If a humanoid creature dies in ghost fog, its spirit rises as a specter that is hostile toward all creatures that aren't undead. (Ghosts of Saltmarsh)
Ghosts howl and whirl in a magical necromancy storm's wind, while the remains of long-dead mariners stir in their watery graves. During the storm, 1d4 specters, 2d4 ghouls, and 4d6 zombies emerge from the waves to attack the ship. (Ghosts of Saltmarsh)
Ghost ships are incorporeal vessels that carry undead crews. The crews often died in a grisly manner and have unfinished business that keeps them tethered to the Material Plane. (Ghosts of Saltmarsh)
Using a cursed ceremonial dagger the cultists twisted the souls of five missionaries, turning them into one wraith and four specters that haunt the lower deck of the Marshal. (Ghosts of Saltmarsh)
The hag-like qwyllion are capable of dominating their foes and slaying enemies with a deadly gaze, transforming them into enslaved specters. (Midgard Worldbook for 5th Edition and Pathfinder)
Wraith's create specter ability. (5e SRD v 5.1)
Wraith's Create Specter power. (Monster Manual)
Specter Poltergeist: A poltergeist is a different kind of specter-the confused, invisible spirit of an individual with no sense of how he or she died. (Monster Manual)
An amber golem once stood guard here, but it escaped after thieves broke into the treasury and looted it. The golem has since made its way upstairs. (Curse of Strahd)
Not all of the thieves escaped, and the pulverized remains of those who died here lie strewn upon the floor. Their restless spirits survive here as four poltergeists. (Curse of Strahd)
Sphinx Mummified: See Mummy Mummified Sphinx.
Spirit: Demon Mountain Road: Corrupted at its source at Demon Mountain, this is a ley line that Rothenian shamans tap but rarely dare to traverse. Filled with haunts, spirits, devils, demons, and undead centaur ghosts, the Demon Mountain Road is said to contain the souls of all those killed by the Master of Demon Mountain over the centuries. (Midgard Worldbook for 5th Edition and Pathfinder)
Spirit, Phantom, Ghostly Adventurer: Spirits drift along the Old Svalich Road toward Castle Ravenloft in the dead of night. These phantoms are all that remain of Strahd's enemies, and this damnable fate awaits anyone who opposes him. (Curse of Strahd)
Every night at midnight, one hundred spirits rise from the cemetery and march up the Old Svalich Road to Castle Ravenloft. (Curse of Strahd)
These aren't the spirits of the people buried here, but of previous adventurers who died trying to destroy Strahd. Every night, the ghostly adventurers attempt to complete their quest, and each night they fail. (Curse of Strahd)
Spirit Elf: See Elf Spirit.
Spirit Tormented: See Tormented Spirit, Varushka.
Ssetha, Angvyr: See Ghoul Darakhul, Duchess Angvyr Ssetha, The Lady of Chains, Slave Mistress of Chaingard.
Starfish Zombified: See Zombie Zombified Starfish.
Strahd Von Zarovich: See Vampire, Count Strahd Von Zarovich
Strahd Zombie: See Zombie Strahd Zombie.
Strigoi: ?
Stross, Leander: See Ghoul Darakhul, Duke Leander Stross.
Sufocan, Ineca: See Vampire Elf, Captain Ineca Sufocan.
b]Sunstar, Jander:[/b] See Vampire, Jander Sunstar.
Sut-Akhaman: See Mummy Lord, God-King Sut-Akhaman.
Swarm of Skeletal Rats: ?
Sword Wraith: When a glory-obsessed warrior dies in battle without earning the honor it desperately sought, its valor-hungry spirit might haunt the battlefield as a sword wraith. (Mordenkainen's Tome of Foes)
Sword Wraith Commander: ?
Sword Wraith Warrior: ?
Syrgaul Tammeraut: See Drowned One Drowned Master, Syrgaul Tammeraut.
Szarr: See Ghost, Szarr.
Talanatha: See Vampire Spawn, Talanatha.
Tammeraut, Syrgaul: See Drowned One Drowned Master, Syrgaul Tammeraut.
The Black Fang: See Ghoul Darakhul, Emperor Vilmos Marquering, The Black Fang.
The Crawling Lord of Vallanoria: See Vampire, Baron Urslav, The Crawling Lord of Vallanoria, Keeper of the Red Sisters.
The Glutton of Hangksburg: See Vampire Spellcaster, Lord Mayor Rodyan, The Glutton of Hangksburg.
The Lady of Chains: See Ghoul Darakhul, Duchess Angvyr Ssetha, The Lady of Chains, Slave Mistress of Chaingard.
The Lord of the Rotted Tower: See Lich, Vecna, The Whispered One, The Master of the Spider Throne, The Undying King, The Lord of the Rotted Tower, Lich-God.
The Master of the Spider Throne: See Lich, Vecna, The Whispered One, The Master of the Spider Throne, The Undying King, The Lord of the Rotted Tower, Lich-God.
The Undying King: See Lich, Vecna, The Whispered One, The Master of the Spider Throne, The Undying King, The Lord of the Rotted Tower, Lich-God.
The Whispered One: See Lich, Vecna, The Whispered One, The Master of the Spider Throne, The Undying King, The Lord of the Rotted Tower, Lich-God.
Thorn: See Ghost, Thornboldt Durst, Thorn.
Thornboldt Durst: See Ghost, Thornboldt Durst, Thorn.
Thurso Dragonson: See Vampire Spellcaster, Thurso Dragonson, Duke of Morgau, Master of the Black Hills, Protector of the Fane of Blood, Heir to the Twin Thrones.
Tonderil the Bonebreaker: See Ghoul Darakhul, Tonderil the Bonebreaker.
Tormented Spirit, Varushka: The spirit of Varushka, a maid, haunts this chamber. She took her own life when Strahd began feeding on her, denying him the chance to turn her into a vampire spawn. (Curse of Strahd)
Tree Undead: See Undead Tree.
Tripalotsky, Klutz: See Phantom Warrior, Sir Klutz Tripalotsky.
Ulrich, Lazlo: See Ghost, Lazlo Ulrich.
Undead Centaur Ghost: See Ghost Undead Centaur Ghost.
Undead Cocatrice: ?
Undead Dragon Black Wyrmling: ?
Undead Dragon Gold Ancient, Ibbalan the Illustrious: ?
Undead Giant: See Haunting Ancestor, Undead Giant.
Undead Gnoll: ?
Undead Mount, Draugir: ?
Undead Priest, Gideon Lightward: Gideon Lightward was a priest of Lathander who served Elturel and his deity proudly. Zariel saw that his fervor could be an asset to her, so she sent devils to corrupt him in the months leading up to the fall of Elturel. The devils posed as angels, offering Gideon increased power if he would dedicate himself to fighting the ever-present threat of demons. (Baldur's Gate Descent Into Avernus)
Gideon slowly gave up his sanity and free will to the devils, leaving him corrupted by Zariel and fully serving her in the months leading up to Elturel's fall. He died during the destruction wrought as the city was drawn to Avernus, but the priest rose as an undead creature. (Baldur's Gate Descent Into Avernus)
Undead Purple Worm: ?
Undead Riding Horse: See Skeleton Lady Alagondar's Skeletal Horse, Undead Riding Horse.
Undead Tree: ?
Undying, Deathless: The undying are undead creatures sustained by positive energy or the devotion of mortal beings. Where strong negative emotions can trap a spirit as a ghost or wraith, the undying are spirits who linger because they are cherished and who in turn seek to protect and guide the people of their community. Though it's possible for undying to appear anywhere, it is rare for them to manifest naturally. The only place where they are found in significant numbers is the island of Aerenal, a land whose close ties to the plane of Irian suffuse it with positive energy. The elves of Aerenal spent thousands of years working to develop rituals that tap into this energy, allowing them to preserve their greatest citizens as undying. (Eberron: Rising from the Last War)
The light of Irian sustains the spirit, but it doesn't preserve the physical body. The undying appear as desiccated corpses, their flesh withering away over centuries. At the same time, the spirit of the undying surrounds the body-an aura of light forming a spectral shadow of the soul. The light shed by an undying doesn't generate heat, but it provides a sense of warmth and comfort. (Eberron: Rising from the Last War)
Necromancy is a pillar of Aereni society, distinct from the sinister power most adventurers encounter. Positive energy sustains the deathless undead of Aerenal-both the light of Irian and the devotion freely given by their descendants. (Eberron: Rising from the Last War)
Undying Councilor: ?
Undying King: See Lich, Vecna, The Whispered One, The Master of the Spider Throne, The Undying King, The Lord of the Rotted Tower, Lich-God.
Undying Soldier: ?
Unfulfilled: Unfulfilled are ponies that have died in the middle of a task they considered to be vital to their life’s destiny, usually in an very sudden and/or traumatic fashion. Occasionally, an unfulfilled can be created when a pony dies thinking their destiny never had a chance. (Ponyfinder Campaign Setting)
Unusual Skeleton: See Skeleton Unusual Skeleton.
Urslav: See Vampire, Baron Urslav, The Crawling Lord of Vallanoria, Keeper of the Red Sisters.
Urzana Dolingen: See Vampire Spellcaster, Countess Urzana Dolingen of Morgau.
Vaettir: ?
Valengurd the Confessor: See Ghoul Darakhul Necrophage, Valengurd the Confessor.
Valenta Popofsky: See Vampire Spawn, Valenta Popofsky.
Vampire: Most of a vampire's victims become vampire spawn- ravenous creatures with a vampire's hunger for blood, but under the control of the vampire that created them. If a true vampire allows a spawn to draw blood from its own body, the spawn transforms into a true vampire no longer under its master's control. (Monster Manual)
West Sarcophagus. The vestige within this sarcophagus offers "the dark gift of the Vampyr" to any humanoid creature of evil alignment that touches it. The Vampyr's gift is the immortality of undeath. If the dark gift is accepted, its effect doesn't occur until the following conditions are met, in the order given below. The creature becomes aware of the conditions only after accepting the dark gift. (Curse of Strahd)
The beneficiary slays another humanoid that loves or reveres him or her, then drinks the dead humanoid's blood within 1 hour of slaying it. (Curse of Strahd)
The beneficiary dies a violent death at the hands of one or more creatures that hate it. (Curse of Strahd)
When the conditions are met, the beneficiary instantly becomes a vampire under the Dungeon Master's control (use the stat block in the Monster Manual). (Curse of Strahd)
After receiving the dark gift, the beneficiary gains the following flaw: "I am surrounded by hidden enemies that seek to destroy me. I can't trust anyone." (Curse of Strahd)
Vampire, Baron Metus: ?
Vampire, Baron Urslav, The Crawling Lord of Vallanoria, Keeper of the Red Sisters: ?
Vampire, Count Strahd Von Zarovich: In a desperate attempt to win Tatyana's heart, Strahd forged a pact with dark powers that made him immortal. At the wedding of Sergei and Tatyana, he confronted his brother and killed him. Tatyana fled and flung herself from Ravenloft's walls. Strahd's guards, seeing him for a monster, shot him with arrows. But he did not die. He became a vampire-the first vampire, according to many sages. (Monster Manual)
Unwilling to go the way of his father, Strahd studied magic and forged a pact with the Dark Powers of the Shadowfell in return for the promise of immortality. (Curse of Strahd)
Strahd's attention soon turned to Tatyana, a young Barovian woman of fine lineage and remarkable beauty. Strahd believed her to be a worthy bride, and he lavished Tatyana with gifts and attention. Despite Strahd's efforts, she instead fell in love with the younger, warmer Sergei. Strahd's pride prevented him from standing in the way of the young couple's love until the day of Sergei and Tatyana's wedding, when Strahd gazed into a mirror and realized he had been a fool. Strahd murdered Sergei and drank his blood, sealing the evil pact between Strahd and the Dark Powers. He then chased Sergei's bride-to-be through the gardens, determined to make her accept and love him. Tatyana hurled herself off a castle balcony to escape Strahd's pursuit, plunging to her death. Treacherous castle guards, seizing the opportunity to rid the world of Strahd forever, shot their master with arrows. (Curse of Strahd)
But Strahd did not die. The Dark Powers honored the pact they had made. The sky went black as Strahd turned on the guards, his eyes blazing red. He had become a vampire. (Curse of Strahd)
When Strahd came to the temple seeking immortality, Exethanter sensed that he was a man of destiny. The evil powers in the temple felt something much stronger: a darkness that eclipsed their own. Strahd communed with these evil vestiges and forged a pact with them. When Strahd later murdered his brother Sergei, that pact was sealed with blood. Strahd transformed into a vampire, and the Dark Powers turned his land into a prison. (Curse of Strahd)
“I made a pact with death, a pact of blood. On the day of the wedding, I killed Sergei, my brother. My pact was sealed with his blood.” (Curse of Strahd)
“Arrows from the castle guards pierced me to my soul, but I did not die. Nor did I live. I became undead, forever. (Curse of Strahd)
Vampire, Count Warrin: ?
Vampire, Ctenmiir: ?
Vampire, Erasmus Van Richten: ?
Vampire, Jander Sunstar: This elf warrior, cursed to an eternity of undeath, tried to redeem his corrupted soul by swearing to hunt down his own kind. (Baldur's Gate Descent Into Avernus)
Vampire, Kas the Bloody Handed: ?
Vampire, King Kaius ir'Wynarn III, Kaius I: ?
Vampire, Lord Ruthven: ?
Vampire, Otmar the Sallow: ?
Vampire, Xolec: ?
Vampire Elf, Captain Ineca Sufocan: ?
Vampire Lord: ?
Vampire Spawn: Most of a vampire's victims become vampire spawn- ravenous creatures with a vampire's hunger for blood, but under the control of the vampire that created them. (Monster Manual)
A humanoid slain by a vampire's bite and then buried in the ground rises the following night as a vampire spawn under the vampire's control. (Monster Manual)
Vampire spawn are created when a vampire feeds on a living creature and allows its victim to expire without tasting the vampire’s blood in return. (Monsters & Creatures: A Young Adventurer's Guide)
Strahd has been the master of Ravenloft for centuries now. Since becoming a vampire, he has taken several consorts-none as beloved as Tatyana, but each a person of beauty. All of them he turned into vampire spawn. (Curse of Strahd)
Vampire Spawn, Anastrasya Karelova: ?
Vampire Spawn, Doru: ?
Vampire Spawn, Escher: ?
Vampire Spawn, Father Lucian: During the chaos, Strahd enters the church in bat form, then reverts to vampire form and attacks Father Lucian. Unless the characters intervene, Strahd kills the priest before returning to Castle Ravenloft. (Curse of Strahd)
If Father Lucian dies, locals bury his body in the church cemetery, whereupon it rises the following night as a vampire spawn under Strahd's control. (Curse of Strahd)
Vampire Spawn, Helga Ruvak: ?
Vampire Spawn, Ludmilla Vilisevic: ?
Vampire Spawn, Sasha Ivliskova: ?
Vampire Spawn, Talanatha: As soon as Hoobur escapes, a glowing draconic skull with a sword piercing it appears on Talanatha's fore head as she struggles against her bonds. A character who succeeds on a DC 15 Intelligence (Arcana or Religion) check can tell she's turning into an undead creature. If the check succeeds by 5 or more, the character knows the group has 2 rounds to stop the transformation. A character within 5 feet of the table must succeed on a DC 15 Intelligence (Arcana or Religion) check to remove the draconic sigil and stop the transformation. If 1he characters kill Talanatha in the hope of s topping the ritual, the change occurs immediately. (Acquisitions Incorporated)
Vampire Spawn, Valenta Popofsky: ?
Vampire Spellcaster: Some vampires are practitioners of the arcane arts. (Monster Manual)
Vampire Spellcaster, Countess Urzana Dolingen of Morgau: ?
Vampire Spellcaster, Lord Fandorin, Baron of Doresh, Fey Lord of the Grisal Marches: ?
Vampire Spellcaster, Lord Mayor Rodyan, The Glutton of Hangksburg: ?
Vampire Spellcaster, Thurso Dragonson, Duke of Morgau, Master of the Black Hills, Protector of the Fane of Blood, Heir to the Twin Thrones: ?
Vampire Warrior: Some vampires have martial training and battlefield experience. (Monster Manual)
Vampire Warrior, Commander Balenus of the Ghost Knights: ?
Vampire Warrior, King Lucan: ?
Vampire Warrior, Lady Darvulia, Voivodina of Cloudwall, Keeper of the Gate Subterranean: ?
Vampire Warrior, Princess Hristina, Protector and Duchess of Krakovar, Grand Marshall of the Ghost Knights: ?
Vampire Warlock, Lady Mihaela, Baroness of Doresh, Pale Lady of Fandorin: ?
Vampiric Mist, Crimson Mist: In billowing clouds of fog lurk vampiric mists, the wretched remnants of vampires that were prevented from finding rest. (Mordenkainen's Tome of Foes)
Vampiric mists, sometimes called crimson mists, are all that remain of vampires who couldn't return to their burial places after being defeated or suffering some mishap. Denied the restorative power of these places, the vampires' bodies dissolve into mist. The transformation strips the intelligence and personality from them until only an unholy, insatiable thirst for blood remains. (Mordenkainen's Tome of Foes)
Van Richten, Erasmus: See Vampire, Erasmus Van Richten.
Vargo: See Skull Lord, Vargo.
Varushka: See Tormented Spirit, Varushka.
Vecna: See Lich, Vecna, The Whispered One, The Master of the Spider Throne, The Undying King, The Lord of the Rotted Tower, Lich-God.
Velikovna, Patrina: See Banshee, Patrina Velikovna.
Vermesail the Gravedancer: See Ghoul Darakhul, Vermesail the Gravedancer.
Vilisevic, Ludmilla: See Vampire Spawn, Ludmilla Vilisevic.
Vizorakh the Ravenous: See Dracolich Cave Dragon, Vizorakh the Ravenous.
Vlaakith: See Lich Githyanki, Vlaakith, Lich-Queen
Vladimir Horngaard: See Revenant, Vladimir Horngaard.
Voivodina of the Verdant Tower: See Lich, Lady Chesmaya, Voivodina of the Verdant Tower.
Von Zarovich, Strahd: See Vampire, Count Strahd Von Zarovich
Vorghesht, Eloghar: See Ghoul Darakhul, Duke Eloghar Vorghesht, Regent of Evernight, High Priest of Vardesain.
Vyldara: See Banshee, Vyldara.
Walker: See Drowned One, Walker.
Warden of the Red Portal: See Mummy Lord, God-King Irsu Thanetsi Khamet, Eye of Anu-Akma and Warden of the Red Portal.
Warhorse Skeleton: See Skeleton Warhorse Skeleton.
Warlord of Gallwheor: See Darakhul, Duke Borag the Executioner, Warlord of Gallwheor.
Warrin: See Vampire, Count Warrin.
Whispered One: See Lich, Vecna, The Whispered One, The Master of the Spider Throne, The Undying King, The Lord of the Rotted Tower, Lich-God.
Whiteskull of Brastilor: See Ghoul Darakhul, Saint Whiteskull of Brastilor.
Wierdunn Bonehand: See Ghoul Darakhul, Duke Wierdunn Bonehand.
Wight: The word "wight" meant "person" in days of yore, but the name now refers to evil undead who were once mortals driven by dark desire and great vanity. When death stills such a creature's heart and snuffs its living breath, its spirit cries out to the demon lord Orcus or some vile god of the underworld for a reprieve: undeath in return for eternal war on the living. If a dark power answers the call, the spirit is granted undeath so that it can pursue its own malevolent agenda. (Monster Manual)
In most cases, Orcus transforms his followers into undead creatures such as ghouls and wights. (Mordenkainen's Tome of Foes)
Some of her most fervent followers seek out the secret of attaining undeath for themselves. Kiaransalee favors them by bringing them back as undead, but unlike other gods of similar sort, Kiaransalee doesn't offer the undeath of lichdom but a lowly existence as a banshee, a revenant, or a wight. (Mordenkainen's Tome of Foes)
Devourers hunt humanoids, with the intent of consuming them body and soul. After a devourer brings a target to the brink of death, it pulls the victim's body in and traps the creature within its own ribcage. As the victim tries to stave off death (usually without success), the devourer tortures its soul with telepathic noise. When the victim expires, it undergoes a horrible transformation, springing forth from the devourer's body to begin its new existence as an undead servitor of the monster that spawned it. (Volo's Guide to Monsters)
Devourer's Imprison Soul power. (Volo's Guide to Monsters)
Undead Pit. (Baldur's Gate Descent Into Avernus)
These undead soldiers once served as guard captains in Castle Ravenloft. (Curse of Strahd)
Artifact Major Detrimental Property 81-85. (Dungeon Master's Guide)
Create Undead spell, 8th level or higher spell slot. (5e SRD v 5.1)
Will-o'-Wisp: Will-o'-wisps are the souls of evil beings that perished in anguish or misery as they wandered forsaken lands permeated with powerful magic. (Monster Manual)
Winterblood, Haresha: See Ghoul Darakhul, Haresha Winterblood.
Witherling: See Gnoll Witherling.
Wraith: A wraith is malice incarnate, concentrated into an incorporeal form that seeks to quench all life. The creature is suffused with negative energy, and its mere passage through the world leaves nearby plants blackened and withered. (Monster Manual)
When a mortal humanoid lives a debased life or enters into a fiendish pact, it consigns its soul to eternal damnation in the Lower Planes. However, sometimes the soul becomes so suffused with negative energy that it collapses in on itself and ceases to exist the instant before it can shuffle off to some horrible afterlife. When this occurs, the spirit becomes a soulless wraith-a malevolent void trapped on the plane where it died. (Monster Manual)
Being entombed in Avernus has corrupted the spirits of these knights. (Baldur's Gate Descent Into Avernus)
Undead Pit. (Baldur's Gate Descent Into Avernus)
The Panaceum has an altar that can be used to perform raise dead, but this service isn't without its risks. Sometimes the wrong spirit returns to a body, or malevolent ghosts or wraiths might escape from the netherworld along with the person being raised. (Eberron: Rising from the Last War)
Strong negative emotions can trap a spirit as a ghost or wraith. (Eberron: Rising from the Last War)
Dolurrh Manifest Zone feature. (Eberron: Rising from the Last War)
Ghost ships are incorporeal vessels that carry undead crews. The crews often died in a grisly manner and have unfinished business that keeps them tethered to the Material Plane. (Ghosts of Saltmarsh)
Using a cursed ceremonial dagger the cultists twisted the souls of five missionaries, turning them into one wraith and four specters that haunt the lower deck of the Marshal. (Ghosts of Saltmarsh)
Wraith, Kroval "Mad Dog" Grislek, Master of the Hunt: ?
Wynarn, Kaius III: See Vampire, King Kaius ir'Wynarn III, Kaius I.
Xolec: See Vampire, Xolec.
Yael: See Ghost, General Yael.
Zariel's Knight: See Ghost, Zariel's Knight.
Zarovich, Strahd Von: See Vampire, Count Strahd Von Zarovich
Zombie: A humanoid slain by a wight's life drain attack rises 24 hours later as a zombie under the wight’s control, unless the humanoid is restored to life or its body is destroyed. (5e SRD v 5.1)
A humanoid slain by a wight's Life Drain attack rises 24 hours later as a zombie under the wight’s control, unless the humanoid is restored to life or its body is destroyed. (D&D Basic Rules Version 1.0)
Wizards are supreme magic-users, defined and united as a class by the spells they cast. Drawing on the subtle weave of magic that permeates the cosmos, wizards cast spells of explosive fire, arcing lightning, subtle deception, and brute-force mind control. Their magic conjures monsters from other planes of existence, glimpses the future, or turns slain foes into zombies. (D&D Basic Rules Version 1.0)
Sinister necromantic magic infuses the remains of the dead, causing them to rise as zombies that do their creator's bidding without fear or hesitation. (Monster Manual)
Most zombies are made from humanoid remains, though the flesh and bones of any formerly living creature can be imbued with a semblance of life. Necromantic magic, usually from spells, animates a zombie. Some zombies rise spontaneously when dark magic saturates an area. Once turned into a zombie, a creature can't be restored to life except by powerful magic, such as a resurrection spell. (Monster Manual)
The magic animating a zombie imbues it with evil, so left without purpose, it attacks any living creature it encounters. (Monster Manual)
Moreover, a beholder's ability to quash magical energy with its central eye gives way to a more sinister power in a death tyrant, which can transform former slaves and enemies into undead servants. (Monster Manual)
Any humanoid that dies in a death tyrant's negative energy cone becomes a zombie under the tyrant's command. The dead humanoid retains its place in the initiative order and animates at the start of its next turn, provided that its body hasn't been completely destroyed. (Monster Manual)
Humanoids slain by a wight can rise as zombies under its control. (Monster Manual)
A humanoid slain by a wight's life drain attack rises 24 hours later as a zombie under the wight's control, unless the humanoid is restored to life or its body is destroyed. (Monster Manual)
The corpse flower animates one dead humanoid in its body, turning it into a zombie. The zombie appears in an unoccupied space within 5 feet of the corpse flower and acts immediately after it in the initiative order. The zombie acts as an ally of the corpse flower but isn't under its control, and the flower's s tench clings to it.(Mordenkainen's Tome of Foes)
A humanoid slain by a deatlock wight's life drain attack rises 24 hours later as a zombie under the wight's control, unless the humanoid is restored to life or its body is destroyed. (Mordenkainen's Tome of Foes)
Orcus rewards those who spread death in his name by granting them as mall portion of his power. The least of these become ghouls and zombies who serve in his legions, while his favored servants are the cultists and necromancers who murder the living and then manipulate the dead, emulating their dread master. (Mordenkainen's Tome of Foes)
Orcus causes up to six corpses within the lair to rise as skeletons, zombies, or ghouls. These undead obey his telepathic commands, which can reach anywhere in the lair. (Mordenkainen's Tome of Foes)
The region containing Orcus's lair is warped by Orcus's magic, creating one or more of the following effects: • Dead beasts periodically animate as undead mockeries of their former selves. Skeletal and zombie versions of local wildlife are commonly seen in the area. (Mordenkainen's Tome of Foes)
Normally usable only by a death tyrant, negative energy prevents survivors of a battle from healing and animates any dead or dying creatures as zombies under the beholder's control. (Volo's Guide to Monsters)
Devourers hunt humanoids, with the intent of consuming them body and soul. After a devourer brings a target to the brink of death, it pulls the victim's body in and traps the creature within its own ribcage. As the victim tries to stave off death (usually without success), the devourer tortures its soul with telepathic noise. When the victim expires, it undergoes a horrible transformation, springing forth from the devourer's body to begin its new existence as an undead servitor of the monster that spawned it. (Volo's Guide to Monsters)
Devourer's Imprison Soul power. (Volo's Guide to Monsters)
Flennis is preparing to make a zombie out of the corpse on the table, but the animate dead spell takes 1 minute to cast, which means she must deal with the characters first. (Baldur's Gate Descent Into Avernus)
The shambling corpses are six zombies created by Flennis from the remains of the Dead Three cultists' murder victims. (Baldur's Gate Descent Into Avernus)
Undead Pit. (Baldur's Gate Descent Into Avernus)
These unfortunate Barovians fell prey to the evils of the land and now shamble from place to place as a ravenous mob. (Curse of Strahd)
Cyrus explains that he just isn't the cook he used to be, and his meals tend to get out of hand these days. (Curse of Strahd)
A humanoid slain by a wight's life drain attack rises 24 hours later as a zombie under the wight’s control, unless the humanoid is restored to life or its body is destroyed. (DM Basic Rules V0.5)
Zombies are corpses imbued with a semblance of life. (Dungeons & Dragons Starter Set Stranger Things)
The mightiest wizards learn to conjure elementals from other planes of existence, glimpse the future, or turn slain foes into zombies. (Dungeons & Dragons Starter Set Stranger Things)
Any creature besides Orcus that tries to attune to the Wand of Orcus must make a DC 17 Constitution saving throw. On a successful save, the creature takes 10d6 necrotic damage. On a failed save, the creature dies and rises as a zombie. (Dungeon Master's Guide)
The mightiest wizards learn to conjure elementals from other planes of existence, glimpse the future, or turn slain foes into zombies. (Dungeons & Dragons vs Rick and Morty)
You lost a lot of friends in battle, but what made it worse was watching that cackling wizard raise them as zombies and turn them against you. (Eberron: Rising from the Last War)
Most colossi are tombs, filled with the bodies of the crews that perished in the cataclysm. But the Mourning affected everything in bizarre ways, so a venture inside a colossus is often terrifying. A horrific monster might have made its lair in a colossus's interior in the years since the Mourning. The master docent in another one might speak through the brass horns that the crews used to communicate, growing increasingly incoherent and/or sinister. The crew of a colossus might be undead-zombies lumbering through the colossus's interior, or spirits doomed to haunt it until they can find blessed release. (Eberron: Rising from the Last War)
Investigating disappearances among an elf community reveals that the Order of the Emerald Claw has been attempting to inscribe something like a dragonmark in their skin, then reanimating the failed experiments as zombies. (Eberron: Rising from the Last War)
A humanoid reduced to 0 hit points by damage damage from Lady Illmarrow's poison breath dies and rises at the start of Illmarrow's next turn as a zombie. (Eberron: Rising from the Last War)
Early in the Last War, Karrnath turned to the necromancers of the Blood of Vol to bolster the nation's army with undead forces. The skeletons and zombies created by the necromancers were mindless creatures that required guidance. (Eberron: Rising from the Last War)
Mabaran Resonator eldritch machine. (Eberron: Rising from the Last War)
Mournland Environmental Effect. (Eberron: Rising from the Last War)
Ghosts howl and whirl in a magical necromancy storm's wind, while the remains of long-dead mariners stir in their watery graves. During the storm, 1d4 specters, 2d4 ghouls, and 4d6 zombies emerge from the waves to attack the ship. (Ghosts of Saltmarsh)
Ghost ships are incorporeal vessels that carry undead crews. The crews often died in a grisly manner and have unfinished business that keeps them tethered to the Material Plane. (Ghosts of Saltmarsh)
When he’s not indulging his foul appetites for blood and sex, the Lord Mayor likes to spend time nurturing the necrotic ticks he is breeding in the laboratory beneath his mansion. He uses them to create zombies to fight in the gladiatorial arena close to the city’s central Hangman’s Square. (Midgard Worldbook for 5th Edition and Pathfinder)
Animate Dead spell. (5e SRD v 5.1)
Finger of Death spell. (5e SRD v 5.1)
Finger of Death spell. (D&D Basic Rules Version 1.0)
Zombie Fog supernatural storm. (Midgard Worldbook for 5th Edition and Pathfinder)
Zombie Beholder Zombie: ?
Zombie Blood Zombie: So-called “crimson lakes” mark other areas of the Western Wastes. Visible rips in reality’s fabric float hundreds of feet above the desert and drip a foul, bloodlike substance that accumulates in dark pools below. Such sites are sacred to some goblin tribes, and the coagulated liquid forms into sentient creatures if left undisturbed long enough. (Midgard Worldbook for 5th Edition and Pathfinder)
Zombie Ghost Head Goblin Horror: This infamous tribe contains as many undead goblins as living ones. They are led by Kamelk Twice-Killed, an unstoppable force who has been slain both as a living goblin and as a ghost, securing his legend when he returned each time. Many of his followers have undergone rituals to become undead “horrors.” (Midgard Worldbook for 5th Edition and Pathfinder)
Zombie Liquid Zombie: ?
Zombie Ogre Zombie: ?
Zombie Pixelated Zombie: Every body in the room is an undead creature, culled from the endless supply of bodies at area 6.39 and raised by the skull lord using necromantic rituals. (Dragon+: Six Faces of Death (5e))
Zombie Pony, Zombie: Raised by necromancers who clearly do not pay the most cursory of lip-service to the goddess of death, this abomination of the forces of nature known simply as a ‘zombie’ is at once everything that any sane adventurer should fear. (Ponyfinder Everglow Bestiary)
Zombie Strahd Zombie: Created from the long-dead guards of Castle Ravenloft, they were called into being through dark magic by Strahd himself. (Curse of Strahd)
These undead soldiers once served as guards in Castle Ravenloft. They fled the castle after Strahd became a vampire but couldn't avoid their master's wrath. (Curse of Strahd)
Zombie Strahd Zombie Crawling: The groans are coming from a Strahd zombie that is missing both of its legs, so that only its head, torso, and arms remain. (Curse of Strahd)
Zombie Zombified Anemone: ?
Zombie Zombified Harmless Aquatic Beast: ?
Zombie Zombified Starfish: ?
Zombified: See Zombie Zombified.

5e WotC

Spoiler

5e SRD v 5.1:

Spoiler

Undead: Undead are once-living creatures brought to a horrifying state of undeath through the practice of necromantic magic or some unholy curse.
Necromancy spells manipulate the energies of life and death. Such spells can grant an extra reserve of life force, drain the life energy from another creature, create the undead, or even bring the dead back to life.
Creating the undead through the use of necromancy spells such as animate dead is not a good act, and only evil casters use such spells frequently.
Ghost: ?
Ghast: Create Undead spell, 8th level or higher spell slot.
Ghoul: Create Undead spell.
Lich: ?
Mummy: ?
Create Undead spell, 9th level spell slot.
Mummy Lord: ?
Shadow: If a non‐evil humanoid dies from a shadow's strength drain attack, a new
shadow rises from the corpse 1d4 hours later.
Skeleton: Animate Dead spell.
Minotaur Skeleton: ?
Warhorse Skeleton: ?
Specter: Wraith's create specter ability.
Vampire: ?
Vampire Spawn: ?
Wight: Create Undead spell, 8th level or higher spell slot.
Will-o'-Wisp: ?
Wraith: ?
Zombie: A humanoid slain by a wight's life drain attack rises 24 hours later as a zombie under the wight’s control, unless the humanoid is restored to life or its body is destroyed.

Animate Dead spell.
Finger of Death spell.
Ogre Zombie: ?
Avatar of Death: ?

Animate Dead
3rd-level necromancy
Casting Time: 1 minute
Range: 10 feet
Components: V, S, M (a drop of blood, a piece of flesh, and a pinch of bone dust)
This spell creates an undead servant. Choose a pile of bones or a corpse of a Medium or Small humanoid within range. Your spell imbues the target with a foul mimicry of life, raising it as an undead creature. The target becomes a skeleton if you chose bones or a zombie if you chose a corpse (the GM has the creature’s game statistics).
On each of your turns, you can use a bonus action to mentally command any creature you made with this spell if the creature is within 60 feet of you (if you control multiple creatures, you can command any or all of them at the same time, issuing the same command to each one). You decide what action the creature will take and where it will move during its next turn, or you can issue a general command, such as to guard a particular chamber or corridor. If you issue no commands, the creature only defends itself against hostile creatures. Once given an order, the creature continues to follow it until its task is complete.
The creature is under your control for 24 hours, after which it stops obeying any command you’ve given it. To maintain control of the creature for another 24 hours, you must cast this spell on the creature again before the current 24-hour period ends. This use of the spell reasserts your control over up to four creatures you have animated with this spell, rather than animating a new one.
At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 4th level or higher, you animate or reassert control over two additional undead creatures for each slot level above 3rd. Each of the creatures must come from a different corpse or pile of bones.

Create Undead
6th-level necromancy
Casting Time: 1 minute
Range: 10 feet
Components: V, S, M (one clay pot filled with grave dirt, one clay pot filled with brackish water, and one 150 gp black onyx stone for each corpse)
Duration: Instantaneous
You can cast this spell only at night. Choose up to three corpses of Medium or Small humanoids within range. Each corpse becomes a ghoul under your control. (The GM has game statistics for these creatures.)
As a bonus action on each of your turns, you can mentally command any creature you animated with this spell if the creature is within 120 feet of you (if you control multiple creatures, you can command any or all of them at the same time, issuing the same command to each one). You decide what action the creature will take and where it will move during its next turn, or you can issue a general command, such as to guard a particular chamber or corridor. If you issue no commands, the creature only defends itself against hostile creatures. Once given an order, the creature continues to follow it until its task is complete.
The creature is under your control for 24 hours, after which it stops obeying any command you have given it. To maintain control of the creature for another 24 hours, you must cast this spell on the creature before the current 24-hour period ends. This use of the spell reasserts your control over up to three creatures you have animated with this spell, rather than animating new ones.
At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell using a 7th-level spell slot, you can animate or reassert control over four ghouls. When you cast this spell using an 8th-level spell slot, you can animate or reassert control over five ghouls or two ghasts or wights. When you cast this spell using a 9th-level spell slot, you can animate or reassert control over six ghouls, three ghasts or wights, or two mummies.

Finger of Death
7th-level necromancy
Casting Time:1 action
Range:60 feet
Components:V, S
Duration:Instantaneous
You send negative energy coursing through a creature that you can see within range, causing it searing pain. The target must make a Constitution saving throw. It takes 7d8 + 30 necrotic damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. A humanoid killed by this spell rises at the start of your next turn as a zombie that is permanently under your command, following your verbal orders to the best of its ability.

Create Specter.
The wraith targets a humanoid within 10 feet of it that has been dead for no longer than 1 minute and died violently. The target’s spirit rises as a specter in the space of its corpse or in the nearest unoccupied space.

D&D Basic Rules Version 1.0:

Spoiler

Undead: Undead are once-living creatures brought to a horrifying state of undeath through the practice of necromantic magic or some unholy curse.
Banshee: The woeful banshee is a spiteful creature formed from the spirit of a female elf.
Flameskull: ?
Ghost: A ghost is the soul of a once-living creature, bound to haunt a location, creature, or object from its life.
Ghoul: ?
Mummy: Raised by dark funerary rituals and still wrapped in the shrouds of death, mummies shamble out from lost temples and tombs to slay any who disturb their rest.
Skeleton: ?
Wight: ?
Zombie: A humanoid slain by a wight's Life Drain attack rises 24 hours later as a zombie under the wight’s control, unless the humanoid is restored to life or its body is destroyed.
Wizards are supreme magic-users, defined and united as a class by the spells they cast. Drawing on the subtle weave of magic that permeates the cosmos, wizards cast spells of explosive fire, arcing lightning, subtle deception, and brute-force mind control. Their magic conjures monsters from other planes of existence, glimpses the future, or turns slain foes into zombies.
Finger of Death spell.
Lich: ?
Vampire: ?
Specter: ?

Finger of Death
7th-level necromancy
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: 60 feet
Components: V, S
Duration: Instantaneous
You send negative energy coursing through a creature that you can see within range, causing it searing pain. The target must make a Constitution saving throw. It takes 7d8 + 30 necrotic damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.
A humanoid killed by this spell rises at the start of your next turn as a zombie that is permanently under your command, following your verbal orders to the best of its ability.

Monster Manual:

Spoiler

Undead: Undead are once-living creatures brought to a horrifying state of undeath through the practice of necromantic magic or some unholy curse.
Orcus, the Prince of Undeath, has the power to transform manes into undead monsters, most often ghouls and shadows.
Banshee: This woeful spirit is a banshee, a spiteful creature formed from the spirit of a female elf.
Banshees are the undead remnants of elves who, blessed with great beauty, failed to use their gift to bring joy to the world. Instead, they used their beauty to corrupt and control others. Elves afflicted by the banshee's curse experience no gladness, feeling only distress in the presence of the living. As the curse takes its toll, their minds and bodies decay, until death completes their transformation into undead monsters.
A banshee becomes forever bound to the place of its demise, unable to venture more than five miles from there. It is forced to relive every moment of its life with perfect recall, yet always refuses to accept responsibility for its doom.
Beholder Death Tyrant: On rare occasions, a beholder's sleeping mind drifts to places beyond its normal madness, imagining a reality in which it exists beyond death. When such dreams take hold, a beholder can transform, its flesh sloughing away to leave a death tyrant behind.
Crawling Claw: Crawling claws are the severed hands of murderers animated by dark magic so that they can go on killing.
Through dark necromantic rituals, the life force of a murderer is bound to its severed hand, haunting and animating it. If a dead murderer's spirit already manifests as another undead creature, if the murderer is raised from death, or if the spirit has long passed on to another plane, the ritual fails.
The ritual invoked to create a crawling claw works best with a hand recently severed from a murderer. To this end, ritualists and their servants frequent public executions to gain possession of suitable hands, or make bargains with assassins and torturers.
If a crawling claw is animated from the severed hand of a still-living murderer, the ritual binds the claw to the murderer's soul. The disembodied hand can then return to its former limb, its undead flesh knitting to the living arm from which it was severed.
Made whole again, the murderer acts as though the hand had never been severed and the ritual had never taken place. When the crawling claw separates again, the living body falls into a coma. Destroying the crawling claw while it is away from the body kills the murderer. However, killing the murderer has no effect on the crawling claw.
Death Knight: When a paladin that falls from grace dies without seeking atonement, dark powers can transform the once-mortal knight into a hateful undead creature.
Lord Soth, Death Knight: Lord Soth began his fall from grace with an act of heroism, saving an elf named Isolde from an ogre. Soth and Isolde fell in love, but Soth was already married. He had a servant dispose of his wife and was charged with murder, but fled with Isolde. When his castle fell under siege, he prayed for guidance and was told that he must atone for his misdeeds by completing a quest, but growing fears about Isolde's fidelity caused him to abandon his quest. Because his mission was not accomplished, a great cataclysm swept the land. When Isolde gave birth to a son, Soth refused to believe that the child was his and slew them both. All were incinerated in a fire that swept through the castle, yet Soth would find no rest in death, becoming a death knight.
Demilich: The immortality granted to a lich lasts only as long as it feeds mortal souls to its phylactery. If it falters or fails in that task, its bones turn to dust until only its skull remains. This "demilich" contains only a fragment of the lich's malevolent life force-just enough so that if it is disturbed, these remains rise into the air and assume a wraithlike form.
A lich that fails or forgets to maintain its body with sacrificed souls begins to physically fall apart, and might eventually become a demilich.
Acererak, Demilich: The transformation into a demilich isn't a bitter end for all liches that experience it. Made as a conscious choice, the path of the demilich becomes the next step in a dark evolution. The lich Acererak-a powerful wizard and demonologist and the infamous master of the Tomb of Horrors-anticipated his own transformation, preparing for it by setting enchanted gemstones into his skull's eye sockets and teeth. Each of these soul gems possessed the power to capture the souls on which his phylactery would feed.
Acererak abandoned his physical body, accepting that it would molder and dissolve to dust while he traveled the planes as a disembodied consciousness. If the skull that was his last physical remains was ever disturbed, its gems would claim the souls of the insolent intruders to his tomb, magically transferring them to his phylactery.
Acererak Disciple Demilich: The transformation into a demilich isn't a bitter end for all liches that experience it. Made as a conscious choice, the path of the demilich becomes the next step in a dark evolution. The lich Acererak-a powerful wizard and demonologist and the infamous master of the Tomb of Horrors-anticipated his own transformation, preparing for it by setting enchanted gemstones into his skull's eye sockets and teeth. Each of these soul gems possessed the power to capture the souls on which his phylactery would feed.
Acererak abandoned his physical body, accepting that it would molder and dissolve to dust while he traveled the planes as a disembodied consciousness. If the skull that was his last physical remains was ever disturbed, its gems would claim the souls of the insolent intruders to his tomb, magically transferring them to his phylactery.
Liches who follow Acererak's path believe that by becoming free of their bodies, they can continue their quest for power beyond the mortal world. As their patron did, they secure their remains within well-guarded vaults, using soul gems to maintain their phylacteries and destroy the adventurers who disturb their lairs.
Dracolich: Even as long-lived as they are, all dragons must eventually die. This thought doesn't sit well with many dragons, some of which allow themselves to be transformed by necromantic energy and ancient rituals into powerful undead dracoliches. Only the most narcissistic dragons choose this path, knowing that by doing so, they sever all ties to their kin and the dragon gods.
Creating a dracolich requires the cooperation of the dragon and a group of mages or cultists that can perform the proper ritual. During the ritual, the dragon consumes a toxic brew that slays it instantly. The attendant spellcasters then ensnare its spirit and transfer it to a special gemstone that functions like a lich's phylactery. As the dragon's flesh rots away, the spirit inside the gem returns to animate the dragon's bones.
Only an ancient or adult true dragon can be transformed into a dracolich . Younger dragons that attempt to undergo the transformation die, as do other creatures that aren't true dragons but possess the dragon type, such as pseudodragons and wyverns. A shadow dragon can't be transformed into a dracolich, for it has already lost too much of its physical form.
Adult Blue Dracolich: ?
Flameskull: Dark spellcasters fashion flameskulls from the remains of dead wizards. When the ritual is complete, green flames erupt from the skull to complete its ghastly transformation.
Ghost: A ghost is the soul of a once-living creature, bound to haunt a specific location, creature, or object that held significance to it in its life.
A ghost yearns to complete some unresolved task from its life. It might seek to avenge its own death, fulfill an oath, or relay a message to a loved one. A ghost might not realize that it has died and continue the everyday routine of its life. Others are driven by wickedness or spite, as with a ghost that refuses to rest until every member of a certain family or organization is dead.
Ghoul: Ghouls trace their origins to the Abyss. Doresain, the first of their kind, was an elf worshiper of Orcus. Turning against his own people, he feasted on humanoid flesh to honor the Demon Prince of Undeath. As a reward for his service, Orcus transformed Doresain into the first ghoul. Doresain served Orcus faithfully in the Abyss, creating ghouls from the demon lord's other servants until an incursion by Yeenoghu, the demonic Gnoll Lord, robbed Doresain of his abyssal domain. When Orcus would not intervene on his behalf, Doresain turned to the elf gods for salvation, and they took pity on him and helped him escape certain destruction. Since then, elves have been immune to the ghouls' paralytic touch.
Orcus, the Prince of Undeath, has the power to transform manes into undead monsters, most often ghouls and shadows.
Doresain, Ghoul: Ghouls trace their origins to the Abyss. Doresain, the first of their kind, was an elf worshiper of Orcus. Turning against his own people, he feasted on humanoid flesh to honor the Demon Prince of Undeath. As a reward for his service, Orcus transformed Doresain into the first ghoul. Doresain served Orcus faithfully in the Abyss, creating ghouls from the demon lord's other servants until an incursion by Yeenoghu, the demonic Gnoll Lord, robbed Doresain of his abyssal domain. When Orcus would not intervene on his behalf, Doresain turned to the elf gods for salvation, and they took pity on him and helped him escape certain destruction. Since then, elves have been immune to the ghouls' paralytic touch.
Ghast: Orcus sometimes infuses a ghoul with a stronger dose of abyssal energy, making a ghast.
Vlaakith, Lich-Queen, Githyanki: ?
Lich: Liches are the remains of great wizards who embrace undeath as a means of preserving themselves.
No wizard takes up the path to lichdom on a whim, and the process of becoming a lich is a well-guarded secret. Wizards that seek lichdom must make bargains with fiends, evil gods, or other foul entities. Many turn to Orcus, Demon Prince of Undeath, whose power has created countless liches. However, those that control the power of lichdom always demand fealty and service for their knowledge.
A lich is created by an arcane ritual that traps the wizard's soul within a phylactery. Doing so binds the soul to the mortal world, preventing it from traveling to the Outer Planes after death. A phylactery is traditionally an amulet in the shape of a small box, but it can take the form of any item possessing an interior space into which arcane sigils of naming, binding, immortality, and dark magic are scribed in silver.
With its phylactery prepared, the future lich drinks a potion of transformation-a vile concoction of poison mixed with the blood of a sentient creature whose soul is sacrificed to the phylactery. The wizard falls dead, then rises as a lich as its soul is drawn into the phylactery, where it forever remains.
Mummy: Raised by dark funerary rituals, a mummy shambles from the shrouded stillness of a time-lost temple or tomb. Having been awoken from its rest, it punishes transgressors with the power of its unholy curse.
The long burial rituals that accompany a mummy's entombment help protect its body from rot. In the embalming process, the newly dead creature's organs are removed and placed in special jars, and its corpse is treated with preserving oils, herbs, and wrappings. After the body has been prepared, the corpse is typically wrapped in linen bandages.
The Will of Dark Gods. An undead mummy is created when the priest of a death god or other dark deity ritually imbues a prepared corpse with necromantic magic. The mummy's linen wrappings are inscribed with necromantic markings before the burial ritual concludes with an invocation to darkness. As a mummy endures in undeath, it animates in response to conditions specified by the ritual. Most commonly, a transgression against its tomb, treasures, lands, or former loved ones will cause a mummy to rise.
The Punished. Once deceased, an individual has no say in whether or not its body is made into a mummy. Some mummies were powerful individuals who displeased a high priest or pharaoh, or who committed crimes of treason, adultery, or murder. As punishment, they were cursed with eternal undeath, embalmed, mummified, and sealed away. Other times, mummies acting as tomb guardians are created from slaves put to death specifically to serve a greater purpose.
Mummy Lord: In the tombs of the ancients, tyrannical monarchs and the high priests of dark gods lie in dreamless rest, waiting for the time when they might reclaim their thrones and reforge their ancient empires.
Under the direction of the most powerful priests, the ritual that creates a mummy can be increased in potency. The mummy lord that rises from such a ritual retains the memories and personality of its former life, and is gifted with supernatural resilience. Dead emperors wield the same infamous rune-marked blades that they did in legend. Sorcerer lords work the forbidden magic that once controlled a terrified populace, and the dark gods reward dead priest-kings' prayers by imparting divine spells.
Heart of the Mummy Lord. As part of the ritual that creates a mummy lord, the creature's heart and viscera are removed from the corpse and placed in canopic jars. These jars are usually carved from limestone or made of pottery, etched or painted with religious hieroglyphs.
Bone Naga: In response to the long history of conflict between the yuan-ti and the nagas, yuan-ti created a necromantic ritual that could halt a naga's resurrection by transforming the living naga into a skeletal undead servitor.
Vecna, Lich: ?
Revenant: A revenant forms from the soul of a mortal who met a cruel and undeserving fate. It claws its way back into the world to seek revenge against the one who wronged it. The revenant reclaims its mortal body and superficially resembles a zombie. However, instead of lifeless eyes, a revenant's eyes burn with resolve and flare in the presence of its adversary. If the revenant's original body was destroyed or is otherwise unavailable, the spirit of the revenant enters another humanoid corpse.
Shadow: As a shadow drains its victim's strength and physical form, the victim's shadow darkens and begins to move of its own volition. In death, the creature's shadow breaks free, becoming a new undead shadow hungry for more life to consume.
If a non-evil humanoid dies from a shadow's strength drain attack, a new shadow rises from the corpse 1d4 hours later.
A humanoid reduced to 0 hit points by a shadow dragon's shadow breath's damage dies, and an undead shadow rises from its corpse and acts immediately after the dragon in the initiative count. The shadow is under the dragon's control.
A humanoid reduced to 0 hit points by a young red shadow dragon's shadow breath's damage dies, and an undead shadow rises from its corpse and acts immediately after the dragon in the initiative count. The shadow is under the dragon's control.
Orcus, the Prince of Undeath, has the power to transform manes into undead monsters, most often ghouls and shadows.
Skeleton: Skeletons arise when animated by dark magic. They heed the summons of spellcasters who call them from their stony tombs and ancient battlefields, or rise of their own accord in places saturated with death and loss, awakened by stirrings of necromantic energy or the presence of corrupting evil.
Animated Dead. Whatever sinister force awakens a skeleton infuses its bones with a dark vitality, adhering joint to joint and reassembling dismantled limbs. This energy motivates a skeleton to move and think in a rudimentary fashion, though only as a pale imitation of the way it behaved in life. An animated skeleton retains no connection to its past, although resurrecting a skeleton restores it body and soul, banishing the hateful undead spirit that empowers it.
While most skeletons are the animated remains of dead humans and other humanoids, skeletal undead can be created from the bones of other creatures besides humanoids, giving rise to a host of terrifying and unique forms.
Minotaur Skeleton: ?
Warhorse Skeleton: ?
Specter: A specter is the angry, unfettered spirit of a humanoid that has been prevented from passing to the afterlife. Specters no longer possess connections to who or what they were, yet are condemned to walk the world forever. Some a re spawned when dark magic or the touch of a wraith rips a soul from a living body.
A wraith can make an undead servant from the spirit of a humanoid creature that has recently suffered a violent death. Such a fragment of woe becomes a specter, spiteful of all that lives.
Wraith's Create Specter power.
Specter Poltergeist: A poltergeist is a different kind of specter-the confused, invisible spirit of an individual with no sense of how he or she died.
Vampire: Most of a vampire's victims become vampire spawn- ravenous creatures with a vampire's hunger for blood, but under the control of the vampire that created them. If a true vampire allows a spawn to draw blood from its own body, the spawn transforms into a true vampire no longer under its master's control.
Vampire Spawn: Most of a vampire's victims become vampire spawn- ravenous creatures with a vampire's hunger for blood, but under the control of the vampire that created them.
A humanoid slain by a vampire's bite and then buried in the ground rises the following night as a vampire spawn under the vampire's control.
Count Strahd Von Zarovich: In a desperate attempt to win Tatyana's heart, Strahd forged a pact with dark powers that made him immortal. At the wedding of Sergei and Tatyana, he confronted his brother and killed him. Tatyana fled and flung herself from Ravenloft's walls. Strahd's guards, seeing him for a monster, shot him with arrows. But he did not die. He became a vampire-the first vampire, according to many sages.
Vampire Warrior: Some vampires have martial training and battlefield experience.
Vampire Spellcaster: Some vampires are practitioners of the arcane arts.
Wight: The word "wight" meant "person" in days of yore, but the name now refers to evil undead who were once mortals driven by dark desire and great vanity. When death stills such a creature's heart and snuffs its living breath, its spirit cries out to the demon lord Orcus or some vile god of the underworld for a reprieve: undeath in return for eternal war on the living. If a dark power answers the call, the spirit is granted undeath so that it can pursue its own malevolent agenda.
Will-o'-Wisp: Will-o'-wisps are the souls of evil beings that perished in anguish or misery as they wandered forsaken lands permeated with powerful magic.
Wraith: A wraith is malice incarnate, concentrated into an incorporeal form that seeks to quench all life. The creature is suffused with negative energy, and its mere passage through the world leaves nearby plants blackened and withered.
When a mortal humanoid lives a debased life or enters into a fiendish pact, it consigns its soul to eternal damnation in the Lower Planes. However, sometimes the soul becomes so suffused with negative energy that it collapses in on itself and ceases to exist the instant before it can shuffle off to some horrible afterlife. When this occurs, the spirit becomes a soulless wraith-a malevolent void trapped on the plane where it died.
Zombie: Sinister necromantic magic infuses the remains of the dead, causing them to rise as zombies that do their creator's bidding without fear or hesitation.
Most zombies are made from humanoid remains, though the flesh and bones of any formerly living creature can be imbued with a semblance of life. Necromantic magic, usually from spells, animates a zombie. Some zombies rise spontaneously when dark magic saturates an area. Once turned into a zombie, a creature can't be restored to life except by powerful magic, such as a resurrection spell.
The magic animating a zombie imbues it with evil, so left without purpose, it attacks any living creature it encounters.
Moreover, a beholder's ability to quash magical energy with its central eye gives way to a more sinister power in a death tyrant, which can transform former slaves and enemies into undead servants.
Any humanoid that dies in a death tyrant's negative energy cone becomes a zombie under the tyrant's command. The dead humanoid retains its place in the initiative order and animates at the start of its next turn, provided that its body hasn't been completely destroyed.
Humanoids slain by a wight can rise as zombies under its control.
A humanoid slain by a wight's life drain attack rises 24 hours later as a zombie under the wight's control, unless the humanoid is restored to life or its body is destroyed.
Ogre Zombie: ?
Beholder Zombie: ?

Create Specter. The wraith targets a humanoid within 10 feet of it that has been dead for no longer than 1 minute and died violently. The target's spirit rises as a specter in the space of its corpse or in the nearest unoccupied space. The specter is under the wraith's control. The wraith can have no more than seven specters under its control at one time.

Monsters & Creatures: A Young Adventurer's Guide

Spoiler

Vampire Lord: ?
Undead: The dead do not always rest peacefully.
Banshee: The corrupted spirit of a female elf. These cursed creatures misused their great beauty in life and are now condemned to suffer for their cruelty in death.
Skeleton: Animated by dark magic, skeletons are bony warriors summoned forth by spellcasters or who arise of their own accord from graves steeped in necromantic energy and ancient evils.
While most skeletons are humanoid, bones of all types can be brought back to life with powerful enough magic, and adventurers may find themselves facing down all manner of strange and deadly skeletal forms!
While standard races such as humans and elves are most common, powerful mages have managed to revive the bones of huge creatures, like dragons and giants—not to mention cobbling together unique creations from a mix of different bones!
Vampire: ?
Vampire Spawn: Vampire spawn are created when a vampire feeds on a living creature and allows its victim to expire without tasting the vampire’s blood in return.
Legendary Vampire, Count Strahd von Zarovich: ?
Ghost: ?
Ghoul: ?

Mordenkainen's Tome of Foes

Spoiler

Allip: When a mind uncovers a secret that a powerful being has protected with a mighty curse, the result is often the emergence of an allip. Secrets protected in this manner range in scope from a demon lord's true name to the hidden truths of the cosmic order. The allip acquires the secret, but the curse annihilates its body and leaves behind a spectral creature composed of fragments from the victim's psyche and overwhelming psychic agony.
A few sages and spellcasters have sought to learn the truth about Gith's fate using arcane magic, only to fall victim to a bizarre curse that transforms them into the formless creatures known as allips.
Boneclaw: A wizard who tries to become a lich but fails might become a boneclaw instead.
The most important part of the transformation ritual occurs when the soul of the aspiring lich migrates to a prepared phylactery. If the spellcaster is too physically or magically weak to compel the soul into its prison, the soul instead seeks out a new master-a humanoid within a few miles who has an unusually hate-filled heart. The soul bonds itself to the foul essence it finds in that person, and the boneclaw becomes forever enslaved to its new master's wishes and subconscious whims. It forms near its master, sometimes appearing before that individual to receive orders and other times simply setting about the fulfillment of its master's desires.
Deathlock: The forging of a pact between a warlock and a patron is no minor occasion-at least not for the warlock. The consequences of breaking that pact can b e dire and, in some cases, lethal. A warlock who fails to live up to a bargain with an evil patron runs the risk of rising from the dead as a deathlock, a foul undead driven to serve its otherworldly patron from beyond the grave.
An extraordinarily powerful necromancer might also discover the dark methods of creating a deathlock and then bind it to service, acting in this respect as the deathlock's patron.
Deathlock Mastermind: ?
Deathlock Wight: Bereft of much of its magic, a deathlock wight lingers between the warlock it was and the deathly existence of a wight- a special punishment meted out by certain patrons and necromancers.
Skeletal Arms: Orcus lair action.
Eidolon: The gods have many methods for protecting sites they deem holy. One servant they rely on often to do so is the eidolon, a ghostly spirit bound by a sacred oath to safeguard a place of import to the divine. Forged from the souls of those who had prove n their unwavering devotion, eidolons stalk temples and vaults, places where miracles have been witnessed and relics enshrined, to ensure that no enemy can gain a foothold against the gods' cause through defilement or violence within these sites.
Creating an eidolon requires a spirit of fanatical devotion-that of an individual who, in life, served with unwavering faithfulness. Upon death, a god might reward such a follower with everlasting service in the protection of a holy site.
Nightwalker: The Negative Plane is a place of darkness and death, anathema to all living things. Yet there are those who would tap into its fell power. to use its energy for sinister ends. Most often, when such individuals approach the midnight realm, they find they are unequal to the task. Those not destroyed outright are sometimes drawn inside the plane and replaced by nightwalkers, terrifying undead creatures that devour all life they encounter.
Stepping into the Negative Plane is tantamount to suicide, since the plane sucks the life and soul from such audacious creatures and annihilates them at once. Those few who survive the effort do so by sheer luck or by harnessing some rare form of magic that protects them against the hostile atmosphere. They soon discover, however, that they can't leave as easily as they arrived. For each creature that enters the plane, a nightwalker is released to take its place.
Skull Lord: A combined being born from three hateful individuals.
Infighting and treachery brought the skull lords into existence. The first of them appeared in the aftermath of Vecna's bid to conquer the world of Greyhawk, after the vampire Kas betrayed Vecna and took his eye and hand. In the confusion resulting from this turn of events, Vecna's warlords turned against each other, and the dark one's plans were dashed. In a rage, Vecna gathered up his generals and captains and bound them in groups of three, fusing them into undead abominations cursed to fight among themselves for all time. Since the first skull lords were exiled into shadow, others have joined them, typically after being created from other leaders who betrayed their masters
Vecna: ?
Kas, Vampire: ?
Sword Wraith: When a glory-obsessed warrior dies in battle without earning the honor it desperately sought, its valor-hungry spirit might haunt the battlefield as a sword wraith.
Sword Wraith Commander: ?
Sword Wraith Warrior: ?
Vampiric Mist, Crimson Mist: In billowing clouds of fog lurk vampiric mists, the wretched remnants of vampires that were prevented from finding rest.
Vampiric mists, sometimes called crimson mists, are all that remain of vampires who couldn't return to their burial places after being defeated or suffering some mishap. Denied the restorative power of these places, the vampires' bodies dissolve into mist. The transformation strips the intelligence and personality from them until only an unholy, insatiable thirst for blood remains.

Undead: Dybbuk's Possess Corpse power.
Banshee: Some of her most fervent followers seek out the secret of attaining undeath for themselves. Kiaransalee favors them by bringing them back as undead, but unlike other gods of similar sort, Kiaransalee doesn't offer the undeath of lichdom but a lowly existence as a banshee, a revenant, or a wight.
Ghoul: In most cases, Orcus transforms his followers into undead creatures such as ghouls and wights.
Maurezhi are contagion incarnate. Their bite attacks can drain a victim's sense of self. If this affliction is allowed to go far enough, the victim is infected with an unholy hunger for flesh that overpowers their personality and transforms them into a ghoul.
Orcus rewards those who spread death in his name by granting them a small portion of his power. The least of these become ghouls and zombies who serve in his legions, while his favored servants are the cultists and necromancers who murder the living and then manipulate the dead, emulating their dread master.
Orcus causes up to six corpses within the lair to rise as skeletons, zombies, or ghouls. These undead obey his telepathic commands, which can reach anywhere in the lair.
Maurezhi Bite attack.
Nabassu Stoul Stealing Gaze attack.
Doresain: ?
Ghast:
Vlaakith, Lich-Queen, Githyanki:
Vecna, Arch-Lich: ?
Kas, Vampire Lord: ?
Lich: The most important part of the transformation ritual occurs when the soul of the aspiring lich migrates to a prepared phylactery. If the spellcaster is too physically or magically weak to compel the soul into its prison, the soul instead seeks out a new master-a humanoid within a few miles who has an unusually hate-filled heart.
Revenant: Some of her most fervent followers seek out the secret of attaining undeath for themselves. Kiaransalee favors them by bringing them back as undead, but unlike other gods of similar sort, Kiaransalee doesn't offer the undeath of lichdom but a lowly existence as a banshee, a revenant, or a wight.
Skeleton: Orcus causes up to six corpses within the lair to rise as skeletons, zombies, or ghouls. These undead obey his telepathic commands, which can reach anywhere in the lair.
The region containing Orcus's lair is warped by Orcus's magic, creating one or more of the following effects: • Dead beasts periodically animate as undead mockeries of their former selves. Skeletal and zombie versions of local wildlife are commonly seen in the area.
Specter: Corpses that accumulate on the construct's shell aren't just grisly battle trophies. A cadaver collector can summon the spirits of these cadavers to join battle with its enemies and to paralyze more creatures for eventual impalement. Although these specters are individually weak, a cadaver collector can call up an almost endless supply of them, if given time.
Summon Specters power.
Wight: In most cases, Orcus transforms his followers into undead creatures such as ghouls and wights.
Some of her most fervent followers seek out the secret of attaining undeath for themselves. Kiaransalee favors them by bringing them back as undead, but unlike other gods of similar sort, Kiaransalee doesn't offer the undeath of lichdom but a lowly existence as a banshee, a revenant, or a wight.
Zombie: The corpse flower animates one dead humanoid in its body, turning it into a zombie. The zombie appears in an unoccupied space within 5 feet of the corpse flower and acts immediately after it in the initiative order. The zombie acts as an ally of the corpse flower but isn't under its control, and the flower's s tench clings to it.
A humanoid slain by a deatlock wight's life drain attack rises 24 hours later as a zombie under the wight's control, unless the humanoid is restored to life or its body is destroyed.
Orcus rewards those who spread death in his name by granting them as mall portion of his power. The least of these become ghouls and zombies who serve in his legions, while his favored servants are the cultists and necromancers who murder the living and then manipulate the dead, emulating their dread master.
Orcus causes up to six corpses within the lair to rise as skeletons, zombies, or ghouls. These undead obey his telepathic commands, which can reach anywhere in the lair.
The region containing Orcus's lair is warped by Orcus's magic, creating one or more of the following effects: • Dead beasts periodically animate as undead mockeries of their former selves. Skeletal and zombie versions of local wildlife are commonly seen in the area.

Possess Corpse (Recharge 6). The dybbuk disappears into an intact corpse it can see within 5 feet of it. The corpse must be Large or smaller and be that of a beast or a humanoid. The dybbuk is now effectively the possessed creature. Its type becomes undead, though it now looks alive, and it gains a number of temporary hit points equal to the corpse's hit point maximum in life.
While possessing the corpse, the dybbuk retains its hit points, alignment, Intelligence, Wisdom, Charisma, telepathy, and immunity to poison damage, exhaustion, and being charmed and frightened. It otherwise uses the possessed target's game statistics, gaining access to its knowledge and proficiencies but not its class features, if any.
The possession lasts until the temporary hit points are lost (at which point the body becomes a corpse once more) or the dybbuk ends its possession using a bonus action. When the possession ends, the dybbuk reappears in an unoccupied space within 5 feet of the corpse.

Summon Specters (Recharges after a Short or Long Rest). As a bonus action, the cadaver collector calls up the enslaved spirits of those it has slain; ld6 specters (without Sunlight Sensitivity) arise in unoccupied spaces within 15 feet of the cadaver collector. The specters act right after the cadaver collector on the same initiative count and fight until they're destroyed. They disappear when the cadaver collector is destroyed.

Maurezhi Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 14 (2dl0 + 3) piercing damage. If the target is a humanoid, its Charisma score is reduced by 1d4. This reduction lasts until the target finishes a short or long rest. The target dies if this reduces its Charisma to 0. It rises 24 hours later as a ghoul, unless it has been revived or its corpse has been destroyed.

Soul-Stealing Gaze. The nabassu targets one creature it can see within 30 feet of it. If the target can see the nabassu and isn't a construct or an undead, it must succeed on a DC 16 Charisma saving throw or reduce its hit point maximum by 13 (2d12) and give the nabassu an equal number of temporary hit points. This reduction lasts until the target finishes a short or long rest. The target dies if its hit point maximum is reduced to 0, and if the target is a humanoid, it immediately rises as a ghoul under the nabassu's control.

Volo's Guide to Monsters

Spoiler

Bodak: A bodak is the undead remains of someone who revered Orcus.
A worshiper of Orcus can take ritual vows while carving the demon lord's symbol on its chest over the heart. Orcus's power flays body, mind, and soul, leaving behind a sentient husk that sucks in all life energy near it. Most bodaks come into being in this way, then unleashed to spread death in Orcus's name. Orcus created the first bodaks in the Abyss from seven devotees, called the Hierophants of Annihilation. These figures, as mighty as balors, have free will but serve the Prince of Undeath directly. Any one of these bodaks can turn a slain mortal into a bodak with its gaze.
Hierophants of Annihilation, Bodak: Orcus created the first bodaks in the Abyss from seven devotees, called the Hierophants of Annihilation. These figures, as mighty as balors, have free will but serve the Prince of Undeath directly.
Devourer: A lesser demon that proves itself to Orcus might be granted the privilege of becoming a devourer. The Prince of Undeath transforms such a demon into an 8-foot-tall, desiccated humanoid with a hollowed-out ribcage, then fills the new creature with a hunger for souls. Orcus grants each new devourer the essence of a less fortunate demon to power the devourer's first foray into the planes.
Gnoll Witherling: Sometimes gnolls turn against each other, perhaps to determine who rules a war band or because of extreme starvation. Even under ordinary circumstances, gnolls that are deprived of victims for too long can't control their hunger and violent urges. Eventually, they fight among themselves. The survivors devour the flesh of their slain comrades but preserve the bones. Then, by invoking rituals to Yeenoghu, they bring the remains back to a semblance of life in the form of a gnoll witherling.
When a war band grows desperate for food, its members turn on each other. Those who succumb to the violence are devoured, but their service to the war band doesn't end at that point. The survivors preserve the bones of their fallen comrades, so that a pack lord or a flind can perform a ritual to Yeenoghu to turn them into loyal, undead followers known as witherlings.
Mind Flayer Alhoon: Mind flayers that pursue arcane magic are exiled as deviants, and for them no eternal communion with an elder brain is possible. The road to lichdom offers a way to escape the permanency of death, but that path is long and solitary. Alhoons are mind flayers that use a shortcut.
Lichdom offers salvation and the prospect of being able to pursue knowledge indefinitely. Having feasted on the brains of people when alive, a mind flayer has no compunction about feeding souls to a phylactery. The only hindrance to a mind flayer becoming a lich is the means, which is a secret some mind flayer arcanists stop at nothing to discover. Yet lichdom requires an arcane spellcaster to be at the apex of power, something many mind flayers find is far from their grasps.
Confronting this awful reality, a group of nine mind flayer deviants used their arcane magic and psionics to weave a new truth. These nine called themselves the alhoon, and ever afterward, all those who follow in their footsteps have been referred to by the same name. Alhoons can cooperate in the creation of a periapt of mind trapping, a fist-sized container made of silver, emerald, and amethyst. The process requires at least three mind flayer arcanists and the sacrifice of an equal number of souls from living victims in a three-day-long ritual of spellcasting and psionic communion. Upon its completion, free-willed undeath is conferred on the mind flayers, turning them into alhoons.
Mind Flayer Lich, Illithilich: The path to true lichdom is something only the most powerful mind flayer mages can pursue, since it requires the ability to craft a phylactery and cast the imprisonment spell.
Spawn of Kyuss: Kyuss was a high priest of Orcus who plundered corpses from necropolises to create the first spawn of Kyuss.
From a distance or in poor light, a spawn of Kyuss looks like an ordinary zombie. As it comes into clearer view, one can see scores of little green worms crawling in and out of it. These worms jump onto nearby humanoids and burrow into their flesh. A worm that penetrates a humanoid body makes its way to the creature's brain. Once inside the brain, the worm kills its host and animates the corpse, transforming it into a spawn of Kyuss that breeds more worms. The dead humanoid's soul remains trapped inside the corpse, preventing the individual from being raised or resurrected until the undead body is destroyed. The horror of being a soul imprisoned in an undead body drives a spawn of Kyuss insane.
Spawn of Kyuss Burrowing Worm power.

Banshee: ?
Beholder Death Tyrant: When a beholder sleeps, its body goes briefly dormant but its mind never stops working. The creature is fully aware, even though to an outside observer it might appear oblivious of its surroundings. Sometimes a beholder's dreams are dominated by images of itself or of other beholders (which might or might not actually exist). On extremely rare occasions when a beholder dreams of another beholder, the act creates a warp in reality- from which a new, fully formed beholder springs forth unbidden, seemingly having appeared out of thin air in a nearby space. This "offspring" might be a duplicate of the beholder that dreamed it into existence, or it could take the form of a different variety of beholder, such as a death kiss or a gazer (see "Beholder-Kin"). It might also be a truly unique creature, such as could be spawned only from the twisted imagination of a beholder, with a set of magical abilities unlike that of its parent. In most cases, the process yields one of the three principal forms of the beholder: a solitary beholder, a hive, or a death tyrant.
Crawling Claw: ?
Flameskull: ?
Ghoul: Devourers hunt humanoids, with the intent of consuming them body and soul. After a devourer brings a target to the brink of death, it pulls the victim's body in and traps the creature within its own ribcage. As the victim tries to stave off death (usually without success), the devourer tortures its soul with telepathic noise. When the victim expires, it undergoes a horrible transformation, springing forth from the devourer's body to begin its new existence as an undead servitor of the monster that spawned it.
Devourer's Imprison Soul power.
Ghast: ?
Lich: The road to lichdom offers a way to escape the permanency of death, but that path is long and solitary.
Lichdom offers salvation and the prospect of being able to pursue knowledge indefinitely. Having feasted on the brains of people when alive, a mind flayer has no compunction about feeding souls to a phylactery. The only hindrance to a mind flayer becoming a lich is the means, which is a secret some mind flayer arcanists stop at nothing to discover. Yet lichdom requires an arcane spellcaster to be at the apex of power, something many mind flayers find is far from their grasps.
Mummy: The mummies are the undead remains of yuan-ti malisons or purebloods.
Shadow: ?
Skeleton: ?
Specter: ?
Vampire: ?
Wight: Devourers hunt humanoids, with the intent of consuming them body and soul. After a devourer brings a target to the brink of death, it pulls the victim's body in and traps the creature within its own ribcage. As the victim tries to stave off death (usually without success), the devourer tortures its soul with telepathic noise. When the victim expires, it undergoes a horrible transformation, springing forth from the devourer's body to begin its new existence as an undead servitor of the monster that spawned it.
Devourer's Imprison Soul power.
Zombie: Normally usable only by a death tyrant, negative energy prevents survivors of a battle from healing and animates any dead or dying creatures as zombies under the beholder's control.
Devourers hunt humanoids, with the intent of consuming them body and soul. After a devourer brings a target to the brink of death, it pulls the victim's body in and traps the creature within its own ribcage. As the victim tries to stave off death (usually without success), the devourer tortures its soul with telepathic noise. When the victim expires, it undergoes a horrible transformation, springing forth from the devourer's body to begin its new existence as an undead servitor of the monster that spawned it.
Devourer's Imprison Soul power.
Ogre Zombie: ?
Beholder Zombie: ?

Imprison Soul. The devourer chooses a living humanoid with 0 hit points that it can see within 30 feet of it. That creature is teleported inside the devourer's ribcage and imprisoned there. A creature imprisoned in this manner has disadvantage on death saving throws. If it dies while imprisoned, the devourer regains 25 hit points, immediately recharges Soul Rend, and gains an additional action on its next turn. Additionally, at the start of its next turn, the devourer regurgitates the slain creature as a bonus action, and the creature becomes an undead. If the victim had 2 or fewer Hit Dice, it becomes a zombie. If it had 3 to 5 Hit Dice, it becomes a ghoul. Otherwise, it becomes a wight. A devourer can imprison only one creature at a time.

Burrowing Worm. A worm launches from the spawn of Kyuss at one humanoid that the spawn can see within 10 feet of it. The worm latches onto the target's skin unless the target succeeds on a DC 11 Dexterity saving throw. The worm is a Tiny undead with AC 6, l hit point, a 2 (-4) in every ability score, and a speed of 1 foot. While on the target's skin, the worm can be killed by normal means or scraped off using an action (the spawn can use this action to launch a scraped-off worm at a humanoid it can see within 10 feet of the worm). Otherwise, the worm burrows under the target's skin at the end of the target's next turn, dealing 1 piercing damage to it. At the end of each of its turns thereafter, the target takes 7 (2d6) necrotic damage per worm infesting it (maximum of 10d6). A worm-infested target dies if it drops to O hit points, then rises 10 minutes later as a spawn of Kyuss. If a worm-infested creature is targeted by an effect that cures disease or removes a curse, all the worms infesting it wither away.

Acquisitions Incorporated

Spoiler

Jelayne, Unusual Skeleton: Jelayne wasn't one to let death keep her down, however, and she continues to lead the group as an unusual skeleton.
If the adventurers defeat the crew and study Jelayne, a successful DC 10 Intelligence (Arcana or Religion) check confirms that she was raised as undead by a unique ritual that allowed her to keep her intellect and ability to speak.
Undead Cocatrice: ?
Talanatha, Vampire Spawn: As soon as Hoobur escapes, a glowing draconic skull with a sword piercing it appears on Talanatha's fore head as she struggles against her bonds. A character who succeeds on a DC 15 Intelligence (Arcana or Religion) check can tell she's turning into an undead creature. If the check succeeds by 5 or more, the character knows the group has 2 rounds to stop the transformation. A character within 5 feet of the table must succeed on a DC 15 Intelligence (Arcana or Religion) check to remove the draconic sigil and stop the transformation. If 1he characters kill Talanatha in the hope of s topping the ritual, the change occurs immediately.
Patsy McRoyne, Ghost: The ghost and the corpse are all that remain of a deceased member of the Order of the Stout Half-Pint, Patsy McRoyne. An examination of the body reveals no weapon wounds, but a successful DC 10 Intelligence (Arcana) or Wisdom (Medicine) check finds evidence of necrotic damage. A familiar sigil has been carved into the corpse's chest-a draconic skull pierced by a sword thrust upward through it.
Lottie, Lich: ?
Lottie's Palace Staff Skeleton: ?
Jeff Magic, Lich: ?

Undead: As a necromancer, you've always had an easy time making friends. Hah! That's hilarious because your friends are undead.
Savvy players might note that the undead minions Hoobur creates to harry the party don't follow the standard rules by which a spellcaster character might create undead.
Ghost: ?
Ghoul: Hiding in the wardrobes and chests are four ghouls made from gnome and halfling corpses of members of the Order of the Stout Half-Pint.
Ghast: Courtesy of the magic of Hoobur Gran'Shoop, the rotting dragonborn reanimates as a ghast moments after anyone opens the north cell.
Lich: ?
Shadow: Hoobur Gran"Shoop's necromantic rituals have caused the humanoids slain here to come back as three shadows.
Warhorse Skeleton: The gnome archmage Hoobur Gran'Shoop animated these dead horses in the aftermath of the attack on Tresendar Manor, commanding them to lie still and attack any humanoid creatures that approach them.
If the characters poke around the rotting flesh that fell of the horses during the battle, they see that each horse bore scars on its sides that form the image of a draconic skull with a sword driven up through it from the bottom. A character who succeeds on a DC 10 Intelligence (Arcana) check recognizes the sigil as part of a unique necromantic ritual that can turn any creature into an undead creature when it dies.
Vampire: ?
Will-o'-Wisp: ?
Zombie: ?
Ogre Zombie: ?

Baldur's Gate Descent Into Avernus

Spoiler

Swarm of Skeletal Rats: ?
Undead Priest, Gideon Lightward: Gideon Lightward was a priest of Lathander who served Elturel and his deity proudly. Zariel saw that his fervor could be an asset to her, so she sent devils to corrupt him in the months leading up to the fall of Elturel. The devils posed as angels, offering Gideon increased power if he would dedicate himself to fighting the ever-present threat of demons.
Gideon slowly gave up his sanity and free will to the devils, leaving him corrupted by Zariel and fully serving her in the months leading up to Elturel's fall. He died during the destruction wrought as the city was drawn to Avernus, but the priest rose as an undead creature.
Dryad Spirit: In a bygone age, the night hag Red Ruth corrupted a community of dryads by fouling the roots of their trees with mind-bending poison. As the dryads fell to evil, their forest was wrenched from the Feywild into Avernus. Those dryads who resisted the poison died trying to merge back into their trees. The rest crumbled to ash and became restless, tortured spirits akin to banshees.
Undead Tree: ?
Olanthius, Death Knight: Harurnan followed his master into damnation willingly and was transformed into a narzugon devil, while Olanthius, who took his own life rather than bow before Asmodeus, was brought back to serve as a death knight under Zariel's burning gaze.
One of Zariel's generals, Olanthius, killed himself rather than embrace tyranny. Zariel raised him as a death knight to ensure his loyalty.
Olanthius took his life rather than face damnation, but he was transformed into an undead monster by Zariel to serve her forevermore.
Barnabas, Flameskull: Barnabas, once a powerful wizard, had his crypt defiled by an evil nemesis who stole his skull and turned it into a flameskull.
General Yael, Ghost: I gave up my magic and memories, and Yael gave her life to construct this place to protect the sword.
Elf Spirit: ?
Ghost, Zariel's Knight: The knights' souls are cursed to remain here. They yearn for the afterlife, but the oath they swore to Zariel binds them to her service.
Ghost, Szarr: Long ago, the graveyard was an empty estate owned by the mercantile Szarr family, with only a few family crypts near the cliffs. When a business rival murdered the entire family in their beds, no one was eager to move into their former manor, and the city decided to turn the estate into a single massive graveyard that acts as the primary repository for the city's dead.
The graveyard itself is a maze of crypts and monuments, its organization nearly impossible for outsiders to discern as the multi-chamber ossuaries of rich merchants and pirate lords loom over the simple plaques and rotting wooden holy symbols of the poor. Natural cavern systems have been expanded and shored up to create extensive crypts, yet over generations maps have been lost or poorly updated, and it's not uncommon for a gravedigger to find themselves striking the wood of a coffin where no coffin should be, or tumbling through into a forgotten stretch of tunnel. Rampant grave robbery by brigands and necromancy-obsessed followers of Myrkul only increases the chaos, as bodies get exhumed and reburied wherever it's convenient. Most significantly, a major landslide decades ago dropped a large portion of the cemetery's cliff into the river below, causing the remaining bone-houses and markers to shift and lean, while also exposing numerous crypts and tomb-tunnels to the air, prompting a fresh rush of grave robbing. Though Baldurians rarely bury their dead with valuables anymore. and many of the easier pickings have been taken, it's common wisdom that some of the greatest treasures of past centuries still lie entombed with their heroes, their headstones wiped anonymously clean by wind and rain.
Watching over all of this is the powerful Gravemakers crew. Far more than simply caretakers and laborers, the Gravemakers guard the dead-and Tumbledown-from threats. With so much death concentrated in one spot, undead are a constant problem. Skeletons and revenants regularly claw spontaneously out of their graves, while ghouls and ghasts burrow into crypts and catacombs, drawn by the scent of decaying flesh. Wights hide in their tombs by day, while ghosts and wraiths terrorize unsuspecting mortals. Putting down such threats before they can prey on citizens is the Gravemakers' primary job, and though rightfully proud of their prowess, their leader Leone Wen, a lawful good female human knight and servant of Torm, is always looking for fresh recruits or contractors to join them in their crusade. The crew operates out of the half-burned old Szarr Mansion in the cemetery's center, its moldering halls reputedly still infested by the ghosts of the murdered Szarrs-though stories remain split as to whether the ghosts prey on the Gravemakers or aid them in their duty.
Jander Sunstar, Vampire: This elf warrior, cursed to an eternity of undeath, tried to redeem his corrupted soul by swearing to hunt down his own kind.

Undead: Chronically understaffed, especially in those wards catering to poor Outer City residents, the hospital has constant security problems, from angry patients to spontaneously arising undead, unethical or experimental treatments by priests of non-good faiths, or excessive withdrawals from the stores of painkilling narcotics.
Crawling Claw: ?
Ghoul: These former citizens of the city died when Elturel was drawn into Avernus. Their souls were corrupted by the terrible power of the plane, leaving them in these undead forms.
Undead Pit.
Ghast: Undead Pit.
Mummy: Zariel's warlocks helped build the Crypt of the Hell-riders to gain infernal power in their mortal world. When they died, their cursed bodies were dragged into Avernus to guard the tomb for eternity.
Revenant: Long ago, the graveyard was an empty estate owned by the mercantile Szarr family, with only a few family crypts near the cliffs. When a business rival murdered the entire family in their beds, no one was eager to move into their former manor, and the city decided to turn the estate into a single massive graveyard that acts as the primary repository for the city's dead.
The graveyard itself is a maze of crypts and monuments, its organization nearly impossible for outsiders to discern as the multi-chamber ossuaries of rich merchants and pirate lords loom over the simple plaques and rotting wooden holy symbols of the poor. Natural cavern systems have been expanded and shored up to create extensive crypts, yet over generations maps have been lost or poorly updated, and it's not uncommon for a gravedigger to find themselves striking the wood of a coffin where no coffin should be, or tumbling through into a forgotten stretch of tunnel. Rampant grave robbery by brigands and necromancy-obsessed followers of Myrkul only increases the chaos, as bodies get exhumed and reburied wherever it's convenient. Most significantly, a major landslide decades ago dropped a large portion of the cemetery's cliff into the river below, causing the remaining bone-houses and markers to shift and lean, while also exposing numerous crypts and tomb-tunnels to the air, prompting a fresh rush of grave robbing. Though Baldurians rarely bury their dead with valuables anymore. and many of the easier pickings have been taken, it's common wisdom that some of the greatest treasures of past centuries still lie entombed with their heroes, their headstones wiped anonymously clean by wind and rain.
Watching over all of this is the powerful Gravemakers crew. Far more than simply caretakers and laborers, the Gravemakers guard the dead-and Tumbledown-from threats. With so much death concentrated in one spot, undead are a constant problem. Skeletons and revenants regularly claw spontaneously out of their graves, while ghouls and ghasts burrow into crypts and catacombs, drawn by the scent of decaying flesh.
Shadow: Undead Pit.
Skeleton: If one or more of the black candles on the altar are lit, they shed a green light that reveals black writing on the walls. The writing, which is not visible otherwise, says in Common, "RISE AND BE COUNTED!" If these words are spoken aloud within 5 feet of the altar, the words vanish as bones hidden under the debris at the north end of the room rise up and knit together, forming three animated human skeletons. The skeletons are evil undead, but they obey the commands of whoever spoke the words that raised them, serving that individual until they're destroyed or their master is killed.
A squad of Baphomet's minotaurs attempted to overrun the chapel, but Gideon and his servants slew them. Gideon then turned them into four minotaur skeletons that attack as soon as any character enters this area.
Long ago, the graveyard was an empty estate owned by the mercantile Szarr family, with only a few family crypts near the cliffs. When a business rival murdered the entire family in their beds, no one was eager to move into their former manor, and the city decided to turn the estate into a single massive graveyard that acts as the primary repository for the city's dead.
The graveyard itself is a maze of crypts and monuments, its organization nearly impossible for outsiders to discern as the multi-chamber ossuaries of rich merchants and pirate lords loom over the simple plaques and rotting wooden holy symbols of the poor. Natural cavern systems have been expanded and shored up to create extensive crypts, yet over generations maps have been lost or poorly updated, and it's not uncommon for a gravedigger to find themselves striking the wood of a coffin where no coffin should be, or tumbling through into a forgotten stretch of tunnel. Rampant grave robbery by brigands and necromancy-obsessed followers of Myrkul only increases the chaos, as bodies get exhumed and reburied wherever it's convenient. Most significantly, a major landslide decades ago dropped a large portion of the cemetery's cliff into the river below, causing the remaining bone-houses and markers to shift and lean, while also exposing numerous crypts and tomb-tunnels to the air, prompting a fresh rush of grave robbing. Though Baldurians rarely bury their dead with valuables anymore. and many of the easier pickings have been taken, it's common wisdom that some of the greatest treasures of past centuries still lie entombed with their heroes, their headstones wiped anonymously clean by wind and rain.
Watching over all of this is the powerful Gravemakers crew. Far more than simply caretakers and laborers, the Gravemakers guard the dead-and Tumbledown-from threats. With so much death concentrated in one spot, undead are a constant problem. Skeletons and revenants regularly claw spontaneously out of their graves, while ghouls and ghasts burrow into crypts and catacombs, drawn by the scent of decaying flesh.
Undead Pit.
Minotaur Skeleton: Slain servants of Baphomet stripped of flesh and animated by Gideon using the power of the Companion.
Specter: As Olanthius moves through the catacombs, he compels any ghosts he encounters to fight at his side. Any ghosts that the characters summoned from the urns in the funerary chambers transform into specters under Olanthius's command and join him on his hunt.
Undead Pit.
Vampire Lord: ?
Wight: Undead Pit.
Will-o'-Wisp: ?
Wraith: Being entombed in Avernus has corrupted the spirits of these knights.
Undead Pit.
Zombie: Flennis is preparing to make a zombie out of the corpse on the table, but the animate dead spell takes 1 minute to cast, which means she must deal with the characters first.
The shambling corpses are six zombies created by Flennis from the remains of the Dead Three cultists' murder victims.
Undead Pit.

Undead Pit
The path around the chapel has been sundered by a deep hole in the ground, filled with a putrid purple mist. The haze filling the hole blocks any sense of how deep it might be, or of what might lie within.
Gideon creates his undead servants in this 30-foot-deep pit, which was formed when a piece of the meteor that struck the High Hall splintered off.
Necromantic Mist. The mist is formed by necromantic energy emitted from the corrupted Companion. A successful DC 10 Intelligence (Investigation) check made to study the mist reveals that it pulsates in sync with the crackling energy of the corrupted Companion. Any creature that enters the mist for the first time on a turn or starts its turn there takes 5 (1d10) necrotic damage. Climbing the sides of the pit without equipment requires a successful DC 10 Strength (Athletics) check. Whenever Gideon directs his minions to toss a dead body into the pit, an undead creature crawls forth one hour later. Newly created undead patiently wander the cemetery grounds until Gideon gives them orders. One undead creature appears during the time the characters investigate the pit, and more can appear if they leave this area, then return again while Gideon is still at large. Use the Undead Creation table to determine what kind of undead creature is created.
UNDEAD CREATION
d20 Undead
1-4 Skeleton
5-7 Zombie
8-10 Shadow
11-12 Specter
13-15 Ghoul
16-17 Ghast
18-19 Wight
20 Wraith

Curse of Strahd

Spoiler

Phantom Warrior: A phantom warrior is the spectral remnant of a willful soldier or knight who perished on the battlefield or died performing its sworn duty.
Although one is often mistaken for a ghost, a phantom warrior isn't bound by a yearning to complete some unresolved goal. It can choose to end its undead existence at any time. Its spirit lingers willingly, either out of loyalty to its former master or because it believes it must perform a task to satisfy its honor or sense of duty. For example, a guard who dies defending a wall might return as a phantom warrior and continue guarding the wall, then disappear forever once a new guard assumes its post or the wall is destroyed. The period between the time it died and the time it rises as a phantom warrior is usually 24 hours.
Strahd Zombie: Created from the long-dead guards of Castle Ravenloft, they were called into being through dark magic by Strahd himself.
These undead soldiers once served as guards in Castle Ravenloft. They fled the castle after Strahd became a vampire but couldn't avoid their master's wrath.
Vladimir Horngaard, Revenant: Vladimir Horngaard joined the Order of the Silver Dragon at a young age and quickly earned the friendship of its founder, the silver dragon Argynvost. When he became a knight of the order, he traveled to distant lands to wage war against the forces of evil. The dragon stayed home and, in the guise of a human noble named Lord Argynvost, brought new initiates into the order.
Enemies of Strahd. Vladimir found himself fighting Strahd's armies time and again as they swept across the land. When it became clear that Strahd couldn't be stopped, the knights of the order led hundreds of refugees to Argynvost's valley, but Strahd tracked them to their sanctuary and overwhelmed them with a vast force. Vladimir, whom Argynvost had made a field commander, couldn't hold back the evil tide and was killed, only after the heartbreak of witnessing Strahd himself slay Vladimir's beloved, his fellow knight Sir Godfrey Gwilym. With the battle won, Strahd surrounded Argynvostholt. Rather than cower in his lair, Argynvost emerged and battled Strahd's armies to the bitter end.
Deadly Vengeance. Unwilling to accept his failure, Vladimir returned as a revenant. So great was his hatred of Strahd and his thirst for vengeance that those feelings fueled the spirits of many of his fellow knights—including Godfrey—to come back as revenants as well.
The death of Argynvost enraged the spirit of Vladimir Horngaard, the greatest of the dragon's knights. Horngaard returned as a revenant and swore to avenge the destruction of the order.
"If you have come to destroy me, know this: I perished defending this land from evil over four centuries ago, and because of my failure, I am forever doomed.”
Sir Godfrey Gwilym, Revenant: Unwilling to accept his failure, Vladimir returned as a revenant. So great was his hatred of Strahd and his thirst for vengeance that those feelings fueled the spirits of many of his fellow knights—including Godfrey—to come back as revenants as well.
Lord Ruthven, Vampire: ?
Spirit, Phantom, Ghostly Adventurer: Spirits drift along the Old Svalich Road toward Castle Ravenloft in the dead of night. These phantoms are all that remain of Strahd's enemies, and this damnable fate awaits anyone who opposes him.
Every night at midnight, one hundred spirits rise from the cemetery and march up the Old Svalich Road to Castle Ravenloft.
These aren't the spirits of the people buried here, but of previous adventurers who died trying to destroy Strahd. Every night, the ghostly adventurers attempt to complete their quest, and each night they fail.
Skeletal Rider, Skeleton: The human skeleton and warhorse skeleton are all that remain of a rider and mount, both of whom perished trying to escape through the fog that surrounds Barovia. They are doomed to ride through the valley in search of another way out, without hope of salvation.
Skeletal Rider, Warhorse Skeleton: The human skeleton and warhorse skeleton are all that remain of a rider and mount, both of whom perished trying to escape through the fog that surrounds Barovia. They are doomed to ride through the valley in search of another way out, without hope of salvation.
Doru, Vampire Spawn: ?
Crawling Strahd Zombie: The groans are coming from a Strahd zombie that is missing both of its legs, so that only its head, torso, and arms remain.
Helga Ruvak, Vampire Spawn: ?
Pidlwick, Ghost: If asked how he died, he replies humorlessly, "I fell down the stairs." If Pidlwick II is with the party, the ghost points at the clockwork effigy and says, "He pushed me down the stairs."
Tormented Spirit, Varushka: The spirit of Varushka, a maid, haunts this chamber. She took her own life when Strahd began feeding on her, denying him the chance to turn her into a vampire spawn.
Escher, Vampire Spawn: ?
Prince Ariel du Plumette, Ariel the Heavy, Ghost: Prince Ariel was a terrible man who longed to fly. He attached artificial wings to a harness and empowered the device with magic, but the apparatus still couldn't bear his weight, and he plunged from the Pillarstone of Ravenloft to his death.
Khazan, Lich: Khazan was a powerful archmage who unlocked the secrets of lichdom, then later tried to become a demilich and failed.
Sasha Ivliskova, Vampire Spawn: ?
Patrina Velikovna, Banshee: In life, Patrina Velikovna was a dusk elf who, having learned a great deal about the black arts, was nearly a match for Strahd's powers. She felt a great bond with him and asked to solemnize that bond in a dark marriage. Drawn to her knowledge and power, Strahd consented, but before he could drain all life from Patrina, her own people stoned her to death in an act of mercy to thwart Strahd's plans. Strahd demanded, and got, Patrina's body. She then became the banshee trapped here.
Sir Klutz Tripalotsky, Phantom Warrior: If the sword is pulled from the armor, Sir Klutz appears as a phantom warrior, thanks whoever pulled his weapon free, and agrees to fight alongside that character for the next seven days. Sir Klutz perished years before Strahd became a vampire, so the phantom warrior knows nothing of Strahd's downfall or the curse afflicting Barovia.
Kroval "Mad Dog" Grislek, Master of the Hunt, Wraith: ?
Ludmilla Vilisevic, Vampire Spawn: ?
Anastrasya Karelova, Vampire Spawn: ?
Valenta Popofsky, Vampire Spawn: ?
Assassin's Ghost: The entity in the mirror is the spirit of a nameless assassin who once belonged to a secret society called the Ba'al Verzi.
Father Lucian, Vampire Spawn: During the chaos, Strahd enters the church in bat form, then reverts to vampire form and attacks Father Lucian. Unless the characters intervene, Strahd kills the priest before returning to Castle Ravenloft.
If Father Lucian dies, locals bury his body in the church cemetery, whereupon it rises the following night as a vampire spawn under Strahd's control.
Snow Maiden: ?
Lazlo Ulrich, Ghost: Strahd refuses to let Burgomaster Ulrich's spirit find rest because of what he did to poor Marina.
Exethanter, Lich: The wizards were dead and gone by the time an evil archmage named Exethanter arrived at the temple. He breached the temple's wards, spoke to a vestige trapped in amber, and discovered the secret to becoming a lich.
Rosavalda Durst, Rose, Ghost: The Durst children, Rose and Thorn, were neglected by their parents and locked in this room until they starved to death.
If asked how they died, Rose and Thorn explain that their parents locked them in the attic to protect them from "the monster in the basement," and that they died from hunger.
Thornboldt Durst, Thorn, Ghost: The Durst children, Rose and Thorn, were neglected by their parents and locked in this room until they starved to death.
If asked how they died, Rose and Thorn explain that their parents locked them in the attic to protect them from "the monster in the basement," and that they died from hunger.
Baron Metus, Vampire: ?
Erasmus Van Richten, Vampire: ?

Strahd von Zarovich, Vampire: Unwilling to go the way of his father, Strahd studied magic and forged a pact with the Dark Powers of the Shadowfell in return for the promise of immortality.
Strahd's attention soon turned to Tatyana, a young Barovian woman of fine lineage and remarkable beauty. Strahd believed her to be a worthy bride, and he lavished Tatyana with gifts and attention. Despite Strahd's efforts, she instead fell in love with the younger, warmer Sergei. Strahd's pride prevented him from standing in the way of the young couple's love until the day of Sergei and Tatyana's wedding, when Strahd gazed into a mirror and realized he had been a fool. Strahd murdered Sergei and drank his blood, sealing the evil pact between Strahd and the Dark Powers. He then chased Sergei's bride-to-be through the gardens, determined to make her accept and love him. Tatyana hurled herself off a castle balcony to escape Strahd's pursuit, plunging to her death. Treacherous castle guards, seizing the opportunity to rid the world of Strahd forever, shot their master with arrows.
But Strahd did not die. The Dark Powers honored the pact they had made. The sky went black as Strahd turned on the guards, his eyes blazing red. He had become a vampire.
When Strahd came to the temple seeking immortality, Exethanter sensed that he was a man of destiny. The evil powers in the temple felt something much stronger: a darkness that eclipsed their own. Strahd communed with these evil vestiges and forged a pact with them. When Strahd later murdered his brother Sergei, that pact was sealed with blood. Strahd transformed into a vampire, and the Dark Powers turned his land into a prison.
“I made a pact with death, a pact of blood. On the day of the wedding, I killed Sergei, my brother. My pact was sealed with his blood.”
“Arrows from the castle guards pierced me to my soul, but I did not die. Nor did I live. I became undead, forever.
Ghost: This particular ghost is all that remains of a person drained of life by Strahd.
Vampire Spawn: Strahd has been the master of Ravenloft for centuries now. Since becoming a vampire, he has taken several consorts-none as beloved as Tatyana, but each a person of beauty. All of them he turned into vampire spawn.
Revenant: The revenant was a knight of the Order of the Silver Dragon, which was annihilated defending the valley against Strahd's armies more than four centuries ago. The revenant no longer remembers its name and wanders the land in search of Strahd's wolves and other minions, slaying them on sight.
The death of Argynvost enraged the spirit of Vladimir Horngaard, the greatest of the dragon's knights. Horngaard returned as a revenant and swore to avenge the destruction of the order. His zeal was so great that it also brought back the spirits of several other knights, who rose as revenants under Vladimir's command.
Zombie: These unfortunate Barovians fell prey to the evils of the land and now shamble from place to place as a ravenous mob.
Cyrus explains that he just isn't the cook he used to be, and his meals tend to get out of hand these days.
Will-o'-Wisp: ?
Ghoul: ?
Crawling Claw: ?
Shadow: They are the remnants of dark souls that perished here long ago.
Wight: These undead soldiers once served as guard captains in Castle Ravenloft.
Specter: The bedroom once belonged to the family's nursemaid. The master of the house and the nursemaid had an affair, which led to the birth of a stillborn baby named Walter. The cult slew the nursemaid shortly thereafter. The nursemaid's spirit haunts the bedroom as a specter.
Near an iron stove, underneath one of the sheets, is an unlocked wooden trunk containing the skeletal remains of the family's nursemaid, wrapped in a tattered bedsheet stained with dry blood. A character inspecting the remains and succeeding on a DC 14 Wisdom (Medicine) check can verify that the woman was stabbed to death by multiple knife wounds.
Skeleton: Whenever a wight is killed in this vault, some of the bones knit together, forming 2d6 animated human skeletons.
Buried under the earthen floor are eight human skeletons-the animated remains of dead Vallakians that were stolen from the church cemetery and animated by Lady Wachter. They rise up and attack intruders who cross the floor.
Flameskull: After his transformation, the lich Exethanter took over the temple and turned the skulls of it previous defenders into flameskulls under his command.
Flameskulls-constructs made from the remains of dead wizards-guard the temple.
Demilich: ?
Poltergeist: An amber golem once stood guard here, but it escaped after thieves broke into the treasury and looted it. The golem has since made its way upstairs.
Not all of the thieves escaped, and the pulverized remains of those who died here lie strewn upon the floor. Their restless spirits survive here as four poltergeists
Vampire: West Sarcophagus. The vestige within this sarcophagus offers "the dark gift of the Vampyr" to any humanoid creature of evil alignment that touches it. The Vampyr's gift is the immortality of undeath. If the dark gift is accepted, its effect doesn't occur until the following conditions are met, in the order given below. The creature becomes aware of the conditions only after accepting the dark gift.
The beneficiary slays another humanoid that loves or reveres him or her, then drinks the dead humanoid's blood within 1 hour of slaying it.
The beneficiary dies a violent death at the hands of one or more creatures that hate it.
When the conditions are met, the beneficiary instantly becomes a vampire under the Dungeon Master's control (use the stat block in the Monster Manual).
After receiving the dark gift, the beneficiary gains the following flaw: "I am surrounded by hidden enemies that seek to destroy me. I can't trust anyone."
Lich: South Sarcophagus. The vestige within this sarcophagus offers "the dark gift of Tenebrous" to any humanoid creature of evil alignment that can cast 9th-level wizard spells. Tenebrous's gift is the secret of lichdom. This dark gift grants its beneficiary the knowledge needed to perform the following tasks:
Craft a phylactery and imbue it with the power to contain the beneficiary's soul
Concoct a potion of transformation that turns the beneficiary into a lich Construction of the phylactery takes 10 days. Concocting the potion takes 3 days. The two items can't be crafted concurrently. When the beneficiary drinks the potion, he or she instantly transforms into a Lich under the Dungeon Master's control (use the stat block in the Monster Manual, altering the Lich's prepared spells as desired).
The beneficiary of this dark gift gains the following flaw: "All I care about is acquiring new magic and arcane knowledge."
Shadow: ?
Ghast: ?

Deck of Many Things

Spoiler

Avatar of Death: ?

DM Basic Rules V0.5

Spoiler

Undead: Undead are once-living creatures brought to a horrifying state of undeath through the practice of necromantic magic or some unholy curse.
Banshee: The woeful banshee is a spiteful creature formed from the spirit of a female elf.
Flameskull: ?
Ghost: A ghost is the soul of a once-living creature, bound to haunt a location, creature, or object from its life.
Ghoul: ?
Mummy: Raised by dark funerary rituals and still wrapped in the shrouds of death, mummies shamble out from lost temples and tombs to slay any who disturb their rest.
Skeleton: ?
Wight: ?
Zombie: A humanoid slain by a wight's life drain attack rises 24 hours later as a zombie under the wight’s control, unless the humanoid is restored to life or its body is destroyed.

Dragon+: Six Faces of Death (5e)

Spoiler

Vargo, Skull Lord: Created from the bodies of three evil adventurers, the skull lord Vargo has spent hundreds of years in Acheron.
Vargo was once three evil adventurers who teamed up to defeat the devil Earl Andromalius. When they were defeated, Andromalius subjected them to a horrific curse, combining the three of them into a single undead being.
Pixelated Skeleton: Every body in the room is an undead creature, culled from the endless supply of bodies at area 6.39 and raised by the skull lord using necromantic rituals.
Pixelated Zombie: Every body in the room is an undead creature, culled from the endless supply of bodies at area 6.39 and raised by the skull lord using necromantic rituals.

Dungeons & Dragons Starter Set Stranger Things

Spoiler

Undead: Once-living creatures brought to a horrifying state of undeath through the practice of necromantic magic or some unholy curse.
Flameskull: Spellcasters fashion flameskulls from the remains of dead wizards. When the ritual is complete, green flames erupt from the skull to complete its ghastly transformation.
Ghoul: ?
Skeleton: Assemblages of bones animated by dark magic, skeletons heed the summons of those who create them or rise of their own accord in places saturated with deathly magic.
Zombie: Zombies are corpses imbued with a semblance of life.
The mightiest wizards learn to conjure elementals from other planes of existence, glimpse the future, or turn slain foes into zombies.
Vampire: ?

Dungeon Master's Guide

Spoiler

Avatar of Death: ?
Elfshadow: ?
Kas the Bloody Handed: ?
Kaius, Vampire: ?
Ctenmiir, Vampire: ?

Undead: Perhaps a wizard unlocks the secret to immortality (or undeath) and spends eons exploring the farthest reaches of the multiverse.
The Death domain is concerned with the forces that cause death, as well as the negative energy that gives rise to undead creatures.
Banshee: ?
Beholder Death Tyrant: ?
Crawling Claw: ?
Death Knight: The Book of Vile Darkness could hold a ritual that allows a character to become a lich or death knight.
Demilich: ?
Acererak Archlich: ?
Adult Blue Dracolich: ?
Flameskull: ?
Ghost: The rakshasa master of a nearby monastery performs rituals to raise troubled ghosts from their rest.
Ghoul: ?
Ghast: ?
Lich: A wizard might steal the items needed to create a phylactery and become a lich.
The Book of Vile Darkness could hold a ritual that allows a character to become a lich or death knight.
Mummy: ?
Mummy Lord: ?
Lich-God Vecna, The Whispered One, The Master of the Spider Throne, The Undying King, The Lord of the Rotted Tower: Orcus, the demon prince of undeath, taught Vecna a ritual that would allow him to live on as a lich.
Revenant: ?
Shadow: ?
Skeleton: ?
Minotaur Skeleton: ?
Warhorse Skeleton: ?
Specter: ?
Specter Poltergeist: ?
Vampire: ?
Vampire Spawn: ?
Count Strahd Von Zarovich: ?
Vampire Warrior: ?
Vampire Spellcaster: ?
Wight: Artifact Major Detrimental Property 81-85.
Will-o'-Wisp: ?
Wraith: ?
Zombie: Any creature besides Orcus that tries to attune to the Wand of Orcus must make a DC 17 Constitution saving throw. On a successful save, the creature takes 10d6 necrotic damage. On a failed save, the creature dies and rises as a zombie.
Ogre Zombie: ?
Beholder Zombie: ?

Artifact Major Detrimental Property
Property 81-85 Each time you become attuned to the artifact, you age 3d10 years. You must succeed on a DC 10 Constitution saving throw or die from the shock. If you die, you are instantly transformed into a wight under the DM's control that is sworn to protect the artifact.

Dungeons & Dragons vs Rick and Morty

Spoiler

Undead: Once-living creatures brought to a horrifying state of undeath through the practice of necromantic magic or some unholy curse.
Flameskull: Spellcasters fashion flameskulls from the remains of dead wizards. When the ritual is complete, green flames erupt from the skull to complete its ghastly transformation.
Ghoul: ?
Skeleton: Assemblages of bones animated by dark magic, skeletons heed the summons of those who create them.
Zombie: The mightiest wizards learn to conjure elementals from other planes of existence, glimpse the future, or turn slain foes into zombies.

Eberron: Rising from the Last War

Spoiler

Karrnathi Undead Soldier: Over decades, a high priest named Malevanor worked with the necromancers of the Blood of Vol to develop the Odakyr Rites, which grant Karrnathi undead the ability to make tactical decisions and operate without direct guidance. The Odakyr Rites work only when performed on the remains of a soldier slain in battle, and only in manifest zones tied to the plane of Mabar. The most significant such zones in Karrnath exist in the cities of Atur and Odakyr (now called Fort Bones). The number of Karrnathi undead soldiers steadily increased over the course of the war, with the losses of Karrnath's living troops offset by the recovery and raising of their remains. Malevanor claimed that Karrnathi undead are animated and granted intelligence by the patriotic spirit of Karrnath. However, many Karrns fear that the undead are vessels for a darker power-and that Lady Illmarrow or someone else will turn the undead against the living.
While we'd like to take the abactor at his word, our research shows that Malevanor was personally involved in the program that produced the infamous Karrnathi undead soldiers.
Erandis Vol, Erandis d'Vol, Lady Illmarrow, Queen of Death, Lich: Even as dragons and elves fought to destroy the line of Vol, a child was born to the house: Erandis. A scion of elf and dragon, Erandis bore a Mark of Death unlike any other. In time, it might have been her gateway to immortality and unrivaled power, but she was hunted down and killed long before she could master the mark's magic. Her mother, Minara Vol, escaped with her daughter's body to the icy reaches of Farlnen, far from the conflict. There, Minara unleashed all her necromantic power to raise Erandis as a lich.
Undying, Deathless: The undying are undead creatures sustained by positive energy or the devotion of mortal beings. Where strong negative emotions can trap a spirit as a ghost or wraith, the undying are spirits who linger because they are cherished and who in turn seek to protect and guide the people of their community. Though it's possible for undying to appear anywhere, it is rare for them to manifest naturally. The only place where they are found in significant numbers is the island of Aerenal, a land whose close ties to the plane of Irian suffuse it with positive energy. The elves of Aerenal spent thousands of years working to develop rituals that tap into this energy, allowing them to preserve their greatest citizens as undying.
The light of Irian sustains the spirit, but it doesn't preserve the physical body. The undying appear as desiccated corpses, their flesh withering away over centuries. At the same time, the spirit of the undying surrounds the body-an aura of light forming a spectral shadow of the soul. The light shed by an undying doesn't generate heat, but it provides a sense of warmth and comfort.
Necromancy is a pillar of Aereni society, distinct from the sinister power most adventurers encounter. Positive energy sustains the deathless undead of Aerenal-both the light of Irian and the devotion freely given by their descendants.
Ascendant Councilor: The most powerful of the undying can separate their spirits from their physical forms, existing as beings of pure light. This state is the ultimate goal of the elves of Aerenal, and such beings are known as ascendant councilors.
Undying Councilor: ?
Undying Soldier: ?
Old Dalaen, Ghost: ?
Mist Apparition: ?
Pfinston Nezzelech, Ghost: The ghost of a gnome inquisitive who died when the old city collapsed during the War of the Mark.
Lich-Priest Gath: ?
Abactor Hask Malevanor, Mummy: ?
King Kaius ir'Wynarn III, Kaius I, Vampire: ?

Undead: The Mourning had no effect on existing undead, and a large number of new undead came into being when the cataclysm occurred. Various spirits (such as ghosts and specters) linger near the places where they died, and the corpses that litter an abandoned battlefield might rise up to continue fighting whenever a living creature comes near. Some of these entities are similar to undead that might be encountered outside the Mournland, but others have alterations that are tied to the unusual manner of their deaths.
Most colossi are tombs, filled with the bodies of the crews that perished in the cataclysm. But the Mourning affected everything in bizarre ways, so a venture inside a colossus is often terrifying. A horrific monster might have made its lair in a colossus's interior in the years since the Mourning. The master docent in another one might speak through the brass horns that the crews used to communicate, growing increasingly incoherent and/or sinister. The crew of a colossus might be undead-zombies lumbering through the colossus's interior, or spirits doomed to haunt it until they can find blessed release.
The Emerald Claw violates graves near a small village, animating the corpses into undead laborers to help build an eldritch machine.
A victim who was killed by a House Tarkanan assassin returns as an undead that tries to kill anyone who bears an aberrant mark.
In the sewers below Sham, a mad necromancer puts the final touches on a device that will turn the city's residents into undead.
Six years ago, shortly after Kaius's accession, a figure known as Lady Illmarrow emerged as the leader of the Order of the Emerald Claw. Few of her followers know anything about her, other than her great skill as a necromancer; many members of the Order refer to her as Queen of the Dead. Some members of the order believe she will ultimately raise Karrnath above all other nations. Others simply trust that she will grant them personal power. They believe that she is poised to become a god of death, and that when she ascends to divinity, they will be granted immortality or at least the eternal life of undeath.
Banshee: Dolurrh Manifest Zone feature.
Dracolich: ?
Ghost: As a barbarian, you could have been a simple peasant caught in the Mourning. Everyone else in your community was killed, but their spirits were bound to you. Your barbarian rage represents you channeling these vengeful ghosts.
The Talentan reverence for spirits derives from the fact that a variety of spirits haunt the Plains. The region contains an unusual number of manifest zones tied to Dolurrh and Thelanis. Ghosts are more likely to linger in such places, and minor fey are scattered across the Plains.
Shadukar is a grim reminder of the cost of the war. Once known as the Jewel of the Sound, this coastal city was destroyed in a bitter siege against Karrnathi forces. The city has yet to be reclaimed, and it's said to be haunted both by Thrane ghosts and by undead forces left behind by the Karrns.
The Panaceum has an altar that can be used to perform raise dead, but this service isn't without its risks. Sometimes the wrong spirit returns to a body, or malevolent ghosts or wraiths might escape from the netherworld along with the person being raised.
No one knows exactly; what lurks in Old Sharn. The ruins could contain ghosts or other undead, the vengeful spirits of the aberrant-marked people who took refuge in the fallen city.
Today, the district known as Fallen is strewn with the rubble of the fallen tower, mingled with shattered buildings and broken statues. Those who venture into Fallen must deal with the Ravers, feral savages that lurk in the shadows. There's no question that the Ravers exist, but their true nature remains a subject of debate. A common hypothesis is that they're the descendants of the original inhabitants of the district, who were possessed and driven mad by the ghosts of those who died when the tower fell.
The Mourning had no effect on existing undead, and a large number of new undead came into being when the cataclysm occurred. Various spirits (such as ghosts and specters) linger near the places where they died, and the corpses that litter an abandoned battlefield might rise up to continue fighting whenever a living creature comes near. Some of these entities are similar to undead that might be encountered outside the Mournland, but others have alterations that are tied to the unusual manner of their deaths.
Ghosts might linger in a manifest zone associated with Dolurrh.
Strong negative emotions can trap a spirit as a ghost or wraith.
Dolurrh Manifest Zone feature.
Ghoul: ?
Incorporeal Undead: Dolurrh Manifest Zone feature.
Lich: ?
Mummy: ?
Revenant: Murdered by House Cannith assassins after she learned too much about the house's secret research.
Shadow: Dolurrh Manifest Zone feature.
Skeleton: Early in the Last War, Karrnath turned to the necromancers of the Blood of Vol to bolster the nation's army with undead forces. The skeletons and zombies created by the necromancers were mindless creatures that required guidance.
Specter: The Mourning had no effect on existing undead, and a large number of new undead came into being when the cataclysm occurred. Various spirits (such as ghosts and specters) linger near the places where they died, and the corpses that litter an abandoned battlefield might rise up to continue fighting whenever a living creature comes near. Some of these entities are similar to undead that might be encountered outside the Mournland, but others have alterations that are tied to the unusual manner of their deaths.
Dolurrh Manifest Zone feature.
Poltergeist: ?
Vampire: ?
Wraith: The Panaceum has an altar that can be used to perform raise dead, but this service isn't without its risks. Sometimes the wrong spirit returns to a body, or malevolent ghosts or wraiths might escape from the netherworld along with the person being raised.
Strong negative emotions can trap a spirit as a ghost or wraith.
Dolurrh Manifest Zone feature.
Zombie: You lost a lot of friends in battle, but what made it worse was watching that cackling wizard raise them as zombies and turn them against you.
Most colossi are tombs, filled with the bodies of the crews that perished in the cataclysm. But the Mourning affected everything in bizarre ways, so a venture inside a colossus is often terrifying. A horrific monster might have made its lair in a colossus's interior in the years since the Mourning. The master docent in another one might speak through the brass horns that the crews used to communicate, growing increasingly incoherent and/or sinister. The crew of a colossus might be undead-zombies lumbering through the colossus's interior, or spirits doomed to haunt it until they can find blessed release.
Investigating disappearances among an elf community reveals that the Order of the Emerald Claw has been attempting to inscribe something like a dragonmark in their skin, then reanimating the failed experiments as zombies.
A humanoid reduced to 0 hit points by damage damage from Lady Illmarrow's poison breath dies and rises at the start of Illmarrow's next turn as a zombie.
Early in the Last War, Karrnath turned to the necromancers of the Blood of Vol to bolster the nation's army with undead forces. The skeletons and zombies created by the necromancers were mindless creatures that required guidance.
Mabaran Resonator eldritch machine.
Mournland Environmental Effect.

MABARAN RESONATOR This dread device draws on the power of Mabar, infusing the dead with the malign energy of the Endless Night. While it is active, any humanoid that dies within 2 miles of the resonator reanimates 1 minute later as a zombie (see the Monster Manual for its stat block) under the control of the creature controlling the device.

DOLURRH MANIFEST ZONE FEATURES
d4 Feature
1 Bodies buried here reanimate in 1d4 days, possessed by restless spirits. These spirits might be malevolent or benign.
2 Any necromancy spell of 1st level or higher cast within the zone is treated as if it were cast at a level one higher than the spell slot that was expended.
3 Spells and abilities that raise the dead have a 50 percent chance to bring back 1d4 angry spirits as well. These might be banshees, ghosts, shadows, specters, wraiths, or other incorporeal undead.
4 In order to cast a spell of 1st level or higher in the zone, the caster must succeed on a Constitution check with a DC equal to 10 +the level of the spell. On a failed check, the spell is not cast and its spell slot is not expended, but the action is lost.

MOURNLAND ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS
d8 Effect
1 Healing spells are impeded here. Any spell that restores hit points does so as if it were cast at a level one lower than the spell slot expended. A spell cast using a 1st-level slot restores no hit points.
2 A character who casts a spell must make a Constitution saving throw against the character's own spell save DC. On a failed save, the character takes psychic damage equal to the spell's level and gains one level of exhaustion.
3 Any Medium humanoid that dies in the area reanimates as a zombie at the start of its next turn. The zombie is under the DM's control.
4 The area is affected by a silence spell.
5 Each creature that enters the area is affected by an enlarge/reduce spell, with an equal chance for each effect. The effect lasts until the creature leaves the area.
6 The pull of gravity is lessened. Creatures can jump twice the normal distance in any direction, and everything effectively weighs half its actual weight.
7 All creatures are linked to every other creature in the area as if by the telepathy spell.
8 A creature that casts a spell of 1st level or higher in the area rolls on the Wild Magic Surge table in chapter 3 of the Player's Handbook.

Essentials Kit

Spoiler

Lady Alagondar's Skeletal Horse, Undead Riding Horse: ?
Vyldara, Banshee: The site was abandoned and sealed up long years ago after being haunted by a banshee-the restless spirit of a moon elf ambassador named Vyldara who tried and failed to foment civil unrest among the dwarves. The dwarves imprisoned the elf and sent messages to her people, asking that they come to collect her. Before envoys could be sent, Vyldara killed two guards trying to escape, only to be cut down by dwarven axes before she could succeed.
Miraal, Banshee: Miraal was a sea elf killed by Moesko, who took her spellcasting focus-an opalescent conch as a trophy.
Axeholm's Dwarf Castellan, Ghoul: ?

Undead: Once-living creatures brought to a horrifying state of undeath through the practice of necromantic magic or some unholy curse.
Banshee: A banshee is the hateful spirit of a once-beautiful female elf.
Ghoul: When the elf's evil spirit started filling Axeholm's halls with deathly wails, the dwarves abandoned their stronghold, but not before several dwarves slain by the banshee arose as ghouls to feed on their kin.
Will-o'-Wisp: ?
Strahd von Zarovich: ?

Ghosts of Saltmarsh

Spoiler

Bodak: These soulless terrors, each one risen from the remains of someone who revered Orcus, Lord of the Undead. exist only to spread further suffering and death.
Drowned Ascetic: ?
Drowned Assassin: ?
Drowned Blade: ?
Drowned Master: ?
Skeletal Alchemist: ?
Skeletal Juggernaut: ?
Skeletal Swarm: This swarm of bones found rising out of the sand in Isle of the Abbey is made from the remains of several animated skeletons.
Drowned One, Walker: The pirates, now fully under Orcus's thrall, emerged from the wreckage and marched across the seabed to Firewatch Island. They overran the garrison and carried the remains back to their wrecked ship. There, with Orcus's instruction, they began the laborious process of opening the Pit of Hatred, a rift to the Abyss that can transform corpses into drowned ones.
Feeding off the captain's rage and hate as he died, the energy of the rift animated Tammeraut's crew and turned them into drowned ones.
Xolec, Vampire: ?
Zombified Starfish: ?
Zombified Anemone: ?
Zombified Harmless Aquatic Beast: ?
Captain Ineca Sufocan, Elf Vampire: ?
Syrgaul Tammeraut, Drowned Master: The sinking of Tammeraut did not spell the end for Syrgaul and his band of pirates. As his ship plunged into the sea. he called out to his fiendish patron. Orcus heeded his call and imbued Syrgaul and his crew with undeath, the twisted form of immortality he offers his followers.
Calimara, Ghost: Calimara and Alina are the ghosts of missionaries that died in the brig along with the high priest when the ship sank.
Alina, Ghost: Calimara and Alina are the ghosts of missionaries that died in the brig along with the high priest when the ship sank.

Undead: The sinking of Tammeraut did not spell the end for Syrgaul and his band of pirates. As his ship plunged into the sea. he called out to his fiendish patron. Orcus heeded his call and imbued Syrgaul and his crew with undeath, the twisted form of immortality he offers his followers.
Off the coast, near heavily trafficked sea lanes, cultists of Orcus create a gateway on the seabed that links to the Abyss. The water above swirls and plunges downward, creating a whirlpool that devours ships and sea life.
Living creatures pulled to the bottom of the whirlpool are slain, warped with Abyssal energy, and unleashed into the sea as undead creatures. Unless someone finds the gate, slips through it into the Abyss, and destroys the unhallowed site found on the other side, the whirlpool will unleash a horde of undead sailors and sea creatures that can transform the region around it into a dead zone.
Ghost ships are incorporeal vessels that carry undead crews. The crews often died in a grisly manner and have unfinished business that keeps them tethered to the Material Plane.
Skeleton: If a skeletal juggernaut is reduced to 0 hit points, twelve skeletons rise from its remains.
Ghost ships are incorporeal vessels that carry undead crews. The crews often died in a grisly manner and have unfinished business that keeps them tethered to the Material Plane.
Vampire: ?
Ghoul: Ghosts howl and whirl in a magical necromancy storm's wind, while the remains of long-dead mariners stir in their watery graves. During the storm, 1d4 specters, 2d4 ghouls, and 4d6 zombies emerge from the waves to attack the ship.
Zombie: Ghosts howl and whirl in a magical necromancy storm's wind, while the remains of long-dead mariners stir in their watery graves. During the storm, 1d4 specters, 2d4 ghouls, and 4d6 zombies emerge from the waves to attack the ship.
Ghost ships are incorporeal vessels that carry undead crews. The crews often died in a grisly manner and have unfinished business that keeps them tethered to the Material Plane.
Shadow: ?
Specter: If a humanoid creature dies in ghost fog, its spirit rises as a specter that is hostile toward all creatures that aren't undead.
Ghosts howl and whirl in a magical necromancy storm's wind, while the remains of long-dead mariners stir in their watery graves. During the storm, 1d4 specters, 2d4 ghouls, and 4d6 zombies emerge from the waves to attack the ship.
Ghost ships are incorporeal vessels that carry undead crews. The crews often died in a grisly manner and have unfinished business that keeps them tethered to the Material Plane.
Using a cursed ceremonial dagger the cultists twisted the souls of five missionaries, turning them into one wraith and four specters that haunt the lower deck of the Marshal.
Banshee: ?
Wight: ?
Vampire Spawn: ?
Mummy: ?
Death Knight: ?
Ghast: This deck is a prison for four ghasts-formerly a group of thieves who stowed away in the hold before the Emperor last left port. When the ship was waylaid by the storm, they could not escape from the hold and eventually starved to death.
Minotaur Skeleton: ?
Ogre Zombie: ?
Ghost: Ghost ships are incorporeal vessels that carry undead crews. The crews often died in a grisly manner and have unfinished business that keeps them tethered to the Material Plane.
Wraith: Ghost ships are incorporeal vessels that carry undead crews. The crews often died in a grisly manner and have unfinished business that keeps them tethered to the Material Plane.
Using a cursed ceremonial dagger the cultists twisted the souls of five missionaries, turning them into one wraith and four specters that haunt the lower deck of the Marshal.
Flameskull: ?
Demilich: ?
Lich: ?

3rd Party

Spoiler

Manastorm: World of Shin'ar NPC Codex:

Spoiler

Undead Black Dragon Wyrmlings: ?

Midgard Worldbook for 5th Edition and Pathfinder

Spoiler

Banshee, Maatkare Abastet: ?
Deathwisp: ?
Dracolich, Cave Dragon, Vizorakh the Ravenous: Vizorakh the Ravenous, thought long gone like all cave dragons of sufficient age, clings to existence. This ancient horror sought out great wizards of the Ghoul Imperium and burrowed into forgotten dungeons beneath the earth in search of salvation. On the brink of death, it found its answer. Vizorakh cast its soul into an onyx gemstone the size of an elephant and passed into undeath. It rose again as a dracolich, no longer hungering for flesh but for the souls of its own kind.
Kamelk Twice-Killed, Chieftain of the Ghost Head Goblins, Dust Goblin Ghost: ?
Undead Centaur Ghost: Demon Mountain Road: Corrupted at its source at Demon Mountain, this is a ley line that Rothenian shamans tap but rarely dare to traverse. Filled with haunts, spirits, devils, demons, and undead centaur ghosts, the Demon Mountain Road is said to contain the souls of all those killed by the Master of Demon Mountain over the centuries. (Midgard Worldbook for 5th Edition and Pathfinder)
Ghostly Drake: ?
Ghost, Elven Wizard: ?
Ghost Head Goblin Horror: This infamous tribe contains as many undead goblins as living ones. They are led by Kamelk Twice-Killed, an unstoppable force who has been slain both as a living goblin and as a ghost, securing his legend when he returned each time. Many of his followers have undergone rituals to become undead “horrors.”
Ghoul, Ghul King: ?
Beggar Ghoul: ?
Darakhul Ghoul: ?
Darakhul Ghoul, Duchess Angvyr Ssetha, The Lady of Chains, Slave Mistress of Chaingard: ?
Darakhul Ghoul, Duke Borag the Executioner, Warlord of Gallwheor: ?
Darakhul Ghoul, Duke Drago Blackfly: ?
Darakhul Ghoul, Duke Eloghar Vorghesht, Regent of Evernight, High Priest of Vardesain: ?
Darakhul Ghoul, Duke Wierdunn Bonehand: ?
Darakhul Ghoul, Duke Leander Stross: ?
Darakhul Ghoul, Emperor Nicoforus The Pale: ?
Darakhul Ghoul, Emperor Vilmos Marquering, The Black Fang: ?
Darakhul Ghoul, Haresha Winterblood: ?
Darakhul Ghoul Monk, Sated Fang: ?
Darakhul Ghoul, Saint Whiteskull of Brastilor: ?
Darakhul Ghoul, Silas Folly: ?
Darakhul Ghoul, Tonderil the Bonebreaker: ?
Darakhul Ghoul, Vermesail the Gravedancer: ?
Darakhul Ghoul Necrophage, Duchess Mikalea Soulreaper, Lorekeeper of Ossean: ?
Darakhul Ghoul Necrophage, Valengurd the Confessor: ?
Ghoulish Derro: ?
Imperial Ghoul: ?
Iron Ghoul: ?
Large Ghoul: Animate Ghoul spell, 3rd level slot.
Grey Thirster: ?
Haunt: Demon Mountain Road: Corrupted at its source at Demon Mountain, this is a ley line that Rothenian shamans tap but rarely dare to traverse. Filled with haunts, spirits, devils, demons, and undead centaur ghosts, the Demon Mountain Road is said to contain the souls of all those killed by the Master of Demon Mountain over the centuries. (Midgard Worldbook for 5th Edition and Pathfinder)
Hungry Shade: Long ago, the desert swallowed up the remnants of a foolish Mharoti army. Occasionally, hungry shades emerge from the sands near the ruins of Iram, City of Pillars. These are the undead spirits of the hapless soldiers of the Dragon Empire, doomed to follow their general’s last commands until a new master learns how to control them.
The sisters are, in truth, a coven of night hags. They work tirelessly to locate black-hearted people whose dreams they can haunt, hounding the hapless victims to death so they can steal their evil souls. They bring these souls to the headwaters of the Nightbrook, and in a dark ritual that requires a memory philter holding emotions of loss, longing, rage, or bitterness, they twist the souls into hungry shades.
Lich, God-Wizard Kuluma-Siris: ?
Lich, Archlich Orgupash: ?
Lich, Lady Chesmaya, Voivodina of the Verdant Tower: ?
Lich, Meskhenit, Reborn Queen-Goddess, Mother of Destiny and Defender of the Realm: ?
Lich, Osvaud the Off-White: ?
Lich, Goblin, Gnogrot Milkeye: ?
Lich, Ravenfolk Sorcerer, Arkara Amasis: ?
Menet-Ka: Menet-Ka was a minor king in ancient Nuria Natal who was buried beneath an oasis fed by an underground branch of the River Nuria and close to a powerful ley line. The plan was that the blessed waters of the river would flow into the dead king after entombment, and he would return to life gifted with staggering power. Unfortunately, Menet-Ka’s corruption meant he returned as an undead creature, and his tomb now serves as a death trap, designed to steal the breath from any who dare to disturb his final resting place.
Mummy Lord, God-King Irsu Thanetsi Khamet, Eye of Anu-Akma and Warden of the Red Portal: ?
Mummy Lord, God-King Sut-Akhaman: ?
Catfolk Mummy: ?
Mummified Goblin King Dizzerax: ?
Mummified Sphinx: ?
Phantom: ?
Burning Skeleton: ?
Strigoi: ?
Ancient Undead Gold Dragon, Ibbalan the Illustrious: ?
Undead Giant: Cursed with long lives and restless deaths, these giants are joyless at best and feral at worst.
With each passing year, increasing numbers of giant corpses—sometimes one or two, other times entire tribes—are driven up from the ground. Their animated bodies rise up to walk the land, pursue strange goals, and protect otherwise barren areas without discernible cause. When a giant’s body fails to rest quietly, its soul returns to haunt its living descendants.
Undead Gnoll: ?
Draugir, Undead Mount: ?
Undead Purple Worm: ?
Vaettir: ?
Vampire, Baron Urslav, The Crawling Lord of Vallanoria, Keeper of the Red Sisters: ?
Vampire, Count Warrin: ?
Vampire, Otmar the Sallow: ?
Spellcaster Vampire, Countess Urzana Dolingen of Morgau: ?
Spellcaster Vampire, Lord Fandorin, Baron of Doresh, Fey Lord of the Grisal Marches: ?
Spellcaster Vampire, Lord Mayor Rodyan, The Glutton of Hangksburg: ?
Spellcaster Vampire, Thurso Dragonson, Duke of Morgau, Master of the Black Hills, Protector of the Fane of Blood, Heir to the Twin Thrones: ?
Warrior Vampire, Commander Balenus of the Ghost Knights: ?
Warrior Vampire, King Lucan: ?
Warrior Vampire, Lady Darvulia, Voivodina of Cloudwall, Keeper of the Gate Subterranean: ?
Warrior Vampire, Princess Hristina, Protector and Duchess of Krakovar, Grand Marshall of the Ghost Knights: ?
Vampire Warlock, Lady Mihaela, Baroness of Doresh, Pale Lady of Fandorin: ?
Blood Zombie: So-called “crimson lakes” mark other areas of the Western Wastes. Visible rips in reality’s fabric float hundreds of feet above the desert and drip a foul, bloodlike substance that accumulates in dark pools below. Such sites are sacred to some goblin tribes, and the coagulated liquid forms into sentient creatures if left undisturbed long enough.
Liquid Zombie: ?

Undead: The serpents in the hills around the valley offer a deadly hazard to those wishing to find the garden. Grandmother's magic has made the snakes' venom particularly deadly; those suffering a bite from these enchanted snakes typically die within hours of being injected. To make matters worse, the bodies of those who die from the poison sometimes return as foul undead monstrosities.
The fire lords make their home in a range of volcanoes called the Blodejord (“Crib of Earth’s Blood,” in the Jotun tongue), rising around the charred and desolate remains of what once was a stunningly fertile valley. Fire and ash erupt into the air, and any who die covered by the Crib’s enchanted ashes rise again as twisted undead.
Fire giant necromancers of Sengajordensblod are using the Crib-ash to raise an undead horde and to forge Surtalogi, the great weapon of Ragnarok.
Ghoul: Animate Ghoul spell.
Vampire: ?
Vampire Spawn: ?
Lich: Everywhere except in the Greater Duchy of Morgau, Anu-Akma promotes purity and preserves order, watching over the timely and dignified death of all. His priests anoint those of royal blood to rise again as mummies or liches, and gnoll mortuary guards and guides protect the vast ossuaries and cemeteries from desecration.
Ghost: The black shadows that pass for water in the Shadow Realm run swift and cold, so cold that no matter the surrounding terrain or climate, every stream or river or lake in the plane counts as frigid water. Worse, the spirits of things that died in or near the water constitute a hazard of the plane.
When Chernobog walks the earth in the dark of the moon and during eclipses, winds rise and howl, animals grow skittish and dogs bite, and ghosts rise from every grave.
Zombie: When he’s not indulging his foul appetites for blood and sex, the Lord Mayor likes to spend time nurturing the necrotic ticks he is breeding in the laboratory beneath his mansion. He uses them to create zombies to fight in the gladiatorial arena close to the city’s central Hangman’s Square.
Zombie Fog supernatural storm.
Skeleton: ?
Specter: The hag-like qwyllion are capable of dominating their foes and slaying enemies with a deadly gaze, transforming them into enslaved specters.
Wraith: ?
Mummy: Everywhere except in the Greater Duchy of Morgau, Anu-Akma promotes purity and preserves order, watching over the timely and dignified death of all. His priests anoint those of royal blood to rise again as mummies or liches, and gnoll mortuary guards and guides protect the vast ossuaries and cemeteries from desecration.
Wight: ?
Shadow: ?
Will o' Wisp: ?
Ghast: Animate Ghoul spell, 4th level slot.
Banshee: ?
Death Knight: Antipaladin Oath of the Giving Grave Undying Sentinel power.

ANIMATE GHOUL
2nd-level necromancy [blood]
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: Touch
Components: V, S, M (piece of rotting flesh and an onyx gemstone worth 100 gp)
Duration: Instantaneous
You raise one Medium or Small humanoid corpse as a ghoul under your control. Any class levels or abilities the creature had in life are gone, replaced by the standard ghoul stat block.
At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 3rd level, it can be used on the corpse of a Large humanoid to create a Large ghoul. When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 4th level, this spell creates a ghast, but the material component changes to an onyx gemstone worth at least 200 gp.

Zombie Fog: These pervasive banks of corpse-gray fog extend 1d4 × 100 feet in diameter and rise from sites steeped in ancient necromancy. The mostly intact corpses of humanoids caught in the fog’s rotting fumes animate as zombies in 1d6 rounds and typically wander within the fog until drawn forth by the presence of the living. The concealment provided by the thick mists hides the approach of hordes of zombies until much too late.

UNDYING SENTINEL
At 20th level, you gain magic resistance; you have advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects. In addition, if you are killed, you rise from the grave within 1d4 days as a death knight. Consult your GM for implementation.

Ponyfinder Campaign Setting

Spoiler

Unfulfilled: Unfulfilled are ponies that have died in the middle of a task they considered to be vital to their life’s destiny, usually in an very sudden and/or traumatic fashion. Occasionally, an unfulfilled can be created when a pony dies thinking their destiny never had a chance.

Undead: Every attempt to march an army on the city of Tramplevania had been met with mountain trained pegasi harassing from all angles, using the terrain they knew so well to wear down invading armies before they could reach the city gates. The frequent violence has given rise to restless spirits of those same invaders lurking in the trails leading to the city, seeking revenge on the living.
Vampiric Sorcerous Origin Ruler of the Night power.

Ponyfinder Everglow Bestiary

Spoiler

Skeletal Pony Slinger: ?
Zombie Pony: Raised by necromancers who clearly do not pay the most cursory of lip-service to the goddess of death, this abomination of the forces of nature known simply as a ‘zombie’ is at once everything that any sane adventurer should fear.

D&D Next:

Spoiler

Dungeon 213

Spoiler

Enlarged Skeleton: ?
Glorified Zombie: ?
Apparition: ?
Mummy: ?
Acererak the Demi-Lich: Ages past, a human wizard/cleric of surpassing evil took the steps necessary to preserve his life force beyond the centuries he had already lived, and this creature became the lich Acererak. Over the scores of years that followed, the lich dwelled with hordes of ghastly servants in the gloomy stone halls of the very hill where the tomb resides. Eventually even the undead life force of Acererak began to wane, so for the next eight decades, the lich’s servants labored to create the Tomb of Horrors. Then Acererak destroyed all of his slaves and servitors, magically hid the entrance to his halls, and went to his final haunt, while his soul roamed strange planes unknown to even the wisest of sages. Joining the halves of the FIRST KEY calls his soul back to the Material Plane, and use of the SECOND KEY alerts the now demilich that he must prepare to do battle to survive yet more centuries.
All that remains of Acererak are the dust of his bones and a skull with two 50,000 gp rubies set into its eye sockets. The skull also has six pointed (marquis cut) diamonds set as teeth in its jaw (each diamond is worth 5,000 gp). If any character is foolish enough to touch or strike the skull, a terrible thing occurs.
The skull rises into the air, its ruby eyes flickering with malevolence, its diamond teeth agleam with ancient hunger for the souls of the damned.
The skull is all that remains of Acererak’s body, but it’s all the demi-lich needs to show the heroes the folly of their endeavors.

Dungeon 221

Spoiler

Kel the Eldest, Human Lich: ?
Wight: ?

 

[Voadam]

4e

4e Compilation

Spoiler

Undead: Theories abound regarding the origin and creation of undead, from the hushed tales told by simple peasants to the exotic research performed by sages and wizards. None agree, and only one fact is certain: Undead exist in the world and have since time immemorial. (Open Grave Secrets of the Undead)
The origin of undead can be traced back to a time eons ago, when the primordials thrived before the first foundations of the world were even a rumor. Immortal in the sense that they knew no age and withstood any hurt, these were beings of manifest entropy. (Open Grave Secrets of the Undead)
In these earliest days, souls shorn of their bodies simply departed the cosmos, taken to a place beyond all reckoning. When the primordials first crafted the world, they had little regard for the fate of souls. But some among them recognized soul power as a potent force, and they hungered for it. These entities stopped up the passage of souls. With nowhere to go, many souls were either consumed by primordials that had a taste for such spiritual fare, or, finding no further road or final purpose, sputtered out and dissipated, gone forever. Others persisted, becoming undead. (Open Grave Secrets of the Undead)
Sentient living creatures have a body and a soul, the latter of which is the consciousness that exists in and departs from the body when it perishes. A body’s “life force” that drives a creature’s muscles and emotions is called the animus. The animus provides vitality and mobility for a creature, and like the soul, it fades from the body after death. Unlike the soul, it fades from the body as the body rots. (Open Grave Secrets of the Undead)
If “revived” in the proper fashion, the animus can rouse the body in the absence of a soul. (This phenomenon is what makes it possible for creatures that were never alive, such as constructs, to become undead.) In some cases, the animus can even exist apart from the body as a cruel memory of life. Such impetus can come from necromantic magic, a corrupting supernatural influence at the place of death or interment, or a locale’s connection to the Shadowfell. Strong desires, beliefs, or emotions on the part of the deceased can also tap into the magic of the world to give the animus power. (Open Grave Secrets of the Undead)
Most undead, even those that seem intelligent, are this sort of creature—driven to inhuman behavior by lack of governance of a soul and a hunger for life that can’t be sated. Nearly mindless undead have been infused with just enough impetus to give the remains mobility but little else. Sentient undead have a stronger animus that might even have access to the memories of the deceased, but such monstrosities have few or none of the sympathies they had in life. A wight has a body and a feral awareness granted by the animus, but no soul. Even the dreaded wraith is simply a soulless animus, deeply corrupted and infused with strong necromantic energy. (Open Grave Secrets of the Undead)
The Shadowfell most often serves as the source of this impetus. In the Shadowfell, bodiless spirits are common, as are undead. Something within this echo-plane’s dreary nature nurtures undead. This shadowstuff can “leak” into a dying creature as that being passes away. It can be introduced by necromantic powers or rituals. Or it can be siphoned into areas strongly associated with death, pooling there. (Open Grave Secrets of the Undead)
Some undead retain their souls after the death of the body. Rituals allow this sort of transformation. A potent destiny or vigorous enough strength of will sometimes enables (or forces) a creature to transcend death. (Open Grave Secrets of the Undead)
When most living creatures think about how undead come into being, they connect the origin of undead with the animation of a dead body. That said, undead are actually “born” in a variety of ways. (Open Grave Secrets of the Undead)
Powerfully evil acts resonate with such force that they can ripple across dimensions and open cracks in reality, permitting malevolent entities to escape into the mortal world. These entities seek out corporeal flesh, in particular the recently vacated vessels of the damned. Once inside the host, these spirits corrupt the animus, granting the corpse a semblance of life. (Open Grave Secrets of the Undead)
An evil, perverse, and intelligent creature can be reborn into undeath when the influence of the animus revives the memories of the vessel’s previous host, although the soul of the creature is not present—these sorts of undead are just particularly wily animus-driven undead. (Open Grave Secrets of the Undead)
At other times, atrocious deeds call dark spirits into the cadaver of the newly deceased, leaving the original soul intact. Sometimes, good souls can be trapped within their bodies, to be slowly turned to evil as the depraved spirits corrupt the soul. (Open Grave Secrets of the Undead)
Sites where evil creatures lair or where evil artifacts are stored can act as strong catalysts in the creation of undead. Undead so created are usually mindless animate corpses. Sometimes they are more powerful, soul-bearing undead whose spirits were corrupted while they lived in an area of tainted ground, and thus the creatures fell directly into undeath when their bodies succumbed. (Open Grave Secrets of the Undead)
Though some believe that some kind of fell power energizes animate creatures, it is more accurate to say that the animus or spirit resident in a walking corpse provides an undead creature with the requisite motive force for movement, and perhaps enough additional force to talk and even reason, and—most important—enough animation to prey on other creatures. (Open Grave Secrets of the Undead)
Dark deeds conducted by others can serve as a trigger for unlife, especially if such deeds accrue over months or years in one particular location. Such an area, more than any other, is worthy of the term “tainted by evil,” though the religious-minded sometimes call such areas unsanctified ground. (Open Grave Secrets of the Undead)
When a living creature is drained to death by evil agencies, the husk of the body becomes a shell that is particularly susceptible to the influence of unlife. When an undead creature is responsible for draining the life force from a living creature, the creation of a new undead from the dead flesh is not assured, but the door is certainly open for unclean spirits to move into the recently evacuated house of the body.
A few particularly abhorrent undead carry a powerful contagion that, when transferred to mortals, causes them to weaken and die at an alarming rate, rising as undead in a matter of hours unless a cure is rapidly administered. Once a creature is infected in this manner, little can be done to save him or her from becoming undead. (Open Grave Secrets of the Undead)
Some obsessed knowledge-seekers pursue the spark of life too far, and thereby discover the dark fruits of undeath. They seek death’s secrets because of their fear of death, thinking that if they can come to understand mortality, their fear will be extinguished and their survival assured. Those who tread this road to its conclusion sometimes embrace death completely, and do not become so much immortal as simply enduring. (Open Grave Secrets of the Undead)
Sometimes undead are created when corpse parts are sewn together to form a great amalgam of death. Then, when the composite corpse is touched with lightning and the proper reanimation ritual performed, an undead creature rises, its mind rotted but its flesh strong with the animus of several beings. Such creatures share some external visual similarities to flesh golems, but are different in ability and origin. (Open Grave Secrets of the Undead)
All undead were once living beings, in that they had a soul. Soulless constructs do not and cannot become undead. (Open Grave Secrets of the Undead)
Some necromancers use the arcane power source to fuel their magic, while others call upon the power of shadow to effect their dim miracles. Still others animate undead by the power of the divine, calling on fell gods to raise legions of bound wraiths to their will. (Open Grave Secrets of the Undead)
Some undead are born as a result of sheer force of will. These rare individuals staved off the afterlife by harnessing the great power of their soul (or ki). Rarer still, other undead abominations call upon the great psionic powers of the mind to cheat death. (Open Grave Secrets of the Undead)
Several varieties of undead can create new unliving progeny. Taking a broader view, undead self-propagation might be regarded as an infectious disease: It is nasty, it is easily spread, and it kills its hosts. (Open Grave Secrets of the Undead)
Unless they seek to animate the bodies of the dead, living beings should know better than to bury bodies in the Shadowfell. Though rituals exist to keep a corpse temporarily free of unlife, it’s better not to chance such things. Even when such rituals are used, corpses (whether buried or left behind untended) are likely to rise in the Shadowfell as shambling dead. Evil individuals are certain to rise as particularly nasty soulless monsters. In the world, only the most horrific and ruthless murderers return as specters, but in the Shadowfell, any death might spawn such a wicked undead. (Open Grave Secrets of the Undead)
Because all souls pass through this dim realm upon the death of their bodies, Shadow’s taint can corrupt these soul vestiges before they find their way to the Court of the Raven Queen in Letherna, forging sad spirits into ghosts and other insubstantial undead. (Open Grave Secrets of the Undead)
A decade ago, evil humans inhabited the valley where the cemetery of Kravenghast Necropolis now stands. Obsessed with death, the people performed living sacrifices on the tops of the mountains that frame both ends of the valley. They buried the mangled remains of the sacrifices in unhallowed graves in a central cemetery. Over time, the sacrifice victims rose as undead, though they were confined to the place of their burial. (Open Grave Secrets of the Undead)
When the Tower of Zoramadria was moved across the Feywild through a ritual, the life force of many of its inhabitants was drained off to power that ritual. Many of Zoramadria’s students that escaped permanent destruction did so only by embracing undeath. (Open Grave Secrets of the Undead)
The preservation fluid within a brain’s jar is a valuable alchemical material, especially useful for crafting undead. (Open Grave Secrets of the Undead)
Most undead animate spontaneously or arise through profane rituals. A few mortals willingly become undead, though, viewing the condition as a form of immortality. (Open Grave Secrets of the Undead)
Many days south of Balic, a great plain of broken, black obsidian interrupts the monotony of the Endless Sand Dunes. The obsidian differs throughout the plain—it can be smooth and glassy, low and razor-edged, or shattered into jagged chunks 20 or 30 feet tall. Here and there, bare hillocks rise above the obsidian waves, crowned by a clump of hardy bushes or a small tree, or half-buried remnants of city walls jut out of the glistening glass like the bones of a creature that died in a tar pit. During the Cleansing Wars, a terrible battle was fought on this plain, and a defiler of awesome power broke the world’s skin, flooding the area with molten black glass to destroy whole armies with one dreadful ritual. (Dark Sun Campaign Setting)
With no food, little water, and no shelter to speak of, the Dead Land is one of the worst regions on Athas. By day, the sun’s heat on the black ground can kill a traveler within hours; at night, the armies slain here rise as hateful undead, driven to reenact the last battles of their lives. (Dark Sun Campaign Setting)
According to rumors, the Black Sands region was created by defiling magic that predated the rise of the city-states and their rulers. Supposedly, an ancient ruined city, haunted by hateful ghosts of a past age, lies at the center of the Sands, and any who enter its crumbled walls are doomed to join the undead spirits. (Dark Sun Campaign Setting)
Portals to Orcus’s realm of Thanatos might overlay the doors of mausoleums or stand among oddly arranged headstones. When a portal to Thanatos opens, the skies darken and the weather turns cold. The shades of folk that died in the surrounding lands reappear to wreak havoc, then vanish. The earth boils beneath cemeteries, churned by the dead. Within 10 squares of such a portal, a creature that dies rises on its next turn as a mindless corporeal undead of a type of the DM’s choice. (Demonomicon)
Dragons that wish to learn the secret of becoming undead could do worse than follow the tenets of Vecna. (Draconomicon I Chromatic Dragons)
Buried deep, beyond the prying eyes of the common worshipers, is an ossuary where Vol’s mummy high priest, Malevanor, performs the most profane rituals, twisting corpses with dark magic to create atrocities and undead horrors. (Eberron Campaign Guide)
To shore up the nation’s demoralized and weakened armies, the Blood of Vol provided Karrnath with rituals that produce loyal undead warriors. (Eberron Campaign Guide)
When the Shadowfell draws near to the world, the boundaries between life and death grow thin. Ghosts become common on Eberron then, because it is as easy for spirits to remain in the world of the living as it is for them to pass into the Realm of the Dead. Rituals that call the dead back to life sometimes go awry, bringing ghosts or other undead along with the desired spirit. (Eberron Campaign Guide)
Undead fuel their minds and protect their corpses from dissolution through powerful necromantic rituals—especially liches, whose never-ending acquisition of arcane knowledge has propelled some into contention with the gods themselves. (Forgotten Realms Campaign Guide)
A few cling to the Shadowfell or to the world, continuing on as ghosts or other insubstantial undead. (Forgotten Realms Campaign Guide)
The catacombs are tainted by the presence of Vadin Cartwright, a priest of Tharizdun. In the abbey's vaults, Vadin discovered a red crystalline substance he calls the Voidharrow, which he believes contains a fragment of the Chained God's essence. He has taken up residence in the catacombs, experimenting with how his own power to create undead interacts with the Voidharrow. (Madness at Gardmore Abbey)
Some souls can and do escape the finality of death. Those who fear what lies beyond, and a few too blinded by anger or hate to willingly move on, cling to their bodiless existence in the Shadowfell. These fearful, miserable, or hateful creatures often become undead of various sorts. (Manual of the Planes)
Many evil mortals consider the Shadowfell an ideal place to create undead servants. Over centuries, clerics of dark gods, cultists of Orcus, amoral wizards, and necromancers of the worst sort have created countless thousands of undead monsters using heinous rituals. (Manual of the Planes)
As if the active creation of undead by reckless mortals was not bad enough, the Shadowfell itself sometimes spawns the unliving. Areas such as the darklands, places tainted by necromantic seepage, and other, less understood regions spawn all manner of animated beings. The taint of shadow also corrupts the soul vestiges wandering on this plane, twisting these sad spirits into ghosts and other spectral creatures. (Manual of the Planes)
Just as horrific, undead sometimes create themselves. (Manual of the Planes)
Others find the weight of their mortal deeds so heavy they cannot bear to move farther than the Shadowfell. In time, they are corrupted by the plane’s malaise, becoming specters, wraiths, and other insubstantial beings. (Manual of the Planes)
Those that die on Thanatos rise in moments as undead. (Manual of the Planes)
Many of the angels who refused to rebel were condemned to torment and death here, and they linger in Cania’s depths as undead creatures of terrible power. (Manual of the Planes)
Although Pluton is largely abandoned, and no new mortal souls come here, some spirits feared to pass into true death and chose to cling to the half death that Nerull granted them. Most of these are now hateful, mindless undead creatures. (Manual of the Planes)
Between the Dread Ring’s outer wall and its central tower lies a true chamber of horrors. Stone-and-steel slabs hold bodies and parts of bodies. Some are fresh, still bleeding and occasionally twitching; others are ancient, covered in grave soil, mummified, or reduced to bone. More corpses, severed limbs, and disembodied heads hang on hooks around the room’s perimeter and are heaped in corners, awaiting use. Flasks and barrels contain blood, other bodily humors, and alchemical reagents used to render flesh soft and supple. Runes of necromantic magic adorn the walls, ceiling, and floor. (Neverwinter Campaign Setting)
An array of iron sarcophagi and tall vats lines two walls. Tubes protrude through the stone coffins’ sides, ready to pump fluids through the body of any creature placed within. (Neverwinter Campaign Setting)
A portion of the Thayans’ undead force is animated elsewhere, through necromantic rituals, but the bulk of the raisings occurs here. This “factory” has been designed and enchanted to raise corpses far faster and in far greater numbers than spellwork alone. (Neverwinter Campaign Setting)
Deadhold was forged in eons past when Orcus seized an astral domain and slew its residents. The demon prince then raised the slain residents as the living dead and drew the realm into the Shadowfell where he could hide it and cultivate it for future use. (P2 Demon Queen's Enclave)
Normally the spirits of the dead travel first to the Shadow fell, using it as a conduit to their final destiny. Some are claimed by the gods and carried to divine dominions, while others join the Raven Queen. A few refuse to go gracefully and become undead. (P3 Assault on Nightwyrm Fortress)
Dwarves of the Obsidian Cave rarely deal with other dwarves. preferring instead to wage a singular war against orcs, drow, and other threats to their people. When dwarves of the order die, their souls return to the Ebon Spire, where they linger as spiteful undead spirits. (Player's Option Heroes of Shadow)
Servitude in Death power. (Player's Option Heroes of Shadow)
Shackles of the Grave power. (Player's Option Heroes of Shadow)
Acererak's Apotheosis power. (Player's Option Heroes of Shadow)
No demon lord claims this layer, the Plains of Rust, and the only inhabitants are mindlessly destructive. The essence of slain devils and demons became infused with the necrotic and acidic power of the buried swamp. This mixture gave rise to baleful corrupting undead. (The Plane Below: Secrets of the Elemental Chaos)
Many evil mortals consider the Shadowfell an ideal place to create undead servants. Over the centuries, clerics of dark gods, cultists of Orcus, foul wizards, and greedy necromancers have created thousands upon thousands of undead monsters using heinous rituals. (The Shadowfell: Gloomwrought and Beyond)
Due to Acererak's magic and influence, all the living fey from the Garden of Graves, including those that have traveled to the world, have the Acererak's Slave power. (Tomb of Horrors)
Years ago, when Acererak set out to seize control of undeath, the fell energy of Moil made it the perfect base for his dark plans. Much of the city and its undead host fell under the demilich's control, and his experiments created new varieties of undead unknown outside the City that Waits. (Tomb of Horrors)
The barrier between the world and the Shadowfell is thin around Skull City (part of the reason Acererak chose this location for his tomb). A creature slain within the city has a 50 percent chance of rising in 1d6 hours as an undead of the same level under your control. The undead must be destroyed before the slain creature can be raised. (The creature can be raised normally before it rises as an undead.) (Tomb of Horrors)
Acererak's Slave power. (Tomb of Horrors)
Even the most faithful divine servant who dies in one of these places dies unnoticed. The souls of the fallen linger forever in the godless realms, becoming ghosts, wraiths, or similar undead without ever traveling to the Shadowfell, where the Raven Queen would judge their final disposition. (Underdark)
Occasional supernatural storms drag surface ships down into the Deeps slaying all aboard and trapping the crew in eternal unlife. These ghostly vessels haunt the Spire Sea, crewed by undead of all varieties. (Underdark)
When conditions are right on the oceans of the surface world a supernatural storm known as a ghost gale materializes as if from nowhere. A ghost gale creates a whirlpool that can sweep a ship through a vortex down into the sunless seas of the Deeps. Frightened sailors taken by such storms frantically ply those black waters in search of a way home, but the time they spend raiding and fishing belies the fact that they no longer require sustenance or sleep. The ghost gale slays those it carries down to the Deeps, and these lightless seas become the site of a ghost crew's afterlife. (Underdark)
Few mortal creatures swim such strange currents, but undead abound. The waters contain the bodies and spirits of creatures of the Underdark connected to water in life and chained to it in death. The stygian waters claim any waterborne beings that died with bitter words on their lips, dark thoughts in their minds, or whose heart's last beat echoed cold. (Underdark)
The Unveiling is the prosaic name that incunabula give to their interrogation process. It is "final" because living creatures subject to the process die, while dead souls and undead are destroyed (but see below). The victim gives up every piece of information he or she possesses, no matter how minor or petty. The process involves a ritual not unlike the one used by incunabula to pass inherited wrappings to young incunabula. However, unlike in that ritual the victims of the Unveiling have their organs drawn out and placed in jars even as their bodies are shrouded in funerary wrappings. The brain is the final organ to be extracted; instead of being stored in a jar it is eaten by the questioner who gains the complete knowledge possessed by the victim. The questioner has 11 hours to choose among all knowledge so gained and record it on parchment before it all fades. (Underdark)
In some cases, creatures subject to the Unveiling rise as a variety of undead, depending on the skill and intent of the questioner. (Underdark)
As agents of Vecna, incunabula rely on a dark ritual called the Unveiling to scour the memory of a recently slain corpse. Corpses corrupted by this ritual animate as skeletal undead wrapped in strands of linen. (Underdark)
The Shadowfell is the twisted reflection of the world, formed of dark creation-stuff hurled aside by the primordials as they created existence. It encompasses the realm of the dead, and its necrotic energy animates the undead. (Wizards Presents Worlds and Monsters)
Death isn’t always the end, even for creatures that have no great destiny. Aspects that make up living creatures interact to create many possibilities for continued existence, or at least the appearance of it. Through various machinations of fate or intent, a creature can remain in the world after its death as a plague on the living—or something more. (Wizards Presents Worlds and Monsters)
Sentient living creatures have a body and a soul, which is the consciousness that exists in and departs from the body when it perishes. A third element also exists: the animus, an intangible bridge between body and soul that is born and that exists with the physical form. It provides vitality and mobility for the creature, and unlike the soul, it usually remains with the body after death. (Wizards Presents Worlds and Monsters)
If given enough power, the animus can rouse the body in the absence of a soul. It might even be able to function without the body. Such power can come from necromantic magic, another corrupting supernatural influence at the place of death or interment, or the connection of the Shadowfell to a locale. Strong desires, beliefs, or emotions on the part of the deceased can also tap the magic of the world to give the animus power. (Wizards Presents Worlds and Monsters)
Most undead, even those that seem intelligent, are this sort of creature—driven to inhuman behavior by lack of governance of a soul and a hunger for life that can’t be sated. Nearly mindless undead have been infused with just enough power to give the remains mobility but little else. Sentient undead have a stronger animus that might even have access to the memories of the deceased, but such monstrosities have few or none of the capabilities they had in life. (Wizards Presents Worlds and Monsters)
The source of this necrotic energy is most often the Shadowfell. Its shadowstuff can “leak” into a dying creature as that being passes away. It can be introduced by necromancy. Or it can be siphoned into areas strongly associated with death, pooling there. (Wizards Presents Worlds and Monsters)
Like living beings, some undead still have their souls. Rituals allow this sort of transformation. A potent destiny or a mighty will sometimes enables (or forces) a creature to transcend death. (Wizards Presents Worlds and Monsters)
Death knights, liches, mummies, and vampires are all created by rituals that tie the soul to an unliving form. Similar creatures could be created in different circumstances. (Wizards Presents Worlds and Monsters)
Early in the history of the world, Orcus learned to create undead, including the first ghouls, exercising his desire to devour life in the vilest ways. (Wizards Presents Worlds and Monsters)
But the bold need to understand that death is not in itself evil, and that undeath takes as many forms as the dying that precedes it. (Wizards Presents Worlds and Monsters)
Death touches every corner of the D&D cosmos. Even the so-called immortals aren’t immune to its icy grasp. Where death can reach, so too can undeath. (Wizards Presents Worlds and Monsters)
The animus is the seat of animalistic desires and survival instincts, and when coupled with shadow power in the body, it can engage in inhuman behavior. (Wizards Presents Worlds and Monsters)
Shadow, necromancy, strong desires, and corruption can empower the animus to rouse a corpse. (Wizards Presents Worlds and Monsters)
Cannibalism has made ghouls from many tieflings from Io'vanthor and the rest are well on their way to becoming undead horrors. (Dragon 369)
From undead spawned by his dread rituals to the descendants of those adventurers who died in the tomb, Acererak and his legend have shaped and altered countless lives. (Dragon 371)
The Shadowfell bleeds into the mortal world where Skull City stands, but the influence is not the chilling pall normally associated with such regions. Instead a conduit to a region of Darklands is not far from the City That Waits. The Darklands’ influence spills through the planar barriers, staining the mortal world with its corrupting influence, and thus Skull City and those who die here often rise as undead. (Dragon 371)
Most undead, they say, exist as a result of the continued functioning of the animus. The soul—the element that makes one an individual—is gone. (Dragon 372)
Animate Dead wizard power. (Dragon 372)
The Undying Court is full of members who have become undead. The form they practice doesn’t use the perverse magic that creates most evil undead. To these elves, undeath is a means for ancestors to share their wisdom with future generations, not a selfish means of prolonging life. (Dragon 378)
Though many of the faith’s followers are unaware of this, the Blood of Vol’s true rulers draw on the power of undeath. Lady Vol and many members of the clergy master rituals and other methods of attaining eternal life through dark magic. (Dragon 378)
Priests assure their flocks that those who live upstanding and virtuous lives find that what happens after their deaths is free from danger, but their words ring hollow. Not even they know if what they say is true or not. Indeed, many perils await the dead. Dark, hungry things wait in shadows, luring unwary travelers to their dooms, where they are used, twisted, or corrupted into frightful undead horrors. (Dragon 380)
Vengeful Dead Invoker power. (Dragon 380)
The shadar-kai did not emerge from their transformation without a price. All possessed unique talents, strange powers, and a quickness and cleverness that could exceed human limitations, though from the start, the shadar-kai also endured a dangerous sadness, emptiness, and boredom that arose from a dampening of their sensations and emotions. Surrendering to the ennui meant oblivion and the creation of twisted undead horrors, so it is in every shadar-kai’s best interest to fight against the darkness within and triumph over it. (Dragon 391)
In the earliest days of creation, when gods still walked the land alongside mortals and the Dawn War had just begun, Nerull—a clever and ruthless human wizard—became one of the first nonelves to learn arcane magic from Corellon. His newfound power soon drew him into the war against the primordials. After one particularly gruesome battle, Nerull looked over the fields filled with corpses and cursed at those who had allowed themselves to pass into death, avoiding the duty of preserving creation against annihilation. Retreating back to his study, he spent months brooding over issues of mortality and the threat of the elementals. (Dragon 427)
During this withdrawal, the mage first began his studies of the dead and their uses. He discovered that death need not be the end of a body’s usefulness, and magical energy could bestow a semblance of life upon a lifeless corpse. He further determined that such magic could bind the soul to service, either in a body or without one. Rooted in Nerull’s desire for the fallen to rejoin the war against the primordials, these discoveries became the foundation for the necromancy school of magic. (Dragon 427)
In fantasy, undeath can afflict almost anything that once lived. Some creatures choose undeath, and others have it forced on them. Some pass into undeath very soon after dying, and others might lie in their graves for centuries before rising again. An undead creature might loathe its current form or not even recognize its own passing. Someone who died during the height of an ancient empire and lay dead through centuries of downfall and social collapse—perhaps even triggered that collapse during their lifetime—would arise into a very puzzling world. (Dragon 429)
The Warwood’s gnarled trees, tangled thickets, and lonesomeness would cause anyone to think it haunted—even without its restless dead. Those who died in the brief conflict after Sir Malagant and the Sleeper in the Tomb of Dreams killed one another still linger in the forest. The battle after the generals’ deaths broke the compact they had made about their final battle, and the souls of those who died in those battles are cursed by the Raven Queen to remain in the Warwood forever. (Dungeon 155)
Hamona, a grim place that has already been terrorized by the Cult of Vecna. All the survivors in the village are missing their left hand and eye and are extremely distrustful of outsiders. The inhabitants of Hamona are also under a curse placed upon them by the cult in which they become undead creatures at nightfall. (Dungeon 158)
The fey fought the living dead, but Belos’s power was so great that he first blotted out the sun and then laid a curse upon the land. Each fallen fey sprang back up as an undead beast. (Dungeon 169)
Living spells ignore the ubiquitous undead spawned from the warriors slain on the Day of Mourning. (Dungeon 175)
It takes place in a small forest near the King’s Wall, in a long-abandoned temple dedicated to the worship of the demon prince Orcus. The temple has been given a new and dire purpose by a Chaos Shard from the great meteor. This shard radiates dark energy capable of reanimating the dead, and its power has been strengthened by the lingering evil of the demon prince’s temple. Each night, the shard fills the surrounding forest with the siren call of dark power, causing the many corpses in the Chaos Scar to stir. (Dungeon 176)
The characters should recognize the black gem around Garvus’ neck as a meteor fragment. They can learn more about its function and purpose with a DC 15 Arcana or Religion check. For each successful skill check the characters make, give them one of the following pieces of information. (Dungeon 176)
F This shard radiates staggering amounts of necromantic energy, easily enough to animate the dead within the rectory. (Dungeon 176)
F The shard’s power is likely strengthened by the lingering energy in the temple of Orcus. (Dungeon 176)
F The shard’s power, like many evil items and creatures, is stronger at night. (Dungeon 176)
F Undead may be drawn to the energy produced by the shard. (Dungeon 176)
The intense hatred and violence of that final conflict between House Madar and House Tsalaxa had an unexpected effect. It animated the dead of both houses, condemning their lifeless flesh and trapped souls to serve as eternal guardians for the vault for the rest of eternity. (Dungeon 181)
Ranala and her followers withdrew to the outskirts of the town to find a way to recover the artifact Zaspar had stolen. Instead, they learned that the cultist had already unlocked its magic and used it to siphon energy from the townsfolk to perform some unspeakable ritual involving his wife and his ‘child’. The magic from the now-corrupted relic not only stole life from the people but infected them with a vile disease—when they died, they rose soon after as undead. Worse, anyone who entered the town risked being exposed to the blight. (Dungeon 186)
Mistwatch Blight disease. (Dungeon 186)
Weeks ago, the vampire lich Magroth opened the way into the buried City of the Dead. There, he attempted to complete a ritual to raise the undead hordes and restore Andok Sur to its former glory. Thanks to the intervention of a group of adventurers and an agent of the Raven Queen, Magroth failed. However, the magic he did unleash awakened some of those interred within the buried necropolis. (Dungeon 187)
When Thakok-An sacrificed members of her family in her foolish and failed attempt to aid Kalid-Ma, several of her kin became ghosts and other undead as the city passed into the Gray. (Dungeon 190)
With her health and mental stability eroding, Khaela resorted to necromancy. After drinking from a dark cup called the Bleak Grail, she entered undeath. Unfortunately for the rest of Khalusk, because Khaela’s magic was inextricably tied to the city and its populace, the effects were felt by all. Within a single hour, every living creature in Khalusk died. Three days later, they rose again, undead. (Dungeon 191)
A population of undead fish and other aquatic creatures swim the chill sea (nothing escaped the necromantic effects of the Bleak Grail). (Dungeon 191)
Reanimation Doorway trap. (Dungeon 201)
Talther Yorn instructed Grygori to steal bones from the Baron’s Hill cemetery on moonless nights over the course of several months. The necromancer has been grinding the bones to a fine powder, which he combines with other ingredients to create a necrotic admixture that transforms living creatures into undead horrors. He has been testing this foul concoction on assorted animals, a few wayward travelers, and a mob of goblin underlings. (Dungeon 211)
In a flawed attempt to recover the primordial spirit, Hazakhul triggered a devastating, cataclysmic eruption. An unexpected by-product of the ritual channeled forces from the Elemental Chaos into the heart of his stronghold. The pyromancer and his servants perished, but twisted fire and necromancy reanimated them into undead creatures. (Dungeon 216)
As they battle the mercenaries in Ghere Thau, the characters notice that some of the enemies immediately rise as undead (often wights) when they fall. (Dungeon 218)
Characters who befriend (or interrogate) the more knowledgeable mercenaries learn the truth: the spirits of the dead soldiers lingered on the battlefield in Ghere Thau after death, and they desperately merge with the recently slain, trying to return to life. (Dungeon 218)
Karlerren’s undead army and the knights of Argramos were bitter foes in battle, but after death the knights of Argramos have become undead—even if they don’t realize it. The fading energy of Karlerren’s desperate necromancy persists, preventing the souls of the fallen from moving on from Ghere Thau. (Dungeon 218)
Those souls are invisible, intangible, and unreachable most of the time, and they aren’t strong enough to spontaneously rise as undead such as wraiths or specters. But if someone else dies nearby, the trapped soul can combine with the recently deceased—a phenomenon that Zarudu, a foulspawn seer working with the mercenaries, calls “soulmerging.” (Dungeon 218)
The soulmerged spirit manifests as an undead (each encounter specifies what sort of undead rises) 1 round after the soulmerge occurs, and the creature is hostile to the characters. The power of the creature before it died doesn’t matter; a lowly minion can become a challenging undead foe 1 round later. (Dungeon 218)
After it rises from death, the soulmerged undead draws necromantic power from the trapped soul but retains the motivation and basic personality of the recently deceased. Thus the new undead attack the characters, not any former allies who are still living. (See the “If a Character Dies” sidebar for what might happen to a dead character.) (Dungeon 218)
Zarudu hasn’t figured out why some deaths in Ghere Thau result in spontaneous undead creation, but others don’t. He doesn’t realize that the trapped souls (mostly knights of Argramos) were proud in life, and even after death merge only with Medium humanoids—creatures whose forms are familiar to them. The ettins, ogres, and more unusual members of Trask’s mercenary company won’t soulmerge after death. (Dungeon 218)
✦The undead are rising because the souls of the knights in Ghere Thau weren’t buried properly and seek new bodies (somewhat true; Karlerren’s necromancy is another major factor). Zarudu calls the process “soulmerging.” (Dungeon 218)
✦✦The souls in Ghere Thau seem to be somewhat picky about the bodies they claim. They won’t inhabit an ogre or an animal (somewhat true; they inhabit only Medium humanoids). (Dungeon 218)
✦✦The undead in Ghere Thau keep the motivations and personality they had in life . . . at first. After about an hour, they start to talk more like knights of Argramos for brief moments, then descend into unintelligible madness. (Dungeon 218)
✦✦Some undead in Ghere Thau seem wight-like, while others are more like mummies, and Zarudu can’t figure out why. Unless he sees a vampire rise in this room, Zarudu doesn’t know that’s possible.
Abhorrent Reaper: See Reaper Abhorrent Reaper.
Aboleth Overseer Lich: See Lich Aboleth Overseer.
Abomination: AGELESS THOUGH THEY ARE, IMMORTALS CAN DIE, and when they do, some return as twisted remnants of what they once were. Most abominations were created as weapons in the war between the gods and the primordials, but a scarce few have arisen spontaneously out of the chaotic forces of the universe. (Open Grave Secrets of the Undead)
Abomination Discord Incarnate: AT THE DAWN OF CREATION, mighty couatls—winged serpents of purity and virtue—strove to bind evil elementals and fiends. The titanic spiritual struggle sometimes resulted in the death of both entities and brought about a terrible fusion of body and spirit. From these morbid unions arose discord incarnates—perverse abominations bent on wanton destruction. (Open Grave Secrets of the Undead)
Discord incarnates arose during the cosmic war between the gods and the primordials. (Open Grave Secrets of the Undead)
Scholars speculate that a discord incarnate spontaneously arises from the clash of two powerful, opposing forces—a powerful demon and a couatl. Some experts suggest that the profane union is the work of a now-forgotten god or primordial that saw benefit in the creation of the twisted monstrosities. (Open Grave Secrets of the Undead)
Abomination Malediction: The primordials originally created maledictions in the Dawn War by mixing the mental agonies of gods felled by psychic assault with elemental fury. (The Plane Above: Secrets of the Astral Sea)
Abomination Rotvine Defiler: A profane vestige of a powerful immortal devoted to fertility, the rotvine defiler seeks to destroy that which it has lost—life. (Open Grave Secrets of the Undead)
A rotvine defiler is the profane remnant of an immortal devoted to nature or agriculture. The corrupted immortals were slain and sealed under the ground, where the seeds of evil caused them to return to life and outwardly manifest their malevolence. (Open Grave Secrets of the Undead)
A rotvine defiler arises when a creature makes a sacrifice over the monster’s earthly tomb, breaking the seals containing it. The creature usually retains none of its original intelligence or memories. (Open Grave Secrets of the Undead)
Absalom: Absalom was born human. He was selected as Dregoth’s new high priest after Giustenal’s fall. He was among the first survivors the undead sorcerer-king transformed into dray. After transfiguring Absalom, Dregoth slew his high priest and raised him as an undead servitor. (Dark Sun Creature Catalog)
Abyssal Ghoul: See Ghoul Abyssal Ghoul.
Abyssal Madness Ghoul: See Ghoul Abyssal Madness Ghoul.
Abyssal Plague Animated Corpse: The lowest form of the Abyssal plague can infect fresh humanoid corpses, resulting in ferocious hordes of reanimated dead bent on slaying every living creature in their path. (Dungeon 192)
Exposed to the strange transformative powers of the Abyssal plague, a reanimated corpse attacks with a mindless ferocity, attempting to destroy any living creature in its path. (Dungeon 192)
The animated corpse is driven by the malevolent will of the Chained God. (Dungeon 192)
Abyssal Rotfiend: See Demon Abyssal Rotfiend.
Abyssal Rotlord: See Demon Abyssal Rotlord.
Accipitridae: See Undead Aviary Accipitridae.
Acererak: See Lich, Acererak.
Acererak: See Lich Demilich, Acererak, The Devourer.
Acererak Construct: See Lich Demilich Acererak Construct.
Acererak God-Golem: ?
Adept of Orcus: See Ghoul Adept of Orcus.
Adrian Icehaunt Reginold: See Barrowhaunt, Adrian Icehaunt Reginold.
Agera of the Shadow Face: When Agera of the Shadow Face won the battle against her fellows, she retreated to the vault chamber and lay down to “sleep” with the Wrathstone around her neck. Decades later, Agera yet sleeps, though her body died long ago. Her mind, however, is tied to the Wrathstone. If this chamber is invaded, Agera awakens to defend it, as insane as ever. (Dungeon 169)
Ahmidarius: See Dracolich, Ahmidarius.
Akti, Ghovran: See Lich Eladrin, Ghovran Akti.
Algagor: See Beholder Undead Beholder Eye Tyrant, Algagor.
Alhoon Lich: See Lich Alhoon Lich.
Alwar Thornwhistle: See Ghoul, Alwar Thornwhistle.
Anabraxis the Black Talon: See Dracolich Runescribed Dracolich, Anabraxis the Black Talon.
Anarus Kalton: See Ghost, Anarus Kalton.
Ancient Ghost: See Ghost Ancient Ghost.
Ancient Tomb Mote: See Deathtritus Ancient Tomb Mote.
Ancient Ziggurat Mummy: See Mummy Ancient Ziggurat Mummy.
Angel Corpse Animated With Demon Soul: Beneath the keep, also contained within the maze that can lead into the Elemental Chaos, Dantus keeps a group of monstrosities: corpses of angels animated with the souls of demons, and vice versa. The nature of the undead spirits has warped the dead, immortal flesh they wear, and they are one of Kaius Dantus’s ongoing experiments. Some are mad, and some have displayed powers not seen in either breed of creature alone. (Dungeon 177)
Angel of Valorous Death: Kaius has turned legions of angels into shadows of their former selves in an effort to perfect the process. (Dungeon 177)
Angel of Eternal Protection: An angel of protection brought to death and back again, the angel of eternal protection is an effective personal guardian. (Dungeon 177)
Anja Silvermane: See Ghoul, Anja Silvermane.
Arantham: See Huecuva, Elder Arantham, Exarch of Orcus.
Arantor: See Dragon Undead Silver Dragon Dark Lord of Monadhan, Arantor.
Arath Nightcaller: ?
Arcanian: TO GAIN THEIR ARCANE POWERS, warlocks traffic with otherworldly entities, and sorcerers draw on the power of ancient bloodlines. Wizards, in contrast, must endure years of apprenticeship and toil, because their arcane knowledge is the reward of diligence. Yet not every inexperienced wizard is willing to wait. (Monster Manual 3)
Experiments that require arcane energy beyond a spellcaster’s ability typically end with an impotent sputter. At rare times, a spell surges with wild energy and obliterates its caster, leaving a messy warning to other wizards. (Monster Manual 3)
Once in a great while, though, something truly horrid comes to pass. In a vain attempt to master power beyond his or her control, a wizard absorbs too much raw energy, which warps the caster’s personality and memory and kills his or her body. A spark of life remains, though, and the spell, or at least its essence, animates the caster’s corpse and gives it new purpose as an arcanian. (Monster Manual 3)
When raw arcane energy kills a wizard, the power sometimes animates the corpse and gives birth to an arcanian. Empowered with a will and a vessel, an arcanian is driven along a path etched by the dying impulses of the wizard. Red arcanians entertain impassioned fiery desires, blue arcanians try to preserve life in frozen perfection, and green arcanians despise physical beauty. Other arcanians might also exist, the warped products of failed spells using lightning, thunder, or necrotic energy. (Monster Manual 3)
When they reached the lolfura estate, the family's members unleashed a storm of elemental ice and fire. Although it slew their enemies, it consumed the nobles as well. Death was not the end, though-they soon arose as arcanians, undead cursed to constantly burn and freeze. (Vor Rukoth)
Arcanian Blue Arcanian: Morrn was mortally wounded by a wizard of great power who coveted the Scarblade. The wizard was cut down by Morrn’s dying blow, and both perished on the bloodstained floor of the Proving Pit. (Dungeon 189)
The blue arcanian represents the wizard who slew Morrn, and was slain by him, in the bout that cost Morrn his life. (Dungeon 189)
Arcanian Blue Arcanian, Vandomar: In his last attempt to revive Elaida, he unleashed a mighty spell that simultaneously animated her corpse as a flesh golem and transformed him into an undead monster-an arcanian that still haunts the upper level of his tower. (Madness at Gardmore Abbey)
The blue arcanian was created when the wizard Vandomar reached for power beyond his means in his attempt to resurrect the paladin Elaida, who perished in the siege of Gardmore. The wizard's ritual succeeded only in animating a golem, destroying Vandomar in the process. (Madness at Gardmore Abbey)
Arcanian Green Arcanian: In the central chamber of the laboratory level is a green arcanian; a corpse that Yarnath animated with a defiling acid spell. (Dungeon 183)
Arcanian Red Arcanian: ?
Arcanian Red Arcanian Apprentice: In a flawed attempt to recover the primordial spirit, Hazakhul triggered a devastating, cataclysmic eruption. An unexpected by-product of the ritual channeled forces from the Elemental Chaos into the heart of his stronghold. The pyromancer and his servants perished, but twisted fire and necromancy reanimated them into undead creatures. (Dungeon 216)
Archlich: See Lich Archlich.
Archwraith: See Wraith Archwraith.
Argent Haunt Ghost: See Ghost Argent Haunt Ghost.
Ash Remnant: They are the last vestiges of those who failed to escape the mist. (Eberron Campaign Guide)
Ash remnants are thought to be the final victims of the Mourning, the last remains of those who perished at the boundaries of the Mournland when it was created. They are animated by raw hatred and despair, constantly reliving the terror of the Mourning in the shattered remnants of their minds. (Eberron Campaign Guide)
Ash Zombie: See Zombie Ash Zombie.
Ashardalon's Heart: Remnants of the cult survived this disaster, and it reconstituted itself around a relic of its dragon liege: Ashardalon’s heart. With a magic born of equal parts skill, faith, and desperation, the cultists rekindled the heart—but not to life. The ritual infused it with the energy of the Shadowfell and transformed it, reborn in undead darkness, into the center of faith and necromantic power for the cult. (Draconomicon I Chromatic Dragons)
Ashen Crawler: In a nearly forgotten age of genocidal warfare, the murderous sorcerer-king Nibenay pursued a fugitive band of elves and gnomes. The fugitives carried with them a seed from a tree of life. They hoped to plant the seed in a place where it might flourish in safety, far from the sorcerer-kings’ destruction. They sought refuge in a small cave system, but Nibenay’s soldiers tracked them there and besieged the cave. (Dungeon 187)
Avor Firesworn, leader of the band, made a fateful decision as Nibenay’s defilers closed in. Drawing on his knowledge of the supposed demigods who ruled parts of Athas at that time, he entered into a covenant with a force that he only dimly understood but perceived as a demigod of death. He and a few of his band swore a binding oath in which they offered their souls in exchange for the chance to protect the seed even after their deaths. (Dungeon 187)
Soon thereafter, Nibenay’s forces stormed the caves and Avor fell, his flesh consumed by defiling magic. The seed, however, lay hidden beneath his remains, and the sorcerer-king’s soldiers did not find it. It was protected by the bargain Avor had struck with the entity from the Gray. Meanwhile, the primal spirits of that place also understood the value of the seed. They, too, were eager to keep it out of any defiler’s hands, but their limited power to intervene was curtailed further by Avor’s bargain. (Dungeon 187)
Victorious in battle but frustrated by their failure to find the tree of life’s seed, Nibenay’s soldiers concluded that the seed had been no more than a rumor, or perhaps that Avor’s flight had been a ruse to draw them away from the real seed’s location. They sealed the cave when they withdrew, to conceal their deeds. Some time later, the spirits of Avor and his followers rose from the dead in fulfillment of their bargain. (Dungeon 187)
Ashen Soul, Avor Firesworn: In a nearly forgotten age of genocidal warfare, the murderous sorcerer-king Nibenay pursued a fugitive band of elves and gnomes. The fugitives carried with them a seed from a tree of life. They hoped to plant the seed in a place where it might flourish in safety, far from the sorcerer-kings’ destruction. They sought refuge in a small cave system, but Nibenay’s soldiers tracked them there and besieged the cave. (Dungeon 187)
Avor Firesworn, leader of the band, made a fateful decision as Nibenay’s defilers closed in. Drawing on his knowledge of the supposed demigods who ruled parts of Athas at that time, he entered into a covenant with a force that he only dimly understood but perceived as a demigod of death. He and a few of his band swore a binding oath in which they offered their souls in exchange for the chance to protect the seed even after their deaths. (Dungeon 187)
Soon thereafter, Nibenay’s forces stormed the caves and Avor fell, his flesh consumed by defiling magic. The seed, however, lay hidden beneath his remains, and the sorcerer-king’s soldiers did not find it. It was protected by the bargain Avor had struck with the entity from the Gray. Meanwhile, the primal spirits of that place also understood the value of the seed. They, too, were eager to keep it out of any defiler’s hands, but their limited power to intervene was curtailed further by Avor’s bargain. (Dungeon 187)
Victorious in battle but frustrated by their failure to find the tree of life’s seed, Nibenay’s soldiers concluded that the seed had been no more than a rumor, or perhaps that Avor’s flight had been a ruse to draw them away from the real seed’s location. They sealed the cave when they withdrew, to conceal their deeds. Some time later, the spirits of Avor and his followers rose from the dead in fulfillment of their bargain. (Dungeon 187)
Ashgaunt: Ashgaunts are recent creations of the Ashen Covenant. (Dragon 364)
These foul creatures were created by a faction of Orcus-worshipers called the Ashen Covenant, some of whom are focused on finding new ways to spread undeath. (Dragon 364)
Ashgaunt Wight: See Wight Ashgaunt.
Ashurta: See Wight Hobgoblin Wight, Ashurta.
Aspect of Nerull: See Nerull Aspect of Nerull.
Aspect of Vecna: See Vecna Aspect of Vecna.
Atropal: Atropals are unfinished godlings that had enough of a divine spark to rise as undead. (Monster Manual)
Atropus, The World Born Dead, A vast primordial of undeath, spawner of the atropals. (Player's Option Heroes of the Elemental Chaos)
Atropal, Harrowzau the God Swallower: ?
Atropal, Harrowzau the Unborn: ?
Atropal Deathscreamer: The birth of a deity is a rare event, and a delicate matter that requires the precise balance of stupendous forces. If anything goes awry, the result is a monstrosity: an undead husk animated by residual divine energy, thirsting for the power it never attained. (Dungeon 203)
Aviary Undead: See Undead Aviary.
Avor Firesworn: See Ashen Soul, Avor Firesworn.
Ayocuan: See Wight, Ayocuan.
Baelnorn Lich: See Lich Baelnorn Lich.
Baldos Grimehammer: See Barrowhaunt, Baldos Grimehammer.
Balor Husk: See Demon Balor Husk.
Balthrad: See Ghoul Abyssal Ghoul, Balthrad.
Banshee: See Ghost Wailing Ghost, Banshee.
Barren Lands Apparition: These eight spectral shapes are the shades of orcs and dwarves. (War of Everlasting Darkness)
Barrowhaunt: The Barrowhaunts are a group of five former adventurers bound to the lands surrounding the Sword Barrow. Their deeds in life are seldom recollected, and no one is truly sure why their spirits have never been laid to rest. Now they savagely attack any who enter the lands of their trust. Many rumors exist about the exact nature of their curse; one common legend suggests that they sought to plunder the Sword Barrow and evoked the wrath of a warlord entombed within. The warlord’s spirit called to the native hill folk in the area, who marched to the Sword Barrow to confront the adventurers and reclaim the warlord’s treasures. The adventurers, rather than relinquish their trove, slaughtered the hill folk. A dying elder placed a curse on the adventurers’ souls, binding them to the land for all of eternity. (Monster Vault Threats to the Nentir Vale)
At first, the elder’s curse seemed empty and hollow, but every time the adventurers left the Gray Downs to sell their hard-won loot, they could not help but return to the hills in search of even greater treasures. Eventually, their greed surpassed their skill. Descending deeper into the Sword Barrow than they’d ever gone before, the adventurers fell prey, one by one, to horrid monsters and insidious traps. Though cursed to haunt the Gray Downs and guard “their” barrows from other would-be pillagers, they still seek out treasures and relics for themselves. The spoils of their exploits are stashed in an ancient crypt deep within the Sword Barrow. Their motive for collecting such worldly possessions isn’t clear, but some believe they are forced to sate their everlasting yearning for adventure and exploration. (Monster Vault Threats to the Nentir Vale)
Barrowhaunt, Adrian Icehaunt Reginold: ?
Barrowhaunt, Baldos Grimehammer: ?
Barrowhaunt, Cassian d’Cherevan: ?
Barrowhaunt, Joplin the Sly: ?
Barrowhaunt, Uthelyn the Mad: ?
Barrowhaunt Lingering Spirit Warrior: Traveling and fighting alongside the Barrowhaunts are the spirits of the creatures they have slain—intelligent monsters, slaughtered tomb robbers, and ancient hill folk. (Monster Vault Threats to the Nentir Vale)
Barrowmere, Cauldrus: See Cauldrus Barrowmere.
Barrthak: See Lich Dwarf, Barrthak.
Barthus: See Vampire Priest of Bane, Barthus.
Battle Wight: See Wight Battle Wight.
Bear Corpse: ?
Beholder Eternal Tyrant Essence: After a powerful beholder (usually an ultimate tyrant) dies, its story might not end just yet. The most learned of these creatures can, through sheer force of will, retain their independence and power and create new bodies for themselves. These creatures are known as eternal tyrants, since they pursue immortality and rulership over as many creatures as they can. (Dragon 377)
Mentally powerful beholder ultimate tyrants cling to their intellect tenaciously. In fact, some can sustain psychic shells of themselves after death. When an ultimate tyrant’s soul reaches the Shadowfell, it can use the power of its mind to sever itself from the cycle of death. Such creatures are known as beholder eternal tyrants, and they create new construct bodies for themselves. Doing so can take centuries, and if a beholder could ever complete its body, it would be nearly indestructible. (Dragon 377)
Beholder Ghost Beholder: Death need not be an end to avarice and ambition. As living creatures, beholders must eventually fall from the air to rot on the hated earth. Yet some have the willpower and anger to float again, returning as ghost beholders. (Monster Manual 3)
Beholder Ghost Beholder, Darzaan: ?
Beholder Undead: BEHOLDERS ARE AMONG THE MOST FEARED and deadly monsters to prowl the world. Yet even beholders succumb to death, and when they do, necromancers sometimes find use in their vile remains. (Open Grave Secrets of the Undead)
Beholder Undead Beholder Death Emperor: A beholder death emperor is a more powerful version of the beholder death tyrant. (E1 Death's Reach)
Death tyrant and death emperor beholders are animated corpses of eye tyrants. (E1 Death's Reach)
Beholder Undead Beholder Death Tyrant: A death tyrant beholder is an animated corpse of an eye tyrant. (Open Grave Secrets of the Undead)
Death tyrant and death emperor beholders are animated corpses of eye tyrants. (E1 Death's Reach)
Beholder Undead Beholder Eye Tyrant, Algagor: ?
Beholder Undead Bloodkiss Beholder: The necrotic forces that reanimate a bloodkiss beholder warp and change the creature’s flesh, making the monster barely akin to its living counterpart. (Open Grave Secrets of the Undead)
Beholder Undead Eye of Death: ?
Beholder Zombie: See Zombie Beholder Zombie.
Belos: See Lich, Belos.
Berserker Vampire Lord: See Vampire Lord Berserker.
Beth Harwick: See Ghoul, Beth Harwick.
Betrayer Spirit Reaver: They’re evil guardians bound here against their will for crimes they committed in life. (Dungeon 159)
Betrayer Wight: See Wight Betrayer Wight.
Black Bloodspawn: Dwelling primarily in the White Kingdom near the Lake of Black Blood, black bloodspawn are the progeny of Gorgimrith, the Hunger in the Mountain. Whenever the massive entity desires, it can slough off bits of its rotted organ walls to create black bloodspawn. (E2 Kingdom of the Ghouls)
Black bloodspawn are actually mobile mouths of Gorgimrith, the Hunger in the Mountain. They spawn from its massive body and sometimes travel far from the White Kingdom. (E2 Kingdom of the Ghouls)
Black Bloodspawn Devourer: ?
Black Bloodspawn Hunter: ?
Black Cloud: See Lygis, The Black Cloud.
Black Reaver Zombie: See Zombie Black Reaver Zombie.
Black Star: See Timesus, The Black Star.
Blackfire Creeper: Chosen guardians created from exemplary Moilian dead, the blackfire creepers patrol the City That Waits to dispatch any interlopers they find. (Dragon 371)
Blackfire creepers are advanced undead remade by Acererak the Devourer. (Dragon 371)
Blackfire Dracolich: See Dracolich Blackfire Dracolich.
Blackfire Flameskull: See Flameskull Blackfire Flameskull.
Blackroot Treant: See Treant Blackroot Treant.
Blackstar Knight: BLACKSTAR KNIGHTS ARE UNDEAD SPIRITS housed in vessels of animate black stone. (Open Grave Secrets of the Undead)
These blank-faced stone warriors house souls bound to their rocky forms. The ritual for creating them remains a deeply guarded secret, and possibly one that Kas no longer controls. (Open Grave Secrets of the Undead)
Blackweaver: See Githyanki Blackweaver.
Bladebearer Zombie: See Zombie Bladebearer Zombie.
Bladeclaw, Morrn: See Ghost, Morrn Bladeclaw.
Bladelord, Naergoth: See Death Knight Human Death Knight, Naergoth Bladelord.
Blaspheme: CRAFTED FROM PIECES OF CORPSES and given life through alchemy and magic, blasphemes are intelligent, cunning undead. (Open Grave Secrets of the Undead)
Blasphemes are created from pieces of multiple corpses. Through carefully guarded rituals, these crafted forms are given life or, in a few cases, infused with the creator’s intelligence. (Open Grave Secrets of the Undead)
Blasphemes are crafted from pieces of corpses and given life through alchemy and magic. (E1 Death's Reach)
Blaspheme Disciple: ?
Blaspheme Disciple Keeper: ?
Blaspheme Entomber: ?
Blaspheme Fragment Keeper: ?
Blaspheme Grave Chill Blaspheme: ?
Blaspheme Imperfect: ?
Blaspheme Imperfect Keeper: ?
Blaspheme Knight: ?
Blaspheme Knight Keeper: ?
Blaspheme Soul Vessel: ?
Blaspheme Unholy Slayer: ?
Blazing Skeleton: See Skeleton Blazing Skeleton.
Blightfire Wretch: See Wight Blightfire Wretch.
Blood Amniote: See Ooze Blood Amniote.
Blood Sea Zombie: See Zombie Blood Sea Zombie.
Bloodblade Hobgoblin Skeleton: See Skeleton Bloodblade Hobgoblin Skeleton.
Bloodhunter: See Vampire Spawn Bloodhunter.
Bloodkiss Beholder: See Beholder Undead Bloodkiss Beholder.
Bloodrot: See Ooze Bloodrot.
Bloodspiker: See Vampire Spawn Bloodspiker.
Bloodwind: See Vampiric Dragon Bloodwind.
Blue Arcanian: See Arcanian Blue Arcanian.
Bodak: When a nightwalker slays a humanoid, that nightwalker can ritually transform the slain creature’s body and spirit into a bodak. (Monster Manual)
A nightwalker can turn a humanoid it has killed into a bodak using an arcane ritual that only works when cast in the Shadowfell, and only when cast by a nightwalker. Nightwalkers alone can warp the void energies of the Shadowfell to create such horrors. (Monster Manual)
Nightwalkers create bodaks and use them as assassins. (Open Grave Secrets of the Undead)
Nightwalkers often use evil rituals to restore their victims to a mockery of life, cursing them to rise as bodaks. (Manual of the Planes)
If legend can be believed, Vecna or one of his disciples taught nightwalkers the ritual to create bodaks in exchange for a pledge of loyalty to the Maimed God. (Manual of the Planes)
Nightwalkers lurk in the Shadowdark, as do the bodaks they create. (Underdark)
Bodak Frost Giant Bodak Reaver, Jarl Hargaad: When the giants first landed on the Frost Spire, they looted many of the tombs they found here. They left this cave alone. Jarl Hargaad rests here, though the looting of his vassals' burial grounds has awoken him from his eternal slumber. He has risen as a bodak. (Revenge of the Giants)
Bodak Reaver: ?
Bodak Skulk: ?
Bodak Skulk Fey Bodak Skulk: A ruthless eladrin uses a couple of bodak skulks infused with fey powers as bodyguards and also to hunt his enemies. (Dungeon Master's Guide 2)
Bodiless Head: See Penanggalan Bodiless Head.
Bodyguard: See Wight Battle Wight Bodyguard.
Bone Archivist: See Bone Sage Bone Archivist.
Bone Collector: See Ooze Bone Collector.
Bone Mongrel Dracolich: See Dracolich Bone Mongrel Dracolich.
Bone Naga: See Naga Bone Naga.
Bone Sage: Bone sages are remnants of evil academics and scribes, lingering in their thirst for knowledge. (Dungeon 164)
Bone Sage Bone Archivist: The Vault of Knowledge was once a library of Ioun hidden beneath the ancient temple in Auger. When the city was destroyed, the sages were trapped inside and never rescued. (Dungeon 164)
Bone Sage Bone Scribe: The Vault of Knowledge was once a library of Ioun hidden beneath the ancient temple in Auger. When the city was destroyed, the sages were trapped inside and never rescued. (Dungeon 164)
Bone Scribe: See Bone Sage Bone Scribe.
Bone Worm: ?
Bone Yard: A BONE YARD IS A MASS OF ANIMATED BONES that rises up due to a tragedy, massacre, or desecration. (Open Grave Secrets of the Undead)
Bone Yard Charnel Cinderhouse: Charnel cinderhouses arise when a conflagration consumes a building and kills the inhabitants. (Open Grave Secrets of the Undead)
Bone Yard Desecration: A DESECRATION IS THE ANIMATED REMAINS of a desecrated cemetery. (Open Grave Secrets of the Undead)
This creature arises when a cemetery is desecrated by the community that created it. (Open Grave Secrets of the Undead)
The animate force behind a graveyard full of traitors, turncoats, and other betrayers. (Dungeon 170)
Bone Yard Pit of the Abandoned Regiment: BORN OF THE ROTTING, SKELETAL REMAINS of soldiers left to die after battle, the pit of the abandoned regiment is a force driven by hatred and revenge. (Open Grave Secrets of the Undead)
This creature is the amalgamated remains of a regiment of soldiers that was left to die after a battle.
Boneclaw: BONECLAWS ARE MAGICALLY CONSTRUCTED UNDEAD built to hunt and slay the living. (Monster Manual)
One creates a boneclaw by means of a dark ritual that binds a powerful evil soul to a specially prepared amalgamation of undead flesh and bone. The exact ritual is a closely guarded secret known only to a handful of liches and necromancers. Cabals that wish to possess the knowledge of boneclaw creation have resorted to diplomacy, theft, and clandestine warfare to acquire the ritual. (Monster Manual)
Although rumor holds that the first boneclaws were created by a powerful lich in the service of Vecna, the truth is that a coven of hags led by a powerful night hag named Grigwartha created the first boneclaw over a century ago. They invented a ritual that combines the flesh and bones from ogres along with the trapped soul of an oni. Although the materials can vary, the ritual is the same among those who know it. (Monster Manual)
Boneclaws are vicious undead created by dark powers to hunt the foes of their creators. The ritual to create boneclaws is jealously guarded by the few casters that know it. (Open Grave Secrets of the Undead)
Boneclaw Daggerhand: ?
Boneclaw Frost Giant Boneclaw: ?
Boneclaw Guardian: ?
Boneclaw Impaler: ?
Bonecrusher Skeleton: See Skeleton Bonecrusher Skeleton.
Bonepile Hobgoblin Skeleton: See Skeleton Bonepile Hobgoblin Skeleton.
Boneshard: See Skeleton Boneshard.
Bonespitter: See Skeletal Dragon Bonespitter.
Bonestorm: ?
Bonewretch Skeleton: See Skeleton Bonewretch Skeleton.
Boneyard Zombie: See Zombie Boneyard Zombie.
Botched Witherling: See Witherling Botched Witherling.
Bound Soul: As a soul binder, you have bound a soul to your service. The soul might be that of an enemy whose torment you wish to prolong, a loved one whose company you wish to keep, or a friend whom you’re saving from a vile afterlife. (Dragon 427)
Brackenbite: See Demon Haures, Brackenbite.
Brackz, Illyram: See Lich Eladrin, Illyram Brackz.
Brain in a Broken Jar: See Brain in a Jar Brain in a Broken Jar.
Brain in a Jar: A BRAIN IN A JAR IS THE PRESERVED BRAIN of a sinister being who sought to escape death. Through ritual magic and complicated alchemical processes, the brain is kept alive, retaining all the memories and mental faculties of its former host. (Open Grave Secrets of the Undead)
Different kinds of brains in jars exist, though each is created using the same principles. (Open Grave Secrets of the Undead)
Brain in a Jar, Gralhund: Gralhund enlisted the aid of his apprentices to help him live on when his elderly body began to fail him, faking his own death and deceiving his family as to his fate (drowned at sea in his pleasure caravel). (Dungeon 189)
Brain in a Jar Brain in a Broken Jar: A brain in a broken jar is created through incomplete rituals, spoiling fluids, or damaged containers. (Open Grave Secrets of the Undead)
Brain in a Jar Brain in an Armored Jar: ?
Brain in a Jar Exalted Brain in a Jar: This is a brain taken from a powerful creature by devotees to preserve the subject’s knowledge and wisdom. (Open Grave Secrets of the Undead)
Brain in an Armored Jar: See Brain in a Jar Brain in an Armored Jar.
Bregga: See Hound of Ill Omen, Bregga.
Bridge Worm: See Worm Bridge.
Bright Lord of Everburning Fire: See Flameskull Lord, The Bright Lord of Everburning Fire.
Bronze Lich: See Lich Human, Osterneth the Bronze Lich, The Supreme Seed of Darkness, Heart of the Whispered One.
Burned Witch: See Skeleton Burned Witch.
Burning Dead, Fiery Undead: ?
Cali: See Vampire Lord, Cali.
Caller in Darkness: See Ghost Caller in Darkness.
Callophage Vampire: See Vampire Callophage Vampire.
Calvary Creekrotter: See Wrath of Nature Calvary Creekrotter.
Carcass Eater: See Zombie Carcass Eater.
Cassian d’Cherevan: See Barrowhaunt, Cassian d’Cherevan.
Castellan of Everlost: See Lich Castellan Wizard, Harthoon, Castellan of Everlost.
Castle Gloom, Tower Gloom, Haunt of Phelhelra: The haunting that inhabits the Phelhelra is rumored to have been present for centuries, growing steadily stronger and “larger” as it widened its reach through the fortress. Other rumors claim it crept out of the “deep darkness beneath the mountains” or is the mad remains of the pasha’s vanished daughter Phelhele . . . but no rumor-offerer knows the truth. (Dragon 415)
Elminster knows rather more than Sarklan. To his eye, the haunt of Phelhelra is actually a rare, unnamed-in-written-lore form of undead akin to a caller in darkness, but of five or six times the size and strength of a typical one of that sort. Everything Sarklan says about fighting the creature is correct, and it is insubstantial and nigh transparent unless it wills itself to more visible and substantial shape—which it must do to drain life force, which requires direct contact (usually it “rushes through” a chosen victim) and is an act of will, not an automatic attack or property of contact. (Dragon 415)
A wizard who knows how—such as some Imaskari and more recent Halruaan mages, the former by experimentation and the latter by correctly interpreting and trying written Imaskari records—can embrace this form of undeath instead of lichdom. This sort of entity is anchored to a particular object or group of objects (in this case, Elminster guesses, specific magic items hidden by Veherak el Paeredrhal and not moved since), and so it remains in a particular place and can’t venture far, unless or until the item or items are moved. (Dragon 415)
Elminster advocates that since most of these undead are unique in their powers, each one be referred to according to where it lurks, so this one he calls “the Phelhelra.” Understanding that sages whose lives will never depend on the differences between specific hauntings created by this obscure process will inevitably desire a collective name for all such creatures, he suggests “castle gloom” or “tower gloom,” because although quite a few haunt and guard their own tombs, almost none of the places these undead are found are underground or unfortified. (Dragon 415)
Cat Skeletal: See Skeletal Cat.
Cauldron Corpse: The cauldron is bolted to the floor and filled with necrotic filth (DC 15 Arcana to identify the danger). Any living creature that touches the tarlike substance takes 1d8 necrotic damage. (Dungeon 166)
Tossing a green, red, white, or blue goblin skull into the cauldron causes two cauldron corpses to rise up from within and attack. (Dungeon 166)
Cauldron Mote: ?
Cauldrus Barrowmere: Unable to complete his experiments because of Everen’s death and Izran’s disappearance, Cauldrus has melded his body with that of his latest creation.
Chain Devil Ghost: See Ghost Devil Chain Devil.
Chainfighter Wight: See Wight Chainfighter Wight.
Champion Wight: See Wight Champion Wight.
Charnel Brother: See Vampire Charnel Brother.
Charnel Cinderhouse: See Bone Yard Charnel Cinderhouse.
Charnel Hound: See Hound Death Charnel Hound.
Charnel Zombie: See Zombie Charnel Zombie.
Cherndon the Mad: See Ghost Dwarf, Cherndon the Mad.
Chib Naresaar: See Zombie Bladebearer Zombie, Chib Naresaar.
Children of Ssra-Tauroch: See Mummy Mummified Yuan-Ti, Children of Ssra-Tauroch.
Chillborn Vampiric Mist: See Vampiric Mist Chillborn Vampiric Mist.
Chillborn Zombie: See Zombie Chillborn Zombie.
Chosen of Faluzure: See Gryznath, Chosen of Faluzure.
Cinder Zombie: See Zombie Cinder Zombie.
Cindergrove Spirit: See Wrath of Nature Cindergrove Spirit.
Clone of Manshoon: See Vampire Lord Human Wizard, Manshoon, Orbakh The Night King, Orlak II, Clone of Manshoon, Lord of the Zhentarim.
Coffer Corpse: The last gaoler was so evil and cruel that demons left his soul to rot inside the flesh and spread suffering on the Material Plane. (Dungeon 215)
Coldspawned Mummy: See Mummy Coldspawned Mummy.
Commander: See Wight Battle Wight Commander.
Corpse Marionette: This thing is a creation of Borrit Crowfinger’s magic. (Dungeon Delve)
Corpse of Despair: See Zombie Corpse of Despair.
Corpse Rat Swarm: See Zombie Corpse Rat Swarm.
Corpse Vampire: See Vampire Corpse Vampire.
Corrupted Offspring: See Unrisen Corrupted Offspring.
Corrupted Yuan-Ti Malison Incanters: ?
Corruption Corpse: See Zombie Corruption Corpse.
Corruptor: See Vampiric Mist Corruptor.
Couatl Mockery: See Undead Aviary Couatl Mockery.
Count of Coins: See Vampire, Count of Coins
Count Strahd von Zarovich: See Vampire, Count Strahd von Zarovich.
Countess of Storms: See Vampire, Countess of Storms.
Crawling Claw: THIS SEVERED HAND OR PAW has been animated by foul magic.
Crawling claws are severed hands, feet, or paws that have been animated by necromantic rituals or by spontaneous necrotic energy. (Open Grave Secrets of the Undead)
The most basic crawling claw is crafted from any hand or paw. (Open Grave Secrets of the Undead)
Crawling Claw Crawling Gauntlet: Crawling gauntlets are severed hands enchanted or trained to serve as minions. (Open Grave Secrets of the Undead)
Crawling Claw Dragonclaw Swarm: Dragonclaw swarms are the result of necromantic experiments with dragon bones. (Open Grave Secrets of the Undead)
Crawling Claw Lich Claw: Liches that want to humiliate and dominate their rivals seek out other liches to acquire pieces to make lich claws. Many lich claws occur spontaneously, due to the saturation of necrotic energy in the chambers of defeated liches. (Open Grave Secrets of the Undead)
Crawling Claw Swarm: Crawling claw swarms are the result of numerous severed limbs lost in a horrible battle. Sometimes the limbs animate on their own; other times, necromancers sweep a battlefield for useful pieces. (Open Grave Secrets of the Undead)
Crawling Gauntlet: See Crawling Claw Crawling Gauntlet.
Crimson Deathmist: See Vampiric Mist Crimson Deathmist.
Crypt Lord: See Ghost Raaig Crypt Lord.
Ctenmiir: See Vampire, Ctenmiir.
Culdred: See Flameharrow, Culdred.
Cursing Heads: A collection of the Horseman’s prior victims. (Dungeon 174)
Cyclops Rambler Zombie: See Zombie Cyclops Rambler Zombie.
d'Cannith, Haestus: See Forgewraith, Haestus d'Cannith.
d’Cherevan, Cassian: See Barrowhaunt, Cassian d’Cherevan.
d'Medani, Torven: See Vampire, Torven “The Ageless” d'Medani.
Darien: See Ghoul Lord of Hampstead, Darien.
Dark Flameskull: See Flameskull Dark Flameskull.
Dark Lord of Monadhan: See Dragon Undead Silver Dragon Dark Lord of Monadhan, Arantor.
Dark Pharaoh: See Mummy Dark Pharaoh.
Darkflame Taskmaster: See Mummy Darkflame Taskmaster.
Darkhoof: See Unrisen Darkhoof.
Darkland Voidsoul Specter: See Specter Darkland Voidsoul Specter.
Darkliege: See Dreadclaw Darkliege.
Darkpact Ghoul: See Ghoul Darkpact Ghoul.
Darom Madar: See Wight Lesser Oath Wight, Darom Madar.
Darzaan: See Beholder Ghost Beholder, Darzaan.
Daughter of Chitza-Atla: See Mummy, Daughter of Chitza-Atla.
Dawnwar Ghost: See Ghost Dawnwar Ghost.
Dayan: See Vampire Necromancer, Dayan.
De'Spri, Julain: See Ghost, Julain De'Spri.
Dead Lord: See Lich, Kaisharga, Dead Lord.
Death Chief: The undead king reanimates each clan chieftain who dies, forming the Dodforer, a council of “Death Chiefs” who serve him. (Forgotten Realms Campaign Guide)
Death Emperor: See Beholder Undead Beholder Death Emperor.
Death Hound: See Hound Death.
Death Husk Stirge: See Stirge Death Husk Stirge.
Death Kin Skeleton: See Skeleton Death Kin Skeleton.
Death Knight: DEATH KNIGHTS WERE POWERFUL WARRIORS who accepted eternal undeath rather than face the end of their mortal existence. With their souls bound to the weapons they wield, death knights command necrotic power in addition to their undiminished martial prowess.
“Death knight” is a monster template that can be applied to nonplayer characters. (Monster Manual)
The ritual to become a death knight is said to have originated with Orcus, Demon Prince of the Undead. Many death knights gained access to the ritual by contacting Orcus or his servants directly, but some discovered the ritual through other means. (Monster Manual)
The ritual of becoming a death knight requires its caster to bind his immortal essence into the weapon used in the ritual. (Monster Manual)
Among the most powerful of undead humanoids, death knights are warriors who chose to embrace undeath rather than pass on to the afterlife. They bind their souls into their weapons, fueling their necrotic powers as they marshal armies of undead. (Monster Vault)
Gifted with undeath as a result of a ritual, a death knight is like the martial equivalent of a lich.
A humanoid becomes a death knight through a profane ritual that strips away the emotional bond of one’s life, replacing them with cruelty and a perverse sense of honor. This ritual is often bestowed as a gift from high-ranking followers of Orcus, the Demon Prince of the Undead. When a warrior reaches a certain state of notoriety, Orcus’s adherents approach the individual and try to tempt him or her with the promise of immortality. A warrior who accepts the offer turns into a dark reflection in the shattered mirror of undeath. Its armor becomes blackened and scarred, and its flesh becomes as withered and twisted as the person’s corrupted soul. (Monster Vault)
The ritual that transforms a warrior into a death knight binds part of the subject’s soul to one of his or her weapons. This weapon is not only a symbol of an individual’s transformation, it is also the source of a death knight’s power. (Monster Vault)
Death knights, liches, mummies, and vampires are created by rituals or processes that tie the soul to an unliving form. Similar creatures could be created in different circumstances. Such diversity among undead reflects the fact that death touches every part of existence. (Open Grave Secrets of the Undead)
Death knights are warriors that accepted undeath as a way to circumvent mortality. (Open Grave Secrets of the Undead)
Death knights were once powerful warriors who have been granted eternal undeath, whether as punishment for a grave betrayal or reward for a lifetime of servitude to a dark master. A death knight’s soul is bound to the weapon it wields, adding necrotic power to its undiminished martial prowess. (Dungeon Master's Guide)
“Death knight” is a template that can be added to any monster. (Dungeon Master's Guide)
Prerequisite: Level 11 (Dungeon Master's Guide)
The process of becoming a death knight requires its caster to bind his immortal essence into the weapon used in the ritual. (Dungeon Master's Guide)
Death knights, liches, mummies, and vampires are all created by rituals that tie the soul to an unliving form. (Wizards Presents Worlds and Monsters)
Death Knight, False Sir Keegan/Sir Drzak: ?
Death Knight, Lord Soth: Finally, with her last breath, Isolde cast a curse upon her husband. “You will die this night in fire,” she cried, “even as your son and I die. But you will live eternally in darkness. You will live one life for every life that your folly has brought to an end this night!” With that, the flames engulfed Soth, charring his armor and searing his flesh. Soth witnessed the flames burning everything around him, wood and stone, cloth and iron. His retainers, loyal unto the end, attempted to flee, to no avail. None that were inside Dargaard Keep survived. (Dragon 416)
And yet the afterlife held no rest for Lord Loren Soth. Isolde’s curse would not let him truly die.
Shaking off the debris and ashes of his fallen home, the creature that once was Loren Soth arose, encased in his own armor. Of all the intricate designs that decorated the armor, only a single rose survived, blackened by the fire. As he came to learn, his divine powers, once fueled by Paladine, became terrible magics of death and hellfire. (Dragon 416)
Death Knight Blackguard: ?
Death Knight Dragonborn Paladin: ?
Death Knight Dragonborn Paladin, Raxikarthus: ?
Death Knight Dwarf Warlord, Mauglurien, The Black Knight: ?
Death Knight Fire Giant Death Knight: ?
Death Knight Human Death Knight, Naergoth Bladelord: ?
Death Knight Human Fighter: ?
Death Knight Human Fighter, Lord Carrion: ?
Death Knight Lord of Sithicus, Lord Soth: Finally, with her last breath, Isolde cast a curse upon her husband. “You will die this night in fire,” she cried, “even as your son and I die. But you will live eternally in darkness. You will live one life for every life that your folly has brought to an end this night!” With that, the flames engulfed Soth, charring his armor and searing his flesh. Soth witnessed the flames burning everything around him, wood and stone, cloth and iron. His retainers, loyal unto the end, attempted to flee, to no avail. None that were inside Dargaard Keep survived. (Dragon 416)
And yet the afterlife held no rest for Lord Loren Soth. Isolde’s curse would not let him truly die.
Shaking off the debris and ashes of his fallen home, the creature that once was Loren Soth arose, encased in his own armor. Of all the intricate designs that decorated the armor, only a single rose survived, blackened by the fire. As he came to learn, his divine powers, once fueled by Paladine, became terrible magics of death and hellfire. (Dragon 416)
Death Mold Zombie: See Zombie Death Mold Zombie.
Death Shrieker: See Witherling Death Shrieker.
Death Tyrant: See Beholder Undead Beholder Death Tyrant.
Deathbringer Dracolich: See Dracolich Deathbringer Dracolich.
Deathdrinker Skeleton: See Skeleton Deathdrinker Skeleton.
Deathgaunt: Xoriat's insanity lives on through the ages in the bodies of those the daelkyr slew long ago. Such are the deathgaunts. (Seekers of the Ashen Crown)
On the great battlefields of the Daelkyr War, countless goblins and orcs perished. In some such places, the taint of Xoriat and the shadow of Mabar seeped into the blood and bones of the fallen, raising them as creatures of death and madness. (Seekers of the Ashen Crown)
Deathgaunt Madcaster: ?
Deathgaunt Lasher: ?
Deathgaunt Spiner: ?
Deathgaunt Drover: ?
Deathgaunt Hordeling: ?
Deathguard: See Skeleton Deathguard.
Deathless Hunger: See Draconic Zombie Deathless Hunger.
Deathlock Wight: See Wight Deathlock Wight.
Deathshrieker: ?
Deathtritus: THE PRESENCE OF NECROTIC ENERGY can animate flesh, but it can also give unlife to refuse and residue, forming a deathtritus. (Open Grave Secrets of the Undead)
Deathtritus Ancient Tomb Mote: ?
Deathtritus Dragonscale Slough: THIS SLITHERING PILE OF MOLTED SCALES often forms where a dragon has died or has spent a considerable amount of time. (Open Grave Secrets of the Undead)
A dragonscale slough is made of the animated flesh and scales that fall from dragons. (Open Grave Secrets of the Undead)
Deathtritus Offalian: Composed of the butchered flesh, rotting organs, and pungent fluids of humanoids and livestock, these snakelike creatures crave the taste of fresh meat. (Open Grave Secrets of the Undead)
Offalians are undead serpents that form when people or animals are senselessly butchered and left to rot. They are composed of the organs and bodily fluids of the slain creatures. (Open Grave Secrets of the Undead)
Deathtritus Osteopede: CREATED FROM DIRT, DUST, AND CRUSHED BONE, the osteopede is a centipedelike creature that skitters rapidly across the ground. The creature is infused with necrotic energy, which it releases with each bite and each slash of its jagged legs. (Open Grave Secrets of the Undead)
Osteopedes are undead centipedes that form from dirt and bone in places of death. They also sometimes arise from pastures where bone fragments were used as fertilizer. (Open Grave Secrets of the Undead)
Deathtritus Tomb Mote: Tomb motes are made up of the animated bone, dust, hair, and flesh particles that accumulate in tombs. They are usually found in areas filled with necrotic energy. (Open Grave Secrets of the Undead)
Deathtritus Tomb Mote Swarm: ?
Decay Mummy: See Mummy Decay Mummy.
Decaying Mummy: See Mummy Decaying Mummy.
Decaying Skeleton: See Skeleton Decaying Skeleton.
Decrepit Goblin Skeleton: See Skeleton Decrepit Goblin Skeleton.
Decrepit Skeleton: See Skeleton Decrepit Skeleton.
Demilich: See Lich Demilich.
Demon Abyssal Rotfiend: Abyssal rotfiends are demonic undead contained by demon and devil flesh. The spirit within a rotfiend is often a demon soul, although it can come from any evil creature. (Monster Manual 2)
Demon Abyssal Rotlord: ?
Demon Balor Husk: When a captive balor hovers near death, a ritual can free the Abyssal energy that gives it power and strength while pinning the animus in place. It becomes an animate husk of a balor—a corpse walking with just enough power to crush its master’s enemies. (Dungeon 177)
Demon Haures: The first haureses were created from goristro demons that fell in combat defending Orcus. Experimented on for centuries to perfect their current form, haureses have no thought or memory of anything other than battle. (Demonomicon)
Demon Haures, Brackenbite: Brackenbite, a haures, was touched by Lolth. (Dungeon 208)
Demon Immolith: THE SPIRITS OF DECEASED DEMONS sometimes fuse together as they fall back into the Abyss that spawned them. The event is unpredictable, and the result is a horrid demonic entity called an immolith. (Monster Manual)
Demon Immolith Claw: ?
Demon Immolith Deathrager: ?
Demon Immolith Inferno, Nerothoth: ?
Demon Immolith Seeker: ?
Demon of Esarham: When the Abyss brought itself into being, it created the first demons by corrupting primordials. Thus did Orcus, Demogorgon. and Baphomet come into existence. In turn, these early demon princes replicated their own corruption, fashioning their first demonic servants from mortal creatures. They would later master the crafting of more durable servants from the tumult of the Abyss, ensuring that the demons' essence would return to that realm upon their deaths. In the earliest days, that art was beyond their skill. Consequently, the first demons were mortal, with souls that existed after the death of their physical forms. These souls passed into the ShadowfeIl, but without any god to claim them, their numbers began to accumulate beyond control. Horrific battles occurred and the entire plane risked becoming an extension of the Abyss. (Underdark)
Demon Seszrath: CAST OUT FROM THE VILEST PITS OF DARKNESS in the Abyss, the seszrath is a horrible monstrosity composed of fused corpses and demonic essence.
It is thought that the first seszraths were created during the birth of the Abyss. However, little is known of these creatures. In particular, how they continue to spawn and from what matter they are created is a source of conjecture. Some believe that new seszraths are continually spawned by an undiscovered demon lord—perhaps an unknown primordial who manipulates the power of undeath as an affront to Orcus. Others believe that seszraths are born of a gate between the Abyss and the Shadowfell, thought to exist at the deepest levels of both planes. (Demonomicon)
Demon Shaadee: SHAADEES ARE THE RISEN MANIFESTATIONS of humanoid spellcasters who pledged their souls to the lords of the Abyss. After toiling for their demonic masters in life, these wretches discover that death does not end their servitude. (Demonomicon)
Shaadees are spawned from powerful spellcasters—wizards, sorcerers, warlocks, and others who offered their services to powerful demons to increase their own power. Such spellcasters use their dark knowledge to enslave lesser creatures, sow chaos within civilized lands, and acquire vast wealth and power. When a spellcaster bound to a demon dies, however, it becomes a shaadee—an undead demonic slave eternally serving the abyssal lord its mortal soul was pledged to. (Demonomicon)
Demon Terraghul: Formed from the Abyssal dirt of Thanatos when Codricuhn passed through Orcus’s demesne ages ago, these fiends now skulk about the many spheres orbiting around their demonic master. (Dungeon 172)
Many demons are creatures of flesh and blood, whose unceasing hatred and violence drives them to horrific acts of evil. In places where the Elemental Chaos gives way to the Abyss, however, the connections between demons and other elemental creatures become clearer. The Abyss’s innate maliciousness washes against the elemental shores and infuses it with cruelty and evil, spawning new demons from the malleable substance of creation. One such creature is the terraguhl. (Dungeon 172)
Demon Ugalga, King of Esharm: In life, Ugalga was perhaps the most destructive and evil of all the mortal demons. None of the demon princes agree on which one of them created him. (Underdark)
Demon Undead Glabrezu, Holchwier, Exarch of Orcus: ?
Demon Undead Goristro: ?
Demon Undead Marilith, Shonvurruthe Blood Serpent: A marilith rewarded with undeath through service to Orcus. (E1 Death's Reach)
Demonic Flameskull: See Flameskull Demonic Flameskull.
Demonic Skeleton Defilade: See Skeleton Demonic Skeleton Defilade.
Deranged Champion: See Mummy Deranged Champion.
Desecration: See Bone Yard Desecration.
Deva Disincarnate: ?
Deva Fallen Star Undead: See Deva Undead Deva Fallen Star.
Deva Undead Deva Fallen Star: Deva Fallen Star Vile Rebirth power. (Monster Manual 2)
Vile Rebirth (when the deva fallen star is reduced to 0 hit points by non-necrotic damage) • Healing
The fallen star does not die and instead remains at 0 hit points until the start of its next turn, when it regains 25 hit points, loses resistance to radiant damage, and gains the undead key word. This power recharges, and the triggering damage type changes to nonradiant damage. (Monster Manual 2)
The life cycle of the deva parallels that of the rakshasa—a spirit constantly reincarnating to mortal form. When a deva gives in to iniquity to become a fallen star, its soul is corrupted. If it dies in that state, it returns to combat as an undead; if finally slain by radiant damage, it carries its wickedness into its next life and becomes a rakshasa-a fate that even evil devas revile. (Monster Manual 2)
Deva Fallen Star Servitor Vile Rebirth power. (E2 Kingdom of the Ghouls)
A deva’s transformation into a creature of evil is a terrifying experience. Rather than hold the darkness at bay, the deva throws wide his or her arms to embrace it. The soul darkens, twisting and writhing, the countless lifetimes screaming and wailing in sorrow, nudging the deva closer to madness. When the deva is finally slain, it rises at once as a horrific undead monster until it is finally put down with purifying light. (Dragon 393)
Devil Infernal Armor Animus: THROUGH AN EVIL RITUAL, a devil can invest a suit of armor with a mortal soul. (Monster Manual 2)
Infernal armor animuses are mortal souls bound to suits of armor to serve as caches of life energy for devils. (Monster Manual 2)
Devourer: See Lich Demilich, Acererak, The Devourer.
Devourer: WHEN A RAVING MURDERER DIES, his soul passes into the Shadowfell. There it might gather flesh again to continue its lethal ways, becoming a devourer. (Monster Manual)
Devourers are created from the souls of murderers lost in the Shadowfell. (Monster Manual)
Devourers, for example, are the undead remnants of horrific murderers lured into the darkness of the Shadowfell and transformed into manifestations of great evil.
Devourer Soulspike Devourer: ?
Devourer Spirit Devourer: ?
Devourer Viscera Devourer: ?
Devourer's Spawn: Horrid necromantic leavings infused with dread energy, Devourer’s spawn are wretched things, driven by an insatiable hunger for living flesh. (Dragon 371)
Devourer’s spawn are bits of organ, tissue, and rotten flesh collected and awakened into a bestial awareness. (Dragon 371)
Devourer's Spawn Glistening Heap: ?
Devourer's Spawn Festering Morass: Spawn grow and evolve by adding organs and blood that they rip and drink from still-living victims. In time, the loosed bits coalesce into a vaguely humanoid-shaped bag of blood and meat known as a festering morass. (Dragon 371)
Dhialael, Tebryn: See Vampire Lord, Kirenkirsalai, Kire, Tebryn “Shadowstalker” Dhialael.
Dilvia, Grygori: See Ghoul Ghast, Grygori Dilvia.
Dilysnia, Leo: See Vampire, Leo Dilysnia.
Direguard: A direguard is a skeletal undead imbued with powerful magic. Foul rituals transform willing warriors into direguards, but at a price. If a direguard does not meet a specific quota of killing, it is destroyed by the dark pact that grants its power. (Monster Manual 2)
Liches and death knights perform the ritual that turns a living ally into a direguard tied to their wills. (Monster Manual 2)
Direguard Assassin: ?
Direguard Deathbringer: ?
Direhelm: Direhelms are created through a ritual from the Codex of Araunt, involving grave dirt from the tombs of warriors fallen in battle. (Forgotten Realms Campaign Guide)
Disciple of the Devourer: ?
Discord Incarnate: See Abomination Discord Incarnate.
Disfigured Vampire: See Vampire Disfigured Vampire.
Dodkong: ?
Doomsept: A doomsept is a sevenfold spirit, created by one of the rituals in the Codex of Araunt.
Doresain Exarch of Orcus, Doresain the Ghoul King, King of the Ghouls, The Ghoul King, Lord of the White Kingdom: ?
Dracolich: WHEN A POWERFUL DRAGON FORSAKES LIFE and undergoes an evil ritual to become undead, the result is a dracolich. (Monster Manual)
Dracolichs are unnatural creatures created by an evil ritual that requires a still-living dragon to serve as the ritual’s focus. When the ritual is complete, the dragon is transformed into a skeletal thing of pure malevolence. Some evil dragons willingly undergo this ritual. (Monster Manual)
A handful of evil cults possess a ritual for turning a dragon into a dracolich against its will. These cults do what they must to keep knowledge of that ritual from others. When a dragon is transformed into a dracolich with such a ritual, a linkage between the cult and the dragon is formed, and the cult gains influence over the dragon’s behavior. (Monster Manual)
As described in the Monster Manual, a dracolich is created from a powerful dragon through an evil ritual. Some dragons willingly choose to become sentient undead; others have the ritual forced upon them. Dracoliches are greedy for power and treasure, but individuals pursue other goals equally passionately. Dracoliches can arise from dragon families other than the chromatic, but chromatics are most prone to the transformation. (Draconomicon I Chromatic Dragons)
Unlike evil chromatic dragons, which turn to the magic of shadow and undeath to prolong their existence (see the dracoliches in the Monster Manual and other undead dragons in Draconomicon: Chromatic Dragons), metallic dragons use elemental magic to become eternal guardians of great treasures, ancient artifacts, and holy sites. (Draconomicon II: Metallic Dragons)
Half a millennium has passed since the Cult of the Dragon formed under the mad archmage Sammaster. He gathered followers who were drawn by his delusional visions that prophesied the eternal rule of Faerûn by undead dragons. He then formulated a process to create the first dracolich, which he recorded in his work Tome of the Dragon. (Forgotten Realms Campaign Guide)
A fettered dracolich’s intellect and perception are diminished, but it retains a strong force of personality that struggles to resurface. As a result, its behavior is unpredictable and destructive. If its phylactery is returned to it, a fettered dracolich is released from its slavery. It becomes a standard dracolich. (Forgotten Realms Campaign Guide)
Dracolich, Dragotha: Dragotha sought out a powerful priest of the death god, a vile human named Kyuss, who promised immortality in exchange for the dragon’s service. Dragotha agreed, and not long afterward, Tiamat’s spawn descended on him and killed him. As the dragon lay, broken and dying, Kyuss made good on his vow. Instead of restoring him to life, however, Kyuss transformed Dragotha into a terrifying dracolich. (Draconomicon I Chromatic Dragons)
Dracolich, Ahmidarius: The dracoliches have warped Ahmidarius to their cause, using the power of their corrupted Wells to turn him into an insane dracolich. (Draconomicon II: Metallic Dragons)
Dracolich, Yorantadrios: ?
Dracolich Blackfire Dracolich: ?
Dracolich Blackfire Dracolich, Rukaleth: ?
Dracolich Blackfire Dracolich, Xenro: This large chamber is the lair of a discontented red dragon tricked into undeath by Magrathar’s servant, Porapherah. (P3 Assault on Nightwyrm Fortress)
Xenro was once a mighty red dragon who terrified and oppressed the land. Porapherah, playing to the creature’s vanity and thirst for power, convinced him to undergo the ritual that transformed him into a blackfire dracolich. (P3 Assault on Nightwyrm Fortress)
Dracolich Bone Mongrel Dracolich: A DRAGON DOES NOT BECOME this sort of dracolich by choice. A bone mongrel is created from the remains of several dead dragons to form an animate and dully sentient whole. (Draconomicon I Chromatic Dragons)
The evil ritual that creates this creature requires the bones of several dead dragons. When the ritual is complete, the disparate parts are transformed into a malevolent skeletal monstrosity. The creature hates its mockery of life but, owing to the ritual’s evil nature, cannot end its own animation. (Draconomicon I Chromatic Dragons)
A bone mongrel’s phylactery takes the form of a skeletal portion of a dragon incorporated into the dracolich, such as a tail section. (Draconomicon I Chromatic Dragons)
Dracolich Deathbringer Dracolich: ?
Dracolich Dreambreath Dracolich: SOMETIMES A DRAGON INTERESTED IN PROLONGING its existence discovers a way to forsake the physical limitations of animate bone and rotting wings. Dreambreath dracoliches have learned how to project a permanent dream of themselves into the waking world, where they can stalk prey through both nightmare and reality forever. (Draconomicon I Chromatic Dragons)
A formless psychic realm exists that is called various things in different places but is most often known as Dream. Here dreams cavort, heedless of the waking world—but not always. Most fade into obscurity, but their echoes resonate forever throughout Dream, giving rise to countless variations. The remnants of particularly vile dreams sometimes latch onto the dying wish of a dragon (possibly enabled through a ritual). From this union a dreambreath draco lich is born. (Draconomicon I Chromatic Dragons)
Dracolich Dreambreath Dracolich, Rhao the Skullcrusher: ?
Dracolich Fettered Dracolich: Some cult cells have taken to capturing young dragons and putting them through a modified ritual of ascension. This ritual ties the dragon’s will to whoever holds its phylactery, resulting in a fettered dracolich. (Forgotten Realms Campaign Guide)
Dracolich Icewrought Dracolich: When a white dragon grows close to death, it might seek the Heart of Absolute Winter, which is either a location or a ritual, depending on which tome or sage one consults. A full year later, an icewrought dracolich emerges in the midst of a howling winter storm. White dragons might do this because they have one or more clutches of eggs yet unhatched, and at the end of their lives, they suddenly grow concerned about their progeny. (Draconomicon I Chromatic Dragons)
Dracolich Runescribed Dracolich: ?
Dracolich Runescribed Dracolich, Anabraxis the Black Talon: ?
Dracolich Runescribed Dracolich, Consort of Tiamat: ?
Dracolich Runescribed Dracolich, Melathaur: ?
Dracolich Stoneborn Dracolich: SOMETIMES WHEN A DRAGON DIES, its body comes to rest at the bottom of a lake or a slow-moving river. The corpse is covered over and protected by silt, dirt, and loose rock, slowing the natural process of decay. Over vast periods of time, the bone is replaced by stone-hard mineral. (Draconomicon I Chromatic Dragons)
Unlike other fossilized remains, the decaying forms of dragons still retain a spark of magic. When such bones are uncovered, they can spontaneously arise as stoneborn dracoliches. Occasionally sorcerers raise the bones by inscribing them with necromantic sigils. (Draconomicon I Chromatic Dragons)
Stoneborn dracoliches arise spontaneously when their remains are uncovered, or when a nearby powerful magical event triggers the animation of the long-quiescent bones. (Draconomicon I Chromatic Dragons)
A necromantic ritual exists to rouse a collection of fossilized dragon bones, turning them into a stoneborn dracolich. As with other kinds of dracoliches, only the original creator can influence the actions of a stoneborn dracolich while possessing its phylactery—others who later gain the phylactery have no power over it. A stoneborn’s phylactery takes the form of a petrified tooth or claw removed from the dragon’s remains. (Draconomicon I Chromatic Dragons)
Draconic Wraith: A draconic wraith is the vilest portion of a dragon’s soul, which sometimes lingers beyond death. (Draconomicon I Chromatic Dragons)
A draconic wraith is the same sort of being as a humanoid wraith: a spirit infused with the essence of the Shadowfell. (Draconomicon I Chromatic Dragons)
Draconic wraiths are either born from the Shadowfell or created by other draconic wraiths. Rarely does a humanoid wraith kill a dragon, and a wyrm so slain normally cannot rise as a wraith. Humanoids slain by draconic wraiths can, however, rise as wraiths themselves. Powerful rituals do exist to create draconic wraiths, but they are known only to the greatest necromancers. (Draconomicon I Chromatic Dragons)
A draconic wraith forms from the vilest portion of a dragon’s soul, allowing such creatures to come into existence upon the dragon’s death. (P3 Assault on Nightwyrm Fortress)
A draconic wraith is the same sort of being as a humanoid wraith: a spirit infused with the necromantic essence of the Shadowfell. (P3 Assault on Nightwyrm Fortress)
Draconic wraiths can arise in a variety of ways. Some are spawned by the Shadowfell or through the use of powerful necromantic rituals, while others arise spontaneously from the corpse of the vilest, most evil of dragons. (P3 Assault on Nightwyrm Fortress)
Draconic Wraith Soulbinder: Souleaters, soulravagers, and soulbinders are rare horrors said to have a common origin in the Shadowfell. They are the warped, stillborn hatchlings of a powerful shadow dragon named Urishtar, who fertilizes her eggs with the captured souls of hapless mortals. (P3 Assault on Nightwyrm Fortress)
Draconic Wraith Souleater: Souleaters, soulravagers, and soulbinders are rare horrors said to have a common origin in the Shadowfell. They are the warped, stillborn hatchlings of a powerful shadow dragon named Urishtar, who fertilizes her eggs with the captured souls of hapless mortals. (P3 Assault on Nightwyrm Fortress)
Draconic Wraith Soulgrinder: Any humanoid creature killed by a soulgrinder rises as a free-willed wraith at the start of its creator’s next turn; a dragon instead rises as a soulgrinder. The new wraith appears in the space where it died or in the nearest unoccupied space. Raising the slain creature (using the Raise Dead ritual) does not destroy the spawned wraith. (Draconomicon I Chromatic Dragons)
Draconic Wraith Soulravager: Souleaters, soulravagers, and soulbinders are rare horrors said to have a common origin in the Shadowfell. They are the warped, stillborn hatchlings of a powerful shadow dragon named Urishtar, who fertilizes her eggs with the captured souls of hapless mortals. (P3 Assault on Nightwyrm Fortress)
Soulravagers are crazed draconic wraiths that have lost control of their limitless anger and now stalk the living and the dead to destroy whatever souls they find. (P3 Assault on Nightwyrm Fortress)
Draconic Wraith Wyrm-Wisp: A WYRM-WISP IS THE SLIGHTEST MANIFESTATION of draconic evil. (Draconomicon I Chromatic Dragons)
Any humanoid creature killed by a wyrm-wisp rises as a free-willed wraith at the start of its creator’s next turn; a dragon instead rises as a wyrm-wisp. The new wraith appears in the space where it died or in the nearest unoccupied space. Raising the slain creature (using the Raise Dead ritual) does not destroy the spawned wraith. (Draconomicon I Chromatic Dragons)
Draconic Zombie: Draconic zombies arise under the same circumstances as skeletal dragons, either as necromantic creations or as the result of the Shadowfell’s encroachment on the mortal world. (Draconomicon I Chromatic Dragons)
Draconic Zombie Deathless Hunger: ?
Draconic Zombie Rancid Tide: ?
Draconic Zombie Rotclaw: ?
Draconic Zombie Winged Putrescence: ?
Dragon Demilich, Flame: The Dragon Queen decided to turn him into a unique undead creature: a dragon demilich. (Dungeon 200)
Dragon Shell: See Forsaken Shell Dragon Shell.
Dragon Skeletal: See Skeletal Dragon.
Dragon Tooth Warrior: Dragon Tooth magic item. (Dragon 429)
Dragon Turtle Undead Dragon Turtle: Necromancers created more than one undead dragon turtle from those slain in the lake. (Forgotten Realms Campaign Guide)
Dragon Undead Dragon: Unlike evil chromatic dragons, which turn to the magic of shadow and undeath to prolong their existence (see the dracoliches in the Monster Manual and other undead dragons in Draconomicon: Chromatic Dragons), metallic dragons use elemental magic to become eternal guardians of great treasures, ancient artifacts, and holy sites. (Draconomicon II: Metallic Dragons)
Dragon Undead Red Dragon, Rathoraiax: The animated body of Rathoraiax. (Dungeon 161)
Dragon Undead Silver Dragon Dark Lord of Monadhan, Arantor: Long ago, when the dragonborn empire of Arkhosia warred with that of devil-tainted Bael Turath for dominion of the world, the dragonborn of Arkhosia forged pacts with dragons to aid their war effort. One such was Arantor, a silver dragon who felt that aiding the empire against the devilry of Bael Turath was a glorious and fitting endeavor for one of his power. During his service, Arantor was tasked with the destruction of a remote Turathi military outpost almost hidden within thick tropical rain forest. Its remote location and jungle surroundings ruled out ground-based reinforcements. Accompanied by his daughter and protégé Imrissa, he took wing and prepared for a swift and brutal surprise assault to eliminate the threat. (Dragon 378)
They attacked by night, diving out of a torrential downpour and raking the camp with their freezing breath while smashing tents and crude buildings asunder with tail, wing, and claw. In that first furious assault, they slaughtered scores with surprisingly little resistance. Only after the first pass did they discover, to their horror, that the tents below harbored not the battle-hardened legions of Bael Turath but civilian refugees: families, elderly, infirm, and wounded. Imrissa and Arantor broke off the attack immediately and retreated to the security of the storm clouds. Weighed down by the innocent blood they had spilled, Imrissa proposed that they return to Arkhosia immediately to report the terrible mistake. Arantor, concerned with the damage such a massacre would cause to his reputation, declared that they would inform no one of the night’s events. Their argument over a course of action grew long and heated as lightning crashed around them until irrevocable words were uttered and Imrissa, disgusted with her sire, turned to head back and report the truth whatever the consequences. In a blind fit of rage, Arantor attacked. The battle was swift and vicious. Imrissa was no match for her elder; soon her broken body plummeted through the raging storm and was lost to the jungle below. (Dragon 378)
With rage, grief, and self-loathing coursing through him like molten steel, Arantor turned to the valley below. No one could bear witness to his shame; no one could be left to tell the tale of this . . . mistake. Methodically, mercilessly, he hunted down and butchered every last refugee, leaving nearly two thousand silent corpses in his wake. (Dragon 378)
He fled the valley, but could not return to Arkhosia. Instead he vanished into the wild places of the world, surfacing from time to time as the war progressed to launch ruthless attacks on Turathi targets, military and civilian alike. Each time the slaughter was complete; Arantor left no survivors. The carnage continued until a team of Turathi dragonslayers tracked him to ground and destroyed him.
Arantor awoke, whole and seemingly healthy, in the Shadowfell as the dark lord of his own personal domain of dread: a twisted reflection of the jungle valley, complete with fortress and refugee camp, where his shame was born. As the years slipped by and he exhausted every avenue of escape he could conceive, Arantor became aware that he still aged as he would have in the mortal realm. He consigned himself to waiting out his considerable life span, hoping that his purgatory would end and he would be allowed peace upon his death. This was not to be. As his body died, his consciousness remained trapped within his decaying form, animating it as an undead prison to last throughout eternity. As his flesh began to rot away, he became aware that where his heart should have been rested the skeleton of another silver dragon: the daughter he turned upon and murdered. When the last scrap of withered skin sloughed off, it stirred and began to ceaselessly whisper the names of the innocents Arantor had slain over the years. (Dragon 378)
Dragon Vampiric: See Vampiric Dragon.
Dragonborn Specter: See Specter Dragonborn Specter.
Dragonborn Vampire Lord: See Vampire Lord Dragonborn
Dragonclaw Swarm: See Crawling Claw Dragonclaw Swarm.
Dragonscale Slough: See Deathtritus Dragonscale Slough.
Dragotha: See Dracolich, Dragotha.
Drakkensteed Grave-Born Drakkensteed: A few powerful spellcasters have developed a ritual to reanimate drakkensteeds as a particular form of undead. These undead creatures generate internal necrotic energy and retain many of the instincts that make drakkensteeds such coveted mounts. (Draconomicon II: Metallic Dragons)
Dread Archer: See Dread Warrior Dread Archer.
Dread Bonespitter: Tiamat has suffused the brood mother’s chamber with necrotic energy, hoping to create half-alive, half-undead hatchlings. (Dungeon 175)
Dread Guardian: See Dread Warrior Dread Guardian.
Dread Knight: See Githyanki Dread Knight.
Dread Marauder: See Dread Warrior Dread Marauder.
Dread Protector: See Dread Warrior Dread Protector.
Dread Skeletal Swarm: See Skeleton Dread Skeletal Swarm.
Dread Warrior: UNHOLY RITUALS THAT CALL FORTH UNDEAD HULKS usually raise shambling, mindless creatures. Dread warriors, on the other hand, rise to unlife possessed of enough martial skill to serve as formidable guardians. Each dread warrior is created with an unbreakable connection to its master that makes it utterly loyal. (Monster Manual 3)
Legend holds that the priests of Bane were the first to craft these warriors, creating them from the corpses of potent enemies. (Monster Manual 3)
THAY’S NECROMANCERS ARE AMONG THE BEST in the world, and their undead creations are simply more capable and enduring than others. Thay produces more than its share of shambling corpses, but its Dread Legions contain a significant number of intelligent skeletons and zombies. Known as dread warriors, these evil undead can follow orders, communicate, and fight just as well as a living counterpart, but they do so without fear of death. (Forgotten Realms Campaign Guide)
“Dread warrior” is a template you can apply to any humanoid creature to represent one of these Thayan monstrosities. (Forgotten Realms Campaign Guide)
Dread Warrior, Ukulsid, Fang of Yeenoghu: ?
Dread Warrior Dread Archer: A necromancer creates dread archers to shoot anyone who attempts to approach the spellcaster or his or her fortification. (Monster Manual 3)
Strahd temporarily released Patrina Kelikovna from her crypt so she could exact her revenge upon her kin, using Lysaga Hill’s evil to turn the elves into her undead servitors. (Dungeon 207)
Dread Warrior Dread Guardian: ?
Dread Warrior Dread Marauder: Strahd temporarily released Patrina Kelikovna from her crypt so she could exact her revenge upon her kin, using Lysaga Hill’s evil to turn the elves into her undead servitors. (Dungeon 207)
Dread Warrior Dread Protector: Stories tell of powerful necromancers creating a dozen dread protectors to scatter about their bedrooms and workstations. (Monster Manual 3)
Dread Wraith: See Wraith Dread Wraith.
Dread Zombie: See Zombie Dread Zombie.
Dread Zombie: See Zombie Strahd's Dread Zombie.
Dreadclaw: Karrnathi traditions and those of the Skull born of Aerenal have mixed under the purview of the Emerald Claw. Claw necromancers raise dread claws by treating living humanoids with a toxin that reacts to a necromantic catalyst. The toxin kills the humanoid and prepares it for a dark ritual. (Seekers of the Ashen Crown)
Dreadclaw Darkliege: ?
Dreadclaw Darkliege, Yeraa: ?
Dreadclaw Goblin Dreadclaw Reaver: ?
Dreadcalw Reaver: ?
Dreadclaw Soulbound, Gydd Nephret: ?
Dregoth, Sorcerer-King: He burns for vengeance against the other sorcerer-kings, who slew him centuries ago but neglected to prevent his fell rebirth. (Dark Sun Creature Catalog)
Abalach-Re warned the other city-states’ overlords, and they partnered to destroy Giustenal and its defiler dragon monarch. The shattering of Giustenal scattered the surviving dragonborn inhabitants and flooded the spirit world with the trapped souls of those who died in the titanic arcane battle. Giustenal became a literal city of ghosts. The sorcerer-kings ultimately failed in their task, though. Dregoth returned to Athas as a monstrous and powerful undead being. (Dark Sun Creature Catalog)
Almost two thousand years ago, the other sorcerer-kings conspired to kill Dregoth, fearing his growing strength. The resulting magical duel turned Giustenal into a vast tomb. In the end, Dregoth fell dead, and his opponents left the ruined city to the desert. But with the last of his power, Dregoth made the transition to undeath. (Dark Sun Campaign Setting)
Dreambreath Dracolich: See Dracolich Dreambreath Dracolich.
Drow Horde Ghoul: See Ghoul Drow Horde Ghoul.
Drow Vampire Spawn: See Vampire Drow Vampire Spawn.
Drow Battle Wight: See Wight Drow Battle Wight.
Drowned Ghost: See Ghost Drowned Ghost.
Drowned One: See Zombie Drowned One.
Drzak: See Death Knight, False Sir Keegan/Sir Drzak.
Duchess of Death: See Vampire, Duchess of Death.
Duke of Shadows: See Vampire, Duke of Shadows.
Duke of Whispers: See Vampire, Duke of Whispers.
Dune Runner Wight: See Wight Dune Runner Wight.
Dwarf Ghost: See Ghost Dwarf.
Dwarf Lich: See Lich Dwarf.
Dwarf Spirit: See Ghost Dwarf Spirit.
Dyneera Madar: See Wraith Weeping Wraith, Dyneera Madar.
Echo of Despair: ?
Echo of Madness: ?
Echo Spirit: Life-giving magic from the fey crossing preserved the spiritual remains of those who have died here over the ages, but Soryth's recent corruption of the area has awakened one of these remnants as an angry undead creature. (Beyond the Crystal Cave)
Life-giving magic from the fey crossing preserved the spiritual remains of those who have died here over the ages, but Soryth’s recent corruption of the area has awakened one of these remnants as an angry undead creature. (Dungeon 211)
Echo Spirit Spirit Echo: An echo spirit's Spiritual Echoes power. (Beyond the Crystal Cave)
Echo Spirit's Spiritual Echoes power. (Dungeon 211)
Eladrin Lich: See Lich Eladrin.
Eladrin Vampire Lord: See Vampire Lord Eladrin.
Elder Arantham: See Huecuva, Elder Arantham, Exarch of Orcus.
Elder Vampire Spawn: See Vampire Elder Vampire Spawn.
Eldreth Zanderraum: See Flameskull, Eldreth Zanderraum.
Eldritch Phantom: ?
Elisa: See Ghoul, Elisa.
Elite Skeleton: See Skeleton Troop Captain, Elite Skeleton.
Elomir: Elomir returned from death “by the Blood Lord.” (Dungeon 163)
In death, Elomir made a deal with Orcus—a deal for immortality, power, and revenge. (Dungeon 163)
Entropic Reaper: See Reaper Entropic Reaper
Esme: See Ghost Tormenting Ghost, Janus Gull, Esme.
Espera: See Larva Mage, Espera.
Eternal Tyrant Essence: See Beholder Eternal Tyrant Essence.
Exalted Brain in a Jar: See Brain in a Jar Exalted Brain in a Jar.
Exarch of Orcus: See Huecuva, Elder Arantham, Exarch of Orcus.
Eye of Death: See Beholder Undead Eye of Death.
Eye of Fear and Flame: See Flameharrow, Eye of Fear and Flame.
Fallen Angel of Death: Nerull’s angels carried plagues and death to the natural world. It was their task to harvest souls and bring them to their master. After the Raven Queen defeated the god and stole his power, the fallen angels of death fled to the Shadowfell’s darkest corners, and over the centuries the constant exposure to necrotic energies perverted their life force. (The Book of Vile Darkness)
False Sir Keegan/Sir Drzak: See Death Knight, False Sir Keegan/Sir Drzak.
Famine Hound: See Hound Death Famine Hound.
Famine Spirit: See Ghost Famine Spirit.
Fang of Yeenoghu: See Dread Warrior, Ukulsid, Fang of Yeenoghu.
Fear Moth: See Undead Aviary Fear Moth.
Feasting Zombie: See Zombie Feasting Zombie.
Fell Skeleton: See Skeleton Karkothi Fell Skeleton.
Fell Troll Wraith: See Wraith Fell Troll Wraith.
Feral Vampire: See Vampire Feral Vampire.
Ferranifer: See Vampire Lord, Mistress Ferranifer.
Fettered Dracolich: See Dracolich Fettered Dracolich.
Fey Bodak Skulk: See Bodak Skulk Fey Bodak Skulk.
Fey Lingerer: THE PASSIONS AND OBSESSIONS of some strong-willed eladrin can drive them even after death. When their physical forms are ruined, their spirits lash out at their slayers. (Monster Manual 2)
Fey lingerers are eladrin knights and wizards who refuse to die. They are not the gracious and mannered eladrin of the fey court, but are twisted and depraved, withdrawn from elven grace. (Monster Manual 2)
When they are destroyed, fey lingerers transform into vengeful incorporeal spirits. (Monster Manual 2)
Fey Lingerer Fey-Encanter Vestige: Fey Lingerer Lingerer Fell Incanter Vestige Transformation power. (Monster Manual 2)
Fey Lingerer Fey-Knight Vestige: Fey Lingerer Lingerer Knight Vestige Transformation power. (Monster Manual 2)
Fey Lingerer Lingerer Fell Incanter: ?
Fey Lingerer Lingerer Knight: ?
Fey-Encanter Vestige: See Fey Lingerer Fey-Encanter Vestige.
Fey-Knight Vestige: See Fey Lingerer Fey-Knight Vestige.
Field Ghoul: See Ghoul Field Ghoul.
Fiery Undead: See Burning Dead, Fiery Undead.
Figment Wraith: See Wraith Figment.
Filching Wraith: See Wraith Filching Wraith.
Fin: See Ghost, Fin.
Firbolg Shell: See Forsaken Shell Firbolg Shell.
Fire Giant Death Knight: See Death Knight Fire Giant Death Knight.
Fire Giant Flameskull: See Flameskull Fire Giant Flameskull.
Firesworn, Avor: See Ashen Soul, Avor Firesworn.
Fish Undead: See Undead Fish.
Flame: See Dragon Demilich, Flame.
Flame: See Skeletal Dragon, Flame.
Flameborn Zombie: See Zombie Flameborn Zombie.
Flameharrow, Eye of Fear and Flame: Flameharrows are created by powers of vile chaos—some say Orcus—to spread pain and misery. The animating spirit of the creature is smelted from the soul of a homicidal madman. (Dragon Magazine Annual)
Flameharrows are created by powers of vile chaos—some say Orcus—to spread pain and misery. The animating spirit of the creature is smelted from the soul of a homicidal madman. (Dragon 364)
Flameharrow, Culdred: Culdred is Hazakhul’s favored apprentice. He oversees the watchtowers when not studying the necromantic arts to further understand and exploit the effects his master’s failed ritual had on them. Through his studies he has altered his already unnatural state to become a flameharrow.
In a flawed attempt to recover the primordial spirit, Hazakhul triggered a devastating, cataclysmic eruption. An unexpected by-product of the ritual channeled forces from the Elemental Chaos into the heart of his stronghold. The pyromancer and his servants perished, but twisted fire and necromancy reanimated them into undead creatures. (Dungeon 216)
Flameharrow Lord: ?
Flameskull: CREATED FROM THE SKULLS OF WIZARDS and other spellcasters, flameskulls serve as intelligent undead guardians. (Monster Manual)
Rituals for creating flameskulls are ancient, so flameskulls exist in places lost to history. (Monster Manual)
Once Vadin is dead, trouble in the catacombs quickly fades away. Until that time, however, the priest takes advantage of any retreat by the adventurers to reinforce his undead guardians. He can't replace every monster the adventurers destroy, however. His ability to create undead is limited to the skeletal guardians and the flameskull. (Madness at Gardmore Abbey)
Flameskull, Eldreth Zanderraum: ?
Flameskull Blackfire Flameskull: ?
Flameskull Dark Flameskull: ?
Flameskull Demonic Flameskull: ?
Flameskull Fire Giant Flameskull: ?
Flameskull Great Flameskull: ?
Flameskull Ghostfire Flameskull: ?
Flameskull Lord, The Bright Lord of Everburning Fire: ?
Flayed Crawler: See Zombie Flayed Crawler.
Flesh Tapestry: Talther Yorn stitched and animated this undead creature, which tears itself free of the iron rod and flops across the floor in pursuit of prey. (Dungeon 211)
Flesh-Crazed Zombie: See Zombie Flesh-Crazed Zombie.
Fleshripper: See Vampire Spawn Fleshripper.
Fomorian Totemist: ?
Force Specter: See Specter Force Specter.
Wraith Forge Wisp Wraith: See Wraith Forge Wisp Wraith.
Forgewraith: A FORGEWRAITH IS AN UNDEAD HUMANOID whose spirit was extinguished and rekindled in the fires of a furnace or a forge. (Dungeon Magazine Annual Vol. 1)
Most forgewraiths form when numerous humanoids die in a fiery disaster on a developed site. The souls pass on, but the pain and fire mix with unleashed magic to form a humanoid spirit of monstrous hate. (Dungeon Magazine Annual Vol. 1)
A forgewraith is an undead humanoid whose spirit was extinguished and rekindled in the fires of a furnace or forge. (Dungeon 167)
Forgewraiths are born in the fires that feed arcane industry. (Dungeon 167)
Most forgewraiths form when numerous humanoids die in a fiery disaster on a developed site. The souls pass on, but the pain and fire mixes with unleashed magic to form a humanoid spirit of monstrous hate. (Dungeon 167)
Although most forgewraiths are amalgams of several spirits instead of a truly sentient and souled undead, some are more like a ghost or specter. Such forgewraiths retain a soul and a personality—frequently that of a person who was evil in life. (Dungeon 167)
Forgewraith, Haestus d'Cannith: I am something between living and dead, and greater than either. My power in life allowed my spirit to remain kindled in death. I am a soul alight with the forge’s fire. (Dungeon Magazine Annual Vol. 1)
“I am something between living and dead, and greater than either. My power in life allowed my spirit to remain kindled even in death. I am a soul alight with the forge’s fire.” (Dungeon 167)
Forsaken Hierophant: See Mummy Forsaken Hierophant.
Forsaken Shell: A FORSAKEN SHELL IS SKIN RIPPED from a creature’s body and then animated purposefully or spontaneously by foul magic. (Open Grave Secrets of the Undead)
When a forsaken shell kills a Medium living humanoid creature, the slain creature rises as a free-willed forsaken shell at the start of its creator’s next turn. (Open Grave Secrets of the Undead)
Forsaken shells arise when skin is ripped from the flesh of a living target. The flesh is then animated either through the actions of a necromancer or through spontaneous necrotic energy. (Open Grave Secrets of the Undead)
Forsaken shells propagate their kind by ripping the skin off their victims, assimilating it, and then exuding it as a new monster. In this way, one forsaken shell can spawn thousands of its kind, creating an army of animate skin. (Open Grave Secrets of the Undead)
Numerous kinds of forsaken shells exist. Each kind of creature victimized by a forsaken shell has the potential to become a new kind of shell. Humans, giants, and dragons are the most common targets of forsaken shells. (Open Grave Secrets of the Undead)
The four corpses lying in the middle of the chapel are undead horrors created by Leo. (Dungeon 207)
Forsaken Shell Dragon Shell: When the forsaken shell kills a living dragon creature, the slain creature rises as a free-willed dragon shell at the start of its creator’s next turn. (Open Grave Secrets of the Undead)
Forsaken Shell Firbolg Shell: The firbolg shell-the leathery skin of a firbolg with nothing contained within. (Tomb of Horrors)
Forsaken Shell Titan Shell: When a titan shell kills a Large living humanoid creature, the slain creature rises as a free-willed titan shell at the start of its creator’s next turn. (Open Grave Secrets of the Undead)
Freeze-Dried Ghoul: See Ghoul Freeze-Dried Ghoul.
Frightful Wraith: See Wraith Frightful Wraith.
Frost Giant Abyssal Ghoul: See Ghoul Frost Giant Abyssal Ghoul.
Frost Giant Boneclaw: See Boneclaw Frost Giant Boneclaw.
Frost Giant Ghost: See Ghost Frost Giant Ghost.
Frost Giant Sword Wraith: See Wraith Frost Giant Sword Wraith.
Gairg, Skahlton: See Wight Slaughter Wight, Skahlton Gairg.
Garvus Harbane: See Wight Deathlock Wight, Garvus Harbane.
Geoffrey Graef: See Ghost, Ghost of Graefmotte, Geoffrey Graef.
Ghast: See Ghoul Ghast.
Ghost: GHOSTS HAUNT FORLORN PLACES, bound to their fate until they are finally put to rest. Sometimes they exist for a purpose, and other times they defy death through sheer will. (Monster Manual)
A ghost is the spirit of a dead creature, often a Medium humanoid killed in some traumatic fashion. (Monster Manual)
Sentient ghosts are the most common of the undead that retain their souls without resorting to necromantic rituals. They have a purpose that fetters them to the world, even if it’s only to spread misery or wreak vengeance. (Open Grave Secrets of the Undead)
Because all souls pass through this dim realm upon the death of their bodies, Shadow’s taint can corrupt these soul vestiges before they find their way to the Court of the Raven Queen in Letherna, forging sad spirits into ghosts and other insubstantial undead. (Open Grave Secrets of the Undead)
Sometimes, though, the victims of a vampiric dragon rise as spiritual undead such as ghosts and wraiths. (Draconomicon I Chromatic Dragons)
Ghosts can come in many forms. Some are cursed to roam until a past sin is righted, or a wrong undone. Others are merely the animus of hate, raging eternally in undying terror. (Dungeon Master's Guide 2)
When the Shadowfell draws near to the world, the boundaries between life and death grow thin. Ghosts become common on Eberron then, because it is as easy for spirits to remain in the world of the living as it is for them to pass into the Realm of the Dead. Rituals that call the dead back to life sometimes go awry, bringing ghosts or other undead along with the desired spirit. (Eberron Campaign Guide)
A few cling to the Shadowfell or to the world, continuing on as ghosts or other insubstantial undead. (Forgotten Realms Campaign Guide)
As if the active creation of undead by reckless mortals was not bad enough, the Shadowfell itself sometimes spawns the unliving. Areas such as the darklands, places tainted by necromantic seepage, and other, less understood regions spawn all manner of animated beings. The taint of shadow also corrupts the soul vestiges wandering on this plane, twisting these sad spirits into ghosts and other spectral creatures. (Manual of the Planes)
If threats fail to impress the heroes, Vladistone warns them that the Ghost Tower houses a terrible magical relic that will destroy everyone nearby. He calls it a soul gem and claims that it can strip the soul from the body of a living creature, causing it to become a ghost just like him. (March of the Phantom Brigade)
A number of devils dwell on the Shores of Sorrow island, as do a small number of undead creatures such as wraiths, specters, and ghosts—folk wasted away by the pervasive despair. (The Plane Above: Secrets of the Astral Sea)
Locals believe the ghosts on the Shattered Isles to be phantoms of those killed during the Sever, but no one is certain exactly where the creatures came from or why they remain. Those who speculate on their nature agree that hundreds of undead live on or around the islands. (The Shadowfell: Gloomwrought and Beyond)
Like other places in the Ghost Quarter, the Isle of Lost Thoughts has undead and monsters inhabiting its ruins. Ghosts here have the look of scholars, clothed in robes and sandals rather than in fine coats and footwear. These phantoms might be apparitions of teachers, or they could be psychic reflections of their environment. (The Shadowfell: Gloomwrought and Beyond)
Even the most faithful divine servant who dies in one of these places dies unnoticed. The souls of the fallen linger forever in the godless realms, becoming ghosts, wraiths, or similar undead without ever traveling to the Shadowfell, where the Raven Queen would judge their final disposition. (Underdark)
Sentient ghosts are the most common of the undead that manage to retain their souls without resorting to necromantic rituals. They have a purpose that fetters them to the world, even if it’s only to spread misery or wreak vengeance. (Wizards Presents Worlds and Monsters)
Even more rarely, a creature has a strong enough will or destiny to maintain its soul after death, spontaneously becoming a sentient ghost or revenant. (Wizards Presents Worlds and Monsters)
The ghosts that haunt Janus Gull are those unfortunate souls who were killed during the storm, but whose souls did not escape before the demiplane was created. (Dragon 367)
History walks the streets of Hammerfast in the form of the dead, the dwarves and orcs who died in this place more than a century ago. They are now ghosts consigned to wander Hammerfast’s streets until the end of days. (Dragon 382)
Ghosts still walk the streets, some of them orc warriors slain in the Bloodspears’ attack, others priests of Moradin or the necropolis’s doomed guardians, and even a few of them dwarves laid to rest here long ago. (Dragon 382)
Still, extraordinary circumstances are required for a soul to refuse Letherna’s call and linger in the world. Often, a disembodied spirit resists moving on due to unfinished business in life: a crucial quest unfulfilled, a responsibility not upheld, a duty not honored. Like anchors, these memories weigh on the ghost and force it to remain, at least until whatever troubles it has been resolved. (Dragon 420)
The Shadowfell can also form ghosts from the newly dead. Shadow’s subtle influence can awaken memories, emotions, and sensations that quicken the spirit and prevent it from finding peace. (Dragon 420)
Finally, rare individuals with strong personalities, great magical power, or an extraordinary ability can cheat death through sheer force of will. They refuse to move on, unmoved by the Raven Queen’s demands. (Dragon 420)
Sudden, unexpected death can cause the soul to become disoriented, unwilling to believe it has died.
Player characters might become ghosts if they die before completing an important quest. Your commitment to the cause is too great to let death stop you. (Dragon 420)
Unusual situations can give rise to a character’s transformation into a ghost. For example, if you died on the Shadowfell, your soul might have become suffused with shadow energy. A vile spell might have ripped your soul from your body before death took you. Perhaps a curse barred your soul from its ultimate fate, dooming you to restless eternity unless you can find a way to escape or overcome the wicked magic. (Dragon 420)
When Thakok-An sacrificed members of her family in her foolish and failed attempt to aid Kalid-Ma, several of her kin became ghosts and other undead as the city passed into the Gray. (Dungeon 190)
The souls of the dead linger on, haunting dark and lonely places. Their incomplete lives tether them to the mortal world, their spirits unable to pass through to the other side. (Dungeon 191)
Often, rumors of hauntings are just that—rumors. But at sites tainted by misery, terror, and death, these rumors could be true. A ghost is what remains of a being whose soul should have moved on after death, but was trapped. This entrapment commonly occurs because the being has a strong urge to complete a task that tears and fragments its soul. (Dungeon 191)
Ghosts, unlike some kinds of undead, retain their souls. This is not to say that the souls remain intact. Ghosts arise from beings that have already stained their souls with murderous, vengeful, cruel, or obsessive deeds. The corruption of an evil life or a limitless need to right a perceived wrong holds the soul back. (Dungeon 191)
An all-consuming purpose keeps a soul in the world and transforms it into a ghost. A sadistic torturer might return as a ghost to cause more pain and misery. The ghost of a victim of a cruel death often seeks revenge on her murderer. A soldier who died young might guard a chamber, ghostly blade in hand, eager to strike down any intruder to prove his worth. (Dungeon 191)
Though a ghost most often arises because of the state of mind of a recently dead person, one can be artificially created. Cruel people who want to punish the deceased and who have a bit of arcane knowledge can create a ghost charm—a bit of metal, clay, or parchment inscribed with runes—that they inter with a fresh corpse. If the ritual is performed soon enough after death, the dead person’s soul becomes trapped in the world as a ghost. (Dungeon 191)
Ghost, Anarus Kalton: After Traevus murdered Anarus, the necromancer’s ghost appeared in his treasure vault where he stored his most prized possessions. (Dungeon 182)
Ghost, Fin: As the characters search the cemetery for clues, they sense the presence of an invisible ghost—the vestige of a young boy named Fin who was trampled to death by a horse three years ago. (Dungeon 211)
But communing with Fin’s spirit reveals that someone has plundered his remains, and indeed, characters who dig up the graves discover that most of them are empty. (Dungeon 211)
Why are you not at rest? “My bones! Gone!” (Dungeon 211)
Four years ago, a local farmer named Holgar Razlek found the boy stumbling through a field in the dead of winter, half frozen to death. Brigands had killed his parents and older sister, forcing the boy to flee his distant homestead. Holgar took the boy in, even though his wife and sons weren’t thrilled with the idea. (Dungeon 211)
Fin lived with the Razleks for less than a year. One fateful evening, a horse trampled him to death while he was crossing the road in front of the family’s cottage. The horse was pulling an ale wagon, and the dwarf merchant at the reins wasn’t local. The merchant swore that he didn’t see Fin dart in front of his horse and wagon until it was too late. (Dungeon 211)
Karla was relieved when Fin died, because he was deeply troubled and required her undivided attention. She and Holgar also confess that Fin suffered from constant nightmares about the brigand attack that killed his family. His screams woke the household and frightened the other boys, and other members of the household would occasionally hear voices and sounds of the brigand attack as though it were happening in their home, suggesting that Fin had the power to project his psyche. (Dungeon 211)
Ghost, Ghost of Graefmotte, Geoffrey Graef: Durven Graef’s murdered son did not rest easy in death. After he died, his corpse lay unburied on the floor of chambers no one dared enter until the domain shifted to the Shadowfell. After that, the body vanished when the ghost appeared, and no one knows where Geoffrey's bones now lie... (Dragon 375)
Ghost, Jacobux Kincep: In life, Jaccobux was a wizard and a professional adventurer. He developed a thirst for knowledge in his old age and became a prodigious collector of books. He read avidly right up until the moment of his death, and his deep regret that he had so many books left to read held him in the mortal world as a ghost. (Dungeon 156)
Ghost, Julain De'Spri: He and his wife, Amori, were buried here long ago. Recently, however, some terrible power ripped their spirits from the peaceful place where they were residing and brought them back to this room. Now Julain's spirit is waiting here, restless, as Amori's body and spirit are being tampered with elsewhere. (Halls of Undermountain)
Ghost, Morrn Bladeclaw: The Proving Pit is used by the denizens of the Chaos Scar to settle disputes and to test themselves against the finest fighters in the area. A small shard of the meteorite that created the Chaos Scar lies hundreds of feet below the pit, imparting a mysterious power and personality to the location. Combatants are drawn to the area by a powerful urge to achieve victory through combat. Most combatants do not realize they are being impelled by an outside force. (Dungeon 189)
Morrn Bladeclaw was a barbarian known for his cruelty and ambition. His clan roamed the Nentir Vale region long before the formation of the Chaos Scar. Morrn advanced steadily in status among his clan. He claimed the right to become the clan’s champion and to wield the powerful Scarblade by defeating its previous owner. Driven by dreams of power, Morrn sought to prove himself worthy of the rank of chief. (Dungeon 189)
Lured onward by a vague call to battle, Morrn was drawn to the pit. There he honed his skill, always with the intent of returning to his home as the greatest champion of all. Morrn soon dominated all contenders at the pit, but in turn, he was dominated by the shard’s presence. The longer he stayed, the less he cared about leaving and the more he became part of the place. His thoughts of clan leadership drained away. Morrn’s goal of becoming the greatest champion of all was realized, but not as he had planned. He was a slave of the Proving Pit, with no thoughts of returning to his tribe. (Dungeon 189)
The pit, however, has no use for eternal champions. Morrn was mortally wounded by a wizard of great power who coveted the Scarblade. The wizard was cut down by Morrn’s dying blow, and both perished on the bloodstained floor of the Proving Pit. Under the influence of the pit, bystanders buried Morrn below the arena’s central dais. The Scarblade was encased in translucent crystal and embedded along the pit’s north wall, where it can be seen by all who fight and die in the pit. (Dungeon 189)
Morrn’s ghost haunts the area. (Dungeon 189)
Ghost, Murat: ?
Ghost, Rukos: Rukos and his crew set out to save the locals from the waterborne menace. After a few days of hunting, they spotted the kraken and harpooned it, then used winches to haul it to the surface. With cutlass, bow, and spell, they laid into the beast. The battle was long, and sailor after sailor fell until only Captain Rukos remained to face Thalarkis. (Dungeon 203)
With his trusty cutlass Everdare firmly in hand, the Red Rake squared off with the gravely injured kraken. In the end, Rukos stabbed the beast through the eye as Thalarkis strangled the life out of the brave captain. Rukos fell to the deck, dead. The great beast shuddered and slumped into the sea, taking the Zephyr, its crew, and its captain to the depths below. (Dungeon 203)
The spirits of Thalarkis and Rukos linger still, bound to the wreckage of the Zephyr. The ghost of Rukos stands at the ship’s wheel, doomed to haunt the deck alone. Thalarkis’s spirit is trapped in the wreckage of the ship. (Dungeon 203)
Ghost, Salazar Vladistone: Over sixty years ago, a group of bold adventurers calling themselves the Silver Company delved into a mysterious tower that appeared in the ruins of Castle Inverness. The result was tragic-one of the Silver Company, a woman named Oldivya Vladistone, perished. Her husband, Salazar, continued to adventure with the Silver Company for some years, growing more despondent the longer he had to deal with his wife's death. Eventually, Salazar Vladistone sacrificed himself to save his allies and the people of Hammer fast from an unknown danger in the Dawnforge Mountains. Vladistone's spirit did not rest quietly after his sacrifice, however. He became a ghost, haunting the Nentir Vale as be made pilgrimages to the grave of his wife in the ruins of Inverness. (March of the Phantom Brigade)
Ghost, Skelmur the Stalker: ?
Ghost, The Arcanist: ?
Ghost, Voolad: His victory was short-lived, however. Halflings from the Lluirwood surprised Voolad and killed him. Whatever fell purpose drove the druid enabled him to rise as a powerful ghost. (Forgotten Realms Campaign Guide)
Ghost Ancient Ghost: ?
Ghost Argent Haunt Ghost: ?
Ghost Beholder: See Beholder Ghost Beholder.
Ghost Caller in Darkness: A caller in darkness is created from the spirits of dozens of victims who died together in terror. (Open Grave Secrets of the Undead)
The undead creature formed from the terrified githyanki executed in this awful room. (Dungeon 168)
Ghost Dawnwar Ghost: ?
Ghost Devil Chain Devil, Nephigor: In a twist of fate that bends planar law, the spirit of Nephigor is trapped in the library as a ghost. (Dragon 368)
When the black winds howled about Harrack Unarth, Nephigor was in the city’s grand library, seeking a means of prolonging his time out of the Nine Hells. He got more than he bargained for. Devils are not supposed to have ghosts. Their deaths are impermanent things that cast them back to the fiery pit to regain bodies. Yet when the howling winds shattered the library, Nephigor slid into darkness greater than any he had known. The chain devil “awoke” in the Broken Library. His body transparent, his form intangible—if Nephigor is not a ghost, he cannot fathom what else he might be. (Dragon 368)
Ghost Dwarf, Cherndon the Mad: He died trying to prevent the orcs from learning where several rich dwarf lords were buried. (Hammerfast)
Ghost Dwarf, Grolin Surespike: Grolin Surespike, a dwarf ghost who died in the Trade Spire back when it served as living quarters for Hammerfast's priests, appears elderly and frail. (Hammerfast)
Ghost Dwarf, Telg: ?
Ghost Dwarf Spirit: The dwarf spirits are the remnants of loyal defenders that once protected the necropolis and each other from orc depredations. (March of the Phantom Brigade)
Ghost Drowned Ghost: Drowned ghosts are the spirits of those who died watery deaths. (Open Grave Secrets of the Undead)
Ghost Famine Spirit: Famine spirits are spectral remnants of people who shortened their lives through gluttony, who hoarded food while others starved, or who died of starvation. (Open Grave Secrets of the Undead)
Ghost Frost Giant Ghost, Hyrkzag: Once the loyal bodyguard of Jarl Kvaltigar, Hyrkzag was hunting elk in the mountains when Grugnur betrayed and murdered Kvaltigar to claim the Iceskull Throne. Upon his return, Hyrkzag was ambushed in the dragons’ caverns. Cut off from all avenues of escape, the bodyguard slew many of his kin but was forced into these caverns. He ultimately met his end at the hands of Grugnur’s swordthain, Gnotmir. (Dungeon 199)
“In life, I was the sworn bodyguard of Kvaltigar, jarl of the frost giants and lord of the Iceskull Throne. Kvaltigar was betrayed—slain and set ablaze by his brother, Grugnur! In a rage, I carved a swath through my treacherous kin, but a rival named Gnotmir slew me before I could avenge my fallen lord.” (Dungeon 199)
Ghost Goblin Fire Phantom: A trio of ghostly goblins, killed by the flame vent trap long ago, protects this chamber. (Seekers of the Ashen Crown)
Ghost Goblin Flame Vent Haunt: A trio of ghostly goblins, killed by the flame vent trap long ago, protects this chamber. (Seekers of the Ashen Crown)
Ghost Goblin Ghost Boss: Ghostly goblins, the spirits of warriors slain here millennia before, protect this area. (Seekers of the Ashen Crown)
Ghost Goblin Phantom: Ghostly goblins, the spirits of warriors slain here millennia before, protect this area. (Seekers of the Ashen Crown)
Ghost Harmless Phantom: Long ago, dark ones, shadowborn humans, and other slaves languished in this room. Now the room holds only ghosts, figments from another time. (Draconomicon II: Metallic Dragons)
Ghost Harpy: ?
Ghost Keening Spirit: ?
Ghost Knight of Galardoun: People fiercely disagree on whether the ghost knight is itself undead, but most priests and sages say that it must be. None agree about its origin or essential nature.
Some say the ghost knight is the remains of an undead-hunting paladin who met with mortal misfortune but whose shining will and drive transformed him into an apparition dedicated to leading the living to put the dead to rest by destroying undeath. (Dungeon 196)
Others just as stoutly claim that it is an animated magic item—perhaps directed and using the senses of its creator, now bound into it—intended to control or (in the words of Tonthyn, Battlepriest of Tempus in Zazesspur) “weed out the hosts of” undead by destroying some and aiding others. (Dungeon 196)
Between these markedly opposed views, dozens of other explanations and theories exist. (Dungeon 196)
One of the most interesting explanations is promoted by the wealthy sage and retired adventurer Authraun of Athkatla, who has tried to trace all the known journeys of the ghost knight and identify whom it was following or accompanying. He believes the ghost knight seeks individuals who have particular, nascent gifts so that it can impart, by touch, lore it possesses that will urge these people into certain quests that serve some purpose as yet unrevealed. (Dungeon 196)
Perhaps a fallen god is seeking to rise again, and it requires mortal aid to do so: The deity might want to gather artifacts in a specific place or find suitable living bodies to possess, and the ghost knight is a lure acting on behalf of such a deity. Perhaps the ghost knight is all that is left of a deity or an exarch, and it seeks to slowly and painstakingly gather strength for an eventual return. (Dungeon 196)
“Or perhaps,” counters the young sage Rarkriskran of Baldur’s Gate, “this is all so much fanciful piffle, and this so-called ‘ghost knight’ is nothing more than an enchanted helm whose magic was twisted awry by the Spellplague. Now the ‘ghost’ rides what it can imperfectly glean of the stray thoughts of nearby sentients, and these thoughts goad the helm into wild, random behavior. In turn, we strain both creativity and credulity in our attempts to concoct explanations for this item.” (Dungeon 196)
The old Sage of Shadowdale, Elminster Aumar, chuckles at Rarkriskran’s words, and responds, “The young and fierce so often seek to exalt themselves by belittling others. I was young and fierce, once.” He suspects that there might well be divine direction behind the ghost knight, but stresses that all the opinions he has heard thus far are speculation. No one has shown any special knowledge that suggests they stand close to the truth. (Dungeon 196)
What Elminster has heard of the encounters and experiments, however, lead him to conclude that the ghost knight follows a purpose that’s something more than destroying undead. He believes it has a cause that various commentators and experimenters haven’t discovered yet. Elminster also suspects that the ghost knight is damaged—a remnant of a being once greater and more capable than it is now, and that at times it wanders from its mysterious purpose. (Dungeon 196)
Ghost Kraken, Thalarkis: Rukos and his crew set out to save the locals from the waterborne menace. After a few days of hunting, they spotted the kraken and harpooned it, then used winches to haul it to the surface. With cutlass, bow, and spell, they laid into the beast. The battle was long, and sailor after sailor fell until only Captain Rukos remained to face Thalarkis. (Dungeon 203)
With his trusty cutlass Everdare firmly in hand, the Red Rake squared off with the gravely injured kraken. In the end, Rukos stabbed the beast through the eye as Thalarkis strangled the life out of the brave captain. Rukos fell to the deck, dead. The great beast shuddered and slumped into the sea, taking the Zephyr, its crew, and its captain to the depths below. (Dungeon 203)
The spirits of Thalarkis and Rukos linger still, bound to the wreckage of the Zephyr. The ghost of Rukos stands at the ship’s wheel, doomed to haunt the deck alone. Thalarkis’s spirit is trapped in the wreckage of the ship. (Dungeon 203)
Ghost Legionnaire: SLAIN IN LONG-AGO BATTLES, these soldiers' fight for forgotten causes, distant memories, or a fierce loyalty to each other. Although they appear as separate soldiers, their spirits have fused into a single entity that lives and dies as a single soul. (Monster Manual 2)
Ghost Mad Ghost, Vontarin: This creature is a hateful remnant of the evil necromancer’s soul. (Dungeon 219)
Ghost Malicious Ghost: Malicious ghosts arise from children who die frightened or alone. (Open Grave Secrets of the Undead) Enraged that no one saved its life, the ghost of the child becomes a creature of unquenchable malice. (Open Grave Secrets of the Undead)
Decades ago a brutal rivalry reached its crescendo when House Treyvan attacked the company headquarters of House Sulist, destroying the building with its enemy's soldiers inside. When the city consumed the structure. the soldiers went with it- body and soul. The corpses have long since turned to dust, but the soldiers' spirits remain on duty. (The Shadowfell: Gloomwrought and Beyond)
Ghost of Graefmotte: See Ghost, Ghost of Graefmotte, Geoffrey Graef.
Ghost Orc, Kralick: ?
Ghost Orc Spirit: ?
Ghost Phantom Warrior: ?
Ghost Poltergeist: The Lost Secrets Library is a dangerous place, and the chamber that contains Holman’s Treatise on the Imbuement and Maintenance of Armed Conflict Training Mannequins is no exception. It contains the vengeful ghosts of three White Lotus students who died there in a tragedy now forgotten. (Dungeon 165)
Ghost Raaig: IN AN ENVIRONMENT WHERE VIOLENT DEATH is so common, ghosts frequently haunt sites of great significance or terrible slaughter. Among them are an array of spirits bound to the service of long-forgotten gods. Called raaigs, these ghosts defend ancient shrines, temples, relics, and secrets. (Dark Sun Creature Catalog)
In life, raaigs were devout priests or holy warriors charged with protecting sacred sites or relics. In death they still keep watch, though their charges have crumbled into ruin or vanished. They have been twisted by their ancient oaths into merciless, hateful apparitions that swiftly slay any living intruder. (Dark Sun Creature Catalog)
Ghost Raaig Crypt Lord: ?
Ghost Raaig Soulflame: A few guardians were so favored by their gods in life that they were granted a tiny spark of divine essence. Called soulflames, these raaigs still embody their gods’ will. (Dark Sun Creature Catalog)
Ghost Raaig Tomb Spirit: In a nearly forgotten age of genocidal warfare, the murderous sorcerer-king Nibenay pursued a fugitive band of elves and gnomes. The fugitives carried with them a seed from a tree of life. They hoped to plant the seed in a place where it might flourish in safety, far from the sorcerer-kings’ destruction. They sought refuge in a small cave system, but Nibenay’s soldiers tracked them there and besieged the cave. (Dungeon 187)
Avor Firesworn, leader of the band, made a fateful decision as Nibenay’s defilers closed in. Drawing on his knowledge of the supposed demigods who ruled parts of Athas at that time, he entered into a covenant with a force that he only dimly understood but perceived as a demigod of death. He and a few of his band swore a binding oath in which they offered their souls in exchange for the chance to protect the seed even after their deaths. (Dungeon 187)
Soon thereafter, Nibenay’s forces stormed the caves and Avor fell, his flesh consumed by defiling magic. The seed, however, lay hidden beneath his remains, and the sorcerer-king’s soldiers did not find it. It was protected by the bargain Avor had struck with the entity from the Gray. Meanwhile, the primal spirits of that place also understood the value of the seed. They, too, were eager to keep it out of any defiler’s hands, but their limited power to intervene was curtailed further by Avor’s bargain. (Dungeon 187)
Victorious in battle but frustrated by their failure to find the tree of life’s seed, Nibenay’s soldiers concluded that the seed had been no more than a rumor, or perhaps that Avor’s flight had been a ruse to draw them away from the real seed’s location. They sealed the cave when they withdrew, to conceal their deeds. Some time later, the spirits of Avor and his followers rose from the dead in fulfillment of their bargain. (Dungeon 187)
Ghost Sage Ghost, Jakro Vrin: ?
Ghost Sage Ghost, Willum Vrin: ?
Ghost Servile Ghost: A servile ghost arises when a servant or lackey dies an ignoble death as a consequence of its master’s actions. Such deaths are often a result of betrayal or carelessness on the master’s part. (Open Grave Secrets of the Undead)
Ghost Tavern Spirit: When The Thrown Gauntlet fell to the Spellplague, dozens of people were crushed to death within it. For unfathomable reasons, the spirits of the dead were denied passage to the afterlife in the wake of the catastrophe. (Dragon 425)
Ghost Terrifying Haunt: ?
Ghost Tormenting Ghost: Numerous creatures died during the battles in Death's Reach, and a few endured in spirit despite the place's dark power. Some were allies of Timesus; others were servitors of the gods. The soulfall into Death's Reach has caused the shells of some of these ancient creatures to shudder back to animation. (E1 Death's Reach)
Ghost Tormenting Ghost, Janus Gull, Esme: Cormac, mad with obsession and grief, fell from grace, embracing evil and vowing that if he could not have Esme, no one would. He sought the counsel of a local “water witch,” the demented cleric Sidheag (SHEE-ak) Ros. Sidheag, a fanatic who had long harbored a hatred for Janus Gull, believed that the fishing village was defiling the natural order of “her” lake. The fallen paladin, further seduced down the path of darkness by the mad water witch, resolved to destroy the entire village of Janus Gull. Under a harvest moon, on a windswept bluff overlooking the village, Cormac and Sidheag performed a blasphemous ritual.
By morning, the entire village had been swept away by fire and flood, lightning and rain. An elemental storm of unprecedented proportions blew in from the lake, laying waste to the village in a single night. Where Janus Gull once stood, nothing remained. No ruins, no survivors. It was as if the village had been pulled entire into the watery depths of the lake.
Cormac and Sidheag’s wicked amalgamation of divine magic created a reality storm of such power that Janus Gull was ripped from the world. As the storm reached its peak just before dawn, Janus Gull splintered off as a demiplane.
In the years that the lost village has been wandering as a demiplane, the demiplane has achieved a primitive sentience built from the collective consciousness of its inhabitants. When the entity that is Janus Gull wishes to communicate with visitors, it speaks through the ghost of Esme, the young maiden whose story is at the heart of the Janus Gull tragedy. (In fact, all natives of Janus Gull—living and dead—are gradually surrendering their individual identities to the collective personality of the demiplane.)
Ghost Tormentor: ?
Ghost Trap Haunt: ?
Ghost Troll Render: See Troll Ghost Troll Render.
Ghost Wailing Ghost, Banshee: Isolde’s curse spared no aspect of Soth’s life. His retainers, once loyal beyond reproach, turned into skeleton warriors. Dargaard Keep became an ashen ruin, distorted by the fire and ravaged by the Cataclysm. Where once it was shaped like a beautiful rose, now it was blackened and crumbling like a wilted flower. And the priestesses that were so instrumental in Soth’s downfall were doomed to serve him as spectral banshees. (Dragon 416)
The Fae Barrow marks the final resting place of Omaphara, the fey warrior maiden and Querelian’s true love. The pair, along with many brave fey warriors, fought the werebeasts here in a pitched battle that raged for many days. In the end, the werebeasts were driven back, but not before they took Omaphara’s life. A grieving Querelian interred his partner here so she could watch over the land she died defending. (Dungeon 185)
Ghost Wailing Ghost Banshee, Patrina Kelikovna: Patrina sacrificed animals to the powers of shadow and ended up attracting the attention of Strahd von Zarovich. The count sought to make her his vampiric bride, and Patrina gladly submitted to his advances. When Patrina tried to feed upon an elf child to seal her transformation into a vampire, Kasimir and the other elves stoned her to death. They surrendered her body to Strahd, who interred her in Castle Ravenloft’s crypts, and Patrina soon arose as a banshee. (Dungeon 207)
Ghost Wailing Ghost Warforged Banshee, Keener: Keener, a ranger, was Janus Gull’s sole warforged resident at the time of the catastrophe. Keener was killed by a savage lightning strike at the height of the storm. (Dragon 367)
Ghost Watchful Ghost: Watchful ghosts are the spirits of guards killed in the line of duty while failing to protect their charges. (Open Grave Secrets of the Undead)
The apparition is the restless spirit of Ammaradon, a member of the old king’s guard who failed to prevent the king’s assassination. Tormented by this unforgivable lapse, he now guards the king’s sarcophagus. (Open Grave Secrets of the Undead)
Decades ago a brutal rivalry reached its crescendo when House Treyvan attacked the company headquarters of House Sulist, destroying the building with its enemy's soldiers inside. When the city consumed the structure. the soldiers went with it- body and soul. The corpses have long since turned to dust, but the soldiers' spirits remain on duty. (The Shadowfell: Gloomwrought and Beyond)
Ghost Widow of the Walk: ?
Ghost Woodcutter's Ghost: The original owner is no more. For a while, he helped the Patriarch in the old castle ruin by waylaying and drugging travelers, but guilt drove him to suicide. Death offered him no escape though, and his spirit lingers still—a dark, twisted thing. (Dungeon 164)
Ghost Worg Packmate: ?
Ghost Wrath Spirit: A wrath spirit arises when a violent individual dies while enraged. (Open Grave Secrets of the Undead)
Ghost Ziggurat Ghost: ?
Ghoul: Humanoids that indulge in or resort to cannibalism become ghouls when they die. Ghouls are also created through rituals. (Monster Manual)
Humanoids that indulge in or resort to cannibalism become ghouls when they die. Ghouls are also created through rituals. (Monster Manual)
As the progeny of cannibalism and other less than savory practices, ghouls are creatures of pure evil. (Monster Manual 3)
They were once cannibalistic humanoids, but their actions caused them to be cursed in death with ravenous appetites that cannot be sated. (Monster Vault)
When an intelligent humanoid resorts to cannibalism or lives a life of gluttony and greed, it can be cursed to transform into a ghoul upon its death. Unlike a zombie or a skeleton, a ghoul retains sentience and many of the memories of its life. The creature’s perspective is twisted by its death, though, and as a result, it recalls with torment a time when it was not driven by a gnawing hunger for living flesh. (Monster Vault)
In the past, some of the resident duergar rested here to recover from wounds caused by the Silver Company. Before they could heal, the magic of the Time Trap ritual took hold. However, the magic of the stasis field was weak in this area of the monastery, and the living duergar were imperfectly preserved. Over the last sixty years, their bodies have wasted away while remaining trapped in the chamber, causing them to become ghouls. (March of the Phantom Brigade)
The ghouls that have been trapped in this chamber for so long were once duergar, but decades of slowly dying of hunger and thirst have left them with nothing but a supernatural need to eat. These ghouls are driven by pure hunger, and are almost zombie-like in their unthinking desire to eat the flesh of the heroes. (March of the Phantom Brigade)
A character can make a DC 13 Arcana check to determine that the ghouls were created by the decaying stasis field resulting from the Time Trap. (March of the Phantom Brigade)
Early in the history of the world, Orcus learned to create undead, including the first ghouls, exercising his desire to devour life in the vilest ways. (Wizards Presents Worlds and Monsters)
Cannibalism has made ghouls from many tieflings from Io'vanthor and the rest are well on their way to becoming undead horrors. (Dragon 369)
Like others in the village, Martha and Guy are not what they seem. Having buried their son when he starved to death, the pair gave their souls to Orcus for the promise of food. The innkeepers are the secret source of ghouls and they perform dread rituals on villagers to complete the transformation from cannibal to undead horror. (Dragon 375)
Those slain by ghouls became new ghouls, further spreading undeath like some kind of disease or a game of all-in-tag. (Dragon 387)
Three weeks ago, a young farmer named Darien uncovered a jagged shard of bone while working his fields just outside the city of Hampstead. He pocketed it as an idle curiosity, since the shard seemed to glimmer as if polished, despite the number of cuts and notches that it bore. (Dungeon 184)
An idle curiosity it was not, tragically. The shard was a bit of planar detritus, fallen through the weave of reality to come to rest in the fields near Hampstead. It originated in the stygian depths of the Abyss, in the domain known as the White Kingdom, which is situated within the hellish realm of Thanatos. There the shard had once been part of an unfortunate victim or foolish crusader who met a terrible end at the hands of Doresain, the Ghoul King, Lord of the White Kingdom, and exarch of the demon lord Orcus. After a perfunctory feasting, gnawing, and cracking, Doresain discarded the shattered, leftover remains in short order, but even this passing contact was sufficient to imbue them with a spark of the warping power of the Abyss and an echo, however pale, of the Ghoul King’s immortal hunger. (Dungeon 184)
Soon after finding the shard, Darien was plagued with vivid, gruesome nightmares of flashing teeth, bloody flesh, and an unspeakable hunger as ravenous as it was ageless. The unrelenting visions drove him to seek help as they besieged even his waking mind with terrible images and horrific urges, but he found no respite. After weeks of sanity-sapping mental and spiritual strain, the vile influence proved the stronger, sweeping away all that Darien was in a single, terrifying night of brutal slaughter and depraved feasting as the beast that had been Darien fell upon Hampstead. Twisted by the power of the shard, those he slew shuddered into cursed unlife and hurled themselves at those who had once been their friends and families in a frantic attempt to sate an eternal hunger. In that single night, nearly the entire population was turned or ripped to bloody, screaming shreds, leaving only a handful of desperate survivors to be dragged, thrashing, from their bolt holes in the ensuing days. Soon, only the wailing howls of the risen ghouls sounded over Hampstead. (Dungeon 184)
Mistwatch Blight disease. (Dungeon 186)
Before he found Severine, Talther Yorn employed a trio of bandits to do grunt work. They started to demand too much money for their labors, so Yorn had them killed and then brought them back as subservient ghouls. (Dungeon 211)
The ghouls are the remains of three human bandits who used to perform odd jobs for Talther Yorn until they demanded a little too much money for their services. (Dungeon 211)
The Ironhearts arrived in Arnesbloom just as the cult completed a ritual that slew every living soul in the town, including the hapless adventurers. The cult offered the souls to Orcus, who caused them to rise again as ghouls. (Dungeon 218)
The town’s attempt at a new “life” is imperiled by the presence of the slain cultists, who have also risen as ghouls and insinuated themselves into the population. (Dungeon 218)
The Ironhearts arrived in Arnesbloom before the cultists of Orcus completed their ritual, but they were too late to stop it. They were transformed into ghouls along with all the townsfolk. (Dungeon 218)
Some of the cultists were killed during the initial confrontation and have since risen as ghouls themselves. (Dungeon 218)
Ghoul, Alwar Thornwhistle: ?
Ghoul, Anja Silvermane: ?
Ghoul, Beth Harwick: Three weeks ago, a young farmer named Darien uncovered a jagged shard of bone while working his fields just outside the city of Hampstead. He pocketed it as an idle curiosity, since the shard seemed to glimmer as if polished, despite the number of cuts and notches that it bore. (Dungeon 184)
An idle curiosity it was not, tragically. The shard was a bit of planar detritus, fallen through the weave of reality to come to rest in the fields near Hampstead. It originated in the stygian depths of the Abyss, in the domain known as the White Kingdom, which is situated within the hellish realm of Thanatos. There the shard had once been part of an unfortunate victim or foolish crusader who met a terrible end at the hands of Doresain, the Ghoul King, Lord of the White Kingdom, and exarch of the demon lord Orcus. After a perfunctory feasting, gnawing, and cracking, Doresain discarded the shattered, leftover remains in short order, but even this passing contact was sufficient to imbue them with a spark of the warping power of the Abyss and an echo, however pale, of the Ghoul King’s immortal hunger. (Dungeon 184)
Soon after finding the shard, Darien was plagued with vivid, gruesome nightmares of flashing teeth, bloody flesh, and an unspeakable hunger as ravenous as it was ageless. The unrelenting visions drove him to seek help as they besieged even his waking mind with terrible images and horrific urges, but he found no respite. After weeks of sanity-sapping mental and spiritual strain, the vile influence proved the stronger, sweeping away all that Darien was in a single, terrifying night of brutal slaughter and depraved feasting as the beast that had been Darien fell upon Hampstead. Twisted by the power of the shard, those he slew shuddered into cursed unlife and hurled themselves at those who had once been their friends and families in a frantic attempt to sate an eternal hunger. In that single night, nearly the entire population was turned or ripped to bloody, screaming shreds, leaving only a handful of desperate survivors to be dragged, thrashing, from their bolt holes in the ensuing days. Soon, only the wailing howls of the risen ghouls sounded over Hampstead. (Dungeon 184)
Ghoul, Elisa: Three weeks ago, a young farmer named Darien uncovered a jagged shard of bone while working his fields just outside the city of Hampstead. He pocketed it as an idle curiosity, since the shard seemed to glimmer as if polished, despite the number of cuts and notches that it bore. (Dungeon 184)
An idle curiosity it was not, tragically. The shard was a bit of planar detritus, fallen through the weave of reality to come to rest in the fields near Hampstead. It originated in the stygian depths of the Abyss, in the domain known as the White Kingdom, which is situated within the hellish realm of Thanatos. There the shard had once been part of an unfortunate victim or foolish crusader who met a terrible end at the hands of Doresain, the Ghoul King, Lord of the White Kingdom, and exarch of the demon lord Orcus. After a perfunctory feasting, gnawing, and cracking, Doresain discarded the shattered, leftover remains in short order, but even this passing contact was sufficient to imbue them with a spark of the warping power of the Abyss and an echo, however pale, of the Ghoul King’s immortal hunger. (Dungeon 184)
Soon after finding the shard, Darien was plagued with vivid, gruesome nightmares of flashing teeth, bloody flesh, and an unspeakable hunger as ravenous as it was ageless. The unrelenting visions drove him to seek help as they besieged even his waking mind with terrible images and horrific urges, but he found no respite. After weeks of sanity-sapping mental and spiritual strain, the vile influence proved the stronger, sweeping away all that Darien was in a single, terrifying night of brutal slaughter and depraved feasting as the beast that had been Darien fell upon Hampstead. Twisted by the power of the shard, those he slew shuddered into cursed unlife and hurled themselves at those who had once been their friends and families in a frantic attempt to sate an eternal hunger. In that single night, nearly the entire population was turned or ripped to bloody, screaming shreds, leaving only a handful of desperate survivors to be dragged, thrashing, from their bolt holes in the ensuing days. Soon, only the wailing howls of the risen ghouls sounded over Hampstead. (Dungeon 184)
The Tser Pool is haunted by the remnants of a drowned halfling woman. This is Yera, the beloved of Falstan Mitrache, who fell out of a boat and failed time and again to catch herself before going over the Tser Falls. She lingers on as a ghast. She has been attacking smugglers that have been conducting shady dealings near the Tser Pool, and several of her victims became ghouls. (Dungeon 207)
Ghoul Abyssal Ghoul: Sometimes ghouls are graced by Doresain with power greater than their fellows. These so-called abyssal ghouls are the Ghoul King’s favorites and make up a goodly portion of the king’s Court of Teeth. (Monster Manual)
The so-called Ghoul King commands his servants to empower some ghouls with additional strength, speed, and durability. The ghouls that receive these abyssal blessings are more powerful and are beholden to Doresain and his demonic master. (Monster Vault)
Vaden created the ghouls from the corpses of former members entombed in the catacombs. (Dungeon 207)
The ghouls were created by Vaden from preserved human corpses in the catacombs. (Dungeon 207)
Ghoul Abyssal Ghoul, Balthrad: ?
Ghoul Abyssal Ghoul Devourer: The so-called Ghoul King commands his servants to empower some ghouls with additional strength, speed, and durability. The ghouls that receive these abyssal blessings are more powerful and are beholden to Doresain and his demonic master. (Monster Vault)
Ghoul Abyssal Ghoul Horde: ?
Ghoul Abyssal Ghoul Hungerer: The so-called Ghoul King commands his servants to empower some ghouls with additional strength, speed, and durability. The ghouls that receive these abyssal blessings are more powerful and are beholden to Doresain and his demonic master. (Monster Vault)
The Dead Arise power. (Dungeon Master's Guide 2)
Ghoul Abyssal Ghoul Myrmidon: Red Glyph/Ghoul Transformation Ritual (Dungeon Delve)
The Dead Arise power level 26. (Dungeon Master's Guide 2)
Ghoul Abyssal Ghoul Pack Leader: ?
Ghoul Abyssal Madness Ghoul: ?
Ghoul Adept of Orcus: In the dark shrine, they spoke in whispers of the fallen priest who had died with a prayer to Orcus on his lips. He might have remained dead, his soul to become a plaything of Orcus, except that he had killed and consumed a priest of Bahamut when he was alive. After his death, he underwent a horrid and unholy transformation. (Monster Manual 3)
Ghoul Ambusher: Three weeks ago, a young farmer named Darien uncovered a jagged shard of bone while working his fields just outside the city of Hampstead. He pocketed it as an idle curiosity, since the shard seemed to glimmer as if polished, despite the number of cuts and notches that it bore. (Dungeon 184)
An idle curiosity it was not, tragically. The shard was a bit of planar detritus, fallen through the weave of reality to come to rest in the fields near Hampstead. It originated in the stygian depths of the Abyss, in the domain known as the White Kingdom, which is situated within the hellish realm of Thanatos. There the shard had once been part of an unfortunate victim or foolish crusader who met a terrible end at the hands of Doresain, the Ghoul King, Lord of the White Kingdom, and exarch of the demon lord Orcus. After a perfunctory feasting, gnawing, and cracking, Doresain discarded the shattered, leftover remains in short order, but even this passing contact was sufficient to imbue them with a spark of the warping power of the Abyss and an echo, however pale, of the Ghoul King’s immortal hunger. (Dungeon 184)
Soon after finding the shard, Darien was plagued with vivid, gruesome nightmares of flashing teeth, bloody flesh, and an unspeakable hunger as ravenous as it was ageless. The unrelenting visions drove him to seek help as they besieged even his waking mind with terrible images and horrific urges, but he found no respite. After weeks of sanity-sapping mental and spiritual strain, the vile influence proved the stronger, sweeping away all that Darien was in a single, terrifying night of brutal slaughter and depraved feasting as the beast that had been Darien fell upon Hampstead. Twisted by the power of the shard, those he slew shuddered into cursed unlife and hurled themselves at those who had once been their friends and families in a frantic attempt to sate an eternal hunger. In that single night, nearly the entire population was turned or ripped to bloody, screaming shreds, leaving only a handful of desperate survivors to be dragged, thrashing, from their bolt holes in the ensuing days. Soon, only the wailing howls of the risen ghouls sounded over Hampstead. (Dungeon 184)
Ghoul Boss, Vrikus: ?
Ghoul Darkpact Ghoul: Darkpact ghouls are the product of corrupt individuals who are cursed to return in undeath. They lose all sanity in the transformation, replacing it with predatory cunning. A few darkpact ghouls are dead warlocks who made pacts with sinister forces to extend their lives without realizing the form they would take upon death. (Open Grave Secrets of the Undead)
Ghoul Dark Pact Ghoul Initiate: ?
Ghoul Drow Horde Ghoul: A group of undead led by an abyssal ghoul overran the slaver complex and killed its inhabitants. A few of these victims were transformed into ghouls by the abyssal power surging through Phaervorul, and now they work alongside the undead invaders. (P2 Demon Queen's Enclave)
Ghoul Eyebiter: The Ghoul King, Doresain, created ravening underlings called eyebiters to serve him in the White Kingdom. (P2 Demon Queen's Enclave)
Ghoul eyebiters are creations of Doresain, bred to spawn and support the Ghoul King’s undead legions.
Ghoul Field Ghoul: Three weeks ago, a young farmer named Darien uncovered a jagged shard of bone while working his fields just outside the city of Hampstead. He pocketed it as an idle curiosity, since the shard seemed to glimmer as if polished, despite the number of cuts and notches that it bore. (Dungeon 184)
An idle curiosity it was not, tragically. The shard was a bit of planar detritus, fallen through the weave of reality to come to rest in the fields near Hampstead. It originated in the stygian depths of the Abyss, in the domain known as the White Kingdom, which is situated within the hellish realm of Thanatos. There the shard had once been part of an unfortunate victim or foolish crusader who met a terrible end at the hands of Doresain, the Ghoul King, Lord of the White Kingdom, and exarch of the demon lord Orcus. After a perfunctory feasting, gnawing, and cracking, Doresain discarded the shattered, leftover remains in short order, but even this passing contact was sufficient to imbue them with a spark of the warping power of the Abyss and an echo, however pale, of the Ghoul King’s immortal hunger. (Dungeon 184)
Soon after finding the shard, Darien was plagued with vivid, gruesome nightmares of flashing teeth, bloody flesh, and an unspeakable hunger as ravenous as it was ageless. The unrelenting visions drove him to seek help as they besieged even his waking mind with terrible images and horrific urges, but he found no respite. After weeks of sanity-sapping mental and spiritual strain, the vile influence proved the stronger, sweeping away all that Darien was in a single, terrifying night of brutal slaughter and depraved feasting as the beast that had been Darien fell upon Hampstead. Twisted by the power of the shard, those he slew shuddered into cursed unlife and hurled themselves at those who had once been their friends and families in a frantic attempt to sate an eternal hunger. In that single night, nearly the entire population was turned or ripped to bloody, screaming shreds, leaving only a handful of desperate survivors to be dragged, thrashing, from their bolt holes in the ensuing days. Soon, only the wailing howls of the risen ghouls sounded over Hampstead. (Dungeon 184)
Ghoul Flesh Seeker: The sage had warned of these creatures—mortal followers of Orcus that had undergone a horrific, cannibalistic initiation into the demon lord’s cult. (Monster Manual 3)
Ghoul Freeze-Dried Ghoul: ?
Ghoul Frost Giant Abyssal Ghoul: ?
Ghoul Gatherer: ?
Ghoul Ghast: The rogue thought herself clever when she opened the leaden doors to the lost tomb, saw a dozen slavering ghouls in the antechamber, and quickly sealed the sepulcher. Ten years later—long enough for the ghouls to starve to death, according to her research—she returned to the place. True, the ghouls had met their end. However, their transformation into ghasts was something she hadn’t accounted for. (Monster Manual 3)
When ghouls go too long without humanoid flesh, they rot away from the inside out. The insatiable hunger that accompanies this transformation grants ghasts a desperate strength and ferocity. (Monster Manual 3)
Ghouls starved of flesh. (Madness at Gardmore Abbey)
When ghouls go too long without humanoid flesh, they rot away from the inside out. The insatiable hunger that accompanies this transformation grants ghasts a desperate strength and ferocity. (Dragon 387)
Ghoul Ghast, Grygori Dilvia: Talther Yorn hired Grygori Dilvia to plunder ancient barrows and battlefields for bones, and Grygori enjoyed the mindless work. The spirits of the dishonored dead cursed Grygori and slowly transformed him into a ghast. (Dungeon 211)
Ghoul Ghast Halfling Ghast, Yera: The Tser Pool is haunted by the remnants of a drowned halfling woman. This is Yera, the beloved of Falstan Mitrache, who fell out of a boat and failed time and again to catch herself before going over the Tser Falls. She lingers on as a ghast. (Dungeon 207)
Ghoul Greater Ghoul: ?
Ghoul Horde Ghoul: Death Tyrant Reanimating Ray power. (Open Grave Secrets of the Undead)
Beholder Death Emperor Reanimating Ray power. (E1 Death's Reach)
Reanimating Ray (Necrotic): Ranged 10; +27 vs. Fortitude; 2d10 + 8 necrotic damage. If the target is reduced to 0 hit points or fewer, the target rises as a horde ghoul under the beholder death emperor's control at the end of its next turn. (E1 Death's Reach)
Ghoul Howling Ghoul: Three weeks ago, a young farmer named Darien uncovered a jagged shard of bone while working his fields just outside the city of Hampstead. He pocketed it as an idle curiosity, since the shard seemed to glimmer as if polished, despite the number of cuts and notches that it bore. (Dungeon 184)
An idle curiosity it was not, tragically. The shard was a bit of planar detritus, fallen through the weave of reality to come to rest in the fields near Hampstead. It originated in the stygian depths of the Abyss, in the domain known as the White Kingdom, which is situated within the hellish realm of Thanatos. There the shard had once been part of an unfortunate victim or foolish crusader who met a terrible end at the hands of Doresain, the Ghoul King, Lord of the White Kingdom, and exarch of the demon lord Orcus. After a perfunctory feasting, gnawing, and cracking, Doresain discarded the shattered, leftover remains in short order, but even this passing contact was sufficient to imbue them with a spark of the warping power of the Abyss and an echo, however pale, of the Ghoul King’s immortal hunger. (Dungeon 184)
Soon after finding the shard, Darien was plagued with vivid, gruesome nightmares of flashing teeth, bloody flesh, and an unspeakable hunger as ravenous as it was ageless. The unrelenting visions drove him to seek help as they besieged even his waking mind with terrible images and horrific urges, but he found no respite. After weeks of sanity-sapping mental and spiritual strain, the vile influence proved the stronger, sweeping away all that Darien was in a single, terrifying night of brutal slaughter and depraved feasting as the beast that had been Darien fell upon Hampstead. Twisted by the power of the shard, those he slew shuddered into cursed unlife and hurled themselves at those who had once been their friends and families in a frantic attempt to sate an eternal hunger. In that single night, nearly the entire population was turned or ripped to bloody, screaming shreds, leaving only a handful of desperate survivors to be dragged, thrashing, from their bolt holes in the ensuing days. Soon, only the wailing howls of the risen ghouls sounded over Hampstead. (Dungeon 184)
Ghoul Lord of Hampstead, Darien: Three weeks ago, a young farmer named Darien uncovered a jagged shard of bone while working his fields just outside the city of Hampstead. He pocketed it as an idle curiosity, since the shard seemed to glimmer as if polished, despite the number of cuts and notches that it bore. (Dungeon 184)
An idle curiosity it was not, tragically. The shard was a bit of planar detritus, fallen through the weave of reality to come to rest in the fields near Hampstead. It originated in the stygian depths of the Abyss, in the domain known as the White Kingdom, which is situated within the hellish realm of Thanatos. There the shard had once been part of an unfortunate victim or foolish crusader who met a terrible end at the hands of Doresain, the Ghoul King, Lord of the White Kingdom, and exarch of the demon lord Orcus. After a perfunctory feasting, gnawing, and cracking, Doresain discarded the shattered, leftover remains in short order, but even this passing contact was sufficient to imbue them with a spark of the warping power of the Abyss and an echo, however pale, of the Ghoul King’s immortal hunger. (Dungeon 184)
Soon after finding the shard, Darien was plagued with vivid, gruesome nightmares of flashing teeth, bloody flesh, and an unspeakable hunger as ravenous as it was ageless. The unrelenting visions drove him to seek help as they besieged even his waking mind with terrible images and horrific urges, but he found no respite. After weeks of sanity-sapping mental and spiritual strain, the vile influence proved the stronger, sweeping away all that Darien was in a single, terrifying night of brutal slaughter and depraved feasting as the beast that had been Darien fell upon Hampstead. (Dungeon 184)
Ghoul Mob Ghoul: Three weeks ago, a young farmer named Darien uncovered a jagged shard of bone while working his fields just outside the city of Hampstead. He pocketed it as an idle curiosity, since the shard seemed to glimmer as if polished, despite the number of cuts and notches that it bore. (Dungeon 184)
An idle curiosity it was not, tragically. The shard was a bit of planar detritus, fallen through the weave of reality to come to rest in the fields near Hampstead. It originated in the stygian depths of the Abyss, in the domain known as the White Kingdom, which is situated within the hellish realm of Thanatos. There the shard had once been part of an unfortunate victim or foolish crusader who met a terrible end at the hands of Doresain, the Ghoul King, Lord of the White Kingdom, and exarch of the demon lord Orcus. After a perfunctory feasting, gnawing, and cracking, Doresain discarded the shattered, leftover remains in short order, but even this passing contact was sufficient to imbue them with a spark of the warping power of the Abyss and an echo, however pale, of the Ghoul King’s immortal hunger. (Dungeon 184)
Soon after finding the shard, Darien was plagued with vivid, gruesome nightmares of flashing teeth, bloody flesh, and an unspeakable hunger as ravenous as it was ageless. The unrelenting visions drove him to seek help as they besieged even his waking mind with terrible images and horrific urges, but he found no respite. After weeks of sanity-sapping mental and spiritual strain, the vile influence proved the stronger, sweeping away all that Darien was in a single, terrifying night of brutal slaughter and depraved feasting as the beast that had been Darien fell upon Hampstead. Twisted by the power of the shard, those he slew shuddered into cursed unlife and hurled themselves at those who had once been their friends and families in a frantic attempt to sate an eternal hunger. In that single night, nearly the entire population was turned or ripped to bloody, screaming shreds, leaving only a handful of desperate survivors to be dragged, thrashing, from their bolt holes in the ensuing days. Soon, only the wailing howls of the risen ghouls sounded over Hampstead. (Dungeon 184)
Ghoul Plaguechanged Ghoul: THE SPELLPLAGUE KILLED INDISCRIMINATELY, but it apparently raised some of those it slew, in a hungering form. (Forgotten Realms Campaign Guide)
Ghoul Plague-Changed Ghoul Eater: ?
Ghoul Plague-Changed Ghoul King: ?
Ghoul Ravenous Ghoul: In the past, some of the resident duergar rested here to recover from wounds caused by the Silver Company. Before they could heal, the magic of the Time Trap ritual took hold. However, the magic of the stasis field was weak in this area of the monastery, and the living duergar were imperfectly preserved. Over the last sixty years, their bodies have wasted away while remaining trapped in the chamber, causing them to become ghouls. (March of the Phantom Brigade)
The ghouls that have been trapped in this chamber for so long were once duergar, but decades of slowly dying of hunger and thirst have left them with nothing but a supernatural need to eat. These ghouls are driven by pure hunger, and are almost zombie-like in their unthinking desire to eat the flesh of the heroes. (March of the Phantom Brigade)
A character can make a DC 13 Arcana check to determine that the ghouls were created by the decaying stasis field resulting from the Time Trap. (March of the Phantom Brigade)
Ghoul Ripper: ?
Ghoul Risen Ghoul: Three weeks ago, a young farmer named Darien uncovered a jagged shard of bone while working his fields just outside the city of Hampstead. He pocketed it as an idle curiosity, since the shard seemed to glimmer as if polished, despite the number of cuts and notches that it bore. (Dungeon 184)
An idle curiosity it was not, tragically. The shard was a bit of planar detritus, fallen through the weave of reality to come to rest in the fields near Hampstead. It originated in the stygian depths of the Abyss, in the domain known as the White Kingdom, which is situated within the hellish realm of Thanatos. There the shard had once been part of an unfortunate victim or foolish crusader who met a terrible end at the hands of Doresain, the Ghoul King, Lord of the White Kingdom, and exarch of the demon lord Orcus. After a perfunctory feasting, gnawing, and cracking, Doresain discarded the shattered, leftover remains in short order, but even this passing contact was sufficient to imbue them with a spark of the warping power of the Abyss and an echo, however pale, of the Ghoul King’s immortal hunger. (Dungeon 184)
Soon after finding the shard, Darien was plagued with vivid, gruesome nightmares of flashing teeth, bloody flesh, and an unspeakable hunger as ravenous as it was ageless. The unrelenting visions drove him to seek help as they besieged even his waking mind with terrible images and horrific urges, but he found no respite. After weeks of sanity-sapping mental and spiritual strain, the vile influence proved the stronger, sweeping away all that Darien was in a single, terrifying night of brutal slaughter and depraved feasting as the beast that had been Darien fell upon Hampstead. Twisted by the power of the shard, those he slew shuddered into cursed unlife and hurled themselves at those who had once been their friends and families in a frantic attempt to sate an eternal hunger. In that single night, nearly the entire population was turned or ripped to bloody, screaming shreds, leaving only a handful of desperate survivors to be dragged, thrashing, from their bolt holes in the ensuing days. Soon, only the wailing howls of the risen ghouls sounded over Hampstead. (Dungeon 184)
Ghoul Scarred Ghoul: Three weeks ago, a young farmer named Darien uncovered a jagged shard of bone while working his fields just outside the city of Hampstead. He pocketed it as an idle curiosity, since the shard seemed to glimmer as if polished, despite the number of cuts and notches that it bore. (Dungeon 184)
An idle curiosity it was not, tragically. The shard was a bit of planar detritus, fallen through the weave of reality to come to rest in the fields near Hampstead. It originated in the stygian depths of the Abyss, in the domain known as the White Kingdom, which is situated within the hellish realm of Thanatos. There the shard had once been part of an unfortunate victim or foolish crusader who met a terrible end at the hands of Doresain, the Ghoul King, Lord of the White Kingdom, and exarch of the demon lord Orcus. After a perfunctory feasting, gnawing, and cracking, Doresain discarded the shattered, leftover remains in short order, but even this passing contact was sufficient to imbue them with a spark of the warping power of the Abyss and an echo, however pale, of the Ghoul King’s immortal hunger. (Dungeon 184)
Soon after finding the shard, Darien was plagued with vivid, gruesome nightmares of flashing teeth, bloody flesh, and an unspeakable hunger as ravenous as it was ageless. The unrelenting visions drove him to seek help as they besieged even his waking mind with terrible images and horrific urges, but he found no respite. After weeks of sanity-sapping mental and spiritual strain, the vile influence proved the stronger, sweeping away all that Darien was in a single, terrifying night of brutal slaughter and depraved feasting as the beast that had been Darien fell upon Hampstead. Twisted by the power of the shard, those he slew shuddered into cursed unlife and hurled themselves at those who had once been their friends and families in a frantic attempt to sate an eternal hunger. In that single night, nearly the entire population was turned or ripped to bloody, screaming shreds, leaving only a handful of desperate survivors to be dragged, thrashing, from their bolt holes in the ensuing days. Soon, only the wailing howls of the risen ghouls sounded over Hampstead. (Dungeon 184)
Ghoul Skullborn Ghoul: ?
Ghoul Sodden Ghoul, Lacedon: A sodden ghoul arises when an aquatic humanoid that engages in cannibalism dies. Sodden ghouls are also created through deliberate rituals by evil aquatic creatures, such as bog hags, kuo-toas, sahuagin, and aboleths. (Open Grave Secrets of the Undead)
Three weeks ago, a young farmer named Darien uncovered a jagged shard of bone while working his fields just outside the city of Hampstead. He pocketed it as an idle curiosity, since the shard seemed to glimmer as if polished, despite the number of cuts and notches that it bore. (Dungeon 184)
An idle curiosity it was not, tragically. The shard was a bit of planar detritus, fallen through the weave of reality to come to rest in the fields near Hampstead. It originated in the stygian depths of the Abyss, in the domain known as the White Kingdom, which is situated within the hellish realm of Thanatos. There the shard had once been part of an unfortunate victim or foolish crusader who met a terrible end at the hands of Doresain, the Ghoul King, Lord of the White Kingdom, and exarch of the demon lord Orcus. After a perfunctory feasting, gnawing, and cracking, Doresain discarded the shattered, leftover remains in short order, but even this passing contact was sufficient to imbue them with a spark of the warping power of the Abyss and an echo, however pale, of the Ghoul King’s immortal hunger. (Dungeon 184)
Soon after finding the shard, Darien was plagued with vivid, gruesome nightmares of flashing teeth, bloody flesh, and an unspeakable hunger as ravenous as it was ageless. The unrelenting visions drove him to seek help as they besieged even his waking mind with terrible images and horrific urges, but he found no respite. After weeks of sanity-sapping mental and spiritual strain, the vile influence proved the stronger, sweeping away all that Darien was in a single, terrifying night of brutal slaughter and depraved feasting as the beast that had been Darien fell upon Hampstead. Twisted by the power of the shard, those he slew shuddered into cursed unlife and hurled themselves at those who had once been their friends and families in a frantic attempt to sate an eternal hunger. In that single night, nearly the entire population was turned or ripped to bloody, screaming shreds, leaving only a handful of desperate survivors to be dragged, thrashing, from their bolt holes in the ensuing days. Soon, only the wailing howls of the risen ghouls sounded over Hampstead. (Dungeon 184)
Ghoul Sodden Ghoul Wailer: ?
Ghoul Stalker: ?
Ghoul Starving Ghoul: Three weeks ago, a young farmer named Darien uncovered a jagged shard of bone while working his fields just outside the city of Hampstead. He pocketed it as an idle curiosity, since the shard seemed to glimmer as if polished, despite the number of cuts and notches that it bore. (Dungeon 184)
An idle curiosity it was not, tragically. The shard was a bit of planar detritus, fallen through the weave of reality to come to rest in the fields near Hampstead. It originated in the stygian depths of the Abyss, in the domain known as the White Kingdom, which is situated within the hellish realm of Thanatos. There the shard had once been part of an unfortunate victim or foolish crusader who met a terrible end at the hands of Doresain, the Ghoul King, Lord of the White Kingdom, and exarch of the demon lord Orcus. After a perfunctory feasting, gnawing, and cracking, Doresain discarded the shattered, leftover remains in short order, but even this passing contact was sufficient to imbue them with a spark of the warping power of the Abyss and an echo, however pale, of the Ghoul King’s immortal hunger. (Dungeon 184)
Soon after finding the shard, Darien was plagued with vivid, gruesome nightmares of flashing teeth, bloody flesh, and an unspeakable hunger as ravenous as it was ageless. The unrelenting visions drove him to seek help as they besieged even his waking mind with terrible images and horrific urges, but he found no respite. After weeks of sanity-sapping mental and spiritual strain, the vile influence proved the stronger, sweeping away all that Darien was in a single, terrifying night of brutal slaughter and depraved feasting as the beast that had been Darien fell upon Hampstead. Twisted by the power of the shard, those he slew shuddered into cursed unlife and hurled themselves at those who had once been their friends and families in a frantic attempt to sate an eternal hunger. In that single night, nearly the entire population was turned or ripped to bloody, screaming shreds, leaving only a handful of desperate survivors to be dragged, thrashing, from their bolt holes in the ensuing days. Soon, only the wailing howls of the risen ghouls sounded over Hampstead. (Dungeon 184)
Ghoul Stench Ghoul: A stench ghoul is the result of a cannibalistic humanoid who dies after consuming the rancid flesh of another humanoid. (Open Grave Secrets of the Undead)
Ghoul Warped Ghoul: ?
Ghoul Warrior: ?
Ghoul Whisperer: ?
Ghoul Wretched Stench Ghoul: ?
Ghovran Akti: See Lich Eladrin, Ghovran Akti.
Giant Mummy: See Mummy Giant Mummy.
Giant Shadow Giant: Shadow giants are remnants of giants killed by the sorcerer-kings in ancient wars. Their hate-filled spirits have found a home in the deathly substance of the Gray. (Dark Sun Creature Catalog)
Giant Skeletal Bat: See Skeleton Giant Skeletal Bat.
Gibbering Abomination Undead: See Gibbering Beast Undead Gibbering Abomination.
Gibbering Beast Undead Gibbering Abomination: ?
Gibbering Head: This head is all that remains of one of the leaders of the long-ago battle, impaled here as a trophy of sorts and a warning to other enemies. Long exposure to the taint of this area has infused it with malefic abilities. (Open Grave Secrets of the Undead)
Gibbering Heads: A collection of the Horseman’s prior victims. (Dungeon 174)
Girallion Mummified Girallion: When Yayauhqui first traveled to the ruined city, he discovered it was inhabited by wild apes that had taken to emulating the city’s ancient carvings in a bizarre mimicry of Cihuatlco’s rituals and practices. Doing his best to avoid the apes, Yayauhqui explored the quarters of the king’s attendants and found the amulet containing the dead king’s life force as well as tablets that taught him the secrets of the king’s enchanting song. After the witch doctor had mastered the king’s song, he used it to lure Cuicatl, the daughter of Jocotopec’s chieftain, to the ruins. (Dungeon 192)
When the girl stepped out of the jungle, the wild apes accosted her. Instead of battering her to death as they had several of Yayauhqui’s assistants, the apes led her to the king’s ziggurat and placed the queen’s crown upon her brow, imitating the carvings they had seen. Where they had found the crown is anyone’s guess, but it bore a powerful magic—a shred of the last queen’s will. Any female who wears the crown believes herself to be the rightful queen of Cihuatlco. In this way, Cuicatl came to regard the apes of Cihuatlco as her new subjects. (Dungeon 192)
While the apes were distracted by their new queen, Yayauhqui sneaked into what he believed was the king’s tomb below the ziggurat and placed the amulet on the mummified remains he found there. As he had hoped, the amulet stirred the mummy to wakefulness. Unfortunately for him, Yayauhqui had placed the amulet on the wrong body. The witch doctor assumed that the large and powerful-looking mummy he discovered was that of the king. Only after it proved both uncommunicative and exceedingly hostile did he discover that he had not animated the dead king but his monstrous guardian—a girallon. (Dungeon 192)
Githyanki Blackweaver: ?
Githyanki Dread Knight: ?
Githyanki Guardian Shade: ?
Githyanki Kr'y'izoth: Undead githyanki spell-casters whose life essences Vlaakith drained. (Dungeon 191)
Githyanki Shade: The resting place of the honored dead of Chanhiir was the sight of a last stand by the temple’s faithful. When the invaders pulled down this place in the aftermath, they drew forth the vengeful spirits of the githyanki warriors interred here. (Dungeon 167)
Githyanki Tl'a'ikith: Undead martial githyanki whose life essences Vlaakith drained. (Dungeon 191)
Glabrezu Undead: See Demon Undead Glabrezu.
Gnoll Hyena Spirit: A hyena spirit is the undead vestige of a prized gnoll war beast. Bound to a tribe by dark magic, it continues to fight on after death. (Monster Manual 3)
Gnoll Scavenger: ?
Goblin Dreadclaw Reaver: See Dreadclaw Goblin Dreadclaw Reaver.
Goblin Fire Phantom: See Ghost Goblin Fire Phantom.
Goblin Flame Vent Haunt: See Ghost Goblin Flame Vent Haunt.
Goblin Ghost Boss: See Ghost Goblin Ghost Boss.
Goblin Phantom: See Ghost Goblin Phantom.
Goblin Zombie: See Zombie Goblin Zombie.
Gorgimrith, The Hunger in the Mountain: ?
Goristro Undead: See Demon Undead Goristro.
Graef, Geoffrey: See Ghost, Ghost of Graefmotte, Geoffrey Graef.
Gralhund: See Brain in a Jar, Gralhund.
Grasping Zombie: See Zombie Grasping Zombie.
Grave Chill Blaspheme: See Blaspheme Grave Chill Blaspheme.
Grave Digger: See Zombie Grave Digger.
Grave Drake: See Zombie Grave Drake.
Grave Hunger Zombie: See Zombie Grave Hunger Zombie.
Grave-Born Drakkensteed: See Drakkensteed Grave-Born Drakkensteed.
Gravehound: See Zombie Gravehound.
Gray Company Fallen Hero: ?
Great Flameskull: See Flameskull Great Flameskull.
Greysen Ramthane's Specter: See Specter, Greysen Ramthane's Specter.
Ghoul Greater Ghoul: See Ghoul Greater Ghoul.
Green Arcanian: See Arcanian Green Arcanian.
Griefmote: When an innocent dies, sometimes a spirit fragment survives the soul’s migration from the flesh to the Shadowfell. These fragments preserve the victim’s final suffering. (Dragon 375)
Griefmote Cloud: ?
Grygori Dilvia: See Ghoul Ghast, Grygori Dilvia.
Grim Lasher: See The Grim Lasher.
Grimehammer, Baldos: See Barrowhaunt, Baldos Grimehammer.
Grolin Surespike: See Ghost Dwarf, Grolin Surespike.
Gryznath, Chosen of Faluzure: As a Chosen of Faluzure, the dragon god of undeath, Gryznath enjoys certain benefits. Left unattended, his corpse animates as an undead version of itself in an hour. (Dungeon 221)
Guardian Shade: See Githyanki Guardian Shade.
Guardian Statue: ?
Gulthias: See Vampire Lord, Gulthias.
Gwenth: See Vampire, Gwenth.
Gydd Nephret: See Dreadclaw Soulbound, Gydd Nephret.
Haestus d'Cannith: See Forgewraith, Haestus d'Cannith.
Half-Orc Revenant: See Revenant Half-Orc.
Halfling Ghast: See Ghoul Ghast Halfling.
Hanged One: Hanged ones can be created with dark rituals, but they often arise spontaneously in areas of concentrated evil when the bodies of slain innocents have been hanged or strangled. (Dungeon 155)
Harbane, Garvus: See Wight Deathlock Wight, Garvus Harbane.
Hargaad: See Bodak Frost Giant Bodak Reaver, Jarl Hargaad.
Harmless Phantom: See Ghost Harmless Phantom.
Harpy Ghost: See Ghost Harpy.
Harrag's Shadow: See Shadow Harrag's Shadow.
Harrowzau: See Atropal, Harrowzau.
Harthoon: See Lich, Harthoon.
Harthoon, Castellan of Everlost: See Lich Castellan Wizard, Harthoon, Castellan of Everlost.
Harwick, Beth: See Ghoul, Beth Harwick.
Haunt of Phelhelra: See Castle Gloom, Tower Gloom, Haunt of Phelhelra.
Haunted Armor Animus, Fiendish Armor Animus: ?
Haures: See Demon Haures.
Havarr: See Pale Reaver Lord, Havarr.
Hazakhul: In a flawed attempt to recover the primordial spirit, Hazakhul triggered a devastating, cataclysmic eruption. An unexpected by-product of the ritual channeled forces from the Elemental Chaos into the heart of his stronghold. The pyromancer and his servants perished, but twisted fire and necromancy reanimated them into undead creatures. (Dungeon 216)
Head of Rasmus: ?
Headless Corpse: When Karavakos decapitated Vyrellis, he placed her body here, within a powerful field of arcane magic. Over time, the magic within this room has waned. Vyrellis can now reclaim her body, but there is a catch. Karavakos animated the corpse and filled it with necrotic energy. (H3 Pyramid of Shadows)
Headless Corpse of Rasmus: The vestige of Rasmus’s spirit that inhabits the corpse causes it to reanimate. (Dungeon 218)
Headless Horseman: Finally, his men found the beast’s nest. With great fanfare, the Horseman and his entourage set out to rid Tranquility of their tormenter. For two days, the villagers waited, fretting and worrying, hopeful and afraid. (Dungeon 174)
Tranquility erupted in jubilation when the Horseman and most of his men returned. And though they were bloodied and bruised, the three reptilian heads they carried left no doubt that they were victorious.
For weeks more the Horseman stayed, getting to know the people, walking with Talitha through fields and gardens. Slowly his men returned to their homes, but the Horseman remained. (Dungeon 174)
Eli van Hassen could take it no longer, yet neither could he simply order the Horseman banished or slain. He would have to turn the people against their savior, and that he could not undertake alone.
Talitha wept and argued, yet in the end, she acquiesced. It never crossed her mind to disobey, for she feared the loss of her own status within Tranquility—and in agreeing to her father’s demands, she sealed not merely the Horseman’s fate, but her own as well. (Dungeon 174)
The following day, as he walked with Talitha through one of the van Hassen farms, the Horseman was set upon by a dozen of Eli’s guards. The Horseman swept up a rusty sickle that lay beside the barn and fought, slaying several before they overwhelmed him by weight of numbers. (Dungeon 174)
Before the gathered villagers, growing ever more puzzled, ever angrier, the guards dragged the battered Horseman to a block of wood. There, at her father’s behest, Talitha told the people horrid lies, claiming the Horseman had taken terrible advantage, ravished her by force during their walks. (Dungeon 174)
Eli waited until the crowd was utterly enraged before he waved his guards forward. Even as he screamed his innocence and begged Talitha to recant, the Horseman was forced down upon the wooden block. One guard raised a heavy axe, and the head of Tranquility’s beloved hero tumbled across the grass. (Dungeon 174)
The corpse was unceremoniously dumped in a shallow grave beside the river, and as the villagers returned to daily life, bitterly bemoaning their “betrayal,” that should have been the end of it. (Dungeon 174)
One week passed. Through a ceiling of clouds, the crescent moon gleamed a sickly blue. The folk of Tranquility retired early that evening, for the air smelled of a coming storm. (Dungeon 174)
Yet what swept over them that night was not rain and lightning, but fog. The mists crept furtively through Tranquility, filling the streets, sending prodding fingers through doors and windows. The world ceased to be, buried under featureless gray. (Dungeon 174)
A sudden, unending thunder deep within the fog resolved itself into the beating of a thousand hooves. Through the streets and fields of Tranquility they pounded, deafening in their fury, yet the villagers could see nothing moving in the mist. (Dungeon 174)
When they emerged the following dawn, the villagers found their crops and gardens trampled under uncountable hoof-prints. The gates of the van Hassen estate hung from broken hinges, and the manor lay desolate, covered in the dust of decades. Eli and Talitha were never seen again. Neither was the estate staff, save a few who’d been elsewhere that night. (Dungeon 174)
And the grave of the Horseman gaped open, a wound in the banks of the river. (Dungeon 174)
Heart of the Whispered One: See Lich Human, Osterneth the Bronze Lich, The Supreme Seed of Darkness, Heart of the Whispered One.
Herald of Kyuss: See Spawn of Kyuss Herald of Kyuss.
High Preceptor Vampire Lord: See Vampire Lord High Preceptor.
Hill Clan Apparition: See Hound of Ill Omen Hill Clan Apparition.
Hobgoblin Shadow Skeleton: See Skeleton Hobgoblin Shadow Skeleton.
Hobgoblin Skeleton: See Skeleton Hobgoblin Skeleton.
Hobgoblin Soldier Zombie: See Zombie Hobgoblin Soldier Zombie.
Hobgoblin Specter: See Specter Hobgoblin Specter.
Hobgoblin Wight: See Wight Hobgoblin Wight.
Hobgoblin Zombie: See Zombie Hobgoblin Zombie.
Holchwier, Exarch of Orcus: See Demon Undead Glabrezu, Holchwier, Exarch of Orcus.
Holy Ziggurat Slinger: ?
Holy Ziggurat Guardian: ?
Hook Horror Rotting Hook Horror: ?
Horde Ghoul: See Ghoul Horde Ghoul.
Horned Terror: See Witherling Horned Terror.
Horse Skeletal: See Skeletal Horse.
Hound Death: SOME TYPES OF HOUNDS ARE ANIMATED canine corpses, and a few are creatures of shadow that have canine forms. The association these creatures have with death has gained them the name death hounds. (Open Grave Secrets of the Undead)
Hound Death Charnel Hound: Charnel hounds are the unholy result of necromantic experiments. Evil ritualists fuse corpses together to create this vicious, predatory dog. (Open Grave Secrets of the Undead)
Hound Death Famine Hound: Famine hounds arise when dogs are abandoned by their masters and left to starve. (Open Grave Secrets of the Undead)
Hound Death Rot Hound: These creatures are the result of dogs that dig up and eat rotting corpses. The dogs grow sick and slowly rot from the inside out, eventually dying and reanimating due to necromantic energy in an area. (Open Grave Secrets of the Undead)
Hound of Ill Omen: Once the loyal companions of the hill clans, who now rest beneath the barrows of the Gray Downs, the hounds of ill omen howl to awaken and avenge their long-dead masters. (Monster Vault Threats to the Nentir Vale)
Ghosts of Long Ago: The Gray Downs were once inhabited by indigenous hill clan people reputed far and wide for their fierce hunting hounds. But when the empire of Nerath began to bloom, greedy generals sought to expand the empire into the Nentir Vale and across the hill clans’ territory. The clans resisted. (Monster Vault Threats to the Nentir Vale)
Hopelessly outnumbered, they stood with their faithful hounds against the mighty armies of Nerath, even as the Tigerclaw barbarians and other native tribes abandoned the vale and retreated far into the northern wilderness. Although the hill clans fought bravely, they were annihilated in a final desperate battle upon the downs. (Monster Vault Threats to the Nentir Vale)
Long after the battle, the hounds of the hill clans prowled the battlefields, howling over the corpses of their masters and refusing to leave their sides. The Nerathans built a great barrow in honor of the warriors that fought and died—and after the last of their bodies was interred, the hounds vanished. (Monster Vault Threats to the Nentir Vale)
But on dark nights when the fog rises, it is said that the hounds can still be seen coursing across the downs, their ghostly forms pining for their lost masters. The common folk call them the “hounds of ill omen,” because calamity and misfortune follow in the wake of their fearsome howls. (Monster Vault Threats to the Nentir Vale)
Harbingers of Death: As legend would have it, on nights when the skull-white moon hangs low and the downs are silent as a corpse’s dream, the ghost hounds come forth to hunt mortals. Who sends the hounds and for what purpose, none can tell. (Monster Vault Threats to the Nentir Vale)
Hound of Ill Omen, Bregga: It’s said that Bregga was the first hound, having lived on the downs since before the hill clans arrived. (Monster Vault Threats to the Nentir Vale)
Hound of Ill Omen Hill Clan Apparition: When Bregga’s hounds sound their lonely howls for the hill clans, the spectral apparitions of their dead masters—cold and black as the grave—rise again from their barrows. (Monster Vault Threats to the Nentir Vale)
Howling Ghoul: See Ghoul Howling Ghoul.
Howling Spirit: See Oni Howling Spirit.
Huecuva: HUECUVAS ARE FOUL UNDEAD that are created by an ancient divine curse. Originally intended as punishment for a priest who horribly violates his vows and responsibilities, the rite is occasionally used by evil churches as a means of empowering their clerics. (Dragon Magazine Annual)
Huecuva is a template you can apply to humanoid NPCs or monsters. (Dragon Magazine Annual)
Although the Ashen Covenant did not originally create huecuvas, many belong to the movement. Huecuvas were originally the spawn of a divine curse meant to punish priests who violated their vows. Now, a ritual exists to confer this status on powerful evil priests. (E1 Death's Reach)
Huecuvas are foul undead that are created by an ancient divine curse. Originally intended as punishment for a priest who horribly violates his vows and responsibilities, the rite is occasionally used by evil churches as a means of empowering their clerics. (Dragon 364)
Huecuva, Elder Arantham, Exarch of Orcus: Elder Arantham’s notoriety began when he set out to uncover a copy of the ancient ritual that transforms apostate priests into foul undead creatures called huecuvas. In a ceremony witnessed by his fellow cultists, Arantham shed the last of his humanity— and, as he proclaimed, “the last lingering stench of my prior misguided beliefs.” (Dragon Magazine Annual)
Elder Arantham’s notoriety began when he set out to uncover a copy of the ancient ritual that transforms apostate priests into foul undead creatures called huecuvas. (Dragon Magazine Annual)
He is a rare form of divinely empowered undead known as a huecuva, which he became to purposely shed his humanity. (E1 Death's Reach)
Elder Arantham’s notoriety began when he set out to uncover a copy of the ancient ritual that transforms apostate priests into foul undead creatures called huecuvas—not to punish, but to voluntarily subject agreement to the vile transformation. In a ceremony witnessed by his fellow cultists, Arantham shed the last of his humanity—and, as he proclaimed, “the last lingering stench of my prior misguided beliefs.” (Dragon 364)
Huecuva Rakshasa Noble Huecuva: ?
Hulking Zombie: See Zombie Hulking Zombie.
Human Lich: See Lich Human.
Human Vampire Lord: See Vampire Lord Human.
Hunger in the Mountain: See Gorgimrith, The Hunger in the Mountain.
Husk Spider: See Spider Husk Spider.
Hyena Spirit: See Gnoll Hyena Spirit.
Hyrkzag: See Ghost Frost Giant Ghost, Hyrkzag.
Icetomb Wight: See Wight Icetomb Wight.
Icewight: See Wight Icewight.
Icewrought Dracolich: See Dracolich Icewrought Dracolich.
Illyram Brackz: See Lich Eladrin, Illyram Brackz.
Immolith: See Demon Immolith.
Incunabulum Agent: Incunabula use the Unveiling ritual to draw out all vestiges of knowledge and secrets within a creature's memory, and also to create loyal undead servants or allies. (Underdark)
Infected Zombie: See Zombie Infected Zombie.
Infernal Armor Animus: See Devil Infernal Armor Animus.
Inksoul, Torhana: See Vampire Spirit Vampire, Torhana Inksoul.
Ir'Wynarn, Kaius: See Vampire, King Kaius ir'Wynarn III.
Irfelujhar: See Lich, Irfelujhar.
Ivania: ?
Jacobux Kincep: See Ghost, Jacobux Kincep.
Jakro Vrin: See Ghost Sage Ghost, Jakro Vrin.
Janus Gull: See Ghost Tormenting Ghost, Janus Gull, Esme.
Jarl Hargaad: See Bodak Frost Giant Bodak Reaver, Jarl Hargaad.
Joplin the Sly: See Barrowhaunt, Joplin the Sly.
Julain De'Spri: See Ghost, Julain De'Spri.
Ka, Laylon: See Lich, Kaisharga, Laylon Ka.
Kahlir Husk: Created through the torturous draining of their once-living blood, Kahlir husks seek to recover what they lost. (Dragon 364)
Kahlir Vampire: See Vampire Kahlir Vampire.
Kaisharga: See Lich, Kaisharga.
Kaius ir'Wynarn III: See Vampire, King Kaius ir'Wynarn III.
Kalan the Avenger: See Skeleton Kalan the Avenger.
Kalton, Anarus: See Ghost, Anarus Kalton.
Kannoth: See Vampire Lord Eladrin, Kannoth, Vampire Lord of Cendriane.
Karisa, Zanifer: See Vampire, Zanifer Karisa.
Karkothi Fell Skeleton: See Skeleton Karkothi Fell Skeleton.
Karrnathi Skeleton: Blood of Vol devotees first spawned Karrnathi skeletons and zombies from the corpses of elite warriors. These undead retain their cunning and training, making them far superior to the regular soldiers in Karrnath’s legions. (Eberron Campaign Guide)
Kassia’s mind shattered at the loss of her family, and she cloistered herself in her home for months. She pored over texts that her family had accumulated over several generations. In time, she discovered a tome written by a priest of the Blood of Vol and recited a ritual from its pages to raise the remains of her family and restore her happiness. (Dungeon 214)
The remains of Kassia’s husband, sons, and daughter rose as Karrnathi skeletons. (Dungeon 214)
Karrnathi Undead: The Odakyr Rites—the ritual used to create the Karrnathi undead—isn’t a cheap form of Raise Dead. The original victim is gone. A Karrnathi skeleton doesn’t have the specific memories of the warrior who donated his bones. The military specialty of the undead reflects that of the fallen soldier, so only the bones of a bowman can produce a skeletal archer. However, the precise techniques of the skeleton aren’t those of the living soldiers. Rekkenmark doesn’t teach the bone dance or the twin scimitar style common to the skeletal swordsmen. So where, then, do these styles come from? Gyrnar Shult believed that the Karrnathi undead were animated by the martial spirit of Karrnath itself. This is why they can be produced only from the corpses of elite Karrnathi soldiers: an enemy corpse lacks the connection to Karrnath, while a fallen farmer has no bond to war. However, the Kind fears that the undead aren’t animated by the soul of Karrnath, but rather by an aspect of Mabar itself—that the combat styles of the undead might be those of the dark angels of Mabar. Over the years, he has felt a certain malevolence in his skeletal creations that he can’t explain, not to mention their love of slaughter. He has also considered the possibility that they are touched by the spirits of the Qabalrin ancestors of Lady Vol. The Kind hasn’t found any proof for these theories, but they haunt his dreams. (Dungeon 195)
Karrnathi Zombie: Blood of Vol devotees first spawned Karrnathi skeletons and zombies from the corpses of elite warriors. These undead retain their cunning and training, making them far superior to the regular soldiers in Karrnath’s legions. (Eberron Campaign Guide)
Kas the Betrayer: See Vampire Lord, Kas the Betrayer.
Keegan: See Death Knight, False Sir Keegan/Sir Drzak.
Keegan: See Skeleton Knight, Sir Keegan.
Keener: See Ghost Wailing Ghost Warforged Banshee, Keener.
Keening Spirit: See Ghost Keening Spirit.
Kelikovna, Patrina: See Ghost Wailing Ghost Banshee, Patrina Kelikovna.
Kesod: See Vampire, Kesod.
Khaela: With her health and mental stability eroding, Khaela resorted to necromancy. After drinking from a dark cup called the Bleak Grail, she entered undeath.
Kincep, Jacobux: See Ghost, Jacobux Kincep.
King Kaius ir'Wynarn III: See Vampire, King Kaius ir'Wynarn III.
King of Esharm: See Demon Ugalga, King of Esharm.
Vampire Lord, Kirenkirsalai, Kire, Tebryn “Shadowstalker” Dhialael: See Vampire Lord, Kirenkirsalai, Kire, Tebryn “Shadowstalker” Dhialael.
Kire: See Vampire Lord, Kirenkirsalai, Kire, Tebryn “Shadowstalker” Dhialael.
Kirenkirsalai: See Vampire Lord, Kirenkirsalai, Kire, Tebryn “Shadowstalker” Dhialael.
Koptila the Acursed: In this chamber long ago, the ogre king Koptila sacrificed himself to the gods to save his tribe from an overwhelming threat. His people were transported forward in time, and Koptila was transformed into an undead creature. (Dungeon Delve)
Kr'y'izoth: See Githyanki Kr'y'izoth.
Kraken Ghost: See Ghost Kraken.
Kralick: See Ghost Orc, Kralick.
Kravenghast: See Wraith, Kravenghast.
Kriyizoth Fire Mage: ?
Kruthik Young Zombie: See Zombie Kruthik Young Zombie.
Kruthik Zombie Weak: See Zombie Weak Kruthik Zombie.
Kvaltigar: See Skeleton Skeletal Frost Giant, Kvaltigar.
Kyuss: See Larva Mage, Kyuss, The Worm that Walks.
Lacedon: See Ghoul Sodden Ghoul, Lacedon.
Lady Vol: See Lich, Lady Vol.
Lamia Undead Lamia, Meremoth: ?
Lareen: See Vampire Lord, Lareen.
Larva Assassin: See Larva Undead Larva Assassin.
Larva Mage: WHEN A POWERFUL EVIL SPELLCASTER DIES, his spirit sometimes takes control of the wriggling mass of worms and maggots devouring his corpse. This mass of vermin rises as a larva mage to continue the spellcaster’s dark schemes or to seek revenge against those who slew him. (Monster Manual)
Only the most evil spellcasters return to unlife as larva mages. (Monster Manual)
An elder evil being called Kyuss created the first larva mages to guard vaults of forbidden lore. (Monster Manual)
Numerous creatures died during the battles in Death's Reach, and a few endured in spirit despite the place's dark power. Some were allies of Timesus; others were servitors of the gods. The soulfall into Death's Reach has caused the shells of some of these ancient creatures to shudder back to animation. (E1 Death's Reach)
Larva Mage, Espera: The Spellplague destroyed many of these in gouts of blue fire. Espera, a genasi necromancer, had already tied herself to Shar’s power of shadow. She died in the conflagration but was resurrected as a larva mage. (Forgotten Realms Campaign Guide)
Larva Mage, Kyuss, The Worm that Walks: Kyuss began as a mortal and attained such power and stature that he has become a legendary being. He leveraged his way to a corrupt apotheosis through powerful rituals and a series of deadly betrayals. (Open Grave Secrets of the Undead)
Kyuss was born a mortal in a city where evil walked freely, and where sacrifices were made nightly to honor dark gods. The boundaries between life and death were blurred in this place, and the living and unliving mingled freely. As the seventh of seven children, Kyuss was despised and brutalized by his family. They called him “the worm,” and Kyuss fed on their contempt, turning it into dark resolve. (Open Grave Secrets of the Undead)
Gradually and imperceptibly, Kyuss drove the members of his family to self-destruction. When all were dead, he took on the identity of a cleric serving the Raven Queen. Aided by alliances with undead ecclesiasts and an instinct for betrayal, he rose through the temple hierarchy, eventually becoming a high priest who attracted followers from far and wide. When his congregation was bloated with followers, Kyuss performed a great ritual that he promised would bring power over neighboring realms. Instead, the ritual slew them all, rotting the flesh from their bones. Kyuss, too, was consumed, but days later, as the maggots and insects fed on the rotting bodies, they came together to form a writhing larva mage—Kyuss’s new form. (Open Grave Secrets of the Undead)
Larva Mage, Magrathar: ?
Larva Mage, Matrathar: ?
Larva Sniper: See Larva Undead Larva Sniper.
Larva Undead: Individuals who have relentlessly pursued evil might return as larva undead. (Open Grave Secrets of the Undead)
Larva Undead Larva Assassin: A larva assassin is a conscienceless killer that arises when a humanoid dies after spending his or her life murdering without pity. When the individual’s body begins to decay, a swarm of hornets and centipedes gathers to devour the corpse. Necrotic energy merges the vermin with the consciousness of the former humanoid, creating a larva assassin. (Open Grave Secrets of the Undead)
Larva Undead Larva Sniper: Larva snipers are the result of dead humanoids who took sadistic delight in their ability to slay foes from afar. Upon such a creature’s death, masses of yellow, segmented wasps and hornets gather and give the creature’s consciousness a physical form. (Open Grave Secrets of the Undead)
Larva Undead Larva War Master: Larva war masters are the undead progeny of powerful warriors who become unhinged by bloodlust, commit strings of atrocities, and then die. Upon the subject’s death, its body is consumed by devouring beetles that strip flesh from bone and then form a new body. (Open Grave Secrets of the Undead)
The ancient undead entity Kyuss rewarded his most faithful and remorseless warriors with eternal existence as larva war masters. (Open Grave Secrets of the Undead)
The bodies of larva undead are wholly composed of rotting flesh, fragments of bone, and maggots, centipedes, beetles, and other vermin. (E1 Death's Reach)
Larva Undead Larva Warlord: ?
Larva War Master: See Larva Undead Larva War Master.
Larva Warlord: See Larva Undead Larva Warlord.
Lasher Zombie: See Zombie Lasher Zombie.
Laylon Ka: See Lich, Kaisharga, Laylon Ka.
Leo Dilysnia: See Vampire, Leo Dilysnia.
Lesser Oath Wight: See Wight Lesser Oath Wight.
Lich: A LICH IS AN UNDEAD SPELLCASTER created by means of an ancient ritual. Wizards and other arcane spellcasters who choose this path to immortality escape death by becoming undead, but prolonged existence in this state often drives them mad. (Monster Manual)
“Lich” is a monster template that can be applied to nonplayer characters. (Monster Manual)
A mortal becomes a lich by performing a dark and terrible ritual. In this ritual the mortal dies, but rises again as an undead creature. Most liches are wizards or warlocks, but a few multiclassed clerics follow this dark path. (Monster Manual)
A lich’s life force is bound up in a magic phylactery, which typically takes the form of a fist-sized metal box containing strips of parchment on which magical phrases have been written. (Monster Manual)
A dark spellcaster who covets immortality and spend his or her life in pursuit of necromantic power might gain the ability to become a lich. A lich ties its life force to a phylactery, ensuring that its body will coalesce in a hidden location even if some creature were to slay it. (Monster Vault)
To become a lich, a spellcaster must be devoted to evil and adept at performing unspeakable acts of violence. Few spellcasters have a shred of morality remaining after their transformations into liches. The process of attaining lichdom bends the mortal mind in unnatural and crippling ways. Many liches rise up insane, but even they enact cunning plans; they just do so for incomprehensible reasons. (Monster Vault)
A spellcaster must travel far—even across the planes—to collect the scraps of lore and esoteric components needed to enact the ritual to transform into a lich. (Monster Vault)
The act of becoming a lich encases a mortal’s life force in a specially prepared item called a phylactery. The most common type is a metal box that contains strips of parchment with arcane writing. Any small item, such as a gemstone, a ring, or a statue, can be a phylactery. (Monster Vault)
Death knights, liches, mummies, and vampires are created by rituals or processes that tie the soul to an unliving form. Similar creatures could be created in different circumstances. Such diversity among undead reflects the fact that death touches every part of existence. (Open Grave Secrets of the Undead)
Some obsessed knowledge-seekers pursue the spark of life too far, and thereby discover the dark fruits of undeath. They seek death’s secrets because of their fear of death, thinking that if they can come to understand mortality, their fear will be extinguished and their survival assured. Those who tread this road to its conclusion sometimes embrace death completely, and do not become so much immortal as simply enduring. Spellcasters who adopt this existence are commonly known as liches. (Open Grave Secrets of the Undead)
MANY CREATURES HOPE TO ESCAPE DEATH. When such creatures are powerful and corrupt, they sometimes turn to rituals that can transform them into liches. However, immortality comes with a price, and these creatures lose the remaining shreds of their humanity in process. (Open Grave Secrets of the Undead)
Most undead animate spontaneously or arise through profane rituals. A few mortals willingly become undead, though, viewing the condition as a form of immortality. These liches gain resilience from the transformation. (Open Grave Secrets of the Undead)
Liches are evil arcane masterminds that pursue the path of undeath to achieve immortality. (Dungeon Master's Guide)
“Lich” is a template you can add to any intelligent creature of 11th level or higher. (Dungeon Master's Guide)
Prerequisite: Level 11, Intelligence 13 (Dungeon Master's Guide)
Vol’s methods created creatures such as vampires and liches that required life energy or blood from living creatures. (Eberron Campaign Guide)
Undead fuel their minds and protect their corpses from dissolution through powerful necromantic rituals—especially liches, whose never-ending acquisition of arcane knowledge has propelled some into contention with the gods themselves. (Forgotten Realms Campaign Guide)
Death knights, liches, mummies, and vampires are all created by rituals that tie the soul to an unliving form. (Wizards Presents Worlds and Monsters)
As a mortal, Vecna proved willing to do things none of his contemporaries dared. He was the first to sacrifice his body to gain immortality as a lich. (Dragon 395)
Magical mastery enabled Vecna to secure temporal power, with the assistance of his companion Kas. At some point during his ascent, he created the Lich Transformation ritual, then became a lich, and finally authored the Book of Vile Darkness. (Dragon 395)
Lich, Acererak: Horrid as these ruins are for the living, the place bears an unholy attraction for the undead. Such is this allure that the mighty lich Acererak, master of the Tomb of Horrors, once laid claim to the City That Waits and used it as a conduit to transcend his mortal form and ascend to greatness. (Manual of the Planes)
If Acererak is defeated, his body disappears. He rises in 1d10 days as a lich, thus starting Acererak's path to ultimate darkness and evil. (Revenge of the Giants)
Ages past, a human magic-user/cleric of surpassing evil took the steps necessary to preserve his life force beyond the centuries he had already lived, and this creature became the lich, Acererak. (Dragon 371)
Lich, Belos: ?
Lich, Harthoon: ?
Lich, Irfelujhar: ?
Lich, Kaisharga, Dead Lord: The mightiest of the city’s undead denizens, who were in life the council of high wizards who ruled Ur Draxa in Borys’s name, were transformed into kaisharga—what on other worlds are known as liches. Now calling themselves the Dead Lords, they pay homage to the Dragon and continue to rule in his name. (Dragon 406)
Lich, Kaisharga, Laylon Ka: This compound was mostly empty when Kalidnay faced its doom. Now it belongs to a kaisharga named Laylon-Ka. A kaisharga is an undead creature similar to a lich, though it lacks a phylactery. Kaishargas trade life for power, unnaturally extending their existence for centuries. In life, Laylon-Ka was a House Vordon dune trader who was also a member of the Veiled Alliance. She thought her clandestine operations were secret, but they were the primary reason Horgus-Le abandoned her. Laylon-Ka turned to the study of shadow magic after Kalidnay’s transition. She soon discovered a way to transform herself into an immortal being. (Dungeon 190)
Lich, Lady Vol: Through her arcane powers, her indomitable spirit, and a burning hatred for the elves and dragons that had wronged her, Vol has endured for long centuries in the ranks of the undead. (Eberron Campaign Guide)
Lich, Lich-Lord Melif: ?
Lich, Lord Dust: ?
Lich, Lord Vizier: ?
Lich, Naiethar Traihel: She was once a powerful dryad, but Irfelujhar’s corruption of the forest transformed her into a lich. (Dungeon 171)
Lich, Parthal Archlich: ?
Lich, Raja Thirayam of Dukkharan: ?
Lich, Vargo the Faceless: ?
Lich, Vecna: As a mortal, Vecna proved willing to do things none of his contemporaries dared. He was the first to sacrifice his body to gain immortality as a lich. (Dragon 395)
Magical mastery enabled Vecna to secure temporal power, with the assistance of his companion Kas. At some point during his ascent, he created the Lich Transformation ritual, then became a lich, and finally authored the Book of Vile Darkness. (Dragon 395)
“Nearly two millennia ago in a land known as the Flanaess, the name of the lich Vecna was sung by bards and cursed by clerics. How did he become a lich, and why did he seek to conquer the Flanaess? You may as well ask, ‘Why is the Shadowfell dark, Menodora?’ The cult of Vecna teaches that Vecna was cursed by gods who were jealous of his power. A monk who raves ceaselessly within his cell in a madhouse swore to me that Vecna confronted his own death and imprisoned it in a castle on the gray sands of an alien world, where it wails in eternal torment. (Dragon 402)
“As entertaining as these tales are, most sources agree that Vecna was a supremely talented wizard who became obsessed with overcoming death when his beloved mother died. He conquered villages in the Flanaess to use the townspeople as subjects for his necromantic experiments. After hundreds of failures Vecna devised a ritual that siphoned power from the planes to animate his lifeless body, giving him immortality as a lich. Imagine: all of those lives destroyed and a soul corrupted beyond saving, just because he missed his mother. (Dragon 402)
Lich, Vlaakith CLVII, Lich-Queen: Long ago, Vlaakith performed a ritual to transform herself into a lich, giving her an extended life span and making her the longest-reigning Vlaakith in the githyanki’s history. (The Plane Above: Secrets of the Astral Sea)
Not long into her reign, she performed the Lich Transformation ritual, but her undead state did little to quell her growing paranoia. (Dragon 377)
Lich, Wizard of the White Tower: ?
Lich, Yarnath Mul: Slither, the Crawling Citadel
A mul defiler named Yarnath created this crawling citadel of bone. Yarnath drained his own life in the process to animate the construction, passed into undeath, and became a powerful lich.
Lich Aboleth Overseer, Pavan: ?
Lich Alhoon Lich: Alhoons are magic-using outcasts from mind flayer societies who have defied the ruling elder brains. (Open Grave Secrets of the Undead)
Lich Archlich: Archlich epic destiny. (Arcane Power)
Lich Baelnorn Lich: Eladrin become baelnorn liches for a variety of reasons. Many choose this path so they can act as guardians of ancestral vaults and tombs. Unlike most liches, baelnorns are not necessarily evil. The creatures are less power-hungry and covetous than other liches, and they often keep their phylacteries in close proximity to the places they guard. A few baelnorn have no phylacteries at all; rather, their prolonged existence is achieved through a powerful ritual or the blessing of a deity. (Open Grave Secrets of the Undead)
Lich Castellan Wizard: ?
Lich Castellan Wizard, Harthoon, Castellan of Everlost: ?
Lich Claw: See Crawling Claw Lich Claw.
Lich Demilich: Particularly powerful liches that learn the secret of fashioning soul gems often shed their bodies and evolve into demiliches. (Open Grave Secrets of the Undead)
Lich Demilich, Acererak, The Devourer: Having escaped death through lichdom, he houses his intelligence in a bejeweled skull and his soul in a hidden phylactery. (Open Grave Secrets of the Undead)
Eventually his undead body wasted away leaving him as a demilich-an animated skull-and still he prepared. (Tomb of Horrors)
And from lich, Acererak went on, not to godhood, but to become the game’s first demilich—in many ways, a far more dangerous creature, the final vestige of a once all-powerful lich. (Dragon 371)
Ages past, a human magic-user/cleric of surpassing evil took the steps necessary to preserve his life force beyond the centuries he had already lived, and this creature became the lich, Acererak. Over the scores of years which followed, the lich dwelled with hordes of ghastly servants in the gloomy stone halls of the very hill where the Tomb is. Eventually even the undead life force of Acererak began to wane, so for the next eight decades, the lich’s servants labored to create the Tomb of Horrors. Then Acererak destroyed all of his slaves and servitors, magically hid the entrance to his halls, and went to his final haunt, while his soul roamed strange planes unknown to even the wisest of sages. (Dragon 371)
Lich Demilich, Acererak and Eye of Vecna: ?
Lich Demilich, Spine of Vlaakith: When Zetch’r’r came to power, the githyanki believed the Lich-Queen was well and truly dead. However, the new emperor discovered that a piece of her remained: her spine. Through dread magic, Zetch’r’r bound her spirit to the spine and extracted oaths of service from it, transforming the dead Lich-Queen into a form of demilich. (Dungeon 168)
Lich Demilich Acererak Construct: Acererak’s skull, which dwells in the mithral vault of the Tomb of Horrors, is a construct created by the demilich. (Open Grave Secrets of the Undead)
Lich Dwarf, Barrthak: ?
Lich Eladrin, Ghovran Akti: ?
Lich Eladrin, Illyram Brackz: ?
Lich Eladrin, Uthnis Maiali: ?
Lich Eladrin, Valindra Shadowmantle: ?
Lich Eladrin Wizard: ?
Lich Human, Mauthereign: ?
Lich Human, Osterneth the Bronze Lich, The Supreme Seed of Darkness, Heart of the Whispered One: Osterneth had a surprise for the invaders, though. In her quest for eldritch might, the queen had tracked down and slain the leader of the cult that had captured her. From the fallen cultist she claimed the Heart of Vecna, a powerful relic that granted everlasting life. Through a secret ritual, she placed the heart inside her chest cavity, and, with its power, became a powerful lich in the service of Vecna. (Open Grave Secrets of the Undead)
Lich Human Wizard: ?
Lich Human Wizard, Szass Tam: ?
Lich Necromancer: ?
Lich Remnant: ?
Lich Soulreaver: ?
Lich Thicket Dryad Lich: Sometimes a dryad’s desire to protect its woodland twists into dark obsession. In rare instances, one of these fey creatures crosses the threshold into undeath and becomes a thicket dryad lich. The dryad transforms a favorite tree into a phylactery. The corruption in the dryad’s soul then causes the tree to become warped and rotted. (Open Grave Secrets of the Undead)
Lich Vestige: A LICH VESTIGE IS THE ARCANE REMNANT OF A DESTROYED LICH. (Monster Manual)
Raven Consort epic destiny Death's Companion power. (Dragon Magazine Annual)
This trash-filled chamber serves as the lair for one of the liches drained of its essence to power Irfelujhar’s research. (Dungeon 171)
The husks of lesser lichs drained of their essence to power Irfelujhar’s research. (Dungeon 171)
Lich Void Lich: A void lich is an antediluvian horror from the Far Realm that seizes control of the body and phylactery of someone performing a lich transformation ritual. Lured into the world by the eldritch power unleashed during the ritual, this aberrant entity shunts the ritual performer’s soul off to the Far Realm and possesses the host body as its own. (Open Grave Secrets of the Undead)
A void lich is created when the soul of a lich-to-be is shunted off to an aberrant realm and is replaced, changeling-like, by a foul entity that possesses the lich's body as its own. (E1 Death's Reach)
Lich-Lord Melif: See Lich, Lich-Lord Melif.
Lich-Queen Vlaakith CLVII: See Lich, Vlaakith CLVII, Lich-Queen.
Life-Eater: See Wight Life-Eater.
Life-Thief: See Vampire Spawn Life-Thief.
Lingerer Fell Incanter: See Fey Lingerer Lingerer Fell Incanter.
Lingerer Knight: See Fey Lingerer Lingerer Knight.
Lingering Specter: See Specter Lingering Specter.
Lingering Spirit Warrior: See Barrowhaunt Lingering Spirit Warrior.
Lingering Warrior Spirit: ?
Lod: See Naga Bone Naga, Lod.
Lord Carrion: See Death Knight Human Fighter, Lord Carrion.
Lord Dust: See Lich, Lord Dust.
Lord Nill: See Nightwalker, Lord Nill.
Lord of Secrets: See Vecna, The Whispered One, Master of the Spider Throne, The Undying King, Lord of the Rotted Tower, The Maimed God, Lord of Secrets.
Lord of Sithicus, Lord Soth: See Death Knight Lord of Sithicus, Lord Soth
Lord of the Rotted Tower: See Vecna, The Whispered One, Master of the Spider Throne, The Undying King, Lord of the Rotted Tower, The Maimed God, Lord of Secrets.
Lord of the Zhentarim: See Vampire Lord Human Wizard, Manshoon, Orbakh The Night King, Orlak II, Clone of Manshoon, Lord of the Zhentarim.
Lord Soth: See Death Knight, Lord Soth.
Lord Vizier: See Lich, Lord Vizier.
Lost Wraith: See Wraith Lost Wraith.
Lygis, The Black Cloud: ?
Mad Wraith: See Wraith Mad Wraith.
Madar, Darom: See Wight Lesser Oath Wight, Darom Madar.
Madar, Dyneera: See Wraith Weeping Wraith, Dyneera Madar.
Mage Wight: See Wight Mage Wight
Magrathar: See Larva Mage, Magrathar.
Magroth: See Vampire Lich, Magroth.
Maiali, Uthnis: See Lich Eladrin, Uthnis Maiali.
Maimed God: See Vecna, The Whispered One, Master of the Spider Throne, The Undying King, Lord of the Rotted Tower, The Maimed God, Lord of Secrets.
Malachi's Butcher: Malachi’s experiments with the Far Realm have born strange necromantic fruit in his creation of the monstrosity that lives and works here. (Dungeon 163)
Malediction: See Abomination Malediction.
Malicious Ghost: See Ghost Malicious Ghost.
Manshoon Clone: See Vampire Lord Human Wizard, Manshoon, Orbakh The Night King, Orlak II, Clone of Manshoon, Lord of the Zhentarim.
Marilith Undead: See Demon Undead Marilith.
Marrow: See Naga Bone Naga Arcanist, Marrow.
Marrowshriek: See Skeleton Marrowshriek.
Master of the Spider Throne: See Vecna, The Whispered One, Master of the Spider Throne, The Undying King, Lord of the Rotted Tower, The Maimed God, Lord of Secrets.
Master Vampire: See Vampire Master Vampire.
Matharic: See Wraith, Matharic.
Matrathar: See Larva Mage, Matrathar.
Mauglurien: See Death Knight Dwarf Warlord, Mauglurien, The Black Knight.
Mauthereign: See Lich Human, Mauthereign.
Maw: ?
Maze Demon: See Perditazu, Maze Demon.
Meat Mote: Malachi's Butcher's Spew Meat Mote power. (Dungeon 163)
Medani, Torven: See Vampire, Torven “The Ageless” d'Medani.
Melathaur: See Dracolich Runescribed Dracolich, Melathaur.
Melif: See Lich, Lich-Lord Melif.
Meremoth: See Lamia Undead Lamia, Meremoth.
Miner Battle Wight: See Wight Miner Battle Wight.
Mistress Ferranifer: See Vampire Lord, Mistress Ferranifer.
Mob Ghoul: See Ghoul Mob Ghoul.
Moghadam: See Wraith Archwraith, Moghadam.
Moilian Barrow: When one of Moil's towers collapsed into this neighboring spire, rubble crushed a number of Moilian undead. Their remains have assembled into a Moilian barrow-a mass that hungers for living prey. (Tomb of Horrors)
Moilian Dead: The citizens of Moil did not survive their eternal slumber, yet the sinister energies suffusing the dark lands have infused their corpses with terrible power. Now all sorts of undead roam the city, including zombies, ghouls, wraiths, and specters. The city’s heritage combined with the intense unholy atmosphere gives these undead unusual and deadly capabilities. (The Book of Vile Darkness)
The Moilian dead theme is available only to undead creatures and benefits creatures of any role. (The Book of Vile Darkness)
For all their selfish cruelty, excess sickened the Moilians, and little by little, Orcus’s hold weakened as they searched for a more wholesome power to find redemption for their evil ways. No matter their efforts or improved intentions, the demon prince’s grip was too tight and when the people refused to make sacrifices in his name, his anger was unleashed. It took form in a terrible curse, causing the Moilians to fall into a deep sleep. As they slept, Orcus seized the city and flung it into the deepest regions of the Shadowfell, where it was believed that they would succumb to the fell energy there and serve him more loyally in undeath. (Dragon 371)
As expected, the Moilians died out and awoke as free-willed undead, drifting aimlessly through their now frozen city. (Dragon 371)
Orcus laid a heavy curse on the Moilians—a curse they must bear still. (Dragon 371)
Moilian dead are the undead remains of those who lived in the City That Waits. (Dragon 371)
Moilian Zombie: See Zombie Moilian Zombie.
Moldering Mummy: See Mummy Moldering Mummy.
Moon Wraith: See Wraith Moon Wraith.
Morrn Bladeclaw: See Ghost, Morrn Bladeclaw.
Mote Witherlin: See Witherling Mote.
Mother: See Naga Bone Naga, Mother.
Mourner: Mourners are undead spirits of soldiers who were killed by the Mourning. (Eberron Campaign Guide)
Mourners are the disconsolate spirits of soldiers killed in Cyre on the Day of Mourning. (Eberron Campaign Guide)
Mourners are the remnants of a single company of Thrane soldiers who died when their captain led them into a Karrnathi ambush three days before the Mourning. Buried in a mass grave, the spirits of the betrayed soldiers rose as one on the Day of Mourning. (Eberron Campaign Guide)
Mourning Handmaiden: During the first years of the Lady’s exile, several handmaidens stayed with her, offering companionship and sympathy. As these handmaidens died, the Lady sustained them in undeath and sometimes sends these servants to aid her champions. (Dragon 393)
Mournwind Courtier: See Sister of Sorrow Courtier, Mournwind Courtier.
Mournwind Exarch of the Prince of Frost: See Sister of Sorrow, Mournwind Exarch of the Prince of Frost.
Mul, Yarnath: See Lich, Yarnath Mul.
Mummified Crocodile: See Mummy Mummified Crocodile.
Mummified Cyclops: See Mummy Mummified Cyclops.
Mummified Girallion: See Girallion Mummified Girallion.
Mummified Yuan-Ti: See Mummy Mummified Yuan-Ti, Children of Ssra-Tauroch.
Mummy: Soulless beings animated by necromantic magic. (Monster Manual)
THESE VORACIOUS KILLERS, tomb spiders, are true creatures of the Shadowfell insofar as they create undead as a part of their life cycle. (Monster Manual 2)
A tomb spider lays its eggs in a humanoid corpse, creating an animate mummy in which hundreds of tiny tomb spiders reside until the creature splits open. (Monster Manual 2)
Whether created in the dry desert heat, the sucking moisture of a desolate bog, or the frozen heights of a lofty mountain, a mummy exists for vengeance. A number of sins can awaken a mummy, from disturbing its tomb, despoiling a place sacred to it in life, or the theft of a prized object. Some mummies seek to avenge less material offenses, such as a loved one marrying someone the mummy loathes or an unwelcome alliance of the mummy’s enemies in life. Sometimes, a dead master’s servants awaken it to continue its life’s frustrated ambitions. Great kings and queens of malign power have returned as mummies to extend their reigns in undeath. (Monster Vault)
Albeit rare, some mummies arise spontaneously from dry corpses when a particularly provocative transgression touches their souls in the afterlife. Most mummies, however, possess the power to act after death because someone wanted them to have it. The long rituals of burial that accompany a mummy’s entombment help protect its body from rot. Soft organs are removed and placed in special jars, and the corpse is created with preserving oils, herbs, and wrappings. Less common means of preservation include freezing a body, baking it in dry heat, or using magic. (Monster Vault)
In general, any creature can become a mummy as long as its purpose is to guard an important location. (Open Grave Secrets of the Undead)
Death knights, liches, mummies, and vampires are created by rituals or processes that tie the soul to an unliving form. Similar creatures could be created in different circumstances. Such diversity among undead reflects the fact that death touches every part of existence. (Open Grave Secrets of the Undead)
Powerful members of cults and secret organizations are responsible for their creation. (Open Grave Secrets of the Undead)
The Dungeon Master’s Guide indicates that mummy champions and mummy lords should be humanoids, but not every mummy has to follow this guideline. Certain nonhumanoid creatures make excellent mummies. (Open Grave Secrets of the Undead)
Mummy, Daughter of Chitza-Atla: ?
Mummy Ancient Ziggurat Mummy: ?
Mummy Champion: A mummy champion is created through a dark ritual intended to sustain a creature past its mortal life span, or revive it after death. Such rituals are typically reserved for important religious champions and warriors, but they could also curse an unfortunate soul to a prison of undeath. (Dungeon Master's Guide)
“Mummy champion” is a template you can apply to any humanoid creature. (Dungeon Master's Guide)
Prerequisites: Humanoid, level 11 (Dungeon Master's Guide)
Death knights, liches, mummies, and vampires are all created by rituals that tie the soul to an unliving form. (Wizards Presents Worlds and Monsters)
Mummy Coldspawned Mummy: ?
Mummy Dark Pharaoh: The dark pharaoh is an eidolon infused with the souls of lords and kings and then animated through a divine ritual. This intelligent construct might have once existed to guard great treasures or secrets, but when the divine spark becomes corrupted, it twists the souls within the creature, turning the undead construct against mortals. The souls become a singular consciousness that believes itself to be a deity of death and tyranny, and so the creature searches the world for worshipers, killing all who refuse to follow it. (Open Grave Secrets of the Undead)
Mummy Darkflame Taskmaster: Darkflame taskmasters are the undead leaders of rogue groups of azers that worship Asmodeus. (Open Grave Secrets of the Undead)
Mummy Decay Mummy: ?
Mummy Decaying Mummy: ?
Mummy Deranged Champion: Deranged champions are foulspawn hulks that were turned into mummies by cultists who worship beings from the Far Realm. (Open Grave Secrets of the Undead)
Mummy Forsaken Hierophant: Forsaken hierophants are mummies of priests that were so depraved that the subject’s fellow death cultists killed and embalmed the priest. Rather than let the priest’s power be wasted, though, the other cultists instead transformed the subject into a guardian to watch over their most valuable stores of treasure and knowledge. (Open Grave Secrets of the Undead)
Mummy Forsaken Hierophant Elder: ?
Mummy Giant Mummy: Positioned around the opening in the floor are four giant mummies, each the remains of a death giant that angered the Golden Architect. (Draconomicon II: Metallic Dragons)
Numerous creatures died during the battles in Death's Reach, and a few endured in spirit despite the place's dark power. Some were allies of Timesus; others were servitors of the gods. The soulfall into Death's Reach has caused the shells of some of these ancient creatures to shudder back to animation. (E1 Death's Reach)
Mummy Guardian: Mummy guardians are created to protect important tombs against robbers. (Monster Manual)
Mummy Lord: “Mummy lord” is a monster template that can be applied to nonplayer characters.
A mummy lord is usually created from the remains of an important evil cleric or priest. A mummy lord might guard an important tomb or lead a cult. Yuan-ti often create mummy lords to guard temples of Zehir. (Monster Manual)
The Dungeon Master’s Guide indicates that mummy champions and mummy lords should be humanoids, but not every mummy has to follow this guideline. Certain nonhumanoid creatures make excellent mummies. (Open Grave Secrets of the Undead)
A mummy lord is created through a dark ritual intended to sustain a creature past its mortal life span, or revive it after death. Such rituals are typically reserved for important religious leaders, but they could also curse an unfortunate soul to a prison of undeath. (Dungeon Master's Guide)
“Mummy lord” is a template you can apply to any humanoid creature. (Dungeon Master's Guide)
Prerequisites: Humanoid, level 11 (Dungeon Master's Guide)
Mummy Lord, Ssra-Tauroch: As Ssra-Tauroch’s reign extended into decades and the rigors of time weakened his once mighty frame, he requested a great boon from Zehir: the gift of immortality. Ssra-Tauroch, the empire, and its yuan-ti citizenry were devout followers of the god of poison and serpents. The monarch’s lifetime of service to the serpent lord had not gone unnoticed. Zehir sent a dark angel to the aging monarch who taught him the secret knowledge of mummification. (Open Grave Secrets of the Undead)
Upon completing the ritual, Ssra-Tauroch retreated to his inner sanctum. (Open Grave Secrets of the Undead)
Mummy Lord Human Cleric: ?
Mummy Lord Yuan-Ti Abomination: ?
Mummy Moldering Mummy: ?
Mummy Mummified Crocodile: ?
Mummy Mummified Cyclops: ?
Mummy Mummified Yuan-Ti, Children of Ssra-Tauroch: ?
Mummy Necrosphinx: ?
Mummy Royal Mummy: ?
Mummy Scourge of Baphomet: A select few members of the minotaur cult of Baphomet are chosen to undergo the process that transforms a minotaur into this formidable kind of mummy. As a symbol of its dedication, the mummy’s horns and weapon are etched with runes of devotion to Baphomet. (Open Grave Secrets of the Undead)
Mummy Shambling Mummy: The shambling mummies are not Vadin Cartwright's creation but were formed by the unholy fusion of the restless spirits of two great champions of the order and the lifegiving energy of the Feygrove. (Madness at Gardmore Abbey)
Whenever a human transmuter dies in Ghere Thau, a shambling mummy rises in the same square at the initiative point where the transmuter would next act. (Dungeon 218)
2 cambion wrathborn (which animate as shambling mummies when dropped to 0 hit points in Ghere Thau). (Dungeon 218)
1 medusa venom arrow, 1 medusa bodyguard. (When either medusa drops to 0 hit points in Ghere Thau, it animates as a shambling mummy.) (Dungeon 218)
When a medusa dies in Ghere Thau, the snakes fall out of its head and it rises as a shambling mummy the next round. (Dungeon 218)
Mummy Tomb Guardian: 3 cambion wrathborn (which animate as mummy tomb guardians when dropped to 0 hit points in Ghere Thau). (Dungeon 218)
Wrathborn that die in Ghere Thau become mummy tomb guardians. (Dungeon 218)
Murat: See Ghost, Murat.
Murder of Crows: ?
Naergoth Bladelord: See Death Knight Human Death Knight, Naergoth Bladelord.
Naga Bone Naga: ?
Naga Bone Naga, Lod: ?
Naga Bone Naga, Mother: ?
Naga Bone Naga Arcanist, Marrow: ?
Naga Bone Naga Corruptor: ?
Naga Bone Naga Guardian: ?
Naga, Undead Entity, Terpenzi: The naga Terpenzi, slain by the Shadowking, returned as a powerful undead entity. (Forgotten Realms Campaign Guide)
ONCE A GREAT IMMORTAL NAGA, the founder and longtime ruler of Najara, Terpenzi lost its life and status long ago. After its demise, horrifying rituals bound its soul into its skeletal body. (Forgotten Realms Campaign Guide)
Naiethar Traihel: See Lich, Naiethar Traihel.
Naresaar, Chib: See Zombie Bladebearer Zombie, Chib Naresaar.
Necrosphinx: See Mummy Necrosphinx.
Nephigor: See Ghost Devil Chain Devil, Nephigor.
Nerothoth: See Demon Immolith Inferno, Nerothoth.
Nerull Aspect of Nerull: ?
Nerull's Shade: Only a few places in the world remain consecrated to the Reaper—ancient temples hidden in the world’s deeps, domains of dread banished from the Shadowfell, and Necromanteion in the heart of Pluton. These are the places one is most likely to encounter the wandering shade of Nerull—a vestige of his former glory seeking the death of all living things. (Dragon 427)
Nexull: See Vampire Lord, Nexull.
Night King: See Vampire, Orlak, The Night King, Vampire King of Westgate.
Night King: See Vampire Lord Human Wizard, Manshoon, Orbakh The Night King, Orlak II, Clone of Manshoon, Lord of the Zhentarim.
Night Witch: See Vampire Night Witch.
Nighthaunt: MALICIOUS, SINISTER CREATURES OF DARKNESS, nighthaunts are the cursed souls of those who have consumed food infused with necrotic energy.
The commonly held belief is that nighthaunts are bodiless souls whose progress across the Shadowfell was interrupted. Instead of dissipating, these itinerant spirits cloaked themselves in bodies of shadow.
The truth of nighthaunts’ creation lies in the history of the Black Tower of Vumerion, a former den of necromancy. Before Vumerion was destroyed, it produced many horrors, including an addictive black weed called corpse grass. When consumed, the weed infuses the eater with strength and joy. However, foul nightmares always follow the consumption of the grass. (Open Grave Secrets of the Undead)
Corpse grass has spread throughout the Shadowfell and into the world, and many have become addicted to its properties. Those who eat even a little of the grass—no matter what they achieved in life—become nighthaunts in death. The curse of the corpse grass fills these creatures with a raging hunger in death, a hunger that can be sated only through sucking the life out of living creatures. (Open Grave Secrets of the Undead)
The name “corpse grass” is a bit of a misnomer now, for since the initial creation of nighthaunts, the curse of the corpse grass has spread into other vegetation. When a nighthaunt has ingested enough life force, it finds a twilight-lit meadow or field and releases its energies into the grass, weeds, grains, nuts, and other vegetation. The vegetation continues to grow, gaining the properties of corpse grass and perpetuating the nighthaunt cycle. (Open Grave Secrets of the Undead)
Nighthaunt Shrine: ?
Nighthaunt Slip: ?
Nighthaunt Whisperer: ?
Nightmare Shadowclaw: See Shadowclaw Nightmare.
Nightwalker: Nightwalkers are the shades of extremely strong-willed and evil mortals who died and refused to pass from the Shadowfell to their eternal reward. Only the ancient, unyielding will and malice of the long-dead spirit holds a nightwalker in its corporeal shape. (Monster Manual)
Beings formed from the stuff of shadow and possessed of an incomparable maliciousness, undead stalkers roam the fringes of the Shadowfell, slaughtering mortals and shadow creatures alike. (Manual of the Planes)
The nightwalkers trace their origins to a group of powerful, disembodied souls who refused to pass on. They used the supernatural energies of the plane to forge new bodies out of the raw stuff of shadow. Their selfishness and the influence of their new forms forever stained their souls, perverting them into the monstrous entities they are to this day. (Manual of the Planes)
Nightwalker, Askaran-Rus: Askaran-Rus was once a mortal necromancer, but when his time ran out and his soul drifted to the Shadowfell, he refused to surrender to fate and instead gathered the stuff of shadow to construct a new body for himself—an obscene thing filled with cruelty, spite, and endless malice. (Draconomicon II: Metallic Dragons)
Nightwalker, Lord Nill: ?
Nightwalker, Porapherah: ?
Nightwalker, Yannux: ?
Nikolai: See Vampire Charnel Brother, Nikolai.
Nill: See Nightwalker, Lord Nill.
Oath Wight: See Wight Oath Wight.
Oblivion Wraith: See Wraith Oblivion Wraith.
Offalian: See Deathtritus Offalian.
Olman Zombie: See Zombie Olman Zombie.
Oni Howling Spirit: Howling spirits are the souls of depraved oni that become trapped in the Shadowfell. (Open Grave Secrets of the Undead)
Oni Souleater: Oni souleaters are oni that have traded the warmth of life for longevity in death. (Open Grave Secrets of the Undead)
Ooze Blood Amniote: BLOOD AMNIOTES ARE COMPOSED OF the congealed blood of hundreds of creatures that died in close proximity. (Open Grave Secrets of the Undead)
Scholars debate whether the blood amniote arises spontaneously or is crafted intentionally through necromantic rites and mass sacrifices. (Open Grave Secrets of the Undead)
Legend has it that priests of Orcus once unleashed a storm that rained burning blood on two opposing armies. The storm slew the soldiers, and from the blood-soaked ground arose blood amniotes. (Open Grave Secrets of the Undead)
Ooze Bloodrot: BLOODROT OOZES ARE UNDEAD JELLIES that form when humanoids are melted by acid. (Open Grave Secrets of the Undead)
Ooze Bone Collector: ?
Ooze Spirit Ooze: Spirit oozes are ravenous, incorporeal creatures that are created when wisps of matter from insubstantial undead congeal into a single amorphous entity. (Open Grave Secrets of the Undead)
Ooze Undead: INFUSED WITH NECROTIC ENERGY, undead oozes are the congealed, slimy effluvia of living creatures that died horrible deaths. (Open Grave Secrets of the Undead)
Orbakh The Night King: See Vampire Lord Human Wizard, Manshoon, Orbakh The Night King, Orlak II, Clone of Manshoon, Lord of the Zhentarim.
Orc Ghost: See Ghost Orc.
Orc Spirit: See Ghost Orc Spirit.
Orcus: Orcus once even rose as an undead, having been slaughtered somewhere during the 2nd Edition Blood War (a topic we’ll leave well alone for now), supposedly by a drow working for Lolth. (Dragon 388)
Orcus Tenebrous: “Some time after Orcus was vanquished—no one can seem to agree on how long—something stirred on the demon’s corpse as it floated in the Silver Void. That’s what you call the Astral Sea, you know, where the corpses of gods go to rot. (Dragon 417)
“Some portion of the corpse must have been infused with negative energy, because a new entity emerged—an undead god who opened his eyes and beheld his gaunt, shadowy form. By all reports, he looked like a creature that had been squeezed until all the light had been wrung out of him, leaving only darkness. (Dragon 417)
Oreiax: Doresain the Ghoul King found hints of Syvexrae’s plans in her deteriorating mind as he fed upon her mind daily. After millennia of collating clues from her mind, Doresain discovered the location of the massive egg in the mortal world. Doresain infused the egg with demonic ichor and necromantic vitality. The child in the egg tore out of the shell ages before his time, emerging as a stunted sliver of the enormous entity he should have been. Doresain named the child Oreiax, from the Abyssal words for “always hungry.” (Open Grave Secrets of the Undead)
Orlak: See Vampire, Orlak, The Night King, Vampire King of Westgate.
Orlak II: See Vampire Lord Human Wizard, Manshoon, Orbakh The Night King, Orlak II, Clone of Manshoon, Lord of the Zhentarim.
Osteopede: See Deathtritus Osteopede.
Osterneth the Bronze Lich: See Lich Human, Osterneth the Bronze Lich, The Supreme Seed of Darkness, Heart of the Whispered One.
Paladin of Moradin Undead: See Undead Paladin of Moradin.
Pale Reaver: Pale reavers are the undead spirits of humanoids that were killed because they betrayed a person or organization who trusted or relied upon them. (Open Grave Secrets of the Undead)
The spirits of seven knights of the abbey haunt this chamber, drawn to the power of Bahamut's altar but also bound to the will of the mad priest Vadin Cartwright Their leader is Havarr of Nenlast, the knight captain who sealed the abbey's fate when he drew from the Deck of Many Things. His companions are other knights who died beside him in battle, now linked to his fate. All have become undead spirits cursed by their betrayal of duty and their ideals. (Madness at Gardmore Abbey)
Pale Reaver Creeper: The spirits of seven knights of the abbey haunt this chamber, drawn to the power of Bahamut's altar but also bound to the will of the mad priest Vadin Cartwright Their leader is Havarr of Nenlast, the knight captain who sealed the abbey's fate when he drew from the Deck of Many Things. His companions are other knights who died beside him in battle, now linked to his fate. All have become undead spirits cursed by their betrayal of duty and their ideals. (Madness at Gardmore Abbey)
Pale Reaver Lord: ?
Pale Reaver Lord, Havarr: The spirits of seven knights of the abbey haunt this chamber, drawn to the power of Bahamut's altar but also bound to the will of the mad priest Vadin Cartwright Their leader is Havarr of Nenlast, the knight captain who sealed the abbey's fate when he drew from the Deck of Many Things. His companions are other knights who died beside him in battle, now linked to his fate. All have become undead spirits cursed by their betrayal of duty and their ideals. (Madness at Gardmore Abbey)
Paralyth: See Undead Aviary Paralyth.
Parthal Archlich: See Lich, Parthal Archlich.
Patrina Kelikovna: See Ghost Wailing Ghost Banshee, Patrina Kelikovna.
Pavan: See Lich Aboleth Overseer, Pavan.
Penanggalan: According to legend, the first penanggalan was a young baroness of Harkenwold, plain of face and scant of suitors. But what she lacked in beauty she made up for in wit, and the maiden discovered arcane texts of Bael Turath in the vaults of her father’s estate. She invoked the rituals therein and conjured a devil, which promised her matchless beauty and eternal life if only she would serve it forever. (Monster Vault Threats to the Nentir Vale)
The devil’s bargain was not so glorious as it had appeared, for such was the maiden’s beauty that armies clashed for her hand, and her father was forced to lock her away in a tower to protect her. Alone in her wretched beauty, the maiden begged the gods to forgive her vain folly, and she swore to do penance before them. (Monster Vault Threats to the Nentir Vale)
But the devil had other plans. It whispered the secret of the maiden’s unlikely beauty into the ear of the high priest, and before she could do her penance, the maiden was seized from her tower and hanged as a devil worshiper. (Monster Vault Threats to the Nentir Vale)
The maiden’s body dangled from the gallows until midnight, at which time it slid to the ground, leaving her head behind in the noose, gory intestines dangling beneath. Then the maiden opened her eyes and saw what her vanity had created. (Monster Vault Threats to the Nentir Vale)
Each penanggalan’s origin involves a female who bargains with devils for immortal beauty and tries to renege, but perishes before she can complete her penance. (Monster Vault Threats to the Nentir Vale)
Penanggalan Bodiless Head: Unless her maiden’s body has been destroyed (causing the creature to become a bodiless head permanently), a penanggalan’s monstrous form does not manifest by light of day. (Monster Vault Threats to the Nentir Vale)
Penanggalan Head Swarm: ?
Perditazu, Maze Demon: THESE FIENDS TAKE SHAPE FROM CAPTURED SOULS of mortals who died while trapped in the Endless Maze. (Dragon 369)
Called maze demons, these fiends are the vestiges of those demons and mortals who became lost in the Endless Maze and never found their way out. Driven mad, they live on in an accursed state, seeking to possess their victims and reduce them to their same state. (Dragon 369)
Petrified Treant: See Treant Petrified Treant.
Phane Wraith: See Wraith Phane Wraith.
Phantom Brigade: Many of the knights of this order died during the chaotic time of the collapse of the empire. Some perished trying to defend the empire and prevent the onrushing disaster. Others met a more ignoble end. Of those who died in the pursuit of duty, a significant number found that death was not the end. Some mysterious magical effect or unknown curse turned the dead and dying Imperial Knights into undead guardians. They were suspended in an existence that tied them to the empire forever. (Monster Vault Threats to the Nentir Vale)
The Phantom Brigade consists of the spirits of ancient Knights of the Empire, who were sworn to protect the secrets of Nerath and its emperor. So committed were these ancient knights that they became ghostly soldiers, standing a never-ending watch over the vale, after their deaths during the chaos surrounding the empire's fall. (March of the Phantom Brigade)
Phantom Brigade Armiger: ?
Phantom Brigade Banneret: ?
Phantom Brigade Justiciar: ?
Phantom Brigade Knight-Commader: ?
Phantom Brigade Squire: ?
Phantom Brigade Templar: ?
Phantom Dragonborn, Vrak Tiburcaex: ?
Phantom Warrior: See Ghost Phantom Warrior.
Pit of the Abandoned Regiment: See Bone Yard Pit of the Abandoned Regiment.
Pit Shadow: ?
Plague Fogger: See Zombie Plague Fogger
Plague-Changed Ghoul Eater: See Ghoul Plague-Changed Ghoul Eater.
Plague-Changed Ghoul King: See Ghoul Plague-Changed Ghoul King.
Plaguechanged Ghoul: See Ghoul Plaguechanged Ghoul.
Plaguechanged Maniac: ?
Poltergeist: See Ghost Poltergeist.
Porapherah: See Nightwalker, Porapherah.
Portal Thing: The thing in the cavity is an animated mass of coagulated black blood drained from hundreds of defeated opponents. (E1 Death's Reach)
Prince of Bone: Everything was altered, however, when the Blue Breath of Change came. The portion of the ruined fortress where the expedition was encamped was particularly thick with magic. More unfortunately for the explorers, an arm of the change storm flew directly across them. The resulting conflagration burned many of the expeditioneers to nothingness and killed many more. A few were killed and reanimated simultaneously. Of these, one was plague-changed. (Dragon 375)
When Prince Nathur’s senses returned, things were not as they had been. Nathur viewed the world through multiple, fused skulls. His body had become an amalgam of skeletons twisted and fused together to create a shape not unlike a winged dragon but composed of the compacted bones and corpses of perhaps a hundred former courtiers, guards, and servants. (Dragon 375)
Putrescent Zombie: See Zombie Putrescent Zombie.
Putrid Rot Harbinger: See Rot Harbinger Putrid Rot Harbinger.
Putrid Slaad: See Slaad Putrid Slaad.
Raaig: See Ghost Raaig.
Rabble Witherling: See Witherling Rabble.
Ragewind, Sword Spirit: Also called sword spirits, ragewinds are the embodied wrath of dead warriors who perished in battle. (Monster Vault Threats to the Nentir Vale)
The Nentir Vale is strewn with ancient battlefields where the armies of Nerath once clashed with orcs, primitive hill folk, and barbarian tribes, and where the tieflings of Bael Turath fought the dragonborn legions of Arkhosia. Among the ruins of these bygone conflicts lurk creatures of lingering malice—the spirits of despondent soldiers whose lives were thrown away for no satisfying purpose. These spirits can muster enough will to animate their ancient weapons and strike back at the living, whom they both envy and despise. (Monster Vault Threats to the Nentir Vale)
Raja Thirayam of Dukkharan: See Lich, Raja Thirayam of Dukkharan.
Rakshasa Noble Huecuva: See Huecuva Rakshasa Noble Huecuva.
Ramthane, Greysen: See Specter, Greysen Ramthane's Specter.
Rancid Tide: See Draconic Zombie Rancid Tide.
Rasmus: See Vampire Lord, Rasmus.
Rathoraiax: See Dragon Undead Red Dragon, Rathoraiax.
Ravenous Ghoul: See Ghoul Ravenous Ghoul.
Ravenous Undead: Some believe that Castle Nowhere is occupied by the spirits of people eaten by the city’s ghouls and vampires; others say that these spirits are the ghosts of aberrant entities from the Far Realm. (Neverwinter Campaign Setting)
Raxikarthus: See Death Knight Dragonborn Paladin, Raxikarthus.
Razortalon: See Skeletal Dragon Razortalon.
Reaper: Common folk regard reapers as embodiments of death that escort souls to the Shadowfell, but their true nature is more sinister. Reapers are servants of Vecna, and they are sent out by the god and his followers to collect souls for profane rituals. (Open Grave Secrets of the Undead)
Reapers are failed undead imitations of the Raven Queen’s sorrowsworn. Although Vecna did not succeed in copying the powerful servants, he has nonetheless found use for reapers. (Open Grave Secrets of the Undead)
Reaper Abhorrent Reaper: Undead that Arantor ritually created shortly after awaking in Monadhan. (Dungeon 170)
Reaper Abhorrent Reaper Terror: ?
Reaper Entropic Reaper: ?
Red Arcanian: See Arcanian Red Arcanian.
Reginold, Adrian Icehaunt: See Barrowhaunt, Adrian Icehaunt Reginold.
Revenant: Resilient souls returned from death to do the work of Fate. (Player's Option Heroes of Shadow)
Death usually represents the gateway to the afterlife or the end of a natural existence. Sometimes, however, death can be just the beginning. For some select individuals, the Raven Queen or another agency of death bars passage to the next stage of existence, turning a soul back toward the natural world. In such instances, fate has other plans. (Player's Option Heroes of Shadow)
A revenant arises not as an aimless corpse but as the embodiment of a lost soul given new purpose.
In all cases, a revenant purposefully returned to the natural world after succumbing to a cessation of lifc. Dead, but unable to find its way to whatever waits beyond death's dark gates, the once-living soul is reconstituted as a revenant. (Player's Option Heroes of Shadow)
The gods of death and fate often require agents in the natural world, and they don't always have enough exarchs or aspects to deal with all the work they seek to accomplish. For this reason, revenants are called into existence. However, the rules governing the gods and how they can intrude upon the natural world are often mysterious and seemingly contradictory to mere mortals. For this reason, it seems that revenants enter the world without clear directions or even full memories of the life they once lived.
Revenants are souls of the dead returned to a semblance of life by the Raven Queen or some other agency of the afterlife. (Player's Option Heroes of Shadow)
Even more rarely, a creature has a strong enough will or destiny to maintain its soul after death, spontaneously becoming a sentient ghost or revenant. (Wizards Presents Worlds and Monsters)
Most of the time, death is the end of the story, but sometimes it’s another beginning. A revenant arises not as an aimless corpse of a life lost but as the embodiment of a lost soul given new purpose. Such a creature walks in two worlds. Though the revenant moves among the throngs of the living, it has a phantom life—a puppet mockery of the existence its soul once knew. The revenant is an echo haunted by the memory of itself. (Dragon 376)
Resilient souls returned from death to do the work of fate. (Dragon 376)
Revenants are souls of the dead returned to a semblance of life by the Raven Queen, but they do not appear as undead horrors or even anything like their former selves. When the Raven Queen reincarnates souls, they exist as her special creations, and they have the bodies of her choosing and creation. (Dragon 376)
Something else hounds your thoughts as you strike out into an eerily familiar world: The dead don’t come back to life by accident. Someone did this to you, and whoever that was had a reason. (Dragon 376)
Sometimes, the dead one begs to be returned to the world, and the Raven Queen listens for her own reasons. (Dragon 376)
Each revenant arises in the world only by the will of the Raven Queen. She—or someone she has made a bargain with—has a specific purpose in mind for each soul she returns to the world. (Dragon 376)
If the Raven Queen commanded the soul’s return for her own reasons, the revenant might play an important part in the future the Raven Queen foresees. The Raven Queen might send a soul to bring someone or something to the death it has avoided, and the character might have been chosen because of past ties to the target. Perhaps the character’s death was somehow wrong, and the Raven Queen reincarnated the soul as a revenant to set right the weave of fate. (Dragon 376)
If another power made a bargain with the Raven Queen, the possibilities are endless. Most deities could simply choose to raise a loyal follower to live again, so if a being of such power resorted to bargaining with the Raven Queen, there must be a reason. Perhaps a god wants more of the follower’s service, but there is something the deity wants even his most devout servant to forget. Perhaps the new lease on life is intended only as a temporary reprieve wherein the revenant must make up for some mistake made in life. A power might even want to return another deity’s follower to life for a purpose hidden from the other gods. (Dragon 376)
The reason could also be the desire of a being weaker than a true deity. Maybe an exarch raises a soul despite a deity’s wishes. Perhaps a devil or archfey has a claim on the soul of a mortal and it seeks to get what it paid for in some bargain the person made in life. A mortal might gain audience with the Raven Queen to plead the case of a deceased friend or enemy. The mortal’s aims might be altruistic, selfish, or wicked, sweeping the revenant up in a saga of great glory or terrible woe. Sometimes, the dead one begs to be returned to the world, and the Raven Queen listens for her own reasons. (Dragon 376)
This article presumes the Raven Queen put the PC revenant back in the world, or maybe she did so on behalf of some other power. A soul might even have accepted its quest from a deity directly, knowing it would lose most memories when reincarnated. It could be, however, that no power but the PC’s will returns the character from death. (Dragon 376)
Maybe some powerful patron, such as a demon lord or archfey, stole the PC’s soul and placed the PC in the world as a revenant to do its bidding. The PC might be doing the work of a prince of the Hells in order to win back a soul lost in a bad bargain. Maybe a mortal raised the PC as a hero of old and hopes the PC will do some great deed. A ritual to raise the dead might even go wrong, returning the PC to a half-life, and now the character walks the world with one foot in the grave. (Dragon 376)
A revenant need not be dead recently. The Raven Queen or another patron might recall any soul not at its final destination. A soul might be returned to the world seconds or centuries after death, but the most potential for storytelling and roleplaying might lie a generation or two later. Then revenants can see the effects of the former life, have memories of places that aren’t quite the same, meet the descendants of remembered friends, and confront old foes who might have mended their ways. (Dragon 376)
So the whole party bought the farm in that encounter last week? Maybe they all come back as revenants to take revenge. (Dragon 376)
The revenant is an undead creature who could have been of any other race in life but returns after death as a revenant with a new life and a new purpose. (Dragon 376)
Most characters are Medium humanoids and thus are vulnerable to soulmerging if they die. If a character dies in Ghere Thau and a Raise Dead ritual isn’t available, ask the player whether continuing as a friendly undead is an interesting direction for the character. (Dungeon 218)
If the player is amenable, provide access to the revenant, published in Heroes of Shadow and Dragon #375. It should take a player only a few moments to subtract out the old racial benefits and add the revenant’s benefits (retaining the old race as the “past life” of the revenant). (Dungeon 218)
Turning a character into a revenant—voluntarily!—bends the “rules” of the soulmerged undead, but it does so for a good cause. You can justify it by saying that the character’s uncommon willpower channeled Karlerren’s necromantic energy into reanimation without involving any of the knights’ spirits. (Dungeon 218)
Revenant Half-Orc, Torgath: The Zephyr’s boatswain, a half-orc named Torgath, attempted to gather support to overthrow the captain and save the crew members from what he believed to be certain doom. Captain Rukos’s behavior had grown erratic and dangerous in the months preceding the kraken hunt. Torgath believed the sword Everdare compelled Rukos to put his ship and crew in unnecessary jeopardy. (Dungeon 203)
The captain ferreted out the conspiracy before Torgath could gain the full support of the crew. He confined the half-orc to the brig, and Torgath drowned alone in his cell when the ship was pulled under.
Torgath still inhabits his cell beneath the waves. The Raven Queen reanimated him as a revenant so that he might bring true death to the kraken and the captain, both of whom now haunt the wreckage of the Zephyr as restless spirits. (Dungeon 203)
Rhao the Skullcrusher: See Dracolich Dreambreath Dracolich, Rhao the Skullcrusher.
Risen Ghoul: See Ghoul Risen Ghoul.
Risenguard of Drzak: ?
Rithkerrar: See Vecna Aspect of Vecna, Rithkerrar.
Rolain: See Vampire, Rolain.
Rot Grub Zombie: See Zombie Rot Grub Zombie.
Rot Harbinger: Long ago, the gods tried to slay the demon lord Orcus while he was traveling outside of the Abyss. They sent a host of angels to slay the demon lord, but Orcus ultimately prevailed, killing every last one of them. When he returned to the Abyss, the demon lord of undeath created the first rot harbingers and rot slingers as mockeries of those he’d slain and sent them to the natural world to wreak havoc on the gods’ creation. (Monster Manual)
Rot Harbinger Putrid Rot Harbinger: ?
Rot Harbinger Reaver: ?
Rot Harbinger Rot Hurler: ?
Rot Harbinger Rot Slinger: Long ago, the gods tried to slay the demon lord Orcus while he was traveling outside of the Abyss. They sent a host of angels to slay the demon lord, but Orcus ultimately prevailed, killing every last one of them. When he returned to the Abyss, the demon lord of undeath created the first rot harbingers and rot slingers as mockeries of those he’d slain and sent them to the natural world to wreak havoc on the gods’ creation. (Monster Manual)
Rot Harbinger Rot Slinger Captain: ?
Rot Harbinger Rot Slinger Decayer: ?
Rot Harbinger Rot Spewer: ?
Rot Hound: See Hound Death Rot Hound.
Rot Hurler: See Rot Harbinger Rot Hurler.
Rot Slinger: See Rot Harbinger Rot Slinger.
Rot Spewer: See Rot Harbinger Rot Spewer.
Rotclaw: See Draconic Zombie Rotclaw.
Rotfiend: See Demon Abyssal Rotfiend.
Rotlord: See Demon Abyssal Rotlord.
Rotter: See Zombie Rotter.
Rotting Hook Horror: See Hook Horror Rotting Hook Horror.
Rotting Zombie: See Zombie Rotting Zombie.
Rotvine Defiler: See Abomination Rotvine Defiler.
Rotwing Zombie: See Zombie Rotwing Zombie.
Royal Mummy: See Mummy Royal Mummy.
Rukaleth: See Dracolich Blackfire Dracolich, Rukaleth.
Rukos: See Ghost, Rukos.
Runescribed Dracolich: See Dracolich Runescribed Dracolich.
Saed: See Vampire Lord, Saed.
Sage Ghost: See Ghost Sage Ghost.
Salazar Vladistone: See Ghost, Salazar Vladistone.
Salt Zombie: See Zombie Salt Zombie.
Scaled Guardian: ?
Scarecrow Horror: A terrible oni witch that lived in a cave of mirrors once caught seven thieves looting her belongings. To teach them a lesson, this oni disemboweled one of them and stuffed a sackcloth effigy with its entrails; she hooked the thief ’s face onto the effigy’s shoulders and animated the thing with dark magic. When the oni turned her creation on its former companions, they fled in terror throughout her cave. But confounded by the mirrors she had set up, they became lost. (Dungeon 183)
In the end, seven gruesome scarecrows writhed beside the cave entrance, pinned to the stone with iron spikes, their dead human faces possessing black buttons where their eyes once had been. (Dungeon 183)
Scarred Ghoul: See Ghoul Scarred Ghoul.
Sceptenar: Adventurers wielding a great weapon that had been forged to destroy undead, some sort of stone scepter, made their way to the capital and killed Raja Thirayam. Lands near to Thirayam’s empire thought they had reason to celebrate when word spread of the emperor’s death. Elation turned to horror when it was revealed that upon the raja’s death, his life force divided and possessed the four audacious heroes. In turn, each adventurer was slowly consumed by the malevolent spirit of the emperor; the raja lives on, his body four-fold and harder to destroy than ever.
Sceptenar Vasabhakti: Sceptenar Vasabhakti, daughter of the late ruler of Khatiroon, rules the southern province of Hantumah. Once a kind and benevolent princess, Vasabhakti was possessed and corrupted by the undead forces that overtook her homeland. (Open Grave Secrets of the Undead)
Scourge of Baphomet: See Mummy Scourge of Baphomet.
Sebacean Mutant Treant: ?
Sebacean Mutant Nightwalkers: ?
Seething Wraith: See Wraith Seething Wraith.
Servile Ghost: See Ghost Servile Ghost.
Seszrath: See Demon Seszrath.
Shaadee: See Demon Shaadee.
Shade: See Githyanki Shade.
Shade of Fallen Hero: The shadowy figures are the trapped souls of the departed. Something is keeping them from escaping to their proper afterlife. (Dungeon 169)
Shadow: Every shadar-kai knows that to give in to the ennui of the Shadowfell is to face physical disintegration and nothingness. Those who succumb fade permanently into darkness, their soul taken by the Raven Queen while their animus remains as an undead shadow. (Wizards Presents Worlds and Monsters)
They attacked living things in order to gain their life force, draining an opponent’s Strength merely by touching them; if an opponent ever fell to 0 Strength, he’d become a new shadow. (Dragon 387)
According to most knowledgeable sages, shadows appear to have been magically created, perhaps as part of some ancient curse laid upon some long-dead enemy. The curse affects only humans and demihumans, so it would seem that it affects the soul or the spirit. When victims can no longer resist, either through loss of consciousness (hit points) or physical prowess (Strength points), the curse is activated and the majority of the character’s essence is shifted to the Negative Energy plane. Only a shadow of their former self remains on the Prime Material plane, and the transformation always renders the victim both terribly insane and undeniably evil. (Dragon 387)
Shadow Giant: See Giant Shadow Giant.
Shadow Harrag's Shadow: One of Lord Neverember’s agents has transformed Harrag’s shadow into an undead creature as a means to keep an eye on Harrag. (Dungeon 193)
Shadow Sentinel: Those sacrificed in Acererak’s name find no peace in death because the Devourer is aptly named. Consumed by the powerful lich, their essence reformed and twisted into new shapes, they serve the dark one for eternity. (Dragon 371)
Shadow Sentinel, Shadow Watcher: ?
Shadow Sentinel, Shadowguard: ?
Shadow Sentinel Shadowguard Sentry: ?
Shadow Skeleton: See Skeleton Shadow Skeleton.
Shadow Spirit: In the bleak, desolate corners of the Shadowfell, and in parts of the world where the Shadowfell bleeds over, sometimes death doesn’t represent the end of a creature’s existence. When a creature dies in one of these places, its soul is trapped, transforming the creature into a shadow spirit. (Open Grave Secrets of the Undead)
“Shadow spirit” is a template you can apply to any living beast, humanoid or magical beast. (Open Grave Secrets of the Undead)
Prerequisites: Living beast, living humanoid, or living magical beast (Open Grave Secrets of the Undead)
Shadow Stalker Vampire: See Vampire Shadow Stalker Vampire.
Shadow Watcher: See Shadow Sentinel, Shadow Watcher.
Shadow Wraith: See Wraith Shadow Wraith.
Shadowclaw: ?
Shadowclaw Nightmare: ?
Shadowguard: See Shadow Sentinel, Shadowguard.
Shadowmantle, Valindra: See Lich Eladrin, Valindra Shadowmantle.
Shadowskull: ?
Shadowstalker: See Vampire Lord, Kirenkirsalai, Kire, Tebryn “Shadowstalker” Dhialael.
Shallowgrave Wight: See Wight Shallowgrave Wight.
Shambler: See Zombie Shambler.
Shambling Mummy: See Mummy Shambling Mummy.
Shambling Nexus: See Zombie Shambling Nexus.
Shambling Zombie: See Zombie Shambling Zombie.
Shard Slave: The shard slave, a remnant of Xennul trapped in the shrine. (Dungeon 175)
Shard Zombie: See Zombie Shard Zombie.
Sharn Vampire Spawn: See Vampire Sharn Vampire Spawn.
Shattered Soul: ?
Shattered Wraith: See Wraith Shattered Wraith.
Shattergloom Skeleton: See Skeleton Shattergloom Skeleton.
Shonvurruthe Blood Serpent: See Demon Undead Marilith, Shonvurruthe Blood Serpent.
Shrine: See Nighthaunt Shrine.
Shuffling Zombie: See Zombie Shuffling Zombie.
Siegewyrm: See Skeletal Dragon Siegewyrm.
Silvermane, Anja: See Ghoul, Anja Silvermane.
Sir Drzak: See Death Knight, False Sir Keegan/Sir Drzak.
Sir Keegan: See Death Knight, False Sir Keegan/Sir Drzak.
Sir Keegan: See Skeleton Knight, Sir Keegan.
Sir Tavil Soarvaren: See Wight Battle Wight, Sir Tavil Soarvaren.
Sister of Sorrow, Mournwind Exarch of the Prince of Frost: Sharaea’s sisters, Velayn and Loralae were filled with despair at the loss of their sibling, and the Sun Prince captured them in their sister’s stead. His bitter power magnified their sorrow and bound them to his frozen heart. They wasted away, and soon the Daughters of Delight were no more. In their place were the Sisters of Lament, chill shades of the lovely females haunting the winter winds. (Dragon 374)
Sharaea never meant to harm her sisters, but when she finally cast her soul into the unknown, it took a terrible toll on the surviving Daughters of Delight. The Prince of Frost drew the sisters to him, and his bitterness and malice shaped them. In their grief and under the sway of the Pale Prince, they wasted away, becoming wraithlike spirits of the winter wind. (Dragon 374)
Sister of Sorrow, Soulsorrow Exarch of the Prince of Frost: Sharaea’s sisters, Velayn and Loralae were filled with despair at the loss of their sibling, and the Sun Prince captured them in their sister’s stead. His bitter power magnified their sorrow and bound them to his frozen heart. They wasted away, and soon the Daughters of Delight were no more. In their place were the Sisters of Lament, chill shades of the lovely females haunting the winter winds. (Dragon 374)
Sharaea never meant to harm her sisters, but when she finally cast her soul into the unknown, it took a terrible toll on the surviving Daughters of Delight. The Prince of Frost drew the sisters to him, and his bitterness and malice shaped them. In their grief and under the sway of the Pale Prince, they wasted away, becoming wraithlike spirits of the winter wind. (Dragon 374)
Sister of Sorrow Courtier, Mournwind Courtier: ?
Sister of Sorrow Courtier, Soulsorrow Courtier: ?
Skahlton Gairg: See Wight Slaughter Wight, Skahlton Gairg.
Skeletal Arcane Guardian: ?
Skeletal Archer: See Skeleton Skeletal Archer.
Skeletal Cat: The three skeletal cats were once Talther Yorn’s living pets. They do not attack unless either the characters attack them first, or their master commands them to do so. Left to their own devices, they follow the characters wherever they go, occasionally getting underfoot while remaining aloof. The cats lack the ability to purr, yowl, or make other vocal sounds, but their bones and claws click eerily when they move. If a character makes any effort to befriend the skeletal cats, they might exhibit behavior that seems friendly, such as attacking a goblin zombie, fetching a thrown object, or leaping into the character’s arms. This behavior hides their true loyalty to their longtime master and creator, Talther Yorn. (Dungeon 211)
Skeletal Dragon: Skeletal dragons can arise from necromantic rituals or through the uncontrolled forces of the Shadowfell. (Draconomicon I Chromatic Dragons)
Draconic zombies arise under the same circumstances as skeletal dragons, either as necromantic creations or as the result of the Shadowfell’s encroachment on the mortal world. (Draconomicon I Chromatic Dragons)
Skeletal Dragon, Flame: ?
Skeletal Dragon Bonespitter: ?
Skeletal Dragon Razortalon: ?
Skeletal Dragon Siegewyrm: THE LARGEST OF THE DRACONIC SKELETONS, a siegewyrm is made from the bones of mighty dragons. (Draconomicon I Chromatic Dragons)
Skeletal Frost Giant: See Skeleton Skeletal Frost Giant.
Skeletal Hammerers: See Skeleton Skeletal Hammerers.
Skeletal Hauler: See Skeleton Skeletal Hauler.
Skeletal Horse: ?
Skeletal Legionary: See Skeleton Skeletal Legionary.
Skeletal Legionnaire: See Skeleton Skeletal Legionnaire.
Skeletal Mage, Yisarn: A band of elves ambushed and killed him, but an evil curse animated his bones, turning him into an undead horror. (Dungeon Master's Kit)
Skeletal Ravager: See Skeleton Skeletal Ravager.
Skeletal Steed: See Skeleton Skeletal Steed.
Skeletal Tomb Guardian: See Skeleton Skeletal Tomb Guardian.
Skeletal Warrior: See Skeleton Skeletal Warrior.
Skeleton: ANIMATED BY DARK MAGIC and composed entirely of bones, a skeleton is emotionless and soulless, desiring nothing but to serve its creator. (Monster Manual)
Skeletons are created by means of necromantic rituals. Locations with strong ties to the Shadowfell can also cause skeletons to arise spontaneously. (Monster Manual)
SKELETONS RARELY EXIST WITHOUT PURPOSE. Whether crafted through necromantic ritual or raised from a tomb, they relentlessly attack when compelled to kill. (Monster Manual 2)
Necromancy grants violent motion to these fleshless bones, letting them defy death and deliver it to others. (Monster Vault)
“ Nothing holds them together but magic, a necromantic binding that knits bone with scraps of soul and the merest hint of will.”—Kalarel, scion of Orcus. (Monster Vault)
A skeleton’s creation is considered a vile act, though, for it requires disturbing a creature’s bones in the most profane way. A skeleton raised into undeath moves through the power of a soul’s discarded animus; it is a primal force that binds the soul and body to make life possible. Without an animus, a skeleton cannot exist. (Monster Vault)
Many powers can cause a skeleton to rise from the grave: holy power, necrotic energy, a dark ritual, a necromantic spell or hex, a curse from the lips of a dying person. (Monster Vault)
ALL SKELETONS ARISE FROM THE BONES of once-living creatures. That basic truth says little about the details of a particular skeleton, however. The character of the living creature, the manner of its death, the requirements of a necromancer, and the deceased’s former relationships—all these factors affect the nature and purpose of a skeleton. (Open Grave Secrets of the Undead)
The carved skull buried in one of the old crypts has pulsed back to unlife. Its wakening will attract undead miles away from Col Fen. Unless the skull is destroyed, it will become a magnet for undead from distant places, while at the same time animating skeletons and zombies from the graveyard of Col Fen. (Open Grave Secrets of the Undead)
Alternatively, they might stumble across the bones of those who died during the Glintshield dwarves' civil war, awakening the warriors' angry spirits when one of them pries a magic weapon from the grip of one of the skeletons. (HS2 Orcs of Stonefang Pass)
This cavern was the scene of a heated battle, and the remnants of that battle are strewn about the place. Over one hundred years ago, what remained of House Madar battled a group of House Tsalaxa assassins. The battle claimed the lives of everyone involved, and the intense hatred borne of the battle has reanimated the dead as zombies and skeletons. (Dungeon 181)
The leader of House Madar’s forces was a lesser scion of the Madar line and was an accomplished archer and swordsman. He and his men returned to unlife as skeletons in an undead mockery of the soldiers they’d once been. (Dungeon 181)
Anarus Kalton animated several skeletons to stand guard against tomb robbers. (Dungeon 182)
Skeleton Archer: ?
Skeleton Blazing Skeleton: Vontarin unleashes his first deliberate attack. He animates skeletons from the Crypts beneath Saint Avarthil Monastery. ( Dark Legacy of Evard)
Alternatively, they might stumble across the bones of those who died during the Glintshield dwarves' civil war, awakening the warriors' angry spirits when one of them pries a magic weapon from the grip of one of the skeletons. (HS2 Orcs of Stonefang Pass)
Vadin Cartwright has animated several skeletons of fallen knights. (Madness at Gardmore Abbey)
Vontarin’s ghost, still possessing Nathaire’s body, decides to drive off the townsfolk of Duponde. He animates a wave of undead attackers and sends them against the town. (Dungeon 219)
Skeleton Bloodblade Hobgoblin Skeleton: ?
Skeleton Bonecrusher Skeleton: Bonecrusher skeletons arise from the bones of ogres, minotaurs, oni, giants, and other large creatures. (Monster Manual 2)
Skeleton Bonecrusher Skeleton Hulk: ?
Skeleton Bonepile Hobgoblin Skeleton: ?
Skeleton Boneshard Mongrel: ?
Skeleton Boneshard Skeleton: Alternatively, they might stumble across the bones of those who died during the Glintshield dwarves' civil war, awakening the warriors' angry spirits when one of them pries a magic weapon from the grip of one of the skeletons. (HS2 Orcs of Stonefang Pass)
Skeleton Boneshard Troll Skeleton: Shortly after Skalmad declared himself king, these five lesser clan chiefs tried to seize power for themselves. After slaying them, the troll king had them turned into boneshard skeletons and placed as guards in this chamber. (P1 King of the Trollhaunt Warrens)
Skeleton Bonewretch Skeleton: ?
Skeleton Burned Witch: These charred skeletons are the remains of witches Willifer reanimated. (Dungeon 220)
Skeleton Death Kin Skeleton: Death kin skeletons are siblings, kin, or lovers who died in a suicide pact or similar circumstance. (Open Grave Secrets of the Undead)
The skeletons are the reanimated remains of Ba’al Verzi assassins whom Leo dug up and brought to the monastery with him. (Dungeon 207)
Skeleton Deathdrinker Skeleton: ?
Skeleton Deathguard: ?
Skeleton Decaying Skeleton: ?
Skeleton Decrepit Goblin Skeleton: ?
Skeleton Decrepit Skeleton: Vontarin unleashes his first deliberate attack. He animates skeletons from the Crypts beneath Saint Avarthil Monastery. (Dark Legacy of Evard)
Ninaran followed Kalarel’s instructions in creating this magic circle to raise the dead. (H1 Keep on the Shadowfell)
Melting Fury disease. (The Book of Vile Darkness)
She carries an ancestor clasp-a magic item developed in Zadzifeirryn that raises fallen drow as undead slaves. (Web of the Spider Queen)
After the totemist speaks, she immediately activates her ancestor clasp as a free action, causing the opal to fall from the center of her silver necklace to the ground. It shatters to release a cloud of white mist that expands to fill the room, causing skeletons to awaken in each of the upper areas' eight coffins. (Web of the Spider Queen)
Anarus Kalton animated several skeletons to stand guard against tomb robbers. (Dungeon 182)
The undead are animated by the Weeping Aspect of Avandra’s wrathful emotions, doomed to repeat an eternal danse macabre of the temple’s last days in the natural world while orc and goblin defilers were looting it. (Dungeon 194)
Vontarin’s ghost, still possessing Nathaire’s body, decides to drive off the townsfolk of Duponde. He animates a wave of undead attackers and sends them against the town. (Dungeon 219)
Skeleton Demonic Skeleton Defilade: ?
Skeleton Dread Skeletal Swarm: ?
Skeleton Giant Skeletal Bat: Giant skeletal bats are the remains of riding bats that were abandoned by their masters in battle. (Open Grave Secrets of the Undead)
Skeleton Hobgoblin Shadow Skeleton: ?
Skeleton Hobgoblin Skeleton: ?
Skeleton Kalan the Avenger: The undead here were once dwarves, but they have awoken in death from their tomb’s violation—an act not even the hag would have dared. (Dungeon 162)
Skeleton Karkothi Fell Skeleton: Fell skeletons are fearless bodyguards created in necromantic rituals. (Dragon 399)
Skeleton Karrnathi: See Karrnathi Skeleton.
Skeleton Knight, Sir Keegan: As commander of the keep’s soldier, Sir Keegan held the responsibility of protecting the rift. In that duty he failed, and to this day, his spirit despairs over his failure. (H1 Keep on the Shadowfell)
“I failed in my responsibility. I allowed the influence of the Shadow Rift and my knowledge of the crumbling empire to distract me from my sworn oath. The corruption that lies on the other side of the rift touched me and triggered disaster.” (H1 Keep on the Shadowfell)
“Finally the alarm went up, and what remained of the legion banded together against me. Even in my rage, I knew I couldn’t best them all, so I fled into the crypts to hide from vengeance. Only then did the madness lift. I realized what I had done and despaired. I had killed my love and broken my oath. More than that, I had done so with my sword, Aecris, an implement given to me by King Elidyr when I was knighted. The remnants of my legion sealed the passage and trapped me here. I selected this as a fitting place to spend eternity.” (H1 Keep on the Shadowfell)
Skeleton Marrowshriek: Marrowshriek skeletons arise from victims of malnutrition and neglect, and they crave the marrow of the living. (Open Grave Secrets of the Undead)
Skeleton Mob: ?
Skeleton Sentinel: ?
Skeleton Shadow Skeleton: A shadow skeleton, formed from shadows and the bones of the dead, is adept at hitting enemies that don't take it as a serious threat. (Player's Option Heroes of Shadow)
Skeleton Shattergloom Skeleton: Shattergloom skeletons are created in dark chambers where natural light cannot reach. (Open Grave Secrets of the Undead)
Skeleton Skeletal Archer: Over a period of several weeks, skeletons can be trained in the use of bows to produce skeletal archers. (Open Grave Secrets of the Undead)
Skeleton Skeletal Frost Giant, Kvaltigar: Three years ago, Kvaltigar was the frost giant jarl, until he was betrayed and murdered by Grugnur, his brother. Grugnur burned the body and tossed the remains into the rift. However, Kvaltigar’s spirit refused to leave the mortal world. (Dungeon 199)
Skeleton Skeletal Hammerers: The undead here were once dwarves, but they have awoken in death from their tomb’s violation—an act not even the hag would have dared. (Dungeon 162)
Skeleton Skeletal Hauler: Skeletal haulers are the remains of humanoid slaves and physical laborers. (Open Grave Secrets of the Undead)
Skeleton Skeletal Legionary: In a nearly forgotten age of genocidal warfare, the murderous sorcerer-king Nibenay pursued a fugitive band of elves and gnomes. The fugitives carried with them a seed from a tree of life. They hoped to plant the seed in a place where it might flourish in safety, far from the sorcerer-kings’ destruction. They sought refuge in a small cave system, but Nibenay’s soldiers tracked them there and besieged the cave. (Dungeon 187)
Avor Firesworn, leader of the band, made a fateful decision as Nibenay’s defilers closed in. Drawing on his knowledge of the supposed demigods who ruled parts of Athas at that time, he entered into a covenant with a force that he only dimly understood but perceived as a demigod of death. He and a few of his band swore a binding oath in which they offered their souls in exchange for the chance to protect the seed even after their deaths. (Dungeon 187)
Soon thereafter, Nibenay’s forces stormed the caves and Avor fell, his flesh consumed by defiling magic. The seed, however, lay hidden beneath his remains, and the sorcerer-king’s soldiers did not find it. It was protected by the bargain Avor had struck with the entity from the Gray. Meanwhile, the primal spirits of that place also understood the value of the seed. They, too, were eager to keep it out of any defiler’s hands, but their limited power to intervene was curtailed further by Avor’s bargain. (Dungeon 187)
Victorious in battle but frustrated by their failure to find the tree of life’s seed, Nibenay’s soldiers concluded that the seed had been no more than a rumor, or perhaps that Avor’s flight had been a ruse to draw them away from the real seed’s location. They sealed the cave when they withdrew, to conceal their deeds. Some time later, the spirits of Avor and his followers rose from the dead in fulfillment of their bargain. (Dungeon 187)
The family buried here suffered a curse, and so undead linger in the vault. (Dungeon 221)
Skeleton Skeletal Legionnaire: Vadin Cartwright has animated several skeletons of fallen knights. (Madness at Gardmore Abbey)
Skeleton Skeletal Ravager: If a living humanoid dies in Ragatromo's Undead Master aura, a skeletal ravager appears in its space at the start of Ragatromo’s turn. (Dungeon 219)
Skeleton Skeletal Steed: Skeletal steeds rarely arise alone; they awaken from death with their riders or are created by rituals as mounts. (Monster Manual 2)
Skeleton Skeletal Tomb Guardian: Once Vadin is dead, trouble in the catacombs quickly fades away. Until that time, however, the priest takes advantage of any retreat by the adventurers to reinforce his undead guardians. He can't replace every monster the adventurers destroy, however. His ability to create undead is limited to the skeletal guardians and the flameskull. (Madness at Gardmore Abbey)
Vadin Cartwright has animated several skeletons of fallen knights. (Madness at Gardmore Abbey)
Skeleton Skeletal Tomb Guardian Thrall: ?
Skeleton Skeletal Warrior: Girdle of Skulls magic item. (The Book of Vile Darkness)
Skeleton Skinwalker Skeleton: Skinwalker skeletons are produced when a necromancer grafts skin to animated bones. (Open Grave Secrets of the Undead)
Skeleton Sleeper's Skeletal Warhorse: ?
Skeleton Soldier: ?
Skeleton Spine Creep Skeleton: Spine creep skeletons are the result of unjustly beheaded humanoids or those torn to pieces by an angry mob. (Open Grave Secrets of the Undead)
Skeleton Stonespawned Skeleton: Stonespawned skeletons are created when humanoids are crushed under tons of rock and left entombed in stone. (Open Grave Secrets of the Undead)
Skeleton Tortured Skeleton: ?
Skeleton Troop Captain, Elite Skeleton: ?
Skeleton Vizier's Skeleton: Lord Vizier's Plume of Death power. (Dark Sun Creature Catalog)
Skeleton Warrior: Isolde’s curse spared no aspect of Soth’s life. His retainers, once loyal beyond reproach, turned into skeleton warriors. (Dragon 416)
Skelmur the Stalker: See Ghost, Skelmur the Stalker.
Skin Kite: See Undead Aviary Skin Kite.
Skinwalker Skeleton: See Skeleton Skinwalker Skeleton.
Skulk Zombie: See Zombie Skulk Zombie.
Skull Lord: The first skull lords arose from the ashes of the Black Tower of Vumerion. None can say whether they were created intentionally by the legendary human necromancer Vumerion or came forth spontaneously from the foul energies of his fallen sanctum. The ritual for creating new skull lords also survived Vumerion’s fall, eventually finding its way into the hands of Vumerion’s rivals and various powerful undead creatures. (Monster Manual)
Skull Lord Servitor: ?
Skull Spirit: ?
Skullborn Ghoul: See Ghoul Skullborn Ghoul.
Skullborn Deathlok Wight: See Wight Skullborn Deathlok Wight.
Skullborn Rotwing Zombie: See Zombie Skullborn Rotwing Zombie.
Skullborn Zombie: See Zombie Skullborn Zombie.
Skullborn Zombie Husk: See Zombie Skullborn Zombie Husk.
Slaad Putrid Slaad: Necromancers sometimes transform living slaads into undead slaads called putrid slaads. They preserve the slaads’ essential chaotic nature, making these creatures deadly but difficult to control. The slaad retains its hunger for wanton destruction, consuming life around it, which is then putrefied and later regurgitated upon foes. (Monster Manual 3)
Mages and necromancers create most putrid slaads, but some come into being on their own. Slaads destroyed in the Abyss can rise spontaneously. Such putrid slaads are often forced to submit to the wills of demon lords. (Monster Manual 3)
Elemental creatures are not immune to necromantic magic. Unlike other natives to the Elemental Chaos, slaads are formed from chaos, so when life flees one’s corpse, decay consumes the remains in a matter of hours. Thus, to create a putrid slaad, a necromancer must capture a slaad and infuse it with shadow magic while it’s still alive. The process is lethal, but the undead creature retains its shape and is as resilient as any other kind of slaad. (Monster Manual 3)
Slaughter Wight: See Wight Slaughter Wight.
Slavering Maw: See Zombie Slavering Maw.
Sleeper's Skeletal Warhorse: See Skeleton Sleeper's Skeletal Warhorse.
Slip: See Nighthaunt Slip.
Sliver Wraith Seeker: ?
Sliver Wraith Guardian: ?
Snaketongue Vampire: See Vampire Snaketongue Vampire.
Soarvaren, Tavil: See Wight Battle Wight, Sir Tavil Soarvaren.
Sodden Corruption Corpse: See Zombie Sodden Corruption Corpse.
Sodden Ghoul: See Ghoul Sodden Ghoul, Lacedon.
Son of Kyuss: See Spawn of Kyuss Son of Kyuss.
Soth: See Death Knight, Lord Soth.
Soulbinder: See Draconic Wraith Soulbinder.
Souleater: See Draconic Wraith Souleater.
Soulflame: See Ghost Raaig Soulflame.
Soulgrinder: See Draconic Wraith Soulgrinder.
Soulravager: See Draconic Wraith Soulravager.
Soulsorrow Courtier: See Sister of Sorrow Courtier, Soulsorrow Courtier.
Soulsorrow Exarch of the Prince of Frost: See Sister of Sorrow, Soulsorrow Exarch of the Prince of Frost.
Soulspike Devourer: See Devourer Soulspike Devourer.
Sovereign Wraith: See Wraith Sovereign Wraith.
Spawn of Kyuss: LIKE A CANCER IN THE EARTH, spawn of Kyuss rise from the depths to spread suffering and anguish across the land. Driven by their maker’s obscene will, they infect the living and the dead with bright green worms that bend creatures to the will of Kyuss, the Worm that Walks. In frightened whispers, seers prophesize the presence of the spawn as heralding the Age of Worms, the world’s apocalyptic end. (Monster Manual 3)
Spawn of Kyuss come from the insane fools who heeded Kyuss’s diseased vision when he was mortal. After Kyuss slew them to fuel his apotheosis, the worms of his new body spread to their bloated corpses, awakening the creatures to undeath. These grim messengers then became carriers of Kyuss’s dark desires and added new victims to their numbers. (Monster Manual 3)
A spawn of Kyuss is created when an infection from a particular species of necrotic burrowing worms kills its host and transforms the creature into an undead monstrosity. (Open Grave Secrets of the Undead)
Akin to larva undead, spawns of Kyuss were the Bonemaster’s first experiments in the creation of larva- and worm-infused creatures. These larval zombies typically lack the subtlety and power of larva undead, but the strength and virulence of their attacks makes them nonetheless formidable. (Open Grave Secrets of the Undead)
“Spawn of Kyuss” is a template you can apply to any beast, humanoid, or magical beast. Although the template is most often applied to living creatures, this is not a prerequisite. The infection can afflict virtually any kind of creature, but it typically infects strong subjects that can best spread the disease.
Prerequisites: Level 11, and beast, humanoid, or magical beast. (Open Grave Secrets of the Undead)
Spawn of Kyuss Herald of Kyuss: Kyuss created heralds from the legion angels dispatched by the gods to slay him. He infused each one with a profane worm plucked from his squirming body. (Monster Manual 3)
Spawn of Kyuss Herald of Kyuss, Ulferth: When Ulferth completed his ritual, he was transformed from a human into a herald of Kyuss. (Dungeon 188)
Spawn of Kyuss Son of Kyuss: Even when a host is destroyed, Kyuss’s worms tend to escape by burrowing into the earth or clinging to their enemies’ clothing. When the worms find a new carcass, they plunge into the corpse and infuse it with terrible power. After a few moments, a new son of Kyuss is born. (Monster Manual 3)
Touch of Kyuss disease. (Monster Manual 3)
The body was that of Baelard the Defender. He was infected with the touch of Kyuss but fought off the effects for several weeks. Before his death, he performed the same ritual on himself that trapped Ulferth’s will in the crystal globe (a unique offshoot of the Gentle Repose ritual). With his will trapped in the globe, Baelard could not become one of the spawn of Kyuss when he died. (Dungeon 188)
Baelard has been dead far too long for a Raise Dead ritual to be successful. If the globe is broken, however, his will flies back to the skeleton, which immediately reanimates as a son of Kyuss.
Touch of Kyuss disease. (Dungeon 188)
Spawn of Kyuss Wormspawn Praetorian: PONDEROUS WARRIORS CRAFTED from the cast-off maggots and vermin of Kyuss and similar large larva creatures, wormspawn praetorians fight with unflinching devotion to their creator. (Open Grave Secrets of the Undead)
A humanoid killed by Kyuss rises as a wormspawn praetorian at the start of Kyuss’s next turn. (Open Grave Secrets of the Undead)
Spawn of Kyuss Wretch of Kyuss: Legends persist of ancient kingdoms of the walking dead, where an outbreak of the touch of Kyuss spawned thousands upon thousands of these wretches. (Monster Manual 3)
Spawn of Kyuss Burrowing Worm power. (Monster Manual 3)
Spawn of Kyuss Herald of Kyuss Writhing Pronouncement power. (Monster Manual 3)
Specter: In life, specters were murderous and vile humanoids, although they remember nothing of their past. (Monster Manual)
In the world, only the most horrific and ruthless murderers return as specters, but in the Shadowfell, any death might spawn such a wicked undead. (Open Grave Secrets of the Undead)
Specters that arise from slain mortals twisted by insanity often produce auras that outwardly manifest the fragmented condition of their minds. (Open Grave Secrets of the Undead)
When Saharelgard fell, a would-be looter was captured and slain in this chamber. This hateful thief returned as a specter. (FR1 Scepter Tower of Spellgard)
Others find the weight of their mortal deeds so heavy they cannot bear to move farther than the Shadowfell. In time, they are corrupted by the plane’s malaise, becoming specters, wraiths, and other insubstantial beings. (Manual of the Planes)
A number of devils dwell on the Shores of Sorrow island, as do a small number of undead creatures such as wraiths, specters, and ghosts—folk wasted away by the pervasive despair. (The Plane Above: Secrets of the Astral Sea)
Specter, Greysen Ramthane's Specter: ?
Specter Darkland Voidsoul Specter: ?
Specter Dragonborn Specter: ?
Specter Familiar: ?
Specter Force Specter: ?
Specter Hobgoblin Specter: ?
Specter Lingering Specter: ?
Specter Voidsoul Specter: They’re evil guardians bound here against their will for crimes they committed in life. (Dungeon 159)
Spectral Protector: The knight who fell to Lolth’s treachery so long ago lingers as a watchful and protective spirit over his daughter. Although the knight vowed never to bear arms and don armor after his disgrace, he safeguards his offspring from harm by using the Feywild’s magic. (Dragon 393)
The Lady’s favor rewards you with a fragment of the knight’s essence to fight at your side. (Dragon 393)
Spectral Servant: ?
Spectral Kirre: In a nearly forgotten age of genocidal warfare, the murderous sorcerer-king Nibenay pursued a fugitive band of elves and gnomes. The fugitives carried with them a seed from a tree of life. They hoped to plant the seed in a place where it might flourish in safety, far from the sorcerer-kings’ destruction. They sought refuge in a small cave system, but Nibenay’s soldiers tracked them there and besieged the cave. (Dungeon 187)
Avor Firesworn, leader of the band, made a fateful decision as Nibenay’s defilers closed in. Drawing on his knowledge of the supposed demigods who ruled parts of Athas at that time, he entered into a covenant with a force that he only dimly understood but perceived as a demigod of death. He and a few of his band swore a binding oath in which they offered their souls in exchange for the chance to protect the seed even after their deaths. (Dungeon 187)
Soon thereafter, Nibenay’s forces stormed the caves and Avor fell, his flesh consumed by defiling magic. The seed, however, lay hidden beneath his remains, and the sorcerer-king’s soldiers did not find it. It was protected by the bargain Avor had struck with the entity from the Gray. Meanwhile, the primal spirits of that place also understood the value of the seed. They, too, were eager to keep it out of any defiler’s hands, but their limited power to intervene was curtailed further by Avor’s bargain. (Dungeon 187)
Victorious in battle but frustrated by their failure to find the tree of life’s seed, Nibenay’s soldiers concluded that the seed had been no more than a rumor, or perhaps that Avor’s flight had been a ruse to draw them away from the real seed’s location. They sealed the cave when they withdrew, to conceal their deeds. Some time later, the spirits of Avor and his followers rose from the dead in fulfillment of their bargain. (Dungeon 187)
Spider Husk Spider: Drow despise undead spiders, seeing in them a perversion they can not tolerate. Enemies often capture living spiders and animate them with fell magic to enrage the drow and cause them to act rashly on the battlefield. (P2 Demon Queen's Enclave)
Spine Creep Skeleton: See Skeleton Spine Creep.
Spine of Vlaakith: See Lich Demilich, Spine of Vlaakith.
Spirit Devourer: See Devourer Spirit Devourer.
Spirit Echo: See Echo Spirit Spirit Echo.
Spirit Ooze: See Ooze Spirit Ooze.
Spirit Possessed: Some spirits can inhabit and control living creatures. These creatures hide among the living, aping the actions of the host. Under this guise, a spirit works covertly toward its malicious goals. (Open Grave Secrets of the Undead)
“Spirit possessed” is a template you can apply to a living creature to represent a subject whose body is possessed by an undead spirit. (Open Grave Secrets of the Undead)
Prerequisites: Living creature, level 11, Charisma 13 (Open Grave Secrets of the Undead)
Spirit Vampire: See Vampire Spirit Vampire.
Spirit Viper Undead: See Undead Spirit Viper.
Spirit Warrior, Lingering: See Barrowhaunt Lingering Spirit Warrior.
Spirit-Animated Plant Monster: ?
Ssra-Tauroch: See Mummy Lord, Ssra-Tauroch.
Starving Ghoul: See Ghoul Starving Ghoul.
Stench Ghoul: See Ghoul Stench Ghoul.
Stirge Death Husk Stirge: Necromancers trap stirges in the cavernous bodies of giant undead. When the undead opens its maw, famished stirges come pouring out to attack the nearest warm-blooded creature. (Monster Vault)
Stoneborn Dracolich: See Dracolich Stoneborn Dracolich.
Stonespawned Skeleton: See Skeleton Stonespawned Skeleton.
Strahd von Zarovich: See Vampire, Count Strahd von Zarovich.
Strahd's Dread Zombie: See Zombie Strahd's Dread Zombie.
Strangler: See Zombie Strangler.
Strangler Hand: See Zombie Strangler Hand.
Supreme Seed of Darkness: See Lich Human, Osterneth the Bronze Lich, The Supreme Seed of Darkness, Heart of the Whispered One.
Sword Spirit: See Ragewind, Sword Spirit.
Sword Wraith: See Wraith Sword Wraith.
Szass Tam: See Lich Human Wizard, Szass Tam.
Tainted Priest: See Unrisen Tainted Priest.
Tainted Zombie: See Zombie Tainted Zombie.
Talther Yorn: See Vampire Necromancer, Talther Yorn.
Tam, Szass: See Lich Human Wizard, Szass Tam.
Tavern Spirit: See Ghost Tavern Spirit.
Tavil Soarvaren: See Wight Battle Wight, Sir Tavil Soarvaren.
Tebryn “Shadowstalker” Dhialael: See Vampire Lord, Kirenkirsalai, Kire, Tebryn “Shadowstalker” Dhialael.
Telg: See Ghost Dwarf, Telg.
Tenebrous: See Orcus Tenebrous.
Terpenzi: See Naga, Undead Entity, Terpenzi.
Terraghul: See Demon Terraghul.
Terrifying Haunt: See Ghost Terrifying Haunt.
Thalarkis: See Ghost Kraken, Thalarkis.
The Ageless: See Vampire, Torven “The Ageless” d'Medani.
The Arcanist: See Ghost, The Arcanist.
The Black Cloud: See Lygis, The Black Cloud.
The Black Knight: See Death Knight Dwarf Warlord, Mauglurien, The Black Knight.
The Black Star: See Timesus, The Black Star.
The Bright Lord of Everburning Fire: See Flameskull Lord, The Bright Lord of Everburning Fire.
The Bronze Lich: See Lich Human, Osterneth the Bronze Lich, The Supreme Seed of Darkness, Heart of the Whispered One.
The Devourer: See Lich Demilich, Acererak, The Devourer.
The Grim Lasher: The Grim Lasher is a horrific monster created by Tectuktitlay to drive the Accursed Legion from one side of the burning desert to the other, never allowing the legionnaires to interact with civilization. (Dungeon 189)
The Grim Lasher was created long before the banishment of the Accursed Legion, but Tectuktitlay had had little opportunity to use it before that event. The sorcerer-king used a captive giant as the subject of a horrific experiment that led to the Grim Lasher’s creation. Tectuktitlay slew the giant, then used a spirit that he had bound with defiling magic to reanimate the body, trapping the twisted spirit inside with strands of shadow power drawn from the Gray. The end result is an undead monstrosity animated by a corrupted spirit that Tectuktitlay trapped by using dark magic that only a few know how to manipulate. (Dungeon 189)
The creature was created by, and is still under the control of, Tectuktitlay. (Dungeon 189)
The Hunger in the Mountain: See Gorgimrith, The Hunger in the Mountain.
The Maimed God: See Vecna, The Whispered One, Master of the Spider Throne, The Undying King, Lord of the Rotted Tower, The Maimed God, Lord of Secrets.
The Night King: See Vampire, Orlak, The Night King, Vampire King of Westgate.
The Supreme Seed of Darkness: See Lich Human, Osterneth the Bronze Lich, The Supreme Seed of Darkness, Heart of the Whispered One.
The Undying King: See Vecna, The Whispered One, Master of the Spider Throne, The Undying King, Lord of the Rotted Tower, The Maimed God, Lord of Secrets.
The Whispered One: See Vecna, The Whispered One, Master of the Spider Throne, The Undying King, Lord of the Rotted Tower, The Maimed God, Lord of Secrets.
The Worm that Walks: See Larva Mage, Kyuss, The Worm that Walks.
Thicket Dryad Lich: See Lich Thicket Dryad Lich.
Thief of Life: See Vampiric Dragon Thief of Life.
Thirayam, Raja: See Lich, Raja Thirayam of Dukkharan.
Thornwhistle, Alwar: See Ghoul, Alwar Thornwhistle.
Thrax: According to legend, Gerot’s people were great warriors, haughty and proud. They impressed Grand Vizier Abalach-Re, who offered the mountain community an alliance if its fighters would join Raam’s legions. In their arrogance, the Gerotians declined, and they killed Abalach-Re’s envoys. (Dark Sun Creature Catalog)
Enraged, the sorcerer-queen unleashed a vicious curse against Gerot’s populace. The townsfolk were struck with an unquenchable thirst. The twisted brilliance behind her curse was that life-sustaining, pure water would bring death to any Gerotian. Within days, the entire town had died. What Abalach-Re hadn’t expected was that every cursed Gerotian would rise in undeath, becoming the first thraxes. (Dark Sun Creature Catalog)
Timesus, The Black Star: An ancient island mote hanging deep within the Abyssal void. Known as the Forge of Four Worlds, it acts as a conduit for elemental and arcane energy-energy that Orcus plans to use to restore Timesus and convert the primordial into one of the undead. (E3 Prince of Undeath)
Time Wraith: See Wraith Time Wraith.
Titan Shell: See Forsaken Shell Titan Shell.
Tl'a'ikith: See Githyanki Tl'a'ikith.
Tlaikith Forlorn: ?
Tloques-Popolocas: See Vampire, Tloques-Popolocas.
Tomb Mote: See Deathtritus Tomb Mote.
Tomb Mote Swarm: See Deathtritus Tomb Mote Swarm.
Tomb Spirit: See Ghost Raaig Tomb Spirit.
Tombwalker: See Zombie Tombwalker.
Torgath: See Revenant Half-Orc, Torgath.
Torhana Inksoul: See Vampire Spirit Vampire, Torhana Inksoul.
Tormenting Ghost: See Ghost Tormenting Ghost.
Tormentor Ghost: See Ghost Tormentor.
Tortured Skeleton: See Skeleton Tortured Skeleton.
Tortured Vestige: The Tortured Vestige is an undead horror created from the tortured spirits of the folk of Moil as they rotted away, body and soul. (Tomb of Horrors)
This creature is the Tortured Vestige-a legendary undead entity born from the destruction of Moil. After the city was hurled into the Shadowfell, its residents rotted away in both body and soul. Their spirits became the Tortured Vestige, which haunts Moil's shattered spires in search of new creatures to add to its unliving body. (Tomb of Horrors)
Torven “The Ageless” d'Medani: See Vampire, Torven “The Ageless” d'Medani.
Tower Gloom: See Castle Gloom, Tower Gloom, Haunt of Phelhelra.
Traihel, Naiethar: See Lich, Naiethar Traihel.
Trap Haunt: See Ghost Trap Haunt.
Trapped Zombie Foreman: See Zombie Trapped Zombie Foreman.
Treant Blackroot Treant: ?
Treant Petrified Treant: ?
Troll Ghost Troll Render: ?
Troll Undead Troll King, Vard King of All Trolls: Vard, king of all trolls, tied himself to the Stone Cauldron in life. Each time Skalmad uses the Cauldron, Vard inches closer to returning to life. Finally, with his second death, Skalmad provides the last push necessary to bring back the undead troll king. If Skalmad escaped at the end of Encounter W12, his return to the Cauldron also allows Vard to step through the veil of death and take possession of Skalmad’s body. (P1 King of the Trollhaunt Warrens)
Troll Wraith: See Wraith Troll Wraith.
Turam the Cold: ?
Twilight Knight: See Vampire, Twilight Knight, Vengeance.
Tzevokalas: See Vampiric Dragon, Tzevokalas.
Ugalga: See Demon Ugalga, King of Esharm.
Ukulsid: See Dread Warrior, Ukulsid, Fang of Yeenoghu.
Ulferth: See Spawn of Kyuss Herald of Kyuss, Ulferth.
Undead Aviary: Although some creatures of the undead aviary animate naturally, most are produced by necromancers. (Open Grave Secrets of the Undead)
Undead Aviary Accipitridae: Accipitridae are the corrupt product of vultures that feed on undead flesh. The undead flesh poisons and kills the vultures, and they reanimate as these cruel, avian monsters. (Open Grave Secrets of the Undead)
Undead Aviary Couatl Mockery: Couatl mockeries are masses of animated scales and feathers collected from slain couatls. (Open Grave Secrets of the Undead)
Abomination Discord Incarnate Create Couatl Mockery power. (Open Grave Secrets of the Undead)
Undead Aviary Fear Moth: A fear moth is composed of thousands of living and dead moths that all died simultaneously from some cataclysm. (Open Grave Secrets of the Undead)
Undead Aviary Paralyth: MADE SENTIENT THROUGH FOUL MAGIC, a paralyth is the animated spine and brain of a humanoid. (Open Grave Secrets of the Undead)
Paralyths are created when necromancers extract the brains and spines from recent victims. (Open Grave Secrets of the Undead)
Undead Aviary Skin Kite: Skin kites consist of skin flayed from torture victims that is spontaneously or intentionally animated. (Open Grave Secrets of the Undead)
Undead Beholder: See Beholder Undead.
Undead Demon: See Demon Undead.
Undead Deva Fallen Star: See Deva Undead Deva Fallen Star.
Undead Dragon: See Dragon Undead Dragon.
Undead Dragon Turtle: See Dragon Turtle Undead Dragon Turtle.
Undead Entity: See Naga, Undead Entity, Terpenzi.
Undead Fish: ?
Undead Gibbering Abomination: See Gibbering Beast Undead Gibbering Abomination.
Undead Glabrezu: See Demon Undead Glabrezu.
Undead Goristro: See Demon Undead Goristro.
Undead Karrnathi: See Karrnathi Undead.
Undead Lamia: See Lamia Undead Lamia.
Undead Larva: See Larva Undead.
Undead Marilith: See Demon Undead Marilith.
Undead Ooze: See Ooze Undead.
Undead Paladin of Moradin: ?
Undead Red Dragon: See Dragon Undead Red Dragon.
Undead Silver Dragon: See Dragon Undead Silver Dragon.
Undead Soldier: Impetuous as a youth, Aelmedrion hunted down necromantic rituals in libraries throughout the Astral Sea. As the dragon and his followers enacted these rituals, the graves of Nerathi soldiers opened up, and their occupants walked the land. (Dungeon 173)
Undead Spirit Viper: ?
Undead Troll King: See Troll Undead Troll King.
Undead Vecna Cultist: Cultists of Vecna often undergo profane rites that transform them into undead. These cultists are the most dedicated followers of Vecna. (Open Grave Secrets of the Undead)
Undol Half-Ogre: See Wight, Undol Half-Ogre.
Undying Court: Worthy elves gain immortality among the undying. Whether sage or soldier, benevolent undead aid and advise the living in the hope that such service will one day qualify them to join the powerful undead elves that make up the Undying Court. (Eberron Campaign Guide)
The death of thousands of elves in the war against the giants of Xen’drik led to an elven obsession with preserving the greatest among their people. The elves’ exploration of the mysticism of death created the religion of the Undying Court, which involves the veneration of ancestors and the pursuit of personal perfection. The reward for success on this mystical path is immortality in an undying body. (Eberron Campaign Guide)
Undying King: See Vecna, The Whispered One, Master of the Spider Throne, The Undying King, Lord of the Rotted Tower, The Maimed God, Lord of Secrets.
Unhallowed Wight: See Wight Unhallowed Wight.
Unrisen: RITUALS GO AWRY, AND WHEN the ritual is Raise Dead or a similar form of magic, the results can be grim. The ritual might appear to be a complete failure, yet the residual energy can sometimes raise the creature days after the initial attempt. When this happens, the subject emerges with its soul fragmented and corrupted. A pet comes back from the dead, but it is no longer the adorable feline the family once knew. A child returns, but it is vile and depraved, caring nothing for the people it once loved. No matter what form the creature took in its past life, it returns as a vile, twisted thing—it returns as an unrisen. (Open Grave Secrets of the Undead)
An unrisen is the corrupt result of a failed attempt to resurrect a beast or a humanoid. After the failed ritual, a short time passes after the creature is buried before it rises up to take revenge on nearby living creatures, which it views as responsible for its death. (Open Grave Secrets of the Undead)
The most common types of unrisen are children, pets, mounts, and figures of prominence in a community, such as mayors or priests. These figures are sorely missed upon their deaths, so companions of the people or creatures often go to great lengths to attempt to resurrect them. (Open Grave Secrets of the Undead)
Unrisen Corrupted Offspring: ?
Unrisen Darkhoof: ?
Unrisen Tainted Priest: ?
Unrisen Vile Pet: ?
Uthelyn the Mad: See Barrowhaunt, Uthelyn the Mad.
Uthnis Maiali: See Lich Eladrin, Uthnis Maiali.
Valindra Shadowmantle: See Lich Eladrin, Valindra Shadowmantle.
Vampire: SUSTAINED BY A TERRIBLE CURSE AND A THIRST FOR MORTAL BLOOD, vampires dream of a world in which they live in decadence and luxury, ruling over kingdoms of mortals who exist only to sate their darkest appetites. (Monster Manual)
Anyone who survives an attack from a vampire might fall prey to the vampire’s curse, entering into a deep, deathlike sleep. A person under this curse is often assumed dead and ushered through funeral rites. When that person awakes at the next sunset, he or she is a vampire. If confined within a coffin, this vampire might already be buried or could be awaiting burial in a temple or a family member’s home. Most vampires awaken as slavering spawn, but a few retain enough of themselves to emerge from death as true vampires. (Monster Vault)
And once a vampire has drained the life of a victim, it exhibits the most horrifying ability of all: The shell of its victim animates, turning into another of the walking dead. (Open Grave Secrets of the Undead)
Death knights, liches, mummies, and vampires are created by rituals or processes that tie the soul to an unliving form. Similar creatures could be created in different circumstances. Such diversity among undead reflects the fact that death touches every part of existence. (Open Grave Secrets of the Undead)
Orcus, Demon Prince of the Undead, made the first vampires in the image of blood fiends, who are themselves made in the image of Haemnathuun. (Open Grave Secrets of the Undead)
Vol’s methods created creatures such as vampires and liches that required life energy or blood from living creatures. (Eberron Campaign Guide)
One vampire is usually the spawn of another, but more than one vampire has awakened with no clue as to his or her origin. (Player's Option Heroes of Shadow)
You are a monster, fated and infected by a vile curse that transformed you into a creature of nightmare. (Player's Option Heroes of Shadow)
Most of those who become vampires are victims of monstrous attacks, created by a callous hunter who drained them dry of blood and life force, then cast them aside. Others seek out this path from their own fear of infirmity and death, discovering the arcane rites and alchemical formulas that promise dark power. In some cases, a character finds h is or her vampirism invoked by an ancient family curse, or that he or she is a member of an extended clan of vampires who pass their blood down to those they deem worthy- whether by choice or not. (Player's Option Heroes of Shadow)
Vrylokas take up the path of the vampire by undertaking a variant of the blood ritual given to their kind by the Red Witch long ago, modified with the help of Vistani mystics. (Player's Option Heroes of Shadow)
Death knights, liches, mummies, and vampires are all created by rituals that tie the soul to an unliving form. (Wizards Presents Worlds and Monsters)
Still undead after many centuries, the one-time vampire king of Westgate Orlak found a terrible treasure beneath the city: a clone of the infamous Manshoon. He turned the clone into a vampire, but the creature turned upon him and for a time assumed his mantle as Orlak II before changing his name to Orbakh. With the aid of the Night King’s regalia (a magic cup called the Argraal, an animated dagger called the Flying Fangs, and the Maguscepter of Myntharan), Orbakh seized control of the Night Masks, allied with the Fire Knives, ensorcelled or turned many nobles into vampires, and soon dominated most of Westgate from the shadows. (Dragon 428)
The nameless vampire crimelords who operate the Night Masks hide their identities behind eye masks, and their names are known to few other than their creator, Kirenkirsalai. (Dragon 428)
Some years ago, an heir of House Vhammos led a delving crew in search of access to a rival house’s vault and broke through into the forgotten House of Steel, a temple to the ravager god Garagos. The temple’s old defenses—animated swords and various undead guardians—slaughtered most of the heir’s party and left him dying. The Night King came upon him and turned him into a vampire to join the Night Masters. (Dragon 428)
Any humanoid Leo slays with his bite becomes a vampire or a vampire spawn. (Dungeon 207)
Vampire, Count of Coins: ?
Vampire, Count Strahd von Zarovich: Filled with despair, jealousy, and a growing hatred for his younger brother Sergei, Strahd sought magical means to restore his youth in the hope of earning the love of Tatyana, his brother’s betrothed. In a moment of desperate frustration, he performed a powerful necromantic ritual that exchanged his mortality for enduring youth in a state of undeath: Strahd became a vampire. (Open Grave Secrets of the Undead)
“Now, young one, we must start with the so-called first vampire. You’re right to be skeptical of the title. He’s unlikely to have been the first vampire to walk the world. On the other hand, it’s said he’s the first to be created by death itself. He certainly was the first vampire in his now famously tormented land, Barovia.” (Dragon 416)
“Strahd would not surrender, not even to death. No, he used his arcane powers to make a pact with death instead. On Sergei’s wedding day, Strahd sealed the pact by murdering his own brother. (Dragon 416)
“Tatyana fled from Strahd, refusing to hear his attempts to explain himself. The castle guards shot the count during his pursuit. Consumed in grief and horror, Tatyana threw herself from the battlements of Castle Ravenloft. She disappeared into the mists a thousand feet below. (Dragon 416)
“The count should have died from his wounds, like any normal man. But the pact saved his life, in a way of speaking. He did not die because he could not. He became undead. He became a vampire, and his wrath fell upon the entire wedding party. (Dragon 416)
On the day of Sergei and Tatyana’s wedding, Strahd murdered his brother and pursued the grieving bride until she flung herself from the walls of Castle Ravenloft. Strahd was slain by the castle guards but rose as a vampire, cursed by the dark powers of Ravenloft for his hand in the deaths of Sergei and Tatyana. (Dungeon 207)
Vampire, Countess of Storms: ?
Vampire, Ctenmiir: Ctenmiir was a paladin who chose to become a vampire in the pursuit of longevity. (Open Grave Secrets of the Undead)
Vampire, Duchess of Death: ?
Vampire, Duke of Shadows: ?
Vampire, Duke of Whispers: ?
Vampire, Gwenth: ?
Vampire, Kesod: “But I’m getting ahead of myself. Not destroying the wand was just Kiaransalee’s first mistake. Her second and third were, arguably, allowing both of the dead mortals to be resurrected. She permitted the one named Erehe to be returned to his existence as a consort to a mortal priestess in the Vault of the Drow. The other one, Kestod, she reanimated as a vampire. (Dragon 417)
Vampire, King Kaius ir'Wynarn III: The moment of Kaius’s transformation came when the Blood of Vol demanded he pay the price for its assistance in the Last War. The priests approached the king in the darkest days of the war, when Aundair pressed into Karrnathi lands, when food shortages threatened to starve out his people, and when disease ran rampant across the countryside. Helpless to refuse, he agreed to their terms. The Blood of Vol unearthed and disseminated stores of food and reinforced his flagging armies with undead troops and cultists of the Order of the Emerald Claw. The price, though, was far steeper than Kaius would have imagined. The ancient lich who reigned over the Blood of Vol intended to make Kaius her puppet. When he came before her, she performed a ritual to rob him of his humanity and transform him into a vampire. (Eberron Campaign Guide)
Vampire, Leo Dilysnia: Leo attempted to overthrow Strahd on the day of Sergei and Tatyana’s wedding, and his henchmen were responsible for many deaths that night. Leo fled and went into hiding for half a century, but Strahd eventually discovered his whereabouts and exacted his vengeance. He turned Leo into a vampire and had him buried inside a tomb, so he would starve for eternity. (Dungeon 207)
Years later, with the help of a loyal subject named Lorvinia Wachter, Strahd found Leo, overpowered him, turned him into a vampire, and had him sealed inside a mausoleum on the Wachter estate, to starve for eternity. (Dungeon 207)
Vampire, Orlak, The Night King, Vampire King of Westgate: ?
Vampire, Rolain: ?
Vampire, Tloques-Popolocas: ?
Vampire, Torven “The Ageless” d'Medani: Undying in one of the only ways the cult offers immortality, this leader is a vampire. (Dungeon 173)
Vampire, Twilight Knight, Vengeance: ?
Vampire, Zanifer Karisa: Zanifer Karissa served as a captain in the Last War, conducting reconnaissance behind enemy lines in Breland. Before the King’s Dark Lanterns could catch up to her, she returned to Karrnath with critical military intelligence and earned herself a medal and an audience with Regent Moranna ir’Wynarn. Suspecting that the Dark Lanterns might have coerced Zanifer, Moranna turned the captain into a vampire and used her hold over the new spawn to discover the truth: Zanifer was not a double agent after all, but always had been a loyal Karrnathi soldier. (Dungeon 206)
Vampire, Zirithian: Once a warrior-knight of Lolth in service to Matron Urlvrain, Zirithian made a pact with Orcus and turned against his mistress. He earned a great boon from Orcus, transforming into a vampire with a few of the lesser powers. (P2 Demon Queen's Enclave)
Vampire Callophage Vampire: The “woman” is a callophage vampire created by a ritual known to her master, Kas the Betrayer. (Dungeon 170)
Vampire Charnel Brother, Grigori: Taking up the corpse, Nikolai voyaged to the Shadowfell, where he ritually raised Grigori as a vampire. (The Shadowfell: Gloomwrought and Beyond)
Vampire Charnel Brother, Nikolai: Taking up the corpse, Nikolai voyaged to the Shadowfell, where he ritually raised Grigori as a vampire. The moment Grigori awoke, he tore his fangs into Nikolai’s throat, turning his younger brother into an undead creature like himself. (The Shadowfell: Gloomwrought and Beyond)
Vampire Corpse Vampire: A living humanoid killed by the blood drain of a corpse vampire or a spirit vampire rises as a similar vampire at sunset on the following day. The new vampire has the level it had in life. Burning the slain creature’s body, decapitating that body, or reviving the slain creature can prevent this transformation. (Open Grave Secrets of the Undead)
A corpse vampire is the result when a humanoid cadaver is buried improperly, robbed of its burial possessions, or left in a place polluted by evil energy. (Open Grave Secrets of the Undead)
Vampire Disfigured Vampire: ?
Vampire Drow Vampire Spawn: ?
Vampire Elder Vampire Spawn: Leo Dilysnia has turned a handful of White Sun monks into vampire spawn. (Dungeon 207)
The four chanting figures are vampire spawn created by Leo. (Dungeon 207)
Vampire Feral Vampire: ?
Vampire Kahlir Vampire: ?
Vampire King of Westgate: See Vampire, Orlak, The Night King, Vampire King of Westgate.
Vampire Lich, Magroth: ?
Vampire Lord: A vampire lord can make others of its kind by performing a dark ritual (see the Dark Gift of the Undying sidebar). Performing the ritual leaves the caster weakened, so a vampire lord does not perform the ritual often. (Monster Manual)
Vampire lord is a monster template that can be applied to nonplayer characters. (Monster Manual)
The vampire lord template is one example of an undead created by life drain. (Open Grave Secrets of the Undead)
Some are former spawn freed by their creators’ deaths, others mortals chosen to receive the “gift” of vampiric immortality. (Dungeon Master's Guide)
“Vampire lord” is a template you can apply to any humanoid creature of 11th level or higher. (Dungeon Master's Guide)
Prerequisites: Humanoid, level 11 (Dungeon Master's Guide)
Vampire Lord, Cali: ?
Vampire Lord, Gulthias: ?
Vampire Lord, Kas the Betrayer: “Vecna used necromancy to extend Kas’s life, wishing to retain his trusted weapon as long as possible. When Kas’s mortal form had reached the point when even Vecna’s spells could sustain it no longer, the lich fashioned for him a fanged mask of silver, and channeled the energy of undeath into it. By wearing the silver mask and accepting its necromantic embrace, Kas willingly received the dark gift of vampirism.” (Dragon 402)
“You give me the evil eye? Perhaps you don’t believe me. Possibly you have heard that Kas became a vampire after his famous betrayal, as a result of being imprisoned in Vecna’s Citadel Cavitius, on an ash-covered world so cold that it freezes the very soul. That is what Vecna cultists quoting from the Scroll of Mauthereign would have you think, unwilling to admit that their lord so badly misplaced his trust twice. But is it so hard to believe that Vecna would choose to turn his most trusted warrior into a ‘lesser’ undead, in an attempt to satisfy Kas’s thirst for blood and ensure that he wouldn’t be tempted to steal the greater secrets of immortality? (Dragon 402)
Vampire Lord, Kirenkirsalai, Kire, Tebryn “Shadowstalker” Dhialael: The half-drow Tebryn “Shadowstalker” Dhialael was once a lowly member of the guild in the 1340s and 50s until a duel with a rival forced him to flee underground. He spent almost a decade as a slave in the drow city of Sschindylryn until he escaped and returned to his ancestral home, only to fall prey to Orbakh’s Flying Fangs. Now a vampire, Tebryn became one of Orbakh’s Night Court, where his extensive experience with the guild proved invaluable. (Dragon 428)
Vampire Lord, Lareen: ?
Vampire Lord, Mistress Ferranifer: ?
Vampire Lord, Nexull: ?
Vampire Lord, Rasmus: Centuries ago, a powerful cleric of the Raven Queen named Rasmus forsook the teachings of his god and began using the power she had granted him to unnaturally extend his own life. Eventually, magic alone was no longer enough to sustain Rasmus, so he undertook forbidden rites in which he drank offerings of blood made by his disciples to prolong his life indefinitely. The dark magic of the rites corrupted the cleric, transforming him into a vampire. (Dungeon 218)
Vampire Lord, Saed: ?
Vampire Lord Berserker: ?
Vampire Lord Dragonborn: ?
Vampire Lord Eladrin, Kannoth, Vampire Lord of Cendriane: ?
Vampire Lord High Preceptor: ?
Vampire Lord Human Fighter: ?
Vampire Lord Human Wizard, Manshoon, Orbakh The Night King, Orlak II, Clone of Manshoon, Lord of the Zhentarim: ?
Vampire Lord of Cendriane: See Vampire Lord, Kannoth, Vampire Lord of Cendriane.
Vampire Master Vampire: ?
Vampire Muse: ?
Vampire Necromancer, Dayan: ?
Vampire Necromancer, Talther Yorn: Hoping to erase an old injury, the necromancer became a vampire, and he has continued to conduct his evil experiments within his secure underground sanctuary to this day. (Dungeon 211)
The necromancer recently transformed himself into a vampire. (Dungeon 211)
Talther Yorn recently performed a necromantic ritual that transformed him into a vampire. (Dungeon 211)
Vampire Night Witch: When either foulspawn dies in Ghere Thau, a vampire night witch rises in the same square in the foulspawn’s next initiative point. (Dungeon 218)
Vampire Priest of Bane, Barthus: ?
Vampire Shadow Stalker Vampire: ?
Vampire Sharn Vampire Spawn: Zanifer isn’t fond of her employer, but she remains a patriot. Her family died in the Last War, and all she has left is her loyalty to the Karrnathi crown. She obeys Torr’s orders without question, and she has turned some of Sharn’s dregs into vampire thralls under her command. (Dungeon 206)
Vampire Snaketongue Vampire: ?
Vampire Spawn: LIVING HUMANOIDS SLAIN BY A VAMPIRE LORD’S BLOOD DRAIN are condemned to rise again as vampire spawn—relatively weak vampires under the dominion of the vampire lord that created them. (Monster Manual)
A living humanoid slain by a vampire lord’s blood drain power rises as a vampire spawn of its level at sunset on the following day. This rise can be prevented by burning the body or severing its head. (Monster Manual)
A living humanoid reduced to 0 hit points or fewer—but not killed—by a vampire lord can’t be healed and remains in a deep, deathlike coma. He or she dies at sunset of the next day, rising as a vampire spawn. A Remove Affliction ritual cast before the afflicted creature dies prevents death and makes normal healing possible. (Monster Manual)
Any humanoid Leo slays with his bite becomes a vampire or a vampire spawn. (Dungeon 207)
Declaring his triumph over death, Rasmus offered the “gift” of immortality to his loyal disciples, slaying them and raising them as his spawn. (Dungeon 218)
Vampire Spawn Bloodhunter: ?
Vampire Spawn Bloodspiker: ?
Vampire Spawn Fleshripper: Barthus captured a group of ruffians in the ruins several years ago and transformed them into vampire spawn minions after feasting on them. (FR1 Scepter Tower of Spellgard)
Vampire Spawn Life-Thief: Torven also has personal servants to whom he has granted eternal life—vampire spawn life-thieves—but these can withstand far less punishment than their master. (Dungeon 173)
Vampire Spirit Vampire: A living humanoid killed by the blood drain of a corpse vampire or a spirit vampire rises as a similar vampire at sunset on the following day. The new vampire has the level it had in life. Burning the slain creature’s body, decapitating that body, or reviving the slain creature can prevent this transformation. (Open Grave Secrets of the Undead)
When a spirit vampire or a corpse vampire reduces a living humanoid to 0 hit points or fewer without killing it, the humanoid enters a deep coma. If treated with the Remove Affliction ritual, the humanoid can be healed normally. Otherwise, he or she dies at sunset the next day and becomes a spirit vampire. (Open Grave Secrets of the Undead)
Vampire Spirit Vampire, Torhana Inksoul: ?
Vampire Thrall: Vampire spawn are useful servants, but sometimes a vampire requires servants that are more hardy and subtle. By feeding on a subject’s blood over an extended period of time, a vampire can condition a creature to be a strong yet obedient servant. (Open Grave Secrets of the Undead)
As a reward for good service, the former owner of the Mask of Kas becomes a vampire lord when it moves on. If the Mask is displeased with its former owner, it instead tries to cause the owner’s death by attracting hordes of undead to his or her location. (Open Grave Secrets of the Undead)
“Vampire thrall” is a template you can apply to any living humanoid to represent that creature’s service to a vampire lord. (Open Grave Secrets of the Undead)
Prerequisites: Living humanoid (Open Grave Secrets of the Undead)
Vampiric Dragon: The only way to create a vampiric dragon is through the same dark ritual that creates a vampire lord. (Draconomicon I Chromatic Dragons)
Vampiric Dragon, Tzevokalas: Who he was before becoming a vampire, or why he chose this region to hunt, nobody knows. (Draconomicon I Chromatic Dragons)
Vampiric Dragon Bloodwind: ?
Vampiric Dragon Thief of Life: ?
Vampiric Mist: These sanguine mists, the remains of a secret coven of vampires, prowl the Witchlight Fens in search of blood. (Monster Vault Threats to the Nentir Vale)
Long ago, a coven of vampires claimed the marshy expanse known as the Witchlight Fens as their secluded demesne, wherein was hidden the phylactery of their dark liege—a powerful lich whose name has been forgotten. If the old stories are true, the phylactery still lies somewhere in the swamp, well removed from more traveled areas of the region. The lich’s whereabouts are unknown, and its presence has not been felt for generations. As for the vampires in the lich’s employ, their corporeal bodies were consumed long ago, yet they linger still as deadly clouds of mist that turn crimson when flush with the blood of their victims. (Monster Vault Threats to the Nentir Vale)
One of the lich’s many enemies, a powerful hag, came to the Witchlight Fens in search of the phylactery and performed a ritual to destroy the vampire coven. The ritual did not yield the expected results. The vampires’ bodies were destroyed, but their evil essence lingered. The nine vampire lords who led the coven transformed into a single force of pure hatred and malice called a crimson deathmist. The lesser vampires of the coven were reduced to roaming clouds of mist having an insatiable hunger for life. (Monster Vault Threats to the Nentir Vale)
Any vampire that becomes trapped in gaseous form (usually as a result of losing its sacred resting place) can transform into a vampiric mist by sheer force of will. (Monster Vault Threats to the Nentir Vale)
Vampiric Mist Chillborn Vampiric Mist: ?
Vampiric Mist Corruptor: ?
Vampiric Mist Crimson Deathmist: One of the lich’s many enemies, a powerful hag, came to the Witchlight Fens in search of the phylactery and performed a ritual to destroy the vampire coven. The ritual did not yield the expected results. The vampires’ bodies were destroyed, but their evil essence lingered. The nine vampire lords who led the coven transformed into a single force of pure hatred and malice called a crimson deathmist. The lesser vampires of the coven were reduced to roaming clouds of mist having an insatiable hunger for life. (Monster Vault Threats to the Nentir Vale)
Vandomar: See Arcanian Blue Arcanian, Vandomar.
Vard King of All Trolls: See Troll Undead Troll King, Vard King of All Trolls.
Vargo the Faceless: See Lich, Vargo the Faceless.
Varno, The Ghoul: ?
Vasabhakti: See Sceptenar Vasabhakti.
Vecna: See Lich, Vecna.
Vecna, The Whispered One, Master of the Spider Throne, The Undying King, Lord of the Rotted Tower, The Maimed God, Lord of Secrets: Vecna, the god of magic, necromancy, and secrets, pursued undeath as part of his rise to godhood. (Open Grave Secrets of the Undead)
Vecna Aspect of Vecna: CONJURED BY MEANS OF A RITUAL known only to devotees of Vecna, an aspect of Vecna heeds its summoner and resembles the Whispered One in cunning and intelligence. (Open Grave Secrets of the Undead)
Vecna Aspect of Vecna, Rithkerrar: ?
Vecna Cultist: See Undead Vecna Cultist.
Vengeance: See Vampire, Twilight Knight, Vengeance.
Vile Pet: See Unrisen Vile Pet.
Visage: Tenebrous lacked the full power of a god and couldn’t resurrect his former servants, but he discovered that he could reanimate them. He created new undead horrors he called visages: demonic undead made of shadows and masks, able to control the perceptions of those around them and even to take on the forms and lives of their victims. (Dragon 417)
Viscera Devourer: See Devourer Viscera Devourer.
Vizier's Skeleton: See Skeleton Vizier's Skeleton.
Vlaakith CLVII: See Lich, Vlaakith CLVII, Lich-Queen.
Vlaakith, Spine of: See Lich Demilich, Spine of Vlaakith.
Vladistone, Salazar: See Ghost, Salazar Vladistone.
Void Lich: See Lich Void Lich.
Voidsoul Specter: See Specter Voidsoul Specter.
Vol: See Lich, Lady Vol.
Volnath: Scholars on the subject claim the Far Realm touches creation from the outside, like a foul skin of stuff older than all knowing. The unwise seek its encompassing madness and alien nature in the depths of the night sky, especially in the dark between the stars. The Shadowfell's nighttime firmament is, as a vast void with few dim or flickering lights, the perfect place to seek the realm also called the Outside. (Player's Option Heroes of Shadow)
Volnath, a wizard of old Nerath, sought such learning from Telkon, his observatory in the world. He discovered ancient texts on shadow and the Outside, and he invited dark beings into his ritual chambers to give him counsel. Living shadows whispered to him during his observations, speaking of the power of shadow magic and the nearness of the Far Realm in the Shadowfell's sky. (Player's Option Heroes of Shadow)
The wizard, his sanity on the brink, summoned a shadowfall to take Telkon and the nearby village of Hadder into the Shadowfell. There, from instructions on ancient tablets and through the toil of the enslaved folk of Hadder, he remade the village and Telkon into a monumental arcane focus. Yolnath slew any who intruded in the area of his great work. He sacrificed numerous innocents and ultimately his own life for undead immortality. (Player's Option Heroes of Shadow)
Von Zarovich, Strahd: See Vampire, Count Strahd von Zarovich.
Voolad: See Ghost, Voolad.
Vortex Wraith: See Wraith Vortex Wraith.
Vrikus: See Ghoul Boss, Vrikus.
Vrin, Jakro: See Ghost Sage Ghost, Jakro Vrin.
Vrin, Willum: See Ghost Sage Ghost, Willum Vrin.
Wailing Ghost: See Ghost Wailing Ghost, Banshee.
Warforged Banshee: See Ghost Wailing Ghost Warforged Banshee.
Warped Ghoul: See Ghoul Warped Ghoul.
Warped Grimlock Zombie: See Zombie Warped Grimlock Zombie.
Watchful Ghost: See Ghost Watchful Ghost.
Weak Kruthik Zombie: See Zombie Weak Kruthik Zombie.
Weeping Wraith: See Wraith Weeping Wraith.
Whispered One: See Vecna, The Whispered One, Master of the Spider Throne, The Undying King, Lord of the Rotted Tower, The Maimed God, Lord of Secrets.
Whisperer: See Nighthaunt Whisperer.
Widow of the Walk: See Ghost Widow of the Walk.
Wight: SOLDIERS SLAUGHTER AN ELF TRIBE after a messenger fails to bring warning. A poisoned blade cuts down a dwarf before he achieves his life’s goal. Both die, but their intense yearnings resurrect soulless bodies, driving the corpses to endlessly pursue what likely can never be accomplished. (Dark Sun Creature Catalog)
As a soul passes into the Gray, its deepest unmet desire can splinter off to animate the physical form that its soul abandoned. The splinter accesses the memories, needs, and desires of the body’s former occupant. Those passions are married to an overwhelming hunger for life force, and a wight is born. (Dark Sun Creature Catalog)
A wight has a body and a feral awareness granted by the animus, but no soul. (Open Grave Secrets of the Undead)
Mistwatch Blight disease. (Dungeon 186)
Those who have witnessed wights being “born” swear that the creatures don’t rise spontaneously from corpses. Rather, a force—an evil beyond mortal imagining—flows into the body. This is something sensed rather than seen; the force fills every fiber of the creature’s being, a black whisper fundamentally opposed to life and the living. (Dungeon 191)
Buried soldiers and mercenaries become wights more often than other kinds of corpses do. (Dungeon 191)
As they battle the mercenaries in Ghere Thau, the characters notice that some of the enemies immediately rise as undead (often wights) when they fall. (Dungeon 218)
Wight, Ayocuan: ?
Wight, Undol Half-Ogre: ?
Wight Ashgaunt: These foul creatures were created by a faction of Orcus worshipers called the Ashen Covenant, some of whom are focused on finding new ways to spread undeath. (Dragon Magazine Annual)
Wight Battle Wight: A battle wight replaces the chained cambion when it falls in Ghere Thau. (Dungeon 218)
2 dragonborn mercenaries (which animate as battle wights when dropped to 0 hit points in Ghere Thau). (Dungeon 218)
When the cambion dies in Ghere Thau, it becomes a battle wight. (Dungeon 218)
1 cambion infernal scion (animates as a battle wight when dropped to 0 hit points in Ghere Thau).
When the infernal scion dies in Ghere Thau, she rises as a battle wight. (Dungeon 218)
Gryznath recently slew a group of knights from Elturgard and removed a silver gauntlet from the body of their leader. He then used black magic to animate the knights’ corpses into talking undead. (Garloz can describe the undead well enough that someone who succeeds on a DC 17 Religion check can guess the creatures are wights.) (Dungeon 221)
Wight Battle Wight, Sir Tavil Soarvaren: Tavil is now languishing in the service of Gryznath, who has reanimated the deceased paladin as a battle wight. (Dungeon 221)
Gryznath recently slew a group of knights from Elturgard and removed a silver gauntlet from the body of their leader. He then used black magic to animate the knights’ corpses into talking undead. (Garloz can describe the undead well enough that someone who succeeds on a DC 17 Religion check can guess the creatures are wights.) (Dungeon 221)
Wight Battle Wight Bodyguard: ?
Wight Battle Wight Commander: 1 cambion infernal scion (which animates as a battle wight commander when dropped to 0 hit points in Ghere Thau). (Dungeon 218)
If Trask isn’t able to kill himself by falling in Ghere Thau, he rises as a battle wight commander and fights until destroyed. (Dungeon 218)
Wight Betrayer Wight: They’re evil guardians bound here against their will for crimes they committed in life. (Dungeon 159)
Undead that Arantor ritually created shortly after awaking in Monadhan. (Dungeon 170)
Wight Blightfire Wretch: ?
Wight Chainfighter Wight: ?
Wight Champion Wight: ?
Wight Deathlock Wight: One of the arcanists interred in this chamber was a wizard making secret preparations for becoming a lich. Though he was slain in a spell duel before he could complete the process, he had already suffused his being with an unholy power that allowed him to rise as a deathlock wight. (FR1 Scepter Tower of Spellgard)
Hamona, a grim place that has already been terrorized by the Cult of Vecna. All the survivors in the village are missing their left hand and eye and are extremely distrustful of outsiders. The inhabitants of Hamona are also under a curse placed upon them by the cult in which they become undead creatures at nightfall. (Dungeon 158)
Wight Deathlock Wight, Garvus Harbane: After leading the cult for many years, Garvus sought to prolong his life through a dangerous necromantic ritual a few years ago. However, he foolishly used the necroshard as the ritual’s focus and unleashed a wave of raw energy that killed him and every living creature in the temple. Although a catastrophic and lethal failure for Garvus, his ritual increased the potential power of the necroshard tenfold. Each night since, the shard has slowly been growing in power. The necroshard’s power is at its strongest at night, when it saturates the surrounding area with the power of death. This necromantic energy has been slowly building, feeding on the many deaths in the Scar over the years. (Dungeon 176)
The trapdoor in the northern end of the temple interior leads to a small rectory that once served as the personal quarters of the temple’s high priests. It was here Garvus Harbane performed the ritual that claimed his life and the lives of his followers so many years ago. His corpse, withered and all but mummified, is still here, the necroshard hanging from its shriveled neck. (Dungeon 176)
Although the corpses in the forest will animate tonight for the first time, the corpse of Garvus Harbane, due to its close proximity to the necroshard, has been animating each night for the past few weeks as a deathlock wight. (Dungeon 176)
Wight Drow Battle Wight: ?
Wight Drow Battle Wight Commander: ?
Wight Dune Runner Wight: ?
Wight Hobgoblin Wight: ?
Wight Hobgoblin Wight, Ashurta: ?
Wight Icetomb Wight: ?
Wight Icewight: The combination of extreme cold, dark history, and proximity to the Shadowfell produces icewights. (Dungeon 163)
Icewights arise from the bodies of depraved folk who died in frigid places touched by shadow. (Dungeon 163)
If a creature dies while it has resistances from the Pool of the Frozen Spirits, it rises as an icewight 1 hour later.
Wight Icewight Castellan: ?
Wight Lesser Oath Wight, Darom Madar: Darom Madar did not escape the fate of the rest of his house. He was wounded in the battle with House Tsalaxa assassins but managed to seal himself in the treasure chamber before succumbing to his wounds. He also did not escape the fate of those who died within the vault and has become an undead horror fueled by rage and hatred. (Dungeon 181)
The monster Darom Madar has become is called an oath wight, a creature animated by a twisted sense of duty to a task left unfinished or interrupted. He has waited here in the dark and the dust for over a century and is quite eager to inflict his all-consuming rage and sense of loss on the living. (Dungeon 181)
Wight Life-Eater: ?
Wight Mage Wight: ?
Wight Miner Battle Wight: Killed by the bone nagas, the three were subsequently raised as horrid undead by the necromancer Eibon. (Dungeon 157)
Wight Oath Wight: Ruins pock the wastelands of Athas. Devastating attacks leveled cities and buried inhabitants where they stood, heedless of whether the victims were scoundrels or scholars, wastrels or artisans. The slain seldom rest easy, especially those who were on the brink of success, a historic discovery, or birthing a child. Oath wights crawl from the rubble. The creatures vibrate with rage and disappointment, throbbing with the futility of their former souls’ pursuits and passions. (Dark Sun Creature Catalog)
The monster Darom Madar has become is called an oath wight, a creature animated by a twisted sense of duty to a task left unfinished or interrupted. (Dungeon 181)
Wight Shallowgrave Wight: ?
Wight Skullborn Deathlok Wight: ?
Wight Slaughter Wight: ?
Wight Slaughter Wight, Skahlton Gairg: Killed by the bone nagas, the three were subsequently raised as horrid undead by the necromancer Eibon. (Dungeon 157)
Wight Slaughter Wight Overlord: ?
Wight Thrall: A charismatic ruler or commander is brought down, and the servants and trusted advisors who perished at her side rise up as wight thralls. These creatures’ devotion spills over into death. (Dark Sun Creature Catalog)
Wight Unhallowed Wight: When the human thugs die in Ghere Thau, they become unhallowed wights. (Dungeon 218)
The human thugs, if killed in Ghere Thau, become much more deadly unhallowed wights. (Dungeon 218)
2 human thugs (which animate as unhallowed wights when dropped to 0 hit points in Ghere Thau)
Wight Winter Wight: Acererak created the first winter Wights. (Tomb of Horrors)
Willum Vrin: See Ghost Sage Ghost, Willum Vrin.
Winged Putrescence: See Draconic Zombie Winged Putrescence.
Winter Wight: See Wight Winter Wight.
Wisp Wraith: See Wraith Wisp Wraith.
Withering One: See Zombie Withering One.
Witherling: WITHERLINGS ARE UNDEAD CREATURES Created by gnolls to serve as shock troops and raiders. Gnoll priests ofYeenoghu use a ritual to fuse the essence of a demon with the body of a foe slain in battle. The result is a shrunken, emaciated creature that has a ghoul's paralyzing touch and a demon's relentless frenzy. (Monster Manual 2)
A WlTHERLING IS THE ANIMATED CORPSE of a Small humanoid with the head of a hyena.
Yeenoghu recently imparted to the gnolls the knowledge of the blasphemous process used to create witherlings. A war between Yeenoghu and Orcus is brewing, and the witherlings are but one of several new weapons that the Prince of Gnolls has given to his children. (Monster Manual 2)
The bone pit is safe, at least until the fang of Yeenoghu in area 3 is killed. As soon as he dies, the bones come to life, spurred into action by Yeenoghu himself. (Dungeon 212)
Witherling Botched Witherling: ?
Witherling Death Shrieker: A DEATH SHRIEKER IS A LARGER, MORE FEROCIOUS form of witherling. (Monster Manual 2)
Witherling Horned Terror: A HORNED TERROR is AN UNDEAD abomination created from the specially preserved corpse of a minotaur. (Monster Manual 2)
Witherling Rabble: WHEN GNOLLS OR NECROMANCERS create witherlings, the process sometimes goes awry. The magic instead & creates witherling rabble, inferior forms of the creatures. (Monster Manual 2)
Witherling Mote: ?
Wizard of the White Tower: See Lich, Wizard of the White Tower.
Woodcutter's Ghost: See Ghost Woodcutter's Ghost.
Worg Packmate Ghost: See Ghost Worg Packmate.
Worm Bridge: The bridge is crafted from the corpse of a purple worm whose long body forms a tunnel through the water to reach the other side. (Underdark)
Worm of Ages: Below Death's Reach burrows a great worm, long dead but roused from eternal slumber by the soulfall. (E1 Death's Reach)
Wormspawn Praetorian: See Spawn of Kyuss Wormspawn Praetorian.
Wraith: THIS RESTLESS APPARITION LURKS IN THE SHADOWS, thirsting for souls. Those it slays become free-willed wraiths as hateful as their creator. (Monster Manual)
When a wraith slays a humanoid, that creature’s spirit rises as a free-willed wraith of the same kind. With the aid of magic or ritual, and with the proper components, a necromancer can summon or even create a wraith. Other wraiths are born on the Shadowfell, and many remain there or enter the natural world through planar rifts and gates. (Monster Manual)
Common wraiths can also evolve into larger, more malevolent wraiths over time. (Monster Manual)
Any humanoid killed by a wraith rises as a free-willed wraith at the start of its creator’s next turn, appearing in the space where it died (or in the nearest unoccupied space). Raising the slain creature (using the Raise Dead ritual) does not destroy the spawned wraith. (Monster Manual)
When a person dies and his or her spirit departs, the animus can remain, clinging to a vestige of life. The animus can become a wraith, an insubstantial creature that emerges amid the vanishing memories of a person’s life; it becomes trapped in an endless afterlife, tortured by remembered sensations and driven mad by a hunger to reclaim the life it once had. (Monster Vault)
Life consists of three parts: body, spirit, and will. Without will, the body ceases to function and the spirit leaves. Sages call the will the animus, and they regard it as the shadow of the soul. When a body dies or a spirit departs, sometimes the animus remains in the world. Without the spirit, though, the animus has no purpose, and it runs amok. Like many undead, a wraith is the result of an unfettered animus. (Monster Vault)
When the wraith kills a humanoid, that humanoid becomes a wraith figment at the start of this wraith’s next turn. The new wraith appears in the space where the humanoid died or in the nearest unoccupied square, and it rolls a new initiative check. (Monster Vault)
When a wraith slays a living humanoid, another wraith emerges from that person’s body within a few minutes, or within a few seconds in areas of intense necrotic energy. Even when powerful magic returns a person to life, his or her wraith remains. A restored cadaver regains its soul and heals fatal wounds, but rather than it regaining its former animus, a new one forms to close the gap between body and spirit. (Monster Vault)
When a mad wraith slays a living humanoid, another wraith emerges from that person’s body within a few minutes, or within a few seconds in areas of intense necrotic energy. Even when powerful magic returns a person to life, his or her wraith remains. A restored cadaver regains its soul and heals fatal wounds, but rather than it regaining its former animus, a new one forms to close the gap between body and spirit. (Monster Vault)
Even the dreaded wraith is simply a soulless animus, deeply corrupted and infused with strong necromantic energy. (Open Grave Secrets of the Undead)
Wraiths have a similar thirst for mortal souls, using the resulting energy to spawn their dreadful progeny. (Open Grave Secrets of the Undead)
Areas tainted by necromantic seepage in the Shadowfell spawn wraiths. (Open Grave Secrets of the Undead)
Any humanoid killed by a wraith rises as a free-willed wraith at the start of its creator’s next turn, appearing in the space where it died (or in the nearest unoccupied space). Raising the slain creature (using the Raise Dead ritual) does not destroy the spawned wraith. (Open Grave Secrets of the Undead)
Most wraiths spawn more of their kind when they murder a humanoid. (Open Grave Secrets of the Undead)
Rarely does a humanoid wraith kill a dragon, and a wyrm so slain normally cannot rise as a wraith. Humanoids slain by draconic wraiths can, however, rise as wraiths themselves. (Draconomicon I Chromatic Dragons)
Any humanoid creature killed by a wyrm-wisp rises as a free-willed wraith at the start of its creator’s next turn; a dragon instead rises as a wyrm-wisp. The new wraith appears in the space where it died or in the nearest unoccupied space. Raising the slain creature (using the Raise Dead ritual) does not destroy the spawned wraith. (Draconomicon I Chromatic Dragons)
Any humanoid creature killed by a soulgrinder rises as a free-willed wraith at the start of its creator’s next turn; a dragon instead rises as a soulgrinder. The new wraith appears in the space where it died or in the nearest unoccupied space. Raising the slain creature (using the Raise Dead ritual) does not destroy the spawned wraith. (Draconomicon I Chromatic Dragons)
Sometimes, though, the victims of a vampiric dragon rise as spiritual undead such as ghosts and wraiths. (Draconomicon I Chromatic Dragons)
A shadar-kai could live longer than any eladrin. Few do, however; the consequences of extreme living keep them from seeing old age. Some simply fade away, disappearing into shadow and death, perhaps leaving behind a wraith as the soul passes into the Raven Queen’s care. (Dragon Magazine Annual)
DEATH’S HUNGER (H3 Pyramid of Shadows)
The power of death is strong in this area. A bloodied creature anywhere in the area can score a critical hit on a natural die roll of 19 or 20. (H3 Pyramid of Shadows)
A character who falls to 0 hit points or fewer anywhere in within the area shown on the encounter map is immediately teleported into one of the empty coffins in the northeast room. The lid of the coffin slams shut and requires a DC 20 Strength check to open (from either side). Each time a character inside a coffin fails a death saving throw, each battle wight (if any remain) regains 24 hit points. A character who dies inside one of the coffins rises as a wraith at the start of the frightful wraith’s next turn, exactly as if the wraith had killed the creature. With phasing, the character can escape the coffin and rejoin the battle, now fighting on the side of the other undead. (H3 Pyramid of Shadows)
A zombie holds a struggling goblin in its hands and plunges the screaming goblin into the southeastern pool. Instantly, the goblin stops struggling and the pool turns red. A wraith emerges from the goblin's body. (Halls of Undermountain)
If a living creature enters or starts its turn in the pool, it must make a saving throw. If it fails the saving throw, the creature loses a healing surge. If a creature with no healing surges fails the saving throw while in the pool, the creature dies and is immediately turned into a wraith. (Halls of Undermountain)
If anyone disturbs the garter or the bones of Trestyna Ulthilor, the priestess's spirit rises as a wraith. (Halls of Undermountain)
The wraiths in this place were created by the chaos of the Deck of Many Thinas, though they lay quiescent for many years after the fall of the abbey. (Madness at Gardmore Abbey)
Others find the weight of their mortal deeds so heavy they cannot bear to move farther than the Shadowfell. In time, they are corrupted by the plane’s malaise, becoming specters, wraiths, and other insubstantial beings. (Manual of the Planes)
Any humanoid killed by a wraith rises as a free-willed wraith at the start of its creator's next turn, appearing in the space where it died (or in the nearest unoccupied space). Raising the slain creature (using the Raise Dead ritual) does not destroy the spawned wraith. (Seekers of the Ashen Crown)
A number of devils dwell on the Shores of Sorrow island, as do a small number of undead creatures such as wraiths, specters, and ghosts—folk wasted away by the pervasive despair. (The Plane Above: Secrets of the Astral Sea)
Even the most faithful divine servant who dies in one of these places dies unnoticed. The souls of the fallen linger forever in the godless realms, becoming ghosts, wraiths, or similar undead without ever traveling to the Shadowfell, where the Raven Queen would judge their final disposition. (Underdark)
Even the dreaded wraith is simply an animus, deeply corrupted and infused with strong necrotic energy. (Wizards Presents Worlds and Monsters)
Any humanoid killed by a wraith rises as a free-willed wraith at the start of its creator’s next turn, appearing in the space where it died (or in the nearest unoccupied space). Raising the slain creature (using the Raise Dead ritual) does not destroy the spawned wraith. (Dungeon 158)
Any humanoid killed by a wraith rises as a free-willed wraith at the start of its creator’s next turn, appearing in the space where it died (or in the nearest unoccupied space). Raising the slain creature (using the Raise Dead ritual) does not destroy the spawned wraith. (Dungeon 169)
Mistwatch Blight disease. (Dungeon 186)
When the oblivion wraith kills a humanoid, that humanoid becomes a wraith at the start of this wraith’s next turn. The new wraith appears in the space where the humanoid died or in the nearest unoccupied square, and it rolls a new initiative check. The new wraith acts under the Dungeon Master’s control. (Dungeon 196)
Created from the spirits of the Shadowghasts. (Dungeon 197)
When the wraith kills a humanoid, that humanoid becomes a wraith figment at the start of this wraith’s next turn. The new wraith appears in the space where the humanoid died or in the nearest unoccupied square, and it rolls a new initiative check. The new wraith acts under the Dungeon Master’s control. (Dungeon 197)
When the wraith kills a humanoid, that humanoid becomes a wraith figment at the start of this wraith’s next turn. The new wraith appears in the space where the humanoid died or in the nearest unoccupied square, and it rolls a new initiative check. (Dungeon 211)
This chamber, once the entryway to the temple, became the place where Rasmus granted his “blessing” to his disciples, transforming them into vampire spawn. The spawn were slain centuries ago by Arne and her companions, but their restless spirits have been awakened by their master’s return to the temple. (Dungeon 218)
The family buried here suffered a curse, and so undead linger in the vault. (Dungeon 221)
Wraith, Kravenghast: ?
Wraith, Matharic: Matharic and his band laid claim to a large section of Underdark wilderness near Citadel Adbar. They slaughtered merchants who were bringing trade to the citadel, and ambushed dwarven strike teams sent to eliminate them. The dwarves discovered that Matharic's secret lair lay hidden beneath one of their outposts, from where the drow had spied on them and learned their plans. The dwarves led a large force against the drow. Dozens of dwarves died in the assault, as did Math-ark's entire band. Even though Matharic was slain in the battle, his evil spirit lingered on. Now his undead essence haunts the caverns of the area. (War of Everlasting Darkness)
Wraith Archwraith, Moghadam: ?
Wraith Draconic: See Draconic Wraith.
Wraith Dread Wraith: When many people die abruptly, a dread wraith can coalesce from their collected spirits. (Monster Manual)
Any humanoid killed by a dread wraith rises as a free-willed dread wraith at the start of its creator’s next turn, appearing in the space where it died (or in the nearest unoccupied space). Raising the slain creature (using the Raise Dead ritual) does not destroy the spawned wraith. (Monster Manual)
At the start of Orcus’s turn, any creature killed by the Wand of Orcus that is still dead rises as a dread wraith under Orcus’s command. (Monster Manual)
Any humanoid killed by a dread wraith rises as a free-willed dread wraith at the start of its creator’s next turn, appearing in the space where it died (or in the nearest unoccupied space). Raising the slain creature (using the Raise Dead ritual) does not destroy the spawned wraith. (Open Grave Secrets of the Undead)
Any humanoid killed by a dread wraith rises as a free-willed dread wraith at the start of its creator’s next turn, appearing in the space where it died (or in the nearest unoccupied space). Raising the slain creature (using the Raise Dead ritual) does not destroy the spawned wraith. (Dungeon Delve)
Any humanoid killed by a dread wraith rises as a free-willed dread wraith at the start of its creator’s next turn, appearing in the space where it died (or in the nearest unoccupied space). Raising the slain creature (using the Raise Dead ritual) does not destroy the spawned wraith. (Dungeon Magazine Annual Vol. 1)
By the time the adventurers rush to the Raven Queen's aid, she is already staked to the floor of her throne room by the shard of evil. Although she is not yet destroyed. her power to judge souls and send them to their final destinations fails. (E3 Prince of Undeath)
The consequences of this have yet to propagate. Within Letherna, Raise Dead and similar rituals work normally however, each time a creature is raised to life, a dread wraith appears in a square adjacent to the raised creature. (E3 Prince of Undeath)
Any humanoid killed by a dread wraith assassin rises as a free-willed dread wraith at the start of its creator's next turn, appearing in the space where it died (or in the nearest unoccupied space). Raising the slain creature (using the Raise Dead ritual) does not destroy the spawned wraith. (E3 Prince of Undeath)
Any humanoid killed by a dread wraith rises as a free-willed dread wraith at the start of its creator’s next turn, appearing in the space where it died (or in the nearest unoccupied space). Raising the slain creature (using the Raise Dead ritual) does not destroy the spawned wraith. (The Plane Above: Secrets of the Astral Sea)
Any humanoid killed by a dread wraith rises as a free-willed dread wraith at the start of its creator’s next turn, appearing in the space where it died (or in the nearest unoccupied space). Raising the slain creature (using the Raise Dead ritual) does not destroy the spawned wraith. (Dungeon 160)
Any humanoid killed by a dread wraith rises as a free-willed dread wraith at the start of its creator’s next turn, appearing in the space where it died (or in the nearest unoccupied space). Raising the slain creature (using the Raise Dead ritual) does not destroy the spawned wraith. (Dungeon 162)
Any humanoid killed by a dread wraith rises as a free-willed dread wraith at the start of its creator’s next turn, appearing in the space where it died (or in the nearest unoccupied space). Raising the slain creature (using the Raise Dead ritual) does not destroy the spawned wraith. (Dungeon 171)
Any humanoid killed by a dread wraith assassin rises as a free-willed dread wraith at the start of its creator’s next turn, appearing in the space where it died (or in the nearest unoccupied space). Raising the slain creature (using the Raise Dead ritual) does not destroy the spawned wraith. (Dungeon 175)
Wraith Dread Wraith Assassin: ?
Wraith Fell Troll Wraith: When Snurre established his hall here, he slew the trolls already in residence. The festering evil of the Elder Elemental Eye prevented their foul spirits from resting easy. (Dungeon 200)
Wraith Figment: When the sovereign wraith kills a humanoid, that humanoid becomes a wraith figment at the start of this wraith’s next turn. The new wraith appears in the space where the humanoid died or in the nearest unoccupied square, and it rolls a new initiative check. The new wraith acts under the Dungeon Master’s control. (Monster Vault)
When the mad wraith kills a humanoid, that humanoid becomes a wraith figment at the start of this mad wraith's next turn. The new wraith appears in the space where the humanoid died or in the nearest unoccupied square, and it rolls a new initiative check. The new wraith acts under the Dungeon Master's control. (Madness at Gardmore Abbey)
When the wraith kills a humanoid, that humanoid becomes a wraith figment at the start of this wraith’s next turn. The new wraith appears in the space where the humanoid died or in the nearest unoccupied square, and it rolls a new initiative check. The new wraith acts under the Dungeon Master’s control. (Dungeon 192)
When the mad wraith kills a humanoid, that humanoid becomes a wraith figment at the start of this wraith’s next turn. The new wraith appears in the space where the humanoid died or in the nearest unoccupied square, and it rolls a new initiative check. The new wraith acts under the Dungeon Master’s control. (Dungeon 192)
When the reaper blossom cluster kills a living humanoid, that humanoid becomes a wraith figment at the start of the cluster’s next turn. (Dungeon 195)
A dim intelligence directs these malign flowers, reaper blossoms, whose toxic pollen can rapidly drain the life force from any living creature, spawning a terrible wraith in the process. (Dungeon 195)
Although they are found throughout the Shadowfell, reaper blossoms are not naturally occurring. Those knowledgeable on the subject suspect that the flowers are Orcus’s creations. The blossoms’ diet of souls and ability to spawn undead gives credence to this belief, which has motivated the Raven Queen’s followers to declare reaper blossoms an affront to her. (Dungeon 195)
When the wraith kills a humanoid, that humanoid becomes a wraith figment at the start of this wraith’s next turn. The new wraith appears in the space where the humanoid died or in the nearest unoccupied square, and it rolls a new initiative check. (Dungeon 210)
When the sovereign wraith kills a humanoid, that humanoid becomes a wraith figment at the start of this wraith’s next turn. The new wraith appears in the space where the humanoid died or in the nearest unoccupied square, and it rolls a new initiative check. (Dungeon 214)
When the sovereign wraith kills a humanoid, that humanoid becomes a wraith figment at the start of this wraith’s next turn. The new wraith appears in the space where the humanoid died or in the nearest unoccupied square, and it rolls a new initiative check. (Dungeon 215)
When the wraith kills a humanoid, that humanoid becomes a wraith figment at the start of this wraith’s next turn. The new wraith appears in the space where the humanoid died or in the nearest unoccupied square, and it rolls a new initiative check. (Dungeon 218)
When the mad wraith kills a humanoid, that humanoid becomes a wraith figment at the start of this wraith’s next turn. The new wraith appears in the space where the humanoid died or in the nearest unoccupied square, and it rolls a new initiative check. (Dungeon 218)
When the sovereign wraith kills a humanoid, that humanoid becomes a wraith figment at the start of this wraith’s next turn. The new wraith appears in the space where the humanoid died or in the nearest unoccupied square, and it rolls a new initiative check. (Dungeon 218)
When the wraith kills a humanoid, that humanoid becomes a wraith figment at the start of this wraith’s next turn. The new wraith appears in the space where the humanoid died or in the nearest unoccupied square, and it rolls a new initiative check. (Dungeon 218)
When the wraith kills a humanoid, that humanoid becomes a wraith figment at the start of this wraith’s next turn. The new wraith appears in the space where the humanoid died or in the nearest unoccupied square, and it rolls a new initiative check. (Dungeon 221)
Wraith Filching Wraith: ?
Wraith Forge Wisp Wraith: Forge wisp wraiths are individual spirits that failed to join together to form a forgewraith. (Dungeon Magazine Annual Vol. 1)
Forge wisp wraiths are individual spirits that failed to join together to form a forgewraith. (Dungeon 167)
Wraith Frightful Wraith: Any humanoid killed by a frightful wraith rises as a free-willed frightful wraith at the start of its creator’s next turn, appearing in the space where it died (or in the nearest unoccupied space). Raising the slain creature (using the Raise Dead ritual) does not destroy the spawned wraith. (H3 Pyramid of Shadows)
Wraith Frost Giant Sword Wraith: ?
Wraith Lost Wraith: Any humanoid killed by a lost wraith rises as a free-willed lost wraith at the start of its creator’s next turn, appearing in the space where it died (or in the nearest unoccupied space). Raising the slain creature (using the Raise Dead ritual) does not destroy the spawned wraith. (Dungeon 155)
Wraith Mad Wraith: Any humanoid killed by a mad wraith rises as a free-willed mad wraith at the start of its creator’s next turn, appearing in the space where it died (or in the nearest unoccupied space). Raising the slain creature (using the Raise Dead ritual) does not destroy the spawned wraith. (Monster Manual)
Any humanoid killed by a mad wraith rises as a free-willed mad wraith at the start of its creator’s next turn, appearing in the space where it died (or in the nearest unoccupied space). Raising the slain creature (using the Raise Dead ritual) does not destroy the spawned wraith. (Open Grave Secrets of the Undead)
Four Gardmore paladins-Engram, Dorn, Silas, and Hromwere assigned to guard and transport the Brazier. When the abbey was attacked, Engram, Dorn, and Silas carried the relic to the rendezvous point in the garrison. (Madness at Gardmore Abbey)
The wizard Vandomar sealed the three knights inside to protect them while they waited for their companion. However, Hrom fell in battle before reaching the others. Without him, they were unable to open the chest holding the Brazier. Driven mad by the relentless whispers of the evil spirits that invaded the place, the knights killed each other. (Madness at Gardmore Abbey)
Vandomar was unable to save the paladins. To prevent the evil that had destroyed them from spreading, he reinforced the magical seal. So the garrison remains to this day, haunted by the mad spirits of the dead knights (Madness at Gardmore Abbey)
Any humanoid killed by a mad wraith rises as a free-willed mad wraith at the start of its creator’s next turn, appearing in the space where it died (or in the nearest unoccupied space). Raising the slain creature (using the Raise Dead ritual) does not destroy the spawned wraith. (Dungeon 156)
Any humanoid killed by a mad wraith rises as a free-willed mad wraith at the start of its creator’s next turn, appearing in the space where it died (or in the nearest unoccupied space). Raising the slain creature (using the Raise Dead ritual) does not destroy the spawned wraith. (Dungeon 158)
This chamber, once the entryway to the temple, became the place where Rasmus granted his “blessing” to his disciples, transforming them into vampire spawn. The spawn were slain centuries ago by Arne and her companions, but their restless spirits have been awakened by their master’s return to the temple. (Dungeon 218)
Wraith Moon Wraith: Any humanoid killed by a moon wraith rises as a free-willed moon wraith at the start of its creator’s next turn, appearing in the space where it died (or in the nearest unoccupied space). Raising the slain creature (using the Raise Dead ritual) does not destroy the spawned wraith. (Open Grave Secrets of the Undead)
Moon wraiths are floating, crescent-shaped apparition that are created when a lycanthrope dies during its transformation. (Open Grave Secrets of the Undead)
Wraith Oblivion Wraith: Any humanoid killed by an oblivion wraith rises as a free-willed oblivion wraith at the start of its creator’s next turn, appearing in the space where it died (or in the nearest unoccupied space). Raising the slain creature (using the Raise Dead ritual) does not destroy the spawned wraith. (Open Grave Secrets of the Undead)
It is created when a person dies violently during an important life event, such as a wedding or a coronation. (Open Grave Secrets of the Undead)
Any humanoid killed by the oblivion wraith rises as a free-willed oblivion wraith at the start of its creator’s next turn, appearing in the space where it died (or in the nearest unoccupied space). Raising the slain humanoid (using the Raise Dead ritual) does not destroy the spawned wraith. (The Plane Below: Secrets of the Elemental Chaos)
When the wraith kills a humanoid that humanoid becomes a wraith at the start of this wraith's next turn. The new wraith appears in the space where the humanoid died or in the nearest unoccupied square and it rolls a new initiative check. The new wraith acts under the Dungeon Master's control. (The Shadowfell: Gloomwrought and Beyond)
Any humanoid killed by an oblivion wraith rises as a free-willed oblivion wraith at the start of its creator’s next turn, appearing in the space where it died (or in the nearest unoccupied space). Raising the slain creature (using the Raise Dead ritual) does not destroy the spawned wraith. (Dungeon 163)
Wraith Phane Wraith: ?
Wraith Seething Wraith: Any humanoid killed by a seething wraith rises as a free-willed seething wraith at the start of its creator’s next turn, appearing in the space where it died (or in the nearest unoccupied space). Raising the slain creature (using the Raise Dead ritual) does not destroy the spawned wraith. (Dungeon 158)
Wraith Shadow Wraith: ?
Wraith Shattered Wraith: ?
Wraith Sovereign Wraith: This chamber, once the entryway to the temple, became the place where Rasmus granted his “blessing” to his disciples, transforming them into vampire spawn. The spawn were slain centuries ago by Arne and her companions, but their restless spirits have been awakened by their master’s return to the temple. (Dungeon 218)
Wraith Sword Wraith: Any humanoid killed by a sword wraith rises as a free-willed sword wraith at the start of its creator’s next turn, appearing in the space where it died (or in the nearest unoccupied space). Raising the slain creature (using the Raise Dead ritual) does not destroy the spawned wraith. (Monster Manual)
Any humanoid killed by a sword wraith rises as a free-willed sword wraith at the start of its creator’s next turn, appearing in the space where it died (or in the nearest unoccupied space). Raising the slain creature (using the Raise Dead ritual) does not destroy the spawned wraith. (Open Grave Secrets of the Undead)
Any humanoid killed by Kravenghast rises as a free-willed sword wraith at the start of Kravenghast’s next turn, appearing in the space where it died (or in the nearest unoccupied space). Raising the slain creature (using the Raise Dead ritual) does not destroy the spawned wraith. (Open Grave Secrets of the Undead)
Any humanoid killed by a sword wraith rises as a free-willed sword wraith at the start of its creator’s next turn, appearing in the space where it died (or in the nearest unoccupied space). Raising the slain creature (using the Raise Dead ritual) does not destroy the spawned wraith. (P2 Demon Queen's Enclave)
Any humanoid killed by a sword wraith rises as a free-willed sword wraith at the start of its creator’s next turn, appearing in the space where it died (or in the nearest unoccupied space). Raising the slain creature (using the Raise Dead ritual) does not destroy the spawned wraith. (P3 Assault on Nightwyrm Fortress)
Any humanoid killed by a sword wraith rises as a free willed sword wraith at the start of its creator's next turn. Appearing in the space where it died (or in the nearest unoccupied space). Raising the slain creature (using the Raise Dead ritual) does not destroy the spawned wraith. (Revenge of the Giants)
Any humanoid killed by the sword wraith rises as a free-willed sword wraith at the start of its creator's next turn, appearing in the space where it died, or in the nearest unoccupied space if that space is occupied. Raising the slain creature (using a Raise Dead ritual) does not destroy the spawned wraith. (Tomb of Horrors)
Any humanoid killed by Moghadam rises as a free-willed sword wraith at the start of its creator's next turn, appearing in the space where it died, or in the nearest unoccupied space if that space is occupied. Raising the slain creature (using a Raise Dead ritual) does not destroy the spawned wraith. (Tomb of Horrors)
Any humanoid killed by a sword wraith rises as a free-willed sword wraith at the start of its creator’s next turn, appearing in the space where it died (or in the nearest unoccupied space). Raising the slain creature (using the Raised Dead ritual) does not destroy the spawned wraith. (Dungeon 163)
Wraith Sword Wraith Attendant: ?
Wraith Time Wraith: ?
Wraith Troll Wraith: When Snurre established his hall here, he slew the trolls already in residence. The festering evil of the Elder Elemental Eye prevented their foul spirits from resting easy. (Dungeon 200)
Wraith Vortex Wraith: Any humanoid killed by a vortex wraith rises as a free-willed vortex wraith at the start of its creator’s next turn, appearing in the space where it died (or in the nearest unoccupied space). Raising the slain creature (using the Raise Dead ritual) does not destroy the spawned wraith. (Open Grave Secrets of the Undead)
A vortex wraith rises when a person dies in a tornado or storm and the victim’s body is never found. (Open Grave Secrets of the Undead)
The wraiths in this place were created by the chaos of the Deck of Many Thinas, though they lay quiescent for many years after the fall of the abbey. (Madness at Gardmore Abbey)
When the vortex wraith kills a humanoid, that humanoid becomes a vortex wraith the start of this wraith's next turn. The new wraith appears in the space where the humanoid died or in the nearest unoccupied square, and it rolls a new initiative check. The new wraith acts under the Dungeon Master's control. (Madness at Gardmore Abbey)
Wraith Weeping Wraith, Dyneera Madar: This chamber was originally intended to house the remains of Darom Madar’s wife and two eldest sons, all slain by House Tsalaxa assassins. In the century that has passed since their deaths, the spirits of the three have become restless and have risen as ghostly abominations. (Dungeon 181)
Wraith Wisp Wraith: wisp wraith is the result of a wraith that failed to form correctly when another wraith used spawn wraith. (Open Grave Secrets of the Undead)
Defiling Sigil trap. (Marauders of the Dune Sea)
In addition to the ghostly undead, a more subtle danger awaits intruders. The obelisk in the center of the room is scribed with the names of each and every member of House Madar, stretching back to the founding of the house. It has become a kind of battery for the rage and sorrow of House Madar’s last days. The obelisk leeches negative emotions from living creatures to generate dangerous quasi-undead known as wisp wraiths. (Dungeon 181)
Wrath of Nature: MOST PEOPLE LIVING IN CITIES MEAN WELL, but a certain amount of pollution is inevitable. Livestock overgraze, communities log and burn forests, and cities dump waste and alchemical byproducts into the streams. The land is forgiving, but sometimes when an area is so wrought with pollution and death, nature’s rage gives rise to a wrath of nature, a mindless embodiment of death. (Open Grave Secrets of the Undead)
Wrath of Nature Calvary Creekrotter: Calvary creekrotters arise as a result of extreme pollution in a river, lake, or part of the ocean. When the land dies away, nature rebels, animating the dead animals and vegetation to visit wrath upon civilization. (Open Grave Secrets of the Undead)
Some evil creatures, including corrupt druids, purposefully defile bodies of water in an attempt to create these monstrosities. They dump vile substances and waste into streams and rivers, killing life and upsetting the natural order. (Open Grave Secrets of the Undead)
Wrath of Nature Cindergrove Spirit: Cindergrove spirits arise at the edge of communities in which the verdant landscape was burned to make way for civilization. (Open Grave Secrets of the Undead)
Some corrupt creatures purposefully burn natural environments rich with life and beauty in an attempt to create these monstrosities. (Open Grave Secrets of the Undead)
Wrath Spirit: See Ghost Wrath Spirit.
Wrathborn Zombie: See Zombie Wrathborn.
Wretch of Kyuss: See Spawn of Kyuss Wretch of Kyuss.
Wretched Stench Ghoul: See Ghoul Wretched Stench Ghoul.
Wynarn, Kaius: See Vampire, King Kaius ir'Wynarn III.
Wyrm-Wisp: See Draconic Wraith Wyrm-Wisp.
Xenro: See Dracolich Blackfire Dracolich, Xenro.
Yannux: See Nightwalker, Yannux.
Yarnath Mul: See Lich, Yarnath Mul.
Yera: See Ghoul Ghast Halfling Ghast, Yera.
Yeraa: See Dreadclaw Darkliege, Yeraa.
Yisarn: See Skeletal Mage, Yisarn.
Yorantadrios: See Dracolich, Yorantadrios.
Yorn, Talther: See Vampire Necromancer, Talther Yorn.
Zanderraum, Eldreth: See Flameskull, Eldreth Zanderraum.
Zanifer Karisa: See Vampire, Zanifer Karisa.
Zarovich, Strahd: See Vampire, Count Strahd von Zarovich.
Ziggurat Ghost: See Ghost Ziggurat Ghost.
Zirithian: See Vampire, Zirithian.
Zombie: A ZOMBIE IS THE ANIMATED CORPSE of a living creature. Imbued with the barest semblance of life, this shambling horror obeys the commands of its creator, heedless of its own well-being. (Monster Manual)
A typical zombie is made of the corpse of a Medium or Large creature. (Monster Manual)
Most zombies are created using a foul ritual. (Monster Manual)
Corpses left in places corrupted by supernatural energy from the Shadowfell sometimes rise as zombies on their own. (Monster Manual)
Fueled by dark magic, malevolent forces, dire curses, or angry spirits, zombies are animate corpses. Any corpse with flesh suffices to make a zombie. It might be a dead warrior from a battlefield, distended from days in the sun, guts trailing from a mortal wound. It might be a muddy cadaver of a woman recently buried and risen again, leaving maggots and worms in her wake. A zombie could wash ashore or rise from a marsh, swollen and reeking from weeks in the water. A zombie could instead appear alive, crafted from a recently deceased corpse. (Monster Vault)
A zombie need not be the size of a normal humanoid, or even humanoid in form. When a necromancer or a natural phenomenon causes a corpse to rise, the corpse could belong to the smallest beast or the largest giant. When a zombie plague infects a city, any size or kind of creature can be affected—horses, dogs, children, cats—anything that has a pulse. (Monster Vault)
For a zombie to be animated, a body’s soul must have departed. What remains in the corpse is an animus, a vital spark that drives the body without thought or conscience. Without a soul or memories, a zombie has no more humanity or intelligence than a simple animal. (Monster Vault)
In most cases, a zombie serves its creator or rises in response to the defilement of a sacred location. At rare times, zombies arise in the hundreds. These zombie plagues are provoked by cosmic, magical, or divine events. A zombie plague might be the result of an angry god, a magical experiment gone wrong, a powerful ritual, or a falling star. When the event occurs, the bodies of the dead claw out of their graves and attack the living. Anyone who dies as a result of such an assault soon becomes a zombie after acquiring the disease or curse that the zombies carry. These terrifying plagues can consume an entire civilization if left unchecked. (Monster Vault)
WHEREVER THE GRAY CARESSES THE NATURAL WORLD, an indelible stain spreads. Darkness bleeds into the land, the sun dims, and the dead rise. Much of Athas has shuddered now and again under the Gray’s touch, and the land sprouts a bountiful harvest of zombies. (Dark Sun Creature Catalog)
Defiling magic and the Gray are Athas’s primary zombie producers. Whether a templar is raising an undead army for personal gain or the Gray randomly spawns a new pack, the result is much the same. (Dark Sun Creature Catalog)
The carved skull buried in one of the old crypts has pulsed back to unlife. Its wakening will attract undead miles away from Col Fen. Unless the skull is destroyed, it will become a magnet for undead from distant places, while at the same time animating skeletons and zombies from the graveyard of Col Fen. (Open Grave Secrets of the Undead)
When a corpse vampire kills a living humanoid by a means other than blood drain, that humanoid rises as a zombie of its level at sunset the next day. (Open Grave Secrets of the Undead)
As his cult grew, the foul huecuva returned to the temple of Bahamut where he once served. There, in a bloodbath of mythic proportions, he not only massacred the entire priesthood but also raised them as shambling zombies, whom he then set loose upon the surrounding city. (Dragon Magazine Annual)
With the aid of the powers beyond the rift, Kalarel has animated several corpses from the interred dead and transformed this area into a guard room. (H1 Keep on the Shadowfell)
Cemetery Rot disease. (Open Grave Secrets of the Undead)
The Sea of Rot is so named because it is filled with a seemingly endless legion of zombies. Mortal creatures offered as sacrifices to Orcus have their spirits reborn here as conscripts in the Shambling Horde. (P2 Demon Queen's Enclave)
Justice is dire and unforgiving in Hordethrone. Intruders are placed in steel cages that hang above this plaza and left to starve to death. Later, they are raised to take their place in the Shambling Horde as new conscripts in Orcus’s undead army. (P2 Demon Queen's Enclave)
This cavern was the scene of a heated battle, and the remnants of that battle are strewn about the place. Over one hundred years ago, what remained of House Madar battled a group of House Tsalaxa assassins. The battle claimed the lives of everyone involved, and the intense hatred borne of the battle has reanimated the dead as zombies and skeletons. (Dungeon 181)
The leader of the House Tsalaxa assassins dabbled in defiler magic and was animated as a dread black reaver zombie. His lieutenant and minions followed their leader’s path to undeath and were animated as zombies in his service. (Dungeon 181)
Mistwatch Blight disease. (Dungeon 186)
Zombie Adventurer: Doran Underhelm and his mercenary group Doran’s Daggers decided to spend the night in the temple rectory after a fruitless exploration of the temple. When night fell, the necroshard’s power was unleashed and Garvus’ animated corpse slew them all. (Dungeon 176)
Zombie Ash Zombie: ?
Zombie Beholder Zombie: The zombie beholder lacks eyes. As a reanimated former cultist of That Which Waits Beyond the Stars, all its eyes have been removed. (Dungeon 155)
Zombie Black Reaver Zombie: The leader of the House Tsalaxa assassins dabbled in defiler magic and was animated as a dread black reaver zombie. (Dungeon 181)
Zombie Bladebearer Zombie, Chib Naresaar: ?
Zombie Blood Sea Zombie: Blood sea zombies are believed to have been a creation of the demon prince, Demogorgon. (Open Grave Secrets of the Undead)
Zombie Boneyard Zombie: ?
Zombie Carcass Eater: It is the result of a rodent that gorges on the rotting, necrotic flesh of a canine. (Open Grave Secrets of the Undead)
Zombie Charnel Zombie: THE SAME PROCESSES THAT GIVE RISE TO GREAT CITIES and monuments invariably also sire throngs of poor, hungry, and unwanted souls barely surviving from day to day. Uncared for in life, these unfortunates receive little better in death. Thrown into burial pits or stacked in mass graves, they are quickly disposed of and forgotten even faster. Not even this pitiful eternal rest is secure, for such a wealth of uncared for remains is a prime target for necromancers and their ilk. (Dragon 371)
Charnel zombies bear the marks of their former poverty even into undeath. Their bodies are thin and malnourished from constant near starvation. What clothing was not scavenged by other destitute homeless is tattered and worn beyond possible use. Broken and crushed body parts attest that these corpses were dumped into a packed mass grave with little thought given for propriety or the state of the bodies. Their bodies and spirits broken even before being animated as zombies, they seem especially pathetic and vacant. (Dragon 371)
Zombie Chillborn Zombie: The thousands of deaths that took place on the Downs transformed this battlefield into a place where the walls between the world and the Shadowfell are weak. People who die here reanimate as undead. This is what happened to Tirian Forkbeard. (Open Grave Secrets of the Undead)
Humanoid creatures in the Downs (the entire area shown on the full-page map) who are reduced to 5 or fewer hit points take on a pale, waxy complexion. Their veins darken and become visible through their increasingly translucent flesh. An opaque glaze dulls their eyes, and their eyes remain open even while they are unconscious. (Open Grave Secrets of the Undead)
Humanoid creatures who die transform into chillborn zombies. (Open Grave Secrets of the Undead)
If any PCs die here, you can delay their transformation until after surviving PCs have defeated their current enemies or fled the field if things are going poorly for them. Otherwise, a dead comrade rises 1 round after death. It turns on living PCs, acting last in initiative order. It has full hit points as a chillborn zombie. (Open Grave Secrets of the Undead)
Victims of zombie transformation can, after being reduced to 0 hit points, be restored to life by a Raise Dead ritual. A player whose character became a zombie can choose to roleplay the character as haunted by hazy memories of the undead state or to shrug off the incident entirely. (Open Grave Secrets of the Undead)
Creature powers that raise slain enemies as undead (such as spawn wraith) supersede the zombie breeding ground effect. (Open Grave Secrets of the Undead)
The chillborn zombie was once the mine-thane of Karak, killed with the rest of his people and raised to undeath by the lingering power of the elemental energy in this area. (Dungeon 159)
Zombie Cinder Zombie: Zombies stir in burned-out husks of torched settlements and along the cracked slopes of the volcanic Sea of Silt islands. The kiss of fire preserved these scorched bodies from the elements. (Dark Sun Creature Catalog)
Zombie Corpse of Despair: DESPAIR CAN BE A POWERFUL EMOTION—one capable of overwhelming otherwise ordinary beings and driving them to normally unthinkable acts. Those who succumb to utter hopelessness and end their own lives at the bleakest point of their depression leave a powerful impression upon their physical remains that can be exploited by necromantic ritual to create a particular type of undead: a corpse of despair. (Dragon 371)
The body animated as a corpse of despair could have hailed from any walk of life, since loss, pain, and despair can darken even the most opulent and powerful lives. However, certain similarities are borne by all. Their faces are masks of anguish and froze at the moment they ended their own existence. Marks of this suicide are still visible upon the zombie; slit wrists, signs of poisoning, and broken necks still bearing nooses are all common. (Dragon 371)
Zombie Corpse Rat Swarm: A corpse rat swarm is created when vast quantities of rats die together and are then infused with necrotic energy. (Open Grave Secrets of the Undead)
Zombie Corruption Corpse: A living humanoid killed by a deathdog rises as a free-willed corruption corpse at the end of its creator’s next turn. (Open Grave Secrets of the Undead)
Deathdogs are creatures of the Shadowfell that transform their prey into corruption corpses. (Open Grave Secrets of the Undead)
Hamona, a grim place that has already been terrorized by the Cult of Vecna. All the survivors in the village are missing their left hand and eye and are extremely distrustful of outsiders. The inhabitants of Hamona are also under a curse placed upon them by the cult in which they become undead creatures at nightfall. (Dungeon 158)
Zombie Cyclops Rambler Zombie: The necromancer gestures at the cyclops’s corpse and says, “In the name of Orcus, return to fight again!” The corpse lurches back to its feet. (Dungeon 160)
Drow Necromancer Zombify power. (Dungeon 160)
Zombie Death Mold Zombie: A Small or Medium target dropped below 1 hit point by a death mold's attack dies and immediately becomes a death mold zombie. (The Book of Vile Darkness)
A Small or Medium target reduced to 0 hit points or fewer from a death mold attack dies and immediately becomes a death mold zombie. (Dungeon 209)
Zombie Draconic: See Draconic Zombie.
Zombie Dread Zombie: Dread zombies are created by powerful necromancers for war. (Open Grave Secrets of the Undead)
Zombie Dread Zombie Knight: ?
Zombie Dread Zombie Myrmidon: ?
Zombie Dread Zombie Slayer: ?
Zombie Drowned One: Drowned ones are zombies that have been underwater for some time; their bloated and discolored flesh drips with foul water. Drowned ones are usually the animated corpses of humanoids who died at sea. (Open Grave Secrets of the Undead)
Zombie Feasting Zombie: Among cannibalistic halflings, inhabitants who fall ill with wasting diseases are not eaten. Instead, the people open the earth and place sick clan members inside. The diseased are covered with sod and left to die respectably—in the embrace of nature, the giver of life that offers succor in death. But even the far reaches of Athas are not spared from the undead plague. On certain nights, undead halflings walk again in the Forest Ridge. (Dark Sun Creature Catalog)
Zombie Flameborn Zombie: ?
Zombie Flayed Crawler: CREATED TO BE VICIOUS TRACKERS AND ASSASSINS for their necromantic overlords, flayed crawlers are abhorrent abominations animated from the remains of victims sadistically tortured to death. The terrors inflicted upon the poor souls are so extreme that it leaves even their animated corpses unhinged and prone to violent, psychotic outbursts. (Dragon 371)
Zombie Flesh-Crazed Zombie: The twig blights and zombies gain their dark vitality from Vontarin’s ghost. (Dungeon 219)
Zombie Goblin Zombie: The book on the lectern contains Talther Yorn’s meticulous notes (written in Common) about his various alchemical experiments, most of which focus on the reanimation of dead tissue and the creation of zombies by alchemical means. The pages to which the book lies open list the ingredients and instructions for creating a necromantic fluid that Yorn unimaginatively refers to as bone juice. According to the book, this substance can turn a living creature into an obedient zombie without the need for an animation ritual. A quick read of Yorn’s tome provides the following information:
F Creating or using bone juice is an inherently evil act. (Dungeon 211)
F When bone juice is injected into a living subject, death comes quickly. Within an hour, the corpse reanimates as a weak-willed zombie under its creator’s control. (Dungeon 211)
F The bone juice admixture must be perfect. Many of Talther Yorn’s early bone juice concoctions killed his subjects without reanimating them. (Dungeon 211)
F The key ingredient in bone juice is powdered bone. Talther recently discovered that the more diseased the bone, the greater the chance that the “end result” (in other words, the zombie) will go berserk. Thus, the bones of the elderly are less desirable than the bones of the young. (Dungeon 211)
F Talther’s last entry reveals that he recently injected bone juice made from the remains of a child named Fin into a “willing” goblin subject, and the experiment was successful. The goblin is unnamed, but Talther remarks in passing that the creature has only one eye. (Dungeon 211)
If the characters goad him into talking about what he did with Fin’s bones, he gloats that he ground the bones to powder, mixed the powder with some other ingredients, and injected the concoction into a goblin to turn it into a zombie. (Dungeon 211)
Small creature killed by bone juice injection. (Dungeon 211)
The necromancer ground the young boy’s bones into powder and used the powder as an ingredient in the bone juice that transformed a helpless one-eyed goblin into a goblin zombie. (Dungeon 211)
The necromancer lured a gang of goblins to his stronghold and has been using them as test subjects. He has turned several of them into zombies and tricked the others into thinking this transformation makes them more powerful. (Dungeon 211)
Zombie Goblin Zombie Archer: ?
Zombie Goblin Zombie Bugsack: ?
Zombie Grasping Zombie: The undead are animated by the Weeping Aspect of Avandra’s wrathful emotions, doomed to repeat an eternal danse macabre of the temple’s last days in the natural world while orc and goblin defilers were looting it. (Dungeon 194)
In the long-forgotten calamity that befell this mine, the passages to this section collapsed. Many miners were trapped here and live on in undead misery. (Dungeon 208)
Zombie Grave Digger: Often made from the remains of failed, living grave robbers, zombie grave diggers are dressed in dark-colored work attire, complete with a myriad of hammers, spades, pries, and other accoutrements of their profession. (Dragon 371)
Zombie Grave Drake: ?
Zombie Grave Hunger Zombie: ?
Zombie Gravehound: Once the Darano kennel master, Kalmo was searching the Spellgard ruins with his wolves when a magic trap slew the animals and animated them as zombies. (FR1 Scepter Tower of Spellgard)
Ninaran followed Kalarel’s instructions in creating this magic circle to raise the dead. (H1 Keep on the Shadowfell)
After leading the cult for many years, Garvus sought to prolong his life through a dangerous necromantic ritual a few years ago. However, he foolishly used the necroshard as the ritual’s focus and unleashed a wave of raw energy that killed him and every living creature in the temple. Although a catastrophic and lethal failure for Garvus, his ritual increased the potential power of the necroshard tenfold. Each night since, the shard has slowly been growing in power. The necroshard’s power is at its strongest at night, when it saturates the surrounding area with the power of death. This necromantic energy has been slowly building, feeding on the many deaths in the Scar over the years. Tonight, the corpses of the Scar will rise as an army of zombies. (Dungeon 176)
Zombie Hobgoblin Soldier Zombie: ?
Zombie Hobgoblin Zombie: ?
Zombie Hulk: ?
Zombie Hulk of Orcus: ?
Zombie Hulking Zombie: ?
Zombie Infected Zombie: When a virulent plague rips though the land, sometimes the plague’s victims rise up from death. These creatures become agents of the plague, spreading infection through their diseased bite. (Open Grave Secrets of the Undead)
“Infected zombie” is a template you can apply to any zombie. The template represents a specialized kind of zombie that spreads sickness and disease. (Open Grave Secrets of the Undead)
Prerequisites: Zombie (Open Grave Secrets of the Undead)
A few particularly abhorrent undead carry a powerful contagion that, when transferred to mortals, causes them to weaken and die at an alarming rate, rising as undead in a matter of hours unless a cure is rapidly administered. Once a creature is infected in this manner, little can be done to save him or her from becoming undead. The infected zombie template can be used to create undead that spread such contagion. (Open Grave Secrets of the Undead)
Zombie Karrnathi: See Karrnathi Zombie.
Zombie Kruthik Young Zombie: ?
Zombie Lasher Zombie: DESPITE THE PROGRESS AND EXPANSION OF CIVILIZATION, countless unfortunate souls continue to live with the cruel pangs of hunger. Poverty, famine, disaster, and war all contribute to the tally of lives stolen away by starvation. Its victims suffer horribly as they wither away to pitiful, skeletal caricatures of themselves before finally succumbing. The final, agonizing hunger these poor creatures experience can be imprinted on the corpse they leave behind—a terrible need that lacks only the dark energy of necromancy to rise and gorge itself on an endless feast of warm blood and quivering flesh. Twisted rituals animate and bind these travesties to the will of their creator, who employs them as disturbingly effective guardians or terror weapons. (Dragon 371)
Zombie Mangler: ?
Zombie Moilian Zombie: A character who dies anywhere in the city of Moil rises on his or her next turn as a Moilian zombie. Moilian zombies are all that remain of the common folk of Moil, because their souls were poisoned by the eternal darkness into which their city was cast. (Tomb of Horrors)
The three bodies are Moilian zombies, risen from shadar-kai slain by the original guardians here. (Tomb of Horrors)
Undead guarding this portal killed these shadar-kai, which then rose as Moilian zombies to attack their former allies. (Tomb of Horrors)
Zombie Olman Zombie: ?
Zombie Plague Fogger: MANY VIRULENT AND DESTRUCTIVE DISEASES trouble the world, but a dreadful few belong to a category all their own. These plagues can devastate a region, leaving bloated and twisted corpses littering the streets and fields of the blighted area. Such corpses are rife with lethal pestilence and can, through either spontaneous accumulation of fell energy or deliberate action, rise as undead capable of calling on that power. (Dragon 371)
Zombie Putrescent Zombie: Putrescent zombies are created when necrotic energy mixes with abandoned or lost corpses. Also, a necromancer can use a dedicated ritual to create putrescent zombies. (Open Grave Secrets of the Undead)
Zombie Ranger: ?
Zombie Rot Grub Zombie: Long after a victim has died from a rot grub infestation, the creatures continue to eat away at the rotting flesh. From time to time, the corpse reanimates into a dark parody of life, creating a zombie that acts as a carrier for a swarm of rot grubs. (Monster Manual 3)
A corpse reanimated into a dark parody of life… and acts as a carrier for the swarm of rot grubs it carries around inside it. (Dragon 387)
Zombie Rotter: Ashgaunt's Wake the Dead power. (Dragon Magazine Annual)
With the aid of the powers beyond the rift, Kalarel has animated several corpses from the interred dead and transformed this area into a guard room. (H1 Keep on the Shadowfell)
Ashgaunt's Wake the Dead power. (Dragon 364)
During the tragedy that saw Shadowfell Keep deserted, several soldiers hid the Keep’s noncombatants in a pair of rarely-used rooms. The men then walled themselves and their wards into the chambers for safety. With plenty of food, they thought themselves safe. The soldiers realized too late that they had sealed themselves into a tomb. Their disappearance was marked up to the mad paladin. (Dungeon 155)
Today, the dead innocents stir. The enchantment that roused the ghoul in Encounter 17 of Shadowfell Keep also made monsters of these ancient warriors and servants. (Dungeon 155)
Hamona, a grim place that has already been terrorized by the Cult of Vecna. All the survivors in the village are missing their left hand and eye and are extremely distrustful of outsiders. The inhabitants of Hamona are also under a curse placed upon them by the cult in which they become undead creatures at nightfall. (Dungeon 158)
Jeras Falck took his revenge by turning the dead guards into zombies that now wander the hill. (Dungeon 166)
After leading the cult for many years, Garvus sought to prolong his life through a dangerous necromantic ritual a few years ago. However, he foolishly used the necroshard as the ritual’s focus and unleashed a wave of raw energy that killed him and every living creature in the temple. Although a catastrophic and lethal failure for Garvus, his ritual increased the potential power of the necroshard tenfold. Each night since, the shard has slowly been growing in power. The necroshard’s power is at its strongest at night, when it saturates the surrounding area with the power of death. This necromantic energy has been slowly building, feeding on the many deaths in the Scar over the years. Tonight, the corpses of the Scar will rise as an army of zombies. (Dungeon 176)
Zombie Rotting Zombie: In the days of Kalak’s reign, the vast majority of these undead were mindless hordes of rotting zombies, the victims of Kalak’s tyranny who were carelessly tossed into these catacombs to dispose of them. (Dragon 416)
Zombie Rotwing Zombie: ?
Zombie Salt Zombie: When Yarnath is busy with other projects, however, the captives brought here perish from starvation or predation from the cell keeper ssurran dune mystic and its two belgoi hunter guards. For that reason, the barred portion of the level contains only rotting bodies and a couple of salt zombies that spontaneously formed from the dead captives in this chamber, thanks to Slither’s undead ambience. (Dungeon 183)
A few randomly animated salt zombies lie among the corpses near the bottom of the drop shaft. (Dungeon 183)
Zombie Shambler: Non-small creature killed by bone juice injection. (Dungeon 211)
Zombie Shambling Nexus: UNDEAD IN GENERAL ARE NOTORIOUSLY VULNERABLE to attacks that employ radiant energy, and zombies, although cheap and easy to animate, are often cumbersome and slow to react on the battlefield. Such problems have long been the bane of aspiring necromantic overlords and have spelled defeat for countless undead, both servant and master. Created to nullify these weaknesses, a shambling nexus is the product of unspeakable rituals that bind enormous quantities of raw, dark energy into a fleshy shell. (Dragon 371)
Zombie Shambling Zombie: As his cult grew, the foul huecuva returned to the temple of Bahamut where he once served. There, in a bloodbath of mythic proportions, he not only massacred the entire priesthood but also raised them as shambling zombies, whom he then set loose upon the surrounding city. (Dragon 364)
Zombie Shard Zombie: The zombie that ends up with the necroshard is instantly transformed into a shard zombie. (Dungeon 176)
Zombie Shuffling Zombie: ?
Zombie Skulk Zombie: They are rumored to be animated by the will of Vecna, which gives them an abiding hatred for the living. (Open Grave Secrets of the Undead)
Zombie Skullborn Rotwing Zombie: ?
Zombie Skullborn Zombie: ?
Zombie Skullborn Zombie Husk: ?
Zombie Slavering Maw: ONLY THE MOST POWER-HUNGRY, OVERLY CONFIDENT INSANE PERSON would construct an abomination known as a slavering maw. Dozens of corpses must be raised through necromantic rituals to serve as obscene construction material. The creature is then given form by stitching together the writhing and thrashing muscle, skin, sinew, and bone of its still animate donor zombies. Rusted iron and rotted wooden scraps are crudely nailed to its flesh and frame to help support its terrible mass. A final, unspeakable ritual fuses the disparate zombies into a single, horrific whole that is far more powerful than its component parts. (Dragon 371)
Zombie Sodden Corruption Corpse: ?
Zombie Soldier: During the tragedy that saw Shadowfell Keep deserted, several soldiers hid the Keep’s noncombatants in a pair of rarely-used rooms. The men then walled themselves and their wards into the chambers for safety. With plenty of food, they thought themselves safe. The soldiers realized too late that they had sealed themselves into a tomb. Their disappearance was marked up to the mad paladin. (Dungeon 155)
Today, the dead innocents stir. The enchantment that roused the ghoul in Encounter 17 of Shadowfell Keep also made monsters of these ancient warriors and servants. (Dungeon 155)
After leading the cult for many years, Garvus sought to prolong his life through a dangerous necromantic ritual a few years ago. However, he foolishly used the necroshard as the ritual’s focus and unleashed a wave of raw energy that killed him and every living creature in the temple. Although a catastrophic and lethal failure for Garvus, his ritual increased the potential power of the necroshard tenfold. Each night since, the shard has slowly been growing in power. The necroshard’s power is at its strongest at night, when it saturates the surrounding area with the power of death. This necromantic energy has been slowly building, feeding on the many deaths in the Scar over the years. Tonight, the corpses of the Scar will rise as an army of zombies. (Dungeon 176)
Zombie Strahd's Dread Zombie: ?
Zombie Strangler: ?
Zombie Strangler Hand: ?
Zombie Tainted Zombie: The creatures here are undead tainted by foul magic. (Dragon 382)
Zombie Throng: The throng consists of the body parts and whole bodies of people killed en masse, often as a result of a disease outbreak. (Open Grave Secrets of the Undead)
Zombie Tombwalker: ?
Zombie Trapped Zombie Foreman: In the long-forgotten calamity that befell this mine, the passages to this section collapsed. Many miners were trapped here and live on in undead misery. (Dungeon 208)
Zombie Warped Grimlock Zombie: ?
Zombie Weak Kruthik Zombie: ?
Zombie Withering One: Of the undead that shamble through the undercity of Tyr, perhaps the most bizarre are the zombies that some have come to call the withering ones. (Dragon 416)
They were born (if such a term is appropriate) at the time when the city of Tyr was dying. (Dragon 416)
Back when Kalak was still alive and was preparing for his draconic apotheosis, the city of Tyr was awash in defiling magic. Whether the people knew it or not, their sorcerer-king was burning the life force out of the entire city. The living citizens above the ground in Tyr weren’t the only ones who suffered under the sorcerer-king’s greed. In the undercity, the still-rotting flesh of the undead creatures that roamed those catacombs was being affected as well. (Dragon 416)
Many of the zombies were ultimately destroyed by this prolonged exposure to Kalak’s defiling magic. A special few, however, reacted to the magic by seemingly absorbing it. Those that continued to shamble on after the sorcerer-king’s death had been transformed into zombies that now had defiling magic built into the very fabric of their being. (Dragon 416)
The withering ones are zombies that have been suffused with defiling magic. (Dragon 416)
Zombie Wrathborn: A wrathborn is a decaying and ravaged victim of homicide. Wrathborn are undead avengers, returned from the grave to track down and kill their murderers. (Open Grave Secrets of the Undead)

4e WotC

Spoiler

WotC Books

Spoiler

Monster Manual

Spoiler

Undead: ?
Atropal: Atropals are unfinished godlings that had enough of a divine spark to rise as undead.
Bodak: When a nightwalker slays a humanoid, that nightwalker can ritually transform the slain creature’s body and spirit into a bodak.
A nightwalker can turn a humanoid it has killed into a bodak using an arcane ritual that only works when cast in the Shadowfell, and only when cast by a nightwalker. Nightwalkers alone can warp the void energies of the Shadowfell to create such horrors.
Bodak Skulk: ?
Bodak Reaver: ?
Boneclaw: BONECLAWS ARE MAGICALLY CONSTRUCTED UNDEAD built to hunt and slay the living.
One creates a boneclaw by means of a dark ritual that binds a powerful evil soul to a specially prepared amalgamation of undead flesh and bone. The exact ritual is a closely guarded secret known only to a handful of liches and necromancers. Cabals that wish to possess the knowledge of boneclaw creation have resorted to diplomacy, theft, and clandestine warfare to acquire the ritual.
Although rumor holds that the first boneclaws were created by a powerful lich in the service of Vecna, the truth is that a coven of hags led by a powerful night hag named Grigwartha created the first boneclaw over a century ago. They invented a ritual that combines the flesh and bones from ogres along with the trapped soul of an oni. Although the materials can vary, the ritual is the same among those who know it.
Death Knight: DEATH KNIGHTS WERE POWERFUL WARRIORS who accepted eternal undeath rather than face the end of their mortal existence. With their souls bound to the weapons they wield, death knights command necrotic power in addition to their undiminished martial prowess.
“Death knight” is a monster template that can be applied to nonplayer characters.
The ritual to become a death knight is said to have originated with Orcus, Demon Prince of the Undead. Many death knights gained access to the ritual by contacting Orcus or his servants directly, but some discovered the ritual through other means.
The ritual of becoming a death knight requires its caster to bind his immortal essence into the weapon used in the ritual.
Death Knight Human Fighter: ?
Death Knight Dragonborn Paladin: ?
Demon Immolith: THE SPIRITS OF DECEASED DEMONS sometimes fuse together as they fall back into the Abyss that spawned them. The event is unpredictable, and the result is a horrid demonic entity called an immolith.
Devourer: WHEN A RAVING MURDERER DIES, his soul passes into the Shadowfell. There it might gather flesh again to continue its lethal ways, becoming a devourer.
Devourers are created from the souls of murderers lost in the Shadowfell.
Devourer Spirit Devourer: ?
Devourer Viscera Devourer: ?
Devourer Soulspike Devourer: ?
Dracolich: WHEN A POWERFUL DRAGON FORSAKES LIFE and undergoes an evil ritual to become undead, the result is a dracolich.
Dracolichs are unnatural creatures created by an evil ritual that requires a still-living dragon to serve as the ritual’s focus. When the ritual is complete, the dragon is transformed into a skeletal thing of pure malevolence. Some evil dragons willingly undergo this ritual.
A handful of evil cults possess a ritual for turning a dragon into a dracolich against its will. These cults do what they must to keep knowledge of that ritual from others. When a dragon is transformed into a dracolich with such a ritual, a linkage between the cult and the dragon is formed, and the cult gains influence over the dragon’s behavior.
Dracolich Blackfire Dracolich: ?
Dracolich Runescribed Dracolich: ?
Dracolich Winterdeath Dracolich: ?
Flameskull: CREATED FROM THE SKULLS OF WIZARDS and other spellcasters, flameskulls serve as intelligent undead guardians.
Rituals for creating flameskulls are ancient, so flameskulls exist in places lost to history.
Flameskull Great Flameskull: ?
Ghost: GHOSTS HAUNT FORLORN PLACES, bound to their fate until they are finally put to rest. Sometimes they exist for a purpose, and other times they defy death through sheer will.
A ghost is the spirit of a dead creature, often a Medium humanoid killed in some traumatic fashion.
Ghost Phantom Warrior: ?
Ghost Trap Haunt: ?
Ghost Wailing Ghost, Banshee: ?
Ghost Tormenting Ghost: ?
Ghoul: Humanoids that indulge in or resort to cannibalism become ghouls when they die. Ghouls are also created through rituals.
Humanoids that indulge in or resort to cannibalism become ghouls when they die. Ghouls are also created through rituals.
Ghoul Horde Ghoul: ?
Ghoul Abyssal Ghoul: Sometimes ghouls are graced by Doresain with power greater than their fellows. These so-called abyssal ghouls are the Ghoul King’s favorites and make up a goodly portion of the king’s Court of Teeth.
Ghoul Abyssal Ghoul Hungerer: ?
Ghoul Abyssal Ghoul Myrmidon: ?
Larva Mage: WHEN A POWERFUL EVIL SPELLCASTER DIES, his spirit sometimes takes control of the wriggling mass of worms and maggots devouring his corpse. This mass of vermin rises as a larva mage to continue the spellcaster’s dark schemes or to seek revenge against those who slew him.
Only the most evil spellcasters return to unlife as larva mages.
An elder evil being called Kyuss created the first larva mages to guard vaults of forbidden lore.
Lich: A LICH IS AN UNDEAD SPELLCASTER created by means of an ancient ritual. Wizards and other arcane spellcasters who choose this path to immortality escape death by becoming undead, but prolonged existence in this state often drives them mad.
“Lich” is a monster template that can be applied to nonplayer characters.
A mortal becomes a lich by performing a dark and terrible ritual. In this ritual the mortal dies, but rises again as an undead creature. Most liches are wizards or warlocks, but a few multiclassed clerics follow this dark path.
A lich’s life force is bound up in a magic phylactery, which typically takes the form of a fist-sized metal box containing strips of parchment on which magical phrases have been written.
Lich Human Wizard: ?
Lich Eladrin Wizard: ?
Lich Vestige: A LICH VESTIGE IS THE ARCANE REMNANT OF A DESTROYED LICH.
Mummy: Soulless beings animated by necromantic magic.
Mummy Guardian: Mummy guardians are created to protect important tombs against robbers.
Mummy Lord: “Mummy lord” is a monster template that can be applied to nonplayer characters.
A mummy lord is usually created from the remains of an important evil cleric or priest. A mummy lord might guard an important tomb or lead a cult. Yuan-ti often create mummy lords to guard temples of Zehir.
Mummy Lord Human Cleric: ?
Mummy Giant Mummy: ?
Naga Bone Naga: ?
Nightwalker: Nightwalkers are the shades of extremely strong-willed and evil mortals who died and refused to pass from the Shadowfell to their eternal reward. Only the ancient, unyielding will and malice of the long-dead spirit holds a nightwalker in its corporeal shape.
Doresain Exarch of Orcus, Doresain the Ghoul King: ?
Rot Harbinger: Long ago, the gods tried to slay the demon lord Orcus while he was traveling outside of the Abyss. They sent a host of angels to slay the demon lord, but Orcus ultimately prevailed, killing every last one of them. When he returned to the Abyss, the demon lord of undeath created the first rot harbingers and rot slingers as mockeries of those he’d slain and sent them to the natural world to wreak havoc on the gods’ creation.
Rot Harbinger Rot Slinger: Long ago, the gods tried to slay the demon lord Orcus while he was traveling outside of the Abyss. They sent a host of angels to slay the demon lord, but Orcus ultimately prevailed, killing every last one of them. When he returned to the Abyss, the demon lord of undeath created the first rot harbingers and rot slingers as mockeries of those he’d slain and sent them to the natural world to wreak havoc on the gods’ creation.
Skeleton: ANIMATED BY DARK MAGIC and composed entirely of bones, a skeleton is emotionless and soulless, desiring nothing but to serve its creator.
Skeletons are created by means of necromantic rituals. Locations with strong ties to the Shadowfell can also cause skeletons to arise spontaneously.
Skeleton Decrepit Skeleton: ?
Skeleton Blazing Skeleton: ?
Skeleton Boneshard Skeleton: ?
Skeleton Skeletal Tomb Guardian: ?
Skull Lord: The first skull lords arose from the ashes of the Black Tower of Vumerion. None can say whether they were created intentionally by the legendary human necromancer Vumerion or came forth spontaneously from the foul energies of his fallen sanctum. The ritual for creating new skull lords also survived Vumerion’s fall, eventually finding its way into the hands of Vumerion’s rivals and various powerful undead creatures.
Specter: In life, specters were murderous and vile humanoids, although they remember nothing of their past.
Specter Voidsoul Specter: ?
Treant Blackroot Treant: ?
Vampire: SUSTAINED BY A TERRIBLE CURSE AND A THIRST FOR MORTAL BLOOD, vampires dream of a world in which they live in decadence and luxury, ruling over kingdoms of mortals who exist only to sate their darkest appetites.
Vampire Lord: A vampire lord can make others of its kind by performing a dark ritual (see the Dark Gift of the Undying sidebar). Performing the ritual leaves the caster weakened, so a vampire lord does not perform the ritual often.
Vampire lord is a monster template that can be applied to nonplayer characters.
Vampire Spawn: LIVING HUMANOIDS SLAIN BY A VAMPIRE LORD’S BLOOD DRAIN are condemned to rise again as vampire spawn—relatively weak vampires under the dominion of the vampire lord that created them.
A living humanoid slain by a vampire lord’s blood drain power rises as a vampire spawn of its level at sunset on the following day. This rise can be prevented by burning the body or severing its head.
A living humanoid reduced to 0 hit points or fewer—but not killed—by a vampire lord can’t be healed and remains in a deep, deathlike coma. He or she dies at sunset of the next day, rising as a vampire spawn. A Remove Affliction ritual cast before the afflicted creature dies prevents death and makes normal healing possible.
Vampire Spawn Bloodhunter: ?
Wight: ?
Wight Deathlock Wight: ?
Wight Battle Wight: ?
Wight Battle Wight Commander: ?
Wight Slaughter Wight: ?
Wraith: THIS RESTLESS APPARITION LURKS IN THE SHADOWS, thirsting for souls. Those it slays become free-willed wraiths as hateful as their creator.
When a wraith slays a humanoid, that creature’s spirit rises as a free-willed wraith of the same kind. With the aid of magic or ritual, and with the proper components, a necromancer can summon or even create a wraith. Other wraiths are born on the Shadowfell, and many remain there or enter the natural world through planar rifts and gates.
Common wraiths can also evolve into larger, more malevolent wraiths over time.
Any humanoid killed by a wraith rises as a free-willed wraith at the start of its creator’s next turn, appearing in the space where it died (or in the nearest unoccupied space). Raising the slain creature (using the Raise Dead ritual) does not destroy the spawned wraith.
Wraith Mad Wraith: Any humanoid killed by a mad wraith rises as a free-willed mad wraith at the start of its creator’s next turn, appearing in the space where it died (or in the nearest unoccupied space). Raising the slain creature (using the Raise Dead ritual) does not destroy the spawned wraith.
Wraith Sword Wraith: Any humanoid killed by a sword wraith rises as a free-willed sword wraith at the start of its creator’s next turn, appearing in the space where it died (or in the nearest unoccupied space). Raising the slain creature (using the Raise Dead ritual) does not destroy the spawned wraith.
Wraith Dread Wraith: When many people die abruptly, a dread wraith can coalesce from their collected spirits.
Any humanoid killed by a dread wraith rises as a free-willed dread wraith at the start of its creator’s next turn, appearing in the space where it died (or in the nearest unoccupied space). Raising the slain creature (using the Raise Dead ritual) does not destroy the spawned wraith.
At the start of Orcus’s turn, any creature killed by the Wand of Orcus that is still dead rises as a dread wraith under Orcus’s command.
Zombie: A ZOMBIE IS THE ANIMATED CORPSE of a living creature. Imbued with the barest semblance of life, this shambling horror obeys the commands of its creator, heedless of its own well-being.
A typical zombie is made of the corpse of a Medium or Large creature.
Most zombies are created using a foul ritual.
Corpses left in places corrupted by supernatural energy from the Shadowfell sometimes rise as zombies on their own.
Zombie Rotter: ?
Zombie Gravehound: ?
Zombie Corruption Corpse: ?
Zombie Rotwing Zombie: ?
Zombie Chillborn Zombie: ?
Zombie Hulk: ?

LICH TRANSFORMATION
You call upon Orcus, Demon Prince of the Undead, to transform your body into a skeletal thing, undead and immortal, and bind your life force within a specially prepared receptacle called a phylactery.
Level: 14 (caster must be humanoid)
Category: Creation
Time: 1 hour; see text
Duration: Permanent; see text
Component Cost: 100,000 gp
Market Price: 250,000 gp
Key Skill: Arcana or Religion
At the conclusion of this ritual, you die, transform into a lich, and gain the lich template.
An integral part of becoming a lich is creating a phylactery, a magical receptacle containing your life force.
When you are reduced to 0 hit points or fewer, you and your possessions crumble to dust. Unless your phylactery is located and destroyed, your reappear in a space adjacent to the phylactery after 1d10 days.
You must construct your phylactery before the ritual can be performed. The phylactery, which takes 10 days to create, usually takes the form of a sealed metal box containing strips of parchment on which magical phrases have been transcribed in your blood. The box measures 6 inches on a side and has 40 hit points and resist 20 to all damage. Other kinds of phylacteries include rings and amulets, which are just as durable.
If your phylactery is destroyed, you can build a new one; the process takes 10 days and costs 50,000 gp.

DARK GIFT OF THE UNDYING
In the unholy name of Orcus, the Blood Lord, you transform another being into a vampiric creature of the night.
Level: 11 (caster must be a vampire lord)
Category: Creation
Time: 6 hours; see text
Duration: Permanent
Component Cost: 5,000 gp per level of the subject
Market Price: 75,000 gp
Key Skill: Religion
This ritual can be performed only between sunset and sunrise. As part of the ritual, you and the ritual’s subject must drink a small amount of each other’s blood, after which the subject dies and is ritually buried in unhallowed ground. After the interment, you invoke a prayer to Orcus and ask him to bestow the Dark Gift upon the subject. At the conclusion of the ritual, the subject remains buried, rising up out of its shallow grave as a vampire lord at sunset on the following day. This ritual is ruined if a Raise Dead ritual is cast on the subject or if the subject is beheaded before rising as a vampire lord.
Performing the ritual leaves you weakened for 1d10 days (no save).

Monster Manual 2

Spoiler

Undead: ?
Demon Abyssal Rotfiend: Abyssal rotfiends are demonic undead contained by demon and devil flesh. The spirit within a rotfiend is often a demon soul, although it can come from any evil creature.
Deva Fallen Star, Undead: Deva Fallen Star Vile Rebirth power.
Vile Rebirth (when the deva fallen star is reduced to 0 hit points by non-necrotic damage) • Healing
The fallen star does not die and instead remains at 0 hit points until the start of its next turn, when it regains 25 hit points, loses resistance to radiant damage, and gains the undead key word. This power recharges, and the triggering damage type changes to nonradiant damage.
The life cycle of the deva parallels that of the rakshasa—a spirit constantly reincarnating to mortal form. When a deva gives in to iniquity to become a fallen star, its soul is corrupted. If it dies in that state, it returns to combat as an undead; if finally slain by radiant damage, it carries its wickedness into its next life and becomes a rakshasa-a fate that even evil devas revile.
Devil Infernal Armor Animus: THROUGH AN EVIL RITUAL, a devil can invest a suit of armor with a mortal soul.
Infernal armor animuses are mortal souls bound to suits of armor to serve as caches of life energy for devils.
Direguard: A direguard is a skeletal undead imbued with powerful magic. Foul rituals transform willing warriors into direguards, but at a price. If a direguard does not meet a specific quota of killing, it is destroyed by the dark pact that grants its power.
Liches and death knights perform the ritual that turns a living ally into a direguard tied to their wills.
Direguard Deathbringer: ?
Direguard Assassin: ?
Fey Lingerer: THE PASSIONS AND OBSESSIONS of some strong-willed eladrin can drive them even after death. When their physical forms are ruined, their spirits lash out at their slayers.
Fey lingerers are eladrin knights and wizards who refuse to die. They are not the gracious and mannered eladrin of the fey court, but are twisted and depraved, withdrawn from elven grace.
When they are destroyed, fey lingerers transform into vengeful incorporeal spirits.
Fey Lingerer Lingerer Knight: ?
Fey Lingerer Fey-Knight Vestige: Fey Lingerer Lingerer Knight Vestige Transformation power.
Fey Lingerer Lingerer Fell Incanter: ?
Fey Lingerer Fey-Encanter Vestige: Fey Lingerer Lingerer Fell Incanter Vestige Transformation power.
Fomorian Totemist: ?
Ghost Legionnaire: SLAIN IN LONG-AGO BATTLES, these soldiers' fight for forgotten causes, distant memories, or a fierce loyalty to each other. Although they appear as separate soldiers, their spirits have fused into a single entity that lives and dies as a single soul.
Skeleton: SKELETONS RARELY EXIST WITHOUT PURPOSE. Whether crafted through necromantic ritual or raised from a tomb, they relentlessly attack when compelled to kill.
Skeleton Bonecrusher Skeleton: Bonecrusher skeletons arise from the bones of ogres, minotaurs, oni, giants, and other large creatures.
Skeleton Skeletal Steed: Skeletal steeds rarely arise alone; they awaken from death with their riders or are created by rituals as mounts.
Mummy: THESE VORACIOUS KILLERS, tomb spiders, are true creatures of the Shadowfell insofar as they create undead as a part of their life cycle.
A tomb spider lays its eggs in a humanoid corpse, creating an animate mummy in which hundreds of tiny tomb spiders reside until the creature splits open.
Witherling: WlTHERLINGS ARE UNDEAD CREATURES Created by gnolls to serve as shock troops and raiders. Gnoll priests ofYeenoghu use a ritual to fuse the essence of a demon with the body of a foe slain in battle. The result is a shrunken, emaciated creature that has a ghoul's paralyzing touch and a demon's relentless frenzy.
A WlTHERLING IS THE ANIMATED CORPSE of a Small humanoid with the head of a hyena.
Yeenoghu recently imparted to the gnolls the knowledge of the blasphemous process used to create witherlings. A war between Yeenoghu and Orcus is brewing, and the witherlings are but one of several new weapons that the Prince of Gnolls has given to his children.
Witherling Death Shrieker: A DEATH SHRIEKER IS A LARGER, MORE FEROCIOUS form of witherling.
Witherling Horned Terror: A HORNED TERROR is AN UNDEAD abomination created from the specially preserved corpse of a minotaur.
Witherling Rabble: WHEN GNOLLS OR NECROMANCERS create witherlings, the process sometimes goes awry. The magic instead & creates witherling rabble, inferior forms of the creatures.

Vestige Transformation (when the lingerer knight drops to 0 hit points) The knight becomes a fey-knight vestige. All effects and conditions on the knight end. The vestige acts on the knight's initiative count.

Vestige Transformation (when the lingerer fell incanter drops to 0 hit points)
The fell incanter becomes a fey-incanter vestige. All effects and conditions on the fell incanter end. The vestige acts on the fell incanter's initiative count.

Monster Manual 3

Spoiler

Undead: ?
Arcanian: TO GAIN THEIR ARCANE POWERS, warlocks traffic with otherworldly entities, and sorcerers draw on the power of ancient bloodlines. Wizards, in contrast, must endure years of apprenticeship and toil, because their arcane knowledge is the reward of diligence. Yet not every inexperienced wizard is willing to wait.
Experiments that require arcane energy beyond a spellcaster’s ability typically end with an impotent sputter. At rare times, a spell surges with wild energy and obliterates its caster, leaving a messy warning to other wizards.
Once in a great while, though, something truly horrid comes to pass. In a vain attempt to master power beyond his or her control, a wizard absorbs too much raw energy, which warps the caster’s personality and memory and kills his or her body. A spark of life remains, though, and the spell, or at least its essence, animates the caster’s corpse and gives it new purpose as an arcanian.
When raw arcane energy kills a wizard, the power sometimes animates the corpse and gives birth to an arcanian. Empowered with a will and a vessel, an arcanian is driven along a path etched by the dying impulses of the wizard. Red arcanians entertain impassioned fiery desires, blue arcanians try to preserve life in frozen perfection, and green arcanians despise physical beauty. Other arcanians might also exist, the warped products of failed spells using lightning, thunder, or necrotic energy.
Arcanian Green Arcanian: ?
Arcanian Blue Arcanian: ?
Arcanian Red Arcanian: ?
Beholder Ghost Beholder: Death need not be an end to avarice and ambition. As living creatures, beholders must eventually fall from the air to rot on the hated earth. Yet some have the willpower and anger to float again, returning as ghost beholders.
Dread Warrior: UNHOLY RITUALS THAT CALL FORTH UNDEAD HULKS usually raise shambling, mindless creatures. Dread warriors, on the other hand, rise to unlife possessed of enough martial skill to serve as formidable guardians. Each dread warrior is created with an unbreakable connection to its master that makes it utterly loyal.
Legend holds that the priests of Bane were the first to craft these warriors, creating them from the corpses of potent enemies.
Dread Warrior Dread Protector: Stories tell of powerful necromancers creating a dozen dread protectors to scatter about their bedrooms and workstations.
Dread Warrior Dread Marauder: ?
Dread Warrior Dread Archer: A necromancer creates dread archers to shoot anyone who attempts to approach the spellcaster or his or her fortification.
Dread Warrior Dread Guardian: ?
Ghoul: As the progeny of cannibalism and other less than savory practices, ghouls are creatures of pure evil.
Ghoul Flesh Seeker: The sage had warned of these creatures—mortal followers of Orcus that had undergone a horrific, cannibalistic initiation into the demon lord’s cult.
Ghoul Adept of Orcus: In the dark shrine, they spoke in whispers of the fallen priest who had died with a prayer to Orcus on his lips. He might have remained dead, his soul to become a plaything of Orcus, except that he had killed and consumed a priest of Bahamut when he was alive. After his death, he underwent a horrid and unholy transformation.
Ghoul Ghast: The rogue thought herself clever when she opened the leaden doors to the lost tomb, saw a dozen slavering ghouls in the antechamber, and quickly sealed the sepulcher. Ten years later—long enough for the ghouls to starve to death, according to her research—she returned to the place. True, the ghouls had met their end. However, their transformation into ghasts was something she hadn’t accounted for.
When ghouls go too long without humanoid flesh, they rot away from the inside out. The insatiable hunger that accompanies this transformation grants ghasts a desperate strength and ferocity.
Gnoll Hyena Spirit: A hyena spirit is the undead vestige of a prized gnoll war beast. Bound to a tribe by dark magic, it continues to fight on after death.
Rot Grub Zombie: Long after a victim has died from a rot grub infestation, the creatures continue to eat away at the rotting flesh. From time to time, the corpse reanimates into a dark parody of life, creating a zombie that acts as a carrier for a swarm of rot grubs.
Slaad Putrid Slaad: Necromancers sometimes transform living slaads into undead slaads called putrid slaads. They preserve the slaads’ essential chaotic nature, making these creatures deadly but difficult to control. The slaad retains its hunger for wanton destruction, consuming life around it, which is then putrefied and later regurgitated upon foes.
Mages and necromancers create most putrid slaads, but some come into being on their own. Slaads destroyed in the Abyss can rise spontaneously. Such putrid slaads are often forced to submit to the wills of demon lords.
Elemental creatures are not immune to necromantic magic. Unlike other natives to the Elemental Chaos, slaads are formed from chaos, so when life flees one’s corpse, decay consumes the remains in a matter of hours. Thus, to create a putrid slaad, a necromancer must capture a slaad and infuse it with shadow magic while it’s still alive. The process is lethal, but the undead creature retains its shape and is as resilient as any other kind of slaad.
Spawn of Kyuss: LIKE A CANCER IN THE EARTH, spawn of Kyuss rise from the depths to spread suffering and anguish across the land. Driven by their maker’s obscene will, they infect the living and the dead with bright green worms that bend creatures to the will of Kyuss, the Worm that Walks. In frightened whispers, seers prophesize the presence of the spawn as heralding the Age of Worms, the world’s apocalyptic end.
Spawn of Kyuss come from the insane fools who heeded Kyuss’s diseased vision when he was mortal. After Kyuss slew them to fuel his apotheosis, the worms of his new body spread to their bloated corpses, awakening the creatures to undeath. These grim messengers then became carriers of Kyuss’s dark desires and added new victims to their numbers.
Spawn of Kyuss Son of Kyuss: Even when a host is destroyed, Kyuss’s worms tend to escape by burrowing into the earth or clinging to their enemies’ clothing. When the worms find a new carcass, they plunge into the corpse and infuse it with terrible power. After a few moments, a new son of Kyuss is born.
Touch of Kyuss disease.
Spawn of Kyuss Wretch of Kyuss: Legends persist of ancient kingdoms of the walking dead, where an outbreak of the touch of Kyuss spawned thousands upon thousands of these wretches.
Spawn of Kyuss Burrowing Worm power.
Spawn of Kyuss Herald of Kyuss Writhing Pronouncement power.
Spawn of Kyuss Herald of Kyuss: Kyuss created heralds from the legion angels dispatched by the gods to slay him. He infused each one with a profane worm plucked from his squirming body.

Touch of Kyuss Level 16 Disease Endurance improve DC 25, maintain DC 20, worsen DC 19 or lower
The target is cured.
! Initial Effect: The target regains only half the normal hit points when it spends a healing surge. If it dies, it rises immediately as a wretch of Kyuss.
!" The target loses two healing surges.
If it drops to 0 or fewer healing surges, it dies and rises immediately as a son of Kyuss.
" Final State: The target dies and immediately becomes a son of Kyuss.

Burrowing Worm (disease, necrotic) ✦ Recharge 􀀞 􀀟
Attack: Close burst 1 (one living enemy in burst); +16 vs. Fortitude
Hit: The target takes ongoing 10 necrotic damage (save ends). In addition, the target is exposed to touch of Kyuss.
First Failed Saving Throw: The ongoing damage increases to 15.
Second Failed Saving Throw: The target is stunned, and the ongoing damage increases to 20 (save ends both).
Special: The corpse of any humanoid killed by this attack becomes a wretch of Kyuss at the start of the son of Kyuss’s next turn. The wretch must be destroyed before the creature can be raised.

Writhing Pronouncement (disease, necrotic) ✦ At-Will
Attack: Ranged 20 (one creature); +21 vs. Fortitude
Hit: 2d6 + 10 necrotic damage, and ongoing 5 necrotic damage (save ends). In addition, the target is exposed to touch of Kyuss.
First Failed Saving Throw: The ongoing damage increases to 10, and the target is dazed (save ends both).
Second Failed Saving Throw: The ongoing damage increases to 15, and the target is stunned instead of dazed (save ends both).
Special: The corpse of any humanoid killed by this attack becomes a wretch of Kyuss at the start of the herald of Kyuss’s next turn. The wretch must be destroyed before the creature can be raised.

Monster Vault

Spoiler

Undead: ?
Death Knight: Among the most powerful of undead humanoids, death knights are warriors who chose to embrace undeath rather than pass on to the afterlife. They bind their souls into their weapons, fueling their necrotic powers as they marshal armies of undead.
Gifted with undeath as a result of a ritual, a death knight is like the martial equivalent of a lich.
A humanoid becomes a death knight through a profane ritual that strips away the emotional bond of one’s life, replacing them with cruelty and a perverse sense of honor. This ritual is often bestowed as a gift from high-ranking followers of Orcus, the Demon Prince of the Undead. When a warrior reaches a certain state of notoriety, Orcus’s adherents approach the individual and try to tempt him or her with the promise of immortality. A warrior who accepts the offer turns into a dark reflection in the shattered mirror of undeath. Its armor becomes blackened and scarred, and its flesh becomes as withered and twisted as the person’s corrupted soul.
The ritual that transforms a warrior into a death knight binds part of the subject’s soul to one of his or her weapons. This weapon is not only a symbol of an individual’s transformation, it is also the source of a death knight’s power.
Death Knight Blackguard: ?
Dragon Deathbringer Dracolich: ?
Ghoul: They were once cannibalistic humanoids, but their actions caused them to be cursed in death with ravenous appetites that cannot be sated.
When an intelligent humanoid resorts to cannibalism or lives a life of gluttony and greed, it can be cursed to transform into a ghoul upon its death. Unlike a zombie or a skeleton, a ghoul retains sentience and many of the memories of its life. The creature’s perspective is twisted by its death, though, and as a result, it recalls with torment a time when it was not driven by a gnawing hunger for living flesh.
Ghoul Ravenous Ghoul: ?
Ghoul Abyssal Ghoul: The so-called Ghoul King commands his servants to empower some ghouls with additional strength, speed, and durability. The ghouls that receive these abyssal blessings are more powerful and are beholden to Doresain and his demonic master.
Ghoul Abyssal Ghoul Devourer: The so-called Ghoul King commands his servants to empower some ghouls with additional strength, speed, and durability. The ghouls that receive these abyssal blessings are more powerful and are beholden to Doresain and his demonic master.
Ghoul Abyssal Ghoul Hungerer: The so-called Ghoul King commands his servants to empower some ghouls with additional strength, speed, and durability. The ghouls that receive these abyssal blessings are more powerful and are beholden to Doresain and his demonic master.
Lich: A dark spellcaster who covets immortality and spend his or her life in pursuit of necromantic power might gain the ability to become a lich. A lich ties its life force to a phylactery, ensuring that its body will coalesce in a hidden location even if some creature were to slay it.
To become a lich, a spellcaster must be devoted to evil and adept at performing unspeakable acts of violence. Few spellcasters have a shred of morality remaining after their transformations into liches. The process of attaining lichdom bends the mortal mind in unnatural and crippling ways. Many liches rise up insane, but even they enact cunning plans; they just do so for incomprehensible reasons.
A spellcaster must travel far—even across the planes—to collect the scraps of lore and esoteric components needed to enact the ritual to transform into a lich.
The act of becoming a lich encases a mortal’s life force in a specially prepared item called a phylactery. The most common type is a metal box that contains strips of parchment with arcane writing. Any small item, such as a gemstone, a ring, or a statue, can be a phylactery.
Lich Necromancer: ?
Lich Remnant: ?
Lich Soulreaver: ?
Mummy: Whether created in the dry desert heat, the sucking moisture of a desolate bog, or the frozen heights of a lofty mountain, a mummy exists for vengeance. A number of sins can awaken a mummy, from disturbing its tomb, despoiling a place sacred to it in life, or the theft of a prized object. Some mummies seek to avenge less material offenses, such as a loved one marrying someone the mummy loathes or an unwelcome alliance of the mummy’s enemies in life. Sometimes, a dead master’s servants awaken it to continue its life’s frustrated ambitions. Great kings and queens of malign power have returned as mummies to extend their reigns in undeath.
Albeit rare, some mummies arise spontaneously from dry corpses when a particularly provocative transgression touches their souls in the afterlife. Most mummies, however, possess the power to act after death because someone wanted them to have it. The long rituals of burial that accompany a mummy’s entombment help protect its body from rot. Soft organs are removed and placed in special jars, and the corpse is created with preserving oils, herbs, and wrappings. Less common means of preservation include freezing a body, baking it in dry heat, or using magic.
Mummy Shambling Mummy: ?
Mummy Moldering Mummy: ?
Mummy Tomb Guardian: ?
Mummy Royal Mummy: ?
Skeleton: Necromancy grants violent motion to these fleshless bones, letting them defy death and deliver it to others.
“ Nothing holds them together but magic, a necromantic binding that knits bone with scraps of soul and the merest hint of will.”—Kalarel, scion of Orcus
A skeleton’s creation is considered a vile act, though, for it requires disturbing a creature’s bones in the most profane way. A skeleton raised into undeath moves through the power of a soul’s discarded animus; it is a primal force that binds the soul and body to make life possible. Without an animus, a skeleton cannot exist.
Many powers can cause a skeleton to rise from the grave: holy power, necrotic energy, a dark ritual, a necromantic spell or hex, a curse from the lips of a dying person.
Skeleton Decrepit Skeleton: ?
Skeleton Blazing Skeleton: ?
Skeleton Skeletal Legionary: ?
Skeleton Skeletal Tomb Guardian: ?
Stirge Death Husk Stirge: Necromancers trap stirges in the cavernous bodies of giant undead. When the undead opens its maw, famished stirges come pouring out to attack the nearest warm-blooded creature.
Treant Blackroot Treant: ?
Troll Ghost Troll Render: ?
Vampire: Anyone who survives an attack from a vampire might fall prey to the vampire’s curse, entering into a deep, deathlike sleep. A person under this curse is often assumed dead and ushered through funeral rites. When that person awakes at the next sunset, he or she is a vampire. If confined within a coffin, this vampire might already be buried or could be awaiting burial in a temple or a family member’s home. Most vampires awaken as slavering spawn, but a few retain enough of themselves to emerge from death as true vampires.
Vampire Elder Vampire Spawn: ?
Vampire Night Witch: ?
Vampire Master Vampire: ?
Wraith: When a person dies and his or her spirit departs, the animus can remain, clinging to a vestige of life. The animus can become a wraith, an insubstantial creature that emerges amid the vanishing memories of a person’s life; it becomes trapped in an endless afterlife, tortured by remembered sensations and driven mad by a hunger to reclaim the life it once had.
Life consists of three parts: body, spirit, and will. Without will, the body ceases to function and the spirit leaves. Sages call the will the animus, and they regard it as the shadow of the soul. When a body dies or a spirit departs, sometimes the animus remains in the world. Without the spirit, though, the animus has no purpose, and it runs amok. Like many undead, a wraith is the result of an unfettered animus.
When the wraith kills a humanoid, that humanoid becomes a wraith figment at the start of this wraith’s next turn. The new wraith appears in the space where the humanoid died or in the nearest unoccupied square, and it rolls a new initiative check.
When a wraith slays a living humanoid, another wraith emerges from that person’s body within a few minutes, or within a few seconds in areas of intense necrotic energy. Even when powerful magic returns a person to life, his or her wraith remains. A restored cadaver regains its soul and heals fatal wounds, but rather than it regaining its former animus, a new one forms to close the gap between body and spirit.
When a mad wraith slays a living humanoid, another wraith emerges from that person’s body within a few minutes, or within a few seconds in areas of intense necrotic energy. Even when powerful magic returns a person to life, his or her wraith remains. A restored cadaver regains its soul and heals fatal wounds, but rather than it regaining its former animus, a new one forms to close the gap between body and spirit.
Wraith Mad Wraith: ?
Wraith Wraith Figment: When the sovereign wraith kills a humanoid, that humanoid becomes a wraith figment at the start of this wraith’s next turn. The new wraith appears in the space where the humanoid died or in the nearest unoccupied square, and it rolls a new initiative check. The new wraith acts under the Dungeon Master’s control.
Wraith Sovereign Wraith: ?
Zombie: Fueled by dark magic, malevolent forces, dire curses, or angry spirits, zombies are animate corpses. Any corpse with flesh suffices to make a zombie. It might be a dead warrior from a battlefield, distended from days in the sun, guts trailing from a mortal wound. It might be a muddy cadaver of a woman recently buried and risen again, leaving maggots and worms in her wake. A zombie could wash ashore or rise from a marsh, swollen and reeking from weeks in the water. A zombie could instead appear alive, crafted from a recently deceased corpse.
A zombie need not be the size of a normal humanoid, or even humanoid in form. When a necromancer or a natural phenomenon causes a corpse to rise, the corpse could belong to the smallest beast or the largest giant. When a zombie plague infects a city, any size or kind of creature can be affected—horses, dogs, children, cats—anything that has a pulse.
For a zombie to be animated, a body’s soul must have departed. What remains in the corpse is an animus, a vital spark that drives the body without thought or conscience. Without a soul or memories, a zombie has no more humanity or intelligence than a simple animal.
In most cases, a zombie serves its creator or rises in response to the defilement of a sacred location. At rare times, zombies arise in the hundreds. These zombie plagues are provoked by cosmic, magical, or divine events. A zombie plague might be the result of an angry god, a magical experiment gone wrong, a powerful ritual, or a falling star. When the event occurs, the bodies of the dead claw out of their graves and attack the living. Anyone who dies as a result of such an assault soon becomes a zombie after acquiring the disease or curse that the zombies carry. These terrifying plagues can consume an entire civilization if left unchecked.
Zombie Grasping Zombie: ?
Zombie Hulking Zombie: ?
Zombie Flesh-Crazed Zombie: ?
Zombie Zombie Shambler: ?

Monster Vault Threats to the Nentir Vale

Spoiler

Undead: ?
Barrowhaunt: The Barrowhaunts are a group of five former adventurers bound to the lands surrounding the Sword Barrow. Their deeds in life are seldom recollected, and no one is truly sure why their spirits have never been laid to rest. Now they savagely attack any who enter the lands of their trust. Many rumors exist about the exact nature of their curse; one common legend suggests that they sought to plunder the Sword Barrow and evoked the wrath of a warlord entombed within. The warlord’s spirit called to the native hill folk in the area, who marched to the Sword Barrow to confront the adventurers and reclaim the warlord’s treasures. The adventurers, rather than relinquish their trove, slaughtered the hill folk. A dying elder placed a curse on the adventurers’ souls, binding them to the land for all of eternity.
At first, the elder’s curse seemed empty and hollow, but every time the adventurers left the Gray Downs to sell their hard-won loot, they could not help but return to the hills in search of even greater treasures. Eventually, their greed surpassed their skill. Descending deeper into the Sword Barrow than they’d ever gone before, the adventurers fell prey, one by one, to horrid monsters and insidious traps. Though cursed to haunt the Gray Downs and guard “their” barrows from other would-be pillagers, they still seek out treasures and relics for themselves. The spoils of their exploits are stashed in an ancient crypt deep within the Sword Barrow. Their motive for collecting such worldly possessions isn’t clear, but some believe they are forced to sate their everlasting yearning for adventure and exploration.
Barrowhaunt Uthelyn the Mad: ?
Barrowhaunt Lingering Spirit Warrior: Traveling and fighting alongside the Barrowhaunts are the spirits of the creatures they have slain—intelligent monsters, slaughtered tomb robbers, and ancient hill folk.
Barrowhaunt Adrian Icehaunt Reginold: ?
Barrowhaunt Joplin the Sly: ?
Barrowhaunt Baldos Grimehammer: ?
Barrowhaunt Cassian d’Cherevan: ?
Gray Company Fallen Hero: ?
Hound of Ill Omen: Once the loyal companions of the hill clans, who now rest beneath the barrows of the Gray Downs, the hounds of ill omen howl to awaken and avenge their long-dead masters.
Ghosts of Long Ago: The Gray Downs were once inhabited by indigenous hill clan people reputed far and wide for their fierce hunting hounds. But when the empire of Nerath began to bloom, greedy generals sought to expand the empire into the Nentir Vale and across the hill clans’ territory. The clans resisted.
Hopelessly outnumbered, they stood with their faithful hounds against the mighty armies of Nerath, even as the Tigerclaw barbarians and other native tribes abandoned the vale and retreated far into the northern wilderness. Although the hill clans fought bravely, they were annihilated in a final desperate battle upon the downs.
Long after the battle, the hounds of the hill clans prowled the battlefields, howling over the corpses of their masters and refusing to leave their sides. The Nerathans built a great barrow in honor of the warriors that fought and died—and after the last of their bodies was interred, the hounds vanished.
But on dark nights when the fog rises, it is said that the hounds can still be seen coursing across the downs, their ghostly forms pining for their lost masters. The common folk call them the “hounds of ill omen,” because calamity and misfortune follow in the wake of their fearsome howls.
Harbingers of Death: As legend would have it, on nights when the skull-white moon hangs low and the downs are silent as a corpse’s dream, the ghost hounds come forth to hunt mortals. Who sends the hounds and for what purpose, none can tell.
Hound of Ill Omen Bregga: It’s said that Bregga was the first hound, having lived on the downs since before the hill clans arrived.
Hound of Ill Omen Hill Clan Apparition: When Bregga’s hounds sound their lonely howls for the hill clans, the spectral apparitions of their dead masters—cold and black as the grave—rise again from their barrows.
Penanggalan: According to legend, the first penanggalan was a young baroness of Harkenwold, plain of face and scant of suitors. But what she lacked in beauty she made up for in wit, and the maiden discovered arcane texts of Bael Turath in the vaults of her father’s estate. She invoked the rituals therein and conjured a devil, which promised her matchless beauty and eternal life if only she would serve it forever.
The devil’s bargain was not so glorious as it had appeared, for such was the maiden’s beauty that armies clashed for her hand, and her father was forced to lock her away in a tower to protect her. Alone in her wretched beauty, the maiden begged the gods to forgive her vain folly, and she swore to do penance before them.
But the devil had other plans. It whispered the secret of the maiden’s unlikely beauty into the ear of the high priest, and before she could do her penance, the maiden was seized from her tower and hanged as a devil worshiper.
The maiden’s body dangled from the gallows until midnight, at which time it slid to the ground, leaving her head behind in the noose, gory intestines dangling beneath. Then the maiden opened her eyes and saw what her vanity had created.
Each penanggalan’s origin involves a female who bargains with devils for immortal beauty and tries to renege, but perishes before she can complete her penance.
Penanggalan Head Swarm: ?
Penanggalan Bodiless Head: Unless her maiden’s body has been destroyed (causing the creature to become a bodiless head permanently), a penanggalan’s monstrous form does not manifest by light of day.
Phantom Brigade: Many of the knights of this order died during the chaotic time of the collapse of the empire. Some perished trying to defend the empire and prevent the onrushing disaster. Others met a more ignoble end. Of those who died in the pursuit of duty, a significant number found that death was not the end. Some mysterious magical effect or unknown curse turned the dead and dying Imperial Knights into undead guardians. They were suspended in an existence that tied them to the empire forever.
Phantom Brigade Knight-Commader: ?
Phantom Brigade Squire: ?
Phantom Brigade Armiger: ?
Phantom Brigade Justiciar: ?
Phantom Brigade Banneret: ?
Phantom Brigade Templar: ?
Ragewind: Also called sword spirits, ragewinds are the embodied wrath of dead warriors who perished in battle.
The Nentir Vale is strewn with ancient battlefields where the armies of Nerath once clashed with orcs, primitive hill folk, and barbarian tribes, and where the tieflings of Bael Turath fought the dragonborn legions of Arkhosia. Among the ruins of these bygone conflicts lurk creatures of lingering malice—the spirits of despondent soldiers whose lives were thrown away for no satisfying purpose. These spirits can muster enough will to animate their ancient weapons and strike back at the living, whom they both envy and despise.
Vampiric Mist: These sanguine mists, the remains of a secret coven of vampires, prowl the Witchlight Fens in search of blood.
Long ago, a coven of vampires claimed the marshy expanse known as the Witchlight Fens as their secluded demesne, wherein was hidden the phylactery of their dark liege—a powerful lich whose name has been forgotten. If the old stories are true, the phylactery still lies somewhere in the swamp, well removed from more traveled areas of the region. The lich’s whereabouts are unknown, and its presence has not been felt for generations. As for the vampires in the lich’s employ, their corporeal bodies were consumed long ago, yet they linger still as deadly clouds of mist that turn crimson when flush with the blood of their victims.
One of the lich’s many enemies, a powerful hag, came to the Witchlight Fens in search of the phylactery and performed a ritual to destroy the vampire coven. The ritual did not yield the expected results. The vampires’ bodies were destroyed, but their evil essence lingered. The nine vampire lords who led the coven transformed into a single force of pure hatred and malice called a crimson deathmist. The lesser vampires of the coven were reduced to roaming clouds of mist having an insatiable hunger for life.
Any vampire that becomes trapped in gaseous form (usually as a result of losing its sacred resting place) can transform into a vampiric mist by sheer force of will.
Vampiric Mist Corruptor: ?
Vampiric Mist Crimson Deathmist: One of the lich’s many enemies, a powerful hag, came to the Witchlight Fens in search of the phylactery and performed a ritual to destroy the vampire coven. The ritual did not yield the expected results. The vampires’ bodies were destroyed, but their evil essence lingered. The nine vampire lords who led the coven transformed into a single force of pure hatred and malice called a crimson deathmist. The lesser vampires of the coven were reduced to roaming clouds of mist having an insatiable hunger for life.
Vampiric Mist Chillborn Vampiric Mist: ?

Dark Sun Creature Catalog

Spoiler

Lord Vizier: ?
Vizier's Skeleton: Lord Vizier's Plume of Death power.
Ghost Raaig: IN AN ENVIRONMENT WHERE VIOLENT DEATH is so common, ghosts frequently haunt sites of great significance or terrible slaughter. Among them are an array of spirits bound to the service of long-forgotten gods. Called raaigs, these ghosts defend ancient shrines, temples, relics, and secrets.
In life, raaigs were devout priests or holy warriors charged with protecting sacred sites or relics. In death they still keep watch, though their charges have crumbled into ruin or vanished. They have been twisted by their ancient oaths into merciless, hateful apparitions that swiftly slay any living intruder.
Ghost Raaig Tomb Spirit: ?
Ghost Raaig Crypt Lord: ?
Ghost Raaig Soulflame: A few guardians were so favored by their gods in life that they were granted a tiny spark of divine essence. Called soulflames, these raaigs still embody their gods’ will.
Ghostfire Flameskull: See Flameskull Ghostfire Flameskull.
Giant Shadow Giant: Shadow giants are remnants of giants killed by the sorcerer-kings in ancient wars. Their hate-filled spirits have found a home in the deathly substance of the Gray.
Thrax: According to legend, Gerot’s people were great warriors, haughty and proud. They impressed Grand Vizier Abalach-Re, who offered the mountain community an alliance if its fighters would join Raam’s legions. In their arrogance, the Gerotians declined, and they killed Abalach-Re’s envoys.
Enraged, the sorcerer-queen unleashed a vicious curse against Gerot’s populace. The townsfolk were struck with an unquenchable thirst. The twisted brilliance behind her curse was that life-sustaining, pure water would bring death to any Gerotian. Within days, the entire town had died. What Abalach-Re hadn’t expected was that every cursed Gerotian would rise in undeath, becoming the first thraxes.
Wight: SOLDIERS SLAUGHTER AN ELF TRIBE after a messenger fails to bring warning. A poisoned blade cuts down a dwarf before he achieves his life’s goal. Both die, but their intense yearnings resurrect soulless bodies, driving the corpses to endlessly pursue what likely can never be accomplished.
As a soul passes into the Gray, its deepest unmet desire can splinter off to animate the physical form that its soul abandoned. The splinter accesses the memories, needs, and desires of the body’s former occupant. Those passions are married to an overwhelming hunger for life force, and a wight is born.
Wight Thrall: A charismatic ruler or commander is brought down, and the servants and trusted advisors who perished at her side rise up as wight thralls. These creatures’ devotion spills over into death.
Wight Dune Runner Wight: ?
Wight Oath Wright: Ruins pock the wastelands of Athas. Devastating attacks leveled cities and buried inhabitants where they stood, heedless of whether the victims were scoundrels or scholars, wastrels or artisans. The slain seldom rest easy, especially those who were on the brink of success, a historic discovery, or birthing a child. Oath wights crawl from the rubble. The creatures vibrate with rage and disappointment, throbbing with the futility of their former souls’ pursuits and passions.
Zombie: WHEREVER THE GRAY CARESSES THE NATURAL WORLD, an indelible stain spreads. Darkness bleeds into the land, the sun dims, and the dead rise. Much of Athas has shuddered now and again under the Gray’s touch, and the land sprouts a bountiful harvest of zombies.
Defiling magic and the Gray are Athas’s primary zombie producers. Whether a templar is raising an undead army for personal gain or the Gray randomly spawns a new pack, the result is much the same.
Zombie Salt Zombie: ?
Zombie Black Reaver Zombie: ?
Zombie Feasting Zombie: Among cannibalistic halflings, inhabitants who fall ill with wasting diseases are not eaten. Instead, the people open the earth and place sick clan members inside. The diseased are covered with sod and left to die respectably—in the embrace of nature, the giver of life that offers succor in death. But even the far reaches of Athas are not spared from the undead plague. On certain nights, undead halflings walk again in the Forest Ridge.
Zombie Cinder Zombie: Zombies stir in burned-out husks of torched settlements and along the cracked slopes of the volcanic Sea of Silt islands. The kiss of fire preserved these scorched bodies from the elements.
Dregoth, Sorcerer-King: He burns for vengeance against the other sorcerer-kings, who slew him centuries ago but neglected to prevent his fell rebirth.
Abalach-Re warned the other city-states’ overlords, and they partnered to destroy Giustenal and its defiler dragon monarch. The shattering of Giustenal scattered the surviving dragonborn inhabitants and flooded the spirit world with the trapped souls of those who died in the titanic arcane battle. Giustenal became a literal city of ghosts. The sorcerer-kings ultimately failed in their task, though. Dregoth returned to Athas as a monstrous and powerful undead being.
Absalom: Absalom was born human. He was selected as Dregoth’s new high priest after Giustenal’s fall. He was among the first survivors the undead sorcerer-king transformed into dray. After transfiguring Absalom, Dregoth slew his high priest and raised him as an undead servitor.

􀀪 Plume of Death (acid, necrotic)􀀃􀀩􀀃Recharge 􀀞 􀀟
Attack: Area burst 2 within 10 (creatures in burst); +31 vs.
Fortitude
Hit: 4d10 + 12 acid and necrotic damage.
Effect: A vizier’s skeleton appears in one unoccupied square within the burst. It acts immediately after the Lord Vizier’s turn.

Open Grave Secrets of the Undead

Spoiler

Vampire: And once a vampire has drained the life of a victim, it exhibits the most horrifying ability of all: The shell of its victim animates, turning into another of the walking dead.
Death knights, liches, mummies, and vampires are created by rituals or processes that tie the soul to an unliving form. Similar creatures could be created in different circumstances. Such diversity among undead reflects the fact that death touches every part of existence.
Orcus, Demon Prince of the Undead, made the first vampires in the image of blood fiends, who are themselves made in the image of Haemnathuun.
Undead: Theories abound regarding the origin and creation of undead, from the hushed tales told by simple peasants to the exotic research performed by sages and wizards. None agree, and only one fact is certain: Undead exist in the world and have since time immemorial.
The origin of undead can be traced back to a time eons ago, when the primordials thrived before the first foundations of the world were even a rumor. Immortal in the sense that they knew no age and withstood any hurt, these were beings of manifest entropy.
In these earliest days, souls shorn of their bodies simply departed the cosmos, taken to a place beyond all reckoning. When the primordials first crafted the world, they had little regard for the fate of souls. But some among them recognized soul power as a potent force, and they hungered for it. These entities stopped up the passage of souls. With nowhere to go, many souls were either consumed by primordials that had a taste for such spiritual fare, or, finding no further road or final purpose, sputtered out and dissipated, gone forever. Others persisted, becoming undead.
Sentient living creatures have a body and a soul, the latter of which is the consciousness that exists in and departs from the body when it perishes. A body’s “life force” that drives a creature’s muscles and emotions is called the animus. The animus provides vitality and mobility for a creature, and like the soul, it fades from the body after death. Unlike the soul, it fades from the body as the body rots.
If “revived” in the proper fashion, the animus can rouse the body in the absence of a soul. (This phenomenon is what makes it possible for creatures that were never alive, such as constructs, to become undead.) In some cases, the animus can even exist apart from the body as a cruel memory of life. Such impetus can come from necromantic magic, a corrupting supernatural influence at the place of death or interment, or a locale’s connection to the Shadowfell. Strong desires, beliefs, or emotions on the part of the deceased can also tap into the magic of the world to give the animus power.
Most undead, even those that seem intelligent, are this sort of creature—driven to inhuman behavior by lack of governance of a soul and a hunger for life that can’t be sated. Nearly mindless undead have been infused with just enough impetus to give the remains mobility but little else. Sentient undead have a stronger animus that might even have access to the memories of the deceased, but such monstrosities have few or none of the sympathies they had in life. A wight has a body and a feral awareness granted by the animus, but no soul. Even the dreaded wraith is simply a soulless animus, deeply corrupted and infused with strong necromantic energy.
The Shadowfell most often serves as the source of this impetus. In the Shadowfell, bodiless spirits are common, as are undead. Something within this echo-plane’s dreary nature nurtures undead. This shadowstuff can “leak” into a dying creature as that being passes away. It can be introduced by necromantic powers or rituals. Or it can be siphoned into areas strongly associated with death, pooling there.
Some undead retain their souls after the death of the body. Rituals allow this sort of transformation. A potent destiny or vigorous enough strength of will sometimes enables (or forces) a creature to transcend death.
When most living creatures think about how undead come into being, they connect the origin of undead with the animation of a dead body. That said, undead are actually “born” in a variety of ways.
Powerfully evil acts resonate with such force that they can ripple across dimensions and open cracks in reality, permitting malevolent entities to escape into the mortal world. These entities seek out corporeal flesh, in particular the recently vacated vessels of the damned. Once inside the host, these spirits corrupt the animus, granting the corpse a semblance of life.
An evil, perverse, and intelligent creature can be reborn into undeath when the influence of the animus revives the memories of the vessel’s previous host, although the soul of the creature is not present—these sorts of undead are just particularly wily animus-driven undead.
At other times, atrocious deeds call dark spirits into the cadaver of the newly deceased, leaving the original soul intact. Sometimes, good souls can be trapped within their bodies, to be slowly turned to evil as the depraved spirits corrupt the soul.
Sites where evil creatures lair or where evil artifacts are stored can act as strong catalysts in the creation of undead. Undead so created are usually mindless animate corpses. Sometimes they are more powerful, soul-bearing undead whose spirits were corrupted while they lived in an area of tainted ground, and thus the creatures fell directly into undeath when their bodies succumbed.
Though some believe that some kind of fell power energizes animate creatures, it is more accurate to say that the animus or spirit resident in a walking corpse provides an undead creature with the requisite motive force for movement, and perhaps enough additional force to talk and even reason, and—most important—enough animation to prey on other creatures.
Dark deeds conducted by others can serve as a trigger for unlife, especially if such deeds accrue over months or years in one particular location. Such an area, more than any other, is worthy of the term “tainted by evil,” though the religious-minded sometimes call such areas unsanctified ground.
When a living creature is drained to death by evil agencies, the husk of the body becomes a shell that is particularly susceptible to the influence of unlife. When an undead creature is responsible for draining the life force from a living creature, the creation of a new undead from the dead flesh is not assured, but the door is certainly open for unclean spirits to move into the recently evacuated house of the body.
A few particularly abhorrent undead carry a powerful contagion that, when transferred to mortals, causes them to weaken and die at an alarming rate, rising as undead in a matter of hours unless a cure is rapidly administered. Once a creature is infected in this manner, little can be done to save him or her from becoming undead.
Some obsessed knowledge-seekers pursue the spark of life too far, and thereby discover the dark fruits of undeath. They seek death’s secrets because of their fear of death, thinking that if they can come to understand mortality, their fear will be extinguished and their survival assured. Those who tread this road to its conclusion sometimes embrace death completely, and do not become so much immortal as simply enduring.
Sometimes undead are created when corpse parts are sewn together to form a great amalgam of death. Then, when the composite corpse is touched with lightning and the proper reanimation ritual performed, an undead creature rises, its mind rotted but its flesh strong with the animus of several beings. Such creatures share some external visual similarities to flesh golems, but are different in ability and origin.
All undead were once living beings, in that they had a soul. Soulless constructs do not and cannot become undead.
Some necromancers use the arcane power source to fuel their magic, while others call upon the power of shadow to effect their dim miracles. Still others animate undead by the power of the divine, calling on fell gods to raise legions of bound wraiths to their will.
Some undead are born as a result of sheer force of will. These rare individuals staved off the afterlife by harnessing the great power of their soul (or ki). Rarer still, other undead abominations call upon the great psionic powers of the mind to cheat death.
Several varieties of undead can create new unliving progeny. Taking a broader view, undead self-propagation might be regarded as an infectious disease: It is nasty, it is easily spread, and it kills its hosts.
Unless they seek to animate the bodies of the dead, living beings should know better than to bury bodies in the Shadowfell. Though rituals exist to keep a corpse temporarily free of unlife, it’s better not to chance such things. Even when such rituals are used, corpses (whether buried or left behind untended) are likely to rise in the Shadowfell as shambling dead. Evil individuals are certain to rise as particularly nasty soulless monsters. In the world, only the most horrific and ruthless murderers return as specters, but in the Shadowfell, any death might spawn such a wicked undead.
Because all souls pass through this dim realm upon the death of their bodies, Shadow’s taint can corrupt these soul vestiges before they find their way to the Court of the Raven Queen in Letherna, forging sad spirits into ghosts and other insubstantial undead.
A decade ago, evil humans inhabited the valley where the cemetery of Kravenghast Necropolis now stands. Obsessed with death, the people performed living sacrifices on the tops of the mountains that frame both ends of the valley. They buried the mangled remains of the sacrifices in unhallowed graves in a central cemetery. Over time, the sacrifice victims rose as undead, though they were confined to the place of their burial.
When the Tower of Zoramadria was moved across the Feywild through a ritual, the life force of many of its inhabitants was drained off to power that ritual. Many of Zoramadria’s students that escaped permanent destruction did so only by embracing undeath.
The preservation fluid within a brain’s jar is a valuable alchemical material, especially useful for crafting undead.
Most undead animate spontaneously or arise through profane rituals. A few mortals willingly become undead, though, viewing the condition as a form of immortality.
Vecna: Vecna, the god of magic, necromancy, and secrets, pursued undeath as part of his rise to godhood.
Wight: A wight has a body and a feral awareness granted by the animus, but no soul.
Wraith: Even the dreaded wraith is simply a soulless animus, deeply corrupted and infused with strong necromantic energy.
Wraiths have a similar thirst for mortal souls, using the resulting energy to spawn their dreadful progeny.
Areas tainted by necromantic seepage in the Shadowfell spawn wraiths.
Any humanoid killed by a wraith rises as a free-willed wraith at the start of its creator’s next turn, appearing in the space where it died (or in the nearest unoccupied space). Raising the slain creature (using the Raise Dead ritual) does not destroy the spawned wraith.
Most wraiths spawn more of their kind when they murder a humanoid.
Ghost: Sentient ghosts are the most common of the undead that retain their souls without resorting to necromantic rituals. They have a purpose that fetters them to the world, even if it’s only to spread misery or wreak vengeance.
Because all souls pass through this dim realm upon the death of their bodies, Shadow’s taint can corrupt these soul vestiges before they find their way to the Court of the Raven Queen in Letherna, forging sad spirits into ghosts and other insubstantial undead.
Death Knight: Death knights, liches, mummies, and vampires are created by rituals or processes that tie the soul to an unliving form. Similar creatures could be created in different circumstances. Such diversity among undead reflects the fact that death touches every part of existence.
Death knights are warriors that accepted undeath as a way to circumvent mortality.
Lich: Death knights, liches, mummies, and vampires are created by rituals or processes that tie the soul to an unliving form. Similar creatures could be created in different circumstances. Such diversity among undead reflects the fact that death touches every part of existence.
Some obsessed knowledge-seekers pursue the spark of life too far, and thereby discover the dark fruits of undeath. They seek death’s secrets because of their fear of death, thinking that if they can come to understand mortality, their fear will be extinguished and their survival assured. Those who tread this road to its conclusion sometimes embrace death completely, and do not become so much immortal as simply enduring. Spellcasters who adopt this existence are commonly known as liches.
MANY CREATURES HOPE TO ESCAPE DEATH. When such creatures are powerful and corrupt, they sometimes turn to rituals that can transform them into liches. However, immortality comes with a price, and these creatures lose the remaining shreds of their humanity in process.
Most undead animate spontaneously or arise through profane rituals. A few mortals willingly become undead, though, viewing the condition as a form of immortality. These liches gain resilience from the transformation.
Vampire Lord: The vampire lord template is one example of an undead created by life drain.
As a reward for good service, the former owner of the Mask of Kas becomes a vampire lord when it moves on. If the Mask is displeased with its former owner, it instead tries to cause the owner’s death by attracting hordes of undead to his or her location.
Infected Zombie: A few particularly abhorrent undead carry a powerful contagion that, when transferred to mortals, causes them to weaken and die at an alarming rate, rising as undead in a matter of hours unless a cure is rapidly administered. Once a creature is infected in this manner, little can be done to save him or her from becoming undead. The infected zombie template can be used to create undead that spread such contagion.
High Preceptor: ?
Lich Raja Thirayam of Dukkharan: ?
Sceptenar: Adventurers wielding a great weapon that had been forged to destroy undead, some sort of stone scepter, made their way to the capital and killed Raja Thirayam. Lands near to Thirayam’s empire thought they had reason to celebrate when word spread of the emperor’s death. Elation turned to horror when it was revealed that upon the raja’s death, his life force divided and possessed the four audacious heroes. In turn, each adventurer was slowly consumed by the malevolent spirit of the emperor; the raja lives on, his body four-fold and harder to destroy than ever.
Sceptenar Vasabhkati: Sceptenar Vasabhakti, daughter of the late ruler of Khatiroon, rules the southern province of Hantumah. Once a kind and benevolent princess, Vasabhakti was possessed and corrupted by the undead forces that overtook her homeland.
Specter: In the world, only the most horrific and ruthless murderers return as specters, but in the Shadowfell, any death might spawn such a wicked undead.
Specters that arise from slain mortals twisted by insanity often produce auras that outwardly manifest the fragmented condition of their minds.
Skeleton: The carved skull buried in one of the old crypts has pulsed back to unlife. Its wakening will attract undead miles away from Col Fen. Unless the skull is destroyed, it will become a magnet for undead from distant places, while at the same time animating skeletons and zombies from the graveyard of Col Fen.
Zombie: The carved skull buried in one of the old crypts has pulsed back to unlife. Its wakening will attract undead miles away from Col Fen. Unless the skull is destroyed, it will become a magnet for undead from distant places, while at the same time animating skeletons and zombies from the graveyard of Col Fen.
When a corpse vampire kills a living humanoid by a means other than blood drain, that humanoid rises as a zombie of its level at sunset the next day.
Cemetery Rot disease.
Decrepit Skeleton: ?
Zombie Rotter: ?
Ghoul: ?
Gravehound: ?
Corruption Corpse: A living humanoid killed by a deathdog rises as a free-willed corruption corpse at the end of its creator’s next turn.
Deathdogs are creatures of the Shadowfell that transform their prey into corruption corpses.
Chillborn Zombie: The thousands of deaths that took place on the Downs transformed this battlefield into a place where the walls between the world and the Shadowfell are weak. People who die here reanimate as undead. This is what happened to Tirian Forkbeard.
Humanoid creatures in the Downs (the entire area shown on the full-page map) who are reduced to 5 or fewer hit points take on a pale, waxy complexion. Their veins darken and become visible through their increasingly translucent flesh. An opaque glaze dulls their eyes, and their eyes remain open even while they are unconscious.
Humanoid creatures who die transform into chillborn zombies.
If any PCs die here, you can delay their transformation until after surviving PCs have defeated their current enemies or fled the field if things are going poorly for them. Otherwise, a dead comrade rises 1 round after death. It turns on living PCs, acting last in initiative order. It has full hit points as a chillborn zombie.
Victims of zombie transformation can, after being reduced to 0 hit points, be restored to life by a Raise Dead ritual. A player whose character became a zombie can choose to roleplay the character as haunted by hazy memories of the undead state or to shrug off the incident entirely.
Creature powers that raise slain enemies as undead (such as spawn wraith) supersede the zombie breeding ground effect.
Gibbering Head: This head is all that remains of one of the leaders of the long-ago battle, impaled here as a trophy of sorts and a warning to other enemies. Long exposure to the taint of this area has infused it with malefic abilities.
Zombie Hulk: ?
Mad Wraith: Any humanoid killed by a mad wraith rises as a free-willed mad wraith at the start of its creator’s next turn, appearing in the space where it died (or in the nearest unoccupied space). Raising the slain creature (using the Raise Dead ritual) does not destroy the spawned wraith.
Skeleton Soldier: ?
Rotwing Zombie: ?
Skull Lord: ?
Boneclaw: Boneclaws are vicious undead created by dark powers to hunt the foes of their creators. The ritual to create boneclaws is jealously guarded by the few casters that know it.
Ssra-Tauroch: As Ssra-Tauroch’s reign extended into decades and the rigors of time weakened his once mighty frame, he requested a great boon from Zehir: the gift of immortality. Ssra-Tauroch, the empire, and its yuan-ti citizenry were devout followers of the god of poison and serpents. The monarch’s lifetime of service to the serpent lord had not gone unnoticed. Zehir sent a dark angel to the aging monarch who taught him the secret knowledge of mummification.
Upon completing the ritual, Ssra-Tauroch retreated to his inner sanctum.
Yuan-Ti Abomination Mummy Lord: ?
Bone Naga: ?
Corrupted Yuan-Ti Malison Incanters: ?
Slaughter Wight: ?
Sword Wraith: Any humanoid killed by a sword wraith rises as a free-willed sword wraith at the start of its creator’s next turn, appearing in the space where it died (or in the nearest unoccupied space). Raising the slain creature (using the Raise Dead ritual) does not destroy the spawned wraith.
Any humanoid killed by Kravenghast rises as a free-willed sword wraith at the start of Kravenghast’s next turn, appearing in the space where it died (or in the nearest unoccupied space). Raising the slain creature (using the Raise Dead ritual) does not destroy the spawned wraith.
Kravenghast: ?
Mauthereign, Human Lich: ?
Undead Vecna Cultist: ?
Pavan, Aboleth Overseer Lich: ?
Abyssal Ghoul Myrmidon: ?
Parthal Archlich: ?
Dread Wraith: Any humanoid killed by a dread wraith rises as a free-willed dread wraith at the start of its creator’s next turn, appearing in the space where it died (or in the nearest unoccupied space). Raising the slain creature (using the Raise Dead ritual) does not destroy the spawned wraith.
Oreiax: Doresain the Ghoul King found hints of Syvexrae’s plans in her deteriorating mind as he fed upon her mind daily. After millennia of collating clues from her mind, Doresain discovered the location of the massive egg in the mortal world. Doresain infused the egg with demonic ichor and necromantic vitality. The child in the egg tore out of the shell ages before his time, emerging as a stunted sliver of the enormous entity he should have been. Doresain named the child Oreiax, from the Abyssal words for “always hungry.”
Rot Slinger Captain: ?
Larva Mage: ?
Harrowzau the Unborn: ?
Harrowzau the God Swallower: ?
Abomination: AGELESS THOUGH THEY ARE, IMMORTALS CAN DIE, and when they do, some return as twisted remnants of what they once were. Most abominations were created as weapons in the war between the gods and the primordials, but a scarce few have arisen spontaneously out of the chaotic forces of the universe.
Abomination Rotvine Defiler: A profane vestige of a powerful immortal devoted to fertility, the rotvine defiler seeks to destroy that which it has lost—life.
A rotvine defiler is the profane remnant of an immortal devoted to nature or agriculture. The corrupted immortals were slain and sealed under the ground, where the seeds of evil caused them to return to life and outwardly manifest their malevolence.
A rotvine defiler arises when a creature makes a sacrifice over the monster’s earthly tomb, breaking the seals containing it. The creature usually retains none of its original intelligence or memories
Abomination Discord Incarnate: AT THE DAWN OF CREATION, mighty couatls—winged serpents of purity and virtue—strove to bind evil elementals and fiends. The titanic spiritual struggle sometimes resulted in the death of both entities and brought about a terrible fusion of body and spirit. From these morbid unions arose discord incarnates—perverse abominations bent on wanton destruction.
Discord incarnates arose during the cosmic war between the gods and the primordials.
Scholars speculate that a discord incarnate spontaneously arises from the clash of two powerful, opposing forces—a powerful demon and a couatl. Some experts suggest that the profane union is the work of a now-forgotten god or primordial that saw benefit in the creation of the twisted monstrosities.
Beholder Undead: BEHOLDERS ARE AMONG THE MOST FEARED and deadly monsters to prowl the world. Yet even beholders succumb to death, and when they do, necromancers sometimes find use in their vile remains.
Beholder Undead Bloodkiss Beholder: The necrotic forces that reanimate a bloodkiss beholder warp and change the creature’s flesh, making the monster barely akin to its living counterpart.
Beholder Undead Beholder Death Tyrant: A death tyrant beholder is an animated corpse of an eye tyrant.
Horde Ghoul: Beholder Undead Beholder Death Tyrant Reanimating Ray power.
Blaspheme: CRAFTED FROM PIECES OF CORPSES and given life through alchemy and magic, blasphemes are intelligent, cunning undead.
Blasphemes are created from pieces of multiple corpses. Through carefully guarded rituals, these crafted forms are given life or, in a few cases, infused with the creator’s intelligence.
Blaspheme Unohly Slayer: ?
Blaspheme Grave Chill Blaspheme: ?
Blaspheme Entomber: ?
Blaspheme Disciple: ?
Blaspheme Imperfect: ?
Blaspheme Knight: ?
Blaspheme Soul Vessel: ?
Bone Yard: A BONE YARD IS A MASS OF ANIMATED BONES that rises up due to a tragedy, massacre, or desecration.
Bone Yard Charnel Cinderhouse: Charnel cinderhouses arise when a conflagration consumes a building and kills the inhabitants.
Bone Yard Pit of the Abandoned Regiment: BORN OF THE ROTTING, SKELETAL REMAINS of soldiers left to die after battle, the pit of the abandoned regiment is a force driven by hatred and revenge.
This creature is the amalgamated remains of a regiment of soldiers that was left to die after a battle.
Bone Yard Desecration: A DESECRATION IS THE ANIMATED REMAINS of a desecrated cemetery.
This creature arises when a cemetery is desecrated by the community that created it.
Brain in a Jar: A BRAIN IN A JAR IS THE PRESERVED BRAIN of a sinister being who sought to escape death. Through ritual magic and complicated alchemical processes, the brain is kept alive, retaining all the memories and mental faculties of its former host.
Different kinds of brains in jars exist, though each is created using the same principles.
Brain in a Jar Brain in a Broken Jar: A brain in a broken jar is created through incomplete rituals, spoiling fluids, or damaged containers.
Brain in a Jar Brain in an Armored Jar: ?
Brain in a Jar Exalted Brain in a Jar: This is a brain taken from a powerful creature by devotees to preserve the subject’s knowledge and wisdom.
Crawling Claw: THIS SEVERED HAND OR PAW has been animated by foul magic.
Crawling claws are severed hands, feet, or paws that have been animated by necromantic rituals or by spontaneous necrotic energy.
The most basic crawling claw is crafted from any hand or paw.
Crawling Claw Crawling Gauntlet: Crawling gauntlets are severed hands enchanted or trained to serve as minions.
Crawling Claw Swarm: Crawling claw swarms are the result of numerous severed limbs lost in a horrible battle. Sometimes the limbs animate on their own; other times, necromancers sweep a battlefield for useful pieces.
Crawling Claw Lich Claw: Liches that want to humiliate and dominate their rivals seek out other liches to acquire pieces to make lich claws. Many lich claws occur spontaneously, due to the saturation of necrotic energy in the chambers of defeated liches.
Crawling Claw Dragonclaw Swarm: Dragonclaw swarms are the result of necromantic experiments with dragon bones.
Deathtritus: THE PRESENCE OF NECROTIC ENERGY can animate flesh, but it can also give unlife to refuse and residue, forming a deathtritus.
Deathtritus Tomb Mote: Tomb motes are made up of the animated bone, dust, hair, and flesh particles that accumulate in tombs. They are usually found in areas filled with necrotic energy.
Deathtritus Offalian: Composed of the butchered flesh, rotting organs, and pungent fluids of humanoids and livestock, these snakelike creatures crave the taste of fresh meat.
Offalians are undead serpents that form when people or animals are senselessly butchered and left to rot. They are composed of the organs and bodily fluids of the slain creatures.
Deathtritus Osteopede: CREATED FROM DIRT, DUST, AND CRUSHED BONE, the osteopede is a centipedelike creature that skitters rapidly across the ground. The creature is infused with necrotic energy, which it releases with each bite and each slash of its jagged legs.
Osteopedes are undead centipedes that form from dirt and bone in places of death. They also sometimes arise from pastures where bone fragments were used as fertilizer.
Deathtritus Dragonscale Slough: THIS SLITHERING PILE OF MOLTED SCALES often forms where a dragon has died or has spent a considerable amount of time.
A dragonscale slough is made of the animated flesh and scales that fall from dragons.
Forsaken Shell: A FORSAKEN SHELL IS SKIN RIPPED from a creature’s body and then animated purposefully or spontaneously by foul magic.
When a forsaken shell kills a Medium living humanoid creature, the slain creature rises as a free-willed forsaken shell at the start of its creator’s next turn.
Forsaken shells arise when skin is ripped from the flesh of a living target. The flesh is then animated either through the actions of a necromancer or through spontaneous necrotic energy.
Forsaken shells propagate their kind by ripping the skin off their victims, assimilating it, and then exuding it as a new monster. In this way, one forsaken shell can spawn thousands of its kind, creating an army of animate skin.
Numerous kinds of forsaken shells exist. Each kind of creature victimized by a forsaken shell has the potential to become a new kind of shell. Humans, giants, and dragons are the most common targets of forsaken shells.
Forsaken Shell Dragon Shell: When the forsaken shell kills a living dragon creature, the slain creature rises as a free-willed dragon shell at the start of its creator’s next turn.
Forsaken Shell Titan Shell: When a titan shell kills a Large living humanoid creature, the slain creature rises as a free-willed titan shell at the start of its creator’s next turn.
Ghost Poltergeist: ?
Ghost Servile Ghost: A servile ghost arises when a servant or lackey dies an ignoble death as a consequence of its master’s actions. Such deaths are often a result of betrayal or carelessness on the master’s part.
Ghost Drowned Ghost: Drowned ghosts are the spirits of those who died watery deaths.
Ghost Malicious Ghost: Malicious ghosts arise from children who die frightened or alone. Enraged that no one saved its life, the ghost of the child becomes a creature of unquenchable malice.
Ghost Watchful Ghost: Watchful ghosts are the spirits of guards killed in the line of duty while failing to protect their charges.
The apparition is the restless spirit of Ammaradon, a member of the old king’s guard who failed to prevent the king’s assassination. Tormented by this unforgivable lapse, he now guards the king’s sarcophagus.
Ghost Wrath Spirit: A wrath spirit arises when a violent individual dies while enraged.
Ghost Caller in Darkness: A caller in darkness is created from the spirits of dozens of victims who died together in terror.
Ghost Famine Spirit: Famine spirits are spectral remnants of people who shortened their lives through gluttony, who hoarded food while others starved, or who died of starvation.
Ghoul Sodden Ghoul, Lacedon: A sodden ghoul arises when an aquatic humanoid that engages in cannibalism dies. Sodden ghouls are also created through deliberate rituals by evil aquatic creatures, such as bog hags, kuo-toas, sahuagin, and aboleths.
Ghoul Sodden Ghoul Wailer: ?
Ghoul Stench Ghoul: A stench ghoul is the result of a cannibalistic humanoid who dies after consuming the rancid flesh of another humanoid.
Ghoul Wretched Stench Ghoul: ?
Ghoul Darkpact Ghoul: Darkpact ghouls are the product of corrupt individuals who are cursed to return in undeath. They lose all sanity in the transformation, replacing it with predatory cunning. A few darkpact ghouls are dead warlocks who made pacts with sinister forces to extend their lives without realizing the form they would take upon death.
Hound Death: SOME TYPES OF HOUNDS ARE ANIMATED canine corpses, and a few are creatures of shadow that have canine forms. The association these creatures have with death has gained them the name death hounds.
Hound Death Rot Hound: These creatures are the result of dogs that dig up and eat rotting corpses. The dogs grow sick and slowly rot from the inside out, eventually dying and reanimating due to necromantic energy in an area.
Hound Death Famine Hound: Famine hounds arise when dogs are abandoned by their masters and left to starve.
Hound Death Charnel Hound: Charnel hounds are the unholy result of necromantic experiments. Evil ritualists fuse corpses together to create this vicious, predatory dog.
Larva Undead: Individuals who have relentlessly pursued evil might return as larva undead.
Larva Undead Larva Assassin: A larva assassin is a conscienceless killer that arises when a humanoid dies after spending his or her life murdering without pity. When the individual’s body begins to decay, a swarm of hornets and centipedes gathers to devour the corpse. Necrotic energy merges the vermin with the consciousness of the former humanoid, creating a larva assassin.
Larva Undead Larva Sniper: Larva snipers are the result of dead humanoids who took sadistic delight in their ability to slay foes from afar. Upon such a creature’s death, masses of yellow, segmented wasps and hornets gather and give the creature’s consciousness a physical form.
Larva Undead Larva War Master: Larva war masters are the undead progeny of powerful warriors who become unhinged by bloodlust, commit strings of atrocities, and then die. Upon the subject’s death, its body is consumed by devouring beetles that strip flesh from bone and then form a new body.
The ancient undead entity Kyuss rewarded his most faithful and remorseless warriors with eternal existence as larva war masters.
Lich Baelnorn Lich: Eladrin become baelnorn liches for a variety of reasons. Many choose this path so they can act as guardians of ancestral vaults and tombs. Unlike most liches, baelnorns are not necessarily evil. The creatures are less power-hungry and covetous than other liches, and they often keep their phylacteries in close proximity to the places they guard. A few baelnorn have no phylacteries at all; rather, their prolonged existence is achieved through a powerful ritual or the blessing of a deity.
Lich Thicket Dryad Lich: Sometimes a dryad’s desire to protect its woodland twists into dark obsession. In rare instances, one of these fey creatures crosses the threshold into undeath and becomes a thicket dryad lich. The dryad transforms a favorite tree into a phylactery. The corruption in the dryad’s soul then causes the tree to become warped and rotted.
Lich Void Lich: A void lich is an antediluvian horror from the Far Realm that seizes control of the body and phylactery of someone performing a lich transformation ritual. Lured into the world by the eldritch power unleashed during the ritual, this aberrant entity shunts the ritual performer’s soul off to the Far Realm and possesses the host body as its own.
Lich Alhoon Lich: Alhoons are magic-using outcasts from mind flayer societies who have defied the ruling elder brains.
Lich Demilich: Particularly powerful liches that learn the secret of fashioning soul gems often shed their bodies and evolve into demiliches.
Mummy: In general, any creature can become a mummy as long as its purpose is to guard an important location.
Death knights, liches, mummies, and vampires are created by rituals or processes that tie the soul to an unliving form. Similar creatures could be created in different circumstances. Such diversity among undead reflects the fact that death touches every part of existence.
Powerful members of cults and secret organizations are responsible for their creation.
Mummy Deranged Champion: Deranged champions are foulspawn hulks that were turned into mummies by cultists who worship beings from the Far Realm.
Mummy Dark Pharaoh: The dark pharaoh is an eidolon infused with the souls of lords and kings and then animated through a divine ritual. This intelligent construct might have once existed to guard great treasures or secrets, but when the divine spark becomes corrupted, it twists the souls within the creature, turning the undead construct against mortals. The souls become a singular consciousness that believes itself to be a deity of death and tyranny, and so the creature searches the world for worshipers, killing all who refuse to follow it.
Mummy Scourge of Baphomet: A select few members of the minotaur cult of Baphomet are chosen to undergo the process that transforms a minotaur into this formidable kind of mummy. As a symbol of its dedication, the mummy’s horns and weapon are etched with runes of devotion to Baphomet.
Mummy Necrosphinx: ?
Mummy Champion: The Dungeon Master’s Guide indicates that mummy champions and mummy lords should be humanoids, but not every mummy has to follow this guideline. Certain nonhumanoid creatures make excellent mummies.
Mummy Lord: The Dungeon Master’s Guide indicates that mummy champions and mummy lords should be humanoids, but not every mummy has to follow this guideline. Certain nonhumanoid creatures make excellent mummies.
Mummy Darkflame Taskmaster: Darkflame taskmasters are the undead leaders of rogue groups of azers that worship Asmodeus.
Mummy Forsaken Heierophant: Forsaken hierophants are mummies of priests that were so depraved that the subject’s fellow death cultists killed and embalmed the priest. Rather than let the priest’s power be wasted, though, the other cultists instead transformed the subject into a guardian to watch over their most valuable stores of treasure and knowledge.
Nighthaunt: MALICIOUS, SINISTER CREATURES OF DARKNESS, nighthaunts are the cursed souls of those who have consumed food infused with necrotic energy.
The commonly held belief is that nighthaunts are bodiless souls whose progress across the Shadowfell was interrupted. Instead of dissipating, these itinerant spirits cloaked themselves in bodies of shadow.
The truth of nighthaunts’ creation lies in the history of the Black Tower of Vumerion, a former den of necromancy. Before Vumerion was destroyed, it produced many horrors, including an addictive black weed called corpse grass. When consumed, the weed infuses the eater with strength and joy. However, foul nightmares always follow the consumption of the grass.
Corpse grass has spread throughout the Shadowfell and into the world, and many have become addicted to its properties. Those who eat even a little of the grass—no matter what they achieved in life—become nighthaunts in death. The curse of the corpse grass fills these creatures with a raging hunger in death, a hunger that can be sated only through sucking the life out of living creatures.
The name “corpse grass” is a bit of a misnomer now, for since the initial creation of nighthaunts, the curse of the corpse grass has spread into other vegetation. When a nighthaunt has ingested enough life force, it finds a twilight-lit meadow or field and releases its energies into the grass, weeds, grains, nuts, and other vegetation. The vegetation continues to grow, gaining the properties of corpse grass and perpetuating the nighthaunt cycle.
Nighthaunt Slip: ?
Nighthaunt Whisperer: ?
Nighthaunt Shrine: ?
Oni Souleater: Oni souleaters are oni that have traded the warmth of life for longevity in death.
Oni Howling Spirit: Howling spirits are the souls of depraved oni that become trapped in the Shadowfell.
Ooze Undead: INFUSED WITH NECROTIC ENERGY, undead oozes are the congealed, slimy effluvia of living creatures that died horrible deaths.
Ooze Bloodrot: BLOODROT OOZES ARE UNDEAD JELLIES that form when humanoids are melted by acid.
Ooze Blood Amniote: BLOOD AMNIOTES ARE COMPOSED OF the congealed blood of hundreds of creatures that died in close proximity.
Scholars debate whether the blood amniote arises spontaneously or is crafted intentionally through necromantic rites and mass sacrifices.
Legend has it that priests of Orcus once unleashed a storm that rained burning blood on two opposing armies. The storm slew the soldiers, and from the blood-soaked ground arose blood amniotes.
Ooze Spirit Ooze: Spirit oozes are ravenous, incorporeal creatures that are created when wisps of matter from insubstantial undead congeal into a single amorphous entity.
Ooze Bone Collector: ?
Pale Reaver: Pale reavers are the undead spirits of humanoids that were killed because they betrayed a person or organization who trusted or relied upon them.
Pale Reaver Creeper: ?
Pale Reaver Lord: ?
Reaper: Common folk regard reapers as embodiments of death that escort souls to the Shadowfell, but their true nature is more sinister. Reapers are servants of Vecna, and they are sent out by the god and his followers to collect souls for profane rituals.
Reapers are failed undead imitations of the Raven Queen’s sorrowsworn. Although Vecna did not succeed in copying the powerful servants, he has nonetheless found use for reapers.
Reaper Entropic Reaper: ?
Reaper Abhorrent Reaper: ?
Skeleton: ALL SKELETONS ARISE FROM THE BONES of once-living creatures. That basic truth says little about the details of a particular skeleton, however. The character of the living creature, the manner of its death, the requirements of a necromancer, and the deceased’s former relationships—all these factors affect the nature and purpose of a skeleton.
Skeleton Skinwalker Skeleton: Skinwalker skeletons are produced when a necromancer grafts skin to animated bones.
Skeleton Skeletal Archer: Over a period of several weeks, skeletons can be trained in the use of bows to produce skeletal archers.
Skeleton Bonewretch Skeleton: ?
Skeleton Stonespawned Skeleton: Stonespawned skeletons are created when humanoids are crushed under tons of rock and left entombed in stone.
Skeleton Shattergloom Skeleton: Shattergloom skeletons are created in dark chambers where natural light cannot reach.
Skeleton Death Kin Skeleton: Death kin skeletons are siblings, kin, or lovers who died in a suicide pact or similar circumstance.
Skeleton Giant Skeletal Bat: Giant skeletal bats are the remains of riding bats that were abandoned by their masters in battle.
Skeleton Skeletal Hauler: Skeletal haulers are the remains of humanoid slaves and physical laborers.
Skeleton Spine Creep Skeleton: Spine creep skeletons are the result of unjustly beheaded humanoids or those torn to pieces by an angry mob.
Skeleton Marrowshriek: Marrowshriek skeletons arise from victims of malnutrition and neglect, and they crave the marrow of the living.
Undead Aviary: Although some creatures of the undead aviary animate naturally, most are produced by necromancers.
Undead Aviary Skin Kite: Skin kites consist of skin flayed from torture victims that is spontaneously or intentionally animated.
Undead Aviary Accipitridae: Accipitridae are the corrupt product of vultures that feed on undead flesh. The undead flesh poisons and kills the vultures, and they reanimate as these cruel, avian monsters.
Undead Aviary Paralyth: MADE SENTIENT THROUGH FOUL MAGIC, a paralyth is the animated spine and brain of a humanoid.
Paralyths are created when necromancers extract the brains and spines from recent victims.
Undead Aviary Fear Moth: A fear moth is composed of thousands of living and dead moths that all died simultaneously from some cataclysm.
Undead Aviary Couatl Mockery: Couatl mockeries are masses of animated scales and feathers collected from slain couatls.
Abomination Discord Incarnate Create Couatl Mockery power.
Unrisen: RITUALS GO AWRY, AND WHEN the ritual is Raise Dead or a similar form of magic, the results can be grim. The ritual might appear to be a complete failure, yet the residual energy can sometimes raise the creature days after the initial attempt. When this happens, the subject emerges with its soul fragmented and corrupted. A pet comes back from the dead, but it is no longer the adorable feline the family once knew. A child returns, but it is vile and depraved, caring nothing for the people it once loved. No matter what form the creature took in its past life, it returns as a vile, twisted thing—it returns as an unrisen.
An unrisen is the corrupt result of a failed attempt to resurrect a beast or a humanoid. After the failed ritual, a short time passes after the creature is buried before it rises up to take revenge on nearby living creatures, which it views as responsible for its death.
The most common types of unrisen are children, pets, mounts, and figures of prominence in a community, such as mayors or priests. These figures are sorely missed upon their deaths, so companions of the people or creatures often go to great lengths to attempt to resurrect them.
Unrisen Vile Pet: ?
Unrisen Corrupted Offspring: ?
Unrisen Tainted Priest: ?
Unrisen Darkhoof: ?
Vampire Corpse Vampire: A living humanoid killed by the blood drain of a corpse vampire or a spirit vampire rises as a similar vampire at sunset on the following day. The new vampire has the level it had in life. Burning the slain creature’s body, decapitating that body, or reviving the slain creature can prevent this transformation.
A corpse vampire is the result when a humanoid cadaver is buried improperly, robbed of its burial possessions, or left in a place polluted by evil energy.
Vampire Spirit Vampire: A living humanoid killed by the blood drain of a corpse vampire or a spirit vampire rises as a similar vampire at sunset on the following day. The new vampire has the level it had in life. Burning the slain creature’s body, decapitating that body, or reviving the slain creature can prevent this transformation.
When a spirit vampire or a corpse vampire reduces a living humanoid to 0 hit points or fewer without killing it, the humanoid enters a deep coma. If treated with the Remove Affliction ritual, the humanoid can be healed normally. Otherwise, he or she dies at sunset the next day and becomes a spirit vampire.
Vampire Muse: ?
Wraith Wisp Wraith: wisp wraith is the result of a wraith that failed to form correctly when another wraith used spawn wraith.
Wraith Moon Wraith: Any humanoid killed by a moon wraith rises as a free-willed moon wraith at the start of its creator’s next turn, appearing in the space where it died (or in the nearest unoccupied space). Raising the slain creature (using the Raise Dead ritual) does not destroy the spawned wraith.
Moon wraiths are floating, crescent-shaped apparition that are created when a lycanthrope dies during its transformation.
Wraith Vortex Wraith: Any humanoid killed by a vortex wraith rises as a free-willed vortex wraith at the start of its creator’s next turn, appearing in the space where it died (or in the nearest unoccupied space). Raising the slain creature (using the Raise Dead ritual) does not destroy the spawned wraith.
A vortex wraith rises when a person dies in a tornado or storm and the victim’s body is never found.
Wraith Oblivion Wraith: Any humanoid killed by an oblivion wraith rises as a free-willed oblivion wraith at the start of its creator’s next turn, appearing in the space where it died (or in the nearest unoccupied space). Raising the slain creature (using the Raise Dead ritual) does not destroy the spawned wraith.
It is created when a person dies violently during an important life event, such as a wedding or a coronation.
Wrath of Nature: MOST PEOPLE LIVING IN CITIES MEAN WELL, but a certain amount of pollution is inevitable. Livestock overgraze, communities log and burn forests, and cities dump waste and alchemical byproducts into the streams. The land is forgiving, but sometimes when an area is so wrought with pollution and death, nature’s rage gives rise to a wrath of nature, a mindless embodiment of death.
Wrath of Nature Calvary Creekrotter: Calvary creekrotters arise as a result of extreme pollution in a river, lake, or part of the ocean. When the land dies away, nature rebels, animating the dead animals and vegetation to visit wrath upon civilization.
Some evil creatures, including corrupt druids, purposefully defile bodies of water in an attempt to create these monstrosities. They dump vile substances and waste into streams and rivers, killing life and upsetting the natural order.
Wrath of Nature Cindergrove Spirit: Cindergrove spirits arise at the edge of communities in which the verdant landscape was burned to make way for civilization.
Some corrupt creatures purposefully burn natural environments rich with life and beauty in an attempt to create these monstrosities.
Zombie Drowned One: Drowned ones are zombies that have been underwater for some time; their bloated and discolored flesh drips with foul water. Drowned ones are usually the animated corpses of humanoids who died at sea.
Zombie Carcass Eater: It is the result of a rodent that gorges on the rotting, necrotic flesh of a canine.
Zombie Putrescent Zombie: Putrescent zombies are created when necrotic energy mixes with abandoned or lost corpses. Also, a necromancer can use a dedicated ritual to create putrescent zombies.
Zombie Skulk Zombie: They are rumored to be animated by the will of Vecna, which gives them an abiding hatred for the living.
Zombie Corpse Rat Swarm: A corpse rat swarm is created when vast quantities of rats die together and are then infused with necrotic energy.
Zombie Dread Zombie: Dread zombies are created by powerful necromancers for war.
Zombie Dread Zombie Myrmidon: ?
Zombie Strahd's Dread Zombie: ?
Zombie Blood Sea Zombie: Blood sea zombies are believed to have been a creation of the demon prince, Demogorgon.
Zombie Wrathborn: A wrathborn is a decaying and ravaged victim of homicide. Wrathborn are undead avengers, returned from the grave to track down and kill their murderers.
Zombie Throng: The throng consists of the body parts and whole bodies of people killed en masse, often as a result of a disease outbreak.
Acererak Construct: Acererak’s skull, which dwells in the mithral vault of the Tomb of Horrors, is a construct created by the demilich.
Acererak: Having escaped death through lichdom, he houses his intelligence in a bejeweled skull and his soul in a hidden phylactery. (Open Grave Secrets of the Undead)
Ctenmiir, Human Vampire: Ctenmiir was a paladin who chose to become a vampire in the pursuit of longevity
Kas the Betrayer: ?
Blackstar Knight: BLACKSTAR KNIGHTS ARE UNDEAD SPIRITS housed in vessels of animate black stone.
These blank-faced stone warriors house souls bound to their rocky forms. The ritual for creating them remains a deeply guarded secret, and possibly one that Kas no longer controls.
Kyuss: Kyuss began as a mortal and attained such power and stature that he has become a legendary being. He leveraged his way to a corrupt apotheosis through powerful rituals and a series of deadly betrayals.
Kyuss was born a mortal in a city where evil walked freely, and where sacrifices were made nightly to honor dark gods. The boundaries between life and death were blurred in this place, and the living and unliving mingled freely. As the seventh of seven children, Kyuss was despised and brutalized by his family. They called him “the worm,” and Kyuss fed on their contempt, turning it into dark resolve.
Gradually and imperceptibly, Kyuss drove the members of his family to self-destruction. When all were dead, he took on the identity of a cleric serving the Raven Queen. Aided by alliances with undead ecclesiasts and an instinct for betrayal, he rose through the temple hierarchy, eventually becoming a high priest who attracted followers from far and wide. When his congregation was bloated with followers, Kyuss performed a great ritual that he promised would bring power over neighboring realms. Instead, the ritual slew them all, rotting the flesh from their bones. Kyuss, too, was consumed, but days later, as the maggots and insects fed on the rotting bodies, they came together to form a writhing larva mage—Kyuss’s new form.
Wormspawn Praetorian: PONDEROUS WARRIORS CRAFTED from the cast-off maggots and vermin of Kyuss and similar large larva creatures, wormspawn praetorians fight with unflinching devotion to their creator.
A humanoid killed by Kyuss rises as a wormspawn praetorian at the start of Kyuss’s next turn.
Osterneth the Bronze Lich: Osterneth had a surprise for the invaders, though. In her quest for eldritch might, the queen had tracked down and slain the leader of the cult that had captured her. From the fallen cultist she claimed the Heart of Vecna, a powerful relic that granted everlasting life. Through a secret ritual, she placed the heart inside her chest cavity, and, with its power, became a powerful lich in the service of Vecna.
Count Strahd von Zarovich: Filled with despair, jealousy, and a growing hatred for his younger brother Sergei, Strahd sought magical means to restore his youth in the hope of earning the love of Tatyana, his brother’s betrothed. In a moment of desperate frustration, he performed a powerful necromantic ritual that exchanged his mortality for enduring youth in a state of undeath: Strahd became a vampire.
Aspect of Vecna: CONJURED BY MEANS OF A RITUAL known only to devotees of Vecna, an aspect of Vecna heeds its summoner and resembles the Whispered One in cunning and intelligence.
Cult of Vecna Undead Vecna Cultist: Cultists of Vecna often undergo profane rites that transform them into undead. These cultists are the most dedicated followers of Vecna.
Infected Zombie: When a virulent plague rips though the land, sometimes the plague’s victims rise up from death. These creatures become agents of the plague, spreading infection through their diseased bite.
“Infected zombie” is a template you can apply to any zombie. The template represents a specialized kind of zombie that spreads sickness and disease.
Prerequisites: Zombie
Shadow Spirit: In the bleak, desolate corners of the Shadowfell, and in parts of the world where the Shadowfell bleeds over, sometimes death doesn’t represent the end of a creature’s existence. When a creature dies in one of these places, its soul is trapped, transforming the creature into a shadow spirit.
“Shadow spirit” is a template you can apply to any living beast, humanoid or magical beast.
Prerequisites: Living beast, living humanoid, or living magical beast
Spawn of Kyuss: A spawn of Kyuss is created when an infection from a particular species of necrotic burrowing worms kills its host and transforms the creature into an undead monstrosity.
Akin to larva undead, spawns of Kyuss were the Bonemaster’s first experiments in the creation of larva- and worm-infused creatures. These larval zombies typically lack the subtlety and power of larva undead, but the strength and virulence of their attacks makes them nonetheless formidable.
“Spawn of Kyuss” is a template you can apply to any beast, humanoid, or magical beast. Although the template is most often applied to living creatures, this is not a prerequisite. The infection can afflict virtually any kind of creature, but it typically infects strong subjects that can best spread the disease.
Prerequisites: Level 11, and beast, humanoid, or magical beast.
Spirit Possessed: Some spirits can inhabit and control living creatures. These creatures hide among the living, aping the actions of the host. Under this guise, a spirit works covertly toward its malicious goals.
“Spirit possessed” is a template you can apply to a living creature to represent a subject whose body is possessed by an undead spirit.
Prerequisites: Living creature, level 11, Charisma 13
Vampire Thrall: Vampire spawn are useful servants, but sometimes a vampire requires servants that are more hardy and subtle. By feeding on a subject’s blood over an extended period of time, a vampire can condition a creature to be a strong yet obedient servant.
“Vampire thrall” is a template you can apply to any living humanoid to represent that creature’s service to a vampire lord.
Prerequisites: Living humanoid
Bodak: Nightwalkers create bodaks and use them as assassins.

Create Couatl Mockeries (minor; recharge ⚄ ⚅)
Four couatl mockeries appear within 10 squares of the discord incarnate and act as it wishes. They take their turns directly after the discord incarnate in the initiative order.

Reanimating Ray (Necrotic): Ranged 10; +19 vs. Fortitude; 2d10 + 5 necrotic damage. If the target is reduced to 0 hit points or fewer, the target rises as a horde ghoul under the beholder death tyrant’s control at the end of the death tyrant’s next turn.

Cemetery Rot Level 11 Disease
A disease carried by the rotting, corrupted remains of small pets and animals, cemetery rot withers away the body, leaving a empty, mindless husk that hungers for flesh.
Attack: +14 vs. Fortitude
Endurance improve 22, maintain DC 17, worsen DC 16 or lower
The target is cured.
! Initial Effect: The target cannot regain hit points from powers that have the healing keyword.
!" The target’s Fortitude is reduced by 2 until the target is cured. Each time the target fails to improve from this step, the target’s Fortitude drops another 2.
" Final State: When the target’s Fortitude reaches 0, it dies and rises as a zombie.

Worms of Kyuss Level 11+ Disease
Delivered by the infectious touch of a spawn of Kyuss, this disease transforms its victim into a malicious undead, larval creature.
The target is cured.
! Initial Effect: The target regains only half the normal hit points from healing effects.
" Final State: The target regains only half the normal hit points from healing effects. In addition, each time the afflicted creature fails to improve, it takes 5 necrotic damage that cannot be cured until the disease is removed. If the afflicted creature dies, it immediately rises as a level-equivalent spawn of Kyuss.

ONYX SKULL
The onyx skull is carved in the shape of a human skull of about half normal size. It is icy cold to the touch. A successful DC 20 Arcana check reveals that the carved skull was originally part of a larger item, perhaps serving as the headpiece of a staff or rod. In its current state, the skull has only a fraction of its former power. It is fragile and subject to easy destruction. Destroying the skull breaks it into several fragments. The fragments are free from any evil taint, and the largest piece of onyx retains some value as a gem (90 gp).
A successful DC 20 Religion check reveals that despite its incomplete state, the skull emanates a necromantic influence that reaches outward in subtle waves. The influence causes nearby corpses to spontaneously animate and calls already animated undead to it.
If the skull remains intact at the conclusion of the “Underground Crypt” encounter, the details of how it works (how many undead it animates, and how often) are left up to you.
As an item of arcane interest to mages and collectors, the unbroken skull has monetary value (250 gp), not to mention the worth it might represent to evil creatures and necromancers. However, anyone who transports the skull risks being visited by a large collection of undead.

Adventurer's Vault

Spoiler

Skeletal Horse: ?

Arcane Power

Spoiler

Archlich: Archlich epic destiny.
Lich: ?
Dragotha, Undead Dragon: ?
Vecna: ?

Archlich
You fail to remain living, but also fail to die. Undead, you ensure your ability to defend against evil forever.
Prerequisites: 21st level, any arcane class
You pursue eternal life as an undead creature. Most wizards who search for and achieve easy immortality by way of esoteric necromantic texts are evil, avaricious spellcasters who stop at nothing to achieve their ultimate goals. For some, that goal is lichdom itself. But you have a greater, nobler purpose.
Unlike many who have become liches before you, you have trained your mind to avoid succumbing to the madness that necromantic preservation often brings. For instance, you did not perform the foul ritual that traded your life for animation the moment you found it; you waited until your power was equal to the change. Nor did you accept the aid of Orcus, Demon Prince of the Undead, to empower the ritual, but you waited to find methods outside his control. In doing so, you escaped his touch, though you bear his personal enmity to this day.
Archlich’s Phylactery (21st level): You create a magical receptacle that contains your life force. When you drop to 0 hit points or fewer, you and your possessions crumble to dust. A day later, you reappear alive with maximum hit points in a space adjacent to your phylactery, with all your possessions.
Your phylactery can be destroyed. It has 40 hit points and resist 20 to all damage. The typical phylactery is a sealed metal box filled with parchment inscribed with magical phrases written in your blood. Phylacteries can come in other forms, such as rings, gems, or amulets, but they always have 40 hit points and resist 20 to all damage. If your phylactery is destroyed, you can make a new one by spending 10 days and 50,000 gp.

Beyond the Crystal Cave

Spoiler

Echo Spirit: Life-giving magic from the fey crossing preserved the spiritual remains of those who have died here over the ages, but Soryth's recent corruption of the area has awakened one of these remnants as an angry undead creature.
Spirit Echo: An echo spirit's Spiritual Echoes power.

D Spiritual Echoes
Recharge when the spirit uses psychic reverberation
Effect:Three spirit echoes appear within 10 squares of the spirit. These creatures act just after the spirit in the initiative order.

Dark Legacy of Evard

Spoiler

Grasping Zombie: ?
Ghoul Flesh Seeker: ?
Decrepit Skeleton: Vontarin unleashes his first deliberate attack. He animates skeletons from the Crypts beneath Saint Avarthil Monastery.
Blazing Skeleton: Vontarin unleashes his first deliberate attack. He animates skeletons from the Crypts beneath Saint Avarthil Monastery.
Flesh-Crazed Zombie: ?
Vontarin Mad Ghost: ?

Dark Sun Campaign Setting

Spoiler

Dregoth: Almost two thousand years ago, the other sorcerer-kings conspired to kill Dregoth, fearing his growing strength. The resulting magical duel turned Giustenal into a vast tomb. In the end, Dregoth fell dead, and his opponents left the ruined city to the desert. But with the last of his power, Dregoth made the transition to undeath.
Undead: Many days south of Balic, a great plain of broken, black obsidian interrupts the monotony of the Endless Sand Dunes. The obsidian differs throughout the plain—it can be smooth and glassy, low and razor-edged, or shattered into jagged chunks 20 or 30 feet tall. Here and there, bare hillocks rise above the obsidian waves, crowned by a clump of hardy bushes or a small tree, or half-buried remnants of city walls jut out of the glistening glass like the bones of a creature that died in a tar pit. During the Cleansing Wars, a terrible battle was fought on this plain, and a defiler of awesome power broke the world’s skin, flooding the area with molten black glass to destroy whole armies with one dreadful ritual.
With no food, little water, and no shelter to speak of, the Dead Land is one of the worst regions on Athas. By day, the sun’s heat on the black ground can kill a traveler within hours; at night, the armies slain here rise as hateful undead, driven to reenact the last battles of their lives.
According to rumors, the Black Sands region was created by defiling magic that predated the rise of the city-states and their rulers. Supposedly, an ancient ruined city, haunted by hateful ghosts of a past age, lies at the center of the Sands, and any who enter its crumbled walls are doomed to join the undead spirits.

Dark Sun Fury of the Wastewalker

Spoiler

Griefmote: ?
Corruption Corpse: ?
Crawling Gauntlet: ?
Decrepit Skeleton: ?
Tomb Mote: ?
Wisp Wraith: ?

Demonomicon

Spoiler

Undead: Portals to Orcus’s realm of Thanatos might overlay the doors of mausoleums or stand among oddly arranged headstones. When a portal to Thanatos opens, the skies darken and the weather turns cold. The shades of folk that died in the surrounding lands reappear to wreak havoc, then vanish. The earth boils beneath cemeteries, churned by the dead. Within 10 squares of such a portal, a creature that dies rises on its next turn as a mindless corporeal undead of a type of the DM’s choice.
Haures: The first haureses were created from goristro demons that fell in combat defending Orcus. Experimented on for centuries to perfect their current form, haureses have no thought or memory of anything other than battle.
Seszrath: CAST OUT FROM THE VILEST PITS OF DARKNESS in the Abyss, the seszrath is a horrible monstrosity composed of fused corpses and demonic essence.
It is thought that the first seszraths were created during the birth of the Abyss. However, little is known of these creatures. In particular, how they continue to spawn and from what matter they are created is a source of conjecture. Some believe that new seszraths are continually spawned by an undiscovered demon lord—perhaps an unknown primordial who manipulates the power of undeath as an affront to Orcus. Others believe that seszraths are born of a gate between the Abyss and the Shadowfell, thought to exist at the deepest levels of both planes.
Shaadee: SHAADEES ARE THE RISEN MANIFESTATIONS of humanoid spellcasters who pledged their souls to the lords of the Abyss. After toiling for their demonic masters in life, these wretches discover that death does not end their servitude.
Shaadees are spawned from powerful spellcasters—wizards, sorcerers, warlocks, and others who offered their services to powerful demons to increase their own power. Such spellcasters use their dark knowledge to enslave lesser creatures, sow chaos within civilized lands, and acquire vast wealth and power. When a spellcaster bound to a demon dies, however, it becomes a shaadee—an undead demonic slave eternally serving the abyssal lord its mortal soul was pledged to.

Draconomicon I Chromatic Dragons

Spoiler

Undead: Dragons that wish to learn the secret of becoming undead could do worse than follow the tenets of Vecna.
Bodak Reaver: ?
Bodak Skulk: ?
Horde Ghoul: ?
Tzevokalas Draconic Vampire: Who he was before becoming a vampire, or why he chose this region to hunt, nobody knows.
Sword Wraith: ?
Dread Wraith: ?
Runescribed Dracolich: ?
Dracolich: As described in the Monster Manual, a dracolich is created from a powerful dragon through an evil ritual. Some dragons willingly choose to become sentient undead; others have the ritual forced upon them. Dracoliches are greedy for power and treasure, but individuals pursue other goals equally passionately. Dracoliches can arise from dragon families other than the chromatic, but chromatics are most prone to the transformation.
Dracolich Bone Mongrel Dracolich: A DRAGON DOES NOT BECOME this sort of dracolich by choice. A bone mongrel is created from the remains of several dead dragons to form an animate and dully sentient whole.
The evil ritual that creates this creature requires the bones of several dead dragons. When the ritual is complete, the disparate parts are transformed into a malevolent skeletal monstrosity. The creature hates its mockery of life but, owing to the ritual’s evil nature, cannot end its own animation.
A bone mongrel’s phylactery takes the form of a skeletal portion of a dragon incorporated into the dracolich, such as a tail section.
Dracolich Stoneborn Dracolich: SOMETIMES WHEN A DRAGON DIES, its body comes to rest at the bottom of a lake or a slow-moving river. The corpse is covered over and protected by silt, dirt, and loose rock, slowing the natural process of decay. Over vast periods of time, the bone is replaced by stone-hard mineral.
Unlike other fossilized remains, the decaying forms of dragons still retain a spark of magic. When such bones are uncovered, they can spontaneously arise as stoneborn dracoliches. Occasionally sorcerers raise the bones by inscribing them with necromantic sigils.
Stoneborn dracoliches arise spontaneously when their remains are uncovered, or when a nearby powerful magical event triggers the animation of the long-quiescent bones.
A necromantic ritual exists to rouse a collection of fossilized dragon bones, turning them into a stoneborn dracolich. As with other kinds of dracoliches, only the original creator can influence the actions of a stoneborn dracolich while possessing its phylactery—others who later gain the phylactery have no power over it. A stoneborn’s phylactery takes the form of a petrified tooth or claw removed from the dragon’s remains.
Dracolich Icewrought Dracolich: When a white dragon grows close to death, it might seek the Heart of Absolute Winter, which is either a location or a ritual, depending on which tome or sage one consults. A full year later, an icewrought dracolich emerges in the midst of a howling winter storm. White dragons might do this because they have one or more clutches of eggs yet unhatched, and at the end of their lives, they suddenly grow concerned about their progeny.
Dracolich Dreambreath Dracolich: SOMETIMES A DRAGON INTERESTED IN PROLONGING its existence discovers a way to forsake the physical limitations of animate bone and rotting wings. Dreambreath dracoliches have learned how to project a permanent dream of themselves into the waking world, where they can stalk prey through both nightmare and reality forever.
A formless psychic realm exists that is called various things in different places but is most often known as Dream. Here dreams cavort, heedless of the waking world—but not always. Most fade into obscurity, but their echoes resonate forever throughout Dream, giving rise to countless variations. The remnants of particularly vile dreams sometimes latch onto the dying wish of a dragon (possibly enabled through a ritual). From this union a dreambreath draco lich is born.
Draconic Wraith: A draconic wraith is the vilest portion of a dragon’s soul, which sometimes lingers beyond death.
A draconic wraith is the same sort of being as a humanoid wraith: a spirit infused with the essence of the Shadowfell.
Draconic wraiths are either born from the Shadowfell or created by other draconic wraiths. Rarely does a humanoid wraith kill a dragon, and a wyrm so slain normally cannot rise as a wraith. Humanoids slain by draconic wraiths can, however, rise as wraiths themselves. Powerful rituals do exist to create draconic wraiths, but they are known only to the greatest necromancers.
Draconic Wraith Wyrm-Wisp: A WYRM-WISP IS THE SLIGHTEST MANIFESTATION of draconic evil.
Any humanoid creature killed by a wyrm-wisp rises as a free-willed wraith at the start of its creator’s next turn; a dragon instead rises as a wyrm-wisp. The new wraith appears in the space where it died or in the nearest unoccupied space. Raising the slain creature (using the Raise Dead ritual) does not destroy the spawned wraith.
Wraith: Rarely does a humanoid wraith kill a dragon, and a wyrm so slain normally cannot rise as a wraith. Humanoids slain by draconic wraiths can, however, rise as wraiths themselves.
Any humanoid creature killed by a wyrm-wisp rises as a free-willed wraith at the start of its creator’s next turn; a dragon instead rises as a wyrm-wisp. The new wraith appears in the space where it died or in the nearest unoccupied space. Raising the slain creature (using the Raise Dead ritual) does not destroy the spawned wraith.
Any humanoid creature killed by a soulgrinder rises as a free-willed wraith at the start of its creator’s next turn; a dragon instead rises as a soulgrinder. The new wraith appears in the space where it died or in the nearest unoccupied space. Raising the slain creature (using the Raise Dead ritual) does not destroy the spawned wraith.
Sometimes, though, the victims of a vampiric dragon rise as spiritual undead such as ghosts and wraiths.
Draconic Wraith Soulgrinder: Any humanoid creature killed by a soulgrinder rises as a free-willed wraith at the start of its creator’s next turn; a dragon instead rises as a soulgrinder. The new wraith appears in the space where it died or in the nearest unoccupied space. Raising the slain creature (using the Raise Dead ritual) does not destroy the spawned wraith.
Draconic Zombie: Draconic zombies arise under the same circumstances as skeletal dragons, either as necromantic creations or as the result of the Shadowfell’s encroachment on the mortal world.
Draconic Zombie Winged Putrescence: ?
Draconic Zombie Rotclaw: ?
Draconic Zombie Deathless Hunger: ?
Draconic Zombie Rancid Tide: ?
Skeletal Dragon: Skeletal dragons can arise from necromantic rituals or through the uncontrolled forces of the Shadowfell.
Draconic zombies arise under the same circumstances as skeletal dragons, either as necromantic creations or as the result of the Shadowfell’s encroachment on the mortal world.
Skeletal Dragon Razortalon: ?
Skeletal Dragon Bonespitter: ?
Skeletal Dragon Siegewyrm: THE LARGEST OF THE DRACONIC SKELETONS, a siegewyrm is made from the bones of mighty dragons.
Vampiric Dragon: The only way to create a vampiric dragon is through the same dark ritual that creates a vampire lord.
Vampire Lord: ?
Vampire: ?
Vampire Spawn Fleshripper: ?
Gulthias, Vampire Lord: ?
Ghost: Sometimes, though, the victims of a vampiric dragon rise as spiritual undead such as ghosts and wraiths.
Vampiric Dragon Thief of Life: ?
Vampiric Dragon Bloodwind: ?
Ashardalon's Heart: Remnants of the cult survived this disaster, and it reconstituted itself around a relic of its dragon liege: Ashardalon’s heart. With a magic born of equal parts skill, faith, and desperation, the cultists rekindled the heart—but not to life. The ritual infused it with the energy of the Shadowfell and transformed it, reborn in undead darkness, into the center of faith and necromantic power for the cult.
Dragotha, Ancient Dracolich: Dragotha sought out a powerful priest of the death god, a vile human named Kyuss, who promised immortality in exchange for the dragon’s service. Dragotha agreed, and not long afterward, Tiamat’s spawn descended on him and killed him. As the dragon lay, broken and dying, Kyuss made good on his vow. Instead of restoring him to life, however, Kyuss transformed Dragotha into a terrifying dracolich.
Mummy Guardian: ?
Flameskull: ?
Specter: ?
Deathlock Wight: ?
Zombie Corruption Corpse: ?
Skeleton: ?
Abyssal Ghoul Myrmidon: ?
Abyssal Ghoul: ?
Nightwalker: ?
Rot Harbinger: ?
Wailing Ghost: ?
Skull Lord: ?
Vampire Spawn Bloodhunter: ?
Zombie Hulk: ?
Kyuss, The Worm that Walks: ?

Draconomicon II: Metallic Dragons

Spoiler

Giant Mummy: Positioned around the opening in the floor are four giant mummies, each the remains of a death giant that angered the Golden Architect.
Askaran-Rus: Askaran-Rus was once a mortal necromancer, but when his time ran out and his soul drifted to the Shadowfell, he refused to surrender to fate and instead gathered the stuff of shadow to construct a new body for himself—an obscene thing filled with cruelty, spite, and endless malice.
Voidsoul Specter: ?
Drakkensteed Grave-Born Drakkensteed: A few powerful spellcasters have developed a ritual to reanimate drakkensteeds as a particular form of undead. These undead creatures generate internal necrotic energy and retain many of the instincts that make drakkensteeds such coveted mounts.Dreambreath Dracolich, Rhao the Skullcrusher: ?
Dreambreath Dracolich: ?
Dracolich Insane Dracolich, Ahmidarius: The dracoliches have warped Ahmidarius to their cause, using the power of their corrupted Wells to turn him into an insane dracolich. (Draconomicon II: Metallic Dragons)
Dracolich: Unlike evil chromatic dragons, which turn to the magic of shadow and undeath to prolong their existence (see the dracoliches in the Monster Manual and other undead dragons in Draconomicon: Chromatic Dragons), metallic dragons use elemental magic to become eternal guardians of great treasures, ancient artifacts, and holy sites.
Wraith: ?
Specter: ?
Ghost Harmless Phantom: Long ago, dark ones, shadowborn humans, and other slaves languished in this room. Now the room holds only ghosts, figments from another time.
Chillborn Zombie: ?
Undead Dragon: Unlike evil chromatic dragons, which turn to the magic of shadow and undeath to prolong their existence (see the dracoliches in the Monster Manual and other undead dragons in Draconomicon: Chromatic Dragons), metallic dragons use elemental magic to become eternal guardians of great treasures, ancient artifacts, and holy sites.

Dragon Magazine Annual

Spoiler

Elder Arantham: Elder Arantham’s notoriety began when he set out to uncover a copy of the ancient ritual that transforms apostate priests into foul undead creatures called huecuvas. In a ceremony witnessed by his fellow cultists, Arantham shed the last of his humanity— and, as he proclaimed, “the last lingering stench of my prior misguided beliefs.”
Mauglurien: ?
Huecuva: HUECUVAS ARE FOUL UNDEAD that are created by an ancient divine curse. Originally intended as punishment for a priest who horribly violates his vows and responsibilities, the rite is occasionally used by evil churches as a means of empowering their clerics.
Huecuva is a template you can apply to humanoid NPCs or monsters.
Elder Arantham’s notoriety began when he set out to uncover a copy of the ancient ritual that transforms apostate priests into foul undead creatures called huecuvas.
Ashgaunt: These foul creatures were created by a faction of Orcus worshipers called the Ashen Covenant, some of whom are focused on finding new ways to spread undeath.
Zombie Rotter: Ashgaunt's Wake the Dead power.
Flameharrow, Eye of Fear and Flame: Flameharrows are created by powers of vile chaos—some say Orcus—to spread pain and misery. The animating spirit of the creature is smelted from the soul of a homicidal madman.
Undead Glabrezu, Holchwier, Exarch of Orcus: ?
Undead: ?
Lich: ?
Skeleton: ?
Death Knight: ?
Wight: ?
Vampire: ?
Doresain, King of Ghouls: ?
Ghoul: ?
Abyssal Ghoul: ?
Demon Undead Marilith, Shonvurru: ?
Mummy Lord: ?
Mummy Guardian: ?
Mummy Vampire Spawn Bloodhunter: ?
Flameskull: ?
Battle Wight: ?
Skeletal Tomb Guardian: ?
Lich Vestige: Raven Consort epic destiny Death's Companion power.
Mummy: ?
Vampire Spawn: ?
Wraith: A shadar-kai could live longer than any eladrin. Few do, however; the consequences of extreme living keep them from seeing old age. Some simply fade away, disappearing into shadow and death, perhaps leaving behind a wraith as the soul passes into the Raven Queen’s care.
Sword Wraith: ?
Mad Wraith: ?
Zombie Hulk: ?
Zombie: As his cult grew, the foul huecuva returned to the temple of Bahamut where he once served. There, in a bloodbath of mythic proportions, he not only massacred the entire priesthood but also raised them as shambling zombies, whom he then set loose upon the surrounding city. (Dragon Magazine Annual)

Death’s Companions (30th level): Whenever you kill a creature, a lich vestige forms from that creature’s corpse. Until the end of the encounter, you treat the lich vestige as if you have it dominated. At the end of the encounter, any lich vestiges that rose to serve you during the encounter are immediately destroyed.

R Wake the Dead (minor action; recharge ⚄ ⚅) ✦ Necrotic
Ranged 20; targets up to 4 destroyed undead creatures reduced to 0 hit points within range; the targets become zombie rotters, which fight on the behest of the ashguant until the end of the encounter or for 5 minutes, whichever comes first. The zombie rotters rise as a free action, and act after the ashgaunt in the initiative order.

Dungeon Delve

Spoiler

Decrepit Skeleton: ?
Boneshard Skeleton: ?
Wight: ?
Blazing Skeleton: ?
Chillborn Zombie: ?
Zombie Hulk: ?
Decaying Skeleton: ?
Koptila: In this chamber long ago, the ogre king Koptila sacrificed himself to the gods to save his tribe from an overwhelming threat. His people were transported forward in time, and Koptila was transformed into an undead creature.
Vampire Spawn Bloodhunter: ?
Nexull, Vampire Lord: ?
Battle Wight: ?
Corpse Marionette: This thing is a creation of Borrit’s magic.
Immolith: ?
Flameborn Zombie: ?
Abyssal Ghoul: ?
Abyssal Ghoul Hungerer: ?
Abyssal Ghoul Myrmidon: Red Glyph/Ghoul Transformation Ritual
Bone Naga: ?
Blackroot Treant: ?
Death Knight: ?
Slaughter Wight: ?
Sword Wraith: ?
Rot Harbinger: ?
Abhorrent Reaper: ?
Larva Mage: ?
Dragonclaw Swarm: ?
Lich Vestige: ?
Lich: ?
Putrid Rot Harbinger: ?
Rot Hurler: ?
Great Flameskull: ?
Flameskull Lord, The Bright Lord of Everburning Fire: ?
Voidsoul Specter: ?
Raxikarthus, Death Knight: ?
Atropal: ?
Dread Wraith: Any humanoid killed by a dread wraith rises as a free-willed dread wraith at the start of its creator’s next turn, appearing in the space where it died (or in the nearest unoccupied space). Raising the slain creature (using the Raise Dead ritual) does not destroy the spawned wraith.
Doresain the Ghoul King: ?
Runescribed Dracolich: ?
Rot Spewer: ?

Red Glyph/Ghoul Transformation Ritual : A DC 31 Arcana check reveals that the glyph is involved in an undead ritual. At the start of every round, randomly select one of the prisoners within 10 squares of the red glyph. A tendril rises from it, hitting the prisoner. At the end of the round, that individual turns into an abyssal ghoul myrmidon.
Any ghoul created this way engages the PCs unless a human prisoner is in its cell, in which case it spends its first round killing and gnawing on the unfortunate person.
The characters can end the ritual in one of two ways:
✦ An adjacent character can disable the glyph with a DC 31 Thievery check or DC 26 Arcana check.
✦ If all eligible targets (prisoners) are moved more than 10 squares from the glyph, the ritual ends.

Dungeon Magazine Annual Vol. 1

Spoiler

False Sir Keegan/Sir Drzak: ?
Risenguard of Drzak: ?
Tormenting Ghosts: ?
Great Flameskull: ?
Desecration: ?
Dread Wraith: Any humanoid killed by a dread wraith rises as a free-willed dread wraith at the start of its creator’s next turn, appearing in the space where it died (or in the nearest unoccupied space). Raising the slain creature (using the Raise Dead ritual) does not destroy the spawned wraith.
Tomb Guardian Thrall: ?
Howling Spirit: ?
Blackroot Treant: ?
Cauldron Corpse: ?
Cauldron Mote: ?
Gravehound: ?
Zombie Rotter: ?
Boneshard Mongrel: ?
Skeleton Archer: ?
Bone Worm: ?
Tomb Mote Swarm: ?
Forge Wisp Wraith: Forge wisp wraiths are individual spirits that failed to join together to form a forgewraith.
Haestus: I am something between living and dead, and greater than either. My power in life allowed my spirit to remain kindled in death. I am a soul alight with the forge’s fire.
Forgewraith: A FORGEWRAITH IS AN UNDEAD HUMANOID whose spirit was extinguished and rekindled in the fires of a furnace or a forge.
Most forgewraiths form when numerous humanoids die in a fiery disaster on a developed site. The souls pass on, but the pain and fire mix with unleashed magic to form a humanoid spirit of monstrous hate.
Ghost: ?
Specter: ?

Dungeon Master's Guide

Spoiler

Death Knight: Death knights were once powerful warriors who have been granted eternal undeath, whether as punishment for a grave betrayal or reward for a lifetime of servitude to a dark master. A death knight’s soul is bound to the weapon it wields, adding necrotic power to its undiminished martial prowess.
“Death knight” is a template that can be added to any monster.
Prerequisite: Level 11
The process of becoming a death knight requires its caster to bind his immortal essence into the weapon used in the ritual.
Lich: Liches are evil arcane masterminds that pursue the path of undeath to achieve immortality.
“Lich” is a template you can add to any intelligent creature of 11th level or higher.
Prerequisite: Level 11, Intelligence 13
Mummy Champion: A mummy champion is created through a dark ritual intended to sustain a creature past its mortal life span, or revive it after death. Such rituals are typically reserved for important religious champions and warriors, but they could also curse an unfortunate soul to a prison of undeath.
“Mummy champion” is a template you can apply to any humanoid creature.
Prerequisites: Humanoid, level 11
Mummy Lord: A mummy lord is created through a dark ritual intended to sustain a creature past its mortal life span, or revive it after death. Such rituals are typically reserved for important religious leaders, but they could also curse an unfortunate soul to a prison of undeath.
“Mummy lord” is a template you can apply to any humanoid creature.
Prerequisites: Humanoid, level 11
Vampire Lord: Some are former spawn freed by their creators’ deaths, others mortals chosen to receive the “gift” of vampiric immortality.
“Vampire lord” is a template you can apply to any humanoid creature of 11th level or higher.
Prerequisites: Humanoid, level 11

Dungeon Master's Guide 2

Spoiler

Fey Bodak Skulk: A ruthless eladrin uses a couple of bodak skulks infused with fey powers as bodyguards and also to hunt his enemies.
Abyssal Ghoul Hungerer: The Dead Arise power.
Abyssal Ghoul Myrmidon: The Dead Arise power level 26.
Zombie Hulk of Orcus: ?
Terrifying Haunt: ?
Ghost: Ghosts can come in many forms. Some are cursed to roam until a past sin is righted, or a wrong undone. Others are merely the animus of hate, raging eternally in undying terror.
Wight Life-Eater: ?
Battle Wight Commander: ?
Battle Wight: ?
Immolith Deathrager: ?

Dungeon Master's Kit

Spoiler

Yisarn Skeletal Mage: A band of elves ambushed and killed him, but an evil curse animated his bones, turning him into an undead horror.
Skeleton: ?

E1 Death's Reach

Spoiler

Ghovran Akti: ?
Shadowclaw: ?
Giant Mummy: Numerous creatures died during the battles in Death's Reach, and a few endured in spirit despite the place's dark power. Some were allies of Timesus; others were servitors of the gods. The soulfall into Death's Reach has caused the shells of some of these ancient creatures to shudder back to animation.
Larva Mage: Numerous creatures died during the battles in Death's Reach, and a few endured in spirit despite the place's dark power. Some were allies of Timesus; others were servitors of the gods. The soulfall into Death's Reach has caused the shells of some of these ancient creatures to shudder back to animation.
Tormenting Ghost: Numerous creatures died during the battles in Death's Reach, and a few endured in spirit despite the place's dark power. Some were allies of Timesus; others were servitors of the gods. The soulfall into Death's Reach has caused the shells of some of these ancient creatures to shudder back to animation.
Worm of Ages: Below Death's Reach burrows a great worm, long dead but roused from eternal slumber by the soulfall.
Abyssal Ghoul Horde: ?
Rot Slinger: ?
Bone Naga Corruptor: ?
Abyssal Ghoul Hungerer: ?
Undead Goristro: ?
Shadowclaw Nightmare: ?
Death Knight Mauglurien: ?
Rot Slinger Decayer: ?
Bonestorm: ?
Yannux, Nightwalker: ?
Shonvurru the Blood Serpent: A marilith rewarded with undeath through service to Orcus.
Ghostfire Flameskull: ?
Petrified Treants: ?
Dawnwar Ghost: ?
Voidsoul Specter: ?
Time Wraith: ?
Phane Wraith: ?
Flameharrow Lord: ?
Bodak Reaver: ?
Blaspheme: Blasphemes are crafted from pieces of corpses and given life through alchemy and magic.
Blaspheme Imperfect Keeper: ?
Blaspheme Disciple Keeper: ?
Blaspheme Fragment Keeper: ?
Blaspheme Knight Keeper: ?
Void Lich: A void lich is created when the soul of a lich-to-be is shunted off to an aberrant realm and is replaced, changeling-like, by a foul entity that possesses the lich's body as its own.
Huecuva: Although the Ashen Covenant did not originally create huecuvas, many belong to the movement. Huecuvas were originally the spawn of a divine curse meant to punish priests who violated their vows. Now, a ritual exists to confer this status on powerful evil priests.
Rakshasa Noble Huecuva: ?
Portal Thing: The thing in the cavity is an animated mass of coagulated black blood drained from hundreds of defeated opponents.
Immolith Claw: ?
Flameharrow Lord: ?
Dracolich: ?
Larva War Master: The bodies of larva undead are wholly composed of rotting flesh, fragments of bone, and maggots, centipedes, beetles, and other vermin.
Death Emperor: A beholder death emperor is a more powerful version of the beholder death tyrant.
Death tyrant and death emperor beholders are animated corpses of eye tyrants.
Death Tyrant: Death tyrant and death emperor beholders are animated corpses of eye tyrants.
Horde Ghoul: Beholder Death Emperor Reanimating Ray power.
Reanimating Ray (Necrotic): Ranged 10; +27 vs. Fortitude; 2d10 + 8 necrotic damage. If the target is reduced to 0 hit points or fewer, the target rises as a horde ghoul under the beholder death emperor's control at the end of its next turn.
Elder Arantham: He is a rare form of divinely empowered undead known as a huecuva, which he became to purposely shed his humanity.
Great Flameskull: ?

E2 Kingdom of the Ghouls

Spoiler

Gorgimrith, The Hunger in the Mountain: ?
Black Bloodspawn: Dwelling primarily in the White Kingdom near the Lake of Black Blood, black bloodspawn are the progeny of Gorgimrith, the Hunger in the Mountain. Whenever the massive entity desires, it can slough off bits of its rotted organ walls to create black bloodspawn.
Black bloodspawn are actually mobile mouths of Gorgimrith, the Hunger in the Mountain. They spawn from its massive body and sometimes travel far from the White Kingdom.
Black Bloodspawn Devourer: ?
Black Bloodspawn Hunter: ?
Ghoul Whisperer: ?
Abyssal Horde Ghoul: ?
Ghoul Gatherer: ?
Ghoul Ripper: ?
Ghoul Warrior: ?
Ghoul Stalker: ?
Elder Arantham: ?
Rot Harbinger: ?
Rot Slinger: ?
Voidsoul Specter: ?
Great Flamskull: ?
Decaying Mummy: ?
Forsaken Hierophant Elder: ?
Abhorrent Reaper Terror: ?
Undead Deva Fallen Star Servitor: Deva Fallen Star Servitor Vile Rebirth power.

E3 Prince of Undeath

Spoiler

Dread Wraith: By the time the adventurers rush to the Raven Queen's aid, she is already staked to the floor of her throne room by the shard of evil. Although she is not yet destroyed. her power to judge souls and send them to their final destinations fails.
The consequences of this have yet to propagate. Within Letherna, Raise Dead and similar rituals work normally however, each time a creature is raised to life, a dread wraith appears in a square adjacent to the raised creature.
Any humanoid killed by a dread wraith assassin rises as a free-willed dread wraith at the start of its creator's next turn, appearing in the space where it died (or in the nearest unoccupied space). Raising the slain creature (using the Raise Dead ritual) does not destroy the spawned wraith.
Abyssal Rotfiend: ?
Abyssal Horde Ghoul: ?
Larva Warlord: ?
Vampire Lord Human Fighter: ?
Bonecrusher Skeleton Hulk: ?
Slaughter Wight Overlord: ?
Lich Vestige: ?
Immolith Seeker: ?
Rot Harbinger Reaver: ?
Lich Castellan Wizard: ?
Beholder Eye of Death: ?
Dread Wraith Assassin: ?
Timesus, The Black Star: An ancient island mote hanging deep within the Abyssal void. Known as the Forge of Four Worlds, it acts as a conduit for elemental and arcane energy-energy that Orcus plans to use to restore Timesus and convert the primordial into one of the undead.
Abyssal Madness Ghoul: ?
Demonic Skeleton Defilade: ?

Eberron Campaign Guide

Spoiler

Undead: Buried deep, beyond the prying eyes of the common worshipers, is an ossuary where Vol’s mummy high priest, Malevanor, performs the most profane rituals, twisting corpses with dark magic to create atrocities and undead horrors.
To shore up the nation’s demoralized and weakened armies, the Blood of Vol provided Karrnath with rituals that produce loyal undead warriors.
When the Shadowfell draws near to the world, the boundaries between life and death grow thin. Ghosts become common on Eberron then, because it is as easy for spirits to remain in the world of the living as it is for them to pass into the Realm of the Dead. Rituals that call the dead back to life sometimes go awry, bringing ghosts or other undead along with the desired spirit.
King Kaius ir'Wynarn III: The moment of Kaius’s transformation came when the Blood of Vol demanded he pay the price for its assistance in the Last War. The priests approached the king in the darkest days of the war, when Aundair pressed into Karrnathi lands, when food shortages threatened to starve out his people, and when disease ran rampant across the countryside. Helpless to refuse, he agreed to their terms. The Blood of Vol unearthed and disseminated stores of food and reinforced his flagging armies with undead troops and cultists of the Order of the Emerald Claw. The price, though, was far steeper than Kaius would have imagined. The ancient lich who reigned over the Blood of Vol intended to make Kaius her puppet. When he came before her, she performed a ritual to rob him of his humanity and transform him into a vampire.
Karrnathi Skeleton: Blood of Vol devotees first spawned Karrnathi skeletons and zombies from the corpses of elite warriors. These undead retain their cunning and training, making them far superior to the regular soldiers in Karrnath’s legions.
Karrnathi Zombie: Blood of Vol devotees first spawned Karrnathi skeletons and zombies from the corpses of elite warriors. These undead retain their cunning and training, making them far superior to the regular soldiers in Karrnath’s legions.
Mourner: Mourners are undead spirits of soldiers who were killed by the Mourning.
Mourners are the disconsolate spirits of soldiers killed in Cyre on the Day of Mourning.
Mourners are the remnants of a single company of Thrane soldiers who died when their captain led them into a Karrnathi ambush three days before the Mourning. Buried in a mass grave, the spirits of the betrayed soldiers rose as one on the Day of Mourning.
Ash Remnant: They are the last vestiges of those who failed to escape the mist.
Ash remnants are thought to be the final victims of the Mourning, the last remains of those who perished at the boundaries of the Mournland when it was created. They are animated by raw hatred and despair, constantly reliving the terror of the Mourning in the shattered remnants of their minds.
Vol: Through her arcane powers, her indomitable spirit, and a burning hatred for the elves and dragons that had wronged her, Vol has endured for long centuries in the ranks of the undead.
Undying Court: Worthy elves gain immortality among the undying. Whether sage or soldier, benevolent undead aid and advise the living in the hope that such service will one day qualify them to join the powerful undead elves that make up the Undying Court.
The death of thousands of elves in the war against the giants of Xen’drik led to an elven obsession with preserving the greatest among their people. The elves’ exploration of the mysticism of death created the religion of the Undying Court, which involves the veneration of ancestors and the pursuit of personal perfection. The reward for success on this mystical path is immortality in an undying body.
Vampire: Vol’s methods created creatures such as vampires and liches that required life energy or blood from living creatures.
Lich: Vol’s methods created creatures such as vampires and liches that required life energy or blood from living creatures.
Ghost: When the Shadowfell draws near to the world, the boundaries between life and death grow thin. Ghosts become common on Eberron then, because it is as easy for spirits to remain in the world of the living as it is for them to pass into the Realm of the Dead. Rituals that call the dead back to life sometimes go awry, bringing ghosts or other undead along with the desired spirit.
Zombie Rotter: ?

Forgotten Realms Campaign Guide

Spoiler

Zombie Rotter: ?
Zombie: ?
Undead: Undead fuel their minds and protect their corpses from dissolution through powerful necromantic rituals—especially liches, whose never-ending acquisition of arcane knowledge has propelled some into contention with the gods themselves.
A few cling to the Shadowfell or to the world, continuing on as ghosts or other insubstantial undead.
Lich: Undead fuel their minds and protect their corpses from dissolution through powerful necromantic rituals—especially liches, whose never-ending acquisition of arcane knowledge has propelled some into contention with the gods themselves.
Ghost: A few cling to the Shadowfell or to the world, continuing on as ghosts or other insubstantial undead.
Vooldad, Ghost: His victory was short-lived, however. Halflings from the Lluirwood surprised Voolad and killed him. Whatever fell purpose drove the druid enabled him to rise as a powerful ghost.
Dodkong: ?
Death Chief: The undead king reanimates each clan chieftain who dies, forming the Dodforer, a council of “Death Chiefs” who serve him.
Saed, Vampire Lord: ?
Terpenzi: The naga Terpenzi, slain by the Shadowking, returned as a powerful undead entity.
ONCE A GREAT IMMORTAL NAGA, the founder and longtime ruler of Najara, Terpenzi lost its life and status long ago. After its demise, horrifying rituals bound its soul into its skeletal body.
Undead Dragon Turtle: Necromancers created more than one undead dragon turtle from those slain in the lake.
Chillborn Zombie: ?
Melathaur, Runescribed Dracolich: ?
Espera Larva Mage: The Spellplague destroyed many of these in gouts of blue fire. Espera, a genasi necromancer, had already tied herself to Shar’s power of shadow. She died in the conflagration but was resurrected as a larva mage.
Dracolich: Half a millennium has passed since the Cult of the Dragon formed under the mad archmage Sammaster. He gathered followers who were drawn by his delusional visions that prophesied the eternal rule of Faerûn by undead dragons. He then formulated a process to create the first dracolich, which he recorded in his work Tome of the Dragon.
A fettered dracolich’s intellect and perception are diminished, but it retains a strong force of personality that struggles to resurface. As a result, its behavior is unpredictable and destructive. If its phylactery is returned to it, a fettered dracolich is released from its slavery. It becomes a standard dracolich.
Anabraxis the Black Talon, Runescribed Dracolich: ?
Human Death Knight, Naergoth Bladelord: ?
Lich, Vargo the Faceless: ?
Fettered Dracolich: Some cult cells have taken to capturing young dragons and putting them through a modified ritual of ascension. This ritual ties the dragon’s will to whoever holds its phylactery, resulting in a fettered dracolich.
Lod, Bone Naga: ?
Meremoth, Undead Lamia: ?
Direhelm: Direhelms are created through a ritual from the Codex of Araunt, involving grave dirt from the tombs of warriors fallen in battle.
Doomsept: A doomsept is a sevenfold spirit, created by one of the rituals in the Codex of Araunt.
Plaguechanged Ghoul: THE SPELLPLAGUE KILLED INDISCRIMINATELY, but it apparently raised some of those it slew, in a hungering form.
Dread Warrior: THAY’S NECROMANCERS ARE AMONG THE BEST in the world, and their undead creations are simply more capable and enduring than others. Thay produces more than its share of shambling corpses, but its Dread Legions contain a significant number of intelligent skeletons and zombies. Known as dread warriors, these evil undead can follow orders, communicate, and fight just as well as a living counterpart, but they do so without fear of death.
“Dread warrior” is a template you can apply to any humanoid creature to represent one of these Thayan monstrosities.
Szass Tam, Human Wizard Lich: ?
Manshoon, Orbakh The Night King, Human Wizard Vampire Lord: ?

FR 1 Scepter Tower of Spellgard

Spoiler

Gravehound: Once the Darano kennel master, Kalmo was searching the Spellgard ruins with his wolves when a magic trap slew the animals and animated them as zombies.
Boneshard Skeleton: ?
Decrepit Skeleton: ?
Specter: When Saharelgard fell, a would-be looter was captured and slain in this chamber. This hateful thief returned as a specter.
Skeleton: ?
Zombie: ?
Deathlock Wight: One of the arcanists interred in this chamber was a wizard making secret preparations for becoming a lich. Though he was slain in a spell duel before he could complete the process, he had already suffused his being with an unholy power that allowed him to rise as a deathlock wight.
Lich: ?
Wraith: ?
Vampire Spawn Fleshripper: Barthus captured a group of ruffians in the ruins several years ago and transformed them into vampire spawn minions after feasting on them.
Barthus: ?
Troop Captain, Elite Skeleton: ?

H1 Keep on the Shadowfell

Spoiler

Zombie Rotter: With the aid of the powers beyond the rift, Kalarel has animated several corpses from the interred dead and transformed this area into a guard room.
Zombie: With the aid of the powers beyond the rift, Kalarel has animated several corpses from the interred dead and transformed this area into a guard room.
Skeleton Warrior: ?
Decrepit Skeleton: Ninaran followed Kalarel’s instructions in creating this magic circle to raise the dead.
Sir Keegan Skeleton Knight: As commander of the keep’s soldier, Sir Keegan held the responsibility of protecting the rift. In that duty he failed, and to this day, his spirit despairs over his failure.
“I failed in my responsibility. I allowed the influence of the Shadow Rift and my knowledge of the crumbling empire to distract me from my sworn oath. The corruption that lies on the other side of the rift touched me and triggered disaster.”
“Finally the alarm went up, and what remained of the legion banded together against me. Even in my rage, I knew I couldn’t best them all, so I fled into the crypts to hide from vengeance. Only then did the madness lift. I realized what I had done and despaired. I had killed my love and broken my oath. More than that, I had done so with my sword, Aecris, an implement given to me by King Elidyr when I was knighted. The remnants of my legion sealed the passage and trapped me here. I selected this as a fitting place to spend eternity.”
Gravehound: Ninaran followed Kalarel’s instructions in creating this magic circle to raise the dead.
Corruption Corpse: ?
Ghoul: ?
Vampire Spawn Fleshripper: ?
Skeleton Sentinel: ?
Shallowgrave Wight: ?

H2 Thunderspire Labyrinth

Spoiler

Wight: ?
Ghoul: ?
Boneshard Skeleton: ?
Bonecrusher Skeleton: ?

H3 Pyramid of Shadows

Spoiler

Zombie Rotter: ?
Chillborn Zombie: ?
Flameskull: ?
Headless Corpse: When Karavakos decapitated Vyrellis, he placed her body here, within a powerful field of arcane magic. Over time, the magic within this room has waned. Vyrellis can now reclaim her body, but there is a catch. Karavakos animated the corpse and filled it with necrotic energy.
Battle Wight: ?
Frightful Wraith: Any humanoid killed by a frightful wraith rises as a free-willed frightful wraith at the start of its creator’s next turn, appearing in the space where it died (or in the nearest unoccupied space). Raising the slain creature (using the Raise Dead ritual) does not destroy the spawned wraith.
Wraith: DEATH’S HUNGER
The power of death is strong in this area. A bloodied creature anywhere in the area can score a critical hit on a natural die roll of 19 or 20.
A character who falls to 0 hit points or fewer anywhere in within the area shown on the encounter map is immediately teleported into one of the empty coffins in the northeast room. The lid of the coffin slams shut and requires a DC 20 Strength check to open (from either side). Each time a character inside a coffin fails a death saving throw, each battle wight (if any remain) regains 24 hit points. A character who dies inside one of the coffins rises as a wraith at the start of the frightful wraith’s next turn, exactly as if the wraith had killed the creature. With phasing, the character can escape the coffin and rejoin the battle, now fighting on the side of the other undead.
Vampire Spawn Bloodhunter: ?
Skeletal Tomb Guardian: ?
Bonecrusher Skeleton: ?
Wailing Ghost, Banshee: ?

Halls of Undermountain

Spoiler

Grasping Zombie: ?
Dayan, Vampire Necromancer: ?
Shambling Mummy: ?
Ghoul: ?
Flesh-Crazed Zombie: ?
Crawling Claw: ?
Wraith: A zombie holds a struggling goblin in its hands and plunges the screaming goblin into the southeastern pool. Instantly, the goblin stops struggling and the pool turns red. A wraith emerges from the goblin's body.
If a living creature enters or starts its turn in the pool, it must make a saving throw. If it fails the saving throw, the creature loses a healing surge. If a creature with no healing surges fails the saving throw while in the pool, the creature dies and is immediately turned into a wraith.
If anyone disturbs the garter or the bones of Trestyna Ulthilor, the priestess's spirit rises as a wraith.
Decrepit Skeleton: ?
Hulking Zombie: ?
Julain De'Spri, Ghost: He and his wife, Amori, were buried here long ago. Recently, however, some terrible power ripped their spirits from the peaceful place where they were residing and brought them back to this room. Now Julain's spirit is waiting here, restless, as Amori's body and spirit are being tampered with elsewhere.

Hammerfast

Spoiler

Telg, Dwarf Ghost: ?
Kralick, Orc Ghost: ?
Grolin Surespike, Ghost: Grolin Surespike, a dwarf ghost who died in the Trade Spire back when it served as living quarters for Hammerfast's priests, appears elderly and frail.
Undead Paladins of Moradin: ?
Barrthak, Dwarf Lich: ?
Cherndon the Mad, Dwarf Ghost: He died trying to prevent the orcs from learning where several rich dwarf lords were buried.

HS2 Orcs of Stonefang Pass

Spoiler

Skull Spirit: ?
Skeleton: Alternatively, they might stumble across the bones of those who died during the Glintshield dwarves' civil war, awakening the warriors' angry spirits when one of them pries a magic weapon from the grip of one of the skeletons.
Blazing Skeleton: Alternatively, they might stumble across the bones of those who died during the Glintshield dwarves' civil war, awakening the warriors' angry spirits when one of them pries a magic weapon from the grip of one of the skeletons.
Boneshard Skeleton: Alternatively, they might stumble across the bones of those who died during the Glintshield dwarves' civil war, awakening the warriors' angry spirits when one of them pries a magic weapon from the grip of one of the skeletons.

Keep on the Borderlands A Season of Serpents

Spoiler

Witherling Mote: ?
Greysen Ramthane's Specter: ?
Botched Witherling: ?

Lost Crown of Neverwinter

Spoiler

Plaguechanged Maniac: ?

Madness at Gardmore Abbey

Spoiler

Undead: The catacombs are tainted by the presence of Vadin Cartwright, a priest of Tharizdun. In the abbey's vaults, Vadin discovered a red crystalline substance he calls the Voidharrow, which he believes contains a fragment of the Chained God's essence. He has taken up residence in the catacombs, experimenting with how his own power to create undead interacts with the Voidharrow.
Skeletal Tomb Guardian: Once Vadin is dead, trouble in the catacombs quickly fades away. Until that time, however, the priest takes advantage of any retreat by the adventurers to reinforce his undead guardians. He can't replace every monster the adventurers destroy, however. His ability to create undead is limited to the skeletal guardians and the flameskull.
Vadin Cartwright has animated several skeletons of fallen knights.
Flameskull: Once Vadin is dead, trouble in the catacombs quickly fades away. Until that time, however, the priest takes advantage of any retreat by the adventurers to reinforce his undead guardians. He can't replace every monster the adventurers destroy, however. His ability to create undead is limited to the skeletal guardians and the flameskull.
Bonecrusher Skeleton: ?
Mad Wraith: Four Gardmore paladins-Engram, Dorn, Silas, and Hromwere assigned to guard and transport the Brazier. When the abbey was attacked, Engram, Dorn, and Silas carried the relic to the rendezvous point in the garrison.
The wizard Vandomar sealed the three knights inside to protect them while they waited for their companion. However, Hrom fell in battle before reaching the others. Without him, they were unable to open the chest holding the Brazier. Driven mad by the relentless whispers of the evil spirits that invaded the place, the knights killed each other.
Vandomar was unable to save the paladins. To prevent the evil that had destroyed them from spreading, he reinforced the magical seal. So the garrison remains to this day, haunted by the mad spirits of the dead knights.
Wraith Figment: When the mad wraith kills a humanoid, that humanoid becomes a wraith figment at the start of this mad wraith's next turn. The new wraith appears in the space where the humanoid died or in the nearest unoccupied square, and it rolls a new initiative check. The new wraith acts under the Dungeon Master's control.
Vandomar, Blue Arcanian: In his last attempt to revive Elaida, he unleashed a mighty spell that simultaneously animated her corpse as a flesh golem and transformed him into an undead monster-an arcanian that still haunts the upper level of his tower.
The blue arcanian was created when the wizard Vandomar reached for power beyond his means in his attempt to resurrect the paladin Elaida, who perished in the siege of Gardmore. The wizard's ritual succeeded only in animating a golem, destroying Vandomar in the process.
Coldspawned Mummy: ?
Trap Haunt: ?
Havarr, Pale Reaver Lord: The spirits of seven knights of the abbey haunt this chamber, drawn to the power of Bahamut's altar but also bound to the will of the mad priest Vadin Cartwright Their leader is Havarr of Nenlast, the knight captain who sealed the abbey's fate when he drew from the Deck of Many Things. His companions are other knights who died beside him in battle, now linked to his fate. All have become undead spirits cursed by their betrayal of duty and their ideals.
Pale Reaver: The spirits of seven knights of the abbey haunt this chamber, drawn to the power of Bahamut's altar but also bound to the will of the mad priest Vadin Cartwright Their leader is Havarr of Nenlast, the knight captain who sealed the abbey's fate when he drew from the Deck of Many Things. His companions are other knights who died beside him in battle, now linked to his fate. All have become undead spirits cursed by their betrayal of duty and their ideals.
Pale Reaver Creeper: The spirits of seven knights of the abbey haunt this chamber, drawn to the power of Bahamut's altar but also bound to the will of the mad priest Vadin Cartwright Their leader is Havarr of Nenlast, the knight captain who sealed the abbey's fate when he drew from the Deck of Many Things. His companions are other knights who died beside him in battle, now linked to his fate. All have become undead spirits cursed by their betrayal of duty and their ideals.
Blazing Skeleton: Vadin Cartwright has animated several skeletons of fallen knights.
Skeletal Legionnaire: Vadin Cartwright has animated several skeletons of fallen knights.
Shambling Mummy: The shambling mummies are not Vadin Cartwright's creation but were formed by the unholy fusion of the restless spirits of two great champions of the order and the lifegiving energy of the Feygrove.
Vortex Wraith: The wraiths in this place were created by the chaos of the Deck of Many Thinas, though they lay quiescent for many years after the fall of the abbey.
When the vortex wraith kills a humanoid, that humanoid becomes a vortex wraith the start of this wraith's next turn. The new wraith appears in the space where the humanoid died or in the nearest unoccupied square, and it rolls a new initiative check. The new wraith acts under the Dungeon Master's control.
Ghast: Ghouls starved of flesh.
Wraith: The wraiths in this place were created by the chaos of the Deck of Many Thinas, though they lay quiescent for many years after the fall of the abbey.
Snaketongue Vampire: ?
Elder Vampire Spawn: ?

Manual of the Planes

Spoiler

Kannoth, Eladrin Vampire Lord: ?
Undead: Some souls can and do escape the finality of death. Those who fear what lies beyond, and a few too blinded by anger or hate to willingly move on, cling to their bodiless existence in the Shadowfell. These fearful, miserable, or hateful creatures often become undead of various sorts.
Many evil mortals consider the Shadowfell an ideal place to create undead servants. Over centuries, clerics of dark gods, cultists of Orcus, amoral wizards, and necromancers of the worst sort have created countless thousands of undead monsters using heinous rituals.
As if the active creation of undead by reckless mortals was not bad enough, the Shadowfell itself sometimes spawns the unliving. Areas such as the darklands, places tainted by necromantic seepage, and other, less understood regions spawn all manner of animated beings. The taint of shadow also corrupts the soul vestiges wandering on this plane, twisting these sad spirits into ghosts and other spectral creatures.
Just as horrific, undead sometimes create themselves.
Others find the weight of their mortal deeds so heavy they cannot bear to move farther than the Shadowfell. In time, they are corrupted by the plane’s malaise, becoming specters, wraiths, and other insubstantial beings.
Those that die on Thanatos rise in moments as undead.
Many of the angels who refused to rebel were condemned to torment and death here, and they linger in Cania’s depths as undead creatures of terrible power.
Although Pluton is largely abandoned, and no new mortal souls come here, some spirits feared to pass into true death and chose to cling to the half death that Nerull granted them. Most of these are now hateful, mindless undead creatures.
Ghost: As if the active creation of undead by reckless mortals was not bad enough, the Shadowfell itself sometimes spawns the unliving. Areas such as the darklands, places tainted by necromantic seepage, and other, less understood regions spawn all manner of animated beings. The taint of shadow also corrupts the soul vestiges wandering on this plane, twisting these sad spirits into ghosts and other spectral creatures.
Devourer: Devourers, for example, are the undead remnants of horrific murderers lured into the darkness of the Shadowfell and transformed into manifestations of great evil.
Specter: Others find the weight of their mortal deeds so heavy they cannot bear to move farther than the Shadowfell. In time, they are corrupted by the plane’s malaise, becoming specters, wraiths, and other insubstantial beings.
Wraith: Others find the weight of their mortal deeds so heavy they cannot bear to move farther than the Shadowfell. In time, they are corrupted by the plane’s malaise, becoming specters, wraiths, and other insubstantial beings.
Nightwalker: Beings formed from the stuff of shadow and possessed of an incomparable maliciousness, undead stalkers roam the fringes of the Shadowfell, slaughtering mortals and shadow creatures alike.
The nightwalkers trace their origins to a group of powerful, disembodied souls who refused to pass on. They used the supernatural energies of the plane to forge new bodies out of the raw stuff of shadow. Their selfishness and the influence of their new forms forever stained their souls, perverting them into the monstrous entities they are to this day.
Bodak: Nightwalkers often use evil rituals to restore their victims to a mockery of life, cursing them to rise as bodaks.
If legend can be believed, Vecna or one of his disciples taught nightwalkers the ritual to create bodaks in exchange for a pledge of loyalty to the Maimed God.
Acererak, Lich: Horrid as these ruins are for the living, the place bears an unholy attraction for the undead. Such is this allure that the mighty lich Acererak, master of the Tomb of Horrors, once laid claim to the City That Waits and used it as a conduit to transcend his mortal form and ascend to greatness.
Matrathar, Larva Mage: ?
Zombie: ?
Skeleton: ?
Ghoul: ?
Harthoon, Lich: ?
Melif, Lich-Lord: ?

Marauders of the Dune Sea

Spoiler

Salt Zombie: ?
Zombie Rotter: ?
Blazing Skeleton: ?
Wisp Wraith: Defiling Sigil trap.
Scaled Guardian: ?
Zombie: ?

Defiling Sigil (T) Level 2 Blaster
Trap XP125
When a living creature approaches the sigil, defiling magic sucks the life from the intruder, possibly creating an undead.
Trap: When triggered, the trap attacks living intruders within its space and adjacent to it, holding them and draining their life force.
Perception
+ DC 20: Just before you enter a square adjacent to the sigh, you notice the image twitch slightly.
Additional Skill: Arcana
+ DC 25: The sigil is made with the help of arcane magic and, as such, is likely a product of defiling.
Trigger
When a creature enters a square containing the sigil or adjacent to it, the trap attacks as an immediate reaction instead of a standard action. Then roll the sigil’s initiative. It acts each round on its turn until no creature is within the trigger area.
Initiative +2
Attack + Necrotic
Immediate Reaction or Standard Action Melee 5
Target: One creature
Attack: +5 vs. Fortitude
Hit: 1d6 + 1 damage, and the target is restrained and takes ongoing 3 necrotic damage (save ends).
Special: The sigil can restrain only one target at one time. The sigil attacks a restrained target until the target escapes or drops to 0 hit points. If the latter occurs, a wisp wraith forms over the target’s body and attacks living intruders in the room. The sigil attacks another creature in range or waits to be triggered again.
Countermeasures
+ A restrained character can use an escape action (DC 20 check) to free himself and end the ongoing necrotic damage.
First Failed Escape Check: The ongoing necrotic damage is instead 6.
Each Subsequent Failed Escape Check: The ongoing necrotic damage increases by 3 (to a maximum of 15).
[*]As a standard action, a creature adjacent to the sigil can disrupt the enchantment with a DC 20 Thievery check or Arcana check. Doing so renders the sigil inert until the start of that creature’s next turn and releases all currently restrained creatures.
[*]A character can attack the sigil (AC and other defenses 10, resist 5 all, hp 25). Reducing the sigil to 0 hit points destroys the trap.

March of the Phantom Brigade

Spoiler

Grasping Zombie: ?
Decrepit Skeleton: ?
Salazar Vladistone, Ghost: Over sixty years ago, a group of bold adventurers calling themselves the Silver Company delved into a mysterious tower that appeared in the ruins of Castle Inverness. The result was tragic-one of the Silver Company, a woman named Oldivya Vladistone, perished. Her husband, Salazar, continued to adventure with the Silver Company for some years, growing more despondent the longer he had to deal with his wife's death. Eventually, Salazar Vladistone sacrificed himself to save his allies and the people of Hammer fast from an unknown danger in the Dawnforge Mountains. Vladistone's spirit did not rest quietly after his sacrifice, however. He became a ghost, haunting the Nentir Vale as be made pilgrimages to the grave of his wife in the ruins of Inverness.
Ghost: If threats fail to impress the heroes, Vladistone warns them that the Ghost Tower houses a terrible magical relic that will destroy everyone nearby. He calls it a soul gem and claims that it can strip the soul from the body of a living creature, causing it to become a ghost just like him.
Phantom Brigade Armiger: ?
Phantom Brigade Squire: ?
Phantom Brigade Justiciar: ?
Phantom Brigade: The Phantom Brigade consists of the spirits of ancient Knights of the Empire, who were sworn to protect the secrets of Nerath and its emperor. So committed were these ancient knights that they became ghostly soldiers, standing a never-ending watch over the vale, after their deaths during the chaos surrounding the empire's fall.
Dwarf Spirit: The dwarf spirits are the remnants of loyal defenders that once protected the necropolis and each other from orc depredations.
Orc Spirit: ?
Flesh-Crazed Zombie: ?
Blazing Skeleton: ?
Ghoul: In the past, some of the resident duergar rested here to recover from wounds caused by the Silver Company. Before they could heal, the magic of the Time Trap ritual took hold. However, the magic of the stasis field was weak in this area of the monastery, and the living duergar were imperfectly preserved. Over the last sixty years, their bodies have wasted away while remaining trapped in the chamber, causing them to become ghouls.
The ghouls that have been trapped in this chamber for so long were once duergar, but decades of slowly dying of hunger and thirst have left them with nothing but a supernatural need to eat. These ghouls are driven by pure hunger, and are almost zombie-like in their unthinking desire to eat the flesh of the heroes.
A character can make a DC 13 Arcana check to determine that the ghouls were created by the decaying stasis field resulting from the Time Trap.
Ravenous Ghoul: In the past, some of the resident duergar rested here to recover from wounds caused by the Silver Company. Before they could heal, the magic of the Time Trap ritual took hold. However, the magic of the stasis field was weak in this area of the monastery, and the living duergar were imperfectly preserved. Over the last sixty years, their bodies have wasted away while remaining trapped in the chamber, causing them to become ghouls.
The ghouls that have been trapped in this chamber for so long were once duergar, but decades of slowly dying of hunger and thirst have left them with nothing but a supernatural need to eat. These ghouls are driven by pure hunger, and are almost zombie-like in their unthinking desire to eat the flesh of the heroes.
A character can make a DC 13 Arcana check to determine that the ghouls were created by the decaying stasis field resulting from the Time Trap.

Neverwinter Campaign Setting

Spoiler

Valindra Shadowmantle, Eladrin Lich: ?
Unhallowed Wight: ?
Ash Zombie: ?
Spirit-Animated Plant Monster: ?
Undead: Between the Dread Ring’s outer wall and its central tower lies a true chamber of horrors. Stone-and-steel slabs hold bodies and parts of bodies. Some are fresh, still bleeding and occasionally twitching; others are ancient, covered in grave soil, mummified, or reduced to bone. More corpses, severed limbs, and disembodied heads hang on hooks around the room’s perimeter and are heaped in corners, awaiting use. Flasks and barrels contain blood, other bodily humors, and alchemical reagents used to render flesh soft and supple. Runes of necromantic magic adorn the walls, ceiling, and floor.
An array of iron sarcophagi and tall vats lines two walls. Tubes protrude through the stone coffins’ sides, ready to pump fluids through the body of any creature placed within.
A portion of the Thayans’ undead force is animated elsewhere, through necromantic rituals, but the bulk of the raisings occurs here. This “factory” has been designed and enchanted to raise corpses far faster and in far greater numbers than spellwork alone.
Ravenous Undead: Some believe that Castle Nowhere is occupied by the spirits of people eaten by the city’s ghouls and vampires; others say that these spirits are the ghosts of aberrant entities from the Far Realm.
Ghoul: ?
Vampire: ?
Ghost: ?
Burning Dead, Fiery Undead: ?
Blazing Skeleton: ?
Flameskull: ?
Forgewraith: ?
Charnel Cinderhouse: ?
Flameborn Zombie: ?
Ukulsid, Fang of Yeenoghu, Dread Warrior: ?

P1 King of the Trollhaunt Warrens

Spoiler

Blackfire Flameskull: ?
Boneshard Troll Skeleton: Shortly after Skalmad declared himself king, these five lesser clan chiefs tried to seize power for themselves. After slaying them, the troll king had them turned into boneshard skeletons and placed as guards in this chamber.
Vard King of All Trolls: Vard, king of all trolls, tied himself to the Stone Cauldron in life. Each time Skalmad uses the Cauldron, Vard inches closer to returning to life. Finally, with his second death, Skalmad provides the last push necessary to bring back the undead troll king. If Skalmad escaped at the end of Encounter W12, his return to the Cauldron also allows Vard to step through the veil of death and take possession of Skalmad’s body.

P2 Demon Queen's Enclave

Spoiler

Ghoul Eyebiter: The Ghoul King, Doresain, created ravening underlings called eyebiters to serve him in the White Kingdom.
Ghoul eyebiters are creations of Doresain, bred to spawn and support the Ghoul King’s undead legions.
Husk Spider: Drow despise undead spiders, seeing in them a perversion they can not tolerate. Enemies often capture living spiders and animate them with fell magic to enrage the drow and cause them to act rashly on the battlefield.
Zirithian: Once a warrior-knight of Lolth in service to Matron Urlvrain, Zirithian made a pact with Orcus and turned against his mistress. He earned a great boon from Orcus, transforming into a vampire with a few of the lesser powers.
Drow Battle Wight: ?
Balthrad, Abyssal Ghoul: ?
Rotting Hook Horror: ?
Drow Horde Ghoul: A group of undead led by an abyssal ghoul overran the slaver complex and killed its inhabitants. A few of these victims were transformed into ghouls by the abyssal power surging through Phaervorul, and now they work alongside the undead invaders.
Drow Battle Wight Commander: ?
Immolith: ?
Abyssal Ghoul: ?
Lareen, Vampire Lord: ?
Drow Vampire Spawn: ?
Sword Wraith: Any humanoid killed by a sword wraith rises as a free-willed sword wraith at the start of its creator’s next turn, appearing in the space where it died (or in the nearest unoccupied space). Raising the slain creature (using the Raise Dead ritual) does not destroy the spawned wraith.
Wailing Ghost Banshee: ?
Bodak Reaver: ?
Undead: Deadhold was forged in eons past when Orcus seized an astral domain and slew its residents. The demon prince then raised the slain residents as the living dead and drew the realm into the Shadowfell where he could hide it and cultivate it for future use.
Zombie: The Sea of Rot is so named because it is filled with a seemingly endless legion of zombies. Mortal creatures offered as sacrifices to Orcus have their spirits reborn here as conscripts in the Shambling Horde.
Justice is dire and unforgiving in Hordethrone. Intruders are placed in steel cages that hang above this plaza and left to starve to death. Later, they are raised to take their place in the Shambling Horde as new conscripts in Orcus’s undead army.
Nightwalker: ?
Bodak Skulk: ?
Boneclaw Impaler: ?
Abyssal Ghoul Hungerer: ?
Bone Naga: ?
Slaughter Wight: ?
Zombie Tombwalker: ?
Arath Nightcaller: ?
Demonic Flameskull: ?
Giant Mummy: ?
Death Knight Human Fighter, Lord Carrion: ?
Lord Dust, Lich: ?
Abyssal Ghoul Devourer: ?
Vampire Spawn Bloodspiker: ?

P3 Assault on Nightwyrm Fortress

Spoiler

Undead: Normally the spirits of the dead travel first to the Shadow fell, using it as a conduit to their final destiny. Some are claimed by the gods and carried to divine dominions, while others join the Raven Queen. A few refuse to go gracefully and become undead.
Slaughter Wight: ?
Sword Wraith: Any humanoid killed by a sword wraith rises as a free-willed sword wraith at the start of its creator’s next turn, appearing in the space where it died (or in the nearest unoccupied space). Raising the slain creature (using the Raise Dead ritual) does not destroy the spawned wraith.
Draconic Wraith: A draconic wraith forms from the vilest portion of a dragon’s soul, allowing such creatures to come into existence upon the dragon’s death.
A draconic wraith is the same sort of being as a humanoid wraith: a spirit infused with the necromantic essence of the Shadowfell.
Draconic wraiths can arise in a variety of ways. Some are spawned by the Shadowfell or through the use of powerful necromantic rituals, while others arise spontaneously from the corpse of the vilest, most evil of dragons.
Draconic Wraith Souleater: Souleaters, soulravagers, and soulbinders are rare horrors said to have a common origin in the Shadowfell. They are the warped, stillborn hatchlings of a powerful shadow dragon named Urishtar, who fertilizes her eggs with the captured souls of hapless mortals.
Draconic Wraith Soulbinder: Souleaters, soulravagers, and soulbinders are rare horrors said to have a common origin in the Shadowfell. They are the warped, stillborn hatchlings of a powerful shadow dragon named Urishtar, who fertilizes her eggs with the captured souls of hapless mortals.
Draconic Wraith Soulravager: Souleaters, soulravagers, and soulbinders are rare horrors said to have a common origin in the Shadowfell. They are the warped, stillborn hatchlings of a powerful shadow dragon named Urishtar, who fertilizes her eggs with the captured souls of hapless mortals.
Soulravagers are crazed draconic wraiths that have lost control of their limitless anger and now stalk the living and the dead to destroy whatever souls they find.
Boneclaw: ?
Bone Naga: ?
Abyssal Ghoul: ?
Xenro, Blackfire Dracolich: This large chamber is the lair of a discontented red dragon tricked into undeath by Magrathar’s servant, Porapherah.
Xenro was once a mighty red dragon who terrified and oppressed the land. Porapherah, playing to the creature’s vanity and thirst for power, convinced him to undergo the ritual that transformed him into a blackfire dracolich.
Porapherah, Nightwalker: ?
Nerothoth, Immolith Inferno: ?
Jakrob Vrin, Sage Ghost: ?
Willum Vrin, Sage Ghost: ?
Magrathar, Larva Mage: ?

Player's Option Heroes of Shadow

Spoiler

Volnath: Scholars on the subject claim the Far Realm touches creation from the outside, like a foul skin of stuff older than all knowing. The unwise seek its encompassing madness and alien nature in the depths of the night sky, especially in the dark between the stars. The Shadowfell's nighttime firmament is, as a vast void with few dim or flickering lights, the perfect place to seek the realm also called the Outside.
Volnath, a wizard of old Nerath, sought such learning from Telkon, his observatory in the world. He discovered ancient texts on shadow and the Outside, and he invited dark beings into his ritual chambers to give him counsel. Living shadows whispered to him during his observations, speaking of the power of shadow magic and the nearness of the Far Realm in the Shadowfell's sky.
The wizard, his sanity on the brink, summoned a shadowfall to take Telkon and the nearby village of Hadder into the Shadowfell. There, from instructions on ancient tablets and through the toil of the enslaved folk of Hadder, he remade the village and Telkon into a monumental arcane focus. Yolnath slew any who intruded in the area of his great work. He sacrificed numerous innocents and ultimately his own life for undead immortality.
Vampire: One vampire is usually the spawn of another, but more than one vampire has awakened with no clue as to his or her origin.
You are a monster, fated and infected by a vile curse that transformed you into a creature of nightmare.
Most of those who become vampires are victims of monstrous attacks, created by a callous hunter who drained them dry of blood and life force, then cast them aside. Others seek out this path from their own fear of infirmity and death, discovering the arcane rites and alchemical formulas that promise dark power. In some cases, a character finds h is or her vampirism invoked by an ancient family curse, or that he or she is a member of an extended clan of vampires who pass their blood down to those they deem worthy- whether by choice or not.
Vrylokas take up the path of the vampire by undertaking a variant of the blood ritual given to their kind by the Red Witch long ago, modified with the help of Vistani mystics.
Undead: Dwarves of the Obsidian Cave rarely deal with other dwarves. preferring instead to wage a singular war against orcs, drow, and other threats to their people. When dwarves of the order die, their souls return to the Ebon Spire, where they linger as spiteful undead spirits.
Servitude in Death power.
Shackles of the Grave power.
Acererak's Apotheosis power.
Shadow Skeleton: A shadow skeleton, formed from shadows and the bones of the dead, is adept at hitting enemies that don't take it as a serious threat.
Shadow Wraith: ?
Undead Soldier: ?
Revenant: Resilient souls returned from death to do the work of Fate.
Death usually represents the gateway to the afterlife or the end of a natural existence. Sometimes, however, death can be just the beginning. For some select individuals, the Raven Queen or another agency of death bars passage to the next stage of existence, turning a soul back toward the natural world. In such instances, fate has other plans.
A revenant arises not as an aimless corpse but as the embodiment of a lost soul given new purpose.
In all cases, a revenant purposefully returned to the natural world after succumbing to a cessation of lifc. Dead, but unable to find its way to whatever waits beyond death's dark gates, the once-living soul is reconstituted as a revenant.
The gods of death and fate often require agents in the natural world, and they don't always have enough exarchs or aspects to deal with all the work they seek to accomplish. For this reason, revenants are called into existence. However, the rules governing the gods and how they can intrude upon the natural world are often mysterious and seemingly contradictory to mere mortals. For this reason, it seems that revenants enter the world without clear directions or even full memories of the life they once lived.
Revenants are souls of the dead returned to a semblance of life by the Raven Queen or some other agency of the afterlife.

Servitude in Death This prayer imbues its victims with deadly shadow magic, perverting their life force to your control when they are slain. Good clerics are circumspect in employing this prayer, since many faiths consider its use to be heresy.
Servitude in Death Cleric Attack 5
A dark wave of necrotic energy washes over your foe, draining its life and planting within it a seed of shadow magic that will seal its fate.
Daily + Divine, Implement, Necrotic, Shadow
Standard Action Ranged 5
Target: One enemy
Attack: Wisdom vs. Will
Hit: 2d8 + Wisdom modifier necrotic damage.
Miss: Half damage.
Effect: The first time the target dies before the end of the encounter, it rises at the start of its next turn as an undead creature allied with you and your allies. Until it dies again, the creature is dominated by you. It has 1 hit point (the creature takes no damage from an attack that misses), cannot heal, and takes a -2 penalty to all defenses.

Shackles of the Grave The Raven Queen claims dominion over death, but all clerics of shadow can exercise her power. In battle, this prayer allows you to demand atonement from every enemy that: falls before you. With heresy washed away by death's cleansing hand, your former foe becomes a docile servant.
Shackles of the Grave Cleric Attack 19
A blast of black energy washes over nearby creatures, marking their souls as your divine property.
Daily + Divine, Implement, Necrotic, Shadow, Zone
Standard Action Close blast 5
Target: Each creature in the blast
Attack: Wisdom vs. Fortitude
Hit: 5d6 + Wisdom modifier necrotic damage.
Miss: Half damage.
Effect: The blast creates a zone that lasts until the end of the encounter. The first time any enemy dies in the zone before the end of the encounter, it rises at the start of its next turn as an undead creature allied with you and your allies. Until it dies again, the creature is dominated by you. It has 1 hit point (the creature takes no damage from an attack that misses), no healing surges, and a -1 penalty to all defenses.

Acererak's Apotheosis Acererak is the most famous of those wizards whose long focus on death culminated in immortality as a lich. Few wizards have the courage to complete similar unholy rituals, but necromancers have learned the value that such a transformation provides, even if it lasts only minutes at a time.
Acererak's Apotheosis Wizard Utility 22
You become a vision of death as you infuse your body with shadow-your flesh draws back to the bone, and fiery blue pinpricks burn in your now-empty eye sockets.
Daily + Arcane, Necromancy, Shadow
Minor Action Personal
Requirement: You must have at least one healing surge.
Effect: You lose a healing surge and gain temporary hit points equal to your healing surge value. Until the end of the encounter, you are undead, and you gain the following benefits.
[*]Darkvision
[*]Immunity to disease and poison
[*]Necrotic resistance equal to 1 0 + one-half your level

Player's Option Heroes of the Elemental Chaos

Spoiler

Atropal: Atropus, The World Born Dead, A vast primordial of undeath, spawner of the atropals.

Revenge of the Giants

Spoiler

Argent Haunt Ghost: ?
Champion Wight: ?
Ghost Worg Packmate: ?
Boneclaw: ?
Skeletal Arcane Guardian: ?
Bone Naga: ?
Demonic Flameskull: ?
Sword Wraith: Any humanoid killed by a sword wraith rises as a free willed sword wraith at the start of its creator's next turn. Appearing in the space where it died (or in the nearest unoccupied space). Raising the slain creature (using the Raise Dead ritual) does not destroy the spawned wraith.
Spectral Servant: ?
Lich, Acererark: If Acererak is defeated, his body disappears. He rises in 1d10 days as a lich, thus starting Acererak's path to ultimate darkness and evil.
Frost Giant Boneclaw: ?
Frost Giant Sword Wraith: ?
Frost Giant Abyssal Ghoul: ?
Frost Giant Bodak Reaver, Jarl Hargaad: When the giants first landed on the Frost Spire, they looted many of the tombs they found here. They left this cave alone. Jarl Hargaad rests here, though the looting of his vassals' burial grounds has awoken him from his eternal slumber. He has risen as a bodak.
Bone Naga Arcanist, Marrow: ?
Slaughter Wight: ?
Haunted Armor Animus, Fiendish Armor Animus: ?

Seekers of the Ashen Crown

Spoiler

Deathgaunt: Xoriat's insanity lives on through the ages in the bodies of those the daelkyr slew long ago. Such are the deathgaunts.
On the great battlefields of the Daelkyr War, countless goblins and orcs perished. In some such places, the taint of Xoriat and the shadow of Mabar seeped into the blood and bones of the fallen, raising them as creatures of death and madness.
Deathgaunt Madcaster: ?
Deathgaunt Lasher: ?
Deathgaunt Spiner: ?
Deathgaunt Drover: ?
Deathgaunt Hordeling: ?
Dreadclaw: Karrnathi traditions and those of the Skull born of Aerenal have mixed under the purview of the Emerald Claw. Claw necromancers raise dread claws by treating living humanoids with a toxin that reacts to a necromantic catalyst. The toxin kills the humanoid and prepares it for a dark ritual.
Dreadclaw Darkliege: ?
Dreadcalw Reaver: ?
Ancient Tomb Mote: ?
Sodden Corruption Corpse: ?
Grave Drake: ?
Bloodblade Hobgoblin Skeleton: ?
Hobgoblin Specter: ?
Hobgoblin Wight: ?
Bonepile Hobgoblin Skeleton: ?
Ashurta, Hobgoblin Wight: ?
Chainfighter Wight: ?
Hobgoblin Soldier Zombie: ?
Skullborn Deathlok Wight: ?
Skullborn Rotwing Zombie: ?
Skullborn Zombie: ?
Hobgoblin Shadow Skeleton: ?
Hobgoblin Skeleton: ?
Decrepit Goblin Skeleton: ?
Force Specter: ?
Wraith: Any humanoid killed by a wraith rises as a free-willed wraith at the start of its creator's next turn, appearing in the space where it died (or in the nearest unoccupied space). Raising the slain creature (using the Raise Dead ritual) does not destroy the spawned wraith.
Goblin Phantom: Ghostly goblins, the spirits of warriors slain here millennia before, protect this area.
Goblin Ghost Boss: Ghostly goblins, the spirits of warriors slain here millennia before, protect this area.
Goblin Flame Vent Haunt: A trio of ghostly goblins, killed by the flame vent trap long ago, protects this chamber.
Goblin Fire Phantom: A trio of ghostly goblins, killed by the flame vent trap long ago, protects this chamber.
Chib Naresaar, Bladebearer Zombie: ?
Hobgoblin Zombie: ?
Goblin Zombie Archer: ?
Zombie Rotter: ?
Filching Wraith: ?
Yeraa, Dreadclaw Darkliege: ?
Goblin Dreadclaw Reaver: ?
Kruthik Young Zombie: ?
Weak Kruthik Zombie: ?
Shadowskull: ?
Gydd Nephret, Dreadclaw Soulbound: ?
Skullborn Ghoul: ?
Skullborn Zombie Husk: ?

The Book of Vile Darkness

Spoiler

Decrepit Skeleton: Melting Fury disease.
Death Mold Zombie: A Small or Medium target dropped below 1 hit point by a death mold's attack dies and immediately becomes a death mold zombie.
Rot Grub Zombie: ?
Moilian Dead: The citizens of Moil did not survive their eternal slumber, yet the sinister energies suffusing the dark lands have infused their corpses with terrible power. Now all sorts of undead roam the city, including zombies, ghouls, wraiths, and specters. The city’s heritage combined with the intense unholy atmosphere gives these undead unusual and deadly capabilities.
The Moilian dead theme is available only to undead creatures and benefits creatures of any role.
Zombie: ?
Ghoul: ?
Wraith: ?
Specter: ?
Fallen Angel of Death: Nerull’s angels carried plagues and death to the natural world. It was their task to harvest souls and bring them to their master. After the Raven Queen defeated the god and stole his power, the fallen angels of death fled to the Shadowfell’s darkest corners, and over the centuries the constant exposure to necrotic energies perverted their life force.
Skeletal Warrior: Girdle of Skulls magic item.

Melting Fury
This fearsome disease is quite rare since it spreads by handling undead flesh, an act few have occasion or inclination to perform. The disease, infused as it is with shadow energy, causes flesh to rot and organs to melt until only stained bones remain. The exposed skeleton soon animates and wanders about until destroyed.
Not all undead flesh carries this disease, but it is common to creatures associated with Kyuss, the Worm that Walks. When a creature touches or ingests the flesh, the disease attacks the creature: disease’s level +3 vs. Fortitude. On a hit, the creature contracts melting fury (stage 1).
Melting Fury Variable Level Disease
As the disease progresses, your flesh becomes wet and slimy. Any pressure at all causes your flesh to tear and blood and filth to spill forth.
Stage 0: The target recovers from the disease.
Stage 1: While affected by stage 1, the target has vulnerable 5 to all damage.
Stage 2: While affected by stage 2, the target has vulnerable 10 to all damage, and when the target takes damage from an attack that lacks a damage type, each creature adjacent to the target is exposed to the disease. At the end of the encounter, an exposed creature must make a saving throw. On a failed saving throw, the target contracts melting fury (stage 1).
Stage 3: The target dies as the flesh melts away into a fetid pool. After 24 hours, the remains animate to become a decrepit skeleton.
Check: At the end of each extended rest, the target makes an Endurance check if it is at stage 1 or 2.
Lower than Easy DC: The stage of the disease increases by 1.
Easy DC: No change.
Moderate DC: The stage of the disease decreases by 1.

Girdle of Skulls
The skulls adorning this belt can create undead servants to protect you in battle.
Girdle of Skulls Level 12 Rare
By plucking a skull from the belt, you can call forth a skeleton to do your bidding.
Waist Slot 17,000 gp
Property
The girdle starts with four charges. When you take an extended rest, the item regains one charge.
Utility Power 􀀩 Daily (No Action)
Trigger: You reduce a creature to 0 hit points or fewer.
Effect: The girdle gains a charge (maximum of four).
Utility Power (Summoning) 􀀩 Encounter (Minor Action)
Requirement: The girdle must have at least one charge.
Effect: Expend a charge. You summon a skeletal warrior in an unoccupied space within 5 squares of you. The skeletal warrior is an ally to you but not to your allies, and it lacks actions of its own. Instead, you spend actions to command it mentally, choosing from the actions in its description. You must have line of effect to the skeletal warrior to command it. You and it share knowledge but not senses.
When the skeletal warrior makes a check, you make the roll using your game statistics, not including any temporary bonuses or penalties.
The skeletal warrior lasts until it drops to 0 hit points, at which point you lose a healing surge (or hit points equal to your surge value if you have no surges left). Otherwise, it lasts until you dismiss it as a minor action or until the end of the encounter.

The Plane Above: Secrets of the Astral Sea

Spoiler

Wraith: A number of devils dwell on the Shores of Sorrow island, as do a small number of undead creatures such as wraiths, specters, and ghosts—folk wasted away by the pervasive despair.
Specter: A number of devils dwell on the Shores of Sorrow island, as do a small number of undead creatures such as wraiths, specters, and ghosts—folk wasted away by the pervasive despair.
Ghost: A number of devils dwell on the Shores of Sorrow island, as do a small number of undead creatures such as wraiths, specters, and ghosts—folk wasted away by the pervasive despair.
Lich Vestige: ?
Dread Wraith: Any humanoid killed by a dread wraith rises as a free-willed dread wraith at the start of its creator’s next turn, appearing in the space where it died (or in the nearest unoccupied space). Raising the slain creature (using the Raise Dead ritual) does not destroy the spawned wraith.
Illyram Brackz: ?
Abomination Malediction: The primordials originally created maledictions in the Dawn War by mixing the mental agonies of gods felled by psychic assault with elemental fury.
Vlaakith: Long ago, Vlaakith performed a ritual to transform herself into a lich, giving her an extended life span and making her the longest-reigning Vlaakith in the githyanki’s history.

The Plane Below: Secrets of the Elemental Chaos

Spoiler

Oblivion Wraith: Any humanoid killed by the oblivion wraith rises as a free-willed oblivion wraith at the start of its creator’s next turn, appearing in the space where it died (or in the nearest unoccupied space). Raising the slain humanoid (using the Raise Dead ritual) does not destroy the spawned wraith.
Spirit Ooze: ?
Torhana, Spirit Vampire: ?
Undead: No demon lord claims this layer, the Plains of Rust, and the only inhabitants are mindlessly destructive. The essence of slain devils and demons became infused with the necrotic and acidic power of the buried swamp. This mixture gave rise to baleful corrupting undead.

The Shadowfell: Gloomwrought and Beyond

Spoiler

Undead: Many evil mortals consider the Shadowfell an ideal place to create undead servants. Over the centuries, clerics of dark gods, cultists of Orcus, foul wizards, and greedy necromancers have created thousands upon thousands of undead monsters using heinous rituals.
Ghosts: Locals believe the ghosts on the Shattered Isles to be phantoms of those killed during the Sever, but no one is certain exactly where the creatures came from or why they remain. Those who speculate on their nature agree that hundreds of undead live on or around the islands.
Like other places in the Ghost Quarter, the Isle of Lost Thoughts has undead and monsters inhabiting its ruins. Ghosts here have the look of scholars, clothed in robes and sandals rather than in fine coats and footwear. These phantoms might be apparitions of teachers, or they could be psychic reflections of their environment.
Algagor, Undead Beholder Eye Tyrant: ?
Wight: ?
Zombie: ?
Lord Nill, Nightwalker: ?
Nikolai, Charnel Brother: Taking up the corpse, Nikolai voyaged to the Shadowfell, where he ritually raised Grigori as a vampire. The moment Grigori awoke, he tore his fangs into Nikolai’s throat, turning his younger brother into an undead creature like himself.
Grigori, Charnel Brother: Taking up the corpse, Nikolai voyaged to the Shadowfell, where he ritually raised Grigori as a vampire.
Shadow Stalker Vampire: ?
Feral Vampire: ?
Widow of the Walk: ?
Watchful Ghost: Decades ago a brutal rivalry reached its crescendo when House Treyvan attacked the company headquarters of House Sulist, destroying the building with its enemy's soldiers inside. When the city consumed the structure. the soldiers went with it- body and soul. The corpses have long since turned to dust, but the soldiers' spirits remain on duty.
Malicious Ghost: Decades ago a brutal rivalry reached its crescendo when House Treyvan attacked the company headquarters of House Sulist, destroying the building with its enemy's soldiers inside. When the city consumed the structure. the soldiers went with it- body and soul. The corpses have long since turned to dust, but the soldiers' spirits remain on duty.
Oblivion Wraith: When the wraith kills a humanoid that humanoid becomes a wraith at the start of this wraith's next turn. The new wraith appears in the space where the humanoid died or in the nearest unoccupied square and it rolls a new initiative check. The new wraith acts under the Dungeon Master's control.
Bodak Death Drinker: ?

Tomb of Horrors

Spoiler

Acererak: Eventually his undead body wasted away leaving him as a demilich-an animated skull-and still he prepared.
Undead: Due to Acererak's magic and influence, all the living fey from the Garden of Graves, including those that have traveled to the world, have the Acererak's Slave power.
Years ago, when Acererak set out to seize control of undeath, the fell energy of Moil made it the perfect base for his dark plans. Much of the city and its undead host fell under the demilich's control, and his experiments created new varieties of undead unknown outside the City that Waits.
The barrier between the world and the Shadowfell is thin around Skull City (part of the reason Acererak chose this location for his tomb). A creature slain within the city has a 50 percent chance of rising in 1d6 hours as an undead of the same level under your control. The undead must be destroyed before the slain creature can be raised. (The creature can be raised normally before it rises as an undead.)
Acererak's Slave power.
Boneclaw Daggerhand: ?
Shadow Sentinel Shadowguard Sentry: ?
Firbolg Shell: The firbolg shell-the leathery skin of a firbolg with nothing contained within.
Dread Zombie Knight: ?
Tortured Vestige: The Tortured Vestige is an undead horror created from the tortured spirits of the folk of Moil as they rotted away, body and soul.
This creature is the Tortured Vestige-a legendary undead entity born from the destruction of Moil. After the city was hurled into the Shadowfell, its residents rotted away in both body and soul. Their spirits became the Tortured Vestige, which haunts Moil's shattered spires in search of new creatures to add to its unliving body.
Moilian Zombie: A character who dies anywhere in the city of Moil rises on his or her next turn as a Moilian zombie. Moilian zombies are all that remain of the common folk of Moil, because their souls were poisoned by the eternal darkness into which their city was cast.
The three bodies are Moilian zombies, risen from shadar-kai slain by the original guardians here.
Undead guarding this portal killed these shadar-kai, which then rose as Moilian zombies to attack their former allies.
Winter Wight: Acererak created the first winter Wights.
Wailing Ghost, Banshee: ?
Moilian Barrow: When one of Moil's towers collapsed into this neighboring spire, rubble crushed a number of Moilian undead. Their remains have assembled into a Moilian barrow-a mass that hungers for living prey.
Sword Wraith: Any humanoid killed by the sword wraith rises as a free-willed sword wraith at the start of its creator's next turn, appearing in the space where it died, or in the nearest unoccupied space if that space is occupied. Raising the slain creature (using a Raise Dead ritual) does not destroy the spawned wraith.
Any humanoid killed by Moghadam rises as a free-willed sword wraith at the start of its creator's next turn, appearing in the space where it died, or in the nearest unoccupied space if that space is occupied. Raising the slain creature (using a Raise Dead ritual) does not destroy the spawned wraith. (Tomb of Horrors)
Nighthaunt Shrine: ?
Nighthaunt Whisperer: ?
Bodak Reaver: ?
Eldritch Phantom: ?
Ghost Tormentor: ?
Acererak Construct: ?
Skeleton Deathguard: ?
Zombie Ranger: ?
Dark Flameskull: ?
Slaughter Wight: ?
Wrath Spirit: ?
Shambling Mummy: ?
Moghadam: ?
Deathdrinker Skeleton: ?
Dread Skeletal Swarm: ?
Dread Zombie Slayer: ?
Zombie Mangler: ?
Vampire Lord Berserker: ?
Ancient Ghost: ?
Aspect of Vecna: ?
Undead Vecna Cultist: ?
Bone Collector: ?
Aspect of Nerull: ?
Acererak God-Golem: ?
Acererak and Eye of Vecna: ?

Acererak's Slave
Trigger: The fey creature drops to 0 hit points and is killed.
Effect (Immediate Reaction): The fey creature remains standing, and it gains the undead keyword and continues to fight until the end of its next turn.

Underdark

Spoiler

Undead: Even the most faithful divine servant who dies in one of these places dies unnoticed. The souls of the fallen linger forever in the godless realms, becoming ghosts, wraiths, or similar undead without ever traveling to the Shadowfell, where the Raven Queen would judge their final disposition.
Occasional supernatural storms drag surface ships down into the Deeps. slaying all aboard and trapping the crew in eternal unlife. These ghostly vessels haunt the Spire Sea, crewed by undead of all varieties.
When conditions are right on the oceans of the surface world, a supernatural storm known as a ghost gale materializes as if from nowhere. A ghost gale creates a whirlpool that can sweep a ship through a vortex down into the sunless seas of the Deeps. Frightened sailors taken by such storms frantically ply those black waters in search of a way home, but the time they spend raiding and fishing belies the fact that they no longer require sustenance or sleep. The ghost gale slays those it carries down to the Deeps, and these lightless seas become the site of a ghost crew's afterlife.
Few mortal creatures swim such strange currents, but undead abound. The waters contain the bodies and spirits of creatures of the Underdark connected to water in life and chained to it in death. The stygian waters claim any waterborne beings that died with bitter words on their lips, dark thoughts in their minds, or whose heart's last beat echoed cold.
The Unveiling is the prosaic name that incunabula give to their interrogation process. It is "final" because living creatures subject to the process die, while dead souls and undead are destroyed (but see below). The victim gives up every piece of information he or she possesses, no matter how minor or petty. The process involves a ritual not unlike the one used by incunabula to pass inherited wrappings to young incunabula. However, unlike in that ritual. the victims of the Unveiling have their organs drawn out and placed in jars. even as their bodies are shrouded in funerary wrappings. The brain is the final organ to be extracted; instead of being stored in a jar, it is eaten by the questioner. who gains the complete knowledge possessed by the victim. The questioner has 11 hours to choose among all knowledge so gained and record it on parchment before it all fades.
In some cases, creatures subject to the Unveiling rise as a variety of undead, depending on the skill and intent of the questioner.
As agents of Vecna, incunabula rely on a dark ritual called the Unveiling to scour the memory of a recently slain corpse. Corpses corrupted by this ritual animate as skeletal undead wrapped in strands of linen.
Ghost: Even the most faithful divine servant who dies in one of these places dies unnoticed. The souls of the fallen linger forever in the godless realms, becoming ghosts, wraiths, or similar undead without ever traveling to the Shadowfell, where the Raven Queen would judge their final disposition.
Wraith: Even the most faithful divine servant who dies in one of these places dies unnoticed. The souls of the fallen linger forever in the godless realms, becoming ghosts, wraiths, or similar undead without ever traveling to the Shadowfell, where the Raven Queen would judge their final disposition.
Bodak: Nightwalkers lurk in the Shadowdark, as do the bodaks they create.
Battle Wight: ?
Zombie Hulk: ?
Incunabulum Agent: Incunabula use the Unveiling ritual to draw out all vestiges of knowledge and secrets within a creature's memory, and also to create loyal undead servants or allies.
Demon of Esarham: When the Abyss brought itself into being. it created the first demons by corrupting primordials. Thus did Orcus, Demogorgon. and Baphomet come into existence. In turn, these early demon princes replicated their own corruption, fashioning their first demonic servants from mortal creatures. They would later master the crafting of more durable servants from the tumult of the Abyss, ensuring that the demons' essence would return to that realm upon their deaths. In the earliest days, that art was beyond their skill. Consequently, the first demons were mortal, with souls that existed after the death of their physical forms. These souls passed into the ShadowfeIl, but without any god to claim them, their numbers began to accumulate beyond control. Horrific battles occurred. and the entire plane risked becoming an extension of the Abyss.
Ugalga, King of Esharm: In life, Ugalga was perhaps the most destructive and evil of all the mortal demons. None of the demon princes agree on which one of them created him.
Worm Bridge: The bridge is crafted from the corpse of a purple worm whose long body forms a tunnel through the water to reach the other side.

Undermountain: Halaster's Lost Apprentice

Spoiler

Corruption Corpse: ?
Lifedrinker Specter: ?
Wisp Wraith: ?
Zombie: ?
Blazing Skeleton: ?
Witherling: ?
Skeleton: ?
Tomb Mote: ?

Vor Rukoth

Spoiler

Wight, Undol Half-Ogre: ?
Arcanian: When they reached the lolfura estate, the family's members unleashed a storm of elemental ice and fire. Although it slew their enemies, it consumed the nobles as well. Death was not the end, though-they soon arose as arcanians, undead cursed to constantly burn and freeze.

War of Everlasting Darkness

Spoiler

Matharic, Wraith: Matharic and his band laid claim to a large section of Underdark wilderness near Citadel Adbar. They slaughtered merchants who were bringing trade to the citadel, and ambushed dwarven strike teams sent to eliminate them. The dwarves discovered that Matharic's secret lair lay hidden beneath one of their outposts, from where the drow had spied on them and learned their plans. The dwarves led a large force against the drow. Dozens of dwarves died in the assault, as did Math-ark's entire band. Even though Matharic was slain in the battle, his evil spirit lingered on. Now his undead essence haunts the caverns of the area.
Barren Lands Apparitions: These eight spectral shapes are the shades of orcs and dwarves.

Web of the Spider Queen

Spoiler

Decrepit Skeleton: She carries an ancestor clasp-a magic item developed in Zadzifeirryn that raises fallen drow as undead slaves.
After the totemist speaks, she immediately activates her ancestor clasp as a free action, causing the opal to fall from the center of her silver necklace to the ground. It shatters to release a cloud of white mist that expands to fill the room, causing skeletons to awaken in each of the upper areas' eight coffins.

Wizards Presents Worlds and Monsters

Spoiler

Undead: The Shadowfell is the twisted reflection of the world, formed of dark creation-stuff hurled aside by the primordials as they created existence. It encompasses the realm of the dead, and its necrotic energy animates the undead.
Death isn’t always the end, even for creatures that have no great destiny. Aspects that make up living creatures interact to create many possibilities for continued existence, or at least the appearance of it. Through various machinations of fate or intent, a creature can remain in the world after its death as a plague on the living—or something more.
Sentient living creatures have a body and a soul, which is the consciousness that exists in and departs from the body when it perishes. A third element also exists: the animus, an intangible bridge between body and soul that is born and that exists with the physical form. It provides vitality and mobility for the creature, and unlike the soul, it usually remains with the body after death.
If given enough power, the animus can rouse the body in the absence of a soul. It might even be able to function without the body. Such power can come from necromantic magic, another corrupting supernatural influence at the place of death or interment, or the connection of the Shadowfell to a locale. Strong desires, beliefs, or emotions on the part of the deceased can also tap the magic of the world to give the animus power.
Most undead, even those that seem intelligent, are this sort of creature—driven to inhuman behavior by lack of governance of a soul and a hunger for life that can’t be sated. Nearly mindless undead have been infused with just enough power to give the remains mobility but little else. Sentient undead have a stronger animus that might even have access to the memories of the deceased, but such monstrosities have few or none of the capabilities they had in life.
The source of this necrotic energy is most often the Shadowfell. Its shadowstuff can “leak” into a dying creature as that being passes away. It can be introduced by necromancy. Or it can be siphoned into areas strongly associated with death, pooling there.
Like living beings, some undead still have their souls. Rituals allow this sort of transformation. A potent destiny or a mighty will sometimes enables (or forces) a creature to transcend death.
Death knights, liches, mummies, and vampires are all created by rituals that tie the soul to an unliving form. Similar creatures could be created in different circumstances.
Early in the history of the world, Orcus learned to create undead, including the first ghouls, exercising his desire to devour life in the vilest ways.
But the bold need to understand that death is not in itself evil, and that undeath takes as many forms as the dying that precedes it.
Death touches every corner of the D&D cosmos. Even the so-called immortals aren’t immune to its icy grasp. Where death can reach, so too can undeath.
The animus is the seat of animalistic desires and survival instincts, and when coupled with shadow power in the body, it can engage in inhuman behavior.
Shadow, necromancy, strong desires, and corruption can empower the animus to rouse a corpse.
Wraith: Even the dreaded wraith is simply an animus, deeply corrupted and infused with strong necrotic energy.
Ghost: Sentient ghosts are the most common of the undead that manage to retain their souls without resorting to necromantic rituals. They have a purpose that fetters them to the world, even if it’s only to spread misery or wreak vengeance.
Even more rarely, a creature has a strong enough will or destiny to maintain its soul after death, spontaneously becoming a sentient ghost or revenant.
Death Knight: Death knights, liches, mummies, and vampires are all created by rituals that tie the soul to an unliving form.
Lich: Death knights, liches, mummies, and vampires are all created by rituals that tie the soul to an unliving form.
Mummy: Death knights, liches, mummies, and vampires are all created by rituals that tie the soul to an unliving form.
Vampire: Death knights, liches, mummies, and vampires are all created by rituals that tie the soul to an unliving form.
Ghoul: Early in the history of the world, Orcus learned to create undead, including the first ghouls, exercising his desire to devour life in the vilest ways.
Revenant: Even more rarely, a creature has a strong enough will or destiny to maintain its soul after death, spontaneously becoming a sentient ghost or revenant.
Shadow: Every shadar-kai knows that to give in to the ennui of the Shadowfell is to face physical disintegration and nothingness. Those who succumb fade permanently into darkness, their soul taken by the Raven Queen while their animus remains as an undead shadow.

Dragon Magazine 4e

Spoiler

Dragon 364

Spoiler

Kahlir Husk: Created through the torturous draining of their once-living blood, Kahlir husks seek to recover what they lost.
Kahlir Vampire: ?
Ghoul: ?
Zombie: ?
Vampire: ?
Elder Arantham: Elder Arantham’s notoriety began when he set out to uncover a copy of the ancient ritual that transforms apostate priests into foul undead creatures called huecuvas—not to punish, but to voluntarily subject agreement to the vile transformation. In a ceremony witnessed by his fellow cultists, Arantham shed the last of his humanity—and, as he proclaimed, “the last lingering stench of my prior misguided beliefs.”
Shambling Zombie: As his cult grew, the foul huecuva returned to the temple of Bahamut where he once served. There, in a bloodbath of mythic proportions, he not only massacred the entire priesthood but also raised them as shambling zombies, whom he then set loose upon the surrounding city.
Holchweir, Undead Glabrezu Exarch of Orcus: ?
Mauglurien, The Black Knight, Death Knight Dwarf Warlord: ?
Huecuva: Huecuvas are foul undead that are created by an ancient divine curse. Originally intended as punishment for a priest who horribly violates his vows and responsibilities, the rite is occasionally used by evil churches as a means of empowering their clerics.
Ashgaunt: Ashgaunts are recent creations of the Ashen Covenant.
These foul creatures were created by a faction of Orcus-worshipers called the Ashen Covenant, some of whom are focused on finding new ways to spread undeath.
Zombie Rotter: Ashgaunt's Wake the Dead power.
Flameharrow: Flameharrows are created by powers of vile chaos—some say Orcus—to spread pain and misery. The animating spirit of the creature is smelted from the soul of a homicidal madman.

Wake the Dead0; target up to 4 destroyed undead creatures reduced to 0 hit points within range; the targets become zombie rotters (see Monster Manual 274), which fight on the behest of the ashguant until the end of the encounter or 5 minutes, whichever comes first. The zombie rotters rise as a free action, and act after the ashgaunt in the initiative order.

Dragon 367

Spoiler

Janus Gull, Esme, Tormenting Ghost: Cormac, mad with obsession and grief, fell from grace, embracing evil and vowing that if he could not have Esme, no one would. He sought the counsel of a local “water witch,” the demented cleric Sidheag (SHEE-ak) Ros. Sidheag, a fanatic who had long harbored a hatred for Janus Gull, believed that the fishing village was defiling the natural order of “her” lake. The fallen paladin, further seduced down the path of darkness by the mad water witch, resolved to destroy the entire village of Janus Gull. Under a harvest moon, on a windswept bluff overlooking the village, Cormac and Sidheag performed a blasphemous ritual.
By morning, the entire village had been swept away by fire and flood, lightning and rain. An elemental storm of unprecedented proportions blew in from the lake, laying waste to the village in a single night. Where Janus Gull once stood, nothing remained. No ruins, no survivors. It was as if the village had been pulled entire into the watery depths of the lake.
Cormac and Sidheag’s wicked amalgamation of divine magic created a reality storm of such power that Janus Gull was ripped from the world. As the storm reached its peak just before dawn, Janus Gull splintered off as a demiplane.
In the years that the lost village has been wandering as a demiplane, the demiplane has achieved a primitive sentience built from the collective consciousness of its inhabitants. When the entity that is Janus Gull wishes to communicate with visitors, it speaks through the ghost of Esme, the young maiden whose story is at the heart of the Janus Gull tragedy. (In fact, all natives of Janus Gull—living and dead—are gradually surrendering their individual identities to the collective personality of the demiplane.)
Keener, Warforged Banshee, Wailing Ghost: Keener, a ranger, was Janus Gull’s sole warforged resident at the time of the catastrophe. Keener was killed by a savage lightning strike at the height of the storm.
Ghoul: ?
Ghost: The ghosts that haunt Janus Gull are those unfortunate souls who were killed during the storm, but whose souls did not escape before the demiplane was created.
Phantom Warrior: ?
Trap Haunt: ?
Undead: ?
Mummy Lord: ?

Dragon 368

Spoiler

Lich, Wizard of the White Tower: ?
Ghost: ?
Ivania: ?
Varno, The Ghoul: ?
Nephigor: In a twist of fate that bends planar law, the spirit of Nephigor is trapped in the library as a ghost.
When the black winds howled about Harrack Unarth, Nephigor was in the city’s grand library, seeking a means of prolonging his time out of the Nine Hells. He got more than he bargained for. Devils are not supposed to have ghosts. Their deaths are impermanent things that cast them back to the fiery pit to regain bodies. Yet when the howling winds shattered the library, Nephigor slid into darkness greater than any he had known. The chain devil “awoke” in the Broken Library. His body transparent, his form intangible—if Nephigor is not a ghost, he cannot fathom what else he might be.

Dragon 369

Spoiler

Perditazu, Maze Demon: THESE FIENDS TAKE SHAPE FROM CAPTURED SOULS of mortals who died while trapped in the Endless Maze.
Called maze demons, these fiends are the vestiges of those demons and mortals who became lost in the Endless Maze and never found their way out. Driven mad, they live on in an accursed state, seeking to possess their victims and reduce them to their same state.
Ghoul: Cannibalism has made ghouls from many tieflings from Io'vanthor and the rest are well on their way to becoming undead horrors.
Undead: Cannibalism has made ghouls from many tieflings from Io'vanthor and the rest are well on their way to becoming undead horrors.

Dragon 371

Spoiler

Undead: From undead spawned by his dread rituals to the descendants of those adventurers who died in the tomb, Acererak and his legend have shaped and altered countless lives.
The Shadowfell bleeds into the mortal world where Skull City stands, but the influence is not the chilling pall normally associated with such regions. Instead a conduit to a region of Darklands is not far from the City That Waits. The Darklands’ influence spills through the planar barriers, staining the mortal world with its corrupting influence, and thus Skull City and those who die here often rise as undead.
Disciple of the Devourer: ?
Mistress Ferranifer: ?
Devourer's Spawn: Horrid necromantic leavings infused with dread energy, Devourer’s spawn are wretched things, driven by an insatiable hunger for living flesh.
Devourer’s spawn are bits of organ, tissue, and rotten flesh collected and awakened into a bestial awareness.
Glistening Heap: ?
Festering Morass: Spawn grow and evolve by adding organs and blood that they rip and drink from still-living victims. In time, the loosed bits coalesce into a vaguely humanoid-shaped bag of blood and meat known as a festering morass.
Shadow Sentinel: Those sacrificed in Acererak’s name find no peace in death because the Devourer is aptly named. Consumed by the powerful lich, their essence reformed and twisted into new shapes, they serve the dark one for eternity.
Shadow Watcher: ?
Shadow Guard: ?
Moilian Dead: For all their selfish cruelty, excess sickened the Moilians, and little by little, Orcus’s hold weakened as they searched for a more wholesome power to find redemption for their evil ways. No matter their efforts or improved intentions, the demon prince’s grip was too tight and when the people refused to make sacrifices in his name, his anger was unleashed. It took form in a terrible curse, causing the Moilians to fall into a deep sleep. As they slept, Orcus seized the city and flung it into the deepest regions of the Shadowfell, where it was believed that they would succumb to the fell energy there and serve him more loyally in undeath.
As expected, the Moilians died out and awoke as free-willed undead, drifting aimlessly through their now frozen city.
Orcus laid a heavy curse on the Moilians—a curse they must bear still.
Moilian dead are the undead remains of those who lived in the City That Waits.
Blackfire Creeper: Chosen guardians created from exemplary Moilian dead, the blackfire creepers patrol the City That Waits to dispatch any interlopers they find.
Blackfire creepers are advanced undead remade by Acererak the Devourer.
Charnel Zombie: THE SAME PROCESSES THAT GIVE RISE TO GREAT CITIES and monuments invariably also sire throngs of poor, hungry, and unwanted souls barely surviving from day to day. Uncared for in life, these unfortunates receive little better in death. Thrown into burial pits or stacked in mass graves, they are quickly disposed of and forgotten even faster. Not even this pitiful eternal rest is secure, for such a wealth of uncared for remains is a prime target for necromancers and their ilk.
Charnel zombies bear the marks of their former poverty even into undeath. Their bodies are thin and malnourished from constant near starvation. What clothing was not scavenged by other destitute homeless is tattered and worn beyond possible use. Broken and crushed body parts attest that these corpses were dumped into a packed mass grave with little thought given for propriety or the state of the bodies. Their bodies and spirits broken even before being animated as zombies, they seem especially pathetic and vacant.
Zombie Grave Digger: Often made from the remains of failed, living grave robbers, zombie grave diggers are dressed in dark-colored work attire, complete with a myriad of hammers, spades, pries, and other accoutrements of their profession.
Corpse of Despair: DESPAIR CAN BE A POWERFUL EMOTION—one capable of overwhelming otherwise ordinary beings and driving them to normally unthinkable acts. Those who succumb to utter hopelessness and end their own lives at the bleakest point of their depression leave a powerful impression upon their physical remains that can be exploited by necromantic ritual to create a particular type of undead: a corpse of despair.
The body animated as a corpse of despair could have hailed from any walk of life, since loss, pain, and despair can darken even the most opulent and powerful lives. However, certain similarities are borne by all. Their faces are masks of anguish and froze at the moment they ended their own existence. Marks of this suicide are still visible upon the zombie; slit wrists, signs of poisoning, and broken necks still bearing nooses are all common.
Lasher Zombie: DESPITE THE PROGRESS AND EXPANSION OF CIVILIZATION, countless unfortunate souls continue to live with the cruel pangs of hunger. Poverty, famine, disaster, and war all contribute to the tally of lives stolen away by starvation. Its victims suffer horribly as they wither away to pitiful, skeletal caricatures of themselves before finally succumbing. The final, agonizing hunger these poor creatures experience can be imprinted on the corpse they leave behind—a terrible need that lacks only the dark energy of necromancy to rise and gorge itself on an endless feast of warm blood and quivering flesh. Twisted rituals animate and bind these travesties to the will of their creator, who employs them as disturbingly effective guardians or terror weapons.
Shambling Nexus: UNDEAD IN GENERAL ARE NOTORIOUSLY VULNERABLE to attacks that employ radiant energy, and zombies, although cheap and easy to animate, are often cumbersome and slow to react on the battlefield. Such problems have long been the bane of aspiring necromantic overlords and have spelled defeat for countless undead, both servant and master. Created to nullify these weaknesses, a shambling nexus is the product of unspeakable rituals that bind enormous quantities of raw, dark energy into a fleshy shell.
Flayed Crawler: CREATED TO BE VICIOUS TRACKERS AND ASSASSINS for their necromantic overlords, flayed crawlers are abhorrent abominations animated from the remains of victims sadistically tortured to death. The terrors inflicted upon the poor souls are so extreme that it leaves even their animated corpses unhinged and prone to violent, psychotic outbursts.
Plague Fogger: MANY VIRULENT AND DESTRUCTIVE DISEASES trouble the world, but a dreadful few belong to a category all their own. These plagues can devastate a region, leaving bloated and twisted corpses littering the streets and fields of the blighted area. Such corpses are rife with lethal pestilence and can, through either spontaneous accumulation of fell energy or deliberate action, rise as undead capable of calling on that power.
Slavering Maw: ONLY THE MOST POWER-HUNGRY, OVERLY CONFIDENT INSANE PERSON would construct an abomination known as a slavering maw. Dozens of corpses must be raised through necromantic rituals to serve as obscene construction material. The creature is then given form by stitching together the writhing and thrashing muscle, skin, sinew, and bone of its still animate donor zombies. Rusted iron and rotted wooden scraps are crudely nailed to its flesh and frame to help support its terrible mass. A final, unspeakable ritual fuses the disparate zombies into a single, horrific whole that is far more powerful than its component parts.
Vecna: ?
Acererak: And from lich, Acererak went on, not to godhood, but to become the game’s first demilich—in many ways, a far more dangerous creature, the final vestige of a once all-powerful lich.
Ages past, a human magic-user/cleric of surpassing evil took the steps necessary to preserve his life force beyond the centuries he had already lived, and this creature became the lich, Acererak. Over the scores of years which followed, the lich dwelled with hordes of ghastly servants in the gloomy stone halls of the very hill where the Tomb is. Eventually even the undead life force of Acererak began to wane, so for the next eight decades, the lich’s servants labored to create the Tomb of Horrors. Then Acererak destroyed all of his slaves and servitors, magically hid the entrance to his halls, and went to his final haunt, while his soul roamed strange planes unknown to even the wisest of sages.

Dragon 372

Spoiler

Undead: Most undead, they say, exist as a result of the continued functioning of the animus. The soul—the element that makes one an individual—is gone.
Animate Dead wizard power.
Skelmur the Stalker: ?

Animate Dead Wizard Attack 9
You flood a fallen foe’s animus with shadow, imbuing it with arcane strength.
Daily ✦ Arcane, Implement, Necrotic, Summoning
Minor Action Ranged 10
Target: One dead enemy
Effect: You summon the animated corpse of one of your fallen enemies in an unoccupied square within range. The summoned creature is the same size as the target, has a reach equal to the target’s reach, and has speed 6. It gains a +2 bonus to AC, a +2 bonus to Fortitude, and the undead keyword. You can give the animated creature the following special commands.
✦ Standard Action: Targets one enemy in reach; Intelligence vs. Reflex; 1d10 + Intelligence modifier necrotic damage.
✦ Opportunity Attack: Targets one enemy in reach; Intelligence vs. Reflex; 1d10 + Intelligence modifier necrotic damage.

Dragon 374

Spoiler

Deva Disincarnate: ?
Sister of Sorrow, Mournwind Exarch of the Prince of Frost: Sharaea’s sisters, Velayn and Loralae were filled with despair at the loss of their sibling, and the Sun Prince captured them in their sister’s stead. His bitter power magnified their sorrow and bound them to his frozen heart. They wasted away, and soon the Daughters of Delight were no more. In their place were the Sisters of Lament, chill shades of the lovely females haunting the winter winds.
Sharaea never meant to harm her sisters, but when she finally cast her soul into the unknown, it took a terrible toll on the surviving Daughters of Delight. The Prince of Frost drew the sisters to him, and his bitterness and malice shaped them. In their grief and under the sway of the Pale Prince, they wasted away, becoming wraithlike spirits of the winter wind.
Sister of Sorrow, Soulsorrow Exarch of the Prince of Frost: Sharaea’s sisters, Velayn and Loralae were filled with despair at the loss of their sibling, and the Sun Prince captured them in their sister’s stead. His bitter power magnified their sorrow and bound them to his frozen heart. They wasted away, and soon the Daughters of Delight were no more. In their place were the Sisters of Lament, chill shades of the lovely females haunting the winter winds.
Sharaea never meant to harm her sisters, but when she finally cast her soul into the unknown, it took a terrible toll on the surviving Daughters of Delight. The Prince of Frost drew the sisters to him, and his bitterness and malice shaped them. In their grief and under the sway of the Pale Prince, they wasted away, becoming wraithlike spirits of the winter wind.
Sister of Sorrow Courtier, Mournwind Courtier: ?
Sister of Sorrow Courtier, Soulsorrow Courtier: ?

Dragon 375

Spoiler

Ghost of Graefmotte: Durven Graef’s murdered son did not rest easy in death. After he died, his corpse lay unburied on the floor of chambers no one dared enter until the domain shifted to the Shadowfell. After that, the body vanished when the ghost appeared, and no one knows where Geoffrey's bones now lie...
Phantom Warrior: ?
Gnoll Scavenger: ?
Griefmote: When an innocent dies, sometimes a spirit fragment survives the soul’s migration from the flesh to the Shadowfell. These fragments preserve the victim’s final suffering.
Griefmote Cloud: ?
Ghoul: Like others in the village, Martha and Guy are not what they seem. Having buried their son when he starved to death, the pair gave their souls to Orcus for the promise of food. The innkeepers are the secret source of ghouls and they perform dread rituals on villagers to complete the transformation from cannibal to undead horror.
Prince of Bone: Everything was altered, however, when the Blue Breath of Change came. The portion of the ruined fortress where the expedition was encamped was particularly thick with magic. More unfortunately for the explorers, an arm of the change storm flew directly across them. The resulting conflagration burned many of the expeditioneers to nothingness and killed many more. A few were killed and reanimated simultaneously. Of these, one was plague-changed.
When Prince Nathur’s senses returned, things were not as they had been. Nathur viewed the world through multiple, fused skulls. His body had become an amalgam of skeletons twisted and fused together to create a shape not unlike a winged dragon but composed of the compacted bones and corpses of perhaps a hundred former courtiers, guards, and servants.

Dragon 376

Spoiler

Revenant: Most of the time, death is the end of the story, but sometimes it’s another beginning. A revenant arises not as an aimless corpse of a life lost but as the embodiment of a lost soul given new purpose. Such a creature walks in two worlds. Though the revenant moves among the throngs of the living, it has a phantom life—a puppet mockery of the existence its soul once knew. The revenant is an echo haunted by the memory of itself.
Resilient souls returned from death to do the work of fate.
Revenants are souls of the dead returned to a semblance of life by the Raven Queen, but they do not appear as undead horrors or even anything like their former selves. When the Raven Queen reincarnates souls, they exist as her special creations, and they have the bodies of her choosing and creation.
Something else hounds your thoughts as you strike out into an eerily familiar world: The dead don’t come back to life by accident. Someone did this to you, and whoever that was had a reason.
Sometimes, the dead one begs to be returned to the world, and the Raven Queen listens for her own reasons.
Each revenant arises in the world only by the will of the Raven Queen. She—or someone she has made a bargain with—has a specific purpose in mind for each soul she returns to the world.
If the Raven Queen commanded the soul’s return for her own reasons, the revenant might play an important part in the future the Raven Queen foresees. The Raven Queen might send a soul to bring someone or something to the death it has avoided, and the character might have been chosen because of past ties to the target. Perhaps the character’s death was somehow wrong, and the Raven Queen reincarnated the soul as a revenant to set right the weave of fate.
If another power made a bargain with the Raven Queen, the possibilities are endless. Most deities could simply choose to raise a loyal follower to live again, so if a being of such power resorted to bargaining with the Raven Queen, there must be a reason. Perhaps a god wants more of the follower’s service, but there is something the deity wants even his most devout servant to forget. Perhaps the new lease on life is intended only as a temporary reprieve wherein the revenant must make up for some mistake made in life. A power might even want to return another deity’s follower to life for a purpose hidden from the other gods.
The reason could also be the desire of a being weaker than a true deity. Maybe an exarch raises a soul despite a deity’s wishes. Perhaps a devil or archfey has a claim on the soul of a mortal and it seeks to get what it paid for in some bargain the person made in life. A mortal might gain audience with the Raven Queen to plead the case of a deceased friend or enemy. The mortal’s aims might be altruistic, selfish, or wicked, sweeping the revenant up in a saga of great glory or terrible woe. Sometimes, the dead one begs to be returned to the world, and the Raven Queen listens for her own reasons.
This article presumes the Raven Queen put the PC revenant back in the world, or maybe she did so on behalf of some other power. A soul might even have accepted its quest from a deity directly, knowing it would lose most memories when reincarnated. It could be, however, that no power but the PC’s will returns the character from death.
Maybe some powerful patron, such as a demon lord or archfey, stole the PC’s soul and placed the PC in the world as a revenant to do its bidding. The PC might be doing the work of a prince of the Hells in order to win back a soul lost in a bad bargain. Maybe a mortal raised the PC as a hero of old and hopes the PC will do some great deed. A ritual to raise the dead might even go wrong, returning the PC to a half-life, and now the character walks the world with one foot in the grave.
A revenant need not be dead recently. The Raven Queen or another patron might recall any soul not at its final destination. A soul might be returned to the world seconds or centuries after death, but the most potential for storytelling and roleplaying might lie a generation or two later. Then revenants can see the effects of the former life, have memories of places that aren’t quite the same, meet the descendants of remembered friends, and confront old foes who might have mended their ways.
So the whole party bought the farm in that encounter last week? Maybe they all come back as revenants to take revenge.
The revenant is an undead creature who could have been of any other race in life but returns after death as a revenant with a new life and a new purpose.

Dragon 377

Spoiler

Vlaakith CLVII, Lich-Queen: Not long into her reign, she performed the Lich Transformation ritual, but her undead state did little to quell her growing paranoia.
Beholder Eternal Tyrant Essence: After a powerful beholder (usually an ultimate tyrant) dies, its story might not end just yet. The most learned of these creatures can, through sheer force of will, retain their independence and power and create new bodies for themselves. These creatures are known as eternal tyrants, since they pursue immortality and rulership over as many creatures as they can.
Mentally powerful beholder ultimate tyrants cling to their intellect tenaciously. In fact, some can sustain psychic shells of themselves after death. When an ultimate tyrant’s soul reaches the Shadowfell, it can use the power of its mind to sever itself from the cycle of death. Such creatures are known as beholder eternal tyrants, and they create new construct bodies for themselves. Doing so can take centuries, and if a beholder could ever complete its body, it would be nearly indestructible.

Dragon 378

Spoiler

Arantor: Long ago, when the dragonborn empire of Arkhosia warred with that of devil-tainted Bael Turath for dominion of the world, the dragonborn of Arkhosia forged pacts with dragons to aid their war effort. One such was Arantor, a silver dragon who felt that aiding the empire against the devilry of Bael Turath was a glorious and fitting endeavor for one of his power. During his service, Arantor was tasked with the destruction of a remote Turathi military outpost almost hidden within thick tropical rain forest. Its remote location and jungle surroundings ruled out ground-based reinforcements. Accompanied by his daughter and protégé Imrissa, he took wing and prepared for a swift and brutal surprise assault to eliminate the threat.
They attacked by night, diving out of a torrential downpour and raking the camp with their freezing breath while smashing tents and crude buildings asunder with tail, wing, and claw. In that first furious assault, they slaughtered scores with surprisingly little resistance. Only after the first pass did they discover, to their horror, that the tents below harbored not the battle-hardened legions of Bael Turath but civilian refugees: families, elderly, infirm, and wounded. Imrissa and Arantor broke off the attack immediately and retreated to the security of the storm clouds. Weighed down by the innocent blood they had spilled, Imrissa proposed that they return to Arkhosia immediately to report the terrible mistake. Arantor, concerned with the damage such a massacre would cause to his reputation, declared that they would inform no one of the night’s events. Their argument over a course of action grew long and heated as lightning crashed around them until irrevocable words were uttered and Imrissa, disgusted with her sire, turned to head back and report the truth whatever the consequences. In a blind fit of rage, Arantor attacked. The battle was swift and vicious. Imrissa was no match for her elder; soon her broken body plummeted through the raging storm and was lost to the jungle below.
With rage, grief, and self-loathing coursing through him like molten steel, Arantor turned to the valley below. No one could bear witness to his shame; no one could be left to tell the tale of this . . . mistake. Methodically, mercilessly, he hunted down and butchered every last refugee, leaving nearly two thousand silent corpses in his wake.
He fled the valley, but could not return to Arkhosia. Instead he vanished into the wild places of the world, surfacing from time to time as the war progressed to launch ruthless attacks on Turathi targets, military and civilian alike. Each time the slaughter was complete; Arantor left no survivors. The carnage continued until a team of Turathi dragonslayers tracked him to ground and destroyed him.
Arantor awoke, whole and seemingly healthy, in the Shadowfell as the dark lord of his own personal domain of dread: a twisted reflection of the jungle valley, complete with fortress and refugee camp, where his shame was born. As the years slipped by and he exhausted every avenue of escape he could conceive, Arantor became aware that he still aged as he would have in the mortal realm. He consigned himself to waiting out his considerable life span, hoping that his purgatory would end and he would be allowed peace upon his death. This was not to be. As his body died, his consciousness remained trapped within his decaying form, animating it as an undead prison to last throughout eternity. As his flesh began to rot away, he became aware that where his heart should have been rested the skeleton of another silver dragon: the daughter he turned upon and murdered. When the last scrap of withered skin sloughed off, it stirred and began to ceaselessly whisper the names of the innocents Arantor had slain over the years.
Gwenth, Vampire: ?
Rolain, Vampire: ?
Undead: The Undying Court is full of members who have become undead. The form they practice doesn’t use the perverse magic that creates most evil undead. To these elves, undeath is a means for ancestors to share their wisdom with future generations, not a selfish means of prolonging life.
Though many of the faith’s followers are unaware of this, the Blood of Vol’s true rulers draw on the power of undeath. Lady Vol and many members of the clergy master rituals and other methods of attaining eternal life through dark magic.

Dragon 380

Spoiler

Undead: Priests assure their flocks that those who live upstanding and virtuous lives find that what happens after their deaths is free from danger, but their words ring hollow. Not even they know if what they say is true or not. Indeed, many perils await the dead. Dark, hungry things wait in shadows, luring unwary travelers to their dooms, where they are used, twisted, or corrupted into frightful undead horrors.
Vengeful Dead Invoker power.

Vengeful Dead Invoker Utility 16
When your ally falls, you intone a dread word to bind its spirit to the flesh, causing the companion to rise again and fight on your behalf.
Daily ✦ Divine
Minor Action Ranged 10
Target: One dead ally
Effect: The target becomes an undead ally until the end of the encounter. The target regains hit points equal to its bloodied value and gains the undead keyword. It is slowed, immune to disease and poison, has resist 10 necrotic and vulnerable 5 radiant, and its melee attacks deal extra necrotic damage equal to your Wisdom modifier. The target is otherwise unchanged and can act normally. At the end of the encounter, the ally dies, but can be brought back to life with the Raise Dead ritual or similar means.

Dragon 382

Spoiler

Specter Familiar: ?
Tainted Zombie: The creatures here are undead tainted by foul magic.
Mage Wight: ?
Ghost: History walks the streets of Hammerfast in the form of the dead, the dwarves and orcs who died in this place more than a century ago. They are now ghosts consigned to wander Hammerfast’s streets until the end of days.
Ghosts still walk the streets, some of them orc warriors slain in the Bloodspears’ attack, others priests of Moradin or the necropolis’s doomed guardians, and even a few of them dwarves laid to rest here long ago.

Dragon 387

Spoiler

Ghast: When ghouls go too long without humanoid flesh, they rot away from the inside out. The insatiable hunger that accompanies this transformation grants ghasts a desperate strength and ferocity.
Rot Grub Zombie: A corpse reanimated into a dark parody of life… and acts as a carrier for the swarm of rot grubs it carries around inside it.
Shadow: They attacked living things in order to gain their life force, draining an opponent’s Strength merely by touching them; if an opponent ever fell to 0 Strength, he’d become a new shadow.
According to most knowledgeable sages, shadows appear to have been magically created, perhaps as part of some ancient curse laid upon some long-dead enemy. The curse affects only humans and demihumans, so it would seem that it affects the soul or the spirit. When victims can no longer resist, either through loss of consciousness (hit points) or physical prowess (Strength points), the curse is activated and the majority of the character’s essence is shifted to the Negative Energy plane. Only a shadow of their former self remains on the Prime Material plane, and the transformation always renders the victim both terribly insane and undeniably evil.
Ghoul: Those slain by ghouls became new ghouls, further spreading undeath like some kind of disease or a game of all-in-tag.

Dragon 388

Spoiler

Orcus: Orcus once even rose as an undead, having been slaughtered somewhere during the 2nd Edition Blood War (a topic we’ll leave well alone for now), supposedly by a drow working for Lolth.

Dragon 391

Spoiler

Undead: The shadar-kai did not emerge from their transformation without a price. All possessed unique talents, strange powers, and a quickness and cleverness that could exceed human limitations, though from the start, the shadar-kai also endured a dangerous sadness, emptiness, and boredom that arose from a dampening of their sensations and emotions. Surrendering to the ennui meant oblivion and the creation of twisted undead horrors, so it is in every shadar-kai’s best interest to fight against the darkness within and triumph over it.

Dragon 393

Spoiler

Mourning Handmaiden: During the first years of the Lady’s exile, several handmaidens stayed with her, offering companionship and sympathy. As these handmaidens died, the Lady sustained them in undeath and sometimes sends these servants to aid her champions.
Spectral Protector: The knight who fell to Lolth’s treachery so long ago lingers as a watchful and protective spirit over his daughter. Although the knight vowed never to bear arms and don armor after his disgrace, he safeguards his offspring from harm by using the Feywild’s magic.
The Lady’s favor rewards you with a fragment of the knight’s essence to fight at your side.
Fallen Star Deva: A deva’s transformation into a creature of evil is a terrifying experience. Rather than hold the darkness at bay, the deva throws wide his or her arms to embrace it. The soul darkens, twisting and writhing, the countless lifetimes screaming and wailing in sorrow, nudging the deva closer to madness. When the deva is finally slain, it rises at once as a horrific undead monster until it is finally put down with purifying light.

Dragon 395

Spoiler

Vecna: As a mortal, Vecna proved willing to do things none of his contemporaries dared. He was the first to sacrifice his body to gain immortality as a lich.
Magical mastery enabled Vecna to secure temporal power, with the assistance of his companion Kas. At some point during his ascent, he created the Lich Transformation ritual, then became a lich, and finally authored the Book of Vile Darkness.
Lich: As a mortal, Vecna proved willing to do things none of his contemporaries dared. He was the first to sacrifice his body to gain immortality as a lich.
Magical mastery enabled Vecna to secure temporal power, with the assistance of his companion Kas. At some point during his ascent, he created the Lich Transformation ritual, then became a lich, and finally authored the Book of Vile Darkness.

Dragon 399

Spoiler

Karkothi Fell Skeleton: Fell skeletons are fearless bodyguards created in necromantic rituals.

Dragon 402

Spoiler

Vecna: “Nearly two millennia ago in a land known as the Flanaess, the name of the lich Vecna was sung by bards and cursed by clerics. How did he become a lich, and why did he seek to conquer the Flanaess? You may as well ask, ‘Why is the Shadowfell dark, Menodora?’ The cult of Vecna teaches that Vecna was cursed by gods who were jealous of his power. A monk who raves ceaselessly within his cell in a madhouse swore to me that Vecna confronted his own death and imprisoned it in a castle on the gray sands of an alien world, where it wails in eternal torment.
“As entertaining as these tales are, most sources agree that Vecna was a supremely talented wizard who became obsessed with overcoming death when his beloved mother died. He conquered villages in the Flanaess to use the townspeople as subjects for his necromantic experiments. After hundreds of failures Vecna devised a ritual that siphoned power from the planes to animate his lifeless body, giving him immortality as a lich. Imagine: all of those lives destroyed and a soul corrupted beyond saving, just because he missed his mother.
Kas: “Vecna used necromancy to extend Kas’s life, wishing to retain his trusted weapon as long as possible. When Kas’s mortal form had reached the point when even Vecna’s spells could sustain it no longer, the lich fashioned for him a fanged mask of silver, and channeled the energy of undeath into it. By wearing the silver mask and accepting its necromantic embrace, Kas willingly received the dark gift of vampirism.”
“You give me the evil eye? Perhaps you don’t believe me. Possibly you have heard that Kas became a vampire after his famous betrayal, as a result of being imprisoned in Vecna’s Citadel Cavitius, on an ash-covered world so cold that it freezes the very soul. That is what Vecna cultists quoting from the Scroll of Mauthereign would have you think, unwilling to admit that their lord so badly misplaced his trust twice. But is it so hard to believe that Vecna would choose to turn his most trusted warrior into a ‘lesser’ undead, in an attempt to satisfy Kas’s thirst for blood and ensure that he wouldn’t be tempted to steal the greater secrets of immortality?

Dragon 406

Spoiler

Dead Lord, Kaisharga, Lich: The mightiest of the city’s undead denizens, who were in life the council of high wizards who ruled Ur Draxa in Borys’s name, were transformed into kaisharga—what on other worlds are known as liches. Now calling themselves the Dead Lords, they pay homage to the Dragon and continue to rule in his name.

Dragon 415

Spoiler

Haunt of Phelhelra, Castle Gloom: The haunting that inhabits the Phelhelra is rumored to have been present for centuries, growing steadily stronger and “larger” as it widened its reach through the fortress. Other rumors claim it crept out of the “deep darkness beneath the mountains” or is the mad remains of the pasha’s vanished daughter Phelhele . . . but no rumor-offerer knows the truth.
Elminster knows rather more than Sarklan. To his eye, the haunt of Phelhelra is actually a rare, unnamed-in-written-lore form of undead akin to a caller in darkness, but of five or six times the size and strength of a typical one of that sort. Everything Sarklan says about fighting the creature is correct, and it is insubstantial and nigh transparent unless it wills itself to more visible and substantial shape—which it must do to drain life force, which requires direct contact (usually it “rushes through” a chosen victim) and is an act of will, not an automatic attack or property of contact.
A wizard who knows how—such as some Imaskari and more recent Halruaan mages, the former by experimentation and the latter by correctly interpreting and trying written Imaskari records—can embrace this form of undeath instead of lichdom. This sort of entity is anchored to a particular object or group of objects (in this case, Elminster guesses, specific magic items hidden by Veherak el Paeredrhal and not moved since), and so it remains in a particular place and can’t venture far, unless or until the item or items are moved.
Elminster advocates that since most of these undead are unique in their powers, each one be referred to according to where it lurks, so this one he calls “the Phelhelra.” Understanding that sages whose lives will never depend on the differences between specific hauntings created by this obscure process will inevitably desire a collective name for all such creatures, he suggests “castle gloom” or “tower gloom,” because although quite a few haunt and guard their own tombs, almost none of the places these undead are found are underground or unfortified.
Caller in Darkness: ?
Lich: ?

Dragon 416

Spoiler

Count Strahd von Zarovich: “Now, young one, we must start with the so-called first vampire. You’re right to be skeptical of the title. He’s unlikely to have been the first vampire to walk the world. On the other hand, it’s said he’s the first to be created by death itself. He certainly was the first vampire in his now famously tormented land, Barovia.”
“Strahd would not surrender, not even to death. No, he used his arcane powers to make a pact with death instead. On Sergei’s wedding day, Strahd sealed the pact by murdering his own brother.
“Tatyana fled from Strahd, refusing to hear his attempts to explain himself. The castle guards shot the count during his pursuit. Consumed in grief and horror, Tatyana threw herself from the battlements of Castle Ravenloft. She disappeared into the mists a thousand feet below.
“The count should have died from his wounds, like any normal man. But the pact saved his life, in a way of speaking. He did not die because he could not. He became undead. He became a vampire, and his wrath fell upon the entire wedding party.
Lord Soth, Death Knight: Finally, with her last breath, Isolde cast a curse upon her husband. “You will die this night in fire,” she cried, “even as your son and I die. But you will live eternally in darkness. You will live one life for every life that your folly has brought to an end this night!” With that, the flames engulfed Soth, charring his armor and searing his flesh. Soth witnessed the flames burning everything around him, wood and stone, cloth and iron. His retainers, loyal unto the end, attempted to flee, to no avail. None that were inside Dargaard Keep survived.
And yet the afterlife held no rest for Lord Loren Soth. Isolde’s curse would not let him truly die.
Shaking off the debris and ashes of his fallen home, the creature that once was Loren Soth arose, encased in his own armor. Of all the intricate designs that decorated the armor, only a single rose survived, blackened by the fire. As he came to learn, his divine powers, once fueled by Paladine, became terrible magics of death and hellfire.
Lord Soth, Death Knight, Lord of Sithicus: Finally, with her last breath, Isolde cast a curse upon her husband. “You will die this night in fire,” she cried, “even as your son and I die. But you will live eternally in darkness. You will live one life for every life that your folly has brought to an end this night!” With that, the flames engulfed Soth, charring his armor and searing his flesh. Soth witnessed the flames burning everything around him, wood and stone, cloth and iron. His retainers, loyal unto the end, attempted to flee, to no avail. None that were inside Dargaard Keep survived.
And yet the afterlife held no rest for Lord Loren Soth. Isolde’s curse would not let him truly die.
Shaking off the debris and ashes of his fallen home, the creature that once was Loren Soth arose, encased in his own armor. Of all the intricate designs that decorated the armor, only a single rose survived, blackened by the fire. As he came to learn, his divine powers, once fueled by Paladine, became terrible magics of death and hellfire.
Skeleton Warrior: Isolde’s curse spared no aspect of Soth’s life. His retainers, once loyal beyond reproach, turned into skeleton warriors.
Banshee: Isolde’s curse spared no aspect of Soth’s life. His retainers, once loyal beyond reproach, turned into skeleton warriors. Dargaard Keep became an ashen ruin, distorted by the fire and ravaged by the Cataclysm. Where once it was shaped like a beautiful rose, now it was blackened and crumbling like a wilted flower. And the priestesses that were so instrumental in Soth’s downfall were doomed to serve him as spectral banshees.
Rotting Zombie: In the days of Kalak’s reign, the vast majority of these undead were mindless hordes of rotting zombies, the victims of Kalak’s tyranny who were carelessly tossed into these catacombs to dispose of them.
Withering One: Of the undead that shamble through the undercity of Tyr, perhaps the most bizarre are the zombies that some have come to call the withering ones.
They were born (if such a term is appropriate) at the time when the city of Tyr was dying.
Back when Kalak was still alive and was preparing for his draconic apotheosis, the city of Tyr was awash in defiling magic. Whether the people knew it or not, their sorcerer-king was burning the life force out of the entire city. The living citizens above the ground in Tyr weren’t the only ones who suffered under the sorcerer-king’s greed. In the undercity, the still-rotting flesh of the undead creatures that roamed those catacombs was being affected as well.
Many of the zombies were ultimately destroyed by this prolonged exposure to Kalak’s defiling magic. A special few, however, reacted to the magic by seemingly absorbing it. Those that continued to shamble on after the sorcerer-king’s death had been transformed into zombies that now had defiling magic built into the very fabric of their being.
The withering ones are zombies that have been suffused with defiling magic.

Dragon 417

Spoiler

Kesod, Vampire: “But I’m getting ahead of myself. Not destroying the wand was just Kiaransalee’s first mistake. Her second and third were, arguably, allowing both of the dead mortals to be resurrected. She permitted the one named Erehe to be returned to his existence as a consort to a mortal priestess in the Vault of the Drow. The other one, Kestod, she reanimated as a vampire.
Tenebrous: “Some time after Orcus was vanquished—no one can seem to agree on how long—something stirred on the demon’s corpse as it floated in the Silver Void. That’s what you call the Astral Sea, you know, where the corpses of gods go to rot.
“Some portion of the corpse must have been infused with negative energy, because a new entity emerged—an undead god who opened his eyes and beheld his gaunt, shadowy form. By all reports, he looked like a creature that had been squeezed until all the light had been wrung out of him, leaving only darkness.
Visage: Tenebrous lacked the full power of a god and couldn’t resurrect his former servants, but he discovered that he could reanimate them. He created new undead horrors he called visages: demonic undead made of shadows and masks, able to control the perceptions of those around them and even to take on the forms and lives of their victims.

Dragon 420

Spoiler

Ghost: Still, extraordinary circumstances are required for a soul to refuse Letherna’s call and linger in the world. Often, a disembodied spirit resists moving on due to unfinished business in life: a crucial quest unfulfilled, a responsibility not upheld, a duty not honored. Like anchors, these memories weigh on the ghost and force it to remain, at least until whatever troubles it has been resolved.
The Shadowfell can also form ghosts from the newly dead. Shadow’s subtle influence can awaken memories, emotions, and sensations that quicken the spirit and prevent it from finding peace.
Finally, rare individuals with strong personalities, great magical power, or an extraordinary ability can cheat death through sheer force of will. They refuse to move on, unmoved by the Raven Queen’s demands.
Sudden, unexpected death can cause the soul to become disoriented, unwilling to believe it has died.
Player characters might become ghosts if they die before completing an important quest. Your commitment to the cause is too great to let death stop you.
Unusual situations can give rise to a character’s transformation into a ghost. For example, if you died on the Shadowfell, your soul might have become suffused with shadow energy. A vile spell might have ripped your soul from your body before death took you. Perhaps a curse barred your soul from its ultimate fate, dooming you to restless eternity unless you can find a way to escape or overcome the wicked magic.

Dragon 425

Spoiler

Tavern Spirit: When The Thrown Gauntlet fell to the Spellplague, dozens of people were crushed to death within it. For unfathomable reasons, the spirits of the dead were denied passage to the afterlife in the wake of the catastrophe.

Dragon 427

Spoiler

Undead: In the earliest days of creation, when gods still walked the land alongside mortals and the Dawn War had just begun, Nerull—a clever and ruthless human wizard—became one of the first nonelves to learn arcane magic from Corellon. His newfound power soon drew him into the war against the primordials. After one particularly gruesome battle, Nerull looked over the fields filled with corpses and cursed at those who had allowed themselves to pass into death, avoiding the duty of preserving creation against annihilation. Retreating back to his study, he spent months brooding over issues of mortality and the threat of the elementals.
During this withdrawal, the mage first began his studies of the dead and their uses. He discovered that death need not be the end of a body’s usefulness, and magical energy could bestow a semblance of life upon a lifeless corpse. He further determined that such magic could bind the soul to service, either in a body or without one. Rooted in Nerull’s desire for the fallen to rejoin the war against the primordials, these discoveries became the foundation for the necromancy school of magic.
Bound Soul: As a soul binder, you have bound a soul to your service. The soul might be that of an enemy whose torment you wish to prolong, a loved one whose company you wish to keep, or a friend whom you’re saving from a vile afterlife.
Nerull's Shade: Only a few places in the world remain consecrated to the Reaper—ancient temples hidden in the world’s deeps, domains of dread banished from the Shadowfell, and Necromanteion in the heart of Pluton. These are the places one is most likely to encounter the wandering shade of Nerull—a vestige of his former glory seeking the death of all living things.

Dragon 428

Spoiler

Orlak, The Night King, Vampire King of Westgate, Vampire: ?
Orbakh, Orlak II, Lord of the Zhentarim, Vampire: ?
Vampire: Still undead after many centuries, the one-time vampire king of Westgate Orlak found a terrible treasure beneath the city: a clone of the infamous Manshoon. He turned the clone into a vampire, but the creature turned upon him and for a time assumed his mantle as Orlak II before changing his name to Orbakh. With the aid of the Night King’s regalia (a magic cup called the Argraal, an animated dagger called the Flying Fangs, and the Maguscepter of Myntharan), Orbakh seized control of the Night Masks, allied with the Fire Knives, ensorcelled or turned many nobles into vampires, and soon dominated most of Westgate from the shadows.
The nameless vampire crimelords who operate the Night Masks hide their identities behind eye masks, and their names are known to few other than their creator, Kirenkirsalai.
Some years ago, an heir of House Vhammos led a delving crew in search of access to a rival house’s vault and broke through into the forgotten House of Steel, a temple to the ravager god Garagos. The temple’s old defenses—animated swords and various undead guardians—slaughtered most of the heir’s party and left him dying. The Night King came upon him and turned him into a vampire to join the Night Masters.
Kirenkirsalai, Kire, Tebryn “Shadowstalker” Dhialael, Vampire Lord: The half-drow Tebryn “Shadowstalker” Dhialael was once a lowly member of the guild in the 1340s and 50s until a duel with a rival forced him to flee underground. He spent almost a decade as a slave in the drow city of Sschindylryn until he escaped and returned to his ancestral home, only to fall prey to Orbakh’s Flying Fangs. Now a vampire, Tebryn became one of Orbakh’s Night Court, where his extensive experience with the guild proved invaluable.
Twilight Knight, Vengeance, Vampire: ?
Duke of Shadows, Vampire: ?
Duchess of Death, Vampire: ?
Duke of Whispers, Vampire: ?
Count of Coins, Vampire: ?
Countess of Storms, Vampire: ?
Vampire: ?
Kannoth, Vampire Lord of Cendriane: ?

Dragon 429

Spoiler

Dragon Tooth Warrior: Dragon Tooth magic item.
Undead: In fantasy, undeath can afflict almost anything that once lived. Some creatures choose undeath, and others have it forced on them. Some pass into undeath very soon after dying, and others might lie in their graves for centuries before rising again. An undead creature might loathe its current form or not even recognize its own passing. Someone who died during the height of an ancient empire and lay dead through centuries of downfall and social collapse—perhaps even triggered that collapse during their lifetime—would arise into a very puzzling world.

Dragon Teeth
All dragons venerate the dragon gods, with metallic dragons usually worshiping Bahamut and chromatic dragons following Tiamat. Although these gods favor all their children, some dragons rise in the gods’ esteem and find a place more directly in their service as guardians of sites important to the god. Dragon teeth are mythic relics from a bygone age or the teeth from a dragon that protected a site sacred to a dragon god. Such teeth are highly sought for their power to create skeletal warriors. When used, the tooth sinks into the ground and six skeletal warriors spring into existence nearby.
Dragon Tooth Level 15 Rare
This blackened fang of exceptional size vibrates with power.
Consumable 1,500 gp
Utility Power ✦ Consumable (Minor Action)
Effect: Area burst 2 within 10. Six dragon tooth warriors appear in unoccupied spaces in the area. If you succeed on a DC 25 Arcana check, the dragon tooth warriors become allies to you and your allies, and you decide how they act and move on each of their turns. On a failure, the dragon tooth warriors become enemies to all creatures present in the encounter, and although each warrior is most likely to attack the creature nearest it, the DM controls the warriors.

Dungeon 4e

Spoiler

Dungeon 155

Spoiler

Zombie Hulk: ?
Blazing Skeleton: ?
Undead: The Warwood’s gnarled trees, tangled thickets, and lonesomeness would cause anyone to think it haunted—even without its restless dead. Those who died in the brief conflict after Sir Malagant and the Sleeper in the Tomb of Dreams killed one another still linger in the forest. The battle after the generals’ deaths broke the compact they had made about their final battle, and the souls of those who died in those battles are cursed by the Raven Queen to remain in the Warwood forever.
Sleeper's Skeletal Warhorse: ?
Chillborn Zombie: ?
Ghoul: ?
Hanged One: Hanged ones can be created with dark rituals, but they often arise spontaneously in areas of concentrated evil when the bodies of slain innocents have been hanged or strangled.
Tortured Skeleton: ?
Beholder Zombie: The zombie beholder lacks eyes. As a reanimated former cultist of That Which Waits Beyond the Stars, all its eyes have been removed.
Lost Wraith: Any humanoid killed by a lost wraith rises as a free-willed lost wraith at the start of its creator’s next turn, appearing in the space where it died (or in the nearest unoccupied space). Raising the slain creature (using the Raise Dead ritual) does not destroy the spawned wraith.
Zombie Rotter: During the tragedy that saw Shadowfell Keep deserted, several soldiers hid the Keep’s noncombatants in a pair of rarely-used rooms. The men then walled themselves and their wards into the chambers for safety. With plenty of food, they thought themselves safe. The soldiers realized too late that they had sealed themselves into a tomb. Their disappearance was marked up to the mad paladin.
Today, the dead innocents stir. The enchantment that roused the ghoul in Encounter 17 of Shadowfell Keep also made monsters of these ancient warriors and servants.
Maw: ?
Zombie Soldier: During the tragedy that saw Shadowfell Keep deserted, several soldiers hid the Keep’s noncombatants in a pair of rarely-used rooms. The men then walled themselves and their wards into the chambers for safety. With plenty of food, they thought themselves safe. The soldiers realized too late that they had sealed themselves into a tomb. Their disappearance was marked up to the mad paladin.
Today, the dead innocents stir. The enchantment that roused the ghoul in Encounter 17 of Shadowfell Keep also made monsters of these ancient warriors and servants.

Dungeon 156

Spoiler

Specter: ?
Ghoul: ?
Zombie: ?
Deathlock Wight: ?
Boneshard Skeleton: ?
Decrepit Skeleton: ?
Jacobux Kincep, Ghost: In life, Jaccobux was a wizard and a professional adventurer. He developed a thirst for knowledge in his old age and became a prodigious collector of books. He read avidly right up until the moment of his death, and his deep regret that he had so many books left to read held him in the mortal world as a ghost.
Greater Ghoul: ?
Abyssal Ghoul Pack Leader: ?
Cali, Vampire Lord: ?
Vampire Spawn Bloodhunter: ?
Guardian Statue: ?
Mad Wraith: Any humanoid killed by a mad wraith rises as a free-willed mad wraith at the start of its creator’s next turn, appearing in the space where it died (or in the nearest unoccupied space). Raising the slain creature (using the Raise Dead ritual) does not destroy the spawned wraith.
Minotaur Skeleton: ?
Blazing Skeleton: ?

Dungeon 157

Spoiler

Skahlton Gairg, Slaughter Wight: Killed by the bone nagas, the three were subsequently raised as horrid undead by the necromancer Eibon.
Miner Battle Wight: Killed by the bone nagas, the three were subsequently raised as horrid undead by the necromancer Eibon.
Bone Naga Guardian: ?
Skeletal Tomb Guardian: ?
Flameskull: ?
Boneclaw Guardian: ?

Dungeon 158

Spoiler

Wraith: Any humanoid killed by a wraith rises as a free-willed wraith at the start of its creator’s next turn, appearing in the space where it died (or in the nearest unoccupied space). Raising the slain creature (using the Raise Dead ritual) does not destroy the spawned wraith.
Seething Wraith: Any humanoid killed by a seething wraith rises as a free-willed seething wraith at the start of its creator’s next turn, appearing in the space where it died (or in the nearest unoccupied space). Raising the slain creature (using the Raise Dead ritual) does not destroy the spawned wraith.
Mad Wraith: Any humanoid killed by a mad wraith rises as a free-willed mad wraith at the start of its creator’s next turn, appearing in the space where it died (or in the nearest unoccupied space). Raising the slain creature (using the Raise Dead ritual) does not destroy the spawned wraith.
Specter: ?
Undead: Hamona, a grim place that has already been terrorized by the Cult of Vecna. All the survivors in the village are missing their left hand and eye and are extremely distrustful of outsiders. The inhabitants of Hamona are also under a curse placed upon them by the cult in which they become undead creatures at nightfall.
Corruption Corpse: Hamona, a grim place that has already been terrorized by the Cult of Vecna. All the survivors in the village are missing their left hand and eye and are extremely distrustful of outsiders. The inhabitants of Hamona are also under a curse placed upon them by the cult in which they become undead creatures at nightfall.
Zombie Rotter: Hamona, a grim place that has already been terrorized by the Cult of Vecna. All the survivors in the village are missing their left hand and eye and are extremely distrustful of outsiders. The inhabitants of Hamona are also under a curse placed upon them by the cult in which they become undead creatures at nightfall.
Deathlock Wight: Hamona, a grim place that has already been terrorized by the Cult of Vecna. All the survivors in the village are missing their left hand and eye and are extremely distrustful of outsiders. The inhabitants of Hamona are also under a curse placed upon them by the cult in which they become undead creatures at nightfall.

Dungeon 159

Spoiler

Rukaleth, Blackfire Dracolich: ?
Larva Mage: ?
Holy Ziggurat Slinger: ?
Holy Ziggurat Guardian: ?
Undead Gibbering Abominations: ?
Ziggurat Ghost: ?
Ancient Ziggurat Mummy: ?
Betrayer Spirit Reaver: They’re evil guardians bound here against their will for crimes they committed in life.
Betrayer Wight: They’re evil guardians bound here against their will for crimes they committed in life.
Voidsoul Specter: They’re evil guardians bound here against their will for crimes they committed in life.
Sebacean Mutant Treant: ?
Sebacean Mutant Nightwalkers: ?
Chillborn Zombie: The chillborn zombie was once the mine-thane of Karak, killed with the rest of his people and raised to undeath by the lingering power of the elemental energy in this area.

Dungeon 160

Spoiler

Cyclops Rambler Zombie: The necromancer gestures at the cyclops’s corpse and says, “In the name of Orcus, return to fight again!” The corpse lurches back to its feet.
Drow Necromancer Zombify power.
Great Flameskull: ?
Darkland Voidsoul Specter: ?
Dread Wraith: Any humanoid killed by a dread wraith rises as a free-willed dread wraith at the start of its creator’s next turn, appearing in the space where it died (or in the nearest unoccupied space). Raising the slain creature (using the Raise Dead ritual) does not destroy the spawned wraith.

R Zombify (minor; at-will)
Ranged 20; target a cyclops rambler that has been reduced to 0 hit points or fewer. It becomes a cyclops rambler zombie, and is now alive with full hit points (but still prone). Roll initiative for the creature.

Dungeon 161

Spoiler

Rathoraiax: The animated body of Rathoraiax.
Vlaakith, Githyanki Lich-Queen: ?
Warped Ghoul: ?
Warped Grimlock Zombie: ?
Plague-Changed Ghoul King: ?
Dark Pact Ghoul Initiate: ?
Plague-Changed Ghoul Eater: ?

Dungeon 162

Spoiler

Kalan the Avenger: The undead here were once dwarves, but they have awoken in death from their tomb’s violation—an act not even the hag would have dared.
Skeletal Hammerers: The undead here were once dwarves, but they have awoken in death from their tomb’s violation—an act not even the hag would have dared.
Murat, Ghost: ?
False Sir Keegan, Sir Drzak the Death Knight: ?
Risengard of Drzak: ?
Tormenting Ghost: ?
Great Flameskull: ?
Sir Keegan: ?
Desecration: ?
Dread Wraith: Any humanoid killed by a dread wraith rises as a free-willed dread wraith at the start of its creator’s next turn, appearing in the space where it died (or in the nearest unoccupied space). Raising the slain creature (using the Raise Dead ritual) does not destroy the spawned wraith.
Tomb Guardian Thrall: ?

Dungeon 163

Spoiler

Skull Lord Servitor: ?
Battle Wight Bodyguard: ?
Wailing Ghost, Banshee: ?
Lingering Specter: ?
Ghost Harpy: ?
Marrowshriek Skeleton: ?
Keening Spirit: ?
Elomir: Elomir returned from death “by the Blood Lord.”
In death, Elomir made a deal with Orcus—a deal for immortality, power, and revenge.
Boneclaw: ?
Horde Ghoul: ?
Icetomb Wight: ?
Icewight: The combination of extreme cold, dark history, and proximity to the Shadowfell produces icewights.
Icewights arise from the bodies of depraved folk who died in frigid places touched by shadow.
Icewight Castellan: ?
Mummy Lord: ?
Blightfire Wretch: ?
Immolith: ?
Meat Mote: Malachi's Butcher's Spew Meat Mote power.
Malachi's Butcher: Malachi’s experiments with the Far Realm have born strange necromantic fruit in his creation of the monstrosity that lives and works here.
Oblivion Wraith: Any humanoid killed by an oblivion wraith rises as a free-willed oblivion wraith at the start of its creator’s next turn, appearing in the space where it died (or in the nearest unoccupied space). Raising the slain creature (using the Raise Dead ritual) does not destroy the spawned wraith.
Sword Wraith: Any humanoid killed by a sword wraith rises as a free-willed sword wraith at the start of its creator’s next turn, appearing in the space where it died (or in the nearest unoccupied space). Raising the slain creature (using the Raised Dead ritual) does not destroy the spawned wraith.
Shattered Wraith: ?

Spew Meat Mote (minor; at-will)
Malachi’s butcher takes 10 damage. A meat mote appears in a square of the butcher’s choice within 2 squares. It acts right after the butcher. The butcher can have only four active meat motes at a time.

Dungeon 164

Spoiler

Woodcutter's Ghost: The original owner is no more. For a while, he helped the Patriarch in the old castle ruin by waylaying and drugging travelers, but guilt drove him to suicide. Death offered him no escape though, and his spirit lingers still—a dark, twisted thing.
Horde Ghoul: ?
Bone Scribe: The Vault of Knowledge was once a library of Ioun hidden beneath the ancient temple in Auger. When the city was destroyed, the sages were trapped inside and never rescued.
Bone Archivist: The Vault of Knowledge was once a library of Ioun hidden beneath the ancient temple in Auger. When the city was destroyed, the sages were trapped inside and never rescued.
Bone Sage: Bone sages are remnants of evil academics and scribes, lingering in their thirst for knowledge.

Dungeon 165

Spoiler

Vrak Tiburcaex, Phantom Dragonborn: ?
Dragonborn Specter: ?
Zombie: ?
Decrepit Skeleton: ?
Poltergeist: The Lost Secrets Library is a dangerous place, and the chamber that contains Holman’s Treatise on the Imbuement and Maintenance of Armed Conflict Training Mannequins is no exception. It contains the vengeful ghosts of three White Lotus students who died there in a tragedy now forgotten.

Dungeon 166

Spoiler

Howling Spirit: ?
Blackroot Treant: ?
Zombie Rotter: Jeras Falck took his revenge by turning the dead guards into zombies that now wander the hill.
Cauldron Corpse: The cauldron is bolted to the floor and filled with necrotic filth (DC 15 Arcana to identify the danger). Any living creature that touches the tarlike substance takes 1d8 necrotic damage.
Tossing a green, red, white, or blue goblin skull into the cauldron causes two cauldron corpses to rise up from within and attack.
Boneshard Mongrel: ?
Skeleton Archer: ?

Dungeon 167

Spoiler

Bone Worm: ?
Tomb Mote Swarm: ?
Forge Wisp Wraith: Forge wisp wraiths are individual spirits that failed to join together to form a forgewraith.
Haestus d'Cannith, Forgewraith: “I am something between living and dead, and greater than either. My power in life allowed my spirit to remain kindled even in death. I am a soul alight with the forge’s fire.”
Forgewraith: A forgewraith is an undead humanoid whose spirit was extinguished and rekindled in the fires of a furnace or forge.
Forgewraiths are born in the fires that feed arcane industry.
Most forgewraiths form when numerous humanoids die in a fiery disaster on a developed site. The souls pass on, but the pain and fire mixes with unleashed magic to form a humanoid spirit of monstrous hate.
Although most forgewraiths are amalgams of several spirits instead of a truly sentient and souled undead, some are more like a ghost or specter. Such forgewraiths retain a soul and a personality—frequently that of a person who was evil in life.
Ghost: ?
Specter: ?
Githyanki Shade: The resting place of the honored dead of Chanhiir was the sight of a last stand by the temple’s faithful. When the invaders pulled down this place in the aftermath, they drew forth the vengeful spirits of the githyanki warriors interred here.
Githyanki Guardian Shade: ?

Dungeon 168

Spoiler

Mother, Bone Naga: ?
Githyanki Blackweaver: ?
Githyanki Dread Knight: ?
Slaughter Wight: ?
Tormenting Ghost: ?
Wrath Spirit: ?
Spine of Vlaakith: When Zetch’r’r came to power, the githyanki believed the Lich-Queen was well and truly dead. However, the new emperor discovered that a piece of her remained: her spine. Through dread magic, Zetch’r’r bound her spirit to the spine and extracted oaths of service from it, transforming the dead Lich-Queen into a form of demilich.
Sword Wraith Attendant: ?
Winterdeath Dracolich: ?
Kriyizoth Fire Mage: ?
Tlaikith Forlorn: ?
Caller in Darkness: The undead creature formed from the terrified githyanki executed in this awful room.

Dungeon 169

Spoiler

Wraith: Any humanoid killed by a wraith rises as a free-willed wraith at the start of its creator’s next turn, appearing in the space where it died (or in the nearest unoccupied space). Raising the slain creature (using the Raise Dead ritual) does not destroy the spawned wraith.
Specter: ?
Lich: ?
Agara of the Shadow Face: When Agera of the Shadow Face won the battle against her fellows, she retreated to the vault chamber and lay down to “sleep” with the Wrathstone around her neck. Decades later, Agera yet sleeps, though her body died long ago. Her mind, however, is tied to the Wrathstone. If this chamber is invaded, Agera awakens to defend it, as insane as ever.
Infernal Armor Animus: ?
Shade of Fallen Hero: The shadowy figures are the trapped souls of the departed. Something is keeping them from escaping to their proper afterlife.
Lich, Belos: ?
Skeleton: ?
Zombie: ?
Wraith: ?
Undead: The fey fought the living dead, but Belos’s power was so great that he first blotted out the sun and then laid a curse upon the land. Each fallen fey sprang back up as an undead beast.

Dungeon 170

Spoiler

Arantor: ?
Kas the Betrayer: ?
Vecna: ?
Callophage Vampire: The “woman” is a callophage vampire created by a ritual known to her master, Kas the Betrayer.
Disfigured Vampire: ?
Gwenth, Vampire: ?
Rolain, Vampire: ?
Desecration: The animate force behind a graveyard full of traitors, turncoats, and other betrayers.
Abhorrent Reaper: Undead that Arantor ritually created shortly after awaking in Monadhan.
Betrayer Wight: Undead that Arantor ritually created shortly after awaking in Monadhan.
Void Lich: ?
Caller in Darkness: ?
Tormenting Ghost: ?

Dungeon 171

Spoiler

Arantor, Undead Dragon Dark Lord of Monadhan: ?
Kas the Betrayer: ?
Vecna, The Spider Lord: ?
Botched Witherling: ?
Blackroot Treant: ?
Blackstar Knight: ?
Rithkerrar, Aspect of Vecna: ?
Abhorrent Reaper: ?
Naiethar Traihel: She was once a powerful dryad, but Irfelujhar’s corruption of the forest transformed her into a lich.
Tormenting Ghost: ?
Famine Spirit: ?
Voidsoul Specter: ?
Great Flameskull: ?
Lich Vestige: This trash-filled chamber serves as the lair for one of the liches drained of its essence to power Irfelujhar’s research.
The husks of lesser lichs drained of their essence to power Irfelujhar’s research.
Uthnis Maiali: ?
Dread Wraith: Any humanoid killed by a dread wraith rises as a free-willed dread wraith at the start of its creator’s next turn, appearing in the space where it died (or in the nearest unoccupied space). Raising the slain creature (using the Raise Dead ritual) does not destroy the spawned wraith.
Death Knight: ?
Abyssal Ghoul Myrmidon: ?
Nightwalker: ?
Larva Mage: ?
Irfelujhar: ?

Dungeon 172

Spoiler

Terraghul: Formed from the Abyssal dirt of Thanatos when Codricuhn passed through Orcus’s demesne ages ago, these fiends now skulk about the many spheres orbiting around their demonic master.
Many demons are creatures of flesh and blood, whose unceasing hatred and violence drives them to horrific acts of evil. In places where the Elemental Chaos gives way to the Abyss, however, the connections between demons and other elemental creatures become clearer. The Abyss’s innate maliciousness washes against the elemental shores and infuses it with cruelty and evil, spawning new demons from the malleable substance of creation. One such creature is the terraguhl.

Dungeon 173

Spoiler

Undead Beholder: ?
Undead Soldier: Impetuous as a youth, Aelmedrion hunted down necromantic rituals in libraries throughout the Astral Sea. As the dragon and his followers enacted these rituals, the graves of Nerathi soldiers opened up, and their occupants walked the land.
Torven “The Ageless” d'Medani: Undying in one of the only ways the cult offers immortality, this leader is a vampire.
Vampire Spawn Life-Thief: Torven also has personal servants to whom he has granted eternal life—vampire spawn life-thieves—but these can withstand far less punishment than their master.
Wrath Spirit: ?

Dungeon 174

Spoiler

Sliver Wraith Seeker: ?
Sliver Wraith Guardian: ?
Abyssal Rotlord: ?
Gibbering Heads: A collection of the Horseman’s prior victims.
Cursing Heads: A collection of the Horseman’s prior victims.
Headless Horseman: Finally, his men found the beast’s nest. With great fanfare, the Horseman and his entourage set out to rid Tranquility of their tormenter. For two days, the villagers waited, fretting and worrying, hopeful and afraid.
Tranquility erupted in jubilation when the Horseman and most of his men returned. And though they were bloodied and bruised, the three reptilian heads they carried left no doubt that they were victorious.
For weeks more the Horseman stayed, getting to know the people, walking with Talitha through fields and gardens. Slowly his men returned to their homes, but the Horseman remained.
Eli van Hassen could take it no longer, yet neither could he simply order the Horseman banished or slain. He would have to turn the people against their savior, and that he could not undertake alone.
Talitha wept and argued, yet in the end, she acquiesced. It never crossed her mind to disobey, for she feared the loss of her own status within Tranquility—and in agreeing to her father’s demands, she sealed not merely the Horseman’s fate, but her own as well.
The following day, as he walked with Talitha through one of the van Hassen farms, the Horseman was set upon by a dozen of Eli’s guards. The Horseman swept up a rusty sickle that lay beside the barn and fought, slaying several before they overwhelmed him by weight of numbers.
Before the gathered villagers, growing ever more puzzled, ever angrier, the guards dragged the battered Horseman to a block of wood. There, at her father’s behest, Talitha told the people horrid lies, claiming the Horseman had taken terrible advantage, ravished her by force during their walks.
Eli waited until the crowd was utterly enraged before he waved his guards forward. Even as he screamed his innocence and begged Talitha to recant, the Horseman was forced down upon the wooden block. One guard raised a heavy axe, and the head of Tranquility’s beloved hero tumbled across the grass.
The corpse was unceremoniously dumped in a shallow grave beside the river, and as the villagers returned to daily life, bitterly bemoaning their “betrayal,” that should have been the end of it.
One week passed. Through a ceiling of clouds, the crescent moon gleamed a sickly blue. The folk of Tranquility retired early that evening, for the air smelled of a coming storm.
Yet what swept over them that night was not rain and lightning, but fog. The mists crept furtively through Tranquility, filling the streets, sending prodding fingers through doors and windows. The world ceased to be, buried under featureless gray.
A sudden, unending thunder deep within the fog resolved itself into the beating of a thousand hooves. Through the streets and fields of Tranquility they pounded, deafening in their fury, yet the villagers could see nothing moving in the mist.
When they emerged the following dawn, the villagers found their crops and gardens trampled under uncountable hoof-prints. The gates of the van Hassen estate hung from broken hinges, and the manor lay desolate, covered in the dust of decades. Eli and Talitha were never seen again. Neither was the estate staff, save a few who’d been elsewhere that night.
And the grave of the Horseman gaped open, a wound in the banks of the river.

Ghost: ?
Wraith: ?

Dungeon 175

Spoiler

Dread Wraith Assassin: ?
Dread Wraith: Any humanoid killed by a dread wraith assassin rises as a free-willed dread wraith at the start of its creator’s next turn, appearing in the space where it died (or in the nearest unoccupied space). Raising the slain creature (using the Raise Dead ritual) does not destroy the spawned wraith.
Vampire Lord Dragonborn: ?
Deathshrieker: ?
Lich Castellan Wizard: ?
Dread Bonespitter: Tiamat has suffused the brood mother’s chamber with necrotic energy, hoping to create half-alive, half-undead hatchlings.
Runescribed Dracolich, Consort of Tiamat: ?
Shard Slave: The shard slave, a remnant of Xennul trapped in the shrine.
Undead: Living spells ignore the ubiquitous undead spawned from the warriors slain on the Day of Mourning.
Bear Corpse: ?
Gravehound: ?

Dungeon 176

Spoiler

Undead: It takes place in a small forest near the King’s Wall, in a long-abandoned temple dedicated to the worship of the demon prince Orcus. The temple has been given a new and dire purpose by a Chaos Shard from the great meteor. This shard radiates dark energy capable of reanimating the dead, and its power has been strengthened by the lingering evil of the demon prince’s temple. Each night, the shard fills the surrounding forest with the siren call of dark power, causing the many corpses in the Chaos Scar to stir.
The characters should recognize the black gem around Garvus’ neck as a meteor fragment. They can learn more about its function and purpose with a DC 15 Arcana or Religion check. For each successful skill check the characters make, give them one of the following pieces of information.
F This shard radiates staggering amounts of necromantic energy, easily enough to animate the dead within the rectory.
F The shard’s power is likely strengthened by the lingering energy in the temple of Orcus.
F The shard’s power, like many evil items and creatures, is stronger at night.
F Undead may be drawn to the energy produced by the shard.
Zombie Adventurer: Doran Underhelm and his mercenary group Doran’s Daggers decided to spend the night in the temple rectory after a fruitless exploration of the temple. When night fell, the necroshard’s power was unleashed and Garvus’ animated corpse slew them all.
Garvus Harbane, Deathlock Wight: After leading the cult for many years, Garvus sought to prolong his life through a dangerous necromantic ritual a few years ago. However, he foolishly used the necroshard as the ritual’s focus and unleashed a wave of raw energy that killed him and every living creature in the temple. Although a catastrophic and lethal failure for Garvus, his ritual increased the potential power of the necroshard tenfold. Each night since, the shard has slowly been growing in power. The necroshard’s power is at its strongest at night, when it saturates the surrounding area with the power of death. This necromantic energy has been slowly building, feeding on the many deaths in the Scar over the years.
The trapdoor in the northern end of the temple interior leads to a small rectory that once served as the personal quarters of the temple’s high priests. It was here Garvus Harbane performed the ritual that claimed his life and the lives of his followers so many years ago. His corpse, withered and all but mummified, is still here, the necroshard hanging from its shriveled neck.
Although the corpses in the forest will animate tonight for the first time, the corpse of Garvus Harbane, due to its close proximity to the necroshard, has been animating each night for the past few weeks as a deathlock wight.
Shard Zombie: The zombie that ends up with the necroshard is instantly transformed into a shard zombie.
Zombie Soldier: After leading the cult for many years, Garvus sought to prolong his life through a dangerous necromantic ritual a few years ago. However, he foolishly used the necroshard as the ritual’s focus and unleashed a wave of raw energy that killed him and every living creature in the temple. Although a catastrophic and lethal failure for Garvus, his ritual increased the potential power of the necroshard tenfold. Each night since, the shard has slowly been growing in power. The necroshard’s power is at its strongest at night, when it saturates the surrounding area with the power of death. This necromantic energy has been slowly building, feeding on the many deaths in the Scar over the years. Tonight, the corpses of the Scar will rise as an army of zombies.
Zombie Rotter: After leading the cult for many years, Garvus sought to prolong his life through a dangerous necromantic ritual a few years ago. However, he foolishly used the necroshard as the ritual’s focus and unleashed a wave of raw energy that killed him and every living creature in the temple. Although a catastrophic and lethal failure for Garvus, his ritual increased the potential power of the necroshard tenfold. Each night since, the shard has slowly been growing in power. The necroshard’s power is at its strongest at night, when it saturates the surrounding area with the power of death. This necromantic energy has been slowly building, feeding on the many deaths in the Scar over the years. Tonight, the corpses of the Scar will rise as an army of zombies.
Gravehound: After leading the cult for many years, Garvus sought to prolong his life through a dangerous necromantic ritual a few years ago. However, he foolishly used the necroshard as the ritual’s focus and unleashed a wave of raw energy that killed him and every living creature in the temple. Although a catastrophic and lethal failure for Garvus, his ritual increased the potential power of the necroshard tenfold. Each night since, the shard has slowly been growing in power. The necroshard’s power is at its strongest at night, when it saturates the surrounding area with the power of death. This necromantic energy has been slowly building, feeding on the many deaths in the Scar over the years. Tonight, the corpses of the Scar will rise as an army of zombies.
Boneyard Zombie: ?
Grave Hunger Zombie: ?

Dungeon 177

Spoiler

Husk Spider: ?
Abyssal Ghoul: ?
Immolith: ?
Shattered Soul: ?
Angel Corpse Animated With Demon Soul: Beneath the keep, also contained within the maze that can lead into the Elemental Chaos, Dantus keeps a group of monstrosities: corpses of angels animated with the souls of demons, and vice versa. The nature of the undead spirits has warped the dead, immortal flesh they wear, and they are one of Kaius Dantus’s ongoing experiments. Some are mad, and some have displayed powers not seen in either breed of creature alone.
Angel of Valorous Death: Kaius has turned legions of angels into shadows of their former selves in an effort to perfect the process.
Angel of Eternal Protection: An angel of protection brought to death and back again, the angel of eternal protection is an effective personal guardian.
Balor Husk: When a captive balor hovers near death, a ritual can free the Abyssal energy that gives it power and strength while pinning the animus in place. It becomes an animate husk of a balor—a corpse walking with just enough power to crush its master’s enemies.

Dungeon 178

Spoiler

Infernal Armor Animus: ?

Dungeon 179

Spoiler

Lygis, The Black Cloud: ?

Dungeon 181

Spoiler

Undead: The intense hatred and violence of that final conflict between House Madar and House Tsalaxa had an unexpected effect. It animated the dead of both houses, condemning their lifeless flesh and trapped souls to serve as eternal guardians for the vault for the rest of eternity.
Zombie: This cavern was the scene of a heated battle, and the remnants of that battle are strewn about the place. Over one hundred years ago, what remained of House Madar battled a group of House Tsalaxa assassins. The battle claimed the lives of everyone involved, and the intense hatred borne of the battle has reanimated the dead as zombies and skeletons.
The leader of the House Tsalaxa assassins dabbled in defiler magic and was animated as a dread black reaver zombie. His lieutenant and minions followed their leader’s path to undeath and were animated as zombies in his service.
Skeleton: This cavern was the scene of a heated battle, and the remnants of that battle are strewn about the place. Over one hundred years ago, what remained of House Madar battled a group of House Tsalaxa assassins. The battle claimed the lives of everyone involved, and the intense hatred borne of the battle has reanimated the dead as zombies and skeletons.
The leader of House Madar’s forces was a lesser scion of the Madar line and was an accomplished archer and swordsman. He and his men returned to unlife as skeletons in an undead mockery of the soldiers they’d once been.
Black Reaver Zombie: The leader of the House Tsalaxa assassins dabbled in defiler magic and was animated as a dread black reaver zombie.
Decrepit Skeleton: ?
Dyneera Madar, Weeping Wraith: This chamber was originally intended to house the remains of Darom Madar’s wife and two eldest sons, all slain by House Tsalaxa assassins. In the century that has passed since their deaths, the spirits of the three have become restless and have risen as ghostly abominations.
Wisp Wraith: In addition to the ghostly undead, a more subtle danger awaits intruders. The obelisk in the center of the room is scribed with the names of each and every member of House Madar, stretching back to the founding of the house. It has become a kind of battery for the rage and sorrow of House Madar’s last days. The obelisk leeches negative emotions from living creatures to generate dangerous quasi-undead known as wisp wraiths.
Darom Madar, Lesser Oath Wight: Darom Madar did not escape the fate of the rest of his house. He was wounded in the battle with House Tsalaxa assassins but managed to seal himself in the treasure chamber before succumbing to his wounds. He also did not escape the fate of those who died within the vault and has become an undead horror fueled by rage and hatred.
The monster Darom Madar has become is called an oath wight, a creature animated by a twisted sense of duty to a task left unfinished or interrupted. He has waited here in the dark and the dust for over a century and is quite eager to inflict his all-consuming rage and sense of loss on the living.
Oath Wight: The monster Darom Madar has become is called an oath wight, a creature animated by a twisted sense of duty to a task left unfinished or interrupted.
Ghoul: ?

Dungeon 182

Spoiler

Grasping Zombie: ?
Skeleton: Anarus Kalton animated several skeletons to stand guard against tomb robbers.
Decrepit Skeleton: Anarus Kalton animated several skeletons to stand guard against tomb robbers.
Specter: ?
Ghost of Anarus Kalton: After Traevus murdered Anarus, the necromancer’s ghost appeared in his treasure vault where he stored his most prized possessions.
Bonewretch Skeleton: ?
Shuffling Zombie: ?

Dungeon 183

Spoiler

Yarnath Mul Lich: Slither, the Crawling Citadel
A mul defiler named Yarnath created this crawling citadel of bone. Yarnath drained his own life in the process to animate the construction, passed into undeath, and became a powerful lich.
Feasting Zombie: ?
Black Reaver Zombie: ?
Salt Zombie: When Yarnath is busy with other projects, however, the captives brought here perish from starvation or predation from the cell keeper ssurran dune mystic and its two belgoi hunter guards. For that reason, the barred portion of the level contains only rotting bodies and a couple of salt zombies that spontaneously formed from the dead captives in this chamber, thanks to Slither’s undead ambience.
A few randomly animated salt zombies lie among the corpses near the bottom of the drop shaft.
Green Arcanian: In the central chamber of the laboratory level is a green arcanian; a corpse that Yarnath animated with a defiling acid spell.
Dread Guardian: ?
Scarecrow Horror: A terrible oni witch that lived in a cave of mirrors once caught seven thieves looting her belongings. To teach them a lesson, this oni disemboweled one of them and stuffed a sackcloth effigy with its entrails; she hooked the thief ’s face onto the effigy’s shoulders and animated the thing with dark magic. When the oni turned her creation on its former companions, they fled in terror throughout her cave. But confounded by the mirrors she had set up, they became lost.
In the end, seven gruesome scarecrows writhed beside the cave entrance, pinned to the stone with iron spikes, their dead human faces possessing black buttons where their eyes once had been.

Dungeon 184

Spoiler

Ghoul: Three weeks ago, a young farmer named Darien uncovered a jagged shard of bone while working his fields just outside the city of Hampstead. He pocketed it as an idle curiosity, since the shard seemed to glimmer as if polished, despite the number of cuts and notches that it bore.
An idle curiosity it was not, tragically. The shard was a bit of planar detritus, fallen through the weave of reality to come to rest in the fields near Hampstead. It originated in the stygian depths of the Abyss, in the domain known as the White Kingdom, which is situated within the hellish realm of Thanatos. There the shard had once been part of an unfortunate victim or foolish crusader who met a terrible end at the hands of Doresain, the Ghoul King, Lord of the White Kingdom, and exarch of the demon lord Orcus. After a perfunctory feasting, gnawing, and cracking, Doresain discarded the shattered, leftover remains in short order, but even this passing contact was sufficient to imbue them with a spark of the warping power of the Abyss and an echo, however pale, of the Ghoul King’s immortal hunger.
Soon after finding the shard, Darien was plagued with vivid, gruesome nightmares of flashing teeth, bloody flesh, and an unspeakable hunger as ravenous as it was ageless. The unrelenting visions drove him to seek help as they besieged even his waking mind with terrible images and horrific urges, but he found no respite. After weeks of sanity-sapping mental and spiritual strain, the vile influence proved the stronger, sweeping away all that Darien was in a single, terrifying night of brutal slaughter and depraved feasting as the beast that had been Darien fell upon Hampstead. Twisted by the power of the shard, those he slew shuddered into cursed unlife and hurled themselves at those who had once been their friends and families in a frantic attempt to sate an eternal hunger. In that single night, nearly the entire population was turned or ripped to bloody, screaming shreds, leaving only a handful of desperate survivors to be dragged, thrashing, from their bolt holes in the ensuing days. Soon, only the wailing howls of the risen ghouls sounded over Hampstead.
Risen Ghoul: Three weeks ago, a young farmer named Darien uncovered a jagged shard of bone while working his fields just outside the city of Hampstead. He pocketed it as an idle curiosity, since the shard seemed to glimmer as if polished, despite the number of cuts and notches that it bore.
An idle curiosity it was not, tragically. The shard was a bit of planar detritus, fallen through the weave of reality to come to rest in the fields near Hampstead. It originated in the stygian depths of the Abyss, in the domain known as the White Kingdom, which is situated within the hellish realm of Thanatos. There the shard had once been part of an unfortunate victim or foolish crusader who met a terrible end at the hands of Doresain, the Ghoul King, Lord of the White Kingdom, and exarch of the demon lord Orcus. After a perfunctory feasting, gnawing, and cracking, Doresain discarded the shattered, leftover remains in short order, but even this passing contact was sufficient to imbue them with a spark of the warping power of the Abyss and an echo, however pale, of the Ghoul King’s immortal hunger.
Soon after finding the shard, Darien was plagued with vivid, gruesome nightmares of flashing teeth, bloody flesh, and an unspeakable hunger as ravenous as it was ageless. The unrelenting visions drove him to seek help as they besieged even his waking mind with terrible images and horrific urges, but he found no respite. After weeks of sanity-sapping mental and spiritual strain, the vile influence proved the stronger, sweeping away all that Darien was in a single, terrifying night of brutal slaughter and depraved feasting as the beast that had been Darien fell upon Hampstead. Twisted by the power of the shard, those he slew shuddered into cursed unlife and hurled themselves at those who had once been their friends and families in a frantic attempt to sate an eternal hunger. In that single night, nearly the entire population was turned or ripped to bloody, screaming shreds, leaving only a handful of desperate survivors to be dragged, thrashing, from their bolt holes in the ensuing days. Soon, only the wailing howls of the risen ghouls sounded over Hampstead.
Ghoul Ambusher: Three weeks ago, a young farmer named Darien uncovered a jagged shard of bone while working his fields just outside the city of Hampstead. He pocketed it as an idle curiosity, since the shard seemed to glimmer as if polished, despite the number of cuts and notches that it bore.
An idle curiosity it was not, tragically. The shard was a bit of planar detritus, fallen through the weave of reality to come to rest in the fields near Hampstead. It originated in the stygian depths of the Abyss, in the domain known as the White Kingdom, which is situated within the hellish realm of Thanatos. There the shard had once been part of an unfortunate victim or foolish crusader who met a terrible end at the hands of Doresain, the Ghoul King, Lord of the White Kingdom, and exarch of the demon lord Orcus. After a perfunctory feasting, gnawing, and cracking, Doresain discarded the shattered, leftover remains in short order, but even this passing contact was sufficient to imbue them with a spark of the warping power of the Abyss and an echo, however pale, of the Ghoul King’s immortal hunger.
Soon after finding the shard, Darien was plagued with vivid, gruesome nightmares of flashing teeth, bloody flesh, and an unspeakable hunger as ravenous as it was ageless. The unrelenting visions drove him to seek help as they besieged even his waking mind with terrible images and horrific urges, but he found no respite. After weeks of sanity-sapping mental and spiritual strain, the vile influence proved the stronger, sweeping away all that Darien was in a single, terrifying night of brutal slaughter and depraved feasting as the beast that had been Darien fell upon Hampstead. Twisted by the power of the shard, those he slew shuddered into cursed unlife and hurled themselves at those who had once been their friends and families in a frantic attempt to sate an eternal hunger. In that single night, nearly the entire population was turned or ripped to bloody, screaming shreds, leaving only a handful of desperate survivors to be dragged, thrashing, from their bolt holes in the ensuing days. Soon, only the wailing howls of the risen ghouls sounded over Hampstead.
Starving Ghoul: Three weeks ago, a young farmer named Darien uncovered a jagged shard of bone while working his fields just outside the city of Hampstead. He pocketed it as an idle curiosity, since the shard seemed to glimmer as if polished, despite the number of cuts and notches that it bore.
An idle curiosity it was not, tragically. The shard was a bit of planar detritus, fallen through the weave of reality to come to rest in the fields near Hampstead. It originated in the stygian depths of the Abyss, in the domain known as the White Kingdom, which is situated within the hellish realm of Thanatos. There the shard had once been part of an unfortunate victim or foolish crusader who met a terrible end at the hands of Doresain, the Ghoul King, Lord of the White Kingdom, and exarch of the demon lord Orcus. After a perfunctory feasting, gnawing, and cracking, Doresain discarded the shattered, leftover remains in short order, but even this passing contact was sufficient to imbue them with a spark of the warping power of the Abyss and an echo, however pale, of the Ghoul King’s immortal hunger.
Soon after finding the shard, Darien was plagued with vivid, gruesome nightmares of flashing teeth, bloody flesh, and an unspeakable hunger as ravenous as it was ageless. The unrelenting visions drove him to seek help as they besieged even his waking mind with terrible images and horrific urges, but he found no respite. After weeks of sanity-sapping mental and spiritual strain, the vile influence proved the stronger, sweeping away all that Darien was in a single, terrifying night of brutal slaughter and depraved feasting as the beast that had been Darien fell upon Hampstead. Twisted by the power of the shard, those he slew shuddered into cursed unlife and hurled themselves at those who had once been their friends and families in a frantic attempt to sate an eternal hunger. In that single night, nearly the entire population was turned or ripped to bloody, screaming shreds, leaving only a handful of desperate survivors to be dragged, thrashing, from their bolt holes in the ensuing days. Soon, only the wailing howls of the risen ghouls sounded over Hampstead.
Mob Ghoul: Three weeks ago, a young farmer named Darien uncovered a jagged shard of bone while working his fields just outside the city of Hampstead. He pocketed it as an idle curiosity, since the shard seemed to glimmer as if polished, despite the number of cuts and notches that it bore.
An idle curiosity it was not, tragically. The shard was a bit of planar detritus, fallen through the weave of reality to come to rest in the fields near Hampstead. It originated in the stygian depths of the Abyss, in the domain known as the White Kingdom, which is situated within the hellish realm of Thanatos. There the shard had once been part of an unfortunate victim or foolish crusader who met a terrible end at the hands of Doresain, the Ghoul King, Lord of the White Kingdom, and exarch of the demon lord Orcus. After a perfunctory feasting, gnawing, and cracking, Doresain discarded the shattered, leftover remains in short order, but even this passing contact was sufficient to imbue them with a spark of the warping power of the Abyss and an echo, however pale, of the Ghoul King’s immortal hunger.
Soon after finding the shard, Darien was plagued with vivid, gruesome nightmares of flashing teeth, bloody flesh, and an unspeakable hunger as ravenous as it was ageless. The unrelenting visions drove him to seek help as they besieged even his waking mind with terrible images and horrific urges, but he found no respite. After weeks of sanity-sapping mental and spiritual strain, the vile influence proved the stronger, sweeping away all that Darien was in a single, terrifying night of brutal slaughter and depraved feasting as the beast that had been Darien fell upon Hampstead. Twisted by the power of the shard, those he slew shuddered into cursed unlife and hurled themselves at those who had once been their friends and families in a frantic attempt to sate an eternal hunger. In that single night, nearly the entire population was turned or ripped to bloody, screaming shreds, leaving only a handful of desperate survivors to be dragged, thrashing, from their bolt holes in the ensuing days. Soon, only the wailing howls of the risen ghouls sounded over Hampstead.
Field Ghoul: Three weeks ago, a young farmer named Darien uncovered a jagged shard of bone while working his fields just outside the city of Hampstead. He pocketed it as an idle curiosity, since the shard seemed to glimmer as if polished, despite the number of cuts and notches that it bore.
An idle curiosity it was not, tragically. The shard was a bit of planar detritus, fallen through the weave of reality to come to rest in the fields near Hampstead. It originated in the stygian depths of the Abyss, in the domain known as the White Kingdom, which is situated within the hellish realm of Thanatos. There the shard had once been part of an unfortunate victim or foolish crusader who met a terrible end at the hands of Doresain, the Ghoul King, Lord of the White Kingdom, and exarch of the demon lord Orcus. After a perfunctory feasting, gnawing, and cracking, Doresain discarded the shattered, leftover remains in short order, but even this passing contact was sufficient to imbue them with a spark of the warping power of the Abyss and an echo, however pale, of the Ghoul King’s immortal hunger.
Soon after finding the shard, Darien was plagued with vivid, gruesome nightmares of flashing teeth, bloody flesh, and an unspeakable hunger as ravenous as it was ageless. The unrelenting visions drove him to seek help as they besieged even his waking mind with terrible images and horrific urges, but he found no respite. After weeks of sanity-sapping mental and spiritual strain, the vile influence proved the stronger, sweeping away all that Darien was in a single, terrifying night of brutal slaughter and depraved feasting as the beast that had been Darien fell upon Hampstead. Twisted by the power of the shard, those he slew shuddered into cursed unlife and hurled themselves at those who had once been their friends and families in a frantic attempt to sate an eternal hunger. In that single night, nearly the entire population was turned or ripped to bloody, screaming shreds, leaving only a handful of desperate survivors to be dragged, thrashing, from their bolt holes in the ensuing days. Soon, only the wailing howls of the risen ghouls sounded over Hampstead.
Howling Ghoul: Three weeks ago, a young farmer named Darien uncovered a jagged shard of bone while working his fields just outside the city of Hampstead. He pocketed it as an idle curiosity, since the shard seemed to glimmer as if polished, despite the number of cuts and notches that it bore.
An idle curiosity it was not, tragically. The shard was a bit of planar detritus, fallen through the weave of reality to come to rest in the fields near Hampstead. It originated in the stygian depths of the Abyss, in the domain known as the White Kingdom, which is situated within the hellish realm of Thanatos. There the shard had once been part of an unfortunate victim or foolish crusader who met a terrible end at the hands of Doresain, the Ghoul King, Lord of the White Kingdom, and exarch of the demon lord Orcus. After a perfunctory feasting, gnawing, and cracking, Doresain discarded the shattered, leftover remains in short order, but even this passing contact was sufficient to imbue them with a spark of the warping power of the Abyss and an echo, however pale, of the Ghoul King’s immortal hunger.
Soon after finding the shard, Darien was plagued with vivid, gruesome nightmares of flashing teeth, bloody flesh, and an unspeakable hunger as ravenous as it was ageless. The unrelenting visions drove him to seek help as they besieged even his waking mind with terrible images and horrific urges, but he found no respite. After weeks of sanity-sapping mental and spiritual strain, the vile influence proved the stronger, sweeping away all that Darien was in a single, terrifying night of brutal slaughter and depraved feasting as the beast that had been Darien fell upon Hampstead. Twisted by the power of the shard, those he slew shuddered into cursed unlife and hurled themselves at those who had once been their friends and families in a frantic attempt to sate an eternal hunger. In that single night, nearly the entire population was turned or ripped to bloody, screaming shreds, leaving only a handful of desperate survivors to be dragged, thrashing, from their bolt holes in the ensuing days. Soon, only the wailing howls of the risen ghouls sounded over Hampstead.
Scarred Ghoul: Three weeks ago, a young farmer named Darien uncovered a jagged shard of bone while working his fields just outside the city of Hampstead. He pocketed it as an idle curiosity, since the shard seemed to glimmer as if polished, despite the number of cuts and notches that it bore.
An idle curiosity it was not, tragically. The shard was a bit of planar detritus, fallen through the weave of reality to come to rest in the fields near Hampstead. It originated in the stygian depths of the Abyss, in the domain known as the White Kingdom, which is situated within the hellish realm of Thanatos. There the shard had once been part of an unfortunate victim or foolish crusader who met a terrible end at the hands of Doresain, the Ghoul King, Lord of the White Kingdom, and exarch of the demon lord Orcus. After a perfunctory feasting, gnawing, and cracking, Doresain discarded the shattered, leftover remains in short order, but even this passing contact was sufficient to imbue them with a spark of the warping power of the Abyss and an echo, however pale, of the Ghoul King’s immortal hunger.
Soon after finding the shard, Darien was plagued with vivid, gruesome nightmares of flashing teeth, bloody flesh, and an unspeakable hunger as ravenous as it was ageless. The unrelenting visions drove him to seek help as they besieged even his waking mind with terrible images and horrific urges, but he found no respite. After weeks of sanity-sapping mental and spiritual strain, the vile influence proved the stronger, sweeping away all that Darien was in a single, terrifying night of brutal slaughter and depraved feasting as the beast that had been Darien fell upon Hampstead. Twisted by the power of the shard, those he slew shuddered into cursed unlife and hurled themselves at those who had once been their friends and families in a frantic attempt to sate an eternal hunger. In that single night, nearly the entire population was turned or ripped to bloody, screaming shreds, leaving only a handful of desperate survivors to be dragged, thrashing, from their bolt holes in the ensuing days. Soon, only the wailing howls of the risen ghouls sounded over Hampstead.
Lacedon: Three weeks ago, a young farmer named Darien uncovered a jagged shard of bone while working his fields just outside the city of Hampstead. He pocketed it as an idle curiosity, since the shard seemed to glimmer as if polished, despite the number of cuts and notches that it bore.
An idle curiosity it was not, tragically. The shard was a bit of planar detritus, fallen through the weave of reality to come to rest in the fields near Hampstead. It originated in the stygian depths of the Abyss, in the domain known as the White Kingdom, which is situated within the hellish realm of Thanatos. There the shard had once been part of an unfortunate victim or foolish crusader who met a terrible end at the hands of Doresain, the Ghoul King, Lord of the White Kingdom, and exarch of the demon lord Orcus. After a perfunctory feasting, gnawing, and cracking, Doresain discarded the shattered, leftover remains in short order, but even this passing contact was sufficient to imbue them with a spark of the warping power of the Abyss and an echo, however pale, of the Ghoul King’s immortal hunger.
Soon after finding the shard, Darien was plagued with vivid, gruesome nightmares of flashing teeth, bloody flesh, and an unspeakable hunger as ravenous as it was ageless. The unrelenting visions drove him to seek help as they besieged even his waking mind with terrible images and horrific urges, but he found no respite. After weeks of sanity-sapping mental and spiritual strain, the vile influence proved the stronger, sweeping away all that Darien was in a single, terrifying night of brutal slaughter and depraved feasting as the beast that had been Darien fell upon Hampstead. Twisted by the power of the shard, those he slew shuddered into cursed unlife and hurled themselves at those who had once been their friends and families in a frantic attempt to sate an eternal hunger. In that single night, nearly the entire population was turned or ripped to bloody, screaming shreds, leaving only a handful of desperate survivors to be dragged, thrashing, from their bolt holes in the ensuing days. Soon, only the wailing howls of the risen ghouls sounded over Hampstead.
Beth Harwick: Three weeks ago, a young farmer named Darien uncovered a jagged shard of bone while working his fields just outside the city of Hampstead. He pocketed it as an idle curiosity, since the shard seemed to glimmer as if polished, despite the number of cuts and notches that it bore.
An idle curiosity it was not, tragically. The shard was a bit of planar detritus, fallen through the weave of reality to come to rest in the fields near Hampstead. It originated in the stygian depths of the Abyss, in the domain known as the White Kingdom, which is situated within the hellish realm of Thanatos. There the shard had once been part of an unfortunate victim or foolish crusader who met a terrible end at the hands of Doresain, the Ghoul King, Lord of the White Kingdom, and exarch of the demon lord Orcus. After a perfunctory feasting, gnawing, and cracking, Doresain discarded the shattered, leftover remains in short order, but even this passing contact was sufficient to imbue them with a spark of the warping power of the Abyss and an echo, however pale, of the Ghoul King’s immortal hunger.
Soon after finding the shard, Darien was plagued with vivid, gruesome nightmares of flashing teeth, bloody flesh, and an unspeakable hunger as ravenous as it was ageless. The unrelenting visions drove him to seek help as they besieged even his waking mind with terrible images and horrific urges, but he found no respite. After weeks of sanity-sapping mental and spiritual strain, the vile influence proved the stronger, sweeping away all that Darien was in a single, terrifying night of brutal slaughter and depraved feasting as the beast that had been Darien fell upon Hampstead. Twisted by the power of the shard, those he slew shuddered into cursed unlife and hurled themselves at those who had once been their friends and families in a frantic attempt to sate an eternal hunger. In that single night, nearly the entire population was turned or ripped to bloody, screaming shreds, leaving only a handful of desperate survivors to be dragged, thrashing, from their bolt holes in the ensuing days. Soon, only the wailing howls of the risen ghouls sounded over Hampstead.
Echo of Despair: ?
Echo of Madness: ?
Elisa: Three weeks ago, a young farmer named Darien uncovered a jagged shard of bone while working his fields just outside the city of Hampstead. He pocketed it as an idle curiosity, since the shard seemed to glimmer as if polished, despite the number of cuts and notches that it bore.
An idle curiosity it was not, tragically. The shard was a bit of planar detritus, fallen through the weave of reality to come to rest in the fields near Hampstead. It originated in the stygian depths of the Abyss, in the domain known as the White Kingdom, which is situated within the hellish realm of Thanatos. There the shard had once been part of an unfortunate victim or foolish crusader who met a terrible end at the hands of Doresain, the Ghoul King, Lord of the White Kingdom, and exarch of the demon lord Orcus. After a perfunctory feasting, gnawing, and cracking, Doresain discarded the shattered, leftover remains in short order, but even this passing contact was sufficient to imbue them with a spark of the warping power of the Abyss and an echo, however pale, of the Ghoul King’s immortal hunger.
Soon after finding the shard, Darien was plagued with vivid, gruesome nightmares of flashing teeth, bloody flesh, and an unspeakable hunger as ravenous as it was ageless. The unrelenting visions drove him to seek help as they besieged even his waking mind with terrible images and horrific urges, but he found no respite. After weeks of sanity-sapping mental and spiritual strain, the vile influence proved the stronger, sweeping away all that Darien was in a single, terrifying night of brutal slaughter and depraved feasting as the beast that had been Darien fell upon Hampstead. Twisted by the power of the shard, those he slew shuddered into cursed unlife and hurled themselves at those who had once been their friends and families in a frantic attempt to sate an eternal hunger. In that single night, nearly the entire population was turned or ripped to bloody, screaming shreds, leaving only a handful of desperate survivors to be dragged, thrashing, from their bolt holes in the ensuing days. Soon, only the wailing howls of the risen ghouls sounded over Hampstead.
Darien, Ghoul Lord of Hampstead: Three weeks ago, a young farmer named Darien uncovered a jagged shard of bone while working his fields just outside the city of Hampstead. He pocketed it as an idle curiosity, since the shard seemed to glimmer as if polished, despite the number of cuts and notches that it bore.
An idle curiosity it was not, tragically. The shard was a bit of planar detritus, fallen through the weave of reality to come to rest in the fields near Hampstead. It originated in the stygian depths of the Abyss, in the domain known as the White Kingdom, which is situated within the hellish realm of Thanatos. There the shard had once been part of an unfortunate victim or foolish crusader who met a terrible end at the hands of Doresain, the Ghoul King, Lord of the White Kingdom, and exarch of the demon lord Orcus. After a perfunctory feasting, gnawing, and cracking, Doresain discarded the shattered, leftover remains in short order, but even this passing contact was sufficient to imbue them with a spark of the warping power of the Abyss and an echo, however pale, of the Ghoul King’s immortal hunger.
Soon after finding the shard, Darien was plagued with vivid, gruesome nightmares of flashing teeth, bloody flesh, and an unspeakable hunger as ravenous as it was ageless. The unrelenting visions drove him to seek help as they besieged even his waking mind with terrible images and horrific urges, but he found no respite. After weeks of sanity-sapping mental and spiritual strain, the vile influence proved the stronger, sweeping away all that Darien was in a single, terrifying night of brutal slaughter and depraved feasting as the beast that had been Darien fell upon Hampstead.
Doresain, The Ghoul King, Lord of the White Kingdom, Exarch of Orcus: ?

Dungeon 185

Spoiler

Wailing Ghost, Banshee: The Fae Barrow marks the final resting place of Omaphara, the fey warrior maiden and Querelian’s true love. The pair, along with many brave fey warriors, fought the werebeasts here in a pitched battle that raged for many days. In the end, the werebeasts were driven back, but not before they took Omaphara’s life. A grieving Querelian interred his partner here so she could watch over the land she died defending.

Dungeon 186

Spoiler

Undead Spirit Viper: ?
Undead: Ranala and her followers withdrew to the outskirts of the town to find a way to recover the artifact Zaspar had stolen. Instead, they learned that the cultist had already unlocked its magic and used it to siphon energy from the townsfolk to perform some unspeakable ritual involving his wife and his ‘child’. The magic from the now-corrupted relic not only stole life from the people but infected them with a vile disease—when they died, they rose soon after as undead. Worse, anyone who entered the town risked being exposed to the blight.
Mistwatch Blight disease.
Zombie: Mistwatch Blight disease.
Ghoul: Mistwatch Blight disease.
Wight: Mistwatch Blight disease.
Wraith: Mistwatch Blight disease.

The Blight
From where did this disease come? How does it spread? I don’t know. Hells, no one knows. Most blame the strangers. They seem the obvious choice. Mad Bartleby claims it’s punishment from his sickening Chained God for our worship of false deities. Father Tomas also believes it comes from this mysterious god, but to spread suffering and evil. Our noble lord is silent, of course, offering nothing to ease our pains, leading me to wonder if Lord Zaspar might be the true enemy in our midst.
The plague striking Mistwatch is supernatural in origin. It was caused by Zaspar’s abuse of the obsidian disk. The disk is solidified shadow drawn from the Shadowfell to help Mistress Ranala perform her auguries. Cadmus recognized its nature and believed he could release the shadow magic trapped within it to serve as fuel for his own dark rituals. As a side effect, the released shadow magic created a tear in reality, linking Mistwatch to an area in the Shadowfell.
Two consequences resulted from this event. One, Mistwatch now sinks into the Plane of Shadow, where it might be destroyed in the darklands or be transformed into a new domain of dread with Cadmus as its lord. Second, the shadow magic has mutated the normal sickness that spreads through town each winter, turning it into a virulent disease that kills its victims and then changes them into undead creatures.
Mistwatch Blight
Level 11 Disease
Black ichor splotches your skin, spiderwebbing across your body until you feel something inside you begin to die.
Stage 0:
The target recovers from the disease.
Stage 1:
While affected by stage 1, the target takes a –2 penalty to Insight checks and Perception checks. The target also loses a healing surge that cannot be regained until cured of the disease.
Stage 2:
While affected by stage 2, same effect as stage 1, and the target is weakened until cured.
Stage 3:
When affected by stage 3, the target dies. The next day, at sunset, the target rises as an undead creature. Most victims rise as zombies, but more powerful ones can rise as ghouls, wights, or wraiths.
Check:
At the end of each extended rest, the target makes a Endurance check if it is at stage 1 or 2.
12 or Lower: The stage of the disease increases by 1.
13–18: No change.
19 or Higher: The stage of the disease decreases by 1.

Dungeon 187

Spoiler

Magroth: ?
Zombie: ?
Skeleton: ?
Ghoul: ?
Wight: ?
Wraith: ?
Ghost: ?
Vampire: ?
Undead: Weeks ago, the vampire lich Magroth opened the way into the buried City of the Dead. There, he attempted to complete a ritual to raise the undead hordes and restore Andok Sur to its former glory. Thanks to the intervention of a group of adventurers and an agent of the Raven Queen, Magroth failed. However, the magic he did unleash awakened some of those interred within the buried necropolis.
Flesh-Crazed Zombie: ?
Grasping Zombie: ?
Decrepit Skeleton: ?
Vrikus, Ghoul Boss: ?
Ravenous Ghoul: ?
Raaig Tomb Spirit: In a nearly forgotten age of genocidal warfare, the murderous sorcerer-king Nibenay pursued a fugitive band of elves and gnomes. The fugitives carried with them a seed from a tree of life. They hoped to plant the seed in a place where it might flourish in safety, far from the sorcerer-kings’ destruction. They sought refuge in a small cave system, but Nibenay’s soldiers tracked them there and besieged the cave.
Avor Firesworn, leader of the band, made a fateful decision as Nibenay’s defilers closed in. Drawing on his knowledge of the supposed demigods who ruled parts of Athas at that time, he entered into a covenant with a force that he only dimly understood but perceived as a demigod of death. He and a few of his band swore a binding oath in which they offered their souls in exchange for the chance to protect the seed even after their deaths.
Soon thereafter, Nibenay’s forces stormed the caves and Avor fell, his flesh consumed by defiling magic. The seed, however, lay hidden beneath his remains, and the sorcerer-king’s soldiers did not find it. It was protected by the bargain Avor had struck with the entity from the Gray. Meanwhile, the primal spirits of that place also understood the value of the seed. They, too, were eager to keep it out of any defiler’s hands, but their limited power to intervene was curtailed further by Avor’s bargain.
Victorious in battle but frustrated by their failure to find the tree of life’s seed, Nibenay’s soldiers concluded that the seed had been no more than a rumor, or perhaps that Avor’s flight had been a ruse to draw them away from the real seed’s location. They sealed the cave when they withdrew, to conceal their deeds. Some time later, the spirits of Avor and his followers rose from the dead in fulfillment of their bargain.
Ashen Crawler: In a nearly forgotten age of genocidal warfare, the murderous sorcerer-king Nibenay pursued a fugitive band of elves and gnomes. The fugitives carried with them a seed from a tree of life. They hoped to plant the seed in a place where it might flourish in safety, far from the sorcerer-kings’ destruction. They sought refuge in a small cave system, but Nibenay’s soldiers tracked them there and besieged the cave.
Avor Firesworn, leader of the band, made a fateful decision as Nibenay’s defilers closed in. Drawing on his knowledge of the supposed demigods who ruled parts of Athas at that time, he entered into a covenant with a force that he only dimly understood but perceived as a demigod of death. He and a few of his band swore a binding oath in which they offered their souls in exchange for the chance to protect the seed even after their deaths.
Soon thereafter, Nibenay’s forces stormed the caves and Avor fell, his flesh consumed by defiling magic. The seed, however, lay hidden beneath his remains, and the sorcerer-king’s soldiers did not find it. It was protected by the bargain Avor had struck with the entity from the Gray. Meanwhile, the primal spirits of that place also understood the value of the seed. They, too, were eager to keep it out of any defiler’s hands, but their limited power to intervene was curtailed further by Avor’s bargain.
Victorious in battle but frustrated by their failure to find the tree of life’s seed, Nibenay’s soldiers concluded that the seed had been no more than a rumor, or perhaps that Avor’s flight had been a ruse to draw them away from the real seed’s location. They sealed the cave when they withdrew, to conceal their deeds. Some time later, the spirits of Avor and his followers rose from the dead in fulfillment of their bargain.
Spectral Kirre: In a nearly forgotten age of genocidal warfare, the murderous sorcerer-king Nibenay pursued a fugitive band of elves and gnomes. The fugitives carried with them a seed from a tree of life. They hoped to plant the seed in a place where it might flourish in safety, far from the sorcerer-kings’ destruction. They sought refuge in a small cave system, but Nibenay’s soldiers tracked them there and besieged the cave.
Avor Firesworn, leader of the band, made a fateful decision as Nibenay’s defilers closed in. Drawing on his knowledge of the supposed demigods who ruled parts of Athas at that time, he entered into a covenant with a force that he only dimly understood but perceived as a demigod of death. He and a few of his band swore a binding oath in which they offered their souls in exchange for the chance to protect the seed even after their deaths.
Soon thereafter, Nibenay’s forces stormed the caves and Avor fell, his flesh consumed by defiling magic. The seed, however, lay hidden beneath his remains, and the sorcerer-king’s soldiers did not find it. It was protected by the bargain Avor had struck with the entity from the Gray. Meanwhile, the primal spirits of that place also understood the value of the seed. They, too, were eager to keep it out of any defiler’s hands, but their limited power to intervene was curtailed further by Avor’s bargain.
Victorious in battle but frustrated by their failure to find the tree of life’s seed, Nibenay’s soldiers concluded that the seed had been no more than a rumor, or perhaps that Avor’s flight had been a ruse to draw them away from the real seed’s location. They sealed the cave when they withdrew, to conceal their deeds. Some time later, the spirits of Avor and his followers rose from the dead in fulfillment of their bargain.
Skeletal Legionaries: In a nearly forgotten age of genocidal warfare, the murderous sorcerer-king Nibenay pursued a fugitive band of elves and gnomes. The fugitives carried with them a seed from a tree of life. They hoped to plant the seed in a place where it might flourish in safety, far from the sorcerer-kings’ destruction. They sought refuge in a small cave system, but Nibenay’s soldiers tracked them there and besieged the cave.
Avor Firesworn, leader of the band, made a fateful decision as Nibenay’s defilers closed in. Drawing on his knowledge of the supposed demigods who ruled parts of Athas at that time, he entered into a covenant with a force that he only dimly understood but perceived as a demigod of death. He and a few of his band swore a binding oath in which they offered their souls in exchange for the chance to protect the seed even after their deaths.
Soon thereafter, Nibenay’s forces stormed the caves and Avor fell, his flesh consumed by defiling magic. The seed, however, lay hidden beneath his remains, and the sorcerer-king’s soldiers did not find it. It was protected by the bargain Avor had struck with the entity from the Gray. Meanwhile, the primal spirits of that place also understood the value of the seed. They, too, were eager to keep it out of any defiler’s hands, but their limited power to intervene was curtailed further by Avor’s bargain.
Victorious in battle but frustrated by their failure to find the tree of life’s seed, Nibenay’s soldiers concluded that the seed had been no more than a rumor, or perhaps that Avor’s flight had been a ruse to draw them away from the real seed’s location. They sealed the cave when they withdrew, to conceal their deeds. Some time later, the spirits of Avor and his followers rose from the dead in fulfillment of their bargain.
Avor Firesworn, Ashen Soul: In a nearly forgotten age of genocidal warfare, the murderous sorcerer-king Nibenay pursued a fugitive band of elves and gnomes. The fugitives carried with them a seed from a tree of life. They hoped to plant the seed in a place where it might flourish in safety, far from the sorcerer-kings’ destruction. They sought refuge in a small cave system, but Nibenay’s soldiers tracked them there and besieged the cave.
Avor Firesworn, leader of the band, made a fateful decision as Nibenay’s defilers closed in. Drawing on his knowledge of the supposed demigods who ruled parts of Athas at that time, he entered into a covenant with a force that he only dimly understood but perceived as a demigod of death. He and a few of his band swore a binding oath in which they offered their souls in exchange for the chance to protect the seed even after their deaths.
Soon thereafter, Nibenay’s forces stormed the caves and Avor fell, his flesh consumed by defiling magic. The seed, however, lay hidden beneath his remains, and the sorcerer-king’s soldiers did not find it. It was protected by the bargain Avor had struck with the entity from the Gray. Meanwhile, the primal spirits of that place also understood the value of the seed. They, too, were eager to keep it out of any defiler’s hands, but their limited power to intervene was curtailed further by Avor’s bargain.
Victorious in battle but frustrated by their failure to find the tree of life’s seed, Nibenay’s soldiers concluded that the seed had been no more than a rumor, or perhaps that Avor’s flight had been a ruse to draw them away from the real seed’s location. They sealed the cave when they withdrew, to conceal their deeds. Some time later, the spirits of Avor and his followers rose from the dead in fulfillment of their bargain.

Dungeon 188

Spoiler

Son of Kyuss: The body was that of Baelard the Defender. He was infected with the touch of Kyuss but fought off the effects for several weeks. Before his death, he performed the same ritual on himself that trapped Ulferth’s will in the crystal globe (a unique offshoot of the Gentle Repose ritual). With his will trapped in the globe, Baelard could not become one of the spawn of Kyuss when he died.
Baelard has been dead far too long for a Raise Dead ritual to be successful. If the globe is broken, however, his will flies back to the skeleton, which immediately reanimates as a son of Kyuss.
Touch of Kyuss disease.
Wretch of Kyuss: ?
Ulferth, Herald of Kyuss: When Ulferth completed his ritual, he was transformed from a human into a herald of Kyuss.

Touch of Kyuss
Level 16 Disease
Those who succumb to this hideous disease rise again as newly-born spawn of Kyuss.
Stage 0:
The target is cured.
Stage 1:
The target regains only half the normal hit points when it spends a healing surge. If it dies, it rises immediately as a wretch of Kyuss.
Stage 2:
The target loses two healing surges. If it drops to 0 or fewer healing surges, it dies and rises immediately as a son of Kyuss.
Stage 3:
The target dies and immediately becomes a son of Kyuss.
Check:
At the end of each extended rest, the target makes an Endurance check if it is at stage 1 or 2.
19 or Lower:
The stage of the disease increases by 1.
20–24:
No change.
25 or higher:
The stage of the disease decreases by 1

Dungeon 189

Spoiler

Gralhund, Brain in a Jar: Gralhund enlisted the aid of his apprentices to help him live on when his elderly body began to fail him, faking his own death and deceiving his family as to his fate (drowned at sea in his pleasure caravel).
The Grim Lasher: The Grim Lasher is a horrific monster created by Tectuktitlay to drive the Accursed Legion from one side of the burning desert to the other, never allowing the legionnaires to interact with civilization.
The Grim Lasher was created long before the banishment of the Accursed Legion, but Tectuktitlay had had little opportunity to use it before that event. The sorcerer-king used a captive giant as the subject of a horrific experiment that led to the Grim Lasher’s creation. Tectuktitlay slew the giant, then used a spirit that he had bound with defiling magic to reanimate the body, trapping the twisted spirit inside with strands of shadow power drawn from the Gray. The end result is an undead monstrosity animated by a corrupted spirit that Tectuktitlay trapped by using dark magic that only a few know how to manipulate.
The creature was created by, and is still under the control of, Tectuktitlay.
Pit Shadow: ?
Morrn Bladeclaw: The Proving Pit is used by the denizens of the Chaos Scar to settle disputes and to test themselves against the finest fighters in the area. A small shard of the meteorite that created the Chaos Scar lies hundreds of feet below the pit, imparting a mysterious power and personality to the location. Combatants are drawn to the area by a powerful urge to achieve victory through combat. Most combatants do not realize they are being impelled by an outside force.
Morrn Bladeclaw was a barbarian known for his cruelty and ambition. His clan roamed the Nentir Vale region long before the formation of the Chaos Scar. Morrn advanced steadily in status among his clan. He claimed the right to become the clan’s champion and to wield the powerful Scarblade by defeating its previous owner. Driven by dreams of power, Morrn sought to prove himself worthy of the rank of chief.
Lured onward by a vague call to battle, Morrn was drawn to the pit. There he honed his skill, always with the intent of returning to his home as the greatest champion of all. Morrn soon dominated all contenders at the pit, but in turn, he was dominated by the shard’s presence. The longer he stayed, the less he cared about leaving and the more he became part of the place. His thoughts of clan leadership drained away. Morrn’s goal of becoming the greatest champion of all was realized, but not as he had planned. He was a slave of the Proving Pit, with no thoughts of returning to his tribe.
The pit, however, has no use for eternal champions. Morrn was mortally wounded by a wizard of great power who coveted the Scarblade. The wizard was cut down by Morrn’s dying blow, and both perished on the bloodstained floor of the Proving Pit. Under the influence of the pit, bystanders buried Morrn below the arena’s central dais. The Scarblade was encased in translucent crystal and embedded along the pit’s north wall, where it can be seen by all who fight and die in the pit.
Morrn’s ghost haunts the area.
Blue Arcanian: Morrn was mortally wounded by a wizard of great power who coveted the Scarblade. The wizard was cut down by Morrn’s dying blow, and both perished on the bloodstained floor of the Proving Pit.
The blue arcanian represents the wizard who slew Morrn, and was slain by him, in the bout that cost Morrn his life.
Dread Guardian: ?

Dungeon 190

Spoiler

Ghost: When Thakok-An sacrificed members of her family in her foolish and failed attempt to aid Kalid-Ma, several of her kin became ghosts and other undead as the city passed into the Gray.
Undead: When Thakok-An sacrificed members of her family in her foolish and failed attempt to aid Kalid-Ma, several of her kin became ghosts and other undead as the city passed into the Gray.
Kaisharga, Laylon Ka: This compound was mostly empty when Kalidnay faced its doom. Now it belongs to a kaisharga named Laylon-Ka. A kaisharga is an undead creature similar to a lich, though it lacks a phylactery. Kaishargas trade life for power, unnaturally extending their existence for centuries. In life, Laylon-Ka was a House Vordon dune trader who was also a member of the Veiled Alliance. She thought her clandestine operations were secret, but they were the primary reason Horgus-Le abandoned her. Laylon-Ka turned to the study of shadow magic after Kalidnay’s transition. She soon discovered a way to transform herself into an immortal being.

Dungeon 191

Spoiler

Kr'y'izoth: Undead githyanki spell-casters whose life essences Vlaakith drained.
Tl'a'ikith: Undead martial githyanki whose life essences Vlaakith drained.
Undead: With her health and mental stability eroding, Khaela resorted to necromancy. After drinking from a dark cup called the Bleak Grail, she entered undeath. Unfortunately for the rest of Khalusk, because Khaela’s magic was inextricably tied to the city and its populace, the effects were felt by all. Within a single hour, every living creature in Khalusk died. Three days later, they rose again, undead.
A population of undead fish and other aquatic creatures swim the chill sea (nothing escaped the necromantic effects of the Bleak Grail).
Khaela: With her health and mental stability eroding, Khaela resorted to necromancy. After drinking from a dark cup called the Bleak Grail, she entered undeath.
Undead Fish: ?
Murder of Crows: ?
Turam the Cold: ?
Freeze-Dried Ghoul: ?
Ghost, The Arcanist: ?
Ghost: The souls of the dead linger on, haunting dark and lonely places. Their incomplete lives tether them to the mortal world, their spirits unable to pass through to the other side.
Often, rumors of hauntings are just that—rumors. But at sites tainted by misery, terror, and death, these rumors could be true. A ghost is what remains of a being whose soul should have moved on after death, but was trapped. This entrapment commonly occurs because the being has a strong urge to complete a task that tears and fragments its soul.
Ghosts, unlike some kinds of undead, retain their souls. This is not to say that the souls remain intact. Ghosts arise from beings that have already stained their souls with murderous, vengeful, cruel, or obsessive deeds. The corruption of an evil life or a limitless need to right a perceived wrong holds the soul back.
An all-consuming purpose keeps a soul in the world and transforms it into a ghost. A sadistic torturer might return as a ghost to cause more pain and misery. The ghost of a victim of a cruel death often seeks revenge on her murderer. A soldier who died young might guard a chamber, ghostly blade in hand, eager to strike down any intruder to prove his worth.
Though a ghost most often arises because of the state of mind of a recently dead person, one can be artificially created. Cruel people who want to punish the deceased and who have a bit of arcane knowledge can create a ghost charm—a bit of metal, clay, or parchment inscribed with runes—that they inter with a fresh corpse. If the ritual is performed soon enough after death, the dead person’s soul becomes trapped in the world as a ghost.
Phantom Warrior: ?
Trap Haunt: ?
Tormenting Ghost: ?
Wailing Ghost, Banshee: ?
Wight: Those who have witnessed wights being “born” swear that the creatures don’t rise spontaneously from corpses. Rather, a force—an evil beyond mortal imagining—flows into the body. This is something sensed rather than seen; the force fills every fiber of the creature’s being, a black whisper fundamentally opposed to life and the living.
Buried soldiers and mercenaries become wights more often than other kinds of corpses do.
Deathlock Wight: ?
Battle Wight: ?
Battle Wight Commander: ?
Slaughter Wight: ?
Cauldrus Barrowmere: Unable to complete his experiments because of Everen’s death and Izran’s disappearance, Cauldrus has melded his body with that of his latest creation.

Dungeon 192

Spoiler

Mummified Girallion: When Yayauhqui first traveled to the ruined city, he discovered it was inhabited by wild apes that had taken to emulating the city’s ancient carvings in a bizarre mimicry of Cihuatlco’s rituals and practices. Doing his best to avoid the apes, Yayauhqui explored the quarters of the king’s attendants and found the amulet containing the dead king’s life force as well as tablets that taught him the secrets of the king’s enchanting song. After the witch doctor had mastered the king’s song, he used it to lure Cuicatl, the daughter of Jocotopec’s chieftain, to the ruins.
When the girl stepped out of the jungle, the wild apes accosted her. Instead of battering her to death as they had several of Yayauhqui’s assistants, the apes led her to the king’s ziggurat and placed the queen’s crown upon her brow, imitating the carvings they had seen. Where they had found the crown is anyone’s guess, but it bore a powerful magic—a shred of the last queen’s will. Any female who wears the crown believes herself to be the rightful queen of Cihuatlco. In this way, Cuicatl came to regard the apes of Cihuatlco as her new subjects.
While the apes were distracted by their new queen, Yayauhqui sneaked into what he believed was the king’s tomb below the ziggurat and placed the amulet on the mummified remains he found there. As he had hoped, the amulet stirred the mummy to wakefulness. Unfortunately for him, Yayauhqui had placed the amulet on the wrong body. The witch doctor assumed that the large and powerful-looking mummy he discovered was that of the king. Only after it proved both uncommunicative and exceedingly hostile did he discover that he had not animated the dead king but his monstrous guardian—a girallon.
Wraith: ?
Flesh-Crazed Zombie: ?
Zombie Shambler: ?
Ghoul: ?
Mad Wraith: ?
Wraith Figment: When the wraith kills a humanoid, that humanoid becomes a wraith figment at the start of this wraith’s next turn. The new wraith appears in the space where the humanoid died or in the nearest unoccupied square, and it rolls a new initiative check. The new wraith acts under the Dungeon Master’s control.
When the mad wraith kills a humanoid, that humanoid becomes a wraith figment at the start of this wraith’s next turn. The new wraith appears in the space where the humanoid died or in the nearest unoccupied square, and it rolls a new initiative check. The new wraith acts under the Dungeon Master’s control.
Decrepit Skeleton: ?
Grasping Zombie: ?
Abyssal Plague Animated Corpse: The lowest form of the Abyssal plague can infect fresh humanoid corpses, resulting in ferocious hordes of reanimated dead bent on slaying every living creature in their path.
Exposed to the strange transformative powers of the Abyssal plague, a reanimated corpse attacks with a mindless ferocity, attempting to destroy any living creature in its path.
The animated corpse is driven by the malevolent will of the Chained God.

Dungeon 193

Spoiler

Harrag's Shadow: One of Lord Neverember’s agents has transformed Harrag’s shadow into an undead creature as a means to keep an eye on Harrag.
Grasping Zombie: ?
Wisp Wraith: ?
Shadow Stalker: ?

Dungeon 194

Spoiler

Decrepit Skeleton: The undead are animated by the Weeping Aspect of Avandra’s wrathful emotions, doomed to repeat an eternal danse macabre of the temple’s last days in the natural world while orc and goblin defilers were looting it.
Grasping Zombie: The undead are animated by the Weeping Aspect of Avandra’s wrathful emotions, doomed to repeat an eternal danse macabre of the temple’s last days in the natural world while orc and goblin defilers were looting it.

Dungeon 195

Spoiler

Karrnathi Undead: The Odakyr Rites—the ritual used to create the Karrnathi undead—isn’t a cheap form of Raise Dead. The original victim is gone. A Karrnathi skeleton doesn’t have the specific memories of the warrior who donated his bones. The military specialty of the undead reflects that of the fallen soldier, so only the bones of a bowman can produce a skeletal archer. However, the precise techniques of the skeleton aren’t those of the living soldiers. Rekkenmark doesn’t teach the bone dance or the twin scimitar style common to the skeletal swordsmen. So where, then, do these styles come from? Gyrnar Shult believed that the Karrnathi undead were animated by the martial spirit of Karrnath itself. This is why they can be produced only from the corpses of elite Karrnathi soldiers: an enemy corpse lacks the connection to Karrnath, while a fallen farmer has no bond to war. However, the Kind fears that the undead aren’t animated by the soul of Karrnath, but rather by an aspect of Mabar itself—that the combat styles of the undead might be those of the dark angels of Mabar. Over the years, he has felt a certain malevolence in his skeletal creations that he can’t explain, not to mention their love of slaughter. He has also considered the possibility that they are touched by the spirits of the Qabalrin ancestors of Lady Vol. The Kind hasn’t found any proof for these theories, but they haunt his dreams.
Wraith Figment: When the reaper blossom cluster kills a living humanoid, that humanoid becomes a wraith figment at the start of the cluster’s next turn.
A dim intelligence directs these malign flowers, reaper blossoms, whose toxic pollen can rapidly drain the life force from any living creature, spawning a terrible wraith in the process.
Although they are found throughout the Shadowfell, reaper blossoms are not naturally occurring. Those knowledgeable on the subject suspect that the flowers are Orcus’s creations. The blossoms’ diet of souls and ability to spawn undead gives credence to this belief, which has motivated the Raven Queen’s followers to declare reaper blossoms an affront to her.

Dungeon 196

Spoiler

Ghost Knight of Galardoun: People fiercely disagree on whether the ghost knight is itself undead, but most priests and sages say that it must be. None agree about its origin or essential nature.
Some say the ghost knight is the remains of an undead-hunting paladin who met with mortal misfortune but whose shining will and drive transformed him into an apparition dedicated to leading the living to put the dead to rest by destroying undeath.
Others just as stoutly claim that it is an animated magic item—perhaps directed and using the senses of its creator, now bound into it—intended to control or (in the words of Tonthyn, Battlepriest of Tempus in Zazesspur) “weed out the hosts of” undead by destroying some and aiding others.
Between these markedly opposed views, dozens of other explanations and theories exist.
One of the most interesting explanations is promoted by the wealthy sage and retired adventurer Authraun of Athkatla, who has tried to trace all the known journeys of the ghost knight and identify whom it was following or accompanying. He believes the ghost knight seeks individuals who have particular, nascent gifts so that it can impart, by touch, lore it possesses that will urge these people into certain quests that serve some purpose as yet unrevealed.
Perhaps a fallen god is seeking to rise again, and it requires mortal aid to do so: The deity might want to gather artifacts in a specific place or find suitable living bodies to possess, and the ghost knight is a lure acting on behalf of such a deity. Perhaps the ghost knight is all that is left of a deity or an exarch, and it seeks to slowly and painstakingly gather strength for an eventual return.
“Or perhaps,” counters the young sage Rarkriskran of Baldur’s Gate, “this is all so much fanciful piffle, and this so-called ‘ghost knight’ is nothing more than an enchanted helm whose magic was twisted awry by the Spellplague. Now the ‘ghost’ rides what it can imperfectly glean of the stray thoughts of nearby sentients, and these thoughts goad the helm into wild, random behavior. In turn, we strain both creativity and credulity in our attempts to concoct explanations for this item.”
The old Sage of Shadowdale, Elminster Aumar, chuckles at Rarkriskran’s words, and responds, “The young and fierce so often seek to exalt themselves by belittling others. I was young and fierce, once.” He suspects that there might well be divine direction behind the ghost knight, but stresses that all the opinions he has heard thus far are speculation. No one has shown any special knowledge that suggests they stand close to the truth.
What Elminster has heard of the encounters and experiments, however, lead him to conclude that the ghost knight follows a purpose that’s something more than destroying undead. He believes it has a cause that various commentators and experimenters haven’t discovered yet. Elminster also suspects that the ghost knight is damaged—a remnant of a being once greater and more capable than it is now, and that at times it wanders from its mysterious purpose.
Wraith Figment: ?
Oblivion Wraith: ?
Wraith: When the oblivion wraith kills a humanoid, that humanoid becomes a wraith at the start of this wraith’s next turn. The new wraith appears in the space where the humanoid died or in the nearest unoccupied square, and it rolls a new initiative check. The new wraith acts under the Dungeon Master’s control.
Vampiric Mist Corruptor: ?
Death Knight: ?
Oath Wight: ?

Dungeon 197

Spoiler

Wraith: Created from the spirits of the Shadowghasts.
When the wraith kills a humanoid, that humanoid becomes a wraith figment at the start of this wraith’s next turn. The new wraith appears in the space where the humanoid died or in the nearest unoccupied square, and it rolls a new initiative check. The new wraith acts under the Dungeon Master’s control.
Blazing Skeleton: ?

Dungeon 199

Spoiler

Kvaltigar, Skeletal Frost Giant: Three years ago, Kvaltigar was the frost giant jarl, until he was betrayed and murdered by Grugnur, his brother. Grugnur burned the body and tossed the remains into the rift. However, Kvaltigar’s spirit refused to leave the mortal world.
Hyrkzag, Frost Giant Ghost: Once the loyal bodyguard of Jarl Kvaltigar, Hyrkzag was hunting elk in the mountains when Grugnur betrayed and murdered Kvaltigar to claim the Iceskull Throne. Upon his return, Hyrkzag was ambushed in the dragons’ caverns. Cut off from all avenues of escape, the bodyguard slew many of his kin but was forced into these caverns. He ultimately met his end at the hands of Grugnur’s swordthain, Gnotmir.
“In life, I was the sworn bodyguard of Kvaltigar, jarl of the frost giants and lord of the Iceskull Throne. Kvaltigar was betrayed—slain and set ablaze by his brother, Grugnur! In a rage, I carved a swath through my treacherous kin, but a rival named Gnotmir slew me before I could avenge my fallen lord.”

Dungeon 200

Spoiler

Dragonscale Slough: ?
Fire Giant Flameskull: ?
Fell Troll Wraith: When Snurre established his hall here, he slew the trolls already in residence. The festering evil of the Elder Elemental Eye prevented their foul spirits from resting easy.
Troll Wraith: When Snurre established his hall here, he slew the trolls already in residence. The festering evil of the Elder Elemental Eye prevented their foul spirits from resting easy.
Fire Giant Death Knight: ?
Flame, Skeletal Dragon: ?
Flame, Dragon Demilich: The Dragon Queen decided to turn him into a unique undead creature: a dragon demilich.

Dungeon 201

Spoiler

Undead: Reanimation Doorway trap.

Reanimation Doorway
Level Varies Trap
Object
XP Varies
Detect Perception or Arcana DC (hard)
Initiative —
Immune attacks
Triggered Actions
R
Effect
F Daily
Trigger: The corpse of a creature of a level up to the trap’s level + 3 passes through the doorway.
Effect (Immediate Reaction):
Ranged 1 (the triggering corpse); the target animates as an undead creature hostile to all other creatures. This creature has half the original creature’s full normal hit points, is immune to necrotic damage and poison damage, and gains the undead keyword. It has all the other statistics of the original creature and can make basic attacks, but the only powers it can use are the original creature’s at-will attack powers. The target remains animated for 1d6 + 4 rounds or until it drops to 0 hit points.
Countermeasures
F Disarm: Arcana (trained only) or Thievery, both DC (hard).
Success: The character defaces the right runes to disarm the trap.
Failure (by 5 or more): The character takes 8 + the trap’s level necrotic damage.

Dungeon 202

Spoiler

Cinder Zombie: ?
Skeleton Mob: ?

Dungeon 203

Spoiler

Ghost Kraken, Thalarkis: Rukos and his crew set out to save the locals from the waterborne menace. After a few days of hunting, they spotted the kraken and harpooned it, then used winches to haul it to the surface. With cutlass, bow, and spell, they laid into the beast. The battle was long, and sailor after sailor fell until only Captain Rukos remained to face Thalarkis.
With his trusty cutlass Everdare firmly in hand, the Red Rake squared off with the gravely injured kraken. In the end, Rukos stabbed the beast through the eye as Thalarkis strangled the life out of the brave captain. Rukos fell to the deck, dead. The great beast shuddered and slumped into the sea, taking the Zephyr, its crew, and its captain to the depths below.
The spirits of Thalarkis and Rukos linger still, bound to the wreckage of the Zephyr. The ghost of Rukos stands at the ship’s wheel, doomed to haunt the deck alone. Thalarkis’s spirit is trapped in the wreckage of the ship.
Rukos: Rukos and his crew set out to save the locals from the waterborne menace. After a few days of hunting, they spotted the kraken and harpooned it, then used winches to haul it to the surface. With cutlass, bow, and spell, they laid into the beast. The battle was long, and sailor after sailor fell until only Captain Rukos remained to face Thalarkis.
With his trusty cutlass Everdare firmly in hand, the Red Rake squared off with the gravely injured kraken. In the end, Rukos stabbed the beast through the eye as Thalarkis strangled the life out of the brave captain. Rukos fell to the deck, dead. The great beast shuddered and slumped into the sea, taking the Zephyr, its crew, and its captain to the depths below.
The spirits of Thalarkis and Rukos linger still, bound to the wreckage of the Zephyr. The ghost of Rukos stands at the ship’s wheel, doomed to haunt the deck alone. Thalarkis’s spirit is trapped in the wreckage of the ship.
Torgath, Half-Orc Revenant: The Zephyr’s boatswain, a half-orc named Torgath, attempted to gather support to overthrow the captain and save the crew members from what he believed to be certain doom. Captain Rukos’s behavior had grown erratic and dangerous in the months preceding the kraken hunt. Torgath believed the sword Everdare compelled Rukos to put his ship and crew in unnecessary jeopardy.
The captain ferreted out the conspiracy before Torgath could gain the full support of the crew. He confined the half-orc to the brig, and Torgath drowned alone in his cell when the ship was pulled under.
Torgath still inhabits his cell beneath the waves. The Raven Queen reanimated him as a revenant so that he might bring true death to the kraken and the captain, both of whom now haunt the wreckage of the Zephyr as restless spirits.
Atropal Deathscreamer: The birth of a deity is a rare event, and a delicate matter that requires the precise balance of stupendous forces. If anything goes awry, the result is a monstrosity: an undead husk animated by residual divine energy, thirsting for the power it never attained.

Dungeon 206

Spoiler

Vampire, Zanifer Karisa: Zanifer Karissa served as a captain in the Last War, conducting reconnaissance behind enemy lines in Breland. Before the King’s Dark Lanterns could catch up to her, she returned to Karrnath with critical military intelligence and earned herself a medal and an audience with Regent Moranna ir’Wynarn. Suspecting that the Dark Lanterns might have coerced Zanifer, Moranna turned the captain into a vampire and used her hold over the new spawn to discover the truth: Zanifer was not a double agent after all, but always had been a loyal Karrnathi soldier.
Sharn Vampire Spawn: Zanifer isn’t fond of her employer, but she remains a patriot. Her family died in the Last War, and all she has left is her loyalty to the Karrnathi crown. She obeys Torr’s orders without question, and she has turned some of Sharn’s dregs into vampire thralls under her command.
Flameskull, Eldreth Zanderraum: ?
Death Husk Stirges: ?

Dungeon 207

Spoiler

Abyssal Ghoul: Vaden created the ghouls from the corpses of former members entombed in the catacombs.
The ghouls were created by Vaden from preserved human corpses in the catacombs.
Darzaan, Ghost Beholder: ?
Count Strahd von Zarovich: On the day of Sergei and Tatyana’s wedding, Strahd murdered his brother and pursued the grieving bride until she flung herself from the walls of Castle Ravenloft. Strahd was slain by the castle guards but rose as a vampire, cursed by the dark powers of Ravenloft for his hand in the deaths of Sergei and Tatyana.
Leo Dilysnia, Vampire: Leo attempted to overthrow Strahd on the day of Sergei and Tatyana’s wedding, and his henchmen were responsible for many deaths that night. Leo fled and went into hiding for half a century, but Strahd eventually discovered his whereabouts and exacted his vengeance. He turned Leo into a vampire and had him buried inside a tomb, so he would starve for eternity.
Years later, with the help of a loyal subject named Lorvinia Wachter, Strahd found Leo, overpowered him, turned him into a vampire, and had him sealed inside a mausoleum on the Wachter estate, to starve for eternity.
Yera, Halfling Ghast: The Tser Pool is haunted by the remnants of a drowned halfling woman. This is Yera, the beloved of Falstan Mitrache, who fell out of a boat and failed time and again to catch herself before going over the Tser Falls. She lingers on as a ghast.
Ghoul: The Tser Pool is haunted by the remnants of a drowned halfling woman. This is Yera, the beloved of Falstan Mitrache, who fell out of a boat and failed time and again to catch herself before going over the Tser Falls. She lingers on as a ghast. She has been attacking smugglers that have been conducting shady dealings near the Tser Pool, and several of her victims became ghouls.
Patrina Kelikovna: Patrina sacrificed animals to the powers of shadow and ended up attracting the attention of Strahd von Zarovich. The count sought to make her his vampiric bride, and Patrina gladly submitted to his advances. When Patrina tried to feed upon an elf child to seal her transformation into a vampire, Kasimir and the other elves stoned her to death. They surrendered her body to Strahd, who interred her in Castle Ravenloft’s crypts, and Patrina soon arose as a banshee.
Dread Archer: Strahd temporarily released Patrina Kelikovna from her crypt so she could exact her revenge upon her kin, using Lysaga Hill’s evil to turn the elves into her undead servitors.
Dread Marauder: Strahd temporarily released Patrina Kelikovna from her crypt so she could exact her revenge upon her kin, using Lysaga Hill’s evil to turn the elves into her undead servitors.
Zombie Shambler: ?
Vampire: Any humanoid Leo slays with his bite becomes a vampire or a vampire spawn.
Vampire Spawn: Any humanoid Leo slays with his bite becomes a vampire or a vampire spawn.
Elder Vampire Spawn: Leo Dilysnia has turned a handful of White Sun monks into vampire spawn.
The four chanting figures are vampire spawn created by Leo.
Forsaken Shell: The four corpses lying in the middle of the chapel are undead horrors created by Leo.
Death Kin Skeleton: The skeletons are the reanimated remains of Ba’al Verzi assassins whom Leo dug up and brought to the monastery with him.
Vampiric Mist: ?
Zombie Strangler: ?
Zombie Strangler Hand: ?

Dungeon 208

Spoiler

Grasping Zombie: In the long-forgotten calamity that befell this mine, the passages to this section collapsed. Many miners were trapped here and live on in undead misery.
Trapped Zombie Foreman: In the long-forgotten calamity that befell this mine, the passages to this section collapsed. Many miners were trapped here and live on in undead misery.
Brackenbite, Haures: Brackenbite, a haures, was touched by Lolth.

Dungeon 209

Spoiler

Death Mold Zombie: A Small or Medium target reduced to 0 hit points or fewer from a death mold attack dies and immediately becomes a death mold zombie.
Mummified Cyclops: ?
Mummified Crocodile: ?
Tloques-Popolocas, Vampire: ?
Olman Zombie: ?
Ayocuan, Wight: ?
Daughter of Chitza-Atla, Mummy: ?

Dungeon 210

Spoiler

Wraith: ?
Wraith Figment: When the wraith kills a humanoid, that humanoid becomes a wraith figment at the start of this wraith’s next turn. The new wraith appears in the space where the humanoid died or in the nearest unoccupied square, and it rolls a new initiative check.
Blazing Skeleton: ?

Dungeon 211

Spoiler

Wraith: When the wraith kills a humanoid, that humanoid becomes a wraith figment at the start of this wraith’s next turn. The new wraith appears in the space where the humanoid died or in the nearest unoccupied square, and it rolls a new initiative check.
Wisp Wraith: ?
Fin, Ghost: As the characters search the cemetery for clues, they sense the presence of an invisible ghost—the vestige of a young boy named Fin who was trampled to death by a horse three years ago.
But communing with Fin’s spirit reveals that someone has plundered his remains, and indeed, characters who dig up the graves discover that most of them are empty.
Why are you not at rest? “My bones! Gone!”
Four years ago, a local farmer named Holgar Razlek found the boy stumbling through a field in the dead of winter, half frozen to death. Brigands had killed his parents and older sister, forcing the boy to flee his distant homestead. Holgar took the boy in, even though his wife and sons weren’t thrilled with the idea.
Fin lived with the Razleks for less than a year. One fateful evening, a horse trampled him to death while he was crossing the road in front of the family’s cottage. The horse was pulling an ale wagon, and the dwarf merchant at the reins wasn’t local. The merchant swore that he didn’t see Fin dart in front of his horse and wagon until it was too late.
Karla was relieved when Fin died, because he was deeply troubled and required her undivided attention. She and Holgar also confess that Fin suffered from constant nightmares about the brigand attack that killed his family. His screams woke the household and frightened the other boys, and other members of the household would occasionally hear voices and sounds of the brigand attack as though it were happening in their home, suggesting that Fin had the power to project his psyche.
Undead: Talther Yorn instructed Grygori to steal bones from the Baron’s Hill cemetery on moonless nights over the course of several months. The necromancer has been grinding the bones to a fine powder, which he combines with other ingredients to create a necrotic admixture that transforms living creatures into undead horrors. He has been testing this foul concoction on assorted animals, a few wayward travelers, and a mob of goblin underlings.
Hound of Ill Omen: ?
Grygori Dilvia, Ghast: Talther Yorn hired Grygori Dilvia to plunder ancient barrows and battlefields for bones, and Grygori enjoyed the mindless work. The spirits of the dishonored dead cursed Grygori and slowly transformed him into a ghast.
Goblin Zombie: The book on the lectern contains Talther Yorn’s meticulous notes (written in Common) about his various alchemical experiments, most of which focus on the reanimation of dead tissue and the creation of zombies by alchemical means. The pages to which the book lies open list the ingredients and instructions for creating a necromantic fluid that Yorn unimaginatively refers to as bone juice. According to the book, this substance can turn a living creature into an obedient zombie without the need for an animation ritual. A quick read of Yorn’s tome provides the following information:
F Creating or using bone juice is an inherently evil act.
F When bone juice is injected into a living subject, death comes quickly. Within an hour, the corpse reanimates as a weak-willed zombie under its creator’s control.
F The bone juice admixture must be perfect. Many of Talther Yorn’s early bone juice concoctions killed his subjects without reanimating them.
F The key ingredient in bone juice is powdered bone. Talther recently discovered that the more diseased the bone, the greater the chance that the “end result” (in other words, the zombie) will go berserk. Thus, the bones of the elderly are less desirable than the bones of the young.
F Talther’s last entry reveals that he recently injected bone juice made from the remains of a child named Fin into a “willing” goblin subject, and the experiment was successful. The goblin is unnamed, but Talther remarks in passing that the creature has only one eye.
If the characters goad him into talking about what he did with Fin’s bones, he gloats that he ground the bones to powder, mixed the powder with some other ingredients, and injected the concoction into a goblin to turn it into a zombie.
Small creature killed by bone juice injection.
The necromancer ground the young boy’s bones into powder and used the powder as an ingredient in the bone juice that transformed a helpless one-eyed goblin into a goblin zombie.
The necromancer lured a gang of goblins to his stronghold and has been using them as test subjects. He has turned several of them into zombies and tricked the others into thinking this transformation makes them more powerful.
Goblin Zombie Bugsack: ?
Skeleton: ?
Phantom Warrior: ?
Flesh Tapestry: Talther Yorn stitched and animated this undead creature, which tears itself free of the iron rod and flops across the floor in pursuit of prey.
Skeletal Cats: The three skeletal cats were once Talther Yorn’s living pets. They do not attack unless either the characters attack them first, or their master commands them to do so. Left to their own devices, they follow the characters wherever they go, occasionally getting underfoot while remaining aloof. The cats lack the ability to purr, yowl, or make other vocal sounds, but their bones and claws click eerily when they move. If a character makes any effort to befriend the skeletal cats, they might exhibit behavior that seems friendly, such as attacking a goblin zombie, fetching a thrown object, or leaping into the character’s arms. This behavior hides their true loyalty to their longtime master and creator, Talther Yorn.
Zombie Shambler: Non-small creature killed by bone juice injection.
Hulking Zombie: ?
Vampire Necromancer, Talther Yorn: Hoping to erase an old injury, the necromancer became a vampire, and he has continued to conduct his evil experiments within his secure underground sanctuary to this day.
The necromancer recently transformed himself into a vampire.
Talther Yorn recently performed a necromantic ritual that transformed him into a vampire.
Ghoul: Before he found Severine, Talther Yorn employed a trio of bandits to do grunt work. They started to demand too much money for their labors, so Yorn had them killed and then brought them back as subservient ghouls.
The ghouls are the remains of three human bandits who used to perform odd jobs for Talther Yorn until they demanded a little too much money for their services.
Echo Spirit: Life-giving magic from the fey crossing preserved the spiritual remains of those who have died here over the ages, but Soryth’s recent corruption of the area has awakened one of these remnants as an angry undead creature.
Spirit Echo: Echo Spirit's Spiritual Echoes power.

Bone Juice Syringe
Standard Action M Syringe (necrotic, weapon) F Recharge if the attack misses
Attack: Melee 1 (one dazed, restrained, stunned, or unconscious creature); +8 vs. Reflex
Hit: 2d4 + 15 necrotic damage. If the damage reduces the target to 0 hit points or fewer, the target dies and rises as a zombie shambler (Monster Vault™, page 295) at the start of its next turn. (A Small creature uses the goblin zombie statistics instead.) A new zombie has a 50 percent chance to be free-willed. Otherwise, it obeys its creator.

Minor Actions
m Spiritual Echoes F Recharge when the spirit uses psychic reverberation
Effect: Three spirit echoes appear within 10 squares of the spirit. These creatures act just after the spirit in the initiative order.

Dungeon 212

Spoiler

Hyena Spirits: ?
Witherlings: The bone pit is safe, at least until the fang of Yeenoghu in area 3 is killed. As soon as he dies, the bones come to life, spurred into action by Yeenoghu himself.
Zombie: ?
Zombie Rotter: ?
Ghoul: ?

Dungeon 214

Spoiler

Shambling Mummy: ?
Skeletal Tomb Guardian: ?
Wraith Figment: When the sovereign wraith kills a humanoid, that humanoid becomes a wraith figment at the start of this wraith’s next turn. The new wraith appears in the space where the humanoid died or in the nearest unoccupied square, and it rolls a new initiative check.
Sovereign Wraith: ?
Vampire Night Witch: ?
Dread Guardian: ?
Karrnathi Skeleton: Kassia’s mind shattered at the loss of her family, and she cloistered herself in her home for months. She pored over texts that her family had accumulated over several generations. In time, she discovered a tome written by a priest of the Blood of Vol and recited a ritual from its pages to raise the remains of her family and restore her happiness.
The remains of Kassia’s husband, sons, and daughter rose as Karrnathi skeletons.

Dungeon 215

Spoiler

Decay Mummy: ?
Ragewind: ?
Tormenting Ghost: ?
Dread Zombie Slayer: ?
Coffer Corpse: The last gaoler was so evil and cruel that demons left his soul to rot inside the flesh and spread suffering on the Material Plane.
Feasting Zombie: ?
Lacedon: ?
Rot Grub Zombie: ?
Sovereign Wraith: ?
Wraith Figment: When the sovereign wraith kills a humanoid, that humanoid becomes a wraith figment at the start of this wraith’s next turn. The new wraith appears in the space where the humanoid died or in the nearest unoccupied square, and it rolls a new initiative check.

Dungeon 216

Spoiler

Undead: In a flawed attempt to recover the primordial spirit, Hazakhul triggered a devastating, cataclysmic eruption. An unexpected by-product of the ritual channeled forces from the Elemental Chaos into the heart of his stronghold. The pyromancer and his servants perished, but twisted fire and necromancy reanimated them into undead creatures.
Culdred: Culdred is Hazakhul’s favored apprentice. He oversees the watchtowers when not studying the necromantic arts to further understand and exploit the effects his master’s failed ritual had on them. Through his studies he has altered his already unnatural state to become a flameharrow.
In a flawed attempt to recover the primordial spirit, Hazakhul triggered a devastating, cataclysmic eruption. An unexpected by-product of the ritual channeled forces from the Elemental Chaos into the heart of his stronghold. The pyromancer and his servants perished, but twisted fire and necromancy reanimated them into undead creatures.
Red Arcanian Apprentice: In a flawed attempt to recover the primordial spirit, Hazakhul triggered a devastating, cataclysmic eruption. An unexpected by-product of the ritual channeled forces from the Elemental Chaos into the heart of his stronghold. The pyromancer and his servants perished, but twisted fire and necromancy reanimated them into undead creatures.
Hazakhul: In a flawed attempt to recover the primordial spirit, Hazakhul triggered a devastating, cataclysmic eruption. An unexpected by-product of the ritual channeled forces from the Elemental Chaos into the heart of his stronghold. The pyromancer and his servants perished, but twisted fire and necromancy reanimated them into undead creatures.

Dungeon 218

Spoiler

Undead: As they battle the mercenaries in Ghere Thau, the characters notice that some of the enemies immediately rise as undead (often wights) when they fall.
Characters who befriend (or interrogate) the more knowledgeable mercenaries learn the truth: the spirits of the dead soldiers lingered on the battlefield in Ghere Thau after death, and they desperately merge with the recently slain, trying to return to life.
Karlerren’s undead army and the knights of Argramos were bitter foes in battle, but after death the knights of Argramos have become undead—even if they don’t realize it. The fading energy of Karlerren’s desperate necromancy persists, preventing the souls of the fallen from moving on from Ghere Thau.
Those souls are invisible, intangible, and unreachable most of the time, and they aren’t strong enough to spontaneously rise as undead such as wraiths or specters. But if someone else dies nearby, the trapped soul can combine with the recently deceased—a phenomenon that Zarudu, a foulspawn seer working with the mercenaries, calls “soulmerging.”
The soulmerged spirit manifests as an undead (each encounter specifies what sort of undead rises) 1 round after the soulmerge occurs, and the creature is hostile to the characters. The power of the creature before it died doesn’t matter; a lowly minion can become a challenging undead foe 1 round later.
After it rises from death, the soulmerged undead draws necromantic power from the trapped soul but retains the motivation and basic personality of the recently deceased. Thus the new undead attack the characters, not any former allies who are still living. (See the “If a Character Dies” sidebar for what might happen to a dead character.)
Zarudu hasn’t figured out why some deaths in Ghere Thau result in spontaneous undead creation, but others don’t. He doesn’t realize that the trapped souls (mostly knights of Argramos) were proud in life, and even after death merge only with Medium humanoids—creatures whose forms are familiar to them. The ettins, ogres, and more unusual members of Trask’s mercenary company won’t soulmerge after death.
✦The undead are rising because the souls of the knights in Ghere Thau weren’t buried properly and seek new bodies (somewhat true; Karlerren’s necromancy is another major factor). Zarudu calls the process “soulmerging.”
✦✦The souls in Ghere Thau seem to be somewhat picky about the bodies they claim. They won’t inhabit an ogre or an animal (somewhat true; they inhabit only Medium humanoids).
✦✦The undead in Ghere Thau keep the motivations and personality they had in life . . . at first. After about an hour, they start to talk more like knights of Argramos for brief moments, then descend into unintelligible madness.
✦✦Some undead in Ghere Thau seem wight-like, while others are more like mummies, and Zarudu can’t figure out why. Unless he sees a vampire rise in this room, Zarudu doesn’t know that’s possible.
Wight: As they battle the mercenaries in Ghere Thau, the characters notice that some of the enemies immediately rise as undead (often wights) when they fall.
Shambling Mummy: Whenever a human transmuter dies in Ghere Thau, a shambling mummy rises in the same square at the initiative point where the transmuter would next act.
2 cambion wrathborn (which animate as shambling mummies when dropped to 0 hit points in Ghere Thau).
1 medusa venom arrow, 1 medusa bodyguard. (When either medusa drops to 0 hit points in Ghere Thau, it animates as a shambling mummy.)
When a medusa dies in Ghere Thau, the snakes fall out of its head and it rises as a shambling mummy the next round.
Battle Wight: A battle wight replaces the chained cambion when it falls in Ghere Thau.
2 dragonborn mercenaries (which animate as battle wights when dropped to 0 hit points in Ghere Thau).
When the cambion dies in Ghere Thau, it becomes a battle wight.
1 cambion infernal scion (animates as a battle wight when dropped to 0 hit points in Ghere Thau).
When the infernal scion dies in Ghere Thau, she rises as a battle wight.
Revenant: Most characters are Medium humanoids and thus are vulnerable to soulmerging if they die. If a character dies in Ghere Thau and a Raise Dead ritual isn’t available, ask the player whether continuing as a friendly undead is an interesting direction for the character.
If the player is amenable, provide access to the revenant, published in Heroes of Shadow and Dragon #375. It should take a player only a few moments to subtract out the old racial benefits and add the revenant’s benefits (retaining the old race as the “past life” of the revenant).
Turning a character into a revenant—voluntarily!—bends the “rules” of the soulmerged undead, but it does so for a good cause. You can justify it by saying that the character’s uncommon willpower channeled Karlerren’s necromantic energy into reanimation without involving any of the knights’ spirits
Vampire Night Witch: When either foulspawn dies in Ghere Thau, a vampire night witch rises in the same square in the foulspawn’s next initiative point.
Lingering Warrior Spirit: ?
Unhallowed Wights: When the human thugs die in Ghere Thau, they become unhallowed wights.
The human thugs, if killed in Ghere Thau, become much more deadly unhallowed wights.
2 human thugs (which animate as unhallowed wights when dropped to 0 hit points in Ghere Thau)
Mummy Tomb Guardian: 3 cambion wrathborn (which animate as mummy tomb guardians when dropped to 0 hit points in Ghere Thau).
Wrathborn that die in Ghere Thau become mummy tomb guardians.
Battle Wight Commander: 1 cambion infernal scion (which animates as a battle wight commander when dropped to 0 hit points in Ghere Thau).
If Trask isn’t able to kill himself by falling in Ghere Thau, he rises as a battle wight commander and fights until destroyed.
Vampire Spawn: Declaring his triumph over death, Rasmus offered the “gift” of immortality to his loyal disciples, slaying them and raising them as his spawn.
Ghoul: The Ironhearts arrived in Arnesbloom just as the cult completed a ritual that slew every living soul in the town, including the hapless adventurers. The cult offered the souls to Orcus, who caused them to rise again as ghouls.
The town’s attempt at a new “life” is imperiled by the presence of the slain cultists, who have also risen as ghouls and insinuated themselves into the population.
The Ironhearts arrived in Arnesbloom before the cultists of Orcus completed their ritual, but they were too late to stop it. They were transformed into ghouls along with all the townsfolk.
Some of the cultists were killed during the initial confrontation and have since risen as ghouls themselves.
Ghoul Ambusher: ?
Alwar Thornwhistle: ?
Ravenous Ghoul: ?
Adept of Orcus: ?
Ghoul Flesh Seeker: ?
Headless Corpse of Rasmus: The vestige of Rasmus’s spirit that inhabits the corpse causes it to reanimate.
Head of Rasmus: ?
Wraith: This chamber, once the entryway to the temple, became the place where Rasmus granted his “blessing” to his disciples, transforming them into vampire spawn. The spawn were slain centuries ago by Arne and her companions, but their restless spirits have been awakened by their master’s return to the temple.
Mad Wraith: This chamber, once the entryway to the temple, became the place where Rasmus granted his “blessing” to his disciples, transforming them into vampire spawn. The spawn were slain centuries ago by Arne and her companions, but their restless spirits have been awakened by their master’s return to the temple.
Sovereign Wraith: This chamber, once the entryway to the temple, became the place where Rasmus granted his “blessing” to his disciples, transforming them into vampire spawn. The spawn were slain centuries ago by Arne and her companions, but their restless spirits have been awakened by their master’s return to the temple.
Wraith Figment: When the wraith kills a humanoid, that humanoid becomes a wraith figment at the start of this wraith’s next turn. The new wraith appears in the space where the humanoid died or in the nearest unoccupied square, and it rolls a new initiative check.
When the mad wraith kills a humanoid, that humanoid becomes a wraith figment at the start of this wraith’s next turn. The new wraith appears in the space where the humanoid died or in the nearest unoccupied square, and it rolls a new initiative check.
When the sovereign wraith kills a humanoid, that humanoid becomes a wraith figment at the start of this wraith’s next turn. The new wraith appears in the space where the humanoid died or in the nearest unoccupied square, and it rolls a new initiative check.
When the wraith kills a humanoid, that humanoid becomes a wraith figment at the start of this wraith’s next turn. The new wraith appears in the space where the humanoid died or in the nearest unoccupied square, and it rolls a new initiative check.
Rasmus Vampire Lord: Centuries ago, a powerful cleric of the Raven Queen named Rasmus forsook the teachings of his god and began using the power she had granted him to unnaturally extend his own life. Eventually, magic alone was no longer enough to sustain Rasmus, so he undertook forbidden rites in which he drank offerings of blood made by his disciples to prolong his life indefinitely. The dark magic of the rites corrupted the cleric, transforming him into a vampire.
Anja Silvermane: ?
Zombie Shambler: ?

Dungeon 219

Spoiler

Skeletal Ravager: If a living humanoid dies in Ragatromo's Undead Master aura, a skeletal ravager appears in its space at the start of Ragatromo’s turn.
Ghoul Flesh Seeker: ?
Grasping Zombie: ?
Blazing Skeleton: Vontarin’s ghost, still possessing Nathaire’s body, decides to drive off the townsfolk of Duponde. He animates a wave of undead attackers and sends them against the town.
Decrepit Skeleton: Vontarin’s ghost, still possessing Nathaire’s body, decides to drive off the townsfolk of Duponde. He animates a wave of undead attackers and sends them against the town.
Flesh-Crazed Zombie: The twig blights and zombies gain their dark vitality from Vontarin’s ghost.
Vontarin, Mad Ghost: This creature is a hateful remnant of the evil necromancer’s soul.

Dungeon 220

Spoiler

Burned Witches: These charred skeletons are the remains of witches Willifer reanimated.

Dungeon 221

Spoiler

Skeletal Legionary: The family buried here suffered a curse, and so undead linger in the vault.
Wraith: The family buried here suffered a curse, and so undead linger in the vault.
Wraith Figment: When the wraith kills a humanoid, that humanoid becomes a wraith figment at the start of this wraith’s next turn. The new wraith appears in the space where the humanoid died or in the nearest unoccupied square, and it rolls a new initiative check.
Death Mold Zombie: ?
Sir Tavil Soarvaren: Tavil is now languishing in the service of Gryznath, who has reanimated the deceased paladin as a battle wight.
Gryznath recently slew a group of knights from Elturgard and removed a silver gauntlet from the body of their leader. He then used black magic to animate the knights’ corpses into talking undead. (Garloz can describe the undead well enough that someone who succeeds on a DC 17 Religion check can guess the creatures are wights.)
Battle Wight: Gryznath recently slew a group of knights from Elturgard and removed a silver gauntlet from the body of their leader. He then used black magic to animate the knights’ corpses into talking undead. (Garloz can describe the undead well enough that someone who succeeds on a DC 17 Religion check can guess the creatures are wights.)
Gryznath, Chosen of Faluzure: As a Chosen of Faluzure, the dragon god of undeath, Gryznath enjoys certain benefits. Left unattended, his corpse animates as an undead version of itself in an hour.
Vampiric Mist: ?

4e 2nd Party

Spoiler

D1 Neverwinter Tales

Spoiler

Vampire: ?
Flesh-Crazed Zombie: ?
Grasping Zombie: ?

4e 3rd Party

Spoiler

***

Adastra Nucleus

Spoiler

Xori Servitor: ?
Xori Laborer: ?
Xori Brute: ?

Alluria Campaign Setting Guide

Spoiler

Lord Varquil, Lich: ?

Amethyst: Foundations

Spoiler

Undead: Before the time of man, when the war with the dark forces of Ixindar was sweeping the planet, a group of corrupted rebels created a land that refused to follow either path. They embraced the negative energy of Ixindar but believed it could be controlled to convert all life to death and that death was the true gateway to everlasting power. Within these insurgents formed the initial lords of decay, the ghu-lath (creatures of darkness that have gone by dozens of names throughout human history). They created armies of mindless undead and forged a kingdom to call their own.

Asuang: Shapechanging Horrors

Spoiler

Tianak: The tianak are tiny undead created from infants and the unborn and given a profane hunger for human flesh.
Other asuangs take this connection to ghouls a step further, using their blood as a component in a foul ritual. They take the corpse of an infant, be it stillborn or taken forcibly from the womb of its dead mother, and infuse their foul blood onto the tiny corpse. The result is a tianak, a miniature ghoul that inherits the asuang’s shapechanging ability.
The ritual transforms them so that they appear to be around the same size as a child that can already crawl. Curiously, they also possess a stunted leg in this form. Those well-versed in the art of ritual casting believe that he stunted leg is the cost of the slight growth spurt.
Tianak Swarm: From time to time, the tianak finds others of its cursed kin. These tianaks form into a tianak swarm, and are more straightforward as a group compared to when they act alone.
Ghoul: An asuang’s taste for humanoid entrails makes them highly susceptible to becoming ghouls.

Blackdirge's Dungeon Denizens

Spoiler

Ash Guardian: An ash guardian is a creature of dust, earth, and ash created when soil is fouled with the remains of innocent victims burned en masse. The angry spirits of the slain infest the earth itself with an unimaginable thirst for revenge, ultimately congealing into a single entity capable only of hate and evil.
An ash guardian is a creature filled with dark energy of the Shadowfell. It is a terrible amalgamation of many tortured souls, their deaths combined into a single note of shrieking anger and pain.
Bone Swarm: Created from failed necromantic experiments or arising spontaneously from ossuaries and bone yards, bone swarms are writhing masses of bony debris.
Bone Swarm Grave Swarm: Grave swarms are the result of terrible amounts of necromantic energy released in an area with many corpses or skeletons, such as a battlefield or graveyard.
Deathwarg: They are created by powerful necromancers, and are often used to hunt down and kill the enemies of their masters.
Deathwargs are undead wolf-like creatures created via an obscure necromantic ritual. Although mortal warlocks and wizards are capable of creating deathwargs, they usually serve powerful undead spell casters, such as liches and vampires.
Deathwarg Wightwarg: ?
Deathwarg Lichwarg: ?
Flayed Horror: Flayed horrors are undead created by particularly evil and cruel necromancers to serve as guardians or bodyguards. The process of creating a flayed horror requires a living, humanoid victim, who is slowly and torturously flayed alive. The terrible pain and horror suffered by the victim, as well as no small amount of necromantic energy, is combined to provide the spark of undeath necessary to animate the flayed horror.
Flayed horrors are created through a horrific necromantic ritual called the flensing. The unfortunate individuals forced to endure this ritual are slowly flayed alive, and just before death, their bodies are infused with necromantic energy. This process creates a skinless, undead abomination, wracked with constant pain, and eager to replace its lost skin with that of humanoid victims.
Undead: As often as not, a disaster that creates the living tear or living catastrophe also creates a large number of undead; the only creatures that can truly tolerate the aura of pain and grief generated by the ooze-like horrors.
Ghoul: The price for Malotoch’s aid is steep; some whom she saves are allowed to live with merely their souls as payment, while others are transformed into ghouls or rooks as part of the exchange.
Shambling Skullpile: A shambling skullpile is an undead monstrosity formed from the many skulls of ritually sacrificed creatures. The horror and torment of these sacrificed victims form a maelstrom of psychic energies, which take a physical form by animating and possessing skulls into a rough humanoid form.
Xochatateo: Xochatateo are filthy undead humanoids, created from the sacrificial victims of particularly vile and bloodthirsty cults. Each bears a similar wound upon its chest, where its still beating heart was cut from its body just before the death of its corporal form. For some reason, the xochatateo lives on; a tormented creature cursed to exist between the realms of life and death, constantly seeking the hearts of the living to replace the one that once beat within its chest.
It is unclear as to exactly why the xochatateo are created. Some scholars argue that they are created when a sacrifice ritual is conducted incorrectly; others believe that they are created when the subject being sacrificed simply refuses to die. A few cynics even believe that xochatateo are nothing more than a cruel god’s joke. Regardless of the reasons why the undead creature is created, there is no disputing how they come into existence: During a sacrifice ritual, when the still-beating heart is ripped from a humanoid creature’s chest, for some reason that creature does not die. Instead, it is reborn as a cruel, savage creature with a taste for mortal flesh.
Greater Xochatateo: ?

Blessed by Poison

Spoiler

Undead: Black skull spiders are infused with negative energy, and may animate and control a limited amount of undead.
Goblin Zombie: Black skull spiders are infused with negative energy, and may animate and control a limited amount of undead (in this case four goblins zombies).

Castoffs and Crossbreeds

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Wicht: The first wicht were a legion of notorious robbers and bandits who became undead together through the curse of a slain high priestess. The cleric witnessed the pillaging of her city, the raping of her church, and the defiling of her own body with stoic silence that made the raiders uneasy. Then, with her dying breath, she punished them and their descendents with a fate worse than death.
Wicht are able to breed with humans and some demihumans and humanoids, resulting in rare wicht being born rather than created.

Child of the Dawn

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Rot Slinger: ?
Giant Mummy: ?
Abyssal Ghoul Myrmidon: ?
Larva Mage: ?
Nightwalker: ?
Lich Eladrin Wizard: ?

Claw Claw Bite 18

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Drelnza, Vampire Warrior-Maiden: ?

Combat Advantage 9 Revenant

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Undead: Revenant Paragon Path
Revenant Paragon Path Prerequisite: Con 13. Your character must have died prior to gaining this path.

Combat Advantage 13 Dark October

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Ghosts of Tieflings Past: Our worlds are inhabited by ancient kingdoms, lost ruins, and crypts of the walking dead - emblems of a forgotten past still seeping into our present campaigns. We never forget the paths of the dead and those who remain behind to guard these entrances, these wards connecting the shadowy realm of Death to the vibrant land of the Living. While some do so willingly, others cannot break themselves from the bonds of the past and remain as haunting spirits eternally locked in our world.
The area pulses with necromantic energy. If the hero makes an active check and is a follower of the Raven Queen, the presence of her exarchs flavor the energy. The necromantic energy is not necessarily evil, but it is warped into believing it must fight to be released.
There is definitely a portal to the Shadowfell that does not seem to be working. It seems to be in stasis, holding back portions of the energy required of the Shadowfell from those that seem to have fallen in battle here.
2,500 years ago a great battle took place here between a tiefling army and a massive beast from the Elemental Chaos. Tradition and epic poetic sagas tell of a rift that opened into the world from there and unleashed a powerful behemoth, larger and stronger than any dragon. The beast was defeated, but destroyed not just the entire tiefling army, but the nation that sent them to defeat it.
Tiefling Revenant: ?
Revenant Tiefling Sergeant: ?
Revenant Tiefling Officer: ?
Revenant Tiefling Commander: ?
Tiefling Shadow Revenant: ?
Revenant Tiefling Warlord: ?

Creature Collection - A Compendium of 4th Edition Monstrous Foes

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Acid Shambler Ghoul: The acid shambler is one of many horrors spawned in the aftermath of the Divine War. The shamblers are corpses brought back to horrific, agonizing life by a strange transformation of their blood. The thick reddish-black ichors that surge through their dead veins both animate and deteriorate them, eating them from the inside out due to the highly acidic properties.
Ghoul Hound: ?
Ghoul bloodhound : ?
Ice Ghoul: Legends say that a man who dies in the snow cursing the goddess of the bitter arctic winds will rise again on the night of the full moon, hungry for warm, raw flesh to fill his shrunken belly.
Ice ghouls are the frost-rimed remains of travelers who starved to death in the blizzards of the north, undead creatures with pale white skin and withered flesh.
Ice Ghoul Reaver: ?
Poisonbearer Ghoul: The poisonbearer is yet another undead creation of the Ghoul King, lord of the Isle of the Dead.
Overghast Ghoul: Theories about overghasts’ origins abound. Most scholars believe that they were created spontaneously by explosions of necromantic energy near the end of the Divine War — the same energies that are thought to have created the fearsome Isle of the Dead. While these notions have not been confirmed, it is known that on occasion an ordinary ghast can be transformed into one of these creatures, and that they are most common in southern Termana, near the Ghoul King’s island realm.
Undead Ooze: The undead ooze is created when an ooze of any other sort violates the grave of a restless and evil soul: A malevolent spirit, still tied to the rotting flesh consumed by the ooze, occasionally enters it. This is the last meal the ooze takes as a living creature, as it is changed into a thing of undeath and filled with a hatred of the living, as well as a fiendish low cunning.
Bone Horror: A bone horror is not technically a skeleton. Its "body" is a mix of humanoid and sometimes animal skeletons. No one knows what dark magic created these monsters. They are thought to arise from the grisly remains of scattered battlefields where large amounts of necromantic energy have been used. Yet some rumors claim that they were made when a wizard's experiment went catastrophically wrong; others suggest that they are the remains of mortals cursed by a vengeful power for wrongs committed against the gods.
Bone Lord: ?
Burned One: The faithful of Vangal are granted power and strength, but woe to the servant who turns his back upon his dark god or who commits sacrilege in his quest for power. If captured, these unfaithful ex-priests are subjected to a ritual which leaves them nothing but a burned husk, destined to roam the earth tormented in an agony of eternal flames.
Shackledeath: ?
Thunderbones: These intimidating creatures appear in many of the homes and workshops of accomplished necromancers, particularly those of Hollowfaust. Although the ritual involved in their creation is complex, the concept itself is simple: cover a large animated skeleton with rune-covered iron, and bestow magical abilities upon its bladed claws.
Slarecian Ghast: Some say that when the Slarecians were set upon by both gods and titans, the only way that ancient race could survive was to kill themselves rather than suffer eternal torment. Stories diverge from there: Some say that Slarecian ghasts and shadows are all that remain of a great civilization, while others attest that such creatures are but a sampling of undead Slarecians that thrives beneath the ground.
Regardless, there is little dispute that the ghasts were once Slarecians.
Slarecian Shadow: Some say that when the Slarecians were set upon by both gods and titans, the only way that ancient race could survive was to kill themselves rather than suffer eternal torment. Stories diverge from there: Some say that Slarecian ghasts and shadows are all that remain of a great civilization, while others attest that such creatures are but a sampling of undead Slarecians that thrives beneath the ground.
Slarecian shadows are thought to have been spies or assassins for their people, but this role cannot explain why they are still encountered and, evidently, still spy on others.
Slarecian Shadow Lord: ?
Slon Gravekeeper: ?
Alley Reaper Specter: An alley reaper is the spirit of an assassin or cutthroat who died with blood on his hands. Belsameth, considering that person particularly ruthless, cunning, and deceitful, gave him an extended lease not on the world, but on life.
Dread Reaper Specter: ?
Specter Swarm: ?
Unhallowed: Sometimes, perhaps once in a hundred years, a child is born bearing signs that he or she is beloved of the gods. She may be stronger, smarter, swifter, or more beautiful than any other child. Above all, she is gifted with abundant blessings and is clearly destined for greatness in the fullness of time. These souls go on to become mighty warriors, legendary paramours, golden-hearted scoundrels, or righteous holy men, meant to share their talents with those in need. It is a fundamental truth of the universe that the gods expect much of those to whom they give the greatest gifts.
Sometimes that trust is betrayed. With a single act, a blessed individual turns her back on sacred pacts and heeds instead the call of self-interest. Usually, once this hero loses her way, using her mighty skills to indulge her dark desires, there is no turning back: Such a violation of sacred trust earns the eternal enmity of the gods. When such a fallen soul reaches the end of her life, nothing but an eternity of torment awaits her.
Faithless Knight: The faithless knight was once a bold and noble warrior who, in a moment of rashness or passion, committed an act of terrible cowardice or dishonor so great that it violated the most essential tenets of his deity’s faith. Now the deathless blackguard travels the world spreading terror and pain, drowning innocent kingdoms in blood and leading young knights to their doom.
Unhallowed Knight: ?
Unhallowed Champion: ?
Forsaken Priest: There is no greater crime in the eyes of the gods than that committed when a servant of some holy sect forsakes her vows and uses her influence to lead innocent members of the faith down paths of corruption and iniquity. The forsaken priest is a creature who has betrayed the highest offices of her god and, since that time, has been a force for evil and temptation.
Treacherous Thief: The treacherous thief was cursed by the gods for betraying those who trusted him, all for the sake of nothing more than petty greed: He used his skills to steal from those who had almost nothing to call their own, simply for the joy of taking what did not belong to him. He murdered people for nothing more than a handful of coins. And now, in death, there is no treasure in the world great enough to buy his way out of damnation.
Wraith: Unquestionably the most frightening aspect of any wraith is its ability to create new wraiths from its slain victims.
Mist Walker: ?
Mist Haunter: ?
Blood Zombie: Blood zombies are the undead remains of sailors who died on the Blood Sea.
Carcass: Gathered and created from the fallen ranks of the Ghoul King's most stalwart enemies, these undead atrocities have been denied any hope of a dignified death, instead corrupted into some of the most grotesque of the Ghoul King’s slaves.
Bloated to an obscene size by the fell magics of the Ghoul King, carcasses are grossly obese. Jagged horizontal incisions, through which all their internal organs are removed, split their distended abdomens into gaping maws, leaving the creatures nothing more than gigantic rotting husks. Once the bodies are magically and surgically altered, they are then reanimated and sent out against the Ghoul King’s foes.
Carcass Spawn: ?
Chrdun-Slain: The god Chardun, the Great General, awards distinguished soldiers and units the gift to carry on their wars after death; Chardun-slain normally rise one full year after their mortal deaths, though, apparently at the behest of the Great General, to resume whatever assignment cost them their lives, be it laying siege to a town, guarding a bridge, or winning a battle.
Chardun-Slain Warrior: ?
Chardon-Slain Captain: ?
Tattooed Corpse: The sorceresses of Albadia are said to have perfected the arcane practice of tattoo magic. What is less known is the darker side of this skill, now widespread, in which tattoos are drawn by necromancers or tribal shamans to inscribe enchanted patterns upon reanimated corpses. These enhanced zombies are often sold to wealthy clients for use as guards.
Tattooed Corpse Mage: ?
Soulless Creature: Prerequisite: Humanoid or magical beast.

Critter Cache 5: Daemons

Spoiler

Necrodaemon: Necrodaemons are created with soul larvae that have been infused with necrotic energy. These undead larvae are then submerged in the Sea of Thalassaima, where the divine and elemental energies flowing in the bloody sea act as a catalyst, causing the larvae to undergo a swift transformation into a fledgling necrodaemon.
Necrodaemon Soulstalker: Necrodaemons that please their masters may be rewarded with an infusion of soul energy that transforms them into necrodaemon soulstalkers.

Death Dealer Shadows of Mirahan

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Horde Foot Soldier: Exhumed from ancient battlefields and war-torn lands by foul magic, these skeletons wear rotting, makeshift armor collected from their foes and fallen comrades, and fight with crude spears.
Horde Heavy Infantry: In life, they were mercenary captains, knights, and valiant swordsmen.
Shadow Wolf: Dread hounds, composed of flayed flesh, rotting muscle, and bleached bones, shadow wolves travel on the heels of the Shadow Horde, picking off weakened survivors and wretches wounded in the conflict.
Horde Archer: ?
Shadow Knight of Mirahan: ?
Shadow Titan: Towering giants composed of dead corpses, blood meal, and rotting gore, shadow titans are fearsome foes, laying waste to enemies with a single swing of their great mauls.
Dragas: Unlike the rest of the faceless horde, each dragas is unique, called to un-life by a demonic patron.
Horde Warrior: ?
Skeletal Minions: These pits are where the demon lord created his first skeletal minions — the dread demon zombies that would spread their undead infection to corpses across Iparsia. The pits are filled with thousands of seething grubs atop rolling beds of bones. The worms give off a faint green luminescence, but taken together, the pulsing green light is sufficient to light the entire cavern.
However, woe to PC that should tumble into the pits: the larva swarm up around the hero, drawing him under the tide of devouring worms. Any creature that perishes in the pit emerges 5 rounds later, an undead, skeletal foot soldier, utterly subservient to Mirahan.
Mother Dragas: ?

Devilmire Mountain

Spoiler

Boneclaw: ?
Abyssal Ghoul: ?
Bodak Skulk: ?
Bodak Reaver: ?
Death Knight Human Fighter: ?
Abyssal Ghoul: ?

Domains of Dread – Pellios The Raging Vale

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Lady Lauren: Rare as it is, Hallik was triumphant in breaking the bond he shared with the demon. In the process, his mind was wiped of all compassion, aside from the love of his dead wife. It was then that the defeated demon brought back Hallik’s true love. Her burned body rose, powered by the evil of the demon.

Domains of Dread: The Howling Halls of Turmain

Spoiler

Deena: Deena was dead. She actually died within the first week of arriving in Pandemonium. She met her end at the hands of one of the rogue groups of insane wanderers that call the plane of madness home. The terrible part of it all is that she didn’t stay dead.
The day after her death, she awoke as something much worse than the rag-tag band that had killed her. She swore to find the man that had seduced her, made her lose her child, and damned her to her fate on Pandemonium.

Dungeon Crawl Classics 54 Forges of the Mountain King

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Dwarf Ghoul: Once stalwart defenders of the dwarven enclave, in death, the dwarves have risen as accursed ghouls.
Giant Skeletal Water Snake: Once the water snake fed off the rats drawn to the dwarves’ trash pits. In the ensuing years, the snake died, only to rise again with the corruption cast off by Azon-Zog and the polluted Forge of Kings.

Dungeon Crawl Classics 55 Isle of the Sea Drake

Spoiler

Rotspitter Corpse: ?
Zombie: Corpses are planted feet-down in the earth next to the corn, beans, and squash, and after the old priest conducts a dreadful ritual, they also “grow,” rising again as undead.
Each of the bodies buried in the field have pulverized onyx in their mouth, eyes, and ears, and over their heart. A DC 20 Religion check would recognize this as part of an unholy reanimation ritual.
Amiquitli: ?
Zombie Composter: ?
Charnel Hound: ?
Skeletal Leopard: ?
Burning Ape: ?
Skeletal Brave: ?
Tough Zombie: ?

Dungeon Crawl Classics 56 Scion of Punjar

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Undead: One of these magic items included an ebony cauldron capable of spawning undead under the control of whoever’s blood was spilled during the animation ritual.
Boneshard Skeleton: ?
Skeleton: Cauldron of Illserves magic item.
Decrepit Skeleton: ?
Zombie: Cauldron of Illserves magic item.
Dugesia Dev'Shir, Tormented Ghost: Cadavra is the one who despoiled her tomb, this action lead to Dugesia's creation as a ghost.
Cadavra plundered this tomb, wishing to confirm that her hated sibling was indeed dead. She tried to animate the body to gain a twisted ally, but the spell failed. [Perhaps Valdreth watched over Dugesia?] In a fit of rage, Cadavra threw the brick against the east wall, and soon followed suit with the body. Furious, she stormed out of the tomb and sealed the door in area 3–3. Cadavra did not realize her actions have awakened the spirit of her sister, who now seeks eternal rest. Dugesia is a ghost bound to an area within 50 feet of her niche.
Malek, Wight Cleric: The bandits had a cleric among their numbers until a few days ago. Malek was a human cleric dedicated to Crypticus. An associate of Haledon, he joined the bandits in hopes of gaining coin and a few followers. Although the bandits ignore his preaching, he has gained quite a bit of wealth, and contemplated leaving to set up a small house of worship in Punjar. But a few days ago, quite by accident, he discovered the secret door in the south wall, and as he crept down the steps, the secret door sealed behind him. Yet he explored further, and was ambushed by the undead monstrosity that lairs in area 4–11. His lantern was snuffed during the initial attack, and thus he never had the chance to rebuke the horror. Malek is now undead, and waits to lure others to their doom in the chamber beyond.
Malicia, Elite Deathlock Wight: Malicia gained favor with her demonic patron, but her bold, unspeakable actions led to her downfall, as cult members rose against her and slaughtered her on her own altar. Jezuel wanted her suffering to last an eternity, and thus granted her the gift of undeath, as a wight.
Salt Troll Zombie: While passing through the Salt Marsh one night, she encountered a stupid salt troll. He was easily overcome with her spells, and carefully finished off with acid. Not wanting to waste such a resource, she animated the body as a guardian.
Advanced Zombie: ?
Corruption Corpse: ?
Skeletal Claw Swarm: Created from failed necromantic experiments or arising spontaneously from ossuaries and bone yards, skeletal claw swarms are writhing masses of bony debris. For the most part, a skeletal claw swarm is composed of claws, fingers, toes, and other grasping digits, and it uses these to grab, pull down, and then pull apart any living creature that it encounters.
Skeletal claw swarms often arise spontaneously from bone yards, especially if strong necromantic energy is present.
The last five feet is a pile of skulls, skeletal arms, hands, and even talons from various creatures. These were failed experiments using the Cauldron of Illserves, so Cadavra placed the uncontrollable animated pieces in this pit. They have formed an undead swarm of biting and clawing bones that victims in the pit need to deal with.
Zombie Rotter: ?
Vampire Spawn Fleshripper: ?

Cauldron of Illserves
Named after the powerful necromancer that created this minor artifact, the cauldron of Illserves can be used to create an undead army. This cauldron is wrought of dull black iron, and stands four feet high on three short legs. Its outside surface is dimpled and covered with infernal runes and pictograms involving the animation of a myriad of creatures. A thin gnarled cudgel, often used to stir the malevolent contents of the giant pot, accompanies the cauldron.
The Cauldron of Illserves is a unique wondrous item.
Property: You gain resist 5 disease, 5 poison, and 5 necro.
Property: A gnarled club called the cudgel of command always accompanies the cauldron. This cudgel acts as a +2 club, but has additional properties when used with the cauldron (see The Dead Arise ritual below).
Property: You learn The Dead Arise ritual (see below), and can use its once per day.
Power (At-Will Arcane):
Standard Action: You can use eldritch blast (warlock 1).
Power (Encounter, Healing, Necro): Minor Action: All undead with 5 squares of you can spend a healing surge and regain an additional 1d8 hit points plus your Wisdom modifier.

The Dead Arise
You conjure forth an army of undead from the seething depths of the Cauldron of Illserves.
Level: 10
Component Cost: Special
Category: Creation
Market Price: N/A
Time: 4 hours
Key Skill: Arcana or Religion
Duration: Permanent
This ritual can only be used in conjunction with the Cauldron of Illserves. It takes four hours to activate the evil magic of the cauldron. The device must be filled with fresh grave dirt collected with a silver shovel at night. It is then mixed with unholy water in a 2 to 1 ratio. After boiling for four hours, powdered gems equaling at least 100 gp per level of undead created needs to be added. When complete, any dead body added to the cauldron is animated (as animate dead) in one turn. Skeletal remains are animated as skeletons, while decomposing bodies are animated as zombies. Only Large or smaller-sized creatures can be animated with this device, and thus, only Large or smaller undead can be created.
Although the device is powerful in its own right, Illserves added a powerful additional ability. If the user adds its own blood, freshly spilled, and mixes the concoction with the cudgel of command, all undead created are at the command of the user. There is no limit to the amount of undead the caster can control, and he merely needs to issue verbal commands while brandishing the cudgel of commandto control the undead.
Special: This ritual cannot be copied down onto a scroll or into a ritual book. Knowledge of the ritual is gained by owning the Cauldron of Illserves for 24 hours. If the cauldron is no longer possessed, then knowledge of The Dead Arise fades from the caster’s mind in 24 hours.

Dungeon Crawl Classics 57 Wyvern Mountain

Spoiler

Wyvern Zombie: The wyvern zombies in this area are what remain of Skelya’s mighty wyvern legions. Even in death, some of the white dragon’s faithful servants continued to serve and fight for their mistress.
Dark Elf Lich, Lady Khetira: ?
Dark Elf Lich, Lord Braxux: ?
Dvalinna, Lesser Dragon-Lich: Two dark elf liches — Lady Khetira and Lord Braxus — imbued Dvalinna with undead essence, transforming the young white dragon into a dragon-lich.

Dungeon Crawl Classics 58 The Forgotten Portal

Spoiler

Quahtlatoa, Human Mummy: The day was won, but the hero suffered grievous wounds and died less than a day later. The villagers were emotionally torn, as their hero had clearly saved the village, yet he was likely cursed with the evil taint and thus destined to stalk his people as a werejaguar himself. The elder commanded Quahtlatoa’s loyal followers to deposit his body in the mighty Tototl River near the Atotzin, even though they felt it was not an appropriate burial for such a beloved hero.
His followers set out to perform the grim task without ceremony. But when they discovered the cave system, they decided to honor their leader in a more appropriate fashion. They hastily constructed a tomb, with a burial pit and crude altar. Using salt deposits collected from area 1–5, they packed his body and weapons into the pit, and chanted many blessings to Ilhuicatl, his patron deity. After leaving offerings of gold and slain enemies, they sealed the tomb with a large rock, constructed a simple ceiling trap, and painted the walls of the corridor to honor their hero’s deeds.
As it turns out, Quahtlatoa was never tainted with the curse of lycanthropy. His spirit was at unrest, though, due to an improper burial and lack of respect for his corpse. For centuries, his body, preserved in packed salt, and spirit lingered and wallowed in the throes of evil, eventually animating as a mummy. (It’s likely that Ahpuchac, the Black Jaguar, at least had a small hand in the animation as revenge against his cult.)
Xochatateo: Xochatateo are filthy undead humanoids, created from the sacrificial victims of particularly vile and bloodthirsty cults. Each bears a similar wound upon its chest, where its still-beating heart was cut from its body just before the death of its corporal form. For some reason, the xochatateo lives on – a tormented creature cursed to exist between the realms of life and death, constantly seeking the hearts of the living to replace the one that once beat within its chest.
It is unclear as to exactly why the xochatateo are created. Some scholars argue that they are created when a sacrifice ritual is conducted incorrectly; others believe that they are created when the subject being sacrificed simply refuses to die. A few cynics even believe that xochatateo are nothing more than a cruel god’s joke. Regardless of the reasons behind their creation, there is no disputing how they come into existence: During a sacrificial ritual, when the still-beating heart is ripped from a humanoid creature’s chest, for some reason that creature does not die. Instead, it is reborn as a cruel, savage creature with a taste for mortal flesh.
When Tlacocelot began sacrificing victims, it took him many attempts to get the procedure right. The results of these failed attempts have generated the four undead creatures that lurk in the alcoves. The xochatateo are filthy ghoul-like undead creatures, forced to exist against their will.
Zombie: These chambers were the living quarters for several under-priests loyal to Tlacocelot. When the high priest embraced the new regime offered by the evil couatl, his first action was to slay these priests. He used his magic mask to assume the form of a jaguar, then slaughtered them while they slept. Thus, all the zombies bear horrific slash and bite wounds. (A DC 10 Heal check reveals death was inflicted by a powerful animal’s talons and teeth.) However, he found a use for their broken bodies as undead thralls, and he raised them as zombies in order to terrorize the villagers and assist him with menial tasks.
Zombie Rotter: ?
Greater Xochatateo: ?

Dungeon Crawl Classics 59 Mists of Madness

Spoiler

Skoulos the Undying, Nascent Archlich: Skoulos summoned the last of his waning power, concentrating it into a single ritual that transferred his life force into a phylactery, transforming Skoulos’ withered form into the most powerful undead of all: the archlich.
Decrepit Skeleton: ?

Dungeon Crawl Classics 60 Thrones of Punjar

Spoiler

Ghost of Jeya Furei: This is the ghost of Jeya Furei, a young but dedicated cleric of Delvyr. Worship of Delvyr in Punjar is rather limited given the size of the city, but the priesthood maintains a small fane and does what it can in a metropolis where guile and money count for much. Jeya encountered rumors of evil cult activity in the Devil’s Thumb and decided to investigate personally. She learned much, but soon found herself surrounded by the aboleth’s enthralled pawns, and she was overwhelmed. The cleric was viciously cut down, and her corpse was thrown into the lair of an otyugh. Fueled by an indomitable will, unshakable faith, and a hunger for vengeance, her spirit returned as a ghost, and she has tried to alert heroic folk to the evils below the streets.

Dungeon Crawl Classics 61 Citadel of the Corruptor

Spoiler

Knightly Ghost: During the attack on Fort Frostbite, Lady Ree and her lady-in-waiting — escorted by four knights — fled here to climb above the poison along with Her Ladyship’s newborn twins. Unfortunately, the gas broke the windows of this chamber, and they killed each other.
Sadly, their tale is not over. The two women have returned as grief wraiths, endlessly recounting their tragedy with their regretful whispers power. Additionally, the knights — having failed their duty — returned as ghostly defenders.
Grief Wraith: During the attack on Fort Frostbite, Lady Ree and her lady-in-waiting — escorted by four knights — fled here to climb above the poison along with Her Ladyship’s newborn twins. Unfortunately, the gas broke the windows of this chamber, and they killed each other.
Sadly, their tale is not over. The two women have returned as grief wraiths, endlessly recounting their tragedy with their regretful whispers power.

Dungeon Crawl Classics 62 Shrine of the Fallen Lama

Spoiler

Undead: Fearing that their position would come under threat should the Lama die, his closest and most powerful followers sought a ritual that would enable the Lama’s spirit to transcend and become an immortal force.
The conspirators sought far and wide for a source of immortality, but the only answers came from the dark arts of necromancy. However, one of the Lama’s followers believed he had found a way to control the dark magical forces without being corrupted by them. Fortified by this belief, they began their dark rituals while the Lama lay in his deathbed.
Their plan might have worked. The ritual might have contained the corrupting influence. But necromancy is not an art to be trifled with, and it exacted a price. The ritual failed, and the dark energies fed off the magical forces designed to contain them. There was an explosion of blackness over the entire valley, and when the cloud settled, the followers realized what they had done, for now they were all cursed to the eternal torment of undeath.
The evil force that overwhelmed the shrine was one of corruption not destruction. Rather than destroy those too weak to resist, it infused them with fragments of its own essence and transformed them into powerful undying servants, devoted to its goals.
Advanced Specter: ?
Elite Sword Wraith: Any humanoid killed by a sword wraith rises as a free-willed sword wraith at the start of its creator’s next turn, appearing in the space where it died (or in the nearest unoccupied space). Raising the slain creature (using the Raise Dead ritual) does not destroy the spawned wraith.
Phantom Monk: ?
Advanced Wraith: Any humanoid killed by an advanced wraith rises as a free-willed advanced wraith at the start of its creator’s next turn, appearing in the space where it died (or in the nearest unoccupied space). Raising the slain creature (using the Raise Dead ritual) does not destroy the spawned wraith.
Revenant Guardsman: The barracks serves as the resting place of the complex’s former guards who were corrupted before the fall of the Lama was discovered.
Revenant Guardsman Archer: The barracks serves as the resting place of the complex’s former guards who were corrupted before the fall of the Lama was discovered.
Gorger: Gorgers are disgusting undead horrors created from human subjects force-fed on the flesh of sentient humanoids to the point of death. Just before death, a vile ritual is worked, drawing upon the power of the Shadowfell, which transforms the victim into a towering, bulbous monstrosity that lives only to eat.
Splintered One: Splintered ones are horrific undead creatures created from humanoid victims that have been forced to undergo a terrible necromantic ritual. The ritual promotes extreme and grotesque bone growth, causing the victim’s flesh to erupt with hundreds of calcified spurs and spikes.
Advanced Wraith: ?
Mdus, Wraith Servant Cleric: ?
Revenant Monk Student: ?
The Grandmaster, Wraith Servant Monk: ?
Ji Sung, Wraith Servant Sorcerer: ?
Ming Cha, The Fallen Lama, Vampire Lord Monk: Fearing that their position would come under threat should the Lama die, his closest and most powerful followers sought a ritual that would enable the Lama’s spirit to transcend and become an immortal force.
The conspirators sought far and wide for a source of immortality, but the only answers came from the dark arts of necromancy. However, one of the Lama’s followers believed he had found a way to control the dark magical forces without being corrupted by them. Fortified by this belief, they began their dark rituals while the Lama lay in his deathbed.
Their plan might have worked. The ritual might have contained the corrupting influence. But necromancy is not an art to be trifled with, and it exacted a price. The ritual failed, and the dark energies fed off the magical forces designed to contain them. There was an explosion of blackness over the entire valley, and when the cloud settled, the followers realized what they had done, for now they were all cursed to the eternal torment of undeath.
Ming Cha, the Fallen Lama of the shrine, has been transformed into a vampire lord by the corrupting influence of the dark anchor.
Revenant Servant: Bestowed upon those lacking the spiritual development to be more susceptible to stronger corrupting energies, this template represents the majority of undead servants inhabiting the shrine complex.
Wraith Servant: Bestowed upon those of advanced spiritual development to be more susceptible, this template represents those undead servants whose power is more metaphysical than physical.

Dungeon Crawl Classics 63 Warbringer's Son

Spoiler

Zombie Grapestomper: She employs a few slaves, but at present most of the labor is performed by animated zombies she calls “grapestompers.”
Zombie Grapesorter: ?
Decrepit Skeleton: ?
Blazing Skeleton: ?
Deathlock Wight: ?
Spectral Minotaur: ?
Bonepile Swarm: Similarly, the bones are the former remains of those who opposed the same priest-generals. Some time ago, a cleric of Xeleuth with a wicked sense of humor decided to animate the bones into a bonepile swarm, which guards this area.
When the bones of creatures with a powerful connective thread are mingled into a common repository, sometimes the echoes of their shared misery, devotion, or deviancy congeal, forming a bonepile swarm. Likely circumstances to bring about a bonepile swarm could include the slaughter of a village where the bodies were stacked and left, or perhaps the bottom of a sacrificial pit, or perhaps an ossuary where the bones of martyrs are placed.
Bonepile swarms sometimes form when the bones of creatures slaughtered at once or who shared an unusual bond are collected in one place.
Pile Skeleton: Bonepile swarms sometimes form when the bones of creatures slaughtered at once or who shared an unusual bond are collected in one place. They use their own mass to assemble mismatched skeletal defenders.
Bonepile Swarm Spawn Undead power.

Spawn Undead (standard; recharge 6) The bonepile swarm generates 1 pile skeleton for each of its levels [5] in empty adjacent squares (one skeleton per square).

Encounter at Fairvale

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Vessel of Death: ?

Forgotten Heroes: Scythe and Shroud

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Necrotic Parasite: Necrotic Host Paragon Path.
Your mastery over the undead as a Necrotic Host has culminated in your creation of an undead parasite, similar to a magic-user’s familiar but deemed much more repugnant by the uninitiated.
Undead: Create Undead Ritual

Create Undead
You commune with the restless spirit, binding it to the bones of the rotting troglodyte.
Level: 9
Component Cost: Special
Category: Creation
Market Price: 680 gp
Time:1 hour
Key Skill: Arcana or Religion
Duration: Instantaneous
This ritual allows you to create an undead creature of your level or lower. You gain no special control over the undead creature, though its attitude towards you can be improved based on your check result. The cost of the ritual is equal to the experience value of the undead creature.
Arcana/Religion Initial Attitude
Check Result
Less than 10 You cannot create the creature.
11-20 Hostile
21-30 Unfriendly
31-40 Peaceful
41+ Friendly

Freeport Companion 4e

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Death Crab Swarm: ?
Crawling Claw: Crawling claws are severed hands infused with necromantic energies.
Crawling Claw Minion: Crawling claws are severed hands infused with necromantic energies.
Deadwood Tree: Before the fall of the serpent people, spirit lizards inhabited the great trees of Valossa’s jungles. When the cataclysm struck, the trees were slain along with most other living things. A few spirit lizards, however, were trapped inside their dead and dying trees, fusing with them by the warping influence of the Unspeakable One. These became the first of the deadwood trees.
Tragically, when the Unspeakable One destroyed the serpent people and their lands, the spirit lizards and the trees in which they lived were fused, becoming horrid abominations known as deadwood trees.
As the essence of the Unspeakable One permeated the living things of the continent, many spirit lizards became trapped in their home trees and warped by the maddening forces unleashed upon the land. Twisted and evil, these become the first deadwood trees.
Fire Specter: The most famous fire spectre is Captain Kothar. In life, Captain Kothar was a vicious pirate noted for his bloodthirsty tactics and wanton cruelty. After he and his crew attacked and murdered their rivals, claiming their vessel the Winds of Hell for themselves, they were captured, tried, and executed for their crimes. The Captains’ Council decreed they should be lashed to the deck of their bloody ship while the vessel burned down to the waterline. Kothar’s hate ran hotter than the flames and he refused to go to the Nine Hells until he got his vengeance.
While it is true that the Winds of Hell is a ghost ship, it is crewed by the undead remains of the bloodthirsty Captain Kothar and his crew, now called the Accursed. These horrid creatures are no ordinary undead; they’re fire spectres, the burning souls of the damned.
This creature is a fire spectre, an undead abomination that houses the tortured spirit of a black-hearted villain.
Flayed Man: It appears as a humanoid, and tattered bits of skin cling to the fat, muscle, and sinew exposed by the terrible magic that created it, its eyes burning with unspeakable malevolence.
Flayed men represent yet another pitfall of mortal ambition. The procedure for attaining lichdom is perilous indeed, and those incautious fools who dabble in the black arts are at risk of major mishap when they attempt to circumvent the natural order. Flayed men are created whenever a mortal seeks to transcend death and become a lich, but fails to attain the proper ingredients or is otherwise interrupted while in the midst of the ritual. The flesh sloughs from the necromancer’s body in pieces, leaving curled bits of skin to writhe atop of the glistening muscle and sinew.
Zombie: Any humanoid slain by a flayed man rises as a zombie at the start of the flayed man’s next turn, appearing in the space where it died (or in the nearest unoccupied space).
Ravenous Zombie: Most zombies are mindless creatures, little more than automatons to be directed by their creators. Rarely, though, an animated carcass retains faint memories of its former life and is consumed by an overpowering need to fill the emptiness of its existence by consuming the fresh brains of living creatures.
Shadow Serpent: A shadow serpent is an undead remnant of a cleric of Yig that somehow failed its god and people and is now cursed to spend eternity as a wretched thing.
When Valossa became contaminated with the minions of the Unspeakable One, its people corrupted and befouled by the King in Yellow’s awful touch, the serpent god Yig cast down the Valossan empire and cursed his priests for failing in their sacred duty to safeguard the serpent people and keep them pure in their faith to him. Those priests who bore the brunt of the serpent god’s wrath became the dreaded shadow serpents, appalling undead creations consumed with remorse for their mortal failings and channeling that grief into hatred for the living, especially the inheritors of the world.
Skin Cloak: A skin cloak consists of the skinned hide of a human or humanoid creature. The flesh is tanned, with any cut marks closed with a heavy thread, and is often tattooed. The curing process results in shrinking the overall hide and thus these creatures are often smaller than they were in life, standing about four feet tall and weighing twenty pounds or less.
This unsettling undead creature is called a skin cloak or hollow man. It is the animated remains of a skinned humanoid.
Thanatos: A thanatos is a horrific abomination being the undead remains of a great fish.
This creature is a thanatos, the undead remains of a great fish.
Skulldugger: ?

Gold for Blood

Spoiler

Zombie Hulk: ?
Chillborn Zombie: ?

Good Little Children Never Grow Up

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Zombie Tiberius: The corpse is that of Tiberius Perseville, the house’s new owner. Possessed by DeMay, Talia Perseville killed Tiberius with a magical weapon she found in the cellar. The dark energy of the house awoke Tiberius as a mindless zombie.
Granny DeMay: Francis DeMay’s husband drank. He spent his coin in gambling dens and houses if ill repute. Francis tried to salvage their failing marriage, but when Tomas started hitting her, something inside her snapped. One night while Tomas slept in a drunken stupor, Francis locked him in the bedroom, and then set fire to their small farmhouse with Tomas still inside. Tomas was so inebriated, he never woke up to realize that his flesh was on fire.
As Francis DeMay watched the blaze she had a revelation: adults are the source of all the evils in the world: war, famine, neglect. Childhood is a time of blissful ignorance. If only she could stop children from growing old, she could save them all of the pain she suffered.
After the fire, DeMay moved to the sleepy village of Hedgebird. A few miles out of town, she started a small orphanage. DeMay got few visitors, but those that came saw only a dozen happy children playing or tending the vegetable garden. Nobody asked what happened to the children who grew old enough to leave the orphanage. If they had, they might have realized that none of the children ever did grow old enough to leave. The dark truth was that when the children reached puberty, DeMay brought them down to a secret cavern below the cellar. Here she murdered the children and hid their bodies.
DeMay’s slaughter continued for decades, and nobody in Hedgebird ever noticed. A group of orphans lead by a girl named Liandra finally stopped DeMay. One night Liandra followed DeMay into the cavern below the cellar. She distracted DeMay while the other children piled rocks over the trap door into the cavern. When Granny DeMay discovered the plan she killed Liandra in her fury. DeMay pounded on trap door, but it was no use. She died of thirst several days later. The children fled the orphanage, saying only that Granny DeMay had disappeared.
Neither DeMay’s nor Liandra’s spirits rest easy. DeMay continues to terrorize anybody who sets foot in the house, while Liandra hopes to find somebody who can break DeMay’s grip on this world once and for all.
Possessed Child Skeleton: The skeletons of DeMay’s victims animate under DeMay’s control.
Liandra: DeMay’s slaughter continued for decades, and nobody in Hedgebird ever noticed. A group of orphans lead by a girl named Liandra finally stopped DeMay. One night Liandra followed DeMay into the cavern below the cellar. She distracted DeMay while the other children piled rocks over the trap door into the cavern. When Granny DeMay discovered the plan she killed Liandra in her fury. DeMay pounded on trap door, but it was no use. She died of thirst several days later. The children fled the orphanage, saying only that Granny DeMay had disappeared.
Neither DeMay’s nor Liandra’s spirits rest easy. DeMay continues to terrorize anybody who sets foot in the house, while Liandra hopes to find somebody who can break DeMay’s grip on this world once and for all.

Halls of the Mountain King

Spoiler

Gutripper Lich Hound: ?
Ghast Centurion: ?
Venomtongue Mohrg: This creature is all that remains of a human tomb robber who entered this chamber weeks ago in search of riches. When he was attacked, his friends at the pump abandoned him. Slain by the belker, the poisonous mist of the chamber infused him with a foul sentience, rising as a mohrg that now inhabits the suit.
Undead: Dissected corpses, bubbling solutions, and half-finished constructs all compete for space here. Urzana uses the lab to create undead and fellforged and refine the gold fever plague into ever more virulent strains.
Scrimshaw Skeleton: ?
Tethered Shadow: ?
Ghost: ?
Forsaken Shade: ?
Journeyman's Ghost: ?
Hronagar: ?
Fellforged Old Master:This was once the chamber where the six founding council members of the Illuminated Brotherhood met with their brethren. As old age set in, the founders and their followers sought immortality for the masters, and the great craftsman Bartholomeus constructed the golden clockwork receptacles that would house the souls of the dwarves.
Unlike the fellforged found in the back alleys of the Gear District of Zobeck, where errant wraiths find discarded clockwork bodies to inhabit, the Old Masters are the result of centuries-old dwarven souls in stoutly forged clockwork bodies slowly souring and fragmenting with the progress of eons. Built to house the spirits of the dead, these fellforged frames hold trapped souls cursed with immortality and an imprisonment they cannot escape. The orichalcum in their gears, along with the mountain’s corrupting radiation, twisted these once-proud beings into spiteful creatures willing to destroy even their own bodies to see life extinguished.
Tattersoul Wraith: ?
Fellforged: Unlike the fellforged found in the back alleys of the Gear District of Zobeck, where errant wraiths find discarded clockwork bodies to inhabit, the Old Masters are the result of centuries-old dwarven souls in stoutly forged clockwork bodies slowly souring and fragmenting with the progress of eons.
Lady Urzana Dolingen: ?
Bartholomeus Stone-Dead: ?

Haunting Trio

Spoiler

Demented Wight: ?
Cetacek, Lord of the Deepwater: ?

Hero's Handbook Eladrin

Spoiler

Revenant: The echoes of eladrin who died in the terrible wars of the Fey Realm, revenants are bound to their battlefields and cannot rest until they have slain more enemies in death than they did in life.
Revenant Knight: ?
Revenant Battle Mage: ?

Horrors of Halloween

Spoiler

Headless Horseman: In the quiet village of Sleepy Hollow, an avaricious nobleman, whom a paladin intended to expose as a fraud, forced the unjust execution of the young hero. The paladin was accused of most heinous crimes, and was brutally tortured before being beheaded. The paladin’s soul was burdened with great weight upon his death, and he could not move on to the glorious afterlife that awaited him until he had his vengeance...
The next year, a grim shadow was cast upon the village of Sleepy Hollow, as the paladin returned. The vengeful spirit of the paladin was a sight to behold, mounted atop the remains of his once glorious steed, clutching a blade instilled with dark magic in one hand, and a pumpkin, carved into a distorted mockery of the head he once had, roaring black and red flames, the flames of his soul, dancing within, in the other. The paladin wrought horrible vengeance upon the entire village, feeling that they had all wronged him in life.
Now that the Headless Horseman has avenged himself, he seeks to depart from the mortal world, but he finds his soul far too stained with sin, binding him tighter to the earth than ever before, dark forces gathering within him and driving him mad, leading him across the world, compelling him to destroy every living thing he sees, tricking him into believing they were once people who wronged him in life.
Although it is almost impossible to track the Headless Horseman, there is one day each year where he visits the burnt remains of Sleepy Hollow, lingering there silently, stroking his false head fondly.
Gravesteed: In the quiet village of Sleepy Hollow, an avaricious nobleman, whom a paladin intended to expose as a fraud, forced the unjust execution of the young hero. The paladin was accused of most heinous crimes, and was brutally tortured before being beheaded. The paladin’s soul was burdened with great weight upon his death, and he could not move on to the glorious afterlife that awaited him until he had his vengeance...
The next year, a grim shadow was cast upon the village of Sleepy Hollow, as the paladin returned. The vengeful spirit of the paladin was a sight to behold, mounted atop the remains of his once glorious steed, clutching a blade instilled with dark magic in one hand, and a pumpkin, carved into a distorted mockery of the head he once had, roaring black and red flames, the flames of his soul, dancing within, in the other.
Shade of the Horseman: ?
Bloody Mary: A young, manic girl, fit to bouts of insanity, Mary was abused by her father quite often, and she was forced to flee for the woods whenever her father returned home drunk (which was every night), at which time he would chase after her, calling her cruelly by her pet name “Bloody Mary”, a nickname given to her due to the fact that her mother died from giving birth to her. Mary was horrified of her father, and tried to stay away from him as much as possible, but she viewed him as an ill child meant to be taken care of, and pity always won out for her in the end, and she would return home to endure the beatings just so she could help her father.
Mary found herself with very little time to herself, constantly tending to her father, developing a rapid twitch from what was once her simply flinching away from her father’s every move, fearful that he would strike her. Mary tried to harden herself against her father’s blows, and often resorted to alcohol to survive the nights, but no matter what, she lived in constant paranoia that her father would be right behind her, and brutally assault her.
One night, Mary was making her usual retreat through the woods; intent on hiding away in the hole she had been digging out every night, distracting herself from her many troubles. Mary found that tonight, the hole had been dug even deeper, a small animal having burrowed within it causing some form of upset within. Mary, hearing her father coming close, leapt into the hole, disregarding her safety. This is the cave where Mary’s life would come to a close, as she didn’t realize how loud she was within the natural, underground cavern she had discovered, she cried out in joy, as she found this beautiful hiding place, but unfortunately, that cry of joy echoed out of the cavern, and her father entered the cavern as well, and, in a drunken frenzy, he splattered her blood everywhere, leaving behind a convulsing, shrieking wreck. A day later, the helpless, dying Mary finally faded away, liberated by one final scream, one that nobody would hear... Mary was such a good-hearted girl, that her soul was to be sent to the Heavens immediately, however, she was fearful of the light cast upon her soul, believing it to be the mad gaze of her father, searching for her even in death. Now, Mary fearfully travels in the darkness, hiding away in people’s houses, believing her father awaits her around every corner, and anyone who startles her in the least is met with a bloody end.
Screaming Mary: Bloody Mary's Murderous Separation power.

Murderous Separation
(free; at bloodied; encounter)
Bloody Mary splits off into two separate beings, the first functioning exactly as Bloody Mary had as a solo, except her full hit points are equal to her bloodied value. Place Screaming Mary directly adjacent to Bloody Mary.

Horrors of the Shroud: The Death-Mother

Spoiler

Death-Mother: Death-mothers are products of the Shroud, twisted mockeries of motherhood that give birth to zombies of all sorts.
Zombie: A death-mother produces many full-fledged zombies every hour if given sufficient corpses on hand as food.
Death-mothers are products of the Shroud, twisted mockeries of motherhood that give birth to zombies of all sorts.
Death-Mother's Spawn Greater Horror power.
Death-Mother's Spawn Lesser Horror power.
Corpse-Child: Death-Mother's Spawn Lesser Horror power.
Silent Corpse: Death-Mother's Spawn Greater Horror power.
Bone-Mother: Stripped of the meat, a death-mother’s skeleton can be reanimated to create a lesser creature called the bone-mother.
The bones of a death-mother can be reanimated to create a lesser, but still fantastically dangerous, creature known as a bone-mother.
Bloody-Bones: Constructed out of dry bones soaked in fresh blood, a bloody-bones looks like an undulating sinewy snake of animated carnage.
Bone-Mother's Assemble Bloody-Bones power.
Bone-Child: Typically composed of a large adult skull perched upon just enough bones to make up a body, the bone-child looks almost comical, like a macabre skeletal doll . . . until it strikes.
Bone-Mother's Assemble Bone-Child power.

Spawn Greater Horror
(move; encounter)
The death-mother shifts 1 square. Place a new Medium size zombie or corpse-creature (see silent corpse, below) of equal or lower level than the death-mother in the square the death-mother just vacated.

Spawn Lesser Horror
(move; encounter)
The death-mother shifts 1 square. Place a new Small size zombie or corpse-creature minion (see corpse-child, below) of equal or lower level than the death-mother in the square the death-mother just vacated.

Assemble Bloody-Bones
(move; encounter)
The bone-mother shifts 2 squares. Place a new bloody-bones creature (see bloody-bones, below) in the square where the bone-mother began its move.

Assemble Bone-Child
(move; encounter)
The bone-mother shifts 2 squares. Place a new bone-child creature (see bloody-bones, below) in the square where the bone-mother began its move.

In Search of Adventure

Spoiler

Senna Advanced Ghoul Warlock: In order to access the living quarters of the dormitory, the adventurers will have to remove the piled junk in front of the door. Although the heaped jumble of boxes, crates, broken masonry, and other debris looks hap-hazard, it serves a very important purpose. When the hezrou and its dretches slew Numeshay’s four students, it killed Hadrajhast in the arcane workroom, two more in the kitchen, while the fourth, a young elf girl named Senna Moonshadow, was killed in the living quarters. Senna was slain while she cowered beneath the covers on her bunk.
Needless to say, Senna’s death was a traumatic one, and shortly after her demise, her tormented spirit returned to animate her corpse as an undead horror, a ghoul. In addition, the foul Abyssal taint in the area granted Senna the abilities of a warlock.
Zombie: This is Quellatis, the last Physician of Axaluatl. He has been experimenting for over 50 years with various bodies, both living and dead, in an attempt to create a stronger, smarter Child of Axaluatl. Through various experimentations with both mundane and magical processes, Quellatis is close to creating a potion that will greatly increase his people’s skills. However, the only things he has managed to create so far are zombies, and a number of his “creations” lurk in this room.
Tanahuatan’s closest servants were also entombed with their master, and they still serve him in undeath as zombies.
Decrepit Skeleton: These unfortunate souls were slain over two hundred years ago by one of the last of the high priests of Axaluatl. He captured these human men, and after having them killed, raised them to be undead guardians.
Skeleton: These unfortunate souls were slain over two hundred years ago by one of the last of the high priests of Axaluatl. He captured these human men, and after having them killed, raised them to be undead guardians.
Sentinel Mummy: ?
Decrepit Ghoul: Decades ago, the Scorpion Queen crushed a desperate rebellion against her rule. The ringleaders were tortured and then sealed away in this chamber, which became their tomb. Most died, but a dozen survived by feeding upon their compatriots.
Ghoul: Decades ago, the Scorpion Queen crushed a desperate rebellion against her rule. The ringleaders were tortured and then sealed away in this chamber, which became their tomb. Most died, but a dozen survived by feeding upon their compatriots.
Minotaur Skeleton: These skeletons were created in ancient times by the Xulmec high priest Tanahuatan (whose wight haunts area 1-8) to protect the tomb.
Tanahuatan, Wight: However, guilt-wracked, the restless soul of Tanahuatan could not pass onward into the realms of the dead. He rose up from death as a wight, seeking to slay all living things.
Elite Phantom Warrior: ?
Xulmec Worker Zombie: However, knowing that a few things still needed to be completed well after his death – and the deaths of the remaining Xulmec workers who built the crypt – Tanahuatan turned a few of the dead workers into zombies, so that a few mundane tasks could be completed after the tombs of the tiefling kings were sealed away from the rest of the Known World.
Xotxilaha Tiefling Mummy: However, the Xulmec leaders did not realize that the drakon had placed a final curse of Xotxilaha before killing him. Exactly one year after the Xulmecs interred Xotxilaha’s corpse, the traitor rose from the dead as a mummy.
Skrum Zombie: ?
Phantum Corpus: The corruption of the Icon has created a unique undead spirit that roams this level. It creates a crude body out of debris and attacks any living creature in a futile attempt to complete itself.
Sea Ghoul: ?
Seaweed Guardian: The seaweed guardian is one of the cult’s experiments. The cultists kidnapped a villager, wrapped him in a net of seaweed and tortured him to death with necromancy. When the harvester arose as an undead creature, it fused with its seaweed net and remained trapped, guarding the entrance to level three.

Iron Gazetteer

Spoiler

Fellforged: Fellforged are the castoff scrap metal of Zobeck’s Clockwork Watchmen. They gain a foul sentience when the bodies, especially constructed to house the spirits of the dead, come into contact with curious wraiths yearning to feel the corporeal world again.
The clockwork bodies trap the wraiths, which dulls many of their supernatural abilities and gives them corporeal form. The wraiths, in turn, learn to twist the bodies to their own use—going so far as to destroy the body in their attempts to harm the living, even if their corrupted spirits die along with it.

Jester's 4e Monsters

Spoiler

Corpse Gatherer: A corpse gatherer is an entire graveyard animated and empowered by the powers of shadow.
A corpse gatherer comes to be when malevolent, intelligent undead are buried in an unsanctified graveyard. Sometimes the essence of the undead seeps into the ground, gradually contaminating the bones resting and the earth around them. Once conditions are right, it only takes the intentional spilling of fresh blood from an innocent to cause
the corpse gatherer to stir.
Released Corpse: Corpse Gatherer's Release Corpses power.
Crawling Head: Spawned from the severed head of a giant, a crawling head is a horrific undead monstrosity that resembles a huge, bloated head grown to enormous size, with a seething mass of arteries, veins and viscera depending from the wound of its neck.
Because of their immense power and their origination from giants, which might lead one to think that crawling heads were creations of the primordials or beings of similar nature. In truth, however, they are the creation of a series of powerful mortal necromancers that dwelt in the City of Skulls that surrounded the Bleak Academy.
Crawling Head Wailer: ?
Ravenous Crawling Head: ?
Deadborn: Deadborn are natural creatures altered before birth, either in the womb or the egg, to spontaneously arise as undead when slain. Although the first deadborn were vultures created from the eggs of giant eagles by evil cultists of Bleak, the techniques and rituals now exist to create deadborn of many different types.
Deadborn Vulture: Deadborn Vulture's Deadborn power.
Deadborn Hulk: Deadborn Hulk's Deadborn power.
Deodanth: Deodanths claim to be vampiric elves from the future, but not all of their claims hold up to scrutiny; for instance, they seem to be largely ignorant of the racial separation between the elves and the eladrin, and deodanths that claim to have been in the present for only a short time often seem ignorant of the very existence of eladrins.
Deodanth Despondant: ?
Deodanth Sentry: ?
Deodanth Slipper: ?
Deodanth Eladricide: ?
Deodanth Lifesucker: ?
Entombed: The entombed are the undead forms of creatures whose bodies are preserved by being encased in shells of ice- but are still able to move or kill. Though the corpse at the core of an entombed is typically that of a human or other creature of similar stature, with its shell of ice the creature is the size of an ogre. The corpse at the core of an entombed is very well preserved, though often the skin will turn bluish, and the face of the body is usually frozen in a rictus of fear or sorrow.
Entombed Hag: ?
Entombed Cryomancer: ?
Pistol Wraith: A pistol wraith is the undead spirit of a gunman- either one so especially wicked that he rose after his death to haunt the land, or one slain by another pistol wraith.
Plague Spewer: ?
Ulgurstasta: Horrific undead maggot-like worms of immense size, ulgurstasta are terrifying monstrosities spawned by the vile demigod Kyuss in the time of his greatest strength.
Ulgurstasta Thinker: ?
Rotting Ulgurstasta: ?
Ulgurstasta Priest: ?
Ulgurstasta Crawler: ?
Ulgurstasta Swarm: ?
Elder Ulgurstasta: ?
Vargouille: The head of a creature that dies of a vargouille's poison falls off after a few days, and slowly transforms into a new vargouille.
Vargouille Lover: ?
Visage: The head of a creature that dies of a vargouille's poison falls off after a few days, and slowly transforms into a new vargouille.
Flickering Visage: ?
Demonic Visage: ?
Visage Spy: ?
Wheep: A wheep is a horrific undead creature whose eyes have been torn out or nailed through.
Wheep Servitor: ?
Wheep Ululator: ?

Release Corpses * At Will 1/round
Requirement: There cannot be more than ten released corpses within 10 squares of the corpse gatherer.
Effect: Up to four released corpses appear adjacent to the corpse gatherer. The released corpses act immediately after
the corpse gatherer.

TRIGGERED ACTIONS
Deadborn * Encounter
Trigger: The deadborn is first reduced to 0 hit points.
Effect (No Action): The deadborn hulk reanimates with 42 hit points. It gains the shadow origin and undead keyword.

Jester's 4e Ravenloft Monsters

Spoiler

Ghost: Ghosts are the spirits of the dead who cannot rest after their passing.
Geist: Giests are the restless spirits of the dead who are still bound to the site of their death, or their earthly remains.
Phantasmagoria: ?
Spirit Storm: Spirits storms are a large number of related souls that have become intertwined into a massive entity of rage and fury.
Ghoul: ?
Ghoul Lord: Ghoul lords were powerful individuals slain by ghouls or the accidental by-product of necromantic experiments.
Mist Creature: Hunting the places between places are mist creatures, beings formed of the Mists themselves.
Mist Horror: ?
Mist Ferryman: ?
Grim Reaper: ?
Mummy: The ancient dead are well-preserved and not rotting corpses like most other undead. Few are accidental creations and many are deliberately made after the death of important figures.
Bog Mummy: Bog mummies are some of the few accidental mummies, and are individuals who died in a air-less swamp.
Mummy Pharaoh: ?
Revenant: The wrongful dead, risen to avenge their murders, these are revenants.
Revenant Seeker: ?
Revenant Hunter: ?
Skeleton: Animated bones stripped of flesh, skeletons are a diverse type of animated corpse and a favourite of inventive necromancers.
Strahd Skeleton: The necromancer, Strahd, has spent much time experimenting on improving skeletal undead with terrifying results.
Strahd's Skeletal Steed: The necromancer, Strahd, has spent much time experimenting on improving skeletal undead with terrifying results.
Shadowtouched Skeleton: ?
Skeletal Horde: ?
Vampire: ?
Cerebral Vampire Lord: ?
Cerebral Vampire Mindtaker: ?
Nosferatu Batcaller: ?
Nosferatu Mesmerist: ?
Zombie: Rotting, animated corpses, zombies come in many varieties and are frequently customized or altered by necromancers.
Cannibal Zombie: Cannibal zombies are an undead plague spread through bites.
Boneless Zombie: Boneless zombies are simple creature made to save the skeleton for other purposes.
Strahd Zombie: ?
Zombie Lord: Zombie lords are powerful masters of undeath, either augmented zombies or unique and accidental creations.
Desert Zombie: ?
Shadowtouched Zombie: Shadowtouched zombies are formidable undead infused with the energies of the shadowfell.
Caliban Vampire, Alocka: The process of becoming a vampire makes a caliban even more disfigured and inhuman.
Dwarven Vampire, Uppyr: ?
Elven Vampire. Craenag-Follei: ?
Halfling Vampire, Daeyerg Due: ?
Lich Divine: In contrast with arcane liches, who are the icon of corrupted wizards, divine liches are fallen paladins and clerics or followers of dark faiths that encourage violation of the natural order.
Lich Psionic: Not all liches are powered by arcane magics, some are the creations of the powers of dark gods or masters of the mind.
Vistani Vampire, Mullo: ?

Kingdoms of Kalamar 4th Edition Campaign Setting

Spoiler

Undead: Brandobians bury their dead face down or cut off a foot to prevent the dead from rising as undead.
The Harvesters know that through their actions and devotion to the King of the Undead they will be rewarded at death by being granted undead status. The number and strength of the souls that a cleric takes directly reflect on his future undead status and dying while attempting to take a soul is said to grant automatic undeath. However, many clerics fear dying before harvesting enough souls and thus attaining only zombie status.
Zombie: The Harvesters know that through their actions and devotion to the King of the Undead they will be rewarded at death by being granted undead status. The number and strength of the souls that a cleric takes directly reflect on his future undead status and dying while attempting to take a soul is said to grant automatic undeath. However, many clerics fear dying before harvesting enough souls and thus attaining only zombie status.
The zombies are undead remains of the worshipers inside the temple at the time of the slaughter.
Lich: ?
Vampire: Harman has a great fear of undead and prefers to burn his victims entirely so that they cannot become mummies or vampires.
Wight: Tethen also brought back a hacking cough that he attributes to dust from the ancient caves where he found his treasures. He is partially right. The dust did make him ill, but the illness has just begun. In a few months he will waste away and become a wight under the control of the undead emperor.
Wraith: A tiny carrock overfull of elves heading toward the unknown continent to the east with their sole treasure foundered in a storm and sank. Thirteen wraiths haunt the boat’s wreck and keep both natural predators and treasure-seekers away.
Ghoul: The ghouls are said to be former clergy of the temple, killed during the Mendarn invasion.
Mummy: Harman has a great fear of undead and prefers to burn his victims entirely so that they cannot become mummies or vampires.
Terrus Dyrn, Lich: ?
Elven Vampire, Esmaran: ?
Ghost: A tiny carrock overfull of elves heading toward the unknown continent to the east with their sole treasure foundered in a storm and sank. Thirteen wraiths haunt the boat’s wreck and keep both natural predators and treasure-seekers away. The band’s leader, Elborn, is now a ghost who does not combat intruders.
The war with Eldor is a major concern to the elves, although they appear to have done nothing to end it. The issue over which the war began, the destruction of the logging camp, is true. The elves destroyed the camp and all within it. Despite warnings, the loggers cut down an ancient druidic grove, a shrine to the Old Oak that had stood for 3,000 years.
The area would be perilous for player characters to investigate at this point. Besides being guarded by extremely vigilant and martial elves, the spirits of the loggers haunt the former grove as ghosts, prepared to destroy elf, human, and forest creature alike.
Abyssal Ghoul: ?
Uggurath: ?
Mummy, Shimantra: ?
Ghost, Puramal: One of the fallen bridges is the anchor for a ghost. Puramal was a soldier who fought on the bridge and continued to fight even while it was being destroyed. Enemy wizards sought to destroy him while friendly clerics and wizards healed him and countered enemy spells. Between the blasts of magic and volleys of arrows from the far bank, the soldier finally collapsed with the last of the bridge.
Puramal’s ghost still guards the bridge he died to protect. If anyone tries to cross the river at that point, whether by swimming, watercraft, building another bridge or otherwise, he attacks (but travel up or down the river does not disturb him).
Wailing Ghost, Banshee: Doulmak Grond achieved fame after he killed one of his elven slave girls and her spirit became a wailing ghost (known to most sages as a banshee).

Kobold Quarterly 13

Spoiler

Tomb Cursed Skeleton: ?

Lands of Darkness 1 The Barrow Grounds

Spoiler

Shadowy Soldier: ?
Ruined Skeleton: The skeletal soldiers and ruined skeletons are members of the Guron family, wrested from death to guard the family barrow.
Undorgien Dead: This abandoned stone chapel is still occupied by the unforgiven dead, those faithful that failed to protect the sacred vessels when the central crystal turned dark.
Skeletal Soldier: The skeletal soldiers and ruined skeletons are members of the Guron family, wrested from death to guard the family barrow.
Reanimator: ?
Shadow Slain: This barrow holds the remains of brothers. The eldest brother changed allegiance in the midst of fierce civil war, an act which resulted in his younger brothers’ deaths. Consumed with guilt over their deaths, he took his own life. The spirits of the slain brothers rose as shadow slain, shadowy forms filled with anguish and consumed with the betrayal of blood that took their lives.
Turncoat Shadow: This barrow holds the remains of brothers. The eldest brother changed allegiance in the midst of fierce civil war, an act which resulted in his younger brothers’ deaths. Consumed with guilt over their deaths, he took his own life. The spirits of the slain brothers rose as shadow slain, shadowy forms filled with anguish and consumed with the betrayal of blood that took their lives. The eldest bears the weight of betrayal into undeath as a turncoat shadow.
Chillspirit Blackshadow: ?

Lands of Darkness 2 Cesspools of Arnac

Spoiler

Restless Dead: One of the restless dead (the one wearing the locket) is the lover of the abandoned ghost in area 10. She made her way to the sewers to release her lover from the hidden room, but got hopelessly lost in the maze of tunnels, stumbling into the reanimator’s territory. Slain and reborn in undeath, she no longer remembers her life past, only that she cannot rest even in death.
Feeble Dead: ?
Spike: ?
Reanimator: ?
Foetid Dead: ?
Abandoned Spirit: The abandoned spirit is the tortured soul of Antonio Peris, a rogue who had to make a hasty escape from the city but not without his love Anabel, daughter of a local merchant. Peris, familiar with the cesspools due to his time spent affiliated with a group of bandits, planned to fake his own death and escape with his love to start a new life in a different city. He cornered himself into a building with city muscle outside of the door and set fire to the building, dropping through the trapdoor into the forgotten room.
He entrusted Anabel with the key to the room and instructions where the find the door. Everything would have gone according to plan if only Anabel had not gotten hopelessly lost and frightened in the cesspools, wandering into the domain of the reanimator.
Shadowy Soldier: ?

Lands of Darkness 3 Woods of Woe

Spoiler

Necrophage: ?
Necrophage Reaper: ?
Necrophage Mage: ?
Triune Avatar of the Breathless God: ?
Warden of the Breathless God: ?
Fleshless Janissary: ?
Witness of the Breathless God: ?

Lands of Darkness 4 The Swamp of Timbermoor

Spoiler

Priest of the Toad: ?
Acolyte of the Toad: ?
Flesh of the Toad: ?
Skeletal Toad: ?
Chillspirit Blackshadow: The restless souls of the fallen haunt this mound, their insubstantial forms twisted by the agony and pain of their death.
Turncoat Shadow: The restless souls of the fallen haunt this mound, their insubstantial forms twisted by the agony and pain of their death.
Shadow Slain: The restless souls of the fallen haunt this mound, their insubstantial forms twisted by the agony and pain of their death.

Lands of Darkness 5 Iron Mountains

Spoiler

Limbed Horror: Some evil has touched the crypt of Davinkar, tearing the dead from their rest and rearranging themselves into creatures most terrible.
An amalgam of all the limbs forms an amorphous mass, numerous once-hands grasping to draw more in.
Gut Wrencher: Some evil has touched the crypt of Davinkar, tearing the dead from their rest and rearranging themselves into creatures most terrible.
Another is a ball of guts and intestines, writhing and wrenching to digest more life.
Necrotic Reaper: Some evil has touched the crypt of Davinkar, tearing the dead from their rest and rearranging themselves into creatures most terrible.
Last is a mostly human form decorated with the heads of others.
Davinkar: Some evil has touched the crypt of Davinkar, tearing the dead from their rest and rearranging themselves into creatures most terrible.
Spike Fist Corpse: Some evil has touched the crypt of Davinkar, tearing the dead from their rest and rearranging themselves into creatures most terrible.
Necrotic Commander: Some evil has touched the crypt of Davinkar, tearing the dead from their rest and rearranging themselves into creatures most terrible.

Lands of Darkness 6 The Wild Hills

Spoiler

Chillspirit Blackshadow: This room was carved out of the stone by the people who once lived in the wild hills as part of a defense system. Littered through the canyon are caves like this, stocked with food, water, and weapons, sealed with a large circular stone. Once the invaders left or starved, the people would emerge from these defensive caves. Unfortunately, the residence of this defensive cave never came out and in their despair embraced life in death.
Reanimator: This room was carved out of the stone by the people who once lived in the wild hills as part of a defense system. Littered through the canyon are caves like this, stocked with food, water, and weapons, sealed with a large circular stone. Once the invaders left or starved, the people would emerge from these defensive caves. Unfortunately, the residence of this defensive cave never came out and in their despair embraced life in death.
Unforgiving Dead: This room was carved out of the stone by the people who once lived in the wild hills as part of a defense system. Littered through the canyon are caves like this, stocked with food, water, and weapons, sealed with a large circular stone. Once the invaders left or starved, the people would emerge from these defensive caves. Unfortunately, the residence of this defensive cave never came out and in their despair embraced life in death.
Foetid Dead: ?

Level Up 2

Spoiler

Undead: Nearly every mortal fears death – it is natural to do so – but all mortal beings may rightly fear the dead: for the dead do not always remain at rest. When the first sentient creatures of Áereth felt the cold grip of death upon them, it was the goddess Lasheeva who offered the attractive, if macabre, alternative. Granting a blessed few her deathward kiss, it was she who personally introduced the curse of undeath to Áereth. From the mindless, animate corpses of zombies and skeletons to the ravenous, tomb-haunting ghouls; from dread wights and mummies that lurk in the deep subterrene to wraiths and vampires that prowl the night—all such creatures owe their existence, their powers, their misery, and their glory to the Great and Terrible Lasheeva. It is commonly believed that it was she who crafted phylacteries for Áereth’s first liches and soul weapons for the first death knights, forever changing the world by offering dangerous, power-hungry mortals a dark substitute to mere mortality.
But where Soleth promises only peaceful repose for those who die, Lady Dissolution offers continuance in the physical or incorporeal world and eternal vitality in undeath.
While most undead have come into their existences by the administrations of Lasheeva or her servants, only some varieties have a well-defined place in the hierarchy.
Zombie: When the first sentient creatures of Áereth felt the cold grip of death upon them, it was the goddess Lasheeva who offered the attractive, if macabre, alternative. Granting a blessed few her deathward kiss, it was she who personally introduced the curse of undeath to Áereth. From the mindless, animate corpses of zombies and skeletons to the ravenous, tomb-haunting ghouls; from dread wights and mummies that lurk in the deep subterrene to wraiths and vampires that prowl the night—all such creatures owe their existence, their powers, their misery, and their glory to the Great and Terrible Lasheeva.
Skeleton: When the first sentient creatures of Áereth felt the cold grip of death upon them, it was the goddess Lasheeva who offered the attractive, if macabre, alternative. Granting a blessed few her deathward kiss, it was she who personally introduced the curse of undeath to Áereth. From the mindless, animate corpses of zombies and skeletons to the ravenous, tomb-haunting ghouls; from dread wights and mummies that lurk in the deep subterrene to wraiths and vampires that prowl the night—all such creatures owe their existence, their powers, their misery, and their glory to the Great and Terrible Lasheeva.
Ghoul: When the first sentient creatures of Áereth felt the cold grip of death upon them, it was the goddess Lasheeva who offered the attractive, if macabre, alternative. Granting a blessed few her deathward kiss, it was she who personally introduced the curse of undeath to Áereth. From the mindless, animate corpses of zombies and skeletons to the ravenous, tomb-haunting ghouls; from dread wights and mummies that lurk in the deep subterrene to wraiths and vampires that prowl the night—all such creatures owe their existence, their powers, their misery, and their glory to the Great and Terrible Lasheeva.
Dread Wight: When the first sentient creatures of Áereth felt the cold grip of death upon them, it was the goddess Lasheeva who offered the attractive, if macabre, alternative. Granting a blessed few her deathward kiss, it was she who personally introduced the curse of undeath to Áereth. From the mindless, animate corpses of zombies and skeletons to the ravenous, tomb-haunting ghouls; from dread wights and mummies that lurk in the deep subterrene to wraiths and vampires that prowl the night—all such creatures owe their existence, their powers, their misery, and their glory to the Great and Terrible Lasheeva.
Mummy: When the first sentient creatures of Áereth felt the cold grip of death upon them, it was the goddess Lasheeva who offered the attractive, if macabre, alternative. Granting a blessed few her deathward kiss, it was she who personally introduced the curse of undeath to Áereth. From the mindless, animate corpses of zombies and skeletons to the ravenous, tomb-haunting ghouls; from dread wights and mummies that lurk in the deep subterrene to wraiths and vampires that prowl the night—all such creatures owe their existence, their powers, their misery, and their glory to the Great and Terrible Lasheeva.
Wraith: When the first sentient creatures of Áereth felt the cold grip of death upon them, it was the goddess Lasheeva who offered the attractive, if macabre, alternative. Granting a blessed few her deathward kiss, it was she who personally introduced the curse of undeath to Áereth. From the mindless, animate corpses of zombies and skeletons to the ravenous, tomb-haunting ghouls; from dread wights and mummies that lurk in the deep subterrene to wraiths and vampires that prowl the night—all such creatures owe their existence, their powers, their misery, and their glory to the Great and Terrible Lasheeva.
Vampire: When the first sentient creatures of Áereth felt the cold grip of death upon them, it was the goddess Lasheeva who offered the attractive, if macabre, alternative. Granting a blessed few her deathward kiss, it was she who personally introduced the curse of undeath to Áereth. From the mindless, animate corpses of zombies and skeletons to the ravenous, tomb-haunting ghouls; from dread wights and mummies that lurk in the deep subterrene to wraiths and vampires that prowl the night—all such creatures owe their existence, their powers, their misery, and their glory to the Great and Terrible Lasheeva.
Lich: It is commonly believed that it was Lasheeva who crafted phylacteries for Áereth’s first liches and soul weapons for the first death knights, forever changing the world by offering dangerous, power-hungry mortals a dark substitute to mere mortality.
Death Knight: It is commonly believed that it was Lasheeva who crafted phylacteries for Áereth’s first liches and soul weapons for the first death knights, forever changing the world by offering dangerous, power-hungry mortals a dark substitute to mere mortality.
Lasheeva: Lasheeva herself is considered undead, the first deity who relinquished her own traditional sense of divinity in exchange for something else.
Gil’Mâridth sacrificed her worldly divinity and escaped into the dreamworld of her nemesis Ôæ, and in doing so transferred much of her power into Lasheeva... even as she sacrificed her daughter. Lasheeva rose from the grave, as desired, a lich-queen ascendant in divine undeath.
Ghost: ?

Master Dungeons M1: Dragora's Dungeon

Spoiler

Decrepit Skeleton: ?
Serpent Wraith: ?
Wraith: Any humanoid killed by a serpent wraith rises as a free-willed wraith at the start of its creator’s next turn, appearing in the space where it died (or in the nearest unoccupied space). Raising the slain creature (using the Raise Dead ritual) does not destroy the spawned wraith.
Elite Mad Wraith: ?
Mad Wraith: Any humanoid killed by a mad wraith rises as a free-willed mad wraith at the start of its creator’s next turn, appearing in the space where it died (or in the nearest unoccupied space). Raising the slain creature (using the Raise Dead ritual) does not destroy the spawned wraith.

Master Dungeons M2: Curse of the Kingspire

Spoiler

Swamp Zombie: In the course of his ritual sacrifices, Arkos sinks the corpses into the swamp. Some of the corpses, animated by the unholy power of the Kingspire, have awakened from the dead.
Decrepit Swamp Zombie: In the course of his ritual sacrifices, Arkos sinks the corpses into the swamp. Some of the corpses, animated by the unholy power of the Kingspire, have awakened from the dead.
Phantasm Eladrin: The war banners, weapons and armor, are all ghostly remnants of a terrible battle waged over a thousand years ago. The battlefield is haunted, and on certain moonlit, misty nights, the spirits of the fallen return to continue their endless battle. Normally, these battles cannot affect the living, but Arkos’ fell rites have brought the battle to a fever pitch that spills over into the realm of the living.
Phantasm Savage: The war banners, weapons and armor, are all ghostly remnants of a terrible battle waged over a thousand years ago. The battlefield is haunted, and on certain moonlit, misty nights, the spirits of the fallen return to continue their endless battle. Normally, these battles cannot affect the living, but Arkos’ fell rites have brought the battle to a fever pitch that spills over into the realm of the living.

Medieval Bestiary: Anthropophagi

Spoiler

Undead: Due to some ancient rite granted by the Ghoul King, they create undead slaves to serves as beasts of burden that they can devour later.
Ghoul: Anthropophagi Corpse-Herder's Call of the Master power.

Call of the Master (minor; encounter)
Healing, Necrotic Ranged 10; affects one dead creature; the target rises as a ghoul, standing as a free action, with a number of hit points equal to its bloodied value.

Medieval Bestiary: Morrigan

Spoiler

Morrigan: MORRIGAN ARE BODILY manifestations of women who died during childbirth.
Many scholars believe morrigan, in their various forms, are all that remains of an ancient goddess of battle.
Morrigan Phantom Queen: ?

Midgard Bestiary for 4th Edition D&D

Spoiler

Bone Collective: Created by necrophagi, the undead mages of the Ghoul Imperium, bone collectives are swarms made up of quick, 10-inch tall skeletons constructed from small bones—often gnomes, bats, and lizards.
Boneguard Skeleton: ?
Bone Colossus: In times of war, posthumes join together into enormous swarms or titans.
Undead Carrion Beetle: After death, the carrion beetles' exoskeletons serve as both animated scouting devices for the ghoul imperium—ghouls hide within the shell to approach hostile territory—and as armored undead platforms for howdahs packed with archers or spellcasters.
Darakhul: Darakhul arise when a particularly strong-willed creature is infected with ghoul fever and its anima refuses to shed its memories and reason along with its soul. Most survive the experience with their personality largely intact. Some necromancers and others claim that one can improve the chances of survival by deliberately infecting oneself and eating only living flesh. Only one person claims to have succeeded with this method, a necromancer named Uldar Ingreval, long since exiled from the Arcane Collegium of Zobeck.
Many believe that the hunger cults or the necrophagi know the secret of transforming imperial ghasts and ghouls into darakhul.
Bonepowder Ghoul: Taking things to the next stage, bonepowder ghouls achieve their powdery form through long starvation. The process invariably takes decades, which is why so few bonepowder ghouls exist. The few ghouls who can show such self-restraint are highly respected among their peers, for all ghouls know the drive of hunger. Indeed, using hunger as a form of torture is considered offensive to the ways of the Imperium. This isn’t to say that it never happens, and thus bonepowder ghouls may rise from unintended circumstances. A starved prisoner or a ghoul trapped in a sealed-off cavern might leave behind most of its remnant flesh and become animated almost purely by hunger, hatred, and the wisdom of long centuries in which to plot the destruction of its enemies.
Darakhul Citizen: ?
Iron Ghoul: ?
Necrophagus Savant: ?
Fellforged: Fellforged are clockwork creatures given foul sentience when their bodies—specially constructed to house the spirits of the dead—come into contact with wraith-like creatures called deathshade wisps that yearn to wreak havoc on the corporeal world. Trapping the wisps in these constructs, though dulling many of their supernatural abilities, gives their terrible anger a physical form.
Deathshade Wisp: Knowing no living shadow fey could fully set aside its own ambition, the court turned to its ancestors. Cemeteries were pillaged and corpses exhumed. Spirits were pulled from the shadows. This fusing of necromancy and shadow essence culminated in the deathshade wisp.
Ghost Riders of Marena: The knights begin as living warriors bound to the service of a vampire, necrophagus, or priestess of Marena. Those providing good service for five to ten years may be “raised up” into the ranks of the undead as a foot soldier in the Ghost Knights of Morgau, roughly equivalent to a squire elsewhere. If they continue to perform admirably, and make the transition through ghoul fever or vampiric bite without undue madness or blood frenzy, they can slowly advance through the grades of the Order of the Red Shield.
Ghost Rider Templar: ?
Ghost Goblin Horror: Some warriors among the Ghost Goblins hold the undead in higher esteem than the living. They strive to honor the zombies through their actions, and through prayers to strange gods. Soon a ghost goblin horror is born, too intelligent to be considered a zombie but too unnatural to be called a living creature.
Imperial Ghast Centurion: Many ghouls are condemned from their creation to scrabble after scraps, while other rise to be masters of the underworld. Only the highly variable course of the disease that creates ghouls—best known as ghoul fever or “the curtain” among ghouls—separates these two groups. The worst-off become ordinary ghouls or ghasts. They remember essentially nothing of their former lives, and their minds sink to a lower state of hunger, rage, and more hunger. The fortunate ones retain some of their memories and skills to become imperial ghasts and ghouls, the Imperium’s middle class.
Ghoul: Many ghouls are condemned from their creation to scrabble after scraps, while other rise to be masters of the underworld. Only the highly variable course of the disease that creates ghouls—best known as ghoul fever or “the curtain” among ghouls—separates these two groups. The worst-off become ordinary ghouls or ghasts. They remember essentially nothing of their former lives, and their minds sink to a lower state of hunger, rage, and more hunger. The fortunate ones retain some of their memories and skills to become imperial ghasts and ghouls, the Imperium’s middle class.
Ghast: Many ghouls are condemned from their creation to scrabble after scraps, while other rise to be masters of the underworld. Only the highly variable course of the disease that creates ghouls—best known as ghoul fever or “the curtain” among ghouls—separates these two groups. The worst-off become ordinary ghouls or ghasts. They remember essentially nothing of their former lives, and their minds sink to a lower state of hunger, rage, and more hunger. The fortunate ones retain some of their memories and skills to become imperial ghasts and ghouls, the Imperium’s middle class.
Imperial Ghoul: Many ghouls are condemned from their creation to scrabble after scraps, while other rise to be masters of the underworld. Only the highly variable course of the disease that creates ghouls—best known as ghoul fever or “the curtain” among ghouls—separates these two groups. The worst-off become ordinary ghouls or ghasts. They remember essentially nothing of their former lives, and their minds sink to a lower state of hunger, rage, and more hunger. The fortunate ones retain some of their memories and skills to become imperial ghasts and ghouls, the Imperium’s middle class.
Lich Hound: Made of necromantic power, these hounds serve ghoul high priests and arch-liches.
Spectral Wolf: As the great hunt continues, the body of the lich hound breaks down and fades away, though this hardly slows the foul beast. They emerge as spectral wolves and, unburdened by physical forms, grow in strength as they learn new tactics.
Putrid Haunt: Putrid haunts are walking corpses infused with moss, mud, and the detritus of the deep swamp. They are the shambling remains of individuals who, either through mishap or misdeed, died while lost within swampland. Their desperate need to escape transformed upon their deaths into hatred of all life.
Putrid Haunt Sweller: ?
Putrid Haunt Retch: ?
Putrid Haunt Choker: ?

Midnight Chronicles: The Heart of Erenland

Spoiler

Fell: These are some of the men from Fernglade. Though they look like badly wounded survivors of a battle, they were in fact killed in that battle and have returned an undead Fell.

Monstercology Orcs

Spoiler

Orc Skeleton: ?
Orc Boneshard Skeleton: ?

Mystical Kingdom of Monsters

Spoiler

Doghoul, Fester Rogue: The necromancer’s guild used to take any and all corpses they could find to help build up the population of doghouls that now roam the both halves of the Kingdom, scavenging whatever fresh corpses they can for sustenance. After an incident where a regent lord’s grandson was turned into one of these beasts without proper sanctions or permission, the generation of doghouls was put under better supervision, and the process is now guarded closely by the king’s reeves.
Wild Doghoul: ?
Vargoyle, Marsh Striker: ?
Wild Vargoyle: ?
Kytharion, Shadow Guard: ?
Wild Kytharion: ?
Darksidhe, Night Walker: Like the humans who are transformed into foul spawn, fey beings that are touched by the Void sometimes become shadowy monstorin known as darksidhe.
Wild Darksidhe: ?

Nevermore

Spoiler

Ghost: ?
Vampire: ?
Lich: ?
Viceling: Vicelings are perverse shells of their former selves and serve the diaboli who created them until either their master is destroyed or they are freed.
The type of viceling created by a diaboli is dependent upon the diaboli that created it.
Avaricious Viceling: ?
Envious Viceling: ?
Gluttonous Viceling: ?
Lustful Viceling: ?
Prideful Viceling: ?
Slothful Viceling: ?
Wrathful Viceling: ?

Night Reign Campaign Setting

Spoiler

Blood Knight: Blood Knight” is a template you can apply to any paragon level humanoid creature.
Thrull Squire: ?
Human Blood Knight: ?
Blood Knight Mage: ?
Breath Dragon: Not all dragons become the dracolich upon their deaths. Those dragons of the purest evil may become a dragon infused with the power of the Breath.
Since the birth of the Breath, dragons have occasionally succumbed to its life stealing energy. Some of the dragons that have been ensnared by the Breath are corrupted into a partnership where they continue on as a frightening combination of necrotic and draconic energy.
Breath dragons are unable to breed in the traditional sense. However, they are capable of converting another dragon into a breath dragon.
Young Breath Dragon: ?
Adult Breath Dragon: ?
Elder Breath Dragon: ?
Ancient Breath Dragon: ?
Breath Zombie: The undead by-product of the Breath. Those creatures unlucky enough to be caught in the maw of the Breath of Ilius are raised shortly after their death and empowered by the Breath.
Known as the destroyer of kings, the reaper plague is a plague magically created by the Heaven Knights to enforce the rule of the Ilium Empire.
The disease attacks the body, causing severe skin lesions and bleeding from the eyes and ears. After the initial infection, black veins appear along the skin which pulse slightly along with the victims heartbeat.
At the later stages, the veins cover the body completely before the body begins to decay before the victim’s eyes. As their body shuts down, the decay continues until the deceased rises as a breath zombie.
When the Breath of Ilius kills a creature, its evil and necrotic energy raises the creature as a powerful undead zombie.
Reaper Plague disease.
Breath Zombie Reaper: ?
La'ree: As creations of the all powerful Shan’ree, La’ree work to turn the world into a realm of undead.
The La’ree, also known as lesser shades, are the spawn of Shan’ree, created from the essence of those slain by the greater shades.
“La’ree” is a template that can be added to any paragon or epic tier humanoid.
Requirements: Humanoid, Level 11
Shan’ree can create lesser beings called La’ree who serve them as spies, assassins and warriors.
La'ree Faoian Troll: ?
Blue Jade Skeleton: ?
Red Jade Skeleton: ?
Green Jade Skeleton: ?
Shan'ree: As offspring of the Wyrms of Winter and Autumn, the Shan’ree are terrifying undead creatures who strive to enslave the world in darkness.
Autumn Shan'ree: “Autumn Shan’ree” is a template you can apply to any epic humanoid monster.
Requirements: Humanoid, Level 21
Autumn Shan'ree Storm Giant: ?
Winter Shan'ree: “Winter Shan’ree” is a template you can apply to any epic humanoid monster.
Requirements: Humanoid, Level 21
Winter Shan'ree Oni: ?
Queen Yaneria Ro: ?
Lord Razel: ?

Reaper Plague
Level 21 Disease
The Breath of Ilius courses through the body of the victim, corrupting their organs into undead abominations.
Attack: +24 vs. Fortitude
Endurance: improve DC 34, maintain DC 30, worsen DC 29 or lower
The target is cured.
The target regains one of its lost healing surges. The target loses this healing surge again if its condition worsens. The target is no longer weakened.
Initial Effect
The target loses two healing surges until cured and is weakened.
Each time the target uses a healing surge, it gains ongoing 20 necrotic damage (save ends). If this reduces the target to 0 hit points or fewer, it dies and turns into a Breath zombie 1d4 rounds later.
Final State
The target dies and is raised as a Breath Zombie 1d4 rounds later.

Nightmares Dreams of the Damned

Spoiler

Nightmare: Nightmares are created when a Kin power core goes critical and implodes. The more powerful the core is, the more powerful the nightmare created is.
It is believed that nightmares are formed as the core’s erratic internal reaction reanimates any and all dead matter around the core, from dust particles to dead flakes of skin. How this takes place, exactly, remains a mystery, largely due to the fact that the source of the energy contained in the Kin’s power cells is also unknown. Some prominent scientists have speculated that they harness the nature of entropy, the inevitability of all things to erode and break down, itself.
Nightmare Hound: ?
Collapsed Frightling: ?
Nightmare Stalker: ?
Nightmare Wurm: ?
Stable Frightling: ?
Nightmare Corrupter: ?
Nightmare Basilisk: ?
Nightmare Deathkite: ?
Powered Frightling: ?
Nightmare Angel: ?
Nightmare Colossus: ?
Nightmare Miasma: ?

Oracle of Orcas

Spoiler

Death Knight: A prophecy foretells of the rider of Cymbas, a horse bearing a cloven hoof, will become a plague to humanity by becoming the greatest death knight upon destruction.
Battle Wight: ?

Plague

Spoiler

Plague Spawn: Plague spawn are those unfortunate individuals who have succumbed to a plague of magical origin. Although dead, the plague lives on with them, animating their bodies as an engine to continue the pestilence’s spread. Either under the command of a plague master, or at their own volition, they are compelled to seek out others and to infect them.
Prerequisite: Humanoid
Berserker Plague Spawn: ?
Miasma: Miasma form in plague pits, pest houses, and any other places in which a large number of plague-infested corpses accumulate. Composed of the sputum and other noisome liquids given off by the dead and the dying, miasma are wracked by the agonies and the hopelessness of the dead.
Miasma form in plague pits or in other places containing large numbers of plague dead.
Elder Miasma: Elder miasmas are terrible combatants. Spawned from ancient plague pits, they are have been driven virtually insane by the long years of their existence and the pain of their creation.
Pestilential Treant: A pestilential treant was once a normal treant that took root above an old plague pit. As its roots quested ever downward it encountered the disease-ridden remains buried in the pit and fed upon the vile liquids and ichors therein. Not only has the infection changed the treant’s natural abilities, but it also warped its personality, turning it in a black hearted creature of death and disease.
A pestilential treant was once a normal treant, but it has been warped by the strange energies given off the mass graves of the plague dead.
Pit Slime: When plague ravages an area with particular savagery and orderly burials cease mistakes can be made. In some cases, still living plague victims are cast into the pits under the mistaken assumption that they are dead. Buried among the numberless dead, these unfortunate’s last moments of life are filled with abject terror, agonizing pain, and the numbing realization of imminent death. If the victim is sufficiently strong willed some portion of him lives on after death imbuing the sludge at the bottom of the pit that oozes from the decomposing corpses with a spark of sentience.

Ebon Plague disease

Ebon Plague Level 28 Disease
Attack: + 31 vs. Fortitude.
Endurance: improve DC 35, maintain DC 30, worsen DC 29 or lower
The target is cured.
Initial Effect: Character feels ill and suffers and alternating hot and cold flushes as well as a strong feeling of vertigo.
Character becomes weakened (as described by the Player’s Handbook) and has an overwhelming urge to drink.
Final State: The target dies. In 1d4 hours, the subject rises as an undead; apply the plague spawn template to the slain individual. Special Note: A Gentle Repose prevents a character killed by the ebon plague from rising as an undead while the ritual is in effect.
Ebon Plague
One of the staples of recent fantasy and fiction writing and movies is the disease that transforms the dead into ravenous zombies. One such disease is presented above. Use this disease in conjunction with the plague spawn template presented later in this chapter.
Infection and Transmission: Ebon plague is transmitted through the natural attacks of those infected with it. Whenever the infected creature claws, bites, or otherwise injures a target, it makes a secondary attack (using the statistics above).
Incubation Period: After death, the subject rises as a plague spawn in 1d4 hours.
Symptoms: Characters infected with ebon plague suffer from alternating hot and cold flushes and overwhelming vertigo. As they become sicker, they become weaker and are afflicted by a raging thirst.

Pnumadesi Player's Companion

Spoiler

Undead: No trees of any recognizable family grow inside the Elemental Plateau, and the fallen simply rise as undead in almost no time. This latter situation may show a closer connection to the underrealm instead, but historians are torn as to whether, in fact, both the overwhelming presence and the lack of any presence of the underrealm has the same net effect on the environment.

Points of Conflict Encounter 1 The Charnel Pit

Spoiler

Elven Skeleton: This underground chamber has been used to dispose of massacred elves. Some of the bodies have become skeletal undead.

Scarrport City of Secrets

Spoiler

Skeleton: ?
Ghoul: ?
Vampire: ?
Azran the Undying: ?
Abyssal Ghoul Myrmidon: ?

Secrets of Necromancy

Spoiler

Undead: The summoner learns to harness the necrotic energy necessary to speak with and create the undead.
The dread summoner is a necromancer who has perfected the art of summoning unholy entities from beyond, or raising new undead from corpses both fresh and ancient.
Create Undead ritual.
Greater Curse of Unlife ritual.
Ring of Undeath magic item.
Bone Servant: Create Bone Servant power.
Create Bone Servant II power.
Create Bone Servant III power.
Create Bone Servant IV power.
Greater Bone Servant: Create Bone Servant III power.
Create Bone Servant IV power.
Bone Terror: Create Bone Terror power.
Drudge Skeleton: ?
Skeleton: ?
Zombie Rotter: ?
Zombie: ?
Gravehound: ?
Zombie Hulk: ?
Wight: ?
Wraith: ?
Phantom Warrior: ?
Ghoul: ?
Horde Ghoul: ?
Wailing Ghost: ?
Skull Lord: ?
Battle Wight: ?
Slaughter Wight: ?
Mad Wraith: ?
Sword Wraith: ?
Homunculi: Summon Humnculi ritual.

Create Bone Servant
You can create a bone servant to aid you in battle.
With a gesture, you cast down a handful of bone dust, and from it springs forth your skeletal minions.
Daily – Standard – Arcane, Necrotic
Close Burst 1 (area skeleton appears in)
Sustain: minor
Effect:
You summon forth an undead bone servant.
You may move and direct the minion at your discretion, which will also fight for you. The bone
servant is dismissed when the encounter is over or it is destroyed. You can use your move action to move both yourself and the bone servant. You must use a standard action to order the servant to also engage in a standard action. If you are separated from your bone servant, it becomes independent of you and will act in a randomly hostile manner.

Create Bone Servant II
You can create two bone servants to aid you in battle. With a gesture, you cast down a handful of bone dust, and from it springs forth your skeletal minions.
Daily – Standard – Arcane, Necrotic
Close Burst 1 (area skeleton appears in)
Sustain: minor
Effect:
You summon forth two undead bone servants in the same manner as the Level 1 Daily spell. You may move and direct both minions at your discretion, which will also fight for you. The bone servants are dismissed when the encounter is over or they are destroyed. You can use your move action to move both yourself and the bone servants. You must use a standard action to order the servants to also engage in a standard action. If you are separated from your bone servants, they become independent of you and will act in a randomly hostile manner.

Create Bone Servant III
You can create three bone servants or one greater bone servant to aid you in battle. With a gesture, you cast down a handful of bone dust, and from it springs forth your skeletal minions.
Daily – Standard – Arcane, Necrotic
Close Burst 1 (area skeleton appears in)
Sustain: minor
Effect:
You summon forth three undead bone servants or one greater bone servant in the same manner as the Level 1 Daily spell. You may move and direct all minions at your discretion, which will also fight for you. The bone servants are dismissed when the encounter is over or they are destroyed. You can use your move action to move both yourself and the bone servants. You must use a standard action to order the servants to also engage in a standard action. If you are separated from your bone servants, they become independent of you and will act in a randomly hostile manner.

Create Bone Servant IV
You can create an army of bone servants to aid you in battle. With a gesture, you cast down a handful of bone dust, and from it springs forth your skeletal minions.
Daily – Standard – Arcane, Necrotic
Close Burst 2 (area skeletons appears in)
Sustain: minor
Effect:
You summon forth eight undead bone servants, two greater bone servants, or one greater bone servant and four normal bone servants in the same manner as the Level 1 Daily spell. You may move and direct all minions at your discretion, which will also fight for you. The bone servants are dismissed when you stop maintaining the spell. You can use your move action to move both yourself and the bone servants. You must use a standard action to order the servants to also engage in a standard action. If you are separated from your bone servants, they become independent of you and will act in a randomly hostile manner.

Create Bone Terror
You can create a terrifying skeletal servant to aid you in battle. With a gesture, you cast down a handful of bone dust, and from it springs forth a monstrosity called the Bone Terror.
Daily – Standard – Arcane, Necrotic
Close Burst 3 (area skeleton appears in)
Sustain: minor
Effect:
You summon forth an enormous Bone Terror, a monstrosity of bone and tissue that towers over the battlefield. You may move and direct the bone terror at your discretion, which will also fight for you. The bone terror is dismissed when you stop maintaining the spell. You can use your move action to move both yourself and the bone terror. You must use a standard action to order the creature to also engage in a standard action. If you are separated from it, the creature become independent of you and will act in a randomly hostile manner.

Disciple of Death
Prerequisite: Necromancer
You begin the slow path towards becoming a truly undead being. You gain resist 5 necrotic and vulnerable 5 radiant. Your appearance becomes gaunt and sickly, and you smell odd.

Lord of Death
Prerequisites: Disciple of Death
You imbue your very being with the potency of undeath. While you are not yet undead, you gain resist necrotic 5 and vulnerable 5 radiant. You can be detected by spells which seek undead, but are not considered undead for all other purposes (such as turning). Your appearance looks deathly, and you shun the light.

Undead Mastery
Prerequisite: Undead Disciple, Lord of Death
You are now the master of undeath, and your very body shows in its deathly palor and your disturbing presence. You gain resist necrotic 10 and vulnerability radiant 10.

Avatar of Death
Prerequisites: Necromancer
You have learned to master the powers of darkness and are practically an unliving embodiment of the undead. You are now considered undead, immortal, and gain resist necrotic 15. You gain vulnerable radiant 15, and are now fully affected by all effects that target undead. Your appearance has changed to certifiably undead, and you no longer radiate any internal body heat. To maintain a human-like appearance you must invest in 100 GPs worth of products each month to treat your body to preservative fluids in order to sustain a semblance of your former appearance. If you choose not to do so, then you gain a -5 penalty to any disguise checks and are obviously undead to those you interact with in the future. If you maintain a semblance of life, then you must attempt a disguise check (thievery) of DC 30 to look like a member of the living. The DC goes up by 5 for each month you miss your regimen of life-like sustaining cosmetic and preservative treatments. If you miss them for a year or more, you are no longer able to disguise your undead appearance.

Create Undead
Level: 16
Comp. Cost: 4,000 gp
Category: Creation
Market Price: 15,000 gp
Time: 1 hour
Key Skill: Arcana
Duration: permanent
Through dark rituals you gather a corpse and imbue it with unlife. This spell is extremely powerful, and should be very, very difficult to find, and never learned spontaneously. DMs beware!
Any undead can potentially be created using this spell. The caster must have at least 1 body present, and must have a specific undead entity in mind. The base DC for success depends on the following formula:
Minions: DC=15+level of monster
Normal: DC=20+level of monster
Elite: DC=25+level of monster
Solo: DC=40+level of monster For minions and normals, the caster creates 1 additional minion for every 5 points over the target DC he rolls on his skill check, so long as he has enough available bodies.
The undead created are not under the caster’s control, and unless precautions have been taken (such as the Ward against Undead ritual) they will turn on their own creator.

Greater Curse of Unlife
Level: 24
Comp. Cost: 20,000 gp
Category: Restoration
Market Price: 75,000 gp
Time: 1 hour
Key Skill: Arcana
Duration: permanent
The Greater Curse of Unlife is a lengthy ritual prepared and cast by a necromancer preparing for the worst. Whether it be death by natural or unnatural means, the necromancer is planning for his own demise.....and return!
The ritual spell takes a week to prepare, but once cast will remain in effect until the demise of the necromancer. After he perishes (fails mortality checks and/or does not return in any way, shape or form) the character affected by the spell will rise again at midnight following his demise. He will now gain the undead property, as defined in the MM, and be affected by any and all powers as if he were undead.

Summon Homunculi
Level: 1
Component Cost: 10 gp
Category: Creation
Market Price: 100 gp
Time: 1 hour
Key Skill: arcana
Duration: permanent
With a wave of your hand you imbue unlife in to fleshy bits, sculpting them in to a small and evil servant.
You imbue dead flesh in to a form of life. It forms to create a permanent tiny undead entity which will function as a small and loyal pet and servant. The homunculus has the following effects for necromancers:
Dark Vision: The Necromancer gains dark vision while the homunculus is within 10 squares.
Shared Vision: The necromancer can see through the eyes of the homunculus if it is within 1 mile of his person. He may use dark vision when employing this effect.
Recovered Energy: The necromancer may sacrifice the homunculi as a minor action and use a healing surge.
Spell Conduit: the necromancer may enact any spell he desires through the homunculi as if he were in its square, so long as he can see through its eyes.

Ring of Undeath
This interesting ring of dull iron has the image of a dreadful looking skull upon it. When wearing the ring, you seem to look more pale and sickly to those around you, and seem to radiate a faint stench of death.
Level 5 +1 1,000 gp Level 20 +4 125,000 gp
Level10 +2 5,000 gp Level 25 +5 625,000 gp
Level 15 +3 25,000 gp Level 30 +6 3,125,000 gp
Bonus: The ring’s bonus increases Fortitude, Will and Reflex saves.
Property: The bearer of this ring will be detected as if he were undead, though he is not actually undead (yet--see below). He gains a penalty to any Charisma check or skill check that might be adversely affected by his seemingly undead nature.
Power (daily): Free instant reaction; Trigger: The ring-bearer is dealt a mortal blow that kills him or reduces him to 0 hit points. Effect: The ring wearer returns to life, as an undead creature, gaining the undead property as described in the MM, and is now subject to all effects, both pro and con, that affect undead.

Swords Against Shaligon

Spoiler

Boneshard Skeleton: ?
Decrepit Skeleton: ?
Phantom Warrior, Carosos: ?

Tailslap! 1

Spoiler

Baldrik Ostov, Death Knight: There are those who know how to make use of a mighty warrior after he has died, however. One such person, upon his return to the mortal world to serve his dark master, used foul rituals learned at the feet of the Prince of the Undead to raise Baldrik from his grave and bind him to service.

The Heart of Fire

Spoiler

Imprisoned Immolith: ?
Crypt Lurker: ?
Fire Warped Wraith: ?
Talis, Undead Ranger: ?
Ogramar, Undead Fighter: ?
Rolan, Undead Priest: ?
Rendal, Undead Rogue: ?
Zannara, Undead Sorcerer: ?

The Mansion on Misty Moor

Spoiler

Mad Wraith: ?
Corruption Corpse: ?
Deathlock Wight: ?
Blazing Skeleton: ?
Ghoul: ?
Specter: ?
Phantom Warrior: ?
Boneshard Skeleton: ?
Chillborn Zombie: ?
Skull Lord: ?

The Realms of Chirak

Spoiler

Undying: Elves of Chirak suffer from a curse at death. As their spiritual heaven of the fey realms was destroyed, their souls have no heaven to return to. These spirits wander the ethereal plane in a sort of perpetual purgatory. Some, those which are restless, return from the dead as Undying, a unique sort of elvish undead.
The undying are formed from elves who were either evil in nature or suffered from horrible trauma.
Undying are haunted elves, who could not find peace in the afterlife, or who did not know that they had died, for the old ways and paths of the afterworld to their fey realm had been obliterated.
Elves and fey subjected to any sort of undead creation spells have a 50% chance of become undying. Any fey creature has a 10% chance at death of automatically becoming an Undying. If the creature was an evil or chaotic being, it instead becomes a Corrupted Undying. If it died a terrible death, it must make a Will save (DC 15+ ½ the level of the dying creature) to avoid automatically returning as a Corrupted Undying.
An elf who dies and returns as an undying will do so in 2d12 hours after dying.
The undying are a special kind of undead, created from fallen elves and fey kin. Little else is known about them. Elves fear this prospect, and ask their allies to behead them if they perish in battle, to insure they do not also return.
Most undying rise from death shortly after being slain. Elves are the most common sort of undying. It is said that most elves feel that this is their fate, since their restless souls cannot travel to the Fey Realm in death any longer.
Shaligon: Orcs are a young species, brought forth in the waning years of the Apocalypse by the goddess Shaligon, who cut her own flesh to rain drops of her blood upon the world. Where each drop struck, an orc grew from the ground to form her ravenous army. The army, even defeated at the end of the Armageddon, was replenished when Shaligon was slain and the rest of her blood birthed a new wave of orcs. All of these orcs have an overriding desire to slay the servants of the gods who in turn killed their creator deity. They continue to worship the undead spirit of their goddess, who exists as a sort of gestalt entity in their minds, driving them to madness.
Undead: Any who are of sufficiently evil bent may serve Shaligon. Her promise is that all who serve and obey will live for eternity. This is true; any worshiper of Shaligon will automatically return as an undead being a fortnight after death, if they are worthy.
The Iron family has a secret history, too, which says that when the last true blood ruler of Grand Mercurios (Shyvoltz XI) fell to the blade of the first Iron Dukas, he cursed them. The curse comes in the form of madness and a form of corrupting lycanthropy in which the man becomes beast, and eventually, after death, a horrible undead monstrosity. The first Iron Dukas was interred in a great Tower of Rust in the Dreamwood. After that, other children of clan Dukas were given over to a secret order when they displayed the curse. Only one son in a generation of Dukas’s will manifest, and it is never known which son. To compensate, the Dukas family has always been prolific. Iron (the fifth) currently has four sisters and five brothers, for example.
The Shokoztoni are strong practitioners of Blood Magic, and their elder shamans of their tribes are known to have venerable huts walled with the decorated skulls of their ancestors. A curious side effect of this worship is that many undead found in the region are headless beings (headless skeletons, zombies, etc), corpses usually animated by lesser spirits conjured up by the blood mages.
Xoxtocharit are known to worship the so-called 113 divine lawgivers, or demon gods as they are known to outsiders. These entities are a mysterious collection of beings who appear to most foreigners to be demons, soldiers and generals of the old chaos armies from the time of the Apocalypse, thousandspawn, or worse. The Xoxtocharit see them as the only divine presence left worth worshipping. It is said that the opportunity for rebirth as a demonic entity is made available to the truly devout, and the chance at a return to life (usually a form of undeath) is an even greater reward.
Minhauros’ Flesh: This flesh can reanimate anything into the undead.
Memneres: Pillar is haunted, like its fellow cities, by an entity of dire nature. Memneres is a fallen Elohim, it is said, once the general of Pallath, the fallen sun god. Memneres is said to have betrayed Pallath for the love of a demon woman named Trivvetir, and when he realized his error, he remorsefully threw himself in to the Battle of the West, but was slain. The blood of Ga'thon seeped in to his mortal wounds, and he was resurrected as the undead that he now is.
Akartos Dinsur of Vanholm, Vampire: ?
Krissa: Galrond then took the girl’s remains to the site of an ancient temple, of which stood long ago to the ancient death god Malib in the time before the Apocalypse. He committed her remains to the ground, and beseeched the death god to restore her. Though Galrond wished for her love, he could not bear her to become another corrupted being of death, let alone a vampire spawn of his rival. The necromancer then left her remains there, under the impression he had failed. He does not yet know that the ground has become saturated with necrotic energy.
Gozul: ?
Furgath, Ghoul: ?
The Thirteen: The Dungeon of the Thirteen was created long ago, during the reign of the Old Empire of Meruvia. It is said that during the reign of the old Emperor Rhodathas thirteen generals, advisors and nobles rose up against him to overthrow his tyrannical rule. They failed, and all thirteen were locked within the confines of an ancient tomb-prison, and returned to unlife so that they could suffer appropriately.
Undying Spawn: On occasion a number of elves will all be slain, and a necromancer or lesser undying may induce the lot of them to rise as undying spawn.
Undying spawn are sometimes also the result of an undying going mad, when it cannot handle the transformation it has undergone.
Lesser Undying: ?
Corrupted Undying: Elves and fey subjected to any sort of undead creation spells have a 50% chance of become undying. Any fey creature has a 10% chance at death of automatically becoming an Undying. If the creature was an evil or chaotic being, it instead becomes a Corrupted Undying. If it died a terrible death, it must make a Will save (DC 15+ ½ the level of the dying creature) to avoid automatically returning as a Corrupted Undying.
Elder Undying: ?
Undying Lord: ?
Vargarun: ?
Awakened Shadow God: If the god is awakened, then the PCs are (usually) obliged to stop it if it is evil. Even if it was the shade of a good god that was resurrected, perhaps even by the PCs themselves, they will quickly discover that this is really an undead shadow of its former self, and the shade must still be stopped as it begins to go mad.
A vile shade of darkness has returned, an undead god.
Astur Jyp DiCarlo, Human Vampire Rogue 14: ?
Kaosark, Undying Hal-Elf Ranger 14: Kaosark is the spirit of a devoted preservationist who died in battle a century earlier, and was brought back from the dead by the Phylos, the avatar of Pornyphiros in The West.
Malenkin, Human Wizard Lich/Death Master 22: ?
Undying Template: There will come a time when a player character suffers a demise as an elf, and by virtue of bad luck, DM fiat or storyline requirements he will return as an undying.
DMs interested in some old school randomness may require a freshly deceased fey player character to make an “Undying check” at the terminus of their character’s life. This would require a charisma check against a DC 25 (heroic), DC 30 (paragon) or DC 35 (epic). If the check fails, or the player rolls a natural 1 on the roll, then the character returns as an undying.
Requirements: Any fey type; must have been killed in some fashion that did not also lead to dismemberment or immolation.

The Town That Time Forgot

Spoiler

Zombie Rotter: ?
Zombie: ?
Gravehound: ?
Corruption Corpse: ?

Three Days Until Dawn

Spoiler

Corruption Corpse: ?
Zombie: ?
Zombie Rotter: ?
Vampire Spawn Fleshripper: ?
Iago the Black, Weakened Vampire Lord: ?
Wraith: ?
Mad Wraith: ?

Tsorathian Raiders

Spoiler

Skeleton: ?
Kobold Skeletal Archer: ?

Vampire Bestiary – Mountain of the Cannibal God

Spoiler

Jenglot, Vampire Doll: These dolls of death are created when a person possessing supernatural power, such as a witchdoctor, is close to natural death and leaves the tribe to find an isolated place to spend his or her final days in meditation to try and unlock the secrets of eternal life. How long they maintain this hermitage depends on how close to death they are but they are never heard from again.
Ilmu Bethara Karang, Path of Eternal Life ritual.
Chupacabra, Goat Sucker: These mangy mongrels are scavenger beasts who have fed on the flesh of vampiric beings. The animals grow sickly and die within a day or two but are reborn as undead predators.
Peuchen: Monsters similar in nature to the chupacabra but derived from animals other than canines and felines include the Peuchen; a snake-like version of the chupacabra.
Chon-Chon, Vampire Sorcerer: Remnants of dead sorcerors and defeated witchdoctors, forever cursed by their rivals. While cannibals sometimes take the heads of worthy opponents as trophies, a necromancer or witchdoctor serves up an even more grisly fate for their greatest foes; stealing their soul for all eternity and using the head of the vanquished corpse as its undying slave.
The ritual for creating a chon-chon must be performed within one day of the subject’s death. Only spellcasters are suitable candidates for the procedure which culminates in the neck being ringed by an ointment after which the head falls off and the subject’s ears grow to accomodate flight.
Transformation ritual.
Yara-Ma-Yha-Who, Blood Dwarf: These despicable dwarves are in truth pitiable creatures eternally cursed to this monstrous crimson form. Forever fated to pass on their horrid lineage, for each was once a mortal swallowed by such a monster.
It is unknown how the first yara-ma-yha-who was created though some scholars recount the tale of the vampire dwarf who dared to bite Orcus himself, only to be forever cursed for his affrontery. His teeth were ripped from his mouth, his flesh turned bright red and he was returned to the world a hideous freak.
Blood Curse curse.
Asanbosam, Tree Vampire: ?
Pey: ?
Pey Alternate: ?
Soul Eater: Deadly shapeshifting cadavers, soul eaters are ghoulish undead soldiers created from the corpses of cannibalistic witches and witchdoctors.
Obayifu: ?
Obayifu Alternate: ?
Boo-Hag: ?
Loogaroo: ?
Ole-Higu: ?
Soucouyant, Soukounian: ?
Wendigo, Elemental Vampire: Wendigo Psychosis disorder.
Adze: Shapechanging maggots, adze are elemental creatures attracted to carrion, filth and gore (and through association undead) by natural instincts. But after feeding upon undead flesh and blood they become forever tainted by the experience, thereafter only gain sustenance preying upon the living.
Firefly Adze Swarm: ?
Fire Wendigo: The initial transformation phase of the wendigo is not much bigger than the mortal it possessed.
Fire wendigo arise in places of volcanic activity, but lack of food sources can often cause them to migrate to other areas.
Lightning Bug Adze Swarm: ?
Mountain Wendigo Abomination: ?
Thunder Hornet Adze Swarm: ?
Wendigo Behemoth: ?
Wight: Often found serving more powerful undead masters and mistresses, many varieties of wight exist, typically reflecting some evil aspect of their past lives or the environment in which they were murdered.
Wizard Wight, Mokoi, Blind Wight: These undead assassins are created from the corpse of a spellcaster by a rival magician wherein the neck of the defeated is smothered in an ointment that causes the head to detach itself and fly up (see the Chon-chon). But the body does not go to waste, also taking on a life, or rather unlife of its own.
The former body of the chon-chon is not spared the attentions of necromantic revival. The headless corpse becomes a mokoi, also known as wizard wights, or sometimes blind wights.
Bone Wight, Aswang: Half-eaten undead horrors, bone wights are the wretched remains of unfinished meals given unlife through even fouler necromancy. These reanimated victims of circumstance are constantly hungry for flesh, even though they require no sustenance.
Bone wights are those poor souls slain by being either partially devoured or at least prepared for consumption.
Marsh Wight, Chibaiskweda: Marsh wights are created through the improper burial of a body by dumping it in a bog.
These creatures are found in Native American mythology (specifically the Abenaki tribe) and are thought to be corpses animated by marsh gas following an improper burial.

ILMU BETHARA KARANG
Unlock the secrets of eternal life by sacrificing everything for a new beginning, transferring your ebbing mortal soul to a diminutive vampiric vessel.
Level: 3
Components: Doll, your soul
Category: Creation
Market Price: 1000 gp (rare)
Time: 1 day
Key Skill: Arcana or Religion
Duration: Permanent (no check)
The Ilmu Bethara Karang or “Path of Eternal Life” is the ritual wherein one can gain immortality by becoming a jenglot. This ritual is known to a few witchdoctors and is used when they believe, whether through wounds or illness their time is nigh.
The jenglot sustains itself through its aura, which drains the life blood from those nearby. A bowl of blood placed next to a jenglot will evaporate within a few minutes.

TRANSFORMATION RITUAL
Death begets undeath in this ritual of eternal servitude and damnation.
Level: 3
Components: Salve, dead Spell-caster’s body (fresh)
Category: Creation
Market Price: 1000 gp (rare)
Time: 1 hour
Key Skill: Arcana or Religion
Duration: Permanent(no check)
The salve or magic cream used in the ritual, smeared around the neck of the spellcaster’s corpse, is created from a combination of certain rare plants, the fat from an Impundulu and the poison harvested by cannibal snipers.
Once cream is applied and the words of power spoken the head will detach from the body, its ears expand and it will fly up into the air.

BLOOD CURSE
CURSE
Those affected by this disorder develop an insatiable hunger for meat to the point where they become cannibalistic murderers.
Luck Check (Saving Throw): At the end of each extended rest: Worsen (Failed Save: 9 or less), Improve (Successful Save: 10 or more)
Stage 0: The target is free of the curse.
Stage 1: While affected by stage 1, the target’s skin becomes reddened and sensitive.
Stage 2: While affected by stage 2, the target’s skin becomes bright red and features become puffed and bloated. The target gains Vulnerability 5 All.
Stage 3: While affected by stage 3, the target loses their hair (though in time this will regrow once they are free of the curse) and also loses about 10% of their height, treat as if being constantly weakened.
Stage 4: The target becomes a Yara-Ma-Yha-Who

WENDIGO PSYCHOSIS LEVEL 6 DISORDER
Those affected by this disorder develop an insatiable hunger for meat to the point where they become cannibalistic murderers.
Insight Check: At the end of each extended rest: Worsen (DC 18 or less), Maintain (DC 19-22), Improve (DC 23+)
Stage 0: The target recovers from the disorder.
Stage 1: While affected by stage 1, the target is distracted by its hunger and suffers a -2 to all defenses.
Stage 2: While affected by stage 2, the target’s hunger becomes difficult to control and it must eat a sizeable quantity of meat every waking hour or lose a healing surge, rather than do this it will attempt to murder the nearest person and eat them.
Death: If the target dies it is reborn as a wendigo

WENDIGO PSYCHOSIS LEVEL 11 DISORDER
Those affected by this disorder develop an insatiable hunger for meat to the point where they become cannibalistic murderers.
Insight Check: At the end of each extended rest: Worsen (DC 21 or less), Maintain (DC 22-25), Improve (DC 26+)
Stage 0: The target recovers from the disorder.
Stage 1: While affected by stage 1, the target is distracted by its hunger and suffers a -2 to all defenses.
Stage 2: While affected by stage 2, the target’s hunger becomes difficult to control and it must eat a sizeable quantity of meat every waking hour or lose a healing surge, rather than do this it will attempt to murder the nearest person and eat them.
Death: If the target dies it is reborn as a wendigo.

War of the Burning Sky 4e Campaign Guide

Spoiler

Undead: Inside, the heroes find that the castle is now overrun by undead, animated by a strange fiery rip in the fabric of the planes.

War of the Burning Sky 4e 1 The Scouring of Gate Pass

Spoiler

Dwarven Wight: ?
Dwarven Bonsehard Skeleton: ?
Dwarven Decrepit Skeleton: ?
Decrepit Orc Skeleton: ?

War of the Burning Sky 4e 2 The Indomitable Fire Forest of Innenotdar

Spoiler

Indomitability: The nature of the living fire in Innenotdar often provides a form of immortality. As creatures burn, they are reduced to a state of death, at which point they are rejuvenated by a unique combination of elemental fire and radiant energy. If the forest’s fire would kill a victim, Indomitability’s essence invests itself and places the creature in a bizarre state of undeath. The victim is still on fire, and hair, clothing, and equipment burn away, but the creature no longer takes fire damage nor does it need to make any more death saving throws.
Most of the forest creatures have “died” and been kept from permanent death by Indomitability’s essence infusing them.
If a hero dies, it takes time for Indomitability to overcome the hero’s will and begin the changes. Upon death, regardless of the hero’s current hp total, he is automatically brought to 0 hp. One hour later, Indomitability attempts to overcome the hero’s mind (+12 vs. Will; the hero rekindles and obtains all of Indomitability’s properties, powers, and auras). If Indomitability fails this attempt, the hero remains “dead” until he is rescued.
Ghast: The remnant of a revolting tragedy now lurks at the grove. A druid couple and seven orphan children they sheltered hid from the fire in caves upstream. They waited for the fire to die out, but when it did not, the druids killed and ate the children. They eventually turned on each other to feed and died from their wounds at the same time, eventually rising as ghasts.
Ghasts are undead humanoids created when one dies during the act of cannibalism.
Seela Caretaker: ?
Seela Guard: ?
Seela Skirmisher: ?
Seela Hunter: ?
Papuvin: ?
Indomitable Fire Bat: ?
Indomitable Bat Swarm: ?
Indomitable Dire Wolf: ?
Indomitable Wolfling: ?
Indomitable Rat Swarm: ?
Indomitable Dire Rat: ?
Indomitable Fey Panther: ?
Elven Decrepit Skeleton: ?
Elven Warrior Skeleton: ?
Indomitable Goblin Warrior: ?
Indomitable Goblin Skullbreaker: ?
Indomitable Goblin King: ?
Indomitable Khadral: ?
Indomitable Zombie Elf Skirmisher: ?
Timbre: ?
Indomitable Dire Boar: ?
Tragedy: The souls of the dead killed by a great evil that could be stopped sometimes become a tragic creature that seeks revenge against those who could have prevented it.

War of the Burning Sky 4e 3 Shelter From the Storm

Spoiler

Bonemound Skeleton: The cannibal witches’ home is found on an island protected by the undead remains of their victims.
Bonemound skeletons are made from the angry whispers of the forsaken dead.
Skeletal Husk: The cannibal witches’ home is found on an island protected by the undead remains of their victims.
Skeletal husks are the intermediate stage of a necromantic ritual to create skeletal guardians. As the body decays, the husk gathers necrotic energy from around it and oozes it through its fatal wound.
Fragile Skeleton: The cannibal witches’ home is found on an island protected by the undead remains of their victims.
Greater Elven Ghoul: ?
Elven Runefire Skeleton: ?
Sodden Skeleton: ?
Frothing Seafoam Skeleton: ?

War of the Burning Sky 4e 4 The Mad King's Banquet

Spoiler

Jutras: Jutras is a mohrg, a ghoul-like creature that is the undead creation of an unrepentant mass murderer.
Zombie: Typically, Jutras will terrorize a prisoner and then finish him off, dumping the body into the septic tunnel where it eventually becomes a zombie.
Creatures killed by Jutras rise after 1d4 days as zombies under Jutras’s control.
Tragedy: The tragedies are undead monsters created by Inquisitor Torrax in a dark ritual by sacrificing the many people whom Steppengard had arrested on suspicion of treason.
Frozen Zombie Horde: ?

War of the Burning Sky 4e 6 Tears of the Burning Sky

Spoiler

Undead: But somehow the assassins sabotaged the Torch’s power, and when they vanished, they left behind a rift in the fabric of reality, an impossible connection of the Astral Plane and the Elemental Chaos. Within moments the castle and miles around it was engulfed in flames, and all those slain by the blaze were infused with necromantic energy, soon to rise as undead. Now, the firestorm created by the rift drifts for miles in every direction, raining liquid flame upon the land, turning anything it slays into undead.
Now, with the wind at their backs, the heroes set out for Castle Korstull, a canyon fortress in the where Emperor Drakus Coaltongue was slain, and where it is believed the Torch of the Burning Sky may lie. An endless firestorm wracks the surrounding lands, animating as undead all who die to its falling flames, including all those who defended the castle that was to be the emperor’s final conquest.
Although nearly all of the undead within Castle Korstull will fight to the death, they might choose to capture the heroes if they defeat them. Captives are taken to the Dark Pyre to be animated as undead minions in Griiat’s personal army.
When the initial firestorm struck and the Dark Pyre was created, the courtyard just outside the castle, it animated both Ragesian soldiers and Sindairese prisoners.
The Dark Pyre: Any living creature starting its turn in this room takes 5 fire and necrotic damage. Falling into or starting a turn in the Dark Pyre does 5d6+9 fire and necrotic damage and 10 ongoing fire and necrotic damage. The target must succeed a DC 25 Constitution check or become immobilized until the end of its next turn. Once killed by the pyre, the hero will rise as an undead creature after a number of days equal to half his level.
Dark Pyre Assault Team: He calls upon the power of the Dark Pyre, conjuring a black lightning bolt as he did when the heroes first arrived. These bolts, which Griiat can only evoke once per day, can animate the corpses strewn about the battlefield outside the castle, each creating up to 40 HD of undead who intuitively know Griiat’s command.
Ghoul: Later, when the firestorm tore through Korstull, the executed rebels and the massacred bard were animated as ghouls.
Dark Pyre Warrior: A black bolt of lightning rends the flaming sky and strikes one of the large 15-foot square steel cages not more than thirty feet before you. Its blast shatters and throws bone and rock skyward to fall nearby. Everywhere the debris touches, it stirs the long-dead skeletal remains and they rise with eye-sockets ablaze with flaming tears and a deathly laughter croaking from non-existent throats.
Dark Pyre Sergeant: A black bolt of lightning rends the flaming sky and strikes one of the large 15-foot square steel cages not more than thirty feet before you. Its blast shatters and throws bone and rock skyward to fall nearby. Everywhere the debris touches, it stirs the long-dead skeletal remains and they rise with eye-sockets ablaze with flaming tears and a deathly laughter croaking from non-existent throats.
Dark Pyre Swarmer: ?
Awakening Skeleton: ?
Fallen Knight: ?
Hell Steed: ?
Feaster of Flesh and Souls: ?
Dark Pyre Soldier: ?
Dark Pyre Bullette: One bullete went wild and fled during the battle, and it was roaming in the nearby area when the firestorm struck, killed it, and animated it.
Thorkrid the Dark: ?
Summoned Undead Soldier: ?
Dark Pyre Adept: ?
Lord Gorquith: Later, when the firestorm tore through Korstull, the executed rebels and the massacred bard were animated as ghouls, and Gorquith’s skeleton was animated within the ooze, the two being bound together as a unique undead jelly.
Findle: Later, when the firestorm tore through Korstull, the executed rebels and the massacred bard were animated as ghouls.
Sindairese Ghoul: Later, when the firestorm tore through Korstull, the executed rebels and the massacred bard were animated as ghouls.
Sidairese Feaster: ?
Tragedy: ?
Griiat: ?

War of the Burning Sky 4e 7 Trial of Echoed Souls

Spoiler

Greatroot Vile Oak: ?
Vile Oak: ?
Phantom Swarm: The elves of Ycengled Phuurst are all but extinct, wiped out by a Shahalesti prince obsessed with the purity of eladrin blood. The forest remembers them still, and their spirits haunt the paths and the glades in which they once dwelt.
Spectral Whelp: ?
Dread Spectral Hound: ?
Malhûn, The Blood Wolf: ?
Aurana Kiirodel: Aurana was a wizard in the Shahalesti army decades ago when Shaaladel first came to power. She served loyally and was eventually chosen as his vizier. A few years ago the elves became worried that Supreme Inquisitor Leska was advising the Ragesian emperor Coaltongue to attack Shahalesti, and Aurana tried to assassinate Leska. This attempt failed, and the Inquisitor retaliated by feeding her own immortal blood to Aurana, turning the elf woman into a unique type of vampire.
Tragedy: ?
Irrendan Ghast: ?
Taranesti Skeleton: ?

War of the Burning Sky 4e 8 O, Wintry Song of Agony

Spoiler

Ander Folthwaite, Ghost Gnome Sorcerer 16: ?
Horde Zombie: ?
Augustus: He died on a mission Guthwulf was leading, and the Inquisitor took cruel pity on him, returning him to unlife as a devil-infused ghoul.
Summoned Undead: ?
Undead: Xavious will keep the heroes informed of what’s going on, and by the time the heroes are able to get out of the prison, the Resistance army will be almost to the fortress, being in the grip of battle now with an army of undead created from the warriors slain by Pilus’s airship.

War of the Burning Sky 4e 9 The Festival of Dreams

Spoiler

Lich's Mask: Vorax-Hûl already possessed strange powers unknown to most dragons, but now he also boasts a powerful ward from Leska, and a massive bone mask that resembles the skull masks Inquisitors wear, though crafted of entire humanoid skeletons. This mask contains the spirits of four Inquisitors, who now serve only to protect Vorax-Hûl.
Resistance Skeleton: Then, while clerics tend to healing, a group of scouts from the rooftops return to the rebel side. It isn’t until they’ve gotten across the skybridge to the wall that the defenders realize the scouts are dead, reanimated as skeletons. This is just a quick horror, though, sent by a bored Inquisitor.
Gaballan Wraith: A creature that dies because of a Gaballan wraith's Touch of Death attack rises as a Gaballan wraith at the start of its next turn.
Creatures reduced to 0 hp on a round in which Gabal attacked them rise as a Gaballan Wraith at the start of their next turn.
Gabal has created dozens of additional wraiths as spawn.
Gabal, Dread Wraith Archmage: Through a powerful ritual, Inquisitors called back Gabal’s soul and transformed it into a dread wraith.
Aurana Kiirodel: ?

War of the Burning Sky 4e 10 Sleep Ye Cursed Child

Spoiler

Vargouille Swarm: ?
Vargenga, Vampiric Fire Giant: ?
Jesepha, Fallen Archon: The trumpet archon Jesepha failed to protect Trilla decades ago, and she was slain by Drakus Coaltongue. Corrupted in death, the celestial has returned as a dread wraith sovereign trumpet archon as Trilla’s fate becomes tied to the world’s. This heinous undead being is composed in equal parts of sacrilege, cruelty, and hate.
Wraith Minion: ?

War of the Burning Sky 4e 11 Under the Eye of the Tempest

Spoiler

Caela Spirit: Caela, Pilus’s former right-hand woman and master of his biomantic laboratories, has risen as a ghost and still serves her master faithfully. The former head of the Monastery of Two Winds has coupled his knowledge of biomancy with a necromantic tome he discovered some time after Caela’s last encounter with the heroes and used the two to improve upon the half-elf ’s newfound unlife.

War of the Burning Sky 4e 12The Beating of the Aquiline Heart

Spoiler

White Court Rajput: ?
Skeletal Phalanx: ?
Skulk of Shadows: ?
Summoned Undead: ?
Risen Nightwing: ?
Risen Nightstalker: ?
Ghoulish Red Dragon Whelp: ?
Aurana Kiirodel: ?
Brothers: Centuries ago, the city governor sentenced two murderous brothers, Otho and Lorgo Cullen, to quarry work for the rest of their lives after a spate of robberies and muggings. They died after a few brutal years and then were raised as undead once the city’s need for stone became urgent during one of the innumerable wars of conquest in the distant past.

Wicked Fantasy Factory 4: A Fist Full of Ninjas

Spoiler

Blazing Skeleton: ?
Skeleton: ?
Decrepit Skeleton: ?

Within Death's Gaze

Spoiler

Shiola: Blackbyrne is now a haven of vampires, under the control and direction of Shiola, a self-cursed vampire. Shiola, spurned by the man (vampire) she thought loved her, has cursed herself to a life of undeath beyond that of a mere vampire. Using a variation of the ritual to make oneself a lich, Shiola has embedded a locket (containing the pictures of her and her love) with the power to re-spawn her should she ever be defeated.
Blackbyrne Vampire Spawn: ?
Blackbyrne Vampire Thrall: ?

Wraith Recon

Spoiler

Dracolich Undead Dragon: ?
Undying Damned: Hundreds died in just a few twilight hours of this undead dragon’s attacks, many of them rising up as the undying damned to plague any survivors.
Zombie: Zombies, ghouls, wights and skeletons stalk the eastern lands, making more of their kind with each unfortunate soul they fall upon.
Ghoul: Zombies, ghouls, wights and skeletons stalk the eastern lands, making more of their kind with each unfortunate soul they fall upon.
Wight: Zombies, ghouls, wights and skeletons stalk the eastern lands, making more of their kind with each unfortunate soul they fall upon.
Skeleton: Zombies, ghouls, wights and skeletons stalk the eastern lands, making more of their kind with each unfortunate soul they fall upon.
Zombie Rotter: ?

Wraith Recon: Enemies Within

Spoiler

Undead: The other gods did not take well to her arrival, especially when she began to cull their growing flocks. Although the King of Beasts saw no harm in what she was tasked to do, Mersmerro and Praxious despised her role – instead wanting their creations to last forever. The War of Creation saw their faiths clash terribly and the two more powerful gods inflicted terrible losses upon the Queen of Darkness. Her living worshippers suffered terribly and Mortessal made a hard choice in order to replenish her defenders – she brought Undeath to Nuera. Her ranks of minions exploded with the risen warriors taken from all over the world and soon her attackers were buffeted back. It was a terrible price this world had to pay; she placed the undead in her reign and forced all of Nuera to weather them for the rest of time.
Of course, this simple blessing would be of no protection against powerful necromantic magics like the ones taught regularly by the cults of Mortessal – or the dark rites that had to be called upon to create the dracolich that ravaged the eastern borders.
The undead rising up in the wake of the Lornish minions are not of Mortessal’s creation; they come from another dark source and her Circle sees them as a challenge to her authority.
Undead Knight: ?
Dracolich: Of course, this simple blessing would be of no protection against powerful necromantic magics like the ones taught regularly by the cults of Mortessal – or the dark rites that had to be called upon to create the dracolich that ravaged the eastern borders.
Liche Priest of the Black Circle: Where ‘common’ liches are undead spellcasters that selfishly gave their life forces to further their magical might and live eternally, liche priests are chosen by the Black Circle to join their cult as the eternally damned servants of the Queen of Darkness. The existing liche priests, led by the primordial Baphomes, choose only the most devoted and powerful worshippers of Mortessal to become dread warlocks – let alone the type of follower they look for to undergo the ritual of Dark Becoming.
There are six canoptic jars used by the liche priests during the secret and powerful ritual that creates a new liche priest. Each of these jars are roughly a foot tall and ten inches in circumference, inscribed with dozens of arcane glyphs and sealed with wax made from rendered fats. Each of these jars has 30 hit points and resist 15 to all damage. The organs of the original being that are broken down and mystically placed inside the jars are:
♦ Skull (either the being’s natural one or the whispering one if the ritual’s recipient is a dread warlock)
♦ Heart
♦ Liver
♦ Kidneys
♦ Pancreas
♦ Phallus or Uterus
Lich: Where ‘common’ liches are undead spellcasters that selfishly gave their life forces to further their magical might and live eternally, liche priests are chosen by the Black Circle to join their cult as the eternally damned servants of the Queen of Darkness.
Zombie Rotter: ?
Lich, Human Wizard: ?
Zombie: ?
Decrepit Skeleton: ?
Baphomes: ?
Battle Wight: ?
Ghoul: ?
Dread Warlock: Only the liche priests can create dread warlocks through their own insidious rituals, making these powerful undead magic wielders out of devoted necromancers and fanatical priests. The process is brutal and lengthy, with all of the recipient’s organs being removed through necromantic surgery before being replaced with several pouches of required elements and implements. The body is then sewn back up with the skull of animated servant nestled within the organ cavity. It is said that the skull speaks to the newly risen dread warlock, goading him to do Mortessal’s bidding as she floods his body with new, dark powers.
They are infused with Mortessal’s essence of darkness, and being protected against elemental shadow and necrotic energies will go a long way to surviving an encounter with one.
Wight: ?
Skull Lord: ?
Skeleton: ?
Dread Wraith: ?
Lich Vestige: ?
Battle Wight: ?
Horde Ghoul: ?

Wyrmslayer

Spoiler

Shadow: ?
Lanelle: ?

Xori Threats From the Savage Dirge

Spoiler

Xori Servitor: ?
Xori Labrorer: ?
Xori Brute: ?
Xori Reaper: ?
Xori Spitter: ?
Xori Deadwomb: ?
Deadwomb Necroling: Xori Deadwomb's Spawn power.

Spawn
(standard, recharge 3456) • Necrotic
Create a deadwomb necroling token in an unoccupied square adjacent to the deadwomb.

Zeitgeist 2 The Dying Skyseer

Spoiler

Cackling Shadow: ?
Hag Wraith: ?
Vestige of Death: ?
Disguised Skeleton: ?

Zeitgeist 3 Digging for Lies

Spoiler

Ancient Mummy Warrior: An additional threat, however, comes from the mummies throughout the tomb and any other dead bodies scattered about. When the trap of Nem activates, those bodies animate and wait to block the PCs’ escape.
Zombie Shambler: An additional threat, however, comes from the mummies throughout the tomb and any other dead bodies scattered about. When the trap of Nem activates, those bodies animate and wait to block the PCs’ escape.
Mummy Harrier: An additional threat, however, comes from the mummies throughout the tomb and any other dead bodies scattered about. When the trap of Nem activates, those bodies animate and wait to block the PCs’ escape.
Ancient Mummy Spellcaster: An additional threat, however, comes from the mummies throughout the tomb and any other dead bodies scattered about. When the trap of Nem activates, those bodies animate and wait to block the PCs’ escape.
Ancient Mummy Brawler: An additional threat, however, comes from the mummies throughout the tomb and any other dead bodies scattered about. When the trap of Nem activates, those bodies animate and wait to block the PCs’ escape.
Voice of Rot: ?

Zeitgeist 4 Always on Time

Spoiler

Ghoul: Nikolai the Necromancer's Flock to Me, Ghouls power.
Ghost: Ghosts of the four people Boone has killed since boarding the train fade in and out around him, causing him to panic. If he’s not with the party, he crosses their path while fleeing. He begs for help even as the ghosts point at him and moan that he murdered them. The ghosts’ spirits are trapped in his pistol and cannot cross over to the afterlife until the gun is destroyed, but are harmless save for the fact that they spoil Boone’s secret.
Ruin Wraith: ?
Drowned Dead of Odiem: The blood of the ancient demon Ashima-Shimtu has dripped into the sea for centuries, and now she is bound to the island. She is aware vaguely of everything happening on the surface of the island, and can occasionally extend her influence. Though her blood powers the undead, she does not control them.

Flock To Me, Ghouls* Aura 20

Whenever a natural, non-undead creature dies in the aura, if Nikolai commands fewer than five ghouls, the creature’s body reanimates as a ghoul. It is undead, has 1 HP, and has its original stats and powers, but can only make basic attacks.

Zeitgeist 5 Cauldron Born

Spoiler

Ghoulish Crow Swarm: ?
Long-Dead Skeleton: Four skeletons, animated by dwarven clerics from the old remains of those who once sheltered here from witches, stand in the corners.
Tamed Cackling Crawler: ?
Tamed Serpent-Maned Lion: ?
Witchoil Monstrosity: ?

Zeitgeist 6 Revelations from the Mouth of a Madman

Spoiler

Priest of Cheshimox: Cheshimox conquered the lizardfolk servants of another dragon and transformed them into undead so they could resist the unearthly chill.
Cheshimox Terrormask: Cheshimox conquered the lizardfolk servants of another dragon and transformed them into undead so they could resist the unearthly chill.
Lizardfolk Ghoul: Cheshimox conquered the lizardfolk servants of another dragon and transformed them into undead so they could resist the unearthly chill.

Zeitgeist 7 Schism

Spoiler

Vicemi Terio, Spectral Archmage: ?
Reed Mabcannin: ?
Nicodemus the Mastermind: ?
Robert the Black: ?
Lich: ?
Ghost Council Swarm: ?
Senior Ghost Councilor: ?

Zeitgeist 8 Diaspora

Spoiler

Tragedy: ?
Zombie Horde: ?

Zeitgeist 9 The Last Starry Sky

Spoiler

Voice of Rot: ?
Ettercap Skeletal Gang: ?
Rotted Archer: ?
Blackwood Treant: ?
Undead Tree: Blackwood Treant's Rotted Sprout power.
Senior Ghost Councilor: ?
Ghost Council Detachment: ?
Skeletal Dragon Tyrant: A dragon skeleton kept as a trophy is animated in the entrance foyer and heads for the king.
The dragon was animated by a famous necromancy instructor, who sweeps in with wights and a massive flayed jaguar, targeting the guards and others who are fighting back.
A gargantuan dragon skeleton, animated by Professor Bugge detaches from its wire mountings in the Entry Foyer and goes on a rampage.
Dread Wight: Professor Jon Bugge, formerly a necromancy instructor at Pardwight University in Flint, has been working in a remote laboratory for the Obscurati for decades. Now the withered old man hobbles through battle, his thick brogue voice ordering about wights that were once his most promising students.
Wight: Dread Wight Draining Claws power.
Lya, The Lost Jierre Scion: ?
Amielle Latimer: ?

Rotted Sprout (summoning) * At-Will, 1/round

Minor Actions
The husk of a tree sprouts from the web wall beside you, and bog-soaked roots burble up and try to entangle you.
Effect: An undead tree grows from a spot on either the web wall or the staircase, and lasts until the end of the encounter. Attacks against the tree deal their damage to the blackwood treant (but conditions are not transferred). The sprouted trees are destroyed only when the treant is destroyed.
Spaces adjacent to the tree are difficult terrain, and a creature that enters or ends its turn there takes 10 necrotic damage. When the tree first appears, it makes the following attack.
Attack: Melee 3 (one creatures); +25 vs. AC
Hit: 35 damage, and the target is grabbed (Escape DC 25).

m Draining Claws * At-Will, Basic
Standard Actions
Its touch causes your heart to seize.
Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +25 vs. AC
Hit: 14 damage, and the target is stunned until the end of the wight’s next turn. If the target dies while stunned this way, it animates as a wight three rounds later.

Zeitgeist 11 Gorged on Ruins

Spoiler

Voice of Rot: She made contact with the Voice of Rot, a primordial entity who exists to witness the world’s death.Shuman Larkins, Empowered Councilor: ?
Vsadni, Lost Rider: After vanishing into the far north thousands of years ago, the Lost Riders known locally as the Vsadni were given new titanic undead bodies by the magic of the Voice of Rot. The frozen corpses of the long-dead dwarven warlords are held in the ribcages of massive skeletons crafted of the bones and stones of dead worlds.
Nebo, The Leader: After vanishing into the far north thousands of years ago, the Lost Riders known locally as the Vsadni were given new titanic undead bodies by the magic of the Voice of Rot. The frozen corpses of the long-dead dwarven warlords are held in the ribcages of massive skeletons crafted of the bones and stones of dead worlds.
Betel, The Vain Axeman: After vanishing into the far north thousands of years ago, the Lost Riders known locally as the Vsadni were given new titanic undead bodies by the magic of the Voice of Rot. The frozen corpses of the long-dead dwarven warlords are held in the ribcages of massive skeletons crafted of the bones and stones of dead worlds.
Yarost, The Naive Axeman: After vanishing into the far north thousands of years ago, the Lost Riders known locally as the Vsadni were given new titanic undead bodies by the magic of the Voice of Rot. The frozen corpses of the long-dead dwarven warlords are held in the ribcages of massive skeletons crafted of the bones and stones of dead worlds.
Tzertze, The Upbeat Wardrummer: After vanishing into the far north thousands of years ago, the Lost Riders known locally as the Vsadni were given new titanic undead bodies by the magic of the Voice of Rot. The frozen corpses of the long-dead dwarven warlords are held in the ribcages of massive skeletons crafted of the bones and stones of dead worlds.
Hamul, The Hateful Scum: After vanishing into the far north thousands of years ago, the Lost Riders known locally as the Vsadni were given new titanic undead bodies by the magic of the Voice of Rot. The frozen corpses of the long-dead dwarven warlords are held in the ribcages of massive skeletons crafted of the bones and stones of dead worlds.
Dread Wraith: ?
Bibliogeist: The main doors are watched by a pair of towering basalt statues of scholars, which each contain bound dread wraiths. Compelled by divine magic, their only duty is to subdue would-be thieves. Additionally, as honored employees of the library near a death by old age, many volunteer to have the wraiths extract their souls so they can be bound to the building as Bibliogeists.
Soul Sliver: Similarly, slivers of the souls of scribes who died as children have been woven into threads and placed in the binding of many of the more valuable books in the collection, so the bibliogeists can sense their movements as well.
Skeletal Phalanx: ?

Zeitgeist 12 The Grinding Gears of Heaven

Spoiler

Undead: The mysterious group operated out of Cauldron Hill, a cursed mountain that loomed over the city – or more accurately the mountain’s analogue in the Bleak Gate, that dark reflection of the world from which undead horrors are born.
Undead Turtle Bhoior: Long ago another, greater turtle bore several continents upon its back, and when it neared its proscribed death it traveled for the spawning ground of its mighty species where it could transfer the people who lived on its shell to another. Alas, the great turtle died before it could reach its destination, and so died an entire world.
Centuries later a new turtle awoke from the huge dead body, and it could hear the mournful memories of those it never had a chance to save.
A hollow world formed from the husk of a colossal petrified turtle, encircled by strong bands of wind. The turtle still moves, ever so slowly.
Doverspike, The Vampiric Dragon: ?
Zombie: When Doverspike used an epic spell to slay the emperor and everyone in his bloodline, the effect cascaded through most of the population of the world. The dead animated as zombies and inexorably wiped out all the other survivors.
Nicodemus: A PC might be able to reason out (Religion DC 20) that normally ghosts are tied to the location where they died, and linger on if they have unfinished business; but Nicodemus can roam, which could be because (as discovered in Adventure Eight) his death occurred at the moment of the Great Malice, which affected the whole world. He’s certainly more cogent than a typical ghost, and there are clearly some parallels in his rejuvenation and the reincarnation of devas, so perhaps his power is tied to the death of Srasama.
Nicodemus was present at the events that caused the Great Malice, and was fleeing through a dimensional portal right as the eladrin goddess Srasama died. The explosion of energy fractured him. In the real world he survived as a ghost and went on to pose as a philosopher, using his birth name William Miller.
“That prison was supposed to be punishment and torture. And there were horrors there, definitely. But the most dangerous thing locked away in there was my own pride. I found a ritual, a way to end the war, a way to summon a god. My plan was to trick the Clergy into summoning its own god of war, which the eladrin would kill. The ritual warned that all the followers of the god would suffer the same fate as the one they worshipped. If my plan had worked it would have killed thousands of people. People who worshipped the same way I did. I didn’t care. I had been thwarted once, and I needed to succeed.
“I was blind to the fact that I was a puppet. The Clergy had used Kasvarina and me to get the ritual – there was a demon, she wouldn’t tell them; it’s complicated. The hierarchs I hated so much summoned an eladrin goddess, killed her. When I figured it out I tried to escape, and I was caught in the middle of the backlash, right as I was straddling two sides of a portal. In the same moment that every eladrin woman died, I was torn in two.
“So here I am, a ghost in a place of ghosts.”
Catahoula: ?
Voice of Rot: This world’s manifestation of the very concept of death, he is something like a god.
Undead Attacker: These are just corpses conjured by the Voice of Rot, without the actual souls of the deceased.
Vaknids of Urim: ?
Vaknid Vortexweaver: ?
Vaknid Webmaster: ?
Ystis, The Maddening Cat: ?

Zeitgeist 13 Avatar of Revolution

Spoiler

Nicodemus, Mastermind: ?
Ghost Council Swarm: ?
Lya, The Ghost Scion: ?

Zeitgeist Act One The Investigation Begins

Spoiler

Undead: Nicodemus learned how to recreate the magic that let him survive after his body was destroyed. In the following centuries, on rare occasions he has used this power to let loyal allies endure as spirits, forming a council of ghostly philosophers, scientists, and other wise men.
Cackling Crawler: ?
Hag Wraith: ?
Vestige of Death: ?
Disguised Skeleton: ?
Ancient Mummy Warrior: An additional threat, however, comes from the mummies throughout the tomb and any other dead bodies scattered about. When the trap of Nem activates, those bodies animate and wait to block the PCs’ escape.
Zombie Shambler: An additional threat, however, comes from the mummies throughout the tomb and any other dead bodies scattered about. When the trap of Nem activates, those bodies animate and wait to block the PCs’ escape.
Mummy Harrier: An additional threat, however, comes from the mummies throughout the tomb and any other dead bodies scattered about. When the trap of Nem activates, those bodies animate and wait to block the PCs’ escape.
Ancient Mummy Spellcaster: An additional threat, however, comes from the mummies throughout the tomb and any other dead bodies scattered about. When the trap of Nem activates, those bodies animate and wait to block the PCs’ escape.
Ancient Mummy Brawler: An additional threat, however, comes from the mummies throughout the tomb and any other dead bodies scattered about. When the trap of Nem activates, those bodies animate and wait to block the PCs’ escape.
Voice of Rot: ?
Ghoul: Nikolai the Necromancer's Flock to Me power.
Ghost: Ghosts of the four people Boone has killed since boarding the train fade in and out around him, causing him to panic. If he’s not with the party, he crosses their path while fleeing. He begs for help even as the ghosts point at him and moan that he murdered them. The ghosts’ spirits are trapped in his pistol and cannot cross over to the afterlife until the gun is destroyed, but are harmless save for the fact that they spoil Boone’s secret.
Ruin Wraith: ?
Drowned Dead of Odiem: The blood of the ancient demon Ashima-Shimtu has dripped into the sea for centuries, and now she is bound to the island. She is aware vaguely of everything happening on the surface of the island, and can occasionally extend her influence. Though her blood powers the undead, she does not control them.
Ghoulish Crow Swarm: ?
Long-Dead Skeleton: ?
Tamed Serpent-Maned Lion: ?
Tamed Cackling Crawler: ?
Witchoil Monstrosity: Whenever Borne strikes a ship, it leaves behind a witchoil residue that transforms into a witchoil horror at each location struck by the attack. If chop causes a wave to crash over the ship, that deposits a witchoil monstrosity.
Witchoil Horror: Whenever Borne strikes a ship, it leaves behind a witchoil residue that transforms into a witchoil horror at each location struck by the attack. If chop causes a wave to crash over the ship, that deposits a witchoil monstrosity.
Sacred Skeleton: Throughout the vault, whenever blood spills on the ground (a living creature first becomes bloodied in an encounter, or someone intentionally spills blood), a sacred skeleton animates within 30 feet, rising up from the bone dust on the floor, and acts immediately.

Flock To Me, Ghouls * Aura 20

Whenever a natural, non-undead creature dies in the aura, if Nikolai commands fewer
than five ghouls, the creature’s body reanimates as a ghoul. It is undead, has 1 HP, and
has its original stats and powers, but can only make basic attacks.

Zeitgeist Act Two The Grand Design

Spoiler

Vsadni: ?
Undead: Cheshimox conquered the lizardfolk servants of another dragon and transformed them into undead so they could resist the unearthly chill.
Priest of Chesimox: Cheshimox conquered the lizardfolk servants of another dragon and transformed them into undead so they could resist the unearthly chill.
Chesimox Terrormask: Cheshimox conquered the lizardfolk servants of another dragon and transformed them into undead so they could resist the unearthly chill.
Lizardfolk Ghoul: Cheshimox conquered the lizardfolk servants of another dragon and transformed them into undead so they could resist the unearthly chill.
If they manage to scatter the workers and defeat any defenders, they take any lizardfolk who were slain—such as Liss—and transform them into ghouls, refilling their ranks.
Reed Macbannin: ?
Robert the Black: ?
Frost Giant Lich: ?
Tragedy: ?
Zombie Horde: Additionally, two hordes of simple zombies—animated eladrin dead bodies that were drawn into the realm of the dead—stands among them, ready to swarm the party.
Ettercap Exoskeletal Gang: ?
Rotted Archer: ?
Blackwood Treant: ?
Voice of Rot: ?
Senior Ghost Councilor: ?
Ghost Council Detachment: ?
Skeletal Dragon Tyrant: Animated by Professor Bugge.
Dread Wight: ?
Wight: If the target dies while stunned from a dread wight's draining claws, it animates as a wight three rounds later.
Lya, The Lost Jierre Scion: ?
Vicemi Terio, Spectral Archmage: ?
Ghost Council Swarm: ?
Undying Spirit: ?
Burnt Zombie Cluster: ?

Zeitgeist Act Three The Age of Reason

Spoiler

Shuman Larkins, Empowered Councilor: ?
Dread Wraith: ?
Bibliogeist: The main doors are watched by a pair of towering basalt statues of scholars, which each contain bound dread wraiths. Compelled by divine magic, their only duty is to subdue would-be thieves. Additionally, as honored employees of the library near a death by old age, many volunteer to have the wraiths extract their souls so they can be bound to the building as Bibliogeists.
Soul Sliver: Similarly, slivers of the souls of scribes who died as children have been woven into threads and placed in the binding of many of the more valuable books in the collection, so the bibliogeists can sense their movements as well.
Vortex Ghost Horde: ?
Undead: The mysterious group operated out of Cauldron Hill, a cursed mountain that loomed over the city – or more accurately the mountain’s analogue in the Bleak Gate, that dark reflection of the world from which undead horrors are born.
Vaknid Vortexweaver: ?
Vaknid Webmaster: ?
Undead Tortoise, Bhoior: Long ago another, greater turtle bore several continents upon its back, and when it neared its proscribed death it traveled for the spawning ground of its mighty species where it could transfer the people who lived on its shell to another. Alas, the great turtle died before it could reach its destination, and so died an entire world.
Centuries later a new turtle awoke from the huge dead body, and it could hear the mournful memories of those it never had a chance to save.
A hollow world formed from the husk of a colossal petrified turtle, encircled by strong bands of wind. The turtle still moves, ever so slowly.
Catahoula: ?
Doverspike, Vampire Dragon: ?
Zombie: When Doverspike used an epic spell to slay the emperor and everyone in his bloodline, the effect cascaded through most of the population of the world. The dead animated as zombies and inexorably wiped out all the other survivors.
Undead Attacker: These are just corpses conjured by the Voice of Rot, without the actual souls of the deceased.
Voice of Rot: A primordial manifestation of death.
She made contact with the Voice of Rot, a primordial entity who exists to witness the world’s death.
This world’s manifestation of the very concept of death, he is something like a god.
Skeletal Phalanx: ?
Vsadni Lost Rider: After vanishing into the far north thousands of years ago, the Lost Riders known locally as the Vsadni were given new titanic undead bodies by the magic of the Voice of Rot. The frozen corpses of the long-dead dwarven warlords are held in the ribcages of massive skeletons crafted of the bones and stones of dead worlds.
Nebo, The Leader: ?
Batel, The Vain Axeman: ?
Yarost, The Naive Axeman: ?
Tzertze, The Upbeat Wardrummer: ?
Hamul, The Hateful Scum: ?
Vaknids of Urim: ?
Ystis, The Maddening Cat: ?
Nicodemus, Mastermind: A PC might be able to reason out (Religion DC 20) that normally ghosts are tied to the location where they died, and linger on if they have unfinished business; but Nicodemus can roam, which could be because (as discovered in Adventure Eight) his death occurred at the moment of the Great Malice, which affected the whole world. He’s certainly more cogent than a typical ghost, and there are clearly some parallels in his rejuvenation and the reincarnation of devas, so perhaps his power is tied to the death of Srasama.
Nicodemus was present at the events that caused the Great Malice, and was fleeing through a dimensional portal right as the eladrin goddess Srasama died. The explosion of energy fractured him. In the real world he survived as a ghost and went on to pose as a philosopher, using his birth name William Miller.
“That prison was supposed to be punishment and torture. And there were horrors there, definitely. But the most dangerous thing locked away in there was my own pride. I found a ritual, a way to end the war, a way to summon a god. My plan was to trick the Clergy into summoning its own god of war, which the eladrin would kill. The ritual warned that all the followers of the god would suffer the same fate as the one they worshipped. If my plan had worked it would have killed thousands of people. People who worshipped the same way I did. I didn’t care. I had been thwarted once, and I needed to succeed.
“I was blind to the fact that I was a puppet. The Clergy had used Kasvarina and me to get the ritual – there was a demon, she wouldn’t tell them; it’s complicated. The hierarchs I hated so much summoned an eladrin goddess, killed her. When I figured it out I tried to escape, and I was caught in the middle of the backlash, right as I was straddling two sides of a portal. In the same moment that every eladrin woman died, I was torn in two.
“So here I am, a ghost in a place of ghosts.”
Ghost Council Swarm: ?
Lya, The Ghost Scion: ?
Wraith: When fully connected to the Voice of Rot, the cyclopean revelation further causes any creature slain by it to rise as a wraith loyal to the wielder.

Zeitgeist Add-On Crypta Hereticarum

Spoiler

Undead: After the Great Malice, the Clergy fell into disarray for years, and those responsible for maintaining the vault had more pressing issues. They sealed it, tried to erase knowledge of it, and used their divine power to compel all those who had drowned in the rocky seas nearby to rise up and slay any intruders.
Sacred Skeleton: Throughout the vault, whenever blood spills on the ground (a living creature first becomes bloodied in an encounter, or someone intentionally spills blood), a sacred skeleton animates within 30 feet, rising up from the bone dust on the floor, and acts immediately.

Zeitgeist Adventure Path Extended Campaign Guide

Spoiler

Undead: Nicodemus learned how to recreate the magic that let him survive after his body was destroyed. In the following centuries, on rare occasions he has used this power to let loyal allies endure as spirits, forming a council of ghostly philosophers, scientists, and other wise men.

Zeitgeist Campaign Guide

Spoiler

Specter: Nicodemus learned how to recreate the magic that let him survive after his body was destroyed. In the following centuries, on rare occasions he has used this power to let loyal allies endure as specters, forming a ghost council of philosophers, scientists, and other wise men.

 

[Voadam]

Pathfinder

Pathfinder 2e

Spoiler

Pathfinder 2e

Spoiler

Pathfinder Bestiary

Spoiler

Undead: Once living, these creatures were infused after death with negative energy and soul-corrupting evil magic.
With a haunting moan, shambling bodies rose up from the forgotten battlefield. Given foul unlife by the necromancy of the Whispering Tyrant, the corpses still wore the tattered raiment of their former lives. These crusaders had been the first to stand against the lich when he returned, and they were the first to fall in his rebirth. (Pathfinder Core Rule Book)
Once living, these creatures were infused after death with negative energy and soul-corrupting evil magic. (Pathfinder Core Rule Book)
Create Undead ritual. (Pathfinder Core Rule Book)
Banshee: Banshees are the furious, tormented souls of elves bound to the Material Plane by a betrayal that defined the final hours of their lives. Some banshees arise from elves who were slain by trusted friends and allies, or whose loved ones betrayed them on their deathbeds. Others spawn from elves whose treacherous deeds shortly before their deaths left a stain upon their souls.
The banshee represents one of the most tragic of undead, a soul so wracked with agony and fury over a betrayal in life that, in death, it lingers on as a great evil. That most of those who become banshees were not evil in life only deepens this tragic theme, and many elven adventurers see it as their duty not only to put banshees to rest, but to right the wrong that saw their creation in the first place.
Undead Larger Giant Bat: Even larger species dwell in the deeper regions of the Darklands, where they are often used as mounts, or even ritualistically slaughtered and then animated as specialized undead guardians of eerie underground cities and nations.
Undead Cyclopes: ?
Ravener: ?
Dullahan: A dullahan manifests when a particularly violent warrior is beheaded and the warrior’s soul stubbornly clings to material existence (or is refused entry to the afterlife).
Ghost: When some mortals die through tragic circumstances or without closure, they can linger on in the world. These anguished souls haunt a locale significant to them in life, constantly trying to right their perceived wrong or wrongdoings.
As they are remnants of a past life and retain their intelligence, ghosts can convey long-lost information or serve as a way to inform the PCs of crucial story elements.
Lost souls that haunt the world as incorporeal undead are called ghosts.
Ghost Commoner: The ghost commoner is an ordinary person who believes they died unjustly, usually due to foul play or betrayal.
Ghost Mage: A wizard who died with a major project left undone might become a ghost mage, constantly seeking to finish its task in undeath.
Ghoul: Legend holds that the first humanoid (an elf, as it so happened) to feed upon the flesh of his brother rose as a ghoul after death, in time embracing his new life and ascending to great power as a demon lord of ghouls, graves, and secrets kept by the dead.
Ghoulish Cravings spell. (Pathfinder Core Rule Book)
Create Undead ritual. (Pathfinder Core Rule Book)
Ghoul Fever disease.
Ghoul Fever disease. (Pathfinder Core Rule Book)
Ghast: Ghast Fever disease.
Graveknight: Graveknights are undead warriors granted unlife by a cursed suit of armor.
Betrayed Revivication Deathknight: The graveknight died after being deeply betrayed.
Lictor Shokneir: Once the Hellknight leader of the notorious Order of the Crux, Lictor Shokneir was disgraced when he refused a royal order to disband his army of butchers. The other Hellknights surrounded him and razed his castle, Citadel Gheisteno, to the ground. However, Shokneir’s determination sustains his now-undead form, and he and his undead legions have rebuilt the citadel in all its haunting glory.
The Black Prince: ?
Grim Reaper: The Grim Reaper is the unflinching personification of death.
The Grim Reaper serves as something of a manifestation of Abaddon itself, and in this regard is believed by some to be an incarnation of the mysterious First Horseman.
Lesser Death: No one is quite sure what lesser deaths are, though some claim that they are avatars of the grim reaper.
More often than not, they manifest from cursed magic items.
Lich: To gain more time to complete their goals, some desperate spellcasters pursue immortality by embracing undeath. After long years of research and the creation of a special container called a phylactery, a spellcaster takes the final step by imbibing a deadly concoction or casting dreadful incantations that transform them into a lich.
A lich can be any type of spellcaster, as long as it has the ability to perform a ritual of undeath as the primary caster (which can usually be performed only by a spellcaster capable of casting 6th-level spells).
The exact ritual, ingredients for deadly concoctions, and magical conditions required to become a lich are unique and different for every living creature. Understanding a spellcaster’s path to lichdom can help, but is no guarantee of success for others.
Some forms of undead, such as liches, form using their own unique methods and can’t be created with a version of create undead. (Pathfinder Core Rule Book)
Demilich: Demiliches are formed when a lich, through carelessness or by accident, loses its phylactery. As years pass, the lich’s body crumbles to dust, leaving only the skull as the seat of its necromantic power. The lich enters a sort of torpor, its mind left wandering the planes in search of ever greater mysteries. The lich gradually loses the ability to cast spells and its magic items slowly subsume into its new form. Negative energy concentrates around the skull, causing some of its bones and teeth to petrify with power and turn into blight crystals. The resulting lich skull, embedded with arcane gemstones and suffused with palpably powerful magic, forms a creature called a demilich.
Mummy: While many cultures practice mummification of the dead for benign reasons, undead mummies are created through foul rituals, typically to provide eternally vigilant guardians.
A mummy is an undead creature created from a preserved corpse.
Mummy Guardian: The majority of mummies were created by cruel and selfish masters to serve as guardians to protect their tombs from intruders. The traditional method of creating a mummy guardian is a laborious and sadistic process that begins well before the poor soul to be transformed is dead, during which the victim is ritualistically starved of nourishing food and instead fed strange spices, preservative agents, and toxins intended to quicken the desiccation of the flesh. The victim remains immobile but painfully aware during the final stages, where its now-useless entrails are extracted before it’s shrouded in funerary wrappings and entombed within a necromantically ensorcelled sarcophagus to await intrusions in the potentially distant future. While it’s certainly possible to use other methods to create a mummy guardian from an already-deceased body, those who seek to create these foul undead as their guardians in the afterlife often feel that such methods result in inferior undead—the pain and agony of death by mummification being an essential step in the process.
While mummy guardians are undead crafted from the corpses of sacrificed—usually unwilling victims—and retain only fragments of their memories, a mummy pharaoh is the result of a deliberate embrace of undeath by a sadistic and cruel ruler.
Mummy Pharaoh: While mummy guardians are undead crafted from the corpses of sacrificed—usually unwilling victims—and retain only fragments of their memories, a mummy pharaoh is the result of a deliberate embrace of undeath by a sadistic and cruel ruler. The transformation from life to undeath is no less awful and painful, but as the transition is an intentional bid to escape death by a powerful personality who fully embraces the blasphemous repercussions of the choice, the mummy pharaoh retains its memories and personality intact. Although in most cases a mummy pharaoh is formed from a particularly depraved ruler instructing their priests to perform complex rituals that grant the ruler eternal unlife, a ruler who was filled with incredible anger in life might spontaneously arise from death as a mummy pharaoh without undergoing this ritual. Depending on the nature of the ruler, a mummy pharaoh might have spellcasting or other class features instead of its Attack of Opportunity and disruptive abilities—the exact nature of the abilities the ruler had in life can significantly change or strengthen the mummy pharaoh.
Poltergeist: When a creature dies, and for whatever reason its spirit is unable or unwilling to leave the site of its death, that spirit may manifest as a poltergeist: a restless invisible spirit that is still able to manipulate physical objects. Many poltergeists perished in a way that resulted from or has led to extreme emotional trauma.
One of the most common ways for a poltergeist to form is when its burial site is desecrated by the construction of a dwelling. This is usually an accident, but some evil creatures seek out such burial sites, intentionally creating poltergeists to serve as guardians.
Shadow: If the creature the shadow spawn was pulled from dies, the shadow spawn becomes a full-fledged, autonomous shadow.
Shadow Spawn: When a creature’s shadow is pulled free by a shadow's Steal Shadow power, it becomes a shadow spawn under the command of the shadow that created it.
Greater Shadow: Shadows that spend long amounts of time on the Shadow Plane and absorb its magic become greater shadows.
Skeleton: Made from bones held together by foul necromancy, skeletons are among the most common types of undead, found haunting old dungeons and forgotten cemeteries.
This undead is made by animating a dead creature’s skeleton with negative energy.
Create Undead ritual. (Pathfinder Core Rule Book)
Skeleton Guard: ?
Skeletal Champion: ?
Skeletal Horse: ?
Skeletal Giant: The reanimated bones of giants make excellent necromantic thralls.
Skeletal Hulk: ?
Skulltaker, Saxra: Swirling down from misty peaks and through howling mountain passes like an evil wind, the vortex of bones known as a skulltaker is a terrible manifestation of the delirium and agony experienced by doomed climbers and lost trailblazers just before they met their end.
Vampire: If a creature dies after being reduced to 0 HP by Drink Blood, the vampire can turn this victim into a vampire by donating some of its own blood to the victim and burying the victim in earth for 3 nights.
Because vampires can inflict their nature upon any creature whose blood they drink, practically any living monster can become one of these undead horrors.
Vampire Spawn Rogue: ?
Vampire Count: ?
Vampire Mastermind: ?
Warsworn: A warsworn is an animate mass of corpses composed of dozens, sometimes even hundreds, of victims of battle. They are formed by deities of undeath or war or, rarely, spontaneously manifest from the devastation of an especially horrendous battle.
Flamesworn: Flamesworn rise from large crowds killed by fire.
Plagueborn: Plagueborn rise when entire townships or even cities perish to disease.
Wight: They arise as a result of necromantic rituals, especially violent deaths, or the sheer malevolent will of the deceased.
A single wight can wreak a lot of havoc if it is compelled to rise from its tomb. Because creatures slain by wights become wights as well, all it takes is a single wight and a handful of unlucky graveyard visitors to create a veritable horde of these undead.
If the creator of the wight spawn dies, the wight spawn becomes a full-fledged, autonomous wight; it regains its free will, gains Drain Life and Wight Spawn, and is no longer clumsy.
Frost Wight: Frost wights, for instances, can be found in the parts of the world where exposure is a common end.
Cairn Wight: Ritually created to eternally guard its own wealth or that of its master.
Wight Spawn: Care must be taken, though, to destroy wight spawn before attempting to destroy the parent wight, for spawn without a master gain the ability to create spawn of their own.
A living humanoid slain by a wight’s claw Strike rises as a wight after 1d4 rounds.
Wraith: A wraith may be created by foul necromancy, but more often they are the result of a hermitic murderer or mutilator who even in death could not give up their wicked ways. Further complicating the matter is the fact that wraiths multiply by consuming and transforming the living into more of their foul kind—meaning a handful of wraiths left unchecked can easily turn into a horde of darkness.
If the creator of the wraith spawn dies, the wraith spawn becomes a full-fledged, autonomous wraith; it regains its free will, gains Wraith Spawn, and is no longer clumsy.
Dread Wraith: ?
Wraith Spawn: A living humanoid slain by a wraith’s spectral hand Strike rises as a wraith spawn after 1d4 rounds. This wraith spawn is under the command of the wraith that killed it. It doesn’t have drain life or wraith spawn and becomes clumsy 2 for as long as it is a wraith spawn.
Zombie: Zombies are often created using unwholesome necromantic rituals.
The zombie carries a plague that can create more of its own kind. This functions as the plague zombie’s zombie rot, except at stage 5, the victim rises as another of the zombie’s type, rather than a plague zombie.
Create Undead ritual. (Pathfinder Core Rule Book)
Zombie Shambler: ?
Plague Zombie: Zombie Rot disease
Zombie Brute: Necromantic augmentations have granted this zombie increased size and power.
Zombie Hulk: These towering horrors are animated from the corpses of monstrosities.

Ghoul Fever (disease) Saving Throw Fortitude; Stage 1 carrier with no ill effect (1 day); Stage 2 2d6 negative damage and regains half as many Hit Points from all healing (1 day); Stage 3 as stage 2 (1 day); Stage 4 2d6 negative damage and gains no benefit from healing (1 day); Stage 5 as stage 4 (1 day); Stage 6 dead, and rises as a ghoul the next midnight.

Ghast Fever (disease) Saving Throw Fortitude; Stage 1 carrier with no ill effect (1 day); Stage 2 3d8 negative damage and regains half as many Hit Points from all healing (1 day); Stage 3 as stage 2 (1 day); Stage 4 3d8 negative damage and gains no benefit from healing (1 day); Stage 5 as stage 4 (1 day); Stage 6 dead, and rises as a ghast the next midnight

Zombie Rot (disease, necromancy); An infected creature can’t heal damage it takes from zombie rot until it has been cured of the disease. Saving Throw DC 18 Fortitude; Stage 1 carrier with no ill effect (1 day); Stage 2 1d6 negative damage (1 day); Stage 3 1d6 negative damage (1 day); Stage 4 1d6 negative damage (1 day); Stage 5 dead, rising as a plague zombie immediately

LICH PHYLACTERY ITEM 12
Rare Arcane Necromancy Negative
Price 1,600 gp
Usage held in 1 hand; Bulk —
This item is crafted by a spellcaster who wishes to become a lich. When a lich is destroyed, its soul flees to the phylactery. The phylactery then rebuilds the lich’s undead body over the course of 1d10 days. Afterward, the lich manifests next to the phylactery, fully healed and in a new body (therefore, it lacks any equipment it had on its old body). A lich’s phylactery must be destroyed to prevent a lich from returning.
The standard phylactery is a sealed metal box containing strips of parchment inscribed with magical phrases. This box has Hardness 9 and 36 HP, but some liches devise more durable or difficult-to-obtain phylacteries. A phylactery might also come in the form of a ring, an amulet, or a similar item; the specifics are up to the creator.

Pathfinder Core Rulebook

Spoiler

Geb, Ghost: ?
Arazni: ?
Tar-Baphon, The Whispering Tyrant, Lich: ?
Walkena, Mummy: ?

Undead: With a haunting moan, shambling bodies rose up from the forgotten battlefield. Given foul unlife by the necromancy of the Whispering Tyrant, the corpses still wore the tattered raiment of their former lives. These crusaders had been the first to stand against the lich when he returned, and they were the first to fall in his rebirth.
Once living, these creatures were infused after death with negative energy and soul-corrupting evil magic.
Create Undead ritual.
Ghost: ?
Ghoul: Ghoulish Cravings spell.
Create Undead ritual.
Ghoul Fever disease.
Ghast: ?
Lich: Some forms of undead, such as liches, form using their own unique methods and can’t be created with a version of create undead.
Skeleton: Create Undead ritual.
Vampire: ?
Wraith: ?
Zombie: Create Undead ritual.

GHOULISH CRAVINGS SPELL 2
ATTACK DISEASE EVIL NECROMANCY
Traditions divine, occult
Cast [two-actions] somatic, verbal
Range touch; Targets 1 creature
Saving Throw Fortitude
You touch the target to afflict it with ghoul fever, infesting it with hunger and a steadily decreasing connection to positive energy; the target must attempt a Fortitude save.
Critical Success The target is unaffected.
Success The target is afflicted with ghoul fever at stage 1.
Failure The target is afflicted with ghoul fever at stage 2.
Critical Failure The target is afflicted with ghoul fever at stage 3.
Ghoul Fever (disease); Level 3; Stage 1 carrier with no ill effects (1 day); Stage 2 3d8 negative damage and the creature regains half as many Hit Points from all healing (1 day); Stage 3 as stage 2 (1 day); Stage 4 3d8 negative damage and the creature gains no benefit from healing (1 day); Stage 5 as stage 4 (1 day); Stage 6 the creature dies and rises as a ghoul at the next midnight.

CREATE UNDEAD RITUAL 2
UNCOMMON EVIL NECROMANCY
Cast 1 day; Cost black onyx, see Table 7–1; Secondary Casters 1
Primary Check Arcana (expert), Occultism (expert), or Religion (expert); Secondary Checks Religion
Range 10 feet; Target 1 dead creature
You transform the target into an undead creature with a level up to that allowed in Table 7–1. There are many versions of this ritual, each specific to a particular type of undead (one ritual for all zombies, one for skeletons, one for ghouls, and so on), and the rituals that create rare undead are also rare. Some forms of undead, such as liches, form using their own unique methods and can’t be created with a version of create undead.
Critical Success The target becomes an undead creature of the appropriate type. If it’s at least 4 levels lower than you, you can make it a minion. This gives it the minion trait, meaning it can use 2 actions when you command it, and commanding it is a single action that has the auditory and concentrate traits. You can have a maximum of four minions under your control. If it’s intelligent and doesn’t become a minion, the undead is helpful to you for awakening it, though it’s still a horrid and evil creature. If it’s unintelligent and doesn’t become a minion, you can give it one simple command. It pursues that goal single-mindedly, ignoring any of your subsequent commands.
Success As critical success, except an intelligent undead that doesn’t become your minion is only friendly to you, and an unintelligent undead that doesn’t become your minion leaves you alone unless you attack it. It marauds the local area rather than following your command.
Failure You fail to create the undead.
Critical Failure You create the undead, but its soul, tortured by your foul necromancy, is full of nothing but hatred for you. It attempts to destroy you.

TABLE 7–1: CREATURE CREATION RITUALS
Creature Level Spell Level Required Cost
–1 or 0 2 15 gp
1 2 60 gp
2 3 105 gp
3 3 180 gp
4 4 300 gp
5 4 480 gp
6 5 750 gp
7 5 1,080 gp
8 6 1,500 gp
9 6 2,100 gp
10 7 3,000 gp
11 7 4,200 gp
12 8 6,000 gp
13 8 9,000 gp
14 9 13,500 gp
15 9 19,500 gp
16 10 30,000 gp
17 10 45,000 gp

Ghoul Fever (disease); Level 3; Stage 1 carrier with no ill effects (1 day); Stage 2 3d8 negative damage and the creature regains half as many Hit Points from all healing (1 day); Stage 3 as stage 2 (1 day); Stage 4 3d8 negative damage and the creature gains no benefit from healing (1 day); Stage 5 as stage 4 (1 day); Stage 6 the creature dies and rises as a ghoul at the next midnight.

Pathfinder 2e Playtest

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Pathfinder 2e Playtest Bestiary

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Banshee: Risen from the grave due to strong feelings of betrayal, this undead apparition was once a living elven woman. Undying grief drives banshees to seek out vengeance upon the living.
Ghost: When some mortals die through tragic circumstances or without closure on something emotionally important to them, their spirits are unable to fully pass over into the River of Souls, and they remain behind. These anguished souls haunt the places of their death, constantly trying to right their perceived wrongs.
Ghost Commoner: ?
Ghost Soldier: ?
Ghost Mage: ?
Ghoul: Ghoul Fever.
Ghast: Ghast Fever.
Grim Reaper: The personification of violent death, the grim reaper is more akin to a force of nature than an individual being.
Lich: A lich is a powerful spellcaster that has pursued immortality by subjecting itself to undeath. Most liches undergo this transformation so that they can continue their esoteric research or complete some sadistic, long-term plan.
A lich’s phylactery allows it to rise from the dead.
Demilich: The floating skull called a demilich forms from the degenerate remains of a lich. This happens after a lich’s phylactery has been destroyed or has failed in some other way, but the lich is too complacent after vast centuries of undeath to create a new one. Without the phylactery to sustain it, the lich wastes away in body and mind. As the lich loses its autonomy, its magic items become part of it and its knowledge of spells twists. The curse of undeath overwhelms all the former lich’s higher ideals. Over time, negative energy is drawn to the powerful undead, crystallizing into black gemstones of blight quartz that form its teeth.
Mummy: Often wrapped in linen from head to toe, these undead beings are created through a lengthy and precise process so that they can continue to guard tombs.
Mummy Guard: ?
Mummy Retainer: ?
Mummy Pharaoh: ?
Poltergeist: Sometimes when a person dies, their spirit is unable to leave the site of their death, resulting in an angry and unquiet presence.
Saxra: These undead spirits of bones and wind make their homes high atop remote mountains.
Shadow: A shadow can snatch away its victim’s own shadow, weakening the target and allowing the shadow to create more of its kind.
When a creature’s shadow is pulled free by Steal Shadow, it becomes a shadow spawn under the command of the shadow that created it. This shadow spawn doesn’t have Steal Shadow, and is perpetually and incurably enervated 2. If the creature the shadow spawn was pulled from dies, the shadow spawn becomes a full, autonomous shadow. A creature separated from its shadow recovers from Steal Shadow’s enfeeblement half as quickly. If it recovers entirely, its shadow returns to it and the shadow spawn is extinguished.
Shadow Spawn: When a creature’s shadow is pulled free by Steal Shadow, it becomes a shadow spawn under the command of the shadow that created it. This shadow spawn doesn’t have Steal Shadow, and is perpetually and incurably enervated 2. If the creature the shadow spawn was pulled from dies, the shadow spawn becomes a full, autonomous shadow. A creature separated from its shadow recovers from Steal Shadow’s enfeeblement half as quickly. If it recovers entirely, its shadow returns to it and the shadow spawn is extinguished.
Greater Shadow: ?
Skeleton: This undead is made from a dead creature’s animated skeleton.
Skeleton Guard: ?
Skeletal Champion: Whenever a creature dies within 60 feet of a saxra, the saxra draws a small fragment of the creature’s bones into its aura. The creature must succeed at a DC 36 Will save or rise as a skeletal champion in 1d4 rounds.
Vampire Moroi: ?
Vampire Master: If a creature dies after being reduced to 0 HP by Drink Blood, the vampire can turn this victim into a vampire spawn or vampire master by pouring some of its own blood into the victim and burying the victim’s coffin in earth for three nights.
Vampire Spawn: If a creature dies after being reduced to 0 HP by Drink Blood, the vampire can turn this victim into a vampire spawn or vampire master by pouring some of its own blood into the victim and burying the victim’s coffin in earth for three nights.
Vampire Count: ?
Vampire Spawn Rogue: ?
Vampire Wizard: ?
Warsworn: The animate masses of armed and armored corpses known as warsworns are enormous undead amalgams formed by gods and goddesses of undeath or war. These creatures exist to spread the ravages of war and carnage of battle.
Wight: Wights are humanoids who rise as undead due to necromancy, a violent death, or an extremely malevolent personality.
A living humanoid slain by a wight becomes a wight itself after 1d4 rounds. When it rises, it is under the command of the wight that created it, can’t create spawn, and becomes perpetually and incurably enervated 2. If the creator dies, the servant wight becomes a full wight. It regains its free will, loses its enervated condition, and gains create spawn.
Wight Spawn: A living humanoid slain by a wight becomes a wight itself after 1d4 rounds. When it rises, it is under the command of the wight that created it, can’t create spawn, and becomes perpetually and incurably enervated 2. If the creator dies, the servant wight becomes a full wight. It regains its free will, loses its enervated condition, and gains create spawn.
Wraith: Wraiths are undead creatures born of evil and darkness. They loathe the light and living things, as they have lost much of their connection to their former lives.
A living humanoid slain by a wraith’s touch rises as a wraith after 1d4 rounds. It’s under the command of the wraith that killed it, can’t create spawn, and becomes perpetually and incurably enervated 2. If the creator dies, the wraithspawn becomes a full wraith. It regains its free will, loses its enervated condition, and gains create spawn.
Wraithspawn: A living humanoid slain by a wraith’s touch rises as a wraith after 1d4 rounds. It’s under the command of the wraith that killed it, can’t create spawn, and becomes perpetually and incurably enervated 2. If the creator dies, the wraithspawn becomes a full wraith. It regains its free will, loses its enervated condition, and gains create spawn.
A living humanoid slain by a dread wraith’s touch rises as a wraith after 1d4 rounds.
Dread Wraith: ?
Zombie: ?
Zombie Shambler: ?
Zombie Plague: Zombie Rot.
Zombie Brute: ?
Haunt: A hazard with this trait is a spiritual echo, often of someone with a tragic death.
Undead: Once living, these creatures were infused after death with negative energy and soul-corrupting evil magic.

Ghoul Fever (disease) Elves are immune. Saving Throw Fortitude DC 13; Stage 1 carrier with no ill effect (1 day); Stage 2 2d6 damage and regains half as many Hit Points from all healing (1 day); Stage 3 as step 2 (1 day); Stage 4 2d6 damage and gains no benefit from healing (1 day); Stage 5 as step 4 (1 day); Stage 6 dead, and rises as a ghoul the next midnight.

Ghast Fever (disease) Saving Throw Fortitude DC 15; Stage 1 carrier with no ill effect (1 day); Stage 2 3d8 damage and regains half as many Hit Points from all healing (1 day); Stage 3 as step 2 (1 day); Stage 4 3d8 damage and gains no benefit from healing (1 day); Stage 5 as step 4 (1 day); Stage 6 dead, and rises as a ghoul the next midnight.

Zombie Rot (disease, necromancy) An infected creature can’t heal damage it takes from zombie rot. Saving Throw Fortitude DC 15; Stage 1 carrier with no ill effect (1 day); Stage 2 1d6 damage (1 day); Stage 3 1d6 damage (1 day); Stage 4 1d6 damage (1 day); Stage 5 dead, and rises as a plague zombie immediately.

LICH’S PHYLACTERY UNCOMMON ITEM
Arcane
Necromancy
Negative
12
Price 1,500 gp
Method of Use held, 1 hand; Bulk —
This item is crafted by a spellcaster who wishes to become a lich, and serves to return the lich to unlife if the lich is slain. When a lich’s soul flees to its phylactery, the phylactery rebuilds the lich’s undead body over the course of 1d10 days. Then, the lich returns fully healed in its new body (but lacking any gear it had on its old body). If the body is destroyed, the phylactery just starts the process anew. The phylactery must be destroyed to prevent a lich from returning.
A typical phylactery is a sealed metal box containing strips of parchment on which magical phrases have been transcribed. This box has a hardness of at least 30, but some liches devise even more impregnable or unattainable phylacteries. A lich may also craft its phylactery from a ring, amulet, or similar item.

Pathfinder 2e Playtest Core Rule Book

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Undead: Once living, these creatures were infused after death with negative energy and soul-corrupting evil magic.
Ghoul: ?

Pathfinder 2e Playetest Doomsday Dawn

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Skeleton Guard: Drakus’s presence in the complex has corrupted this once-sacred chamber, which used to house bodies until they could be properly cleansed and buried. The six bodies that were allowed to linger here unattended to have risen from death as skeletons.
Mummy Guard: ?
Vampire:
Zombie: ?
Ghast: ?
Vampire Spawn Rogue: ?
Elite Wight: ?
Poltergeist: Two wights have burst through the dining room’s picture window to attack. Two rounds later, another crash echoes from the salon (area D12), as two more wights have invaded that room. After they arrive, the wights in D4 sense a presence and perform a short chant. Two rounds later, the dormant spirit of a dead manor resident stirs back to unlife as a poltergeist.
Greater Shadow: ?
Zombie Shambler: ?
Hidimbi, Mummy Pharaoh: ?
Mummy Retainer: ?
Undead 62: The gravestones here are ancient, as no one has been buried here in several hundred years. The names on the headstones are nearly all eroded away, and most of the stones are broken, toppled, or missing. This area is desecrated, granting all undead in the graveyard a +1 conditional bonus on all checks and DCs. Living creatures take a –1 conditional penalty on checks and DCs while in the graveyard. Worse still, this place has become suffused with angry spirits furious over the desecration of this holy place (which leads them to later animate powerful undead and attack the living).
Dread Wraith: ?
Lich: ?
Ghost Mage: ?
Risen Corpse, Mummy Retainer: ?
Demilich: ?
Banshee: ?

Pathfinder Society 2e Playtest Scenario 1 The Rose Street Revenge

Spoiler

Wennel Ardonay, The Rose Street Killer: One of these independent agents was Wennel Ardonay (CG male half-elf cleric of Milani), who had spent years rallying political support to revoke the Flesh Tax. After the siege, Wennel dedicated himself to helping the freed slaves find jobs, homes, and the means to live comfortably in Absalom. The slave traders had never liked Wennel, and when their inventory suddenly became free citizens, they utterly loathed the half-elf. It didn’t help that Wennel was on the cusp of uncovering one of these secret slaver cells. In the end, the slavers cornered and killed the cleric, throwing his body into the sewer.
Wennel’s corpse spent the better part of a week being picked over by looters and scavengers as it flowed downstream. His gnawed bones at last settled toward the bottom of a sewer canal where they animated as a restless undead creature. What remained of Wennel’s memory was spotty.
Once a half-elven cleric of Milani, Wennel has transformed into a skeletal champion who now draws his divine power from Urgathoa, goddess of disease, gluttony, and undeath.
Undead Marines: ?
Remna, Crawling Skeleton: While the PCs attempt to escape from the mud, the reanimated body of Remna, one of Wennel’s first victims, crawls out from under the steps and attacks.
Zombie Shambler: Once a half-elven cleric of Milani, Wennel has transformed into a skeletal champion who now draws his divine power from Urgathoa, goddess of disease, gluttony, and undeath. Using unholy rituals, he has created several zombies to assist him.
Undead: Nelfurhin doesn’t have any information about the slavers’ identities or how Wennel was reanimated, though a PC who succeeds at a DC 12 Religion check to Recall Knowledge knows that those who perish from treachery, with unfinished business, or after great suffering can sometimes rise as undead spontaneously—a process that twists even that person’s best intentions into hate.

Pathfinder Society 2e Playtest Scenario 2 Raiders of Shrieking Peak

Spoiler

Ghast: Ghast Fever.
Elite Ghoul: ?
Ghoul: Ghoul Fever.

Ghast Fever (disease) Fortitude DC 15; Stage 1 carrier with no ill effect (1 day); Stage 2 3d8 damage and regains half as many Hit Points from all healing (1 day); Stage 3 As stage 2 (1 day); Stage 4 3d8 damage and gains no benefit from healing (1 day); Stage 5 As stage 4 (1 day); Stage 6 dead, rises as a ghoul the next midnight.

Ghoul Fever (disease) elves are immune; Fortitude DC 15; Stage 1 carrier with no ill effect (1 day); Stage 2 2d6 damage and regains half as many Hit Points from all healing (1 day); Stage 3 As stage 2 (1 day); Stage 4 2d6 damage and gains no benefit from healing (1 day); Stage 5 As stage 4 (1 day); Stage 6 dead, and rises as a ghoul the next midnight.

We Be Heroes?

Spoiler

Undead: ?
Whispering Tyrant: ?
Zombie Pig: Unfortunately for the couple, an undead plague recently infected the pigs. They died a few nights ago, rising the next morning as zombies before breaking through the pen and killing their owners.
Skeletal Troop: ?
Outrider: ?
Pale Horse: ?
Undead Bird: ?

Pathfinder 1e

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Pathfinder 1e Compilation

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Undead: Undead are once-living creatures animated by spiritual or supernatural forces. (PRD Bestiary 1)
Those tragic souls transformed by evil from beyond the mortal world or cursed by their actions in life to rise again after death. (Undead Revisited)
The spells animate dead, create undead, and create greater undead account for methods by which spellcasters can create a wide range of undead creatures—but the options granted by these spells are limited. With the GM’s permission, these can be adjusted to allow for the creation of additional types of undead. Doing so requires additional material components and spells (additional spells are cast as part of the casting time of the undead creation spell, but do not extend that spell’s casting time). (Undead Revisited)
Driven by all-encompassing hunger and murderous intent, spectral dead are corrupted souls that refuse to release their hold on the mortal world. (Undead Revisited)
No one knows what plants the seeds of darkness and decay that utterly corrupt the souls of mortals. Some speculate that the prenatal soul, like fruit left too long to ripen on the vine, can sour to malignancy long before its binding to a mortal shell, dooming the creature from birth to a troubled life of anger and deceit and, eventually, to undeath. Others theorize that mortal action alone allows this malignancy to take root, and lives spent unwisely in the service of dark powers corrupt the intangible sparks of divinity that rest in mortal hearts. Still others note that despair and madness—afflictions capable of bringing even the most pious and good-natured people to their knees, through no fault of their own—can lead to the unnatural shackling of a spirit to the mortal world. (Undead Revisited)
Once this metaphorical disease has festered within a soul, it becomes contagious, and some undead are able to pass their despicable gift on to the living, regardless of their victim’s former valor. While the positive energy of mortal humanoids can fight off the curse of undeath while they are still living, those slain by these powerful spirits sometimes have their souls instantaneously consumed by darkness, their corrupted spirits sloughing off their mortal shells to rise as the ghostly spawn of their slayers. (Undead Revisited)
Most undead began as living beings that were animated after death, arose again spontaneously after death because of some great emotion or unfinished business, or, while still living, willingly embraced undeath to stave off the looming hand of oblivion. (Undead Revisited)
For most people, death is a release, a passage into the just rewards of the afterlife. Yet not everyone who dies rests easy. Legends and campfire tales tell of those individuals too evil to die, or too twisted by pride or occult knowledge to cross over to the other side. These lost souls become the undead, plaguing the dark crypts or silent streets of cities and farm towns alike, feasting on the innocent or spreading their immortal contagion like a plague. (Undead Revisited)
A dead body or spirit animated by an evil power. (Beginner's Box)
Nurgal's torso is deeply tanned and masculine, and he is rarely seen without a heavy mace, the head of which appears to be a miniature sun held in one four-fingered, taloned hand. This mace can deal horrific damage, scorching flesh and drawing moisture from the body so that those slain by the weapon instantly rise as sun-blackened undead slaves of the Shining Scourge. (Book of the Damned)
To the priesthood of Orcus, the lich is generally held as the height of power and the most glorious method of transcending life, not only due to the power a lich wields but also due to the simple fact that one must actually work to become a lich. Transforming into a lich requires patience, power, skill, and talent, and worshipers of Orcus often regard those undead spawned merely from being transformed by another undead creature via disease or otherwise as lesser incarnations of the undead state of being. To the worshipers of Orcus, there is no difference between a vampire and a leper. Vampirism is a disease, and like all diseases, it spreads most quickly among the weak—as a result, Orcus cultists maintain that vampires represent the weakest form of undeath. Accidental undeath ranks only slightly higher, but even then the lich who spent the majority of his living existence working toward a singular transformation feels jealousy and frustration over those who become ghosts simply by chance after death. To Orcus cultists, even mindless undead like skeletons and zombies are “purer” forms of undeath than ghosts, ghouls, and vampires, for as mindless as skeletons and zombies are, they exist only as a result of a necromancer’s skill at magic. They are not creations of mere chance or misfortune but calculated additions to the world, and as such their place in the church is much more valued. (Book of the Damned)
Fiendish lore holds that Ruzel’s tongue is so sharp he can turn living creatures into undead with a single well-aimed jest. (Book of the Damned)
Circiatto is an exceptionally gluttonous and ruthless fiend who consumes all enemies who stand in his way. Worse, the Glutton Slaver then vomits them back up as undead servants. (Book of the Damned)
Menxyr can pull forth bones from living creatures, animate the dead to serve his foul lusts, and even climb inside the bodies of the freshly dead to animate them and seduce those who mourn the loss of a loved one. (Book of the Damned)
The White Mountain, the highest point in Abaddon, reaches even higher than the peak housing the Cinder Furnace. This massive volcano belches forth neither ash nor lava but a miasma of corrosive, white-hot soul-stuff, spontaneously generated undead, and negative energy. The source of the White Mountain’s fury is unknown, and swirling rumors raise only more questions: they credit a lost artifact, the chamber of a dead or imprisoned harbinger, or another long-abandoned experiment by one of the Four. (Book of the Damned)
In reality, the carefully disguised proprietors—Carlissa, Melina, and Veria—are lioness-headed rakshasas who siphon a bit of life force from each customer who spends time at the Pillow. The sisters keep this life force in the form of stolen and bottled memories, which they store in magnificent amulets around their necks. Soon, after spending lifetimes collecting their unsettling bounty, the sisters plan to shatter their amulets, which will transform all of their living victims into undead scourges and turn those who’ve died into incorporeal undead poised to tear the city apart from within. (Book of the Damned)
Nabasu demons (also known as death demons or glutton demons) are dangerous for a spellcaster to conjure, though they are desirable as mighty combatants with strong battle and infiltration skills. They can become more powerful during their service, as well as recruit and create their own armies of undead slaves, so a spellcaster can quickly get in over his head should the nabasu manage to use its newfound power or minions to circumvent the strictures of its servitude. (Book of the Damned)
Whether from an ancient curse or fell necromancy, one of the most terrifying of all supernatural disasters is the undead uprising—the dead emerging from their graves to claim the living. This disaster can strike any area where the dead have been laid to rest, not just towns and cities. More than one blood-soaked battlefield has given rise to a legion of desiccated undead warriors. (Game Mastery Guide)
Heroes who perished in the battle against the uprising return as fearsome undead generals. (Game Mastery Guide)
Powerful witches are able to leave lasting imprints upon the land with their final breaths, transforming themselves into powerful, incorporeal undead through extreme hatred and emotional distress. (Alternate Dungeons: Haunted House)
When a creature dies, any intense emotions it experiences at the time of death are often left behind as a psychic footprint. Fear, anger, hatred and sorrow are by far the most powerful of these emotions and often causes the most dangerous and destructive haunts to manifest. It should come as no surprise an act as evil as murder, which often comprises all three of these emotions and more, is a leading cause of the creation of powerful supernatural entities. Ghosts, spectres, wraiths and poltergeists are all commonly created in this manner, and when created they seldom stray far from the place where they were murdered. (Alternate Dungeons: Haunted House)
In many ways, a haunted house is created by suicide in the same way it is created by murder, though sorrow and self‐loathing often fuel the supernatural entities born from suicide rather than fear, anger or hatred as is true with murder. (Alternate Dungeons: Haunted House)
Any event causing a suitable amount of negative emotion can create a haunt, whether this tragedy is a massive fire at an orphanage, the demise of a family or the deaths of an entire neighbourhood from an epidemic. (Alternate Dungeons: Haunted House)
As a mortal woman, Cevnia was fascinated with arcane magic and studied amongst the elves to broaden her knowledge. Unfortunately, she chose to use this knowledge to control others by playing on their weaknesses. The elves eventually discovered her network of spies and blackmailers, but not before she was able to steal many secrets from the ancient elven libraries. She was exiled from the elven homelands, but set up her own college of magic, carefully building up her influence and extending her control. At the height of her powers, she began to study the nature of death. She perfected the art of necromancy, created the first undead and ultimately transformed herself into a vampire. (Atarashia – A Gazeteer)
Then came calamity… In the fertile jungles of the north, a sun goddess called Tlaneci arose, whilst in the ice flows of the south, where life was harsh, and night lasted for weeks, the god of darkness, Taggarik, came into being. Not content with ruling his portion of the Inner and Outer Worlds, he sought to gain complete control of the Inner World, which he considered to be his rightful domain. When the other deities refused to grant him sole dominion of the Inner World, he conspired with the powerful vampire wizard, Cevnia, who had stolen secret magics from the elves. Together they wrought a spell that shattered the Inner World, scattering the beings who lived there. The cycle of the Double Realm was broken, the Inner World replaced with the half-planes of the Ethereal Realm and the Shadow Realm. Taggarik made the Shadow Realm his own, and infected it with his evil power, although he was not able to realise his plan of creating a physical realm, powered by negative energy. (Atarashia – A Gazeteer)
The spirits of those who had dwelt in the Inner World could no longer be reborn into the Outer World. Some accepted Taggarik’s offer of a place in the Shadow Realm, and ended up trapped in a tormented half-life, partly physical and partly spirit. Some fled to the Ethereal Realm, eschewing any hope of a physical existence, although most were eventually given refuge in the planar abodes belonging to the deities. The least fortunate were transformed into undead creatures by Taggarik and Cevnia and forced into their service. The clerics of Taggarik specialise in creating undead, and many wizards seek the path of the necromancer, guided by the teachings of Cevnia, who achieved deity-hood herself as a result of the Shattering, as it became known. (Atarashia – A Gazeteer)
Cevnia continued her research, refining her methods and learning to create other types of undead. She made progress but was always hampered by the lack of suitable negative energy spirits. (Atarashia – A Gazeteer)
Once the Inner World was shattered, the barriers that prevented negative spirits from crossing back over into the Inner World before their time were severely weakened. This meant that undead could be more easily created, without the need for ghosts. Taggarik and Cevnia created armies of undead between them. When they began to lose the war, they hatched a desperate plan to increase the number of undead. They infected many of their minions with a curse which meant that when they slew a living being, the victim’s spirit was automatically drawn back, and its body would rise up as another undead. As the living fell, so they became part of the army of evil undead. (Atarashia – A Gazeteer)
Since the War of Life ended, the creation of undead is tightly controlled. This is part of the armistice agreement between the warring deities. Only a certain number of undead can be created, or brought into the Outer World, and their creation is more difficult and costlier. (Atarashia – A Gazeteer)
When the War of Life began, that great battle between life and undeath, the dwarves sided with Tlaneci, the goddess of the sun, and marched into battle on the central plains of the Jing Empire. This area was devasted by necromantic magic and became the Narwahr Expanse. Even now, the tortured bodies of dwarven warriors can be encountered as undead, shambling through the shattered terrain of the Expanse. (Atarashia Gazeteer – A Dwarven Guide)
The witch goddess Talakasha is rumored to be the source of all true evil and undeath in the realm. (Cerulean Seas Indigo Ice)
Of course, if they do happen to die in the night on Pellatarrum, there is an increased chance the victim will return as an undead.
Battles at night on Pellatarrum will carry greater casualties for both sides, with the increased possibility of the dead coming back as undead.
Only an idiot fights the undead at night on Pellatarrum. They are stronger, do more damage, and have increased chances of turning you and your friends into abominations. (Claw Claw Bite 18)
Ghost Water is a vile drug, each dose being made from the life essence of an elf or other long-lived being, which wastes away during the process of creating the dose, usually becoming an undead creature.
When a soul fouled by anger and fear leaves its broken corpse, if it is strong enough, that soul may return as a ghost, a wraith or some worse form of undead. (Dangers & Discoveries)
Once per day, a feast materializes on a table in a communal room. Depending on the temple’s alignment, the food provides the benefits of the heroes’ feast spell or acts as create undead should a PC eating the food die within 24 hours of consuming it. (GM's Miscellany: Alternate Dungeons)
Inside the corpse’s stomach is a half‐digested monster. The essence of this undead creature still lingers within the cadaver. The undead creature can be reanimated or restored with a DC 25 Knowledge (religion) check and onyx gems worth 25 gp per HD of the creature. (GM's Miscellany: Dungeon Dressing)
Knowledge (arcana, DC 30) Recalls that certain cabals of necromancers create necrotic pools to aid them in the creation of undead minions. The creation of such pools is difficult and complex and requires the binding of countless souls to the pool. (GM's Miscellany: Dungeon Dressing)
An old lizardfolk tells younger lizardfolk scary stories about how dead lizardfolk who aren't properly eaten become vengeful undead. (GM's Miscellany: Village Backdrops V)
Needlebriar’s citizens toss anything they don’t consume into a field they loosely refer to as the Bone Pit. Occasionally these remains arise as horrid undead creatures. The creatures never attack the halflings, instead roaming the nearby countryside. (GM's Miscellany: Village Backdrops V)
Other forgotten tunnels host the undead remnants of prisoners trapped when the castle fell. (GM's Miscellany: Places of Power)
Cremating corpses to keep them from rising as undead. (Knowledge Check: Last Rites)
Some religions include the need to anoint the corpse as part of the funeral rites. The anointing is usually done by a priest or other religious leader, and involves placing oil, incense, perfume, or other holy liquids on various parts of the body, usually while saying a prayer. These anointing rites are usually to protect or cleanse the corpse after death, and in some areas serve as proof against reanimation as undead. (In an ironic twist, very similar rites are usually used to create undead). (Knowledge Check: Last Rites)
Simply put, cremation is burning a body until there is nothing left to burn. There are several ways to accomplish this, but in a typical medieval setting the most common is to build a pyre of some sort, place the corpse on top, and set it alight. Cremation is the funeral rite of choice for religions heavy on fire symbolism, while a few instead use it to free the spirit by removing the body it was attached to. As a side benefit, it also tends to keep them from coming back as undead. (Knowledge Check: Last Rites)
The restless spirits of the shattering. (Legendary Worlds: Carsis)
Hidden deep within its depths is Ghostcaller, an absurdly powerful lute whose music has the power to create undead. (Legendary Worlds: Jowchit)
Those who die beneath the surface of Terminus have a much higher chance of spontaneously rising as undead. This may be another side effect of the strange mineral known as nightglass. Wandering skeletons and zombies are common, and those that die of starvation within the bowels of Terminus often rise as ghouls, as do those who practice cannibalism regularly. The most vicious and violent of prisoners have been known to return as mohrgs. This increase in undead activity is limited to corporeal undead. Incorporeal undead are no more likely to arise than on any other planet. (Legendary Worlds: Terminus)
A deadwood’s power over the undead is awe-inspiring. Its influence over a forest is so strong that the body of any animal or person who falls dead within miles of a deadwood rises as undead creatures, which will most likely spend the rest of their existences guarding the deadwood. (Malevolent and Benign)
Few mortal creatures have ever attempted to eat an entire deadwood fruit, and none who has is known to have survived. Tales of what might happen to those who “live” through such an attempt vary. Some believe they would gain permanent command over the dead and others that they would be transformed into strange, powerful, and unique undead. (Malevolent and Benign)
The PCs’ subsequent delve into the bog enters a haunted realm populated by shambling corpses, vengeful undead creatures, and pathetic spirits borne from Hamish’s genocide. (Marshes of Malice)
The serpents in the hills around the valley offer a deadly hazard to those wishing to find the garden. Grandmother's magic has made the snakes' venom particularly deadly; those suffering a bite from these enchanted snakes typically die within hours of being injected. To make matters worse, the bodies of those who die from the poison sometimes return as foul undead monstrosities. (Midgard Worldbook for 5th Edition and Pathfinder)
The fire lords make their home in a range of volcanoes called the Blodejord (“Crib of Earth’s Blood,” in the Jotun tongue), rising around the charred and desolate remains of what once was a stunningly fertile valley. Fire and ash erupt into the air, and any who die covered by the Crib’s enchanted ashes rise again as twisted undead. (Midgard Worldbook for 5th Edition and Pathfinder)
Fire giant necromancers of Sengajordensblod are using the Crib-ash to raise an undead horde and to forge Surtalogi, the great weapon of Ragnarok. (Midgard Worldbook for 5th Edition and Pathfinder)
She tells the PCs that she fears that the individuals plundering the burial mound may be disturbing the final resting place of Gurdkin Feycleaver, an ancient dwarf thane with a reputation for savagery and evil. Myths and legends claim that the covetous royal vowed to defend his earthly treasures even after he departed this world. Naturally, she is very worried that Gurdkin may fulfill his promise and return to the land of the living as an undead horror. (Mountains of Madness)
For Thanopsis, the act of dying irreparably corrupts the individual, regardless of whether the soul embarks on an eternal journey into the afterlife or not, or the body or spirit is reanimated by an arcane or divine force. (Mountains of Madness)
The building’s current resident transformed some of his former colleagues into his undead servants.(Mountains of Madness)
The Kingdom of Arcady’s human subjects never died. Instead, they retreated into a great necropolis, where they were mummified and transformed into a variety of undead monsters. (This is a false rumor.) (Mountains of Madness)
The Khemitites, the library’s builders, were obsessed with the afterlife. Those unwilling to pass onto the next world were sometimes transformed into undead monstrosities. Mummification was also a common practice, and it was not uncommon for the dead to arise from their coffins and terrorize the living. (Mountains of Madness)
Undead raise due to the necromantic energy in the meteor. (Obsidian Apocalypse)
The new Obsidian Veil bars all divine traffic of souls and prayer, preventing any deity from seeing or hearing a thing, and cutting them off from gaining power from their followers. The souls of the departed do not pass the Obsidian Veil into other worlds; they either dissipate into the ravaged world-aura of the planet or become infused with negative energy and return as the motivating forces for yet more undead. (Obsidian Apocalypse)
Abaddon is a world of final destinations, from which even the souls of the dead cannot escape. Those who fall are doomed to rise and join the ever-swelling ranks of the undead. (Obsidian Apocalypse)
Agent of Chaos Creature's Chaos field power mishap number 50. (Pathways Bestiary)
Undead are once-living creatures animated by spiritual or supernatural forces. (Pathways Bestiary)
Vampiric Sorcerer Bloodline Ruler of the Night power. (Ponyfinder Campaign Setting)
Every attempt to march an army on the city of Tramplevania had been met with mountain trained pegasi harassing from all angles, using the terrain they knew so well to wear down invading armies before they could reach the city gates. The frequent violence has given rise to restless spirits of those same invaders lurking in the trails leading to the city, seeking revenge on the living. (Ponyfinder Campaign Setting)
The largest concentration of the undead is among the Ruined Cities in the South, all of which have been animated by the Ghoul Stone (and the necromantic energy it channels from Neinferth directly into Midgard). (Rhune Dawn of Twilight Campaign Guide)
The Ghoul Stone was raised above the former cities in 166 YUR by invading cultists, draining the life force from the cities below it and leaving South Pointe, Way Pointe, and Way Station undead wastelands. Today, many Vitkarr believe the Ghoul Stone acts as a giant magical gate, one that links Neinferth to Midgard, channeling negative energy directly into the former cities and damning all who enter to a fate worse than death. (Rhune Dawn of Twilight Campaign Guide)
While all of the Thrall Lords were transformed into their current states in the awful crucible of the Great Void, Felashurann is the one among their number who chose to remain behind, and so became the closest thing Neinferth has to a master. He is perhaps the most active of the Thrall Lords within his chosen domain, endlessly on the hunt for new flesh to warp and transform into the undead horrors with which he bolsters his army for the coming final battle of gods and men. (Rhune Dawn of Twilight Campaign Guide)
Many Vitkarr believe that the Ghoul Stone that hovers above the Ruined Cities on Midgard draws its power directly from Neinferth, acting as a conduit for this twisted realm. While none know for sure, this realm clearly displays ties to the entropic energies that animate the dead. (Rhune Dawn of Twilight Campaign Guide)
Butcher’s Bride
This madwoman vanished into the night about ten years ago and has remained unseen since. Her speciality was disembowelling her victims and creating undead statuary from them. (The Blight - Pathfinder)
The creatures that dwell here are feral, unlikely to be humanoid, and are joined by myriad types of undead that occupy the swamp due to the long practice of bog burials conducted by the Great Cemetery in the Hollow and Broken Hills. (The Blight - Pathfinder)
His small cult, the Cult of Revenants, actively seeks to bring the unwary to their destined vengeance much sooner than their natural lifespan would otherwise warrant. If they catch a lone victim, they force this doctrine upon him by sacrificing him to “unleash their thwarted justice.” That these victims rarely volunteer and that the undead creature created from the sacrifice simply serves as a slave to a member of the cult is disregarded by its members. (The Blight - Pathfinder)
All those who worship the god are bound by a terrible dark pact they commit to in blood and soul when they become an acolyte of Flense. The pact grants the worshipper a terrible retribution. Upon dying, the devotee of Flense is reborn anew as a “revenant” creature, torn from the mortal body of his unworthy subject to become a thing of vengeance. The creature the devotee rises as is always free-willed and equal to the CR of the cleric in life +1. Such new forms are not bound by a requirement to be undead (though frequently they are undead) and can come in any form the god chooses on a whim. Usually the form given is most commonly associated in some way with the life or personality of the deceased follower. For example, a follower who lives far away from civilisation may return as a dire animal bent upon vengeance. (The Blight - Pathfinder)
In addition to all of the above, since the passage of The Corpse [Laying to Rest] Act of 1770, the Carcass has also served as a repository of stinking, rotting bodies claimed by the City for failure to pay the Death Duty, but for which it currently has no immediate use. Instead, tens of thousands of mouldering corpses lie heaped in niches, half-made catacombs, abandoned wells and oubliettes and virtually every other sort of space imaginable, while the infestation of rats, ghouls, and Blight ghoulsTOBH, and many spontaneously forming undead, is almost unthinkable. (The Blight - Pathfinder)
He believes Mother Grace brought undead into the world to cleanse it of its mortal sins, but keeps this belief secret. (The Blight - Pathfinder)
Inside, the place is crammed with Leptonia and Sallow’s artwork. The vampire spawn has a peculiar artistic trick involving abducting waifs and strays, drugging them with a concoction or chloroform* and oil of taggit, and embalming them in a substance made from equal parts lime concrete, clay, and an alchemic discovery known as Blight grasp. This substance hardens very quickly (in a matter of minutes), and Algernon has been using it to create living statues — slowly engulfing his victims in the stone substance over a period of weeks, and eventually covering them completely, thoughtfully providing an air hole for them to breathe through to enjoy his work to the last and infuse the statues with the occasional angry spirits. That this process occasionally creates an undead merely adds to Algernon’s belief that he is a living (or more accurately, unliving) genius. (The Blight - Pathfinder)
Mists cloak the isle above, and the dour spirits of the fallen, the regretful, the wicked, and the innocent sing through the air. These only occasionally manifest as undead, but feel free to have shapes and faces loom out of the mist. (The Blight - Pathfinder)
Many chirurgical procedures are damaging to the patient's psyche and the natural balance of their mental processes. This imbalance extends into the spiritual plane, and creatures who recently underwent mind-altering chirurgical procedures might have a greater than normal chance of arising as unquiet dead, perhaps haunts that spread madness and torment, or as actual undead creatures such as allips or, more rarely, ghosts or spectres. (The Mad Doctor's Formulary)
In folklore, almost all undead creatures arise from some sort of break in the normal life cycle as that culture defines the life cycle (and that’s not always the same in all cultures). Some ceremony wasn’t performed – often burial or last rites, or some action taken by the undead person during his life represented a breach of the natural order of things. (Tome of Adventure Design)

Table 2-64: Basic Types of Undead Creatures
Die Roll
Undead Type
01-04
Corporeal, genius, non-reproductive
05-08
Corporeal, genius, reproduces through prey
09-12
Corporeal, non-intelligent, non-reproductive
13-16
Corporeal, non-intelligent, reproduces through prey
17-20
Corporeal, semi-intelligent, non-reproductive
21-24
Corporeal, semi-intelligent, reproduces through prey
25-28
Incorporeal, genius, non-reproductive
29-32
Incorporeal, genius, reproduces through prey
33-36
Incorporeal, non-intelligent, non-reproductive
37-40
Incorporeal, non-intelligent, reproduces through prey
41-44
Incorporeal, semi-intelligent, non-reproductive
45-48
Incorporeal, semi-intelligent, reproduces through prey
49-52
Non-human corporeal, intelligent, non-reproductive
53-56
Non-human, corporeal, intelligent, contagious Undeath
57-60
Non-human, corporeal, non-intelligent, contagious Undeath
61-64
Non-human, corporeal, non-intelligent, non-reproductive
65-68
Non-human, corporeal, semi-intelligent, contagious Undeath
69-72
Non-human, corporeal, semi-intelligent, non-reproductive
73-76
Non-human, incorporeal, intelligent, contagious Undeath
77-80
Semi-corporeal, genius, non-reproductive
81-84
Semi-corporeal, genius, reproduces through prey
85-88
Semi-corporeal, non-intelligent, non-reproductive
89-92
Semi-corporeal, non-intelligent, reproduces through prey
93-96
Semi-corporeal, semi-intelligent, non-reproductive
97-00
Semi-corporeal, semi-intelligent, reproduces through prey
(Tome of Adventure Design)
Table 2-65: Causes of Intelligent Undeath
Die Roll
Cause of Intelligent Undeath
01-10
Cursed by enemy
11-20
Cursed by gods
21-30
Disease such as vampirism
31-40
Prepared by others for Undeath, at or before death (unwillingly)
41-50
Prepared by others for Undeath, at or before death (willingly)
51-60
Prepared self for Undeath, during life
61-70
Rejected from underworld for some reason
71-80
Returned partially by actions of others
81-90
Returned to gain vengeance for own killing
91-00
Returned to guard location or item important to self during life
(Tome of Adventure Design)
Table 2-66: Preparations for Intelligent Undeath
Note that some of these preparations might be voluntary on the part of the person being prepared for intelligent Undeath. Other preparations described on this table would be the activity of someone else, with or without the consent of the person being prepared.
Die Roll
Preparation
01-10
Actions are taken to ensure that a god will curse the soul with intelligent undeath
11-20
Corpse/body is preserved/prepared in such a way that the soul (or life force) cannot depart
21-30
Living body parts incorporated into corpse keep it “alive”
31-40
New soul brought into dead body
41-50
Pact with gods/powers of afterlife to reject soul
51-60
Physical preparation raises body with echo of former intelligence
61-70
Physical preparation raises body with full former intelligence
71-80
Ritual binds soul to a place
81-90
Soul captured by ritual, kept in the wrong plane of existence
91-00
Soul captured in item to prevent completion of the death cycle
(Tome of Adventure Design)
Table 2-67: Breaks in the Life Cycle
As mentioned above, most Undeath traditionally results from a break in the natural order of the victim’s life cycle. Looking through the following wide assortment of such “breaks” may give you some good ideas for specific details about your undead creature.
Die Roll
Nature of the Break (d100)
01
Deliberately cursed at death by others for actions during lifetime
02
Died after committing crime: Arson
03
Died after committing crime: Assault
04
Died after committing crime: Bankruptcy
05
Died after committing crime: Battery
06
Died after committing crime: Begging
07
Died after committing crime: Blackmail
08
Died after committing crime: Blasphemy
09
Died after committing crime: Breach of contract
10
Died after committing crime: Breach of financial duty
11
Died after committing crime: Breaking and entering
12
Died after committing crime: Bribery
13
Died after committing crime: Burglary
14
Died after committing crime: Cattle theft or rustling
15
Died after committing crime: Consorting with demons
16
Died after committing crime: Counterfeiting
17
Died after committing crime: Cowardice or desertion
18
Died after committing crime: Demonic possession
19
Died after committing crime: Desecration
20
Died after committing crime: Disrespect to clergy
21
Died after committing crime: Disrespect to nobility
22
Died after committing crime: Drug possession
23
Died after committing crime: Drug smuggling
24
Died after committing crime: Drunkenness
25
Died after committing crime: Embezzlement
26
Died after committing crime: Escaped slave
27
Died after committing crime: Extortion
28
Died after committing crime: False imprisonment
29
Died after committing crime: Fleeing crime scene
Die Roll
Nature of the Break (d100)
30
Died after committing crime: Forgery
31
Died after committing crime: Forsaking an oath
32
Died after committing crime: Gambling
33
Died after committing crime: Grave robbery
34
Died after committing crime: Harboring a criminal
35
Died after committing crime: Harboring a slave
36
Died after committing crime: Heresy
37
Died after committing crime: Horse theft
38
Died after committing crime: Incest
39
Died after committing crime: Inciting to riot
40
Died after committing crime: Insanity
41
Died after committing crime: Kidnapping
42
Died after committing crime: Lewdness, private
43
Died after committing crime: Lewdness, public
44
Died after committing crime: Libel
45
Died after committing crime: Manslaughter
46
Died after committing crime: Misuse of public funds
47
Died after committing crime: Murder
48
Died after committing crime: Mutiny
49
Died after committing crime: Necromancy
50
Died after committing crime: Participating in forbidden meeting
51
Died after committing crime: Perjury
52
Died after committing crime: Pickpocket
53
Died after committing crime: Piracy
54
Died after committing crime: Poisoning
55
Died after committing crime: Possession of forbidden weapon
56
Died after committing crime: Prison escape
57
Died after committing crime: Prostitution

Die Roll
Nature of the Break (d100)
58
Died after committing crime: Public recklessness
59
Died after committing crime: Racketeering
60
Died after committing crime: Rape
61
Died after committing crime: Receiving stolen goods (fencing)
62
Died after committing crime: Robbery
63
Died after committing crime: Sabotage
64
Died after committing crime: Sale of shoddy goods
65
Died after committing crime: Sedition
66
Died after committing crime: Slander
67
Died after committing crime: Smuggling
68
Died after committing crime: Soliciting
69
Died after committing crime: Swindling
70
Died after committing crime: Theft
71
Died after committing crime: Treason
72
Died after committing crime: Trespass
73
Died after committing crime: Using false measures
74
Died after committing crime: Witchcraft
75
Died after violating taboo: dietary
76
Died after violating taboo: loyalty
77
Died after violating taboo: marriage
78
Died after violating taboo: sexual
Die Roll
Nature of the Break (d100)
79
Died as a glutton
80
Died as a miser
81
Died as coward
82
Died deliberately
83
Died unloved and unmourned
84
Died while a slave
85
Died while owning slaves
86
Died without children
87
Died without dying (I don’t know, but it sounds good)
88
Died without fulfilling contract
89
Died without fulfilling oath
90
Died without honor (marriage or parenthood)
91
Died without honor (traitor)
92
Died without manhood/womanhood rites
93
Died without marrying
94
Died without proper preparations for death
95
Died without properly honoring ancestors
96
Died without tribal initiation
97
Eaten after death
98
Not buried/burned
99
Not given proper death ceremonies
100
Not given proper preparations for afterlife
(Tome of Adventure Design)
Table 2-68: Manner of Death
The manner in which an undead creature might have died can give rise to good ideas about the nature of the creature’s abilities, appearance, and motivations (if it is an intelligent form of undead).

Die Roll
Manner of Death
01
Burned in fire
02
Burned in lava
03
Cooked and eaten
04
Crushed
05
Defeated in dishonorable combat
06
Defeated in honorable combat
07
Died during a storm
08
Died during harvest time
09
Died during peacetime
10
Died in a swamp
11
Died in particular ancient ruins
12
Died in the hills
13
Died in the mountains
14
Died near particular type of flower
15
Died near particular type of tree
16
Died of disease
17
Died of fright
18
Died of natural causes
19
Died of thirst
20
Died while carrying particular weapon
Die Roll
Manner of Death
21
Died while carrying stolen goods
22
Died while wearing particular garment
23
Died while wearing particular piece of jewelry
24
Drowned
25
Executed by asphyxiation
26
Executed by cold
27
Executed by drowning
28
Executed by exposure to elements
29
Executed by fire
30
Executed by hanging
31
Executed by live burial
32
Executed by starvation
33
Executed by strangulation
34
Executed by thirst
35
Executed despite having been pardoned
36
Fell from great height
37
Frozen/hypothermia
38
Heart failure
39
In the saddle
40
Killed by a creature that injects eggs

Die Roll
Manner of Death
41
Killed by a deception
42
Killed by a jealous spouse
43
Killed by a jester
44
Killed by a lover
45
Killed by a lynch mob
46
Killed by a traitor
47
Killed by a trap
48
Killed by accident
49
Killed by ancient curse
50
Killed by birds
51
Killed by blood poisoning
52
Killed by demon
53
Killed by dogs/jackals
54
Killed by gluttony
55
Killed by insect(s)
56
Killed by inter-dimensional creature
57
Killed by magic
58
Killed by magic weapon
59
Killed by metal
60
Killed by mistake
61
Killed by own child
62
Killed by own parent
63
Killed by particular type of person
64
Killed by poisonous fungus
65
Killed by poisonous plant
66
Killed by pride
67
Killed by priest
68
Killed by relative
69
Killed by soldiers during battle
70
Killed by some particular monster
71
Killed by strange aliens
Die Roll
Manner of Death
72
Killed by undead
73
Killed by wine or drunkenness
74
Killed by wooden object
75
Killed for a particular reason
76
Killed in a castle
77
Killed in a particular place
78
Killed in a tavern
79
Killed in particular ritual
80
Killed in tournament or joust
81
Killed near a particular thing
82
Killed on particular day of year
83
Killed under a particular zodiacal sign (i.e., a particular month or time)
84
Killed under moonlight
85
Killed underground
86
Killed while exploring
87
Killed while fishing
88
Killed while fleeing
89
Killed while hunting
90
Killed while leading others badly
91
Killed while leading others well
92
Murdered
93
Sacrificed to a demon
94
Sacrificed to a god
95
Sacrificed to ancient horror
96
Starved to death
97
Strangled
98
Struck by lightning
99
Struck down by gods
100
Tortured to death
(Tome of Adventure Design)
Dexterity Loss. The attack drains one or more points of dexterity from the victim. The attacker may or may not gain a benefit from the drain (additional hit points, to-hit bonuses, etc) depending upon whether it seems to fit well with the concept. If the victim reaches a dexterity of 0, one of several things might happen: the victim might die and become a creature similar to the attacker (this is common with undead, but a bit weird when dexterity is the attribute score being drained). One explanation for death at 0 dexterity is that the body’s internal systems (circulatory, etc) are no longer working in time with each other. (Tome of Adventure Design)
Cemeteries and graveyards are well known for their concentration of negative energy and it is this, rather than the mere presence of the buried dead, that can cause all manner of creatures to rise from their graves to haunt the living. (Tome of Horrors 4)
When a soul fouled by anger and fear leaves its broken corpse, if it is strong enough, that soul may return as a ghost, a wraith or some worse form of undead. If it is strong enough….. (Two Dozen Dangers: Haunts)
The unburied dead are not only a vector for mundane disease, but may become hosts to undead maladies. (Westbound)
From out of the dark and forbidding heavens a great meteor, black as night itself, carved through Abaddon’s atmosphere, calved into massive sections and rained down upon the world in great shards. It obliterated cities, shattered the living rock, sent tidal waves swamping over islands and drowning the coasts, ignited volcanoes and set the ground quaking for more than a year. (World of Obsidian Twilight (PFRPG) Preview)
Over 85% of the sentient population of Abaddon was killed in moments and no sorcery, no prayer, no force of arms nor cunning with the builder’s craft could stand against the destruction. Those who survived found themselves in the ruins of civilization, surrounded by the corpses of their nations, overwhelmed by death and living beneath a soot-black sky. (World of Obsidian Twilight (PFRPG) Preview)
Their suffering did not end there. The meteor was a black, hellish thing, infused with vast amounts of necrotic energy. The survivors watched in horror as the power of the meteors fragments and its dust began to raise the dead and few of the remaining cities survived the onslaught of their own deceased. (World of Obsidian Twilight (PFRPG) Preview)
A character suffering from the curse Death’s Disrespect has made the terrible mistake of speaking too soon the name of one who has recently died—a terrible sign of disrespect. The curse manifests via the body or spirit of the dead returning as an undead and attacking the victim of the curse. (Pathways 23)
At 20th level, the bone witch completes her transformation into a creature of unlife. She turns into an animate skeleton and gains the undead type. (Wayfinder 7)
Defile spell. (Echelon Reference Series: Clerics (3pp))
Mythic Create Undead spell. (Mythic Magic Core Spells)
Mythic Create Greater Undead spell. (Mythic Magic Core Spells)
Mythic Soulreaver spell. (Mythic Magic Expanded Spells I)
Obliterate Soul spell. (Book of Lost Spells)
Shadow of Duty spell. (Echelon Reference Series: Clerics (3pp))
Dance of the Dead feat. (Undefeatable 3: Bards)
Dance of the Dead feat. (Undefeatable: The Collected Feats Sourcebook)
Pitiless Economies feat. (Intrigue Archetypes)
Sun-Dead feat. (The Book of Many Things Volume 2: Shattered Worlds)
Undead Familiar feat. (Lords of the Night)
Ghostwater Drug creation. (Two Dozen Dangers: Drugs)
Devourer: Devourers are the undead remnants of fiends and evil spellcasters who became lost beyond the farthest reaches of the multiverse. Returning with warped bodies, alien sentience, and a hunger for life, devourers threaten all souls with a terrifying, tormented annihilation. (PRD Bestiary 1)
Only the bravest and most powerful adventurers dare step beyond the boundaries of the known planes, into whatever darkness lies beyond. Most who do so never return—yet some, especially the evil ones, come back changed and twisted. (Undead Revisited)
Information about this otherness is almost completely unavailable, with even the gods seemingly deaf to most questions, yet there are always a few who to decide to see for themselves. When powerful fiends and evil spellcasters undertake this quest, some come back and report nothing but vast expanses of ... well, nothing. Others don’t return at all. Yet some—the foulest ones, or those who become lost beyond the multiverse’s reaches—find something out there that changes them. (Undead Revisited)
Though devourers never discuss just who or what they’re talking to, many suspect their madness rises from a lingering connection to whatever sinister, alien entity or force made them what they are, and the devourers themselves sometimes let apparent titles slip, with appellations like the Dire Shepherd or the Wanderer Upon the Stair. (Undead Revisited)
Devourers’ origins are shrouded in mystery. While spellcasters may create them through the usage of create greater undead spells, exactly what occurs during these rituals is unclear, and it’s possible that devourers are more called into being than physically created—certainly it’s more than just a simple matter of animating a corpse. (Undead Revisited)
Unlike many other forms of undead, devourers do not form spontaneously, nor do they breed or spawn. Rather, they begin as either one of two creatures: a terribly evil mortal spellcaster or an actual fiend. Those of either category who find themselves lost in the hinterlands of the cosmos sometimes return as devourers. (Undead Revisited)
They do not find their rebirth, their unholy transfiguration, in a specific place or plane. Rather, far beyond the knowledge and sight of mortals or outsiders, they experience some sort of transformative gnosis, realizing some infectious idea that simultaneously destroys and recreates them with a new form and a new hunger. Whether or not there might be something out there that actively calls to them, compulsively drawing them to its presence and making them into what they are, is anyone’s guess, yet it would explain why only evil outsiders and spellcasters seem to be susceptible, and also potentially why the strange mannerisms of the devourers who return to the planes seem more than simple madness. (Undead Revisited)
Those devourers created (or potentially called from elsewhere) by magic share all the traits and madness of their transformed kin, a fact that has confused spellcasters for generations. Some scholars have pointed out that specific details of these magical rituals have certain traits in common across all schools of magic and faith, leading some to believe that the ability to create devourers may have been introduced long ago as a single spell, perhaps provided by whatever malign forces lurk beyond the planes. (Undead Revisited)
Devourers, who form from the spirits of powerful spellcasters and fiends that venture into the darkness beyond the planes and come back forever tainted. (Undead Revisited)
Devourers are the husks creatures that have been shattered and remade by forces beyond the ends of the multiverse. (Advanced Bestiary)
Undeterred, Thozzaggard used his magic to transport himself into the cavern behind the door. This time, the wily sorcerer would not escape the god particle’s grasp. Madness overcame him shortly before the alien substance sucked the last vestiges of life from him and hurled his ravaged soul into the void beyond reality. What later rose where his corpse now lay was an undead monstrosity that longed to spread its curse to every living creature. (Dunes of Desolation)
Countless millennia ago, Thozzaggard also found the watery star; however he succumbed to its power and became an undead abomination. (Dunes of Desolation)
In time, the watery star’s extradimensional properties and his own madness got the better of him transforming him into the undead abomination on the other side of the door. (Dunes of Desolation)
This onyx‐encrusted sarcophagus casts create greater undead on the body within to create a devourer when a certain prophesy is completed. This effect works once before the sarcophagus’ magic is consumed. The onyx crumbles to dust if removed from the sarcophagus. (GM's Miscellany: Dungeon Dressing)
Create Greater Undead spell, caster level 20th or higher. (PRD Bestiary 1)
Create Greater Undead spell. (Echelon Reference Series: Clerics (3pp))
Create Greater Undead spell. (Echelon Reference Series: Clerics (PRD Only))
Raise Undeath spell word, boosted, caster level 20th or higher. (Book of Magic 10 Undead Spell Words)
Ghost: When a soul is not allowed to rest due to some great injustice, either real or perceived, it sometimes comes back as a ghost. (PRD Bestiary 1)
"Ghost" is an acquired template that can be added to any living creature that has a Charisma score of at least 6. (PRD Bestiary 1)
Interestingly, a great number of ghosts and revenants owe their undead existence to the depredations of mortal killers who later became mohrgs, and it’s not unheard of for a revenant to hunt a mohrg, or for a ghost to assist adventurers in tracking down the unholy reanimation of its killer. (Undead Revisited)
More than merely wayward souls cast from the cycle of eternity by random chance, the vast majority of ghosts manifest for a purpose—whether one of their own desires or born from the method of their deaths. So-called “ghost stories” often tell of souls lingering upon the mortal world in an attempt to put right some injustice—typically whatever evil led to their deaths—or to prevent some terrible fate. Yet the circumstances leading to the appearance of a ghost need not be so iconic. Although the mysteries of death may never be fully understood by mortals, the most significant requisite in a ghost’s appearance seems to be extraordinary circumstances of trauma surrounding its death. Such a condition need not be a torturous murder or a violent betrayal—the knowledge of a great responsibility or the jeopardized life of a loved one can potentially prove sufficient cause to compel a soul to linger on past its physical capacity. (Classic Horrors Revisited)
Aside from personal determination, extreme circumstances might also lead to the formation of ghosts. Tales of unquiet battlefields, ghostly ships, and whole haunted cities typically arise from some manner of terrible collective ordeal. Such conditions must be exceptionally painful or damaging to the mortal mind, as not every fallen fortress or disaster-scoured community results in some mass haunting. While individual ghosts typically require some measure of personal connection, suffering, or desire to bind them to the land of the living, such is lessened for ghosts created en masse. The shared experience of multitudinous lesser horrors are seemingly significant enough to match the singular distress of a lone spirit, allowing large groups of spirits to manifest due to an incident of extreme shared emotion or disturbance that might not provoke the ghostly manifestation of an individual. (Classic Horrors Revisited)
Ghosts are the undead souls of dead people so filled with rage and hate that they refuse to stay dead. (Beginner's Box)
As the uprising gathers strength, the unquiet souls of bodies long since turned to dust awaken as well. Ghosts, shadows, wraiths, and even spectres arise to prey upon the living. (Game Mastery Guide)
Powerful witches are able to leave lasting imprints upon the land with their final breaths, transforming themselves into powerful, incorporeal undead through extreme hatred and emotional distress. Often manifesting as ghosts, spectres or wraiths, these witches blight the land and cause strange murders and ill fortunate to beset the locals until they move away from the site of the curse. (Alternate Dungeons: Haunted House)
When a creature dies, any intense emotions it experiences at the time of death are often left behind as a psychic footprint. Fear, anger, hatred and sorrow are by far the most powerful of these emotions and often causes the most dangerous and destructive haunts to manifest. It should come as no surprise an act as evil as murder, which often comprises all three of these emotions and more, is a leading cause of the creation of powerful supernatural entities. Ghosts, spectres, wraiths and poltergeists are all commonly created in this manner, and when created they seldom stray far from the place where they were murdered. (Alternate Dungeons: Haunted House)
Ghosts are created from the residual psychic energy of creatures unable or unwilling to depart to the outer planes to receive judgment. Ghosts often haunt the places where they died or the homes they once lived in. (Alternate Dungeons: Haunted House)
Before the events that led up to the Shattering, ghosts were the only type of undead. A ghost is a spirit that does not pass on to the Inner World, as it was known then, or the Ethereal Realm, as it is now. When a being in the Outer World dies, its positive energy spirit is naturally transformed into negative energy as it passes on to the next plane of existence. However, in rare circumstances, this process can be disrupted. This occurs either due to a powerful act of will on the part of the recently deceased, or when the spirit has undergone a great psychic trauma, such as being murdered. Although ghosts are not intrinsically evil, they are beings of negative energy and suffer greatly in the Outer World, which is confusing and alien to their nature. This often causes the ghost to become malevolent, if it wasn’t already. A negative spirit in the Inner World would have spent its lifetime resolving psychological issues, before being reborn into the material Outer World as a positive energy spirit in a new body. Scholars speculate that ghosts are created when some of these psychological issues can only be resolved in the Outer World. For example, the spirit might need to protect loved ones, or to exact revenge upon its killer. (Atarashia – A Gazeteer)
She attempted to create ghosts by killing living beings in horrendous ways, so as to precipitate the necessary psychological trauma. However, the success rate of this was low as, more often than not, the spirit would simply cross over into the Inner World and remain beyond her reach. (Atarashia – A Gazeteer)
On a related note, if you're caught outdoors at night, don't bang on the door asking to be let in. You won't be, because you're clearly an undead who wants to feast on the souls of those indoors. If you're still alive in the morning, they'll take you to the local church for healing, because if they take you in, and you die later that night, you might return as a ghost and blame them for your death. (Claw Claw Bite 18)
When a soul fouled by anger and fear leaves its broken corpse, if it is strong enough, that soul may return as a ghost, a wraith or some worse form of undead. (Dangers & Discoveries)
The zither player is named Ceruth, a beggar that solicited donations by playing his zither during Iljanna’s decline. After death, the bitter musician refused to depart and became a ghost cursed to forever haunt the dollhouse. (Dunes of Desolation)
The Sea Lord’s Guard chose this night to begin their war and swept through the Eastern District, rounding up anyone they suspected of being affiliated with the Guild. As the sounds of screams and fighting broke out all around, Melanie fled to her home on the edge of Scurvytown, only to find her house in flames and her friends fighting for their lives against a band of Guardsmen. Melanie grabbed the knife from the pouch and threw herself into the combat, terrified and desperate to get to her boys. She lashed out with the blade, unaware that it slew everyone it touched, her eyes fixed only on the small, smoking shapes on her porch. She nearly reached the bodies of her children when a steel-tipped quarrel punched through her middle, piercing her heart. She fell within an arm’s reach of her children’s bodies, and as she lay dying, she whispered that she’d get her vengeance, make the bastards pay. (Freeport Companion Pathfinder RPG Edition)
A strange thing happened. The knife flared with sickly green light, growing brighter even as the light in her eyes faded. Melanie Crump’s body died, but somehow her spirit lived on, trapped within the accursed knife, bound by her vow until she gets her revenge. (Freeport Companion Pathfinder RPG Edition)
Clergy who feel they had unfinished business or wish to see their temples restored remain to haunt these locations. Fully restoring the temple or destroying it puts these undead to rest. (GM's Miscellany: Alternate Dungeons)
Lonesome spirits, mere shades of what they once were. What better place for a ghost to haunt than a place so keenly reminiscent of its own tragic existence? Almost any undead creature might identify with the ruination of a once-warm and lively place, but ghosts—with their tendency to linger over unfinished business—are more likely than any other kind to haunt the places they knew best in life. (GM's Miscellany: Alternate Dungeons)
Powerful witches are able to leave lasting imprints upon the land with their final breaths, transforming themselves into powerful, incorporeal undead through extreme hatred and emotional distress. Often manifesting as ghosts, spectres or wraiths, these witches blight the land and cause strange murders and ill fortunate to beset the locals until they move away from the site of the curse. (GM's Miscellany: Alternate Dungeons)
When a creature dies, any intense emotions it experiences at the time of death are often left behind as a psychic footprint. Fear, anger, hatred and sorrow are by far the most powerful of these emotions and often causes the most dangerous and destructive haunts to manifest. It should come as no surprise an act as evil as murder, which often comprises all three of these emotions and more, is a leading cause of the creation of powerful supernatural entities. Ghosts, spectres, wraiths and poltergeists are all commonly created in this manner, and when created they seldom stray far from the place where they were murdered. (GM's Miscellany: Alternate Dungeons)
When Chernobog walks the earth in the dark of the moon and during eclipses, winds rise and howl, animals grow skittish and dogs bite, and ghosts rise from every grave. (Midgard Worldbook for 5th Edition and Pathfinder)
The necrotic energy of the meteor combined with the huge number of casualties from the impact and its aftermath has meant an enormous amount of spiritual energy has encompassed Abaddon. This, in turn, means a tremendous number of ghosts arisen over time. (Races of Obsidian Twilight)
Those who have died in more recent times are not the confused and sorrowful dead of the cataclysm. Those who have died in this new age are the victims of the undead lords and, while dead themselves, they have little or no sympathy for the liches, vampires, ghasts and other dead that form the new aristocracy. What has caused these dead to linger on in the world is their mistreatment at the hands of the powers that be and their desire for bloody and violent revenge, goals that they share with many of the living. (Races of Obsidian Twilight)
The position of the Osirians as the favored of the gods did not spare them from the cataclysm that turned Abaddon upside down, already giving way to some of the other species the Osirians were struck a hammer blow by the fall of the meteor and their ancestral homelands were some of the worst affected by the necromantic miasma and negative energies released by the impact. (Races of Obsidian Twilight: Osirian)
The Osirians died in droves from the impact, from its aftermath and from the lingering effects of the necromantic radiation, subverting their bodies day by agonizing day and raising so many of them as zombies, skeletons and ghosts that the Osirians rapidly learned harsh lessons in dismemberment before burial and the building of secure and warded tombs. (Races of Obsidian Twilight: Osirian)
The necrotic energy of the meteor combined with the huge number of casualties from the impact and its aftermath has meant an enormous amount of spiritual energy has encompassed Abaddon. This, in turn, means a tremendous number of ghosts arisen over time. In the beginning many of these were mindless spectres, the traumatised dead from what seemed like the end of the world but over time these have been winnowed down and replaced with the new dead. (Races of Obsidian Twilight: Raijin)
Those who have died in more recent times are not the confused and sorrowful dead of the cataclysm. Those who have died in this new age are the victims of the undead lords and, while dead themselves, they have little or no sympathy for the liches, vampires, ghasts and other dead that form the new aristocracy. What has caused these dead to linger on in the world is their mistreatment at the hands of the powers that be and their desire for bloody and violent revenge, goals that they share with many of the living. (Races of Obsidian Twilight: Raijin)
The souls of the dead, unable to pass on, arise as ghosts or other forms of terrible, incorporeal undead.
Ghosts represent one of the most tragic forms of undead. Tied to the material plane with unfinished business, they find themselves bound to a specific area, usually associated with their death. (Shadows Over Vathak Ina'oth Gamemaster's Guide)
Ghosts are powerfully psychological creatures to face bound by strong emotions of anger, fear, love, and resentment. (Shadows Over Vathak Ina'oth Gamemaster's Guide)
The Old Dockyard is barely used these days, the piers are dangerously rotten, and the pools below are infamous for quicksand. A small group of local dandies and artists have made their home here, these struggling dilettantes revel in their self-enforced poverty. The occasional pie shop or opium den opens up here to serve the aristocrats but generally doesn’t last long. Some say the old docks are haunted by the ghosts of shipbuilders from the past, and most infamously the Lady Rose, a gigantic ship that burnt during construction, killing 118 and eight workers, for which the first ironclad dreadnought Lady Ruin was later named (itself sunk in the Battle of the Kraken’s Teeth in 1751). Parts of the Lady Rose’s hulk can still be seen when the waters of the Lyme (rarely) clear, its skeletal black timbers lurking at the furthest pier in the docks, a perilous place to reach even in the best weather. (The Blight - Pathfinder)
Any creature suffering from a negative level inflicted by the hammer of the unworthy when it dies immediately rises as Belial’s choice of a ghost, a lich, or a vampire. In the case of a lich, it treats the hammer of the unworthy as its phylactery. If a creature that would rise as an undead as a result of this ability would also return to life as a pit fiend as a result of the edge of the forsaken’s ability, that creature becomes a pit fiend with the chosen template. (The Deluxe Guide to Fiend Summoning and Faustian Bargains)
Many chirurgical procedures are damaging to the patient's psyche and the natural balance of their mental processes. This imbalance extends into the spiritual plane, and creatures who recently underwent mind-altering chirurgical procedures might have a greater than normal chance of arising as unquiet dead, perhaps haunts that spread madness and torment, or as actual undead creatures such as allips or, more rarely, ghosts or spectres. (The Mad Doctor's Formulary)
When a soul fouled by anger and fear leaves its broken corpse, if it is strong enough, that soul may return as a ghost, a wraith or some worse form of undead. If it is strong enough….. (Two Dozen Dangers: Haunts)
The spirits released during the cataclysm were scared, confused, barely sentient, an outpouring of pain and suffering that would lash out at anything that came close to them, little more than necromantic energy themselves, free and wild to animate the dead. In the years since the cataclysm however, the character of the dead has changed. Those who die today die with hatred for the lords on their minds, with revenge and cries of freedom on their lips. The ghosts of today are the spirits of vengeance, no allies to the lords or to Calix Sabinus. Even the dead themselves are turning against the powers that be. (World of Obsidian Twilight (PFRPG) Preview)
Elder's Grace exalted boon. (Book of the Damned)
Ghost Human Aristocrat 7: ?
Ghoul: A humanoid who dies of ghoul fever rises as a ghoul at the next midnight. A humanoid who becomes a ghoul in this way retains none of the abilities it possessed in life. A humanoid of 4 Hit Dice or more rises as a ghast. (PRD Bestiary 1)
As a free action once per day per growth point (minimum of 1/day), a nabasu can activate its death-stealing gaze for a full round. All living creatures within 30 feet must succeed on a DC 18 Fortitude save or gain a negative level. A humanoid slain in this manner immediately transforms into a ghoul under the nabasu's control. A nabasu's gaze can only create one ghoul per round—if multiple humans perish from the gaze in a round, the nabasu picks which human becomes a ghoul. The save DC is Charisma-based. (PRD Bestiary 1)
When a sayona kills a humanoid or fey of Medium or Small size with its absorb blood or blood drain ability, the victim rises 24 hours later as a ghoul with the advanced creature simple template and the blood drain ability. (Bestiary 4)
A humanoid that succumbs to Leng ghoul fever becomes a normal ghoul unless in life it had 12 or more Hit Dice, in which case it rises from death as a Leng ghoul. (Bestiary 5)
Myth holds that the first man to feed upon the flesh of his brother was seized by a most uncommon malady of the intestinal tract, and after lingering for days in the throes of this painful inflammation of the belly, he died, only to rise on the Abyss as Kabriri, the first ghoul. Whether the demon lord of graves and ghouls was indeed the first remains the subject of debate among scholars of necromancy, but certainly the methods by which bodies can rise as the hungry dead are myriad. (Classic Horrors Revisited)
Necromancers have long known the secrets of infusing a dead body with this vile animating force. With the spell create undead, a spellcaster can waken a body’s hunger and transform it into a ravenous ghoul. Stories abound as well of spontaneous transformations when a man or woman, driven by bleakest desperation or blackest madness, resorts to cannibalism as a means of survival. Whether the expiration that follows rises from further starvation or the death of the will to carry on in light of such atrocity matters not, for when death occurs after such a choice, a hideous rebirth as a ghoul may occur. (Classic Horrors Revisited)
Yet the most common route to transformation is through violent contact with other ghouls. Called by a wide variety of regional names (such as gnaw pangs, belly blight, or Kabriri’s curse), this contagion is known in most circles simply as “ghoul fever.” Transmitted by a ghoul’s bite (or, more rarely, through the consumption of ghoulish flesh), ghoul fever causes the victim to grow increasingly hungry and manic, yet makes it impossible to keep down any food or water. The horrific hunger pangs caused by the sickness rob the victim of coordination and cause increasingly painful spasms, and eventually the victim starves to death, only to rise soon thereafter as a ghoul. That those who perish from ghoul fever invariably animate as undead at midnight has long intrigued scholars of necromancy—the general thought is that only at the dead of night can such a hideous transformation complete its course. (Classic Horrors Revisited)
It is said that when the first humanoid (an elf, it so happened) to feed upon the flesh of his brother died, he was reborn in the Abyss in the reeking bowels of a vast necropolis that the plane created in his honor. This first ghoul abandoned his previous life and embraced his new undeath, becoming the demon lord Kabriri. For his first few centuries of existence, he traveled among the worlds of the Material Plane, sampling like a gourmand the contents of graveyards and spreading the infectious “word” of his condition to any who would listen—in effect, infecting the inhabitants of innumerable worlds with the first and strongest strain of ghoul fever. Yet wherever Kabriri traveled, he took pains to avoid the burial grounds of elves, and did not spread his word among their kind. Whether his restraint was due to a fragment of shame over his first act of cannibalism or fear of confronting even a tiny fragment of the life he’d left behind, Kabriri left the elven people alone. Repercussions of his avoidance continue to this very day, as the touch of ghouls cannot paralyze elves. In contrast, other humanoids who succumb to the disease find their ears growing long and pointed, as if in some cosmic mockery of the elven form. (Book of the Damned)
His favored weapon is a two-headed flail of iron and bone, its twin heads made from skulls wrapped in strips of spiked iron. This weapon is capable of transforming those it strikes into ghouls, and causes the flesh of the living to rot away. Kabriri’s breath can also transform the living into ghouls, and his gaze can instill an unholy cannibalistic hunger that can drive sane folk to go on murderous, gluttonous rampages. (Book of the Damned)
A humanoid who dies of Kortash Khain's ghoul fever rises as a ghoul at the next midnight; a humanoid with 4 Hit Dice or more rises as a ghast. (Mythic Realms)
The first ghouls were humans who rose as undead because they had indulged in unwholesome pleasures in life. The original ghasts rose as undead for similar reasons, but their sins were of vaster scale. A man who broke a taboo by consuming dead bodies to avoid starvation might rise as a ghoul, but a man who murdered his wife and children, then cooked them up as a delicious meal for himself and his mistress would instead rise as a ghast. (Advanced Bestiary)
Eaters of the dead that hunger for the living, the first ghouls were the undead remains of humans who had, in life, indulged in unwholesome pleasures, such as cannibalism or necrophilia. (Advanced Bestiary)
A humanoid who dies of ghoul fever rises as a ghoul at the next midnight. (Aquilae: Bestiary of the Realm: Volume 1 (Pathfinder))
Cevnia was not put off by the limited success of her early experiments. She used the information gathered in the creation of mindless undead and began to refine the process. She discovered new, more controlled methods of binding the negative spirit back to its body that did not interfere with the mental faculties of the resulting undead. However, these intelligent undead still suffered constant pain from the unnatural state their spirits were in, which quickly descended into jealous hatred of the living. In addition to this, there were other side effects… The first undead she created using the new method were ghouls, who were driven by a desire to consume the dead flesh of sentient beings, thus gaining momentary relief from their ever-present feeling of starvation. She tried again, using more powerful magic, and made mohrgs, who were motivated by the unappeasable psychological need to commit murder. She called these the Hungry Dead, as they were driven to destroy the living by all-consuming urges. (Atarashia – A Gazeteer)
A humanoid who dies of ghoul fever rises as a ghoul at the next midnight. A humanoid of 4 Hit Dice or more rises as a ghast. (Atarashia – A Gazeteer)
A humanoid who dies of ghoul fever rises as a ghoul at the next midnight. (Borderland Provinces - Pathfinder)
A humanoid who dies of ghoul fever rises as a ghoul at the next midnight. A slain humanoid of 4 or more Hit Dice rises as a ghast. (Campaign Backdrops: Caves and Caverns)
A humanoid who dies of ghoul fever rises as a ghoul (or ghast if it had more than 4 HD) at the next midnight. (Campaign Backdrops: Forests & Woodlands)
A humanoid who dies of ghoul fever rises as a ghoul at the next midnight. A slain humanoid of 4 or more Hit Dice rises as a ghast. (Campaign Backdrops: Hills & Mountains)
A small adventuring party once got trapped within and starved to death. Risen as ghouls, the undead lurk in the crypt creeping forth when released by the hermit to dine up on his guests. (Campaign Backdrops: Hills & Mountains)
Creatures below 5 HD within the cone of a plague dragon's deathless breath instantly die, and reanimate as ghouls under the dragon's control. (Creepy Creatures Bestiary of the Bizarre)
Any humanoid that is two weeks or less dead within the sovereign ghoul's aura rise as a ghoul under its complete command in one round. (Creepy Creatures Bestiary of the Bizarre)
Any humanoid killed by a corpsehanger's energy drain or constrict attack becomes an undead creature within 1d4 rounds, unless it is cut down and the corpse blessed. A zombie will be created 70% of the time, a ghoul 20% of the time, and a wight 10% of the time. (Creepy Creatures Bestiary of the Bizarre)
A humanoid who dies of a bone gorger’s wasting rot and is not given a proper burial rises as a standard ghoul 24 hours after the disease consumes them. (Fat Goblin Travel Guide to Horrible Horrors and Macabre Monsters)
The negative energy surrounding the temple’s demise either brings unholy life to the corpses interred at the temples or draws mindless undead to them. While skeletons and zombies are the most common undead, ghouls, spectres and vampires also lair in deserted temples. (GM's Miscellany: Alternate Dungeons)
A humanoid who dies of ghoul fever rises as a ghoul at the next midnight. A slain humanoid of 4 or more Hit Dice rises as a ghast. (GM's Miscellany: Dungeon Dressing)
Eventually, Hagruk grew old and settled down in Red Talon village, but would still sail forth on occasional raids. One fateful night in a furious storm, his ship struck the reef known as Devil’s Shoulder as he returned to the village. Hagruk and his crew abandoned ship as the galleon started to sink beneath the waves, but they were too slow, and their drowned bodies were washed up on the beach. But the dark power of their cannibal god saved the pirates—Ukre’kon’ala brought some of the crew back from death to unlife as ghouls; Hagruk Stormrider became a ghast. (GM's Miscellany: Village Backdrops III)
A humanoid who dies of ghoul fever rises as a ghoul at the next midnight. A slain humanoid of 4 or more Hit Dice rises as a ghast. (GM's Miscellany: Village Backdrops III)
Dying while infected with Darakhul Fever. (Imperial Gazeteer The Principality of Morgau and Doresh and Realms Subterranean)
A humanoid who dies of an imperial ghoul's ghoul fever rises as a ghoul or darakhul at the next midnight. (Imperial Gazeteer The Principality of Morgau and Doresh and Realms Subterranean)
A humanoid who dies of a legionnaire ghoul's ghoul fever rises as a ghoul or darakhul at the next midnight. (Imperial Gazeteer The Principality of Morgau and Doresh and Realms Subterranean)
A humanoid who dies of an iron ghoul's ghoul fever rises as a ghoul or darakhul at the next midnight. (Imperial Gazeteer The Principality of Morgau and Doresh and Realms Subterranean)
A humanoid who dies of an iron ghoul captain's ghoul fever rises as a ghoul or darakhul at the next midnight. (Imperial Gazeteer The Principality of Morgau and Doresh and Realms Subterranean)
Those who die beneath the surface of Terminus have a much higher chance of spontaneously rising as undead. This may be another side effect of the strange mineral known as nightglass. Wandering skeletons and zombies are common, and those that die of starvation within the bowels of Terminus often rise as ghouls, as do those who practice cannibalism regularly. (Legendary Worlds: Terminus)
The deadwood exerts its foul influence to a radius of 300 feet for every 2 HD of the tree. Any animal, giant, humanoid, or monstrous humanoid corpse within this range that remains in contact with the ground for 1 full round is animated into a zombie or skeleton. Corpses of humanoids with 2 or 3 class levels are instead turned into ghouls, while those with 4 or more class levels are instead turned into ghasts. (Malevolent and Benign)
A ghoul’s bite carries a terrible disease that can rot flesh and dull the reflexes. Those who die from it become a ghoul themselves. (Monster Focus: Ghouls)
A humanoid that dies from ghoul fever rises as a ghoul at the next midnight. Those that possess 4 HD or more instead rise as a ghast. (Monster Focus: Ghouls)
The sickness of vanity that consumed the soul of the fukuranbou now manifests itself as a powerful wasting curse that it can inflict with its claws. Several small villages have been lost to this curse. Victims who die this way sometimes come back from the dead as ghouls. (Monsters of Porphyra)
As a free action once per day per growth point (minimum of 1/day), a mythic nabasu can activate its death-stealing gaze for a full round. All living creatures within 30 feet must succeed on a DC 19 Fortitude save or gain a negative level. A humanoid slain in this manner immediately transforms into a ghoul under the mythic nabasu’s control. A mythic nabasu’s gaze can only create one ghoul per round—if multiple humans perish from the gaze in a round, the mythic nabasu picks which human becomes a ghoul. The save DC is Charisma-based.
Whenever a mythic nabasu creates a ghoul with its gaze attack, it can expend one use of mythic power. If it does, the ghoul that is created is a mythic ghoul. Mythic ghouls created in this way are unstable, and their mythic power fades with time if it is not maintained: each day, the mythic nabasu must expend uses of mythic power each day to maintain the mythic status of ghouls under its control. Each use of mythic power it expends in this way is enough to maintain up to three mythic ghouls. Mythic ghouls that are not maintained become non-mythic ghouls, but remain under the mythic nabasu’s control. (Mythic Mastery Mythic Nabasu and Shadow Demons)
A humanoid who dies of a mythic ghoul's ghoul fever rises as a ghoul at the next midnight. A humanoid of 4 Hit Dice or more rises as a ghast. A humanoid with a mythic rank or mythic tier of 1 or higher rises as a mythic ghoul.
There are several ways for mythic ghouls to come about. A mythic character that succumbs to ghoul fever rises as a mythic ghoul more often than as a normal ghoul, although both outcomes are possible. (Mythic Mastery Mythic Nabasu and Shadow Demons)
A humanoid who dies of ghoul fever rises as a ghoul at the next midnight. A humanoid of 4 Hit Dice or more rises as a ghast. (Mythic Monsters 9: Undead)
Once per day as a full round action, a conqueror worm can expend one use of mythic power to vomit a glob of slime onto ground containing dead humanoid remains (typically a graveyard). One round later, 1d10+8 ghouls and a single mythic ghast emerge from the ground and follow the conqueror worm’s commands unerringly. (Mythic Monsters 23: Worms)
Ghouls roam the countryside in vast numbers, increasing their kind with ghoul fever. (Shadows Over Vathak Ina'oth Gamemaster's Guide)
As citizens turn to cannibalism, new ghouls are born even within the safest walls. (Shadows Over Vathak Ina'oth Gamemaster's Guide)
Cannibalistic undead who can turn the living into one of their kind, ghouls increasingly menace the lands of Ina’oth.
The sweeping plagues that leave behind ravaged towns force desperate survivors to consume one another to stay alive. When these survivors, in turn, succumb to disease or murder, they arise again with an insatiable hunger. The increasing foulness of the Old Ones aids in this transformation and finds fertile ground in plague infested Ina’oth where the ghoul problem is the worst in Vathak. (Shadows Over Vathak Ina'oth Gamemaster's Guide)
Although official church doctrine suggests ghouls are the product of the Old Ones’ interference, few ghouls bend knee to those powers. (Shadows Over Vathak Ina'oth Gamemaster's Guide)
Experts in the occult and undeath, particularly reanimators, believe ghoul fever can arise spontaneously in cases of cannibalism. However, they’ve yet to find a natural explanation for the increasing number, variety, and intelligence of Inaothian ghouls. (Shadows Over Vathak Ina'oth Gamemaster's Guide)
A humanoid who dies of ghoul fever rises as a ghoul at the next midnight; those who become a ghoul in this way retain none of their abilities possessed in life. They are not under the control of other ghouls, but they hunger for the flesh of the living and behave like a normal ghoul in all respects. A humanoid of 4 Hit Dice or more rises as a ghast. (The Book of Metal)
Related to (and possibly the origin of) lesser creatures such as ghouls and ghasts, ghuls are a powerful form of undead caused by starvation after turning to cannibalism and grave robbing. (The Genius Guide to Simple Monster Templates)
A humanoid who dies of ghoul fever rises as a ghoul at the next midnight. (The Tome of Blighted Horrors)
A humanoid slain by either a lurker wraith’s Constitution drain or smother attack becomes a ghoul in 1d4 rounds. A humanoid of 4 Hit Dice or more rises as a ghast, not a ghoul. (Tome of Horrors 4)
A target reduced to 0 Dexterity by the Necromancer's Lethargy curse suffocates, and returns to unlife as a ghoul. (Two Dozen Dangers: Curses)
A victim who dies of a necrowurm's necrotic fever transforms into a ghoul 10 minutes after death (a creature with 4 or more Hit Dice becomes a ghast). (Pathways 18)
To the living, the most frightening aspect of the necrowurm is the disease it carries, a necrotic fever more virulent than ghoul fever, but with the same eventual result. (Pathways 18)
A humanoid who dies of Mallir Halswain's ghoul fever rises as a ghoul at the next midnight. A humanoid of 4 Hit Dice or more rises as a ghast. (Pathways 55)
A humanoid who dies of Paul Malaise's ghoul fever rises as a ghoul at the next midnight. A humanoid of 4 Hit Dice or more rises as a ghast. (Wayfinder 8)
A humanoid who dies of a devourer ghoul's ghoul fever rises as a ghoul at the next midnight. A humanoid of 4 Hit Dice or more rises as a ghast. (Wayfiner 9)
Create Undead spell, caster level 11th or lower. (PRD Bestiary 1)
Animate Ghoul spell. (Monster Focus: Ghouls)
Create Undead spell. (Echelon Reference Series: Clerics (3pp))
Create Undead spell. (Echelon Reference Series: Clerics (PRD Only))
Ghoul Army spell. (Shadows Over Vathak Player's Guide to Vathak)
Raise Undeath spell word. (Book of Magic 10 Undead Spell Words)
Transform Dead spell. (Ultimate Spell Decks: Obsidian Twilight Spell cards (PFRPG))
Transform Zombie spell. (Book of Lost Spells)
Necrotic Arrow feat, Arcane Archer level 7 (Undefeatable 12: Arcane Archer)
Necrotic Arrow feat, Arcane Archer level 7 (Undefeatable: The Collected Feats Sourcebook)
Pitiless Economies feat. (Intrigue Archetypes)
Ghoul Fever disease. (PRD Bestiary 1)
Cursed disease. (Shadows Over Vathak Ina'oth Gamemaster's Guide)
Necrotic fever disease. (Pathways 18)
Ghoulish Apotheosis exalted boon. (Book of the Damned)
Death-stealing Gaze exalted boon. (Book of the Damned)
Ghoul Ghast: A humanoid who dies of ghoul fever rises as a ghoul at the next midnight. A humanoid who becomes a ghoul in this way retains none of the abilities it possessed in life. A humanoid of 4 Hit Dice or more rises as a ghast. (PRD Bestiary 1)
In the Darklands, yet another route to ghoulishness exists—lazurite. This strange, magical ore, thought to be the remnant of a dead god who staggered through the Darklands and left behind black bloodstains upon the caverns of the Cold Hell, appears as a thin black crust where it is exposed. The white veins of rock in which it often forms are known as marrowstone. Lazurite itself exudes a magical radiation that gives off a strong aura of necromancy. Any intact corpse left within a few paces of a significant lazurite deposit for a day is likely to rise as a ghoul or ghast, often retaining any abilities it had in life. (Classic Horrors Revisited)
It should be noted that not all who begin the transformation into ghoul become actual ghouls. Particularly hearty humanoids (often those with racial Hit Dice, or who in life were already gluttons or cannibals by choice) often become ghasts. (Classic Horrors Revisited)
Bugbear, Lizardfolk, Troglodyte: These races always spawn into ghasts. (Classic Horrors Revisited)
A humanoid who dies of Kortash Khain's ghoul fever rises as a ghoul at the next midnight; a humanoid with 4 Hit Dice or more rises as a ghast. (Mythic Realms)
The first ghouls were humans who rose as undead because they had indulged in unwholesome pleasures in life. The original ghasts rose as undead for similar reasons, but their sins were of vaster scale. A man who broke a taboo by consuming dead bodies to avoid starvation might rise as a ghoul, but a man who murdered his wife and children, then cooked them up as a delicious meal for himself and his mistress would instead rise as a ghast. (Advanced Bestiary)
A humanoid who dies of ghoul fever rises as a ghoul at the next midnight. A humanoid of 4 Hit Dice or more rises as a ghast. (Atarashia – A Gazeteer)
A humanoid of 4 Hit Dice or more who dies from ghoul fever rises as a ghast. (Borderland Provinces - Pathfinder)
A humanoid who dies of ghoul fever rises as a ghoul at the next midnight. A slain humanoid of 4 or more Hit Dice rises as a ghast. (Campaign Backdrops: Caves and Caverns)
A humanoid who dies of ghoul fever rises as a ghoul (or ghast if it had more than 4 HD) at the next midnight. (Campaign Backdrops: Forests & Woodlands)
A humanoid who dies of ghoul fever rises as a ghoul at the next midnight. A slain humanoid of 4 or more Hit Dice rises as a ghast. (Campaign Backdrops: Hills & Mountains)
After three zombies are slain, the remaining creatures receive a burst of power from the pillars, and are transformed into ghasts. (GM's Miscellany: Dungeon Dressing)
A humanoid who dies of ghoul fever rises as a ghoul at the next midnight. A slain humanoid of 4 or more Hit Dice rises as a ghast. (GM's Miscellany: Dungeon Dressing)
A humanoid who dies of ghoul fever rises as a ghoul at the next midnight. A slain humanoid of 4 or more Hit Dice rises as a ghast. (GM's Miscellany: Village Backdrops III)
The deadwood exerts its foul influence to a radius of 300 feet for every 2 HD of the tree. Any animal, giant, humanoid, or monstrous humanoid corpse within this range that remains in contact with the ground for 1 full round is animated into a zombie or skeleton. Corpses of humanoids with 2 or 3 class levels are instead turned into ghouls, while those with 4 or more class levels are instead turned into ghasts. (Malevolent and Benign)
A humanoid that dies from ghoul fever rises as a ghoul at the next midnight. Those that possess 4 HD or more instead rise as a ghast. (Monster Focus: Ghouls)
A humanoid who dies of a mythic ghoul's ghoul fever rises as a ghoul at the next midnight. A humanoid of 4 Hit Dice or more rises as a ghast. A humanoid with a mythic rank or mythic tier of 1 or higher rises as a mythic ghoul. (Mythic Mastery Mythic Nabasu and Shadow Demons)
A humanoid who dies of ghoul fever rises as a ghoul at the next midnight. A humanoid of 4 Hit Dice or more rises as a ghast. (Mythic Monsters 9: Undead)
Creatures killed by a conqueror worm's slime, or killed while suffering damage from the slime, are immediately transformed into an undead creature under the conqueror worm’s control. A humanoid who becomes undead in this way retains none of the abilities it possessed in life.
A humanoid of less than 3 Hit Dice rises as a ghast.
A humanoid of 3–9 Hit Dice rises as a wight.
A humanoid of 10 HD or more rises as a morhg.
There is no limit to the number of undead a conqueror worm can create with its slime. (Mythic Monsters 23: Worms)
A humanoid who dies of ghoul fever rises as a ghoul at the next midnight; those who become a ghoul in this way retain none of their abilities possessed in life. They are not under the control of other ghouls, but they hunger for the flesh of the living and behave like a normal ghoul in all respects. A humanoid of 4 Hit Dice or more rises as a ghast. (The Book of Metal)
Related to (and possibly the origin of) lesser creatures such as ghouls and ghasts, ghuls are a powerful form of undead caused by starvation after turning to cannibalism and grave robbing. (The Genius Guide to Simple Monster Templates)
A creature killed while under the effects of a ghul's exhalation of death becomes a ghast (if humanoid) or zombie (if not humanoid) if it had 5 or fewer Hit Dice, and a ghul if it had 6 or more. It rises in undeath 1d6 hours after being slain. A remove curse, neutralize poison, or similar spell cast on its body during this incubation period might prevent the corpse from becoming undead. The caster of such a spell must make a caster level check (DC 10 + HD of ghul that affected the target with exhalation of death), and on a successful check the corpse does not become an undead. (The Genius Guide to Simple Monster Templates)
A humanoid of 4 Hit Dice or more who dies from ghoul fever rises as a ghast. (The Tome of Blighted Horrors)
A humanoid slain by either a lurker wraith’s Constitution drain or smother attack becomes a ghoul in 1d4 rounds. A humanoid of 4 Hit Dice or more rises as a ghast, not a ghoul. (Tome of Horrors 4)
A victim who dies of a necrowurm's necrotic fever transforms into a ghoul 10 minutes after death (a creature with 4 or more Hit Dice becomes a ghast). (Pathways 18)
To the living, the most frightening aspect of the necrowurm is the disease it carries, a necrotic fever more virulent than ghoul fever, but with the same eventual result. (Pathways 18)
Eaters of the dead that hunger for the living, the first ghouls were the undead remains of humans who had, in life, indulged in unwholesome pleasures, such as cannibalism or necrophilia. (Advanced Bestiary)
A humanoid who dies of Mallir Halswain's ghoul fever rises as a ghoul at the next midnight. A humanoid of 4 Hit Dice or more rises as a ghast. (Pathways 55)
A humanoid who dies of Paul Malaise's ghoul fever rises as a ghoul at the next midnight. A humanoid of 4 Hit Dice or more rises as a ghast. (Wayfinder 8)
A humanoid who dies of a devourer ghoul's ghoul fever rises as a ghoul at the next midnight. A humanoid of 4 Hit Dice or more rises as a ghast. (Wayfinder 9)
Create Undead spell, caster level 12th to 14th. (PRD Bestiary 1)
Create Undead spell. (Echelon Reference Series: Clerics (3pp))
Create Undead spell. (Echelon Reference Series: Clerics (PRD Only))
Ghoul Army spell. (Shadows Over Vathak Player's Guide to Vathak)
Raise Undeath spell word, caster level 12th or higher. (Book of Magic 10 Undead Spell Words)
Necrotic Arrow feat, Arcane Archer level 9 (Undefeatable 12: Arcane Archer)
Necrotic Arrow feat, Arcane Archer level 9 (Undefeatable: The Collected Feats Sourcebook)
Ghast Tooth alchemical item. (Monster Focus: Ghouls)
Ghoul Fever disease. (PRD Bestiary 1)
Cursed disease. (Shadows Over Vathak Ina'oth Gamemaster's Guide)
Necrotic Fever disease (Pathways 18)
Undertaker sentinel boon. (Book of the Damned)
Ghoul Lacedon: Lacedons are another variant, ghouls who rise from the bodies of starving humanoids who died from drowning, often as a result of a shipwreck. (Classic Horrors Revisited)
Boggard, Merfolk: These races always spawn into lacedons. (Classic Horrors Revisited)
Any humanoid killed by a cihuateotl's energy drain ability rises as a lacedon under her control in 1d3 rounds. (Cerulean Seas beasts of the Boundless Blue)
Creatures reduced to 0 levels by a toothwraith emerge as lacedons (aquatic ghouls) at the next high tide. (Monster Menagerie Oceans of Blood)
The Great Whale is indeed big enough to accommodate people living inside it, and these unwelcome squatters live within the rear parts of the vast whale’s mouth, dwelling in safe havens they have fashioned into crude fleshy dwellings that form air pockets whilst the whale is beneath the sea. They are not alone. So vast is the thing that lacedons — the undead remains of sailors who have lived and died here — also dwell within it. (The Blight - Pathfinder)
Lich: The pinnacle of necromantic art, the lich is a spellcaster who has chosen to shed his life as a method to cheat death by becoming undead. While many who reach such heights of power stop at nothing to achieve immortality, the idea of becoming a lich is abhorrent to most creatures. The process involves the extraction of the spellcaster's life-force and its imprisonment in a specially prepared phylactery—the spellcaster gives up life, but in trapping life he also traps his death, and as long as his phylactery remains intact he can continue on in his research and work without fear of the passage of time. (PRD Bestiary 1)
The quest to become a lich is a lengthy one. While construction of the magical phylactery to contain the spellcaster's soul is a critical component, a prospective lich must also learn the secrets of transferring his soul into the receptacle and of preparing his body for the transformation into undeath, neither of which are simple tasks. Further complicating the ritual is the fact that no two bodies or souls are exactly alike—a ritual that works for one spellcaster might simply kill another or drive him insane. The exact methods for each spellcaster's transformation are left to the GM's discretion, but should involve expenditures of hundreds of thousands of gold pieces, numerous deadly adventures, and a large number of difficult skill checks over the course of months, years, or decades. (PRD Bestiary 1)
An integral part of becoming a lich is the creation of the phylactery in which the character stores his soul. The only way to get rid of a lich for sure is to destroy its phylactery. (PRD Bestiary 1)
Each lich must create its own phylactery by using the Craft Woundrous Item feat. The character must be able to cast spells and have a caster level of 11th or higher. The phylactery costs 120,000 gp to create and has a caster level equal to that of its creator at the time of creation. (PRD Bestiary 1)
The most common form of phylactery is a sealed metal box containing strips of parchment on which magical phrases have been transcribed. The box is Tiny and has 40 hit points, hardness 20, and a break DC of 40. (PRD Bestiary 1)
Other forms of phylacteries can exist, such as rings, amulets, or similar items. (PRD Bestiary 1)
"Lich" is an acquired template that can be added to any living creature, provided it can create the required phylactery. (PRD Bestiary 1)
Powerful spellcasters who bind their souls into valuable artifacts called phylacteries. (Undead Revisited)
Liches are spellcasters who bind their souls into special receptacles called phylacteries. (Undead Revisited)
Drawing on the powers of their faith or dark knowledge, the greatest spellcasters of the world transcend the boundaries of life through mysterious techniques unknown to the living. (Undead Revisited)
One does not become a lich by accident or stumble into this form of undeath through misadventure. A lich is not a puppet, a blood-mad monster, or an accident of rage or despair. The lich is instead a creature of design and ultimate will, carefully and rationally planning its transition from life into undead immortality. (Undead Revisited)
It is not merely force of will that propels one to lichdom, nor is it the simple desire to avoid death, though these are certainly factors in the mindset of the would-be lich. Instead, those who would follow the path of the undying mind must seek out tomes of forbidden magic and lost lore. Though the initiates might not be evil when they begin, the process under which they become liches drives them slowly into the arms of corruption—the focus they must develop drives out all other concerns, including the civilized needs of friendship and love. (Undead Revisited)
The final and most important aspect of a lich’s transformation involves creating a new home for its soul called a phylactery—this is often something strong and impressive, such as a gem or box of unparalleled quality, though almost any object can serve. (Undead Revisited)
Liches, the twisted spellcasters who lock away their souls so death may never claim them. (Undead Revisited)
To the priesthood of Orcus, the lich is generally held as the height of power and the most glorious method of transcending life, not only due to the power a lich wields but also due to the simple fact that one must actually work to become a lich. Transforming into a lich requires patience, power, skill, and talent, and worshipers of Orcus often regard those undead spawned merely from being transformed by another undead creature via disease or otherwise as lesser incarnations of the undead state of being. (Book of the Damned)
Among humanity, Yhidothrus’s cultists are typically loners obsessed with the encroaching threat of old age; desperate to avoid their fate, these few turn to blasphemy and demon worship as a means of escape. Many become liches as a result of their obsession—a Yhidothrin lich typically appears worm-eaten and moist compared to the typical specimen of that kind of undead. (Book of the Damned)
The pinnacle of necromantic art, the lich is a spellcaster who has chosen to shed his life as a method to cheat death by becoming undead. While many who reach such heights of power stop at nothing to achieve immortality, the idea of becoming a lich is abhorrent to most creatures. The process involves the extraction of the spellcaster’s life‐force and its imprisonment in a specially prepared phylactery—the spellcaster gives up life, but in trapping life he also traps his death. (100% Crunch Liches)
The quest to become a lich is a lengthy one. While construction of the magical phylactery to contain the spellcaster’s soul is a critical component, a prospective lich must also learn the secrets of transferring his soul into the receptacle and of preparing his body for the transformation into undeath, neither of which are simple tasks. Further complicating the ritual is the fact that no two bodies or souls are exactly alike—a ritual that works for one spellcaster might simply kill another or drive him insane. The exact methods for each spellcaster’s transformation are left to the GM’s discretion, but should involve expenditures of hundreds of thousands of gold pieces, numerous deadly adventures, and a large number of difficult skill checks over the course of months, years, or decades. (100% Crunch Liches)
An integral part of becoming a lich is the creation of the phylactery in which the character stores his soul. (100% Crunch Liches)
Each lich must create its own phylactery by using the Craft Wondrous Item feat. The character must be able to cast spells and have a caster level of 11th or higher. The phylactery costs 120,000 gp to create and has a caster level equal to that of its creator at the time of creation. (100% Crunch Liches)
“Lich” is an acquired template that can be added to any living creature, provided it can create the required phylactery. (100% Crunch Liches)
The procedure for attaining lichdom is perilous indeed, and those incautious fools who dabble in the black arts are at risk of major mishap when they attempt to circumvent the natural order. Flayed men are created whenever a mortal seeks to transcend death and become a lich, but fails to attain the proper ingredients or is otherwise interrupted while in the midst of the ritual. (Freeport Companion Pathfinder RPG Edition)
In the end, though, she fights to the death, hoping perhaps her necromantic pursuits and experimentations will see her resurrected into the lich form she’s long sought. (GM's Miscellany: Places of Power II)
If Erlgamm is killed during the PCs’ stay, she could transform into a lich thanks to her many years of necromantic experiments. (GM's Miscellany: Places of Power II)
Some of her southerner worshipers, however, look to her as a goddess who can give them life beyond death, forestalling the great bane of mortality. While this state of affairs does not necessarily sit well with the Mistress of the Grave, the benefits she reaps in converts is well worth the ideological sacrifice of allowing some few of her faithful the selfish indulgence of undead existence for a few centuries. For every one who learns the secrets of lichdom or vampirism, for instance, scores or even hundreds look to the example of the few and believe, in vain, that they, too, might know such power. (Rhune Dawn of Twilight Campaign Guide)
Any creature suffering from a negative level inflicted by the hammer of the unworthy when it dies immediately rises as Belial’s choice of a ghost, a lich, or a vampire. In the case of a lich, it treats the hammer of the unworthy as its phylactery. If a creature that would rise as an undead as a result of this ability would also return to life as a pit fiend as a result of the edge of the forsaken’s ability, that creature becomes a pit fiend with the chosen template. (The Deluxe Guide to Fiend Summoning and Faustian Bargains)
Lich Human Necromancer 11: ?
Mohrg: Those who slay many over the course of their lifetimes, be they serial killers, mass-murderers, warmongering soldiers, or battle-driven berserkers, become marked and tainted by the sheer weight of their murderous deeds. When such killers are brought to justice and publicly executed for their heinous crimes before they have a chance to atone, the remains sometimes return to unlife to continue their dark work as a mohrg. (PRD Bestiary 1)
The spirits of serial killers and those who exult in the taking of life. (Undead Revisited)
Those who exult in the needless taking of life sometimes return to the world after death as mohrgs. (Undead Revisited)
Some mohrgs were bloodthirsty warriors who slew as many as they could on the battlefield, others cold and calculating murders who selected their victims with delicate care, but nearly all mohrgs lived and died as mortal humanoids who delighted in the deaths of their fellow beings. A few mohrgs, however, are created from the remains of innocents by spellcasters (using the create undead spell), who are driven mad by being deprived of a peaceful death and then watching the transformation and slow decay of their own bodies. (Undead Revisited)
There are two means of becoming a mohrg: by spell or by deed. A dead creature subject to a create undead spell might find herself transformed into a mohrg. Likewise, a humanoid who has killed many over the course of his life—or even just a few, if he is particularly unrepentant about the lives he’s taken—could awaken to discover that he has not yet passed to the afterlife, but arisen to undeath. (Undead Revisited)
A mohrg is as much a product of the method of its execution as it is an undead manifestation of one who, in life, was a murderous criminal or warmonger. At times, unusual methods of execution can trigger equally unusual mohrgs. The extreme nature of these executions are such that these variant mohrgs are only rarely created by accident—more often, they are deliberate creations by officials who themselves dabble in necromancy and may in fact be as vile as those they put to death. (Undead Revisited)
Once per day, a mohrg-mother can choose to animate a recently slain victim as another mohrg instead of as a fast zombie. (Undead Revisited)
Sages’ opinions differ on the origins of mohrgs, and on the specific conditions that result in the existence of individual specimens of their undead type. One prevailing theory among those who study the unliving maintains that Urgathoa selects a number of the darkest souls awaiting sorting and judgment by Pharasma and takes them as her due, corrupting them with a touch and returning them to the world to spread the seed of undeath in an inexorable plague over the Material Plane. While some claim that the souls that become mohrgs are so abhorrent that the Lady of Graves actually rejects them, wiser heads understand that such is not the nature of Pharasma’s judgment, and suspect that it’s either the work of the Pallid Princess or some terrible process that occurs before the souls ever leave their corpses (as is the case with many other forms of undead). (Undead Revisited)
All mohrgs have been cursed into their condition—either by the gods or by a spellcaster. (Undead Revisited)
Mohrgs, the undead murders who rise after death to stalk the streets. (Undead Revisited)
Those who die beneath the surface of Terminus have a much higher chance of spontaneously rising as undead. This may be another side effect of the strange mineral known as nightglass. Wandering skeletons and zombies are common, and those that die of starvation within the bowels of Terminus often rise as ghouls, as do those who practice cannibalism regularly. The most vicious and violent of prisoners have been known to return as mohrgs. (Legendary Worlds: Terminus)
Creatures killed by a conqueror worm's slime, or killed while suffering damage from the slime, are immediately transformed into an undead creature under the conqueror worm’s control. A humanoid who becomes undead in this way retains none of the abilities it possessed in life.
A humanoid of less than 3 Hit Dice rises as a ghast.
A humanoid of 3–9 Hit Dice rises as a wight.
A humanoid of 10 HD or more rises as a morhg.
There is no limit to the number of undead a conqueror worm can create with its slime. (Mythic Monsters 23: Worms)
Ornamie Elias Hogg (1722–?), city’s longest-serving Watch Inspector. Disappeared Chill 17th, 1772, while chasing Jonas Long-Tongue, the feared mohrg assassin capable of infecting his victims with his own form. (The Blight - Pathfinder)
Create Undead spell, caster level 18th or higher. (PRD Bestiary 1)
Create Undead spell. (Echelon Reference Series: Clerics (3pp))
Create Undead spell. (Echelon Reference Series: Clerics (PRD Only))
Raise Undeath spell word, caster level 18th or higher. (Book of Magic 10 Undead Spell Words)
Mummy: Mummies are created through a rather lengthy and gruesome embalming process, during which all of the body's major organs are removed and replaced with dried herbs and flowers. After this process, the flesh is anointed with sacred oils and wrapped in purified linens. The creator then finishes the ritual with a create undead spell. (PRD Bestiary 1)
Although most mummies are created merely as guardians and remain loyal to their charge until their destruction, certain powerful mummies have much more free will. The majority are at least 10th-level clerics, and are often kings or pharaohs who have called upon dark gods or sinister necromancers to bind their souls to their bodies after death—usually as a means to extend their rule beyond the grave, but at times simply to escape what they fear will be an eternity of torment in their own afterlife. (Classic Horrors Revisited)
Like all sentient undead, mummies possess a chthonic vice, one that proves so powerful that it might stretch beyond the veil of natural death. In this case: covetousness. This might seem like a strange distinction, for what undead creature is not possessed by powers or obsessions that act beyond death? Yet in numerous cases involving mummies, the uncovered corpses were not animate upon discovery. No mere trickery, in such situations not only were the remains not animate, but they were not undead before being disturbed. Although research into dark lore reveals that mummies might be created through necromantic magics, those that spontaneously manifest do so as a result of some outside influence—typically the desecration of a burial place, violation of physical remains, or conveyance of some terrible revelation. As such, the attachment between a departed soul and its immortally coveted remains, possessions, or—most intriguingly—philosophies proves so strong that the undermining of these fundaments draws the spirit back across the gulf of mortality to defend that from which its life and death took meaning. (Classic Horrors Revisited)
What might provoke a mummy’s resurrection varies widely, though cultural generalities exist. The most important requisite appears to be a lifelong preoccupation with death, typically held by an individual and compounded by his society. Populations who believe in the finality of death or the dissolution of the mortal spirit rarely produce mummies. Even believers in more traditional myths of the afterlife and the one-way progression of souls to a final reward or punishment infrequently breed such horrors. Those societies who tie their eternal rewards to the state of their physical remains or other monuments to their lives and believe that departed spirits might return to interact with the living unwittingly inflict a self-fulfilling curse upon themselves. Should one spend an entire life convinced that death does not sever his connection to the mortal realm, a belief compounded by his survivors who seek to elaborately placate his spirit, events that compromise the individual’s interests in the living world make it possible for the soul to return to seek retribution.
Aside from mummies obsessed with their past lives, a second classification exists: the cursed. Not drawn back to the world by their own vices, these beings have their undead state forced upon them. In the most basic form, necromantic magics empower a corpse with the traits of a mummy, granting such a creature the abilities of such ancient dead but without the fanaticism that make the most legendary examples so deadly. These creatures prove hate-filled but bestial, knowing only the will to destroy and the whims of their masters. Other cursed mummies typically spawn from excruciating deaths, curses of immortal suffering, and the wrath of ancient deities. (Classic Horrors Revisited)
While mummies notoriously haunt the hidden pyramids and buried necropolises of ancient cultures, such locations are not requisite to their resurrection. Most mummies created by powers other than foul magic possess connections to their resting places, perceiving such places as sanctuaries or prisons granted to them by their descendants. The form of such places means little; it is the spiritual connection and the importance the deceased places on such locations that hold significance. Thus, mummies are just as likely to rise from hidden barrow mounds, ancient catacombs, or acres of holy mud as from more majestic tombs. That being said, cultures that place such importance on the dead as to monumentalize the resting places of the deceased predispose themselves to the curse of mummies. (Classic Horrors Revisited)
Not just any corpse can spontaneously manifest as a mummy GMs interested in creating mummies resurrected “naturally” (rather than by spells like create undead) should consider the passion and force of will of the would-be mummy. By and large, a corpse should be of a creature with a Charisma of 15 or higher and possessing at least 8 Hit Dice. In addition, it should have a reason for caring about the eternal sanctity of its remains in excess of normal mortal concern. As such, priests of deities with the Death or Repose domains, heroes expecting a champion’s burial, lords of cultures preoccupied with the afterlife, or individuals otherwise obsessed with death or their worldly possessions all make suitable candidates for resurrection as mummies—though countless other potential reasons for resurrection exist. (Classic Horrors Revisited)
Created to guard the tombs of the honored dead. (Beginner's Box)
Made from a desiccated and preserved corpse, wrapped in sacred bandages, this undead creature is known as a mummy. (Monster Focus: Mummies)
Although the majority of mummies are created through special ritual, some arise spontaneously, usually based on the location of their death. If such a location—be it bog or arid desert—has sufficient latent necromantic auras, the person who died there may rise as a mummy. (Southlands Campaign Setting)
Some cult members request burial in a particular way and involving a special ceremony that echoes that used to create mummies. The cults regard this method of burial (always while still living) as a way to immortality. (Southlands Campaign Setting)
Some orders and religions believe that the mummy is created to watch over her reincarnated kin and that they animate when they are called by those kin, often subliminally and sometimes centuries later. These mummies seek out their kin to protect them from harm—often something the kinsman is totally unaware of and may be horrified by. In darker cases, the mummy sees in that person the image of a dead lover and wishes to rekindle that love once more.
Rarely, some mummies are created either through a voluntary death pact between lovers because the pair wish to continue even into undeath, or through two lovers who are forced as a punishment to endure rebirth as undead. (Southlands Campaign Setting)
Create Undead spell, caster level 15th to 17th. (PRD Bestiary 1)
Create Undead spell. (Echelon Reference Series: Clerics (3pp))
Create Undead spell. (Echelon Reference Series: Clerics (PRD Only))
Raise Undeath spell word, caster level 15th or higher. (Book of Magic 10 Undead Spell Words)
Shadow: A humanoid creature killed by a shadow's Strength damage becomes a shadow under the control of its killer in 1d4 rounds. (PRD Bestiary 1)
Greedy spirits whose own mean-spirited miserliness shrinks their souls, bringing them back after death as some of the most despicable undead monstrosities. (Undead Revisited)
Not even the grave can stop the greed of some people. Driven by envy and covetousness, those misers and thieves led to evil by their avaricious natures sometimes fade away or return after death as shadows, dark reflections of their former selves. (Undead Revisited)
Rampant covetousness and grasping greed lead some people down the dark path of evil and betrayal, eventually ending in a reprehensible death scene or a lonely expiration. While most such petty and despicable souls travel on to their final rewards the same way everyone else does, in some cases gluttons, misers, and thieves waste away into nothing but shadows—undead things that reach and grab, but cannot hold. (Undead Revisited)
As the victim of a shadow’s touch expires, its own shadow detaches from the corpse, taking on the same half-life as its killer. (Undead Revisited)
On their own, shadows arise from the souls of greedy but lackluster evildoers—those whose crimes are heinous, but who lack the rage of a spectre or the exultation in evil often found in wraiths. The bandit who unemotionally slits her victims’ throats because it’s convenient, the petty diplomat who orders a witch burning to cover up his adulterous affair, and the miserly headmaster who lets orphans starve to save a few coppers all make good candidates for becoming shadows. Yet while such spontaneous transformations do occur, the vast majority of shadows are instead created by magic. Necromancers have long seen the value of relatively weak, pliable, and unambitious undead servants—especially incorporeal ones—and most shadows currently in existence were originally called to undeath by the spell create undead (or else by the life-draining attacks of other shadows created in this manner). (Undead Revisited)
Death at the hands of a shadow means becoming one. (Undead Revisited)
Also fortunate for the living is that although shadows can and sometimes do drain energy from animals or even vermin found in their lairs, only humanoid creatures that fall victim to their touch become shadows themselves. This is because of the nature of the humanoid spirit or soul and the magical similarity between the shadow and its prey. (Undead Revisited)
Years ago, a young noblewoman lost in the woodlands beheld a holy vision on a hilltop and founded a small abbey there, whose sisterhood cared for all lost souls who came to its doors. Their kindness proved their undoing when a lost mercenary unit took advantage of their hospitality, only to rob and set fire to the abbey’s great hall with the sisters trapped inside. But the shadows that danced in the hellish light of the flames visited upon the soldiers all of the pain they had inflicted, and left none alive. (Undead Revisited)
Historically, it’s known that the runelords of ancient Thassilon sometimes employed shadows, taking those traitors or servants who displeased the runelords and ripping their shadows away, killing these mortal subjects and turning their shadows into phantasmal servitors and spies capable of serving for eternity. These shadows subsisted on the life force of their victims, in turn stealing the victims’ shadows to create new servitors for their vile masters. While the records are unclear about which runelord was the first to harness the undead in this manor, various reports cite Zutha (Runelord of Gluttony, and a powerful necromancer), Belimarius (Runelord of Envy), and Karzoug (Runelord of Greed), and many of the lesser necromancers in the empire embraced the practice as well. (Undead Revisited)
Shadows were well known in ancient Osirion as well—drawings and hieroglyphs concerning them decorate ancient tombs buried in the desert. Many of those same tombs are haunted by hungry shadows, awaiting tomb-robbers and explorers. Some of these shadows are guardians and protectors against those who would defile the dead, who owe their horrible existences to decadent nobles who commanded that their retinues be entombed alive with them. In other tombs, however, the resident shadows are the soul-shells of greedy and grasping pharaohs and viziers, unable to let go of what they held in life and determined to guard it forever after death. Either way, the result is the same for unfortunate tomb-raiders and archaeologists. (Undead Revisited)
While undead in general are the work of Urgathoa, shadows are often also associated with Norgorber, the god of greed, secrecy, and murder. Indeed, some worshipers of Norgorber refer to shadows as “emissaries of the Gray Master” or “Blackfinger’s claws,” and believe the god takes the shadows of the faithful after death and makes them his proxies in the mortal world, infused with a measure of his killing power. (Undead Revisited)
Any creature that is drained to 0 Strength by the Risen Lord dies. One round later, the creature’s body spawns a shadow (if the creature had 8 or fewer Hit Dice) or a greater shadow (if the creature had 9 Hit Dice or more). (Undead Revisited)
Shadows, those souls too covetous and miserly to relinquish their grasp on life. (Undead Revisited)
Little more than impressions of wickedness, shadows are the souls of petty villains too fearful of their eternal punishments to pass on to the outer planes, yet too weak-willed to manifest as greater undead. (Classic Horrors Revisited)
As the uprising gathers strength, the unquiet souls of bodies long since turned to dust awaken as well. Ghosts, shadows, wraiths, and even spectres arise to prey upon the living. (Game Mastery Guide)
The dread greater shadow creature’s create spawn ability creates only shadows, greater shadows, and dread shadows. (Advanced Bestiary)
A creature killed by a shadow’s incorporeal touch becomes a shadow under the control of its killer in 1d4 rounds. (Book of Beasts Monsters of the Shadow Plane)
The vengeful Ankehaton slew two of his killers, turning them into 2 shadows. (Mountains of Madness)
This weapon’s dark origins were steeped in blood; foul necromantic rituals gave it the power to tear forth the souls of men, turning them into ghostly specters that hungered for the living. (Treasure of NeoExodus: Claw of Xon)
Then, testing a new process using his disturbing necromantic magic, he extracted the iron from the blood of hundreds of slaves and prisoners to forge a new weapon for his new general, befitting his power. Weaving even darker and fouler magic into this weapon he imparted it the power to not just tear flesh and pulp bone, but also rend the very soul from a body to serve the weapon’s wielder before passing on. (Treasure of NeoExodus: Claw of Xon)
Create Greater Undead spell, caster level 15th or lower.
Animate Shadow spell. (Echelon Reference Series: Clerics (3pp))
Create Greater Undead spell. (Echelon Reference Series: Clerics (3pp))
Create Greater Undead spell. (Echelon Reference Series: Clerics (PRD Only))
Raise Undeath spell word, boosted. (Book of Magic 10 Undead Spell Words)
Spawn of the Shadows feat. (Undefeatable 20: Shadowdancer)
Spawn of the Shadows feat. (Undefeatable: The Collected Feats Sourcebook)
Cursed disease. (Shadows Over Vathak Ina'oth Gamemaster's Guide)
Shadow Greater: Greater shadows are those undead shadows that have come to be particularly infused with negative energy, such as those that have spent vast lengths of time in areas of the Plane of Shadow awash in negative energy, or those that have drained the lives of thousands of victims. (PRD Bestiary 1)
A shadow that has fed on the lives of many victims, or that dwells long enough in a place suffused with sufficient negative energies, may grow in power, becoming a greater shadow. (Undead Revisited)
Any creature that is drained to 0 Strength by the Risen Lord dies. One round later, the creature’s body spawns a shadow (if the creature had 8 or fewer Hit Dice) or a greater shadow (if the creature had 9 Hit Dice or more). (Undead Revisited)
Greater shadows are those undead shadows that have come to be particularly infused with negative energy, such as those that have spent vast lengths of time in areas of the Plane of Shadow awash in negative energy, or those that have drained the lives of thousands of victims. (Advanced Bestiary)
The dread greater shadow creature’s create spawn ability creates only shadows, greater shadows, and dread shadows. (Advanced Bestiary)
If a creature is slain by a shadow of the void’s blightfire, icy fragments of the creature remain and it rises as a greater shadow. (Book of Beasts Legendary Foes)
A living creature slain by a shadow of the void becomes a greater shadow in 1d4 rounds. (Book of Beasts Legendary Foes)
At first glance, it appears that the skeleton resting atop the larger slab was an unfortunate soul who died at an inopportune time. However, further inspection reveals that the person was in fact alive for at least part of the procedure. A successful DC 20 Perception check reveals portions of his fingernails embedded into the stone surface and deep scratches on the bones corresponding with the fingertips. The skeleton belongs to Ankehaton, the only priest who refused to turn his back on Aten and worship Ahriman, the wicked lord of the divs. Atumshutsep and four other clerics horrifically murdered their fellow priest, but the ghastly act and the presence of a dark entity infused Ankehaton’s soul with evil and rage. His spirit survived and transformed into a greater shadow. (Mountains of Madness)
Create Greater Undead spell, caster level 19 with Shadow Walk spell. (Undead Revisited)
Raise Undeath spell word, boosted, caster level 20th or higher. (Book of Magic 10 Undead Spell Words)
Skeletal Champion: "Skeletal Champion" is an acquired template that can be added to any corporeal creature (other than an undead) that has a skeletal system and a minimum Intelligence of 3. (PRD Bestiary 1)
A skeletal champion cannot be created with animate dead—these potent undead only arise under rare conditions similar to those that cause the manifestation of ghosts or via rare and highly evil rituals. (PRD Bestiary 1)
Any creature that dies within 60 feet of a saxra must succeed at a DC 30 Will save or rise as a skeleton (or skeletal champion if it has an Intelligence score of 3 or more) in 1d4 rounds. (Bestiary 5)
As the uprising progresses, older and older corpses join the shambling ranks of the undead. Skeletons wearing traces of long-rotted funeral garb claw their way out of graveyards and crypts, and act with a malevolence and organization rarely encountered among their ilk. The undead remain mindless, but the magical power behind the incursion gives them the efficiency and tactical acumen of a living army. The skeletons seek out weapons and armor to gird themselves for battle. Elite skeletal champions lead the troops, wielding magic items scavenged from abandoned graves. (Game Mastery Guide)
While most skeletons are mindless automatons, some skeletons retain their intelligence and cunning, making them formidable warriors. (100% Crunch Skeletal Champions)
“Skeletal Champion” is an acquired template that can be added to any corporeal creature (other than an undead) that has a skeletal system and a minimum Intelligence of 3. (100% Crunch Skeletal Champions)
Create Undead spell, caster level 11 with Enervation or Energy Drain spell. (Undead Revisited)
Revenancer's Rage spell. (Gothic Grimoires To Serve a Prince Undying)
Raise Undeath spell word. (Book of Magic 10 Undead Spell Words)
Skeletal Champion Human Warrior 1: ?
Skeleton: Skeletons are the animated bones of the dead, brought to unlife through foul magic. (PRD Bestiary 1)
"Skeleton" is an acquired template that can be added to any corporeal creature (other than an undead) that has a skeletal system. (PRD Bestiary 1)
Any creature that dies within 60 feet of a saxra must succeed at a DC 30 Will save or rise as a skeleton (or skeletal champion if it has an Intelligence score of 3 or more) in 1d4 rounds. (Bestiary 5)
Dead bodies animated through foul necromantic rituals. (Classic Horrors Revisited)
The walking dead normally serve as the simple tools of evil priests and wizards who have animated cadavers through the use of spells such as animate dead. While most skeletons and zombies are the products of such necromantic magics, other methods of creating the walking dead have been recorded. Rare alchemical concoctions can rot the flesh or melt it from bone, and give the corpse some semblance of life. Certain powerful curses can also cause a person to rise as a zombie upon death, often to take revenge on those still living. (Classic Horrors Revisited)
However, skeletons and zombies have also been known to arise spontaneously, usually as a result of another powerful undead creature nearby. Certain areas with a strong necromantic aura or a history of killing—such as battlefields and long-forgotten sacrificial altars—or places where a significant number of people have died violently, as with a mass grave or the sites of massacre, can spontaneously produce the living dead as well. (Classic Horrors Revisited)
Occasionally, a large mixed group of skeletons or zombies spontaneously arises, usually at the site of a particularly bloody battle or other scene of carnage. (Classic Horrors Revisited)
Skeletons are the animated bones of the dead, brought to unlife through foul magic. While they are mindless automatons, the magic that created them gave them evil cunning and an instinctive hatred of the living. (Beginner's Box)
To Orcus cultists, even mindless undead like skeletons and zombies are “purer” forms of undeath than ghosts, ghouls, and vampires, for as mindless as skeletons and zombies are, they exist only as a result of a necromancer’s skill at magic. (Book of the Damned)
As the uprising progresses, older and older corpses join the shambling ranks of the undead. Skeletons wearing traces of long-rotted funeral garb claw their way out of graveyards and crypts, and act with a malevolence and organization rarely encountered among their ilk. (Game Mastery Guide)
Skeletons are the animated bones of the dead, brought to unlife through foul magic. (100% Crunch Skeletal Champions)
Skeletons are the animated bones of the dead, brought to unlife through foul magic. (100% Crunch Skeletons)
“Skeleton” is an acquired template that can be added to any corporeal creature that has a skeletal system. (100% Crunch Skeletons)
Skeletons are normally created with animate dead. Of course, wizards and priests both have access to the animate dead spell, and depending on their power may animate any kind of creature (assuming they have its skeleton). Devourers (Bestiary 1), night hag covens (Bestiary 1), sepids (div) (Bestiary 3) and thanadaemons (Bestiary 2) are extraplanar creatures with animate dead as a spell‐like ability. Such creatures could easily scour the sites of battles on the fiendish planes, and animate the dead bodies of celestials and fiends. Material Plane creatures with the animate dead spell‐like ability include hag covens (PRD Bestiary 1), pukwudgies (Bestiary 3), tzitzimitl (Bestiary 3) and zuvembies (Bestiary 3). (100% Crunch Skeletons)
This skeleton is an undead creature animated by magic to perform single-minded tasks. (Behind the Monsters Omnibus)
A bone druid may animate the corpses of animals with but a touch, raising them as zombies or skeletons, depending on the condition of the body. (Creepy Creatures Bestiary of the Bizarre)
The negative energy surrounding the temple’s demise either brings unholy life to the corpses interred at the temples or draws mindless undead to them. While skeletons and zombies are the most common undead, ghouls, spectres and vampires also lair in deserted temples. (GM's Miscellany: Alternate Dungeons)
As a standard action, a bone sovereign can create any number of skeletal monsters from its body.
The deadwood exerts its foul influence to a radius of 300 feet for every 2 HD of the tree. Any animal, giant, humanoid, or monstrous humanoid corpse within this range that remains in contact with the ground for 1 full round is animated into a zombie or skeleton. Corpses of humanoids with 2 or 3 class levels are instead turned into ghouls, while those with 4 or more class levels are instead turned into ghasts. (Malevolent and Benign)
The creature is a skeleton, an undead abomination created from the bones of a dead creature. (Monster Focus: Skeletons)
A rot giant can take a full round action to gape its jaws like a snake and consume the corpse of a Medium or smaller target. On the next round, as a standard action it can disgorge a skeleton with HD equal to the consumed victim. (Monster Menagerie Kingdom of Graves)
Xiled clerics then animate their lifeless corpses and compel these skeletons and zombies to serve their new masters for the remainder of their undead existence. (Mountains of Madness)
Each morning, the desperate necromancer animates his former tests subjects and other dead humanoids from the grounds around the library and sends them into battle against the dwarven garrison how guarding the Southern Pass. (Mountains of Madness)
The position of the Osirians as the favored of the gods did not spare them from the cataclysm that turned Abaddon upside down, already giving way to some of the other species the Osirians were struck a hammer blow by the fall of the meteor and their ancestral homelands were some of the worst affected by the necromantic miasma and negative energies released by the impact. (Races of Obsidian Twilight: Osirian)
The Osirians died in droves from the impact, from its aftermath and from the lingering effects of the necromantic radiation, subverting their bodies day by agonizing day and raising so many of them as zombies, skeletons and ghosts that the Osirians rapidly learned harsh lessons in dismemberment before burial and the building of secure and warded tombs. (Races of Obsidian Twilight: Osirian)
With a ritual requiring 8 hours, a master of death can animate a single skeleton or zombie whose Hit Dice do not exceed her arcanist level. (Shadows Over Vathak Player's Guide to Vathak)
Once per day, whenever the Noc-Lar remains stationary and channels its power for one minute, it can create any of the following effects in a mile radius:
- Animate all humanoid corpses as skeletons or zombies. (The Book of Metal)
Animate Dead spell. (PRD Bestiary 1)
Animate Dead spell. (Echelon Reference Series: Clerics (3pp))
Animate Dead spell. (Echelon Reference Series: Clerics (PRD Only))
Animate Dead Lesser spell. (Mythic Monsters 9: Undead)
Animate Dead Minor spell. (Monster Focus: Skeletons)
Call the Dead spell. (Monster Focus: Skeletons)
Escape the Bonds of Death spell. (Echelon Reference Series: Clerics (3pp))
Lesser Animate Dead spell. (Echelon Reference Series: Clerics (3pp))
Lesser Animate Dead spell. (Echelon Reference Series: Clerics (PRD Only))
Reign of Madness spell. (The Book of Metal)
Release From Flesh spell. (Shadows Over Vathak: Hauntlings – Enhanced Racial Guide)
Torpid Reanimation spell. (Mythic Magic: Horror Spells)
Undead Crew spell. (Ultimate Spell Decks: Obsidian Twilight Spell cards (PFRPG))
Animation by Touch feat. (Obsidian Apocalypse)
Murderous Necromancy feat. (Undefeatable 13: Assassin)
Murderous Necromancy feat. (Undefeatable: The Collected Feats Sourcebook)
Necrotic Arrow feat, Arcane Archer level 3 (Undefeatable 12: Arcane Archer)
Necrotic Arrow feat, Arcane Archer level 3 (Undefeatable: The Collected Feats Sourcebook)
Bonewarped Eternity disease. (Pathways 51)
Bone Sword magic item. (Monster Focus: Skeletons)
Staff of Carnage magic item. (The Book of Metal)
Undead Lord archetype cleric's Corpse Companion power. (Echelon Reference Series: Clerics (3pp))
Undead Lord archetype cleric's Corpse Companion power. (Echelon Reference Series: Clerics (PRD Only))
Skeleton Human Warrior 1: ?
Skeleton Variant Skeleton: Undead Lord archetype cleric's Corpse Companion power. (Echelon Reference Series: Clerics (3pp))
Undead Lord archetype cleric's Corpse Companion power. (Echelon Reference Series: Clerics (PRD Only))
Skeleton Bloody: These variant skeletons can be created using animate dead, but they count as twice their normal number of Hit Dice per casting. (PRD Bestiary 1)
Call the Dead spell. (Monster Focus: Skeletons)
Undead Lord archetype cleric's Corpse Companion power. (Echelon Reference Series: Clerics (3pp))
Undead Lord archetype cleric's Corpse Companion power. (Echelon Reference Series: Clerics (PRD Only))
Skeleton Burning: These variant skeletons can be created using animate dead, but they count as twice their normal number of Hit Dice per casting. (PRD Bestiary 1)
Spawn created by a desert mohrg rise as burning skeletons rather than fast zombies. (Undead Revisited)
Call the Dead spell. (Monster Focus: Skeletons)
Undead Lord archetype cleric's Corpse Companion power. (Echelon Reference Series: Clerics (3pp))
Undead Lord archetype cleric's Corpse Companion power. (Echelon Reference Series: Clerics (PRD Only))
Spectre: Any humanoids slain by a spectre become spectres themselves in 1d4 rounds. (PRD Bestiary 1)
Most are the remnants of murdered or evil humans, their anger preventing them from entering the afterlife. (PRD Bestiary 1)
Spectres are creatures of insatiable anger, their undeath the result of evil lives and a rage too great to allow them to let go of the mortal world. Arrogant egomaniacs enraged by the insult of their own deaths and murder victims seeking revenge on their captors are prime candidates for transformation into spectres, though such transformations is far more common if the mortals were actively evil. (Undead Revisited)
Areas infested with the foul followers of Zyphus are often prime locations for spectres, as the cultists’ souls tend to linger on the mortal plane after death, rewarded with undeath and allowed to continue their dark deeds on Golarion. Other gods also command the respect of these undead, however, and the creatures’ spawning ability means spectral clerics in the service of Urgathoa quickly rise within her clergy, the dark spirits’ endless hunger for life force and control of an army of spawn a fitting homage to the Pallid Princess. Geb’s ruling class contains several powerful spectres, some of which host decadent, energy-draining banquets in their unhallowed halls, feasting on buffets of sentient souls, with the victims rising as spawn to expand the nation’s legions of incorporeal spies and infiltrators. (Undead Revisited)
Instances of extreme violence and hatred often give rise to a lesser form of spirit: spectres. (Classic Horrors Revisited)
As the uprising gathers strength, the unquiet souls of bodies long since turned to dust awaken as well. Ghosts, shadows, wraiths, and even spectres arise to prey upon the living. (Game Mastery Guide)
Any humanoid slain by a chained spirit becomes a spectre in 1d4 rounds. (Aquilae: Bestiary of the Realm: Volume 1 (Pathfinder))
Jenovaria was a hate-filled barbarian in life. He died tormented and ashamed for not discovering his lover’s killer and avenging the murder. (Book of Beasts Monsters of the Shadow Plane)
Creatures from 13+ HD within the cone of a plague dragon's deathless breath must make a Fortitude save or die and reanimate as spectres. (Creepy Creatures Bestiary of the Bizarre)
The negative energy surrounding the temple’s demise either brings unholy life to the corpses interred at the temples or draws mindless undead to them. While skeletons and zombies are the most common undead, ghouls, spectres and vampires also lair in deserted temples. (GM's Miscellany: Alternate Dungeons)
Powerful witches are able to leave lasting imprints upon the land with their final breaths, transforming themselves into powerful, incorporeal undead through extreme hatred and emotional distress. Often manifesting as ghosts, spectres or wraiths, these witches blight the land and cause strange murders and ill fortunate to beset the locals until they move away from the site of the curse. When a creature dies, any intense emotions it experiences at the time of death are often left behind as a psychic footprint. Fear, anger, hatred and sorrow are by far the most powerful of these emotions and often causes the most dangerous and destructive haunts to manifest. It should come as no surprise an act as evil as murder, which often comprises all three of these emotions and more, is a leading cause of the creation of powerful supernatural entities. Ghosts, spectres, wraiths and poltergeists are all commonly created in this manner, and when created they seldom stray far from the place where they were murdered. (GM's Miscellany: Alternate Dungeons)
Any humanoids slain by a mythic spectre become nonmythic spectres themselves in one round. (Mythic Monsters 9: Undead)
Several decades ago the inhabitants of Saltspray, a small coastal village, were all but wiped from existence by the appetites of a band of sahuagin. Although the monsters were eventually repelled, over half the villagers were murdered, their half-devoured corpses left to rot in a grotto built atop a nobleman’s summer home. In the following years, the manor has become a haunt filled with dozens of lost spirits, the most notable of which is the manor’s former owner. Now a powerful spectre, it is said the owner’s wailing can be heard long into the night once a month as the full moon rises. (GM's Miscellany: Alternate Dungeons)
Humanoids Lillian slays become spectres (with a –2 penalty on all d20 rolls, –2 hp per HD and only drain one level on a touch) in 1d4 rounds. (Scions of Evil)
The spirits of two nest hunters who fell while hunting for eggs long ago haunt the cliffs here. (The Blight - Pathfinder)
Many chirurgical procedures are damaging to the patient's psyche and the natural balance of their mental processes. This imbalance extends into the spiritual plane, and creatures who recently underwent mind-altering chirurgical procedures might have a greater than normal chance of arising as unquiet dead, perhaps haunts that spread madness and torment, or as actual undead creatures such as allips or, more rarely, ghosts or spectres. (The Mad Doctor's Formulary)
Create Greater Undead spell, caster level 18th to 19th. (PRD Bestiary 1)
Create Greater Undead spell. (Echelon Reference Series: Clerics (3pp))
Create Greater Undead spell. (Echelon Reference Series: Clerics (PRD Only))
Raise Undeath spell word, caster level 20th or higher. (Book of Magic 10 Undead Spell Words)
Vampire: “Vampire” is an acquired template that can be added to any living creature with 5 or more Hit Dice. (PRD Bestiary 1)
A vampire can create spawn out of those it slays with blood drain or energy drain, provided that the slain creature is of the same creature type as the vampire's base creature type. The victim rises from death as a vampire in 1d4 days. (PRD Bestiary 1)
The ultimate fear of vampires rises from their storied kiss, the bite and telltale marks that spread death and the dark curse of unlife. As the most discussed and feared power of these unliving hunters, vampires’ pronounced fangs draw the blood of the living, allowing the vampire both to feed upon the vital fluid and, more terrifyingly, to create more of its kind from its victims. Though this is not an uncommon trait of the undead, in vampires such corruption finds refinement, affording them the choice of slaying their victims outright or resurrecting them, as either deathless thralls or true vampires. (Classic Horrors Revisited)
Dread vampires can create spawn only if their victims are kept in coffin homes until they rise. A coffin home can be any container capable of accommodating the corpse. Under these conditions, a creature slain by a dread vampire’s energy drain attack rises as a standard vampire 24 hours after death. (Advanced Bestiary)
Calix Sabinus can create spawn out of those he slays with blood drain or energy drain, provided that the slain creature is humanoid. The victim rises from death as a vampire in 1d4 days. (Fallen Of Obsidian Twilight: Calix Sabinus)
The negative energy surrounding the temple’s demise either brings unholy life to the corpses interred at the temples or draws mindless undead to them. While skeletons and zombies are the most common undead, ghouls, spectres and vampires also lair in deserted temples. (GM's Miscellany: Alternate Dungeons)
Vampire myths are as old as time, and it seems that for every myth there is a different way in which one becomes a vampire. Many vampires spread their affliction through their bite, either indiscriminately, or only when they choose to “embrace” their target. Others spread vampirism as a literal disease, which can be inflicted in a number of ways. In other tales, there is no way to “spread” vampirism, and each person who rises as one of the undead does so because of some grave sin that he connected in life. Below are some popular legends about what can cause a person to rise as a vampire. Note that these are just guidelines, and GMs should feel free to pick and choose which of these will work in a given game, and which are simply myth. Some GMs might determine that anyone who is subject to a certain number of these conditions will rise as a vampire, but any one condition is not enough. Others might determine that some or all of these can cause a corpse to rise as a vampire, unless simple steps are taken to prevent that from happening, etc. A corpse might rise as a vampire if…
• …the corpse is jumped over by an animal.
• …the body bore a wound which had not been treated with boiling water.
• …the corpse was an enemy of the church in life.
• …the corpse was a mage in life.
• …the corpse was born a bastard.
• …the corpse converted away from a “true” faith (historically, the Eastern Orthodox Church).
On the other hand, these countermeasures are supposed to prevent a corpse from rising as a vampire:
• A good person need not fear rising as a vampire.
• Crossing oneself before initiating sex spares any resulting children from becoming a vampire.
• Certain blessings performed over the body can prevent the corpse from rising as a vampire.
• Burying the corpse face-down may not prevent the corpse from becoming a vampire, but supposedly prevents him from rising out of his grave. (Liber Vampyr)
A bloodknight can create spawn out of those it slays with its blood drain or energy drain, provided that the slain creature is of the same creature type as the vampire’s base creature type. The victim rises from death as a vampire in 1d4 days, under the command of the bloodknight. A bloodknight may have enslaved spawn totaling no more then twice it’s own hit dice; any spawn it creates that exceeds this limit are free-willed undead. The bloodknight may free enslaved spawn to create new spawn, but can never regain control over the freed undead again. The bloodknight can elect to create a full fledged bloodknight in place of a spawn, but rarely do so, viewing them as dangerous rivals. At most, a bloodknight may create a single of its own kind to serve as a squire. (Monster Menagerie Kingdom of Graves)
Any creature slain by a devouring mist rises as a vampire spawn in 1d4 days, unless the remains are blessed. If the victim had more than 5 hit dice, there is a 1% chance per hit die that it arises as a full-fledged vampire instead, or a 5% chance per hit die if the victim was of the humanoid type. (Rappan Athuk Bestiary – Pathfinder)
Some of her southerner worshipers, however, look to her as a goddess who can give them life beyond death, forestalling the great bane of mortality. While this state of affairs does not necessarily sit well with the Mistress of the Grave, the benefits she reaps in converts is well worth the ideological sacrifice of allowing some few of her faithful the selfish indulgence of undead existence for a few centuries. For every one who learns the secrets of lichdom or vampirism, for instance, scores or even hundreds look to the example of the few and believe, in vain, that they, too, might know such power. (Rhune Dawn of Twilight Campaign Guide)
Any creature slain by a devouring mist rises as a vampire spawn in 1d4 days, unless the remains are blessed. If the victim had more than 5 hit dice, there is a 1% chance per hit die that it arises as a full-fledged vampire instead, or a 5% chance per hit die if the victim was of the humanoid type. (Tome of Horrors 4)
Calix can create spawn out of those he slays with blood drain or energy drain, provided that the slain creature is humanoid. The victim rises from death as a vampire in 1d4 days. (Obsidian Apocalypse)
Any creature suffering from a negative level inflicted by the hammer of the unworthy when it dies immediately rises as Belial’s choice of a ghost, a lich, or a vampire. In the case of a lich, it treats the hammer of the unworthy as its phylactery. If a creature that would rise as an undead as a result of this ability would also return to life as a pit fiend as a result of the edge of the forsaken’s ability, that creature becomes a pit fiend with the chosen template. (The Deluxe Guide to Fiend Summoning and Faustian Bargains)
After they rise from the grave, a vampire spirit will haunt a community for 40 nights. After 40 nights, the obour returns to the soil where it regenerates its original physical form. The next night, its transformation complete, the creature rises from the grave as a true, free-willed vampire. (Wayfinder 5)
Vampirism exalted boon. (Book of the Damned)
Vampire human sorcerer 8: ?
Vampire Spawn: A vampire can elect to create a vampire spawn instead of a full-fledged vampire when she uses her create spawn ability on a humanoid creature only. This decision must be made as a free action whenever a vampire slays an appropriate creature by using blood drain or energy drain. (PRD Bestiary 1)
The ultimate fear of vampires rises from their storied kiss, the bite and telltale marks that spread death and the dark curse of unlife. As the most discussed and feared power of these unliving hunters, vampires’ pronounced fangs draw the blood of the living, allowing the vampire both to feed upon the vital fluid and, more terrifyingly, to create more of its kind from its victims. Though this is not an uncommon trait of the undead, in vampires such corruption finds refinement, affording them the choice of slaying their victims outright or resurrecting them, as either deathless thralls or true vampires. (Classic Horrors Revisited)
While most vampires visit their victims night after night, draining them of their vitality little by little, some gorge themselves, drinking away an entire life in a single feast. It is from such deaths that new vampires might arise—though victims physically unfit for the transformation might still resurrect as mere vampire spawn. (Classic Horrors Revisited)
Draining blood is not the only way new vampires are created, however. Little known is the fact that the very touch of the vampire can drain one’s power and weaken one’s resolve—a condition that seems to be more a manner of fundamental deterioration than mere physical draining. Rarely used by vampires except in desperate conflicts, as it supplies them with no vital blood, their energy-sapping touch can easily extinguish a life, and from such withering deaths new vampires arise, cursing even the most exceptional souls to an existence as undead slaves. (Classic Horrors Revisited)
While most vampires visit their victims night after night, draining them of their vitality little by little, some gorge themselves, drinking away an entire life in a single feast. It is from such deaths that new vampires might arise—though victims physically unfit for the transformation might still resurrect as mere vampire spawn. (Classic Horrors Revisited)
A creature slain by Amelya’s blood drain or energy drain rises as a vampire spawn in 1d4 days. (GM's Miscellany: Places of Power)
Any creature slain by a devouring mist rises as a vampire spawn in 1d4 days, unless the remains are blessed. If the victim had more than 5 hit dice, there is a 1% chance per hit die that it arises as a full-fledged vampire instead, or a 5% chance per hit die if the victim was of the humanoid type. (Rappan Athuk Bestiary – Pathfinder)
Gahlgax can create a spawn when he slays a creature with blood drain or energy drain. (Scions of Evil)
Vilran can create a spawn when he slays a creature with blood drain or energy drain. (Scions of Evil)
Tregereth can create a spawn when she slays a creature with blood drain or energy drain. (Scions of Evil)
Daveth can create a spawn when he slays a creature with blood drain or energy drain. (Scions of Evil)
Margh can create a spawn when he slays a creature with blood drain or energy drain. (Scions of Evil)
Terl can create a spawn when he slays a creature with blood drain or energy drain. (Scions of Evil)
Vampires can create spawn of the same type (humanoid, monstrous humanoid and so on), from those it slays with its blood drain or energy drain attacks. The victim rises in 1d4 days. (Scions of Evil)
Cadan can create a spawn when he slays a creature with blood drain or energy drain. (Scions of Evil)
Any creature slain by a devouring mist rises as a vampire spawn in 1d4 days, unless the remains are blessed. If the victim had more than 5 hit dice, there is a 1% chance per hit die that it arises as a full-fledged vampire instead, or a 5% chance per hit die if the victim was of the humanoid type. (Tome of Horrors 4)
Wight: Any humanoid creature that is slain by a wight becomes a wight itself in only 1d4 rounds. (PRD Bestiary 1)
Wights are humanoids who rise as undead due to necromancy, a violent death, or an extremely malevolent personality. In some cases, a wight arises when an evil undead spirit permanently bonds with a corpse, often the corpse of a slain warrior. (PRD Bestiary 1)
Broken corpses hungry for the souls of the living, doomed to their lonely existences through a wide variety of tragedies, malevolence, or unwilling possession. (Undead Revisited)
The origins of wights are highly varied. Some are created through obscure necromantic rites (usually create undead) and bound to the service of necromancers or evil priests. More commonly, wights are simply the unfortunate victims of other wights, the light of their lives turned to a corrupted mockery by the undead’s touch. (Undead Revisited)
Every touch of a wight draws the target farther from life and deeper into death, until the last of its life force ebbs and the target is transformed in an instant into a dreadful thing of suffering and hate, leavened with a tormented enslavement to the will of its creator. (Undead Revisited)
More tragically, wights can also arise spontaneously. (Undead Revisited)
Scholars of the undead use the term “wights of anguish” to describe those whose birth into unlife occurred following a horrible trauma, often both mental and physical, that leaves their bodies broken, their psyches shattered, and their spirits consumed with hate and revenge. The depth of their suffering and the lingering shock are so intense that these unfortunates become enthralled to their own pain, clinging to it with every fiber of their being, crucifying themselves across the threshold of death’s door, unable to truly live but unwilling to truly die. (Undead Revisited)
More sinister are “wights of malevolence,” those who through the depravity of their own benighted souls have earned an eternity of roaming the world, cursed with an eternal hunger that can never be slaked and a ragged weariness unable to ever find rest. Popular legend says those sentenced to such an existence are the truly damned, so vile that Hell itself spat them up rather than take them to its bosom. (Undead Revisited)
But perhaps most frightening are those known as “wights of possession.” These are wights created when an evil undead spirit bonds with a corpse in order to animate it, often choosing its host based on convenience or strength of body. Though the original spirits of these bodies may have long since fled to their just rewards, few things are more horrible for their grieving friends than to see their loved ones’ corpses suddenly come to life and begin slaughtering the mourners. (Undead Revisited)
Wherever humanoids die in utter anguish or are entombed in infamy (or even buried alive as punishment), wights may arise, and once they establish a foothold, they begin to spawn and proliferate. (Undead Revisited)
Wights of malevolence sometimes arise from the unquiet remains of the exceptionally evil. Warlords of unspeakable cruelty may be sealed within barrows in the hope that, should their evil linger and stir even in death, they will be trapped and contained. (Undead Revisited)
Old legends suggest that the treasures of a wight of malevolence are themselves tainted with the wight’s foulness, causing a darkening of spirit and a growing psychosis, leading to murderous paranoia that consumes the victims, and causes them to become wights themselves. Depending on the legend, this fate can be averted by freely giving the wight’s treasures away to others; having them blessed by one of the fey (at whatever price the fey demands); or scattering them in the sunlight for 3 days, allowing anyone to take a portion, and then collecting whatever fate has decreed will remain. Only by breaking the cycle of greed can the wight’s treasure be safely recovered. (Undead Revisited)
A wight’s treasure can become infused with its dark spirit, creating a gnawing, obsessive greed that saps the spirit and life of any creature that claims it. A character that possesses accursed wight treasure gains a number of negative levels equal to the total gp value of the stolen treasure divided by 10,000 (minimum of one negative level). These negative levels remain as long as the creature retains ownership of the treasure (even if this treasure is not carried)—they disappear as soon as the stolen treasure is destroyed, stolen, freely given away, or returned to the wight’s lair. If the treasure is merely sold, the negative levels become permanent negative levels that can then be removed via means like restoration. (Undead Revisited)
A creature whose negative levels equal its Hit Dice perishes and rises as a wight. If the wight whose treasure it stole still exists, it becomes a wight spawn bound to that wight. If not, it becomes a free-willed wight. Removing these negative levels does not end the curse, but remove curse or break enchantment does, with a caster level check against a DC equal to the wight’s energy drain save DC. A wight’s treasure does not confer negative levels while in the area of a hallow spell. (Undead Revisited)
Any humanoid creature that is slain by a wight lord becomes a wight itself in only 1d4 rounds. (Undead Revisited)
Wights can be found nearly anywhere on Golarion, though they are encountered most frequently in areas that have seen a long history of war and strife, especially in and around the battlegrounds and burial grounds of fallen empires. Places like the River Kingdoms and western Iobaria with their innumerable failed settlements and petty battlefields are fertile breeding grounds for wights, as are war-torn frontiers like those between Taldor and Qadira, and lands tainted with prolonged suffering like Galt and Nidal. Wights are most associated with humans, but evil dwarves have a long tradition of creating loyal tomb guardians to ward their mausoleums, while the ancient exodus of the elves (and the terrible fates suffered by those who remained) make wights a recurring plague in reclaimed elven holdings. And of course, like most undead, they’re more common in areas where cults of Urgathoa operate. (Undead Revisited)
Wights are less common in Garund than elsewhere, as the funerary practices and necromantic traditions there have long favored mummification for the preservation of the honored dead and for guardianship of tombs. Wights are prevalent, however, in the flooded ruin and innumerable shipwrecks of the Sodden Lands, the Shackles, and the rain-lashed coasts around the Eye of Abendego. These desperate wights sometimes live in a perverse mockery of life, seeing themselves as the last survivors of their villages (or voyages), not realizing that they are truly dead. (Undead Revisited)
Far to the east, the cruel rakshasas of Jalmeray exult in the temptation and corruption of the unwary into the kind of unspeakable vileness that leads these unfortunates to become wights in death, serving the rakshasas as loyal bodyguards and assassins. (Undead Revisited)
Packs of wights are a long-standing menace at the triune borderland of Ustalav, Lastwall, and the Hold of Belkzen. The Virlych dead lands surrounding the ruins of Gallowspire, steeped in horror, are haunted by the tormented remnants of those harrowed an age ago by the Whispering Tyrant’s magics, bodies shredded and spirits flensed until nothing but pain and deathless rage remained. Patrols from Vigil exterminate these wights whenever they are found, but on more than one occasion a patrol has simply disappeared, until a later patrol suffered a tragic encounter with the corrupted remains of the righteous fallen. (Undead Revisited)
Across the border in Belkzen, honor is for the living, and wherever the warriors fall is where they rot. On rare occasions, notable leaders are buried in lone cairns, but more often when burial is required (such as when an army dies on land the victors wish to inhabit), all of the fallen from a single battle are interred in a mass barrow with their leader. These funerary rites often awaken one or more wights that embrace the charge of leading the dead. Unusually powerful orc priests, shamans, or witches may also travel at times through the Hold visiting the various tribes to create guardian wights or take control of those that arise spontaneously. (Undead Revisited)
Of all these lands, however, the ones most associated with wights are the cold Kellid and Hallit lands of the north, from long-lost Sarkoris in the east to the Lands of the Linnorm Kings in the west. No strangers to suffering and misery, nor to war and cruelty, these realms are liberally scattered with barrows, dolmens, and cairns. Some are haunted by wights of their own, but legend tells of the White Legion, an army of frost wights gathered beyond the Crown of the World, culled from the lost and the dead of all the cold lands. Their purpose is a mystery, but enemies of Irrisen fear they may be in league with Baba Yaga and her witch daughters. (Undead Revisited)
Any humanoid creature that is slain by a negative energy-charged wight becomes a wight itself in only 1d4 rounds. (Advanced Bestiary)
Creatures killed by a barrow wight’s energy drain rise as ordinary wights that also possess DR 5/magic or silver and have a chilling glare (range 10 feet) equivalent to that of the barrow wight. (Beasts of Legend Coldwood Codex)
Creatures from 6-12 HD within the cone of a plague dragon's deathless breath must make a Fort save or die and reanimate as wights. (Creepy Creatures Bestiary of the Bizarre)
Any humanoid killed by a corpsehanger's energy drain or constrict attack becomes an undead creature within 1d4 rounds, unless it is cut down and the corpse blessed. A zombie will be created 70% of the time, a ghoul 20% of the time, and a wight 10% of the time. (Creepy Creatures Bestiary of the Bizarre)
Any humanoid slain by a marquis wight's slam attacks, or its aura become a wight in 1d4 rounds. (Creepy Creatures Bestiary of the Bizarre)
Any humanoid creature that is slain by Trevor Catalan becomes a wight itself in only 1d4 rounds. (Enemies of NeoExodus: Folding Circle)
Any humanoid creature that is slain by a black glass wight becomes a wight itself in only 1d4 rounds. (Mor Aldenn Creature Compendium)
Any humanoids slain by a mythic wight become nonmythic wights themselves in one round. (Mythic Monsters 9: Undead)
Creatures killed by a conqueror worm's slime, or killed while suffering damage from the slime, are immediately transformed into an undead creature under the conqueror worm’s control. A humanoid who becomes undead in this way retains none of the abilities it possessed in life.
A humanoid of less than 3 Hit Dice rises as a ghast.
A humanoid of 3–9 Hit Dice rises as a wight.
A humanoid of 10 HD or more rises as a morhg.
There is no limit to the number of undead a conqueror worm can create with its slime. (Mythic Monsters 23: Worms)
Spawn are under the command of the wight that created them and remain enslaved until its death, at which point they lose their spawn penalties and become full-fledged and free-willed wights. (The Blight - Pathfinder)
Any humanoid creature that is slain by a ferrywight becomes a wight in 1d4 rounds. (Wayfinder 15)
Create Undead spell, caster level 14 with Enervation spell. (Undead Revisited)
Raise Undeath spell word, caster level 15th or higher. (Book of Magic 10 Undead Spell Words)
Cursed disease. (Shadows Over Vathak Ina'oth Gamemaster's Guide)
Wight Brute: Giants that are killed by wights become hunchbacked, simple-minded undead. (PRD Bestiary 1)
Wight Cairn: Some societies deliberately create these specialized wights to serve as guardians for barrows or other burial sites. (PRD Bestiary 1)
Wight Frost: Wights created in cold environments sometimes become pale undead with blue-white eyes and ice in their hair. (PRD Bestiary 1)
Wraith: A humanoid slain by a wraith becomes a wraith in 1d4 rounds. (PRD Bestiary 1)
Wraiths are undead creatures born of evil and darkness. (PRD Bestiary 1)
Wraiths, much like spectres, arise from souls tainted by evil lives. (Undead Revisited)
Creatures slain by white wraiths rise as normal wraith spawn in 1d4 rounds. (Undead Revisited)
The souls of exceptionally malevolent individuals, wraiths are manifestations of true evil. (Classic Horrors Revisited)
As the uprising gathers strength, the unquiet souls of bodies long since turned to dust awaken as well. Ghosts, shadows, wraiths, and even spectres arise to prey upon the living. (Game Mastery Guide)
The dread wraith creature's create spawn ability creates only wraiths. (Advanced Bestiary)
The wraith creature's create spawn ability creates only wraiths. (Advanced Bestiary)
Powerful witches are able to leave lasting imprints upon the land with their final breaths, transforming themselves into powerful, incorporeal undead through extreme hatred and emotional distress. Often manifesting as ghosts, spectres or wraiths, these witches blight the land and cause strange murders and ill fortunate to beset the locals until they move away from the site of the curse. (GM's Miscellany: Alternate Dungeons)
When a creature dies, any intense emotions it experiences at the time of death are often left behind as a psychic footprint. Fear, anger, hatred and sorrow are by far the most powerful of these emotions and often causes the most dangerous and destructive haunts to manifest. It should come as no surprise an act as evil as murder, which often comprises all three of these emotions and more, is a leading cause of the creation of powerful supernatural entities. Ghosts, spectres, wraiths and poltergeists are all commonly created in this manner, and when created they seldom stray far from the place where they were murdered. (GM's Miscellany: Alternate Dungeons)
A humanoid slain by a mythic wraith becomes a wraith in 1 round. (Mythic Monsters 9: Undead)
Lady Y'Draah's fateful vision led her, alongside her followers, to build the Bilröst Gate so that they could travel the Great Tree in search of the gods. Later, when they opened the gate, the ælves realized the irony of their actions. For the Thrall Lords, most evil of the ancient giants, had twisted her visions, and everything she designed carried a fell purpose. An unprecedented blend of rune lore and nascent clockwork technology, when the Gate was opened it consumed the life force of nearby ælves in an uncontrolled wave of runic magic. Some survived, hideously changed and separated from their true nature. These became the ash elves. Others perished utterly and in the ensuing years it became clear that their fate was darker than any natural death. Rather than progress to the Halls of the All-Father, as had all previous ælves killed by misadventure or war, the spirits of those killed by Lady Y'Draah's gate were trapped in Midgard. The spirits of the fallen did not progress to their promised afterlife, instead became beings of loss and darkness, ill-fated wraiths haunting the once fair city of Summer Night. (Rhune Dawn of Twilight Campaign Guide)
The Raven and the Wolf—This constellation contains thirteen stars, which appear to depict a raven resting atop the face of a wolf. While many starwatchers say this is a bit of an exaggeration, a great number of ælven druids look to this constellation with both awe and wonder, some going so far as to say that it the true resting place of their dead, calling the spirits and wraiths of Summer Night City little more than cursed shells. (Rhune Dawn of Twilight Campaign Guide)
Some whisper they have learned to summon wraiths, strange ælven-like spirits cursed to wander Midgard until Ragnarök. (Rhune Dawn of Twilight Campaign Guide)
When a soul fouled by anger and fear leaves its broken corpse, if it is strong enough, that soul may return as a ghost, a wraith or some worse form of undead. If it is strong enough….. (Two Dozen Dangers: Haunts)
Create Greater Undead spell, caster level 16th to 17th. (PRD Bestiary 1)
Create Greater Undead spell. (Echelon Reference Series: Clerics (3pp))
Create Greater Undead spell. (Echelon Reference Series: Clerics (PRD Only))
Raise Undeath spell word, boosted, caster level 16th or higher. (Book of Magic 10 Undead Spell Words)
Cursed disease. (Shadows Over Vathak Ina'oth Gamemaster's Guide)
Wraith Dread: A wraith that exists for long enough and feeds on enough life force undergoes an unholy transformation, becoming a creature known as a dread wraith. (PRD Bestiary 1)
Any humanoids slain by a wyrmwraith become dread wraiths in 1d4 rounds. (Bestiary 5)
Any creature slain by a dread wraith sovereign’s Constitution drain or incorporeal touch attack rises as a dread wraith in 1d4 rounds. (Advanced Bestiary)
Individual Curse Death Magic. (Tome of Adventure Design)
Any male humanoid slain by a banshee’s death wail or energy drain rises to become a dread wraith in 1d4 rounds. (Tome of Horrors 4)
Zombie: Zombies are the animated corpses of dead creatures, forced into foul unlife via necromantic magic like animate dead. (PRD Bestiary 1)
"Zombie" is an acquired template that can be added to any corporeal creature (other than an undead). (PRD Bestiary 1)
Dead bodies animated through foul necromantic rituals. (Classic Horrors Revisited)
The walking dead normally serve as the simple tools of evil priests and wizards who have animated cadavers through the use of spells such as animate dead. While most skeletons and zombies are the products of such necromantic magics, other methods of creating the walking dead have been recorded. Rare alchemical concoctions can rot the flesh or melt it from bone, and give the corpse some semblance of life. Certain powerful curses can also cause a person to rise as a zombie upon death, often to take revenge on those still living. (Classic Horrors Revisited)
However, skeletons and zombies have also been known to arise spontaneously, usually as a result of another powerful undead creature nearby. Certain areas with a strong necromantic aura or a history of killing—such as battlefields and long-forgotten sacrificial altars—or places where a significant number of people have died violently, as with a mass grave or the sites of massacre, can spontaneously produce the living dead as well. (Classic Horrors Revisited)
Occasionally, a large mixed group of skeletons or zombies spontaneously arises, usually at the site of a particularly bloody battle or other scene of carnage. (Classic Horrors Revisited)
Zombies are the animated corpses of dead creatures. (Beginner's Box)
To Orcus cultists, even mindless undead like skeletons and zombies are “purer” forms of undeath than ghosts, ghouls, and vampires, for as mindless as skeletons and zombies are, they exist only as a result of a necromancer’s skill at magic. (Book of the Damned)
On the first nights of an undead uprising, the bodies of the recently dead rise as zombies. Those interred in consecrated ground remain at rest, but bodies left unburied or in mass graves lurch out into the streets, wreaking havoc. (Game Mastery Guide)
Zombies are the animated corpses of dead creatures, forced into foul unlife via necromantic magic like animate dead. (100% Crunch Zombie Lords)
Zombies are the animated corpses of dead creatures, forced into foul unlife via necromantic magic like animate dead. (100% Crunch Zombies)
“Zombie” is an acquired template that can be added to any corporeal creature. (100% Crunch Zombies)
Devourers (Bestiary 1), night hag covens (Bestiary 1), sepids (div) (Bestiary 3), and thanadaemons (Bestiary 2) are extraplanar creatures with animate dead as a spell‐like ability. (100% Crunch Zombies)
Material Plane creatures with the animate dead ability include hag covens (PRD Bestiary 1), pukwudgies (Bestiary 3), tzitzimitl (Bestiary 3), and zuvembies (Bestiary 3). Of course, wizards and priests also have access to animate dead, and depending on their power may animate any kind of creature. (100% Crunch Zombies)
A single humanoid creature killed by a spell with the death descriptor incorporating a wight’s ichor arises as a zombie 1d4 rounds later. (Creature Components Volume 1)
A bone druid may animate the corpses of animals with but a touch, raising them as zombies or skeletons, depending on the condition of the body. (Creepy Creatures Bestiary of the Bizarre)
Any creature reduced to 0 Wisdom by a gibbering terror's babble rises as a zombie under its control in 1d3 rounds.
Any humanoid killed by a corpsehanger's energy drain or constrict attack becomes an undead creature within 1d4 rounds, unless it is cut down and the corpse blessed. A zombie will be created 70% of the time, a ghoul 20% of the time, and a wight 10% of the time. (Creepy Creatures Bestiary of the Bizarre)
In the absence of fresh meat, the dire rats that frightened Lakta back into her hiding space underwent the transition from life to undeath becoming dire rat zombies. (Dunes of Desolation)
Living creatures reduced to 0 Constitution by a flayed man’s flense or lifedrain attack gain the zombie template after 1d4 rounds. (Freeport Companion Pathfinder RPG Edition)
The negative energy surrounding the temple’s demise either brings unholy life to the corpses interred at the temples or draws mindless undead to them. While skeletons and zombies are the most common undead, ghouls, spectres and vampires also lair in deserted temples. (GM's Miscellany: Alternate Dungeons)
Any creature slain by a nosferatu’s energy drain attack immediately rises as a zombie. (Liber Vampyr)
The deadwood exerts its foul influence to a radius of 300 feet for every 2 HD of the tree. Any animal, giant, humanoid, or monstrous humanoid corpse within this range that remains in contact with the ground for 1 full round is animated into a zombie or skeleton. Corpses of humanoids with 2 or 3 class levels are instead turned into ghouls, while those with 4 or more class levels are instead turned into ghasts. (Malevolent and Benign)
When he’s not indulging his foul appetites for blood and sex, the Lord Mayor likes to spend time nurturing the necrotic ticks he is breeding in the laboratory beneath his mansion. He uses them to create zombies to fight in the gladiatorial arena close to the city’s central Hangman’s Square. (Midgard Worldbook for 5th Edition and Pathfinder)
Xiled clerics then animate their lifeless corpses and compel these skeletons and zombies to serve their new masters for the remainder of their undead existence. (Mountains of Madness)
Each morning, the desperate necromancer animates his former tests subjects and other dead humanoids from the grounds around the library and sends them into battle against the dwarven garrison how guarding the Southern Pass. (Mountains of Madness)
Any creature slain by a pukwudgie’s poisonous quills rises in 24 hours as a zombie. (Mythic Monsters 16: Monstrous Humanoids)
The position of the Osirians as the favored of the gods did not spare them from the cataclysm that turned Abaddon upside down, already giving way to some of the other species the Osirians were struck a hammer blow by the fall of the meteor and their ancestral homelands were some of the worst affected by the necromantic miasma and negative energies released by the impact. (Races of Obsidian Twilight: Osirian)
The Osirians died in droves from the impact, from its aftermath and from the lingering effects of the necromantic radiation, subverting their bodies day by agonizing day and raising so many of them as zombies, skeletons and ghosts that the Osirians rapidly learned harsh lessons in dismemberment before burial and the building of secure and warded tombs. (Races of Obsidian Twilight: Osirian)
If the zombie horde takes enough individual damage to break it up, up to a dozen of the creatures continue on their rampage of destruction, until finally they too must be slain. (Rappan Athuk Bestiary – Pathfinder)
When the zombie horde swarm is reduced to 0 hit points or lower and breaks up, unless the damage was dealt by area-affecting attacks, then 2d6 surviving members of the horde continue their attack, though now only as individual creatures. (Rappan Athuk Bestiary – Pathfinder)
With a ritual requiring 8 hours, a master of death can animate a single skeleton or zombie whose Hit Dice do not exceed her arcanist level. (Shadows Over Vathak Player's Guide to Vathak)
For in Castorhage, the great experimenters discovered the great possibility and cheap availability of necromancy, not simply in the obvious sense of animating legions of zombie labourers, but rather in its application through necrocraft and golem innovation. While the many technological innovations that power Castorhage incorporate steam power or clockworks, at the core is their reliance preservation and animation of once-living flesh to supply their labour and energy needs. These cursed folk are the alchymic-unliving, and when their curse becomes advanced enough, they lose every last shred of who they were and become simply one more zombie shuffling mindlessly to its master’s commands. (The Blight - Pathfinder)
These cursed folk are the alchymic-unliving, and when their curse becomes advanced enough, they lose every last shred of who they were and become simply one more zombie shuffling mindlessly to its master’s commands. (The Blight - Pathfinder)
An alchymic-unliving creature that reaches 0 Intelligence loses the alchymic-unliving template and gains the zombie template. (The Blight - Pathfinder)
Once per day, whenever the Noc-Lar remains stationary and channels its power for one minute, it can create any of the following effects in a mile radius:
- Animate all humanoid corpses as skeletons or zombies. (The Book of Metal)
As a last resort when all other methods fail, They can enter and possess their own former bodies to go and fight. Their cadavers burst out from coffins in the manor basement (or graves in the backyard, etc) and begin shambling toward the party’s location (use the statistics for zombies except they have an Intelligence of 10). (The Book of Metal)
A creature killed while under the effects of a ghul's exhalation of death becomes a ghast (if humanoid) or zombie (if not humanoid) if it had 5 or fewer Hit Dice, and a ghul if it had 6 or more. It rises in undeath 1d6 hours after being slain. A remove curse, neutralize poison, or similar spell cast on its body during this incubation period might prevent the corpse from becoming undead. The caster of such a spell must make a caster level check (DC 10 + HD of ghul that affected the target with exhalation of death), and on a successful check the corpse does not become an undead. (The Genius Guide to Simple Monster Templates)
An alchymic-unliving creature that reaches 0 Intelligence loses the alchymic-unliving template and gains the zombie template. (The Tome of Blighted Horrors)
Animated bodies need not be the result of black magic (which is the case for, say, the standard zombie). (Tome of Adventure Design)
Individual Curse Death Magic. (Tome of Adventure Design)
Animate Dead spell. (PRD Bestiary 1)
Animate Dead spell. (Echelon Reference Series: Clerics (3pp))
Animate Dead spell. (Echelon Reference Series: Clerics (PRD Only))
Animate Dead Lesser spell. (Mythic Monsters 9: Undead)
Animate Dead Minor spell. (Monster Focus: Skeletons)
Cursed Earth spell. (Echelon Reference Series: Clerics (3pp))
Cursed Earth spell. (Echelon Reference Series: Clerics (PRD Only))
Flesh Rot spell. (Monster Focus: Zombies)
Lesser Animate Dead spell. (Echelon Reference Series: Clerics (3pp))
Lesser Animate Dead spell. (Echelon Reference Series: Clerics (PRD Only))
Mythic Flesh Puppet spell. (Mythic Magic: Horror Spells)
Mythic Flesh Puppet Horde spell. (Mythic Magic: Horror Spells)
Mythic Flesh Wall spell. (Mythic Magic: Horror Spells)
Reign of Madness spell. (The Book of Metal)
Torpid Reanimation spell. (Mythic Magic: Horror Spells)
Animation by Touch feat. (Obsidian Apocalypse)
Murderous Necromancy feat. (Undefeatable 13: Assassin)
Murderous Necromancy feat. (Undefeatable: The Collected Feats Sourcebook)
Necrotic Arrow feat, Arcane Archer level 5 (Undefeatable 12: Arcane Archer)
Necrotic Arrow feat, Arcane Archer level 5 (Undefeatable: The Collected Feats Sourcebook)
Ash Pendant magic item. (Monster Focus: Zombies)
Draugir Cap magic item. (Rhune Dawn of Twilight Campaign Guide)
Goblet of Gore magic item. (The Book of Metal)
Invader's Bugle magic item. (Treasury of Winter)
Meatwalker Serum Alchemical Item. (Rhune Dawn of Twilight Campaign Guide)
Necrotic Pool. (GM's Miscellany: Dungeon Dressing)
Staff of Carnage magic item. (The Book of Metal)
Cursed disease. (Shadows Over Vathak Ina'oth Gamemaster's Guide)
Zombie Rot disease. (GM's Miscellany: Dungeon Dressing)
Undead Lord archetype cleric's Corpse Companion power. (Echelon Reference Series: Clerics (3pp))
Undead Lord archetype cleric's Corpse Companion power. (Echelon Reference Series: Clerics (PRD Only))
Zombie Human: Goblet of Gore magic item. (The Book of Metal)
Zombie Fast: Humanoid creatures killed by a mohrg rise immediately as fast zombies under the mohrg's control. (PRD Bestiary 1)
Anyone who dies from juju fever rises as a fast zombie at the next midnight. (30 Variant Dragons)
Vermin killed by a cave fisher mohrg rise immediately as fast zombies. (Advanced Bestiary)
Any creatures killed by a spell with the death descriptor incorporating a mohrg’s saliva arise as a zombie (fast zombie variant) 1d4 rounds later. (Creature Components Volume 1)
A puppet spider can enter a corpse and animate it while residing within. This effectively transforms the corpse into a fast zombie. (Fell Beasts Volume 2)
Humanoid creatures killed by a pumpkin stalker mohrg rise immediately as fast zombies. (Monster Menagerie Pumpkin Stalker)
Whenever a non-mythic creature with fewer than 10 Hit Dice dies within 30 feet of a mythic zombie titan, that creature rises again 1 round later as a fast zombie (DC 15 Fortitude negates). These zombies are uncontrolled but do not attack the zombie titan. If a mythic titan zombie expends one use of mythic power as an immediate action when a creature dies within 30 feet, the save DC increases to 20 and it can affect mythic creatures and creatures with 10 or more Hit Dice. Mythic creatures add their mythic rank or tier as a bonus on this saving throw. (Mythic Monsters 27: COLOSSAL)
Slain zombies are engulfed by the undead ooze and can be reanimated and expelled again in 1d2 hours. (The Blight - Pathfinder)
Zombie Plague: Anyone who dies while infected with zombie rot rises as a plague zombie in 2d6 hours. (PRD Bestiary 1)
Anyone who dies while infected with zombie rot disease rises as a plague zombie in 2d6 hours. (100% Crunch Zombie Lords)
Anyone who dies while infected by a plague zombie's zombie rot rises as a plague zombie in 2d6 hours. (Book of Beasts Monsters of the Shadow Plane)
Anyone who dies while infected with zombie rot rises as a plague zombie in 2d6 hours. (Monster Focus: Zombies)

Pathfinder 1e Paizo

Spoiler

Bestiary 1

Spoiler

Undead: Undead are once-living creatures animated by spiritual or supernatural forces.
Devourer: Devourers are the undead remnants of fiends and evil spellcasters who became lost beyond the farthest reaches of the multiverse. Returning with warped bodies, alien sentience, and a hunger for life, devourers threaten all souls with a terrifying, tormented annihilation.
Create Greater Undead spell, caster level 20th or higher.
Ghost: When a soul is not allowed to rest due to some great injustice, either real or perceived, it sometimes comes back as a ghost.
"Ghost" is an acquired template that can be added to any living creature that has a Charisma score of at least 6.
Ghost Human Aristocrat 7: ?
Ghoul: A humanoid who dies of ghoul fever rises as a ghoul at the next midnight. A humanoid who becomes a ghoul in this way retains none of the abilities it possessed in life. A humanoid of 4 Hit Dice or more rises as a ghast.
As a free action once per day per growth point (minimum of 1/day), a nabasu can activate its death-stealing gaze for a full round. All living creatures within 30 feet must succeed on a DC 18 Fortitude save or gain a negative level. A humanoid slain in this manner immediately transforms into a ghoul under the nabasu's control. A nabasu's gaze can only create one ghoul per round—if multiple humans perish from the gaze in a round, the nabasu picks which human becomes a ghoul. The save DC is Charisma-based.
Create Undead spell, caster level 11th or lower.
Ghoul Fever disease
Ghoul Ghast: A humanoid who dies of ghoul fever rises as a ghoul at the next midnight. A humanoid who becomes a ghoul in this way retains none of the abilities it possessed in life. A humanoid of 4 Hit Dice or more rises as a ghast.
Create Undead spell, caster level 12th to 14th.
Ghoul Fever disease.
Ghoul Lacedon: ?
Lich: The pinnacle of necromantic art, the lich is a spellcaster who has chosen to shed his life as a method to cheat death by becoming undead. While many who reach such heights of power stop at nothing to achieve immortality, the idea of becoming a lich is abhorrent to most creatures. The process involves the extraction of the spellcaster's life-force and its imprisonment in a specially prepared phylactery—the spellcaster gives up life, but in trapping life he also traps his death, and as long as his phylactery remains intact he can continue on in his research and work without fear of the passage of time.
The quest to become a lich is a lengthy one. While construction of the magical phylactery to contain the spellcaster's soul is a critical component, a prospective lich must also learn the secrets of transferring his soul into the receptacle and of preparing his body for the transformation into undeath, neither of which are simple tasks. Further complicating the ritual is the fact that no two bodies or souls are exactly alike—a ritual that works for one spellcaster might simply kill another or drive him insane. The exact methods for each spellcaster's transformation are left to the GM's discretion, but should involve expenditures of hundreds of thousands of gold pieces, numerous deadly adventures, and a large number of difficult skill checks over the course of months, years, or decades.
An integral part of becoming a lich is the creation of the phylactery in which the character stores his soul. The only way to get rid of a lich for sure is to destroy its phylactery.
Each lich must create its own phylactery by using the Craft Woundrous Item feat. The character must be able to cast spells and have a caster level of 11th or higher. The phylactery costs 120,000 gp to create and has a caster level equal to that of its creator at the time of creation.
The most common form of phylactery is a sealed metal box containing strips of parchment on which magical phrases have been transcribed. The box is Tiny and has 40 hit points, hardness 20, and a break DC of 40.
Other forms of phylacteries can exist, such as rings, amulets, or similar items.
"Lich" is an acquired template that can be added to any living creature, provided it can create the required phylactery.
Lich Human Necromancer 11: ?
Mohrg: Those who slay many over the course of their lifetimes, be they serial killers, mass-murderers, warmongering soldiers, or battle-driven berserkers, become marked and tainted by the sheer weight of their murderous deeds. When such killers are brought to justice and publicly executed for their heinous crimes before they have a chance to atone, the remains sometimes return to unlife to continue their dark work as a mohrg.
Create Undead spell, caster level 18th or higher.
Mummy: Mummies are created through a rather lengthy and gruesome embalming process, during which all of the body's major organs are removed and replaced with dried herbs and flowers. After this process, the flesh is anointed with sacred oils and wrapped in purified linens. The creator then finishes the ritual with a create undead spell.
Although most mummies are created merely as guardians and remain loyal to their charge until their destruction, certain powerful mummies have much more free will. The majority are at least 10th-level clerics, and are often kings or pharaohs who have called upon dark gods or sinister necromancers to bind their souls to their bodies after death—usually as a means to extend their rule beyond the grave, but at times simply to escape what they fear will be an eternity of torment in their own afterlife.
Create Undead spell, caster level 15th to 17th.
Shadow: A humanoid creature killed by a shadow's Strength damage becomes a shadow under the control of its killer in 1d4 rounds.
Create Greater Undead spell, caster level 15th or lower.
Shadow Greater: Greater shadows are those undead shadows that have come to be particularly infused with negative energy, such as those that have spent vast lengths of time in areas of the Plane of Shadow awash in negative energy, or those that have drained the lives of thousands of victims
Skeletal Champion: "Skeletal Champion" is an acquired template that can be added to any corporeal creature (other than an undead) that has a skeletal system and a minimum Intelligence of 3.
A skeletal champion cannot be created with animate dead—these potent undead only arise under rare conditions similar to those that cause the manifestation of ghosts or via rare and highly evil rituals.
Skeletal Champion Human Warrior 1: ?
Skeleton: Skeletons are the animated bones of the dead, brought to unlife through foul magic.
"Skeleton" is an acquired template that can be added to any corporeal creature (other than an undead) that has a skeletal system.
Animate Dead spell.
Skeleton Human Warrior 1: ?
Skeleton Bloody: These variant skeletons can be created using animate dead, but they count as twice their normal number of Hit Dice per casting.
Skeleton Burning: These variant skeletons can be created using animate dead, but they count as twice their normal number of Hit Dice per casting.
Spectre: Any humanoids slain by a spectre become spectres themselves in 1d4 rounds.
Most are the remnants of murdered or evil humans, their anger preventing them from entering the afterlife.
Create Greater Undead spell, caster level 18th to 19th.
Vampire: “Vampire” is an acquired template that can be added to any living creature with 5 or more Hit Dice.
A vampire can create spawn out of those it slays with blood drain or energy drain, provided that the slain creature is of the same creature type as the vampire's base creature type. The victim rises from death as a vampire in 1d4 days.
Vampire human sorcerer 8: ?
Vampire Spawn: A vampire can elect to create a vampire spawn instead of a full-fledged vampire when she uses her create spawn ability on a humanoid creature only. This decision must be made as a free action whenever a vampire slays an appropriate creature by using blood drain or energy drain.
Wight: Any humanoid creature that is slain by a wight becomes a wight itself in only 1d4 rounds.
Wights are humanoids who rise as undead due to necromancy, a violent death, or an extremely malevolent personality. In some cases, a wight arises when an evil undead spirit permanently bonds with a corpse, often the corpse of a slain warrior.
Wight Brute: Giants that are killed by wights become hunchbacked, simple-minded undead.
Wight Cairn: Some societies deliberately create these specialized wights to serve as guardians for barrows or other burial sites.
Wight Frost: Wights created in cold environments sometimes become pale undead with blue-white eyes and ice in their hair.
Wraith: A humanoid slain by a wraith becomes a wraith in 1d4 rounds.
Wraiths are undead creatures born of evil and darkness.
Create Greater Undead spell, caster level 16th to 17th.
Wraith Dread: A wraith that exists for long enough and feeds on enough life force undergoes an unholy transformation, becoming a creature known as a dread wraith.
Zombie: Zombies are the animated corpses of dead creatures, forced into foul unlife via necromantic magic like animate dead.
"Zombie" is an acquired template that can be added to any corporeal creature (other than an undead).
Animate Dead spell.
Zombie Human: ?
Zombie Fast: Humanoid creatures killed by a mohrg rise immediately as fast zombies under the mohrg's control.
Zombie Plague: Anyone who dies while infected with zombie rot rises as a plague zombie in 2d6 hours.

Bestiary 2

Spoiler

Attic Whisperer: An attic whisperer spawns as the result of a lonely or neglected child's death. Rather than animating the body of the dead youth, the creature rises from an amalgam of old toys, clothing, dust, and other objects associated with the departed—icons of the child's neglect.
An attic whisperer is the spirit of a small child who met his or her end as a result of neglect. (GM's Miscellany: Alternate Dungeons)
Create Undead spell, caster level 13 with Crushing Depair and Fear spells and corpse of a child. (Undead Revisited)
Raise Undeath spell word, caster level 12th or higher. (Book of Magic 10 Undead Spell Words)
Banshee: A banshee is the enraged spirit of an elven woman who either betrayed those she loved or was herself betrayed.
Whether created through vile misdeeds in her last moments, a terrible and torturous demise, or some wretched betrayal by her loved ones, a banshee is the vengeful undead spirit of an elven female that seeks only to destroy all those who still tread the mortal realm. (Undead Revisited)
In the Darklands, the perpetual betrayals of drow society typically lack the sympathetic tragedy required to create banshees, although a new breed of exceptionally clever young noble daughters have learned to intricately manipulate their treacheries to give rise to the creatures, whether born from the betrayal of a matron mother, the mutiny of a favored daughter, or the gradual winning and then dashing of an underling’s trust. (Undead Revisited)
Bloody Bonnie is the spirit of an elven woman who was murdered by her philandering noble husband. When she violently confronted him about his infidelity, he clawed out her eyes and threw her from the highest tower of his castle. Three nights later, on the eve of the lord’s hasty marriage to his latest mistress, Bonnie’s spirit rose from the grave and slaughtered him, his bride, and his entire court. (Book of Beasts Legendary Foes)
The spirit of any female humanoid that is slain by a lesser banshee’s death wail or energy drain rises to become a banshee in 1d4 rounds. (Tome of Horrors 4)
Create Greater Undead spell, caster level 20 with Fear and Wail of the Banshee spells and the corpse of a female elf. (Undead Revisited)
Raise Undeath spell word, boosted, caster level 20th or higher. (Book of Magic 10 Undead Spell Words)
Bat Skaveling: Skavelings are the hideous result of necromantic manipulation by urdefhans, who create them from mobats specially raised on diets of fungus and humanoid flesh. Upon reaching maturity, urdefhans ritually slay the bats using necrotic poisons, then raise the corpses to serve as mounts and guardians.
Bodak: A humanoid slain by a bodak's death gaze rises as a bodak 24 hours later.
When mortal humanoids find themselves exposed to profound, supernatural evil, a horrific, occult transformation can strip them of their souls and damn them to the tortured existence of a bodak.
A 20th-level spellcaster can use create greater undead to create a bodak, but only if the spell is cast while the spellcaster is located on one of the evil outer planes (traditionally the Abyss). (Undead Revisited)
Unfortunate creatures who witness acts of unspeakable planar evil and have their bodies destroyed and remade by the experience. (Undead Revisited)
When mortals venture to the utmost depths of unforgiving planes, they sometimes come across knowledge so terrible or witness events so horrifying that their very souls are consumed, killing them and then reanimating them as the weird, smoke-eyed creations called bodaks. (Undead Revisited)
Yet for some, bearing witness to true horror and supernatural evil does more than twist their minds—it ravages their souls to such a degree that they are themselves transformed. Requiring evil far beyond that normally found among mortals, this rare transformation occurs when unprepared mortals venture deep into those extraplanar spaces where humanity was not meant to tread—the deepest hiding holes of the evil planes. In these repositories of unholy knowledge, things are seen that cannot be unseen, and which indelibly stain the souls of the foolish. The creatures that emerge from these places are mortal no longer. (Undead Revisited)
If a victim lacks the will to break a bodak's gaze, he is quickly overwhelmed by its power and dies shortly thereafter—the transformation into another bodak begins immediately. (Undead Revisited)
Scholars and theologians have long debated the exact nature of these strange undead, positing that it’s the very act that creates a bodak—witnessing some evil and hideous occurrence beyond all mortal capacity for understanding—that gives unholy life and purpose to these creatures. In some sense, the bodak is the very manifestation of such an act, a curse upon the living, its life force scarred to such a degree that only causing others to gaze into its eyes and share its agony gives it some sort of relief. Most researchers believe that mundane evil is not enough, arguing that only traumatic deaths in the darkest pits of the planes are pure enough to form a bodak, with the creature’s animating energy being drawn from the evil Outer Planes where it met its fate. Yet others insist that it’s not the place that causes the transformation, but rather the purity of the evil and horror involved, thus making it possible for an ordinary human (or, more likely, a summoned demon) to spark the transformation, provided the horrors it shows to the victim are heinous enough. (Undead Revisited)
Thanks to its Abyssal taint, the Worldwound hosts the largest population of bodaks in the Inner Sea region. Moreover, the Abyssal nature of the land itself makes it one of the few places—perhaps the only place—on Golarion where bodaks can form spontaneously in the same way they do on the Abyss, as the result of witnessing horrible extraplanar evil and depredations beyond mortal ken. (Undead Revisited)
The diabolists favored by the aristocracy of Cheliax require large numbers of unwitting victims to perform their rites. While most of their dungeons and torture rooms are mundane, filled with wretched prisoners who bear witness to unspeakable things on a nearly daily basis, some of these spellcasters prefer to take victims to Hell itself, making their offerings to the plane in person. Few of these victims (and not all of the diabolists) survive these offerings, but a tiny fraction end up exposed to greater horrors than initially expected, with either the master or prisoner undergoing the transformation into a bodak. (Undead Revisited)
The strange religions found in the Mwangi Expanse sometimes demand sacrifices and dark rituals. Explorers and adventurers unlucky enough to be caught by these more sinister tribes, particularly the zealots of Angazhan living in the ape city of Usaro, are sometimes transformed by bizarre and terrifying demonic rites. These bodaks roam the jungles of the Mwangi Expanse, terrorizing the inhabitants and sometimes transforming entire villages into their own kind. (Undead Revisited)
Bodaks, the eyeless horrors twisted by sights no one was meant to see. (Undead Revisited)
Bodaks are extraplanar undead created when living beings are touched by great evil. (Advanced Bestiary)
The bodak is the physical remnants of a humanoid slain in an encounter with absolute evil. (Forgotten Foes)
A humanoid slain by a bodak’s death gaze rises as a bodak 24 hours later. (Aquilae: Bestiary of the Realm: Volume 1 (Pathfinder))
Bodaks are evil undead created when a humanoid dies in the presence of absolute evil. (Forgotten Foes)
Create Greater Undead spell, caster level 20 corpse must be cast in the Abyss. (Undead Revisited)
Raise Undeath spell word, boosted, caster level 20th or higher. (Book of Magic 10 Undead Spell Words)
Crawling Hand: Some say the origins of the crawling hand lie in the experiments of demented necromancers contracted to construct tiny assassins. Other tales tell of gruesome prosthetics sparked to life by evil magic, which then developed primitive sentience and vengefully strangled their hosts.
Create Undead spell, caster level 11 severed hand of a medium or smaller humanoid. (Undead Revisited)
Raise Undeath spell word. (Book of Magic 10 Undead Spell Words)
Crawling Hand Giant: ?
Create Undead spell, caster level 14 with Enlarge Person spell and severed hand of a large or larger humanoid. (Undead Revisited)
Raise Undeath spell word, caster level 15th or higher. (Book of Magic 10 Undead Spell Words)
Crypt Thing: Necromancers and other spellcasters create them.
A 15th-level spellcaster can create a crypt thing using create undead. The spell also requires the creator or an assistant to be able to cast teleport, greater teleport, or word of recall (or provide this magic from a scroll or other source).
They are created by spellcasters to guard such areas and they neither leave their assigned area nor can be compelled to do so. (Forgotten Foes)
Create Undead spell, caster level 16 with Teleport spell (Undead Revisited)
Raise Undeath spell word, caster level 15th or higher. (Book of Magic 10 Undead Spell Words)
Draugr: These foul beings are usually created when humanoid creatures are lost at sea in regions haunted by evil spirits or necromantic effects.
The force of her will and the corruption of her soul were so great that four unfortunate men that drowned countless ages ago also rose from the mire as 4 draugrs. (Dunes of Desolation)
Unfortunately the horrible circumstances surrounding the deaths of these ships’ sailors left some of them hungry for revenge. A draugr captain with his remaining crewmembers serving as his 2 draugr mates hide within the wreckage of the Flighty Amalie, emerging to attack encroaching humanoids. (Marshes of Malice)
Any humanoid slain by a mythic draugr crew’s energy drain rises as a draugr (or draugr captain, if it has at least 5 Hit Dice) 1d4 rounds later. This draugr is assimilated into the crew, healing damage equal to twice the creature’s Hit Dice. Any creature slain by the crew while on board its ship, even if not slain by energy drain, also rises in this fashion if it fails a DC 19 Will save. (Mythic Monsters 10: Sea Monsters)
Any humanoid slain by a doomed derelict becomes a draugr. (Wayfinder 8)
Create Undead spell, caster level 12. (Undead Revisited)
Raise Undeath spell word, caster level 12th or higher. (Book of Magic 10 Undead Spell Words)
Draugr Captain: ?
Any humanoid slain by a mythic draugr crew’s energy drain rises as a draugr (or draugr captain, if it has at least 5 Hit Dice) 1d4 rounds later. This draugr is assimilated into the crew, healing damage equal to twice the creature’s Hit Dice. Any creature slain by the crew while on board its ship, even if not slain by energy drain, also rises in this fashion if it fails a DC 19 Will save. (Mythic Monsters 10: Sea Monsters)
Dullahan: Terrifying reapers of souls, dullahans are created by powerful fiends from the souls of particularly cruel generals, watch-captains, or other military commanders.
Create Undead spell, caster level 17 with decapitated humanoid corpse. (Undead Revisited)
Raise Undeath spell word, caster level 18th or higher. (Book of Magic 10 Undead Spell Words)
Dullahan Greater: ?
Nightshade: Nightshades originate in the deepest voids at the planar juncture of the Plane of Shadow and the Negative Energy Plane, where reality itself ends. Here lies a vast adumbral gulf where the weight of infinite existence compresses the null-stuff of unlife and the tenebrous webs of shadow-reality into matte, crystalline plates and shards of condensed entropy. Many fiends seeking the power of ultimate destruction have sought this place, hoping to harness its power for their own ends, but the majority discover the power of distilled entropy is far greater than they bargained for. Their petty designs are washed away as they become one with the nothing, with first their minds and then their bodies being remade, forged no longer of living flesh but of the lifeless, deathless matter of pure darkness incarnate. Recast into one of a handful of perfected entropic forms (some whisper, forged by a dark being long imprisoned at the uttermost end of reality), these immortal fiendish spirits still burn with the freezing fire of insensate evil, but are now distilled and refined through the turning of ages to serve entropy alone. To say that nightshades form from the necrotic flesh and transformed souls of powerful fiends is technically correct, but the transformation that these foolish paragons of evil undergo is even more hideous than such words might suggest.
While the majority of nightshades are the product of such fiendish arrogance, this is by no means the only source for these powerful undead creatures. Many nightshades commit themselves to the harvesting of immortal souls of every race and loyalty, casting their broken and shattered bodies into the negative voidspace, where the residue of their divine essence slowly precipitates and congeals in the nighted gulf. Whatever their origin, in this heart of darkness all souls embrace destruction. When a critical mass of immortal soul energy is reached, a new nightshade is spawned. The souls of mortals lost to the negative plane are drawn up and reborn as undead long before becoming co-opted within the gulf; mortal spirits are the servants of the nightshades, but only the essence of immortality can provide the spiritual fuel to ignite the fire of their unlife.
Colossi formed in the lightless spaces where the Shadow Plane and Negative Energy Plane meet. (Undead Revisited)
Where the Shadow Plane meets the Negative Energy Plane, evil and darkness hold sway in vast and lightless gulfs. When a fiend succumbs to the ravages of this environment, the ensuing death can be the catalyst for creating one of the most powerful undead. (Undead Revisited)
Nightshades are creatures beyond categorization, things made from darkness and malice, yet not truly natives of either the Shadow Plane or the Void. Born of a corruption of both planes in the lightless reaches where the planar boundaries break down, they are twisted and warped by evil. (Undead Revisited)
They form from the twisted souls of those fiends and outsiders who, seeking greater mastery over negative energy and the dreaming gulfs of darkness where the Shadow Plane and Negative Energy Plane meet, are themselves overcome and twisted beyond recognition, turned into servants of the planes’ own nihilistic ends. (Undead Revisited)
Nightshades are born when one or more outsiders—typically fiends—are lost or cast down into the adumbral depths where the Shadow Plane and Negative Energy Plane become a void like the darkest ocean trench, one of the places where reality ends. The death of the immortal becomes a catalyst for a reaction in which the planes seem not to twist the original creature so much as birth a new entity in its place. (Undead Revisited)
The creation of something as powerful and dire as a nightshade requires the spirit of an immortal being. (Undead Revisited)
Although four primary types of nightshades are known to exist, some sages speculate that they might all be the same species of creature in different life stages. Other scholars instead hold that they are distinct subtypes of the same creature, formed in the same manner but differing according to the specific component fiends from which they were created. According to this theory, the older and more powerful the fiend or fiends were—their exact species or alignment does not appear to matter—the more powerful the form of nightshade produced, though the combined deaths of multiple fiends produce a nightshade of a type otherwise reserved for the death of a much more powerful one on its own. Even the proponents of this theory, however, have no idea of the exact formulae involved, and the few casters capable of controlling a nightshade are generally more concerned with maintaining their tenuous hold over the undead juggernauts than with such unpragmatic musings. (Undead Revisited)
Nightshades are monstrous undead composed of shadow and evil. (Pathways Bestiary)
Nightshade Nightcrawler: ?
Nightshade Nightwalker: ?
Nightshade Nightwave: ?
Nightshade Nightwing: ?
Poltergeist: A poltergeist is an angry spirit that forms from the soul of a creature that, for whatever reason, becomes unable to leave the site of its death. Sometimes, this might be due to an unfinished task—other times, it might be due to a powerful necromantic effect. Desecrating a grave site by building a structure over the body below is the most common method of accidentally creating a poltergeist.
It is haunted by 4 poltergeists that are the undead spirits of those rare individuals that nearly discovered the house’s concealed basement and inner workings. (Dunes of Desolation)
When a creature dies, any intense emotions it experiences at the time of death are often left behind as a psychic footprint. Fear, anger, hatred and sorrow are by far the most powerful of these emotions and often causes the most dangerous and destructive haunts to manifest. It should come as no surprise an act as evil as murder, which often comprises all three of these emotions and more, is a leading cause of the creation of powerful supernatural entities. Ghosts, spectres, wraiths and poltergeists are all commonly created in this manner, and when created they seldom stray far from the place where they were murdered. (GM's Miscellany: Alternate Dungeons)
The rock fall is old – few use this trail – but as fate would have it, the fall did crush and kill a small group of lost travellers. Most of them were killed instantly, but an unlucky few survived the initial rock fall and were buried alive. These unlucky few died slowly of suffocation, unquenchable thirst or from slow blood loss from their shattered bodies. Of these, two had a maniacal, almost unshakeable grip on life, and death could not wholly claim them. (Pathways 22)
A few days after their death, these two rose again as poltergeists and have lurked in the rock fall’s vicinity ever since. (Pathways 22)
Ravener: Most evil dragons spend their lifetimes coveting and amassing wealth, but when the end draws near, some come to realize that all the wealth in the world cannot forestall death. Faced with this truth, most dragons vent their frustration on the countryside, ravaging the world before their passing. Yet some seek a greater solution to the problem and decide instead to linger on, hoarding life as they once hoarded gold. These foul wyrms attract the attention of dark powers, and through the blackest of necromantic rituals are transformed into undead dragons known as raveners.
"Ravener" is an acquired template that can be added to any evil true dragon of an age category of ancient or older.
The circumstances that give rise to a ravener are as unique as their appearances. Some barter their very sanity to the madness beyond the Dark Tapestry, others forge bargains with demon lords or the Horsemen of Abaddon, and still others beseech malevolent gods. (Strangely, even lawful dragons make pacts with the lords of Hell only rarely—perhaps raveners find the strings attached to diabolical contracts too convoluted and numerous for comfort.) Yet not all raveners seek aid from more powerful creatures—in fact, doing so often conf licts with the same arrogance that leads dragons to become raveners in the first place. This second group instead finds immortality in much the same way liches do, researching rare and forbidden necromantic spells to create rituals of transformation unique to each dragon. (Undead Revisited)
While some raveners achieve their status through arcane study and necromantic power, others are born of a combination of blasphemous rituals and the malign influence of dark powers. Raveners of this latter group must each seek out an evil patron to feed his or her necromantic rebirth. Each patron requires sacrifices and tribute pleasing to its debased desires. The aspiring ravener must first further the patron’s schemes upon her home world and perhaps others. The dragon might be sent against the patron’s foes, tasked with obtaining lost relics, or made a general among the patron’s mortal followers. In addition, the dragon must show the depth of her resolve. For some dragons, this means slaying their parents, mates, or children; the sacrifice of their most prized treasures; the annihilation of their life’s work; or some other show of commitment. Finally, the ravener must amass sufficient eldritch power to shatter natural laws or the barriers between planes and become the conduit for her patron’s might. Should the dragon falter in her tasks or prove an unworthy vessel for the power of her patron, what remains of her shattered soul languishes in servitude to her patron until the end of days. (Undead Revisited)
Raveners are self-made undead, not created or generated spontaneously in the fashion of weaker undead. (Undead Revisited)
The process by which a dragon becomes a ravener typically involves recruiting dark powers and undertaking necromantic rituals. Some of these rituals incorporate unusual stages that can alter the resulting ravener’s powers. (Undead Revisited)
Considered by other dragons to be insane to the point of being unhinged, Jaliktaj is given a wide berth by his living kin. In life he was a powerful spellcaster and devourer of all that lived in his lands. When a group of adventurers came prepared to bring him to an end, he released an imprisoned lich on the condition that it would turn him into a ravener. (Book of Beasts Legendary Foes)
Ravener Red Wyrm: ?
Revenant: Fueled by hatred and a need for vengeance, a revenant rises from the grave to hunt and kill its murderer.
Interestingly, a great number of ghosts and revenants owe their undead existence to the depredations of mortal killers who later became mohrgs, and it’s not unheard of for a revenant to hunt a mohrg, or for a ghost to assist adventurers in tracking down the unholy reanimation of its killer. (Undead Revisited)
Revenancer's Rage spell. (Gothic Grimoires To Serve a Prince Undying)
Totenmaske: Consumed by the same lusts and excesses that led them in life, the souls of some sinners rise as totenmaskes, drinking the flesh and memories of living creatures and even stepping into their lives to once more pursue their base desires.
A totenmaske can be created from the corpse of a sinful mortal by a cleric of at least 18th level using the create greater undead spell.
Create Greater Undead spell, caster level 18 caster must be a cleric. (Undead Revisited)
Raise Undeath spell word, boosted, caster level 18th or higher. (Book of Magic 10 Undead Spell Words)
Winterwight: The winterwight is an undead horror born from the coldest depths of the negative energy plane. Infused with the dark, cold magic that permeates this realm of death, the winterwight takes the form of a skeleton coated in armor of jagged ice.
Witchfire: When an exceptionally vile hag or witch dies with some malicious plot left incomplete, or proves too horridly tenacious to succumb to the call of death, the foul energies of these wicked old crones sometimes spawn incorporeal undead known as witchfires.
Create Greater Undead spell, caster level 19 with corpse of a hag. (Undead Revisited)
Raise Undeath spell word, boosted, caster level 20th or higher. (Book of Magic 10 Undead Spell Words)
Zombie Juju: A juju zombie is an animated corpse of a creature, created to serve as an undead minion, that retains the skills and abilities it possessed in life.
"Juju zombie" is an acquired template that can be added to any living corporeal creature.
A juju zombie is an animated corpse of a creature, created to serve as an undead minion. (100% Crunch Zombies)
“Juju zombie” is an acquired template that can be added to any living corporeal creature. (100% Crunch Zombies)
A creature killed by a dread mummy’s breath of death ability rises as a juju zombie or dread zombie in 1d4 rounds. (Advanced Bestiary)
Tza’doran and the dark cleric Razalia were lovers, serving their blasphemous demi-god together. When a group of adventurers put Tza’doran to the sword, Razalia escaped with the dust that was once her lover’s body and raised her as her servant. (Book of Beasts Legendary Foes)
Fazzellon ceded his land to Eyegouger in life; however he is unwilling to relinquish his claim so easily. His burning desire to rule over his fiefdom fueled his transformation into something unnatural. After his destruction at Eyegouger’s claws, Fazzellon rose from death as a juju zombie desert giant. (Dunes of Desolation)
Any creature charmed by an immortal ichor takes 1d6 points of Wisdom damage per day. When a charmed creature’s Wisdom damage equals its Wisdom score, it becomes completely subservient to the immortal ichor (as dominate monster, except it even obeys self-destructive orders) and loses the Wisdom damage it has taken from this ability. A subservient ally who is killed rises the next round as a juju zombie under the immortal ichor’s control. (Mythic Monsters 22: Emissaries of Evil)
Create Undead spell, caster level 11 with Enervation or Energy Drain spell. (Undead Revisited)
Raise Undeath spell word. (Book of Magic 10 Undead Spell Words)
Invoke Death exalted boon. (Book of the Damned)
Zombie Juju Human: ?
Zombie Void: An infected creature who dies from an Akata's void death rises as a void zombie 2d4 hours later.
A humanoid killed by void death becomes a void zombie.
A void zombie is created when a humanoid is bitten by an akata and dies as a result of becoming infected with the void death disease. (100% Crunch Zombies)
An infected creature who dies from void death disease rises as a void zombie 2d4 hours later. (Aquilae: Bestiary of the Realm: Volume 1 (Pathfinder))

Bestiary 3

Spoiler

Allip: Those who fall prey to madness and take their own lives sometimes find themselves lost on the path to the afterlife, trapped in a state between life and death.
Allips are the undead souls of those who took their own lives out of madness and insanity. (Undead Revisited)
While rarer than those arising from more mundane insanity, some allips in Golarion start out in life as priests of the Old Cults who delve too deeply into the maddening secrets of their faith, taking their own lives when mysteries better left unrevealed spark a consuming darkness in their souls. The corrupting demon Sifkesh revels in driving mortals toward insanity and eventual suicide, and regions harboring her cults often have significant populations of the babbling spirits. The city of Westcrown, in particular, owes its high concentration of allips to the demon, particularly during the period known as the White Plague. The city’s elite had made something of a game of corrupting souls and driving them toward madness, and the militant order known as the Hellknights was formed to put an end to their murder spree and combat the plague of allips that resulted from it. (Undead Revisited)
Souls of the insane too hate-crazed and vicious to find their ways to the afterlife. (Classic Horrors Revisited)
One of the many types of undead creatures that can arise in abandoned temples, allips were insane humanoids under the care of the temples’ priests who succumbed to their madness. The creatures also may have once been priests driven mad by the circumstances that led to the temple’s abandonment. (GM's Miscellany: Alternate Dungeons)
Many chirurgical procedures are damaging to the patient's psyche and the natural balance of their mental processes. This imbalance extends into the spiritual plane, and creatures who recently underwent mind-altering chirurgical procedures might have a greater than normal chance of arising as unquiet dead, perhaps haunts that spread madness and torment, or as actual undead creatures such as allips or, more rarely, ghosts or spectres. (The Mad Doctor's Formulary)
Create Greater Undead spell, caster level 15 with Insanity spell. (Undead Revisited)
Raise Undeath spell word, boostedc. (Book of Magic 10 Undead Spell Words)
Baykok: When hunters become utterly obsessed with the chase and indulge excessively in the savagery of the kill, their souls become progressively tainted. When such remorseless hunters perish before they can capture and kill their quarry, they sometimes rise from death as baykoks.
Berbalang: ?
Bhuta: A bhuta is a ghostlike undead creature born of horrible death or murder in a natural setting. It is a manifestation of rage at the injustice of a death that interrupted important business or unsated desires.
Deathweb: A deathweb is the undead exoskeleton of a massive spider animated with the vilest necromancy. The spells that create this monstrosity bind to it thousands of normal spiders, which together form the mind of the undead beast like an arachnid hive.
Demilich: In their endless years of unlife, some liches lose themselves in introspection, and can no longer rouse themselves to face the endless march of days. Still others cast their consciousness far from their bodies, wandering planes and realities far beyond mortal ken. Absent the vitality of the soul, such a lich's physical form succumbs to decay over the centuries. In time, only the lich's skull remains intact. Yet the bonds of undeath keep the lich's remains from final dissolution. Vestiges of the lich's intellect remain within the skull, and wake to terrible wrath should it be disturbed. Traces of the lich's will to live strengthen the skull, rendering it harder than any steel. The lich's greed and lust for power manifest in the growth of gems in its skull. Lastly, though only the barest remnants of the lich's eldritch might survive, a demilich aroused to anger still retains enough power to flense the very soul from any defiling its final rest.
Most demiliches achieved their state through apathy, not volition. For each decade that a demilich fails to stir itself to meaningful action, there is a 1% cumulative chance that its corporeal body decays into dust, save for the skull. Any return to activity resets the chance of transformation to 0%. Once the lich's body decays, the lich's intellect returns to its phylactery as normal. However, the skull rejects the return of the lich's consciousness, keeping the lich trapped in its deteriorating phylactery for 1d10 years. If during that time the lich's remains are destroyed or scattered (for example, by wandering adventurers), the lich's phylactery forms a new body and the intellect leaves the phylactery as normal, returning the lich to life. But if the lich's remains survive unperturbed, the phylactery's magic fails catastrophically, releasing the lich's soul and causing 5d10 points of damage to the phylactery. Regardless of whether or not the phylactery physically survives, the energies released by its failure channel into the lifeless skull of the lich, allowing the last remnants of the lich's soul to transform it into a demilich. The lich's soul itself either is utterly destroyed, reaches its final reward or punishment, or is condemned to wander the edges of the multiverse forever.
For wandering liches, the process is similar, but based on the number of decades the lich spends without its intellect returning to its body. While the lich's body still decays, its mind remains at large, only becoming trapped in the phylactery if the lich tries to return during the period in which its body has failed, but it has not yet become a demilich. Should the lich's phylactery fail before the wandering lich returns, the skull becomes a demilich, and the lich's mind is doomed to wander until the end of days.
In their endless years of unlife, some liches lose themselves in introspection, and can no longer rouse themselves to face the endless march of days. Still others cast their consciousness far from their bodies, wandering planes and realities far beyond mortal ken. Absent the vitality of the soul, such a lich’s physical form succumbs to decay over the centuries. In time, only the lich’s skull remains intact. Yet the bonds of undeath keep the lich’s remains from final dissolution. Vestiges of the lich’s intellect remain within the skull, and wake to terrible wrath should it be disturbed. Traces of the lich’s will to live strengthen the skull, rendering it harder than any steel. The lich’s greed and lust for power manifest in the growth of gems in its skull. Lastly, though only the barest remnants of the lich’s eldritch might survive, a demilich aroused to anger still retains enough power to flense the very soul from any defiling its final rest. (100% Crunch Liches)
Most demiliches achieved their state through apathy, not volition. For each decade that a demilich fails to stir itself to meaningful action, there is a 1% cumulative chance that its corporeal body decays into dust, save for the skull. Any return to activity resets the chance of transformation to 0%. Once the lich’s body decays, the lich’s intellect returns to its phylactery as normal. However, the skull rejects the return of the lich’s consciousness, keeping the lich trapped in its deteriorating phylactery for 1d10 years. If during that time the lich’s remains are destroyed or scattered (for example, by wandering adventurers), the lich’s phylactery forms a new body and the intellect leaves the phylactery as normal, returning the lich to life. But if the lich’s remains survive unperturbed, the phylactery’s magic fails catastrophically, releasing the lich’s soul and causing 5d10 points of damage to the phylactery. Regardless of whether or not the phylactery physically survives, the energies released by its failure channel into the lifeless skull of the lich, allowing the last remnants of the lich’s soul to transform it into a demilich. (100% Crunch Liches)
For wandering liches, the process is similar, but based on the number of decades the lich spends without its intellect returning to its body. While the lich’s body still decays, its mind remains at large, only becoming trapped in the phylactery if the lich tries to return during the period in which its body has failed, but it has not yet become a demilich. Should the lich’s phylactery fail before the wandering lich returns, the skull becomes a demilich, and the lich’s mind is doomed to wander until the end of days. (100% Crunch Liches)
Demilich Awakened: Under exceptional conditions, a lich's full consciousness survives its transformation into a demilich, or a lich's wandering intellect manages to return to its jeweled skull.
Dybbuk: A dybbuk is a misplaced soul who has eluded judgment because of a some great transgression or a pitiful suicide.
Ecorche: ?
Festrog: A festrog is an undead abomination spawned when a creature is killed by a massive release of negative energy (perhaps due to planar bleeding, the destruction of a potent artifact, or even certain magical attacks by powerful undead), and then mutilated by an outside force, such as the scavenging of wild animals.
Ghul: Ghuls are undead jann whose eternal existence was twisted by fate and wrought through the displeasure of Ahriman, Lord of the Divs.
Graveknight: Undying tyrants and eternal champions of the undead, graveknights arise from the corpses of the most nefarious warlords and disgraced heroes—villains too merciless to submit to the shackles of death.
"Graveknight" is an acquired template that can be added to any living creature with 5 or more Hit Dice.
Battlefield champions of ultimate cruelty whose depraved acts bind them to their armor for all eternity.
Some warriors are too arrogant to die. (Undead Revisited)
The lust for battle and sheer will to win allow some truly evil and vile warriors to shrug off their final defeat. Through methods that remain poorly understood, the vengeful spirit of such a fearsome combatant sometimes forms a bond with its armor that permits it to simply refuse death, its spirit lingering long past when it should have gone on to its eternal punishment in the afterlife. (Undead Revisited)
Unlike liches, graveknights almost never plan this return from their last battle. It happens, seemingly spontaneously and at random, to people totally unprepared for an undead existence. (Undead Revisited)
Graveknights are born of defeat, and it is their rage at such an end that allows them to return, attempting to erase their failure through greater triumphs and atrocities. (Undead Revisited)
While most graveknights arise spontaneously from the armor of sadistic warlords and fallen champions, there are methods by which evil men and women can deliberately transform themselves into these powerful undead lords, in much the same way some spellcasters seek to become liches. The process by which a hopeful graveknight makes the deliberate transformation is neither simple nor cheap. The character must first live and lead a life of wanton cruelty, winning great glory and power over the course of several violent conflicts (and achieving a minimum of 9th level in any character class, with an evil alignment for all 9 levels). When he achieves this goal, he may craft the suit of armor that will serve him in his
afterlife as his graveknight armor—this must be heavy armor, although its exact type is irrelevant. The creator must also be proficient in the armor’s use. The armor itself must be of exceptional quality and crafting, requiring the finest of materials and artisans. Even the forge upon which the armor is to be crafted must be of exceptional quality. The overall cost of these components is 25,000 gp—this amount is over and above any additional costs incurred in making the armor magical. An existing suit of armor (including magic armor) can serve as the base suit upon which these 25,000 gp of enhancements are built. (Undead Revisited)
Once the armor is complete, the hopeful graveknight must don the armor and then seek out a powerful evil patron to sponsor his cruelties—this patron can be a mortal tyrant, a hateful monster, a demonic god, or similar power. Once the graveknight-to-be secures a patron, he must engage upon a crusade in that patron’s name. This crusade must last long enough for the graveknight to achieve two additional levels of experience, during which he must wear his armor whenever possible. (Undead Revisited)
Upon completing this final stage of his quest for undeath (and a minimum character level of 11th), the sadist has finally neared the end of his long path to eternal undeath. The last stage in becoming a graveknight is to construct a pool, pit, or other large concavity, into which the graveknight must place 13 helpless, good-aligned creatures of his own race, who must be sacrificed by the graveknight or his patron using acid, cold, electricity, or fire. The graveknight must wear his armor during these sacrifices, and within a minute of the last sacrifice, the graveknight must take his own life using the same form of energy, after which his body and armor must be destroyed by that form of energy. The pit within which the entire ritual took place must then be filled with soil taken from graves that have spawned undead creatures. (Undead Revisited)
Once this final step is taken, the graveknight-to-be has a 75% chance of rising as a graveknight. This chance rises by 1% per point of Charisma possessed by the graveknight-to-be at the time of his death. Additional factors can increase this chance as well, at the GM’s discretion.
Whenever sufficiently evil warriors or similar sorts of beings die at the hands of a foe, there is a chance that they might return as graveknights.
Heavily armored warriors are most likely to arise as graveknights, perhaps because the complete shell of metal or other materials assists in trapping the soul. (Undead Revisited)
Urgathoa claims graveknights as her children just as she does all undead. Her priests and other high servants maintain that she is the mysterious agency that actually calls them back from the grave, while the goddess herself gives more confusing and potentially contradictory answers. (Undead Revisited)
Graveknights, whose lust for battle knows no end—not even in death. (Undead Revisited)
Graveknight Human Fighter 10: ?
Guecubu: Often when a particularly evil criminal is executed, suspicious folk fear that the criminal's remains might rise from death to continue to plague the living. To combat this possibility, many mobs or rural justices take to the practice of burning the bodies, grinding the bones, and scattering the remains in the wild. Yet in the case of particularly evil criminals, even these steps are in vain, for their will is enough to reassemble a body from earth, stone, roots, and plants drawn from the region into which the remains were scattered.
Hollow Serpent: Crafted from the shed skins of great snakes by serpentfolk necromancers and other foul spellcasters.
A hollow serpent is a difficult undead to create—most of them were crafted by a long-forgotten god of the serpentfolk and not by mortal spellcasters at all. The exact methods by which a mortal might create a hollow serpent are obscure, but most scholars have come to the conclusion that the use of powerful artifacts or the aid of a demigod may be required for such a feat.
Huecuva: Huecuvas are the risen corpses of heretical clerics who blasphemed and renounced their deities before meeting death.
While most huecuvas arise when a god rejects a heretic priest's soul, forcing the slain to rise as horrible undead, a huecuva can also be created with create undead. The caster must be at least 11th level, and the body to be transformed must have been an evil cleric in life. The spell can be used to create a huecuva using the body of a nonevil cleric, but doing so requires a DC 20 caster level check.
Many times, a religion fails due to betrayal by its supposed leaders, or a cleric may do something that is anathema to his or her deity to spite those forcing out worship of the deity. In such cases, the fallen return as huecuvas that infest the temples in which they used to minister. (GM's Miscellany: Alternate Dungeons)
Create Undead spell, caster level 11 with corpse of a cleric. (Undead Revisited)
Raise Undeath spell word. (Book of Magic 10 Undead Spell Words)
Manananggal: ?
Pale Stranger: Sometimes death itself cannot come between a gunslinger and its final revenge. When a gunslinger is slain by a hated enemy, or murdered before it can achieve vengeance against a hated foe, the anger and wrath can animate its remains as a vengeful undead monstrosity.
Penanggalen: Unlike most undead, the penanggalen is more akin to the lich in that she willfully abandons both her mortality and morality to become a hideous undead monster. While penanggalens are traditionally female spellcasters, any creature capable of performing the vile ritual of transformation can become one.
Similar to a lich, a creature works toward becoming a penanggalen. More than one such transformation ritual exists, but all require heinous acts that symbolize the casting aside of kindness, benevolence, and any semblance of feelings other than cruelty. Many of these rituals call for the repeated consumption of blood, bile, tears, and other fluids drawn from captured and tortured innocents.
"Penanggalen" is an acquired template that can be added to any living creature with 5 or more Hit Dice
When a penanggalen slays a female humanoid via blood drain, and if that slain humanoid had at least 10 Hit Dice in life, that slain humanoid rises as a manananggal at the next sunset.
Penanggalen Human Witch 5: ?
Sea Bonze: Sea bonzes are formed from the combined despair and horror of death at sea, such as when a ship sinks and its entire crew drowns. No single restless soul empowers a sea bonze—it combines the anger and doom of all who die in such close proximity.
Tzitzimitl: Some claim ancient and forgotten deities of death and destruction created the first tzitzimitls as instruments of apocalypse, while others speculate they come from faraway worlds where immense planets teem with creatures of this scale, and that the immortal dead of these dark globes are banished to other worlds to spread devastation.
Vampire Jiang-Shi: A jiang-shi is created when a restless spirit does not leave its corpse at the time of death, and is instead allowed to fester and putrefy within. At some point during the body's decomposition, the thing rises in its grotesque form and seeks living creatures to feed upon.
"Jiang-shi" is an acquired template that can be added to any living creature with 5 or more Hit Dice.
Most jiang-shis were once humans, but any creature that undergoes specific rites can acquire the template.
Vampire Jiang-Shi Human Monk 5: ?
Yukki-Onna: A yuki-onna is the restless spirit of a woman who froze to death in the snow and was never given a proper burial.
Zuvembie: Most zuvembies willingly performed the vile rituals to attain vengeance through unlife, but the transformation can also be wrought upon a helpless victim. The method of transforming into a zuvembie involves the creation and consumption of a vial of oil of animate dead, plus the performance of additional dark rites that take a day to perform and cost 3,000 gp. The ritual kills the target, who must make a DC 20 Will save. Failure results in the victim's death, while success means it reanimates as a free-willed zuvembie.

Bestiary 4

Spoiler

Bakekujira: Sometimes, a whale that dies after days of anger and pain arises as an undead monstrosity known as a bakekujira.
Beheaded: A beheaded is a severed head or skull animated as a mindless undead sentinel that silently floats at eye level as it lies in wait for living prey or is sent out into the lands of the living to terrorize everyone it finds.
A spellcaster can create a beheaded with animate dead. Each beheaded created requires two onyx gems worth 100 gp and the casting of one air walk or fly spell. Beheaded can be created with additional abilities from the list below. Creating a variant beheaded counts as 1 additional Hit Die toward the caster's maximum Hit Dice of controlled undead.
Ectoplasmic Creature: Once a spirit has passed to the afterlife, it seldom wishes to return at all, let alone in a disfigured ectoplasmic body. Spirits that aren't powerful enough to come back as ghosts or spectres sometimes return as ectoplasmic monsters, particularly when there are no remains of the creature's original body for its soul to inhabit in the form of a skeleton or zombie.
"Ectoplasmic" is an acquired template that can be added to any corporeal creature (other than an undead)
Ectoplasmic Human: ?
Festering Spirit: A humanoid creature killed by a festering spirit's Constitution damage becomes a festering spirit under the control of its killer in 1d4 days. Giving the corpse a proper burial (or cremation) prevents it from becoming a festering spirit.
A festering spirit arises when a vile person's corpse is put in a mass grave, or when such a person is buried, exhumed, and placed in a charnel house or ossuary. The lingering hatred and evil of the dead mixes with the worst remnants of dozens of other people, creating a frustrated incorporeal shade of sickness, hate, and rot. Powerful mortals might arise as multiple festering spirits, each spawned from a different aspect of the original creature's personality.
Gaki: When an especially jealous or greedy evil person dies, it sometimes returns as a gaki.
Gallowdead: Some tyrants execute criminals, traitors, or those who dare insurrection on the end of hooked and spiked chains. Leaving the criminal to painfully hang and rot sends a message to those who would dare commit the same crimes. Sometimes such savage deaths have a strange and terrible consequence: the victim rises, grabs the instrument of its execution, and becomes a servant of those who condemned it.
Gashadokuro: Gashadokuros are enormous skeletons that come into being as a result of mass starvation. The victims of such a tragedy fuse together into an undead colossus that continues to hunger even in death.
Gearghost: Formed from the unquiet soul of a thief wrenched from life by a wicked trap
Geist: A geist is formed when an exceptionally evil humanoid is killed by a haunt and proves too tenacious to submit to death's call.
Gholdako: A gholdako is a dreadful undead cyclops created by the foul priests and necromancers of a fallen cyclops empire thousands of years ago.
Gholdako Greater: ?
Harionago: A harionago is formed when an innocent woman is murdered in some unspeakable fashion. She rises, twisted by the injustice of the crime against her, into an unnatural and bloodthirsty horror that hunts unsuspecting victims while trying to sate an everlasting lust for revenge.
Isitoq: A spellcaster can create an isitoq from the head of a Small or Medium corpse that has at least one intact eye. The head must be animated as a 1 Hit Die undead using animate dead (this counts toward the total HD animated by the spell and the total HD the caster can control), followed by casting clairaudience/clairvoyance or locate object to establish the sensory connection, and air walk, fly, levitate, or wind wall to give it the ability to fly. When these spells are finished, one of the head's eyes pulls itself free of its socket and becomes an isitoq. The rest of the head remains part of a corpse.
Mummified Creature: Many ancient cultures mummify their dead, preserving the bodies of the deceased through lengthy and complex funerary and embalming processes. While the vast majority of these corpses are mummified simply to preserve the bodies in the tombs where they are interred, some are mummified with the help of magic to live on after death as mummified creatures.
To create a mummified creature, a corpse must be prepared through embalming, with its internal organs replaced with dried herbs and flowers and its dead skin preserved through the application of sacred oils. Unlike with standard mummies, a mummified creature's brain is not removed from its skull after death. Injected with strange chemicals and tattooed with mystical hieroglyphs, a mummified creature's brain retains the base creature's mind and abilities, though the process does result in the loss of some mental faculties. Once this process is complete, the body is wrapped in special purified linens marked with hieroglyphs that grant the mummified creature its new abilities (as well as its weakness). Finally, the creator must cast a create greater undead spell to give the mummified creature its unlife.
"Mummified creature" is an acquired template that can be added to any living corporeal creature.
Mummified Gynosphinx: ?
Necrocraft: A necrocraft is a medley of undead body parts and corpses grafted together with dark magic to create a single animated undead creature with abilities based on its component pieces and the surgical and necromantic talents of its creator.
The details of the ritual to create a necrocraft vary greatly, and depend on the particular undead parts used and the intended size of the resulting creature.
In order to create a necrocraft, a spellcaster must use at least five undead creatures (or their corpses), all of which must be under the creator's control, helpless, or slain. A larger undead or corpse can be used in place of two that are one size smaller. The creator must stitch, glue, or otherwise bind the parts together in the desired configuration, then cast animate dead and make whole to complete the construction (the material component cost of animate dead is 50 gp per Hit Die of the final necrocraft). The creator can't create a necrocraft with more Hit Dice than her caster level. As with animate dead, the necrocraft is under the creator's control when created. Note that creating a necrocraft requires casting a spell with the evil descriptor.
Size HD CP CR Number of Undead Required
Medium 4d8 2 3 5
Large 7d8 3 5 10
Huge 10d8 4 7 25
Gargantuan 14d8 5 9 50
Colossal 18d8 6 11 100
Phantom Armor: Created from blood-spattered armor infused with the souls of betrayed knights or fallen soldiers.
Phantom armors are created using the spell create undead. Creating a phantom armor requires a corpse wearing a suit of heavy armor. The corpse is destroyed in the phantom armor's creation. A magic-user must be at least caster level 12th to create a guardian phantom armor.
Phantom Armor Giant: Arising from the armored remains of towering humanoids.
Phantom armors are created using the spell create undead. Creating a phantom armor requires a corpse wearing a suit of heavy armor. The corpse is destroyed in the phantom armor's creation. A magic-user must be at least caster level 15th to create a giant phantom armor.
Pickled Punk: Grotesque curiosities, pickled punks are deformed, often-humanoid fetuses raised by necromancers and stored in jars of embalming fluid.
The body of a humanoid creature killed by a mythic pickled punk shrinks, contorts, and rises as a nonmythic pickled punk 1d6 rounds later. (Mythic Monsters 9: Undead)
Sayona: Stories of their origins claim that the first sayona was a vain woman who grew old and whose lover left her for a younger paramour; the woman avenged herself by bathing in the blood of her lover's children, then killed herself.
Shredskin: A shredskin is a wretched undead creature created either when a humanoid is skinned alive to be preserved as a trophy or otherwise killed in a terrifying way that leaves much of its upper half unharmed, such as being dissolved feet-first in acid. A fragment of the creature's soul animates the skin and seeks vengeance on those who created it, all the while trying to find a comfortable body for it to use as it did when it was alive.
Vampire Nosferatu: Unable to create others of their kind, as they somehow lost that ability long ago.
"Nosferatu" is an acquired template that can be added to any living creature with 5 or more Hit Dice.
Vamire Nosferatu Human Rogue 9: ?
Warsworn: Warsworns are massive undead amalgams, their ever-shifting, chaotic bodies composed of countless slain soldiers and their armor and weapons.
A warsworn forms by the will of a god or goddess of undeath or war, or spontaneously from the bloodlust and wrath of a battlefield of dead soldiers.
Zombie Lord: "Zombie lord" is an acquired template that can be added to any corporeal creature (other than undead) that has a minimum Intelligence of 3.
Some zombies retain their intelligence and cunning, making them formidable warriors. (100% Crunch Zombie Lords)
“Zombie Lord” is an acquired template that can be added to any corporeal creature (other than an undead) that has a minimum Intelligence of 3. (100% Crunch Zombie Lords)
Zombie Lord Human Monk 3: ?

Ghoul: When a sayona kills a humanoid or fey of Medium or Small size with its absorb blood or blood drain ability, the victim rises 24 hours later as a ghoul with the advanced creature simple template and the blood drain ability.

Bestiary 5

Spoiler

Bone Ship: Formed from the collective consciousnesses of dead sailors bound within the bleached bones of giant aquatic creatures.
The creation of a bone ship can occur in many different ways. Some bone ships arise as servants of evil gods, pawns to their vile wills. Certain powerful necromantic rituals can also create bone ships. Such rituals typically require those performing them to sacrifice dozens of humanoid creatures and trap the victims' souls. Other bone ships result from ships being destroyed in horrific and catastrophic events. The souls of the sailors who died in such a disaster, unable to find peace, slowly form a bone ship on the ocean's bottom before rising to the surface to take vengeance on the living.
Caller in Darkness: A caller in darkness grows from the psychic remains of a creature with psychic sensitivity that died a violent death, its restless spirit compelled to visit upon others the horrors that it suffered before dying.
Crone Queen: Crone queens are unique and deadly creatures formed from the frozen remains of Baba Yaga's daughters.
Cursed King: Pharaohs punish disloyal subjects in horrific ways, especially usurpers, rebel leaders, and false prophets who attempt to subvert the order of the nation and the loyalty of the ruler's other followers. After torture and decapitation, the rebels' souls are bound back into their mutilated bodies, transforming them into mummified mockeries of ambition and authority that exist for eternity in unliving agony.
Death Coach: ?
Duppy: A duppy is the spirit of a cruel and brutal sailor who died by violence on land, away from his ship and crew, and thus was unable to receive a proper burial at sea.
Fext: ?
Ghoul Leng: A humanoid that succumbs to Leng ghoul fever becomes a normal ghoul unless in life it had 12 or more Hit Dice, in which case it rises from death as a Leng ghoul.
According to Kabriri’s religious teachings, the Leng ghouls came to be when he spread ghoul fever among that realm’s slumbering men and women, but they turned their backs on their creator and became pariahs. The Leng ghouls dispute this claim, citing compelling evidence that their kind has dwelt in Leng far longer than Kabriri himself has been in existence. (Book of the Damned)
Gravebound: Gravebound are hateful creatures formed when the souls of people who were buried alive return, animating grave dirt to form new bodies.
Grim Reaper: As silent as the grave and as inevitable as time, grim reapers are more akin to forces of nature than individual beings, being nothing less than personifications of grim, violent death.
Grim Reaper Lesser Death: It is whispered among dark cabals and occult fellowships that the first soul unshackled from its mortal coil faced its final judgment with scorn and defiance. This creature was so outraged by the metaphysical order of the multiverse that it became a kind of rogue deity dedicated to the ending of all other lives. Particularly powerful creatures killed by this unforgiving deity become the servants of their slayer, spreading death wherever they wander. The least powerful of these lethal servants are called lesser deaths.
Kurobozu: Kurobozus, also called black monks, are jealous undead that arise when a monk dies under circumstances that violate the precepts of his or her monastic training.
Leechroot: Leechroots emerge from the remains of plants poisoned by the blood-drenched soils of war-torn forests. Chaotic intertwinings of rotten roots, these monstrosities quickly spread their curse, soaking other dead plants in their sap to spawn horrid offspring.
Leechroot Hivemind: Sometimes a network of leechroots can reach a state of sentience, creating a creature called a leechroot hivemind.
Mummy Lord Human Cleric 9: ?
Mummy Lord: Many cultures practice the sacred art of mummification, though the sinister magical techniques used to imbue corpses with undead vitality are far less widespread. In certain ancient lands, such blasphemous techniques have been refined through centuries of ceremony and countless deaths, giving rise to mummies of terrible power. On rare occasions, if the deceased was of great rank and exceeding malevolence, he might undergo such elaborate rituals, rising from his tomb as a fearful mummy lord. Similarly, a ruler known for his malice or who died in a moment of great rage might spontaneously arise as such a vengeful despot.
"Mummy lord" is an acquired template that can be added to any living corporeal creature (referred to hereafter as the base creature) that has at least 8 Hit Dice. The process of creating a mummy lord requires 50,000 gp worth of rare herbs, oils,and other mummification materials.
Mummy Swamp: Strangled into unlife in the filth and muck of the deep mire, swamp mummies haunt the festering depths of isolated, desolate fenlands.
Some swamp mummies are cursed by dark powers to return to unlife, while others are the victims of sacrifices or criminal executions in which the bodies were thrown into a peat bog. The nature of the death and the emotional power of the victim are both contributing factors as to whether or not the victim crawls from its swampy grave as a swamp mummy.
Nemhain: A nemhain is formed when a soul deliberately assumes undead status as a means of protecting a person, object, place, or ideal. Often, a devoted priest or ally volunteers herself and her (often unwitting) kin for transformation into a nemhain in order to continue protecting her home even beyond her death. The blasphemous rituals used to create nemhains are often believed to have been lost.
Pharaonic Guardian: Created only by the most evil and egotistical pharaohs, pharaonic guardians are elite protectors of tombs and other monuments. Much like the grand buildings they inhabit, pharaonic guardians are the product of fear and sweat wrung from slaves and other servants. To make one, a pharaoh uses rare arcane processes to draw out the souls of obedient servants, capturing both their fear of death and fear of eternal damnation should they disobey their god-rulers. The pharaoh then blends these essences together into towering, animal-headed warriors whose only purpose is guarding a royal location for eternity.
Plagued Horse: ?
Plagued Beast: Created only by the most evil and egotistical pharaohs, pharaonic guardians are elite protectors of tombs and other monuments. Much like the grand buildings they inhabit, pharaonic guardians are the product of fear and sweat wrung from slaves and other servants. To make one, a pharaoh uses rare arcane processes to draw out the souls of obedient servants, capturing both their fear of death and fear of eternal damnation should they disobey their god-rulers. The pharaoh then blends these essences together into towering, animal-headed warriors whose only purpose is guarding a royal location for eternity.
When animals are stricken with demon plague, they may arise as undead and further spread the disease.
"Plagued beast" is an acquired template that can be added to a living, corporeal creature with an Intelligence score of 1 or 2.
Polong: Polongs are the spirits of murderers who have been magically bound to a bottle.
Saxra: ?
Tiyanak: Born of tragedy and sorrow that have warped into hatred and fury, tiyanaks are formed from the souls of infants or young children that died near locales tainted with strong necromantic energies or demonic presences. The young soul blends with the corrupted energies, birthing a stunted and mocking apparition of the deceased, obsessed with devouring nearby sentient life.
Undigested: Undigested are the animate slurry of the indigestible parts of a humanoid creature. They come into being when a giant beast that swallowed its prey alive is slain by unspeakable necromantic arts. A primal shard of the beast's sentience is ripped from it during the agonizing moments of its death, animating the gelatinous humanoid remains within its stomach into an ooze-like undead creature which hungers to inflict its digestive fate upon others. If the beast was digesting multiple creatures, this phenomenon results in undigested swarms instead.
Undigested Swarm: Undigested are the animate slurry of the indigestible parts of a humanoid creature. They come into being when a giant beast that swallowed its prey alive is slain by unspeakable necromantic arts. A primal shard of the beast's sentience is ripped from it during the agonizing moments of its death, animating the gelatinous humanoid remains within its stomach into an ooze-like undead creature which hungers to inflict its digestive fate upon others. If the beast was digesting multiple creatures, this phenomenon results in undigested swarms instead.
Vukodlak: Vukodlaks spawn from the malignant spirits of powerful, intelligent, wolflike creatures such as worgs, winter wolves, or werewolves. Often they arise from such creatures that—through desperation or depravity—fed on undead flesh or drank the blood of a vampiric creature. Their blackened souls arise after death, twisting their bodies into monstrous shapes.
Wyrmwraith: Wyrmwraiths arise from the souls of powerful dragons who refuse to accept death or have an irrational fear of moving on to an afterlife.

Ghoul: A humanoid that succumbs to Leng ghoul fever becomes a normal ghoul unless in life it had 12 or more Hit Dice, in which case it rises from death as a Leng ghoul.
Skeletal Champion: Any creature that dies within 60 feet of a saxra must succeed at a DC 30 Will save or rise as a skeleton (or skeletal champion if it has an Intelligence score of 3 or more) in 1d4 rounds.
Skeleton: Any creature that dies within 60 feet of a saxra must succeed at a DC 30 Will save or rise as a skeleton (or skeletal champion if it has an Intelligence score of 3 or more) in 1d4 rounds.
Wraith Dread: Any humanoids slain by a wyrmwraith become dread wraiths in 1d4 rounds.

Bonus Bestiary

Spoiler

Allip: Those who fall prey to madness and take their own lives sometimes find themselves lost on the paths to the afterlife, trapped in a state between life and death.
Huecuva: Huecuvas are the risen corpses of heretical clerics who blasphemed and renounced their deities before meeting death.
Most huecuvas arise when a god rejects a heretic priest’s soul, forcing the slain to rise as horrible undead, but this is not the only way a huecuva can come into being. A huecuva can be created using create undead. The caster must be at least 11th level and the spell normally uses the body of an evil cleric. The spell can be used to create a huecuva using the body of a good cleric, but this requires a DC 20 caster level check. Creating a huecuva in this way is considered to be one of the most heinous things that can be done to a cleric that has passed away. The faithless aura of huecuvas created from the bodies of good clerics in this way grants a +4 profane bonus on Will saves to resist channeled energy and any effects based off that ability.

Inner Sea Bestiary

Spoiler

Apostasy Wraith: When the souls of the followers of the Living God Razmir reach Pharasma’s Court, most are bound for the Inner Court, where their ultimate fate as believers of a false god is decided. These mortal souls are so traumatized by the knowledge of the falseness of their faith that they know only the desire to avenge themselves upon those who so duped them in life. These souls disavow the legitimacy of all gods, and return to the Material Plane to sow their vengeance.
Charnel Colossus: A charnel colossus is an amalgam of scores, even hundreds, of individuals who, upon death, chose to be interred under special ritual circumstances with others of like mind. This allowed them to feed their individual life experiences into an undying corporation of the collective whole.
Petrified Maiden: Petrified maidens are the remains of the army of warrior women led by the pirate queen Mastrien Slash in her failed invasion of southern Geb. The wizard king Geb himself cursed the warriors, turning them to stone and creating what is now known as the Field of Maidens. While a petrified maiden appears at first glance to be a construct, it has in fact been animated by the restless undead spirit of the warrior maiden it once was. The nature of Geb’s curse remains mysterious even today—it is simply known that occasionally the spirits of the slain inhabit their stony corpses and lurch to vengeful unlife.
Spellscarred Fext: The abominable undead known as Spellscar fexts are formed by wayward spellcasters who perish in the sprawling badlands of the Mana Wastes, their bodies and souls perverted by the unpredictable primal energies that surge throughout the Spellscar Desert.
The unnatural and corruptive transformations a fallen victim undergoes as it turns into a Spellscar fext render its body hard and especially resilient to the magical energies of most spellcasters. In a peculiar twist, the same corruptive energy that causes spells to bounce off of Spellscar fexts’ hides also strangely renders them susceptible to glass and glass-based weapons.
Vampire Vetala: Vetalas are said to be the spirits of children “born evil,” who never received burial rites upon their deaths. Sometimes one of these evil spirits takes hold of a corpse—not necessarily its own—which becomes its anchor to the mortal world.
“Vetala” is an acquired template that can be added to any living creature with 5 or more Hit Dice (referred to hereafter as the base creature).

Undead Revisited

Spoiler

Larger Bodak: A giant that falls prey to a bodak’s deadly gaze.
Smaller Bodak: Small humanoids that become bodaks.
Bodak Multiple Heads: A bodak created from a creature with multiple heads, such as an ettin, becomes deadlier because it has more eyes with which to project its horrific stare.
Desert Mohrg: A desert mohrg rises from a violent criminal who has been executed via torturous means in arid, hot environments, typically methods designed to kill through exposure and draw out the criminal’s expiration. Being affixed to a rock, tree, or other object and being buried up to the neck and left to bake in the sun are both methods that can result in the creation of desert mohrgs.
Fleshwalker Mohrg: When a criminal is executed through methods that leave no physical mark upon the body (such as by poison or a death effect), and then the corpse is preserved via a gentle repose spell, a fleshwalker mohrg is the result.
Frost Mohrg: A frost mohrg’s genesis is similar to that of a desert mohrg—a violent criminal that is executed via lingering exposure to the elements, only in this case, in a cold environment.
Mohrg-Mother: Perhaps among the most perverse category of mohrg arises when the executed murderer is also pregnant with child.
Demonic Mohrg: In a few tragic cases, a mass murderer or serial killer pursues his vile compulsions not due to psychological reasons, but because he is possessed by a demonic spirit that forces him into the role of a killer. Disembodied demonic spirits like these are fond of using mortals as hosts in this way, for if the host is captured and publicly executed while still being possessed by the demon, it can arise from beyond the grave as something more than a mere mohrg—these creatures return as demonic mohrgs
Nightshade Nightskitter: ?
Ravener Nightmare: The ritual to become a nightmare ravener requires bargaining with powerful entities from the nightmare dimension of Leng or with deities of nightmares like Lamashtu.
Ravener Thassilonian: The runelords of Thassilon, particularly the necromancer Zutha, often traded their powerful magical secrets to dragons in return for a period of servitude while the dragons lived. When this period ended, the runelord would aid the dragons in making the transition from living to undead. The methods for these rituals still exist in certain Thassilonian ruins, and are invariably guarded by the raveners who used the rituals to transcend their own mortality.
Shadow Distorted: ?
Shadow Hidden One: ?
Shadow Plague: Victims of this supernatural disease, shadow blight, quickly weaken and die, at which point they spawn new plague shadows to further spread the contagion.
Upon death, the victim of shadow blight becomes a plague shadow.
Shadow Shadetouch: ?
Shadow Vanishing: Shadows dwelling in a place of strong negative energy or with a connection to the Shadow Plane can develop the ability to shadow slip through the Shadow Plane.
Allip Scribbling: ?
Spectre Corpulent: Ancient spectres that are able to satisfy their all-consuming rage by engaging in perpetual, gluttonous feasts upon the living undergo a startling transformation, growing in size and strength as their incorporeal bulk oozes and writhes around them in miasmal folds, appearing as an obese, ghostly humanoid.
Wraith White: Created by fiends from the distilled and corrupted souls of holy crusading knights who succumbed to temptation and died as sinners and blasphemers, white wraiths are composed of blinding white light rather than darkness.
Wight Dust: Just as wights that rise from the dead in frozen environments can become infused with the dangerous qualities of their harsh environs, dust wights carry in their desiccated, crumbling frames the scorching punishment of the searing desert.
Wight Mist: ?
Wight Lord: Where typical wights rise from a wide variety of individuals, wight lords rise from the bodies of despotic rulers or ruthless generals.
A wight lord can rise from the remains of any cruel or sadistic leader, but those who were higher than 11th level when they perished retain some of their previous life’s knowledge—although not all of it. When this occurs, subtract 11 from the creature’s previous number of class levels to determine the total number of class levels the wight lord possesses.

Undead: Those tragic souls transformed by evil from beyond the mortal world or cursed by their actions in life to rise again after death.
The spells animate dead, create undead, and create greater undead account for methods by which spellcasters can create a wide range of undead creatures—but the options granted by these spells are limited. With the GM’s permission, these can be adjusted to allow for the creation of additional types of undead. Doing so requires additional material components and spells (additional spells are cast as part of the casting time of the undead creation spell, but do not extend that spell’s casting time).
Bodak: Unfortunate creatures who witness acts of unspeakable planar evil and have their bodies destroyed and remade by the experience.
When mortals venture to the utmost depths of unforgiving planes, they sometimes come across knowledge so terrible or witness events so horrifying that their very souls are consumed, killing them and then reanimating them as the weird, smoke-eyed creations called bodaks.
Yet for some, bearing witness to true horror and supernatural evil does more than twist their minds—it ravages their souls to such a degree that they are themselves transformed. Requiring evil far beyond that normally found among mortals, this rare transformation occurs when unprepared mortals venture deep into those extraplanar spaces where humanity was not meant to tread—the deepest hiding holes of the evil planes. In these repositories of unholy knowledge, things are seen that cannot be unseen, and which indelibly stain the souls of the foolish. The creatures that emerge from these places are mortal no longer.
If a victim lacks the will to break a bodak's gaze, he is quickly overwhelmed by its power and dies shortly thereafter—the transformation into another bodak begins immediately.
Scholars and theologians have long debated the exact nature of these strange undead, positing that it’s the very act that creates a bodak—witnessing some evil and hideous occurrence beyond all mortal capacity for understanding—that gives unholy life and purpose to these creatures. In some sense, the bodak is the very manifestation of such an act, a curse upon the living, its life force scarred to such a degree that only causing others to gaze into its eyes and share its agony gives it some sort of relief. Most researchers believe that mundane evil is not enough, arguing that only traumatic deaths in the darkest pits of the planes are pure enough to form a bodak, with the creature’s animating energy being drawn from the evil Outer Planes where it met its fate. Yet others insist that it’s not the place that causes the transformation, but rather the purity of the evil and horror involved, thus making it possible for an ordinary human (or, more likely, a summoned demon) to spark the transformation, provided the horrors it shows to the victim are heinous enough.
Thanks to its Abyssal taint, the Worldwound hosts the largest population of bodaks in the Inner Sea region. Moreover, the Abyssal nature of the land itself makes it one of the few places—perhaps the only place—on Golarion where bodaks can form spontaneously in the same way they do on the Abyss, as the result of witnessing horrible extraplanar evil and depredations beyond mortal ken.
The diabolists favored by the aristocracy of Cheliax require large numbers of unwitting victims to perform their rites. While most of their dungeons and torture rooms are mundane, filled with wretched prisoners who bear witness to unspeakable things on a nearly daily basis, some of these spellcasters prefer to take victims to Hell itself, making their offerings to the plane in person. Few of these victims (and not all of the diabolists) survive these offerings, but a tiny fraction end up exposed to greater horrors than initially expected, with either the master or prisoner undergoing the transformation into a bodak.
Create Greater Undead spell, caster level 20 corpse must be cast in the Abyss.
Devourer: Only the bravest and most powerful adventurers dare step beyond the boundaries of the known planes, into whatever darkness lies beyond. Most who do so never return—yet some, especially the evil ones, come back changed and twisted.
Information about this otherness is almost completely unavailable, with even the gods seemingly deaf to most questions, yet there are always a few who to decide to see for themselves. When powerful fiends and evil spellcasters undertake this quest, some come back and report nothing but vast expanses of ... well, nothing. Others don’t return at all. Yet some—the foulest ones, or those who become lost beyond the multiverse’s reaches—find something out there that changes them.
Though devourers never discuss just who or what they’re talking to, many suspect their madness rises from a lingering connection to whatever sinister, alien entity or force made them what they are, and the devourers themselves sometimes let apparent titles slip, with appellations like the Dire Shepherd or the Wanderer Upon the Stair.
Devourers’ origins are shrouded in mystery. While spellcasters may create them through the usage of create greater undead spells, exactly what occurs during these rituals is unclear, and it’s possible that devourers are more called into being than physically created—certainly it’s more than just a simple matter of animating a corpse.
Unlike many other forms of undead, devourers do not form spontaneously, nor do they breed or spawn. Rather, they begin as either one of two creatures: a terribly evil mortal spellcaster or an actual fiend. Those of either category who find themselves lost in the hinterlands of the cosmos sometimes return as devourers.
They do not find their rebirth, their unholy transfiguration, in a specific place or plane. Rather, far beyond the knowledge and sight of mortals or outsiders, they experience some sort of transformative gnosis, realizing some infectious idea that simultaneously destroys and recreates them with a new form and a new hunger. Whether or not there might be something out there that actively calls to them, compulsively drawing them to its presence and making them into what they are, is anyone’s guess, yet it would explain why only evil outsiders and spellcasters seem to be susceptible, and also potentially why the strange mannerisms of the devourers who return to the planes seem more than simple madness.
Those devourers created (or potentially called from elsewhere) by magic share all the traits and madness of their transformed kin, a fact that has confused spellcasters for generations. Some scholars have pointed out that specific details of these magical rituals have certain traits in common across all schools of magic and faith, leading some to believe that the ability to create devourers may have been introduced long ago as a single spell, perhaps provided by whatever malign forces lurk beyond the planes.
Graveknight: Battlefield champions of ultimate cruelty whose depraved acts bind them to their armor for all eternity.
Some warriors are too arrogant to die.
The lust for battle and sheer will to win allow some truly evil and vile warriors to shrug off their final defeat. Through methods that remain poorly understood, the vengeful spirit of such a fearsome combatant sometimes forms a bond with its armor that permits it to simply refuse death, its spirit lingering long past when it should have gone on to its eternal punishment in the afterlife.
Unlike liches, graveknights almost never plan this return from their last battle. It happens, seemingly spontaneously and at random, to people totally unprepared for an undead existence.
Graveknights are born of defeat, and it is their rage at such an end that allows them to return, attempting to erase their failure through greater triumphs and atrocities.
While most graveknights arise spontaneously from the armor of sadistic warlords and fallen champions, there are methods by which evil men and women can deliberately transform themselves into these powerful undead lords, in much the same way some spellcasters seek to become liches. The process by which a hopeful graveknight makes the deliberate transformation is neither simple nor cheap. The character must first live and lead a life of wanton cruelty, winning great glory and power over the course of several violent conflicts (and achieving a minimum of 9th level in any character class, with an evil alignment for all 9 levels). When he achieves this goal, he may craft the suit of armor that will serve him in his
afterlife as his graveknight armor—this must be heavy armor, although its exact type is irrelevant. The creator must also be proficient in the armor’s use. The armor itself must be of exceptional quality and crafting, requiring the finest of materials and artisans. Even the forge upon which the armor is to be crafted must be of exceptional quality. The overall cost of these components is 25,000 gp—this amount is over and above any additional costs incurred in making the armor magical. An existing suit of armor (including magic armor) can serve as the base suit upon which these 25,000 gp of enhancements are built.
Once the armor is complete, the hopeful graveknight must don the armor and then seek out a powerful evil patron to sponsor his cruelties—this patron can be a mortal tyrant, a hateful monster, a demonic god, or similar power. Once the graveknight-to-be secures a patron, he must engage upon a crusade in that patron’s name. This crusade must last long enough for the graveknight to achieve two additional levels of experience, during which he must wear his armor whenever possible.
Upon completing this final stage of his quest for undeath (and a minimum character level of 11th), the sadist has finally neared the end of his long path to eternal undeath. The last stage in becoming a graveknight is to construct a pool, pit, or other large concavity, into which the graveknight must place 13 helpless, good-aligned creatures of his own race, who must be sacrificed by the graveknight or his patron using acid, cold, electricity, or fire. The graveknight must wear his armor during these sacrifices, and within a minute of the last sacrifice, the graveknight must take his own life using the same form of energy, after which his body and armor must be destroyed by that form of energy. The pit within which the entire ritual took place must then be filled with soil taken from graves that have spawned undead creatures.
Once this final step is taken, the graveknight-to-be has a 75% chance of rising as a graveknight. This chance rises by 1% per point of Charisma possessed by the graveknight-to-be at the time of his death. Additional factors can increase this chance as well, at the GM’s discretion.
Whenever sufficiently evil warriors or similar sorts of beings die at the hands of a foe, there is a chance that they might return as graveknights.
Heavily armored warriors are most likely to arise as graveknights, perhaps because the complete shell of metal or other materials assists in trapping the soul.
Urgathoa claims graveknights as her children just as she does all undead. Her priests and other high servants maintain that she is the mysterious agency that actually calls them back from the grave, while the goddess herself gives more confusing and potentially contradictory answers.
Lich: Powerful spellcasters who bind their souls into valuable artifacts called phylacteries.
Liches are spellcasters who bind their souls into special receptacles called phylacteries.
Drawing on the powers of their faith or dark knowledge, the greatest spellcasters of the world transcend the boundaries of life through mysterious techniques unknown to the living.
One does not become a lich by accident or stumble into this form of undeath through misadventure. A lich is not a puppet, a blood-mad monster, or an accident of rage or despair. The lich is instead a creature of design and ultimate will, carefully and rationally planning its transition from life into undead immortality.
It is not merely force of will that propels one to lichdom, nor is it the simple desire to avoid death, though these are certainly factors in the mindset of the would-be lich. Instead, those who would follow the path of the undying mind must seek out tomes of forbidden magic and lost lore. Though the initiates might not be evil when they begin, the process under which they become liches drives them slowly into the arms of corruption—the focus they must develop drives out all other concerns, including the civilized needs of friendship and love.
The final and most important aspect of a lich’s transformation involves creating a new home for its soul called a phylactery—this is often something strong and impressive, such as a gem or box of unparalleled quality, though almost any object can serve.
Mohrg: The spirits of serial killers and those who exult in the taking of life.
Those who exult in the needless taking of life sometimes return to the world after death as mohrgs.
Some mohrgs were bloodthirsty warriors who slew as many as they could on the battlefield, others cold and calculating murders who selected their victims with delicate care, but nearly all mohrgs lived and died as mortal humanoids who delighted in the deaths of their fellow beings. A few mohrgs, however, are created from the remains of innocents by spellcasters (using the create undead spell), who are driven mad by being deprived of a peaceful death and then watching the transformation and slow decay of their own bodies.
There are two means of becoming a mohrg: by spell or by deed. A dead creature subject to a create undead spell might find herself transformed into a mohrg. Likewise, a humanoid who has killed many over the course of his life—or even just a few, if he is particularly unrepentant about the lives he’s taken—could awaken to discover that he has not yet passed to the afterlife, but arisen to undeath.
A mohrg is as much a product of the method of its execution as it is an undead manifestation of one who, in life, was a murderous criminal or warmonger. At times, unusual methods of execution can trigger equally unusual mohrgs. The extreme nature of these executions are such that these variant mohrgs are only rarely created by accident—more often, they are deliberate creations by officials who themselves dabble in necromancy and may in fact be as vile as those they put to death.
Once per day, a mohrg-mother can choose to animate a recently slain victim as another mohrg instead of as a fast zombie.
Sages’ opinions differ on the origins of mohrgs, and on the specific conditions that result in the existence of individual specimens of their undead type. One prevailing theory among those who study the unliving maintains that Urgathoa selects a number of the darkest souls awaiting sorting and judgment by Pharasma and takes them as her due, corrupting them with a touch and returning them to the world to spread the seed of undeath in an inexorable plague over the Material Plane. While some claim that the souls that become mohrgs are so abhorrent that the Lady of Graves actually rejects them, wiser heads understand that such is not the nature of Pharasma’s judgment, and suspect that it’s either the work of the Pallid Princess or some terrible process that occurs before the souls ever leave their corpses (as is the case with many other forms of undead).
All mohrgs have been cursed into their condition—either by the gods or by a spellcaster.
Nightshade: Colossi formed in the lightless spaces where the Shadow Plane and Negative Energy Plane meet.
Where the Shadow Plane meets the Negative Energy Plane, evil and darkness hold sway in vast and lightless gulfs. When a fiend succumbs to the ravages of this environment, the ensuing death can be the catalyst for creating one of the most powerful undead.
Nightshades are creatures beyond categorization, things made from darkness and malice, yet not truly natives of either the Shadow Plane or the Void. Born of a corruption of both planes in the lightless reaches where the planar boundaries break down, they are twisted and warped by evil.
They form from the twisted souls of those fiends and outsiders who, seeking greater mastery over negative energy and the dreaming gulfs of darkness where the Shadow Plane and Negative Energy Plane meet, are themselves overcome and twisted beyond recognition, turned into servants of the planes’ own nihilistic ends.
Nightshades are born when one or more outsiders—typically fiends—are lost or cast down into the adumbral depths where the Shadow Plane and Negative Energy Plane become a void like the darkest ocean trench, one of the places where reality ends. The death of the immortal becomes a catalyst for a reaction in which the planes seem not to twist the original creature so much as birth a new entity in its place.
The creation of something as powerful and dire as a nightshade requires the spirit of an immortal being.
Although four primary types of nightshades are known to exist, some sages speculate that they might all be the same species of creature in different life stages. Other scholars instead hold that they are distinct subtypes of the same creature, formed in the same manner but differing according to the specific component fiends from which they were created. According to this theory, the older and more powerful the fiend or fiends were—their exact species or alignment does not appear to matter—the more powerful the form of nightshade produced, though the combined deaths of multiple fiends produce a nightshade of a type otherwise reserved for the death of a much more powerful one on its own. Even the proponents of this theory, however, have no idea of the exact formulae involved, and the few casters capable of controlling a nightshade are generally more concerned with maintaining their tenuous hold over the undead juggernauts than with such unpragmatic musings.
Ravener: The circumstances that give rise to a ravener are as unique as their appearances. Some barter their very sanity to the madness beyond the Dark Tapestry, others forge bargains with demon lords or the Horsemen of Abaddon, and still others beseech malevolent gods. (Strangely, even lawful dragons make pacts with the lords of Hell only rarely—perhaps raveners find the strings attached to diabolical contracts too convoluted and numerous for comfort.) Yet not all raveners seek aid from more powerful creatures—in fact, doing so often conf licts with the same arrogance that leads dragons to become raveners in the first place. This second group instead finds immortality in much the same way liches do, researching rare and forbidden necromantic spells to create rituals of transformation unique to each dragon.
While some raveners achieve their status through arcane study and necromantic power, others are born of a combination of blasphemous rituals and the malign influence of dark powers. Raveners of this latter group must each seek out an evil patron to feed his or her necromantic rebirth. Each patron requires sacrifices and tribute pleasing to its debased desires. The aspiring ravener must first further the patron’s schemes upon her home world and perhaps others. The dragon might be sent against the patron’s foes, tasked with obtaining lost relics, or made a general among the patron’s mortal followers. In addition, the dragon must show the depth of her resolve. For some dragons, this means slaying their parents, mates, or children; the sacrifice of their most prized treasures; the annihilation of their life’s work; or some other show of commitment. Finally, the ravener must amass sufficient eldritch power to shatter natural laws or the barriers between planes and become the conduit for her patron’s might. Should the dragon falter in her tasks or prove an unworthy vessel for the power of her patron, what remains of her shattered soul languishes in servitude to her patron until the end of days.
Raveners are self-made undead, not created or generated spontaneously in the fashion of weaker undead.
The process by which a dragon becomes a ravener typically involves recruiting dark powers and undertaking necromantic rituals. Some of these rituals incorporate unusual stages that can alter the resulting ravener’s powers.
Shadow: Greedy spirits whose own mean-spirited miserliness shrinks their souls, bringing them back after death as some of the most despicable undead monstrosities.
Not even the grave can stop the greed of some people. Driven by envy and covetousness, those misers and thieves led to evil by their avaricious natures sometimes fade away or return after death as shadows, dark reflections of their former selves.
Rampant covetousness and grasping greed lead some people down the dark path of evil and betrayal, eventually ending in a reprehensible death scene or a lonely expiration. While most such petty and despicable souls travel on to their final rewards the same way everyone else does, in some cases gluttons, misers, and thieves waste away into nothing but shadows—undead things that reach and grab, but cannot hold.
As the victim of a shadow’s touch expires, its own shadow detaches from the corpse, taking on the same half-life as its killer.
On their own, shadows arise from the souls of greedy but lackluster evildoers—those whose crimes are heinous, but who lack the rage of a spectre or the exultation in evil often found in wraiths. The bandit who unemotionally slits her victims’ throats because it’s convenient, the petty diplomat who orders a witch burning to cover up his adulterous affair, and the miserly headmaster who lets orphans starve to save a few coppers all make good candidates for becoming shadows. Yet while such spontaneous transformations do occur, the vast majority of shadows are instead created by magic. Necromancers have long seen the value of relatively weak, pliable, and unambitious undead servants—especially incorporeal ones—and most shadows currently in existence were originally called to undeath by the spell create undead (or else by the life-draining attacks of other shadows created in this manner).
Death at the hands of a shadow means becoming one.
Also fortunate for the living is that although shadows can and sometimes do drain energy from animals or even vermin found in their lairs, only humanoid creatures that fall victim to their touch become shadows themselves. This is because of the nature of the humanoid spirit or soul and the magical similarity between the shadow and its prey.
Shadow Greater: A shadow that has fed on the lives of many victims, or that dwells long enough in a place suffused with sufficient negative energies, may grow in power, becoming a greater shadow.
Create Greater Undead spell, caster level 19 with Shadow Walk spell.
Spectral Dead: Driven by all-encompassing hunger and murderous intent, spectral dead are corrupted souls that refuse to release their hold on the mortal world.
No one knows what plants the seeds of darkness and decay that utterly corrupt the souls of mortals. Some speculate that the prenatal soul, like fruit left too long to ripen on the vine, can sour to malignancy long before its binding to a mortal shell, dooming the creature from birth to a troubled life of anger and deceit and, eventually, to undeath. Others theorize that mortal action alone allows this malignancy to take root, and lives spent unwisely in the service of dark powers corrupt the intangible sparks of divinity that rest in mortal hearts. Still others note that despair and madness—afflictions capable of bringing even the most pious and good-natured people to their knees, through no fault of their own—can lead to the unnatural shackling of a spirit to the mortal world.
Once this metaphorical disease has festered within a soul, it becomes contagious, and some undead are able to pass their despicable gift on to the living, regardless of their victim’s former valor. While the positive energy of mortal humanoids can fight off the curse of undeath while they are still living, those slain by these powerful spirits sometimes have their souls instantaneously consumed by darkness, their corrupted spirits sloughing off their mortal shells to rise as the ghostly spawn of their slayers.
Allip: Allips are the undead souls of those who took their own lives out of madness and insanity.
Create Greater Undead spell, caster level 15 with Insanity spell.
Banshee: Whether created through vile misdeeds in her last moments, a terrible and torturous demise, or some wretched betrayal by her loved ones, a banshee is the vengeful undead spirit of an elven female that seeks only to destroy all those who still tread the mortal realm.
Create Greater Undead spell, caster level 20 with Fear and Wail of the Banshee spells and the corpse of a female elf.
Spectre: Spectres are creatures of insatiable anger, their undeath the result of evil lives and a rage too great to allow them to let go of the mortal world. Arrogant egomaniacs enraged by the insult of their own deaths and murder victims seeking revenge on their captors are prime candidates for transformation into spectres, though such transformations is far more common if the mortals were actively evil.
Wraith: Wraiths, much like spectres, arise from souls tainted by evil lives.
Creatures slain by white wraiths rise as normal wraith spawn in 1d4 rounds.
Wight: Broken corpses hungry for the souls of the living, doomed to their lonely existences through a wide variety of tragedies, malevolence, or unwilling possession.
The origins of wights are highly varied. Some are created through obscure necromantic rites (usually create undead) and bound to the service of necromancers or evil priests. More commonly, wights are simply the unfortunate victims of other wights, the light of their lives turned to a corrupted mockery by the undead’s touch.
Every touch of a wight draws the target farther from life and deeper into death, until the last of its life force ebbs and the target is transformed in an instant into a dreadful thing of suffering and hate, leavened with a tormented enslavement to the will of its creator.
More tragically, wights can also arise spontaneously.
Scholars of the undead use the term “wights of anguish” to describe those whose birth into unlife occurred following a horrible trauma, often both mental and physical, that leaves their bodies broken, their psyches shattered, and their spirits consumed with hate and revenge. The depth of their suffering and the lingering shock are so intense that these unfortunates become enthralled to their own pain, clinging to it with every fiber of their being, crucifying themselves across the threshold of death’s door, unable to truly live but unwilling to truly die.
More sinister are “wights of malevolence,” those who through the depravity of their own benighted souls have earned an eternity of roaming the world, cursed with an eternal hunger that can never be slaked and a ragged weariness unable to ever find rest. Popular legend says those sentenced to such an existence are the truly damned, so vile that Hell itself spat them up rather than take them to its bosom.
But perhaps most frightening are those known as “wights of possession.” These are wights created when an evil undead spirit bonds with a corpse in order to animate it, often choosing its host based on convenience or strength of body. Though the original spirits of these bodies may have long since fled to their just rewards, few things are more horrible for their grieving friends than to see their loved ones’ corpses suddenly come to life and begin slaughtering the mourners.
Wherever humanoids die in utter anguish or are entombed in infamy (or even buried alive as punishment), wights may arise, and once they establish a foothold, they begin to spawn and proliferate.
Wights of malevolence sometimes arise from the unquiet remains of the exceptionally evil. Warlords of unspeakable cruelty may be sealed within barrows in the hope that, should their evil linger and stir even in death, they will be trapped and contained.
Old legends suggest that the treasures of a wight of malevolence are themselves tainted with the wight’s foulness, causing a darkening of spirit and a growing psychosis, leading to murderous paranoia that consumes the victims, and causes them to become wights themselves. Depending on the legend, this fate can be averted by freely giving the wight’s treasures away to others; having them blessed by one of the fey (at whatever price the fey demands); or scattering them in the sunlight for 3 days, allowing anyone to take a portion, and then collecting whatever fate has decreed will remain. Only by breaking the cycle of greed can the wight’s treasure be safely recovered.
A wight’s treasure can become infused with its dark spirit, creating a gnawing, obsessive greed that saps the spirit and life of any creature that claims it. A character that possesses accursed wight treasure gains a number of negative levels equal to the total gp value of the stolen treasure divided by 10,000 (minimum of one negative level). These negative levels remain as long as the creature retains ownership of the treasure (even if this treasure is not carried)—they disappear as soon as the stolen treasure is destroyed, stolen, freely given away, or returned to the wight’s lair. If the treasure is merely sold, the negative levels become permanent negative levels that can then be removed via means like restoration.
A creature whose negative levels equal its Hit Dice perishes and rises as a wight. If the wight whose treasure it stole still exists, it becomes a wight spawn bound to that wight. If not, it becomes a free-willed wight. Removing these negative levels does not end the curse, but remove curse or break enchantment does, with a caster level check against a DC equal to the wight’s energy drain save DC. A wight’s treasure does not confer negative levels while in the area of a hallow spell.
Any humanoid creature that is slain by a wight lord becomes a wight itself in only 1d4 rounds.
Create Undead spell, caster level 14 with Enervation spell.
Attic Whisperer: Create Undead spell, caster level 13 with Crushing Depair and Fear spells and corpse of a child.
Crawling Hand: Create Undead spell, caster level 11 severed hand of a medium or smaller humanoid.
Crawling Hand Giant: Create Undead spell, caster level 14 with Enlarge Person spell and severed hand of a large or larger humanoid.
Crypt Thing: Create Undead spell, caster level 16 with Teleport spell
Draugr: Create Undead spell, caster level 12.
Dullahan: Create Undead spell, caster level 17 with decapitated humanoid corpse.
Huecuva: Create Undead spell, caster level 11 with corpse of a cleric.
Zombie Juju: Create Undead spell, caster level 11 with Enervation or Energy Drain spell.
Skeletal Champion: Create Undead spell, caster level 11 with Enervation or Energy Drain spell.
Totenmaske: Create Greater Undead spell, caster level 18 caster must be a cleric.
Witchfire: Create Greater Undead spell, caster level 19 with corpse of a hag.
Skeleton Burning: Spawn created by a desert mohrg rise as burning skeletons rather than fast zombies.

Classic Horrors Revisited

Spoiler

Ghoul Larger: A giant that succumbs to ghoul fever.
Ghoul Smaller: Small humanoids who become ghouls.
Ghoul Fire Giant: A fire giant ghoul.
Ghoul Frost Giant: A frost giant ghoul.
Ghoul Lycanthrope: While a ghoul cannot become a lycanthrope, a living lycanthrope who succumbs to ghoul fever could rise as a ghoul. In most cases, this transformation removes the lycanthropic curse, resulting in a standard ghoul, but in rare events the resulting monster is a true ghoul lycanthrope.
Skeleton Acid: ?
Skeleton Electric: ?
Skeleton Frost:
Skeleton Exploding: ?
Skeleton Host Corpse: ?
Skeleton Mudra: ?
Skeleton Multiplying: ?
Skeleton Archer: ?
Vampire Aswang: A terrifying breed of vampire typically haunting lands of the distant east, aswangs only arise from female victims.
Vampire Vyrkolakas: ?
Zombie Alchemical: This zombie has been created through alchemical processes rather than necromantic magic.
This zombie has been created through alchemical processes rather than necromantic magic. (100% Crunch Zombie Lords)
This zombie has been created through alchemical processes rather than necromantic magic. (100% Crunch Zombies)
Zombie Brain-Eating: Anyone killed after being bitten by a brain-eating zombie rises as a brain-eating zombie in 2d6 hours unless the corpse is blessed or similar preventative measures are taken.
Anyone killed after being bitten by a brain‐eating zombie rises as a brain‐eating zombie in 2d6 hours unless the corpse is blessed or similar preventative measures are taken. (100% Crunch Zombie Lords)
Anyone killed after being bitten by a brain‐eating zombie rises as a brain‐eating zombie in 2d6 hours unless the corpse is blessed or similar preventative measures are taken. (100% Crunch Zombies)
Zombie Cursed: Created as the result of a powerful curse rather than through necromantic spells.
Created as the result of a powerful curse rather than through necromantic spells. (100% Crunch Zombie Lords)
Created as the result of a powerful curse rather than through necromantic spells. (100% Crunch Zombies)
Zombie Gasburst: ?
Zombie Host Corpse: ?
Zombie Relentless: ?

Ghost: More than merely wayward souls cast from the cycle of eternity by random chance, the vast majority of ghosts manifest for a purpose—whether one of their own desires or born from the method of their deaths. So-called “ghost stories” often tell of souls lingering upon the mortal world in an attempt to put right some injustice—typically whatever evil led to their deaths—or to prevent some terrible fate. Yet the circumstances leading to the appearance of a ghost need not be so iconic. Although the mysteries of death may never be fully understood by mortals, the most significant requisite in a ghost’s appearance seems to be extraordinary circumstances of trauma surrounding its death. Such a condition need not be a torturous murder or a violent betrayal—the knowledge of a great responsibility or the jeopardized life of a loved one can potentially prove sufficient cause to compel a soul to linger on past its physical capacity.
Aside from personal determination, extreme circumstances might also lead to the formation of ghosts. Tales of unquiet battlefields, ghostly ships, and whole haunted cities typically arise from some manner of terrible collective ordeal. Such conditions must be exceptionally painful or damaging to the mortal mind, as not every fallen fortress or disaster-scoured community results in some mass haunting. While individual ghosts typically require some measure of personal connection, suffering, or desire to bind them to the land of the living, such is lessened for ghosts created en masse. The shared experience of multitudinous lesser horrors are seemingly significant enough to match the singular distress of a lone spirit, allowing large groups of spirits to manifest due to an incident of extreme shared emotion or disturbance that might not provoke the ghostly manifestation of an individual.
Allip: Souls of the insane too hate-crazed and vicious to find their ways to the afterlife.
Shadow: Little more than impressions of wickedness, shadows are the souls of petty villains too fearful of their eternal punishments to pass on to the outer planes, yet too weak-willed to manifest as greater undead.
Spectre: Instances of extreme violence and hatred often give rise to a lesser form of spirit: spectres.
Wraith: The souls of exceptionally malevolent individuals, wraiths are manifestations of true evil.
Ghoul: Myth holds that the first man to feed upon the flesh of his brother was seized by a most uncommon malady of the intestinal tract, and after lingering for days in the throes of this painful inflammation of the belly, he died, only to rise on the Abyss as Kabriri, the first ghoul. Whether the demon lord of graves and ghouls was indeed the first remains the subject of debate among scholars of necromancy, but certainly the methods by which bodies can rise as the hungry dead are myriad.
Necromancers have long known the secrets of infusing a dead body with this vile animating force. With the spell create undead, a spellcaster can waken a body’s hunger and transform it into a ravenous ghoul. Stories abound as well of spontaneous transformations when a man or woman, driven by bleakest desperation or blackest madness, resorts to cannibalism as a means of survival. Whether the expiration that follows rises from further starvation or the death of the will to carry on in light of such atrocity matters not, for when death occurs after such a choice, a hideous rebirth as a ghoul may occur.
Yet the most common route to transformation is through violent contact with other ghouls. Called by a wide variety of regional names (such as gnaw pangs, belly blight, or Kabriri’s curse), this contagion is known in most circles simply as “ghoul fever.” Transmitted by a ghoul’s bite (or, more rarely, through the consumption of ghoulish flesh), ghoul fever causes the victim to grow increasingly hungry and manic, yet makes it impossible to keep down any food or water. The horrific hunger pangs caused by the sickness rob the victim of coordination and cause increasingly painful spasms, and eventually the victim starves to death, only to rise soon thereafter as a ghoul. That those who perish from ghoul fever invariably animate as undead at midnight has long intrigued scholars of necromancy—the general thought is that only at the dead of night can such a hideous transformation complete its course.
Ghoul Ghast: In the Darklands, yet another route to ghoulishness exists—lazurite. This strange, magical ore, thought to be the remnant of a dead god who staggered through the Darklands and left behind black bloodstains upon the caverns of the Cold Hell, appears as a thin black crust where it is exposed. The white veins of rock in which it often forms are known as marrowstone. Lazurite itself exudes a magical radiation that gives off a strong aura of necromancy. Any intact corpse left within a few paces of a significant lazurite deposit for a day is likely to rise as a ghoul or ghast, often retaining any abilities it had in life.
It should be noted that not all who begin the transformation into ghoul become actual ghouls. Particularly hearty humanoids (often those with racial Hit Dice, or who in life were already gluttons or cannibals by choice) often become ghasts.
Bugbear, Lizardfolk, Troglodyte: These races always spawn into ghasts.
Ghoul Lacedon: Lacedons are another variant, ghouls who rise from the bodies of starving humanoids who died from drowning, often as a result of a shipwreck.
Boggard, Merfolk: These races always spawn into lacedons.
Mummy: Like all sentient undead, mummies possess a chthonic vice, one that proves so powerful that it might stretch beyond the veil of natural death. In this case: covetousness. This might seem like a strange distinction, for what undead creature is not possessed by powers or obsessions that act beyond death? Yet in numerous cases involving mummies, the uncovered corpses were not animate upon discovery. No mere trickery, in such situations not only were the remains not animate, but they were not undead before being disturbed. Although research into dark lore reveals that mummies might be created through necromantic magics, those that spontaneously manifest do so as a result of some outside influence—typically the desecration of a burial place, violation of physical remains, or conveyance of some terrible revelation. As such, the attachment between a departed soul and its immortally coveted remains, possessions, or—most intriguingly—philosophies proves so strong that the undermining of these fundaments draws the spirit back across the gulf of mortality to defend that from which its life and death took meaning.
What might provoke a mummy’s resurrection varies widely, though cultural generalities exist. The most important requisite appears to be a lifelong preoccupation with death, typically held by an individual and compounded by his society. Populations who believe in the finality of death or the dissolution of the mortal spirit rarely produce mummies. Even believers in more traditional myths of the afterlife and the one-way progression of souls to a final reward or punishment infrequently breed such horrors. Those societies who tie their eternal rewards to the state of their physical remains or other monuments to their lives and believe that departed spirits might return to interact with the living unwittingly inflict a self-fulfilling curse upon themselves. Should one spend an entire life convinced that death does not sever his connection to the mortal realm, a belief compounded by his survivors who seek to elaborately placate his spirit, events that compromise the individual’s interests in the living world make it possible for the soul to return to seek retribution.
Aside from mummies obsessed with their past lives, a second classification exists: the cursed. Not drawn back to the world by their own vices, these beings have their undead state forced upon them. In the most basic form, necromantic magics empower a corpse with the traits of a mummy,
granting such a creature the abilities of such ancient dead but without the fanaticism that make the most legendary examples so deadly. These creatures prove hate-filled but bestial, knowing only the will to destroy and the whims of their masters. Other cursed mummies typically spawn from excruciating deaths, curses of immortal suffering, and the wrath of ancient deities.
While mummies notoriously haunt the hidden pyramids and buried necropolises of ancient cultures, such locations are not requisite to their resurrection. Most mummies created by powers other than foul magic possess connections to their resting places, perceiving such places as sanctuaries or prisons granted to them by their descendants. The form of such places means little; it is the spiritual connection and the importance the deceased places on such locations that hold significance. Thus, mummies are just as likely to rise from hidden barrow mounds, ancient catacombs, or acres of holy mud as from more majestic tombs. That being said, cultures that place such importance on the dead as to monumentalize the resting places of the deceased predispose themselves to the curse of mummies.
Not just any corpse can spontaneously manifest as a mummy GMs interested in creating mummies resurrected “naturally” (rather than by spells like create undead) should consider the passion and force of will of the would-be mummy. By and large, a corpse should be of a creature with a Charisma of 15 or higher and possessing at least 8 Hit Dice. In addition, it should have a reason for caring about the eternal sanctity of its remains in excess of normal mortal concern. As such, priests of deities with the Death or Repose domains, heroes expecting a champion’s burial, lords of cultures preoccupied with the afterlife, or individuals otherwise obsessed with death or their worldly possessions all make suitable candidates for resurrection as mummies—though countless other potential reasons for resurrection exist.
Vampire: The ultimate fear of vampires rises from their storied kiss, the bite and telltale marks that spread death and the dark curse of unlife. As the most discussed and feared power of these unliving hunters, vampires’ pronounced fangs draw the blood of the living, allowing the vampire both to feed upon the vital fluid and, more terrifyingly, to create more of its kind from its victims. Though this is not an uncommon trait of the undead, in vampires such corruption finds refinement, affording them the choice of slaying their victims outright or resurrecting them, as either deathless thralls or true vampires.
While most vampires visit their victims night after night, draining them of their vitality little by little, some gorge themselves, drinking away an entire life in a single feast. It is from such deaths that new vampires might arise—though victims physically unfit for the transformation might still resurrect as mere vampire spawn.
Vampire Spawn: The ultimate fear of vampires rises from their storied kiss, the bite and telltale marks that spread death and the dark curse of unlife. As the most discussed and feared power of these unliving hunters, vampires’ pronounced fangs draw the blood of the living, allowing the vampire both to feed upon the vital fluid and, more terrifyingly, to create more of its kind from its victims. Though this is not an uncommon trait of the undead, in vampires such corruption finds refinement, affording them the choice of slaying their victims outright or resurrecting them, as either deathless thralls or true vampires.
While most vampires visit their victims night after night, draining them of their vitality little by little, some gorge themselves, drinking away an entire life in a single feast. It is from such deaths that new vampires might arise—though victims physically unfit for the transformation might still resurrect as mere vampire spawn.
Draining blood is not the only way new vampires are created, however. Little known is the fact that the very touch of the vampire can drain one’s power and weaken one’s resolve—a condition that seems to be more a manner of fundamental deterioration than mere physical draining. Rarely used by vampires except in desperate conflicts, as it supplies them with no vital blood, their energy-sapping touch can easily extinguish a life, and from such withering deaths new vampires arise, cursing even the most exceptional souls to an existence as undead slaves.
Vampire Nosferatu: ?
Skeleton: Dead bodies animated through foul necromantic rituals.
The walking dead normally serve as the simple tools of evil priests and wizards who have animated cadavers through the use of spells such as animate dead. While most skeletons and zombies are the products of such necromantic magics, other methods of creating the walking dead have been recorded. Rare alchemical concoctions can rot the flesh or melt it from bone, and give the corpse some semblance of life. Certain powerful curses can also cause a person to rise as a zombie upon death, often to take revenge on those still living.
However, skeletons and zombies have also been known to arise spontaneously, usually as a result of another powerful undead creature nearby. Certain areas with a strong necromantic aura or a history of killing—such as battlefields and long-forgotten sacrificial altars—or places where a significant number of people have died violently, as with a mass grave or the sites of massacre, can spontaneously produce the living dead as well.
Occasionally, a large mixed group of skeletons or zombies spontaneously arises, usually at the site of a particularly bloody battle or other scene of carnage.
Skeleton Champion Magus: ?
Zombie: Dead bodies animated through foul necromantic rituals.
The walking dead normally serve as the simple tools of evil priests and wizards who have animated cadavers through the use of spells such as animate dead. While most skeletons and zombies are the products of such necromantic magics, other methods of creating the walking dead have been recorded. Rare alchemical concoctions can rot the flesh or melt it from bone, and give the corpse some semblance of life. Certain powerful curses can also cause a person to rise as a zombie upon death, often to take revenge on those still living.
However, skeletons and zombies have also been known to arise spontaneously, usually as a result of another powerful undead creature nearby. Certain areas with a strong necromantic aura or a history of killing—such as battlefields and long-forgotten sacrificial altars—or places where a significant number of people have died violently, as with a mass grave or the sites of massacre, can spontaneously produce the living dead as well.
Occasionally, a large mixed group of skeletons or zombies spontaneously arises, usually at the site of a particularly bloody battle or other scene of carnage.
Zombie Lord: ?
Zombie Lord Magus: ?

Beginner's Box

Spoiler

Undead: A dead body or spirit animated by an evil power.
Ghost: Ghosts are the undead souls of dead people so filled with rage and hate that they refuse to stay dead.
Ghoul: ?
Mummy: Created to guard the tombs of the honored dead.
Skeletal Champion: ?
Skeleton: Skeletons are the animated bones of the dead, brought to unlife through foul magic. While they are mindless automatons, the magic that created them gave them evil cunning and an instinctive hatred of the living.
Zombie: Zombies are the animated corpses of dead creatures.

Book of the Damned

Spoiler

Kabriri: It is said that when the first humanoid (an elf, it so happened) to feed upon the flesh of his brother died, he was reborn in the Abyss in the reeking bowels of a vast necropolis that the plane created in his honor. This first ghoul abandoned his previous life and embraced his new undeath, becoming the demon lord Kabriri.
Advanced Mohrg: ?
Advanced Vampire: Vampirism exalted boon.
Zura: Zura rose from the corpse of an Azlanti queen who had succumbed to a lust for eternal life and the flesh of her own kind. Scholars point to Zura’s acts as the start of Azlant’s fall into decadence—and perhaps even one of the catalysts for the Age of Darkness that followed. Even today, thousands of years later, tales of her baths of blood and hideous banquets persist as legends. While many tried to assassinate her, it was her own exuberance for blood that sent her soul spiraling into the Abyss after an accidental suicide tryst with several consorts. Yet such was the weight of her sin that when her soul arrived, she rose immediately as a powerful creature—a succubus vampire who swiftly went on to gain incredible power.
Urgathoa: Although it is unclear whether Zura worshiped Urgathoa in life, there exist certain irrefutable connections between the Vampire Queen as a demon lord and Urgathoa, whom many believe to have been the first vampire.
Burning Ghost: ?
Mummified Demon: ?
Fiendish Vampire: ?
Rhuithvein, The Blood Emperor, Vampire: ?

Undead: Nurgal's torso is deeply tanned and masculine, and he is rarely seen without a heavy mace, the head of which appears to be a miniature sun held in one four-fingered, taloned hand. This mace can deal horrific damage, scorching flesh and drawing moisture from the body so that those slain by the weapon instantly rise as sun-blackened undead slaves of the Shining Scourge.
To the priesthood of Orcus, the lich is generally held as the height of power and the most glorious method of transcending life, not only due to the power a lich wields but also due to the simple fact that one must actually work to become a lich. Transforming into a lich requires patience, power, skill, and talent, and worshipers of Orcus often regard those undead spawned merely from being transformed by another undead creature via disease or otherwise as lesser incarnations of the undead state of being. To the worshipers of Orcus, there is no difference between a vampire and a leper. Vampirism is a disease, and like all diseases, it spreads most quickly among the weak—as a result, Orcus cultists maintain that vampires represent the weakest form of undeath. Accidental undeath ranks only slightly higher, but even then the lich who spent the majority of his living existence working toward a singular transformation feels jealousy and frustration over those who become ghosts simply by chance after death. To Orcus cultists, even mindless undead like skeletons and zombies are “purer” forms of undeath than ghosts, ghouls, and vampires, for as mindless as skeletons and zombies are, they exist only as a result of a necromancer’s skill at magic. They are not creations of mere chance or misfortune but calculated additions to the world, and as such their place in the church is much more valued.
Fiendish lore holds that Ruzel’s tongue is so sharp he can turn living creatures into undead with a single well-aimed jest.
Circiatto is an exceptionally gluttonous and ruthless fiend who consumes all enemies who stand in his way. Worse, the Glutton Slaver then vomits them back up as undead servants.
Menxyr can pull forth bones from living creatures, animate the dead to serve his foul lusts, and even climb inside the bodies of the freshly dead to animate them and seduce those who mourn the loss of a loved one.
The White Mountain, the highest point in Abaddon, reaches even higher than the peak housing the Cinder Furnace. This massive volcano belches forth neither ash nor lava but a miasma of corrosive, white-hot soul-stuff, spontaneously generated undead, and negative energy. The source of the White Mountain’s fury is unknown, and swirling rumors raise only more questions: they credit a lost artifact, the chamber of a dead or imprisoned harbinger, or another long-abandoned experiment by one of the Four.
In reality, the carefully disguised proprietors—Carlissa, Melina, and Veria—are lioness-headed rakshasas who siphon a bit of life force from each customer who spends time at the Pillow. The sisters keep this life force in the form of stolen and bottled memories, which they store in magnificent amulets around their necks. Soon, after spending lifetimes collecting their unsettling bounty, the sisters plan to shatter their amulets, which will transform all of their living victims into undead scourges and turn those who’ve died into incorporeal undead poised to tear the city apart from within.
Nabasu demons (also known as death demons or glutton demons) are dangerous for a spellcaster to conjure, though they are desirable as mighty combatants with strong battle and infiltration skills. They can become more powerful during their service, as well as recruit and create their own armies of undead slaves, so a spellcaster can quickly get in over his head should the nabasu manage to use its newfound power or minions to circumvent the strictures of its servitude.
Ghoul: It is said that when the first humanoid (an elf, it so happened) to feed upon the flesh of his brother died, he was reborn in the Abyss in the reeking bowels of a vast necropolis that the plane created in his honor. This first ghoul abandoned his previous life and embraced his new undeath, becoming the demon lord Kabriri. For his first few centuries of existence, he traveled among the worlds of the Material Plane, sampling like a gourmand the contents of graveyards and spreading the infectious “word” of his condition to any who would listen—in effect, infecting the inhabitants of innumerable worlds with the first and strongest strain of ghoul fever. Yet wherever Kabriri traveled, he took pains to avoid the burial grounds of elves, and did not spread his word among their kind. Whether his restraint was due to a fragment of shame over his first act of cannibalism or fear of confronting even a tiny fragment of the life he’d left behind, Kabriri left the elven people alone. Repercussions of his avoidance continue to this very day, as the touch of ghouls cannot paralyze elves. In contrast, other humanoids who succumb to the disease find their ears growing long and pointed, as if in some cosmic mockery of the elven form.
His favored weapon is a two-headed flail of iron and bone, its twin heads made from skulls wrapped in strips of spiked iron. This weapon is capable of transforming those it strikes into ghouls, and causes the flesh of the living to rot away. Kabriri’s breath can also transform the living into ghouls, and his gaze can instill an unholy cannibalistic hunger that can drive sane folk to go on murderous, gluttonous rampages. Ghoulish Apotheosis exalted boon.
Death-stealing Gaze exalted boon.
Ghast: Undertaker sentinel boon.
Lacedon: ?
Leng Ghoul: According to Kabriri’s religious teachings, the Leng ghouls came to be when he spread ghoul fever among that realm’s slumbering men and women, but they turned their backs on their creator and became pariahs. The Leng ghouls dispute this claim, citing compelling evidence that their kind has dwelt in Leng far longer than Kabriri himself has been in existence.
Lich: To the priesthood of Orcus, the lich is generally held as the height of power and the most glorious method of transcending life, not only due to the power a lich wields but also due to the simple fact that one must actually work to become a lich. Transforming into a lich requires patience, power, skill, and talent, and worshipers of Orcus often regard those undead spawned merely from being transformed by another undead creature via disease or otherwise as lesser incarnations of the undead state of being.
Among humanity, Yhidothrus’s cultists are typically loners obsessed with the encroaching threat of old age; desperate to avoid their fate, these few turn to blasphemy and demon worship as a means of escape. Many become liches as a result of their obsession—a Yhidothrin lich typically appears worm-eaten and moist compared to the typical specimen of that kind of undead.
Mummy: ?
Vampire: Vampirism exalted boon.
Juju Zombie: Invoke Death exalted boon.
Nightwing: ?
Devourer: ?
Ghost: Elder's Grace exalted boon.
Skeleton: To Orcus cultists, even mindless undead like skeletons and zombies are “purer” forms of undeath than ghosts, ghouls, and vampires, for as mindless as skeletons and zombies are, they exist only as a result of a necromancer’s skill at magic.
Zombie: To Orcus cultists, even mindless undead like skeletons and zombies are “purer” forms of undeath than ghosts, ghouls, and vampires, for as mindless as skeletons and zombies are, they exist only as a result of a necromancer’s skill at magic.

Ghoulish Apotheosis (Ex) For you, death is not an ending but a beginning. The next time you die, you rise as a ghoul after 24 hours. Your type changes to undead and you lose all the abilities of your previous race, replacing them with a +2 natural armor bonus, darkvision 60 feet, channel resistance +2, and a ghoul’s physical attacks. You do not change your total Hit Dice or alter your ability scores. If you achieve this boon when you’re already an undead creature, you instead gain a +4 profane bonus to your Charisma score.

Undertaker (Sp) With nothing but your will alone, you can slaughter and entomb your foes in one fell swoop. Once per day, you can cast finger of death as a spell-like ability. Any creature killed by this effect is immediately entombed 6 feet underground within a 6-inch-thick stone sarcophagus, along with its gear. One week after interment, a creature entombed by this ability breaks free from its sarcophagus as a chaotic evil ghast with all class levels it had in life; these ghasts are not under your control, but are often friendly toward you. Elder’s Grace (Ex) You immediately age to the next age category, gaining all of the appropriate bonuses to your mental ability scores without taking any penalties to your physical ability scores. If you are venerable when you achieve this boon, you die and become a ghost. Any illusion effect you create gains a +2 profane bonus to the save DC. This transformation into a ghost persists even if you fail to perform your obedience.

Invoke Death (Sp) Once per day, you can cast slay living as a spell-like ability. A creature slain by this spell immediately rises from death as a juju zombieB2. The juju zombie is not under your control, but it will not attack you.

Death-Stealing Gaze (Su) You gain the death-stealing gaze ability of a nabasu. You can activate this ability as a free action and use it for up to 3 rounds per day plus a number of additional rounds equal to your Constitution modifier—these rounds need not be consecutive, but they must be used in 1-round increments. All living creatures within 30 feet of you when your death-stealing gaze is active must succeed at a Fortitude save (DC = 10 + half your Hit Dice + your Charisma modifier) or gain a negative level. A humanoid slain in this manner immediately transforms into a ghoul under your control. You can create only one ghoul in this manner per round. If multiple humanoids die from this ability simultaneously, you choose which of them rises as a ghoul. Nabasu demons that gain this boon can instead use their death-stealing gaze at will, regardless of their total number of growth points.

Vampirism (Su) While Zura’s favored worshipers are vampires, she still values the service of powerful cult members who yet live, for a living cultist can move about in the light of day and need not fear the weaknesses most vampires do. But this is not to say that Zura denies her greatest followers the bliss and rapture of becoming a vampire, at least for short periods of time. Thanks to your long-standing devotion to the Vampire Queen, you have become one of those chosen few to gain this peek into a vampire’s unlife without having to give up living. Once per day, you can infuse yourself with the qualities of a vampire. Apply the vampire template to yourself for the duration of this effect, which lasts for 1d6 rounds plus an additional number of rounds equal to your Charisma bonus. When the effect ends, you are staggered for 1d4 rounds. In time, most worshipers of Zura hope to become vampires, and those who do and have this boon find that they can still draw upon its effects to bolster their power. If you are already a vampire and you activate this boon, you gain the advanced creature simple template for the duration of this effect.

Game Mastery Guide

Spoiler

Haunt: The distinction between a trap and an undead creature blurs when you introduce a haunt—a hazardous region created by unquiet spirits that react violently to the presence of the living. The exact conditions that cause a haunt to manifest vary from case to case—but haunts always arise from a source of terrific mental or physical anguish endured by living, tormented creatures. A single, source of suffering can create multiple haunts, or multiple sources could consolidate into a single haunt. The relative power of the source has little bearing on the strength of the resulting haunt—it’s the magnitude of the suffering or despair that created the haunt that decides its power. Often, undead inhabit regions infested with haunts—it’s even possible for a person who dies to rise as a ghost (or other undead) and trigger the creation of numerous haunts. A haunt infuses a specific area, and often multiple haunted areas exist within a single structure.
Temples deserted under negative circumstances, or those that carried out vile rites, attract spirits that cannot manifest as incorporeal undead. This makes them no less dangerous. (GM's Miscellany: Alternate Dungeons)
If tragedy befell the village, undead citizenry might haunt the adventure site. (GM's Miscellany: Alternate Dungeons)
Haunts are typically created by restless souls or pervading evil, but an abandoned village can almost have a “spirit” of its own. (GM's Miscellany: Alternate Dungeons)
Powerful witches are able to leave lasting imprints upon the land with their final breaths, transforming themselves into powerful, incorporeal undead through extreme hatred and emotional distress. Often manifesting as ghosts, spectres or wraiths, these witches blight the land and cause strange murders and ill fortunate to beset the locals until they move away from the site of the curse. (GM's Miscellany: Alternate Dungeons)
Manors are often at the apex of these death knell curses because a witch’s vengeance is directed at an individual or specific group of people, who quickly perish from her supernatural vengeance or flee from their homes for fear of a grisly demise. Products of a witch’s death knell curse last for hundreds of years and typically are not stopped until someone is able to find the spirit and slay it, destroying its strange hold upon the building and the surrounding region. (GM's Miscellany: Alternate Dungeons)
When a creature dies, any intense emotions it experiences at the time of death are often left behind as a psychic footprint. Fear, anger, hatred and sorrow are by far the most powerful of these emotions and often causes the most dangerous and destructive haunts to manifest. (GM's Miscellany: Alternate Dungeons)
In many ways, a haunted house is created by suicide in the same way it is created by murder, though sorrow and self-loathing often fuel the supernatural entities born from suicide rather than fear, anger or hatred as is true with murder. (GM's Miscellany: Alternate Dungeons)
When it comes to planar magic, mages are often tinkering with forces they scarcely comprehend, let alone control. A single misspoken word or a stray line within a magic circle can cause a spell to backfire with tremendous force, calling an outsider into the mortal realm. In rare circumstances, the outsider may be physically unable to leave the place it was summoned within for reasons even it is unlikely to understand. Perhaps the mage’s home is inscribed with warding runes as a fail-safe or the magic is unstable, preventing the creature from straying far from its point of summoning. Even more horrifying are the outsiders who possess unfettered access to the Material Plane, retreating to abandoned structures by daylight only to prey again on mortal flesh come dusk. (GM's Miscellany: Alternate Dungeons)
Any event causing a suitable amount of negative emotion can create a haunt, whether this tragedy is a massive fire at an orphanage, the demise of a family or the deaths of an entire neighbourhood from an epidemic. (GM's Miscellany: Alternate Dungeons)
Several decades ago the inhabitants of Saltspray, a small coastal village, were all but wiped from existence by the appetites of a band of sahuagin. Although the monsters were eventually repelled, over half the villagers were murdered, their half-devoured corpses left to rot in a grotto built atop a nobleman’s summer home. In the following years, the manor has become a haunt filled with dozens of lost spirits, the most notable of which is the manor’s former owner. Now a powerful spectre, it is said the owner’s wailing can be heard long into the night once a month as the full moon rises. (GM's Miscellany: Alternate Dungeons)
Fifty years ago, a vile witch attempted to summon a powerful demon by offering it the soul of a local baker’s girl. Although the witch was caught, tried and hanged thanks to the efforts of a party of adventurers, with her final breath she scorned the city and its people, promising to return to drag all of their souls to the depths of the Abyss. (GM's Miscellany: Alternate Dungeons)
On the night of the first full moon after the witch’s death, eerie lights and sounds began to plague her victim’s home. In fear, the family left the city and moved into the hamlet of Greenborough to escape the horror. Unfortunately, the haunting followed the family and they all died in their newly constructed manor within one moon of their arrival. Local legends claim the witch’s angry spirit now holds the family’s souls captive within the manor with the assistance of a malevolent force from outside the mortal realms. (GM's Miscellany: Alternate Dungeons)
When a soul fouled by anger and fear leaves its broken corpse, if it is strong enough, that soul may return as a ghost, a wraith or some worse form of undead. If it is strong enough….. (Two Dozen Dangers: Haunts)
Souls lacking the metaphysical vigor to retain their own identity after death may also return… as something else, something lesser, a ghostly presence that blurs the line between a magical trap and a true undead. (Two Dozen Dangers: Haunts)
Bleeding Walls: ?
This haunt occurs when a victim is murdered and their corpse is boarded up within the walls of the haunted house. (Alternate Dungeons: Haunted House)

Undead: Whether from an ancient curse or fell necromancy, one of the most terrifying of all supernatural disasters is the undead uprising—the dead emerging from their graves to claim the living. This disaster can strike any area where the dead have been laid to rest, not just towns and cities. More than one blood-soaked battlefield has given rise to a legion of desiccated undead warriors.
Heroes who perished in the battle against the uprising return as fearsome undead generals.
Zombie: On the first nights of an undead uprising, the bodies of the recently dead rise as zombies. Those interred in consecrated ground remain at rest, but bodies left unburied or in mass graves lurch out into the streets, wreaking havoc.
Skeleton: As the uprising progresses, older and older corpses join the shambling ranks of the undead. Skeletons wearing traces of long-rotted funeral garb claw their way out of graveyards and crypts, and act with a malevolence and organization rarely encountered among their ilk.
Skeletal Champion: As the uprising progresses, older and older corpses join the shambling ranks of the undead. Skeletons wearing traces of long-rotted funeral garb claw their way out of graveyards and crypts, and act with a malevolence and organization rarely encountered among their ilk. The undead remain mindless, but the magical power behind the incursion gives them the efficiency and tactical acumen of a living army. The skeletons seek out weapons and armor to gird themselves for battle. Elite skeletal champions lead the troops, wielding magic items scavenged from abandoned graves.
Ghoul: ?
Wight: ?
Ghost: As the uprising gathers strength, the unquiet souls of bodies long since turned to dust awaken as well. Ghosts, shadows, wraiths, and even spectres arise to prey upon the living.
Shadow: As the uprising gathers strength, the unquiet souls of bodies long since turned to dust awaken as well. Ghosts, shadows, wraiths, and even spectres arise to prey upon the living.
Wraith: As the uprising gathers strength, the unquiet souls of bodies long since turned to dust awaken as well. Ghosts, shadows, wraiths, and even spectres arise to prey upon the living.
Spectre: As the uprising gathers strength, the unquiet souls of bodies long since turned to dust awaken as well. Ghosts, shadows, wraiths, and even spectres arise to prey upon the living.
Lich: ?
Dread Wraith: ?
Vampire: ?
Mummy: ?
Greater Shadow: ?
Mohrg: ?
Ghast: ?
Vampire Spawn: ?

Inner Sea Gods

Spoiler

Mother's Maw: Created from the skull of a fallen titan.

Inner Sea Races

Spoiler

Undead: Alien in the truest sense of the word, androids are sophisticated constructs that blur the boundaries between living beings and machines. Though their bodies are synthetic, they have souls, they respond to healing and other spells as if they were organic creatures, and they can even become undead, though they are also susceptible to effects that affect constructs.
Ghoul: ?
Vampire: ?
Nosferatu: ?
Jiang-Shi: ?
Vetala: ?
Zombie: ?
Wight: ?

Inner Sea World Guide

Spoiler

Daughter of Urgathoa: Within the church of the goddess of undeath, few more coveted stations exist than daughter of Urgathoa, yet no high priest can bestow the title, and no living worshiper can take the role. Rather, daughters of Urgathoa are selected by the fickle goddess herself, chosen from her most zealous and accomplished priestesses only at the moment of their deaths.

Monster Codex

Spoiler

Frightful Haunter: Occasionally, the desire to cause fear and misery survives even when a bugbear dies.
Ghoul Huntsmaster, Ghoul Ranger 6: ?
Corpse Cat: ?
Ghoul Commander, Ghoul Antipaladin 7: ?
Masked Murderer, Ghoul Bard 8: ?
Ancient Gravedigger, Ghoul Oracle 10: ?
Ghoul Monarch, Ghoul Sorcerer 12: ?
Skaveling: ?
Sootwing Bat: ?
Ghoul Hound: ?
Grathkoll: ?
Ghoul Creeper, Ghoul Rogue 3: ?
Ghoul Stalker, Ghoul Rogue 6: ?
Vampire Seducer, Human Vampire Bard 5: ?
Vampire Warrior, Vishkanya Jiang-Shi Vampire Fighter 7: When this vishkanya was alive, she pursued the path of the samurai, but wasn’t allowed to join their honorable ranks. Her restless spirit remained trapped in her flesh after death, and eventually she animated her own rotting body and sought out those who had wronged her.
Vampire Savage, Half-Orc Barbarian 9: ?
Enlightened Vampire, Human Vampire Monk 11: ?
Vampire Lord, Half-Elf Vampire Magus 14: ?
Vampire Spawn Human Rogue 2: ?
Vampire Spawn Template: “Vampire spawn” is an acquired template that can be added to any living creature with 4 or more Hit Dice.

Ghoul: Always searching for the flesh of humanoids, ghouls thrive where people live, and their domains steadily expand as the creatures infect new victims with ghoul fever.
Potential victims have good reason to fear ghouls, as dying of ghoul fever is a horrifying fate. From the onset of the disease, an insatiable hunger overcomes the victim, yet her body begins to reject all normal food and drink. If denied food, the victim becomes increasingly desperate and violent as her hunger grows. Feeding the victim flesh from a corpse temporarily alleviates her cravings, but does not slow the onset of the disease. Eventually, the victim’s mortal body fails entirely. After the victim finally dies, she wakes up at the next stroke of midnight, obsessed with the hunger for flesh.
Vampire, Moroi: Beyond their mortal minions, vampires can drain the blood or life energy from a victim to create spawn enslaved to their will—either full-fledged vampires or weaker vampire spawn.
Other types of vampire exist, some of them arising from rare or even unique circumstances, but the following are the most notable types. Haunt: A frightful haunter has so much rage and desire to create fear that it can actually create a haunt once per hour. Each haunt has a CR no greater than the frightful haunter’s CR – 2, and often takes a form either tied to the location the frightful haunter selects for it or inspired by the victims the frightful haunter hopes to frighten.
Occasionally, the desire to cause fear and misery survives even when a bugbear dies. Such a creature can detach part of its vile nature to create frightening spiritual traps in the form of haunts.
Ghast: ?
Lich: ?
Lacedon: ?
Undead: Corpse Companion feat.
Vampiric Companion feat.
Ravener: ?
Vampire Spawn: Beyond their mortal minions, vampires can drain the blood or life energy from a victim to create spawn enslaved to their will—either full-fledged vampires or weaker vampire spawn.
Jiang-Shi: Created when a restless spirit does not leave its corpse at the time of death, a jiang-shi more closely resembles a rotting corpse than other vampires do.
Nosferatu: Nosferatu cannot create others of their kind, thus their numbers are dwindling.

Corpse Companion
You have an undead animal companion.
Prerequisites: Animal companion class feature, ghoul.
Benefit: Your animal companion’s type changes to undead, but its Hit Dice, base attack bonus, saving throws, skills, and tricks are retained from the base creature. The creature loses its Constitution score and its Charisma score becomes 12. If your companion is destroyed, your new companion is undead as well, using these same modifications.

Vampiric Companion
Just as your undead existence mocks nature, so too does your twisted companion reflect the vile nature of vampirism.
Prerequisites: Dhampir or vampire, nongood alignment, 10th level in a class that grants a familiar or animal companion.
Benefit: Your animal companion or familiar’s type changes to “undead.” The creature gains fast healing 5 as well as your vampire or dhampir weaknesses. If you are a vampire, the creature also gains the following abilities, depending on what type of vampire you are.
Jiang-Shi: While the creature is adjacent to or in your square, it gains the benefit of your prayer scroll ability. The creature crumbles into dust if destroyed ( just like a jiang-shi), but is not permanently destroyed unless measures are taken that would destroy a jiang-shi.
Moroi: If the creature is adjacent to or in your square when you assume gaseous form, it transforms with you and follows you; its transformation ends when yours does. If reduced to 0 hit points, it’s forced into gaseous form and must return to your coffin to reform (or the foot of your coffin if it cannot fit within it).
Nosferatu: If the creature is adjacent to or in your square when you assume swarm form, it transforms with you and follows you; its transformation ends when yours does. The creature can climb as if using the spider climb vampire ability, even if its anatomy is not suitable for climbing (such as a horse).
Special: If your animal companion or familiar is destroyed, dismissed, or lost, you can apply the effects of this feat to the replacement creature. If you are destroyed, the creature retains its undead type but loses all other special abilities from this feat. If you have more than one animal companion or familiar, choose one of them when you select this feat and apply its effects to that creature.
You can select this feat more than once. Each time you select the feat, it applies to a different animal companion or familiar.

Mythic Adventures

Spoiler

Mythic Lich Human Lich Cleric 13: ?
Mythic Lich: “Mythic lich” is an acquired template that can be added to any creature with the lich template.
Magic often plays a hand in the creation of the undead, of course, from those created as slaves like a mythic skeleton to turning that mighty magic upon themselves like a mythic lich. (Mythic Monsters 9: Undead)
Mythic Mummy: A mythic mummy is the preserved and animated remains of royalty—the honored dead a common mummy is compelled to protect.
Advanced Mummy: As a swift action, a mythic mummy can expend one use of mythic power to transform a slain opponent into a non-mythic mummy with the advanced simple template.
Mythic Human Skeleton: ?
Mythic Skeleton: A mythic skeleton is an animated corpse created with mythic magic such as mythic animate dead.
“Mythic skeleton” is an acquired template that can be added to any creature with the skeleton template.
Magic often plays a hand in the creation of the undead, of course, from those created as slaves like a mythic skeleton to turning that mighty magic upon themselves like a mythic lich. (Mythic Monsters 9: Undead)
Mythic Animate Dead spell.
Torpid Reanimation spell. (Mythic Magic: Horror Spells)
Mythic Bloody Skeleton: ?
Mythic Burning Skeleton: ?
Mythic Skeletal Champion: ?
Mythic Vampire Human Vampire Fighter 7: ?
Mythic Vampire: A mythic vampire has ties to the earliest of its kind, being either one of the first vampires or the offspring of such ancient creatures.
“Mythic vampire” is an acquired template that can be added to any creature with the vampire template.
At 8th rank, a mythic vampire can expend one use of mythic power when using create spawn to cause the victim to rise as undead in 1 hour instead of 1d4 days. The mythic vampire can expend two uses of mythic power when using create spawn to create a mythic vampire instead of a vampire spawn or non-mythic vampire.
Mythic Agile Skeleton: Mythic Animate Dead spell.
Torpid Reanimation spell. (Mythic Magic: Horror Spells)
Mythic Savage Skeleton: Mythic Animate Dead spell.
Torpid Reanimation spell. (Mythic Magic: Horror Spells)
Mythic Agile Zombie: Mythic Animate Dead spell.
Torpid Reanimation spell. (Mythic Magic: Horror Spells)
Mythic Savage Zombie: Mythic Animate Dead spell.
Torpid Reanimation spell. (Mythic Magic: Horror Spells)

Ghoul: ?
Shadow: ?
Wraith: ?
Mohrg: ?
Vampire: ?
Vampire Spawn: ?

ANIMATE DEAD Add your tier to your caster level when determining how many Hit Dice of undead you can animate with a single casting of this spell. This doesn’t increase the total number of Hit Dice worth of undead you can control. By expending a second use of mythic power, you can ignore the spell’s material component cost. Augmented (6th): If you expend two uses of mythic power, any skeletons or zombies you create gain either the agile or savage mythic template. This template lasts for a number of days equal to your tier. Alternatively, if you’re 8th tier and expend 10 uses of mythic power, any skeletons you create permanently gain the mythic skeleton template.

Mythic Realms

Spoiler

Agmazar the Star Titan: After his destruction at the claws of the kaiju King Mogaro, Agmazar rose as an undead behemoth.
In a cataclysmic battle that wiped out every living creature for miles, King Mogaru slew the invader from the stars and left the body burned and broken, after which he returned to his deep lake lair for a long rest.
King Mogaru, however, didn’t know the alien powers engrafted within the Star Titan—fail-safes created long ago by the Balance, its makers upon the planet Verces, who created it as an ultimate weapon against undead invaders from Eox. If Agmazar were killed, these unholy energies would raise it, not to life that might once again be snuffed out by the undead, but to titanic unlife that would make it an invincible weapon.
Its death activated its failsafe programming.
Arazni: Once the virtuous herald of the god Aroden, the wizard Arazni was raised as a lich by the necromancer Geb.
But even in death Arazni found no comfort. She lay in rest only 67 years before the overzealous Knights of Ozem provoked the witch-king Geb, who raised some of the fallen knights as grave knights and sent them to bring Arazni’s revered remains to him. Not content with her corpse, he infused deathless vitality into her and bound her spirit up in her bones, making her his Harlot Queen.
Kortash Khain: ?
Whispering Tyrant: Slain by a god and risen as a lich.
Tar-Baphon had intended to die by Aroden’s hand all along. His studies had revealed to him that his only true path to immortality lay in undeath. For Tar-Baphon’s last step in becoming a lich beyond compare, he needed to be killed by a god, and Aroden served this purpose. The process sparked by Aroden took time, however, and for 2,307 years Tar-Baphon’s body laid dead in the ground before he returned to grim unlife. The Whispering Tyrant was born.
Ghoul: A humanoid who dies of Kortash Khain's ghoul fever rises as a ghoul at the next midnight; a humanoid with 4 Hit Dice or more rises as a ghast.
Ghoul Ghast: A humanoid who dies of Kortash Khain's ghoul fever rises as a ghoul at the next midnight; a humanoid with 4 Hit Dice or more rises as a ghast.

Occult Adventures

Spoiler

Human Skeleton: Occultist Necromancy Implement Necromantic Servant focus power.
Human Zombie: Occultist Necromancy Implement Necromantic Servant focus power.
Bloody Human Skeleton: Occultist Necromancy Implement Necromantic Servant focus power level 9.
Burning Human Skeleton: Occultist Necromancy Implement Necromantic Servant focus power level 9.
Fast Human Zombie: Occultist Necromancy Implement Necromantic Servant focus power level 9.

Haunt: ?
Ghost: ?

Necromantic Servant (Sp): As a standard action, you can expend 1 point of mental focus to raise a single human skeleton (Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 250) or human zombie (Bestiary 288) from the ground to serve you for 10 minutes per occultist level you possess or until it is destroyed, whichever comes first. This servant has a number of hit points equal to 1/2 your maximum hit point total (not adjusted for temporary hit points or other temporary increases). It also uses your base attack bonus and gains a bonus on damage rolls equal to 1/2 your occultist level. At 5th level, whenever the necromantic servant would be destroyed, if you are within medium range (100 feet + 10 feet per level) of the servant, you can expend 1 point of mental focus as an immediate action to cause the servant to return to full hit points. At 9th level, you can choose to give the servant the bloody or burning simple template (if it’s a skeleton) or the fast simple template (if it’s a zombie). At 13th level, when you take an immediate action to restore your servant, it splits into two servants. You can have a maximum number of servants in existence equal to 1/2 your occultist level. At 17th level, the servant gains a teamwork feat of your choice.

Osirion Legacy of Pharaohs

Spoiler

Pharaonic Guardian: Pharaonic guardians were created when an egotistical Osirian pharaoh used now-lost techniques to ritually draw upon the fear of the countless slaves and servants who built her monuments. When enough of these minions were driven into self-destruction trying to provide for the pharaoh’s decadent demands, she knitted their souls together to create the first pharaonic guardians.

Pathfinder Unchained

Spoiler

Ghost Graft: A soul unable to rest becomes a spectral undead creature.
Graveknight Graft: ?
Lich Graft: This spellcaster retained its magical powers after it died and rose again in undeath.
Skeleton Graft: The animated bones of the dead attack as a skeleton—a mindless soldier in an army of the dead.
Vampire Graft: ?
Zombie Graft: A reanimated corpse can become a sluggish and unthinking zombie.
Zombie Minotaur: ?
Vampire Cleric: ?

Undead: Undead are once-living creatures that have been reanimated by spiritual or supernatural forces.
Ghoul: ?

Player's Companion: Dwarves of Golarion

Spoiler

Undead: ?
Zombie: ?
Wight: ?
Ghost: ?

Starfinder Core Rulebook

Spoiler

Urgathoa: Urgathoa was once a mortal with a hunger for life so tremendous that she rebelled against the notion of being judged by Pharasma when she died, instead tearing herself away from the Lady of Graves’s endless line of souls and returning from the Great Beyond as the universe’s first undead creature.

Undead: The Positive Energy Plane and its dark twin, the Negative Energy Plane, exist to create and destroy life, respectively. While the Negative Energy Plane drains life and creates strange mockeries of it (and is responsible for animating undead creatures), the Positive Energy Plane is no safer, as its pure vitality overwhelms and consumes mortal bodies.
Animate Dead spell.
Skeleton: ?
Zombie: ?
Shadow: Urgathoa’s existence is a corruption of the natural order; some say her first divine footprints upon the soil of the Material Plane birthed plague and infection and that the first undead shadows and wraiths were born of her breath.
Wraith: Urgathoa’s existence is a corruption of the natural order; some say her first divine footprints upon the soil of the Material Plane birthed plague and infection and that the first undead shadows and wraiths were born of her breath.

ANIMATE DEAD 4 4
School necromancy
Casting Time 1 standard action
Range touch
Targets one or more corpses
Duration instantaneous
Saving Throw none; Spell Resistance no
This spell turns corpses into undead creatures that obey your spoken commands. The undead can be made to follow you, or they can be made to remain in place and attack any creature (or a specific kind of creature) entering the area. They remain animated until they are destroyed. A destroyed undead can’t be animated again.
You can create one or more undead creatures with a total CR of no more than half your caster level. You can only create one type of undead with each casting of this spell. Creating undead requires special materials worth 1,000 credits × the total CR of the undead created; these materials are consumed as part of casting the spell.
The undead you create remain under your control indefinitely. No matter how many times you use this spell, however, you can control only a number of undead whose total CR is no greater than your caster level. If you exceed this number, all the newly created creatures fall under your control and any excess undead from previous castings become uncontrolled. You choose which creatures are released. Once released, such undead have no particular feelings of loyalty to you, and in time they may grow in power beyond the undead you can create.
The corpses you use must be as intact as the typical undead of the type you choose to create. For example, a skeleton can be created only from a mostly intact corpse (that has bones) or skeleton. A zombie can be created only from a creature with a physical anatomy.

Ultimate Intrigue

Spoiler

Ghost: The PCs have killed their nemesis, but his obsession causes him to rise from death as a ghost with the unfinished business of defeating the PCs. His spirit rises 1d4 days after his death, and his ghost is tied to his possessions from life.
Revenant: The PCs kill a fanatic follower of the nemesis, who returns from death as a revenant.
Witchfire: Long ago, a powerful hag led a wicked coven that sought to destroy the kingdom of Gaheris. Seeking to turn enemies into allies, the king of Gaheris convinced the two weaker sisters to break their coven and betray their leader. In exchange, he used magic to reincarnate them into humans and married them to two of his most powerful dukes. The hags sealed their elder sister in her shack and burned her alive, only to see her to rise as a powerful witchfire.
Draugr: ?
Dullahan: ?
Ghoul: ?
Ghul: ?
Huecuva: ?
Skeletal Champion: ?
Skeleton: Animate Dead spell.
Zombie: Animate Dead spell.

Villain Codex

Spoiler

The Eminent Spellqueen, Human Lich Sorcerer 12: ?
Fevered Ravener, Ghast Slayer 4: ?
Undead Apostle, Dwarf Graveknight Fighter 8: Before his death and rise as a graveknight, the undead apostle belonged to the adventuring company that slew the Reaper. In the final assault on her stronghold, the apostle became separated from his companions and the cult defeated him, hoping to learn who had sent the adventurers or else to turn him against his former allies and send him out to undermine and dishearten them. The cult initially kept him alive, but he ultimately burned to death in the fire his allies set to destroy the Reaper. Believing their comrade dead, they left him behind. He rose from the ashes with the fire still alive in his soul, burning with hatred for those who had left him to die.
“You, of all people, have the gall to ask me ‘why?’ After everything we went through, after all the times we fought side by side, you left me there. You left me surrounded by walking corpses and murderers. You left me to die in darkness and disease, and you made damn sure I did when you burned it all down around me just to save your own skin. You didn’t even have the kindness to dispatch me quickly—you didn’t even bother to see if whether was possible to save me. Oh no, you were all too ready to let me suffer before I died. Yet I suppose I should thank you, in the end, because it opened my eyes to the truth of this wretched existence. After the ashes cooled and I arose, I realized that life is the real plague, old friend, and the Reaper and her undead followers are the cure. Now it is time for me to return the favor and help you embrace real power.”
—The undead apostle, in a last conversation with an old companion
The newest addition to the cult’s leadership, the undead apostle, is a dwarven graveknight who perished and rose again when he and his adventuring company attempted—successfully—to slay the Reaper.
The Reaper, Human Ghost Cleric 9:
Ghost Captain, Human Ghost Psychic 8: ?
Juju Zombie Pirate Thug: ?

Undead: Followers of Urgathoa revere all sicknesses as worldly expressions of her divine will, but none more so than the pallid gift, which opens its victims’ fevered minds to the glory of the Pallid Princess. Creatures that die while afflicted with the disease rise as undead, but some creatures form a symbiotic bond with it and become pallid vectors.
Plague Zombie: When a pallid vector dies, it rises as a plague zombie 1 round later. Instead of zombie rot, it spreads pallid gift. Sprinkling holy water on the body (a standard action) before it rises prevents this. A humanoid pallid vector that kills itself ritualistically or dies within a desecrate effect or other area that promotes undeath rises as a more powerful undead instead, as if it had died from pallid gift.
A nonhumanoid pallid gift-infected creature that dies rises as a plague zombie in 2d6 hours, and spreads pallid curse instead of zombie rot.
A humanoid pallid gift-infected creature with 1-3 HD that dies rises as a plague zombie.
Ghast: A humanoid pallid gift-infected creature with 4-5 HD that dies rises as a ghast.
Wight: A humanoid pallid gift-infected creature with 6-7 HD that dies rises as a wight.
Vampire: A humanoid pallid gift-infected creature with 8+ HD that dies rises as a vampire.
Draugr: ?

Pallid Gift: melee attacks; save Fort DC = 10 + 1/2 the pallid vector’s Hit Dice + its Con modifier; onset immediate; frequency 1/day; effect 1d6 Constitution damage and 1d6 Wisdom damage, the infected creature is fatigued, the ability damage can’t be healed, and the fatigue can’t be removed while the creature is infected; cure 2 consecutive saves. A nonhumanoid infected creature that dies rises as a plague zombie in 2d6 hours, and spreads pallid curse instead of zombie rot. A humanoid infected creature that dies rises as an undead according to its HD.
Hit Dice Monster
1–3 Plague zombie
4–5 Ghast
6–7 Wight
8+ Vampire

Pathfinder 1e 3rd Party

Spoiler

8-Bit Adventures - The Legend of Heroes

Spoiler

Burning Skull: Burning skulls are floating skulls or severed heads whose bodies have long since abandoned them, either in the moment of death or long after. Reanimated via dark magic, these horrors are usually created as mindless sentinels for dungeons or lairs.

8-Bit Adventures: Vampire Slayer Gear

Spoiler

Axe Knight: ?
Knight: ?
Medusa Head: ?
Red Skeleton: ?

Graveknight: ?
Skeletal Champion: ?
Beheaded: ?
Mummy: ?
Bloody Skeleton: ?
Skeleton: ?
Zombie: ?

8-Bit Adventures Welcome to the Fungal Kingdom

Spoiler

Scaredy Ghost: ?
Undead Turtle: The origins of these creatures is shrouded in mystery, but the common story is that they were created by the Turtle King himself to allow him access to what he assumed had to be vast treasure troves hidden in the haunted mansions of the Fungal Kingdom.
At first the Turtle King was frustrated at the ease with which the unquiet spirits of the Fungal Kingdom rebuffed his attempts to explore the old and decrepit houses that dotted the landscape, casting out his Turtle Legion and preventing access to what must be the best treasures and resources. To combat this, he delved into some necromancy of his own, creating the nigh-indestructible undead soldiers that serve him today. With his new skeletal servitors at his disposal he quickly explored these haunted sites, learning that they held little of interest.
It can be created by an animate dead spell, but only if the subject was originally a turtle soldier.

10 All-New Space Monsters

Spoiler

Astro Zombie: Astro zombies are bodies of the recently deceased reanimated by cosmic radiation. Because of their cosmic origins, astro zombies tend to be members of space-faring races, and often have a dry, mummy-like appearance caused by exposure to open space—essentially freeze drying them. Astro zombies created on the planet where they are encountered generally lack these characteristics and are virtually indistinguishable from normal zombies.
To become an astro zombie, one need only be exposed to cosmic radiation shortly before—or after—death. A single astro zombie emits enough radiation to raise others, allowing them to rapidly increase their numbers.
Astro zombie breakouts often start on poorly shielded ships which are quickly overrun and flown to populated planets or outposts where the astro zombies can greatly increase their numbers.
Any creature that dies while under the effects of an astro zombie’s radiation—or one who is slain by an astro zombie’s burning hand attack—will rise as an astro zombie 1d4 hours later. Creatures that have already died can also be transformed, but require continuous exposure for 1d3 hours. Creatures Immune to—or shielded from—radiation or immune to effects requiring a Fortitude save cannot become astro zombies.

Zombie: ?

10 All-New Undead Monsters

Spoiler

Giant Crawling Tongue: Its a little-known fact of nature that when creatures of significant size die their bodies are almost immediately swarmed my necromancers, harvesting useful parts like gigantic eyes and hands for use in their dark magics. The tongue is usually one of the last pieces to be harvested—unless it’s taken with the head—and is often the only piece that can be obtained by the smaller and weaker necromancers.
Crawling Tongue Swarm: A crawling tongue swarm is made of around 1,500 animated tongues. Each tongue must be individually harvested and prepared and then raised as a single creature. As such, all but the most dedicated—or obsessive—of necromancers don’t bother creating such creatures.
Sokushinbutsu Mummy: In a rarely practiced ritual, a monk will enter a deep meditative state which they will not break even to eat or drink. To the uninformed observer this seems to result in the monk’s death; however, the truth is that the monk has transcended to a higher state of enlightenment.
While most never return from this state, if the monk senses a powerful need for them they will return to their body, becoming a sokushinbutsu mummy. While a monk must be of lawful-neutral alignment to achieve this state, once they have reanimated they may be persuaded to change their alignment just as any other creature—although they must always retain their lawful alignment.
A sokushinbutsu mummy is animated by ki, rather than negative energy.
Phantasmagoria: A phantasmagoria is a whirling mass of more than 100 tiny ghostly entities—individually known as phantomets. Each of these indistinct glowing orbs were originally full-fledged ghosts, but have since lost most of their memories and power over centuries of unlife.
Phantom Limb: Phantom limbs are the spirits of limbs lost in battle.
Phantom Limb Arm: ?
Phantom Limb Leg: ?
Shrieking Crypt Skeleton: ?
Visceral Creeper: 1d6 hours after death, the digestive tract of a creature slain by a visceral creeper will detach and crawl out of its former owner’s mouth as a new visceral creeper.
1d6 hours after death, the digestive tract of a creature slain by a visceral creeper will detach and crawl out of its former owner’s mouth as a new visceral creeper.
Visceral creepers can be created with animate dead and lesser animate dead. When calculating cost and number of controllable undead, a visceral creeper counts as a creature of its hit dice total −1.
Electric Zombie: Seen by most necromancers as an overly-complicated zombie, and by golem crafters as an overly-simplified flesh golem, an electric zombie combines science and magic is a way many consider impractical. Prior to animation, an electric zombie’s body must outfitted with several specialized components for storing and distributing electricity through its body.
Rage Zombie, Cadaver Lantern: A cadaver lantern can only be created from the remains of an executed murderer. The preparation ritual is long and involved, first the body and head cavities are hollowed out and the mandible removed. After that, a candle is made from the body’s fat and infused with necromantic energy. Finally, the candle is placed inside the skull cavity and lit, within a few minutes it will animate and begin indiscriminately attacking any creature it sees.
Slime-Vomiting Zombie: A creature who is slain by zombie slime will rise as a slime-vomiting zombie in 2d6 hours.
A slime-vomiting zombie—as one may assume—is a zombie capable of vomiting a corrosive, viscus slime on its victims. The slime not only disables and damages its victims, but is also the catalyst for creating more slime-vomiting zombies. Upon creation, a slime-vomiting zombie’s organs dissolve to create the cavity in which it produces and stores its slime.
Zombie Slime disease.
Tar Zombie: Perhaps the worst of the tar zombie’s abilities is their ability to transmit melting flesh plague, which can provide a painful drawn-out death. Sufferers of melting flesh plague first suffer a fever, but soon begin to break out in large boils that expel acidic puss when ruptured. As the disease continues, the victim’s flesh becomes swollen, easily torn, and takes on a black color as they begin to rot while still alive. Any creature who dies from melting flesh plague immediately rises as tar zombie.
Melting Flesh Plague disease.
Crawling Tongue: Each tongue must be individually harvested and prepared and then raised as a single creature.
Phantomet: Each of these indistinct glowing orbs were originally full-fledged ghosts, but have since lost most of their memories and power over centuries of unlife.

Ghost: ?

Zombie Slime: Corpse Kiss—forced ingestion; save Fort DC 13; frequency 1/round until cured; effect 1 Con; cure 1 save; special A creature who is slain by zombie slime will rise as a slime-vomiting zombie in 2d6 hours.
This ability functions against deceased creatures—including ones who die while suffering from—but not directly as the result of—zombie slime, such creature rise when their Constitution score reaches 0—using Con score as of time of death.

Melting Flesh Plague: Bite—injury; save Fort DC 16; onset 1d4 days; frequency 1/day; effect 1d3 Con and Cha; cure 2 consecutive saves; special A creature who dies from—or while under the effects of—melting flesh plague will immediately rise as a tar zombie. However, they will not gain their additional acid damage for 1d3 hours.

30 Variant Dragons

Spoiler

Fast Zombie: Juju Fever Disease—breath weapon or miasma; save Fort, same DC as the jungle dragon’s breath weapon; onset 1 day; frequency 1/day; effect 1 point of Con damage and 1 point of Wis damage per age category; cure 3 consecutive saves. Anyone who dies from juju fever rises as a fast zombie at the next midnight.

100% Crunch Kobolds

Spoiler

Kobold Skeleton: ?
Kobold Zombie: ?

100% Crunch Liches

Spoiler

Atrophied Lich: A lich that remains immobile and insensible for extended periods of time can grow atrophied.
Forsaken Lich: The means of attaining lichdom are extremely personal for mortal spellcasters, fraught with misinformation and peril. The smallest miscalculation in the potion of lichdom’s formula or most minute flaw in one’s phylactery can interrupt the process that infuses one’s mortal soul with overwhelming arcane and negative energies. Other times, an inexperienced wizard attempts the transformation, or erroneously consumes a formula produced for another spellcaster, instantly dying from the backlash of potent forces or condemning himself to a terminal but far more terrible end.
In these sorrowful cases, the process traps the soul of the would‐be lich outside a phylactery that will not accept it and a body that has rejected it. The potent arcane forces tampered with by the lich’s failed creation also find themselves unleashed but uncontrolled, surrounding the newly formed abomination, empowering it but also slowly consuming its essence.
“Forsaken lich” is an acquired template that can be added to any living creature, provided it can create the required phylactery. Rarely, a creature unable to create a phylactery stumbles upon this state through tragic ambition.
Awakened Demilich: Under exceptional conditions, a lich’s full consciousness survives its transformation into a demilich, or a lich’s wandering intellect manages to return to its jewelled skull.
Elf Lich Magus 11: ?
Halfling Lich Cleric 11: ?
Human Lich Wizard 11: ?
Human Lich Druid 11: ?
Human Forsaken Lich Cleric 11: ?
Dwarf Lich Oracle 12: ?
Half-Elf Lich Wizard 12: ?
Pugwampi Lich Druid 12: ?
Sylph Lich Sorcerer 12: ?
Demilich: ?
Dhampir Forsaken Lich Wizard 13: ?
Green Hag Lich Wizard 12: ?
Human Lich Cleric 13: ?
Human Lich Magus 13: ?
Serpentfolk Lich Wizard 11: ?
Drider Lich Bard 11: ?
Ghaele Lich: ?
Halfling Lich Bard 14: ?
Half-Orc Lich Oracle 14: ?
Drow Noble Lich Leric 14: ?
Drow Noble Lich Wizard 14: ?
Human Lich Sorcerer 5/Dragon Disciple 10: ?
Human Forsaken Lich Ranger 15: ?
Advanced Serpentfolk Lich Cleric 13: ?
Elf Lich Magus 16: ?
Venerable Half-Orc Lich Druid 16: ?
Human Lich Oracle 16: ?
Puckwudgie Lich Druid 13: ?
Advanced Demilich: ?
Drider Lich Sorcerer 9: ?
Dwarf Lich Cleric 17: ?
Human Lich Wizard 17: ?
Advanced Serpentfolk Lich Wizard 15: ?
Ancient Green Dragon Lich: ?
Elf Lich Wizard 18: ?
Human Lich Bard 18: ?
Human Lich Ranger 18: ?
Nymph Lich Druid 11: ?
Awakened Demilich Oracle 16: ?
Old Red Dragon Lich Sorcerer 2: ?
Serpentfolk Lich Cleric 17: ?
Succubus Lich Sorcerer 15: ?

Lich: The pinnacle of necromantic art, the lich is a spellcaster who has chosen to shed his life as a method to cheat death by becoming undead. While many who reach such heights of power stop at nothing to achieve immortality, the idea of becoming a lich is abhorrent to most creatures. The process involves the extraction of the spellcaster’s life‐force and its imprisonment in a specially prepared phylactery—the spellcaster gives up life, but in trapping life he also traps his death.
The quest to become a lich is a lengthy one. While construction of the magical phylactery to contain the spellcaster’s soul is a critical component, a prospective lich must also learn the secrets of transferring his soul into the receptacle and of preparing his body for the transformation into undeath, neither of which are simple tasks. Further complicating the ritual is the fact that no two bodies or souls are exactly alike—a ritual that works for one spellcaster might simply kill another or drive him insane. The exact methods for each spellcaster’s transformation are left to the GM’s discretion, but should involve expenditures of hundreds of thousands of gold pieces, numerous deadly adventures, and a large number of difficult skill checks over the course of months, years, or decades.
An integral part of becoming a lich is the creation of the phylactery in which the character stores his soul.
Each lich must create its own phylactery by using the Craft Wondrous Item feat. The character must be able to cast spells and have a caster level of 11th or higher. The phylactery costs 120,000 gp to create and has a caster level equal to that of its creator at the time of creation.
“Lich” is an acquired template that can be added to any living creature, provided it can create the required phylactery.
Demilich: In their endless years of unlife, some liches lose themselves in introspection, and can no longer rouse themselves to face the endless march of days. Still others cast their consciousness far from their bodies, wandering planes and realities far beyond mortal ken. Absent the vitality of the soul, such a lich’s physical form succumbs to decay over the centuries. In time, only the lich’s skull remains intact. Yet the bonds of undeath keep the lich’s remains from final dissolution. Vestiges of the lich’s intellect remain within the skull, and wake to terrible wrath should it be disturbed. Traces of the lich’s will to live strengthen the skull, rendering it harder than any steel. The lich’s greed and lust for power manifest in the growth of gems in its skull. Lastly, though only the barest remnants of the lich’s eldritch might survive, a demilich aroused to anger still retains enough power to flense the very soul from any defiling its final rest.
Most demiliches achieved their state through apathy, not volition. For each decade that a demilich fails to stir itself to meaningful action, there is a 1% cumulative chance that its corporeal body decays into dust, save for the skull. Any return to activity resets the chance of transformation to 0%. Once the lich’s body decays, the lich’s intellect returns to its phylactery as normal. However, the skull rejects the return of the lich’s consciousness, keeping the lich trapped in its deteriorating phylactery for 1d10 years. If during that time the lich’s remains are destroyed or scattered (for example, by wandering adventurers), the lich’s phylactery forms a new body and the intellect leaves the phylactery as normal, returning the lich to life. But if the lich’s remains survive unperturbed, the phylactery’s magic fails catastrophically, releasing the lich’s soul and causing 5d10 points of damage to the phylactery. Regardless of whether or not the phylactery physically survives, the energies released by its failure channel into the lifeless skull of the lich, allowing the last remnants of the lich’s soul to transform it into a demilich.
For wandering liches, the process is similar, but based on the number of decades the lich spends without its intellect returning to its body. While the lich’s body still decays, its mind remains at large, only becoming trapped in the phylactery if the lich tries to return during the period in which its body has failed, but it has not yet become a demilich. Should the lich’s phylactery fail before the wandering lich returns, the skull becomes a demilich, and the lich’s mind is doomed to wander until the end of days.

100% Crunch Skeletal Champions

Spoiler

Skeletal Champion: While most skeletons are mindless automatons, some skeletons retain their intelligence and cunning, making them formidable warriors.
“Skeletal Champion” is an acquired template that can be added to any corporeal creature (other than an undead) that has a skeletal system and a minimum Intelligence of 3.
Skeleton: Skeletons are the animated bones of the dead, brought to unlife through foul magic.
Acid Skeleton: ?
Electric Skeleton: ?
Frost Skeleton: ?
Archer Skeleton: ?
Armoured Skeleton: Armoured skeletons are normal skeletons given heavier varieties of armour and weapons to serve as elite troops in undead armies.
Cursed Skeleton: Created as the result of a powerful curse rather than through necromantic spells.
Exploding Skeleton: ?
Magus Skeleton: ?
Mudra Skeleton: ?
Six-Armed Skeleton: ?
Multiplying Skeleton: ?
Under-Equipped Skeleton: Under‐equipped skeletons are normal skeletons with armour and weapons that have the broken quality.
Bloody Skeleton: These variant skeletons can be created using animate dead, but they count as twice their normal number of Hit Dice per casting.
Burning Skeleton: These variant skeletons can be created using animate dead, but they count as twice their normal number of Hit Dice per casting.
Skeletal Champion Dwarf Warrior 1: ?
Skeletal Champion Elf Warrior 1: ?
Skeletal Champion Archer Goblin Warrior 1: ?
Skeletal Champion Goblin Warrior 1: ?
Skeletal Champion Archer Human Warrior 1: ?
Skeletal Champion Human Warrior 1: ?
Exploding Skeletal Champion Kobold Warrior 2: ?
Skeletal Champion Elf Fighter 1: ?
Skeletal Champion Archer Human Ranger1: ?
Skeletal Champion Hobgoblin Fighter 1: ?
Skeletal Champion Orc Barbarian 1: ?
Skeletal Champion Archer Urdefhan: ?
Skeletal Champion Centaur: ?
Skeletal Champion Drow Fighter 2: ?
Skeletal Champion Archer Elf Rogue 3: ?
Skeletal Champion Gnoll Warrior 2: ?
Magus Skeleton Goblin Bard 3: ?
Magus Skeleton Drow Noble Cleric 3: ?
Magus Skeleton Bloody Skeleton Dwarf Cleric 3: ?
Archer Magus Skeleton Elf Wizard 4: ?
Magus Skeleton Human Sorcerer 4: ?
Skeletal Champion Annis Hag: ?
Archer Skeletal Champion Janni Rogue 2: ?
Skeletal Champion Orc 4: ?
Magus Skeleton Archer Urdefhan Wizard 6: ?
Burning Mudra Skeletal Champion Human Rogue 4/Ranger 1: ?
Skeletal Champion Redcap: ?
Skeletal Champion Archer Urdefhan Fighter 4: ?
Skeletal Champion Very Young Blue Dragon: ?
Acid Burning Electric Skeletal Champion Doppelganger Ranger 1: ?
Archer Skeletal Champion Green Hag Rogue 4: ?
Archer Magus Skeleton Urdefhan Cleric 8: ?
Magus Skeleton Centaur Druid 8: ?
Magus Skeleton Human Bard 8: ?
Archer Skeletal Champion Ogre Mage Fighter 1: ?
Skeletal Champion Redcap Ranger 2: ?
Skeletal Champion Doppelganger Rogue 2/Warrior 6: ?
Bloody Magus Skeleton Dwarf Cleric 8: ?
Archer Skeletal Champion Erinyes Fighter 1: ?
Magus Skeleton Rakshasa: ?
Burning Electric Magus Skeleton Doppelganger Ranger 5: ?
Magus Skeleton Green Hag Sorcerer 10: ?
Skeletal Champion Orc Barbarian 9: ?

100% Crunch Skeletons

Spoiler

Dire Rat Skeleton: ?
Dog Skeleton: ?
Drow Skeleton: ?
Dwarf Skeleton: ?
Dwarf Crossbowman Skeleton: ?
Elf Skeleton: ?
Elf Archer Skeleton: ?
Gnome Skeleton: ?
Goblin Skeleton: ?
Half-Orc Skeleton: ?
Halfling Skeleton: ?
Hobgoblin Skeleton: ?
Human Skeleton: ?
Human Archer Skeleton: ?
Kobold Skeleton: ?
Merfolk Crossbowman Skeleton: ?
Merfolk Skeleton: ?
Orc Javelin Thrower Skeleton: ?
Orc Skeleton: ?
Advanced Human Skeleton: ?
Advanced Hobgoblin Skeleton: ?
Bloody Goblin Skeleton: ?
Burning Orc Skeleton: ?
Grave Chill Skeleton: ?
Human Mudra Skeleton: ?
Under-Equipped Bugbear Skeleton: ?
Armoured Gnoll Skeleton: ?
Boggard Skeleton: ?
Bugbear Skeleton: ?
Crocodile Skeleton: ?
Dolphin Skeleton: ?
Hippogriff Skeleton: ?
Sahuagin Skeleton: ?
Troglodyte Skeleton: ?
Warhorse Skeleton: ?
Wolf Skeleton: ?
Advanced Troglodyte Skeleton: ?
Bunyip Skeleton: ?
Deinonychus Skeleton: ?
Dire Ape Skeleton: ?
Dire Wolf Skeleton: ?
Grizzly Bear Skeleton: ?
Lion Skeleton: ?
Ogre Skeleton: ?
Sea Hag Skeleton: ?
Shark Skeleton: ?
Annis Hag Skeleton: ?
Bearded Devil Skeleton: ?
Exploding Mudra Ogre Skeleton: ?
Giant Frilled Lizard Skeleton: ?
Girallon Skeleton: ?
Salt Water Merrow Skeleton: ?
Tiger Skeleton: ?
Troll Skeleton: ?
Vodyanoi Skeleton: ?
Acid Girallon Skeleton: ?
Burning Armoured Troll Skeleton: ?
Cave Giant Skeleton: ?
Chimera Skeleton: ?
Dire Lion Skeleton: ?
Green Hag Skeleton: ?
Medusa Skeleton: ?
Ogre Mage Skeleton: ?
Water Naga Skeleton: ?
Bloody Ogre Mage Skeleton: ?
Criosphinx Skeleton: ?
Dire Bear Skeleton: ?
Elasmosaurus Skeleton: ?
Elephant Skeleton: ?
Ettin Skeleton: ?
Giant Snapping Turtle Skeleton: ?
Grave Chill Dire Lion Skeleton: ?
Hill Giant Skeleton: ?
Androsphinx Skeleton: ?
Bloody Cursed Green Hag Skeleton: ?
Dire Crocodile Skeleton: ?
Dire Tiger Skeleton: ?
Dragon Turtle Skeleton: ?
Frost Giant Skeleton: ?
Ghaele Skeleton: ?
Siyokoy Skeleton: ?
Young Adult Bronze Dragon Skeleton: ?
Cetaceal Skeleton: ?
Cloud Giant Skeleton: ?
Fire Giant Skeleton: ?
Fjord Linnorm Skeleton: ?
Great Cyclops Skeleton: ?
Horned Devil Skeleton: ?
Marilith Skeleton: ?
Planetar Skeleton: ?
Sea Serpent Skeleton: ?
Great White Whale Skeleton: ?
Ice Linnorm Skeleton: ?
Mature Adult Red Dragon Skeleton: ?
Old Bronze Dragon Skeleton: ?
Pit Fiend Skeleton: ?
Storm Giant Skeleton: ?
Tyrannosaurus Skeleton: ?
Very Old Black Dragon Skeleton: ?

Skeleton: Skeletons are the animated bones of the dead, brought to unlife through foul magic.
“Skeleton” is an acquired template that can be added to any corporeal creature that has a skeletal system.
Skeletons are normally created with animate dead. Of course, wizards and priests both have access to the animate dead spell, and depending on their power may animate any kind of creature (assuming they have its skeleton). Devourers (Bestiary 1), night hag covens (Bestiary 1), sepids (div) (Bestiary 3) and thanadaemons (Bestiary 2) are extraplanar creatures with animate dead as a spell‐like ability. Such creatures could easily scour the sites of battles on the fiendish planes, and animate the dead bodies of celestials and fiends. Material Plane creatures with the animate dead spell‐like ability include hag covens (PRD Bestiary 1), pukwudgies (Bestiary 3), tzitzimitl (Bestiary 3) and zuvembies (Bestiary 3).
Acid Skeleton: ?
Electric Skeleton: ?
Frost Skeleton: ?
Archer Skeleton: ?
Armored Skeleton: ?
Cursed Skeleton: Created as the result of a powerful curse rather than through necromantic spells.
Exploding Skeleton: ?
Mudra Skeleton: ?
Six-Armed Mudra Skeleton: ?
Multiplying Skeleton: ?
Under-Equipped Skeleton: ?
Bloody Skeleton: These variant skeletons can be created using animate dead, but they count as twice their normal number of Hit Dice per casting.
Burning Skeleton: These variant skeletons can be created using animate dead, but they count as twice their normal number of Hit Dice per casting.

100% Crunch Zombie Lords

Spoiler

Zombie Lord Dwarf Fighter 1: ?
Zombie Lord Archer Goblin Rogue 2: ?
Zombie Lord Hobgoblin Fighter 1: ?
Magus Zombie Human Cleric 2: ?
Zombie Lord Merfolk Fighter 1: ?
Zombie Lord Sahuagin: ?
Magus Zombie Archer Elf Fighter 1/Wizard 2: ?
Zombie Lord Archer Gnoll Ranger 1: ?
Zombie Lord Archer Half-Orc Rogue 3: ?
Zombie Lord Human Monk 3: ?
Zombie Lord Jackalwere: ?
Magus Zombie Gnoll Adept 4: ?
Zombie Lord Ogre Warrior 2: ?
Zombie Lord Archer Pugwampi Fighter 2: ?
Magus Zombie Sahuagin Cleric 4: ?
Zombie Lord Archer Tiefling Rogue 4: ?
Magus Zombie Aranea: ?
Magus Zombie Gnoll Cleric 5 : ?
Zombie Lord Archer Hobgoblin Fighter 4: ?
Sea Hag Acid Zombie Lord: ?
Zombie Lord Archer Bearded Devil Fighter 1: ?
Cyclops Relentless Zombie Lord: ?
Zombie Lord Dwarf Fighter 5: ?
Zombie Lord Ettin: ?
Zombie Lord Human Monk 6: ?
Zombie Lord Babau Rogue 1: ?
Zombie Lord Archer Gnoll Ranger 5: ?
Zombie Lord Mudra 6 Arms Harpy: ?
Magus Zombie Tiefling Sorcerer 7: ?
Zombie Lord Aboleth Fighter 1: ?
Magus Zombie Elf Wizard 8: ?
Zombie Lord Ettin Ranger 2: ?
Zombie Lord Archer Medusa Ranger 1: ?
Frost Magus Zombie Babau Oracle 4: ?
Magus Zombie Drider Sorcerer 2: ?
Zombie Lord Archer Stone Giant Rogue 2: ?
Magus Zombie Young Green Dragon Sorcerer 2: ?
Magus Zombie Dhampir 10: ?
Magus Zombie Archer Elder Stone Giant Sorcerer 2: ?
Zombie Lord Archer Elf Fighter 4/Rogue 6: ?
Zombie Lord Human Monk 10: ?
Magus Zombie Drider Sorcerer 4: ?
Magus Zombie Mudra 6 Arms Harpy Oracle 8 : ?
Magus Zombie Rakshasa Fighter 1: ?

Zombie: Zombies are the animated corpses of dead creatures, forced into foul unlife via necromantic magic like animate dead.
Zombie Lord: Some zombies retain their intelligence and cunning, making them formidable warriors.
“Zombie Lord” is an acquired template that can be added to any corporeal creature (other than an undead) that has a minimum Intelligence of 3.
Acid Zombie: ?
Electric Zombie: ?
Frost Zombie: ?
Alchemical Zombie: This zombie has been created through alchemical processes rather than necromantic magic.
Archer Zombie: ?
Armoured Zombie: Armoured zombies are normal zombies given heavier varieties of armour and weapons to serve as elite troops in undead armies.
Brain-Eating Zombie: Anyone killed after being bitten by a brain‐eating zombie rises as a brain‐eating zombie in 2d6 hours unless the corpse is blessed or similar preventative measures are taken.
Cursed Zombie: Created as the result of a powerful curse rather than through necromantic spells.
Exploding Zombie: ?
Gasburst Zombie: ?
Host Corpse Zombie: ?
Magus Zombie: ?
Mudra Zombie: ?
Mudra Six-Armed Zombie: ?
Preserved Zombie: As part of the animation process of a zombie, gentle repose is also cast following the casting of animate dead. The spells are modified slightly during casting.
Relentless Zombie: ?
Under-Equipped Zombie: ?
Fast Zombie: ?
Plague Zombie: Anyone who dies while infected with zombie rot disease rises as a plague zombie in 2d6 hours.

100% Crunch Zombies

Spoiler

Dire Rat Zombie: ?
Dog Zombie: ?
Drow Zombie: ?
Dwarf Zombie: ?
Elf Zombie: ?
Exploding Halfling Zombie: ?
Fast Human Zombie: ?
Gnome Zombie: ?
Goblin Zombie: ?
Half-Orc Zombie: ?
Halfling Zombie: ?
Hobgoblin Zombie: ?
Human Zombie: ?
Kobold Zombie: ?
Merfolk Zombie: ?
Orc Zombie: ?
Armoured Gnoll Zombie: ?
Bugbear Zombie: ?
Dolphin Zombie: ?
Fast Wolf Zombie: ?
Human Void Zombie: ?
Troglodyte Zombie: ?
Warhorse Zombie: ?
Wolf Zombie: ?
Crocodile Zombie: ?
Dire Ape Zombie: ?
Hippogriff Zombie: ?
Relentless Brain-Eating Plague Human Zombie: ?
Human Juju Zombie Rogue 2: ?
Ogre Zombie: ?
Sea Hag Zombie: ?
Acid Shark Zombie: ?
Bearded Devil Zombie: ?
Dire Wolf Zombie: ?
Grizzly Bear Zombie: ?
Fast Lion Zombie: ?
Tiger Zombie: ?
Troll Zombie: ?
Vodyanoi Zombie: ?
Annis Hag Zombie: ?
Dire Lion Zombie: ?
Giant Frilled Lizard Zombie: ?
Girallon Zombie: ?
Green Hag Zombie: ?
Medusa Zombie: ?
Ogre Mage Zombie: ?
Salt Water Merrow Zombie: ?
Aboleth Zombie: ?
Cave Giant Zombie: ?
Chimera Zombie: ?
Cursed Water Naga Zombie: ?
Dire Bear Zombie: ?
Ettin Zombie: ?
Hill Giant Zombie: ?
Under-Equipped Ghaele Zombie: ?
Androsphinx Zombie: ?
Criosphinx Zombie: ?
Dire Tiger Zombie: ?
Dragon Turtle Zombie: ?
Elephant Zombie: ?
Frost Giant Zombie: ?
Orca Zombie: ?
Stone Giant Zombie: ?
Cloud Giant Zombie: ?
Dire Crocodile Zombie: ?
Fire Giant Zombie: ?
Giant Snapping Turtle Zombie: ?
Horned Devil Zombie: ?
Marilith Zombie: ?
Planetar Zombie: ?
Young Adult Bronze Dragon Zombie: ?
Alchemical Cetaceal Zombie: ?
Black Dragon Zombie: ?
Great Cyclops Zombie: ?
Fjord Linnorm Zombie: ?
Pit Fiend Zombie: ?
Sea Serpent Zombie: ?
Storm Giant Zombie: ?
Tyrannosaurus Zombie: ?
Cursed Exploding Relentless Fire Giant Zombie: ?
Great White Whale Zombie: ?
Human Juju Zombie Fighter 9: ?
Ice Linnorm Zombie: ?
Mature Adult Red Dragon Zombie: ?
Old Bronze Dragon Zombie: ?
Spinosaurus Zombie: ?

Zombie: Zombies are the animated corpses of dead creatures, forced into foul unlife via necromantic magic like animate dead.
“Zombie” is an acquired template that can be added to any corporeal creature.
Devourers (Bestiary 1), night hag covens (Bestiary 1), sepids (div) (Bestiary 3), and thanadaemons (Bestiary 2) are extraplanar creatures with animate dead as a spell‐like ability.
Material Plane creatures with the animate dead ability include hag covens (Bestiary 1), pukwudgies (Bestiary 3), tzitzimitl (Bestiary 3), and zuvembies (Bestiary 3). Of course, wizards and priests also have access to animate dead, and depending on their power may animate any kind of creature.
Fast Zombie: ?
Juju Zombie: A juju zombie is an animated corpse of a creature, created to serve as an undead minion.
“Juju zombie” is an acquired template that can be added to any living corporeal creature.
Plague Zombie: These zombies carry a terrible disease that perpetuates their undead lineage—those infected by a plague zombie’s contagion rise as zombies themselves when they perish.
Anyone who dies while infected with zombie rot rises as a plague zombie in 2d6 hours.
Acid Zombie: ?
Electric Zombie: ?
Frost Zombie: ?
Alchemical Zombie: This zombie has been created through alchemical processes rather than necromantic magic.
Archer Zombie: ?
Armoured Zombie: Armoured zombies are normal zombies given heavier varieties of armour and weapons to serve as elite troops in undead armies.
Brain Eating Zombie: Anyone killed after being bitten by a brain‐eating zombie rises as a brain‐eating zombie in 2d6 hours unless the corpse is blessed or similar preventative measures are taken.
Cursed Zombie: Created as the result of a powerful curse rather than through necromantic spells.
Exploding Zombie: ?
Gasburst Zombie: ?
Host Corpse Zombie: ?
Mudra Zombie: ?
Mudra Zombie Six Arms: ?
Preserved Zombie: As part of the animation process of a zombie, gentle repose is cast after animate dead. The spells are modified slightly during casting.
Under-Equipped Zombie: Under‐equipped zombies are normal zombies with armour and weapons that have the broken quality.
Void Zombie: A void zombie is created when a humanoid is bitten by an akata and dies as a result of becoming infected with the void death disease.

Advanced Bestiary

Spoiler

Blood Knight: Blood knights are the damned souls of fierce warriors who died in a particularly bloody manner.
“Blood Knight” is an acquired template that can be applied to any living creature that is proficient with heavy armor, wears full plate armor, and has blood.
Blood Knight Dwarf Fighter 13 Thrax the Red: Thrax the Red was once a dwarf hero of some fame. Loyal to his clan and a staunch defender of its sovereignty, he was ruthless to the point of sadism in combat with his enemies. When some giants took up residence near his clan’s territory, Thrax provoked conflict with them, beginning a long and unnecessary feud that resulted in the deaths of hundreds of his kin. In the final days of the war, Thrax led a vicious attack on wounded and noncombatant giants while a decoy force of dwarves distracted the giants’ warriors. When Thrax dealt the killing blow to a mother protecting her child, he could not get out of the way of her falling body fast enough. The rest of Thrax’s force retreated, leaving him trapped beneath the she-giant’s body. By the time the giant warriors returned, Thrax had drowned in his foe’s blood. The giants cast his body off the mountain, cursing his name and praying to their gods to punish him. Thus, he returned to haunt the world as a blood knight, wearing the ornate, dwarven-made armor in which he died.
Dread Blood Knight: Dread blood knights arise from the most evil of warrior despots.
Dread Blood Knight Barbarian 8 Varn: Varn’s died defending his tribe from an onslaught of orc barbarians. As he fell he managed to strike the orc chieftain, a witch of considerable power. His blood mixed with the chieftains, the next night Varn rose as a dread blood knight.
Dread Allip: A dread allip is a crazed incorporeal undead created when a sentient creature follows an order to commit suicide against its own wishes. The angry spirit that rises from the corpse is insane because its mind was conflicted at death, and it seeks to inflict a similar fate on others.
“Dread Allip” is an acquired template that can be added to any living creature with an Intelligence score of 3 or higher that commits suicide because of domination by a dread allip or at the command of some other creature.
A creature that dies while dominated by a dread allip rises as a new dread allip in 1d6 rounds if it committed suicide, or died fulfilling an obviously self-destructive command, or had 0 Wisdom and was within 30 feet of the dread allip at the time of death.
Dread Allip Lunar Naga: Dread allip lunar nagas are created when a lunar naga delves too deep into their explorations of the night sky.
Allip Creature: ?
Otyugh Allip: ?
Dread Bodak: A dread bodak is sometimes created when an intelligent creature turns traitor and kills an ally or murders a friend. In particular, using death effects on a friend seems most likely to create a dread bodak.
Worse still, it can create more of its vile kind. Its gaze brings foes to the brink of death, and its voice then snuffs out their life force and turns them into dread bodaks.
“Dread Bodak” is an acquired template that can be added to any living creature (referred to hereafter as the base creature) that was killed by a dread bodak or murdered by an ally via a death effect.
Any creature killed by a dread bodak’s death wail ability rises as a dread bodak in 1d6 rounds.
Dread Bodak Tyrannosaurus: ?
Bodak Creature: ?
Cyclops Bodak: ?
Dread Devourer: Few know how these dread devourers originated, but some sages speculate that they form as “projections” of creatures from beyond the borders of reality.
“Dread Devourer” is an acquired template that can be added to any living creature that has a chest cavity or similar body part.
Dread Devourer Purple Worm: ?
Devourer Creature: ?
Aboleth Devourer: Aboleth devourers are those aboleth who have tampered in forbidden rituals that went awry. The blowback killed the aboleth, and it reanimated into a horror that seeks to consume the souls of all those it comes across.
Dread Ghast: The first dread ghasts were villains of still broader scope than normal ghasts. Leaders in life, they influenced the actions of scores of others and led them to participate in terrible atrocities. Today, the dread ghast “race” of undead perpetuates itself through the transmission of vile power. A creature killed but not consumed by a dread ghast rises as another dread ghast.
“Dread Ghast” is an acquired template that can be added to any living creature.
Any creature killed by a dread ghast that lies undisturbed until the next midnight rises as a dread ghast at that time. A protection from evil or gentle repose spell cast on the corpse prevents its conversion.
Dread Ghast Gnoll Ranger 4 Dermock: ?
Ghast Creature: ?
Shoggoth Ghast The Crawling Rot: ?
Dread Ghost: “Dread Ghost” is an acquired template that can be added to any living creature that has an Intelligence score and a Charisma score of at least 10.
Dread Ghost Medusa Bard 8 Mistress of the Marsh: She was killed one day after trying to take down a local witch. The witch dispatched the medusa and threw her body into the swamp. Days later, the Mistress of the Marsh returned.
Dread Ghoul: Eaters of the dead that hunger for the living, the first ghouls were the undead remains of humans who had, in life, indulged in unwholesome pleasures, such as cannibalism or necrophilia; the original dread ghouls were individuals who had exhorted or compelled others to such acts while alive.
“Dread Ghoul” is an acquired template that can be added to any living creature.
Any creature killed by a dread ghoul that lies undisturbed until the next midnight rises as a dread ghoul at that time. A protection from evil or gentle repose spell cast on the corpse prevents this.
When a dread sayona kills a creature with its absorb blood or blood drain ability, the victim rises 24 hours later as a dread ghoul with the blood drain ability. A protection from evil or gentle repose spell cast on the corpse prevents this. (Pathways 56)
Dread Ghoul Frost Giant: ?
Ghoul Creature: ?
Giant Spider Ghoul: ?
Dread Lacedon: Dread lacedons are corpses animated by the restless spirits of those who drowned or were killed but not devoured by a dread lacedon.
“Dread Lacedon” is an acquired template that can be added to any living creature.
Any creature killed by a dread lacedon that lies undisturbed until the next midnight rises as a dread lacedon at that time. A protection from evil or gentle repose spell cast on the corpse prevents its conversion.
Dread Lacedon Great White Whale: ?
Lacedon Creature: ?
Salt Water Merrow Lacedon: ?
Dread Lich: Like normal liches, dread liches are powerful undead spellcasters who used vile magic and dreadful ceremonies to prolong their time in the living world. However, the process of becoming a dread lich is a greater secret than the evil ceremonies required to become a normal lich. Although powerful spellcasters sometimes discover this secret while preparing for lichdom, most dread liches were once normal liches who spent centuries researching arcane lore in search of the secret.
“Dread Lich” is an acquired template that can be added to any living creature capable of creating the required phylactery, or to any standard lich.
An integral part of of becoming a dread lich is creating a magic phylactery in which to store its life force. Unless
the phylactery is located and destroyed, the dread lich reforms next to its phylactery 1d4 days after its apparent
death. It does not matter how far away the dread lich is from its phylactery, but the two must be on the same
plane. If the phylactery is on a different plane, the dread lich reforms 1d4 days after the phylactery is brought
to the plane on which the dread lich was destroyed.
Each dread lich must make its own phylactery—a task that requires the Craft Wondrous Item feat. The base
creature must be able to cast spells or use spell-like abilities, and its caster level must be at least 15th. The
phylactery costs 200,000 gp to create and has a caster level equal to that of its creator at the time of creation.
The most common kind of phylactery is a Tiny mithral box that has hardness 20, 40 hit points, and a break DC
of 40. Other types of phylacteries, such as rings, amulets, or similar items, can also exist.
A dread lich can also make another nonliving creature, except another dread lich, as its phylactery via the use
of powerful magic such as wish or miracle.
Thanatotic Titan Dread Lich Appolus: For centuries Appolous was obsessed with the secrets of true immortality. The titan traveled countless worlds and planes learning all he could about the various methods mortals try to achieve immortality. When he discovered lichdom, Appolous realized that this was the path he wished to pursue. In fact, he knew he could improve it. The titan retreated to a small demi-plane to make his transformation. When he was done, the demi-plane was no more, and Appolous emerged as a dread lich.
Dread Mohrg: “Dread Mohrg” is an acquired template that can be added to any evil living creature with a mouth and digestive tract that includes intestines.
Advanced Fast Zombie: Any living creature of the dread mohrg’s size or smaller killed by a dread mohrg rises immediately as an advanced fast zombie.
Dread Mohrg Seven-Headed Cryohydra: ?
Mohrg Creature: ?
Cave Fisher Mohrg: Sometimes when a cave fisher captures and eats a mohrg, the violent spirit of the undead transfers to the vermin, transforming it to a monstrous hybrid of undead and insect.
Dread Mummy: “Dread Mummy” is an acquired template that can be added to any living corporeal creature.
Any creature killed by a dread mummy’s mummy rot ability turns to dust and blows away on the wind. If the dread mummy that infected the creature with the disease is not destroyed within 1 week, the dust reforms a new dread mummy.
Dread Mummy Harpy: ?
Mummy Creature: ?
Gnoll Mummy Cleric 8 The Keeper: ?
Dread Poltergeist: A dread poltergeist is created when a creature dies under traumatic circumstances in a place of great importance to it. Often the locations that house dread poltergeists are places where they felt a sense of ownership and security. A simple death, even murder, is rarely enough to cause the victim’s spirit to remain as a dread poltergeist—the death must intimately involve the location as well as a torturous death. A gravedigger buried alive in his graveyard might become a poltergeist, as might a ferryman who drowned beneath his dock, or a steward crushed beneath his desk.
“Dread Poltergeist” is an acquired template that can be added to any living, intelligent creature with a Charisma score of 3 or higher.
Dread Poltergeist Athach: This particular poltergeist athach died in a mudslide in the lee of the hill that was his home.
Poltergeist Creature: ?
Orc Poltergeist Barbarian 3 Curse of the Blood Clan: ?
Dread Shadow: “Dread Shadow” is an acquired template that can be added to any living, intelligent creature with a Charisma score of 15 or higher that was killed by a shadow or dread shadow.
Any creature with a Charisma score of 15 or higher that is killed by a dread shadow rises as a dread shadow in 1d4 rounds.
The dread greater shadow creature’s create spawn ability creates only shadows, greater shadows, and dread shadows.
Dread Shadow Achaierai: ?
Shadow Creature: Any creature with a Charisma score of 15 or higher that is killed by a dread shadow rises as a dread shadow in 1d4 rounds. Any other creature slain by a dread shadow instead rises as a shadow creature.
The shadow creature’s create spawn ability creates only shadow creatures.
The greater shadow creature’s create spawn ability creates only shadow creatures.
Any animal reduced to Strength 0 by a shadow dire bear becomes a shadow animal within 1d4 rounds. (Tome of Horrors 4)
Strix Shadow Rogue 1: ?
Greater Shadow Creature: ?
Greater Shadow Dire Rat: ?
Dread Greater Shadow Creature: ?
Dread Greater Shadow Yaogui: ?
Dread Skeleton: “Dread Skeleton” is an acquired template that can be added to any living creature with a skeleton or exoskeleton.
Dread Skeleton Blink Dog: ?
Dread Spectre: “Dread Spectre” is an acquired template that can be added to any living, intelligent creature killed by a spectre or a dread spectre.
Any creature with a Charisma score of 16 or higher that is killed by a dread spectre rises as a dread spectre in 1d4 rounds.
Dread Spectre Nymph: ?
Spectre Creature: Any creature with a Charisma score of 16 or higher that is killed by a dread spectre rises as a dread spectre in 1d4 rounds. Any other creature slain by a dread spectre instead rises as a spectre creature in 1d4 rounds.
Half-Elf Spectre Aristocrat 4/Expert 4: In life a woman of noble birth who spent her time in academic pursuits, the White Lady was murdered in the night by an assassin hired by a relative for the family fortune.
Dread Vampire: “Dread Vampire” is an acquired template that can be added to any living creature with an Intelligence score of 3 or higher.
Dread vampires can create spawn only if their victims are kept in coffin homes until they rise. A coffin home can be any container capable of accommodating the corpse.
Any creature with an Intelligence score of 10 or higher whose Constitution score reaches 0 from a dread vampire’s blood drain attack returns as dread vampire 24 hours after death.
Night Hag Dread Vampire Cailleach Bheur: ?
Dread Wight: Dread wights are the animated remains of creatures that were terribly violent and hateful in life.
“Dread Wight” is an acquired template that can be added to any living corporeal creature.
Any creature killed by a dread wight’s energy drain ability rises as a dread wight in 1d4 rounds.
Dread Wight Gargoyle: ?
Wight Creature: The wight creature’s create spawn ability creates only wight creatures.
Wight Pixie: ?
Dread Wraith Sovereign: “Dread Wraith Sovereign” is an acquired template that can be added to any living creature with 10 or more Hit Dice killed by a dread wraith sovereign.
When a dread wraith sovereign is killed, its dread wraith spawn that had 10 or more Hit Dice in life become dread wraith sovereigns (created by applying the template to the original base creature as it was in life).
Dread Wraith Sovereign Trumpet Archon: ?
Dread Wraith Creature: ?
Dread Wraith Dire Bear: ?
Wraith Creature: There is no minimum HD required to gain the wraith template.
Rhinoceros Wraith:
Dread Zombie: Dread zombies are created when the magic used to animate a zombie or other corporeal undead goes awry, or when a dread mummy breathes death on a living creature. Sometimes when the ceremony to create a lich fails, the would-be lich instead becomes a dread zombie, attaining eternal unlife at an unexpected cost—the loss of some of the intelligence it had in life.
“Dread zombie” is an acquired template that can be added to any corporeal living creature.
A creature killed by a dread mummy’s breath of death ability rises as a juju zombie or dread zombie in 1d4 rounds.
Dread Zombie Aasimar Oracle 6: Before his death, Vezandarlir was a bitter hermit who was sought out by locals for fortune-telling and other divinatory services. Every so often he would use his oracle abilities to make sure what a supplicant’s fate held was dire. After he died, Vezandarlir’s spirit was too bitter and stubborn to move on. He rose a fortnight later from his grave, his abilities still intact, but now possessing a hunger for the brains of the living.
Dunesage Ghoul: A humanoid who dies of dunesage ghoul fever rises as a dunesage ghoul at the next midnight. A humanoid of 4 Hit Dice or more rises as a dunesage ghast.
Dunesage Ghast: A humanoid who dies of dunesage ghoul fever rises as a dunesage ghoul at the next midnight. A humanoid of 4 Hit Dice or more rises as a dunesage ghast.
Negative Energy-Charged Creature: Through exposure to areas close to the Negative Energy Plane or though dark magic (see the empower undead spell) an undead creature’s link to the chilling source of its unnatural existence can be strengthened. The resulting creature is empowered by the Negative Energy Plane and cloaked in its black energy.
“Negative energy-charged” is an acquired template that can be added to any undead creature.
empower undead spell.
Negative Energy-Charged Wight: More powerful than your standard wight, negative-energy charged wights rise from the same conditions as a normal wight, but in regions strongly tainted with negative energy or those close to the Negative-Energy plane.
Positive Energy-Charged: When an undead creature is destroyed by positive energy effects, it sometimes returns, infused with the very positive energy that destroyed it.
“Positive-energy charged” is an acquired template that can be added to any undead creature.
When undead of equal to or less than the positive energy-charged creature’s HD is destroyed by a positive-charged undead, it immediately transforms into another positive energy charged creature at its original full hit points.
Positive Energy-Charged Nightwalker: ?

Devourer: Devourers are the husks creatures that have been shattered and remade by forces beyond the ends of the multiverse.
Ghoul: The first ghouls were humans who rose as undead because they had indulged in unwholesome pleasures in life. The original ghasts rose as undead for similar reasons, but their sins were of vaster scale. A man who broke a taboo by consuming dead bodies to avoid starvation might rise as a ghoul, but a man who murdered his wife and children, then cooked them up as a delicious meal for himself and his mistress would instead rise as a ghast.
Eaters of the dead that hunger for the living, the first ghouls were the undead remains of humans who had, in life, indulged in unwholesome pleasures, such as cannibalism or necrophilia.
Ghoul Ghast: The first ghouls were humans who rose as undead because they had indulged in unwholesome pleasures in life. The original ghasts rose as undead for similar reasons, but their sins were of vaster scale. A man who broke a taboo by consuming dead bodies to avoid starvation might rise as a ghoul, but a man who murdered his wife and children, then cooked them up as a delicious meal for himself and his mistress would instead rise as a ghast.
Shadow: The dread greater shadow creature’s create spawn ability creates only shadows, greater shadows, and dread shadows.
Shadow Greater: Greater shadows are those undead shadows that have come to be particularly infused with negative energy, such as those that have spent vast lengths of time in areas of the Plane of Shadow awash in negative energy, or those that have drained the lives of thousands of victims.
The dread greater shadow creature’s create spawn ability creates only shadows, greater shadows, and dread shadows.
Vampire: Dread vampires can create spawn only if their victims are kept in coffin homes until they rise. A coffin home can be any container capable of accommodating the corpse. Under these conditions, a creature slain by a dread vampire’s energy drain attack rises as a standard vampire 24 hours after death.
Wight: Any humanoid creature that is slain by a negative energy-charged wight becomes a wight itself in only 1d4 rounds.
Wraith: The dread wraith creature's create spawn ability creates only wraiths.
The wraith creature's create spawn ability creates only wraiths.
Wraith Dread: Any creature slain by a dread wraith sovereign’s Constitution drain or incorporeal touch attack rises as a dread wraith in 1d4 rounds.
Zombie Fast: Vermin killed by a cave fisher mohrg rise immediately as fast zombies.
Bodak: Bodaks are extraplanar undead created when living beings are touched by great evil.
Zombie Juju: A creature killed by a dread mummy’s breath of death ability rises as a juju zombie or dread zombie in 1d4 rounds.

empower undead
School: necromancy [evil]; Level: cleric 6, sorcerer/wizard 6
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Components: V, S, M (a gem worth at least 10 gp that spent the night in the body of an undead creature)
Range: touch
Target: undead creature touched
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: Will negates; Spell Resistance: yes
Grants the negative-energy charged template to the touched undead. Upon touch, the target is immediately empowered with the benefits of the template and it knows how to utilize all its abilities.

Alien Evolution: Cosmic Race Guidebook

Spoiler

Invectron: The invectron supposedly spontaneously came into being when the first atom began decaying in the universe. The spirit form of the first invectron laid dormant until Iantinor was formed and covered it in shadow. It sprang forth to undead life and immediately sought to encase itself in a dark space so that it would not be dormant again. All invectron life came from that first and the generations that followed lived in relative seclusion.

Ghoul: ?

Alien Evolution: Cosmic Race Guidebook

Spoiler

Invectron: The invectron supposedly spontaneously came into being when the first atom began decaying in the universe. The spirit form of the first invectron laid dormant until Iantinor was formed and covered it in shadow. It sprang forth to undead life and immediately sought to encase itself in a dark space so that it would not be dormant again. All invectron life came from that first and the generations that followed lived in relative seclusion.

Ghoul: ?

Alternate Dungeons: Haunted House

Spoiler

Anguish: ?
Dancing Decor: ?
Slamming Door: ?

Undead: Powerful witches are able to leave lasting imprints upon the land with their final breaths, transforming themselves into powerful, incorporeal undead through extreme hatred and emotional distress.
When a creature dies, any intense emotions it experiences at the time of death are often left behind as a psychic footprint. Fear, anger, hatred and sorrow are by far the most powerful of these emotions and often causes the most dangerous and destructive haunts to manifest. It should come as no surprise an act as evil as murder, which often comprises all three of these emotions and more, is a leading cause of the creation of powerful supernatural entities. Ghosts, spectres, wraiths and poltergeists are all commonly created in this manner, and when created they seldom stray far from the place where they were murdered.
In many ways, a haunted house is created by suicide in the same way it is created by murder, though sorrow and self‐loathing often fuel the supernatural entities born from suicide rather than fear, anger or hatred as is true with murder.
Any event causing a suitable amount of negative emotion can create a haunt, whether this tragedy is a massive fire at an orphanage, the demise of a family or the deaths of an entire neighbourhood from an epidemic.
Ghost: Powerful witches are able to leave lasting imprints upon the land with their final breaths, transforming themselves into powerful, incorporeal undead through extreme hatred and emotional distress. Often manifesting as ghosts, spectres or wraiths, these witches blight the land and cause strange murders and ill fortunate to beset the locals until they move away from the site of the curse.
When a creature dies, any intense emotions it experiences at the time of death are often left behind as a psychic footprint. Fear, anger, hatred and sorrow are by far the most powerful of these emotions and often causes the most dangerous and destructive haunts to manifest. It should come as no surprise an act as evil as murder, which often comprises all three of these emotions and more, is a leading cause of the creation of powerful supernatural entities. Ghosts, spectres, wraiths and poltergeists are all commonly created in this manner, and when created they seldom stray far from the place where they were murdered.
Ghosts are created from the residual psychic energy of creatures unable or unwilling to depart to the outer planes to receive judgment. Ghosts often haunt the places where they died or the homes they once lived in.
Spectre: Powerful witches are able to leave lasting imprints upon the land with their final breaths, transforming themselves into powerful, incorporeal undead through extreme hatred and emotional distress. Often manifesting as ghosts, spectres or wraiths, these witches blight the land and cause strange murders and ill fortunate to beset the locals until they move away from the site of the curse.
When a creature dies, any intense emotions it experiences at the time of death are often left behind as a psychic footprint. Fear, anger, hatred and sorrow are by far the most powerful of these emotions and often causes the most dangerous and destructive haunts to manifest. It should come as no surprise an act as evil as murder, which often comprises all three of these emotions and more, is a leading cause of the creation of powerful supernatural entities. Ghosts, spectres, wraiths and poltergeists are all commonly created in this manner, and when created they seldom stray far from the place where they were murdered.
Spectres are specifically created from the anguished souls of murdered mortals. Violent and vengeful, a spectre’s anger prevents it from moving onto the afterlife; trapping it in the mortal plane where it haunts the place it died.
Several decades ago the inhabitants of Saltspray, a small coastal village, were all but wiped from existence by the appetites of a band of sahuagin. Although the monsters were eventually repelled, over half the villagers were murdered, their half-devoured corpses left to rot in a grotto built atop a nobleman’s summer home. In the following years, the manor has become a haunt filled with dozens of lost spirits, the most notable of which is the manor’s former owner. Now a powerful spectre, it is said the owner’s wailing can be heard long into the night once a month as the full moon rises.
Wraith: Powerful witches are able to leave lasting imprints upon the land with their final breaths, transforming themselves into powerful, incorporeal undead through extreme hatred and emotional distress. Often manifesting as ghosts, spectres or wraiths, these witches blight the land and cause strange murders and ill fortunate to beset the locals until they move away from the site of the curse.
When a creature dies, any intense emotions it experiences at the time of death are often left behind as a psychic footprint. Fear, anger, hatred and sorrow are by far the most powerful of these emotions and often causes the most dangerous and destructive haunts to manifest. It should come as no surprise an act as evil as murder, which often comprises all three of these emotions and more, is a leading cause of the creation of powerful supernatural entities. Ghosts, spectres, wraiths and poltergeists are all commonly created in this manner, and when created they seldom stray far from the place where they were murdered.
Born of evil and darkness, wraiths come to haunt dwellings created when evil mortals perish in the midst of performing atrocious acts. A wraith’s malevolent and sinful desires often keep it in the afterlife to haunt a home or manor.
Poltergeist: When a creature dies, any intense emotions it experiences at the time of death are often left behind as a psychic footprint. Fear, anger, hatred and sorrow are by far the most powerful of these emotions and often causes the most dangerous and destructive haunts to manifest. It should come as no surprise an act as evil as murder, which often comprises all three of these emotions and more, is a leading cause of the creation of powerful supernatural entities. Ghosts, spectres, wraiths and poltergeists are all commonly created in this manner, and when created they seldom stray far from the place where they were murdered.
Of all the denizens of haunted houses, poltergeists are by far the most common. Driven by rage, a poltergeist is confined to the site of its death by its anguish over an incomplete task or because its gravesite has been desecrated. Where or what a poltergeist haunts typically corresponds to its place of death or the resting place of its mortal remains.
Shadow: Shadows are formed when mortal creatures have their very souls drained by other shadows.
Vampire: ?
Witchfire: Witchfires are usually created when a powerful witch is slain with some malicious plot left incomplete or as the result of a dreadful curse she placed upon a settlement’s inhabitants at the time of her death.
Haunt: Haunts are hazardous areas created by unquiet spirits that react violently towards intruders. In many ways, haunts function like traps but they arise from anguished spirits.
Bleeding Walls: This haunt occurs when a victim is murdered and their corpse is boarded up within the walls of the haunted house.

Alternate Paths: Divine Characters 2 Odd Gods

Spoiler

Undead: A dead body has no soul but their soul room still exists. What actually happens when a creature is turned into an undead is that their soul room is forced open and the caster is placed inside. Liches gain 1 soul room per phylactery, though they guard these with powerful magics.
Avatar class death domain Greater Godvessel power.
Sacred Dead: Sacred dead are divinely inspired undead animated not by dark magic but sacred energy. These holy dead carry on the pious task they performed in life, forever acting as servants to the divine that preserve them. Awakened from fallen or specially chosen true believers, special rites brand holy marks onto the flesh to bond the pious soul to their body. This special ritual is often used to preserve the exceptionally faithful and devout, so that they may serve the church even in death. Rarely, a deity will raise a specific individual without the use of a ritual, often to allow a follower to complete some ordained task.
As they are literally the rebirth of a pious soul, sacred dead retain the memories of their previous life, although they say it takes on a dream-like quality to them; as if it were all something that happened to a different person.

Aquilae: Bestiary of the Realm: Volume 1 (Pathfinder)

Spoiler

Undead: ?
Incorporeal Undead: ?
Allip: ?
Allip Moderate: ?
Allip Advanced: ?
Allip Elite: ?
Apostasy Wraith: ?
Apostasy Wraith Moderate: ?
Apostasy Wraith Advanced: ?
Apostasy Wraith Elite: ?
Attic Whisperer: ?
Attic Whisperer Moderate:
Attic Whisperer Advanced:
Attic Whisperer Elite:
Bakekujira: ?
Bakekujira Moderate: ?
Bakekujira Advanced: ?
Bakekujira Elite: ?
Undead Fish: ?
Undead Seabird: ?
Banshee: ?
Banshee Moderate: ?
Banshee Advanced: ?
Banshee Elite: ?
Bat Skaveling: ?
Bat Skaveling Moderate: ?
Bat Skaveling Advanced: ?
Bat Skaveling Elite: ?
Ghoul: A humanoid who dies of ghoul fever rises as a ghoul at the next midnight.
Bat Sootwing: ?
Bat Sootwing Moderate: ?
Bat Sootwing Advanced: ?
Bat Sootwing Elite: ?
Baykok: ?
Baykok Moderate: ?
Baykok Advanced: ?
Baykok Elite: ?
Beheaded: ?
Beheaded Moderate: ?
Beheaded Advanced: ?
Beheaded Elite: ?
Beheaded Belching: ?
Beheaded Belching Moderate: ?
Beheaded Belching Advanced: ?
Beheaded Belching Elite: ?
Beheaded Flaming: ?
Beheaded Flaming Moderate: ?
Beheaded Flaming Advanced: ?
Beheaded Flaming Elite: ?
Beheaded Grabbing: ?
Beheaded Grabbing Moderate: ?
Beheaded Grabbing Advanced: ?
Beheaded Grabbing Elite: ?
Beheaded Screaming: ?
Beheaded Screaming Moderate: ?
Beheaded Screaming Advanced: ?
Beheaded Screaming Elite: ?
Beheaded Familiar: ?
Beheaded Familiar Moderate: ?
Beheaded Familiar Advanced: ?
Beheaded Familiar Elite: ?
Beheaded Swarming: ?
Beheaded Swarming Moderate: ?
Beheaded Swarming Advanced: ?
Beheaded Swarming Elite: ?
Berbalang: ?
Berbalang Moderate: ?
Berbalang Advanced: ?
Berbalang Elite: ?
Bhuta: ?
Bhuta Moderate: ?
Bhuta Advanced: ?
Bhuta Elite: ?
Blast Shadow: ?
Blast Shadow Moderate: ?
Blast Shadow Advanced: ?
Blast Shadow Elite: ?
Bodak: A humanoid slain by a bodak’s death gaze rises as a bodak 24 hours later.
Bodak Moderate: ?
Bodak Advanced: ?
Bodak Elite: ?
Bonestorm: ?
Bonestorm Moderate: ?
Bonestorm Advanced: ?
Bonestorm Elite: ?
Carrionstorm: ?
Carrionstorm Moderate: ?
Carrionstorm Advanced: ?
Carrionstorm Elite: ?
Chained Spirit: ?
Chained Spirit Moderate: ?
Chained Spirit Advanced: ?
Chained Spirit Elite: ?
Spectre: Any humanoid slain by a chained spirit becomes a spectre in 1d4 rounds.
Charnel Colossus: ?
Skeleton: ?
Skeleton Warrior: ?
Void Zombie: An infected creature who dies from void death disease rises as a void zombie 2d4 hours later.

Disease (Su) Ghoul Fever: Bite - injury; save Fort DC 14; onset 1 day; frequency 1/day; effect 1d3 Con and 1d3 Dex damage; cure 2 consecutive saves. A humanoid who dies of ghoul fever rises as a ghoul at the next midnight (Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 146).

Archdevils of Porphyra

Spoiler

Undead: Third Deific Boon of Duke Melektus.

Obedience
Use leeches to drain a cup of blood into a vessel or into stagnant water. Write your secret failings in the dirt or on a mirror with blood, confess it, then erase it. Gain a +4 profane bonus on saves vs. poison.
Boons
1. Patients’ Price (Sp): infernal healing 3/day, blinding ray 2/day or appearance of life 1/day.
2. Parasitic Penetration (Su): Once per day with a successful touch attack, you can infest a living creature with foul worms unless the target makes a Fortitude save (DC 10 + 1/2 your HD + your Constitution modifier). These parasites retain an unholy link to you, draining that creature’s energy and transferring it to you. This infestation persists for 10 rounds, during which you act as if hasted and the infested victim is staggered. These parasites count as a disease effect.
3. Eternal Servant(Ex): You gain the undead type and the ability to use Command Undead a number of times per day equal to 3 plus your Charisma modifier. No unintelligent undead can attack or harm you in any way.

Asian Spell Compendium

Spoiler

Incorporeal Undead: ?
Undead Gaki: ?

Undead: ?
Haunt: ?

Atarashia – A Gazetteer

Spoiler

Mindless Dead: Cevnia’s process bound the negative spirit back into its body without transforming it into positive energy first. This was easier to do than a resurrection and required less magical energy. However, the process was imperfect and left the spirit trapped in the remains of its body, howling in mental anguish that blotted out all trace of intellect and personality, leaving nothing but an unquenchable hatred of the living. These mindless undead suffered endlessly and were always merciless killers. The deliberate creation of such an undead being is universally regarded as an evil act.
Hungry Dead: Cevnia was not put off by the limited success of her early experiments. She used the information gathered in the creation of mindless undead and began to refine the process. She discovered new, more controlled methods of binding the negative spirit back to its body that did not interfere with the mental faculties of the resulting undead. However, these intelligent undead still suffered constant pain from the unnatural state their spirits were in, which quickly descended into jealous hatred of the living. In addition to this, there were other side effects… The first undead she created using the new method were ghouls, who were driven by a desire to consume the dead flesh of sentient beings, thus gaining momentary relief from their ever-present feeling of starvation. She tried again, using more powerful magic, and made mohrgs, who were motivated by the unappeasable psychological need to commit murder. She called these the Hungry Dead, as they were driven to destroy the living by all-consuming urges.
Human Skeleton: ?
Dwarf Zombie: ?
Human Skeletal Champion: ?
Goblin Burning Skeleton: ?
Human Ghoul: ?
Tengu Plague Zombie: ?
Drow Fast Zombie: ?
Human Juju Zombie: ?
Human Mummy: ?
Gnome Ghoul: ?

Undead: As a mortal woman, Cevnia was fascinated with arcane magic and studied amongst the elves to broaden her knowledge. Unfortunately, she chose to use this knowledge to control others by playing on their weaknesses. The elves eventually discovered her network of spies and blackmailers, but not before she was able to steal many secrets from the ancient elven libraries. She was exiled from the elven homelands, but set up her own college of magic, carefully building up her influence and extending her control. At the height of her powers, she began to study the nature of death. She perfected the art of necromancy, created the first undead and ultimately transformed herself into a vampire.
Then came calamity… In the fertile jungles of the north, a sun goddess called Tlaneci arose, whilst in the ice flows of the south, where life was harsh, and night lasted for weeks, the god of darkness, Taggarik, came into being. Not content with ruling his portion of the Inner and Outer Worlds, he sought to gain complete control of the Inner World, which he considered to be his rightful domain. When the other deities refused to grant him sole dominion of the Inner World, he conspired with the powerful vampire wizard, Cevnia, who had stolen secret magics from the elves. Together they wrought a spell that shattered the Inner World, scattering the beings who lived there. The cycle of the Double Realm was broken, the Inner World replaced with the half-planes of the Ethereal Realm and the Shadow Realm. Taggarik made the Shadow Realm his own, and infected it with his evil power, although he was not able to realise his plan of creating a physical realm, powered by negative energy.
The spirits of those who had dwelt in the Inner World could no longer be reborn into the Outer World. Some accepted Taggarik’s offer of a place in the Shadow Realm, and ended up trapped in a tormented half-life, partly physical and partly spirit. Some fled to the Ethereal Realm, eschewing any hope of a physical existence, although most were eventually given refuge in the planar abodes belonging to the deities. The least fortunate were transformed into undead creatures by Taggarik and Cevnia and forced into their service. The clerics of Taggarik specialise in creating undead, and many wizards seek the path of the necromancer, guided by the teachings of Cevnia, who achieved deity-hood herself as a result of the Shattering, as it became known.
Cevnia continued her research, refining her methods and learning to create other types of undead. She made progress but was always hampered by the lack of suitable negative energy spirits.
Once the Inner World was shattered, the barriers that prevented negative spirits from crossing back over into the Inner World before their time were severely weakened. This meant that undead could be more easily created, without the need for ghosts. Taggarik and Cevnia created armies of undead between them. When they began to lose the war, they hatched a desperate plan to increase the number of undead. They infected many of their minions with a curse which meant that when they slew a living being, the victim’s spirit was automatically drawn back, and its body would rise up as another undead. As the living fell, so they became part of the army of evil undead.
Since the War of Life ended, the creation of undead is tightly controlled. This is part of the armistice agreement between the warring deities. Only a certain number of undead can be created, or brought into the Outer World, and their creation is more difficult and costlier.
Vampire: As a mortal woman, Cevnia was fascinated with arcane magic and studied amongst the elves to broaden her knowledge. Unfortunately, she chose to use this knowledge to control others by playing on their weaknesses. The elves eventually discovered her network of spies and blackmailers, but not before she was able to steal many secrets from the ancient elven libraries. She was exiled from the elven homelands, but set up her own college of magic, carefully building up her influence and extending her control. At the height of her powers, she began to study the nature of death. She perfected the art of necromancy, created the first undead and ultimately transformed herself into a vampire.
However, she was repulsed by the decaying state of their bodies. So, she created vampires, who were more powerful than mummies, and maintained the look of the bodies they had in life.
Satisfied that she had found an acceptable way to cheat death, she transformed herself into a vampire, and consolidated her position of power by destroying all the other vampires she had created initially. Thus, she established herself as the forebear of all vampires that exist today, although rumours persist that one of the original vampires somehow escaped destruction…
Zombie: ?
Ghost: Before the events that led up to the Shattering, ghosts were the only type of undead. A ghost is a spirit that does not pass on to the Inner World, as it was known then, or the Ethereal Realm, as it is now. When a being in the Outer World dies, its positive energy spirit is naturally transformed into negative energy as it passes on to the next plane of existence. However, in rare circumstances, this process can be disrupted. This occurs either due to a powerful act of will on the part of the recently deceased, or when the spirit has undergone a great psychic trauma, such as being murdered. Although ghosts are not intrinsically evil, they are beings of negative energy and suffer greatly in the Outer World, which is confusing and alien to their nature. This often causes the ghost to become malevolent, if it wasn’t already. A negative spirit in the Inner World would have spent its lifetime resolving psychological issues, before being reborn into the material Outer World as a positive energy spirit in a new body. Scholars speculate that ghosts are created when some of these psychological issues can only be resolved in the Outer World. For example, the spirit might need to protect loved ones, or to exact revenge upon its killer.
She attempted to create ghosts by killing living beings in horrendous ways, so as to precipitate the necessary psychological trauma. However, the success rate of this was low as, more often than not, the spirit would simply cross over into the Inner World and remain beyond her reach.
Skeleton: Because ghosts are immaterial negative energy spirits, they do not die in the same manner as material beings with positive energy spirits. They can be temporarily dispersed, but will usually reform after a period of time, and can linger in the Outer World for decades or even centuries, until their reason for remaining is resolved. The arch-wizard Cevnia became fascinated with the durability of these negative spirits and wondered if there was a way to somehow harness their power to extend her own lifespan. She noted that some ghosts were able to temporarily possess the body of a living being in the Outer World. This is a deeply unpleasant and painful process for the living being, and also for the ghost, as it is constantly fighting rejection by a body that was designed to hold a positive energy spirit. Cevnia discovered a way to prepare the remains of a body in such a manner as to make them compatible with a negative spirit, thus avoiding the problem of rejection, although it is still grindingly painful for the spirit. By binding a ghost to its remains prepared in this way, the first undead skeleton was created. The “body” was animated by negative energy, but could not truly die, as it was already dead, thus making it very hard to destroy. Devastating amounts of damage had to be inflicted on the physical remains in order to disrupt the binding.
The number of ghosts was (and still is) relatively small, and it was often impossible to locate the original body. When the body was available, it was usually just a pile of bones, which explains the fact that her first undead creation was a skeleton.
Ghoul: Cevnia was not put off by the limited success of her early experiments. She used the information gathered in the creation of mindless undead and began to refine the process. She discovered new, more controlled methods of binding the negative spirit back to its body that did not interfere with the mental faculties of the resulting undead. However, these intelligent undead still suffered constant pain from the unnatural state their spirits were in, which quickly descended into jealous hatred of the living. In addition to this, there were other side effects… The first undead she created using the new method were ghouls, who were driven by a desire to consume the dead flesh of sentient beings, thus gaining momentary relief from their ever-present feeling of starvation. She tried again, using more powerful magic, and made mohrgs, who were motivated by the unappeasable psychological need to commit murder. She called these the Hungry Dead, as they were driven to destroy the living by all-consuming urges.
A humanoid who dies of ghoul fever rises as a ghoul at the next midnight. A humanoid of 4 Hit Dice or more rises as a ghast.
Mohrg: Cevnia was not put off by the limited success of her early experiments. She used the information gathered in the creation of mindless undead and began to refine the process. She discovered new, more controlled methods of binding the negative spirit back to its body that did not interfere with the mental faculties of the resulting undead. However, these intelligent undead still suffered constant pain from the unnatural state their spirits were in, which quickly descended into jealous hatred of the living. In addition to this, there were other side effects… The first undead she created using the new method were ghouls, who were driven by a desire to consume the dead flesh of sentient beings, thus gaining momentary relief from their ever-present feeling of starvation. She tried again, using more powerful magic, and made mohrgs, who were motivated by the unappeasable psychological need to commit murder. She called these the Hungry Dead, as they were driven to destroy the living by all-consuming urges.
Mummy: Sensing that she was nearing her goal, Cevnia poured all her art and cunning into the creation of intelligent undead that were not inflicted with the uncontrollable desires of the Hungry Dead. She had some success with mummies, especially the powerful mummy lords.
Mummy Lord: Sensing that she was nearing her goal, Cevnia poured all her art and cunning into the creation of intelligent undead that were not inflicted with the uncontrollable desires of the Hungry Dead. She had some success with mummies, especially the powerful mummy lords.
Shadow: The spirits that took up Taggarik’s bargain soon regretted it, as they realised he did not have the ability to make them fully corporeal within the Shadow Realm. Those who resisted his will were given over to Cevnia to use as power sources for her material undead. Those willing to embrace Taggarik’s evil were sent to the Outer World as incorporeal undead, such as shadows and wraiths.
Wraith: The spirits that took up Taggarik’s bargain soon regretted it, as they realised he did not have the ability to make them fully corporeal within the Shadow Realm. Those who resisted his will were given over to Cevnia to use as power sources for her material undead. Those willing to embrace Taggarik’s evil were sent to the Outer World as incorporeal undead, such as shadows and wraiths.
Ghast: A humanoid who dies of ghoul fever rises as a ghoul at the next midnight. A humanoid of 4 Hit Dice or more rises as a ghast.
Plague Zombie: Anyone who dies while infected with zombie rot disease rises as a plague zombie in 2d6 hours.

Atarashia Gazetteer – A Dwarven Guide

Spoiler

Undead: When the War of Life began, that great battle between life and undeath, the dwarves sided with Tlaneci, the goddess of the sun, and marched into battle on the central plains of the Jing Empire. This area was devasted by necromantic magic and became the Narwahr Expanse. Even now, the tortured bodies of dwarven warriors can be encountered as undead, shambling through the shattered terrain of the Expanse.

Aventyr Bestiary

Spoiler

Carrion Beast: Carrion beasts are wrought by maddened necromancers or unholy priests that curse a field of recently deceased bodies.
Dodelig: When the Dracoprime fell many halflings tragically died beneath its immense form, but their magically infused bodies were awoken by the essence of the lich Udødelig.
Fleshdoll Rogue: ?
Frostdeath Dragon: ?
Ghoublin: Freshly created ghoublins are made from recently killed goblin corpses, but the insidious undead can infect any humanoid (causing it to distort and shrink after its death, for humanoids larger than Small sized).
An afflicted humanoid of less than 2 HD that dies of ghoublin fever rises as a ghoublin at the next midnight.
Goemul: Creatures wrought by sadistic wizards, these tortured treants live an existence stretched taut between life and death.
Gogelid: Where the gøgelid originally come from remains unknown and though intelligent and sometimes quite talkative, the animated canines never speak of more than the name of their home dimension: Preokret.
Hellion Revenant: Ireful hellions have a supernatural ability to attract any recently departed soul unlucky enough to wander near its layer, luring them to their bound home. The hellion consumes and subsists off any remaining energies of these souls (increasing its own power) leaving behind only mindless wraiths called hellion revenants that join their master in a rage-filled existence.
Screaming Severed Skull: Screaming severed skulls were first created by gitwerc, the evil Underworld denizens that reside just above HEL. Legends say that those who beg for mercy from the devil dwarves sometimes receive it, turned into these undead and gifted with the task of endlessly conveying vile messages and disgusting commands (the source, theologians speculate, that causes the creatures’ to unleash their unsettling screams).
Shadow Rat: Shadow-rats are created whenever rodents are left to feast upon the flesh of the undead and then allowed to breed. The resulting offspring is evil from birth, quickly using its abilities to slay the parents and any natural siblings nearby, soon after heading off to find new prey (often killing things not out of hunger, but for the thrill of the act).
Spite-Spitter: The ancestors of the once Matron Mother of the drow city of Holoth, Maelora Guillon, dispossessed their enemies of their wealth and position, sacrificing their crushed souls to the dark elven deity Naraneus. In the Plane of Venom they were warped and transformed into spite-spitters, forced to wander where She Who Weaves in Darkness wills them to.
Zombie Handservant: Zombie handservants tended to great lords and kings of the Ancestor People, the ancient forefathers of the Vikmordere, and in death they continue to serve their masters in tombs and burial shrines throughout the Vikmordere Valley.
Zombie handservants are created through the use of an animate dead spell combined with various ceremonial rituals at the time of a lord or king’s death. These culminating forces combine with the servant’s undying affection and will to serve their master, creating a zombie handservant.
Fleshdoll: Crafted from the flesh, blood, and bone of dead corpses, fleshdolls are miniature 1-ft. tall puppets that are animated by unwilling spirits bound with evil necromancy. Products of the fleshdoll stage, the associated curse has a myriad of effects but none are more noticeable than this unnatural transference into one of these gruesome miniatures. Stitched, sewn, pinned, and cauterized—a fleshdoll’s physical appearance and level of aesthetic detail depends on the creativity and skill of the necromancer who created the grizzly golems of fleshcraft.
“Fleshdoll” is an inherited or acquired template that can be added to any living, corporeal creature.

Ghoul: An afflicted humanoid of 2-3 HD that dies of ghoublin fever rises as a ghoul at the next midnight.
Ghast: An afflicted humanoid with 4 or more HD that dies of ghoublin fever rises as a ghast at the next midnight.

Ghoublin Fever (Su) Disease—bite; save—Fortitude DC 9; incubation period—1 day; damage 1 Con and 1 Dex. The save DC is Charisma-based.
An afflicted humanoid that dies of ghoublin fever rises as a ghoublin at the next midnight. A humanoid who becomes a ghoublin in this way retains none of the abilities it possessed in life. It is not under the control of any other ghoublins, but it hungers for the flesh of the living and behaves like a normal ghoublin in all respects. A humanoid of 2-3 Hit Dice rises as a ghoul, not a ghoublin, while a humanoid with 4 Hit Dice or more rises as a ghast.

Beasts of Legend: Beasts of the East

Spoiler

Srin-Po: Created when particularly affluent members of society are slain in (what they perceive as) a disgraceful manner, and later buried.

Beasts of Legend Coldwood Codex

Spoiler

Faleich-Wyrm: In centuries past, the king of the wild Northlands entreated a cabal of sinister necromancers known as the Faleich-Mar to create for him the penultimate undead war-beast to obliterate and devour the armies of his enemies to the south. To meet his request, the Faleich-Mar bred monstrous-sized tatzlwyrms, infested them with undead leeches that drove the creatures insane, turning them into raging violent beasts before slaying them. When necromancers raised their corpses, the result proved undeniably destructive.
Leeches of Madness: Created by the Faleich-Mar.
Slough: A slough is powerful undead creature, a former ex-druid that steals her power directly from the earth she once swore to protect.
All slough begin as mortal druids who become corrupted by using weirdstones. Though the weirdstone can supply a mortal with great power, using these artifacts also drains the life energy of a mortal user, eventually slaying that individual and forcing its body into a constant cycle of decomposition and regeneration. Upon dying, the mortal sheds her skin and transforms into a slough.
Living ex-druids can also use a weirdstone to gain druidic powers, though in doing so the weirdstone also drains them of life. To use a weirdstone effectively the ex-druid must spend eight hours in meditation and then make Spellcraft check DC 10 + the weirdstone's caster level. If successful, for the next 24 hours the individual gains the benefits of the weirdstone, but they permanently loses 1 point of Constitution. Constitution loss sacrificed to a weirdstone cannot be restored in any manner. In this manner, those who continually use weirdstone's eventually die and become slough themselves.
“Slough” is an acquired template that can be added to any living creature, provided it can create or otherwise acquire a weirdstone.
Ugrohter: Ugrohters are undead fey whose accused souls become trapped upon the Material Plane.
Born sadists, ugrohters trace their origins to the bands of psychotic pixies that in lost eons allied themselves with Kryonis-Athym, a rebellious fey overlord whose radical proposals included bonding with humans in order to expand Otherworld's influence on the mortal planes. In the end, the lords of Otherworld sided against Kryonis, cast him out Otherworld and then slew him. The severing of this of bond caused those of his followers who had already taken up residence on the Material Plane to die. These unfortunate fey creatures then rose from the dead, gruesomely transformed into ugrohters.
Wight Barrow: Forlorn and fearsome, barrow wights were once warlords or princes of old. While some few came to their current state by the powerful curse of a darkling power, most earned an eternity of unlife through their own dire and dreadful predations, whether in war and conquest or in the oppression and exploitation of their own people.
Wight Boreal: Any humanoid creature that is slain by a boreal wight may rise as a boreal wight itself in only 1d4 rounds. However, this transformation only occurs if the creature’s corpse is buried in the ground or bound with a boreal wight’s thornbind ability. If its corpse is unearthed or it is freed from the thornbind before the transformation is complete, it is merely dead and does not rise.
Boreal wights are the restless dead left unburied in the evergreen forests of the north.
Unlike common wights, the undead flesh of boreal wights bonds in a strange way with the needle-strewn forest floor where their unburied remains are left to rot and corrupt.

Wight: Creatures killed by a barrow wight’s energy drain rise as ordinary wights that also possess DR 5/magic or silver and have a chilling glare (range 10 feet) equivalent to that of the barrow wight.

Beasts of Legend Boreal Bestiary

Spoiler

Green Child: Beneath the soured mires of the cold wastelands, black swamps, and chilling ice moors stir the remnants of man’s most horrific sins, the tumultuary corpses of wrongfully slain children. What force stirs their souls to unrest remains an enigma, for certainly the green children are evil creatures capable of perpetrating vengeful and sadistic acts upon the living.

Behind the Monsters Omnibus

Spoiler

Skeleton: This skeleton is an undead creature animated by magic to perform single-minded tasks.

Black Sheep NPC Codex Vol. 1

Spoiler

Lilliana, Ghost Gnome Wizard 3: Lilianna served for many years as an entertainer to the royal court. Her illusions entertained adults and children alike. It was a shock to all when she suddenly killed the king. Tried and sentenced to death by hanging, Lilianna died a traitor to her people.
This wasn't the end however. Lilianna hadn't killed the king. She had been framed by an unknown party. Anger at the injustice had brought her soul back, and her arcane power bound her spirit to her spell book. Now she protects the royal family while seeking out the assassin.

Black Sheep NPC Codex Vol. 2

Spoiler

Desmond's Hand: The true origins of this annoying abomination are supposedly lost to the years. Only rumor and odd legends surround it now. Most involved in arcane circles knowingly attribute the severed hand to long dead wizard named Desmond. Not many kind things can be said about Desmond as he seemed to lead a life of wanton hedonism. One example of his wasted skill was a spell that undressed a sleeping person. Not many of the people he traveled with found the spell as funny as him, ultimately leading to him being blacklisted by most adventuring groups in most cities. He did eventually find a group, and in particular female half-orc bard, that shared his rather aggravating sense of humor. Life can sometime be poetic, albeit in a morbid way. According to the tale, the female bard was working on an axe juggling act she wanted him to see. The half-orc bard did well at two, then three, but things went wrong at the fourth axe. The phrase, “wizards should never try axe catching!”, is often spoken at this point.
The story continues with Desmond delving into the necromantic arts to feed life, in a way, into the embalmed hand. Desmond now had an unliving hand, which he very unwisely made into his familiar.
Thomas the Imaginary Friend, Greater Shadow: “You will stay here boy. Don’t try to return home.”, said the terrified boy's father.
Thomas looked around at the near endless expanse of nothing around him with tears freezing to his face. When the child turned to where his father had been, Thomas saw that he was already leaving. The heartless man walked away without even a glance back. Thomas screamed out to his father as the he labored hard to catch his father in the rising snow. He was just too small, too cold, and too exhausted. Thomas still pushed his body until his lungs hurt, and fits of coughing started. Collapsing into the snow the child looked around in the whiteout, his father nowhere to be seen. Thomas had no idea what to do, then the boy heard the howls of wolves.
Shroud, the Black King, Simulacrum Half-Elf Sorcerer 10: Few suspect it but a part of the King of old remains trapped within his enchanted burial shroud.

Bloodguise Diredamsel (Monsters of Aquilae, Pathfinder)

Spoiler

Bloodguise Diredamsel: Some wronged women perish with their accounts unsettled, and live on in vengeful undeath.
Diredamsels are a type of undead, spawned from the corpses of murdered or suicided women, who struggled with horrible adversity or betrayal in life.
All of the various forms of Diredamsel are restless female spirits, trapped in the material plane in a kind of limbo state similar to that of ghosts, revenants, and other beleaguered undead. Unsettled scores, unfinished business, and righetous zeal are but some of the driving forces that capture the divine essence of soul for these fallow-hearted and ruthless wisps.
Bloodguise Diredamsel Moderate: ?
Bloodguise Diredamsel Advanced: ?
Bloodguise Diredamsel Elite: ?

Ghost: ?
Revenant: ?

Book of Beasts Legendary Foes

Spoiler

Deific Guard: As the pharaohs of long ago ascended to godhood, they took their royal guards with them. Deific guards, as they were known, were mummified guardians left behind to protect the remains of the pharaoh or those that ascended into Abaddon with the ancient ruler. These warrior-priests are the unliving incarnation of the ancient pharaoh they once served.
Only dwarves were chosen as deific guards in life, and they still retain some of their dwarf racial abilities in undeath.
Jack-in-Irons: Most scholars explain a jack-in-irons to the uneducated as a ghost that inhabits chains. While that explanation is close, it is not entirely accurate. A jack-in-irons is no mere ghost, but rather the spirit of a great general, powerful mercenary or bloody murderer that was tortured and died having been drawn and quartered. Instead of the spirit reforming as its own entity or turning into a haunt, it inhabits the chains that ripped apart its body and now uses them to inflict the same fate on others.
Memory of Rage: When a person is tortured, bled, and tormented for years on end, the restless spirit left behind is no mere ghost. All that is left of this poor creature is the memory of its rage.
Shadow of the Void: A shadow of the void is an ancient shadow that burns with cold power, standing ready to suck out the life of any living creature it encounters. Many scholars consider a shadow of the void to be death incarnate, sent by the gods of death to be the last thing ever seen by their living victims.
Skeletal Storm: This deadly whirlwind of bones is believed to be the result of a failed attempt to create a lich.

Shadow Greater: If a creature is slain by a shadow of the void’s blightfire, icy fragments of the creature remain and it rises as a greater shadow.
A living creature slain by a shadow of the void becomes a greater shadow in 1d4 rounds.
Banshee Witch 12: Bloody Bonnie is the spirit of an elven woman who was murdered by her philandering noble husband. When she violently confronted him about his infidelity, he clawed out her eyes and threw her from the highest tower of his castle. Three nights later, on the eve of the lord’s hasty marriage to his latest mistress, Bonnie’s spirit rose from the grave and slaughtered him, his bride, and his entire court.
Ravener Wyrm Magma Dragon: Considered by other dragons to be insane to the point of being unhinged, Jaliktaj is given a wide berth by his living kin. In life he was a powerful spellcaster and devourer of all that lived in his lands. When a group of adventurers came prepared to bring him to an end, he released an imprisoned lich on the condition that it would turn him into a ravener.
Lich Aasimar Sorcerer 13 Dragon Disciple 6: ?
Ghost Cyclops Rogue 9: ?
Zombie Juju Dark Stalker Antipaladin 19: Tza’doran and the dark cleric Razalia were lovers, serving their blasphemous demi-god together. When a group of adventurers put Tza’doran to the sword, Razalia escaped with the dust that was once her lover’s body and raised her as her servant.

Book of Beasts Monster Variations

Spoiler

Mummy Giant: ?
Mummy Halfling: ?

Book of Beasts Monsters of the River Nations

Spoiler

Autumn Death: Legends say the first autumn death was created from the skeleton of someone hopelessly lost in the forest. The despair at the point of death combined with ambient arcane powers from dragons or fey to enervate the remains into a wandering terror.
Riverswell Spirit: A riverswell spirit is the drowned victim of a flood or violent downpour.

Book of Beasts Monsters of the Shadow Plane

Spoiler

Centaur Raav: Scholars debate the origins of the centaur raav. Some point to the reinforced bones as the handiwork of the lich necromancer Skerasis. Others believe it was created by the cult of Orcus attempting to enrage the centaurs and driving them to war. However, all scholars agree this abomination could only be formed near the dark fields of the Plane of Shadows. The negative energy flowing into Shadowsfall empowers and reinforces the skeletal body. As long as the dark fields have a supply of centaur corpses, it will produce more raavs.
Clawed Kadian: A humanoid slain by a clawed kadian rises as a clawed kadian in 1d4 rounds.
This type of undead can be made with a greater create undead spell of caster level 18th or higher.
Deathhand: Charon created a legion of undead floating goons to hunt down creatures that have tasted death, whether living or undead–other than themselves, and drag them to Abaddon permanently.
Deathhand Captain: ?
Headless Hunchback Skelton: ?
Headless Hunchback Skeletal Champion: ?
Helblar: Thought to be called into being by a well-meaning but less than clear wish.
Helblar Greater: ?
Helblar Champion: ?
Nightshade Nightstalker: ?
Phantasm Swarm: It is said that souls that reach their final reward forget their earlier lives. Less known is that souls forbidden from this reward never forget. Over the course of centuries, clusters of these tortured souls have gathered together on the Plane of Shadows to form a phantasm swarm, an entity more powerful than just the combined ectoplasmic energy of the souls alone.
Spectre Spawn: Any humanoids slain by a spectre spawn becomes a spectre spawn themselves in 1d4 rounds.
Any humanoids slain by a spectre lord become a spectre spawn themselves in 1d4 rounds.
Spectre Lord: Spectres are far more common on Shadowsfall than in the Material Plane because the many lonely and lost places they haunt are absorbed by the Plane. Shadowsfall’s dim sun affords spectres freedom to indulge their fury without incapacity. Over the course of centuries, many of these rage spirits develop greater powers, transforming into a much more virulent entity known as a spectre lord.
Unquiet Giant: Reanimated by the intense hatred and anguish it experiences in its fierce but final battle, the unquiet giant still is impaled by the many weapons that struck it down.
Shadow Halfling: ?
Shadow Cave Fisher: ?
Shadow Manticore: ?
Shadow Titan Centipede: ?
Shadow Dragon Ancient: ?

Spectre: Jenovaria was a hate-filled barbarian in life. He died tormented and ashamed for not discovering his lover’s killer and avenging the murder.
Shadow: A creature killed by a shadow’s incorporeal touch becomes a shadow under the control of its killer in 1d4 rounds.
Skeleton Blood Monkey: ?
Skeleton Minotaur: ?
Skeleton Snake Constrictor Freezing: ?
Skeleton Stogsaurus: ?
Skeleton Ice Linnorm: ?
Skeletal Champion Half-Elf Fighter 8 Rogue 6: ?
Zombie Plague Rat: ?
Zombie Basilisk: ?
Zombie Bulette: ?
Zombie Plague Shambling Mound: ?
Zombie Plague: Anyone who dies while infected by a plague zombie's zombie rot rises as a plague zombie in 2d6 hours.
Zombie Fast Ancient Black Dragon: ?
Zombie Juju Gnome Sorcerer 17: ?

Book of Beasts Wandering Monsters

Spoiler

Death Adept: Death adepts are made from the body of a good priest that has been within the bounds of desecrated land for over 100 years. The remains must be transported to the plane of evil and the create greater undead spell must be finished before the plane animates the corpse of its own accord. The spell requires a caster level of 17 to creature this creature.
Remembrent: A few souls of bards and sorcerers cling to their memories and to their decaying bodies desperately trying to gain revenge for their death or some other wrong done to them in life. The soul shrieks loudly enough that their own dead bodies can hear, allowing the soul to take possession once again. These undead are called remembrents.

Book of Beasts War on Yuletide

Spoiler

Dirge Caroler: Dirge carolers are small, corporeal undead—the hideous remains of impoverished halflings swathed in dirty, heavy winter clothing. In life, they depended upon the generosity of their neighbors to survive the harsh winters; when that generosity waned, they starved to death.

Book of Drakes

Spoiler

Ghoul: ?
Vampire: ?

Book of Friends and Foes Under the Mountain

Spoiler

Elf Vampire Rogue 6, Night Wraith: ?

Book of Heroic Races: Advanced Compendium (PFRPG)

Spoiler

Revenant, Gwalachmai: ?
Lich Samsaran Timeless Warden Druid 13, Dalrik the Mad: ?
Undead Giant: ?
Mummy Priest: ?

Incorporeal Undead: ?
Ghost: ?
Ghoul: Tlaloc’s clerics count accomplished necromancers among their number, and the bodies of sacrificial victims who have been bled dry and had their hearts burned upon the jade altars are often wrapped in mud and preserved for later animation as zombies, ghouls, or wights.
Lich: ?
Shadow: Clan lore holds that the evil god Kellas, Lord of the Night, counts among his children such insubstantial horrors as shadows, specters, and wraiths.
Specter: Clan lore holds that the evil god Kellas, Lord of the Night, counts among his children such insubstantial horrors as shadows, specters, and wraiths.
Wraith: Clan lore holds that the evil god Kellas, Lord of the Night, counts among his children such insubstantial horrors as shadows, specters, and wraiths.
Zombie: Tlaloc’s clerics count accomplished necromancers among their number, and the bodies of sacrificial victims who have been bled dry and had their hearts burned upon the jade altars are often wrapped in mud and preserved for later animation as zombies, ghouls, or wights.
Wight: Tlaloc’s clerics count accomplished necromancers among their number, and the bodies of sacrificial victims who have been bled dry and had their hearts burned upon the jade altars are often wrapped in mud and preserved for later animation as zombies, ghouls, or wights.

Book of Lost Spells

Spoiler

Skeleton: Animate Skeleton spell.
Crew with the Dead spell.
Zombie: Animate Zombie spell.
Zombify Self spell.
Shadow: Devouring Darkness spell.
Umbral Touch spell.
Umbral Weapon spell.
Undead: Obliterate Soul spell.
Ghoul: Transform Zombie spell.

Animate Skeleton
School necromancy [evil]; Level cleric/oracle 1, sorcerer/ wizard 1
Casting Time 1 standard action
Components V, S, M (you must prepare a salve worth at least 10 gp per HD of the skeleton and rub it on each corpse you intend to animate)
Range touch
Targets one or more corpses touched
Duration instantaneous
Saving Throw none; Spell Resistance no
This spell turns the bones of dead creatures into undead skeletons that follow your spoken commands. For each caster level you possess, you can animate one skeleton that has a CR of 1 or less.
The skeletons can follow you, or they can remain in an area and attack any creature (or just a specific kind of creature) entering the place. They remain animated until they are destroyed. A destroyed skeleton can’t be animated again.
The skeletons you create remain under your control indefinitely. No matter how many times you use this spell, however, you can control only a number of skeletons equal to your caster level at one time. If you exceed this number, all the newly created creatures fall under your control, and any excess skeletons from previous castings become uncontrolled. You choose which creatures are released. If you are a cleric, any undead you might command by virtue of your power to command or rebuke undead do not count toward the limit. A skeleton can be created only from a mostly intact corpse or skeleton. The corpse must have bones. If a skeleton is made from a corpse, the flesh falls off the bones.

Animate Zombie
School necromancy [evil]; Level cleric/oracle 1, sorcerer/ wizard 1
Casting Time 1 standard action
Components V, S, M (you must bathe each corpse in a bath of special salts. The salts must be worth at least 10 gp per HD of the zombie)
Range touch
Targets one or more corpses touched
Duration instantaneous
Saving Throw none; Spell Resistance no
This spell functions like the animate skeleton spell, but animates the corpses as zombies rather than skeletons. A zombie can be created only from a mostly intact corpse. The corpse must be that of a creature with a true anatomy.

Crew with the Dead
School necromancy; Level bard 5, sorcerer/wizard 6
Casting Time 10 minutes
Components V, S, M (the bones or remains of at least 5 drowning victims)
Range close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)
Target one ship
Duration 1 hour/level, concentration discharge (D)
Saving Throw none; Spell Resistance no
This spell summons a crew of undead servitors to sail or row a ship for the caster. These undead automatically know how to crew the ship as long as the caster maintains concentration. If concentration is broken, the undead simply fail to do anything until the caster resumes concentrating on directing their actions. A bard who casts this spell must direct the crew through encouraging singing of sea shanties.
Up to 5 undead crewmembers may be summoned per caster level. The crew is treated as Medium skeletons with the additional ability of Profession (sailor) +5.
The crew does not fight or otherwise engage an enemy in combat, though they can operate ballistae or catapults, firing such machinery as 1st-level warriors.

Devouring Darkness
School evocation; Level cleric/oracle 5, sorcerer/wizard 5
Casting Time 1 standard action
Components V, S
Range medium (100 ft. + 10 ft./level)
Area 20-ft. radius
Duration instantaneous (see text)
Saving Throw Reflex half (see text); Spell Resistance yes
You create a blast of negative energy that damages living creatures and leaves behind an area of darkness. Living creatures within the area of effect suffer take 1d6 points of negative energy damage per caster level of damage (10d6 max; Reflex save for half) and leaves behind an area of darkness equal to that left by a deeper darkness spell for 1 round/caster level. As a negative energy-based spell, undead within the area of effect are healed instead of damaged and creatures protected against negative energy damage suffer no ill effects.
Creatures slain by a devouring darkness spell rise in 1d4+2 rounds as a shadow. The newly risen shadow is not under the caster’s control and is as likely to attack its creator as it is any other nearby creatures.

Obliterate Soul
School necromancy [evil]; Level sorcerer/wizard 7
Casting Time 1 standard action
Components V, S, M (a pinch of bone dust)
Range close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)
Target one living creature
Duration Instantaneous
Saving Throw Fortitude partially negates; Spell Resistance yes
Upon casting, the conjured spirits pass through the victim, causing a total of 3d6+3 points of Constitution damage. A successful Fortitude save reduces this effect to 1d6+1 points of Constitution damage. If the victim is drained below zero, her soul is ripped from her body and dragged into the lower planes as the other spirits return from where they came. Victims slain in this fashion cannot be restored to life with raise dead, although reincarnation or resurrection works. Unless they are buried in hallowed ground, victims of obliterate soul are likely to return as undead (GM’s discretion).

Transform Zombie
School necromancy [evil]; Level sorcerer/wizard 6
Casting Time 1 full round
Components V, S, M (A bone from a ghoul and a black onyx gem worth at least l00 gp)
Range touch
Target one zombie
Duration instantaneous
Saving Throw Fortitude negates; Spell Resistance yes
The caster touches a single zombie, which must succeed on a Fortitude save to avoid the spell’s effects. If the zombie fails its saving throw, it becomes a ghoul. Controlled zombies transformed by this spell remain under their controller’s command and still count against controlled undead HD limits, as do spawn created by the controlled ghouls.

Umbral Touch
School necromancy [evil]; Level cleric/oracle 3, sorcerer/ wizard 3
Casting Time 1 standard action
Components S
Range touch
Target one creature
Duration 1 minute/level
Saving Throw Fortitude halves; Spell Resistance yes
This spell gives you a Strength-draining touch. If you make a successful touch attack, the subject suffers 1d6 +1 per 2 caster levels (maximum +6) of temporary Strength ability damage. A successful Fortitude save halves the ability damage.
If the subject’s Strength is reduced to 0 or less, he dies and is transformed 1d4+1 rounds later into a shadow permanently under your control. You may control up to 2 HD of shadow creatures per caster level at any one time. If you also control animated dead (per the animate dead spell), the total HD of undead plus shadow creatures cannot exceed the 2 HD per level maximum.

Umbral Weapon
School illusion (shadow); Level sorcerer/wizard 5
Casting Time 1 standard action
Components S
Range touch
Target Shadows touched
Duration 1 minute/level
Saving Throw none; Spell Resistance no
This spell allows you to reach into any nearby shadows and draw out shadowstuff with which you form a weapon. The weapon may appear to be a sword or a mace or whatever weapon you desire. Regardless of its appearance, all umbral weapons deal 1d6 points of damage and critical based on the type of weapon fashioned. If you are able to cast this spell multiple times, you may have multiple umbral weapons in existence simultaneously. However, once you hand the weapon to another, only that creature may wield it. Any attempts to set it down or hand it to another results in the weapon becoming simple shadows again.
An umbral weapon has a +2 attack bonus, and it is considered a +2 magical weapon. However, the damage bonus for the weapon begins at +0. This changes quickly through combat, though, since the target of the attack suffers 1 point of Strength damage every time the wielder of an umbral weapon lands a blow. This Strength is transferred to the umbral weapon itself as a damage bonus. This bonus to damage increases every time the wielder lands a blow, although it may never increase to more than one-half your caster level. Regardless of the bonus to damage, the attack bonus is always +2.
A subject who survives the hit point damage of an umbral weapon but dies when his Strength is reduced to zero is transformed into a shadow in 1d4+1 rounds and is permanently under your control. You may control up to 2 HD of shadow creatures per caster level at any one time. If you also control animated dead (per the animate dead spell), the total HD of undead plus shadow creatures cannot exceed the 2 HD per level maximum.

Zombify Self
School necromancy; Level sorcerer/wizard 4
Casting Time 1 standard action
Components V, S, M (one handful of zombie flesh)
Range personal
Target you
Duration 1 minute/level
Saving Throw none; Spell Resistance no
This spells converts your body into that of a zombie. You become immune to poison, sleep, paralysis, stunning and disease. You are no longer subject to nonlethal damage, ability damage, energy drain or death from massive damage. Your Dexterity decreases by 4 for the duration of this spell, and you suffer a –4 penalty to Charisma whenever you must make a Bluff or Diplomacy check. Also, because of the concentration of negative energy within you, you are vulnerable to energy channeling. Cure spells damage you and inflict spells heal you.
Lastly, when the spell ends, you must succeed on a DC 15 Fortitude save or be is stunned for one round and take 5d4 points of damage as the negative energy ravages your body as it is forced out. If this damage kills you, you rise the next night as a zombie unless your body is blessed.

Book of Magic 10 Undead Spell Words

Spoiler

Devourer: Raise Undeath spell word, boosted, caster level 20th or higher.
Ghoul: Raise Undeath spell word.
Ghoul Ghast: Raise Undeath spell word, caster level 12th or higher.
Mohrg: Raise Undeath spell word, caster level 18th or higher.
Mummy: Raise Undeath spell word, caster level 15th or higher.
Shadow: Raise Undeath spell word, boosted.
Shadow Greater: Raise Undeath spell word, boosted, caster level 20th or higher.
Skeletal Champion: Raise Undeath spell word.
Spectre: Raise Undeath spell word, boosted, caster level 20th or higher.
Wight: Raise Undeath spell word, caster level 15th or higher.
Wraith: Raise Undeath spell word, boosted, caster level 16th or higher.
Attic Whisperer: Raise Undeath spell word, caster level 12th or higher.
Banshee: Raise Undeath spell word, boosted, caster level 20th or higher.
Bodak: Raise Undeath spell word, boosted, caster level 20th or higher.
Crawling Hand: Raise Undeath spell word.
Crawling Hand Giant: Raise Undeath spell word, caster level 15th or higher.
Crypt Thing: Raise Undeath spell word, caster level 15th or higher.
Draugr: Raise Undeath spell word, caster level 12th or higher.
Dullahan: Raise Undeath spell word, caster level 18th or higher.
Totenmaske: Raise Undeath spell word, boosted, caster level 18th or higher.
Witchfire: Raise Undeath spell word, boosted, caster level 20th or higher.
Zombie Juju: Raise Undeath spell word.
Allip: Raise Undeath spell word, boosted.
Huecuva: Raise Undeath spell word.

Raise Undeath (Death)
School necromancy [evil]; Level cleric/oracle 7, sorcerer/wizard 7
Duration instantaneous
Saving Throw none; Spell Resistance no
Target Restrictions selected
This effect word can only target the corpses of dead creatures and can only be cast at night. The exact creature that is raised is the wordcaster’s choice and can be any from the below table (or any other creature that can be created with the create undead spell) as long as the caster meets the minimum caster level. The animated creature remains undead until destroyed. The undead creature is not automatically under the caster’s control. Additional wordspells (or combining this word with other spellwords) are required to bring the undead creature under the caster’s control.
Minimum Caster Level Undead Created
Any Crawling Hand B2, Ghoul, Huecuva B3, Juju Zombie B2, Skeletal Champion
12th Attic Whisperer B2, Draugr B2, Ghast
15th Crypt Thing B2, Giant Crawling Hand B2, Mummy, Wight
18th Dullahan B2, Mohrg
Boost: The wordcaster can create undead from the below table or any other creature that can be created from a create greater undead spell as long as the caster meets the minimum caster level. Boosting this effect word increases its level by 2.
Minimum Caster Level Undead Created
Any Allip B3, Shadow
16th Wraith
18th Spectre, Totenmaske B2
20th Banshee B2, Bodak B2, Devourer, Greater Shadow, Witchfire B2

Book of Monster Templates

Spoiler

Darkseed Creature: Darkseed Creature is an acquired template that can be added to any undead creature. The term darkseed refers most properly to the kernel of negative energy that burns in an undead with this template. Sometimes when an undead rises within an area ripe with negative energy it immediately gains the darkseed template. Likewise, some undead bring forth a darkseed within themselves after spending time in such negatively charged zones. More common, however, are those undead who receive a darkseed from a malevolent deity with necromantic dominions.
Bloody Blade Darkseed Bloody Bones Rogue 4: Servants of the god of death itself, these beings are created to violently enforce the will of their master, as told in the Canticle of the Blades.
One of the
priests of the new Cathedral of St. Ilfraness made a very public, very well received, and very irreverent joke about the god of death. That very night he fell to his death from the pinnacle of the cathedral and, before he could be buried, his body was divinely raised as a bloody blade.
Gellid Dirge Lich Drachencor Lich Shade: ?
Human Irresistible Graveknight Two-Handed Fighter 10:
Tax Collector Creature: Public servant, avaricious private agent, or cruel servant of a tyrant, wrath against the tax collector is a force unto itself that can lead to murder. When a customs official is slain sometimes a unique revenant spirit is created.
“Tax Collector” is an acquired template that can be added to any non-undead creature.
Tax Collector Sea Hag: ?

Book of Multifarious Munitions Vehicles of War

Spoiler

Bone Skiff: ?

Borderland Provinces - Pathfinder

Spoiler

Lich-Queen Trystecce: ?
The Singed Man, Infernal Lord, Vampire Lord: ?
Battle Duke Ormand, Vampire Spawn: Duke Ormand’s army was decimated at Seilo Ford, the survivors fleeing east back towards Foere. The Battle-Duke himself was captured and turned into a vampire, an unholy slave of the Singed Man.

Undead: ?
Ghost: ?
Ghoul: A humanoid who dies of ghoul fever rises as a ghoul at the next midnight.
Ghoul Fever disease.
Ghast: A humanoid of 4 Hit Dice or more who dies from ghoul fever rises as a ghast.
Ghoul Fever disease.
Shadow: ?
Skeleton: ?
Skeleton Human: ?
Vampire: ?
Wight: ?
Wraith: ?
Zombie: ?
Zombie Human: ?
Groaning Spirit: ?

Ghoul Fever: Bite—injury; save Fort DC 15; onset 1 day; frequency 1 day; effect 1d3 Con and 1d3 Dex damage; cure 2 consecutive saves. The save DC is Charisma-based.
A humanoid who dies of ghoul fever rises as a ghoul at the next midnight. A humanoid who becomes a ghoul in this way retains none of the abilities it possessed in life. It is not under the control of any other ghouls, but it hungers for the flesh of the living and behaves like a normal ghoul in all respects. A humanoid of 4 Hit Dice or more rises as a ghast.

Call to Arms: Decks of Cards

Spoiler

Lich: Deck of Many Things Dark Fate card.
Grave Knight: Deck of Many Things Dark Fate card.
Vampire: Deck of Many Things Dark Fate card.

The Dark Fate (Ace of Clubs): An evil undead duplicate of the drawer is created. The exact nature of the undead is based on what class the drawer is; If the drawer is a spellcaster, the duplicate is a lich, if they are a martial class, the duplicate is a Grave Knight, if they are any other class, the duplicate is a vampire. The has the same attributes and class levels as the drawer, and copies of all their magical items (modified to evil equivalents where applicable). The duplicate is utterly dedicated to opposing the drawer’s every action and undoing everything they have ever achieved. In addition, the duplicate can only be destroyed by the drawer; if anyone else strikes the final blow, the duplicate will rejuvenate within 24 hours.

Call to Arms: Horses and Mules

Spoiler

Ghost Horse, Combat Trained Heavy Horse: The ghost horse died in the throes of crippling terror.
This was a war-ready mount that died tragically with its master in bloody combat.
Nightmare Mount, Unhallowed Bloody Skeletal Champion Nightmare: The Nightmare Steed is an undead horse drawn back from the spirit world and commanded as a mount.
Skeleton Mount: Skeletal mounts are normal skeletons made from combat-trained heavy horses.

Campaign Backdrops: Caves and Caverns

Spoiler

Last Nail: Last Nail was born again as a vampire after a vampiric drider slew him.
Vampiric Drider: ?
Mistress Amelya Van Fersker, Human Vampire Enchanter 10: Forced to flee, her progress in wizardry grew painfully slow until she met an alluring blond stranger who promised her time enough to learn her craft and halt the fade of her beauty. The stranger turned out to be a vampire, and after accepting the blood kiss, Amelya has spent her days learning the mystical arts from any she can.
Urshak'xhul: Members of the priest caste conducted profane rites on selected members, transforming them into the blasphemous Urshak’xhul (Holy Guardians).

Ghast: A humanoid who dies of ghoul fever rises as a ghoul at the next midnight. A slain humanoid of 4 or more Hit Dice rises as a ghast.
Ghoul: A humanoid who dies of ghoul fever rises as a ghoul at the next midnight. A slain humanoid of 4 or more Hit Dice rises as a ghast.
Shadow: A humanoid creature slain (when its Strength damage equals or exceeds its Strength score) by a shadow’s Strength damage becomes a shadow under the control of the killer in 1d4 rounds.
Wraith: A humanoid slain by a wraith becomes a wraith in 1d4 rounds.
Ghost: ?
Vampire Spawn: A creature slain by Amelya’s blood drain or energy drain rises as a vampire spawn in 1d4 days.
Last Nail can create spawn out of those it slays with blood drain or energy drain, provided that the slain creature is an aberration. The victim rises from death as a vampire in 1d4 days.
Allip: ?
Banshee: ?
Crawling Hand: ?
Crypt Thing: ?
Devourer: ?
Dullahan: ?
Giant Crawling Hand: ?
Greater Shadow: ?
Huecuva: ?
Juju Zombie: ?
Lich: ?
Mohrg: ?
Mummy: ?
Necrophidius: ?
Poltergeist: ?
Red Wyrm Ravener: ?
Revenant: ?
Shadow: ?
Skaveling: ?
Skeletal Champion: ?
Skeleton: ?
Spectre: ?
Totenmaske: ?
Vampire: ?
Vargouille: ?
Wight: ?
Winterwight: ?
Zombie: ?

Campaign Backdrops: Forests & Woodlands

Spoiler

Garilax, Ghoul Barbarian 1: ?
Valentin Pannanen, Human Ghost Wizard 5: Sadly for the PCs, the spirit of a dead mage, killed when the bridge collapsed during a storm, haunts the waters beneath the shattered arch.
Naillae Aralivar, Ghost Elf Druid 6: ?
Rideth Cyelrae, Ghost Elf Druid 13, Ghost Half-Elf Druid 3/Sorcerer 8: ?
Tahlys Vonothvar, Ghost Elf Druid 7: ?

Ghoul: A humanoid who dies of ghoul fever rises as a ghoul (or ghast if it had more than 4 HD) at the next midnight.
Ghast: A humanoid who dies of ghoul fever rises as a ghoul (or ghast if it had more than 4 HD) at the next midnight.

Campaign Backdrops: Hills & Mountains

Spoiler

Cairn Wight: ?
Skeletal Champion, Human Skeletal Champion Warrior 1: ?
Wight: The grave robbers, risen as undead.
Humanoids the cairn wight slays become wights themselves in 1d4 rounds.
Ghoul: A humanoid who dies of ghoul fever rises as a ghoul at the next midnight. A slain humanoid of 4 or more Hit Dice rises as a ghast.
A small adventuring party once got trapped within and starved to death. Risen as ghouls, the undead lurk in the crypt creeping forth when released by the hermit to dine up on his guests.
Ghast: A humanoid who dies of ghoul fever rises as a ghoul at the next midnight. A slain humanoid of 4 or more Hit Dice rises as a ghast.
Poltergeist: The rock fall is old – few use this trail – but as fate would have it, the fall did crush and kill a small group of lost travellers. Most of them were killed instantly, but an unlucky few survived the initial rock fall and were buried alive. These unlucky few died slowly of suffocation, unquenchable thirst or from slow blood loss from their shattered bodies. Of these, two had a maniacal, almost unshakeable grip on life and death could not wholly claim them.
A few days after their death these two rose again as poltergeists and have lurked in the rock fall’s vicinity ever since.

Campaign Backdrops: Marshes & Swamps

Spoiler

Lizardfolk Zombie: The creature in the portal the Bonescale tribe worship as their god is a globster that is both unaware and uncaring towards their devotion. This strange ooze creature, normally found on ocean coasts, made its way inland following a ready supply of food in the marsh. It became trapped when it entered a pond that was also a nexus to the Negative Energy Plane.
Like the lizardfolk, the creature has been altered by its exposure to the portal. Creatures that die or that are already dead when it swallows them are transformed into zombies after an hour in the creature’s belly. They then claw their way back out of the globster’s mouth.
Hungry Dead: "Hungry Dead" is an acquired template that can be added to any corporeal undead creature.

Zombie: The creature in the portal the Bonescale tribe worship as their god is a globster that is both unaware and uncaring towards their devotion. This strange ooze creature, normally found on ocean coasts, made its way inland following a ready supply of food in the marsh. It became trapped when it entered a pond that was also a nexus to the Negative Energy Plane.
Like the lizardfolk, the creature has been altered by its exposure to the portal. Creatures that die or that are already dead when it swallows them are transformed into zombies after an hour in the creature’s belly. They then claw their way back out of the globster’s mouth.
Ghoul: ?

Campaign Backdrops: Sun & Sand

Spoiler

Akh-en-Tholus, Human Lich Necromancer 11: ?
Zombie Gnoll: ?
Gnoll Bloody Skeleton Corpse Companion: ?
The Vulture King, Ghast Cleric 3: The Vulture King and his followers are the remains of a caravan of tengu pilgrims driven off their route by a sandstorm years ago. Trapped at this necrotic cyst they were forced to cannibalize the dead and eventually turned upon one another. They survive now as ghouls, lacedons and merchants of the most precious resource of all: water.
Ghoul Warrior, Ghoul Warrior 2: The Vulture King and his followers are the remains of a caravan of tengu pilgrims driven off their route by a sandstorm years ago. Trapped at this necrotic cyst they were forced to cannibalize the dead and eventually turned upon one another. They survive now as ghouls, lacedons and merchants of the most precious resource of all: water.
Lacedon Acolyte, Ghoul Lacedon Adept 2: The Vulture King and his followers are the remains of a caravan of tengu pilgrims driven off their route by a sandstorm years ago. Trapped at this necrotic cyst they were forced to cannibalize the dead and eventually turned upon one another. They survive now as ghouls, lacedons and merchants of the most precious resource of all: water.

Mummy: ?

Cerulean Seas Beasts of the Boundless Blue

Spoiler

Cihuateotl: Cihuateotl are the undead remnants of women who drowned or died violently while pregnant.
Calcified Skeleton: Calcified Skeleton is an acquired template that can be applied to any creature killed by a brain coral’s aura.
Calcified skeletons are the remains of a brain coral’s deadly aura. Bone is pulled out through a creature’s body until it is encased in prison of its own structure.
Dread Pirate: A dread pirate is the restless, hateful body of an executed pirate.
Lich Ice: The phylactery of an ice lich must be carved from ice made from the purest possible water.
“Ice Lich" is an acquired template that can be added to any living creature, provided it can create the required phylactery.
Ship of the Damned: Ships of the damned are the slowly rotting remains of vessels that experienced an evil so great that the spirits of the dead infused into the ship itself.
Ship of the Damned Medium: ?
Ship of the Damned Large: ?
Ship of the Damned Huge: ?
Ship of the Damned Gargantuan: ?
Ship of the Damned Colossal: ?
Sinkling: Any creature killed by or within 100 yards of a sinkling swarm adds its spirit to the swarm, breaking up into as many individual sinklings as it has hit dice. Casting bless or hallow on the body within 1d4 rounds after death prevents this from happening.
Sinklings are the hateful spirits of the drowned, always wanting for the company of the living in the depths.
Snag: Any humanoid killed by a snag that touches the bottom of the waterway the snag came from within 24 hours of its death becomes a snag in 1d4 rounds.
Snags are the animated corpses of fishermen lost at sea.
Wraith Water: Any humanoid, monstrous humanoid or trueform slain by a water wraith rises as one in 1d6 hours.

Ghoul Lacedon: Any humanoid killed by a cihuateotl's energy drain ability rises as a lacedon under her control in 1d3 rounds.

Cerulean Seas Celadon Shores

Spoiler

Phi Thale: Phi thale form in areas of over fishing, when even the spirits of such simple creatures as fish feel seething anger.
Many believe that they are the product of the collective will of sea creatures hard hit by humanoid pressures, or the vengeance of a sea god, punishing the guilty.

Cerulean Seas Indigo Ice

Spoiler

Ice Lich: “Ice Lich" is an acquired template that can be added to any living creature, provided it can create the required phylactery.
The phylactery of an ice lich must be carved from ice made from the purest possible water. This ice is enchanted to become as strong as any other phylactery, although if exposed to magical fire it is destroyed in a single round.

Undead: The witch goddess Talakasha is rumored to be the source of all true evil and undeath in the realm.

Cerulean Seas: the Viridian Veil

Spoiler

Frasnian Dead: The downfall of Frasnia can be traced, in retrospect, to a miraculous device that was known as an “infinity talisman.” This tool was created with a combination of psionic, arcane and technological sciences and was billed as the “final solution to aquatic life.” Wearing this talisman imbued the wearer with the ability to stave off hunger, thirst, and the need to breathe. At first, only the aristocrats and leaders were able to afford them. After a few decades they were mass-produced. By the end of the Great War, they were free and nearly everyone on Frasnia was using them.
By this time, the side effect was well known to the original nobles who kept it a secret. People suspected that the talismans could also ward off death from old age as well, because although their leaders appeared venerable, none of them were dying off. Unfortunately, something far more sinister was happening. The talismans, which contained a fair amount of untested necromantic energy, were corrupting their wearers. They worked very slow and insidiously. The longer a person wore an infinity talisman, the more evil they became. Worse, when someone who had been wearing the talisman for over a decade was slain or dies of natural causes, they rise as a terrible undead known now as the Frasnian Dead.
Infinity Talisman magic item.
Noble Frasnian Dead: These ex-nobles wore their talismans for much longer before their demise, creating a more powerful undead.
Time Wight: A time wight is created when a time lost soul gains access to a dead body through time based magic or effects, most frequently via time heal.
Time Heal spell.
Duke Karsinger: One of the first bearers of the infinity talisman, the lich-like creature that the Duke had become was powerful indeed.

Zombie: ?

TIME HEAL
School conjuration [chronomancy]; Level sharker 6,
sorcerer/wizard 6
Casting Time 1 standard action
Components S, M (emerald wand that costs at least 100 gp)
Range touch
Target one subject
Duration instantaneous
Saving Throw Will negates; Spell Resistance yes
The subject’s body is returned to how it was 1 round previously, instantly healing damage and reversing effects that happened during the current round. If the subject was killed during the current round, the subject comes back to life, but has a 10% chance of irrevocably becoming a time-wight (see Chapter 6 of this tome). If successful, and a time-wight has not been created, the caster loses 3 Karma.

INFINITY TALSIMAN
Aura mild necromancy; CL 6th
Slot neck; Price 1,000 gp (cursed); buoyancy -1 bu.
DESCRIPTION
The talisman makes the wearer immune to hunger, thirst, and suffocation. Unfortunately, after every 3 month of use the wearer makes a Will save DC 17 or his alignment permanently slips one notch towards chaotic evil. After three failures, the wearer will rise as a Frasnian Dead when slain.
CONSTRUCTION
Requirements Craft Wondrous Item, disrupt undead, undead anatomy; Special: requires psionic attunement.
Cost 500 gp.

Cerulean Seas Waves of Thought

Spoiler

Calcified Skeleton: Calcified Skeleton is an acquired template that can be applied to any creature killed by a brain coral’s aura.
Calcified skeletons are the remains of a brain coral’s deadly aura. Bone is pulled out through a creature’s body until it is encased in prison of its own structure.

Classes of NeoExodus: Protean Scribe

Spoiler

Undead Creature: Protean Scribe Death Word storied creature with spending 2 additional points of
eloquence.

Close Encounters: NPC Codex

Spoiler

Vid Star Host, Mummy: ?

Compendium Arcanum Vol. 4: 3rd-Level Spells

Spoiler

Skeleton: Animate Dead spell.
Zombie: Animate Dead spell.

ANIMATE DEAD
School necromancy [evil]; Classes antipaladin, cleric/oracle; Domain death 3, souls 3
CASTING
Casting Time 1 standard action
Components V, S, M (an onyx gem worth at least 25 gp per Hit Die of the undead)
EFFECT
Range touch
Targets one or more corpses touched
Duration instantaneous
Saving Throw none; Spell Resistance no
DESCRIPTION
This spell turns corpses into undead skeletons or zombies that obey your spoken commands.
The undead can be made to follow you, or they can be made to remain in an area and attack any creature (or just a specific kind of creature) entering the place. They remain animated until they are destroyed. A destroyed skeleton or zombie can't be animated again.
Regardless of the type of undead you create with this spell, you can't create more HD of undead than twice your caster level with a single casting of animate dead. The desecrate spell doubles this limit.
The undead you create remain under your control indefinitely. No matter how many times you use this spell, however, you can control only 4 HD worth of undead creatures per caster level. If you exceed this number, all the newly created creatures fall under your control, and any excess undead from previous castings become uncontrolled. You choose which creatures are released. Undead you control through the Command Undead feat do not count toward this limit.
Skeletons: A skeleton can be created only from a mostly intact corpse or skeleton. The corpse must have bones. If a skeleton is made from a corpse, the flesh falls off the bones.
Zombies: A zombie can be created only from a mostly intact corpse. The corpse must be that of a creature with a physical anatomy.

Diminished Effects The spell’s target changes to one corpse and you can only create a single Small or Medium skeleton or zombie. You cannot create variant skeletons or zombies.
Heightened Effects Variant skeletons and zombies created by animate dead count as their normal number of Hit Dice (instead of twice their normal number of Hit Dice; see Variant Skeletons).
Caution! Spells Merge! This spell combines the effects of the following spells: animate dead and lesser animate dead.

Compendium Arcanum Vol. 5: 4th-Level Spells

Spoiler

Skeleton: Animate Dead spell.
Shadow Projection: Shadow Projection spell.
Zombie: Animate Dead spell.

ANIMATE DEAD
School necromancy [evil]; Classes sorcerer/wizard
CASTING
Casting Time 1 standard action
Components V, S, M (an onyx gem worth at least 25 gp per Hit Die of the undead)
EFFECT
Range touch
Targets one or more corpses touched
Duration instantaneous
Saving Throw none; Spell Resistance no
DESCRIPTION
This spell turns corpses into undead skeletons or zombies that obey your spoken commands.
The undead can be made to follow you, or they can be made to remain in an area and attack any creature (or just a specific kind of creature) entering the place. They remain animated until they are destroyed. A destroyed skeleton or zombie can't be animated again.
Regardless of the type of undead you create with this spell, you can't create more HD of undead than twice your caster level with a single casting of animate dead. The desecrate spell doubles this limit.
The undead you create remain under your control indefinitely. No matter how many times you use this spell, however, you can control only 4 HD worth of undead creatures per caster level. If you exceed this number, all the newly created creatures fall under your control, and any excess undead from previous castings become uncontrolled. You choose which creatures are released. Undead you control through the Command Undead feat do not count toward this limit.
Skeletons: A skeleton can be created only from a mostly intact corpse or skeleton. The corpse must have bones. If a skeleton is made from a corpse, the flesh falls off the bones.
Zombies: A zombie can be created only from a mostly intact corpse. The corpse must be that of a creature with a physical anatomy.

SHADOW PROJECTION
School necromancy [evil]; Classes sorcerer/wizard
CASTING
Casting Time 1 minute
Component S
EFFECT
Range personal
Target you
Duration 1 hour/level (D)
DESCRIPTION
With this spell, you infuse your life force and psyche into your shadow, giving it independent life and movement as if it were an undead shadow. Your physical body lies comatose while you are projecting your shadow, and your body has no shadow or reflection while the spell is in effect.
While projecting your shadow, you gain a shadow's darkvision, defensive abilities, fly speed, racial stealth modifier, and strength damage attack. You do not gain the creature's create spawn ability, nor its skill ranks or Hit Dice. Your shadow has Hit Dice and hit points equal to your own. Your shadow projection has the undead type and may be turned or affected as undead.
If your shadow projection is slain, you return to your physical body and are immediately reduced to –1 hit points. Your condition becomes dying, and you must begin making Constitution checks to stabilize.
Diminished Effects The spell’s duration becomes 10 minutes per caster level.
Heightened Effects Your shadow is treated as if it were an undead shadow with the advanced creature template (+2 on all rolls and special ability DCs; +4 to AC and CMD; +2 hp/HD).

Compendium Arcanum Vol. 7: 6th-Level Spells

Spoiler

Juju Zombie: Create Undead spell.
Zuvembe: Create Undead spell 14th level caster.
Revenant: Create Undead spell 17th level caster.
Vampire: Create Undead spell 19th level caster.
Ghoul: Create Undead spell diminished.
Ghast: Create Undead spell diminished 12th level caster.
Mummy: Create Undead spell diminished 15th level caster.
Mohrg: Create Undead spell diminished 18th level caster.
Shadow: Create Undead spell heightened.
Wraith: Create Undead spell heightened 16th level caster.
Spectre: Create Undead spell heightened 18th level caster.
Devourer: Create Undead spell heightened 20th level caster.

CREATE UNDEAD
School necromancy [evil]; Domain death 6 (diminished), evil 6
Casting Time 1 hour
Components V, S, M (a clay pot filled with grave dirt and an onyx gem worth at least 50 gp per HD of the undead to be created)
Range close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)
Target one corpse
Duration instantaneous
Saving Throw none; Spell Resistance no
A much more potent spell than animate dead, this evil spell allows you to infuse a dead body with negative energy to create more powerful sorts of undead. The type or types of undead you can create are based on your caster level, as shown on the table below.
Caster Level Undead Created
13th or lower Juju Zombie
14th–16th Zuvembie
17th–18th Revenant
19th or higher Vampire
You may create less powerful undead than your level would allow if you choose. Created undead are not automatically under the control of their animator. If you are capable of commanding undead, you may attempt to command the undead creature as it forms.
This spell must be cast at night.
Diminished Effects: The type or types of undead you can create are based on your caster level, as shown on the table below.
Caster Level Undead Created
11th or lower Ghoul
12th–14th Ghast
15th–17th Mummy
18th or higher Mohrg
Heightened Effects: The type or types of undead you can create are based on your caster level, as shown on the table below.
Caster Level Undead Created
15th or lower Shadow
16th–17th Wraith
18th–19th Spectre
20th or higher Devourer
Merged! This spell combines the effects of the following spells: create undead and create greater undead.

Compendium Arcanum Vol. 8: 7th-Level Spells

Spoiler

Juju Zombie: Create Undead spell.
Zuvembe: Create Undead spell 14th level caster.
Revenant: Create Undead spell 17th level caster.
Vampire: Create Undead spell 19th level caster.
Ghoul: Create Undead spell diminished.
Ghast: Create Undead spell diminished 12th level caster.
Mummy: Create Undead spell diminished 15th level caster.
Mohrg: Create Undead spell diminished 18th level caster.
Shadow: Create Undead spell heightened.
Wraith: Create Undead spell heightened 16th level caster.
Spectre: Create Undead spell heightened 18th level caster.
Devourer: Create Undead spell heightened 20th level caster.

CREATE UNDEAD
School necromancy [evil]; Level cleric/oracle 7, sorcerer/wizard 7; Domain death 6 (diminished), death 8 (heightened), evil 6
Casting Time 1 hour
Components V, S, M (a clay pot filled with grave dirt and an onyx gem worth at least 50 gp per HD of the undead to be created)
Range close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)
Target one corpse
Duration instantaneous
Saving Throw none; Spell Resistance no
A much more potent spell than animate dead, this evil spell allows you to infuse a dead body with negative energy to create more powerful sorts of undead. The type or types of undead you can create are based on your caster level, as shown on the table below.
Caster Level Undead Created
13th or lower Juju Zombie
14th–16th Zuvembie
17th–18th Revenant
19th or higher Vampire
You may create less powerful undead than your level would allow if you choose. Created undead are not automatically under the control of their animator. If you are capable of commanding undead, you may attempt to command the undead creature as it forms.
This spell must be cast at night.
Diminished Effects: The type or types of undead you can create are based on your caster level, as shown on the table below.
Caster Level Undead Created
11th or lower Ghoul
12th–14th Ghast
15th–17th Mummy
18th or higher Mohrg
Heightened Effects: The type or types of undead you can create are based on your caster level, as shown on the table below.
Caster Level Undead Created
15th or lower Shadow
16th–17th Wraith
18th–19th Spectre
20th or higher Devourer
Merged! This spell combines the effects of the following spells: create undead and create greater undead.

Compendium Arcanum Vol. 9: 8th-Level Spells

Spoiler

Juju Zombie: Create Undead spell.
Zuvembe: Create Undead spell 14th level caster.
Revenant: Create Undead spell 17th level caster.
Vampire: Create Undead spell 19th level caster.
Ghoul: Create Undead spell diminished.
Ghast: Create Undead spell diminished 12th level caster.
Mummy: Create Undead spell diminished 15th level caster.
Mohrg: Create Undead spell diminished 18th level caster.
Shadow: Create Undead spell heightened.
Wraith: Create Undead spell heightened 16th level caster.
Spectre: Create Undead spell heightened 18th level caster.
Devourer: Create Undead spell heightened 20th level caster.

CREATE UNDEAD
School necromancy [evil]; Level cleric/oracle 7, sorcerer/wizard 7; Domain death 6 (diminished), death 8 (heightened), evil 6
Casting Time 1 hour
Components V, S, M (a clay pot filled with grave dirt and an onyx gem worth at least 50 gp per HD of the undead to be created)
Range close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)
Target one corpse
Duration instantaneous
Saving Throw none; Spell Resistance no
A much more potent spell than animate dead, this evil spell allows you to infuse a dead body with negative energy to create more powerful sorts of undead. The type or types of undead you can create are based on your caster level, as shown on the table below.
Caster Level Undead Created
13th or lower Juju Zombie
14th–16th Zuvembie
17th–18th Revenant
19th or higher Vampire
You may create less powerful undead than your level would allow if you choose. Created undead are not automatically under the control of their animator. If you are capable of commanding undead, you may attempt to command the undead creature as it forms.
This spell must be cast at night.
Diminished Effects: The type or types of undead you can create are based on your caster level, as shown on the table below.
Caster Level Undead Created
11th or lower Ghoul
12th–14th Ghast
15th–17th Mummy
18th or higher Mohrg
Heightened Effects: The type or types of undead you can create are based on your caster level, as shown on the table below.
Caster Level Undead Created
15th or lower Shadow
16th–17th Wraith
18th–19th Spectre
20th or higher Devourer
Merged! This spell combines the effects of the following spells: create undead and create greater undead.

Compendium Imaginarium

Spoiler

Fleshrender: When a humanoid has consumed another sentient being's flesh, there is a chance that the cannibal will return as a fleshrender after death. In rare and heinous circumstances, entire remote villages or wilderness parties become fleshrenders during a hard winter or famine.
Phantasm: A phantasm is created when a sentient being whom has killed an innocent of its own race dies due to non-violent causes. The angst and turmoil of the unresolved murder can sometimes cause a phantasm to emerge from the body of the deceased murderer.
Magus Wraith: A magus wraith is created when a necromancer vies for magical immortality beyond the grave by targeting themselves in the casting of create greater undead.

Crawthorne's Catalog of Creatures: Doomed Savant

Spoiler

Doomed Savant: Doomed savants are the undead remnants of obsessed individuals of exceptional skill and devotion—people whose single-minded pursuit of skill and knowledge led to their deaths. Some are the animated remains of murdered scholars who were on the cusp of great discoveries. Others are great thieves who returned from the grave for one last heist. And a few are the still-walking corpses of ascetics who starved to death in the single-minded pursuit of spiritual and physical perfection.
When I ‘as about twenty years younger an’ there was more o’ me than still attached, there ‘as this gal—fine lass. I called on ‘er a lot for potions, poultices an’ salves. She knew where all the ‘erbs grew an’ which critters had useful bits on ‘em you could use. Then, one day, I go to ‘er cabin and find her inside. Except she looked a bit more like a decade-ol’ barrel o’ fish than she used ta. But she was still working.
Turns out she’d got’ really occupied with this complicated brew an’ just forgot to eat or drink for a month in a stretch.

Creature Components Volume 1

Spoiler

Zombie: A single humanoid creature killed by a spell with the death descriptor incorporating a wight’s ichor arises as a zombie 1d4 rounds later.
Zombie Fast: Any creatures killed by a spell with the death descriptor incorporating a mohrg’s saliva arise as a zombie (fast zombie variant) 1d4 rounds later.

Creature Monthly

Spoiler

Blood Shadow: A humanoid creature with 10 HD or more, which is killed by a blood shadow becomes a lesser blood shadow under the control of its killer 1d4 rounds after its death.
While not much is known of how these creatures came to be formed, many sages speculate that they once existed as a race of wicked humanoids which were drawn into the plane of negative energy during some great calamity hundreds of thousands of years ago. Once drawn into the boarders of their new home, the foul energy of the plane consumed them slowly, turning them into the undead creatures. Their mortal forms faded into shadows, yet the darkness within them continued to be driven by the murderous lust and depravity that led them in life.
Glacial Gaunt: Any humanoid slain by a glacial gaunt rises as a glacial gaunt at the next midnight.
There are many ways in which these foul creature are created, the most common occurrence
being an evil humanoid creature succumbing to the elements of the frozen landscape. Once such a creature has died, it is only a short time before the corpse’s eyes open and a new horror is born. Tales are told of wicked druidic cults, eager to appease powerful nature spirits such as the Wendigo, capturing travelers and common folk who are then carried high into the frigid mountains and left to die.
Storm Wraith: A humanoid slain by a storm wraith becomes a lesser storm wraith 1d4 rounds after it’s death.
Winter Wight: Any humanoid creature that is slain by a winter wight becomes a lesser wight itself in only 1d4 rounds.
These are the risen remains of explorers or adventures which have died from exposure while in arctic mountains and tundras.
Over long winters or on high mountain peaks, these human remains become freeze-dried husks with perfectly preserved hair, clothes, and skin, but without any liquid remaining in their flesh. These creatures arise to wander the reaches of the frozen north in search of victims, seeking any way to relieve the pain of their frozen existence through acts of cruelty and violence.
Winter wights haunt places of avalanches, icefalls, and glaciers— places where they died and were left without a proper burial. There are many corpses that are lost deep in ice and snow, only a select few which rise as these dreaded creatures. Those unfortunate enough to perish in the ice do not always remain at rest. It is as if the ice itself claims their souls, raising them as winter wights whose only goal is to have other suffer the same violent death.

Creatures of Faerie

Spoiler

Avartagh: ?
Dullahan: Created by powerful curses, these legendary and rare undead aos sí are terrors to any who would travel dark roads at night. Every one of them has had their head removed as part of their creation, and they carry them everywhere they go.
Created by ancient foul magics.

Creepy Creatures Bestiary of the Bizarre

Spoiler

Bay-Kok: ?
Bone Druid: A bone druid is most often formed when a powerful druid dies in the process of corrupting, or with a great hatred of, the natural powers she once revered.
Ectoplasmic Stalker: Created by the lich Varquil while researching the creation of what would become the obitu, ectoplasmic stalkers are hardy undead soldiers.
Feymocker: Feymockers are created by evil fey or fey-blooded sorcerers in a perverse ritual. They are infused with the twisted sense of humor natural to their creators, along with a hatred for good aligned fey.
Fleshwarper: Any humanoid killed or reduced to 0 Charisma by a fleshwarper raises as one within 1d6 rounds.
Ghoul Sovereign: It is believed that exceptionally evil and depraved humans are cursed to become sovereign ghouls after death.
Gibbering Terror: Gibbering terrors are distilled evil essence, left over from the ending of a great malevolence
Hoard Haunt: Hoard haunts are the result of a numistian's innate connection with commerce degrading into pure greed. Once embraced by death, the mystical coins that make up the creatures blood instead coalesce into a pile of gleaming treasure. The numistian's consciousness inhabits these now purely physical coins.
Horsewraith: Any pack animal slain by a horsewraith's energy drain will rise as a horsewraith itself in 24 hours, unless the corpse is blessed.
These tragic creatures are formed from their master’s cruelty.
Despite their name, almost any domesticated pack animal may become one of these undead.
Leatherbound: Leatherbound are the twisted creations of necromantic magic. A living humanoid is bound in wet, oil and unguent soaked leather sheets, which are then twisted tight with iron rods, and left to dry. Create undead is then cast as the victim suffocates and is constricted to death.
Leatherbound Black: Wrapped in black leather inscribed with glowing arcane runes
Leatherbound Spiked: This leatherbound is riddled with iron spikes and studs, thus increasing its combat prowess.
Corpsehanger Tree: When a tree is used for hangings over the course of decades, some of the vengeful souls that died there enter the heart of the tree, instead of heading for their just rewards. In time, with enough evil or angry spirits infesting its wood, the tree dies, and the spirits within it animate it as an undead mockery.
Undead Gang: An undead gang may be formed wherever large numbers of souls perish in anger, fear, and pain. These spirits combine into a hateful being that exists simply to destroy.
Wight Marquis: Very rarely, a wight is spawned whose will is strengthened instead of weakened with the transformation to being unliving creature. These creatures are known as marquis wights.
:Wight Shadowfang Any humanoid slain by a shadowfang wight's energy drain becomes a shadowfang wight in 1d4 rounds.
Any humanoid killed by the sword Shadowfang's energy drain rises as a shadowfang wight in 4 rounds.
Zombie Assassin: ?

Ghoul: Creatures below 5 HD within the cone of a plague dragon's deathless breath instantly die, and reanimate as ghouls under the dragon's control.
Any humanoid that is two weeks or less dead within the sovereign ghoul's aura rise as a ghoul under its complete command in one round.
Any humanoid killed by a corpsehanger's energy drain or constrict attack becomes an undead creature within 1d4 rounds, unless it is cut down and the corpse blessed. A zombie will be created 70% of the time, a ghoul 20% of the time, and a wight 10% of the time.
Skeleton: A bone druid may animate the corpses of animals with but a touch, raising them as zombies or skeletons, depending on the condition of the body.
Spectre: Creatures from 13+ HD within the cone of a plague dragon's deathless breath must make a Fortitude save or die and reanimate as spectres.
Wight: Creatures from 6-12 HD within the cone of a plague dragon's deathless breath must make a Fort save or die and reanimate as wights.
Any humanoid killed by a corpsehanger's energy drain or constrict attack becomes an undead creature within 1d4 rounds, unless it is cut down and the corpse blessed. A zombie will be created 70% of the time, a ghoul 20% of the time, and a wight 10% of the time.
Any humanoid slain by a marquis wight's slam attacks, or its aura become a wight in 1d4 rounds.
Zombie: A bone druid may animate the corpses of animals with but a touch, raising them as zombies or skeletons, depending on the condition of the body.
Any creature reduced to 0 Wisdom by a gibbering terror's babble rises as a zombie under its control in 1d3 rounds.
Any humanoid killed by a corpsehanger's energy drain or constrict attack becomes an undead creature within 1d4 rounds, unless it is cut down and the corpse blessed. A zombie will be created 70% of the time, a ghoul 20% of the time, and a wight 10% of the time.

Cultists of Havra Zhoul

Spoiler

Havra Zhoul Human Ghost Inquisitor 10: At last, luck favored her when she slew Faylfarlu, an evil mystic theurge who trafficked with devils and the dead. In his lair, she found a detailed description of the ritual for becoming a lich. Faylfarlu had progressed quite far in this ritual, but had, for unknown reasons, declined to take the final step: to create a phylactery and bind his soul to it through ritual death.
Havra had fewer qualms. She grabbed the opportunity and finished the ritual, intending to become a lich. As a phylactery, she chooses her prayer book, which held all her thoughts and secrets. Havra performed the ritual and took the poison that would kill her and bind her soul to the book.
Unfortunately for her, the ritual was only partly successful. Maybe Fayldarlu’s magic was flawed, or maybe her own inexperience with magic caused her to perform it wrong. When she rose again, she was not the powerful being she had expected to become. Instead she has become a metaphorical shadow of herself. While she had the strength and fortitude of the undead, her body was slow and clumsy and she had lost much of her power. Moreover, she found that while her soul was tied to the book, she was unable to use it to possess others.
When her adversaries finally discovered her lair, she was far weaker than if she had tried for lichdom. Alive, she may have prevailed. But in her wrecked undead state, she was no match for them and was quickly cut down by her enemies. Part of the ritual functioned. Her soul retreated into her phylactery, well hidden in the depths of her keep. Unable to send her spirit forth in any other form than a pale shadow, she remained trapped there, until finally Vederian Soulbright found her tome.

Dangers & Discoveries

Spoiler

Baron Culver's Balcony: Baron Archimedes Culver was a pathetic and lonely man towards the end of his long life. His vast fortune long since squandered, his political capital equally reduced, Baron Culver found himself banished from the royal court and the intrigue he so loved. The old Baron died, halfway senile, in a tattered silk bathrobe after falling from the balcony of his equally ragged country home.
Bigot's Spire: In life, the half-elven wizard Comas Delesas was defined by his bigotry. The arrogant mage despised regular humanity as barely civilized idiots, and openly called for the extinction of what he called the underfolk: Dwarves, Gnomes, Goblins and Kobolds among many other burrowing species. His adventuring days long past, and his fortune assured, Comas eventually murdered those who helped him gain his wealth and retired to a library-tower he built for himself on the edge of a major human freehold. The local folk saw his servants occasionally, when they went into town for provisions, but Comas himself refused to associate with the common herd.
When a blast of lightning as brilliant as the sun struck the tower one rainy night, most of the townsfolk said good riddance. The matter would of rested there, if not for the fact something of Comas Delesas’ hatred remains, and occasionally, the broken tower belches lethal black smoke.
Black Taskmaster: The Black Taskmaster is an old ironshod whip taken from an infamous slaver and displayed in the library of the Sandoval College of Necromancy.
Boartooth's Righteous Rampage: When Brom Boartooth’s sons died of a disease that 10 gp worth of medicine would of cured, he finally became the monster that his fully human neighbors feared all his life. Previously a simple rancher, the half-orc found depths of hatred and violence in himself he never knew existed. He slaughtered his home town’s hedge wizard and the alchemist who refused to treat his sons, the town’s sheriff and three of the settlement’s wealthiest merchants before an angry mob finally ended his rampage.
Butcher's Hill: The Butcher’s Hill had another name before the war between two neighboring fiefdoms ended there. By the time the day long battle was over, more than 3,000 men and women lie dead atop the hill, and the ground was literally stained red with their blood. Even though priests from a dozen temples sanctified the ground, that much anger and pain never truly goes away.
Camel's Graveyard: There is a point of no return in the Gronnel Desert, a place almost exactly between two oasis cities, where supplies are far more than half exhausted, and the only way to survive is to press forward. Over the years, hundreds of caravans have ended some where near this mythical point of no return, and the bleached and sandblasted bones of hundreds of camels are half buried by the dunes. Animals fear and hate this place, and often turn on their masters, leading to their death and the deaths of the men who depended on them for survival.
Cast Upon the Rocks: The merchant galleon Escarda Din went down in a sudden squall and its sunken frame now rests on an undersea plateau. So clear is the water that the wreck can almost be seen through three hundred feet of warm water Though the Escarda Din went down in a common shipping lane, no brave soul has attempted to salvage the wreck, and common sailors avoid its last known position. The ocean near the wreck site has ‘gone bad’ and regularly kills sailors with impossible weather.
Devil's Anvil: This black iron anvil sits in a back corner of the ruined remnants of a smithy, half buried in rubble. According to local legend, the blacksmith, a fat and ignorant man named Hodge hammered swords for pit-fiends on his anvil. Eventually, doing hell’s work caught up with him, and Hodge and his three idiot sons died in an unexplainable blaze. Whatever the truth of Hodge’s life, in death his small shop has been uniformly shunned.
Donovan's Kiln: Ten years ago, this ruin was a busy potter’s shop. In better days, Bria Donovan was a fat and cheerful woman who, with her two nephews, ran a profitable business out of a small, neat cottage at the edge of town. The center of Bria’s business was the enormous wood burning kiln that took up most of the cottage, and which she kept stoked day and night. She died along with her youngest nephew Micah when the kiln exploded.
Bria’s surviving nephew rushed to help, but was badly scarred by the blaze. Not wanting anything to do with his ruined inheritance, Andrew Donovan let the ground lie fallow. Over time his aunt’s pottery shop fell into memory and than into local legend, while Andrew grew into the town’s premier drunkard. The matter would of rested there, if not for the fact that on days when the temperature rises, during the worst part of summer, the kiln burns again with ghostly white fires.
Fatfinger's Last Dance: Terkin Fatfinger, brigand, rapist, counterfitter and cattle rustler, was the last thief to hang justly on the old oak gallows outside Fort Nails. When asked for last words, the bastard laid down curses so vile, so profane and so tarrying the garrison’s master at arms didn’t wait for him to finish, just kicked the stool out from under him. Three days later the master-at-arms was dead of a broken neck after falling from his horse.
Gremlin's Hovel: ?
Grigori Chair: The Grigori Chair is a massive oak throne once used by the nation’s royalty. The entirety of the chair was originally carved with scenes from a great battle- heroic knights battling back barbaric foreign armies. When the last rightful scion of the bloodline was murdered- on the chair itself- the crimson oak cracked and blackened. The heroic carvings became something horrible. The chair was locked away in a forgotten storeroom, and even after the dynasty was restored, the original throne was forgotten and left to darkness.
Gut's Revenge: When the ancient slime the tavern-folk called simply “Guts” was finally ended a fragment of the ooze’s simple hunger-based consciousness survived extermination. Guts’ ghostly presence still lingers along the treacherous and rocky shoreline where its vast amoeboid bulk eventually washed up.
Judge Wargrave's Bench: Judge Agar Wargrave was a peevish old man, but had an uncanny knack for ferreting out the truth about defendants brought before him. He died of a stroke before passing sentence in the case of a man who murdered his family, and by virtue of a legal oversight the murderer went free.
Laughter Freezes: Nestled against the side of a forested mountain, the noble estate “Laughter and Gold” has been a hunting lodge of excellent reputation for generations. Owned by one of the kingdom’s most prominent families, the 23 room mansion is best known for its massive grand ball room, where the trophies of a hundred hunts or more are proudly displayed. The heads of great beasts, taxidermies recreation of impossible monsters and the captured arms of noble-born humanoid foes line the walls, and are lit by a chandelier made from the bones of a juvenile green dragon.
The newest trophy to be displayed though, is one the owners of the house wish would simply go away. On an expedition to the far north, one of the lodges’ greatest hunters brought back the dorsal ganglia of a polar worm. Since the dramatic trophy was hung on one wall, the temperature within Laughter and Gold has dropped by a few degrees each night. Already bitterly cold, occasionally the ballroom is sheathed in a carapace of killing ice, and the roaring of the great northern worms can be heard.
Mugglesant's Endless Anger: The goblin Mugglesant was a good thief but eventually her luck caught up with her. While burgling a mansion in the city of Ulstar, a spiderbite ended the tiny thief’s life. She choked to death in the space between the house’s walls, and all the inhabitants knew was that some vermin died in the walls. They hired a local hedge wizard to purify the air with a few cantrips, and forgot about the whole matter. That indignity, more than her accidental death enraged Mugglesant’s spirit. Now, the house is plagued with gigantic spiders that seemingly come from out of nowhere.
Old Jonas' Critique: Old Jonas the woodcarver had a reputation as one of the finest craftsmen in his small village. He made tools, toys for the settlement’s wealthiest children, shelves, fence posts and a dozen other useful things and earned a tidy living. After his death, Jonas’ nephew took over the business, but his lack of skill angered the ghostly carpenter.
Purple Pig Tavern: The Purple Pig used to be a decent tavern, until a payment dispute between the barkeep and a wandering gnome troubadour ended in the little minstrel’s murder. The barkeep stuffed the gnome and his rat of a familiar feet first into a keg of rot gut and rolled it down into the cellar. The barkeep thought that solved the problem, but in the last few weeks, horrors have killed three of his patrons, and driven most of the other drunks off.
Rapist's Mile: This stretch of forest marks the place where a gang of brigands brought down a peasant girl, violated and eventually killed her. The girl’s bones still lie half buried under the leaf mould beneath one of the towering pine. Her angry spirit, coupled with the psychic echoes of her murderers’ lust have cursed this place: those venturing through this stretch of forest become as slow and exhausted as she was when the thugs finally ran her to ground.
Scribe du Rayneil's Odd Bequest: The scribe Claudette Du Rayneil died in the library she had tended her entire adult life. Her death wasn’t murder or tragedy; she was simply found one early morning fallen amid the stacks, her 90 year old heart having finally given out. She was buried with minor honors, her private collection of more than 30 texts donated to the library she so loved and life went on. And a few months after her death, strange things began happening in the library. Quiet little curses that smelled like old dust would freeze patrons as they browsed and scribes as they worked.
Stores of Goodwatch Keep: Three summers ago, earthquake transformed a limestone quarry into tomb for a dozen human and Dwarven miners. Since then the mine has been reopened, the dead recovered and buried, and life in the mining town nearby slowly and painfully returned to normal. Limestone harvested from the quarry has been shipped across the realms to make mortar, but structures built mortar from the Winter Fall Mine have been plagued by bad luck. The mine’s current generation of workers hear the tales from travelers, and among themselves, whisper that the unquiet ghosts of their former colleagues are having their revenge.
Surbicah the Apostate's Stone Pyre: Long ago, the druidess Surbicah renounced her faith and accepted the teachings of a passing cleric, even allowing some of her circle’s most sacred mysteries to be transcribed into the common tongue. The druid grove she betrayed took its vengeance on Surbicah, lashing her between the stones of their great stone menwhir, where she was cruelly tortured for a day and a night before a bolt of lightning ended her misery.
Thirsting Gorge: Years and years ago, a prospector and his mule fell into a desert gorge. Miles from any assistance, they died alone and unremembered from thirst and starvation.

Undead: Ghost Water is a vile drug, each dose being made from the life essence of an elf or other long-lived being, which wastes away during the process of creating the dose, usually becoming an undead creature.
When a soul fouled by anger and fear leaves its broken corpse, if it is strong enough, that soul may return as a ghost, a wraith or some worse form of undead.
Ghost: When a soul fouled by anger and fear leaves its broken corpse, if it is strong enough, that soul may return as a ghost, a wraith or some worse form of undead.
Wraith: When a soul fouled by anger and fear leaves its broken corpse, if it is strong enough, that soul may return as a ghost, a wraith or some worse form of undead.
Haunt: When a soul fouled by anger and fear leaves its broken corpse, if it is strong enough, that soul may return as a ghost, a wraith or some worse form of undead. If it is strong enough…..
Souls lacking the metaphysical vigor to retain their own identity after death may also return… as something else, something lesser, a ghostly presence that blurs the line between a magical trap and a true undead.

Dark Fey

Spoiler

Mavka: These former dryads have been turned into vampiric monstrosities by the Black Prince of Morgau.
Mavka are Dryads who have been perverted into undead monstrosities by the vampires of Morgau. The sages of Verrayne say they are three known mavka, once sisters, originally named Mica, Anthelia and Saramantha, but are now called Murthia, Ectopia and Lucretia, respectively.
Upon his conquest of Morgau the Black Prince Lucian had the dryads and their trees killed, had raised the corpses as powerful undead, and bonded the new undead with cauchemar nightmares (Pathfinder RPG Bestiary) instead of trees as a final corruption.

Dead Man's Chest

Spoiler

Breath Taker: In life they were evil thieves who drowned at sea, pirates who took valuable goods at will from others that plied the waves.
Ghost: Occasionally sea serpents, when killed, are transformed into undead creatures, either accidentally or by design. When this occurs they may become ghosts, but otherwise they almost always return as a unique form of undead known as the undead sea serpent.
Undead Sea Serpent: Occasionally sea serpents, when killed, are transformed into undead creatures, either accidentally or by design. When this occurs they may become ghosts, but otherwise they almost always return as a unique form of undead known as the undead sea serpent.
“Undead sea serpent” is an acquired template that can be added to any living sea serpent.
Undead Gilded Sea Serpent: ?
Draug Ship: The truth of the matter is this: Several months ago Winnifer Miro and her lover Thispin Venroth were hired to deliver a fell cargo of essence ingots to a sorcerer on Aegis Isle. They loaded the essence ingots into the hold of their beautiful ketch, the Night Heron, unaware that these dangerous black bricks contained the trapped souls of once-living creatures. The ubiquitous ship rats gnawed on the crates and eventually were infected after consuming portions of the tainted ingots. The rats transformed into malevolent creatures known as soul nibblers. When the soul nibblers began biting the crew, the fatalities quickly mounted, and the frightened sailors declared an all-out mutiny. The ensuing fight was savage and bloody, and the Night Heron caught fire during the fray. In order to save their own lives, Captain Miro, Thispin, and boson Rekello slew a dozen of their own men. But Thispin was mortally wounded and died even as the ship was sinking.
Fully expecting to drown clinging to the body of her beloved, Captain Miro was startled to find her ship rising up from the clutches of the cold sea. Instinctively she felt a new presence aboard, a phantom atmosphere that chilled her blood. Only days later, when her crewmates rose up as undead horrors, did she finally realize what had happened. Teeming with the dark chemistry of essence ingots, soul nibblers, dead sailors, and acts of sedition, the Night Heron was a crucible of negative energy. It became a draug ship, its sailors now brine zombies and lacedons.
Brine Zombie: The truth of the matter is this: Several months ago Winnifer Miro and her lover Thispin Venroth were hired to deliver a fell cargo of essence ingots to a sorcerer on Aegis Isle. They loaded the essence ingots into the hold of their beautiful ketch, the Night Heron, unaware that these dangerous black bricks contained the trapped souls of once-living creatures. The ubiquitous ship rats gnawed on the crates and eventually were infected after consuming portions of the tainted ingots. The rats transformed into malevolent creatures known as soul nibblers. When the soul nibblers began biting the crew, the fatalities quickly mounted, and the frightened sailors declared an all-out mutiny. The ensuing fight was savage and bloody, and the Night Heron caught fire during the fray. In order to save their own lives, Captain Miro, Thispin, and boson Rekello slew a dozen of their own men. But Thispin was mortally wounded and died even as the ship was sinking.
Fully expecting to drown clinging to the body of her beloved, Captain Miro was startled to find her ship rising up from the clutches of the cold sea. Instinctively she felt a new presence aboard, a phantom atmosphere that chilled her blood. Only days later, when her crewmates rose up as undead horrors, did she finally realize what had happened. Teeming with the dark chemistry of essence ingots, soul nibblers, dead sailors, and acts of sedition, the Night Heron was a crucible of negative energy. It became a draug ship, its sailors now brine zombies and lacedons.
Those crew members killed by the fall of the ship or by drowning as it sank are still clinging to their final resting place.
Lacedon: The truth of the matter is this: Several months ago Winnifer Miro and her lover Thispin Venroth were hired to deliver a fell cargo of essence ingots to a sorcerer on Aegis Isle. They loaded the essence ingots into the hold of their beautiful ketch, the Night Heron, unaware that these dangerous black bricks contained the trapped souls of once-living creatures. The ubiquitous ship rats gnawed on the crates and eventually were infected after consuming portions of the tainted ingots. The rats transformed into malevolent creatures known as soul nibblers. When the soul nibblers began biting the crew, the fatalities quickly mounted, and the frightened sailors declared an all-out mutiny. The ensuing fight was savage and bloody, and the Night Heron caught fire during the fray. In order to save their own lives, Captain Miro, Thispin, and boson Rekello slew a dozen of their own men. But Thispin was mortally wounded and died even as the ship was sinking.
Fully expecting to drown clinging to the body of her beloved, Captain Miro was startled to find her ship rising up from the clutches of the cold sea. Instinctively she felt a new presence aboard, a phantom atmosphere that chilled her blood. Only days later, when her crewmates rose up as undead horrors, did she finally realize what had happened. Teeming with the dark chemistry of essence ingots, soul nibblers, dead sailors, and acts of sedition, the Night Heron was a crucible of negative energy. It became a draug ship, its sailors now brine zombies and lacedons.
Draug, Poshkin the Tame: ?
Human Juju Zombie Fighter 3: ?

Demon Cults 3 The Cult of Selket

Spoiler

Mummy Venomous: These variant mummies are crafted by Selket’s faithful to guard their holy sites and tombs.

Demon Cults 5 Servants of the White Ape

Spoiler

Spellscourged Creature: In rare instances, a spellcaster that dies of the spellscourge comes back as an undead creature, its mind twisted and broken from the disease.
“Spellscourged” is an acquired template that can be added to any living, corporeal creature with the ability to cast spells or spell-like abilities.
Creatures with 9 or more hit dice that die from the spellscourge must make another Fortitude save against the disease. They retain their Constitution bonus for this saving throw. If the creature makes the save, it rises as a spellscourged creature. A failed saving throw means the creature dies of the disease and does not rise.
Spellscourged Couatl: This creature is the result of a couatl that attempted to aid victims of the Servants of the White Ape only to be attacked and repelled by the cult’s white ape warriors. Injured, it returned to its lair to recuperate but fell victim to the spellscourge that infected it during the combat with the white apes. The disease struck the couatl down, bringing it back in this tormented, undead form.

Demon Cults & Secret Societies

Spoiler

Arikiine, Derro Vampire Alchemist 10: ?
Jasna Veldrik, Elf Darakhul Cleric 13: ?
Kazimir Ernis, Gnome Darakhul Necrophagus 14: ?
Performance Eater, Human Darkhul Barde 2/Expert 3: ?
Darkhul: Die from Darkhul fever and fort save 31+.
Ghoul: Die from Darkhul fever and fort save 10-16.
Ghast: Die from Darkhul fever and fort save 17-20.
Dread Ghoul: Die from Darkhul fever and fort save 21-26.
Dread Ghast: Die from Darkhul fever and fort save 27-30.
Greater Festrog: Like their smaller brethren, greater festrogs are created when a creature is killed by massive amounts of negative energy. In the case of greater festrogs, those killed are typically giants
Serrin, Advanced Greater Shadow Antipaldin 6: Nikolai kept tabs on her exploits after they parted ways and was dismayed to discover that a powerful shadow creature had slain her. Unbeknownst to him, however, she had returned to unlife and started a minor reign of terror, draining travelers on the road.
Contaminant Shade: Contaminant Shade Curse.
Cosmina Holrosu, Vampire Mesmerist 13: A manifestation of Marena appeared before Cosmina and caressed her face. Overwhelmed, Cosmina swore devotion to the goddess for eternity, and Marena's hand left its mark upon her skin as a reminder of the oath. Cosmina's new existence as a vampire affirms her promise.
Darakhul Mercenary, Darkahul Fighter 6: ?
Drekkan, Human Vampire Witch 8: ?
Revenant: The creature is a former crime boss in the city who recently vanished and was assume murdered by a rival. The undead is a revenant, recently slain in one of the Sanguine Path’s blood rites, and seeks venegance on the cult leader that sacrificed it.
Mummy Venomous: These variant mummies are crafted by Selket’s faithful to guard their holy sites and tombs.
Spellscourged Couatl: This creature is the result of a couatl that attempted to aid victims of the Servants of the White Ape only to be attacked and repelled by the cult’s white ape warriors. Injured, it returned to its lair but fell victim to the spellscourge that infected it during the battle. The disease struck the couatl down, bringing it back in this tormented, undead form.
Spellscourged: The spellscourge is a terrible disease and greatly feared by those who use magic. They would fear it all the more if they knew that, in rare instances, a spellcaster that dies of the spellscourge comes back as an undead creature, its mind twisted and broken from the disease.
“Spellscourged” is an acquired template that can be added to any living, corporeal creature with the ability to cast spells or spell-like abilities.

Disease (Su) Darakhul fever: Bite—injury; save Fortitude DC 17; onset 1 day; effect 1d6 Con and 1d3 Dex damage; cure 2 consecutive saves.
A creature that dies while infected with darakhul fever must attempt a Fortitude save (see Darakhul Fever sidebar). If the result is high enough, it rises as a darakhul rather than as a standard ghoul within an hour. A darakhul is a free-willed undead. A creature that rises as a standard ghoul or ghast is controlled by the darakhul whose fever infected it.
Darakhul fever
When consulting this table, the infected creature must attempt a Fortitude saving throw to determine how accustomed the creature becomes to its new incarnation.
Creatures that do not make at least a DC 10 do not become ghouls. The disease kills them instead. This provides the ultimate penalty for trying and failing to enter the ghoul’s kingdom as one of them, and it makes it possible for evil creatures to deliberately infect themselves, and optimize their chances with bear’s endurance, a belt of mighty constitution, and the like.
Fortitude Save Result New Incarnation
10–16 Ghoul
17–20 Ghast
21–26 Dread Ghoul
27–30 Dread Ghast
31+ Darkhul

Contaminant Shade Curse (Su) Creatures that take strength damage from contaminant shade’s lingering damage ability or who are reduced to 0 Str by the shade's touch attack must succeed at a DC 17 Will save or contract the contaminant shade curse. An afflicted creature shows no symptoms at first. However, when the creature is exposed to magical darkness, it transforms into a contaminant shade. This transformation persists for one hour after leaving the area of magical darkness, but it ends immediately upon exposure to a 3rd-level or higher spell with the light descriptor. If a creature remains transformed for four hours or longer, it must attempt another DC 17 Will save or become a contaminant shade permanently. The save DCs are Charisma-based.
A remove disease or heal spell cast by a cleric with the Sun domain (or any of its subdomains) cures this curse. Alternatively, reducing an afflicted creature to 0 hp with a damaging spell with the light descriptor allows the creature to attempt a new Will save to shake off the curse. However, if a creature has transformed permanently, only a resurrection can restore it to its original form.

Demon Lords of Porphyra

Spoiler

Shadow: Second Deific Boon of Balakor.

Obedience
Weep and howl at the outrage of losing your beloved city of demons, throwing gravel and sand over your head and wailing a chant to Balakor passed down from the first generation. Gain a +4 profane bonus to CMD vs. trip, and to saving throws to recover negative energy levels.
Boons
1. Dispossession’s Legacy (Sp): porphyrite passage 3/day, shatter 2/day, or summon tatterdemalion 1/day
2. Field of Ghosts (Su): You can, once per day, cause the spirits of those whose were killed in spiteful conflict to rise from the stained earth they tried to keep and take vengeance on those nearby. You can scream out, as a full-round action, and cause a number of incorporeal shadows equal to your HD/3 to rise from the ground and attack who you designate. This only works above ground, on terrestrial terrain, and the shadows remain until the next sunrise, unless destroyed.
3. Vengeance of Bhaal-aak (Sp): Once per day you can inflict damage on structures as the spell earthquake, but only as it pertains to buildings.

Dragon Templates Volume 1

Spoiler

Ghost Dragon: ?

Dragoon (Base Class and Lore)

Spoiler

Dragoon Silent Order: ?
Zova'bor, Skeletal Dragonlich: In the far reaches of space lives the skeletal dragonlich Zova’bor (Zoe-va-bore). She is ancient and sorcerous blue dragon that turned herself into a lich and does not produce dragoons but instead steals them from other orders.
Dragoon Ravener: In the far reaches of space lives the skeletal dragonlich Zova’bor (Zoe-va-bore). She is ancient and sorcerous blue dragon that turned herself into a lich and does not produce dragoons but instead steals them from other orders. She cannot make True Scales
so instead makes “Ravener Skulls”- magic artifacts made of humanoid skulls that take over the soul of a dragoon when placed where their head should be.
However, Zova’bor can only control dragoons who stray from their oaths or have weakness in their hearts. Those that resist her temptations cannot be captured in the swayed by her in the future and any rejection wounds her soul (as rejection destroys the newly created phylactery and with it a piece of her soul).
Those under her dominion are called “Thralls” and can be easily identified by their floating skulls with ominously glowing eyes. They have no will of their own, little better than zombies, and commit terrible acts on her behalf. Some accept her willingly and seek her out. These are rewarded with a degree of independence and autonomy, though Zova’bor is always watching. These “Raveners” are her elite troops, the generals of her armies, and her confidants.

Dunes of Desolation

Spoiler

Desperado: A hole in the desert can hold many secrets, but sometimes it cannot keep an evil soul buried in the ground. Desperados are undead gunfighters that were so mean and despicable in life that even death was not enough to end their killing ways. Desperados never rise from a grave found in any habitat other than a desert, a fact that is often attributed to the climate’s ability to naturally mummify humanoid corpses.
All desperados were once human to some degree.
Though the vast majority of desperados are evil, there are a few tales of good men rising from their graves to right an unspeakable injustice or wreak revenge on those deserving of such a terrible fate.
“Desperado” is an acquired template that can be added to any living creature with class levels in gunslinger.
Desperado Human Gunslinger 6: ?
El-Auren: Natural dangers claim their fair share of desert travelers every year. The bodies of most victims are forever lost beneath the dunes, but some emerge from their graves and resume their appointed tasks. These shambling cadavers are known as el-aurens.
A long, hard trudge across the scalding desert is the furthest thing in the minds of most humanoids, but for a select few individuals the windswept dunes represent one of the world’s last frontiers. These intrepid beings devoted themselves to a life of discovery and exploration in the harshest climate possible. Sadly, somewhere along the way, the very sands that they loved claimed their broken bodies as their own. However, their devotion to duty and their quest for knowledge were so strong, that they rose from their dusty graves and resumed their life’s work albeit as members of the living dead.
Spectral Rider: Spectral riders are incorporeal undead created when a powerful genie curses a sorcerer that raised its ire. They appear as hooded figures devoid of any facial features, which the genie deliberately did to punish the offender with eternal anonymity. The effect works only on a living creature that shares the same bloodline as the genie uttering the curse. It is rumored, that a djinni created the first spectral rider when an evil sorcerer with the djinni bloodline challenged him to a race aboard his carpet of flying. When the genie prevailed, the sorcerer refused to accept defeat and cast bestow curse on his competitor. Outraged by the offense, the genie cursed the sorcerer instead and consigned him to spend the rest of eternity as a spirit aboard his carpet of flying. Either out of tradition or to preserve the punishment’s novelty, the capricious genies punish other mortals in the same manner. Although a djinni is responsible for creating the first spectral rider, the chaotic marids take credit for most spectral riders wandering the desert today.
“Spectral rider” is an acquired template that can be added to any living creature with one of the following sorcerer bloodlines — djinni, efreeti, marid or shaitan.
Thirstmonger: These undead abominations are the risen earthly remains of those unfortunate humanoids that died of thirst in pursuit of fresh water only to be duped by an optical illusion. The desire for water is so intense that the creature joins the ranks of the undead within minutes of death; however its mission remains unchanged — it continues searching for water.
Most victims of “mirage delirium” eventually collapse and die from dehydration within sight of a mirage. Many rise from their desert graves to begin an undead existence as a malevolent thirstmonger.

Devourer: Undeterred, Thozzaggard used his magic to transport himself into the cavern behind the door. This time, the wily sorcerer would not escape the god particle’s grasp. Madness overcame him shortly before the alien substance sucked the last vestiges of life from him and hurled his ravaged soul into the void beyond reality. What later rose where his corpse now lay was an undead monstrosity that longed to spread its curse to every living creature.
Countless millennia ago, Thozzaggard also found the watery star; however he succumbed to its power and became an undead abomination.
In time, the watery star’s extradimensional properties and his own madness got the better of him transforming him into the undead abomination on the other side of the door.
Ghost Human Bard 3: The zither player is named Ceruth, a beggar that solicited donations by playing his zither during Iljanna’s decline. After death, the bitter musician refused to depart and became a ghost cursed to forever haunt the dollhouse.
Zombie Dire Rat: In the absence of fresh meat, the dire rats that frightened Lakta back into her hiding space underwent the transition from life to undeath becoming dire rat zombies.
Draugr: The force of her will and the corruption of her soul were so great that four unfortunate men that drowned countless ages ago also rose from the mire as 4 draugrs.
Poltergeist: It is haunted by 4 poltergeists that are the undead spirits of those rare individuals that nearly discovered the house’s concealed basement and inner workings.
Juju Zombie Desert Giant: Fazzellon ceded his land to Eyegouger in life; however he is unwilling to relinquish his claim so easily. His burning desire to rule over his fiefdom fueled his transformation into something unnatural.
After his destruction at Eyegouger’s claws, Fazzellon rose from death as a juju zombie desert giant.
Bog Mummy: The lionweres’ residual mystical energy from her dread tome King of Beasts proved sufficient to wake the vile priestess from her eternal rest as a bog mummy and unleash her on an unsuspecting world.
Shadow Rat Swarm: ?

Enemies of NeoExodus: Cyrix

Spoiler

Necrotic Golem: A necrotic golem is crafted of flesh taken from undead creatures.
A result of Cyrix’s arcane research, a necrotic golem is a cross between a flesh golem and a necrostruct.
Its body is crafted from undead flesh and reinforced with armored plates bolted to flesh and bone.

Echelon Reference Series: Clerics (3pp)

Spoiler

Pathfinder 1e
Walking Dead: ?
Keening Spirit of the Damned: ?

Undead: Defile spell.
Shadow of Duty spell.
Skeleton: Animate Dead spell.
Escape the Bonds of Death spell.
Lesser Animate Dead spell.
Undead Lord archetype cleric's Corpse Companion power.
Zombie: Animate Dead spell.
Lesser Animate Dead spell.
Cursed Earth spell.
Undead Lord archetype cleric's Corpse Companion power.
Bloody Skeleton: Undead Lord archetype cleric's Corpse Companion power.
Burning Skeleton: Undead Lord archetype cleric's Corpse Companion power.
Variant Skeleton: Undead Lord archetype cleric's Corpse Companion power.
Ghast: Create Undead spell.
Ghoul: Create Undead spell.
Mohrg: Create Undead spell.
Mummy: Create Undead spell.
Shadow: Create Greater Undead spell.
Animate Shadow spell.
Wraith: Create Greater Undead spell.
Spectre: Create Greater Undead spell.
Devourer: Create Greater Undead spell.
Human Skeleton: ?
Human Skeletal Champion: ?
Vampire: ?
Skeletal Servant: Animate Skeleton spell.

Corpse Companion
Su 1 Pathfinder Roleplaying Game: Ultimate Magic
With a ritual requiring 8 hours, an undead lord can animate a single skeleton or zombie whose Hit Dice do not exceed her cleric level. This corpse companion automatically follows her commands and does not need to be controlled by her. She cannot have more than one corpse companion at a time. It does not count against the number of Hit Dice of undead controlled by other methods. She can use this ability to create a variant skeleton such as a bloody or burning skeleton, but its Hit Dice cannot exceed half her cleric level. She can dismiss her companion as a standard action, which destroys it.

Echelon Reference Series: Clerics (PRD Only)

Spoiler

Walking Dead: ?
Keening Spirit of the Damned: ?

Undead: ?
Skeleton: Undead Lord archetype cleric's Corpse Companion power.
Animate Dead spell.
Lesser Animate Dead spell.
Zombie: Undead Lord archetype cleric's Corpse Companion power.
Animate Dead spell.
Lesser Animate Dead spell.
Cursed Earth spell.
Bloody Skeleton: Undead Lord archetype cleric's Corpse Companion power.
Burning Skeleton: Undead Lord archetype cleric's Corpse Companion power.
Variant Skeleton: Undead Lord archetype cleric's Corpse Companion power.
Ghast: Create Undead spell.
Ghoul: Create Undead spell.
Mohrg: Create Undead spell.
Mummy: Create Undead spell.
Shadow: Create Greater Undead spell.
Wraith: Create Greater Undead spell.
Spectre: Create Greater Undead spell.
Devourer: Create Greater Undead spell.
Human Skeleton: ?
Human Skeletal Champion: ?

Corpse Companion
Su 1 Pathfinder Roleplaying Game: Ultimate Magic
With a ritual requiring 8 hours, an undead lord can animate a single skeleton or zombie whose Hit Dice do not exceed her cleric level. This corpse companion automatically follows her commands and does not need to be controlled by her. She cannot have more than one corpse companion at a time. It does not count against the number of Hit Dice of undead controlled by other methods. She can use this ability to create a variant skeleton such as a bloody or burning skeleton, but its Hit Dice cannot exceed half her cleric level. She can dismiss her companion as a standard action, which destroys it.

Enemies of NeoExodus: Folding Circle

Spoiler

Haru Anon: Haru Anon is a bizarre form of undead. It was forged of the souls of every person killed by Makesh’s death touch ability, none of whom could travel to the afterlife when killed in that manner
Haru’s true nature is actually the condensed terror, hatred, and pain of thousands of deaths, locked into eternity.
Trevor Catalan: Trevor Catalan was never a healthy child. He had suffered a variety of ailments since he was a baby, but more pressing than any of his fevers and poxes was his temperament. Trevor was terrified. Of what, he could never explain, but when night fell and shadows pooled in his bedroom, sleep did not come without a fight. In fact, Trevor would rather not sleep at all, for every second that he spent asleep was ample time for another horrifying dream to rip him, screaming, from rest.
The only thing that could calm Trevor back to sleep was a lullaby, a gentle tune that his mother would sing to him, and that he would join in as she cradled him in her arms. Every night, often several times per night, Trevor’s mother would make her way to his room to soothe the tormented boy. When daytime arrived she would sleep herself, exhausted from the night’s ordeal.
The problem did not diminish as Trevor grew into a school-aged boy. Soothsayers, holy men, and wizards were consulted yet none could discover any underlying problem. One did have a solution, however – the wizard provided Trevor’s mother with a parcel of sleeping herbs and instructions – a small amount of the magical plant, brewed in a tea, could turn her lullaby into a gentle sleep spell powerful enough to affect a child and quiet his turbulent dreams. Trevor’s mother agreed readily, hoping against hope that this would finally be the cure for her son’s nightmares.
As night fell, Trevor sat in bed, ready for his mother to come and sing her lullaby. “Are you sure I’ll be okay, mom?” He asked as she sat down next to him, the herbal tea in his hands. “Of course dear. I’ll see you tomorrow, when the sun comes up.” And so she began her song, and he sang along until he drifted away.
Trevor tumbled deeper into sleep, and once more the fear took hold of him. Shadows pooled around him as his terror mounted – he had to wake up. He had to wake up. Trevor strained to open his eyes, but they would only open to the same scene – shadows around him, pulling at his legs like thick, cold mud. The shadows were parting – Trevor could see something there – something terrible.
He tried to scream, but there was no sound in this world, no motion except for the terrible thing, becoming more and more clear with each passing second. He had to wake up. He couldn’t wake up. Trevor’s eyes were fixed in front of him, riveted on a scene that no one in this world should ever see – and then there was nothing at all.

Wight: Any humanoid creature that is slain by Trevor Catalan becomes a wight itself in only 1d4 rounds.

Enemies of NeoExodus: Harvester of Sorrow

Spoiler

Harvester of Sorrow: A humanoid who dies of a harvester of sorrow's seed of hate disease immediately rises as a harvester of sorrow.
Harvesters are created when the souls of suicide victims are refused entry into the afterlife, cast back to the world and forced to walk the world in their old bodies for ever feeling the pain that drove them to such desperation.
Reanimated at the height of its own emotional despair a harvester of sorrow seeks solace in the creation of its own kind, constantly wandering on the edges of society looking for other harvesters or better yet the suffering and the weak to inculcate.
A harvester of sorrow can be created with create undead (12th+ caster level).
A humanoid who dies of a dread harvester's seed of hate disease immediately rises as a harvester of sorrow.
Dread Harvester: A dread harvester of sorrow has spent a generation successfully creating others of its kind.

Disease (Su) seed of hate: bite—injury; save Fort DC 15; frequency 1/round; effect 1d4; cure 2 consecutive saves. The save DC is Charisma-based. A humanoid who dies of seed of hate immediately rises as a harvester of sorrow.

Enemies of NeoExodus: Widowmaker Scarlet

Spoiler

Widowmaker Scarlet, the Undead Horror: ?

Faces of Vathak: Survivors

Spoiler

Cannibalistic Cleric, Ghoul Brawler 2 Ex-Cleric 3: When duty keeps the clergy from departing, they continue a cursed existence between their god and their animalistic hunger.
Service to the One True God is often an absolute; a duty that the clergy gladly rises to in order to end the corruption and madness that plagues Vathak. But Vathak is anything but a safe place, and even the blessings of the One True God cannot protect everyone. In time, death claims more than its fair share of priests and returns them to the Church Triumphant. Some, however, refuse to answer that call. Whether cursed by an improper burial or bound to unfinished duties, these clergymen remain trapped between life and death, plaguing the mortal coil with their heretical existence. Serving a God that no longer recognizes them and performing bloody deeds they would never have committed in life, these tenacious clerics have survived death itself.

Fallen Of Obsidian Twilight: Asi Magnor (PFRPG)

Spoiler

Asi Magnor, Mummy Cleric 10, Fighter 15: Asi Magnor sought ways to conquer the only thing left to him, death itself. The Shaan had long had elaborate death rituals and had raised the undead as guardians of their fabulous necropolis. This was not enough for him though, to return as some husk did not appeal to him, he wanted to live forever and bent his will towards accomplishing that goal, rejecting undeath and seeking for some other path.
He failed, time and again and, in his bitterness as he approached his death he took his legions with him into the grandest necropolis ever built. None returned, all had been interred with him as he died, legions of the dead to protect the greatest and richest tomb ever conceived.
When the cataclysm occurred and the great meteor fell from the sky, Asi Magnor, who had rejected undeath for himself, rose from his grave. As did the other warrior kings that had been interred in the other necropolis, their servants, their soldiers, their wives and concubines, their horses and everything else that had once been alive in the tombs. Their sacred geometry enhanced the energy of the meteor and the legions of the dead poured out of their tombs under the command of Asi Magnor and wiped out the living Shaan, who had grown weak and scholarly in the intervening millennia, raising them to swell the ranks of their armies.
Calix Sabinus, Vampire Lich: ?

Fallen Of Obsidian Twilight: Calix Sabinus

Spoiler

Calix Sabinus, Vampiric Lich Aristocrat 2, Wizard 20, Eldritch Knight 10: It was during one of these sojourns into Aos’ underside that he met Sabine, an alluring and sophisticated woman from the distant northern islands. Calix was enchanted by her, but more importantly for him she sponsored him financially and made sure that his studies into necromancy could continue unabated. She even supplied a great many rare tomes for him to explore and understand all the greater the magic of death.
In time she revealed herself to him, she was a vampire and she was sponsoring him to search for a cure to her condition. He was torn, his studies had twisted his mind and he had become obsessed by undeath and immortality and here was the woman he loved, rejecting the very things he sought. Their argument raged and she nearly killed him before they parted company with his promise that he would search for a cure.
When she returned to him two years later he swore to her that he had a means to return her to living, breathing mortality and they renewed their relationship. Once he had her in his laboratory however he showed the steely core of treachery and self-interest that would serve him so well in later years. He rendered her helpless with magics and devices and used her blood to turn himself, becoming all that he had ever wished to be before he destroyed her.
Calix is a cunning and deadly fighter but lacks the power and prowess to take Asi Magnor’s armies on in a full frontal assault. Realising this he switches to defensive tactics while he completes his magical studies, finally emerging, his forces beaten back almost to his stronghold, transformed for a second time by magic, become the first and only vampiric lich, all but as powerful as a god and annihilating Asi Magnor’s forces and leading his desperate army to a final victory.
Sabine, Vampire: ?
Asi Magnor: ?

Vampire: Calix can create spawn out of those he slays with blood drain or energy drain, provided that the slain creature is humanoid. The victim rises from death as a vampire in 1d4 days.

Fallen Of Obsidian Twilight: Zebadiah

Spoiler

Calix Sabinus, Vampire Lich: ?
Asi Magnor: ?

Fat Goblin Travel Guide to Horrible Horrors and Macabre Monsters

Spoiler

Bone Gorger: ?
Death Hallow Necrophidius: ?
Masked Ghoul: Ghoul Fever: Bite-injury; save Fort DC 15; onset 1 day; frequency 1 day; effect 1d4 Con and 1d4 Dex damage; cure 2 consecutive saves. The save DC is Charisma-based. A humanoid that dies of a masked ghoul’s ghoul fever rises as a Masked Ghoul at the next midnight.

Ghoul: A humanoid who dies of a bone gorger’s wasting rot and is not given a proper burial rises as a standard ghoul 24 hours after the disease consumes them.

Fell Beasts Volume 1

Spoiler

Canopic Jar: One of the more prized and closely guarded secrets among necromancers is the method for creating a canopic jar. The process begins with the preparation of an enchanted jar inscribed with the holy symbol of an evil deity. The jar is then filled with a special alchemical fluid. These are but the containers, though, for the main component: a humanoid brain. The jar is then sealed and bound with further enchantments. The end result is an undead servant brain bound within a jar and able to wield unholy magics.
Greenmold Bones: When magic -- especially druidic magic -- interacts with war and battle, strange things can result. One such are Greenmold Bones, undead creatures that form in symbiosis with plants magically animated and then slain.
The body of any creature slain by a Greenmold Bones and left to lie among them will rise as one of them.

Fell Beasts Volume 2

Spoiler

Deadsoul Elemental: A deadsoul elemental is a creature created through a depraved ritual. A large number of innocents are slain, in a manner specific to each of the four known rites, and their souls are kept briefly trapped by potent magic. Then an elemental of large size is summoned, using the materials resulting from the murders, and it, too, is killed, and its physical form, before it can discorporate, it merged with the trapped souls, creating a hybrid creature that is, in fact, a type of undead.
Deadsoul elementals cannot come into existence by accident, nor can they propagate themselves as other undead do.
Deadsoul Elemental Charnelsmoke: They are created in much the same way as pyreborns, but instead of using the flame, the creators use the smoke and befouled air.
Deadsoul Elemental Chokewater: They are created by the deliberate drowning of at least a dozen sentient beings in a brackish, diseased, tidal pool, followed by the summoning and slaughter of a water elemental.
Deadsoul Elemental Graveearth: They are created by summoning, and then slaying, an earth elemental above a mound of dirt and soil created by desecrating a graveyard.
Deadsoul Elemental Pyreflame: They are created by the incineration of the living -- at least a dozen -- in an unhallowed space, with that flame used to summon a fire elemental, which is then slain and recreated as a pyreflame.
Fear Monger: A fear monger is the spirit of a deceased person that was betrayed by someone she trusted.

Fast Zombie: A puppet spider can enter a corpse and animate it while residing within. This effectively transforms the corpse into a fast zombie.

Fell Beasts Volume 3

Spoiler

Dark Fire Creature: Any corporeal aberration, animal, dragon, fey, giant, humanoid, magical beast, monstrous humanoid, ooze, plant, or vermin that dies as a result from Aramus the Black Flame’s burn ability returns in 1d4 rounds as a dark-fire creature. Aramus literally consumes the victim’s soul, burning it away, leaving behind a portion of its own essence.
“Dark Fire” is an acquired template that can be added to any corporeal aberration, animal, dragon, fey, giant, humanoid, magical beast, monstrous humanoid, ooze, plant, or vermin.
Soul Knight: Soul knights are suits of armor animated by the spirit of a warrior.
A soul knight can be created with the corpse of an evil warrior through the use of a create undead spell. The caster must be at least 12th level. A full suit of armor is required, as the spirit animates the armor (so a suit of half plate would work, but a breastplate and greaves would not). The armor must include a helmet, gauntlets, and boots.

Forgotten Foes

Spoiler

Bodak: The bodak is the physical remnants of a humanoid slain in an encounter with absolute evil.
Bodaks are evil undead created when a humanoid dies in the presence of absolute evil.
Crypt Thing: They are created by spellcasters to guard such areas and they neither leave their assigned area nor can be compelled to do so.
Nightshades: ?
Nightshade Nightcrawler: ?
Nightshade Nightswimmer: ?
Nightshade Nightwalker: ?
Nightshade Nightwing: ?
Skeleton Black: These unusual undead are the remnants of living creatures slain in an area where the ground is soaked through with evil. The bodies of fallen humanoids are contaminated and polluted by such evil and, within days after their death, the slain creatures rise as black skeletons, leaving their former lives and bodies behind.
The distinctive two-weapon style a black skeleton displays is theorized to be a connection to the very first of its kind—a warrior who wielded twin short blades. Sages believe that a spell was used to duplicate the coal-black undead this warrior became and that, since the creature’s birth, all subsequent undead are influenced to taking up the same weapons.

Freeport City of Adventure

Spoiler

Ancient Void Zombie: ?

Huecuva: The undead Brother Molen, the priest who betrayed his brothers to Jalie Squarefoot, a duke of Hell. He is now risen as an huecuva. Aiding the devil in a grand deception that eventually caused the destruction of his order and home, Brother Molen sealed his fate when he cast the bell from the church’s tower and thereby removed the final protection the Church of Retribution had against their diabolic foes. For his betrayal, he rose after death, eternally tormented and reminded of his guilt, doomed to dwell forever in the place he most cherished; he was the Chief Librarian of the order, and it was the promise of greater understanding that weakened his resolve.

Free20 Lesser Nemesis Bestiary

Spoiler

Taxidermy Revenant: Taxidermy Revenants are horrid composite undead created from a chimerical assortment of hunting trophies animated by malign intelligence. Taxidermy Revenants have antlers taken from a trophy buck above a dusty, stitched head of a lion or stag; glass eyes stare at the world with endless malice.
“I knew a Druid once, claimed Taxidermy Revenants are nature’s punishment of trophy hunters, and those damn fool nobles who go traipsin’ into the wilderness with half an army behind ‘em to get a hart’s head for their wall.”

Freeport Companion Pathfinder RPG Edition

Spoiler

Fire Spectre: Fire spectres are undead creatures that arise when a black-hearted villain is burned alive. Their hatred burns so strong that the fires transform them into supernatural terrors.
“Fire Spectre” is an acquired template that can be added to any evil humanoid or monstrous humanoid creature that dies by fire.
Fire Spectre Rogue 12: In life, Captain Kothar was a vicious pirate noted for his bloodthirsty tactics and wanton cruelty. After he and his crew attacked and murdered their rivals, claiming their vessel the Winds of Hell for themselves, they were captured, tried, and executed for their crimes. The Captains’ Council decreed they should be lashed to the deck of their bloody ship while the vessel burned down to the waterline. Kothar’s hate ran hotter than the flames and he refused to go to the Nine Hells until he got his vengeance.
Flayed Man: A flayed man is a vile undead creature created when a mortal necromancer botches his efforts to transcend the mortal coil and become a lich.
Flayed men represent yet another pitfall of mortal ambition. The procedure for attaining lichdom is perilous indeed, and those incautious fools who dabble in the black arts are at risk of major mishap when they attempt to circumvent the natural order. Flayed men are created whenever a mortal seeks to transcend death and become a lich, but fails to attain the proper ingredients or is otherwise interrupted while in the midst of the ritual. The flesh sloughs from the necromancer’s body in pieces, leaving curled bits of skin to writhe atop of the glistening muscle and sinew. The newly created flayed man has, in some respects, attained its goal, but lacks the power it held in life.
Skin Cloak: A skin cloak, or hollow man, is the animated skin of a mortal humanoid.
It is the animated remains of a skinned humanoid.
A hollow man consists of the skinned hide of a human or humanoid creature. The flesh is tanned, with any cut marks closed with a heavy thread, and is often tattooed. The curing process results in shrinking the overall hide and thus these creatures are often smaller than they were in life, standing about four feet tall and weighing twenty pounds or less.
A spellcaster with an intact hide of a sentient humanoid or monstrous humanoid can create a skin cloak with a create undead spell.
Skulldugger: ?
Ghost Human Rogue 1: The Sea Lord’s Guard chose this night to begin their war and swept through the Eastern District, rounding up anyone they suspected of being affiliated with the Guild. As the sounds of screams and fighting broke out all around, Melanie fled to her home on the edge of Scurvytown, only to find her house in flames and her friends fighting for their lives against a band of Guardsmen. Melanie grabbed the knife from the pouch and threw herself into the combat, terrified and desperate to get to her boys. She lashed out with the blade, unaware that it slew everyone it touched, her eyes fixed only on the small, smoking shapes on her porch. She nearly reached the bodies of her children when a steel-tipped quarrel punched through her middle, piercing her heart. She fell within an arm’s reach of her children’s bodies, and as she lay dying, she whispered that she’d get her vengeance, make the bastards pay.
A strange thing happened. The knife flared with sickly green light, growing brighter even as the light in her eyes faded. Melanie Crump’s body died, but somehow her spirit lived on, trapped within the accursed knife, bound by her vow until she gets her revenge.

Zombie: Living creatures reduced to 0 Constitution by a flayed man’s flense or lifedrain attack gain the zombie template after 1d4 rounds.

GM's Miscellany: Alternate Dungeons

Spoiler

Mad Monk: The remnant of a priest who went insane as the result of his enforced departure from the temple where he spent his life.
The Hanged Priest: ?
The Nettling Demon: ?
The Hungry Nursery: ?
The Lonely Tavern: ?
Undead Frost Worm: ?
Anguish: ?
Dancing Decor: ?
Slamming Door: ?

Undead: Once per day, a feast materializes on a table in a communal room. Depending on the temple’s alignment, the food provides the benefits of the heroes’ feast spell or acts as create undead should a PC eating the food die within 24 hours of consuming it.
Allip: One of the many types of undead creatures that can arise in abandoned temples, allips were insane humanoids under the care of the temples’ priests who succumbed to their madness. The creatures also may have once been priests driven mad by the circumstances that led to the temple’s abandonment.
Ghost: Clergy who feel they had unfinished business or wish to see their temples restored remain to haunt these locations. Fully restoring the temple or destroying it puts these undead to rest.
Lonesome spirits, mere shades of what they once were. What better place for a ghost to haunt than a place so keenly reminiscent of its own tragic existence? Almost any undead creature might identify with the ruination of a once-warm and lively place, but ghosts—with their tendency to linger over unfinished business—are more likely than any other kind to haunt the places they knew best in life.
Powerful witches are able to leave lasting imprints upon the land with their final breaths, transforming themselves into powerful, incorporeal undead through extreme hatred and emotional distress. Often manifesting as ghosts, spectres or wraiths, these witches blight the land and cause strange murders and ill fortunate to beset the locals until they move away from the site of the curse.
When a creature dies, any intense emotions it experiences at the time of death are often left behind as a psychic footprint. Fear, anger, hatred and sorrow are by far the most powerful of these emotions and often causes the most dangerous and destructive haunts to manifest. It should come as no surprise an act as evil as murder, which often comprises all three of these emotions and more, is a leading cause of the creation of powerful supernatural entities. Ghosts, spectres, wraiths and poltergeists are all commonly created in this manner, and when created they seldom stray far from the place where they were murdered.
Huecuva: Many times, a religion fails due to betrayal by its supposed leaders, or a cleric may do something that is anathema to his or her deity to spite those forcing out worship of the deity. In such cases, the fallen return as huecuvas that infest the temples in which they used to minister.
Skeleton: The negative energy surrounding the temple’s demise either brings unholy life to the corpses interred at the temples or draws mindless undead to them. While skeletons and zombies are the most common undead, ghouls, spectres and vampires also lair in deserted temples.
Zombie: The negative energy surrounding the temple’s demise either brings unholy life to the corpses interred at the temples or draws mindless undead to them. While skeletons and zombies are the most common undead, ghouls, spectres and vampires also lair in deserted temples.
Ghoul: The negative energy surrounding the temple’s demise either brings unholy life to the corpses interred at the temples or draws mindless undead to them. While skeletons and zombies are the most common undead, ghouls, spectres and vampires also lair in deserted temples.
Spectre: The negative energy surrounding the temple’s demise either brings unholy life to the corpses interred at the temples or draws mindless undead to them. While skeletons and zombies are the most common undead, ghouls, spectres and vampires also lair in deserted temples.
Powerful witches are able to leave lasting imprints upon the land with their final breaths, transforming themselves into powerful, incorporeal undead through extreme hatred and emotional distress. Often manifesting as ghosts, spectres or wraiths, these witches blight the land and cause strange murders and ill fortunate to beset the locals until they move away from the site of the curse. When a creature dies, any intense emotions it experiences at the time of death are often left behind as a psychic footprint. Fear, anger, hatred and sorrow are by far the most powerful of these emotions and often causes the most dangerous and destructive haunts to manifest. It should come as no surprise an act as evil as murder, which often comprises all three of these emotions and more, is a leading cause of the creation of powerful supernatural entities. Ghosts, spectres, wraiths and poltergeists are all commonly created in this manner, and when created they seldom stray far from the place where they were murdered.
Several decades ago the inhabitants of Saltspray, a small coastal village, were all but wiped from existence by the appetites of a band of sahuagin. Although the monsters were eventually repelled, over half the villagers were murdered, their half-devoured corpses left to rot in a grotto built atop a nobleman’s summer home. In the following years, the manor has become a haunt filled with dozens of lost spirits, the most notable of which is the manor’s former owner. Now a powerful spectre, it is said the owner’s wailing can be heard long into the night once a month as the full moon rises.
Vampire: The negative energy surrounding the temple’s demise either brings unholy life to the corpses interred at the temples or draws mindless undead to them. While skeletons and zombies are the most common undead, ghouls, spectres and vampires also lair in deserted temples.
Haunt: Temples deserted under negative circumstances, or those that carried out vile rites, attract spirits that cannot manifest as incorporeal undead. This makes them no less dangerous.
If tragedy befell the village, undead citizenry might haunt the adventure site.
Haunts are typically created by restless souls or pervading evil, but an abandoned village can almost have a “spirit” of its own.
Powerful witches are able to leave lasting imprints upon the land with their final breaths, transforming themselves into powerful, incorporeal undead through extreme hatred and emotional distress. Often manifesting as ghosts, spectres or wraiths, these witches blight the land and cause strange murders and ill fortunate to beset the locals until they move away from the site of the curse.
Manors are often at the apex of these death knell curses because a witch’s vengeance is directed at an individual or specific group of people, who quickly perish from her supernatural vengeance or flee from their homes for fear of a grisly demise. Products of a witch’s death knell curse last for hundreds of years and typically are not stopped until someone is able to find the spirit and slay it, destroying its strange hold upon the building and the surrounding region.
When a creature dies, any intense emotions it experiences at the time of death are often left behind as a psychic footprint. Fear, anger, hatred and sorrow are by far the most powerful of these emotions and often causes the most dangerous and destructive haunts to manifest.
In many ways, a haunted house is created by suicide in the same way it is created by murder, though sorrow and self-loathing often fuel the supernatural entities born from suicide rather than fear, anger or hatred as is true with murder.
When it comes to planar magic, mages are often tinkering with forces they scarcely comprehend, let alone control. A single misspoken word or a stray line within a magic circle can cause a spell to backfire with tremendous force, calling an outsider into the mortal realm. In rare circumstances, the outsider may be physically unable to leave the place it was summoned within for reasons even it is unlikely to understand. Perhaps the mage’s home is inscribed with warding runes as a fail-safe or the magic is unstable, preventing the creature from straying far from its point of summoning. Even more horrifying are the outsiders who possess unfettered access to the Material Plane, retreating to abandoned structures by daylight only to prey again on mortal flesh come dusk.
Any event causing a suitable amount of negative emotion can create a haunt, whether this tragedy is a massive fire at an orphanage, the demise of a family or the deaths of an entire neighbourhood from an epidemic.
Several decades ago the inhabitants of Saltspray, a small coastal village, were all but wiped from existence by the appetites of a band of sahuagin. Although the monsters were eventually repelled, over half the villagers were murdered, their half-devoured corpses left to rot in a grotto built atop a nobleman’s summer home. In the following years, the manor has become a haunt filled with dozens of lost spirits, the most notable of which is the manor’s former owner. Now a powerful spectre, it is said the owner’s wailing can be heard long into the night once a month as the full moon rises.
Fifty years ago, a vile witch attempted to summon a powerful demon by offering it the soul of a local baker’s girl. Although the witch was caught, tried and hanged thanks to the efforts of a party of adventurers, with her final breath she scorned the city and its people, promising to return to drag all of their souls to the depths of the Abyss.
On the night of the first full moon after the witch’s death, eerie lights and sounds began to plague her victim’s home. In fear, the family left the city and moved into the hamlet of Greenborough to escape the horror. Unfortunately, the haunting followed the family and they all died in their newly constructed manor within one moon of their arrival. Local legends claim the witch’s angry spirit now holds the family’s souls captive within the manor with the assistance of a malevolent force from outside the mortal realms.
Attic Whisperer: An attic whisperer is the spirit of a small child who met his or her end as a result of neglect.
Wraith: Powerful witches are able to leave lasting imprints upon the land with their final breaths, transforming themselves into powerful, incorporeal undead through extreme hatred and emotional distress. Often manifesting as ghosts, spectres or wraiths, these witches blight the land and cause strange murders and ill fortunate to beset the locals until they move away from the site of the curse.
When a creature dies, any intense emotions it experiences at the time of death are often left behind as a psychic footprint. Fear, anger, hatred and sorrow are by far the most powerful of these emotions and often causes the most dangerous and destructive haunts to manifest. It should come as no surprise an act as evil as murder, which often comprises all three of these emotions and more, is a leading cause of the creation of powerful supernatural entities. Ghosts, spectres, wraiths and poltergeists are all commonly created in this manner, and when created they seldom stray far from the place where they were murdered.
Poltergeist: When a creature dies, any intense emotions it experiences at the time of death are often left behind as a psychic footprint. Fear, anger, hatred and sorrow are by far the most powerful of these emotions and often causes the most dangerous and destructive haunts to manifest. It should come as no surprise an act as evil as murder, which often comprises all three of these emotions and more, is a leading cause of the creation of powerful supernatural entities. Ghosts, spectres, wraiths and poltergeists are all commonly created in this manner, and when created they seldom stray far from the place where they were murdered.

GM's Miscellany: Dungeon Dressing

Spoiler

Unliving Span: ?
Unliving Span Reasonably Large: ?
Unliving Span Zombie: ?
Unliving Span Ghoul: ?
Advanced Mummy: After three zombies are slain, the remaining creatures receive a burst of power from the pillars, and are transformed into ghasts. When all but the last ghast is slain, the final creature transforms into an advanced mummy.
Heartless Zombie: The doorway exiting this room is keyed to the souls of seven undead creatures. These undead creatures have been empowered by the removal of their still‐beating hearts, which now reside atop seven columns within the room, and are protected by iridescent prismatic layers.
Heartless Ghast: After three zombies are slain, the remaining creatures receive a burst of power from the pillars, and are transformed into ghasts. When all but the last ghast is slain, the final creature transforms into an advanced mummy.
Heartless Mummy: After three zombies are slain, the remaining creatures receive a burst of power from the pillars, and are transformed into ghasts. When all but the last ghast is slain, the final creature transforms into an advanced mummy.
Wailing Portcullis: Through terrible and dangerous binding magic a necromancer has bound the spirit of a banshee to this portcullis.

Ghoul: A humanoid who dies of ghoul fever rises as a ghoul at the next midnight. A slain humanoid of 4 or more Hit Dice rises as a ghast.
Ghast: After three zombies are slain, the remaining creatures receive a burst of power from the pillars, and are transformed into ghasts.
A humanoid who dies of ghoul fever rises as a ghoul at the next midnight. A slain humanoid of 4 or more Hit Dice rises as a ghast.
Undead: Inside the corpse’s stomach is a half‐digested monster. The essence of this undead creature still lingers within the cadaver. The undead creature can be reanimated or restored with a DC 25 Knowledge (religion) check and onyx gems worth 25 gp per HD of the creature.
Knowledge (arcana, DC 30) Recalls that certain cabals of necromancers create necrotic pools to aid them in the creation of undead minions. The creation of such pools is difficult and complex and requires the binding of countless souls to the pool.
Skeleton: ?
Wight: ?
Vampire: ?
Lich: ?
Vampire Spawn: ?
Zombie: Necrotic Pool.
Zombie Rot disease.
Banshee: ?
Devourer: This onyx‐encrusted sarcophagus casts create greater undead on the body within to create a devourer when a certain prophesy is completed. This effect works once before the sarcophagus’ magic is consumed. The onyx crumbles to dust if removed from the sarcophagus.

NECROTIC POOL
A three‐foot high wall of well‐mortared brownish stone encircles a pool of smoky black water.
Perception or Heal (DC 15) The stone’s unique colouring is due to copious amounts of dried blood.
Perception (DC 20) Faint writing is carved into the pool’s encircling wall.
Knowledge (arcana, DC 20) The writing is arcane and deals with the school of necromancy.
Knowledge (arcana, DC 25) The spells woven into the pool deal with binding negative energy in the same way that is used to create undead.
Knowledge (arcana, DC 30) Recalls that certain cabals of necromancers create necrotic pools to aid them in the creation of undead minions. The creation of such pools is difficult and complex and requires the binding of countless souls to the pool.
Effect (Drinking) Any creature drinking from the pool suffers 3d61 negative energy damage. In addition, the water induces zombie rot2 in the drinker. A DC 17 Heal check identifies the malady after the first day. The rot can be removed by a successful application of remove disease.
Effect (Immersion) A living creature in the pool takes 3d61 negative energy a round. As long as they do not swallow any of the water, they do not suffer from the zombie rot effect.
Effect (Immersion [corpse]) The pools animates any intact corpse placed into the pool into a zombie (Pathfinder Bestiary). This takes 10 minutes. Unless a creature has the Command Undead feat or other way to control undead, the zombie attacks nearby creatures. The pool can create 20 HD of zombies a week.
1: DC 14 Will save halves.
2: Zombie Rot: Type disease (ingested); save: Fortitude DC 17; onset: 1 day; frequency 1/day; effect: 1d2 Con damage, a creature whose Constitution score reaches 0 animates one day later as a zombie; cure: 2 saves.

GM's Miscellany: Places of Power

Spoiler

Mistress Amelya Van Fersker, Human Vampire Enchanter 10: Born 300 years ago, Amelya Van Fersker was a renowned beauty. Rather than getting engrossed in the politics of her day, she actively pursued one of the greatest wizards of her time, forcibly separating him from his wife and becoming both his apprentice and mistress.
Her brilliant mind made her a quick study, but the nobleman wizard was a terrible teacher. As Amelya approached her 35th birthday, she grew angry with the pace set by the old man and brutally murdered him in his sleep. Forced to flee, her progress in wizardry grew painfully slow until she met an alluring blond stranger who promised her time enough to learn her craft and halt the fade of her beauty. The stranger turned out to be a vampire, and after accepting the blood kiss, Amelya has spent her days learning the mystical arts from any she can.
Solalith Evdrearn, Ghost Half-Elf Druid 3 Sorcerer 8: ?
Alikandara Lat, Human Ghost Ex-Paladin 12: The shrine was established several centuries ago in the name of Alikandara Lat, a great paladin until she was seduced into a murderous act of evil by a fiend. Horrified, Alikandara fled into the remotest wilderness, seeking atonement.
She died alone in her self-imposed exile but her tale wasn't forgotten. Those inspired by the example of her early life soon became as fervent about the latter part. They journeyed into the woods, intending to find and bring back her body. Unsuccessful, they instead founded a shrine in her name, welcoming all in need of respite and redemption.
Legend holds that those who pray at Alikandara's cenotaph are sometimes visited by the fallen paladin's spirit, which still seeks to make up for her misdeed in life.
Rideth Cyelrae, Ghost Elf Druid 13: ?
Anshelm Chellas, Ghast Rogue 6: ?
Naillae Aralivar, ghost elf druid 6: ?
Tahlys Vonothvar, ghost elf druid 7: ?

Ghoul: ?
Zombie: ?
Vampire Spawn: A creature slain by Amelya’s blood drain or energy drain rises as a vampire spawn in 1d4 days.
Undead: Other forgotten tunnels host the undead remnants of prisoners trapped when the castle fell.

GM's Miscellany: Places of Power II

Spoiler

Lich: In the end, though, she fights to the death, hoping perhaps her necromantic pursuits and experimentations will see her resurrected into the lich form she’s long sought.
If Erlgamm is killed during the PCs’ stay, she could transform into a lich thanks to her many years of necromantic experiments.

GM's Miscellany: Urban Dressing

Spoiler

Fuut, Ghoul Rogue 2: Discovering an adeptness for juggling and throwing knives at a young age, the brothers eventually found the chance. Proving their worth to the operators of a travelling faire, Fuut and Tooq hit the road. Despite their popularity in the show, the brothers couldn’t resist their desire to thieve. Eventually they crossed the wrong victim, a powerful witch, who cursed and then murdered the brothers. The curse raised them as ghouls and now they feast in this cemetery.
Tooq, Ghoul Rogue 2: Discovering an adeptness for juggling and throwing knives at a young age, the brothers eventually found the chance. Proving their worth to the operators of a travelling faire, Fuut and Tooq hit the road. Despite their popularity in the show, the brothers couldn’t resist their desire to thieve. Eventually they crossed the wrong victim, a powerful witch, who cursed and then murdered the brothers. The curse raised them as ghouls and now they feast in this cemetery.

Vampire: ?
Ghost: ?
Skeleton: ?

GM's Miscellany: Village Backdrops

Spoiler

Dunn Fewin, Ghoul Cleric 2: Before the plague, the church had two priests. One, Dunn Frewin, died of the plague. Ignoring his last request to be buried in the church, Waldere cast Dunn’s body into one of the plague pits. This betrayal will cost Waldere dearly; Dunn Frewin has returned as a ghoul.
One of Ashford’s priests, Dunn Frewin (CE male ghoul cleric 2) died of the plague and was betrayed in death by his friend and colleague Waldere. He has risen as a ghoul and now lurks in the southernmost pit, in a cramped burrow among the suppurating corpses of his dead congregation.

GM's Miscellany: Village Backdrops II

Spoiler

Thegn Delthur Werlann, Skeletal Champion Dwarf Aristocrat 2/Fighter 4: Consumed with lust to slay orcs and other evil humanoids he has returned to unlife as a skeletal champion.
Skeletal Champion Dwarf Fighter 3: ?

Lacedon: ?

GM's Miscellany: Village Backdrops III

Spoiler

Mirja Sianio, Human Ghost Witch 6: Mirja Sianio (CE female ghost human witch 6) in life was a wise woman who lived on the outskirts of the village. Notoriously pagan, she was kept at arm's length by much of the village, who distrusted her lack of faith but appreciated her efforts to treat their ills with herbs and magic. But when the sickness struck and neither she nor Syrave Teury were able to stop it, the grief‐stricken villagers took their anger out on her. Found guilty of the deaths of a number of villagers, including several members of the children's choir, she was burned at the stake in front of her home, which the villagers then torched for good measure.
Mirja's ghost now haunts the site, crying out for vengeance against any who approach (the villagers themselves steer well clear of the desecrated ground). She blames the village's faith for her death and can only be laid to rest by burning the Cathedral of the Sun and the Sun‐Song Hall to the ground and rebuilding her own home. She will lift the curse only if every member of the village disavows their faith in Darlen.
Hagruk Stormrider, Ghast Fighter 5: Eventually, Hagruk grew old and settled down in Red Talon village, but would still sail forth on occasional raids. One fateful night in a furious storm, his ship struck the reef known as Devil’s Shoulder as he returned to the village. Hagruk and his crew abandoned ship as the galleon started to sink beneath the waves, but they were too slow, and their drowned bodies were washed up on the beach. But the dark power of their cannibal god saved the pirates—Ukre’kon’ala brought some of the crew back from death to unlife as ghouls; Hagruk Stormrider became a ghast.

Ghoul: Eventually, Hagruk grew old and settled down in Red Talon village, but would still sail forth on occasional raids. One fateful night in a furious storm, his ship struck the reef known as Devil’s Shoulder as he returned to the village. Hagruk and his crew abandoned ship as the galleon started to sink beneath the waves, but they were too slow, and their drowned bodies were washed up on the beach. But the dark power of their cannibal god saved the pirates—Ukre’kon’ala brought some of the crew back from death to unlife as ghouls; Hagruk Stormrider became a ghast.
A humanoid who dies of ghoul fever rises as a ghoul at the next midnight. A slain humanoid of 4 or more Hit Dice rises as a ghast.
Ghast: A humanoid who dies of ghoul fever rises as a ghoul at the next midnight. A slain humanoid of 4 or more Hit Dice rises as a ghast.

GM's Miscellany: Village Backdrops IV

Spoiler

Wytchelyte: ?
Hungry Dead: "Hungry Dead" is an acquired template that can be added to any corporeal undead creature.
Hungry Dead Zombie: Those who die of The Hunger rise 1d6 minutes later as a zombie with the Hungry Dead template.
The Hunger Disease.
Damiella Nightingale, human vampire bard 11: ?
Keren Zaris, vampire halfling expert 7: ?
Quentin Roarg, elf vampire wizard 12: ?
Zuzu Mellavious, halfling vampire bard 13: ?

Lich: ?
Vampire: ?
Mummy: ?

The Hunger
Type Disease (injury); Save DC 13 Fortitude
Onset 1d4 days; Frequency 1/day
Effect 1d3 Con and 1d3 Cha damage; Cure 2 consecutive saves
Note Those who die of The Hunger rise 1d6 minutes later as a zombie with the Hungry Dead template. The Hunger can only be cured by a heal or more powerful magic. The Hunger is spread by the bite of the infected, living or dead. When infected, the victim develops a fever and suffers from constant hunger pains that only subside after consuming fresh meat. As the disease progresses it becomes harder and harder to assuage the hunger, forcing the victim to search for more meat. It is not uncommon for those in later stages of the disease to become maddened with hunger and attack friends or family.

GM's Miscellany: Village Backdrops V

Spoiler

Aldrich Hellbrooke, human vampire cleric 4: ?

Undead: An old lizardfolk tells younger lizardfolk scary stories about how dead lizardfolk who aren't properly eaten become vengeful undead.
Needlebriar’s citizens toss anything they don’t consume into a field they loosely refer to as the Bone Pit. Occasionally these remains arise as horrid undead creatures. The creatures never attack the halflings, instead roaming the nearby countryside.

GM's Miscellany: Wilderness Dressing

Spoiler

Burning Skull: ?
Falling Rocks: ?
Shrieking Woman: ?
Killer in the Flames: ?
The Pit: ?
Bloody Battle: ?
Akh‐en‐Tholus, human lich necromancer 11: ?

Mummy: ?

Gonzo 2

Spoiler

Necromantic Frame: Risen from the grave, necromantic frames are frankensteinian monstrosities; assembled from multiple corpses and given a semblance of life with foul necromancy.
Necromantic Frame Large: Risen from the grave, necromantic frames are frankensteinian monstrosities; assembled from multiple corpses and given a semblance of life with foul necromancy.
Necromantic Frame Huge: Risen from the grave, necromantic frames are frankensteinian monstrosities; assembled from multiple corpses and given a semblance of life with foul necromancy.
Necromantic Frame Gargantuan: Risen from the grave, necromantic frames are frankensteinian monstrosities; assembled from multiple corpses and given a semblance of life with foul necromancy.
Necromantic Frame Colossal: Risen from the grave, necromantic frames are frankensteinian monstrosities; assembled from multiple corpses and given a semblance of life with foul necromancy.

Gothic Campaign Compendium

Spoiler

Ghost Raven: Ghost ravens are spectral creatures that arise when a raven dies in an area that is unusually spiritually active. As iconic harbingers of death, ravens have a supernatural connection with the spirit world. While this lies latent in most ravens, and is sometimes attributed to simple superstition or cultural iconography, in the case of many ravens it is quite real. This is especially true in the case of ravens that form close emotional bonds with the living, such as pets, familiars, and animal companions. They may haunt the dreams of owners or masters that are themselves spiritually sensitive, sometimes providing cryptic guidance. In the case of a ghost raven, however, this evanescent connection becomes something more intangible, as the spirit of the fallen lingers in the realm of the living.
Fossil Skeleton: A fossil skeleton is animated from the petrified remnant of a primitive and primordial creature, its ossific remains calcified into eternal stone. Its massive stony structure has endured countless millennia and possesses great strength and ability to absorb punishment that would shatter skeletons of brittle bone, though it lacks some of the terrifying agility of an ordinary skeleton. This template can be stacked with other similar templates that modify the skeleton template, such as bloody and burning skeletons.
Mummified Zombie: A mummified zombie is a creature whose desiccated corpse has been both naturally and magically preserved and given unholy life.

Gothic Grimoires To Serve a Prince Undying

Spoiler

Revenant: Revenancer's Rage spell.
Skeleton Warrior: Revenancer's Rage spell.

Revenancer’s Rage
School necromancy [evil]; Level antipaladin 4, cleric 6, inquisitor 5, sorcerer/wizard 6, witch 6
Casting Time 1 standard action
Components V, S, M (a vial of tears, a vial of unholy water, and an onyx gem worth 25 gp per Hit Die of the undead to be created)
Range touch
Target one corpse
Duration instantaneous
Saving Throw none; Spell Resistance no
You cause a single creature who in life had sworn a Vow of Obedience to rise from the dead to serve their master beyond the grave. If their master is now dead, the corpse rises as a revenant determined to avenge its master. Any special abilities that would normally apply against the revenant’s own murderer apply instead to its master’s murderer. If the target’s master still lives (or has risen as a sentient undead), the target is instead reanimated as a skeletal champion, with its Vow of Obedience to its former master made permanent and unbreakable.

Holiday Heroes & Horrors 2 Holiday Horrorers

Spoiler

Zombie Frost: Any humanoid slain by a frost zombie will rise as a frost zombie once their body freezes solid—2d4 hours in left out in arctic conditions.
The frost zombies were raised from the frozen corpses that once dotted the landscape of White Hell.

Horrors of the North

Spoiler

Glacial Gaunt: Any humanoid slain by a glacial gaunt rises as a glacial gaunt at the next midnight.
A glacial gaunt is commonly the result of captured travelers and common folk who are carried to the high places of the world and then sacrificed in the name of the old gods.
Winter Wight: Any humanoid creature that is slain by a wight becomes a wight itself in only 1d4 rounds.
These are the risen remains of explorers or adventures which have died from exposure while in arctic mountains and tundras.

Imperial Gazeteer The Principality of Morgau and Doresh and Realms Subterranean

Spoiler

Bone Collective: Bone collectives are a creation of the Necrophagi, the undead mages of the Imperium. Each collective itself is a creature built of small bones—often those of gnomes, bats, and lizards—combined into a swarm of small, quick, 10-inch-tall skeletons.
Darakhul: Darakhul are born when a creature is infected with darakhul fever and survives the experience largely intact. Some necromancers have claimed that deliberately infecting oneself and then eating only living flesh improves the chances of survival.
“Darakhul” is an acquired template that can be added to any corporeal dragon, fey, giant, humanoid, magical beast, or monstrous humanoid creature.
Creatures that die while infected with darakhul fever must make a check on Table 2-7: Darakhul Fever to survive the transition. They retain their Constitution bonus for this check, as the template has not yet been applied. Those that fail are simply dead and do not gain the template.
Many believe that the hunger cults or the necrophagi know some secret of transforming imperial ghouls and ghasts into darakhul.
A creature that dies while infected with a darakhul patrician's darakhul fever must make a check on Table 2-7: Darakhul Fever. If the check is high enough, they rise as a darakhul rather than a standard ghoul within 1 hour.
A creature that dies while infected with a ghoul hunter's darakhul fever must make a check on Table 2-7: Darakhul Fever. If the check is high enough, they rise as a darakhul rather than a standard ghoul within 1 hour.
A creature that dies while infected with a necrophagus savant's darakhul fever must make a check on Table 2-7: Darakhul Fever. If the check is high enough, they rise as a darakhul rather than a standard ghoul within 1 hour.
A creature that dies while infected with a priest of Vardesain's darakhul fever must make a check on Table 2-7: Darakhul Fever. If the check is high enough, they rise as a darakhul rather than a standard ghoul within 1 hour.
A creature that dies while infected with the darakhul fever of Nicoforus the Pale's must make a check on Table 2-7: Darakhul Fever. If the check is high enough, they rise as a darakhul rather than a standard ghoul within 1 hour.
A creature that dies while infected with darakhul fever from a bonepowder ghoul or any other afflicted creature killed by a bonepowder ghoul rises as a darakhul immediately, gaining the darakhul template and the undead type.
Darakhul Ogre: ?
Ghoul Beggar: Dying while infected with Darakhul Fever.
Ghoul Outcast: These beggar ghouls were once far more powerful members of the empire, but through misfortune and bad luck, they have found themselves destitute and unwelcome within the Imperium.
Ghoul Imperial: Dying while infected with Darakhul Fever.
Ghoul Ghast Imperial: ?
Ghoul Legionnaire: ?
Ghoul Ghast Legionnaire: ?
Ghoul Iron: ?
Ghoul Ghast Iron: ?
Ghoul Iron Captain: ?
Ghoul Ghast Iron Captain: ?
Darakhul Patrician: ?
Ghoul Hunter: ?
Necrophagus Savant: ?
Priest of Vardesain: ?
Emperor Nicoforus the Pale: ?
Ghost Knight of Morgau: ?
Ghost Rider Templar: ?
Ghostly Mount: ?
Ghoul Bonepowder: Ghouls can achieve this powdery form through long starvation. The process invariably takes decades, which is why so few bonepowder ghouls exist.
A bonepowder ghoul may rise from the remnants of a starved prisoner or a ghoul trapped in a sealed-off cavern, leaving behind most of its remnant flesh and becoming animated almost purely by hunger, hatred, and the wisdom of long centuries in which to plot the destruction of its enemies.
Lich Hound: ?

Ghoul: Dying while infected with Darakhul Fever.
A humanoid who dies of an imperial ghoul's ghoul fever rises as a ghoul or darakhul at the next midnight.
A humanoid who dies of a legionnaire ghoul's ghoul fever rises as a ghoul or darakhul at the next midnight.
A humanoid who dies of an iron ghoul's ghoul fever rises as a ghoul or darakhul at the next midnight.
A humanoid who dies of an iron ghoul captain's ghoul fever rises as a ghoul or darakhul at the next midnight.

A creature that dies while infected with darakhul fever must make a check on Table 2-7: Darakhul Fever. If the check is high enough, they rise as a darakhul rather than a standard ghoul within 1 hour.
Darakhul are created from ghoul fever, a disease that transforms a living creature into one of the undead.
Endurance Check Result
9 or lower Target dies
10-12 Target becomes a ghoul
13-17 Target becomes a beggar ghoul
18-20 Target becomes an imperial ghoul
21-24 Target becomes a darakhul warrior
25 or higher Target becomes a darakhul noble
Creatures that do not make at least a DC 10 Endurance check do not become ghouls. The disease kills them. This provides the ultimate penalty for trying and failing to enter the ghoul’s kingdom as one of them, and it makes it possible for evil characters to deliberately infect themselves, and join the ranks of the empire.

Into the Breach The Summoner

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Skeleton: Necrosummoner Undead Eidolon power.
Zombie: Necrosummoner Undead Eidolon power.
Fast Zombie: Necrosummoner Undead Eidolon power 4th level.
Burning Skeleton: Necrosummoner Undead Eidolon power 4th level.
Ghost: Necrosummoner Undead Eidolon power 8th level.
Skeleton: Necrosummoner Undead Eidolon power 8th level.

Undead Eidolon (Ex)
A necrosummoner can choose to apply either the skeleton or zombie template to his eidolon every time it is summoned (he retains the ability to not use a template as well).
At 4th level a necrosummoner may choose to add either the fast zombie or burning skeleton templates to his eidolon when summoning it.
At 8th level a necrosummoner may choose to add either the vampire or the ghost templates to his eidolon when summoning it.

Intrigue Archetypes

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Ghoul: Pitiless Economies feat.
Undead: Pitiless Economies feat.

Pitiless Economies
Your devotion to rapacious greed leaves poverty and suffering in your wake.
Prerequisite: Lawful evil or neutral evil alignment, character level 9th.
Benefit: You gain a +2 morale bonus on all attack and damage rolls against sentient humanoids with a lower cost-of-livingCRB level than your own. You likewise gain a +5 morale bonus on Bluff, Diplomacy and Intimidate checks against such creatures. You automatically confirm all critical hits against sentient humanoids with a cost-of-living level of Destitute.
If you confirm a critical hit in melee against a sentient humanoid, you may forgo the normal additional damage in order to force the target to succeed on a Will save or have its cost-of-living level reduced by one step (DC 10 + 1/2 your character level + your Charisma modifier). This does not reduce its actual living expenses, just the benefits it receives for expenses already paid, and this persists until the end of the current month. The target can resume its former status in the following month by paying its normal cost of living. If the target is already Destitute and fails its save, it immediately loses 1,000 gp worth of non-magical wealth, including coins, gems, art, livestock, buildings, or other possessions, including (but not limited) to those currently being carried or worn. The effect of multiple failed saving throws stacks. This is a supernatural curse effect.
If you are a living creature, you do not age as long as at least one creature is subject to this curse. In addition, each time you afflict a creature with this curse, you become one day younger for each creature affected. You cannot become younger than the base starting age for your race with this feat. If you are slain while not aging, you rise as a ghoul (or other undead creature, as if a caster whose level equaled your Hit Dice had cast create undead or create greater undead upon your body) within 24 hours.
If you are already undead and you are slain while at least one creature is afflicted by this curse, you rise again in 2d4 days (similar to the rejuvenation ability of a ghost), though when you rise again any creature currently afflicted by your curse gains a new saving throw to end the effect.

Journals of Dread Book 1 Secrets of the Ooze

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Slime Zombie: Anyone who dies while infected with slime rot rises as a slime zombie in 2d6 hours.

Slime Rot: slam; save Fort DC = 10 + 1/2 the zombie’s Hit Dice + the zombie’s Cha modifier; onset 1d4 days; frequency 1/day; effect 1d2 Con, this damage cannot be healed while the creature is infected; cure 2 consecutive saves. Anyone who dies while infected rises as a slime zombie in 2d6 hours.

Journals of Dread Vol. II Secrets of the Skeleton

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Skeleton: "Skeleton" is an acquired template that can be added to any corporeal creature (other than an undead) that has a skeletal system.
Exoskeleton: An exoskeleton is an empty husk, an animated carapace of vermin infused with the power of a necromancer, though a few are spontaneous creations.
Animating an exoskeleton with animate dead causes it to take up twice as many hit dice from the amount you can create with a single casting of animate dead, so if you could normally make 10 skeletons, you can only make 5 exoskeletons.
"Exoskeleton" is an acquired template that can be added to any corporeal vermin that has an exoskeleton.
Haunted Exoskeleton: Rarely, an exoskeleton is haunted by the lost spirit of a stubborn soul. This wreaks havoc on the spirit, wiping away most of its memories but giving the exoskeleton an Intelligence score of 10, along with all of the feats and skill ranks its Hit Dice would afford.
Bloody Skeleton: Animating a bloody skeleton with animate dead causes it to take up twice as many hit dice from the amount you can create with a single casting of animate dead, so if you could normally make 10 skeletons, you can only make 5 bloody skeletons.
Burning Skeleton: Animating a burning skeleton with animate dead causes it to take up twice as many hit dice from the amount you can create with a single casting of animate dead, so if you could normally make 10 skeletons, you can only make 5 burning skeletons.
Cackling Skeleton: Animating a cackling skeleton with animate dead causes it to take up twice as many hit dice from the amount you can create with a single casting of animate dead, so if you could normally make 10 skeletons, you can only make 5 cackling skeletons.
Crystalline Skeleton: Animating a crystalline skeleton with animate dead causes it to take up twice as many hit dice from the amount you can create with a single casting of animate dead, so if you could normally make 10 skeletons, you can only make 5 crystalline skeletons.
Further, this also replaces the material component of the animate dead spell, causing it to require glass or obsidian worth at least 25 gp per Hit Dice of the undead, instead of the normal onyx gems (though this can be mixed and matched, to create a variety of skeleton types with one casting).
Dread Skeleton: "Dread Skeleton" is an acquired template that can be added to any living creature with a skeleton or exoskeleton.
Elemental Skeleton: Animating an elemental skeleton with animate dead causes it to take up twice as many hit dice from the amount you can create with a single casting of animate dead, so if you could normally make 10 skeletons, you can only make 5 elemental skeletons.
Mechanical Skeleton: Animating a mechanical skeleton with animate dead causes it to take up twice as many hit dice from the amount you can create with a single casting of animate dead, so if you could normally make 10 skeletons, you can only make 5 mechanical skeletons.
Skeleton Champion: Some skeletons retain their intelligence and cunning, making them formidable warriors.
Unlike many other skeletons, a skeleton champion cannot be animated through the use of animate dead. Instead, these skeletons are free-willed, rising up from the dead only through extraordinary circumstances, similar to those that cause the rise of ghosts, via rare and vile rituals, or through the actions of an angry deity.
"Skeletal Champion" is an acquired template that can be added to any corporeal creature (other than an undead) that has a skeletal system and a minimum Intelligence of 3.
Twice-Transcended Skeleton: The twice-transcended skeletons are a particularly strange type of skeleton, who were once animated, killed, and then restored to a semblance of their old bodies, except these bodies are now only the spiritual memories of the existing body.
Animating a twice-transcended skeleton with animate dead causes it to take up twice as many hit dice from the amount you can create with a single casting of animate dead, so if you could normally make 10 skeletons, you can only make 5 twice-transcended skeletons.
Vampiric Skeleton: Animating a vampiric skeleton with animate dead causes it to take up twice as many hit dice from the amount you can create with a single casting of animate dead, so if you could normally make 10 skeletons, you can only make 5 vampiric skeletons.
This also requires the caster of animate dead to know vampiric touch and lose the spell for that day (if the caster must prepare spells each day. Otherwise they expend a single use of vampiric touch, similar to casting it normally), though this does not otherwise affect the casting of animate dead.
Black Skeleton: Black skeletons are the remnants of living creatures slain in an area where the ground is soaked through with evil. The bodies of fallen heroes are contaminated and polluted by such evil and within days after their death, the slain creatures rise as black skeletons, leaving their former lives and bodies behind.
Skeletal Drake: The skeletal drake is the animated remains of a dragon or wyvern who was killed in an area strong in necromantic magic (such as that created by unhallow), and which is left undisturbed for that time. The skeletal drake rises a year later, a mindless automation seeking only the destruction of living things.
Skeletal Master: Skeletal masters are the result of a spellcaster trying to ascend to lichdom and failing. They are exceedingly rare, as normally any spellcaster failing to become a lich simply dies or is destroyed. For the skeletal masters to happen, the spellcaster must almost succeed, only to fall at the final hurdle. Where a lich becomes more powerful if the experiment succeeds, the skeletal master is reduced to a mere shade of its former power, and it knows it.
Skeletal Tutor: Skeletal tutors are not created in the manner that other skeletons are. Instead, they arise spontaneously at the whim of the gods of the undead when one of their servants create normal skeletons with the animate dead spell.
Skeleton Noble: Skeleton nobles were once brave knights of the cold counties of the world, pledged to defend their lands. As time ravaged them, however, and they grew older, they saw younger, fitter, heroes taking their place on the front lines, and resentment grew. Eventually, they turned to dark powers to regain their vigor, pleading themselves to the lords of Hell, in exchange for eternal vigor.
Their wish was granted, and they became skeleton nobles, standing ever vigilant against younger heroes, fighting on battlefields where they no longer belong and destroying anything that they held dear while still alive.

Knowledge Check: Last Rites

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Undead: Cremating corpses to keep them from rising as undead.
Some religions include the need to anoint the corpse as part of the funeral rites. The anointing is usually done by a priest or other religious leader, and involves placing oil, incense, perfume, or other holy liquids on various parts of the body, usually while saying a prayer. These anointing rites are usually to protect or cleanse the corpse after death, and in some areas serve as proof against reanimation as undead. (In an ironic twist, very similar rites are usually used to create undead).
Simply put, cremation is burning a body until there is nothing left to burn. There are several ways to accomplish this, but in a typical medieval setting the most common is to build a pyre of some sort, place the corpse on top, and set it alight. Cremation is the funeral rite of choice for religions heavy on fire symbolism, while a few instead use it to free the spirit by removing the body it was attached to. As a side benefit, it also tends to keep them from coming back as undead.

Larger Than Life

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Hill Giant Ghoul: Even without a spiritual leader or a partial understanding of the dagaz rune, hill giants treat the recently deceased with some care. Owing to the belief that the spirits of fallen warriors without proper burial will return to haunt the tribe, hill giants bury their dead tribesmates, or at least say a word or two before covering them up with furs if they must hurry away from a battle site. Improperly buried hill giants may spontaneously return as larger versions of ordinary ghouls. These ghouls violently quench their hatred of the tribe responsible for their unholy births before turning their jaundiced eyes towards civilization.

Legendary Villains: Wicked Witches

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Isitoq Lesser: ?

Legendary Worlds: Carsis

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Undead: The restless spirits of the shattering.

Legendary Worlds: Jowchit

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Undead Dinosaur: ?

Undead: Hidden deep within its depths is Ghostcaller, an absurdly powerful lute whose music has the power to create undead.

Legendary Worlds: Terminus

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Blackfire Wight: Any humanoid creature that is slain by a blackfire wight becomes a blackfire wight itself in 1d6 rounds. Spawn so created are less powerful than typical blackfire wights, and suffer a –2 penalty on all d20 rolls and checks, as well as –2 hp per HD. Spawn are under the control of the blackfire wight that created them and remain enslaved until its death, at which point they lose their spawn penalties and become full-fledged and free-willed blackfire wights.
Blackfire wights are humanoid residents of Terminus who rise as undead after being killed by blackfire.
Blackfire Wight Spawn: Any humanoid creature that is slain by a blackfire wight becomes a blackfire wight itself in 1d6 rounds. Spawn so created are less powerful than typical blackfire wights, and suffer a –2 penalty on all d20 rolls and checks, as well as –2 hp per HD.

Undead: Those who die beneath the surface of Terminus have a much higher chance of spontaneously rising as undead. This may be another side effect of the strange mineral known as nightglass. Wandering skeletons and zombies are common, and those that die of starvation within the bowels of Terminus often rise as ghouls, as do those who practice cannibalism regularly. The most vicious and violent of prisoners have been known to return as mohrgs. This increase in undead activity is limited to corporeal undead. Incorporeal undead are no more likely to arise than on any other planet.
Skeleton: ?
Zombie: ?
Ghoul: Those who die beneath the surface of Terminus have a much higher chance of spontaneously rising as undead. This may be another side effect of the strange mineral known as nightglass. Wandering skeletons and zombies are common, and those that die of starvation within the bowels of Terminus often rise as ghouls, as do those who practice cannibalism regularly.
Mohrg: Those who die beneath the surface of Terminus have a much higher chance of spontaneously rising as undead. This may be another side effect of the strange mineral known as nightglass. Wandering skeletons and zombies are common, and those that die of starvation within the bowels of Terminus often rise as ghouls, as do those who practice cannibalism regularly. The most vicious and violent of prisoners have been known to return as mohrgs.
Corporeal Undead: Those who die beneath the surface of Terminus have a much higher chance of spontaneously rising as undead. This may be another side effect of the strange mineral known as nightglass. Wandering skeletons and zombies are common, and those that die of starvation within the bowels of Terminus often rise as ghouls, as do those who practice cannibalism regularly. The most vicious and violent of prisoners have been known to return as mohrgs. This increase in undead activity is limited to corporeal undead. Incorporeal undead are no more likely to arise than on any other planet.
Incorporeal Undead: ?

Liber Vampyr

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Nosferatu: Nosferatu are corpses possessed by malevolent fiends who desire nothing more than to spread disease and suffering through the mortal world.
“Nosferatu” is a template that can be applied to any living creature with 5 or more hit dice.
While nosferatu resemble the creature whose corpse they animate, and sometimes even possess that creature’s memories and, to a certain extent, personality, they are not truly that creature. Rather, a nosferatu is a fiendish entity that has possessed the corpse of the deceased creature and is using it as a means to interact with the mortal world.
The exact process for creating a nosferatu is dangerous and complex, but can be performed by suitably powerful wizards and clerics.
Revenant: “Revenant” is a template which can be applied to any living humanoid or monstrous humanoid.
With GM permission, a character could also become a revenant by performing a special ritual, much in the same way that a character can become a lich by performing a ritual and creating a phylactery. It requires a DC 15 Knowledge (religion) check to successfully identify the nature of this ritual, or to learn about it through research in a library or other place of accumulated knowledge. The ritual itself requires an hour to perform, and requires 500 gp in rare incense, ointments, and ritual objects. At the end of the ritual, the would-be revenant must wound himself (typically be cutting his wrist with a ritually-anointed dagger) and bleed into a special ceremonial bowl for an extended period of time. During this time, the character suffers 1 point of damage per round, which can be stopped at any time by a successful Heal check (DC 15). If the character reaches 0 hit points, then at the beginning of his turn each round, when he takes damage from the bleeding, he may make a DC 15 Wisdom check. If the check succeeds, the bleeding stops, and the character immediately becomes a revenant. The character can attempt this check once per round until he either succeeds, the bleeding is stopped, or he dies.

Vampire: Vampire myths are as old as time, and it seems that for every myth there is a different way in which one becomes a vampire. Many vampires spread their affliction through their bite, either indiscriminately, or only when they choose to “embrace” their target. Others spread vampirism as a literal disease, which can be inflicted in a number of ways. In other tales, there is no way to “spread” vampirism, and each person who rises as one of the undead does so because of some grave sin that he connected in life. Below are some popular legends about what can cause a person to rise as a vampire. Note that these are just guidelines, and GMs should feel free to pick and choose which of these will work in a given game, and which are simply myth. Some GMs might determine that anyone who is subject to a certain number of these conditions will rise as a vampire, but any one condition is not enough. Others might determine that some or all of these can cause a corpse to rise as a vampire, unless simple steps are taken to prevent that from happening, etc. A corpse might rise as a vampire if…
• …the corpse is jumped over by an animal.
• …the body bore a wound which had not been treated with boiling water.
• …the corpse was an enemy of the church in life.
• …the corpse was a mage in life.
• …the corpse was born a bastard.
• …the corpse converted away from a “true” faith (historically, the Eastern Orthodox Church).
On the other hand, these countermeasures are supposed to prevent a corpse from rising as a vampire:
• A good person need not fear rising as a vampire.
• Crossing oneself before initiating sex spares any resulting children from becoming a vampire.
• Certain blessings performed over the body can prevent the corpse from rising as a vampire.
• Burying the corpse face-down may not prevent the corpse from becoming a vampire, but supposedly prevents him from rising out of his grave.
Zombie: Any creature slain by a nosferatu’s energy drain attack immediately rises as a zombie.

Lords of the Night

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Vampire Alternate: Vampire is an acquired template that can be added to any living, corporeal humanoid, fey, or monstrous humanoid.
To create a vampire, the base creature must first be slain by a vampire’s bite attack, then buried in earth or soil. At the next new moon, the vampire which slew the base creature may sacrifice XP sufficient to reduce his level by 1, placing him at the minimum XP needed for that level (vampires with only 1 level cannot create vampires).
Undead: Undead Familiar feat.
Human Vampire Warlord 15 Astrid the Flayed Queen: ?
Ghoul Rogue 4 Gnaws-His-Arms: ?
Elf Vampire Bard 11 Lady Windharpe: ?
Human Vampire Psion 3 Isoldt: ?
Merg Vampire Soul Hunter Stalker 7/Sussurratore 2 Izzie Redwaters: ?
Gnome Vampire Daevic 7/Black Templar 5 Loras Blacknail: ?
Human Vampire Ranger 9 Jannis: ?
Animal Companion Undead Wolf Garm: ?
Cairn Wight Blackblade: ?
Young Human Vampire Cryptic 11 The Waif:

Undead Companion [General]
Your companion or familiar becomes undead.
Prerequisites: animal companion, dark messenger, or familiar
Benefit: Your animal companion, dark messenger, or familiar gains the undead type (if you have more than one of these features, choose one upon gaining this feat). Do not recalculate its base attack bonus, hit points, saving throws, or skill points. If the creature’s Charisma score was less than its Constitution score would permanently alter the affected creature’s type (such as the sorrow’s shadow class feature), instead improve its positive energy resistance by +5 and its before becoming undead, its Charisma score becomes equal to its former Constitution. Additionally, it gains channel resistance +4. If another ability you possess channel resistance by +2.
Special: You may take this feat multiple times. Each time you do, choose another animal companion, dark messenger, or familiar that you possess to be affected.

Lost Lore: The Headhunter

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Animated Severed Head: Animated severed heads are a product of shamanistic and magic-using headhunters experimenting with the creation of familiars. They are a gruesome parody of the dead arcane spell casters they are made from, possessing rudimentary intelligence and personalities.
“Severed Head” is an acquired template that can be added to any living Medium creature possessing arcane spell casting levels.
Oracle Mystery of the Head's Final Revelation.
Jaquel's Head: Jaquel was a village midwife and herbalist — as well as a semi-professional witch, in a village raided by a gang of headhunters. The headhunter shaman slew her and took her head as a severed head familiar as part of a rite of passage.
Jaquel’s Head is derived from a 2nd-level witch, and she belonged to a headhunter with 6 sorcerer levels, 3 barbarian levels, and 3 headhunter levels.

Oracle Mystery of the Head Final Revelation: Upon reaching 20th level, you become acephalic, and able to remove your own head without dying, or even to have your own head removed by violence harmlessly. No ability that derives its power from possession of your head can be used by another creature. Your head becomes capable of hovering with a speed of 30 ft. (clumsy), and takes a quarter of your hp with it; the head can travel up to one mile from the your body, and retains command over both itself and the headless body, which is still conscious and motile, and aware of the surroundings around its body as if using the scrying spell (caster level equals the oracle’s class level). An acephalic oracle may cast spells from the location of her head, and if the body is slain or destroyed, the hovering head continues to exist. Destroying the head (and the head alone) slays the oracle. You must still satisfy your body’s physical need for sustenance, unless these needs are provided for otherwise, and hence you must reattach your head for to provide for these, according to the rules for starvation and thirst in the Core rulebook. If the body is destroyed, the oracle’s head needs an alternate means of feeding itself to remain alive. Acephalous oracles who cannot do so become free-willed animate severed heads after their deaths, as per the description under the headhunter class, with the oracle’s former hit dice and abilities being used to calculate the undead head’s statistics as if the oracle had been its own master.

Lunar Knights

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Serbian Lycanthrope: These monsters are men who would return from the grave to haunt their widows.

Malevolent and Benign

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Autmnal Mourner: Autumn mourners are the lingering spirits of the neglected dead. Deprived of a proper funeral, burial, or even commemoration, they now mourn the summer’s annual passing and the subsequent death of the trees’ falling leaves.
Autumnal mourners arise from the bodies of the unburied and forgotten dead.
While the potential for autumnal mourners exists in every land, only the forest and woods’ seasonal changes, as experienced by their deciduous plant life, generate their creation.
Avatar of Famine: Being a follower of the god of famine comes at a high toll, especially for those who strive to be its avatar. In order to become an avatar of famine, a tomb must be built and at least 500 sentient creatures sacrificed in the tomb. Their lives are not taken by violence however. They are closed into the tomb and die one by one of starvation. The last to die of starvation becomes the avatar of famine, bound to the tomb and that which they were created to guard.
Bone Sovereign: Bone sovereigns are terrible amalgamations of skeletons whose animating enchantments coalesce to form a single, self-aware undead entity.
Cadaver: Cadavers are the undead skeletal remains of people who have been buried alive or given an improper burial (an unmarked grave or mass grave for example).
Dark Voyeur: A dark voyeur’s affinity for mirrors is caused primarily by its link to one special mirror, the mirror that reflected its death and trapped a portion of its departing soul within its glass.
Foul Spawner: ?
Gray Lady: Many a seaman who ventures out into the trackless sea is destined never to look again on the loved ones he left behind. Either death or the lure of foreign lands keeps them from returning to those who wait patiently for them. Pining away on shore for the sight of a lost husband or son and ultimately dying of a broken heart, some women return to haunt the coast as gray ladies.
A gray lady is the shade of a woman who died heartbroken and alone waiting for the return of a loved one from across the sea.
Harbinger: If a paladin dies in a state of disgrace without having atoned, there is a chance the abyssal powers will claim his body as well as his soul. The reanimated body becomes a harbinger and serves at the direction of some powerful force for evil.
Haze Horror: Heat and humidity often manifest as a visible haze, and many people have survived the dangers of a hostile environment only to succumb to heat exhaustion. A haze horror is that fate manifested.
Some sages claim that there are haze horrors in the terrible northern climes whose touch is deathly cold and who appear as mists upon glaciers and in ice caverns.
Hearth Horror: A hearth horror is the ghost of a dead place, horribly corrupted by evil and obsessed with restoring itself to its former glory. Hearth horrors are typically houses, although they can be groves, caverns, or even enormous castles or complexes. Hearth horrors may come in many shapes and sizes, but they all have one thing in common: their physical form has collapsed, decayed, or been destroyed.
A hearth horror cannot form just anywhere. It forms in a location where great or terrible events have taken place. The horror takes on the personality and alignment of the events that happened there and is typically evil.
The heart of the hearth horror is formed when blood from victims spills upon the soil and sinks deep into the ground. The clot slowly grows in size over the years until it gradually forms into a heart buried in the earth beneath the area of the original construction.
Hellscorn: Hellscorns are the undead manifestations of vitriolic hate that only spurned love can engender. Hellscorns predominantly appear as they did in life; however all hellscorns still bear the open wounds dealt by their capricious lover. Phantasmal blood incessantly pours from the gaping punctures and slashes staining the spirit’s burial garb. In a similar vein, hellscorns killed by poison continuously froth and foam at the mouth, indefinitely regurgitating the toxin responsible for their death.
Inscriber: It has been said that the search for knowledge can be a soul-consuming pursuit. The unfortunate case of the inscribers proves the saying’s literal truth. Every inscriber was once a living scholar who obsessed over a certain field of study. Some inscribers devoted their lives to particulars of occult lore, while others strove to catalog every species of plant in existence or to learn the secrets of creating perfect wine. Regardless of their missions, they shared the same end: after death, their lust for knowledge overcame the laws of nature, driving them to search the world for further information.
Lostling: A creature reduced to 0 points of Wisdom from a lostling's wisdom drain falls into a deep, nightmare-plagued slumber. As a result of this catatonic state, the unfortunate victim eventually dies from starvation or thirst. Creatures dying in this manner transform into lostlings within 1d3 days.
Lostlings are the pitiful souls of creatures of lost individuals who died in the wilderness from starvation or madness.
Neverlasting: The great elves of old were longer-lived, but even they were still mortal. A proud few could not bear the end and chose the path of unlife; never truly living, yet never dying, these are the neverlasting. Through an evil ritual, the flesh is flayed from their heads, their clan banners animate and turn to shadow, their swords gain a powerful enchantment, and their skin becomes as tough as the strongest iron.
Sabulous Husk: Sabulous husks are walking corpses filled with sand, the dry and leathery remains of an unfortunate killed in the desert. They have no intelligence of their own and are animated through the will of the desert itself, being mere containers for the scourging sand within.
Skelton Black: Black skeletons are the remnants of living creatures slain in an area where the ground is soaked through with evil. The bodies of fallen heroes are contaminated and polluted by such evil and within days after their death, the slain creatures rise as black skeletons, leaving their former lives and bodies behind.
Slavering Mouther: Slavering mouthers are thought to be undead gibbering mouthers brought back from the dead by dark powers.

Undead: A deadwood’s power over the undead is awe-inspiring. Its influence over a forest is so strong that the body of any animal or person who falls dead within miles of a deadwood rises as undead creatures, which will most likely spend the rest of their existences guarding the deadwood.
Few mortal creatures have ever attempted to eat an entire deadwood fruit, and none who has is known to have survived. Tales of what might happen to those who “live” through such an attempt vary. Some believe they would gain permanent command over the dead and others that they would be transformed into strange, powerful, and unique undead.
Ghoul: The deadwood exerts its foul influence to a radius of 300 feet for every 2 HD of the tree. Any animal, giant, humanoid, or monstrous humanoid corpse within this range that remains in contact with the ground for 1 full round is animated into a zombie or skeleton. Corpses of humanoids with 2 or 3 class levels are instead turned into ghouls, while those with 4 or more class levels are instead turned into ghasts.
Ghoul Ghast: The deadwood exerts its foul influence to a radius of 300 feet for every 2 HD of the tree. Any animal, giant, humanoid, or monstrous humanoid corpse within this range that remains in contact with the ground for 1 full round is animated into a zombie or skeleton. Corpses of humanoids with 2 or 3 class levels are instead turned into ghouls, while those with 4 or more class levels are instead turned into ghasts.
Skeleton: As a standard action, a bone sovereign can create any number of skeletal monsters from its body.
The deadwood exerts its foul influence to a radius of 300 feet for every 2 HD of the tree. Any animal, giant, humanoid, or monstrous humanoid corpse within this range that remains in contact with the ground for 1 full round is animated into a zombie or skeleton. Corpses of humanoids with 2 or 3 class levels are instead turned into ghouls, while those with 4 or more class levels are instead turned into ghasts.
Zombie: The deadwood exerts its foul influence to a radius of 300 feet for every 2 HD of the tree. Any animal, giant, humanoid, or monstrous humanoid corpse within this range that remains in contact with the ground for 1 full round is animated into a zombie or skeleton. Corpses of humanoids with 2 or 3 class levels are instead turned into ghouls, while those with 4 or more class levels are instead turned into ghasts.

Malevolent Medium Monsters

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Faithslain: When the devout follower of a non-evil deity falls to the overwhelming power of servants to evil deities, they sometimes rise as faithslain. These powerful undead return as the result of exceptionally powerful evil or negative energy attacks suffusing their bodies. Many faithslain rise in the aftermath of an antipaladin’s smite attacks, or from the channeled negative energy of a powerful divine caster. Regardless of how the faithslain originally died, it rises from death, animated by powerful negative energy coursing through its body.
Faithborn: These are the animated souls of evil worshippers slain by the followers of good-aligned deities. Much like faithslain, the faithborn are raised into undeath, but as redeemed creatures seeking to spend their unlife righting the wrongs they made while alive.

Manastorm: World of Shin'ar NPC Codex

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Undead Black Dragon Wyrmlings:

Marshes of Malice

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Cheated Spirit: Some swamp cultures practice athletic competitions where individuals or teams compete against one another in an event with strong religious overtones. The stakes for the participants could not be higher. The victors bask in the glory and live to see another day. The losers, meanwhile, meet their permanent and ignominious end on the playing field. With life and death hanging in the balance, it comes as no surprise that some competitors may attempt to gain an unfair advantage over their rivals. They may bribe game officials to rule in their favor, use illegal equipment, or rely upon outside interference to get a leg up on their opponents. When their plans succeed, the adversary they cheated suffers the fatal consequences. Though the vanquished often fail to realize they were duped, seasoned foes who spot the telltale signs of a rigged outcome vow to avenge their loss. Unwilling to meekly accept undeserved defeat, these slighted souls rise from their graves as the sorest of losers.
Unrequited: When a life is cut short under tragic circumstances long before Nature takes its toll on the mind, body, and spirit, the residual force left in its wake can take physical shape and coalesce into the embodiment of that person’s unrealized potential. An unrequited only forms from the enduring essence of an adolescent humanoid. Small children are too inexperienced and naïve to formulate the complex wants necessary to give rise to one of these creatures, while adults are too jaded and goal oriented to forsake their everyday responsibilities and instead dwell on what may come to pass. It takes at least a year for the creature’s consciousness to take on a life of its own; therefore the brain must remain well-preserved and intact during this strange metamorphosis. The introduction of foreign substances during the typical embalming process imbalances the brain’s unique chemistry and prevents the unrequited from springing into existence. However, corpses that undergo natural processes that impede decomposition, such as the cool, acidic environment found in a bog or fen, are ideal to giving rise to an unrequited. The means of death is another important ingredient for its genesis. Most of these vaporous undead coalesce from an adolescent who died suddenly and violently at another’s hands. Shortly after the being’s demise, the creature’s unfulfilled aspirations take physical form as wispy clouds of crimson vapor. In the coming weeks and months, the swirling scarlet gases gather together in close proximity to the decedent’s final resting place. When the disparate parts merge to create a singularity, the unrequited’s formation is complete and its desires become reality.
Needless to say, an unrequited is a creature borne of supernatural events rather than a natural occurrence. An unrequited appears as swirling, egg-shaped cloud of luminescent, crimson vapors vaguely resembling an angry child. Despite being created from the thoughts of a sentient being, the spiteful undead has no memory of its former existence. It acts upon pure impulse, directing its hatred towards its fellow humanoids, although it cannot distinguish any specific individual from another. An unrequited rarely strays far from its body, thus it is not uncommon to encounter more than one of these monsters in a particular area, especially a locale containing a mass grave associated with a bloody massacre or similar atrocity. Regardless of the number inhabiting that location, they all share the same, common goal — to slay other sentient creatures before they fulfill their hopes and aspirations by emptying their minds of any rational thought. In a few isolated cases, a humanoid adolescent slain by an unrequited later rises to join the ranks of its killer.
On this spot centuries ago the callous soldier systematically butchered 22 mothers and their children. After he finished the deed, he tossed their bodies into these waters. Their suffering was so great, 3 unrequiteds coalesced at the spot.
Tyler Ebbensflow, Advanced Draugr Captain: Unfortunately the horrible circumstances surrounding the deaths of these ships’ sailors left some of them hungry for revenge. A draugr captain with his remaining crewmembers serving as his 2 draugr mates hide within the wreckage of the Flighty Amalie, emerging to attack encroaching humanoids.
William the Mad Crawdad, Duppy: The pool filled with pike also contains the earthly remains of the scuttled rowboat’s only occupant, William the Mad Crawdad — a notorious saboteur, sailor and murderer on the run from distant Endhome. Confident he shook his dogged pursuers, the fugitive blissfully set sail for the shores of the Dragonmarsh Lowlands only to come face to face with a greater horror than a hangman’s noose. The scoundrel ran afoul of the disgusting sea hags, but even their revolting appearance and dread curse could not overcome his evil. He swam toward the wharf and climbed onto dry land, where he outran his enemies straight into Quattu’s waiting tentacles. The aberration and its allies finally meted out justice to William, but even death could not suppress his despicable spirit. The lifelong mariner longed to be buried at sea, a fate the chuul foolishly denied him. Instead, the despicable William’s spirit rose from the grave as a duppy.
Human Meat Puppet: During the struggle, Quattu ordered the crabmen to subject three of the facility’s fish processors to the horrific fate of being gutted and filleted alive. Unbeknownst to the chuul, the revelry of carnage infused the boneless corpses with the necromantic energy that suffuses the marshlands here and animated them as revolting undead creatures.
Hamish MacDuncan, Human Nosferatu Fighter 8: Hamish MacDuncan, a grizzled veteran of distant wars and expatriate of the upper regions of far-off Eamonvale, told the Viroeni matriarch that he knew of a safe path through the accursed bogs that he could guide them on and allow them to escape the confines of the Kingdoms of Foere for the promised freedom of Cailin Lee to the west. A mercenary to the core, though, MacDuncan told them he would do this only if the tribe paid him with all of the gold they had left.
Realizing that a better offer was unlikely to materialize, the matriarch agreed to the deal but promised a curse upon MacDuncan’s eternal soul if he betrayed them and turned the Viroeni over to the hostile locals. MacDuncan swore an oath upon a holy book of Vanitthu he had never felt cause to read and promised he would see them delivered away from the folk they sought to flee. He did not tell them, however, that he had taken gold from those same people to remove the gypsy problem from their midst or that no such safe path through the bog, in fact, existed.
Once in the depths of the Wytch Bog, it was a simple matter for the woods-wise veteran to lead the Viroeni astray, cause them to become separated, and use his swampcraft and battle experience to eliminate them in small groups or one by one through treachery or outright murder. When all was said and done, and the blood-spattered MacDuncan watched the matriarch’s lifeless eye seemingly fix its baleful gaze upon him as her corpse sank beneath the waters of a bog, no more than a handful of the Viroeni had made it out of the swamp alive to tell the tale. But four of those handful did not scatter and flee like the rest. Instead they made their own preparations and returned only a few weeks later.
The four sons of the Viroeni matriarch had managed to elude MacDuncan’s murderous intent but were unable to stop his massacre of their people. When they emerged from the swamp they swore their bond to one another to see their mother’s curse completed. When they returned scant weeks later they were penniless with only the clothes they wore upon their backs to their names — and a new pine coffin carried between them.
The sons found MacDuncan drunk at his isolated home one night when the moon was dark. They set upon the surprised warrior and overpowered him before he could mount a resistance. With thick ropes they bound his coffin closed and carried him deep into the Wytch Bog where he had taken the lives of their kinsmen and women. As MacDuncan sobered up and found himself unable to break free from his confinement, the truth of the situation began to seep into his gin-soaked mind. The last any outside the bog ever heard from him were his muffled cries begging mercy, cursing his captors, and promising eternal revenge. Neither he nor the Viroeni youths was ever seen alive again.
But life — such as it was to become — was not entirely over for Hamish MacDuncan. The Viroeni matriarch’s curse, enacted by the vengeance of her sons, came to fruition when Hamish did not rest easy but awoke after only a short time as a vampiric monster. His immersion in the bog waters had not been kind to his physical body, so he emerged as a grotesque nosferatu, a foul caricature of the vitality he had known in life.
Eladrian, Groaning Spirit: ?
Swamp Mummy: The ghastly reminders of Hamish’s infamous deed are visible throughout the Wytch Bog. Stray bones, personal mementoes, and shreds of clothing line the edges of most stagnant ponds in the accursed parcel of wetlands. These objects, however, can never fully reveal the abject terror the victims experienced during their final moments. These raw emotions stir the dead back into existence as undead monstrosities.

Draugr: Unfortunately the horrible circumstances surrounding the deaths of these ships’ sailors left some of them hungry for revenge. A draugr captain with his remaining crewmembers serving as his 2 draugr mates hide within the wreckage of the Flighty Amalie, emerging to attack encroaching humanoids.
Undead: The PCs’ subsequent delve into the bog enters a haunted realm populated by shambling corpses, vengeful undead creatures, and pathetic spirits borne from Hamish’s genocide.

Midgard Worldbook for 5th Edition and Pathfinder

Spoiler

Sated Fang, Darakhul Monk: ?
King Lucan, Vampire Fighter 9: ?
Darakhul: ?
Undead Centaur Ghost: ?
Emperor Nicoforus The Pale, Darakhul: ?
Thurso Dragonson, Duke of Morgau, Master of the Black Hills, Protector fo the Fane of Blood, Heir to the Twin Thrones, Vampire Wizard 12: ?
Lady Mihaela, Baroness of Doresh, Pale Lady of Fandorin, Vampire Sorcerer 9: ?
Princess Hristina, Protector and Duchess of Krakovar, Grand Marshall of the Ghost Knights, Vampire Fighter 14: ?
Baron Urslav, The Crawling Lord of Vallanoria, Keeper of the Red Sisters, Vampire Rogue 8: ?Lord Mayor Rodyan, The Glutton of Hangksburg, Vampire Wizard 12: ?
Countess Urzana Dolingen of Morgau, Vampire Wizard 13: ?
Lady Darvulia, Voivodina of Cloudwall, Keeper of the Gate Subterranean, Vampire Fighter 13: ?
Commander Balenus of the Ghost Knights, Vampire Fighter 11: ?
Shroudeater: ?
Lady Chesmaya, Voivodina of the Verdant Tower, Lich: ?
Liquid Zombie: ?
Undead Purple Worm: ?
Deathwisp: ?
Count Warrin, Vampire Lord: ?
Otmar the Sallow, Vampire Lord: ?
Strigoi: ?
Draugir: ?
Ibbalan the Illustrious, Ancient Undead Gold Dragon: ?
Gray Thirster: ?
Undead Gnoll: ?
Ghul King: ?
God-King Irsu Thanetsi Khamet, Eye of Anu-Akma and Warden of the Red Portal: ?
Hungry Shade: Long ago, the desert swallowed up the remnants of a foolish Mharoti army. Occasionally, hungry shades emerge from the sands near the ruins of Iram, City of Pillars. These are the undead spirits of the hapless soldiers of the Dragon Empire, doomed to follow their general’s last commands until a new master learns how to control them.
Catfolk Mummy: ?
Menet-Ka: Menet-Ka was a minor king in ancient Nuria Natal who was buried beneath an oasis fed by an underground branch of the River Nuria and close to a powerful ley line. The plan was that the blessed waters of the river would flow into the dead king after entombment, and he would return to life gifted with staggering power. Unfortunately, Menet-Ka’s corruption meant he returned as an undead creature, and his tomb now serves as a death trap, designed to steal the breath from any who dare to disturb his final resting place.
Ghost Head Goblin Horror: This infamous tribe contains
as many undead goblins as living ones. They are led by Kamelk Twice-Killed, an unstoppable force who has been slain both as a living goblin and as a ghost, securing his legend when he returned each time. Many of his followers have undergone rituals to become undead “horrors.”
Kamelk Twice-Killed: ?
Undead Giant: Cursed with long lives and restless deaths, these giants are joyless at best and feral at worst.
With each passing year, increasing numbers of giant corpses—sometimes one or two, other times entire tribes—are driven up from the ground. Their animated bodies rise up to walk the land, pursue strange goals, and protect otherwise barren areas without discernible cause. When a giant’s body fails to rest quietly, its soul returns to haunt its living descendants.
Vaettir: ?
Will o' Wisp: ?
Vilmos Marquering, The Black Fang: ?
Beggar Ghoul: ?
Duke Wierdunn Bonehand: ?
Duchess Angvyr Ssetha, The Lady of Chains, Slave Mistress of Chaingard: ?
Duke Eloghar Vorghesht, Regent of Evernight, High Priest of Vardesain: ?
Duke Borag the Executioner, Warlord of Gallwheor: ?
Duchess Mikalea Soulreaper, Lorekeeper of Ossean, Darakhul Wizard: ?
Valengurd the Confessor, Darakhul Wizard: ?
Imperial Ghoul: ?
Iron Ghoul: ?
Vizorakh the Ravenous, Cave Dragon Dracolich: Vizorakh the Ravenous, thought long gone like all cave dragons of sufficient age, clings to existence. This ancient horror sought out great wizards of the Ghoul Imperium and burrowed into forgotten dungeons beneath the earth in search of salvation. On the brink of death, it found its answer. Vizorakh cast its soul into an onyx gemstone the size of an elephant and passed into undeath. It rose again as a dracolich, no longer hungering for flesh but for the souls of its own kind.

Undead: The serpents in the hills around the valley offer a deadly hazard to those wishing to find the garden. Grandmother's magic has made the snakes' venom particularly deadly; those suffering a bite from these enchanted snakes typically die within hours of being injected. To make matters worse, the bodies of those who die from the poison sometimes return as foul undead monstrosities.
The fire lords make their home in a range of volcanoes called the Blodejord (“Crib of Earth’s Blood,” in the Jotun tongue), rising around the charred and desolate remains of what once was a stunningly fertile valley. Fire and ash erupt into the air, and any who die covered by the Crib’s enchanted ashes rise again as twisted undead.
Fire giant necromancers of Sengajordensblod are using the Crib-ash to raise an undead horde and to forge Surtalogi, the great weapon of Ragnarok.
Ghoul: ?
Haunt: ?
Vampire: ?
Lich: ?
Ghost: When Chernobog walks the earth in the dark of the moon and during eclipses, winds rise and howl, animals grow skittish and dogs bite, and ghosts rise from every grave.
Zombie: When he’s not indulging his foul appetites for blood and sex, the Lord Mayor likes to spend time nurturing the necrotic ticks he is breeding in the laboratory beneath his mansion. He uses them to create zombies to fight in the gladiatorial arena close to the city’s central Hangman’s Square.
Skeleton: ?
Specter: ?
Burning Skeleton: ?
Wraith: ?
Mummy: ?
Wight: ?
Shadow: ?
Ghast: ?

Monster Advancement Enhanced Undead

Spoiler

Enhanced Undead Creature Template: “Enhanced Undead Creature” is an inherited or acquired template that can be added to any corporeal undead creature with a minimum CR of 2 (before applying this template) and an Intelligence score of 4 or more. At the GM’s discretion, the template might be added to incorporeal undead creatures as well.
Enhanced Dwarf Skeletal Champion Warrior 1: ?
Enhanced Cairn Wight Rogue 2: ?
Enhanced Elf Zombie Lord Wizard 8: ?
Enhanced Lamia Juju Zombie Inquisitor 6: ?
Enhanced Mummy Cleric 13: ?
Enhanced Skeletal Champion Fighter 16: ?

Monster Focus: Ghouls

Spoiler

Ghast Lord: A ghast lord can be made by casting create undead by a 14th level caster.
Gluttonous Ghoul: These variants can be created using create undead by a 12th level caster.
Leaping Ghoul: These variants can be created using create undead by a 12th level caster.

Skeleton: ?
Zombie: ?
Ghoul: A ghoul’s bite carries a terrible disease that can rot flesh and dull the reflexes. Those who die from it become a ghoul themselves.
A humanoid that dies from ghoul fever rises as a ghoul at the next midnight. Those that possess 4 HD or more instead rise as a ghast.
Animate Ghoul spell.
Ghast: A humanoid that dies from ghoul fever rises as a ghoul at the next midnight. Those that possess 4 HD or more instead rise as a ghast.
Ghast Tooth alchemical item.

Animate Ghoul
School necromancy [evil]; Level antipaladin 4, cleric 4, sorcerer/wizard 5
Casting Time 1 standard action
Components V, S, M (piece of rotting flesh and an onxy gemstone worth 100 gp)
Range touch
Target one corpse
Duration instantaneous
Saving Throw none; Spell Resistance no
This spell causes one humanoid corpse to rise as a ghoul under your control. As long as the corpse is a Medium humanoid, it rises as a standard ghoul, regardless of any class levels, Hit Dice, or abilities it had in life. This spell can also be used on a Small humanoid to create a Small ghoul. If the caster is 11th level or higher, it can be used on the corpse of a Large humanoid to create a Large ghoul. If the caster is at least 13th level, this spell can be used to create a ghast instead, but the material component changes to an onyx gemstone worth at least 200 gp. Undead created by this spell are loyal to the caster, but are subject to the usual Hit Dice limit for the number of undead that can be controlled (as per animate dead).

Ghast Tooth: This alchemical component is made from the yellowed fang from a slain ghast. If imbedded into the tongue of a dead creature before casting animate ghoul or create undead, the ghast tooth causes the creature to rise up as a ghast, regardless of caster’s level and material component used. In addition, the ghast receives a +2 racial bonus to the DC of its stench ability.

Monster Focus: Graveling

Spoiler

Graveling: Made from dead flesh stretched over an odd assortment of bones, this small twisted thing moves with surprising speed.
Created by fledgling necromancers, these undead things can often be found skulking about their lair performing menial tasks.
Necromancy is a dangerous art to master. Such black magic tampers with the forces of life and death and the resulting creations are usually lethal. While many are reckless in their pursuit of power, those that start off cautiously often create gravelings. These tiny undead creatures are little more than a collection of dead flesh held together by simple stitches, and animated with the most rudimentary of skills.
Animate Graveling spell.

Animate Graveling
School necromancy [evil]; Level antipaladin 1, cleric 1, sorcerer/wizard 1
Casting Time 1 standard action
Components V, S, M (an onyx gemstone worth 25 gp per graveling created)
Range touch
Target one or more lumps of flesh touched
Duration instantaneous
Saving Throw none; Spell Resistance no
This spell functions like animate dead, but it causes one or more lumps of flesh and bone to animate as a graveling under your control. You can animate one graveling per casting of this spell, plus one additional graveling for every two caster levels you possess, maximum 5. These gravelings count against the total number of undead you can control, as per animate dead.

Monster Focus: Liches

Spoiler

Apprentice Lich: Some liches do not gain the full powers of their kind, either as the result of a failed transformation or due to the soul vessel spell. In either case, the magic of these lesser liches slowly wanes over time and unless they can find a way to stabilize the necromantic power that grants them unlife, they eventually crumble to dust. Known as apprentice liches, they are no less deadly, even if they are slowly falling apart.
A powerful necromancer just recently attempted to become a lich, but his formulas were flawed and although he did not die, he is now an apprentice lich.
Soul Vessel spell.
Blackfrost Lich: ?
Gloom Lich: As the centuries fade away, some liches begin to learn that their corporeal forms are deteriorating. As they crumble, the lich gains even greater control over what remains.

Lich: ?

Soul Vessel
School necromancy; Level cleric 8, sorcerer/wizard 8
Casting Time 1 minute
Components V, S, F (gen encrusted phylactery worth 10,000 gp)
Range personal
Target you
Duration 1 hour/level
This spell hides a portion of your soul away in a specially prepared phylactery. If you are slain at any point during the duration of this spell, and the phylactery is undamaged, it immediately shatters, releasing a black vapor that solidifies over the next hour to form a new body for you. At the end of this time, you are brought back to life with 1 hit point. You do not take any negative levels as a result of this spell, but any gear or magic items that were on your body are not transferred to your new form, unless of course you retrieve them. If the congealing vapor is disturbed at all during the 1 hour required to form your new body, the spell fails and you remain dead. You can only have on instance of this spell in operation at one time. Any subsequent castings fail. If you are slain by a death effect and your body is animated using create greater undead, the black vapor quickly flows to the undead form, causing you to rise as an apprentice lich, free from the control of the creature that cast create greater undead.

Monster Focus: Mummies

Spoiler

Decrepit Mummy: After centuries spent locked away inside a tomb, the magic that binds some mummies begins to falter.
Mummy Priest: When a high priest is mummified, they sometimes retain some of the powers they had in life, granting them the ability to cast spells and use other foul powers.
These variants can be created using create undead by a 17th level caster.
Shifting Mummy: These variants can be created using create undead by a 17th level caster.

Mummy: Made from a desiccated and preserved corpse, wrapped in sacred bandages, this undead creature is known as a mummy.

Monster Focus: Skeletons

Spoiler

Decrepit Skeleton: These skeletons are so ancient that the magic that binds them is beginning to fail. They are often missing parts of their bodies, such as an arm or a number of ribs. Some even lack legs and instead must crawl about. Decrepit skeletons cannot be intentionally created.
Monstrous Skeleton: Skeletons made from the bodies of larger monsters have been known to have a wide variety of abilities and this simple addition allows them to retain some of the abilities they had in life. A monstrous skeleton can be created with animate dead, but it counts as twice the number of Hit Dice for that spell.
Skeletal Lord: A skeletal lord cannot be created without powerful evil rituals.

Skeleton: The creature is a skeleton, an undead abomination created from the bones of a dead creature.
Animate Dead Minor spell.
Call the Dead spell.
Bone Sword magic item.
Zombie: Animate Dead Minor spell.
Bleeding Skeleton: Call the Dead spell.
Burning Skeleton: Call the Dead spell.
Skeletal Champion: ?

Animate Dead, Minor
School necromancy [evil]; Level cleric 1, sorcerer/wizard 2
Target one corpse touched
Duration 1 day
This spell functions as animate dead except that it can create one standard humanoid skeleton or zombie with a maximum number of HD equal to your caster level, to a maximum 5 Hit Dice at 5th level. You cannot have more than one undead creature under your control through this spell. If you cast this spell a second time, the first creature immediately crumbles to dust. This creature counts against your maximum limit of undead creatures you can control.

Call the Dead
School necromancy [evil]; Level cleric 8, sorcerer/wizard 9
Casting Time 4 hours
Components V, S, M (skull of a powerful undead creature, onyx gemstone worth 5,000 gp)
Range medium (100 ft. + 10 ft./level)
Targets all corpses in a 100-ft. spread
Duration 1 hour/level (D)
Saving Throw none; Spell Resistance no
Calling on the grim powers of death, you cause all the corpses in the area to rise up as skeletons under your control. This spell affects corpses buried underground as well, up to a depth of 10 feet, although such undead take 1d4 minutes to claw their way up to the surface. These skeletons can be made into burning or bleeding skeletons at the time of casting by reducing the duration to 10 minutes per level. These undead do not count against your Hit Die limit for the amount of undead you can control. These undead must be commanded as a single group and cannot be split up to perform multiple tasks. If you are slain, these undead immediately crumble to dust.

Bone Sword
Aura moderate necromancy; CL 10th
Slot none; Price 16,315 gp; Weight 4 lbs.
This ancient blade appears to be made from bone, but it is as hard as steel. Once per day, when this +2 longsword is used to deliver the killing blow to a humanoid creature, the bone sword can be used as a swift action to cause the creature’s flesh to melt away and its body to rise up as a skeleton under the wielder’s control, as if using lesser animate dead (Ultimate Magic). The skeleton can have no more than 5 Hit Dice when created in this way. The sword wielder cannot control more than one skeleton in this way at a time. If the sword is used again to create a skeleton, any previous skeleton created by the sword immediately crumbles to dust. This skeleton does not count against the Hit Die limit of undead that the wielder can control, but if the wielder ever loses the bone sword the undead becomes uncontrolled until a creature picks up the sword, gaining control of the skeleton.
Construction Craft Magic Arms and Armor, lesser animate dead; Cost 8,315 gp

Monster Focus: Zombies

Spoiler

Corpse Field: Even once destroyed, the severed limbs and heads of zombies are not completely dead. Such undead refuse is often left littering the field of battle, although it is sometimes known to erupt from the ground in a cemetery suffused with evil.
Brood Zombie: A brood zombie can be made by casting create undead and summon swarm or insect plague by a 15th level caster.
Swarm of Undead Beetles, Centipedes, and Ants: ?
Relentless Zombie: A relentless can be created with animate dead, but it counts as twice the number of Hit Dice for that spell.
Virulent Zombie: A virulent can be created with animate dead, but it counts as twice the number of Hit Dice for that spell.

Zombie: Flesh Rot spell.
Ash Pendant magic item.
Plague Zombie: Anyone who dies while infected with zombie rot rises as a plague zombie in 2d6 hours.

Flesh Rot
School necromancy [evil]; Level antipaladin 3, cleric 4,
sorcerer/wizard 5
Casting Time 1 standard action
Components V, S
Range touch
Target living creature touched
Duration instantaneous
Saving Throw Will partial; Spell Resistance yes
This spell causes a creature’s flesh to rot from its bones and if slain, to rise as a zombie under your control. When you cast this spell, your hand takes on sickly green aura. Using this spell requires a melee touch attack. If the attack hits, the target takes 1d6 points of damage per caster level you possess, to a maximum of 12d6 points of damage. If the target is slain by this attack, it rises as a zombie under your control on the following round (as if using animate dead, maximum 12 Hit Dice). The target is allowed a Will save to reduce the damage to 1 point per caster level. If the save is successful, the target does not rise as an undead, even if the attack kills it. Any bonuses on saving throws against disease apply to this effect. This spell has no effect on targets that are immune to disease.

Zombie Plague
School necromancy [evil]; Level cleric 3, sorcerer/wizard 4
Casting Time 1 standard action
Components V, S
Range touch
Target living creature touched
Duration instantaneous
Saving Throw Fortitude negates; Spell Resistance yes
This spell infects the target with zombie rot. The disease is contracted immediately upon a failed Fortitude save (no onset time). If the target dies while under the effects of this disease, this spell does not confer control of the zombie to the spellcaster.
Zombie Rot—spell; save Fort DC as per the spell; onset none; frequency 1 day; effect 1d2 Con damage; cure 2 consecutive saves. Anyone who dies while infected rises as a plague zombie in 2d6 hours.

Ash Pendant
Aura faint necromancy; CL 5th
Slot neck; Price 750 gp; Weight 1 lbs.
This pale white pendant is carved from the heartwood of an ash tree grown in a cemetery. One end of the pendant contains a silver reservoir filled with ashes. These ashes can be spread upon the forehead of a corpse that died within the past day, causing it to animate as a zombie with up to 5 Hit Dice on the following round. This zombie is under the control of the pendant’s wearer and does not count against the total number of Hit Dice of undead that the wearer can control. The pendant can only be used once and it crumbles to dust if the zombie is destroyed.
Construction Craft Wondrous Item, animate dead; Cost 375 gp

Monster Hunters Dark Europe

Spoiler

Banshee: A banshee is the restless spirit of a powerful fae creature.
Banshee Lesser: A banshee is the restless spirit of a powerful fae creature.

Monster Menagerie Oceans of Blood

Spoiler

Toothwraith: Toothwraiths are apex predators that refused to release their grip on life. Originally massive sharks (or more rarely great crocodiles or dragon turtles), a toothwraith has willed itself back into existence.

Monster Menagerie Ravagers of Time

Spoiler

Time Wraith: A humanoid or monstrous humanoid slain while it has any temporary damage on it from a temporal wraith’s dissonance power becomes a temporal wraith in 1d4 rounds (regardless of what actually slays it).
Temporal wraiths are the spirits of those killed while in contact with the timestream, or by powerful chronal magics.

Monster Menagerie Seasonal Stars Pumpkin Stalker

Spoiler

Death-o-Lantern Pumpkin Stalker Mohrg: The death-o-lantern is among the most dangerous of pumpkin stalkers, generally created by powerful evil forces bargaining to grant a servant to a druid grieving terrible loss and seeking vengeance, a coven of hags, or powerful diabolist-necromancer.

Zombie Fast: Humanoid creatures killed by a pumpkin stalker mohrg rise immediately as fast zombies.

Monster Menagerie: The Kingdom of Graves

Spoiler

Bean Chaointe: Bean chaointe, or keening women, are the spirits of strong willed women that die tragically, often from betrayal.
Bean chaointe are often part of a noble line, or a family that served such a line loyally, and they are bound to haunt their families serving as both boon and curse.
Bloodknight Human Vampire Fighter 11: A bloodknight can create spawn out of those it slays with its blood drain or energy drain, provided that the slain creature is of the same creature type as the vampire’s base creature type. The victim rises from death as a vampire in 1d4 days, under the command of the bloodknight. A bloodknight may have enslaved spawn totaling no more then twice it’s own hit dice; any spawn it creates that exceeds this limit are free-willed undead. The bloodknight may free enslaved spawn to create new spawn, but can never regain control over the freed undead again. The bloodknight can elect to create a full fledged bloodknight in place of a spawn, but rarely do so, viewing them as dangerous rivals. At most, a bloodknight may create a single of its own kind to serve as a squire.
Dark Messenger: ?
Lich Tyrant Human Lich Aristocrat 10: Typically created from an aging nobleman or king who has a deep seated fear of death, and who refuses to yield their power, they make pacts with dark powers for immortality.
Unlike its more powerful kin, a lich tyrant does not have to create its own phylactery, instead having it crafted by others. The lich’s greatest weakness is that the phylactery must bear his or her likeness. It may be a masterful painting, a carefully carved gem, or an entire statue. This makes them far more obvious (and thus vulnerable) to bold heroes.
Masque Ghul: A humanoid that dies of a masque ghul's ghoul fever rises as a masque ghul at the next midnight.
Night Dragon: Night dragons form from the collective unconscious and spirit of a land ravaged by the horrors of the undead, or by fiendish incursion. It is a heraldic symbol of the land itself, rising in an attempt to repair the massive damage. They are most common where the dragon was once a common symbol of rank and nobility, but honor and duty have been abandoned in favor of undeath and/or debauchery.
Night dragons are formed from the scraps of many different dragons, brought together by unknowable magic belonging to nature itself. In lands where dragons are unknown, or not heraldic symbols, sometimes massive lions, or great eagles rise in their place.
Rot Giant: Rot giants are typically created as living siege engines and bodyguards by the most powerful of undead rulers, although in rare cases they do arise spontaneously.
Soul Harvester: They are born of local officials, usually tax collectors or judges, who used their position to leach off those they were meant to serve. Most are killed in an act of revenge for some sin committed on their neighbors, only to return and take up literally feeding on the mortals they abused while still alive.

Skeleton: A rot giant can take a full round action to gape its jaws like a snake and consume the corpse of a Medium or smaller target. On the next round, as a standard action it can disgorge a skeleton with HD equal to the consumed victim.
Vampire: A bloodknight can create spawn out of those it slays with its blood drain or energy drain, provided that the slain creature is of the same creature type as the vampire’s base creature type. The victim rises from death as a vampire in 1d4 days, under the command of the bloodknight. A bloodknight may have enslaved spawn totaling no more then twice it’s own hit dice; any spawn it creates that exceeds this limit are free-willed undead. The bloodknight may free enslaved spawn to create new spawn, but can never regain control over the freed undead again. The bloodknight can elect to create a full fledged bloodknight in place of a spawn, but rarely do so, viewing them as dangerous rivals. At most, a bloodknight may create a single of its own kind to serve as a squire.

Monster Movie Matinee

Spoiler

Unstoppable Maniac: These human-looking abominations are created when a suitable victim dies does of neglect or another traumatic experience.

Monsters of NeoExodus: Scythian

Spoiler

Scythian Cemetery: Scythian cemeteries sometimes form in areas where many Scythians have died (such as the site of a battle where extensive necromantic magic was used).
Skeleton Scythian: Skeletons created with Scythian bones are all burning exploding skeletons, except they inflict piercing damage instead of fire. Their immunity to fire is replaced by immunity to piercing weapons.

Monsters of Porphyra

Spoiler

Barrow Wight: Any humanoid creature that is slain by a barrow wight becomes a barrow wight itself in only 1d4 rounds.
The barrow wight is a product of material greed. When a being so corrupted by their own greed dies through a covetous action or simple neglect for their own well-being, they possess the potential to rise as a barrow wight. This potential becomes a certainty, if they are buried alongside their wealth.
Fukuranbou: Its own vanity eventually led to the creature’s death and resurrection as an unholy abomination.
Iron Lich: “Ironclad Lich” is an acquired template that can be applied to any psionic creature capable for creating the required mechanical body.
An integral part of becoming an ironclad lich is the creation of the body in which the character stores his soul and the soul cages it traps its memory and psionic energy within.
Each ironclad lich must create its own ironclad body using the Craft Construct feat and its own soul cages by using the Craft Cognizance Crystal feat. The character must be able to manifest powers and have a manifester level of 11th or higher. The iron body costs 24,500 gp to create and its soul cages for 30,000 gp a piece.
The most common form of soul cage is a metal lantern with an embedded crystal that radiates light in a 30 ft. radius. The lantern is sealed and has psionic sigils covering its surface. The soul cage is tiny has 40 hit points, hardeness 20, and break DC of 40.
Pattern of Suffering Ironclad Lich Human Cryptic 11: ?
Knollman: ?
Octospine: The octospine is a hideous creature, believed to be the creation of a demon lord.
Sage Whisperer: Some say, that the sage whisperers are the undying souls of the lost Savants of the Fifth Element, but these are merely speculations.
Shebbah: Shebbah (translated to ‘pitied one’) is the restless spirit of a geniekind, its soul torn from its body by terrible divine magic.
Undead Elementals: ‘Ordinary’ elementals may also be bound to the Material Plane through energy level drain from spell or creature.
Vampiric Dragon: “Vampiric dragon” is an acquired template that can be applied to any dragon.
A dragon or magical beast slain by a vampiric dragon’s energy drain attack rises as a vampiric thrall 1d4 days after death.
The majority of vampiric dragons have been created by way of a vain, old dragon, or one with a task that needs a very long time to complete, trading a significant amount of treasure in exchange for a necromantic process that leaves the dragon a free-willed, though blood-desiring undead.
Auroscruour Ancient Vampiric Gold Dragon: He allowed the necromancers of The Empire of the Dead to transform him into a vampire.
Vampiric Thrall: A vampiric thrall is normally created when a living creature willingly takes a blood gift from a vampire or vampire scion. The master must give up at least 10 hp in blood (this heals normally), and gains 1 negative level for every 4 HD of thralls it creates (round down).
A vampiric dragon can also create a vampiric thrall simply by reducing a creature’s Constitution to 0 through blood drain. It does not incur negative levels for doing so.
“Vampiric thrall” is a acquired template that can be applied to any corporeal animal or magical beast.
Vampiric Thrall Giant Frog: ?
Vampiric Thrall Axe Beak: ?
Zombie Rat: Whenever one zombie rat dies, another 1d6 zombie rats spawns from its womb.

Ghoul: The sickness of vanity that consumed the soul of the fukuranbou now manifests itself as a powerful wasting curse that it can inflict with its claws. Several small villages have been lost to this curse. Victims who die this way sometimes come back from the dead as ghouls.

Monsters of Porphyra 2

Spoiler

Arborgeist: When a treant meets a gruesome end at the hands of fire and great evil, the pain and horror of this fate sometimes proves too intense for the benign spirit to find rest even in death. The treant’s soul becomes twisted and corrupted, returning as a terrible spirit of vengeance known as an arborgeist.
Assassin Spirit: When an assassin or contract killer dies and is barred from the afterlife their unclean soul continues to haunt the world as an assassin spirit.
Besieged Undead: Besieged undead are unholy creatures created in times of great peril with limited resources. A single well-preserved corpse is used to make a three undead creatures (along with some nails, wire, bindings, and unholy luck).
Bonesman: ?
Muscleman: These gruesome foes are composed of stitched together muscle, grafted weapons, and a spirit of malice.
Gritman: Gritmen are created from the skin of a humanoid creature that has been stitched together and filled with sand to replace its muscles and bones.
Burning One: In the earliest days of the NewGod Wars, the forces of Gerana met with terrible defeat as a number of Lady Justice’s paladins and knights fell to Ashamar Shining’s forces. These unfortunate souls were corrupted and transformed into the first burning ones and made to turn against their former allies.
Defidi: A grippli that dies of disease and is subsequently animated by necromantic magic becomes more than a mere zombie, bearing faint traces of its former tribal existence and a desire to serve evil powers.
Some few grippli achieve undeath to defidi through personal evil behavior and death by disease; these would be the solitary encounters of these undead frog-people.
Ghost of the Hunt: When an animal is brutally killed and its bones are left to rot, the animal’s spirit may not escape the mortal remains and instead animate its remains as an undead spirit.
Kuchisake-Onna: Kuchisake-onna are disturbed and vengeful spirits of mutilated women.
Janhutu-Imra: ?
Qutrub: Qutrub that incapacitate humans, usually through ghoulish paralysis, will restrain and take them to their lairs. During the next new moon, the qutrub will force their victims to eat humanoid flesh, completing a ritual that will turn them into a qutrub within 1d12 minutes. Only humans are affected, and can become qutrub.
The ancient curse of the qutrub is said to have been placed upon the followers of an arrogant ancient king, who defied the Elemental Lords and was turned to stone for his perfidy. His petrified body was cast into the sky, and remains today as the First Moon. His similarly defiant followers became the qutrub, bound by the light of the moon to exist in horrific ghoulish shape, or the moon-worshiping great wolves that howl their defiance, as that primeval king once did.
Malison: A malison is a foul and spiteful undead formed by the union of a humanoid’s fury with the dying curse of a god.
This likely mirrors the death cry of minor godlings that perish throughout the Multiverse, their death-spark giving rise to the creation of a malison, with the dying rage of sentients in any given location. There is no known way to replicate the creation of a malison with necromantic magic, though circumstances could certainly be manipulated, should the evil being doing so know enough about this type of undead.
Nang Tani: They come into existence when a young humanoid female dies before marrying or having children, and her spirit enters a banana tree which grows near her village.
Walking Disease: Humanoid creatures killed by a walking disease’s massive infection rise as a new walking disease in 1d4 days.
Nearly all of these infectious agents remain simple, non-sentient organisms, but some inexplicably form a vast symbiotic community on a humanoid corpse that acquires a degree of intelligence, plaguing the subterranean world as the dreaded walking disease. Although seemingly created as a part of a natural evolution, sages unanimously agree that humanoid intervention undoubtedly plays a role in the birth of this horrific scourge.

Undead: Those killed by death elementals often return as undead creatures.
Undead are once-living creatures animated by spiritual or supernatural forces.
Bhuta: A yaksha that dies on the Material Plane sometimes becomes a foul and dreaded bhuta, undead manipulator of animals; possibly a lingering curse from the betrayed Elemental Lords.

Monsters of Sin Collection

Spoiler

Bone Swarm: Life drives the world forward in a way that the undead, even mindless undead like skeletons, recall and yearn to relive. On rare occasions, this yearning brings the pugnacious spirits of fallen undead together, bonded together by a common craving: to feel alive again. They gather up what is left of their bones from life, as well as any other bones they come across, and form bone swarms.
Lovelorn: Lovelorn are ghosts who died with broken hearts. Their lives were ruined when they were jilted in their every attempt at love or latched onto a selfish lover, the emotional damage they suffered remaining with them beyond death.
Spiteful Spirit: An undead spirit duplicate that rises from the body of a warrior killed in battle, a spiteful spirit is raw fury made manifest. Enraged by the manner in which it died, or just too caught up in the intensity of combat to notice that it’s dead, the combative core of the warrior continues to fight without thought until it’s defeated or it finally fades away.
“Spiteful Spirit” is an acquired template that can be added to any living creature with 2 or more Hit Dice immediately after it dies.
A spiteful spirit rises instantly upon the death of its corporeal form.

Mor Aldenn Creature Compendium

Spoiler

Black Glass Undead: They only come into existence through radically powerful spells and artifacts. They are never created by accident, but only through a dedicated effort to create a creature of very dark power and overwhelming evil.
“Black Glass Undead” is an acquired template that can be added to any corporeal undead creature.
Black Glass Wight: ?

Wight: Any humanoid creature that is slain by a black glass wight becomes a wight itself in only 1d4 rounds.

Mountains of Madness

Spoiler

Summiteer: Some individuals that take up mountain climbing find that as they get closer to the summit and face the ever-increasing dangers of continuing become more consumed with reaching their desired goal than surviving the harrowing ordeal. Experienced mountaineers refer to the obsession as “summit fever.” Those suffering from this affliction let mania replace judgment. At these extreme altitudes, there is no room for error. Bone-chilling cold, howling winds, and the lack of oxygen cause mistakes fatal. The brave souls that succeed in this perilous mission tragically pass by the frozen corpses of those that failed on their way to and from the top of the mountain. There are times though, when the harsh elements and even death itself cannot sate the ambitions of determined mountaineers. These driven individuals rise from their icy, trailside graves at the highest elevations to deny others pursuing the prize that eluded them in life.
Though many humanoids races have died in their vain attempts to defeat the mountain, summiteers are exclusively human.
Sphinx Zombie: During the library’s last chaotic days, the cowardly Thanopsis cajoled the library’s most frequent visitors and patrons into fighting against the orcs besieging the surrounding settlement. Most gladly took up arms at the powerful wizard’s behest, but the aloof sphinx, Travvok, refused. The spiteful wizard never forgot Travvok’s betrayal. When she returned to peruse the library’s shelves after Arcady’s demise, the angry Thanopsis momentarily forgot his fear and killed the beast that had abandoned him in his darkest hour. In a deliberately ironic twist, he transformed Travvok into a sphinx zombie that guards the library today.

Skeleton: Xiled clerics then animate their lifeless corpses and compel these skeletons and zombies to serve their new masters for the remainder of their undead existence.
Each morning, the desperate necromancer animates his former tests subjects and other dead humanoids from the grounds around the library and sends them into battle against the dwarven garrison how guarding the Southern Pass.
Zombie: Xiled clerics then animate their lifeless corpses and compel these skeletons and zombies to serve their new masters for the remainder of their undead existence.
Each morning, the desperate necromancer animates his former tests subjects and other dead humanoids from the grounds around the library and sends them into battle against the dwarven garrison how guarding the Southern Pass.
Vampire: ?
Lich: ?
Shadow: The vengeful Ankehaton slew two of his killers, turning them into 2 shadows.
Undead: She tells the PCs that she fears that the individuals plundering the burial mound may be disturbing the final resting place of Gurdkin Feycleaver, an ancient dwarf thane with a reputation for savagery and evil. Myths and legends claim that the covetous royal vowed to defend his earthly treasures even after he departed this world. Naturally, she is very worried that Gurdkin may fulfill his promise and return to the land of the living as an undead horror.
For Thanopsis, the act of dying irreparably corrupts the individual, regardless of whether the soul embarks on an eternal journey into the afterlife or not, or the body or spirit is reanimated by an arcane or divine force.
The building’s current resident transformed some of his former colleagues into his undead servants.
The Kingdom of Arcady’s human subjects never died. Instead, they retreated into a great necropolis, where they were mummified and transformed into a variety of undead monsters. (This is a false rumor.)
The Khemitites, the library’s builders, were obsessed with the afterlife. Those unwilling to pass onto the next world were sometimes transformed into undead monstrosities. Mummification was also a common practice, and it was not uncommon for the dead to arise from their coffins and terrorize the living.
Barrow Wight: At the time of her son’ s death, his mother beseeched her priests to prevent others from animating her son’s corpse as an undead abomination, but they could do nothing to quell the evil that burned within his malevolent soul. The wicked thane underwent the transformation into a barrow wight shortly after being sealed in his coffin.
Any humanoid creature that is slain by a barrow wight becomes a barrow wight itself in only 1d4 rounds.
Lantern Goat: ?
Spellgorged Zombie: If this occurs, the troubled wizard calls upon his two former protégés who now serve him in death. Shortly after the library’s fall, Thanopsis transformed these unfortunate souls into 2 spellgorged zombies.
Hoar Spirit: ?
Crypt Thing: Thanopsis and a visiting priest combined forces to create the crypt thing that protects the ossuary and Thanopsis’ tomb from defilement.
Greater Shadow: At first glance, it appears that the skeleton resting atop the larger slab was an unfortunate soul who died at an inopportune time. However, further inspection reveals that the person was in fact alive for at least part of the procedure. A successful DC 20 Perception check reveals portions of his fingernails embedded into the stone surface and deep scratches on the bones corresponding with the fingertips. The skeleton belongs to Ankehaton, the only priest who refused to turn his back on Aten and worship Ahriman, the wicked lord of the divs. Atumshutsep and four other clerics horrifically murdered their fellow priest, but the ghastly act and the presence of a dark entity infused Ankehaton’s soul with evil and rage. His spirit survived and transformed into a greater shadow.
Huecuva: The nihilistic Ahriman gave his greatest gift to his newfound converts — complete and utter destruction. The wicked being betrayed them even as their former patron Aten condemned them as well. The Khemitian god transformed the heretics into 5 huecuvas.

Mystical Kingdom of Monsters Haunted Eve Monster Pack

Spoiler

Festrog Pup: Haunted Eve is an important time of year for festrogs, especially within the Scribe’s Marsh. With the veil between life and death thin, the ghoul hounds form into packs able to create more of their own kind by awakening and transforming corpses through twisted magic.
Festrog: Haunted Eve is an important time of year for festrogs, especially within the Scribe’s Marsh. With the veil between life and death thin, the ghoul hounds form into packs able to create more of their own kind by awakening and transforming corpses through twisted magic.
Festrog Dire: Haunted Eve is an important time of year for festrogs, especially within the Scribe’s Marsh. With the veil between life and death thin, the ghoul hounds form into packs able to create more of their own kind by awakening and transforming corpses through twisted magic. The alphas who lead these packs also use this temporary boost in power to become dire festrogs.
Pumpkin Lord: The oldest of jack-o’-lanterns and scarecrows become pumpkin lords.
Crawling Claw: When the Scribe’s Brush started its twisted transformation into a swamp, investigators and slayers were hired by the king to find out why it was happening. On several occasions, the creatures that these adventurers found would lash out, maiming or outright killing them. Eventually, only slayers would venture into the marsh at night, and only under direct orders to do so. Still, many never returned whole.
As time passed and monster training became the prevalent occupation within the Kingdom, researchers and scouts would take the place of the slayers, capturing monsters and researching them. The magic used by the trainers seeped into the ground, filling the area in which so many had lost limb and life.
The side effect of these events is the crawling claw; a creature some fear for its eerie resemblance to a humanoid hand.
Nightwalker: Like the humans who are transformed into foulspawn, fey beings that are touched by the Void sometimes become shadowy monstorin known as nightshades.
Skeleton Monsters: Unlike traditional skeletons, skeleton monsters are not the reanimated remains of their dead ilk. They are, instead, a collection of monsters that take on the likeness of other creatures in order to gain access to their essence and magic. For this reason, a trainer’s normal monster cannot grow into a skeleton monster; he would have to capture one, but a breeder can augment hers using advanced monster growth. Some researchers have also been able to craft specialized monster scrolls that can change a monster into its skeleton monster counterpart, but such items are very difficult to find.
Skeleton monster is an inherent template (except when applied by breeders) that can be applied to any monster able to grant spells to a monster trainer.
Crurotaur Skeleton: ?
Owlbear Skeleton: ?
Scoundrite Skeleton: ?
Zombie Monster: Zombie monsters are brutish, unthinking recreations of their former selves. While any trainer with a flare for necromancy, or a friend with such talents, could technically create a zombie monster from what is left of their companions, doing so is seen as a perversion of monster training and of the bond between trainer and monster. As such, most zombie monsters are naturally occurring or brought into being by breeders who can change their companions without first killing them.
Zombie monster is an inherent template (except when applied by breeders) that can be applied to any monster able to grant spells to a monster trainer.
Gray Render Zombie: ?
Hydra Zombie: ?
Moncroak Zombie: During Haunted Eve, the moncroaks of the Scribe’s Marsh take on a disturbing visage as the magic of the holiday twists and tears their skin, changing them into zombies.
Treant Zombie: Treant zombies reanimate from the remains of treants left
in the swamps of the Kingdom during Haunted Eve.

Mythic Magic Core Spells

Spoiler

Undead: Mythic Create Undead spell.
Mythic Create Greater Undead spell.

Create Undead
You can use this spell to create any corporeal, non-extraplanar undead creature whose CR does not exceed your caster level -10. If you expend two uses of mythic power, you can apply the advanced or giant simple template to the created undead. This doubles the material component cost of the spell.
Augmented (3rd): If you expend one use of mythic power times the undead creature’s adjusted CR (including the adjustment for any templates), you can apply the agile, invincible, or savage mythic simple creature template, as described in the Mythic Monster Advancement section of Chapter 6 in Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Mythic Adventures, to the newly created undead creature. This triples the material component cost of the spell.

Create Greater Undead
You can use this spell to create any incorporeal or extraplanar undead creature whose CR does not exceed your caster level -9. If you expend two uses of mythic power, you can apply the advanced or giant simple template to the created undead. This doubles the material component cost of the spell.
Augmented (3rd): If you expend one use of mythic power times the undead creature’s adjusted CR (including the adjustment for any templates), you can apply the agile, invincible, or savage mythic simple creature template, as described in the Mythic Monster Advancement section of Chapter 6 in Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Mythic Adventures, to the newly created undead creature. This triples the material component cost of the spell.

Mythic Magic Expanded Spells I

Spoiler

Undead: Mythic Soulreaver spell.

SOULREAVER Mo
You can expend one use of mythic power to raise creatures killed by this effect as undead thralls. You can animate a number of Hit Dice worth of undead up to double your tier as if you had animated them with animate dead. The undead created by this spell count toward the total number of Hit Dice worth of undead you can control.
Augmented (8th): If you expend two uses of mythic power, you can raise slain foes as undead creatures chosen from the list of undead for create undead. By expending three uses of mythic power, you can select from the list for create greater undead. The total number of Hit Dice worth of undead created in this way can’t exceed double your tier. Created undead are not automatically under your control. If you are capable of commanding undead, you may attempt to command the undead creatures as they form.

Mythic Magic: Horror Spells

Spoiler

Zombie: Mythic Flesh Puppet spell.
Mythic Flesh Puppet Horde spell.
Mythic Flesh Wall spell.
Torpid Reanimation spell.
Skeleton: Torpid Reanimation spell.
Agile Mythic Simple Skeleton: Torpid Reanimation spell.
Agile Mythic Simple Zombie: Torpid Reanimation spell.
Savage Mythic Simple Skeleton: Torpid Reanimation spell.
Savage Mythic Simple Zombie: Torpid Reanimation spell.
Mythic Skeleton: Torpid Reanimation spell.

FLESH PUPPET
You ignore the spell’s material component cost, and add your tier to your caster level when determining how many Hit Dice of undead you can animate with a single casting of this spell. This doesn’t increase the total number of Hit Dice worth of undead you can control. You also add your mythic tier to your caster level for the purposes of determining the bonus on your Disguise check made to disguise the zombie, and the maximum length of the string created by the spell. As a standard action, you can direct the zombie to make a single melee attack.

FLESH PUPPET HORDE
You ignore the spell’s material component cost, and add your tier to your caster level when determining how many Hit Dice of undead you can animate with a single casting of this spell. This doesn’t increase the total number of Hit Dice worth of undead you can control. You also add your mythic tier to your caster level for the purposes of determining the bonus on your Disguise check made to disguise the zombie, and the maximum length of the string created by the spell. You can issue directions to multiple zombies with a single swift action, provided that you issue the same instructions to each zombie. You can issue different directions to any number of zombies as a move action. Finally, you can direct zombies created by this spell to attack without them gaining the staggered quality or ruining their disguises.

FLESH WALL
Each 5-foot square of the flesh wall has a number of hit points equal to 10 + 5 per mythic tier you possess, rather than the normal amount. Additionally, each section of the wall (and each zombie created from the wall) gains a bonus on attack and damage rolls equal to 1/2 your mythic tier. If a section of the all successfully damages a creature with its slam attack, it can attempt a combat maneuver check as a free action to attempt to pull the creature inside the wall, where it becomes trapped in the same fashion as a creature that failed a Strength check to move through the wall.

TORPID REANIMATION
Add your tier to your caster level when determining how many Hit Dice of undead you can animate with a single casting of this spell. This doesn’t increase the total number of Hit Dice worth of undead you can control. By expending a second use of mythic power, you can ignore this spell’s material component cost. Additionally, add your mythic tier to your caster level when determining the spell’s duration. Finally, until the animation is triggered, the spell’s aura is hidden as though with a magic aura spell, making it difficult to detect the spell’s presence before the corpses are animated.
Augmented (6th): If you expend two uses of mythic power, any skeletons or zombies you create gain either the agile or savage mythic simple template. This template last for a number of days equal to your tier. Alternatively, if you expend six uses of mythic power, any skeletons you create permanently gain the mythic skeleton template.

Mythic Mastery Mythic Mummies

Spoiler

Dry Mummy: Unlike most types of mummies, dry mummies are generally created by accident, when a humanoid creature dies in a particularly dry and sandy area that is protected enough from the elements to preserve its corpse. Not all creatures that are accidentally mummified become dry mummies, and in fact the transformation is very rare. It is generally believed that dry mummies tend to arise when a particular confluence of factors surrounding the death occur: the most important seems to be the means of death, with dry mummies being far more likely to come from those who die of thirst or starvation, as opposed to those who die a violent death. The religious beliefs of the subject also seem to carry some weight, but not as much as that person’s overall force of will and personality.
Of course, dry mummies are occasionally created intentionally, usually by necromancers located in desert regions, who find their particular suite of abilities to be useful. While it is rumored that there are spells that can transform any corpse into a dry mummy, such claims have not been substantiated, and most necromancers in need of a dry mummy are forced to starve and dehydrate their victims. Suffusing the suffering victim with necrotic energies during this period increases the odds of creating a dry mummy substantially, but even then, success is not guaranteed.
Mythic Dry Mummy: ?
Pitch Mummy: It is common practice for a mummified creature to be filled with a black, tar-like substance in order to help preserve the body against the ravages of time. One heretical sect takes this practice further, however, and stuffs their mummified corpses with a magical black tar that not only preserves the corpse, but also serves as the source of its animation.
Mythic Pitch Mummy: Mythic pitch mummies are believed to have been created in much the same way as a standard pitch mummy, though since the process of their creation was deliberately destroyed millennia ago, it is difficult to say for certain why some pitch mummies become mythic and others do not. Theories abound on the subject, ranging from it being dependent on the status of the individual being mummified, to being a matter of age (with pitch mummies becoming mythic pitch mummies if they survive long enough), to how much pitch was used in their creation, or the possibility that the nature of the pitch itself might be different. Each of these theories has its merits, and scholars that support it, but without further historical evidence, all that can be said is that mythic pitch mummies are very different from their lesser kin.

Mythic Mastery Mythic Nabasu and Shadow Demons

Spoiler

Mythic Ghoul: A humanoid who dies of a mythic ghoul's ghoul fever rises as a ghoul at the next midnight. A humanoid of 4 Hit Dice or more rises as a ghast. A humanoid with a mythic rank or mythic tier of 1 or higher rises as a mythic ghoul.
There are several ways for mythic ghouls to come about. A mythic character that succumbs to ghoul fever rises as a mythic ghoul more often than as a normal ghoul, although both outcomes are possible. Many creatures are capable of creating mythic ghouls, either with powerful necromancy spells, or with innate abilities, such as those possessed by the mythic nabasu. In very rare cases, it is rumored that particularly obscene acts of cannibalism, such as eating the corpse of one’s brother, may be enough to cause an individual to become a mythic ghoul, but such claims are generally poorly documented.
Whenever a mythic nabasu creates a ghoul with its gaze attack, it can expend one use of mythic power. If it does, the ghoul that is created is a mythic ghoul. Mythic ghouls created in this way are unstable, and their mythic power fades with time if it is not maintained: each day, the mythic nabasu must expend uses of mythic power each day to maintain the mythic status of ghouls under its control. Each use of mythic power it expends in this way is enough to maintain up to three mythic ghouls. Mythic ghouls that are not maintained become non-mythic ghouls, but remain under the mythic nabasu’s control.

Ghoul: As a free action once per day per growth point (minimum of 1/day), a mythic nabasu can activate its death-stealing gaze for a full round. All living creatures within 30 feet must succeed on a DC 19 Fortitude save or gain a negative level. A humanoid slain in this manner immediately transforms into a ghoul under the mythic nabasu’s control. A mythic nabasu’s gaze can only create one ghoul per round—if multiple humans perish from the gaze in a round, the mythic nabasu picks which human becomes a ghoul. The save DC is Charisma-based.
Whenever a mythic nabasu creates a ghoul with its gaze attack, it can expend one use of mythic power. If it does, the ghoul that is created is a mythic ghoul. Mythic ghouls created in this way are unstable, and their mythic power fades with time if it is not maintained: each day, the mythic nabasu must expend uses of mythic power each day to maintain the mythic status of ghouls under its control. Each use of mythic power it expends in this way is enough to maintain up to three mythic ghouls. Mythic ghouls that are not maintained become non-mythic ghouls, but remain under the mythic nabasu’s control.
A humanoid who dies of a mythic ghoul's ghoul fever rises as a ghoul at the next midnight. A humanoid of 4 Hit Dice or more rises as a ghast. A humanoid with a mythic rank or mythic tier of 1 or higher rises as a mythic ghoul.
There are several ways for mythic ghouls to come about. A mythic character that succumbs to ghoul fever rises as a mythic ghoul more often than as a normal ghoul, although both outcomes are possible.
Ghoul Ghast: A humanoid who dies of a mythic ghoul's ghoul fever rises as a ghoul at the next midnight. A humanoid of 4 Hit Dice or more rises as a ghast. A humanoid with a mythic rank or mythic tier of 1 or higher rises as a mythic ghoul.

Mythic Module Monsters Red Throne 2

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Mythic Daughter of the Dead: ?

Mythic Module Monsters Red Throne 3

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Mythic Rajput Anbari: ?

Mythic Module Monsters Rune Lords 1

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Mythic Attic Whisperer: An attic whisperer is a tortured soul that takes form by combining dust and trash into a corporeal form.

Mythic Module Monsters Rune Lords 2

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Mythic Carrionstorm: ?
Mythic Revenant: ?

Mythic Module Monsters Rune Lords 3

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Mythic Smoke Haunt: ?
Mythic Totenmaske: ?

Mythic Module Monsters Rune Lords 4

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Mythic Deathweb: ?

Mythic Module Monsters Rune Lords 5

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Mythic Witchfire: ?

Mythic Monsters 1: Demons

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Mythic Bodak: ?

Bodak: A humanoid slain by a mythic bodak’s death gaze rises as a bodak 24 hours later.

Mythic Monsters 7: Inner Planes

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Mythic Ghul: ?

Mythic Monsters 9: Undead

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Nosferatu: ?
Count Dracula: ?
Mythic Undead: Undead are deadly at any time, but mythic undead are doubly so. Their origins are varied, and a great many undead arise from awful curses, bearing their corruption in life into a tormented undeath, or have been dragged unwillingly into the ranks of the undead as slaves spawned by their deathless masters. Magic often plays a hand in the creation of the undead, of course, from those created as slaves like a mythic skeleton to turning that mighty magic upon themselves like a mythic lich.
Mythic Baykok: ?
Mythic Demilich: ?
Mythic Devourer: ?
Mythic Dullahan: ?
Mythic Ghoul: ?
Mythic Ghast: ?
Mythic Pickled Punk: ?
Mythic Spectre: ?
Mythic Totenmaske: ?
Mythic Wight: ?
Mythic Witchfire: ?
Mythic Wraith: ?
Advanced Fast Zombie: Humanoid creatures killed by a mythic mohrg rise immediately as advanced fast zombies under the mythic mohrg’s control.
Jigsaw Man: When a talented, unrepentant serial killer is executed by quartering, the murderer can sometimes animate its own shredded remains through sheer force of will and rise as an undead monstrosity bent on continuing its homicidal existence.
As if a dozen mythic undead were not enough, we also bring you the severed slasher that is the jigsaw man; hanging was too good for him in life, so drawn and quartered he remains in undeath, his disparate parts driven by a malign will to sever the thread of life for any mortals unlucky enough to cross its path.

Ghost: ?
Vampire: ?
Allip: ?
Zombie: Animate Dead Lesser spell.
Shadow: ?
Skeleton: Animate Dead Lesser spell.
Lich: ?
Mythic Skeleton: Magic often plays a hand in the creation of the undead, of course, from those created as slaves like a mythic skeleton to turning that mighty magic upon themselves like a mythic lich.
Mythic Lich: Magic often plays a hand in the creation of the undead, of course, from those created as slaves like a mythic skeleton to turning that mighty magic upon themselves like a mythic lich.
Baykok: ?
Ghoul: A humanoid who dies of ghoul fever rises as a ghoul at the next midnight. A humanoid of 4 Hit Dice or more rises as a ghast.
Ghast: A humanoid who dies of ghoul fever rises as a ghoul at the next midnight. A humanoid of 4 Hit Dice or more rises as a ghast.
Mohrg: ?
Fast Zombie: ?
Pickled Punk: The body of a humanoid creature killed by a mythic pickled punk shrinks, contorts, and rises as a nonmythic pickled punk 1d6 rounds later.
Spectre: Any humanoids slain by a mythic spectre become nonmythic spectres themselves in one round.
Totenmaske: ?
Wight: Any humanoids slain by a mythic wight become nonmythic wights themselves in one round.
Witchfire: ?
Wraith: A humanoid slain by a mythic wraith becomes a wraith in 1 round.

ANIMATE DEAD, LESSER
This spell functions as mythic animate dead, but creates only a single Small or Medium skeleton or zombie.

Disease (Su) Ghoul Fever: Bite—injury; save Fort DC 13; onset 1 day; frequency 1/day; effect 1d3 Con and 1d3 Dex damage; cure 2 consecutive saves. The save DC is Charisma-based. A humanoid who dies of a mythic ghoul's ghoul fever rises as a ghoul at the next midnight. A humanoid who becomes a ghoul in this way retains none of the abilities it possessed in life. It is not under the control of any other ghouls, but it hungers for the flesh of the living and behaves like a normal ghoul in all respects. A humanoid of 4 Hit Dice or more rises as a ghast.

Disease (Su) Ghoul Fever: Bite—injury; save Fort DC 15; onset 1 day; frequency 1/day; effect 1d3 Con and 1d3 Dex damage; cure 2 consecutive saves. The save DC is Charisma-based. A humanoid who dies of a mythic ghast's ghoul fever rises as a ghoul at the next midnight. A humanoid who becomes a ghoul in this way retains none of the abilities it possessed in life. It is not under the control of any other ghouls, but it hungers for the flesh of the living and behaves like a normal ghoul in all respects. A humanoid of 4 Hit Dice or more rises as a ghast.

Mythic Monsters 10: Sea Monsters

Spoiler

Mythic Draugr Crew: ?

Draugr: Any humanoid slain by a mythic draugr crew’s energy drain rises as a draugr (or draugr captain, if it has at least 5 Hit Dice) 1d4 rounds later. This draugr is assimilated into the crew, healing damage equal to twice the creature’s Hit Dice. Any creature slain by the crew while on board its ship, even if not slain by energy drain, also rises in this fashion if it fails a DC 19 Will save.
Draugr Captain: Any humanoid slain by a mythic draugr crew’s energy drain rises as a draugr (or draugr captain, if it has at least 5 Hit Dice) 1d4 rounds later. This draugr is assimilated into the crew, healing damage equal to twice the creature’s Hit Dice. Any creature slain by the crew while on board its ship, even if not slain by energy drain, also rises in this fashion if it fails a DC 19 Will save.
Lacedon: ?

Mythic Monsters 12: Fairy Tale Creatures

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Mythic Banshee: ?

Mythic Monsters 14: Giants

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Mythic Brute Wight: ?

Mythic Monsters 16: Monstrous Humanoids

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Zombie: Any creature slain by a pukwudgie’s poisonous quills rises in 24 hours as a zombie.
Ghoul: ?
Vampire: ?

Mythic Monsters 22: Emissaries of Evil

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Advanced Juju Zombie: Any creature charmed by an immortal ichor takes 1d6 points of Wisdom damage per day. When a charmed creature’s Wisdom damage equals its Wisdom score, it becomes completely subservient to the immortal ichor (as dominate monster, except it even obeys self-destructive orders) and loses the Wisdom damage it has taken from this ability. A subservient ally who is killed rises the next round as a juju zombie under the immortal ichor’s control. If the ichor is killed, these zombies are immediately destroyed. Juju zombies created by a mythic immortal ichor have the advanced simple template. By spending one use of mythic power, the ichor can instead apply the agile or invincible mythic simple template, as described in Chapter 6 of Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Mythic Adventures, to a newly created juju zombie.
Agile Mythic Juju Zombie: Any creature charmed by an immortal ichor takes 1d6 points of Wisdom damage per day. When a charmed creature’s Wisdom damage equals its Wisdom score, it becomes completely subservient to the immortal ichor (as dominate monster, except it even obeys self-destructive orders) and loses the Wisdom damage it has taken from this ability. A subservient ally who is killed rises the next round as a juju zombie under the immortal ichor’s control. If the ichor is killed, these zombies are immediately destroyed. Juju zombies created by a mythic immortal ichor have the advanced simple template. By spending one use of mythic power, the ichor can instead apply the agile or invincible mythic simple template, as described in Chapter 6 of Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Mythic Adventures, to a newly created juju zombie.
Invicible Mythic Juju Zombie: Any creature charmed by an immortal ichor takes 1d6 points of Wisdom damage per day. When a charmed creature’s Wisdom damage equals its Wisdom score, it becomes completely subservient to the immortal ichor (as dominate monster, except it even obeys self-destructive orders) and loses the Wisdom damage it has taken from this ability. A subservient ally who is killed rises the next round as a juju zombie under the immortal ichor’s control. If the ichor is killed, these zombies are immediately destroyed. Juju zombies created by a mythic immortal ichor have the advanced simple template. By spending one use of mythic power, the ichor can instead apply the agile or invincible mythic simple template, as described in Chapter 6 of Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Mythic Adventures, to a newly created juju zombie.

Juju Zombie: Any creature charmed by an immortal ichor takes 1d6 points of Wisdom damage per day. When a charmed creature’s Wisdom damage equals its Wisdom score, it becomes completely subservient to the immortal ichor (as dominate monster, except it even obeys self-destructive orders) and loses the Wisdom damage it has taken from this ability. A subservient ally who is killed rises the next round as a juju zombie under the immortal ichor’s control.

Mythic Monsters 23: Worms

Spoiler

Mythic Ghast: Once per day as a full round action, a conqueror worm can expend one use of mythic power to vomit a glob of slime onto ground containing dead humanoid remains (typically a graveyard). One round later, 1d10+8 ghouls and a single mythic ghast emerge from the ground and follow the conqueror worm’s commands unerringly.

Ghast: Creatures killed by a conqueror worm's slime, or killed while suffering damage from the slime, are immediately transformed into an undead creature under the conqueror worm’s control. A humanoid who becomes undead in this way retains none of the abilities it possessed in life.
A humanoid of less than 3 Hit Dice rises as a ghast.
A humanoid of 3–9 Hit Dice rises as a wight.
A humanoid of 10 HD or more rises as a morhg.
There is no limit to the number of undead a conqueror worm can create with its slime.
Wight: Creatures killed by a conqueror worm's slime, or killed while suffering damage from the slime, are immediately transformed into an undead creature under the conqueror worm’s control. A humanoid who becomes undead in this way retains none of the abilities it possessed in life.
A humanoid of less than 3 Hit Dice rises as a ghast.
A humanoid of 3–9 Hit Dice rises as a wight.
A humanoid of 10 HD or more rises as a morhg.
There is no limit to the number of undead a conqueror worm can create with its slime.
Mohrg: Creatures killed by a conqueror worm's slime, or killed while suffering damage from the slime, are immediately transformed into an undead creature under the conqueror worm’s control. A humanoid who becomes undead in this way retains none of the abilities it possessed in life.
A humanoid of less than 3 Hit Dice rises as a ghast.
A humanoid of 3–9 Hit Dice rises as a wight.
A humanoid of 10 HD or more rises as a morhg.
There is no limit to the number of undead a conqueror worm can create with its slime.
Ghoul: Once per day as a full round action, a conqueror worm can expend one use of mythic power to vomit a glob of slime onto ground containing dead humanoid remains (typically a graveyard). One round later, 1d10+8 ghouls and a single mythic ghast emerge from the ground and follow the conqueror worm’s commands unerringly.

Mythic Monsters 25: Lords of Law

Spoiler

Sakathan: Sakathans were once ancient kings of the lizardfolk race on a now-forgotten Material Plane who bargained with the infernal powers and found themselves bound by corrupted wishcraft into a dreadful blood pact and cursed with a twisted form of vampirism.
Sakathans were the high noble caste of an ancient lizardfolk empire, but so great was their ambition and their pride that lordship over their kind was not enough to slake their thirst for power. A cabal of sakathans came together to tap into secret spells that promised great power to those who spoke into existence what they wished to be their destiny. The sakathans wished to unleash the divine spark within themselves, to make their strength eternal and authority absolute, so they could drink deeply from the wells of power and revel in the suffering of their enemies. What they meant for a simple affirmation of purpose, however, became so much more when they their prayers answered and their wishes granted by the scaled masters of Stygia, in the heart of Hell. The sakathans were indeed crowned in power and glory, ascending to heights of power undreamed of, overthrowing rulers not part of their cabal and conquering on every hand. After 13 years enthroned as god-kings adored, however, their Stygian benefactors revealed that their gift was not without cost. Yes, they had become as gods, but their great power was bought with a price. now a hellish hunger awoke within them and the shining sun burned their accursed flesh.
Sakathan Spawn: A sakathan can elect to create a sakathan spawn instead of a full-fledged sakathan when using its create spawn ability after slaying a reptilian humanoid with its blood drain or energy drain.
A sakathan can create spawn out of reptilian humanoids it slays with blood drain or energy drain. The victim rises from death as a sakathan spawn in 1d4 days, under the control of the sakathan that created it, and remains enslaved until its master’s destruction.

Mythic Monsters 27: COLOSSAL

Spoiler

Mythic Zombie Titan: ?

Fast Zombie: Whenever a non-mythic creature with fewer than 10 Hit Dice dies within 30 feet of a mythic zombie titan, that creature rises again 1 round later as a fast zombie (DC 15 Fortitude negates). These zombies are uncontrolled but do not attack the zombie titan. If a mythic titan zombie expends one use of mythic power as an immediate action when a creature dies within 30 feet, the save DC increases to 20 and it can affect mythic creatures and creatures with 10 or more Hit Dice. Mythic creatures add their mythic rank or tier as a bonus on this saving throw.

Mythic Monsters 31: Daemons

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Mythic Ghast Advanced: Humanoid creatures slain by a mythic meladaemon must succeed on a DC 23 Will save or rise as mythic ghasts (see Mythic Undead) with the advanced template on their next turn.

Mythic Monsters 32 Shadow

Spoiler

Mythic Nighwalker: ?
Mythic Shadow: ?
Shadow: A humanoid creature killed by a mythic shadow’s Strength damage becomes a shadow under the control of its killer in 1d4 rounds.

Mythic Monsters 41: India

Spoiler

Mythic Bhuta: ?
Mythic Rajput Ambari: ?

Ghoul: ?
Bhuta: ?

NeoExodus Campaign Setting

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Mercy of Nyssa: The necromancer Xon had fallen madly in love with the empress of the Caneus Empire. When he learned of her death, he snatched her body in the night and brought her back to Unthara, where he used his darkest, most powerful magic to turn her into a unique undead creature.
Xon: Xon was a necromancer in service to the Confederacy during the Twilight War, who bolstered Confederate forces by raising entire legion of undead horrors. But his methods revolted even the brutal Confederates, and in 69 BU the generals turned on him, destroying his army and killing him. After the fight, though, Xon’s undead followers took his body away and raised him as a lich.
Advanced Undead: Creating undead with all three chapters from the Black Notebook of Xon.
Haru Anon: Haru Anon is a bizarre form of undead. It was forged of the souls of every person killed by Makesh’s death touch, as none of them could travel to the afterlife.

BLACK NOTEBOOK OF XON
Aura strong necromancy; CL 15th
Slot —; Price 5,000 gp (per chapter; a full book costs 15,000 gp)
DESCRIPTION
These black notebooks are considered holy to the Xonists. A notebook has three chapters, which give magical and alchemical formulas for creating more powerful undead. Having multiple chapters increases the potency of the created undead. The book benefits any method of creation, be it alchemical, arcane, or divine magic.
When creating an undead with one chapter, the user doubles the number of undead he can control.
When creating an undead with two chapters, the user may also add a +2 bonus to one ability score. The undead’s channel resistance increases by the user’s spellcasting ability—or by his Intelligence modifier, if the undead are not created by magic.
When creating an undead with all three chapters, the resulting creature becomes advanced. The book also provide many tricks and substitutes, reducing the cost of any undead creation spell requiring material components to 20% of its original cost.
CONSTRUCTION
Requirements Craft Wondrous Item, Scribe Scroll, creator must be Xon or a Xonist priest

Northlands

Spoiler

Hjalmar the Patient Human Vaettir Fighter 8: ?
Vaettir: “Vættir” is an acquired template that can be added to any humanoid or monstrous humanoid creature with 6 or more Hit Dice.

Oathbound Bestiary

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Lector: It is not entirely known how a lector forms, though it is believed that a lector is created when an ordinary skeletal undead creature comes into contact with a powerful evil object.
Lector Old: ?
Lector Venerable: ?
Mirajii Newborn: Victims whose Constitution scores are reduced to zero by means of a mirajii’s ability drain become full powered mirajiis the following dusk. Such a change is permanent and can only be reversed by a wish or miracle followed by a true resurrection.
Mirajii: Newly spawned mirajiis retain their living resemblance for about one week, after which they quickly take on their true form.
Mirajii Blademaster: ?
Nightsong Apparition Despondent: ?
Nightsong Apparition: Nightsong apparitions are the tortured spirits of hosshin driven to madness and suicide by the loss of connection with their god on being drawn into the Forge. Their anguish is so profound that their spirits know no rest and continue on in misery, unable to pass on to the next world.
Nightsong Apparition Wrathful: ?
Ruin Zombie: A ruin zombie is the animated corpse of someone who has died a horrible death in the undercity of Penance—and not a quick or painless death in any case, but one where the victim suffered a ghastly end. This category includes, but is by no means limited to, suffocation, starvation, drowning, torture, immolation, and mutilation. The intense anguish felt by the victim in the final moments of life acts as a catalyst for the extraordinary magic of the maze, transforming the newly-deceased creature to an undead being that rises again to wreak havoc on the living, who they now despise with every fiber of their being.
Greater Ruin Zombie Wizard: ?
Greater Ruin Zombie Bard: ?
Skeletal Ravager: Skeletal ravagers are a powerful form of undead, first created by the Spectral Hand, a necromantic organization originating in The Vault.
These monstrosities can be built from the skeletal remains of any sentient being (almost all are humanoid due to availability of parts), and are imbued with large quantities of negative energy.
Skeletal Ravager Maddened: ?
Skeletal Ravager Greater: ?
Wisp: Wisps are the souls of lost, abused, or neglected children who seek companionship. Such spirits sometimes remain behind because they want to be loved so badly that they cannot rest until they find affection, and because at their young age, they may not yet believe strongly in a religion so as to encourage their passing on. Such spirits become wisps, merging with the material of their surrounding environment in order to fulfill their last desire.
Mist Wisp: ?
Sand Wisp: ?
Water Wisp: ?

Obsidian Apocalypse

Spoiler

Shambling Zombie: A new kind of undead rose soon after the meteor strike, when the Nightwall fell.
Shambling zombie is a template that can be applied to any corporeal fey, humanoid, or monstrous humanoid.
Any corporeal fey, humanoid, or monstrous humanoid that dies while infected with shambling rot rises as a shambling zombie in 2d6 hours.
Shambling Zombie Goblin: ?
Shambling Zombie Human: ?
Shambling Zombie Ogre: ?
Shambling Zombie Selkie: ?
Shambling Zombie Hill Giant: ?
Shambling Zombie Fire Giant: ?
Asi Magnor, Human Mummy Cleric 10/Fighter 15: When the Cataclysm struck and the great meteor fell from the sky, Asi Magnor—who had once rejected the idea of his own undeath—rose from the grave. With him came also the warrior kings interred elsewhere, along with their servants, their soldiers, their wives and concubines, their horses, and everything once living contained in their tombs. The sacred geometry of the necropoli amplified the energy of the meteor, driving the legions of the dead to pour from their tombs under the command of Asi Magnor.
Calix Sabinus, Human Vampiric Lich Aristocrat 2/Necromancer 20/Eldritch Knight 10: In time, Sabine revealed the reason for her enthusiastic interest in the dark arts. She was a vampire—and she needed him to find a cure for her condition. He was torn: his studies had twisted his mind and he had become obsessed by undeath and immortality, but here was the woman he loved rejecting the very things he sought. Their argument raged and Sabine nearly killed Calix, but the scholar finally relented. Parting company with the woman, he promised to search for a cure.
When his love returned to him two years later, Calix swore that he had found how to restore her mortality, and so they renewed their relationship. However, he soon revealed the steely core of treachery and self-interest that would serve him so well in later years. Once he lured her into his laboratory, he rendered her helpless with magics. Taking her blood, Calix turned himself undead—becoming all that he had ever wished to be—before he destroyed her.
While a cunning and deadly fighter, Calix couldn’t take on Magnor’s armies in a full frontal assault. Realizing this, he turned toward defense to give himself time enough to complete his magical studies. With his forces beaten back almost to his stronghold, Calix reemerged—transformed once again by magic, this time into the first and only vampiric lich.
Dark Cherub: Though they look like infant skeletons with bat-like wings, dark cherubs are made from the bones of many creatures and are akin to homunculi.
Shadow Ripper: When necromantic energy combines with shadow magic, the results can be horrific—the deadly shadow rippers are a leading example. What started as an experiment in creating an undead assassin turned tragic as the first shadow rippers turned on their creators and escaped into the wild, spreading their affliction far and wide.
A shadow ripper can be created with create greater undead by a caster of at least 18th level.

Undead: Undead raise due to the necromantic energy in the meteor.
The new Obsidian Veil bars all divine traffic of souls and prayer, preventing any deity from seeing or hearing a thing, and cutting them off from gaining power from their followers. The souls of the departed do not pass the Obsidian Veil into other worlds; they either dissipate into the ravaged world-aura of the planet or become infused with negative energy and return as the motivating forces for yet more undead.
Abaddon is a world of final destinations, from which even the souls of the dead cannot escape. Those who fall are doomed to rise and join the ever-swelling ranks of the undead.
Skeleton: Animation by Touch feat.
Zombie: Animation by Touch feat.
Vampire: Calix can create spawn out of those he slays with blood drain or energy drain, provided that the slain creature is humanoid. The victim rises from death as a vampire in 1d4 days.

Animation by Touch [Necromantic]
You may now animate corpses into skeletons or zombies merely by touching them—such is the power you hold in manipulating negative energy.
Prerequisites: Ability to cast the animate dead spell, Death Touch.
Benefit: This necromantic feat works in all respects as the animate dead spell, except that you need only touch a corpse and no material component is needed. Only one undead creature may be animated every time this feat is used, though you may still control multiple creatures. The maximum number of undead created in this way that you may control is equal to 2 HD per caster level, and count toward your limit for animate dead, regardless of other sources.

Shambling Rot (Ex): slam; save Fort DC 10 + shambling zombie’s Charisma modifier + 3 per shambling zombie within 5 feet; onset 1d4 hours; frequency 1/day; effect 1d4 Con, this damage cannot be healed while the creature is infected; cure 2 consecutive saves. Any corporeal fey, humanoid, or monstrous humanoid that dies while infected rises as a shambling zombie in 2d6 hours.

Obsidian Apocalypse: Sinful & Vile Feats

Spoiler

Mob of Gold-Clad Skeletal Champions: ?

Occult Character Codex Mediums

Spoiler

Berbalang Medium 8, Diegga: ?
Berbalang Medium 12, Mazza: ?
Berbalang Medium 16, Vakka: ?

Occult Character Codex Occultists

Spoiler

Advanced Baykok, Soltegu: ?

Occult Rituals of the Necromicon: Vol. 1 Undead

Spoiler

Mummy Lord: Many cultures practice the sacred art of mummification, though the sinister magical techniques used to imbue corpses with undead vitality are far less widespread. In certain ancient lands, such blasphemous techniques have been refined through centuries of ceremony and countless deaths, giving rise to mummies of terrible power. On rare occasions, if the deceased was of great rank and exceeding malevolence, he might undergo such elaborate rituals, rising from his tomb as a fearful mummy lord. Similarly, a ruler known for his malice or who died in a moment of great rage might spontaneously arise as such a vengeful despot.
“Mummy lord” is an acquired template that can be added to any living corporeal creature that has at least 8 Hit Dice. The process of creating a mummy lord requires 50,000 gp worth of rare herbs, oils, and other mummification materials.
Sand of Flesh ritual.

Zombie: Land of the Damned ritual.

Flesh of Sand
School Necromancy; Level 8
CASTING
Casting Time 8 Hours
Components V, S, M (bandages and spices), F (rare herbs, oils, and other mummification materials worth at least 50,000 GP [as described in template])
Skill Checks Heal DC 30, 3 successes; Knowledge (planes) DC 30, 2 successes, Knowledge (religion) DC 30, 3 successes
EFFECT
Range Self
Duration Permanent
Saving Throw None; Spell Resistance no
Backlash Caster gains 2 permanent negative levels
Failure The caster is exhausted and suffers from Mummy Rot
DESCRIPTION
With several hours of preparation, the caster seals themselves into an occult symbol covered coffin filled with sand. The ritual slowly drains the life force from the caster, and replaces it with the powers of the undead. Hours later, the caster rises from the coffin, with the powers and abilities of a Mummy Lord.

Land of the Damned
School necromancy; Level 9
CASTING
Casting Time 9 hour
Components V, S, M (Sea Salt), F (Onyx statue of death worth 10,000GP)
Skill Checks Knowledge (arcana) DC 33, 3 successes; Knowledge (nature) DC 33, 3 success; Knowledge (religion) DC 33, 3 success
EFFECT
Range touch
Duration permanent
Saving Throw none; Spell Resistance no
Backlash Caster is exhausted
Failure the caster is afflicted with a more potent version of the Zombie Rot disease (DC 17; 2 saves; 1d2 Con; 1/day).
DESCRIPTION
Under the light of a waning moon, the caster makes a large circle of occult symbols with the sea salt. Inside this circle, the caster buries the onyx statue beneath the soil, while performing an ancient curse.
Any creatures of Small size or larger killed within a one mile radius of the buried statue rise as uncontrolled zombies 24 hours after their death, as do corpses buried in the area. Burning or dismembering the corpses prevents them from rising as zombies.

Pathways Bestiary

Spoiler

Dread Banshee Creature: Like a normal banshee, a dread banshee is the enraged spirit of a female creature who either betrayed those she loved or was herself betrayed.
“Dread banshee” is an acquired template that can be added to any living, intelligent creature.
Rhysssla the Releaser, Dread Banshee Serpentfolk: ?
Dread Crucifixion Spirit: Dread crucifixion spirits are the ghostly remains of living beings executed through crucifixion. Their souls or spirits having not entirely departed the Material Plane, have risen to seek vengeance on the living, particularly clerics or other divine spellcasters whom they blame for forsaking them and allowing them to die in such a ghastly manner.
“Dread crucifixion spirit” is an acquired template that can be added to any living creature whose body could be subject to crucifixion (for example one could not crucify a gibbering mouther).
Any creature with a Charisma score of 15 or higher that is killed by a dread crucifixion spirit’s crucify soul rises as a crucifixion spirit in 1d4 rounds.
Malaki the Martyr, Dread Crucifixion Spirit Four-Armed Gargoyle: ?
Dread Phantom Armor: Dread Phantom Armor arises only from the corpses of a trusted ally who murders his comrades in a sudden betrayal, the armor also must have been a gift from his former allies.
“Dread Phantom Armor” is an acquired template that can be added to any creature that can wear armor (including barding). This usually means it is corporeal and has a humanoid or equine figure of some kind, though this is not always the case.
Hollow of the Hallow, Dread Phantom Armor Cold Giant: ?
Dread Revenant: A dread revenant is the animate remains of a sentient creature whose desire to fulfill a special goal is so powerful it allows it to return from beyond the grave. This can also happen when a powerful deity or ethos returns a dead champion from ages past, disturbing the champion’s well-earned rest, forcing the dread revenant to go on a quest that no living mortal would dare to undertake.
“Dread revenant” is an acquired template that can be added to any living corporeal creature (referred to hereafter as the base creature).
Revered Father Kal'fa, Pillar of Faith, Dread Revenant Roper: ?
Dread Sayona: Stories of their origins claim that the first was a vain human who grew old and whose lover left for a younger paramour; the spurned human gained revenge by bathing in the blood of the faithless lover’s children, then committed suicide. Cursed by the gods for such a vile act, dread sayona now wander the world crying tears of blood and preying on beautiful young creatures—slaying them, stealing their beauty, and transforming them into ghastly undead fiends to forever share the dread sayona’s fate.
“Dread Sayona” is an acquired template that can be added to any creature with an Intelligence score of 3 or greater (referred to hereafter as the base creature).
When a dread sayona kills a creature with its absorb blood or blood drain ability, the victim rises 24 hours later as a dread ghoul with the blood drain ability. A protection from evil or gentle repose spell cast on the corpse prevents this.
Llorona, Dread Sayona Scorpionfolk: ?
Iron Lich: Some creatures, in order to gain power and immortality, exchange their mortal flesh for a complex mechanical apparatus that sustains their existence. Its soul-powered furnace powers its intricate system of pumps and pistons granting it mobility and massive strength.
“Iron Lich” is an acquired template that can be added to any living creature capable of creating the required mechanical body, or to any standard lich.
Soultill, Iron Lich Human Sorcerer 7/Harrower 7: ?
Lostling: Lostlings are the pitiful corpses of disoriented individuals who died in the wilderlands from starvation, accident, or madness.
“Lostling” is an acquired template that can be added to any corporeal creature (referred to hereafter as the base creature).
Any creature killed by a lostling, including those that die as an indirect result of its aura of disorientation, rises as a lostling in 1d4 days If a lostling creature is CR 11 or higher this changes to 1d4 rounds.
Unvoliant the Vanishing Venom, Lostling Phase Spider: ?
Red Jester: Red jester creatures are the undying remnants of court jesters who were executed by their ruler, though it is worth noting that humans are not the only race to employ fools. Some legends tell that the Demon Prince of the Undead creates them to serve as his court fools, though he often turns them out once he grows bored with them.
“Red Jester” is an acquired template that can be added to any creature with and Intelligence of 13 or higher and the ability to draw cards from a deck of many things. This usually means it is corporeal and has a humanoid figure of some kind along with the wit to amuse folk, though this is not always the case.
The Court Fool of the Pit of Bones, Red Jester Balor: ?
Witchfire: The fell powers of undeath rejoice when an exceptionally vile hags, harpy, or witch dies, transforming these wicked crones into incorporeal undead known as witchfires.
Though most witchfire creatures are female, male witches and the rare male hag or harpy can also become a witchfire creature.
Witchfire creature is an acquired template that can be added to any living, intelligent, creature that has hexes or hex-like abilities, or innate spell-like abilities of 2nd level or higher, or innate abilities to curse or charm foes.
Mabyn The Burning Silence, Witchfire Mute Hag: ?

Undead: Agent of Chaos Creature's Chaos field power mishap number 50.
Undead are once-living creatures animated by spiritual or supernatural forces.
Nightshade: Nightshades are monstrous undead composed of shadow and evil.

Agent of Chaos Creature's Chaos field power mishap number 50.
50 If the target is slain within 1 day per level of the spell, the target rises as an undead immediately (undead type is subject to GM adjudication).

Player's Guide to the World of Xoth (Pathfinder Edition)

Spoiler

Undead: ?
Ghost: ?
Ghoul: ?

Ponyfinder Campaign Setting

Spoiler

Undead: Vampiric Sorcerer Bloodline Ruler of the Night power.
Every attempt to march an army on the city of Tramplevania had been met with mountain trained pegasi harassing from all angles, using the terrain they knew so well to wear down invading armies before they could reach the city gates. The frequent violence has given rise to restless spirits of those same invaders lurking in the trails leading to the city, seeking revenge on the living.
Unfulfilled: Unfulfilled are ponies that have died in the middle of a task they considered to be vital to their life’s destiny, usually in an very sudden and/or traumatic fashion. Occasionally, an unfulfilled can be created when a pony dies thinking their destiny never had a chance.

Ponyfinder Everglow Bestiary

Spoiler

Skeletal Pony Slinger, Pony Skeletal Champion Warrior 1: ?
Zombie Pony, Pony Zombie Warrior 2: Raised by necromancers who clearly do not pay the most cursory of lip-service to the goddess of death, this abomination of the forces of nature known simply as a ‘zombie’ is at once everything that any sane adventurer should fear.

Primeval Thule Campaign Setting

Spoiler

Frost Corpse: Those killed by a polar eidolon rise the next day as frost corpses unless their bodies are kept warm for 24 hours.
Minotaur Skeleton: ?
Ogre Skeleton: ?

Psionic Bestiary

Spoiler

Caller in Darkness: Usually formed upon the death of an innocent who was slowly and painfully tortured until its demise.
Cerebremorte: A cerebremorte is often the result of a psion that has been killed by a powerful death effect, such as psychic crush or slay living or other similar powers or spells.

Psionics Augmented: Mythic Psionics

Spoiler

Mythic Caller in Darkness: A caller in darkness that has absorbed the essence of a divine entity or demi-god becomes a true nightmare.

Psionics Augmented: Seventh Path

Spoiler

Slamming Portal: ?
Orbs: ?
Cold Spot: ?
Choking Hands: ?
Mad Monk: ?
Baleful Apparition: ?
Deathless Defenders: ?
Ghastly Whispers: ?
Ectoplasmic Miasma: ?
Headless Horseman: ?
Spectral Carriage: ?
Hungry Earth: ?
Gjenganger: ?
Keening Suicides: ?

Ghost: Bond of Death power.

Bond of Death
Discipline: Athanatism; Level: Conduit 2
Display: Mental
Manifesting Time: 5 minutes
Range: Touch
Target: One willing animal companion or familiar touched with 3 HD or less
Duration: 1 day/level
Saving Throw: None; Power Resistance: Yes (harmless)
Power Points: 3
You reinforce the bond between a master and servant, allowing them to join in undeath. If the target’s master dies and is animated as any kind of intelligent undead, the target immediately dies. They reanimate as a ghost, retaining all of the same benefits they had in life as a familiar or animal companion, including the bond to their master.
Augment: For every additional power point spent, the maximum HD of creature that this power can target is increased by 1.

Pure Steam Campaign Setting

Spoiler

Reanimated Corpse: Reanimated Corpses are forced into the vile state by mad scientists who use illegal reagents.
“Reanimated” is an acquired template that can be added to any corporeal creature (other than an undead).
Reanimated Human: ?
Fast Reanimated Corpse: ?
Plagued Reanimated Corpse: These reanimated corpses carry a terrible disease that perpetuates their undead lineage—those infected by a plagued reanimated corpse’s contagion rise as reanimated corpses themselves when they perish.
Anyone who dies while infected with unliving rot rises as a plagued reanimated corpse in 2d6 hours.

Unliving rot: slam; save Fort DC = 10 + 1/2 the reanimated’s Hit Dice + the reanimated’s Cha modifier; onset 1d4 days; frequency 1/day; effect 1d2 Con, this damage cannot be healed while the creature is infected; cure 2 consecutive saves. Anyone who dies while infected rises as a plagued reanimated corpse in 2d6 hours.

Quid Novi Collection

Spoiler

Maskek: ?

Bog Mummy: Any humanoid that dies from a Maskek's bog rot disease 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).

Races of Obsidian Twilight

Spoiler

Calix Sabinus: ?

Vampire: ?
Ghost: The necrotic energy of the meteor combined with the huge number of casualties from the impact and its aftermath has meant an enormous amount of spiritual energy has encompassed Abaddon. This, in turn, means a tremendous number of ghosts arisen over time.
Those who have died in more recent times are not the confused and sorrowful dead of the cataclysm. Those who have died in this new age are the victims of the undead lords and, while dead themselves, they have little or no sympathy for the liches, vampires, ghasts and other dead that form the new aristocracy. What has caused these dead to linger on in the world is their mistreatment at the hands of the powers that be and their desire for bloody and violent revenge, goals that they share with many of the living.
Ghoul: ?
Lich: ?
Wight: ?
Zombie: ?
Ghast: ?

Races of Obsidian Twilight: Harrowed

Spoiler

Undead: ?
Vampire: ?

Races of Obsidian Twilight: Osirian

Spoiler

Zombie: The position of the Osirians as the favored of the gods did not spare them from the cataclysm that turned Abaddon upside down, already giving way to some of the other species the Osirians were struck a hammer blow by the fall of the meteor and their ancestral homelands were some of the worst affected by the necromantic miasma and negative energies released by the impact.
The Osirians died in droves from the impact, from its aftermath and from the lingering effects of the necromantic radiation, subverting their bodies day by agonizing day and raising so many of them as zombies, skeletons and ghosts that the Osirians rapidly learned harsh lessons in dismemberment before burial and the building of secure and warded tombs.
Skeleton: The position of the Osirians as the favored of the gods did not spare them from the cataclysm that turned Abaddon upside down, already giving way to some of the other species the Osirians were struck a hammer blow by the fall of the meteor and their ancestral homelands were some of the worst affected by the necromantic miasma and negative energies released by the impact.
The Osirians died in droves from the impact, from its aftermath and from the lingering effects of the necromantic radiation, subverting their bodies day by agonizing day and raising so many of them as zombies, skeletons and ghosts that the Osirians rapidly learned harsh lessons in dismemberment before burial and the building of secure and warded tombs.
Ghost: The position of the Osirians as the favored of the gods did not spare them from the cataclysm that turned Abaddon upside down, already giving way to some of the other species the Osirians were struck a hammer blow by the fall of the meteor and their ancestral homelands were some of the worst affected by the necromantic miasma and negative energies released by the impact.
The Osirians died in droves from the impact, from its aftermath and from the lingering effects of the necromantic radiation, subverting their bodies day by agonizing day and raising so many of them as zombies, skeletons and ghosts that the Osirians rapidly learned harsh lessons in dismemberment before burial and the building of secure and warded tombs.

Races of Obsidian Twilight: Raijin

Spoiler

Ghost: The necrotic energy of the meteor combined with the huge number of casualties from the impact and its aftermath has meant an enormous amount of spiritual energy has encompassed Abaddon. This, in turn, means a tremendous number of ghosts arisen over time. In the beginning many of these were mindless spectres, the traumatised dead from what seemed like the end of the world but over time these have been winnowed down and replaced with the new dead.
Those who have died in more recent times are not the confused and sorrowful dead of the cataclysm. Those who have died in this new age are the victims of the undead lords and, while dead themselves, they have little or no sympathy for the liches, vampires, ghasts and other dead that form the new aristocracy. What has caused these dead to linger on in the world is their mistreatment at the hands of the powers that be and their desire for bloody and violent revenge, goals that they share with many of the living.
Lich: ?
Vampire: ?
Ghast: ?

Racial Profiles Expanded Hungry Souls

Spoiler

Undead: Failed save on critical from Vex.
Failed save on critical from weapon with undeath quality.

Vex: This +3 keen miasma undeath dagger was once the vile tool used by Vex, an undead necromancer, who claimed he was alive during the fall of some ancient civilization, some millenia ago, back before he became a sentient dagger of death. It's not as though anyone can prove otherwise.
This deadly looking obsidian dagger not only deals an extra 1d6 points of negative energy damage with every blow, but upon a successfully confirmed critical attack, Vex deals an additional 1d10 points of negative energy damage, forcing the target of the attack to make a Fortitude save, (DC 10 + the damage dealt by the negative energy) or become undead, the effect of which is permanent. Once turned undead they then make a Will save, (DC 10 + the damage dealt by the negative energy) or be subject to the will of the wielder. On a successful Fortitude save, the target resists the transformation and takes the negative energy damage normally.
The target of the attack gains the undead template, and gains a negative energy affinity; however this effect may be reversed by the spell remove curse.
Undead Vexaction (Su): This ability functions as the spell create greater undead, and may be used once per day while Vex is active.

Undeath (+5 Bonus): Upon a successfully confirmed critical attack, this enchantment deals an additional 1d10 points of negative energy damage, forcing the target to make a Fortitude save, (DC 10 + the damage dealt by the negative energy) or become undead, and must make a Will save, (DC 10 + the damage dealt by the negative energy) or be subject to the will of the wielder, the effect of which is permanent. On a successful Fortitude save, the target resists the transformation and takes the negative energy damage normally.
The target of the attack gains the undead template, and gains a negative energy affinity; however this effect may be reversed by the spell remove curse.
This enchantment may only be used on piercing or slashing weapons.

Rappan Athuk Bestiary - Pathfinder

Spoiler

Devouring Mist: Spawned of the dreams of the Bloodwraith, devouring mists are undead composed of equal parts blood and malice, wedded together by negative energy.
Zombie Horde: When gathered together in a horde, these mindless creatures are a terror to behold.
Mordnaissant: Occasionally when a gravid woman dies violently in a place infused with unholy or negative energies, the unborn child within her does not perish, but instead continues to grow, vitalized by dark power, until it is capable of clawing its way free from its dead mother.
The earth mother idol is a massive emerald-and-bamboo construction standing 15-ft.-tall in the center of a jungle clearing. A low altar of black igneous rock stands before the statue of the earth goddess. Piled emerald stones form her head, shoulders and arms. Sharpened bamboo branches curve to form her fertile belly. Her legs are stone arches rising from the ground. The superstitious villagers sacrifice the virgins each full moon by tying the women to the fast-growing bamboo. The sharp shoots slowly impale and kill the struggling women. Skeletons are still entwined in the thick bamboo, with more bones littering the jungle floor around the statue.
Unfortunately for the villagers, the last woman sacrificed was not a virgin. She was a few months pregnant, but hid her condition from the villagers. When the woman died on the sharpened stakes, her unborn child became a mordnaissant that inhabits the idol’s barren bamboo womb.
Sword Wight: These wicked and depraved creatures lived and died by the sword, and now, their dark taint passes through their weapons to tear at your soul.
Meat Puppet: Meat puppets are boneless, skinless corpses reanimated after being exposed to necromantic energies.
“Meat puppet” is an acquired template that can be added to any corporeal creature (other than an undead) that had a skeletal system at one point, but had its bones extracted or completely crushed.
Human Meat Puppet: ?
Otyugh Meat Puppet: The unfortunate otyugh, which the laboratory’s alchemist used as waste disposal, suffered from a necromantic explosion in the lab. The catastrophe transformed the creature into its current undead state.

Vampire Spawn: Any creature slain by a devouring mist rises as a vampire spawn in 1d4 days, unless the remains are blessed. If the victim had more than 5 hit dice, there is a 1% chance per hit die that it arises as a full-fledged vampire instead, or a 5% chance per hit die if the victim was of the humanoid type.
Vampire: Any creature slain by a devouring mist rises as a vampire spawn in 1d4 days, unless the remains are blessed. If the victim had more than 5 hit dice, there is a 1% chance per hit die that it arises as a full-fledged vampire instead, or a 5% chance per hit die if the victim was of the humanoid type.
Zombie: If the zombie horde takes enough individual damage to break it up, up to a dozen of the creatures continue on their rampage of destruction, until finally they too must be slain.
When the zombie horde swarm is reduced to 0 hit points or lower and breaks up, unless the damage was dealt by area-affecting attacks, then 2d6 surviving members of the horde continue their attack, though now only as individual creatures.Undead Ooze: ?

Reliquarium Eldoria

Spoiler

Undead: There are those Telarci who are unlucky enough to find themselves picked up by ships, sent forth by the Goddess Sirrith, to collect those who stray from Tarrisada. Shadowland is one of the realms located in the Unending Sea and the Goddess directs her minions to collect the souls of the unfaithful and bring them to her thralldom. Here, their form is corrupted by the power of the Vorg. They are bound with negative energy and can then be sent back into Enshar to do the bidding of the Goddess. In this way, many of the Undead who have physical shape are created.
There are other darker creatures that are born within the waters of the Unending Sea. These are the souls who never see the light and instead descend into the cold depths and enter the uncharted realms that border the Great Shadow. Because of this they remain as spirits and do not achieve the physicality of the Reborn. Some eventually find their way via unknown paths to Shadowland and serve Sirrith as her incorporeal servants. Others become lesser Demons in the Great Shadow. Finally, there are those who return to the living world without becoming the thralls of Sirrith. They exist as ghosts, wraiths and other creatures of an incorporeal nature.
By 1800R, the Sirrith clergy in Odressi became bolder in its practices and encouraged the ritual of ‘purification’ amongst its acolytes. In this ceremony, zealots offered themselves up to be bled dry and to have their dead body reanimated with the power of the Shadow.
Ghost: There are other darker creatures that are born within the waters of the Unending Sea. These are the souls who never see the light and instead descend into the cold depths and enter the uncharted realms that border the Great Shadow. Because of this they remain as spirits and do not achieve the physicality of the Reborn. Some eventually find their way via unknown paths to Shadowland and serve Sirrith as her incorporeal servants. Others become lesser Demons in the Great Shadow. Finally, there are those who return to the living world without becoming the thralls of Sirrith. They exist as ghosts, wraiths and other creatures of an incorporeal nature.
Wraith: There are other darker creatures that are born within the waters of the Unending Sea. These are the souls who never see the light and instead descend into the cold depths and enter the uncharted realms that border the Great Shadow. Because of this they remain as spirits and do not achieve the physicality of the Reborn. Some eventually find their way via unknown paths to Shadowland and serve Sirrith as her incorporeal servants. Others become lesser Demons in the Great Shadow. Finally, there are those who return to the living world without becoming the thralls of Sirrith. They exist as ghosts, wraiths and other creatures of an incorporeal nature.
Vampire: Lord Varren was made a vampire at Sirrith’s command.
Zombie Lord: Priests who seek to embrace the power of the Vorg and become Undead undergo a ceremony whereby they are hung upside-down over the temple Purification Pit and bled dry. The High Priest officiates and imbues the dead body with the energy of the Shadow, using the Skull of Vargranda (an ancient artefact said to have been given to the cult at the Dawn of Time, by Sirrith herself. Cultists resurrected this way become a Zombie Lord.
Zombie: Slain by Dreadsteel.

DREADSTEEL
Strong necromancy; CL 18th; weight 8lb
The leader of the group was attired in crimson-stained armor and, as I fought my attackers, I saw him strike his black sword against Hallen’s gorget; the evil blade giving off a hideous metallic scream as it bit into the metal. He had pierced Hallen’s armor and my comrade fell, blood gushing from the wound.
I dealt quickly with my two opponents, driving my blade through the midriff of one and hamstringing the other. I turned, in time to defend myself from an attack launched by the crimson knight and managed to catch his terrible weapon on my own sword. As we tested our strength against each other, I saw Hallen, slowly recovering and standing up behind my foe. He was alive and planning to strike our enemy a mortal blow from behind!
Suddenly the crimson knight mouthed the words, “Kill him!” and I saw the awful, vacant look upon Hallen’s face. He had risen as some creature of the Undead, controlled by my enemy and now intent on helping him dispatch me.
This is a legendary blade, forged of Vurgonmir iron, once wielded by the Wraithlord Ikaradis during the Wars of the Serpent Kings. It is a +2 shortsword with the ability to animate the dead (as per the Level 3 CL spell). Any intelligent humanoid that dies as a result of a killing blow caused by Dreadsteel rises as a zombie, under the control of the wielder of the sword. The sword’s power allows the wielder to control a maximum number of zombies equal to their charisma score.
Dreadsteel suffers the penalties common to all weapons made from Vurgonmir. Humanoids killed by Dreadsteel rise as zombies within 1d4 rounds. Apply the zombie template when creating them (Refer Pathfinder Bestiary Book One).

Remarkable Races Compendium of Unusual PC Races

Spoiler

Timber Wight: Among the oaklings, death is often considered an inconvenience. In their emotionless pursuit of personal gain, quite a few oaklings experiment with necromancy to prolong their lives. The timber wight is the horrible end result.

Rhune Dawn of Twilight Campaign Guide

Spoiler

Whisper Ghoul: ?
Undead Dwarf: ?
Undead Lord: ?
AElven Ghost: Many ælves also believe that the runes other races carve into jötunstones to create storm-tech engines harm their racial connection to their spiritual afterlife in the same way as the Bilröst Gate—they believe every stormtech engine created binds the ælven hosts more strongly to cursed unlife on Midgard.

Undead: The largest concentration of the undead is among the Ruined Cities in the South, all of which have been animated by the Ghoul Stone (and the necromantic energy it channels from Neinferth directly into Midgard).
The Ghoul Stone was raised above the former cities in 166 YUR by invading cultists, draining the life force from the cities below it and leaving South Pointe, Way Pointe, and Way Station undead wastelands. Today, many Vitkarr believe the Ghoul Stone acts as a giant magical gate, one that links Neinferth to Midgard, channeling negative energy directly into the former cities and damning all who enter to a fate worse than death.
While all of the Thrall Lords were transformed into their current states in the awful crucible of the Great Void, Felashurann is the one among their number who chose to remain behind, and so became the closest thing Neinferth has to a master. He is perhaps the most active of the Thrall Lords within his chosen domain, endlessly on the hunt for new flesh to warp and transform into the undead horrors with which he bolsters his army for the coming final battle of gods and men.
Many Vitkarr believe that the Ghoul Stone that hovers above the Ruined Cities on Midgard draws its power directly from Neinferth, acting as a conduit for this twisted realm. While none know for sure, this realm clearly displays ties to the entropic energies that animate the dead.
Ghoul: ?
Wraith: Lady Y'Draah's fateful vision led her, alongside her followers, to build the Bilröst Gate so that they could travel the Great Tree in search of the gods. Later, when they opened the gate, the ælves realized the irony of their actions. For the Thrall Lords, most evil of the ancient giants, had twisted her visions, and everything she designed carried a fell purpose. An unprecedented blend of rune lore and nascent clockwork technology, when the Gate was opened it consumed the life force of nearby ælves in an uncontrolled wave of runic magic. Some survived, hideously changed and separated from their true nature. These became the ash elves. Others perished utterly and in the ensuing years it became clear that their fate was darker than any natural death. Rather than progress to the Halls of the All-Father, as had all previous ælves killed by misadventure or war, the spirits of those killed by Lady Y'Draah's gate were trapped in Midgard. The spirits of the fallen did not progress to their promised afterlife, instead became beings of loss and darkness, ill-fated wraiths haunting the once fair city of Summer Night.
The Raven and the Wolf—This constellation contains thirteen stars, which appear to depict a raven resting atop the face of a wolf. While many starwatchers say this is a bit of an exaggeration, a great number of ælven druids look to this constellation with both awe and wonder, some going so far as to say that it the true resting place of their dead, calling the spirits and wraiths of Summer Night City little more than cursed shells.
Some whisper they have learned to summon wraiths, strange ælven-like spirits cursed to wander Midgard until Ragnarök.
Lich: Some of her southerner worshipers, however, look to her as a goddess who can give them life beyond death, forestalling the great bane of mortality. While this state of affairs does not necessarily sit well with the Mistress of the Grave, the benefits she reaps in converts is well worth the ideological sacrifice of allowing some few of her faithful the selfish indulgence of undead existence for a few centuries. For every one who learns the secrets of lichdom or vampirism, for instance, scores or even hundreds look to the example of the few and believe, in vain, that they, too, might know such power.
Vampire: Some of her southerner worshipers, however, look to her as a goddess who can give them life beyond death, forestalling the great bane of mortality. While this state of affairs does not necessarily sit well with the Mistress of the Grave, the benefits she reaps in converts is well worth the ideological sacrifice of allowing some few of her faithful the selfish indulgence of undead existence for a few centuries. For every one who learns the secrets of lichdom or vampirism, for instance, scores or even hundreds look to the example of the few and believe, in vain, that they, too, might know such power.
Ghast: ?
Zombie: Draugir Cap magic item.
Meatwalker Serum Alchemical Item.

Draugir Caps
Weight 1lb per cap; Price 400 gp per cap
These hook-lined skullcaps come attuned to a command cap. By affixing the cap to a Small- or Medium-sized corpse as a full round action that provokes attacks of opportunity, the wearer of the command cap may spend a minute concentrating and make a DC 20 Concentration check (caster level is equal to character level in this case) to alchemically animate the corpse. This corpse functions as a zombie (see the Pathfinder® Roleplaying Game Bestiary™) except is it unharmed (although not healed) by channeling positive energy. Channeling negative energy still damages the corpse. Once the zombie reaches 0 hit points, it is destroyed and cannot be reanimated. Removing the draugir cap is also a full-round action, which provokes attacks of opportunity. Controlling the corpse is a move-equivalent action that does not provoke attacks of opportunity. A corpse can be given instructions as per animal tricks, and performs the command until destroyed or until the wearer of the command cap issues a new command. The wearer of a command cap is limited to a number of zombies equal to their character level.

Meatwalker Serum
Weight —; Price 250 gp
This substance creates an alchemically driven zombie. One dose animates a single Medium-sized creature, or two Small-sized creatures over the course of a round. These zombies are statistically identical to zombies in the Pathfinder® Roleplaying Game Bestiary™, but remain unharmed (and not healed) by channeling positive energy. Channeling negative energy damages still damages the corpse. Once the zombie reaches 0 hit points, it is destroyed and cannot be reanimated. When used in combination with corpse fitted with a draugir cap, the character wearing the command cap does not need to spend a minute of concentration to control the corpse. Otherwise, these zombies shuffle around aimlessly for three days, until the serum becomes inert and the corpses become inanimate. The serum also provides a side benefit of acting as a gentle repose spell while active.

Riyal's Research: Haunts

Spoiler

Haunt: My master, who instructed me in the arcane arts, explained that a location which was plagued by a ghost or similar incorporal spirit over the course of decades and centuries may transform into a haunt.
A haunt is the negative energy of a ghost that has lost its sense of self. A newly-formed ghost possesses its life memories. But as time moves on, these memories fade away and only the strongest remains - that of its death or one holding overwhelming emotion which helped to create the ghost in the first place. During this process, the ghostly form loses much of the shape that reflected its life memory and becomes more and more distorted. The negative energy of this now unrecognizable unlife force slowly becomes fused with the object or location that is associated with the single defining memory of the fading ghost. Eventually, the ghost is gone and only the haunt remains. So to sum up what a haunt is, I would say a tethered undead spirit that has lost its creatureliness.
The ghost-to-haunt process may take as little as a year or two or may encompass several centuries. My research revealed the existence of a 1021 year old ghost – Homley Trakasta – whose essence is now known as the Idarian Firestar. While I concede the possibility that a ghost may never complete the haunt process or be too weak in spirit [a pun - hee, hee] to leave behind a haunt, I believe that not to be the common case. Further research is required in Shadowsfall on this matter.
Color Steal: ?
The Howling: ?
Misty River: ?
Flooding Falls: ?
Flame Shadows: ?
Pain and Hate: ?
Blind Man's Alley: ?
Rising Coffins: ?
Breathless Gasps: ?
Silent Pig Pen: ?
Cursing Skulls: ?
Death Chills: ?
Cries of Despair: ?
Rust Dust: ?
Eternal Henge: ?
Words of Asmodeus: ?
Corrosive Fog: ?
Deadly Knowledge: ?
Cliffs of Insanity: ?
Death's Flowers: ?
Ice Queen's Gaze: ?
Home Fires Burning: ?
Vengeful Clouds: ?
Bone Garden: ?

Rule Zero: Underlings

Spoiler

Ghost Underling: ?
Ghoul Underling: ?
Mummy Underling: ?
Skeleton Underling: ?
Vampire Underling: ?
Zombie Underling: ?

Rule Zero: Underlings Bonus

Spoiler

Undead Underling: Undead Lord feat.

Skeleton Underling ?

Undead Lord
You can easily create and control undead underlings.
Prerequisite: Spell Focus (necromancy).
Benefit: Whenever you calculate the total number of undead creatures you control, every four undead underlings of the same type count as one creature (using their group CR as the creature’s Hit Dice). Any remaining undead underlings of the same type also count as a single creature. For example, 7 skeleton underlings would count as two creatures.
In addition, whenever you create undead using animate dead, you can create underlings, counting four underlings as one creature in terms of the total number of Hit Dice you can create and the cost of casting the spell. You must possess a number of bodies equal to the number of underlings created.

Sandy Petersen's Cthulhu Mythos - Pathfinder

Spoiler

Mythos Undead: “Mythos undead” is an acquired template that can be added to any living, corporeal creature.
Evil creature drinking gorgondy.
Dying from constitution drain from Hastur's possession.
In rare cases, when certain alchemical techniques are applied to an exceptionally fresh corpse (or even to whole parts of fresh corpses) who, in life, possessed a singularly powerful and focused mind, the result is in an undead creature that retains its intellect; in such a case, create the creature as a Mythos undead.
Zyngaya spell.
Ghost of Ib Cleric 10: ?
Undead: Where the King in Yellow walks,
the dead rise and follow. Whenever the King in Yellow
comes within 20 feet of a dead body, that body rises as an undead creature of the King’s choosing. The undead created can be of any type, so long as its CR is equal to or less than the King in Yellow’s CR-6 (minimum of 1). Living creatures who die within 20 feet of the King in Yellow arise as undead one round later.
The King in Yellow’s footstep brings the dead to life. They can return as a wide variety of undead—from simple zombies or ghosts to more powerful vampires. His horde always accompanies him.
Deathless Sorcerer, Old Human Mythos Undead Sorcerer 12: ?
Insane Dead: Certain alchemical techniques can reanimate recently slain bodies, but while these methods restore the semblance of life to the victim, the passage of death to life always results in insanity.
Risen Witch, Mythos Undead Human Witch 20: ?
Leng Ghoul: Leng Ghoul Fever and 12+ Hit Dice.
Ghoul: Leng Ghoul Fever and less than 12 Hit Dice.

ZYNGAYA
School necromancy [evil]; Level cleric 7, shaman 7, sorcerer/wizard 7
Casting Time 1 hour
Components V, S, M (a clay pot filled with grave dirt and an onyx gem worth 50 gp per HD of the undead to be created)
Range close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)
Target one corpse
Duration instantaneous
Saving Throw none; Spell Resistance no
You turn the corpse into a Mythos undead if the creature had fewer Hit Dice than your caster level. It is loyal to the King in Yellow. Although it recognizes you as its creator, it works with you only insofar as you serve the purposes of the King in Yellow. If you are capable of commanding undead, you may attempt to command the undead creature as it forms.

GORGONDY
Weight 2 lbs. Price 7,500 gp; Craft (alchemy) DC 35
This dark, evil liquor must be kept in strong, heavily armored iron bottles to retain its potency. When drunk, it changes the drinker's alignment one step closer to evil. Class abilities based on alignment change to match (unless the new alignment results in losing the ability altogether due to incompatible alignment). If the drinker is evil before drinking it, the drinker's soul will be destroyed upon death and the drinker's corpse will arise as a Mythos undead. The drinker can negate all these effects with a successful DC 15 Will save upon drinking.

Disease (Ex) Leng Ghoul Fever: Bite—injury; save Fort DC 22; onset immediate; effect 1d3 Con and 1d4 Dex damage; cure 2 consecutive saves. The save DC is Charisma-based. A humanoid that succumbs to Leng ghoul fever becomes a normal ghoul unless in life it had 12 or more Hit Dice, in which case it rises from death as a Leng ghoul.

Scions of Evil

Spoiler

Ghast Hordelings Advanced Ghoul Fighter 2/Rogue 3: ?
Hordeling Leader Advanced Ghoul Fighter 4/Rogue 3: ?
A Memory of Allwinter, Awakened Demilich Druid 15: In a time before the ken of fire, the prehistoric peoples of this land dug a long barrow into the frozen earth to hold the remains of their dead. The ancients abandoned their dead at the tomb’s mouth for wild animals to strip the flesh from their bones before the shamans reverently placed the skulls of the ancestors along the wall of the long tunnel into the earth; a tunnel they dug deeper into the earth with crude stone tools as each millennia passed.
The barrow, holding twenty thousand years of ancestors’ skulls, was forgotten when foreigners brought agriculture from across the sea, driving the hunting folk before them with the sprawl of proto‐civilisation.
The old gods of the dark forest and biting frost of ice ages died with the last of the hunting folk. The afterlife of the hunters collapsed with their deities’ waning, casting their souls adrift. Some of the abandoned souls returned to the deep barrow over the passing eons, coalescing into a single awakened demilich, A Memory of Allwinter.
Gahlgax Atarrith Balor Lord, Vampire Balor Fighter 1: One of the most powerful Abyssal balor lords, Orcus himself blessed him with undeath a score of centuries ago.
Orcus personally gifted him with vampirism after Gahlgax slew a rival balor that sought (foolishly) to supplant the Prince of the Undead. In truth, the now long‐forgotten balor did nothing of the sort, Gahlgax manipulated and miss‐reported his rival’s actions so that it appeared he sought to steal Orcus’ famed wand. Slaying the balor, he then (humbly) presented his evidence to Orcus. Orcus, in rare good mood after torturing and dismembering a particularly obnoxious and strident paladin-hero, drank deeply of Gahlgax’s blood to create the unholy abomination that now serves him.
Gahlgax has been blessed by his patron with the powers of undeath and has all the standard undead immunities in addition to those enjoyed by normal demons.
Sword of Orcus, Graveknight Marilith Antipaladin 2: ?
Vilran Azanae Elf Vampire Wizard 14: After two years of searching, during which his estate fell into disrepair, Vilran found what he had been searching for – a way to extend his life beyond a mortal’s span – when he discovered a vampire laired in a nearby town. Vilran tracked down the creature and struck a deal – allowing himself to be turned into a vampire.
Paradar Levien Human Lich Sorcerer 15: Desperate to prolong his existence in order to master his draconic heritage, he undertook the lengthy, complicated and costly ritual to transform himself into a lich. With the ritual complete, Parardar found that it had granted him unusual boons – the ability to breathe fire as his forebear and to sprout wings.
Lillian Orxal Human Spectre sorcerer 10: Slain by a secretive cult, Lillian searches for her killers so that she might enact a terrible revenge upon them.
Caulenfel Wyrxin Human Mummy Fighter 2/Sorcerer 2/Dragon Disciple 8: Calaunfel Wyrxin exists because his spirit raged against those who murdered and entombed him amid ritual and superstition. Created by the murderous, but ultimately misdirected vengeance, of terrified peasants Calaunfel Wyrxin is obsessed with vengeance against all those who doomed him to unimaginable torments.
Calaunfel was beaten, tied up and then – under the instruction of a village elder schooled as a shaman – mummified. While he yet lived, the butchers cut Calaunfel open and removed his major organs. His body was swathed in linen and buried in a shallow grave in his cave. The townsfolk toiled through the next night to seal his cave with boulders and heavy stones.
Decapitated Plague Zombie, Spriggan Plague Zombie: ?
Tregreth Faull, Human Vampire Wizard 5/Loremaster 8: Cold‐hearted and pragmatic she only ever attached herself to those of value to her. Her last target was the hermit mage Kevern Tangye who dwelled in the Tower of Night, a fabled site dominating the skyline of a mighty city. Swiftly divining his vampiric nature, Tregereth continued her pursuit of the mage, who finally granted her request to bestow his dark gift upon her.
Daveth Goninan, Half-Orc Vampire Fighter 10: Traoth Lathil, an ancient elven vampire, dwelt within. Easily dispatching the attacking orcs, he transformed Daveth into a vampire and forced him to destroy his former tribe.
Margh Vosper, Human Vampire Aristocrat 4/Bard 9: Sadly, fate then intervened in the guise of a wandering vampire that slaughtered much of the troupe including Margh’s beloved. Incensed by this Margh attacked the vampire; his insane desire to kill the abomination amused the vampire and so it chose to create him as a spawn.
Terl Yarg, Doppelganger Vampire Rogue 5/Shadowdancer 2: Created by Merat, a vampiric gargoyle, who laired in an abandoned manor house.
Kulan Wyr Guardian, Human Skeletal Champion Monk 11: ?
Kulan Wyr Champion, Human Skeletal Champion Warrior 12: ?
Greater Vampire Spawn: ?
Cadan Negus, Human Vampire Sorcerer 7: ?

Spectre: Humanoids Lillian slays become spectres (with a –2 penalty on all d20 rolls, –2 hp per HD and only drain one level on a touch) in 1d4 rounds.
Vampire Spawn: Gahlgax can create a spawn when he slays a creature with blood drain or energy drain.
Vilran can create a spawn when he slays a creature with blood drain or energy drain.
Tregereth can create a spawn when she slays a creature with blood drain or energy drain.
Daveth can create a spawn when he slays a creature with blood drain or energy drain.
Margh can create a spawn when he slays a creature with blood drain or energy drain.
Terl can create a spawn when he slays a creature with blood drain or energy drain.
Vampires can create spawn of the same type (humanoid, monstrous humanoid and so on), from those it slays with its blood drain or energy drain attacks. The victim rises in 1d4 days.
Cadan can create a spawn when he slays a creature with blood drain or energy drain.
Plague Zombie: A target slain by a plague zombie's death burst rises as a plague zombie in 2d6 hours.

Shadows Over Vathak

Spoiler

Blood Shadow: A humanoid creature with 10 HD or more, which is killed by a blood shadow becomes a lesser blood shadow under the control of its killer 1d4 rounds after its death.
Kindrian Gaunt: Any humanoid slain by a kindrian gaunt rises as a kindrian gaunt at the next midnight.
In the icy wastes of northern Vathak, there lurks the undead spirits of those who tragically have frozen to death during the harsh winters. When animated these corpses become intelligent undead tied to the lands that claimed their lives.

Shadows Over Vathak: Hauntlings – Enhanced Racial Guide

Spoiler

Skeleton: Release From Flesh spell.

Release From Flesh
School necromancy [evil]; Level cleric 5, shaman 5, witch 5
Casting Time 1 round
Components V, S, M/DF (the heart of a humanoid creature)
Range touch
Target one living creature
Duration 1 round/level (D)
Saving Throw Fortitude negates, see below;
Spell Resistance yes
You cause a living target’s flesh to rot off its body. Each round at the start of the creature’s turn, until it makes a successful Fortitude save, it takes 1d4+1 points of Constitution damage. A creature dies under the effects of the spell is transformed into a skeleton under your control. This skeleton counts towards the total amount of Hit Dice of undead you can control with spells like animate undead. If the skeleton exceeds the total amount of Hit Dice of undead you can control, it crumbles to dust.

Shadows Over Vathak Ina'oth Gamemaster's Guide

Spoiler

Ghost Aging special attack: The ghost died either young or very old.
Ghost Drowning special attack: The ghost died drowning, either accidently or as a result of murder.
Ghost Elemental Body special attack: The ghost died through painful exposure to one of the following elements—acid, cold, electricity, or fire.
Ghost Firestarter special attack: The ghost died tragically in a fire.
Ghoul Variant: Most Vathakian ghouls are of the standard variety, however, the presence of the Old Ones invariably causes mutations.
Ghoul Corpse Loved: One of the strangest variant ghouls is the corpse bride or corpse groom. While most ghouls arise from cannibalistic impulses, these ghouls result from their loved ones excessively pining over them, feeding the corpse as though their lover still lived.
Ghoul Dark Rider: ?
Shroud Mummy: Ancient rituals, alternately attributed to the Nosferatu Kings and bhriota shamans, seek to preserve the body and the mind after death. Rare oils anoint the subject and an enchanted funerary shroud protects them from the degradations of time. Although, properly executed, the rites should result in a mummy that retains or even increases its mortal intelligence, most subjects become lesser shroud mummies.

Incorporeal Undead: The souls of the dead, unable to pass on, arise as ghosts or other forms of terrible, incorporeal undead.
Ghost: The souls of the dead, unable to pass on, arise as ghosts or other forms of terrible, incorporeal undead.
Ghosts represent one of the most tragic forms of undead. Tied to the material plane with unfinished business, they find themselves bound to a specific area, usually associated with their death.
Ghosts are powerfully psychological creatures to face bound by strong emotions of anger, fear, love, and resentment.
Ghoul: Ghouls roam the countryside in vast numbers, increasing their kind with ghoul fever.
As citizens turn to cannibalism, new ghouls are born even within the safest walls.
Cannibalistic undead who can turn the living into one of their kind, ghouls increasingly menace the lands of Ina’oth.
The sweeping plagues that leave behind ravaged towns force desperate survivors to consume one another to stay alive. When these survivors, in turn, succumb to disease or murder, they arise again with an insatiable hunger. The increasing foulness of the Old Ones aids in this transformation and finds fertile ground in plague infested Ina’oth where the ghoul problem is the worst in Vathak.
Although official church doctrine suggests ghouls are the product of the Old Ones’ interference, few ghouls bend knee to those powers.
Experts in the occult and undeath, particularly reanimators, believe ghoul fever can arise spontaneously in cases of cannibalism. However, they’ve yet to find a natural explanation for the increasing number, variety, and intelligence of Inaothian ghouls.
Cursed disease.
Zombie: Cursed disease.
Ghast: Cursed disease.
Shadow: Cursed disease.
Wight: Cursed disease.
Wraith: Cursed disease.

Cursed: Dark powers are at work in Vathak and the dead do not rest easy. Cursed diseases cannot be removed through magical means unless the victim is first treated with remove curse (with a DC equal to the disease’s Fortitude save DC). Creatures that succumb to a cursed disease arise within 24 hours as the following type of undead (unless the disease already spawns an undead such as ghoul fever).
d6 Undead Type
1 Zombie
2 Ghoul
3 Ghast
4 Shadow
5 Wight
6 Wraith

Sidebar 6 - 5 Haunted Items

Spoiler

Royal Blood Diamond: Greedy, spoiled, and covetous, the Princess Gelledona was not a person to be denied what she demanded. Already extremely rich, she owned an impressive collection of jewels, gems, and precious things when she spotted the Royal Blue diamond worn by a visiting princess from a far off realm. The diamond was the largest she had ever seen, set into a magnificent necklace of silver and surrounded by dark sapphires. The blue glow that came from the diamond was enchanting, and Princess Gelledona did all she could to convince the foreign princess to give it to her. After all the offers of money, land, and other fine jewels were rejected, Gelledona paid the visiting princess’s own guards kill her for it. Savage in their work, the princess died clutching the diamond after being stabbed repeatably. Princess Gelledona was able to have her own staff clean up the mess after she secretly claimed the diamond for herself, her diplomats putting the blame on another nation already at war with the dead princess’s realm.
The Busty Maid Stool: Ballis Yellowtusk was a deadly highwayman and local outlaw. He was caught at his favorite tavern, the Busty Maid, eating a fine meal at his regular spot at the bar. He went quietly when the soldiers came, not putting up a fight as they carried him away, nor while he was sentenced to hang for his crimes. His last request was to have the stool from his favorite spot in the Busty Maid be the thing he stood on for his hanging. Before the stool was pulled from his feet he smiled and promised to haunt anyone who would sit in his spot at the tavern. He grinned as the stool was yanked out from under him, and kept grinning even after he was long dead.
Hardnook Plantation Mirror: The Hardnook family was one of the wealthiest plantation owners in their area. Unfortunately Vande, the head of the family, was a cruel man and abused all of the slaves and workers who worked for him. Angry at his actions and riled by an accident that killed a young child, the slaves eventually revolted and the family was forced to barricade themselves in the plantation manor. After three nights waiting for help Vande was fatally wounded and his wife, Seadora, grew insane from the constantly shouted threats and attacks. In her crazed delirium, she tied nooses around her husband’s neck, her neck, and the neck of each of her children. Then she threw each one over the banister in the entryway of the manor before jumping herself. The last thing each of them saw was the reflection of their struggling and gasping bodies in the large silver mirror that hung in that entryway.
The Willow's Doll: The exact origins of the doll are uncertain but the last owners, the Willow family, discovered it along the side of the road near their home. The doll is expertly made, with a smiling face and a body stuffed with soft feathers.
Sir Vincent's Portrait: Sir Vincent was a rich, arrogant, aristocrat who had great pride in his appearance and was known to be hot-headed about a disfiguring burn scar on his neck. Anyone who pointed it out would be shouted at, or even attacked if he was in a foul mood. When it came time to do his portrait he hired only the best in the land, but demanded that the scar be left out. Fabelli, the painter, refused the demand because he painted his subjects as he saw them. Sir Vincent was so furious at the sight of his scar in the portrait that he attacked Fabelli on the spot, grabbing a small stone bust in his anger and repeatedly beating Fabelli over the head with it. As he died, Fabelli left a single bloody handprint in the bottom corner of the portrait, his last words too gargled with blood for anyone to hear them. Sir Vincent simply ordered that the scar and handprint be painted over before anyone could hang it in the ballroom, paying off all witnesses to his crime.

Southlands Bestiary

Spoiler

Accursed Defiler: Accursed defilers are the lingering remnants of an ancient tribe that desecrated a sacred oasis inhabited by spirits of the desert. For their crime, the wrathful spirits wrought upon the tribe a terrible curse, so that they would forever wander the wastes attempting to quench an insatiable thirst.
Angatra: In certain jungle tribes, the breaking of tribal taboos, especially by tribal leaders or elders, invites terrible retribution from the tribe’s ancestral spirits. The
transgressor is cursed, cast out, and executed, and then wrapped head to toe in lamba cloth to soothe the spirit and bind it within its mortal husk. Placed in a sealed tomb far from traditional burial grounds so none may disturb the deceased and so that their unclean spirits will not taint the blessed dead, the taboo-breakers’ bodies are visited every 10 years. At that time, the tribe performs a famadihana ritual, replacing the lamba bindings and soothing the deceased’s suffering. Over generations, the repeated performance of this ritual by the descendants of the damned expiates their guilt, until at long last the once-accursed person is admitted into the gates of the afterlife. However, if its descendants forget the lessons of the taboo and abandon their task, or if the sealed tomb is violated and desecrated in some other way, the penance of the ancestor turn in upon itself and the accursed soul becomes an angatra.
Animated by the malice of wrong ancestors, the creature’s form undergoes a horrible metamorphosis within the cocoon of its decaying bonds. Its fingernails grow into vicious claws, while its skin becomes hard and leathery and its withered form is imbued with unnatural speed and agility.
Edimmu: Desert tribes often exile their criminals to wander the desert alone. A banished criminal who dies of thirst sometimes rises as an edimmu (eh-DIH-moo), a hateful undead who blames all sentient living beings for their fate and craving the life-giving water contained in their bodies
Gray Thirster: The greatest danger to people traversing the deep deserts of the Southlands is thirst, and even the best-prepared travelers can find themselves without water in the middle of the desert. The lucky ones die quickly, while those less fortunate linger in sun-addled torment for days before their tortured bodies give up. These souls often rise from the sands as gray thirsters, driven to inflict the torment they suffered upon other travelers.
Mummy Venomous: These variant mummies are crafted by Selket’s faithful to guard their holy sites and tombs, and to serve as the agents of the goddess’s retribution.
Rotting Wind: A rotting wind is an undead creature made up of the foul air and grave dust sloughed off by innumerable undead creatures within the countless lost tombs and grand necropolises of the Southlands deserts.
Sand Silhouette: Sand silhouettes are spirits of those who died in desperation that have seeped into the sand.
Sarcophagus Slime: Many sages speculate that the first sarcophagus slime was spawned accidentally, in a mummy-creation ritual gone horribly wrong; giving life to the congealed contents of the canopic jars rather than the mummified body. Others maintain it was purposefully created by a powerful necromancer pharaoh bent on formulating the perfect alchemical sentry to guard his accursed crypt.
Skin Bat: Skin bats are undead creatures created from the skin flayed from the victims of sacrificial rites, often in the name of Camazotz, Bat Lord of the Underworld. They are given a measure of unlife by a vile rituals involving immersion in flesh-filled vats.

Southlands Campaign Setting

Spoiler

Mummy Animated Shroud: Animated shroud mummies are not merely cadavers that have become undead through the mummification process. Rather, their whole being—corpse, wrappings, and all—become part of the creatures’ conscious.
Mummy Hollow Men: Hollow men mummies are created using a particularly brutal ceremony where the human within the wrappings is boiled alive within the shrouds using a specially prepared elixir of natron. The subsequently created undead is nothing more than the animated wrappings of the ceremony, infused with the spirit of the murdered person.
Mummy Indestructible: These creatures keep their souls within a canopic jar, which acts in a similar way to a lich’s phylactery. So long as the jar remains intact, the mummy cannot be permanently destroyed and rises again, fully healed at dusk of the day upon which it was destroyed.
The most common type of canopic jar is made of tough metal sealed with lead and containing both the viscera and strips of parchment upon which the magical phrases used to create the mummy are inscribed.
Mummy Revenant-Cursed: Murdered during its creation, the revenant-cursed mummy exists to exact revenge; whether against an individual, a dynasty or even a god. The enemy is chosen at the time of its creation and can never be altered.
Mummy Scarab-Infested: The foul scarab-infested mummy is created by a ceremony involving placing a fertilized scarab beetle into the stomach of a mummified victim. As the eggs hatch, they feast upon the enwrapped host, slowly riddling the cadaver with a particularly monstrous blight: a swarm of scarab beetles.
Monkey Swarm Mummified Creature: ?
Mummy Bog and Peat Beast: These creatures are created when the host falls into, drowns, or is otherwise engulfed in a deep bog or expanse of peat.
Mummy Frozen Kin: These mummies are created by exposure to ice; whether that be through falling into a freezing lake, into a glacier or through simple death through cold damage.
Mummy Salt: Salt mining is a very dangerous operation often carried out by the underclasses, slaves, or prisoners. In such treacherous work the mortality rate is high and many miners are buried alive. Salt mummies are spontaneous mummies created after such accidents.

Mummy: Although the majority of mummies are created through special ritual, some arise spontaneously, usually based on the location of their death. If such a location—be it bog or arid desert—has sufficient latent necromantic auras, the person who died there may rise as a mummy.
Some cult members request burial in a particular way and involving a special ceremony that echoes that used to create mummies. The cults regard this method of burial (always while still living) as a way to immortality.
Some orders and religions believe that the mummy is created to watch over her reincarnated kin and that they animate when they are called by those kin, often subliminally and sometimes centuries later. These mummies seek out their kin to protect them from harm—often something the kinsman is totally unaware of and may be horrified by. In darker cases, the mummy sees in that person the image of a dead lover and wishes to rekindle that love once more.
Rarely, some mummies are created either through a voluntary death pact between lovers because the pair wish to continue even into undeath, or through two lovers who are forced as a punishment to endure rebirth as undead.

Starjammer Core Rules

Spoiler

Tardigrade Undead: ?

Starjammer Core Rules (Starfinder Edition)

Spoiler

Tardigrade Undead: ?

Tales of the Old Margreve Web Compilation

Spoiler

Cocooned Corpses: Cocooned Corpses are the desiccated remains of creatures wrapped in the cocoons of giant spiders. Horror and death throes animate the corpses.
Whispering Demons: Whispering Demons are alien mutterings that take form and flight in the deep Margreve.

Terrors of Obsidian Apocalypse: Haunts

Spoiler

Bell Tower: A bell-ringer fell down in this tower. Before he died he wished that the fall hadn’t happened...
Creeping Ectoplasm: ?
Dead Tree: The dead tree is a haunted leftover of a garden, an orchard, or a last patch of a forest—a single dead tree standing amid a barren landscape.
Doors to Damnation: A soldier guarded this door against overwhelming forces and cursed the invaders with his dying breath when he finally fell.
Devouring Mists: A pack of ghouls ambushed and devoured a group of people when they were passing this bridge on a foggy night. Memory of this event still lingers and hungers for flesh of the living.
Forbidden Library: Some books are not meant to be read, and some people dedicate their lives to prevent others from reading such forbidden books. Sometimes such dedication extends beyond life.
Hangman's Jig: A desperate prisoner was incompetently hanged in this small cell. An echo of his painful death lingers and haunts anyone visiting the room.
Heart of Embers: Cinders of a dead fire elemental slowly smolder until roused into a short burst of mindless rage against living beings.
Hungry Grave: A petty villain was punished by being buried alive in this grave. Now his soul desires to share his misery with others.
Last Dance: A mad aristocrat was isolated in this lavish chamber. The inhabitant’s spirit still haunts the room, yearning to dance, an obsession which was denied to him during his many years of isolation.
Lessons of the Past: This was a place of teaching, where a respected sage told didactic stories to children and youngsters.
Master's Admonition: A cruel and petty teacher of wizardry left a painful imprint on his long-abandoned study, still lashing out against anyone who messes with his things.
Memory of the Late Mistress: A woman died, choked to death by her jealous lover on this bed, forever tainting it with ghostly malice toward the living.
Might Over Magic: A magician was killed here by brute force, leaving a spiteful vestige driven by hatred of the magic that failed him.
Quarry of the Endless Toil: This old quarry was a place of misery and death for numerous prisoners and slaves. Even now their spirits are bound to suffer, sharing their weariness with the living who disturb their endless toil.
Screams of a Forlorn Mother: Screams of a forlorn mother formed because of a woman that died a sudden death while mourning her child.
Swordsman Betrayed: Here a master swordsman fought and won many duels until he was betrayed and stabbed in the back by an ally. A trace of his spirit still lingers here, mistaking anyone entering the courtyard for a challenger.
Touch of Hunger: The denizens of this dwelling starved to death. Their last thoughts were focused on the door to the empty pantry, which to their deluded minds appeared filled with supplies.
Warlock's Doom: This haunt is the lingering residue of a powerful magician’s final stand—slivers of his spirit and the last spell he ever cast bound together in a volley of destruction unleashed against the world.

The Baykok

Spoiler

Baykok: ?

The Blight - Pathfinder

Spoiler

Alchemic-Unliving Creature: Those who wish to live forever sometimes take this dark path through use of the proprietary means available with the elixir of life. Those who take this draught by choice hope to join the alchymic-undying*; those who fail in this endeavour are cursed to become the alchymic-unliving*. Those who are forced to take the elixir by cruel masters or terms of indenture almost invariably end up among the alchymic-unliving.
The alchymic-unliving are creatures tainted by the curse of undeath through exposure to elixir of life. Those who partake in the forbidden fruits of such alchymic experimentation face a dismal future. It is true that death, or at least mortal death by aging, is no longer a concern, but the life left is bleak and bereft of any of the joys of the living.
“Alchymic-Unliving Creature” is an acquired template that can be added to any living creature that fails its Fortitude saving throw when exposed to elixir of life.
There are also those who take the elixir of life but whose bodies do not react well to the unnatural infusion. Instead of shedding the shackles of ordinary mortality as alchymic-undying, these unlucky souls instead find themselves cursed with a progressive form of undeath that not only steals away their vitality and ability to experience sensation, but also their very reason and personality as well. These cursed folk are the alchymic-unliving, and when their curse becomes advanced enough, they lose every last shred of who they were and become simply one more zombie shuffling mindlessly to its master’s commands.
Lucien died of consumption despite Lady Grey’s fanatical attempts to keep him alive, and her mind finally and fully snapped. Convinced that she must educate her child to spread the word of the Panacea, Lady Grey set about taking the natural path for her — to make the perfect child in Lucien’s image. From that time on, Lady Grey has been experimenting, becoming a homunculi wife set upon creating a perfect child. She has dabbled with cadavers, creating alchymic undead from some of the corpses of children Sprat and Marrow supplied her with.
The chimney wing is Lady Grey’s latest addition to the manse. It contains her crucible where she creates alchymic undead, tries to raise children, and makes abominations.
The sphere is the Cuckoo Womb Lady Grey uses to carry out her work. She binds her victims in the sphere, to make Staff of Life worms (see below) or to release them on some creature she intends to make into an alchymic undead or an abomination. To make an abomination, she bloats the worms on the blood of the creature she wishes to conjoin with the trapped creature and waits to see what happens. If she uses the works to try to create an alchymic undead, she uses worms fed on pigs or, if she can get them, fresh, healthy human, ideally without blemish or sickness. In her twisted mind, the purer the flesh, the better.
The dose of Staff of Life worms is worth 150 gp or could be used to make an alchymic undead.
The PCs hear more shouting at street corners, particularly the words “Staff of Life” and “the Elixir.” The foul substance is being used to make alchymic undead, many of whom are now being forced to work in manufacturies and mines after being killed in horrible accidents.
Elixir of Life magic item.
Stoic Guardian, Alchymic-Unliving Ogre Warrior 1: Created by Illuminati mages to guard entrances to their chapterhouses, stoic guardians simply stand and stare as their minds slowly slip away.
Between Incarnate Nosferatu Sorcerer 8: ?
Bileborn: The bileborn is an undead creature born of alchemical and necromantic experimentation. Its purpose and the identity of its creator are unknown, but the mistakes of this master have long since been paid, as the original bileborn ultimately escaped and slew its creator, incorporating his body among the rest.
bileborn seeks to increase its mass by absorbing creatures into its body. This does not increase the creature’s size or change it in any fundamental way, but the crowd of body parts grows denser at its center. Then at some indeterminate point, the creature reproduces by fission. The fused conglomeration of rotten body parts splits down the middle, forming two bileborns of equal size and power.
Ragefire: Ragefire spawn are under the control of the ragefire elemental that created them and remain enslaved until its death, or until they feed and become ragefire elementals themselves.
Ragefire Spawn: As a full-round action, a Huge, greater, or elder ragefire elemental can create ragefire spawn by incinerating the corpse of a non-evil humanoid of at least 5 HD that it has killed within the last 10 rounds.
Small Ragefire Elemental: As a full-round action, a Tiny, Small, Medium, or Large ragefire elemental can incinerate the corpse of a non-evil humanoid of at least half the elemental’s HD that it has killed within the last 10 rounds to gain a growth point. It gains a bonus equal to its growth point total on attack rolls, CMB rolls, Fortitude and Reflex saving throws, and skill checks. Its maximum hit points increase by 5 for each growth point it gains. For every 2 growth points, the DC for its burn special ability and its CR increase by +1. When a Tiny ragefire elemental gains 1 growth point, or a Small, Medium or Large ragefire elemental reaches 4 growth points, it increases in size, losing all of its growth points (and bonuses) but gaining the stats for a ragefire elemental of the next larger size.
Medium Ragefire Elemental: As a full-round action, a Tiny, Small, Medium, or Large ragefire elemental can incinerate the corpse of a non-evil humanoid of at least half the elemental’s HD that it has killed within the last 10 rounds to gain a growth point. It gains a bonus equal to its growth point total on attack rolls, CMB rolls, Fortitude and Reflex saving throws, and skill checks. Its maximum hit points increase by 5 for each growth point it gains. For every 2 growth points, the DC for its burn special ability and its CR increase by +1. When a Tiny ragefire elemental gains 1 growth point, or a Small, Medium or Large ragefire elemental reaches 4 growth points, it increases in size, losing all of its growth points (and bonuses) but gaining the stats for a ragefire elemental of the next larger size.
Large Ragefire Elemental: As a full-round action, a Tiny, Small, Medium, or Large ragefire elemental can incinerate the corpse of a non-evil humanoid of at least half the elemental’s HD that it has killed within the last 10 rounds to gain a growth point. It gains a bonus equal to its growth point total on attack rolls, CMB rolls, Fortitude and Reflex saving throws, and skill checks. Its maximum hit points increase by 5 for each growth point it gains. For every 2 growth points, the DC for its burn special ability and its CR increase by +1. When a Tiny ragefire elemental gains 1 growth point, or a Small, Medium or Large ragefire elemental reaches 4 growth points, it increases in size, losing all of its growth points (and bonuses) but gaining the stats for a ragefire elemental of the next larger size.
Huge Ragefire Elemental: As a full-round action, a Tiny, Small, Medium, or Large ragefire elemental can incinerate the corpse of a non-evil humanoid of at least half the elemental’s HD that it has killed within the last 10 rounds to gain a growth point. It gains a bonus equal to its growth point total on attack rolls, CMB rolls, Fortitude and Reflex saving throws, and skill checks. Its maximum hit points increase by 5 for each growth point it gains. For every 2 growth points, the DC for its burn special ability and its CR increase by +1. When a Tiny ragefire elemental gains 1 growth point, or a Small, Medium or Large ragefire elemental reaches 4 growth points, it increases in size, losing all of its growth points (and bonuses) but gaining the stats for a ragefire elemental of the next larger size.
Greater Ragefire Elemental: It is not known how a greater or elder ragefire elemental is created, but it is speculated that a Huge ragefire elemental that causes a large enough loss of sentient life may advance to these states.
Elder Ragefire Elemental: It is not known how a greater or elder ragefire elemental is created, but it is speculated that a Huge ragefire elemental that causes a large enough loss of sentient life may advance to these states.
Undead Horse: ?
Animated Insect: ?
Unliving Stole: ?
Undead Moth: ?
Undead Fox: ?
Land of Long Night: ?
Undead Sea Gull: ?
Uriah: The Heaths rely upon the fierce reputation of their brutal former leader Uriah to do their work for them; Uriah had a dreadful reputation for violence and his name still causes fear among locals, who are convinced he is either not dead or will return as undead or alchymic-undying soon.
Undead Bat Swarm: ?
Undead Beetle: ?
Undead Insect: ?
Undead Minor Mammal: ?
Undead Mouse: ?
Undead Crow: ?
Undead Roper: ?
Undead Young Rat: ?
Undead Rat: ?
Undead Cat: ?
Undead Bird: ?
Undead Spider: ?
Undead Cricket: ?
Undead Dwarf Monkey: ?
Undead Kitten: ?
Her Gracious Occularis Paladin Lady Rachel Birch, Human Ghost Inquisitor of Mother Grace 9: She returned from the dead as a ghost.
With that in mind, you might want to consider her death. It is too soon for her — she is tortured by the Beautiful and what it is offering but is an inquisitor and remains so until the ultimate end. Such a furious internal conflict is a good way to become a ghost.
Mister Smyle, Gnome Ghost Expert 11: One of the most famous features of the city, the Clockwork House Inn is a strange invention created and continually expanded by its owner a Mister Smyle (LN gnome ghost expert 11). Smyle made his fortunes with his unique clockwork puppets, and when he retired he began work on his famous tavern. Entering the House is a curious experience. A clockwork hare doffs a walking cane, clockwork foxes stare from above the bar, and clockwork mice run across the ceiling. A trio of great clocks beat out the time, and from each a single clockwork (stuffed) dodo appears on the hour, pulls out a large pocket watch and squawks once for each hour.
Some people find this garish mixture of stuffed animal, beast, and clockwork to be rather ghoulish, and as each room has its own curious feature (a room with a clockwork raven that wears a suit, a room with a clockwork rat chasing a clockwork cat with a carving knife, a room with a clock trio of magpies fighting over a clockwork rabbit and various others) there is no escape from the inventor’s madness. Unfortunately, the work took its toll on Smyle as well, he hanged himself from the bar in 1567. He haunts the place now as a reclusive ghost.
Sister Oblivion, Ghoul Bard 4: ?
Marriana Ragg, Ghoul Rogue 4: ?
Grace Spindleshanked, Ghoul Rogue 1: ?
Liza, Ghoul: ?
Maude, Ghoul: ?
Ghoul Pig: The straw is for 3 ghoul pigs the ghouls have infected with ghoul fever; one is little more than a piglet, and all show signs of being tormented.
Slaken, Ghoul: ?
Molly, Ghoul: ?
Letty, Ghoul: ?
Grace, Ghoul: ?
Jacob, Ghoul: ?
Logg, Ghoul: ?
Sprat, Natural Wererat Ghoul Rogue 2: ?
Urias Kemp, Ghast Expert 4: Following a disastrous appearance at the Crippled Lamb Gin House that resulted in a month-long protest boycott of the venue by all the local talent agents, Queenie had him thrown down a manhole. Having lain unconscious in the dark tunnel below for some time, Kemp was awoken by a weak old ghoul that, believing him already dead, had begun to feast upon one of his legs. Kemp smashed its head in with a chunk of masonry but the damage was done: at first, he was in too much pain to escape his plight, and then the ghoul fever took hold, sealing his fate.
Guelder Winter, Ghast Bard 4/Rogue 3: ?
The Only, Mother Mantis, Ghast Witch 4/Cleric of Lucifer 5: ?
Master Trough, Swyne Ghast, Advanced Swyne Ghoul: A trio of insanely terrified swyne ghasts, the remains of visitors who once attended a filth feast, lurk herein but may be encountered anywhere in the palace.
Young Grog, Swyne Ghast, Advanced Swyne Ghoul: A trio of insanely terrified swyne ghasts, the remains of visitors who once attended a filth feast, lurk herein but may be encountered anywhere in the palace.
Mistress Binge, Swyne Ghast, Advanced Swyne Ghoul: A trio of insanely terrified swyne ghasts, the remains of visitors who once attended a filth feast, lurk herein but may be encountered anywhere in the palace.
Lacedon Ghast: ?
Count Strord, Lich Cleric of Flense 11: ?
Musgrove I the Dead-Hearted, Lich-Like Monstrosity: Musgrove the Cold-Hearted, the very same uncle, reluctantly assumed the throne. Musgrove did not rule for long: his research into the properties of alchymic undeath — some say based upon research previously pursued by Quintus Cognate — led to his accidental self-poisoning and death after only eight years of power. It became a Castorhagi legend that his funeral was the only time the sealer of the Royal Crypt smiled while performing his duties. His son Musgrove II succeeded the father and immediately set about undoing many of the draconian measures that Musgrove I had put into place.
Musgrove II’s reign was doomed to be short as well, however, for his father’s research had borne deadly fruit. Musgrove I emerged from his tomb as a lich-like monstrosity after resting for only four years, slew his own son — whom he named as the Usurper — and resumed his reign. Now, he styled himself as Musgrove the “Dead-Hearted,” rather than his former “Cold-Hearted.”
Jonas Long-Tongue, Mohrg: ?
The Watcher in the Shadows, Mohrg: ?
Number Six, Human Skeleton: ?
Beltane, King of Thorns, Master of Impaling, God Emperor of the Fetch, Karlingen Borxia, Vampire: Karlingen Borxia encounters Underguild, transformed into vampire.
Princess Lilly, Vampire Aristocrat 4: ?
The Gable-Man, Vampire, The Great Cleric Anthony Mackus: Rumour has it that Mackus is now none other than the Gable-Man, a vampire of legend that eats the happiness of old people, and that he was struck down by vampirism by none other than Beltane himself.
Perdition, Dread Queen of Unbirth, Old Human Vampire Medium 9: ?
The Brackish King, Between Vampire Rogue 7/Assassin 3: ?
Young Human Vampire Commoner 1: ?
Selene, Vampire Bride:Beltane visited Queen Selene in the night, twice, while the family made its preparations for departure, each time leaving her one step closer to immortal undeath. On the third night, Beltane stepped upon the ship’s deck to see the island suddenly sinking beneath the waves. He dove in and swam to the Queen’s chamber where he found her upon the verge of drowning — and bestowed upon her his final life-draining kiss. He then buried her deep in the sea mud to await the next night. When she arose as a vampire at the next nightfall, she found that Beltane had fashioned a coffin from her furnishings in the palace.
The Singed Man, Infernal Tyrant, Vampire Lord: ?
Father of Castorhage Qeudecce III, Vampire: ?
Elisabeth Marnier, Human Vampire Bard 8: In fact, Elisabeth Marnier (N female human vampire bard 8) was infected with vampirism while festering in the lower jails within the Capitol, but escaped and fled here.
Master of Ceremonies Rudyard Hasp, Human Vampire Bard 4: ?
Qui, Human Vampire Sorcerer 6: ?
Albie Otiose, Halfling Vampire Rogue 3: ?
Xianbi, Grace of the Smiling Slumbering Dragon, Human Vampire Aristocrat 2/Illusionist 11: ?
Callwell Carver, Human Vampire Ranger 4: ?
Madame Rosetta Violet, Human Vampire Aristocrat 7: ?
Blessed One, Young Human Vampire Rogue 4: The dates and causes of the fires have varied over the centuries, with the earliest recorded instance occurring as far back as –1322 R.C., and several of the later instances having inexact dates due to loss of early city records. The most recent instance, the Sixth Great Fire of Town Bridge, occurred in 1509 and charred stumps and the smell of ash are still reported in some parts of the current bridge. Scholars of the arcane and esoteric have speculated that the calamity, and rumours of the discovery of ragefire* — a malevolent living flame — are curiously similar in date, and, thus, appoint the Great Fire as the first encounter between men and ragefire itself. However, the truth is stranger. For in 1509, paladins of the Trinity of Life (see AQ17 in Chapter 2) hoping to discover and destroy Beltane, captured the boy who would become the Blessed One, then only a human but a thrall of one of the Fetch’s Deceivers. The vampire-hunting paladins carried a flask of the newly discovered ragefire with them for use against the vampire god-emperor when they found him. Underestimating the homeless waif they had captured, the hunters let down their guard only for a moment, but it was long enough for the child to turn their weapon against them and smash the flask upon the leader of the paladins (already their 187th mushaff*).
The ragefire consumed the screaming paladins and grew larger before feasting upon the rest of the structure and thousands of Town Bridge’s residents. The resulting conflagration raged for a week and a day, and near consumed the entire bridge before a section collapsed beneath the ragefire and sent it to its doom in the waters of the Lyme below, and the rest of the blaze finally spent its fuel. Tales among the Fetch, tell that the boy only survived by falling, blazing, into the river below, where he was found by Beltane himself and blessed with the gift of unlife in reward for his loyalty.
The Blessed One himself has stalked the streets of Town Bridge for centuries and it was he that was responsible for the last Great Fire to sweep Town Bridge 2 1/2 centuries ago (see sidebox). That fire caused terrible burns on the Blessed One when he was still living that healed into a terrible disfigurement with his resurrection as a vampire.
Lady Mulminil Skarn, Hill Dwarf Vampire Aristocrat 5: ?
Chamomile Bramble, Human Vampire Aristocrat 4: ?
His Holiness the Droge of the Great Mother, Vampire Ex-Cleric of Mother Grace 9: ?
Lady Fidelia Flax Shortstone, Gnome Vampire Aristocrat 6: ?
Lord Hemlock, Human Vampire Aristocrat 7: ?
Between Vampire: Between vampires do not have the ability to create spawn, but Threnody is one of the rare examples of her kind that can create a new generation of Between vampires. Every century or so, she becomes obsessed with reproduction. No act of procreation is required for such an event to occur and conclude. When it occurs, she grows to Large size as she bloats with a host of young, and her hunger to feed becomes almost a madness. She requires living hosts into which her young are birthed and prefers them to be sentient creatures of the mundane world. When birthed, the young occupy a large cyst in their host’s body where they feed for 1d3 days until they grow rudimentary wings 1d3 days later. At that point, they finish feeding upon the host and burrow out to make their escape, maturing to become full-grown Between vampires in a matter of weeks. When they first emerge from the host they are virtually helpless (AC 10, hp 1, fly 10 ft. [poor]), but after that they begin to gain HD at the rate of 1 per week and develop the natural abilities of their kind during this time.
Wither, Human Vampire Aristocrat 1/Sorcerer 6: ?
The Empty One, Human Weakened, Vampire Aristocrat 2/Fighter 4: The Empty One was once a knight who tried to destroy Wither. The vampire broke him on a wheel, ensuring that the calamity that remained was at the edge of death when it returned as a full-fledged vampire. The thing that was left, which Wither named the Empty One, is a broken, mangled creature.
Threnody, Hungry Mother, Old Tenome Between Vampire: ?
Ambergris, Human Vampire Fighter (Archer) 6: ?
Elthanor Thorn, Human Vampire Aristocrat 4/Rogue 5: ?
Battle-Duke Ormand, Vampire Spawn: ?
Archibald Hegg, The Shadowy Tumbler, Vampire Spawn Bard 2: ?
Nectra, Human Vampire Spawn Cleric of Lucifer 4: ?
Algernon Alfonse Leptonia, Human Vampire Spawn Aristocrat 4: ?
Gideon Murkwid, Human Vampire Spawn Expert 3: Ambergris is the “mother” (at least that is the term she uses) of Gideon Murkwid.
Madame Kale, Human Vampire Spawn Illusionist 4: A member of the Panacea and vampire spawn child of Lord Hemlock, Madam Kale has a chamber here, which she uses to meet with Sallow and Algernon, discuss gossip at the Weary Palace, and to store secrets she does not wish Hemlock to discover.
The Burnt One, Human Vampire Spawn Fighter 3: ?
Spawn of Wither, Human Vampire Spawn Rogue 3: Consider that Wither can raise one spawn per night.
Between Vampire Spawn: Meanwhile in the slums of the city, the other prepares her nest, ready for the birthing of a new brood.
She calls herself Threnody, and Threnody is hungry. A Between vampire does not just take the lifeblood from a victim: They take everything, devouring the mind, the memories and the talents of their victims until they become bloated and monstrous. Most, thankfully, go mad and crawl into the dark to suffer. Threnody does not; she is ready to birth and slithers into the night to gather hosts for her brood. In Toiltown, she grows and lays her eggs into the warm flesh of those who will serve as the first meal of her thousand children. Threnody slips into the slums and begins, gathering hosts and stealing memories and loves and anger and lusts as she does so. Seeking a strong cover for her brood, after testing and tasting two accomplices of a petty street gang, she settles upon the mind of the most powerful local crime lord Uriah Strange, leader of the Renders. Devouring his soul and mind, she embarks upon an orgy of flesh, gathering hundreds to form the hosts of her children. And as she gathers, so she reaps, sending messages to confuse the followers and allies of Strange, weaving a web of deceit to hide her new brood behind. Strange’s closest allies are devoured or dominated, and the rest left leaderless, their suspicions growing stronger by the day. Even as Threnody stirs and steals and feasts, her touch festers into a sickness from Between, a misery that creates, not destroys, a pestilence that hungers and changes, rather than slays. They call the sickness the mocking plague as it distorts its victim’s humanity. It rips their faces into mocking grins and sick, distended smiles, when it leaves them with flesh at all. In three days, her brood will birth, and if they do, a plague of undeath that wears sickness as its skin will infect the city.
There are scores of stacked bodies here and dangling in HS8 below, and each contains a germinating Between vampire spawn. The young Between vampires birth at a set time.
The mother of the Darkest Day is being called the Hungry Mother in the slums of Toiltown where she has already birthed her brood, and this clutch of terror now suckles somewhere in the dark waiting for their eyes to open. They must not do so. The Hungry Mother has birthed hundreds of her vampire spawn from Between who are but a legend amongst the older stories of the Fetch.
Advanced Wight: One of the statues has birthed an undead that slowly mumbles to itself, much to Algernon’s amusement. If quizzed, Algernon claims that his genius breathes life into his creations from time to time, as does Sallow’s. The creature, an advanced wight, is held rigid by the substance it is embalmed in, but if the object’s skin is breached, the shell shatters and the creature within emerges and attacks, raving as it does. If Algernon or Sallow are present, the creature ignores all other opponents in preference to them. In truth, Algernon purchased 4 inmates of a sanatorium who suffered from elephantiasis from Stompton, Hogg and Gryme — Corpse Purveyors at great expense, and these are what he regards as his finest creations — so far.
Juju Zombie House Cat: ?
Zombie Horse, Undead Dray, Advanced Zombie Horse: ?
Zombie Mule: ?
Dead Cat, Zombie Cat: ?
Young Human Fast Zombie: ?
Rullan Bread, Human Zombie: ?
Dark Creeper Fast Zombie: ?
Created, Zombie: The other figures are a mixture of statues made by Algernon Alfonce Leptonia (see L4: Decay), except that these figures move, albeit very slowly. The others figures are disgusting creations that have had life breathed into them. They are part carcass, part art, and each has animal and monster and human parts but, unless attacked, they merely follow the PCs, perhaps touching their hair or fingers. If attacked, use Medium zombie statistics.
Black Swan Zombie, Fast Zombie Swan: ?
Forgotten Princess, Greater Banshee: The Forgotten Palace fell in a single night, and her occupants did not notice until it was too late. In truth, some still deny the truth, particularly the Forgotten Princess, who still resides here preparing to meet her betrothed for the very first time.
Magnus Melancholy, Human Nosferatu Necromancer 10: ?
Meadow, The Bride, Coffer Corpse: ?
Mocking Gull, Between-Touched Goul-Stirge: ?
The Child of Folly, Unique Advanced Undead Ooze: ?
Penitent One, Blight Ghoul Rogue 7: ?
Egger Kask, Human Blight Ghoul Brawler 9: ?
Fecule, Blight Ghoul Rogue (Spy) 8: ?
His Tattered Majesty, Grim-Cakor I, Dwarf Blight Ghoul Fighter 7/Rogue 3: Grim-Cacor (literally the “Deep Demon”) was once the chief steward of Grim-Mathen’s thane but personally devoured his liege after the first few months of enforced isolation as the ghoul fever began to take hold among the entrapped populace and assumed control of those who remained as undead.
Isaac Maggot, Human Blight Ghoul Rogue (Thug) 7/Assassin 2: ?
Abomination Essay Swarm: ?

Undead: Butcher’s Bride
This madwoman vanished into the night about ten years ago and has remained unseen since. Her speciality was disembowelling her victims and creating undead statuary from them.
The creatures that dwell here are feral, unlikely to be humanoid, and are joined by myriad types of undead that occupy the swamp due to the long practice of bog burials conducted by the Great Cemetery in the Hollow and Broken Hills.
His small cult, the Cult of Revenants, actively seeks to bring the unwary to their destined vengeance much sooner than their natural lifespan would otherwise warrant. If they catch a lone victim, they force this doctrine upon him by sacrificing him to “unleash their thwarted justice.” That these victims rarely volunteer and that the undead creature created from the sacrifice simply serves as a slave to a member of the cult is disregarded by its members.
All those who worship the god are bound by a terrible dark pact they commit to in blood and soul when they become an acolyte of Flense. The pact grants the worshipper a terrible retribution. Upon dying, the devotee of Flense is reborn anew as a “revenant” creature, torn from the mortal body of his unworthy subject to become a thing of vengeance. The creature the devotee rises as is always free-willed and equal to the CR of the cleric in life +1. Such new forms are not bound by a requirement to be undead (though frequently they are undead) and can come in any form the god chooses on a whim. Usually the form given is most commonly associated in some way with the life or personality of the deceased follower. For example, a follower who lives far away from civilisation may return as a dire animal bent upon vengeance.
In addition to all of the above, since the passage of The Corpse [Laying to Rest] Act of 1770, the Carcass has also served as a repository of stinking, rotting bodies claimed by the City for failure to pay the Death Duty, but for which it currently has no immediate use. Instead, tens of thousands of mouldering corpses lie heaped in niches, half-made catacombs, abandoned wells and oubliettes and virtually every other sort of space imaginable, while the infestation of rats, ghouls, and Blight ghoulsTOBH, and many spontaneously forming undead, is almost unthinkable.
He believes Mother Grace brought undead into the world to cleanse it of its mortal sins, but keeps this belief secret.
Inside, the place is crammed with Leptonia and Sallow’s artwork. The vampire spawn has a peculiar artistic trick involving abducting waifs and strays, drugging them with a concoction or chloroform* and oil of taggit, and embalming them in a substance made from equal parts lime concrete, clay, and an alchemic discovery known as Blight grasp. This substance hardens very quickly (in a matter of minutes), and Algernon has been using it to create living statues — slowly engulfing his victims in the stone substance over a period of weeks, and eventually covering them completely, thoughtfully providing an air hole for them to breathe through to enjoy his work to the last and infuse the statues with the occasional angry spirits. That this process occasionally creates an undead merely adds to Algernon’s belief that he is a living (or more accurately, unliving) genius.
Mists cloak the isle above, and the dour spirits of the fallen, the regretful, the wicked, and the innocent sing through the air. These only occasionally manifest as undead, but feel free to have shapes and faces loom out of the mist.
Incorporeal Undead: ?
Ghost: The Old Dockyard is barely used these days, the piers are dangerously rotten, and the pools below are infamous for quicksand. A small group of local dandies and artists have made their home here, these struggling dilettantes revel in their self-enforced poverty. The occasional pie shop or opium den opens up here to serve the aristocrats but generally doesn’t last long. Some say the old docks are haunted by the ghosts of shipbuilders from the past, and most infamously the Lady Rose, a gigantic ship that burnt during construction, killing 118 and eight workers, for which the first ironclad dreadnought Lady Ruin was later named (itself sunk in the Battle of the Kraken’s Teeth in 1751). Parts of the Lady Rose’s hulk can still be seen when the waters of the Lyme (rarely) clear, its skeletal black timbers lurking at the furthest pier in the docks, a perilous place to reach even in the best weather.
Ghoul: ?
Ghast: ?
Lacedon: The Great Whale is indeed big enough to accommodate people living inside it, and these unwelcome squatters live within the rear parts of the vast whale’s mouth, dwelling in safe havens they have fashioned into crude fleshy dwellings that form air pockets whilst the whale is beneath the sea. They are not alone. So vast is the thing that lacedons — the undead remains of sailors who have lived and died here — also dwell within it.
Lich: ?
Mohrg: Ornamie Elias Hogg (1722–?), city’s longest-serving Watch Inspector. Disappeared Chill 17th, 1772, while chasing Jonas Long-Tongue, the feared mohrg assassin capable of infecting his victims with his own form.
Mummy: ?
Skeleton: ?
Spectre: The spirits of two nest hunters who fell while hunting for eggs long ago haunt the cliffs here.
Vampire: ?
Vampire Spawn: ?
Wight Spawn: Any humanoid creature that is slain by an advanced wight becomes a wight spawn itself in only 1d4 rounds.
Wight: Spawn are under the command of the wight that created them and remain enslaved until its death, at which point they lose their spawn penalties and become full-fledged and free-willed wights.
Wraith: ?
Zombie: For in Castorhage, the great experimenters discovered the great possibility and cheap availability of necromancy, not simply in the obvious sense of animating legions of zombie labourers, but rather in its application through necrocraft and golem innovation. While the many technological innovations that power Castorhage incorporate steam power or clockworks, at the core is their reliance preservation and animation of once-living flesh to supply their labour and energy needs. These cursed folk are the alchymic-unliving, and when their curse becomes advanced enough, they lose every last shred of who they were and become simply one more zombie shuffling mindlessly to its master’s commands.
These cursed folk are the alchymic-unliving, and when their curse becomes advanced enough, they lose every last shred of who they were and become simply one more zombie shuffling mindlessly to its master’s commands.
An alchymic-unliving creature that reaches 0 Intelligence loses the alchymic-unliving template and gains the zombie template.
Human Zombie: ?
Fast Zombie: Slain zombies are engulfed by the undead ooze and can be reanimated and expelled again in 1d2 hours.
Demi-Lich: ?
Draugr: ?
Pickled Punk: ?
Apparition: A humanoid slain by an apparition becomes an apparition itself in 1d4 rounds. Spawn so created are less powerful than typical apparitions, and suffer a –2 penalty on all d20 rolls and checks. They also receive –2 hp per HD, and a –2 penalty to the Will save DC of their spectral strangulation ability. Spawn are under the command of the apparition that created them and remain enslaved until its death, at which point they lose their spawn penalties and become full-fledged and free-willed apparitions.
Shortly before arriving at O12, the PCs become aware of a woman’s voice calling out, asking if one of the PCs is “Pherran, my love.” The woman’s voice ignores any answers that are given, but continues to ask, becoming more urgent and claiming that she has come for her true love. Eventually she cries out, “Don’t make me do it again! I flung myself from the Wall once to be with you in death! Don’t ask it of me again!” She then breaks down into sobs and begins to complain of the cold and the feel of her skin. She begs a male character not to be angry with how she looks now, that her rose has withered but her soul remains his. Eventually, this bittersweet apparition emerges through the gloom, her undead body drawn into unlife to look for her true love.
Bog Mummy: ?
Bogeyman: ?
Brykolakas: ?
Cadaver: ?
Corpse Candle: ?
Draug: ?
Ghoul-Stirge: ?
Shadow Rat: ?
Brine Zombie: ?
Ghoul Wolf: ?
Blight Ghoul: A creature that dies of Blight ghoul fever rises as a Blight ghoul at the next midnight.
Blight Ghoul Fever disease.

ELIXIR OF LIFE
Aura faint necromancy; CL varies
Slot none; Price varies; Weight —
DESCRIPTION
A living creature that does not have the outsider or ooze type that is injected with elixir of life (an infusion process that takes an hour and requires either a helpless or willing recipient) must make an immediate Fortitude save based on the quality of the elixir. Creatures that are immune to poison or death magic are not affected by the elixir. If the save is successful, the creature dies and rises again in 1d4 hours as a “Reborn” with the alchymic undying template. If the save is failed, the individual immediately dies and rises in 1d10 minutes as an undead creature with the alchymic unliving template.
If the elixir is applied to a creature of the appropriate types (as described above) that has died within the last 24 hours but whose corpse is still relatively intact, the creature still gets a Fortitude save as if it were still alive with outcome of becoming either an alchymic undying or an alchemic unliving creature, but the saving throw is made at a cumulative –1 penalty for every 2 hours since it died (not including the hour required for infusion).
If used in conjunction with a Cuckoo Womb and pieces of only partial cadavers in order to create a new-made form of life (as adjudicated by the GM), the elixir likewise has a quality-based saving throw to determine the stability of this outcome. If this saving throw is successful, the resulting creature is stable as a new type of living creature. If the save is unsuccessful, the new-made creature is unsuccessful, is in extensive pain, and dies in 1d4 days as its body literally falls apart.
Anything of medium-grade elixir or lower is unpredictable, short lived, and prone to sudden violent unravelling. For each year of life or unlife for low-grade elixir, each month for pig-grade elixir, and each week for street-grade elixir, the initial Fortitude save must be made again or the creature rapidly (and often revoltingly) unmakes itself just as if a new-made creature had failed its initial saving throw. There are some exceptional cases (again at the GM’s discretion), where such an unmaking does not fully destroy the creature but instead forces it to live in a pain-filled, half-life of indeterminate length and horror.
CONSTRUCTION
Requirements Craft Wondrous Item, poison, raise dead, Between worms; Cost 10,000 gp (true elixir), 5,000 gp (medium-grade elixir), 500 gp (low-grade elixir), 250 gp (pig-grade elixir), 50 gp (street-grade elixir)

Disease (Su) Blight Ghoul Fever: Bite—injury; save Fort DC 17; onset 1 day; frequency 1/day; effect 1d3 Con and 1d3 Dex damage; cure 2 consecutive saves. The save DC is Charisma-based. A creature that dies of Blight ghoul fever rises as a Blight ghoul at the next midnight.

The Book of Many Things

Spoiler

Lich: Necromancer Necromantic Epiphany power.
Humanoid Skeleton: ?
Humanoid Zombie: ?

Necromantic Epiphany (Su): The necromancer knows well what happens to the godless when they die, and he intends to avoid such a terrible fate. At 20th level, the necromancer constructs a phylactery that he then uses to turn herself into a lich.

The Book of Many Things Volume 2: Shattered Worlds

Spoiler

Soulrent Reborn: Soulrent reborn are raised into unlife by the champions of death from Volwryn.

Undead: Sun-Dead feat.
Lich: ?
Mummy: ?
Ghost: ?

Sun-Dead (Elf)
Your destroyed lifeforce continues on, driven by an undead craving.
Prerequisite: Sun-Drained, Con 11, Cha 13, character level
11th, elf.
Benefit: You become an undead creature. You have no Constitution score and use your Charisma to calculate your hit points, Fortitude saves, and any special ability that relies on Constitution. You gain Darkvision out to 60 feet, all undead traits, immunities, and weaknesses.

The Book of Metal

Spoiler

Undead Animal Companion: ?
Kobold Skeleton: Goblet of Gore magic item.
Half-Elf Zombie: Goblet of Gore magic item.
Half-Orc Zombie: Goblet of Gore magic item.
Elf Zombie: Goblet of Gore magic item.
Orc Zombie: Goblet of Gore magic item.
Dwarf Zombie: Goblet of Gore magic item.
Gnome Zombie: Goblet of Gore magic item.
Halfling Zombie: Goblet of Gore magic item.
Hobgoblin Zombie: Goblet of Gore magic item.
Gnoll Zombie: Goblet of Gore magic item.
Ogre Zombie: Goblet of Gore magic item.
Minotaur Zombie: Goblet of Gore magic item.
Fire Giant Zombie: Goblet of Gore magic item.
Hill Giant Zombie: Goblet of Gore magic item.
Spirit: Emperor of Murder's Ghostspawn Curse power.
Grandma: “Grandma” was a matron of the house. Many times did she comfort the family with her signature tea. She was slain when one of her grandsons turned against her, but thanks to the power of Amon, she never truly died.
Them: Whenever a humanoid dies within the House of Amon, its ghost rises within 1d4 weeks to join the manor’s spectral host known only as Them.
Nameless Ghoul: All that remains of Papa Emeritus’ flock are a group of Nameless Ghouls he’s raised up to replace his long lost worshippers.
Undying Crusader: The undying crusader was once a mortal hero whose order of righteous warriors suffered devastating losses in their pursuit of a resourceful and conniving foe. The order’s mission to bring their quarry to justice ended in dismal failure – as well as the crusader’s death. Yet such was the crusader’s resolve that he clung to this world after death, having vowed to continue his fight for justice for as long as the flame of life burns within the realms.

Undead: ?
Skeleton: Once per day, whenever the Noc-Lar remains stationary and channels its power for one minute, it can create any of the following effects in a mile radius:
- Animate all humanoid corpses as skeletons or zombies.
Reign of Madness spell.
Staff of Carnage magic item.
Zombie: Once per day, whenever the Noc-Lar remains stationary and channels its power for one minute, it can create any of the following effects in a mile radius:
- Animate all humanoid corpses as skeletons or zombies.
As a last resort when all other methods fail, They can enter and possess their own former bodies to go and fight. Their cadavers burst out from coffins in the manor basement (or graves in the backyard, etc) and begin shambling toward the party’s location (use the statistics for zombies except they have an Intelligence of 10).
Reign of Madness spell.
Goblet of Gore magic item.
Staff of Carnage magic item.
Human Zombie: Goblet of Gore magic item.
Ghost: ?
Ghoul: A humanoid who dies of ghoul fever rises as a ghoul at the next midnight; those who become a ghoul in this way retain none of their abilities possessed in life. They are not under the control of other ghouls, but they hunger for the flesh of the living and behave like a normal ghoul in all respects. A humanoid of 4 Hit Dice or more rises as a ghast.
Ghast: A humanoid who dies of ghoul fever rises as a ghoul at the next midnight; those who become a ghoul in this way retain none of their abilities possessed in life. They are not under the control of other ghouls, but they hunger for the flesh of the living and behave like a normal ghoul in all respects. A humanoid of 4 Hit Dice or more rises as a ghast.
Lich: ?
Wraith: ?

Reign of Madness
School conjuration (summoning); Level cleric/oracle 9, shaman 9, sorcerer/wizard 8, witch 8
Casting Time 1 round
Components V, S, M (crushed gemstones worth 6,666 gp)
Range long (400 ft. + 40 ft./level)
Effect 100-ft. radius storm of brutality
Duration concentration (maximum 5 rounds) (D)
Saving Throw see text; Spell Resistance yes
You call forth energy from the Planes of Mayhem to unleash waves of madness and destruction. Discordant screams echo across the battlefield forcing all creatures in the area to make a Will save or become confused for 1d4+3 rounds.
Each round you continue to concentrate, you suffer 3d6 damage (no save) and the spell generates additional effects as noted below. Each effect occurs on your turn.
2nd Round: Treads of iron and mechanical appendages reach out through the planes and smash up to one creature of your choice per three caster levels, dealing 10d8 bludgeoning damage. A creature targeted can attempt a Reflex save to avoid this damage. Creatures who fail their Reflex saving throw must also roll a Fortitude save; if they fail, they become stunned for 1 round.
3rd Round: Scorching fire rains from above, dealing 1d6 points of fire damage per caster level to all creatures in the area; a successful Reflex save halves this damage.
4th Round: A festering sickness takes hold over the area, affecting all living creatures with a disease of your choice unless they succeed on a Fortitude save, as per the Contagion spell.
5th Round: A wave of negative energy smothers all creatures in the area, dealing 1d6 points of negative energy damage per two caster levels. A successful Will save halves this damage. Furthermore, all applicable corpses in the area rise to become undead skeletons or zombies (randomly determined). Unlike with an Animate Dead spell, these undead are not under your control, and are instead hostile to all living creatures.
When the spell ends (regardless of how it ends), wracking pain surges through your form and you must immediately succeed on a Fortitude save against the spell DC or suffer a -4 penalty on attack rolls, skill checks, and ability checks for 1 hour.

Goblet of Gore
This jeweled chalice teems with profound and inexplicable carnage. Organs ooze from a pool of bubbling blood that cascades down the goblet's smooth surface.
Aura strong necromancy and transmutation
Artificers and magisters of the realms have accomplished many prodigious tasks, but nothing quite like the Goblet of Gore which could not have been made by mortal hand. Nay: such a twisted and profane artifact could have only been birthed in the horror-filled halls of Crystal Mountain, where evil takes its form....
Chambers of Blood: The Goblet of Gore can be permanently imprinted with corpses for use as everlasting components for Animate Dead and similar spells. A living creature slain within the last hour, who is a legal target for Animate Dead or Create Undead, can be stuffed into the goblet. Once stuffed, the Goblet slurps the remains into its bowels and thereafter the wielder of the Goblet can treat any imprinted corpse type as a corpse component for Animate Dead and Create Undead, with an unlimited number of corpses available. For example, if the Goblet was stuffed with a kobold, a 5th level Cleric casting Animate Dead could create 10 kobold skeletons using the Goblet. Note that, while there is no limit to how many corpses can be imprinted into the Goblet of Gore, the wielder of the Goblet can only use it for corpses they have personally stuffed into it; the corpse of a long-dead race interred by some ancient user will not be available to a different wielder in another time.
Zombie Ritual: Even a character with no necromantic powers of their own can create zombies by merely drinking from the Goblet of Gore. Drinking from the goblet is a standard action and, unless the character is immune to disease, they must succeed on a Fortitude save (DC 15) or become nauseated for 1 round and sickened for 2d6 hours as their intestines reel with horror at their newfound ingestion. Regardless of success or failure, the character immediately vomits forth a writhing stream of blood and guts that coalesces into fully formed zombies within mere seconds. This instantly creates a number of 4 HD humanoid zombies equal to 1/2 the imbiber's Hit Dice under the imbiber's control. As the zombies animate, this temporarily suspends the flow of the goblet so that it stops spewing succulent sinews and loses the ability to perform Zombie Rituals. After 8 hours, any remaining zombies melt into goo and the goblet can create zombies this way again.
When creating zombies, the DM either chooses the species of zombie that manifests or decides by rolling on the table below.
1-45: Human 76-80: Halfling
46-50: Half-elf 81-85: Hobgoblin
51-55: Half-orc 86-90: Gnoll
56-60: Elf 91-93: Ogre
61-65: Orc 94-96: Minotaur*
66-70: Dwarf 97-99: Fire giant*
71-75: Gnome 100: Other*
*Since these zombies would have more than 4 HD, the DM may wish to adjust the number of zombies created accordingly. For example, a 6th level character who would normally create three 4 HD zombies should only be able to create two 6 HD minotaur zombies, or one 12 HD hill giant zombie. The Goblet of Gore always creates at least one zombie this way, even if it would be too powerful for a necromancer of that level to control. Zombies created in excess of twice the character's hit dice might spurn his naive attempts at control and go on an indiscriminate brain-eating rampage. Undead created by Zombie Rituals do not count against the character's control limit of undead from other spells and class abilities.

Staff of Carnage
Images of severed limbs and viscera decorate this obsidian staff, which is perpetually warm, slick and slimy to the touch.
Aura strong necromancy and transmutation; CL 15th; Price 235,000 gp
The first Staff of Carnage was created by a cabal of Brutalmancers who, once again borrowing essence from the Planes of Mayhem, sought to make a relic that would invoke the most savage and violent dweomers known to wizardry. Given how staves of this nature circulated through the realms causing scenes of maddening horror, it’s no surprise that various cults and dark powers would catch on to the secrets of their construction. Those who spread the knowledge of the staff’s craftsmanship, however, do so with a stern warning - for it is understood that somewhere in the creation process, something else, far beyond the accounting or purview of the original artificer, slips in… and waits to claim a short-sighted wielder.
As a magic staff, this item allows the use of the following spells:
• Hunger for Flesh (1 charge)
• Symbol of Exsanguination (1 charge)
• Undead Anatomy I (1 charge)
• FleshWall (2 charges)
• Raining Blood (2 charges)
• Undead Anatomy III (2 charges)
• Death Clutch (3 charges)
• Undead Anatomy IV (3 charges)
• Massacre (5 charges)
As a weapon, a Staff of Carnage functions as a +2 vicious wounding quarterstaff. A Staff of Carnage also emits a 30’ radius aura of gratuitous violence, increasing the damage multiplier for all critical hits by one (this affects both allies and enemies). Furthermore, any creature slain within the aura dies in the most bloody and grotesque way imaginable for their cause of death.
As a standard action, the wielder may break the Staff of Carnage to release a nova of profound violence. The nova spreads out in all directions for a number of feet equal to 5 times the staff’s remaining charges (so a staff with 40 charges would create a nova out to 200 feet). All creatures in the area become slathered in necrotic energy, suffering 666 points of damage; half of this damage is negative energy, and the other half is sheer, destructive power. A successful Will save (DC 27) reduces the damage by half. If the Staff of Carnage has 20 or more charges left at the time of its destruction, creatures reduced to 0 hit points or fewer are killed and instantly reanimated as zombies or skeletons (if they would normally leave behind remains suitable for raising such creatures). If the Staff of Carnage has less than 20 charges, creatures reduced to 0 hit points or fewer are merely killed with their bodies being reduced to questionable piles of bone and goo.
Any wielder foolish and desperate enough to break a Staff of Carnage has a 50% chance of merely being eradicated in a legendarily gruesome and spectacular fashion, but if they do not, they instead become transformed into a monstrous, omnicidal abomination that exists between life and death; alternatively, they might be whisked away into the darkness between planes where they are awaited by an unspeakable fate, far worse than destruction.
Construction Requirements
Craft Magic Arms and Armor, Craft Staff, death clutch, flesh wall, hunger for flesh, massacre, raining blood, symbol of exsanguination, undead anatomy IV; Cost 117,500 gp

Ghostspawn Curse (Su): Once per day, the Emperor of Murder can place a terrible curse upon a living creature which may cause a ghost of them to rise against their former allies. As a swift action, the Emperor of Murder chooses a single living creature within 100 feet; that creature must succeed on a Will save (DC 26) or be affected by the curse for 3 rounds. At the start of each of their rounds, the creature suffers 1 point of negative energy damage per hit die they possess. If the creature is reduced to 0 hit points during the curse’s duration, they are instantly killed and their lifeforce is used to animate a spirit which rises over the spot of their death. The save DC is Charisma-based.
This spirit fights like a lesser version of the slain creature. It functions almost identically to a duplicate created by the Simulacrum spell, with the following differences:
Unlike an illusory duplicate, this spirit is very real. It gains the undead type and incorporeal subtype. It resembles the original’s likeness, including the armor and clothing worn when the original creature was killed, but has a pale, ghostly hue that clearly sets it apart. The spirit is completely under the Emperor of Murder’s control; while it may be intelligent, it is devoid of free will and personality and serves only to inflict pain and destruction for the Emperor.
The spirit rises with a spectral copy of any weapon or implement that the original creature was holding when it died (if applicable). If this results in the spirit possessing a manufactured weapon, that weapon functions as a +1 Ghost Touch weapon of its type. The spirit’s natural attacks are likewise treated as magic for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction, and as though they had the Ghost Touch special quality. Magical items the creature may have held (such as staves or wands) do not otherwise retain their properties or serve any function in the spirit’s hands.
After 1 minute, or if reduced to 0 hit points, the spirit dissipates with a hoarse wail along with any equipment that had been created with it. While the spirit is animate, the slain creature cannot be brought back to life, and the Emperor of Murder gains a +4 profane bonus to Strength and Charisma.

The Deluxe Guide to Fiend Summoning and Faustian Bargains

Spoiler

Shaldifos, Vine's Mount: ?
Murmur: ?

Ghost: Any creature suffering from a negative level inflicted by the hammer of the unworthy when it dies immediately rises as Belial’s choice of a ghost, a lich, or a vampire. In the case of a lich, it treats the hammer of the unworthy as its phylactery. If a creature that would rise as an undead as a result of this ability would also return to life as a pit fiend as a result of the edge of the forsaken’s ability, that creature becomes a pit fiend with the chosen template.
Lich: Any creature suffering from a negative level inflicted by the hammer of the unworthy when it dies immediately rises as Belial’s choice of a ghost, a lich, or a vampire. In the case of a lich, it treats the hammer of the unworthy as its phylactery. If a creature that would rise as an undead as a result of this ability would also return to life as a pit fiend as a result of the edge of the forsaken’s ability, that creature becomes a pit fiend with the chosen template.
Vampire: Any creature suffering from a negative level inflicted by the hammer of the unworthy when it dies immediately rises as Belial’s choice of a ghost, a lich, or a vampire. In the case of a lich, it treats the hammer of the unworthy as its phylactery. If a creature that would rise as an undead as a result of this ability would also return to life as a pit fiend as a result of the edge of the forsaken’s ability, that creature becomes a pit fiend with the chosen template.

Hammer of the Unworthy: Belial wields a powerful specific weapon called the hammer of the unworthy. The hammer of the unworthy is a +5 warhammer that, upon a successful critical hit, causes the target to gain 1d6 negative levels. After 24 hours, the affected creature must succeed on a Fortitude save (DC 24) or the negative levels become permanent. Any creature suffering from one of these negative levels when it dies immediately rises as Belial’s choice of a ghost, a lich, or a vampire. In the case of a lich, it treats the hammer of the unworthy as its phylactery. If a creature that would rise as an undead as a result of this ability would also return to life as a pit fiend as a result of the edge of the forsaken’s ability, that creature becomes a pit fiend with the chosen template. The undead creature obeys the wielder’s commands as though it were affected by the spell control undead, except that the effect is permanent. This weapon can only be wielded by the fiend Belial, and in the hands of any other creature it merely functions as a +5 warhammer.

The Drowned (CR 5): an Unsettling Encounter for Pathfinder and 5E

Spoiler

Drowned: Formed by the tormented souls of those who became trapped underwater and drowned, the Drowned are forever imprisoned in their most desperate moment of agony and seek only the momentary release the stolen breath of the living might offer them, however fleeting…

The Genius Guide to Gruesome Dragons

Spoiler

Bone Adults: Bone dragons arise when a dead dragon retains a powerful emotional connection to the world of the living. The deceased dragon might still jealously guard an ancient treasure trove, or thirst for revenge against its mortal slayers who believe it forever vanquished. There are many reasons for a dragon’s soul to survive the grave, but the only outcome of such a manifestation is misery and death for the world around it.
“Bone” is an acquired template that can be added to any corporeal dragon of at least Large size.
Bone Adult Blue Dragon: ?

The Genius Guide to Gruesome Undead Templates

Spoiler

Carrier: Carrier undead are normally a result of someone dying of disease under the same conditions that might normally create an undead – lack of proper burial, evil magic, negative material energy, or strong negative emotions. Less commonly, carrier undead may be the result of an undead disease – either from necromantic magics or from infection from a ghoul bite or similar undead injury.
A manifestation of undead disease.
Flayed: Most often flayed undead are those who were tortured to death and lost their skin as part of that torture, or those who carry heavy self-hate and guilt and as a result manifest as bodies lacking the natural protection of their outer hide. Flayed undead can also be created intentionally by necromancers who like to use the skin of undead to create books of necromantic knowledge.
Fungal: Fungal undead often come into existence when undead dwell in damp, underground places. Leaky tombs and crypts, sunken ships, swampland battlefields, and towns destroyed by flooding are all likely locations for these gruesome creatures. The fungi attached to such animate corpses are themselves undead, making them immune to effects that target or protect from plants. Occasionally an undead fungus spreads from its point of origin, infecting undead and spreading through colonies of necromantic creatures to create a horde of fungal undead.
Gaping: Gaping undead may be the remains of creatures that died screaming in agony, or of those with strong ties to singing, speaking, or sound, or may just be a gruesome mutation of the normal undead creation process. They could easily be found in places where innocents died in large numbers while terrified and hurt (such as an abandoned bardic academy that is also the site of a slaughter), or places where negative energy is strong and effects the development of undead created there (such as the demiplane of a necromancer who foolishly drew on the negative plane).
Racked: Racked undead were subject to merciless stretching prior to death. Most often they are the result of being put on the rack as torture and pulled at wrists and ankles, but a racked undead might have died by being drawn by horses, caught in a clockwork device that tore it slowly apart, or been ripped limb from limb by a carnivorous ape.
Whispering: Whispering undead are normally either undead spellcasters who have never given up seeking knowledge, or the remains of someone killed after betraying a secret it swore to keep to itself.

The Genius Guide to Horrific Haunts

Spoiler

Bruja Cauldron: A bruja cauldron is a haunt tied to an object, generally a large cauldron used by a coven of hags or witches for brewing poisons and evil potions. When a hag in the coven dies he or she is boiled within the cauldron and fed to the other members of the coven. The spirits of the consumed witches remain bound to the cauldron, and can be called upon to grant their power to others.
Drowned Doxie: This haunt most commonly occurs when someone is drowned by a trusted friend or loved one, and their body is weighted down and left in the water. The classic version of this is when a man drowns a low-class lover when she becomes an impediment to an arranged marriage with a wealthy woman of high station. Similar haunts are often created when mothers drown children to hide their existence, innocents are drowned by friends for witnessing some crime, or citizens are drowned by the guards or elders they trusted either for uncovering corruption or as part of a deal to surrender the town to an enemy force.
Unending Laboratory: When an alchemist or spellcaster dedicates a laboratory to creating golems, sometimes shreds of the elemental spirits of animation used to power golems built there infuse the laboratory itself. The tools, forges, and walls themselves take on a life of their own.

The Genius Guide to Simple Monster Templates

Spoiler

Ghul: Related to (and possibly the origin of) lesser creatures such as ghouls and ghasts, ghuls are a powerful form of undead caused by starvation after turning to cannibalism and grave robbing.
A creature killed while under the effects of a ghul's exhalation of death becomes a ghast (if humanoid) or zombie (if not humanoid) if it had 5 or fewer Hit Dice, and a ghul if it had 6 or more. It rises in undeath 1d6 hours after being slain. A remove curse, neutralize poison, or similar spell cast on its body during this incubation period might prevent the corpse from becoming undead. The caster of such a spell must make a caster level check (DC 10 + HD of ghul that affected the target with exhalation of death), and on a successful check the corpse does not become an undead.
Draghul Adult White Dragon Ghul Creature: ?

Ghoul: Related to (and possibly the origin of) lesser creatures such as ghouls and ghasts, ghuls are a powerful form of undead caused by starvation after turning to cannibalism and grave robbing.
Ghoul Ghast: Related to (and possibly the origin of) lesser creatures such as ghouls and ghasts, ghuls are a powerful form of undead caused by starvation after turning to cannibalism and grave robbing.
A creature killed while under the effects of a ghul's exhalation of death becomes a ghast (if humanoid) or zombie (if not humanoid) if it had 5 or fewer Hit Dice, and a ghul if it had 6 or more. It rises in undeath 1d6 hours after being slain. A remove curse, neutralize poison, or similar spell cast on its body during this incubation period might prevent the corpse from becoming undead. The caster of such a spell must make a caster level check (DC 10 + HD of ghul that affected the target with exhalation of death), and on a successful check the corpse does not become an undead.
Zombie: A creature killed while under the effects of a ghul's exhalation of death becomes a ghast (if humanoid) or zombie (if not humanoid) if it had 5 or fewer Hit Dice, and a ghul if it had 6 or more. It rises in undeath 1d6 hours after being slain. A remove curse, neutralize poison, or similar spell cast on its body during this incubation period might prevent the corpse from becoming undead. The caster of such a spell must make a caster level check (DC 10 + HD of ghul that affected the target with exhalation of death), and on a successful check the corpse does not become an undead.

The Great City: Urban Creatures & Lairs

Spoiler

Zaelemental: A zaelemental forms when the sleeping goddess Kindrogga Zael allows one of her cultists to mix moordsap—the blood infused dirt formed by sacrificing in her unholy name—with sewage.
Zaelemental Greater: ?

The Great City Campaign Setting

Spoiler

Bay Zombie: The Bay Zombie is a by-product of the failed experiments of the Imperial Guild of Arcanists and Engineers. The Emperor and the Blood Triperium is very interested in finding a way to extend its dominion to all corners of the world and long suffered through various trials to introduce magically modified creatures capable of taking the battle to the depths of the sea. Periodically, the guild dumps these horrifically maimed and reconstructed creatures off the coast, sinking them to the bottom of the ocean where they rarely survive for very long.
The source of bay zombies remains unknown, but those with long memories cannot help notice that many bear uncanny resemblance to Azindralean political prisoners (albeit modified with tentacles and claws) taken for speaking out against Lord Othorion Atregan and his re-conquest.
Sklaverredisanos Lich Wizard 12 Assassin 5: ?

The Mad Doctor's Formulary

Spoiler

Undead: Many chirurgical procedures are damaging to the patient's psyche and the natural balance of their mental processes. This imbalance extends into the spiritual plane, and creatures who recently underwent mind-altering chirurgical procedures might have a greater than normal chance of arising as unquiet dead, perhaps haunts that spread madness and torment, or as actual undead creatures such as allips or, more rarely, ghosts or spectres.
Allip: Many chirurgical procedures are damaging to the patient's psyche and the natural balance of their mental processes. This imbalance extends into the spiritual plane, and creatures who recently underwent mind-altering chirurgical procedures might have a greater than normal chance of arising as unquiet dead, perhaps haunts that spread madness and torment, or as actual undead creatures such as allips or, more rarely, ghosts or spectres.
Ghost: Many chirurgical procedures are damaging to the patient's psyche and the natural balance of their mental processes. This imbalance extends into the spiritual plane, and creatures who recently underwent mind-altering chirurgical procedures might have a greater than normal chance of arising as unquiet dead, perhaps haunts that spread madness and torment, or as actual undead creatures such as allips or, more rarely, ghosts or spectres.
Spectre: Many chirurgical procedures are damaging to the patient's psyche and the natural balance of their mental processes. This imbalance extends into the spiritual plane, and creatures who recently underwent mind-altering chirurgical procedures might have a greater than normal chance of arising as unquiet dead, perhaps haunts that spread madness and torment, or as actual undead creatures such as allips or, more rarely, ghosts or spectres.

The Nemesis Bestiary Volume One

Spoiler

Whore Eater: In the trading city of Rasfar, when a prostitute dies, she may not be buried on hallowed ground. Instead, her body is chained, and she is buried at a cross roads far from the city walls, in hopes that she will not rise again. Roses and oranges placed above the grave are said to prevent her from rising again.

The Nemesis Bestiary Volume Two

Spoiler

Pyre Legion: “No one soul forms a Pyre Legion. Instead, the Legion is the collective agony, dread and rage of multitudes condemned to death by immolation. I tell any executioner I meet that they must not burn more than one condemned with the same wood. They do that, the world will see fewer Pyre Legions. Few listen; you see the result.”-Rutger Goldspear, Dwarven inquisitor and monster hunter
“Leave any settlement plagued by a Pyre Legion to its fate, for they are guilty of a great sin. Such unquiet spirits only form when an innocent dies by judicial fire. Allow the Pyre Legion to have its vengeance.”-Raethelli legal codes concerning Pyre Legions
“Archeological excavation of the Hurnga Lakebed, now dried after the dam’s construction, found more than a dozen brass chests, each containing wood fragments and ash mixed with burnt human bones. The locals revealed the casks were the remains of burnt witches and their pyres, sunk into the lake to prevent fiery demons from rising from the remains.”-Adventurer’s Almanac, volume XXVII “The Dry Hurnga Lakebed and its Horrors”
Skull Soldier: A 12th level caster can create a Skull Soldier with the spell Create Undead. Additional Skull Soldiers created by Mutilation and Recruitment are considered undead under the caster’s control for the caster’s HD limit on control.
Skull Soldiers are created from the remains of muscular warriors ritually decapitated. Their powerful bodies are wrapped in the hides of black wolves. Each Skull Soldier has had its mortal head replaced with the defleshed skull of some fearsome beast- often a great raptor, panther, dire wolf, or nightmare.
“I had a comrade fall to a platoon of these laughing horrors. As he was dying, the things violated him, laughing the whole time. Then they cut his head from his corpse, and dragged it away to their lair. Made him one of them.”-Galanis, mercenary warrior
Mutilation and Recruitment power.

Mutilation and Recruitment (SU)
The Skull Soldier can hack the head from the (mostly intact) corpse of any recently slain humanoid or monstrous humanoid creature of Size Medium and affix a defleshed animal skull. The process takes an hour of effort. At the end of this time, the slain creature rises as a Skull Soldier, with none of the knowledge or abilities he had in life.

The Nemesis Bestiary Volume Three

Spoiler

Lantern Lich: “Lantern Liches are what remains of wizards who felt the call to lichdom when they were still too young, too ignorant of magic, and of life to survive the transition into undeath. The corpses they hoped to ride into eternity disintegrated. The only options became two: the lantern, or the coffin. None of them realize the lantern is just another kind of coffin.”-Jonah the Starcloaked, chronicler of matters arcane
“Iron has always impeded magic; rare indeed is the wizard who goes about his business in field plate. But a handful of wizards, determined to cheat death and having less stomach for the corpse work of necromancy, build new iron bodies for themselves. To be sure, these iron shells are strong and durable, but every time a spell dies because the iron fingers were too clumsy to cast it properly, the soul inside the iron dies a little more. Soon, all that is left is rage and self loathing, expressed as flame.”-Wyl the Lich Queen
Taxidermy Revenant: Taxidermy Revenants are horrid composite undead created from a chimerical assortment of hunting trophies animated by malign intelligence.
“I knew a Druid once, claimed Taxidermy Revenants are nature’s punishment of trophy hunters, and those damn fool nobles who go traipsin’ into the wilderness with half an army behind ‘em to get a hart’s head for their wall. I don’t know if I agree or not, but unless it’s common folk hurt by one, I never pick up my blades against a Taxidermy Revenant. Let the damn nobles prove how great of hunters they are by taking one on.”-Tom Yorkshire, ranger

The Perfect Storm

Spoiler

Storm Wraith: Slain by a stroke of lighting, these bitter spirits have been fed on the energy of stormy weather and perpetuate the storm that slew them so that it never abates. Driven mad by their sudden death, the lighting that thunders in their ears, and the winds that unceasingly buffet their soul, storm wraiths seek to slay any they encounter and entrap their souls within the swirling clouds that surround them.

The Rogues Gallery: Cloven Hoof Syndicate

Spoiler

Aymielle Human Skeletal Champion Rogue 5/Sorcerer 5: ?

The Spellweaver PFRPG Edition

Spoiler

Weavehaunt: Any humanoid creature drained to 0 Intelligence by a Weave haunt has its spirit bound to the Weave as a Weave haunt.
A Weave haunt is an incorporeal creature typically created when a spellweaver is slain due to his extreme failure to successfully wield the Weave’s magic. At the time of death, the connection to the Weave drew the spellweaver’s spirit into itself and infused it with its own energies, capturing the spirit at the moment of painful death and forever entangling the lost soul in the Weave’s threads. Being slain by strand grubs can also lead to the victim becoming a Weave haunt.
A victim that is reduced to zero remaining spell slots or no remaining daily spellweaves from strand grub infestation must attempt an additional DC 17 Will save per minute this situation remains. Failure means the creature dies, causing the grubs to once again pour out of its body. Furthermore, unless the corpse is destroyed (or raised or the like) before the passing of 24 hours, the victim will become a weave haunt at the end of that time.

The Tome of Blighted Horrors

Spoiler

Bileborn: The bileborn is an undead creature born of alchemical and necromantic experimentation. Its purpose and the identity of its creator are unknown, but the mistakes of this master have long since been paid, as the original bileborn ultimately escaped and slew its creator, incorporating his body among the rest.
Bog Lantern: Whether the bog lantern is simply an undead will-o’-wisp raised by some odd negative energy current within the Great Lyme River or a separate creature that is superficially similar is unknown. The only traits the bog lantern seems to share with its potential cousin, however, are its appearance and a desire to lure passers-by off the relative safety of the roads and paths meandering through the bog lands that surround the Lyme.
Gravid Ghoul: The gravid ghoul is an undead creature of the foulest nature. In the darkest alleys of inner cities, there are humanoids who will pay for the touch and bed of an undead creature. Whether out of fascination, fetish, or illness of the mind, these couplings on occasion have been known to develop into a gravid ghoul. The ghoul harlot typically is unaware of its pregnancy, until it is far too late. The fetal ghoul that grows inside the undead mother awakens with blood lust and the hunger of a newborn. The only warning the ghoul mother receives is an increase in its own feeding instinct and a slight swelling of the midsection before the small ghoul-thing bursts from the mother’s abdomen. The newborn creature sits within the gaping cavity of the mother’s broken body, which is folded in half in a backbend to serve as a perch and means of mobility for the offspring. Despite its appearance as vehicle and driver of a sort, the offspring and mother are a single creature and cannot be separated without destroying both.
Alchymic-Unliving Creature: The alchymic-unliving are creatures tainted by the curse of undeath through exposure to elixir of life. Those who partake in the forbidden fruits of such alchymic experimentation face a dismal future.
“Alchymic-Unliving Creature” is an acquired template that can be added to any living creature that fails its Fortitude saving throw when exposed to elixir of life.
Stoic Guardian, Alchymic-Unliving Ogre Warrior 1: Created by Illuminati mages to guard entrances to their chapterhouses, stoic guardians simply stand and stare as their minds slowly slip away.
Between-Incarnate Nosferatu Sorcerer 8: ?
Between Vampire: Some say the first of these creatures was a vampire’s reflection stolen by the Devil aeons ago and left to fester in the mad realm of Between. Things composed of stolen memories and talents, Between vampires are rarely seen outside of Between; they prefer the warmth and safety of their shadowy homes.
Between vampire is an acquired template that can be added to any living creature with 5 or more HD, an Intelligence of 3 or more, and a Charisma of 10 or more that originated in Between.
Between Vampire Nymph: ?
Blight Ghoul: In the Blight, a variant of ghoul fever does not fully strip away the identity of the victim but rather twists it toward evil and an obsession with eating of the rotting flesh of sentient creatures.
“Blight Ghoul” is an acquired template that can be added to any living creature.
A creature that dies of Blight ghoul fever rises as a Blight ghoul at the next midnight.
A creature that dies of Blight ghoul fever rises as a Blight ghoul at the next midnight. (The Blight - Pathfinder)
Blight Ghoul Fever disease.
Blight Ghoul Fever disease. (The Blight - Pathfinder)
Fetch Abductor, Human Blight Ghoul Commoner 7: ?

Ghoul: A humanoid who dies of ghoul fever rises as a ghoul at the next midnight.
Ghoul Fever disease
Ghast: A humanoid of 4 Hit Dice or more who dies from ghoul fever rises as a ghast.
Ghoul Fever disease
Zombie: An alchymic-unliving creature that reaches 0 Intelligence loses the alchymic-unliving template and gains the zombie template.

Ghoul Fever: Bite, Tongue, and Contact—injury; save Fort DC 13; onset 1 day; frequency 1/day; effect 1d3 Con and 1d3 Dex damage; cure 2 consecutive saves. The save DC is Charisma-based.
A humanoid who dies of ghoul fever rises as a ghoul at the next midnight. A humanoid who becomes a ghoul in this way retains none of the abilities it possessed in life. It is not under the control of any other ghouls, but it hungers for the flesh of the living and behaves like a normal ghoul in all respects. A humanoid of 4 Hit Dice or more rises as a ghast.

Blight Ghoul Fever: Bite—injury; save Fort; onset 1 day; frequency 1/ day; effect 1d3 Con and 1d3 Dex damage; cure 2 consecutive saves. The save DC is Charisma-based. A creature that dies of Blight ghoul fever rises as a Blight ghoul at the next midnight.

Thunderscape: the World of Aden: Campaign Setting

Spoiler

Wasted: There are few fates more horrible than death by the Wasting, but becoming one of the Wasted is one of them. Perhaps one in a hundred victims of the Wasting rises as these walking dead, its manite implants somehow seizing control of the corpse it is installed in and lashing out with blind fury. No one yet has been able to determine if wasted are a side-effect of golemization itself, or if they are caused by the Darkfall manipulating fears of golemoids.
“Wasted” is an acquired template that can be added to any corporeal creature with one or more manite implants.
Human Wasted: ?

Tomb Raiders

Spoiler

Human Vampire Cleric 11, Kanefrah: Desperate for a way to punish the heathen invaders, Kanefrah turned to rites long forbidden by her church. Kanefrah resurrected the Court of Slaughter, a heretical cult dedicated to Sekhmet’s most brutal and violent aspect. Just as Sekhmet feasts upon the blood of men who disrespect Ra, so too the Court of Slaughter fed upon the living. They transformed themselves into monsters—unholy abominations that preyed upon the faithless. These profane rituals brought about the end of Kanefrah’s first life, transforming her into a child of the night.
Mummified Human Slayer 11, Djenmett of the Many Eyes: As a mortal man, Djenmet of the Many-Eyes served the then-living Kanefrah as a member of her elite guard. When Kanefrah joined the Court of Slaughter and became the monster she is today, Djenmet was one of the few servants who remained faithful to his mistress. It was Djenmet who kept vigil over her sarcophagus as she slept through the day, and Djenmet who lost his life to the blades of the traitorous acolytes. To conceal Djenmet’s murder, the acolytes interred him alongside his mistress, beginning the process of mummification so that he might serve his lady in the afterlife. The acolytes were slain before they could complete the process, leaving Djenmet’s body disfigured and his soul trapped in his body, unable to pass on to the next world. Moved by his loyalty, Kanefrah completed the process of his mummification upon awaking from her torpor so that he might serve her in death as faithfully as he did in life.
Human Skeletal Champion Bloodrager 8, Mighty Bozhrak: Bozhrak’s death came when Kanefrah, in her guise as a courtier, invited his troupe to entertain her entourage. Bozhrak was immediately smitten with the vampire, and abandoned his carnival to join Kanefrah’s court and pledge his eternal love for the “noble lady.” Though initially repulsed by the advances of a foreigner, Kanefrah realized that the brute possessed a strength and “moral flexibility” that she could put to use. Kanefrah revealed her true nature to Bozhrak, and offered him a place by her side at the cost of his mortality. Bozhrak accepted, and was stripped of his flesh, becoming the skeletal champion he is today.
Human Ghost Bard 8, Reginell Carthworth III: Having died a violent death, with his great work still unfinished, Reginell’s soul persisted in this world after his death.

Tome of Adventure Design

Spoiler

Pathfinder/Swords and Wizardry
Ghost Shipwreck: ?
Undead Giant Crab Carapace: ?

Undead: In folklore, almost all undead creatures arise from some sort of break in the normal life cycle as that culture defines the life cycle (and that’s not always the same in all cultures). Some ceremony wasn’t performed – often burial or last rites, or some action taken by the undead person during his life represented a breach of the natural order of things.

Table 2-64: Basic Types of Undead Creatures
Die Roll
Undead Type
01-04
Corporeal, genius, non-reproductive
05-08
Corporeal, genius, reproduces through prey
09-12
Corporeal, non-intelligent, non-reproductive
13-16
Corporeal, non-intelligent, reproduces through prey
17-20
Corporeal, semi-intelligent, non-reproductive
21-24
Corporeal, semi-intelligent, reproduces through prey
25-28
Incorporeal, genius, non-reproductive
29-32
Incorporeal, genius, reproduces through prey
33-36
Incorporeal, non-intelligent, non-reproductive
37-40
Incorporeal, non-intelligent, reproduces through prey
41-44
Incorporeal, semi-intelligent, non-reproductive
45-48
Incorporeal, semi-intelligent, reproduces through prey
49-52
Non-human corporeal, intelligent, non-reproductive
53-56
Non-human, corporeal, intelligent, contagious Undeath
57-60
Non-human, corporeal, non-intelligent, contagious Undeath
61-64
Non-human, corporeal, non-intelligent, non-reproductive
65-68
Non-human, corporeal, semi-intelligent, contagious Undeath
69-72
Non-human, corporeal, semi-intelligent, non-reproductive
73-76
Non-human, incorporeal, intelligent, contagious Undeath
77-80
Semi-corporeal, genius, non-reproductive
81-84
Semi-corporeal, genius, reproduces through prey
85-88
Semi-corporeal, non-intelligent, non-reproductive
89-92
Semi-corporeal, non-intelligent, reproduces through prey
93-96
Semi-corporeal, semi-intelligent, non-reproductive
97-00
Semi-corporeal, semi-intelligent, reproduces through prey
Table 2-65: Causes of Intelligent Undeath
Die Roll
Cause of Intelligent Undeath
01-10
Cursed by enemy
11-20
Cursed by gods
21-30
Disease such as vampirism
31-40
Prepared by others for Undeath, at or before death (unwillingly)
41-50
Prepared by others for Undeath, at or before death (willingly)
51-60
Prepared self for Undeath, during life
61-70
Rejected from underworld for some reason
71-80
Returned partially by actions of others
81-90
Returned to gain vengeance for own killing
91-00
Returned to guard location or item important to self during life
Table 2-66: Preparations for Intelligent Undeath
Note that some of these preparations might be voluntary on the part of the person being prepared for intelligent Undeath. Other preparations described on this table would be the activity of someone else, with or without the consent of the person being prepared.
Die Roll
Preparation
01-10
Actions are taken to ensure that a god will curse the soul with intelligent undeath
11-20
Corpse/body is preserved/prepared in such a way that the soul (or life force) cannot depart
21-30
Living body parts incorporated into corpse keep it “alive”
31-40
New soul brought into dead body
41-50
Pact with gods/powers of afterlife to reject soul
51-60
Physical preparation raises body with echo of former intelligence
61-70
Physical preparation raises body with full former intelligence
71-80
Ritual binds soul to a place
81-90
Soul captured by ritual, kept in the wrong plane of existence
91-00
Soul captured in item to prevent completion of the death cycle
Table 2-67: Breaks in the Life Cycle
As mentioned above, most Undeath traditionally results from a break in the natural order of the victim’s life cycle. Looking through the following wide assortment of such “breaks” may give you some good ideas for specific details about your undead creature.
Die Roll
Nature of the Break (d100)
01
Deliberately cursed at death by others for actions during lifetime
02
Died after committing crime: Arson
03
Died after committing crime: Assault
04
Died after committing crime: Bankruptcy
05
Died after committing crime: Battery
06
Died after committing crime: Begging
07
Died after committing crime: Blackmail
08
Died after committing crime: Blasphemy
09
Died after committing crime: Breach of contract
10
Died after committing crime: Breach of financial duty
11
Died after committing crime: Breaking and entering
12
Died after committing crime: Bribery
13
Died after committing crime: Burglary
14
Died after committing crime: Cattle theft or rustling
15
Died after committing crime: Consorting with demons
16
Died after committing crime: Counterfeiting
17
Died after committing crime: Cowardice or desertion
18
Died after committing crime: Demonic possession
19
Died after committing crime: Desecration
20
Died after committing crime: Disrespect to clergy
21
Died after committing crime: Disrespect to nobility
22
Died after committing crime: Drug possession
23
Died after committing crime: Drug smuggling
24
Died after committing crime: Drunkenness
25
Died after committing crime: Embezzlement
26
Died after committing crime: Escaped slave
27
Died after committing crime: Extortion
28
Died after committing crime: False imprisonment
29
Died after committing crime: Fleeing crime scene
Die Roll
Nature of the Break (d100)
30
Died after committing crime: Forgery
31
Died after committing crime: Forsaking an oath
32
Died after committing crime: Gambling
33
Died after committing crime: Grave robbery
34
Died after committing crime: Harboring a criminal
35
Died after committing crime: Harboring a slave
36
Died after committing crime: Heresy
37
Died after committing crime: Horse theft
38
Died after committing crime: Incest
39
Died after committing crime: Inciting to riot
40
Died after committing crime: Insanity
41
Died after committing crime: Kidnapping
42
Died after committing crime: Lewdness, private
43
Died after committing crime: Lewdness, public
44
Died after committing crime: Libel
45
Died after committing crime: Manslaughter
46
Died after committing crime: Misuse of public funds
47
Died after committing crime: Murder
48
Died after committing crime: Mutiny
49
Died after committing crime: Necromancy
50
Died after committing crime: Participating in forbidden meeting
51
Died after committing crime: Perjury
52
Died after committing crime: Pickpocket
53
Died after committing crime: Piracy
54
Died after committing crime: Poisoning
55
Died after committing crime: Possession of forbidden weapon
56
Died after committing crime: Prison escape
57
Died after committing crime: Prostitution

Die Roll
Nature of the Break (d100)
58
Died after committing crime: Public recklessness
59
Died after committing crime: Racketeering
60
Died after committing crime: Rape
61
Died after committing crime: Receiving stolen goods (fencing)
62
Died after committing crime: Robbery
63
Died after committing crime: Sabotage
64
Died after committing crime: Sale of shoddy goods
65
Died after committing crime: Sedition
66
Died after committing crime: Slander
67
Died after committing crime: Smuggling
68
Died after committing crime: Soliciting
69
Died after committing crime: Swindling
70
Died after committing crime: Theft
71
Died after committing crime: Treason
72
Died after committing crime: Trespass
73
Died after committing crime: Using false measures
74
Died after committing crime: Witchcraft
75
Died after violating taboo: dietary
76
Died after violating taboo: loyalty
77
Died after violating taboo: marriage
78
Died after violating taboo: sexual
Die Roll
Nature of the Break (d100)
79
Died as a glutton
80
Died as a miser
81
Died as coward
82
Died deliberately
83
Died unloved and unmourned
84
Died while a slave
85
Died while owning slaves
86
Died without children
87
Died without dying (I don’t know, but it sounds good)
88
Died without fulfilling contract
89
Died without fulfilling oath
90
Died without honor (marriage or parenthood)
91
Died without honor (traitor)
92
Died without manhood/womanhood rites
93
Died without marrying
94
Died without proper preparations for death
95
Died without properly honoring ancestors
96
Died without tribal initiation
97
Eaten after death
98
Not buried/burned
99
Not given proper death ceremonies
100
Not given proper preparations for afterlife
Table 2-68: Manner of Death
The manner in which an undead creature might have died can give rise to good ideas about the nature of the creature’s abilities, appearance, and motivations (if it is an intelligent form of undead).

Die Roll
Manner of Death
01
Burned in fire
02
Burned in lava
03
Cooked and eaten
04
Crushed
05
Defeated in dishonorable combat
06
Defeated in honorable combat
07
Died during a storm
08
Died during harvest time
09
Died during peacetime
10
Died in a swamp
11
Died in particular ancient ruins
12
Died in the hills
13
Died in the mountains
14
Died near particular type of flower
15
Died near particular type of tree
16
Died of disease
17
Died of fright
18
Died of natural causes
19
Died of thirst
20
Died while carrying particular weapon
Die Roll
Manner of Death
21
Died while carrying stolen goods
22
Died while wearing particular garment
23
Died while wearing particular piece of jewelry
24
Drowned
25
Executed by asphyxiation
26
Executed by cold
27
Executed by drowning
28
Executed by exposure to elements
29
Executed by fire
30
Executed by hanging
31
Executed by live burial
32
Executed by starvation
33
Executed by strangulation
34
Executed by thirst
35
Executed despite having been pardoned
36
Fell from great height
37
Frozen/hypothermia
38
Heart failure
39
In the saddle
40
Killed by a creature that injects eggs

Die Roll
Manner of Death
41
Killed by a deception
42
Killed by a jealous spouse
43
Killed by a jester
44
Killed by a lover
45
Killed by a lynch mob
46
Killed by a traitor
47
Killed by a trap
48
Killed by accident
49
Killed by ancient curse
50
Killed by birds
51
Killed by blood poisoning
52
Killed by demon
53
Killed by dogs/jackals
54
Killed by gluttony
55
Killed by insect(s)
56
Killed by inter-dimensional creature
57
Killed by magic
58
Killed by magic weapon
59
Killed by metal
60
Killed by mistake
61
Killed by own child
62
Killed by own parent
63
Killed by particular type of person
64
Killed by poisonous fungus
65
Killed by poisonous plant
66
Killed by pride
67
Killed by priest
68
Killed by relative
69
Killed by soldiers during battle
70
Killed by some particular monster
71
Killed by strange aliens
Die Roll
Manner of Death
72
Killed by undead
73
Killed by wine or drunkenness
74
Killed by wooden object
75
Killed for a particular reason
76
Killed in a castle
77
Killed in a particular place
78
Killed in a tavern
79
Killed in particular ritual
80
Killed in tournament or joust
81
Killed near a particular thing
82
Killed on particular day of year
83
Killed under a particular zodiacal sign (i.e., a particular month or time)
84
Killed under moonlight
85
Killed underground
86
Killed while exploring
87
Killed while fishing
88
Killed while fleeing
89
Killed while hunting
90
Killed while leading others badly
91
Killed while leading others well
92
Murdered
93
Sacrificed to a demon
94
Sacrificed to a god
95
Sacrificed to ancient horror
96
Starved to death
97
Strangled
98
Struck by lightning
99
Struck down by gods
100
Tortured to death

Dexterity Loss. The attack drains one or more points of dexterity from the victim. The attacker may or may not gain a benefit from the drain (additional hit points, to-hit bonuses, etc) depending upon whether it seems to fit well with the concept. If the victim reaches a dexterity of 0, one of several things might happen: the victim might die and become a creature similar to the attacker (this is common with undead, but a bit weird when dexterity is the attribute score being drained). One explanation for death at 0 dexterity is that the body’s internal systems (circulatory, etc) are no longer working in time with each other.
Zombie: Animated bodies need not be the result of black magic (which is the case for, say, the standard zombie).
Individual Curse Death Magic.
Ghoul: ?
Skeleton: ?
Ghost: ?
Vampire: ?
Wraith: Individual Curse Death Magic.

Individual Curse Death magic (saving throw) possibly combined with something unpleasant that happens after death (becoming a zombie or a wraith, for instance)

Tome of Horrors Complete

Spoiler

Apparition: A humanoid slain by an apparition becomes an apparition itself in 1d4 rounds.
Apparitions are undead spirits of creatures that died as the result of an accident. The twist of fate that ended their life prematurely has driven them totally and completely to the side of evil.
A humanoid slain by an apparition becomes an apparition itself in 1d4 rounds. Spawn so created are less powerful than typical apparitions, and suffer a –2 penalty on all d20 rolls and checks. They also receive –2 hp per HD, and a –2 penalty to the Will save DC of their spectral strangulation ability. Spawn are under the command of the apparition that created them and remain enslaved until its death, at which point they lose their spawn penalties and become full-fledged and free-willed apparitions. (The Blight - Pathfinder)
Shortly before arriving at O12, the PCs become aware of a woman’s voice calling out, asking if one of the PCs is “Pherran, my love.” The woman’s voice ignores any answers that are given, but continues to ask, becoming more urgent and claiming that she has come for her true love. Eventually she cries out, “Don’t make me do it again! I flung myself from the Wall once to be with you in death! Don’t ask it of me again!” She then breaks down into sobs and begins to complain of the cold and the feel of her skin. She begs a male character not to be angry with how she looks now, that her rose has withered but her soul remains his. Eventually, this bittersweet apparition emerges through the gloom, her undead body drawn into unlife to look for her true love. (The Blight - Pathfinder)
Bhuta: When a person is murdered, the spirit sometimes clings to the Material Plane, refusing to accept its mortal death.
Since the transformation into unlife is almost instant (occurring within 1-2 hours after death), the bhuta appears as it did in life.
Bloody Bones: Their true origins are unknown, but they are believed to be the undead remains of those who desecrate evil temples and are punished by the gods for their wrongdoings.
Bog Mummy: 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).
When a corpse preserved by swamp mud is imbued with negative energy, it rises as a bog mummy.
Bogeyman: Bogeymen are the stuff of legends: creatures created in the minds of parents who relayed stories about incorporeal ghosts coming to carry their children off if they didn’t go to bed when they were supposed to, didn’t do their chores when asked, and so on. The apparitional bogeyman’s ties to the land of the living are a result of these stories.
Brykolakas: Their true origin remains a mystery to even the most learned of sages though stories among the learned speak of dark necromantic arts involving ancient magicks and packs of ghouls.
Cadaver: Cadavers are the undead skeletal remains of people who have been buried alive or given an improper burial (an unmarked grave or mass grave for example).
Coffer Corpse: The coffer corpse is an undead creature formed as the result of an incomplete death ritual.
Corpse Candle: Corpse candles are formed when creatures are sacrificed by ritualistic drowning to a sea or water deity. The fear of dying coupled with the hatred of the ones performing the ritual infuses the victims’ spirit with energy that often lingers in the area and empowers the corpse with unlife, raising it as a corpse candle.
Crucifixion Spirit: Crucifixion spirits are the ghostly remains of living beings executed through crucifixion. Their soul having not entirely departed the Material Plane, has risen to seek vengeance on the living, particularly clerics or other divine spellcasters whom they blame for forsaking them and allowing them to die in such a ghastly manner.
Crypt Thing: Crypt things are undead creatures found guarding tombs, graves, crypts, and other such structures. They are created by spellcasters to guard such areas and they never leave their assigned area.
Thanopsis and a visiting priest combined forces to create the crypt thing that protects the ossuary and Thanopsis’ tomb from defilement. (Mountains of Madness)
Create Crypt Thing spell.
Crypt Guardian: ?
Darnoc: Any humanoid slain by a darnoc becomes a darnoc in 1d4 rounds.
The darnoc are said to be the restless spirits of oppressive, cruel, and power hungry individuals cursed forever to a life of monotony and toil, forbidden by the gods to taste the spoils of the afterlife they so desperately craved in life.
Demi-Lich: A demi-lich is an advanced lich of great power. When the life force of a lich ceases to exist and the material body finally decays (often after centuries of undeath), the soul lingers in the area and slowly over time possesses all that remains of the lich—its skull.
Demiurge: The demiurge is the undead spirit of an evil human returned from the grave with a wrathful vengeance against all living creatures that enter its domain.
Draug: The draug is the vengeful spirit of a ship’s captain who died at sea, thus being denied a proper burial. If an entire ship sinks at sea with the loss of all hands, the ship itself and its entire crew may return as ghostly wanderers. The captain usually rises as a draug and his crew rises as brine zombies.
When a ship sinks beneath the waves, it and its entire crew may return as ghostly wanderers, especially if the captain and crew had a less than scrupulous profession (as pirates, for example). A sunken ship of this nature may undergo a transformation from the negative energy and evil surrounding it. When this happens, the ship rises from the deep, piloted by a draug and manned by skeletons, brine zombies, zombies, and lacedons.
Draug Ship: When a ship sinks beneath the waves, it and its entire crew may return as ghostly wanderers, especially if the captain and crew had a less than scrupulous profession (as pirates, for example). A sunken ship of this nature may undergo a transformation from the negative energy and evil surrounding it. When this happens, the ship rises from the deep, piloted by a draug and manned by skeletons, brine zombies, zombies, and lacedons.
Fear Guard: Any living creature reduced to Wisdom 0 by a fear guard is slain and becomes a fear guard under the control of its killer in 1d6 rounds.
Fear guards embody evil in its blackest conjuration. They are summoned from some unknown place by evil wizards and clerics to guard prized possessions or a valued location.
Fetch: When a murdered person is buried on frozen ground, it often returns from the grave as a fetch, an evil undead monster with a hatred of fire and the living.
Fire Phantom: When a creature dies on the Elemental Plane of Fire, its soul often melds with part of the fiery plane and reforms as a fire phantom; a humanoid creature composed of rotted and burned flesh and elemental fire.
Fye: When a traumatic event occurs within the vicinity of a temple or other holy place, energy often lingers in the area polluting and contaminating an object or the ground itself. This sometimes leads to the formation of a mindless entity—the fye.
Ghoul Cinder: A creature that is burned to death by magical fire may rise again as a fiery undead being called a cinder ghoul. The lairs of old red dragons may be haunted by many of these pathetic, angry spirits, and many a wizard that has dispatched a foe with a well-placed fireball has been found mysteriously charred to death many months after the deed.
Ghoul Dust: When a humanoid creature dies on the Parched Expanse on the Plane of Molten Skies (see City of Brass by Necromancer Games), there is a good chance it returns from the afterlife as a dust ghoul—an undead flesh-eating creature composed of dust and earth.
Ghoul-Stirge: The origin of the ghoul-stirge has been lost, but it is believed to be the result of a failed magical experiment conducted in ages past by a group of evil and (thought to be) insane necromancers.
Grave Risen: They are created from a normal corpse in an area where the blood of a spellcaster is spilled and permeates the ground. The blood fuses with a corpse which sometimes animates as a grave risen.
Groaning Spirit: The groaning spirit is the malevolent spirit of a female elf that is found haunting swamps, fens, moors, and other desolate places.
Hanged Man: A hanged man is the restless corpse of an evil humanoid that was hanged or the spirit of one wrongfully accused of a crime and hanged.
Haunt: The haunt is the spirit of a person who died before completing some vital task.
Hoar Spirit: Believed to be the spirits of humanoids that freeze to death either because of their own mistakes or because of some ritualistic exile into the icy wastes by their culture.
Huecuva: Huecuva are the undead spirits of good clerics who were unfaithful to their god and turned to the path of evil before death. As punishment for their transgression, their god condemned them to roam the earth as the one creature all good-aligned clerics despise — undead.
The nihilistic Ahriman gave his greatest gift to his newfound converts — complete and utter destruction. The wicked being betrayed them even as their former patron Aten condemned them as well. The Khemitian god transformed the heretics into 5 huecuvas. (Mountains of Madness)
Lantern Goat: Lantern goats are undead wanderers thought to be the coalescence of souls of people who died while lost in the wilderness. Just as normal goats sometimes drift from the shepherd’s care and fall prey to the dangers of the wild, so too do humans and demihumans often meet with a dire end while trekking alone in the hills. Whether they die of exposure or become a predator’s meal, these lost travelers usually journey in spirit form to the afterlife. Some, however, if they perish too close to a lantern goat, find their souls drawn into the fell receptacle the creature wears around its neck.
Gruff Lantern Goat: The gruff lantern goat is an advanced-HD lantern goat.
Lich Shade: The road a spellcaster travels in his or her quest for lichdom is not without danger. During the dark rituals invoked to achieve lichdom, the caster sometimes errs in his or her calculations or unleashes mystic forces best left untapped. When such an event occurs, the spellcaster is usually destroyed outright. Other times, something is born as a result of this failed ritual—a lich shade.
Lich shades are evil creatures who attempted to achieve lichdom but failed for whatever reason. The creature is not destroyed, nor does it become a lich, it becomes something in between—something in between mortal life and eternal unlife.
Mortuary Cyclone: A mortuary cyclone is an undead creature born when living creatures tamper with or desecrate a mass grave (either magically or naturally).
Mummy of the Deep: It is the result of an evil creature that was buried at sea for its sins in life. The wickedness permeating the former life has managed to cling even into unlife and revive the soul as a mummy of the deep.
Murder Crow: These creatures are formed in desolate areas where the formless souls of birds condense into a solitary creature—a murder crow.
Murder-Born: Spawned of hatred when both mother and child are murdered, the rapacious soul of the unborn sometimes rises as a foul and corrupt spirit.
Ooze Undead: When an ooze moves across the grave of a restless and evil soul, a transformation takes place. The malevolent spirit, still tied to the rotting flesh consumed by the ooze, melds with the ooze.
Ooze Vampiric: The vampiric ooze is thought to have been created by a great undead spellcaster using ancient and forbidden magic. Some believe the vampiric ooze was formed when an ochre jelly slew a vampire and absorbed it.
Phantasm: While many undead creatures are the undead form of once living creatures, phantasms have no real material connection to living creatures; they are spirits born of pure evil.
Phasma: A phasma is an undead creature spawned when a humanoid or monstrous humanoid fails its Fortitude saving throw against a phantasmal killer spell and dies as a result.
Poltergeist: Poltergeists are undead spirits that haunt the area where they died.
Shadow Rat: ?
Shadow Rat Dire: ?
Rawbones: A rawbones is an undead creature that comes into being when a tortured person rises from the grave.
Red Jester: Red jesters are thought to be the undead form of court jesters having been put to death for telling bad jokes, making fun of the local ruler, or dying in an untimely manner (which could be attributed to one or both of the first two). Another legend speaks of the red jesters as being the court jesters of Orcus, Demon Prince of the Undead, sent to the Material Plane to “entertain” those the demon prince has chosen to pay special attention to. The actual truth to their origin remains a mystery.
Shadow Lesser: According to ancient texts, an arcane creature known only as the Shadow Lord created beings of living darkness to aid him and protect him. These beings, called shadows, were formed through a combination of darkness and evil. He also created other beings of darkness, lesser beings, not quite as powerful as his original creations. These creatures became known as lesser shadows.
Unlike normal shadows, lesser shadows do not create spawn (though it is rumored that a variant of the lesser shadow can in fact create spawn).
Skeleton Black: Black skeletons are the remnants of living creatures slain in an area where the ground is soaked through with evil. The bodies of fallen heroes are contaminated and polluted by such evil and within days after their death, the slain creatures rise as black skeletons, leaving their former lives and bodies behind.
Skulleton: Skulletons are undead creatures believed to have been created by a lich or demilich, for the creature greatly resembles the latter in that it is nothing more than a pile of dust, a skull, and a collection of bones. The gemstones inset in its eye sockets and in place of its teeth are not gemstones at all, but painted glass (worthless). The skulleton is thought to have been created to frighten off would-be tomb plunderers, or convince them they have defeated the skulleton’s creator rather than a minor servitor and tomb guardian.
Construction
A skulleton’s body consists of a humanoid skull and the bones and dusty remains of its body. The false jewels are worthless, but do require a jeweler of some skill to properly cut and mount them to lend them an air of authenticity. Additional rare powders and incense worth 3,500 gp are also needed to complete the process.
SKULLETON
CL 9th; Price 8,000 gp
Requirements animate dead, contagion, fly, stinking cloud, creator must be caster level 9th; Skill Craft (jeweler) DC 15;
Cost 4,000 gp
Soul Reaper: Soul reapers have no ties to the land of the living, in that they have always existed and have always been. Their origins are unknown, but speculation says they stepped from the great void at the beginning of creation. It is thought that only six or seven of these creatures exist (and most living beings are thankful of that).
Swarm Raven Undead: ?
Swarm Shadow Rat: A shadow rat swarm is simply a massive number of shadow rats that have cluttered or banded together for survival or food.
Wight Barrow: Any humanoid creature that is slain by a barrow wight becomes a barrow wight itself in only 1d4 rounds.
At the time of her son’ s death, his mother beseeched her priests to prevent others from animating her son’s corpse as an undead abomination, but they could do nothing to quell the evil that burned within his malevolent soul. The wicked thane underwent the transformation into a barrow wight shortly after being sealed in his coffin. (Mountains of Madness)
Any humanoid creature that is slain by a barrow wight becomes a barrow wight itself in only 1d4 rounds. (Mountains of Madness)
Wight Blood: When a living creature bleeds to death on unholy ground, its corpse sometimes returns to life as a blood wight. Evil priests of Orcus, Jubilex, Lucifer and various other demon princes and devil lords often hold dark rituals where they bleed a living creature to death in order to create a blood wight. Blood wights generally detest living creatures, but if created by a clerical or necromantic ritual, the created blood wight will not harm its creator (unless attacked first).
Wolf Ghoul: ?
Dire Wolf Ghoul: ?
Wolf Shadow: ?
Zombie Brine: Brine zombies are the remnants of a ship’s crew that has perished at sea.
If an entire ship sinks at sea with the loss of all hands, the ship itself and its entire crew may return as ghostly wanderers. The captain usually rises as a draug and his crew rises as brine zombies.
When a ship sinks beneath the waves, it and its entire crew may return as ghostly wanderers, especially if the captain and crew had a less than scrupulous profession (as pirates, for example). A sunken ship of this nature may undergo a transformation from the negative energy and evil surrounding it. When this happens, the ship rises from the deep, piloted by a draug and manned by skeletons, brine zombies, zombies, and lacedons.
Brine zombies are the remnants of a ship’s crew that has perished at sea.If an entire ship sinks at sea with the loss of all hands, the ship itself and its entire crew may return as ghostly wanderers. The captain usually rises as a draug and his crew rises as brine zombies.
Bleeding Horror: Created by the axe of blood.
“Bleeding Horror” is an acquired template that can be added to humanoid, monstrous humanoid, magical beast, or outsider that dies as a result of feeding the axe of blood.
Any creature slain by the blood consumption attack of a bleeding horror becomes a bleeding horror in 1d4 minutes under the command of its creator.
Bleeding Horror Minotaur: ?
Corpsespun Creature: Corpsespun are undead creatures formed when a living creature is slain by a corpsespinner.
“Corpsespun” is an acquired template that can be added to any corporeal creature slain by a corpsespinner.
Creatures slain by a corpsespinner but not devoured rise in 1 hour as a corpsespun creature.
Corpsespun Human Fighter 10: ?
Corpsespun Minotaur: ?
Paleoskeleton Creature: Paleoskeletons are the fossil remains of long-dead creatures animated by necromantic rituals.
“Paleoskeleton” is an acquired template that can be added to dinosaur or prehistoric animal.
Paleoskeleton Triceratops: ?
Skeleton Warrior: The skeleton warrior is a lich-like undead that was once a powerful fighter of at least 8th level. Legend says that the skeleton warriors were forced into their undead state by a powerful demon prince who trapped each of their souls in a golden circlet.
“Skeleton Warrior” is an acquired template that can be added to any humanoid creature.
Human Skeleton Warrior Fighter 13: ?
Spectral Troll: “Spectral Troll” is an acquired template that can be added to any troll.
Spectral Rock Troll: ?
Undead Lord: “Undead Lord” is an inherited template that can be added to any undead creature.
Cadaver Lord: ?
Zombie Juju: Juju zombies’ hatred of living creatures and the magic that created them are what hold them to the world of the living. When a humanoid or monstrous humanoid is slain by an energy drain, enervation, or similar spell or spell-like ability, it may rise as a juju zombie.
“Juju zombie” is an acquired template that can be added to any humanoid or monstrous humanoid.
Human Juju Zombie Fighter 3: ?
Zombie Spellgorged: It is the ultimate humiliation for a spellcaster to be reduced to a
mindless, rotting husk used only to store the spells of a rival. Created with the use of a create greater undead spell, a spellgorged zombie is a programmed being, which appears much like a normal zombie. It must be made from a corpse that was in life an arcane or divine spellcaster.
“Spellgorged Zombie” is an acquired template that can be added to character capable of casting arcane or divine spells.
If this occurs, the troubled wizard calls upon his two former protégés who now serve him in death. Shortly after the library’s fall, Thanopsis transformed these unfortunate souls into 2 spellgorged zombies. (Mountains of Madness)
Spellgorged Zombie Sample: ?
Phantom: Phantoms are translucent spirits of creatures that died a particularly violent death.

Undead: Orcus is the Prince of the Undead, and it is said that he alone created the first undead that walked the worlds.
A creature slain by an undead lord rises in 1d4 minutes as an undead creature of the same type as the undead lord.
Ghoul Lacedon: A humanoid or monstrous humanoid killed by a brykolakas rises as a lacedon in 1d4 days under the control of the brykolakas that created it.
When a ship sinks beneath the waves, it and its entire crew may return as ghostly wanderers, especially if the captain and crew had a less than scrupulous profession (as pirates, for example). A sunken ship of this nature may undergo a transformation from the negative energy and evil surrounding it. When this happens, the ship rises from the deep, piloted by a draug and manned by skeletons, brine zombies, zombies, and lacedons.
Shadow: According to ancient texts, an arcane creature known only as the Shadow Lord created beings of living darkness to aid him and protect him. These beings, called shadows, were formed through a combination of darkness and evil.
Skeleton: When a ship sinks beneath the waves, it and its entire crew may return as ghostly wanderers, especially if the captain and crew had a less than scrupulous profession (as pirates, for example). A sunken ship of this nature may undergo a transformation from the negative energy and evil surrounding it. When this happens, the ship rises from the deep, piloted by a draug and manned by skeletons, brine zombies, zombies, and lacedons.
Any living creature with less than 10 HD slain by a mortuary cyclone’s necrocone attack or energy drain attack becomes a zombie or skeleton in 1d4 rounds.
Spectre: Any living creature with 16-20 HD slain by a mortuary cyclone’s necrocone attack or energy drain attack becomes a spectre in 1d4 rounds.
Any humanoid killed by a spectral troll rises 1d3 days later as a free-willed spectre unless a cleric of the victim’s religion casts bless or consecrate on the corpse before such time.
Wraith: Any living creature with 11-15 HD slain by a mortuary cyclone’s necrocone attack or energy drain attack becomes a wraith in 1d4 rounds.
Wraith Dread: Any living creature with more than 20 HD slain by a mortuary cyclone’s necrocone attack or energy drain attack becomes a dread wraith in 1d4 rounds.
Zombie: When a ship sinks beneath the waves, it and its entire crew may return as ghostly wanderers, especially if the captain and crew had a less than scrupulous profession (as pirates, for example). A sunken ship of this nature may undergo a transformation from the negative energy and evil surrounding it. When this happens, the ship rises from the deep, piloted by a draug and manned by skeletons, brine zombies, zombies, and lacedons.
Once a victim trapped within an iron maiden has died, it reanimates as a zombie in the next round (as if by an animate dead spell).
When a living creature is placed into the iron maiden and the lid is closed the blades impale the unfortunate victim, causing an agonizing death.
Although standard iron golems have a breath weapon, an iron maiden does not; it has the ability to usurp the essence of any humanoid being enclosed within, however. The corpse of the unfortunate victim trapped in the iron maiden golem is transformed into an undead being similar to a zombie.
Any living creature with less than 10 HD slain by a mortuary cyclone’s necrocone attack or energy drain attack becomes a zombie or skeleton in 1d4 rounds.
Any humanoid slain by a vampiric ooze becomes a zombie in 1d4 rounds.

Create Crypt Thing
School necromancy [evil]; Level cleric 7, sorcerer/wizard 7
Casting Time 1 hour
Components V, S, M (a clay pot filled with grave dirt and a black pearl worth at least 300 gp)
Range close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)
Target one corpse
Duration instantaneous
Saving Throw none; Spell Resistance no
This spell allows you to animate a single Medium or Large corpse of a creature 18 HD or less into a crypt thing. This spell must be cast in the area the creature is to guard or it fails. The corpse must be mostly intact and must be humanoid-shaped and have a skeletal system or structure. Only one crypt thing is created with this spell, and it remains in the area where it was created until destroyed.
The black gem is placed inside the mouth of the corpse. When the corpse animates, the gem is destroyed.

Minor Artifact: The Axe of Blood
Aura necromancy; CL 20th
Slot none; Weight 6 lb.
DESCRIPTION
Legend holds that the axe of blood was lost on a quest to another plane of existence. The axe itself is rather nondescript, being made of dull iron. Only the large, strange rune carved into the side of its double–bladed head gives any immediate indication that the axe may be more than it seems. The rune is one of lesser life stealing, carved on it long ago by a sect of evil sorcerers. This is, in fact, the only remaining copy of that particular rune, thus making the axe a valuable item. Further inspection reveals another strange characteristic: the entire length of the axe’s long haft of darkwood is wrapped in a thick leather thong stained black from years of being soaked in blood and sticky to the touch. When held, the axe feels strangely heavy but well balanced, and it possesses a keenly sharp blade.
POWERS
At first blush, the axe appears to be no more than a +1 keen battleaxe and until activated, the axe is just that. The wielder must consult legend lore or some other similar source of information to learn the ritual required to feed the axe. Despite the gruesome ritual required to power the axe, the weapon is not evil but is instead neutral. Bound inside it is a rather savage earth spirit.
The axe draws power from its wielder in order to become a mighty magic weapon. Each day, the wielder of the axe can choose to “feed” the axe, sacrificing some of his blood in a strange ritual. This ritual takes 30 minutes and must be done at dawn.
Using the axe, the wielder opens a wound on his person (dealing 1d6 points of damage) and feeds the axe with his own blood. In this ritual, the wielder sacrifices Constitution to the axe. For each point of Constitution sacrificed, the wielder gains a +1 bonus on attack rolls and weapon damage rolls (maximum of +5 on each) with the axe. Constitution points sacrificed to the axe cannot be healed magically, but heal at the rate of 1 point per day. Similarly, the damage caused by the opening of the wound may not be healed by any means until the sacrificed Constitution is regained. Note that the axe retains its keen quality when powered.
If the axe is powered to an amount less than the full +5 during the morning ritual and the wielder subsequently wishes that day to power the axe further, he may again wound himself (a full-round action dealing 1d6 points of damage) to sacrifice additional Constitution. In this instance where such a “second feeding” is done, the wielder must sacrifice 2 points of Constitution per additional +1 on attack rolls and weapon damage rolls (up to the same maximum of +5).
There is a chance that the Constitution sacrificed to the axe is lost permanently. If the wielder always skips a day in between powering the axe and always powers the axe with the morning ritual, there is no chance of permanent loss. If, however, the axe is fed on consecutive days or powered in a second feeding, there is a 1% chance plus a 1% cumulative chance per consecutive day the axe is powered that Constitution sacrificed to the axe on that day is actually permanent ability drain. This check must be made for each point of Constitution sacrificed to the axe that day.
If reduced to Constitution 0 as a result of feeding the axe, the wielder becomes a bleeding horror.
Note: An undead creature can use its Charisma ability score (since it doesn’t have a Con score) to power the axe. Charisma damage heals at the rate of 1 point per day. An undead that reduces its Cha to 0 is destroyed.
DESTRUCTION
If a wielder of the axe with the lawful or chaotic subtype and 20 or more Hit Dice willingly uses it to reduce himself to Constitution 0, the axe is destroyed and the slain wielder does not rise as a bleeding horror.

Tome of Horrors 4

Spoiler

Aswang: ?
Banshee Lesser: Lesser banshees are the spirits of departed women (especially of elven heritage) that were cruel and evil in life.
Shadow Dire Bear: Its origin lies in the strange result of a shadow’s create spawn ability affecting an animal. How such an outcome occurred is anyone’s guess, but sages in the lore of undeath have been unable to recreate it since.
Bone Delver: Bone delvers were in life graverobbers that died whilst performing their nefarious tasks. Some may have inadvertently awoken undead creatures in their graves, others were outwitted by cunning traps placed in well protected mausoleums.
Burning Ghat: The burning ghat is a rare form of undead created in areas of unusually high negative energy when a living creature is put to death by fire for a crime it did not commit.
Cimota: Cimota are the physical manifestations of evil thoughts and actions. They exist on the Negative Material Plane, manifesting in the Prime Material as cloaked figures. Their existence is always tied to a specific area or artifact that is imbued with ancient and highly malevolent evil. A cimota is able to manifest itself anywhere within an accursed locale that has given it life, or within 300 feet of an evil artifact to which it is attached.
Cimota are created by evil energy.
Guardian Cimota: Cimota are the physical manifestations of evil thoughts and actions. They exist on the Negative Material Plane, manifesting in the Prime Material as cloaked figures. Their existence is always tied to a specific area or artifact that is imbued with ancient and highly malevolent evil. A cimota is able to manifest itself anywhere within an accursed locale that has given it life, or within 300 feet of an evil artifact to which it is attached.
Cimota are created by evil energy.
High Cimota: Cimota are the physical manifestations of evil thoughts and actions. They exist on the Negative Material Plane, manifesting in the Prime Material as cloaked figures. Their existence is always tied to a specific area or artifact that is imbued with ancient and highly malevolent evil. A cimota is able to manifest itself anywhere within an accursed locale that has given it life, or within 300 feet of an evil artifact to which it is attached.
Cimota are created by evil energy.
Dark Custodian: Dark custodians are the undead remains of evil clerics tasked to remain behind after death and guard the sacred places of their vile worship.
Devouring Mist: Spawned of the dreams of the Bloodwraith, devouring mists are undead composed of equal parts blood and malice, wedded together by negative energy.
Ekimmu: An ekimmu is the evil ghost of one who has been denied entrance to the underworld and is doomed to wander the earth.
Flayed Angel: On some rare occasions when an extremely powerful angel is captured, tortured to death and subjected to particularly vile rituals, dark gods of evil will intervene and prevent that being’s essence from returning to its celestial home, instead trapping it within the mutilated corpse as a horrifyingly profane undead abomination.
A flayed angel is horribly mutilated, its skin flayed away, its wings crippled, and its head removed. The preparation ritual also involves the introduction of an acidic embalming fluid that mingles with the blood left in its body as a continually-leaking, caustic brew.
Galley Beggar: Galley beggars are the ghostly remains of travelers who met their demise before their journey was complete.
Ghirru: Ghirru are undead efreet, returned to the land of the living by efreeti necromancers through foul and dark magic.
Glacial Haunt: The icy wastes sometimes grant unlife to those who freeze to death at her unforgiving hands. The result is a glacial haunt.
Gloom Haunt: Gloom haunts are vile evil creatures, who seem to have no ties to the living (i.e., scholars cannot find any reasonable explanation as to why they exist), though a few learned sages believe gloom haunts to be the spiritual remains of paladins who were sacrificed by evil clerics to their vile and dark gods.
Grave Mount: The grave mount is the insult to all that is good and holy when a paladin’s steed is returned from the dead to wreak havoc upon the world. These undead creatures are rare and usually created when a death knight rises from the grave to ride the steed he owned in his former life, though a few necromancers are also able to raise a grave mount given time and study.
Grey Spirit: Many a sailor who ventures out into the trackless sea is destined never to look again on the loved ones he left behind. Either death or the lure of foreign lands keeps them from returning to those who wait patiently for them. A grey spirit, usually female, is the shade of someone who died heartbroken and alone, pining away on shore and ultimately dying of a broken heart while waiting for the return of a loved one from across the sea.
Grimshrike: Grimshrikes are native to a dark demiplane about which little is known other than its terrible history. The place was once vibrant and full of life every bit as diverse and beautiful as the Material Plane. Centuries ago, however, all that changed. Something rent the boundaries between that placid demiplane and the Negative Energy Plane. Dark energies spilled forth unchecked, fouling the very essence of which the demiplane was created. In a matter of hours, all life in that plane ceased to exist. The primary inhabitants of the demiplane, a race of twin-tailed gargoyles, were reanimated as the tortured servants of the nightshades.
Hooded Horror: A hooded horror is an undead creature believed to have been created by Orcus in order to subjugate and corrupt paladins and good-aligned priests. Though often found wandering the Undead Lord’s great abyssal palace, the hooded horror itself is not native to that plane, as Orcus created and unleashed them on the Material Plane (if the legends are to be believed).
Zombie Horde: Zombies are one of the most used and abused of the mindless undead. Singly, a zombie may be dealt with by experienced adventurers. When gathered together in a horde, these mindless creatures are a terror to behold.
Kamarupa: Kamarupa are the distorted souls of evil priests betrayed and sacrificed to their deity.
Knight Gaunt: A knight gaunt is an undead creature created when a paladin falls in battle.
Lurker Wraith: ?
Mimic Undead: Undead mimics are believed to be the result of experimentation on mimics by insane necromancers. What possessed them to create an undead version of a truly horrid creature is beyond most scholars’ comprehension.
Ghoul Monkey: These monkeys often appear in jungle areas where there is great residue of evil and chaos, such as forgotten temples or altars where dead monkeys might rise in this vile form of undeath.
Mordnaissant: Occasionally when a gravid woman dies violently in a place infused with unholy or negative energies, the unborn child within her does not perish, but instead continues to grow, vitalized by dark power, until it is capable of clawing its way free from its dead mother.
Mummy Asp: Similar in many respects to standard mummies, asp mummies are created to guard tombs of regal kings and nobles. Some believe these creatures even have a spark of the divine mixed in with their creation and are appointed by the gods themselves to watch over their favored followers. Asp mummies are known to be favored as guardians among the followers of Set.
The creation of an asp mummy follows the same procedure as a standard mummy, save that many small asps are placed into the hollowed corpse along with the herbs and flowers.
Naga Death: Death nagas are what remains of dark or spirit nagas slain by powerful negative energy. It is unknown why or how these nagas return as undead versions of their former selves.
Necro-Phantom: A creature that dies (either of its own accord or one that is killed) in an area poisoned by necromantic magic sometimes returns to the land of the living as a necro-phantom.
Oozeanderthals: Undead creatures created from a lost form of magic.
Rat-Ghoul: The foulest form of common vermin, rat-ghouls are abnormally large rats that have been infused with necrotic energy, either from proximity to a source of foulness, or feasting upon necrotic flesh.
The rat-ghoul is created when normal or dire rats feast on undead flesh, or being inundated with black magic or necrotic forces.
Screamer: These terrible undead are the remnant of soldiers who have fallen to the horrors of mass conflict and warfare. Whether each of these creatures is the remains of a single fallen soldier or a conglomerate of the scarred psyches of several such casualties remains up for debate
Shattered Soul Impaled Spirit: Shattered souls are the ghostly spirits of living beings executed through brutal torture: impalement, disembowelment, or worse. Their souls having not entirely departed the Material Plane, they have risen to seek vengeance on the living, particularly clerics or other divine spellcasters whom they blame for having forsaken them and allowed them to die in such a ghastly manner.
Impaled spirits are the ghostly remains of living beings executed through impalement; a brutally slow and extremely painful form of execution.
Skin Feaster: When a humanoid dies as a result of being skinned alive, it often returns to the land of the living as a skin feaster.
Skull Child: A juvenile humanoid slain by a skull child rises the following night as a free-willed skull child. A bless spell cast on the body before that time ceases the transformation. Adults and non-humanoids killed by a skull child do not rise as undead.
Soul Knight: A soul knight is a suit of armor animated by the lingering soul of an evil knight, cursed to undeath as punishment for having committed betrayal, murder or other crimes.
Spider Lich: The true origin of the spider lich is shrouded in mystery. Scholars argue constantly about its origins and how it came into existence. Some stand by the theory that intelligent giant spiders, perhaps phase spiders or some offshoot race of that dreaded creature, discovered the path to lichdom. Others contend a spider lich is the byproduct of a failed sorcerer’s attempt at lichdom. Still others argue that the spider lich is simply a spellcaster’s chosen form once it achieved lichhood.
An integral part of becoming a spider lich is the creation of the phylactery in which the creature stores its spirit. The only way to get rid of a spider lich for sure is to destroy its phylactery. Unless its phylactery is located and destroyed, a spider lich can rejuvenate after it is killed.
The typical spider lich phylactery is a gemstone of not less than 1,000 gp value. The spider lich hides the gemstone in a safe place and wraps it securely in a complex mesh of super strong webbing (DR 10/—, 24 hp).
Swarm Bone: A bone swarm is created when multiple animated skeletons are destroyed more or less simultaneously, either through a single powerful area attack or by simply being smashed to pieces in melee. The bones of the skeletons are scattered and smashed, but the necromantic magic that animated them lingers on, pulling the bones back together in a mass of clattering fragments.
Swarm Skeletal: Skeletal swarms are the remains of pieces cast off of whole skeletons collected together and animated en mass.
Troll Undead: Sometimes when a troll dies, the evilness within the creature raises it as an undead troll; a mockery of life and even more evil than it was before (if such is possible).
Undead Elemental Fire: Occasionally a horrible tragedy befalls a summoned fire elemental such that it is destroyed but is not permitted to return to its plane of origin. When this happens, what can eventually form is a horrendous creature composed of its original element infused with raw negative energy.
Vampire Spawn Feral: Sometimes when vampires create minions something horrible happens to the creature causing a fate worse than even that of a typical vampire spawn. On these occasions whether by accident or design, upon waking to its new undead existence the newly created spawn finds itself trapped within its coffin or tomb and unable to free itself even in gaseous form. In these instances the spawn rages and struggles to escape as it slowly goes insane, a victim of its all-consuming hunger. When the master vampire finally deigns to release its new spawn or it finally manages to break free — sometimes years after its creation — the spawn is feral and nearly mindless, though with a much greater strength due to its incessant rage.
Wight Sword: These wicked and depraved creatures lived and died by the sword, and now, their dark taint passes through their weapons to tear at your soul.
Zombie Pyre: Pyre zombies are the sad, tortured remains of those who were killed just before being burned alive. When the soul departed, their body was taken over by some malignant spirit. The spirit fortified the body from destruction by the fire, and the undead form escape the pyre to wreak its vengeance on the living.
Zombyre: A zombyre is a living creature that drowned in the River Styx, reanimated by the magic of the Stygian waters for some unknown purpose.
Death Knight: “Death knight” is an acquired template that can be applied to any lawful humanoid or monstrous humanoid with 5 or more Hit Dice.
Doomed to devastate the world they once cherished and sought to protect, death knights are the result of damning curses visited upon once noble knights who fell from grace at the moment of death.
Human Death Knight Cavalier 9: ?
Undead Horse Mount: ?
Meat Puppet: Meat puppets are boneless, skinless corpses reanimated after being exposed to necromantic energies.
“Meat puppet” is an acquired template that can be added to any corporeal creature (other than an undead) that had a skeletal system at one point, but had its bones extracted or completely crushed.
Human Meat Puppet: ?
Otyugh Meat Puppet: ?
Zombie Hungry: Zombies are the animated corpses of dead creatures, forced into foul unlife via necromantic magic like animate dead.
Human Zombie Hungry: ?

Undead: Cemeteries and graveyards are well known for their concentration of negative energy and it is this, rather than the mere presence of the buried dead, that can cause all manner of creatures to rise from their graves to haunt the living.
Ghoul: A humanoid slain by either a lurker wraith’s Constitution drain or smother attack becomes a ghoul in 1d4 rounds. A humanoid of 4 Hit Dice or more rises as a ghast, not a ghoul.
Ghoul Ghast: A humanoid slain by either a lurker wraith’s Constitution drain or smother attack becomes a ghoul in 1d4 rounds. A humanoid of 4 Hit Dice or more rises as a ghast, not a ghoul.
Vampire: Any creature slain by a devouring mist rises as a vampire spawn in 1d4 days, unless the remains are blessed. If the victim had more than 5 hit dice, there is a 1% chance per hit die that it arises as a full-fledged vampire instead, or a 5% chance per hit die if the victim was of the humanoid type.
Vampire Spawn: Any creature slain by a devouring mist rises as a vampire spawn in 1d4 days, unless the remains are blessed. If the victim had more than 5 hit dice, there is a 1% chance per hit die that it arises as a full-fledged vampire instead, or a 5% chance per hit die if the victim was of the humanoid type.
Dread Wraith: Any male humanoid slain by a banshee’s death wail or energy drain rises to become a dread wraith in 1d4 rounds.
Banshee: The spirit of any female humanoid that is slain by a lesser banshee’s death wail or energy drain rises to become a banshee in 1d4 rounds.
Shadow Animal: Any animal reduced to Strength 0 by a shadow dire bear becomes a shadow animal within 1d4 rounds.

Tome of Monsters

Spoiler

Apparition: An apparition is a ghostly visage of someone who died while in the midst of crippling fear.
Apparitions often arise from those who were tortured and executed, from those who were chased before being slain, from women who were raped before being murdered or from soldiers who turned cowardly on the battlefield.
Apparitions commonly come into existence in areas inhabited by much more powerful undead, such as vampires and liches.
Bhoot: A bhoot was a person who, in life, was wrongfully executed, or driven to commit suicide when they would not have otherwise done so. Because of this wrong, the individual has become a self-aware undead creature, rising from the grave a year after their death.
On the Indian subcontinent, bhoot is generally used in modern literature to refer to a type of ghost that arises when someone dies a very violent death or leaves behind unfinished business.
Chindi: A humanoid of 4 HD or more that is slain by a chindi becomes a chindi in 1d3 days.
A powerful humanoid that is slain by a chindi will rise as one in 1d3 days unless the slain individual is resurrected, reincarnated, or the remains are buried in a blessed grave sprinkled with holy water.
Drekavac: The drekavac (often called simply “the screamer”) is an undead creatures risen from a child that died of violence or neglect before its fifth birthday.
Nightmarcher: A humanoid slain by a nightmarcher becomes a nightmarcher the following night.
The cursed spirits of fallen soldiers.
Rusalka: A humanoid child of either sex or an adult female humanoid slain by a rusalka becomes a rusalka the following night. Adult male humanoids and all other creatures slain by a rusalka do not rise as rusalka.
Rusalka are the spirits of women and children who died by drowning. No one knows why men who die in the same manner do not become rusalka, but there are no documented males other than children.
Not every woman who drowns will become rusalka, nor every child.
Scarecrow: Whenever starvation takes a person, he can rise as a scarecrow if not blessed and buried quickly. Luckily, they do not create spawn when they kill others. They can also be raised by necromancers or evil priests from the bodies of those who died of starvation.
Scarecrow Wastrel: These undead can create spawn from those they bite but do not consume. Wastrels are much rarer than common scarecrows and said to come into existence only when a powerful necromancer’s magic is combined with the purposeful starvation of victims.
Wasting Disease: Bite—injury; save Fort DC 13; onset 1 day; frequency 1/day; effect 1d3 Con and 1d3 Dex damage; cure 2 consecutive saves. The save DC is Charisma-based. A humanoid who dies of wasting disease rises as a wastrel the next night.
Ziburnis: Every time a ziburinis is hit in combat, the phosphorescent moss covering its skeleton releases a cloud of bright green spores, which coat anyone within five feet of the ziburinis. Those coated with the spores must make a DC 12 Fortitude save or the spores attach, sending tendrils into the victim’s flesh. Once this happens, the victim takes 1d3 Strength and 1d3 Constitution damage each round the spores remain until the victim dies. Once the spores are set they can only be removed with a remove disease spell or by burning them off (and the infected victim suffers 2d4 fire damage in the process). The victim then rises the next night as a ziburinis.
Ziburinis are a hideous form of skeletal undead covered in phosphorescent moss-like plant life. The moss releases deadly spores that attach to a victim and eat the flesh away, and the victim then rises as a ziburinis the next night.
“Ziburinis” is an acquired template that can be added to any corporeal creature (other than an undead) that has a skeletal system and a minimum Intelligence of 3.

Treasure of NeoExodus: Claw of Xon

Spoiler

Shadow: This weapon’s dark origins were steeped in blood; foul necromantic rituals gave it the power to tear forth the souls of men, turning them into ghostly specters that hungered for the living.
Then, testing a new process using his disturbing necromantic magic, he extracted the iron from the blood of hundreds of slaves and prisoners to forge a new weapon for his new general, befitting his power. Weaving even darker and fouler magic into this weapon he imparted it the power to not just tear flesh and pulp bone, but also rend the very soul from a body to serve the weapon’s wielder before passing on.

Claw of Zon
DESCRIPTION AND CONSTRUCTION
A Claw of Xon is a terrifying weapon to behold. The weapon’s grip is a plain iron chain flecked with blood and ending in a large metal loop. The head is a smooth and heavy iron ball with four-inch spikes jutting out at regular intervals. A trio of wailing ghostly figures swirl and dance about the head, casting a pale green light over the entire weapon.
Aura strong necromancy and transmutation; CL 15th
Slot none; Price 96,015 gp; Weight 10 lbs.
DESCRIPTION
This +1 wounding blood iron heavy flail is constantly swarming with spectral images of screaming faces. The tortured screams that emanate from the weapon make stealth impossible for the wielder and cause any creature within 30 ft. of the weapon except the wielder to become shaken. A creature slain by a Claw of Xon has its soul torn from its body and imprisoned within the weapon, up to 3 souls may be imprisoned in this manner. As a standard action, up to three times per day, the wielder of a Claw of Xon can force a soul out of the weapon and control it. The soul has the same stats as a shadow and appears in a square adjacent to the wielder. A creature whose soul is contained within the weapon is not able to be restored to life, even by clone, raise dead, reincarnation, resurrection, true resurrection, or even a miracle or wish. Only by destroying the weapon can a trapped soul be set free.
CONSTRUCTION
Requirements Craft Magic Arms and Armor, bleed, cause fear, create greater undead, trap the soul; Cost 48,708 gp

Treasury of Winter

Spoiler

Zombie: Invader's Bugle magic item.
Haunt: ?
Incorporeal Undead: ?

INVADER’S BUGLE PRICE 59,000 GP
Slot none; CL 10th; Weight 2 lbs.
Aura moderate necromancy
This antique military horn is tarnished from age and exposure to the harsh elements, like a relic left behind by once-glorious army defeated by the cruel winter of the endless steppe. An invader’s bugle appears to be of very fine quality beneath the wear and grime, but all attempts to polish or restore it only tarnish it further.
Twice per day as a standard action, the wielder may blast one note on the bugle as a standard action, causing the ground in a 30-foot cone-shaped spread to become muddy and soft, as soften earth and stone. This chilling mud is bitter cold, and creatures beginning their turn within the area must succeed on a DC 13 Fortitude save (DC 15 if they are prone) or take 1d6 points of nonlethal cold damage and become fatigued for 1 minute. Additional failed saves cause damage but do not increase fatigue to exhaustion. After 1 minute, the mud is still cold to the touch but no longer causes damage or fatigue.
In addition, once per day the trumpet can sound a mournful note, animating corpses within 60 feet of the horn and no more than two feet underground are animated under the control of the wielder, as animate dead, to a maximum of 20 HD worth of creatures. These undead fall into rank behind the sounder of the invader’s bugle and only obey commands to attack, halt, or march; other commands are ignored. These zombies remain animate for 24 hours, though the user can sound the horn again each day to keep them animated. These zombies are covered in frozen mud, gaining fire resistance 10, and when destroyed they collapse into a pile of chilling mud filling their space, as if soften earth and stone had been cast upon that square, and the mud is bitter cold, as described above.
When used as part of a bardic performance or raging song, an invader’s bugle increases the range of a dirge of doom or frightening tune performances to 60 feet.
CONSTRUCTION REQUIREMENTS COST 29,500 GP
Craft Wondrous Item, creator must have 3 ranks in Perform (wind instruments), animate dead, ice storm, soften earth and stone

Two Dozen Dangers: Curses

Spoiler

Ghoul: A target reduced to 0 Dexterity by the Necromancer's Lethargy curse suffocates, and returns to unlife as a ghoul.

NECROMANCER’S LETHARGY
Necromancy is the study of the dead, and of the black negative light that animates them. Prolonged exposure to necromantic radiations can have debilitating effects on the body, and all veteran necromancers watch themselves carefully for the first signs of this curse, which always begin with muscular weakness and palsy in the hands.
Type curse; Save Will DC 22 negates
Frequency 1/day
Effect The target suffers 1d4 Dexterity damage per day. A target reduced to 0 Dexterity by this curse suffocates, and returns to unlife as a ghoul.

Two Dozen Dangers: Drugs

Spoiler

Undead: Ghostwater Drug creation.

Ghost Water (spirit water, life water)
Description: This drug appears as clean, clear water which reflects light in a dazzling manner. It is a vile drug, each dose being made from the life essence of an elf or other long-lived being, which wastes away during the process of creating the dose, usually becoming an undead creature. A user can extend their lifespan many years in a very short period with this drug, but it is easy to become addicted and withdrawal from the drug is a terrible thing.
Drug DC: 30
Primary Effect: A single dose of this drug extends the limit of each age category of the user by 1 year, as well as the user’s maximum age. Also, the user will not physically age for 1 year after taking a dose.
Secondary Effect: None.
Addiction: 2 doses are required to duplicate the effects of a single dose for an addicted creature.
Withdrawal: A creature suffering from withdrawal from ghost water feels constantly haunted by the souls which were sacrificed in order to extend its life. Strange but minor (and usually disturbing) events constantly happen around such a creature- blood appears on things it touches, screams are heard as it smiles, and so on. The creature must pass a Will save against the drug’s DC in order to gain a restful night’s sleep. Finally, if a creature finally breaks its addiction to ghost water, the work of the drug is undone: overnight, the creature ages a number of years equal to those granted by all of the doses of the drug they have taken in their life, from this addiction and past addictions. The creature’s lifespan remains extended, but this aging process brings it much closer to its death and can even kill a creature that has lived longer than its allotted time.
Cure: 1 year (365 days) of withdrawal
Price: 1,000 gp

Two Dozen Dangers: Haunts

Spoiler

Arcane Rift: An arcane rift is not a true Haunt, in that no death caused its existence. Rather, an arcane rift is a flaw in the underlying structure of the universe, a place where the laws of magic and causality twist and die. Arcane rifts occur in places where great battles occurred, where dozens of warrior-mages unleashed their spells, where artifacts were forged, and where gods incarnated.
Baron Culver's Balcony: Baron Archimedes Culver was a pathetic and lonely man towards the end of his long life. His vast fortune long since squandered, his political capital equally reduced, Baron Culver found himself banished from the royal court and the intrigue he so loved. The old Baron died, halfway senile, in a tattered silk bathrobe after falling from the balcony of his equally ragged country home.
Bigot's Spire: In life, the half-elven wizard Comas Delesas was defined by his bigotry. The arrogant mage despised regular humanity as barely civilized idiots, and openly called for the extinction of what he called the underfolk: Dwarves, Gnomes, Goblins and Kobolds among many other burrowing species. His adventuring days long past, and his fortune assured, Comas eventually murdered those who helped him gain his wealth and retired to a library-tower he built for himself on the edge of a major human freehold. The local folk saw his servants occasionally, when they went into town for provisions, but Comas himself refused to associate with the common herd.
When a blast of lightning as brilliant as the sun struck the tower one rainy night, most of the townsfolk said good riddance. The matter would of rested there, if not for the fact something of Comas Delesas’ hatred remains, and occasionally, the broken tower belches lethal black smoke.
Black Taskmaster: The Black Taskmaster is an old ironshod whip taken from an infamous slaver and displayed in the library of the Sandoval College of Necromancy.
Boartooth's Righteous Rampage: When Brom Boartooth’s sons died of a disease that 10 gp worth of medicine would of cured, he finally became the monster that his fully human neighbors feared all his life. Previously a simple rancher, the half-orc found depths of hatred and violence in himself he never knew existed. He slaughtered his home town’s hedge wizard and the alchemist who refused to treat his sons, the town’s sheriff and three of the settlement’s wealthiest merchants before an angry mob finally ended his rampage.
Butcher's Hill: The Butcher’s Hill had another name before the war between two neighboring fiefdoms ended there. By the time the day long battle was over, more than 3,000 men and women lie dead atop the hill, and the ground was literally stained red with their blood. Even though priests from a dozen temples sanctified the ground, that much anger and pain never truly goes away.
Camel's Graveyard: There is a point of no return in the Gronnel Desert, a place almost exactly between two oasis cities, where supplies are far more than half exhausted, and the only way to survive is to press forward. Over the years, hundreds of caravans have ended some where near this mythical point of no return, and the bleached and sandblasted bones of hundreds of camels are half buried by the dunes. Animals fear and hate this place, and often turn on their masters, leading to their death and the deaths of the men who depended on them for survival.
Cast Upon the Rocks: The merchant galleon Escarda Din went down in a sudden squall and its sunken frame now rests on an undersea plateau.
Devil's Anvil: This black iron anvil sits in a back corner of the ruined remnants of a smithy, half buried in rubble. According to local legend, the blacksmith, a fat and ignorant man named Hodge hammered swords for pit-fiends on his anvil. Eventually, doing hell’s work caught up with him, and Hodge and his three idiot sons died in an unexplainable blaze.
Donovan's Kiln: Ten years ago, this ruin was a busy potter’s shop. In better days, Bria Donovan was a fat and cheerful woman who, with her two nephews, ran a profitable business out of a small, neat cottage at the edge of town. The center of Bria’s business was the enormous wood burning kiln that took up most of the cottage, and which she kept stoked day and night. She died along with her youngest nephew Micah when the kiln exploded.
Fatfinger's Last Dance: Terkin Fatfinger, brigand, rapist, counterfeiter and cattle rustler, was the last thief to hang justly on the old oak gallows outside Fort Nails. When asked for last words, the bastard laid down curses so vile, so profane and so tarrying the garrison’s master at arms didn’t wait for him to finish, just kicked the stool out from under him.
Gremlin's Hovel: ?
Grigori Chair: The Grigori Chair is a massive oak throne once used by the nation’s royalty. The entirety of the chair was originally carved with scenes from a great battle- heroic knights battling back barbaric foreign armies. When the last rightful scion of the bloodline was murdered- on the chair itself- the crimson oak cracked and blackened. The heroic carvings became something horrible. The chair was locked away in a forgotten storeroom, and even after the dynasty was restored, the original throne was forgotten and left to darkness.
Gut's Revenge: When the ancient slime the tavern-folk called simply “Guts” was finally ended a fragment of the ooze’s simple hunger-based consciousness survived extermination. Guts’ ghostly presence still lingers along the treacherous and rocky shoreline where its vast amoeboid bulk eventually washed up.
Judge Wargrave's Bench: Judge Agar Wargrave was a peevish old man, but had an uncanny knack for ferreting out the truth about defendants brought before him. He died of a stroke before passing sentence in the case of a man who murdered his family, and by virtue of a legal oversight the murderer went free.
Laughter Freezes: Nestled against the side of a forested mountain, the noble estate “Laughter and Gold” has been a hunting lodge of excellent reputation for generations. Owned by one of the kingdom’s most prominent families, the 23 room mansion is best known for its massive grand ball room, where the trophies of a hundred hunts or more are proudly displayed. The heads of great beasts, taxidermies recreation of impossible monsters and the captured arms of noble-born humanoid foes line the walls, and are lit by a chandelier made from the bones of a juvenile green dragon.
The newest trophy to be displayed though, is one the owners of the house wish would simply go away. On an expedition to the far north, one of the lodges’ greatest hunters brought back the dorsal ganglia of a polar worm. Since the dramatic trophy was hung on one wall, the temperature within Laughter and Gold has dropped by a few degrees each night. Already bitterly cold, occasionally the ballroom is sheathed in a carapace of killing ice, and the roaring of the great northern worms can be heard.
Mugglesant's Endless Anger: The goblin Mugglesant was a good thief but eventually her luck caught up with her. While burgling a mansion in the city of Ulstar, a spiderbite ended the tiny thief’s life. She choked to death in the space between the house’s walls, and all the inhabitants knew was that some vermin died in the walls. They hired a local hedge wizard to purify the air with a few cantrips, and forgot about the whole matter. That indignity, more than her accidental death enraged Mugglesant’s spirit.
Old Jonas' Critique: Old Jonas the woodcarver had a reputation as one of the finest craftsmen in his small village. He made tools, toys for the settlement’s wealthiest children, shelves, fence posts and a dozen other useful things and earned a tidy living. After his death, Jonas’ nephew took over the business, but his lack of skill angered the ghostly carpenter.
Purple Pig Tavern: The Purple Pig used to be a decent tavern, until a payment dispute between the barkeep and a wandering gnome troubadour ended in the little minstrel’s murder. The barkeep stuffed the gnome and his rat of a familiar feet first into a keg of rot gut and rolled it down into the cellar.
Rapist's Mile: This stretch of forest marks the place where a gang of brigands brought down a peasant girl, violated and eventually killed her. The girl’s bones still lie half buried under the leaf mould beneath one of the towering pine. Her angry spirit, coupled with the psychic echoes of her murderers’ lust have cursed this place: those venturing through this stretch of forest become as slow and exhausted as she was when the thugs finally ran her to ground.
Scribe Du Rayneil's Odd Bequest: The scribe Claudette Du Rayneil died in the library she had tended her entire adult life. Her death wasn’t murder or tragedy; she was simply found one early morning fallen amid the stacks, her 90 year old heart having finally given out. She was buried with minor honors, her private collection of more than 30 texts donated to the library she so loved and life went on. And a few months after her death, strange things began happening in the library.
Stores of Goodwatch Keep: Three summers ago, earthquake transformed a limestone quarry into tomb for a dozen human and Dwarven miners. Since then the mine has been reopened, the dead recovered and buried, and life in the mining town nearby slowly and painfully returned to normal. Limestone harvested from the quarry has been shipped across the realms to make mortar, but structures built mortar from the Winter Fall Mine have been plagued by bad luck. The mine’s current generation of workers hear the tales from travelers, and among themselves, whisper that the unquiet ghosts of their former colleagues are having their revenge.
Surbicah the Apostate's Stone Pyre: Long ago, the druidess Surbicah renowned her faith and
accepted the teachings of a passing cleric, even allowing some of her circle’s most sacred mysteries to be transcribed into the common tongue. The druid grove she betrayed took its vengeance on Surbicah, lashing her between the stones of their great stone menwhir, where she was cruelly tortured for a day and a night before a bolt of lightning ended her misery.
Thirsting Gorge: Years and years ago, a prospector and his mule fell into a desert gorge. Miles from any assistance, they died alone and unremembered from thirst and starvation.

Ghost: When a soul fouled by anger and fear leaves its broken corpse, if it is strong enough, that soul may return as a ghost, a wraith or some worse form of undead. If it is strong enough…..
Wraith: When a soul fouled by anger and fear leaves its broken corpse, if it is strong enough, that soul may return as a ghost, a wraith or some worse form of undead. If it is strong enough…..
Undead: When a soul fouled by anger and fear leaves its broken corpse, if it is strong enough, that soul may return as a ghost, a wraith or some worse form of undead. If it is strong enough…..
Haunt: When a soul fouled by anger and fear leaves its broken corpse, if it is strong enough, that soul may return as a ghost, a wraith or some worse form of undead. If it is strong enough…..
Souls lacking the metaphysical vigor to retain their own identity after death may also return… as something else, something lesser, a ghostly presence that blurs the line between a magical trap and a true undead.

Ultimate Evil

Spoiler

Undead: Ultimate Cruelty feat.
Sir Gregar Berengar, Knight of Flames, Hman Graveknight Antipaldin 17: Sir Gregor Berengar is a tragic figure. He once stood as the greatest single follower of Diadem, the greatest god of duty, honor, and loyalty. He served Diadem as an absolutely faithful follower for most of his life, standing as a symbol of what it truly means to respect order and structure. Sadly, in his final years in the order he began to display signs of impending madness. He began to take the teachings of Diadem to further and further extremes, ultimately getting lost within his own twisted maze of what is order and what is duty and what the world has become when left to its own devices. He decided that order must be imposed before man destroys the greatest gift given to him, the very world man inhabits.
To this end he assumed control over the land he once served, declaring that all must follow his commands, to the letter, or be slain. The church of Diadem quickly determined that Gregor had lost his mind. They prayed extensively to Diadem for guidance and wisdom but all they gleaned was that either Gregor must be destroyed, or his will is good- that is, if he is allowed to succeed then it is the will of Diadem that he does so. The church could not allow this to happen and so formed a plot to see to his demise. Even his own children saw the monster he had become and decided to work with the church and so the plot was hatched to entrap Gregor within the temple, along with his foul steed Morgari, at which point the church would be destroyed by fire, removing all remnants of Gregor from the world.
With his dying breath, Gregor swore a new oath, that to serve Thuel until his ultimate destruction. Thuel is the god of battle, rage, anger, lust, and revenge and this more than adequately served Gregor’s needs. Thuel happily accepted Gregor’s oath and thus was born a new Sir Gregor,
Morgari: Sir Gregor Berengar is a tragic figure. He once stood as the greatest single follower of Diadem, the greatest god of duty, honor, and loyalty. He served Diadem as an absolutely faithful follower for most of his life, standing as a symbol of what it truly means to respect order and structure. Sadly, in his final years in the order he began to display signs of impending madness. He began to take the teachings of Diadem to further and further extremes, ultimately getting lost within his own twisted maze of what is order and what is duty and what the world has become when left to its own devices. He decided that order must be imposed before man destroys the greatest gift given to him, the very world man inhabits.
To this end he assumed control over the land he once served, declaring that all must follow his commands, to the letter, or be slain. The church of Diadem quickly determined that Gregor had lost his mind. They prayed extensively to Diadem for guidance and wisdom but all they gleaned was that either Gregor must be destroyed, or his will is good- that is, if he is allowed to succeed then it is the will of Diadem that he does so. The church could not allow this to happen and so formed a plot to see to his demise. Even his own children saw the monster he had become and decided to work with the church and so the plot was hatched to entrap Gregor within the temple, along with his foul steed Morgari, at which point the church would be destroyed by fire, removing all remnants of Gregor from the world.
With his dying breath, Gregor swore a new oath, that to serve Thuel until his ultimate destruction. Thuel is the god of battle, rage, anger, lust, and revenge and this more than adequately served Gregor’s needs. Thuel happily accepted Gregor’s oath and thus was born a new Sir Gregor,
Moira de Ananke, Banshee Bard 9: Moira is the ghost of a famous entertainer killed by her husband after he slit her throat so he could be exclusively with his mistress. Before she died she led a very successful career as a bard, playing for famous nobles and wealthy merchants. Since her death she has been solely focused on destroying all men whom she now sees as a curse upon the world.
Bloodknight: A bloodknight can create spawn out of those it slays with its blood drain or energy drain, provided that the slain creature is of the same creature type as the bloodknight’s base creature type. The victim rises from death as a vampire in 1d4 days, under the command of the bloodknight. A bloodknight may have enslaved spawn totaling no more than twice its own hit dice; any spawn it creates that exceeds this limit are free-willed undead. The bloodknight may free enslaved spawn to create new spawn, but can never regain control over the freed undead again. The bloodknight can elect to create a full-fledged bloodknight in place of a spawn, but rarely do so, viewing them as dangerous rivals. At most, a bloodknight may create a single of its own kind to serve as a squire.
Vampire: A bloodknight can create spawn out of those it slays with its blood drain or energy drain, provided that the slain creature is of the same creature type as the bloodknight’s base creature type. The victim rises from death as a vampire in 1d4 days, under the command of the bloodknight. A bloodknight may have enslaved spawn totaling no more than twice its own hit dice; any spawn it creates that exceeds this limit are free-willed undead. The bloodknight may free enslaved spawn to create new spawn, but can never regain control over the freed undead again. The bloodknight can elect to create a full-fledged bloodknight in place of a spawn, but rarely do so, viewing them as dangerous rivals. At most, a bloodknight may create a single of its own kind to serve as a squire.

ULTIMATE CRUELTY
By using your touch of corruption, you can bring back the dead as an undead servitor.
Prerequisite(s): Cha 19, touch of corruption, cruelty class feature.
Benefit(s): You can expend 10 uses of touch of corruption to turn a dead creature into an undead creature, as per create undead with caster level equal to your antipaladin level. You must provide the material components or choose to accept 1 temporary negative level; this level automatically goes away after 24 hours, never becomes a permanent negative level, and cannot be overcome in any way except by waiting for the 24 hour duration to expire.

Ultimate Spell Decks: Obsidian Twilight Spell cards (PFRPG)

Spoiler

Skeleton Animal: Animate Vermin spell.
Necromancer's Touch spell.
Zombie Animal: Animate Vermin spell.
Necromancer's Touch spell.

Ghoul: Transform Dead spell.
Skeleton: Undead Crew spell.

Animate Vermin
Necromancy; Level: Clr 0,Sor/Wiz1; Components: V, S, M; Casting Time: 1 action; Range: Short (25 ft. + 5 ft/2 levels); Target: 1 animal corpse; Duration: 1 day/level; Saving Throw: None; Spell Resistance: No
This spell allows the caster to animate one animal, of no more than one hit die, as per the spell Animate Dead. The corpse will follow simple commands, but is typically useful only for menial tasks and utterly useless in combat. After 1 day per level of the caster, the corpse disintegrates, consumed by the necromantic energies flowing through it.
Material components: The corpse to be animated and an onyx gem worth at least 5 gp.

Necromancer’s Touch
Necromancy; Level: Clr 7, Sor/Wiz 8; Components: V, S, M; Casting Time: 1 standard action; Range: Touch; Target: Creature touched; Duration: 1 minute/2 levels; Saving Throw: Will negates (harmless); Spell Resistance: Yes (harmless)
You bestow upon the creature touched the ability to animate dead, as per the spell of that name, for a number of times equal to your caster level, for the spell’s duration. When the spell expires, any skeletons or zombies created by spell recipient immediately fall under your control. The limit of undead that you may control increases by 4 HD per level of the spell recipient. Undead created by the spell recipient crumble to dust 24-hours after their creation, at which point the total number of HD of undead that you may control reverts to normal.
Material Components: The hand of a slain necromancer.

Transform Dead
Necromancy [Evil]; Level: Sor/Wiz 6; Components: V, S, M; Casting Time: Whole round; Range: Touch; Target: One zombie; Duration: Instantaneous; Saving Throw: Fortitude negates; Spell Resistance: Yes
The caster touches a single zombie, which must then attempt a Fortitude save to avoid the spell’s effects. If the zombie fails its saving throw, it becomes a ghoul.
Controlled zombies transformed by this spell remain under their controller’s command and still count against controlled undead HD limits, as do spawn created by the controlled ghouls.
Material Components: A bone from a ghoul and a black onyx gem worth at least 100 gp.

Undead Crew
Necromancy; Level: Brd 5, Sor/Wiz 6; Components: V, S, M; Casting Time: 10 minutes; Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels); Target: One ship; Duration: 1 hour/level. Concentration discharge (D); Saving Throw: None; Spell Resistance: No
This spell summons a crew of undead servitors to sail or row a ship for the caster. These undead will automatically know how to crew the ship as long as the caster maintains concentration. If concentration is broken, the undead simply fail to do anything until the caster resumes concentrating on directing their actions. A bard who casts this spell must direct the crew though encouraging singing of sea songs. Up to 5 undead crew men may be summoned per caster level. These crewmen are treated as Medium-sized skeletons with the additional ability of Profession (sailor) +5. These crewmen will not fight or otherwise engage an enemy in combat, though they can and will operate ballistae or catapults, firing such machinery as Ist-level warriors.
Material Components: The bones or remains of at least 5 drowned men.

Undefeatable 3: Bards

Spoiler

Undead: Dance of the Dead feat.

DANCE OF THE DEAD
Your movements and rhythm has the power to enervate all that watch you, including the dead!
Prerequisite: Bard Level 12th
Benefit: When using your Bardic Performance, you have the power to raise the dead as undead creatures. Dead creatures within a 50 foot radius of you are affected. Some dead creatures within a 50 foot radius are immediately enervated and are temporarily brought back from the dead under your control for as long as you are using your Bardic Performance.
Undead that you raise carry out any verbal commands that you give them to the best of their ability. When you end your Bardic Peroformance, the undead creatures return to their catatonic states. The number of hit dice worth of undead you can temporarily raise with this feat is equal to one-third of your Bard level (rounded down).

Undefeatable 12: Arcane Archer

Spoiler

Skeleton: Necrotic Arrow feat, Arcane Archer level 3
Zombie: Necrotic Arrow feat, Arcane Archer level 5
Ghoul: Necrotic Arrow feat, Arcane Archer level 7
Ghast: Necrotic Arrow feat, Arcane Archer level 9

Necrotic Arrow
Your arrows not only have the ability to destroy your foes, but they can also reanimate them as your allies. Your foes can only look on in terror as the man that was formerly their comrade-in-arms is now an undead creature attacking them!
Prerequisite: Arcane Archer Level 3rd
Benefit: Whenever you strike a killing blow against an enemy, once per week, you can automatically resurrect the newly dead enemy as an undead creature on that combat round. The undead creature is completely loyal to you and will follow any commands that you give it. The creature is ready to take orders the round after it is raised. The type of creature that you can raise depends on your level of arcane archer. At Arcane Archer levels 3 and 4 you can raise a Medium Skeleton, at 5 and 6 you can raise a Medium Zombie, at 7 and 8 you can raise a Ghoul, and at 9 and 10 you can raise a Ghast.

Undefeatable 13: Assassin

Spoiler

Skeleton: Murderous Necromancy feat.
Zombie: Murderous Necromancy feat.

Murderous Necromancy
Your death attacks cause your victims to become your undead servants.
Prerequisites: 7+ ranks in Spellcraft, death attack and true death class features, ability to cast animate dead
Benefit: When you slay a creature with a death attack, you can cause that creature to immediately reanimate (as if you cast animate dead on it) by making a successful Spellcraft check with a DC equal to 10 plus the creature’s HD. You do not need to have the spell prepared for this effect to occur, but you do need to either know the spell or have it scribed into your spellbook (for arcane casters) or have it on your spell list (for divine casters) and be high enough level to cast it. Undead created with this ability do count against the total HD of undead you are able to control, but you may control an additional 2 HD of undead with animate dead per level of assassin you possess.

Undefeatable 20: Shadowdancer

Spoiler

Shadow: Spawn of the Shadows feat.

Spawn of the Shadows
You may create ephemeral shadows which do your bidding from those you slay while in the shadows.
Prerequisites: Shadowdancer level 6th
Benefit: Whenever you slay an opponent while you and the opponent are within a dimly lit (or darker) area, you may create an undead shadow to serve you. This creature is created as if through a create undead spell, except it is a shadow instead of one of the normal undead that may be created with this spell, and the shadow is destroyed automatically after 1 minute per shadowdancer level has elapsed, if it has not already been destroyed. Your caster level for this effect is equal to your shadowdancer level, and you may use this ability once per day per 3 levels of shadowdancer you possess.

Undefeatable: The Collected Feats Sourcebook

Spoiler

Undead: Dance of the Dead feat.
Skeleton: Murderous Necromancy feat.
Necrotic Arrow feat, Arcane Archer level 3
Zombie: Murderous Necromancy feat.
Necrotic Arrow feat, Arcane Archer level 5
Ghoul: Necrotic Arrow feat, Arcane Archer level 7
Ghast: Necrotic Arrow feat, Arcane Archer level 9
Shadow: Spawn of the Shadows feat.

DANCE OF THE DEAD
Your movements and rhythm has the power to enervate all that watch you, including the dead!
Prerequisite: Bard Level 12th
Benefit: When using your Bardic Performance, you have the power to raise the dead as undead creatures. Dead creatures within a 50 foot radius of you are affected. Some dead creatures within a 50 foot radius are immediately enervated and are temporarily brought back from the dead under your control for as long as you are using your Bardic Performance.
Undead that you raise carry out any verbal commands that you give them to the best of their ability. When you end your Bardic Performance, the undead creatures return to their catatonic states. The number of hit dice worth of undead you can temporarily raise with this feat is equal to one-third of your Bard level (rounded down).

Murderous Necromancy
Your death attacks cause your victims to become your undead servants.
Prerequisites: 7+ ranks in Spellcraft, death attack and true death class features, ability to cast animate dead
Benefit: When you slay a creature with a death attack, you can cause that creature to immediately reanimate (as if you cast animate dead on it) by making a successful Spellcraft check with a DC equal to 10 plus the creature’s HD. You do not need to have the spell prepared for this effect to occur, but you do need to either know the spell or have it scribed into your spellbook (for arcane casters) or have it on your spell list (for divine casters) and be high enough level to cast it. Undead created with this ability do count against the total HD of undead you are able to control, but you may control an additional 2 HD of undead with animate dead per level of assassin you possess.

Necrotic Arrow
Your arrows not only have the ability to destroy your foes, but they can also reanimate them as your allies. Your foes can only look on in terror as the man that was formerly their comrade-in-arms is now an undead creature attacking them!
Prerequisite: Arcane Archer Level 3rd
Benefit: Whenever you strike a killing blow against an enemy, once per week, you can automatically resurrect the newly dead enemy as an undead creature on that combat round. The undead creature is completely loyal to you and will follow any commands that you give it. The creature is ready to take orders the round after it is raised. The type of creature that you can raise depends on your level of arcane archer. At Arcane Archer levels 3 and 4 you can raise a Medium Skeleton, at 5 and 6 you can raise a Medium Zombie, at 7 and 8 you can raise a Ghoul, and at 9 and 10 you can raise a Ghast.

Spawn of the Shadows
You may create ephemeral shadows which do your bidding from those you slay while in the shadows.
Prerequisites: Shadowdancer level 6th
Benefit: Whenever you slay an opponent while you and the opponent are within a dimly lit (or darker) area, you may create an undead shadow to serve you. This creature is created as if through a create undead spell, except it is a shadow instead of one of the normal undead that may be created with this spell, and the shadow is destroyed automatically after 1 minute per shadowdancer level has elapsed, if it has not already been destroyed. Your caster level for this effect is equal to your shadowdancer level, and you may use this ability once per day per 3 levels of shadowdancer you possess.

Vathak Terrors: Cured of Ursataur

Spoiler

Anna's Forgotten: In the hills above Ursatur, a vindari doctor named Anna Schafer worked frantically to find a cure for the Plague of Shadows. From the city’s poorest corphans to members of ancient noble houses, everyone approached Doctor Schafer for treatment. Some blame her for the deaths of many poor bhriota and romni children as she tried experimental treatments, while others choose to focus on the children she saved and believe each time she failed was a personal tragedy.
In either case, hundreds of children under Schafer’s care eventually died either from the Plague of Shadows or from side effects of her treatments. Although the death toll has long haunted the memories of Ina’oth, darker rumors began stirring following Doctor Schafer’s canonization as St. Anna.
Extergeist: During the Plague of Shadows, Inaothians tried many rituals to ward off the disease, but among the most effective was simply staying clean and washing regularly. However, even cleanliness can be dangerous in large amounts and the horrible pressure of the Plague of Shadows was not conducive to measured responses.
Many who died as a result of their own attempts to avoid the plague linger as extergeists, bound to Vathak by their desire to avoid diseases that can no longer take hold in their bodiless forms. Although many extergeists applied questionable tonics or applied harsh alchemical agents to clean themselves, others simply couldn’t bring themselves to eat possibly contaminated food or suffered an accident trying to avoid the infected.

Vathak Terrors Horrors of Halsburg

Spoiler

Vaquire: In an effort to further advance the vampire race, Ivar von Houlsmann recently conducted several experiments designed to prevent vampires that were submerged in running water from being destroyed. Some of von Houlsmann’s more successful trials involved exposing his spawn to a cocktail of alchemical reagents and spells before casting them into a river: they still dissolved, but the chemical reaction preserved their undead spirits, merging them with the water that had disintegrated their bodies and devastated their minds. This result was not von Houlsmann’s ultimate objective, however, so he abandoned each of the watery undead once they were created. Thus, the first vaquires were born.

Veranthea Codex Radical Pantheon

Spoiler

Veradardzy Unique Advanced Totenmaske: ?
Death's Child: The Grim Reaper has countless offspring across Veranthea, both above and below the surface of the world, but few are as large and dangerous as Death’s Child.
Bhrasta Unique Advanced Sayona: ?
Darisodhaka Unique Chosen Pale Stranger: This favored scion of the Grim Reaper was once a legendary Dragonminded that quelled the forces of the dark deities but finally lost his life in a disastrous suicidal mission during a raid on the Impossibules Clan underneath Trectoyri. Renouncing Sciemaat the Shattered with his dying breath, Darisodhaka reached out to Death and was found to be a kindred soul. Raised as a powerful gunslinger, the undead has since been the Divine Terminator’s explorer, sent to The Veil to discover what lay behind the obscured walls of the Tesseract.
Pattedari Unique Geist: While traveling through an abandoned Trekth enclave an entire adventuring party of leugho fell prey to ancient, powerful traps left by the progenitors. Their fractured minds and the combined potency of thousands of fragmentary souls drew Death’s attention when it coalesced as a geist and seeing the potential for such a resolute will, the Grim Reaper took it into its deific confidence.
Yodha Unique Giant Dread Gholdako: Once the leader of a cyclopean kingdom that reigned beneath the surface of Veranthea thousands of years in the distant past, Yodha saw the end of her peoples’ civilization with the coming of the Trekth. Sacrificing all of the souls of their slaves to Death, the giants became servants to the Grim Reaper and its primary footsoldiers in what would become the Dead Empire.
Cora Zlodej Unique Chosen Gaki: The goblin thief Cora Zlodej was quickly outed by her human accomplices when the Dynasty Purges came to Urethiel and among the first to be slain. Her spirit—consumed with the greed that plagued so much of her mortal life—changed into a gaki.
Boris the Green Avenger Lich Giant Half-Orc Sorcerer 6/Barbarian 1/Dragon Disciple 10:
H'Gal, Grand Lich of Proxima 3 Licj Necromancer 13: H’gal managed to finally blend artifice and magic when he created his phylactery—an arcane womb of sorts, the alterran transformed one of his species’ repurposing vats into his means of unending rebirth. From the outside this grey metal cylinder looks like a column or barrel, but the inside is scribed heavily with the runes and immaterial anchors required to draw H’gal back from the Abyss, that he may fulfill his dark purposes.

Villainous Pirates

Spoiler

Poltergeist Bard 2 Old Benaz: In life, Old Benaz served as a pirate and met his demise at the end of the cat after stealing rations. Pining after his long‐suffering wife his soul rested uneasily, returning as a gruesome poltergeist.

Villains II

Spoiler

Ghast Hordelings Advanced Ghoul Fighter 2/Rogue 3: ?
Hordeling Leader Advanced Ghoul Fighter 4/Rogue 3: ?
Vilran Azanae Elf Vampire Wizard 14: After two years of searching, during which his estate fell into disrepair, Vilran found what he had been searching for – a way to extend his life beyond a mortal’s span – when he discovered a vampire laired in a nearby town. Vilran tracked down the creature and struck a deal – allowing himself to be turned into a vampire.
Paradar Levien Human Lich Sorcerer 15: Desperate to prolong his existence in order to master his draconic heritage, he undertook the lengthy, complicated and costly ritual to transform himself into a lich. With the ritual complete, Parardar found that it had granted him unusual boons – the ability to breathe fire as his forebear and to sprout wings.
Caulenfel Wyrxin Human Mummy Fighter 2/Sorcerer 2/Dragon Disciple 8: Calaunfel Wyrxin exists because his spirit raged against those who murdered and entombed him amid ritual and superstition. Created by the murderous, but ultimately misdirected vengeance, of terrified peasants Calaunfel Wyrxin is obsessed with vengeance against all those who doomed him to unimaginable torments.
Calaunfel was beaten, tied up and then – under the instruction of a village elder schooled as a shaman – mummified. While he yet lived, the butchers cut Calaunfel open and removed his major organs. His body was swathed in linen and buried in a shallow grave in his cave. The townsfolk toiled through the next night to seal his cave with boulders and heavy stones.

Viridian Legacy GM's Guide

Spoiler

Pathfinder 1e
Taraathalorm Wormmother, Green Dragon Ghost: A green dragon long dead but clinging to the world as a vengeful ghost.

Westbound

Spoiler

Undead: The unburied dead are not only a vector for mundane disease, but may become hosts to undead maladies.

Winter's Roar Vikmordere Bestiary

Spoiler

Aptrgangr Lake: Any humanoid creature that is slain by a lake aptrgangr’s energy drain becomes a wight in 1d4 rounds. If a humanoid creature with 10 or more Hit Dice is drowned by the lake aptrgangr, they instead become a lake aptrgangr after 1d4 days.
The frigid waters of Serpent Lake hold many dangers. Vikmordere legend claims a portal to the underworld lies deep beneath its surface. True warriors fear drowning here above all other deaths, for a warrior touched by the dark abyss is forever beyond the reach of the Ancestor Spirit. These cursed wretches become lake aptrgangr, driven only by a desire to draw others into the deep.
Aptrgangr Land: Any humanoid creature that is slain by a land aptrgangr’s energy drain becomes a wight in 1d4 rounds. If a lawful humanoid creature with 10 or more Hit Dice is killed by the land aptrgangr, they instead become a land aptrgangr after 1d4 days if the body is left for scavengers to feast upon.
Vikmordere warriors loathe the dishonorable. Cruel leaders sentence cowards and traitors to torturous ritual deaths, before leaving the body for scavengers. If the restless spirit is sufficiently strong, it can permanently possess one of the creatures devouring its corpse. The foul beast becomes the receptacle for the soul, gaining the ability to reanimate the half-eaten body, crush the wills of lesser beasts, and even usurp control over the bodies of others. However, the true spirit and will of the undead lies forever within the familiar.
Vaettir: The bone-chilling cold of the region breeds desperation. When supplies run low, hard choices are made. These decisions can be as simple as theft or as terrible as murderous cannibalism. Those that survive carry the guilt and pain of their actions for the rest of their lives, often remaining forever silent regarding their crimes. Those that die regardless sometimes arise as vættir, forever mindlessly guarding the place where they sinned and died.
Vereri Stalker: Vereri stalkers are the assassins and bounty hunters created to serve powerful liches and evil witches.
White Wailer: When a witch is burned alive on ground that has not been properly sanctified, a white wailer can arise from her tortured screaming soul. This most often happens when an ignorant superstitious populace takes matters in their own hands, and so the unlucky witch can just as easily be good or evil.

Wight: Any humanoid creature that is slain by a lake aptrgangr’s energy drain becomes a wight in 1d4 rounds. If a humanoid creature with 10 or more Hit Dice is drowned by the lake aptrgangr, they instead become a lake aptrgangr after 1d4 days.
Any humanoid creature that is slain by a land aptrgangr’s energy drain becomes a wight in 1d4 rounds. If a lawful humanoid creature with 10 or more Hit Dice is killed by the land aptrgangr, they instead become a land aptrgangr after 1d4 days if the body is left for scavengers to feast upon.

World of Aruneus 001 Contagion Infected Human Zombies

Spoiler

Zombies Contagion Infected Human: These creatures are a special type of undead Humans who have been infected by the Contagion. Once a Human has been bitten by a Contagion Infected Zombie, they themselves will turn in a matter of hours or at best, days.
A single bite from a Contagion Infected Zombie will infect any Human bitten.
If a Human is bitten by a Contagion Infected Zombie they will die within 1d20+4 hours. Chance of transmission of the Contagion is always 100%.
A successful Will save (DC 20) will add an additional 1d10 hours of life. Once dead, the victim will reanimate as a Contagion Infected Zombie in 1d4 hours.
Once a Human has contracted the Contagion they cannot be healed by any normal or magical means except the Vial of Life or a Miracle or Wish (not a Limited Wish).
Once a Contagion infected Human has died, they cannot be resurrected. They will always reanimate as a Standard Contagion Infected Zombie.

World of Obsidian Apocalypse: Life After Undeath

Spoiler

Calix Sabinus, Vampire Lord Lich: ?
Asi Magnor: ?
Riven: For a PC to become riven, he must die and his player must succeed on a level check at the moment of death. This check represents the force of will required to preserve the connection between soul and body in death. Riven call this moment “rejecting the Threshold.”
Roll 1d20 and add the dying character’s level and Charisma modifier. If the result is 25 or greater, then the character becomes riven.
After the Battle of the Black Crescent, Calix Sabinus realized something curious. A few of his mortal slave soldiers should have died battling the forces of Asi Magnor, but they did not. The vampire lord quickly ascertained that they were intelligent undead—these ones called riven.
The Undead Wars generated many riven.
Sundered: Sometimes an individual cannot reject the Threshold, but possesses too strong a will to simply dissipate into the ravaged world-aura of Abaddon. These disembodied souls are the sundered.
For a PC to become sundered, she must die and her player must succeed on a level check at the moment the soul separates from body. This check represents the force of will required to preserve individuality and sanity. Sundered call this moment “the Collection.”
Roll 1d20 and add the dying character’s level and Charisma modifier. If the result is less than 25, then the character dies normally. If the result is 25 or greater, then the character becomes sundered.
Boss Petward Mazebane, Risen Fighter 8: ?
Shackles Brash Shieldhart, Risen Rogue 9: ?
Whip Udoorin Wyvernjack, Risen Rogue 7: ?
Cage Cruneiros Swordhand, Risen Barbarian 8: ?
Eiltranna Gemviper, Sundered: ?
Ianven Firepeak, Risen: ?
Rician Swordheart, Risen: ?
Crulannan Tombstone, Risen: ?
Panrry Dragonsbane: ?
Zanian Tigerhelm: ?
Riclannan Youngsoul: ?
Crurry Darkbane: ?
Leogeon Taletreader: ?
Mayor Sharil Legendblood, Riven Fighter 15: ?
First Councilor Wielorin Fiedlorsdottir, Sundered Aristocrat 7: ?
Host Councilor Walry Shipsail, Sundered Fighter 6: ?
Guard Captain Vicgold Loyolar, Sundered Paladin 4: ?
Master Kevturnal Emeraldeye, Riven Wizard 7: ?
Mystic Marrath Outrunner, Sundered Sorcerer 5/Sundered 8: ?
Occluded Neristranna Shortcloak, Riven Alchemist 8: ?
Visionary Xanorin Dragonskin, Sundered Oracle 6: ?
Commander Graaver Catacomb, Riven Magus 7: ?

Ghost: ?
Lacedon: ?

World of Obsidian Twilight (PFRPG) Preview

Spoiler

Asi Magnor, Mummy: ?
Calix Sabinus, Vampire Lich: He studied, frenziedly, lost, forgotten and forbidden arts before finally empowering himself, going beyond the vampiric to also become a lich.
Kalbna, Ghast: ?

Undead: From out of the dark and forbidding heavens a great meteor, black as night itself, carved through Abaddon’s atmosphere, calved into massive sections and rained down upon the world in great shards. It obliterated cities, shattered the living rock, sent tidal waves swamping over islands and drowning the coasts, ignited volcanoes and set the ground quaking for more than a year.
Over 85% of the sentient population of Abaddon was killed in moments and no sorcery, no prayer, no force of arms nor cunning with the builder’s craft could stand against the destruction. Those who survived found themselves in the ruins of civilization, surrounded by the corpses of their nations, overwhelmed by death and living beneath a soot-black sky.
Their suffering did not end there. The meteor was a black, hellish thing, infused with vast amounts of necrotic energy. The survivors watched in horror as the power of the meteors fragments and its dust began to raise the dead and few of the remaining cities survived the onslaught of their own deceased.
Ghost: The spirits released during the cataclysm were scared, confused, barely sentient, an outpouring of pain and suffering that would lash out at anything that came close to them, little more than necromantic energy themselves, free and wild to animate the dead. In the years since the cataclysm however, the character of the dead has changed. Those who die today die with hatred for the lords on their minds, with revenge and cries of freedom on their lips. The ghosts of today are the spirits of vengeance, no allies to the lords or to Calix Sabinus. Even the dead themselves are turning against the powers that be.

Magazines

Spoiler

Claw Claw Bite

Spoiler

Claw Claw Bite 18

Spoiler

Undead: Of course, if they do happen to die in the night on Pellatarrum, there is an increased chance the victim will return as an undead.
Battles at night on Pellatarrum will carry greater casualties for both sides, with the increased possibility of the dead coming back as undead.
Only an idiot fights the undead at night on Pellatarrum. They are stronger, do more damage, and have increased chances of turning you and your friends into abominations.
Ghost: On a related note, if you're caught outdoors at night, don't bang on the door asking to be let in. You won't be, because you're clearly an undead who wants to feast on the souls of those indoors. If you're still alive in the morning, they'll take you to the local church for healing, because if they take you in, and you die later that night, you might return as a ghost and blame them for your death.
Drelnza, Vampire Warrior Maiden: ?
Suffering Soul: ?

Kobold Quarterly

Spoiler

Kobold Quarterly 20

Spoiler

Endrian's Shade, Human Ghost Paladin 5: Fifty years ago, the paladin Endrian died so far from his home plane that his gods could not find him. His soul has since wandered the planes unable to find his way to a more palatable eternity.
Pishtaco: The unquiet souls of conquerors who commit atrocities against native people sometimes give rise to pishtacos, undead who spirit away locals and butcher them for their organs and fat.
Undead: A circle of once-sacred stones has been corrupted and spawns undead from those who die nearby and corrupts benign plants into evil, aggressive flora.

Pathways

Spoiler

Pathways 1

Spoiler

Ziburinis: The Ziburinis is a type of skeletal undead that rises from those who die in dark forests.

Pathways 3

Spoiler

Kalil Tamar Human Ghost Antipaladin 16: Kalil Tamar shared the rule of the Satrapy of Ata’Tamar with his brother, Tayib the Good until insidious lies shattered the trust they shared, filling Kalil’s soul with hate and desire for vengeance. The brothers’ armies met in battle on the blood red plains of Ferr.
Thousands of young men were buried under the cairns in the field. Kalil and his brother were among them. Kalil’s ghost, still burning with misplaced rage, haunts the Cairn Fields of Ferr taking out its wrath on those who seek treasures on this ancient battleground.
Abandoned Soldier Haunt: The dead outnumbered the living on the bloody battlefield and many corpses began to rot before they could be buried. After a week, the living abandoned the grisly task of burying their kin. Although there are hundreds of these unburied corpses, haunts manifest around only a dozen.
Solid Phantoms: ?
Cairns Without End: Over the years, many grave robbers have gotten lost in the cairn fields. The sheer horror they experienced before they felt the fingers of the undead at their throats provided sufficient negative energy to manifest as a new haunt.

Pathways 5

Spoiler

Dread Revenant Creature: A dread revenant is the animate remains of a sentient creature whose desire to fulfill a special goal is so powerful it allows it to return from beyond the grave. This can also happen when a powerful deity or ethos returns a dead champion from ages past, disturbing the champion’s well-earned rest, forcing the dread revenant to go on a quest that no living mortal would dare to undertake.
“Dread revenant” is an acquired template that can be added to any living corporeal creature
Dread Revenant Roper: ?
Mukurokoori: Similar to zombies, mukurokoori are animated corpses brought to life in order to serve evil powers of cold and ice.

Pathways 6

Spoiler

Osirion Mummy: “Osirion mummy” is an acquired template that can be added to any living, corporeal creature.
Canopic Conversion spell.
Canopic Conversion Trap

Canopic Conversion
School necromancy [death, evil];
Level cleric/oracle9, sorcerer/wizard 9
Casting Time 1 round
Components V, S, F (four alabaster canopic jars worth 100 gp each), M (black onyx worth 100 gp per hit die of the target)
Range close (25 f. + 5 f./2 levels)
Target one creature
Duration instantaneous
Saving Throw Fortitude half;
Spell Resistance yes
This spell eviscerates the target, drawing forth his life essence as well as his internal organs. The target takes 1d6 hit points of damage per caster level (maximum 20d6). If this damage kills the target, the spell pulls his organs into a set of 4 canopic jars and seals them; 1d4 rounds later, the corpse revives as an undead with the Osirion mummy template.
The mummy is not under your control, but the canopic jars give the bearer certain powers over it. Anyone holding one of the jars can communicate with the mummy as if they share a common language. The bearer gains the benefits of protection from evil and sanctuary, but only against that mummy.
Unsealing or breaking a jar is a standard action, which dissipates its power (and protection) but lets the bearer issue a short command to the mummy, similar to a suggestion spell (Will DC 23 negates). You (and only you) may unseal all 4 jars in a 10-minute ritual to control the mummy with an effect similar to geas (Will DC 23 negates); most casters typically include a restriction that the mummy will not harm them, as unsealing the jars leaves them vulnerable.

Canopic Conversion Trap CR 10
Perception DC 34; Disable Device DC 34
Effects
Trigger touch Reset automatic
Effect spell effect (canopic conversion, caster level 18; 18d6 damage, on death creates mummy; DC 28 Fortitude half;

Pathways 8

Spoiler

Dread Revenant: Dread revenants are driven by the deities of wrath and vengeance. A dread revenant rises from the grave to hunt and kill its murderer, or who in life it perceived to be its murder, for a revenant is driven by a roaring rampage of revenge, not a quest for justice.
“Dread Revenant” is an acquired template that can be added to any living corporeal creature.
Dread Revenant Fire Giant: “The shapeshifting bastard, who had taken the form of my husband, slew me in my wedding bed. He then disguised as my chieftain and led my tribe through a trap that left them trapped between the seconds in the depths of the Obsidian Sea which lies in the lightless lands beneath Questhaven. They remain trapped there till this day. But for me there was no simple deathless sleep, trapped in time. No, my hate and grief touched Our Vicious Brother of Destruction and he sent me back for my revenge upon this nameless trickster.”
Excerpt from The Tragic Tale of Sinmara Surtdottier by Qwilion of Questhaven.
Animate Dead Revenant spell.

Animate Dread Revenant
School: Necromancy [Evil]; Level: Clr 9, Sor/Wiz 9
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Components: V, S, M (an onyx gem worth at least 25 gp per Hit Die of the dread revenant)
Range: Touch
Target: One corpse
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: None(see text); Spell Resistance: no
You can only cast this spell on the corpse of one creature that has been slain by another living creature; it animates gaining the dread revenant creature template. If the subject's soul is not willing to return (it has no desire for vengeance), the spell does not work; therefore, a subject that wants to return receives no saving throw. The living creature that killed the dread revenant is the subject of its reason to hate special ability. Until that creature has been slain you cannot cast this spell again.

Pathways 16

Spoiler

Balor Lord Gahlgax Atarrith: Orcus personally gifted him with vampirism after Gahlgax slew a rival balor that sought (foolishly) to supplant the Prince of the Undead. In truth, the now long-forgotten balor did nothing of the sort, Gahlgax manipulated and miss-reported his rival’s actions so that it appeared he sought to steal Orcus’ famed wand. Slaying the balor, he then (humbly) presented his evidence to Orcus. Orcus, in rare good mood after torturing and dismembering a particularly obnoxious and strident paladin-hero, drank deeply of Gahlgax’s blood to create the unholy abomination that now serves him.
Gahlgax has been blessed by his patron with the powers of undeath and has all the standard undead immunities in addition to those enjoyed by normal demons.
Gravenknight Marilith Antipaladin 2 Sword of Orcus: ?
Spectral Tarantella: The souls of the two prostitutes Madam Matilda murdered during the dance haunt this room.
Mek'Madius, Human Lich Wizard 15: The Obelisk Order arrived at the projected impact location of the Shard of the Sun, faced one another and began the most powerful spell ever cast by mortals. Just as the Shard of the Sun appeared overhead, Mek’Madius sacrificed his nine apprentices and began a powerful spell of his own. The Obelisk Order was unable to stop him as their ritualistic arcane protection spell required they stay focused only on the Shard of the Sun. Mek’Madius focused the soul energy into a powerful absorption spell, attempting to siphon off a portion of the magical and radiant energy from the Shard. But Mek’Madius’s evil and selfish acts came with a price; as a fragment of the Shard of the Sun broke off and tumbled toward the earth, Mek’Madius’s very soul was drawn into the fragment. Mek’Madius’s selfishness and reckless abuse of power had transformed him into an undead creature, permanently bound to the fragment, destined to experience his living death in utter isolation.
Mek’Madius’s phylactery is not one he made by choice. Mek’Madius was reckless and utilized souls to engage his absorption spell, which in turn channeled energy through his own soul. At the same time as he completed his energy absorption, the Obelisk Order repelled the Sun Shard from impacting the planet, causing fragments to break off.
One of the largest fragments reflected the energy absorption back into Mek’Madius, pulling his soul out of his body. His soul was sucked into the sky and slammed into the fragment as it plummeted toward the earth. Mek’Madius had been transformed into a lich, and the fragment of the Shard of the Sun his phylactery. The entire event was a complete mistake, but he soon would come to see this curse as a blessing in disguise.

Pathways 18

Spoiler

Ghoul: A victim who dies of a necrowurm's necrotic fever transforms into a ghoul 10 minutes after death (a creature with 4 or more Hit Dice becomes a ghast).
To the living, the most frightening aspect of the necrowurm is the disease it carries, a necrotic fever more virulent than ghoul fever, but with the same eventual result.
Necrotic Fever disease.
Ghast: A victim who dies of a necrowurm's necrotic fever transforms into a ghoul 10 minutes after death (a creature with 4 or more Hit Dice becomes a ghast).
To the living, the most frightening aspect of the necrowurm is the disease it carries, a necrotic fever more virulent than ghoul fever, but with the same eventual result.
Necrotic Fever disease.

Necrotic Fever (Ex) Bite—injury; save Fort DC 19; onset 1 day; frequency 1 day; effect 1d4 Con damage; cure 2 consecutive saves. A victim who dies of a necrowurm's necrotic fever transforms into a ghoul 10 minutes after death (a creature with 4 or more Hit Dice becomes a ghast).

Pathways 19

Spoiler

Witchfire Creature: The fell powers of undeath rejoice when an exceptionally vile female monstrosity dies (especially hags and witches), transforming these wicked crones into incorporeal undead known as witchfires.
“Witchfire” is an acquired template that can be added to any living, intelligent, female creature.
Mabyn The Burning Silence: ?
Black Shuck: It was many centuries ago that Black Shuck came to our world, brought on the tides of the Ancestor People of the Vikmordere. The tales of his origins are as lost as the beast itself, which wanders the land of the living, bringing only fear and death to the countryside.

Pathways 20

Spoiler

Iron Lich: Some creatures, in order to gain power and immortality, exchange their mortal flesh for a complex mechanical apparatus that sustains their existence. Its soul-powered furnace powers its intricate system of pumps and pistons granting it mobility and massive strength. Only the iron lich’s skull, floating inside its metallic hood, betrays its mortal origins, and announces its fell nature.
“Iron Lich” is an acquired template that can be added to any living creature capable of creating the required mechanical body, or to any standard lich.
Soultill, Iron Lich Human Sorcerer 7/Harrower 7: ?

Pathways 22

Spoiler

Screaming C: Sometimes, when a gifted bard or other performer dies a sudden, unjust death, she creates a note of pure anguish that outlives her and seeks to inflict the pain of her demise on others.

Poltergeist: The rock fall is old – few use this trail – but as fate would have it, the fall did crush and kill a small group of lost travellers. Most of them were killed instantly, but an unlucky few survived the initial rock fall and were buried alive. These unlucky few died slowly of suffocation, unquenchable thirst or from slow blood loss from their shattered bodies. Of these, two had a maniacal, almost unshakeable grip on life, and death could not wholly claim them.
A few days after their death, these two rose again as poltergeists and have lurked in the rock fall’s vicinity ever since.

Pathways 23

Spoiler

Scorched Skeleton: Mek’Madius created this spell in an attempt to make a type of minor lich that was powered by the Fragment of the Sun Shard. They would be powerful, but not so powerful that he couldn’t control them. He wanted to create a new race of underlings, as the Aquamia was reticent to join him, and his shard-blessed creatures are not on his par intellectually. He wanted them to be able to think and reason like he did. Try as he might, he failed, leaving a trail of dead bodies in his wake. These bodies were taken and thrown into the cave system below the hideout and left to rot.
He began trying the spell with non-mages, hoping that a warrior would spawn as a lich and could be taught. This failed as well. While Mek’Madius didn’t achieve his goal, he did create something new. What he accomplished was the creation of quasi-intelligent undead that could remember some of their previous life, but not everything. These new creatures remember some of their training and some of the skills that they learned while they were alive, but their deeper memories, such as their name, the place they were born, or who their families are, are completely wiped away.
Curse of the Scorched Mind spell.

Undead: A character suffering from the curse Death’s Disrespect has made the terrible mistake of speaking too soon the name of one who has recently died--a terrible sign of disrespect. The curse manifests via the body or spirit of the dead returning as an undead and attacking the victim of the curse.

Curse of the Scorched Mind
School Necromancy (evil); Level Sorcerer/Wizard 7
Casting Time 10 minutes
Components V, S, M (Fragment of the Sun Shard)
Range Touch
Target One living creature touched
Duration Instantaneous
Saving Throw Fortitude partial; Will negates (see text); Spell Resistance No
This spell takes a small piece of the Sun Shard Fragment’s power and transfers it through Mek’Madius and into his target, killing the target unless it succeeds on a DC 23 Fortitude save. A successful save means the target still takes 7d6 of fire damage. A failed Fortitude save means that the target must then make a DC 23 Will save, or else its soul is trapped in its body as a pseudo-intelligent undead.
This spell functions like animate dead, except that it creates an advanced type of burning skeleton called a scorched skeleton.

Pathways 27

Spoiler

Unrotten Grott: The ogre Grott belonged to one of the Sisters of Black Ice until the crag linnorm Ponddraxithoss slew it, and the negative energies infusing the northlands brought the ogre’s body back to unlife as a frozen corpse creature.

Pathways 28

Spoiler

Lostling: Lostlings are the pitiful corpses of disoriented individuals who died in the wilderlands from starvation, accident, or madness.
“Lostling” is an acquired template that can be added to any corporeal creature.
Any creature killed by a lostling, including those that die as an indirect result of its aura of disorientation, rises as a lostling in 1d4 days. If a lostling creature is CR 11 or higher this changes to 1d4 rounds.

Pathways 31

Spoiler

Red Jester Creature: Red jester creatures are the undying remnants of court jesters who were executed by their ruler, but beware: humans are not the only race to employ fools. Some legends tell that Orcus, Demon Prince of the Undead creates them to serve as his court fools, though he often takes them out once he grows bored with them.
“Red Jester” is an acquired template that can be added to any creature with an Intelligence of 13 or higher and the ability to draw cards from a deck of many things.
The Court Fool of Orcus: ?

Pathways 33

Spoiler

Gnoll Bloody Skeleton Corpse Companion: ?
Zombie Gnoll: ?

Pathways 34

Spoiler

Myvainir Sehiatier Skeletal Champion Elf Wizard 3/Cleric 3/Mystic Theurge 4: A depraved lover of death, Myvainir Sehiatier was executed by his elven brethren for certain abominable practises. Returned to unlife by his faithful, undying servants he now stalks the world wreaking his revenge on all those with elven blood he encounters.
Not all Myvainir's work was destroyed when he was executed, though. A few of his trusted, sentient servants survived. Following his exacting instructions they set about returning their master to unlife.

Pathways 38

Spoiler

Dread Banshee Creature: Like a normal banshee, a dread banshee is the enraged spirit of a female creature who either betrayed those she loved or was herself betrayed.
“Dread banshee” is an acquired template that can be added to any living, intelligent female creature.
Rhysslra the Releaser Dread Banshee Serpentfolk: ?

Pathways 39

Spoiler

Arlon Ghast Wizard 5: He fell foul to the depraved minions of a necromancer.

Ghoul: A humanoid who dies of Arlon's ghoul fever rises as a ghoul at the next midnight. A slain humanoid of 4 or more Hit Dice rises as a ghast.
Ghoul Ghast: A humanoid who dies of Arlon's ghoul fever rises as a ghoul at the next midnight. A slain humanoid of 4 or more Hit Dice rises as a ghast.

Pathways 43

Spoiler

Dread Crucifixion Spirit Creature: Like normal crucifixion spirits, dread crucifixion spirits are the ghostly remains of living beings executed through crucifixion. Their souls or spirits having not entirely departed the Material Plane, have risen to seek vengeance on the living, particularly on clerics or other divine spellcasters whom they blame for forsaking them and allowing them to die in such ghastly manners.
“Dread crucifixion spirit” is an acquired template that can be added to any living creature whose body could be subject to crucifixion (for example one could not crucify a gibbering mouther).
Malaki the Martyr Dread Crucifixion Spirit Advanced Gargoyle: ?

Pathways 51

Spoiler

Skeleton: Bonewarped Eternity disease.

Bonewarped Eternity
Type disease, contact; Save Fortitude DC 14
Track physical; Frequency 1/day
Latency noncontagious
Resistance none
Virulence range 10 ft., exposure 1 minute, interval 1 hour, duration 1 day
Effect No latent/carrier state. Even if the disease is removed with remove disease, the condition does not improve without greater restoration or heal. Animals, humanoids and monstrous humanoids that die from the disease are animated as skeletons contaminated with the disease.
Effect (core) 1d6 Con damage that cannot be healed until the disease is cured; upon death, animals, humanoids and monstrous humanoids become skeletons contaminated with the disease
Cure magic only
If there were a prize given for most visually disturbing plague, then bonewarped eternity would be in the running to win. This supernatural nastiness is spread only through contact with bodily fluids, but is so virulent that it quickly contaminates the environment of its victims. The physical effects of the disease begin immediately upon infection, wracking the victim with pain as their bones slowly ripple and deform. Tiny spurs begin to jut randomly from the victim’s entire skeletal system, eventually covering the body in a series of weeping wounds. By the time of death, the victim is little more than a deformed wreck covered in blood and bony spikes. Minutes later, the flesh of the victim begins to rapidly putrefy and the malformed, now-undead skeleton tears its way out of the body to spread contagion and malevolence.

Pathways 54

Spoiler

Dread Phantom Armor Creature: Dread Phantom Armor arises only from the corpse of a trusted ally who murders his comrades in a sudden betrayal; the armor also must have been a gift from his former allies.
“Dread Phantom Armor” is an acquired template that can be added to any creature that can wear armor (including barding). This usually means it is corporeal and has a humanoid or equine figure of some kind, though this is not always the case.
Hollow the Hallow: ?

Pathways 55

Spoiler

Menacing Gloom: ?
Persistent Shadow: ?
Clinging Shadow: ?
Unnatural Darkness: ?
Shadow Swarm: ?
Flickering Dark: ?
Something Else Is Here: ?
I Told You Something Else Was Here: ?
Clawing Shadows: ?
Stairwell Haunt: ?
Mallir Halswain Ghast Investigator 4: Finally, he allowed himself to contract the disease, locked himself in his room forbidding his servants to enter, tied himself to his bed, died, and arose as a ghast.

Ghoul: A humanoid who dies of Mallir Halswain's ghoul fever rises as a ghoul at the next midnight. A humanoid of 4 Hit Dice or more rises as a ghast.
Ghoul Ghast: A humanoid who dies of Mallir Halswain's ghoul fever rises as a ghoul at the next midnight. A humanoid of 4 Hit Dice or more rises as a ghast.

Pathways 56

Spoiler

Dread Sayona Creature: Stories of their origins claim that the first was a vain woman who grew old and whose lover left her for a younger paramour; the woman avenged herself by bathing in the blood of her lover’s children, then killed herself. Cursed by the gods for such a vile act, dread sayona now wander the world crying tears of blood and preying on beautiful young creatures—slaying them, stealing their beauty, and transforming them into ghastly undead fiends to forever share the dread sayona’s fate.
“Dread Sayona” is an acquired template that can be added to any creature with an Intelligence score of 3 or greater.
Llorona Dread Sayona Scorpionfolk: ?

Dread Ghoul: When a dread sayona kills a creature with its absorb blood or blood drain ability, the victim rises 24 hours later as a dread ghoul with the blood drain ability. A protection from evil or gentle repose spell cast on the corpse prevents this.

Pathways 64

Spoiler

Maestrolich: While some creatures seek the state of lichdom to extend their own existence, some move to reach a state of powerful undeath purely for their art. These crazed seekers of some dread truth wish to understand death and undeath, not to extend their own power, or to gain years of time to research, or to seek wealth, but as the only way to truly understand those horrors well enough to create art that expresses the true nature of these fell powers. While this is most often the case with evil bards and skalds, anyone willing to sacrifice everything for their art has the dedication, or more accurately, the obsession, to continue to make more and more dreadful art, until they woo undeath itself, and accept that unholy condition’s embrace … in the name of music and art.
The quest to become a maestrolich is a lengthy one. While construction of a masterwork piece of music that perfectly exemplifies the idea of undeath is a critical component, a prospective maestrolich must also learn the secrets of the arts that most appeal to the dead. What music and form can be drawn forth from the agony and death rattles of the tortured and dying? What noises can move even the undead, and the gods and the demons that rule over them? The exact methods for each master artist’s transformation are left to the GM’s discretion, but should involve expenditures of tens of thousands of gold pieces, numerous deadly artist explorations, and a large number of difficult skill checks over the course of months, years, or decades.
Maestrolich is an acquired template that can be added to any living creature, provided it can create the required masterwork of undeath-defining art.
Asmevath Deathdrum: ?

Wayfinder

Spoiler

Wayfinder 2

Spoiler

Rusalka: The Witch Queen of Irrisen demands a lifetime of service from every subject. Even those who die unnaturally remain in Irrisen for the length of a natural lifetime, thanks to her profane laws. The rusalka embody the most tragic elements of these undead: spirits of young women who die heartbroken or murdered by their lovers, now compelled into horrific service. Through magic, nature, or fate, the bodies of Irrisen’s murdered lovers inevitably find their ways into nearby waterways, and birth a rusalka.
Grave Guard: Created by clerics worshiping deities with the Death domain.
A cleric of at least 12th level can use create undead to construct a grave guard, choosing the weapons that the guard wields for the rest of its existence.

Wayfinder 4

Spoiler

Taotaomona: “Taotaomona” is an acquired template that is added to any living creature that died defending their communities or family and has a Charisma score of at least 6.
Anufat Human Taotaomona Savage Barbarian 9: Eventually, he did fall in combat, the last warrior standing against an attack by a rival tribe. Though his body had failed him, his spirit lifted itself from his corpse and continued to fight on.

Wayfinder 5

Spoiler

Obour: Most obours are the remnants of evil humanoids who in life sought to emulate the feeding habits of vampires.
Ustrel: The ustrel was an undead infant who had died before receiving baptism.
If a stillborn child sired by a vampire is not burned or buried in consecrated ground, they sometimes return from the grave as an ustrel—an undead infant with a vampire’s craving for blood.
Varkolak: The varkolak (or vorkolak) formed from the soul of an outlaw who died in the wilderness, and whose corpse was eaten by crows or wolves.
A creature of Shoanti legend, a varkolak sometimes forms when a Shoanti warrior dies alone in the wilderness after betraying his quah through murder or treachery.

Vampire: After they rise from the grave, a vampire spirit will haunt a community for 40 nights. After 40 nights, the obour returns to the soil where it regenerates its original physical form. The next night, its transformation complete, the creature rises from the grave as a true, free-willed vampire.

Wayfinder 6

Spoiler

Frost Giant Skeleton: ?
Einherjar: Einherjar (“lone warriors”) are the honored dead of the Ulfen, many former Linnorm Kings, who were restored to a semblance of life following their arrival at Valenhall.
“Einherjar” is an acquired template that can be added to any living, corporeal humanoid.
No Life King: No Life Kings are the remains of ancient and powerful warriors who were no longer challenged by their typical opponents. These warriors became so fixated upon reaching martial perfection in their lives, they left civilization to train and fight monsters of legend. When such warriors are denied their death in battle, and die due to starvation, hypothermia, dehydration or disease, their souls are anchored to their bodies.

Wayfinder 7

Spoiler

Charnel Pit: Charnel pits rise from the spirits of the dead at sites of terrible slaughter or mass graves, in particular at battlefields where the still living were interred with the newly dead.
At Castle Scarwall, a charnel pit formed within the courtyard where a legion of orcs was destroyed by the undead raised by Mandraivus’s curse. The skeletal defenders of the castle erupted from the courtyard beneath the legion and dragged them under the ground to die in agony.
Scarwall Guard: The skeletal remains of Kazavon’s elite minotaur guards, the Scarwall guards arose in the aftermath of Mandraivus’s curse.

Undead: At 20th level, the bone witch completes her transformation into a creature of unlife. She turns into an animate skeleton and gains the undead type.

Wayfinder 8

Spoiler

Paul Malaise Lacedon Urban Ranger 3: ?
Doomed Derelict: Some pirate crews are so vile that when their reign of terror finally meets its end, the vessel on which they sail absorbs the souls of the crew and travels the seas as a doomed derelict. The malevolent energy powering the derelict will even raise a sunken vessel from the depths. Crew members who have proven themselves especially terrible in life remain on board the ship as undead mockeries of their former selves.

Ghoul: A humanoid who dies of Paul Malaise's ghoul fever rises as a ghoul at the next midnight. A humanoid of 4 Hit Dice or more rises as a ghast.
Ghoul Ghast: A humanoid who dies of Paul Malaise's ghoul fever rises as a ghoul at the next midnight. A humanoid of 4 Hit Dice or more rises as a ghast.
Draugr: Any humanoid slain by a doomed derelict becomes a draugr.

Wayfinder 9

Spoiler

Kryskith Vilbyss Zombie Lord Noble Drow Magus 2/Cleric 2: Haagenti, demon lord of alchemy and transformation, chose to raise Kryskith as a zombie lord.
Fellclaw Fleshwarped Elven Zombie Lord: ?
Ghoul Bloated Devourer: In rare circumstances, a newly arisen ghoul gorges itself on tainted flesh, especially the corpses of other ghouls, resulting in a terrible transformation. The alchemist-necromancers of the ghoul kingdom of Nemret Noktoria studied this phenomenon and, with experimentation and practice, learned how to feed ghouls necrotic flesh and alchemical concoctions, forcing them to mutate into a stronger but dumber breed of ghoul to serve as workers, soldiers, and walking reservoirs of negative energy.
Ghoul Gaunt Ascetic: Few ghouls can resist the urge to feed. Even fewer are capable of deliberate fasting. But among those rare few, some choose to delve into the depths of deathless hunger. There they find dark enlightenment, an answer to the very nature of the consuming darkness that animates all undead beings.
Skinshroud: A skinshroud with a sharp instrument can spend four hours flaying a dead body and use its own black blood as a necromantic catalyst to create another skinshroud.
The drow experiment with black blood at a location, deep in Orv, called Bloodforge. One of their grisly experiments became the first skinshroud, but they are now self-replicating.

Ghoul: A humanoid who dies of a devourer ghoul's ghoul fever rises as a ghoul at the next midnight. A humanoid of 4 Hit Dice or more rises as a ghast.
Ghoul Ghast: A humanoid who dies of a devourer ghoul's ghoul fever rises as a ghoul at the next midnight. A humanoid of 4 Hit Dice or more rises as a ghast.

Wayfinder 10

Spoiler

Desert Fury: At the heart of a desert fury is the animated remains of the last poor soul of a doomed caravan.
Mummy Pesh: Learning the arts of mummification and reanimation from an Osirioni necromancer compatriot, the leader of the cult of Hastur in Katapesh created these odd variants to guard the cult’s properties and sow chaos and woe among the populace at the appointed time to herald the arrival of the King in Yellow.
Pesh mummies are created through a long, complicated procedure during which all the body’s internal organs are removed and the internal cavities lined with pesh. The body is then wrapped with linens soaked in pesh whey, and smoked with burning pesh to preserve the body. The creator then finishes the ritual with a create undead spell.

Wayfinder 11

Spoiler

Coin Wraith: Coin wraiths are the unquiet spirits of individuals whose hearts were consumed by avarice. Those who covet personal wealth or attempt to steal it—bandits, bankers, grasping nobles, misers, profiteers, thieves and despots—all have the potential to become coin wraiths following their deaths. Followers of Abadar, Besmara, Gyronna, Shax, and Mammon are often cursed with this existence for failure to show proper devotion.
Contra-Legem Devourer: ?
Contra-Legem Creature: A Contra-Legem creature is an intelligent undead who in life made a deal with the powers of hell for its soul but, by accident or design, became an undead and escaped. Hell doesn’t let go of its prizes easily, instead infusing the new undead with power and a sense of loyalty. It serves Hell on the material plane, gaining more infernal powers but losing some of its free will.
“Contra-Legem Creature” is an acquired template that can be added to any intelligent undead.
Segruchen, the Fallen King: Segruchen the Iron Gargoyle was called the King of the Barrowood. His reign of cruelty inspired fear in the hearts of those who dared live near the wood’s dreaded boughs. But one day, an upstart paladin named Iomedae dismembered Segruchen’s wings, during an amazing aerial battle, leaving a crater where he fell. Iomedae finished off the maimed Segruchen, and his lifeblood spilled into the earth.
Centuries later, evil stirred within that crater. His hatred and the last of his lifeblood infused his undying vengeance into the earth, and the stone twisted itself into a crumbling statue of his former self, oozing gouts of blood from the stumps of his wings.
Thespis: When a dedicated performing artist is unable to complete his masterpiece due to an untimely demise, his soul sometimes becomes so frustrated by the unfulfilled ambition that it manifests as a malevolent spirit known as a thespis.
Thespis Haunt: Thespi that dwell in the same theater for over 5 years can bond with the stage, becoming a thespis haunt.

Wayfinder 12

Spoiler

Hapuseneb Ghoul Cleric 6: Hapuseneb perished near an outcropping of magical lazurite and rose as a wretched ghoul.
Ravening Jackal: Life is harsh in the desert, even for scavengers and opportunistic hunters like jackals. Though they feast on the remains of creatures killed by other predators or the environment, sometimes these pickings are scarce and starvation ensues.
Occasionally, the jackal-headed god Set takes note of these deaths and takes pleasure in using the bodies of his rival Anubis’ sacred animals for his own ends. The god infuses them with the souls of lowly cultists who disappointed him in life, giving them another chance to serve him in the forms of ravening jackals.
Sphinx Reborn: They derive from particularly cruel gynosphinxes that spend a lifetime asking fiendishly difficult riddles and devouring all those that they deem too witless. As a gynosphinx’s lair becomes littered with the bones of travelers, so too does it fill with the misery of 1,000 riddles that had no answer. When the sphinx at last meets its end, this misery manifests itself in a wave of negative energy that reanimates its corpse.

Wayfinder 13

Spoiler

Infested Ghoul: A creature killed by Constitution damage from an infested ghoul’s spore cloud rises as an infested ghoul over a period of 24 hours.
Zeldana Locnave Changeling Ghost Witch 8: Zeldana returned to find only corpses and a terrible curse devouring Henric’s soul. Being a powerful witch, she called on her patron to slow the artifact’s evil influence. She then created a locket to preserve his spirit, a life echo amulet, but she was too late. His soul retreated into the inn’s stone walls. In a fit of despair, Zeldana donned the amulet herself then took her own life to be with her husband in death.
Alchemical Dreadnought: The first alchemical dreadnoughts were accidentally created from mass graves on battlefields where horrific alchemical weapons were used.
Aridnyk: When a healer of considerable power and selflessness dies from exposure to negative energy, there is a minute chance the healer’s soul will cling to this world as an aridnyk. Born from the spirit’s regrets and unfinished duties, aridnyks crave above all else to heal the injured, cure the sick, and bolster the weak.
Nachzehrer: Legend states they arise from the bodies of those who die from an accident or sickness with great regrets in their hearts.

Wayfinder 14

Spoiler

Disemboweled Prophet: Troll soothsayers practice a grisly form of divination: reading their own constantly regenerating entrails. Trollish regeneration is powerful, but it is no guarantee against death. Still, the trolls who conduct such auguries sometimes possess a strength of will that animates them even after they have fallen prey to accident, illness, old age, starvation, magical backlash, or a competitor’s curse.
The augur’s thirst for information that’s drawn from the hidden forces of the world transforms them into undead abominations.
Grim Harvester: Grim harvesters are the degenerate successors of a long-forgotten order dedicated to the preservation of knowledge in ancient Azlant. Turning to foul necromantic rituals, these abominable creatures not only managed to survive the extinction of their own civilization, but also found a way to preserve the memories of exceptional individuals by turning them into undead.

Wayfinder 15

Spoiler

Ferrywight: When a humanoid drowns while desperately trying to cross a body of water, it might rise again as a ferrywight.
Hearth Wraith: Hearth wraiths are born from the souls of dying travelers longing for home who have felt the touch of unholy fire.
River Wraith: Regardless of the reason, some sacrifices to Hanspur are not consumed in the ritual. They are instead transformed into river wraiths. Through a mysterious process known only to Hanspur, they are bound to become the Sellen River’s protectors and sworn avengers against those who seek to block its flow.
“River wraith” is an acquired template that can be added to any living, corporeal creature.
Foambristles River Wraith Boar: ?

Wight: Any humanoid creature that is slain by a ferrywight becomes a wight in 1d4 rounds.

 

[Voadam]

3.5

3.5 Compilation

Spoiler

Undead: Undead are once-living creatures animated by spiritual or supernatural forces. (SRD 3.5)
Any creature that dies in a tainted area animates in 1d4 hours as an undead creature, usually a zombie of the appropriate size. Burning a corpse protects it from this effect. (Heroes of Horror)
Child of Chemosh Improved Create Spawn ability. (Bestiary of Krynn Revised)
Child of Chemosh Greater Create Spawn ability. (Bestiary of Krynn Revised)
Nerull’s followers desecrate ancient tombs looking for lost lore, establish cults to provide willing food for vampires, and raise undead armies to terrify the world of the living. (Complete Divine)
The souls of characters who die in specific ways sometimes become undead. (Complete Divine)
Some undead such as vampires and wights create spawn out of a character they kill, trapping the soul of the deceased in a body animated by negative energy and controlled by a malign intelligence. (Complete Divine)
As another interesting plot twist, the PCs could storm the laboratory of a necromancer just in time to disrupt a crucial part of an Chemosh is the creator and ruler of the undead. Chemosh raises and animates corpses and imprisons souls by tempting mortals with promises of eternal “life,” dooming them to a horrible existence as his undead slaves. (Dragonlance Campaign Setting)
Every month when the moon is full, those who died on the Crying Fields are returned to life as undead horrors, and they battle each other until sunrise. (Eberron Five Nations)
Using the necromantic arts at their disposal, the Vol priests called Karrnath’s fallen warriors back from the grave, setting the stage for the rest of the long, long war. (Eberron Five Nations)
The corpse collectors seem to be collecting bodies from specific bloodlines, trying to reanimate them with powers beyond the norm for undead. (Eberron Five Nations)
In the heart of the Crimson Monastery is an immense necromantic laboratory where the high priest Malevanor spends almost all his time. Corpses—some animate, some not—lie on tables and biers throughout the cavernous room. Channels carved into the floor hold a steady stream of blood that drains into catch basins at the room’s edge. Unless he’s leading a worship service, Malevanor is here as well, creating more undead minions for the Blood of Vol.
The Karrnathi in Shadukar animated dead Karrns and Thranes to reinforce their dwindling ranks. (Eberron Five Nations)
Test of Death: The massive skull of a black dragon rests in the center of this chamber, signifying the baleful majesty of Falazure. Its eyes flash red as anyone enters, calling forth heinous undead to harry good folk. Evil beings might find a boon here instead, such as the secret of becoming one of the free-willed undead, if they are willing to risk death to acquire it. (Eberron Secrets of Sarlona)
Shanjueed Jungle is one of the largest Mabar manifest zones on Eberron. The center of the zone lies in the heart of the forest. It expands slowly each year and now covers a circle nearly as wide as the forest. Within the zone, it is as if Mabar were coterminous with Eberron. In addition, anyone slain in the forest rises as a random type of undead the next night (usually a zombie). (Eberron Secrets of Sarlona)
If no sentient races inhabit the caverns, then PCs might encounter entombed undead animated by the demise of Izzdelth. When the great necromancer died, his power seeped into the surrounding area, animating the corpses of the fallen. (Eberron Secrets of Xen'Drik)
During the spring and summer of 898, new armies arose within the catacombs of the City of Night, as necromancers and corpse collectors created the first undead Legion of Atur. (Eberron The Forge of War)
In mid-994, Cyre launched a deep-strike invasion of Karrnath aimed at the undead-producing crypts of Atur. (Eberron The Forge of War)
Next, the flashback PCs find themselves dispatched to investigate why an entire town in Thrane has fallen silent. Their discovery is horrific: The townsfolk have been wiped out by a virulent plague, very much like the one they faced years ago. Some of the townsfolk have not remained dead, and the PCs must prevent the spread not of plague, but of plague-spawned undead! (Eberron The Forge of War)
The taint of the dead god Myrkul's power in recent history animated many of the dead drowned beneath the western Mere, creating a profusion of strange undead and many sorts of ghouls, skeletons, and zombies now found in groups wandering the swamp and the lands around, attacking everyone they encounter. (Forgotten Realms Wyrms of the North Voaraghamanthar, "the Black Death")
Ebondeath, who cared more for gaining personal power than for Strongor's vision, was slavishly served by the cultists (each of whom, upon death, was transformed into an undead servitor by his fellows). (Forgotten Realms Wyrms of the North Voaraghamanthar, "the Black Death")
Upon Myrkul's death, the god's avatar exploded high above the Sea of Swords. Much of his might rained down on the waters to slowly collect on the sea floor, and the god's essence survives in the Crown of Horns, but a small fraction of the god's power coalesced atop the waves. This floating patch of bone dust drifted north, and -- perhaps by chance, perhaps by dark design -- recently entered the Mere, where Myrkul's fading power animated a leaderless legion of undead from the countless fallen bodies that lie unburied beneath the dark waters. (Forgotten Realms Wyrms of the North Voaraghamanthar, "the Black Death")
As another interesting plot twist, the PCs could storm the laboratory of a necromancer just in time to disrupt a crucial part of an experiment. Perhaps this creates a powerful or previously unknown variant of undead. (Villain Design Handbook)
Over the centuries, many tragic tales arise of people swallowed up or seduced by dark forces. Not truly alive, not quite dead, these walking corpses roam the land for their own purposes, haunting and horrifying those who remain among the living (especially those whom they have left behind). In general, those who become undead do not do so of their own free will. They are merely corpses reanimated through dark and sinister magic, doing their master’s bidding without fear or hesitation. However, some villains seek to gain an undead template (such as a lich) so that they can pursue their mad goals throughout eternity. (Villain Design Handbook)
On Tellene, it is common knowledge (among the well educated) that the Congregation of the Dead treats undeath as a reward, not a curse. What is not generally known is that the number and strength of the souls that a cleric takes directly reflects on his future undead status. Dying while attempting to take a soul is said to grant automatic undeath. Those outside the Congregation of the Dead must find another path, but regardless of the technique, all that seek this dark knowledge must pay homage to the King of the Undead. (Villain Design Handbook)
Once a villain makes this choice, he may seek one of many paths. One of the most straightforward is to use a miracle or wish spell. For reasons known only the Lord of the Underworld himself, the miracle or wish spell does not allow one to become a lich or a vampire, though it does allow one to become a “lower” form of undead, such as a zombie. Whether the caster is the recipient or not, the recipient must be willing to undergo the transformation. Additionally, the caster must spend the spell’s XP cost and material components worth no less than 10,000 gp. This can be a gem-studded piece of artwork honoring the Harvester of Souls, and it is destroyed in the casting. (Villain Design Handbook)
As the final step, the caster must kill the recipient of the spell (if this is the caster himself, he must commit suicide). The newly formed undead creature retains his original class abilities, adding the appropriate undead template (see below). Note that if the recipient is not the caster, any time the caster gives the new undead a command, it must make a Will save as if the caster had used control undead to obey. Furthermore, the recipient suffers a –8 circumstance penalty to any save against an actual control undead spell or any other relevant magic that controls undead. If the caster tries to turn, command or rebuke the undead he created, treat the undead as if it had half its number of Hit Dice. (These limitations apply only when the creator of the undead uses these abilities. Other clerics and spells affect the undead normally.) (Villain Design Handbook)
Those without access to such overwhelming magical forces can choose to unlock the secrets of certain rituals to become a specific type of undead. Villains trying to obtain the necessary components for these processes must be very secretive. Heroes and even other villains usually want to prevent them from gaining any of the undead templates, and some of the combinations of components for these processes are quite recognizable. (Villain Design Handbook)
Unless otherwise specified, discovering the process of becoming a free-willed undead requires a Knowledge (arcana) or Knowledge (undead) skill check against DC 25. (Villain Design Handbook)
An undead is a once-living creature animated by spiritual or supernatural forces. (Book of Templates Deluxe 3.5)
The situation is that the Baron's guilt, brought on by years of leading a militia of thieves and robbers, has finally caught up to him with the murder of one of his servants. The Baron feels that the murder is his fault, and has spent the past few months holed up in his room, brooding over his fallen mistress. This time in isolation and depression, coupled with the corruption already present in his soul and a drinking habit which has hampered his body to fight off infections, has hastened his becoming a wight. Meanwhile his men have splintered into factions, each with its own lieutenant-leader, and the castle has been looted, which has caused unrest in his buried elders. They too have risen as undead to restore the family to its once proud status as a merchant house. (Claw Claw Bite 3)
Undead are once-living creatures animated by spiritual or supernatural forces. (Claw Claw Bite 3)
The people became so downtrodden that many succumbed to mental illnesses, which, after burial, led to an undead state. (Claw Claw Bite 5)
Few mortal creatures have ever attempted to eat an entire dirgewood fruit, and none who has is known to have survived. Tales of what might happen to those who “live” through such an attempt vary - some believe they would gain permanent command over the dead, and others that they would be transformed into strange, powerful, and unique undead themselves. (Creature Collection III)
The passage of the black phoenix causes the dead to rise, randomly imbuing corpses below it with varying degrees of unholy might. It is attracted to places of death, disease, and oppression, where, as it passes, ghouls, skeletons, vampires, and other fell beings rise up from among the dead. (Creature Collection III)
Any corpse or skeleton within a black phoenix's aura of undeath or that the phoenix casts its shadow upon as it flies overhead may rise up as some type of undead. (Creature Collection III)
Orcus is the Prince of the Undead, and it is said that he alone created the first undead that walked the worlds. (Epic Monsters)
Despite every possible contingency, some spirits fail to pass into the next world, remaining trapped in an unnatural state between life and death. Some powerful individuals consciously aspire to achieve undead status, but most unwillingly join their ranks either through death at the hands of such a creature, through the magical intervention of a mortal or via the unfortunate circumstances surrounding their earthly demise. (Into the Black)
Create Undead feat. (Kobold Quarterly 7)
It is time to discuss the Void: the source of all darkness, the driving force that gives life to the undead and caresses their cold flesh with soothing hands of shadow. (The Lords of the Night Vampires)
The Void is pure darkness. It is the force that drives the undead, the power of evil and shadow. It corrupts the mind and slowly destroys the soul. (The Lords of the Night Vampires)
This book is about hunger, about being slowly consumed from within. It’s about stealing life from beyond the grave, and facing the consequences for extending your existence beyond its natural lifespan. It’s about evading death’s grip; returning from the dead; completing your last quest; whispering a curse on death’s door and haunting the living. All of these things may bring back a creature from the dead. (Lords of the Night: Zombies)
When Gariach was experimenting with the dead and their endless internment in the grave, he discovered that some cadavers naturally animate, for reasons unknown. (Lords of the Night: Zombies)
Ether Zombie's Minions of the Dead power. (Lords of the Night: Zombies)
Once per day with a successful touch attack, Otossal’s avatar can transform any living being into an undead creature. The creature touched must make a DC 36 Fortitude save or gain any undead template of Otossal’s choice. (Strange Lands: Lost Tribes of the Scarred Lands)
Undead are once-living creatures animated by spiritual or supernatural forces. (The Dread Codex)
Over the course of a few years, every plant and animal that dies within a mile of the rupture to the negative energy plane left after a bone slime is destroyed would rise as some kind of minor undead.
Any corpse (be it fleshy or skeletal) within a death sphere's aura of undeath or that the sphere casts its shadow upon as it flies overhead may rise up as some type of undead. (The Dread Codex)
A creature slain by an undead lord rises in 1d4 minutes as an undead creature of the same type as the undead lord. (The Dread Codex)
Sentient undead are the blessed of Neroth; only those whose souls are close to purity can live on as beings of pure intellect, free to contemplate spiritual perfection, unhindered by the demands of living flesh. (The Player's Guide to Arcanis)
Within the church of Neroth there is an Order, not even spoken of outside of Canceri, and even then only in whispers, known to outsiders as the Order of the Still Heart. To those within, they call it the Blessed Path of Neroth. To most Nerothians, Neroth’s gift is to be sought after, and treasured if it is given. To these ambitious people, however, unlife is not a gift to be given, but a secret to be discovered, and taken. Once a willing soul is taken through the rituals to begin this process, there is no stopping it – he will become an undead creature, dying and rising again. (The Player's Guide to Arcanis)
In the world of Arcanis, undead are created differently than suggested by the core rules. Therefore, all undead do not automatically radiate as evil creatures. Unless stated otherwise, undead radiate like any other creature (as described above) regardless of their origins. This change affects no other aspect of undead other than alignment and all other spells affect undead normally. Unless detailed otherwise, undead are created with negative energy. However, some undead on Onara are animated through the use of positive energy. (The Player's Guide to Arcanis)
Intelligent undead are created by using the soul of the person as the fuel that powers the transformation. (The Player's Guide to Arcanis)
Any living creature slain by a mortuary cyclone’s necrocone attack or energy drain attack becomes an undead creature in 1d4 rounds. (Tome of Horrors III)
All of the original inhabitants are undead, walking the halls because of botched funeral rites long ago. (Ultimate Toolbox)
Any who fall within will rise to be added to the tomb’s selection of undead patrolmen. (Ultimate Toolbox)
Betrayed by someone loyal. (Ultimate Toolbox)
Bitten by a vampire. (Ultimate Toolbox)
Buried in desecrated grave. (Ultimate Toolbox)
Completed complex ritual to become undead. (Ultimate Toolbox)
Cursed. (Ultimate Toolbox)
Dead body was never found. (Ultimate Toolbox)
Died in honor-bound service to a king. (Ultimate Toolbox)
Died under intense circumstances. (Ultimate Toolbox)
Drained by a mummy or wraith. (Ultimate Toolbox)
Drowned. (Ultimate Toolbox)
Hell doesn't want you. (Ultimate Toolbox)
Left behind something of value. (Ultimate Toolbox)
Magic. (Ultimate Toolbox)
Murdered in particular violent fashion. (Ultimate Toolbox)
Oath to serve forever. (Ultimate Toolbox)
Returned to protect wards left behind. (Ultimate Toolbox)
Ritual sacrifice or murder. (Ultimate Toolbox)
Terrified (to dead) by a ghost. (Ultimate Toolbox)
Unavenged death. (Ultimate Toolbox)
Unfinished task or unfulfilled oath. (Ultimate Toolbox)
An evil cleric raises some or all of the cemetery's residents as undead. (World's Largest City)
The cemetery can also serve as the nexus for a villain thought slain and who, through the dark magicks coursing through this district, rises from the grave as a wight or similar undead. (World's Largest City)
The bodies out back of the Reaper, have started to animate spontaneously. Jiggs has only just realized this, and on his order fighters killed in action are now dumped out decapitated. (World's Largest City)
They also find an immortal sorcerer who turned Kordanus and his crew into mindless undead. (World's Largest City)
Kiss of the Vampire spell. (Spell Compendium)
Oath of Blood spell. (Heroes of Horror)
Deathbringer's Life Beyond Life power. (The Player's Guide to Arcanis)
Order of the Still Heart's Death and Rebirth power. (The Player's Guide to Arcanis)
Allip: An allip is the spectral remains of someone driven to suicide by a madness that afflicted it in life. (SRD 3.5)
Shadows and allips barely even remember their former lives: the former as life-hating men bound in darkness, the latter as suicides gripped with madness. (Bestiary of Krynn Revised)
Those driven to suicide by madness become allips. (Complete Divine)
Not every suicide victim becomes an allip, and not everyone destroyed by absolute evil becomes a bodak; as with ghosts, the exact nature of the transformation is unknown. (Complete Divine)
The allip is the spirit of someone driven to suicide by madness. (Dragon 336)
Suicide need not be the individual’s conscious goal, so long as it can be directly attributed to the insanity. (Dragon 336)
For instance, someone who jumps from a tower out of depression qualifies, but so does a madman who perishes after gouging out his own eyes in order to escape his hallucinations. Further, someone found shortly after death and offered a respectful burial is not likely to become an allip; only those who lie unfound for days or longer seem to linger as undead. (Dragon 336)
Bodak: Bodaks are the undead remnants of humanoids who have been destroyed by the touch of absolute evil. (SRD 3.5)
Humanoids who die from a bodak’s death gaze attack are transformed into bodaks 24 hours later. (SRD 3.5)
Bodaks are “the undead remnants of humanoids who have been destroyed by the touch of absolute evil.” Typically this means that bodaks are created by other bodaks through their death gaze, but other methods exist as well. (Dragon 336)
A bodak might rise when an outsider with the evil subtype slays a humanoid creature with negative energy, a necromantic spell, or a death effect. (Dragon 336)
Bodak's Glare spell. (Spell Compendium)
Crying Fields. (Eberron Five Nations)
Devourer: Mohrgs and devourers are kept alive by the overwhelming force of their wicked natures: the former as murderous chieftains and brutish killers, the latter as greedy and rapacious ogres trapped between this world and the next by their unending curse of hunger. (Bestiary of Krynn Revised)
Creating a devourer requires the body of a medium humanoid. Animating this body as a devourer requires an elaborate ritual, binding the new undead to either the Astral Plane or the Ethereal Plane. During this ritual, the body grows tall and gaunt, leaving the Devourer’s distinctive chest cavity. (Kobold Quarterly 7)
At the completion of the ritual, the devourer may be provided with an essence from a soul trapped using other means (such as magic jar or trap the soul), or via the sacrifice of a living creature. The devourer can be created without a trapped essence but will be unable to use its spell-like abilities until it can trap an essence for itself. (Kobold Quarterly 7)
CL 13th; Craft Undead, magic jar, planar binding (any), enlarge person, enervation, spectral hand; Market Price 2,000 gp; Cost to Create 1,000 gp + 80 XP (Kobold Quarterly 7)
Create Greater Undead spell. (SRD 3.5)
Animate Undead IX spell. (Kobold Quarterly 7)
Create Greater Undead spell. (Complete Divine)
Create Undead feat. (Kobold Quarterly 7)
Crying Fields. (Eberron Five Nations)
Ghost: Ghosts are the spectral remnants of intelligent beings who, for one reason or another, cannot rest easily in their graves. (SRD 3.5)
“Ghost” is an acquired template that can be added to any aberration, animal, dragon, giant, humanoid, magical beast, monstrous humanoid, or plant. The creature (referred to hereafter as the base creature) must have a Charisma score of at least 6. (SRD 3.5)
Ghosts are similar to - though more powerful than - geists, spirits of intelligent creatures who have died with unfinished business and who remain close to the physical world in the hopes of completing some goal. (Libris Mortis)
“Ghost” is an acquired template that can be applied to any living creature. (Libris Mortis)
Ghosts are encountered in many forms, kept back on Krynn for wrongs left unrighted, love unresolved, or perhaps desires left unpursued. (Bestiary of Krynn Revised)
Ghosts are similar to- though more powerful than - geists, spirits of intelligent creatures who have died with unfinished business and who remain close to the physical world in the hopes of completing some goal. (Denizens of Dread)
“Ghost” is an acquired template that can be applied to any living creature. (Denizens of Dread)
Some souls gather incorporeal ectoplasm around themselves and become ghosts. This process often takes days or months. No one knows why some souls pass on to the Outer Planes and others are “stuck” where they die, but a typical ghost has an instinctive sense of why it specifically exists as a ghost rather than passing on. Usually there’s an unresolved situation that prevents the soul from resting in peace, such as a lover who hasn’t returned from a far-off war or a killer who hasn’t been brought to justice. (Complete Divine)
Not every suicide victim becomes an allip, and not everyone destroyed by absolute evil becomes a bodak; as with ghosts, the exact nature of the transformation is unknown. (Complete Divine)
The “Lake of Death” occupies the area where the capital city of Qualinost once stood. The White-Rage River empties into the lake. It is likely that some of the buildings in the ruined city still stand far beneath the surface of the water, along with the carcass of the alien green dragon Beryllinthranox. Many say the ghosts of those who died on both sides haunt the lake. (Dragonlance Campaign Setting)
When Dolurrh is coterminous, slippage can sometimes occur between the Material Plane and the Realm of the Dead. Ghosts become common on Eberron because it is as easy for spirits to remain in the world of the living as it is for them to pass to Dolurrh. Spells to bring back the dead work normally, but run the risk of calling back more spirits than the one desired. Whenever a character is brought back from the dead while Dolurrh is coterminous, roll on the following table. (Eberron Campaign Setting)
d% Result
01–50 Spell functions normally.
51–80 1d4 ghosts (CR = raised character’s level) appear near the raised character.
81–90 As above, but the wrong spirit claims the risen body and the intended spirit returns as a ghost.
91–99 The spell functions normally, but a nalfeshnee possesses the raised character.
100 The spell does not function; instead, a nalfeshnee animates the body. (Eberron Campaign Setting)
Dolurrh is coterminous for a period of one year every century, precisely fifty years after each period of being remote. (Eberron Campaign Setting)
Some of the scavengers believe that the ghostbeasts are guardian spirits left behind by the royal family of Cyre to protect the city. Others say that they are the ghosts of the city’s dead. (Eberron Campaign Setting)
Other rumors speak of a pirate wizard who arrived on the island with his captain and crew. After the pirates hid their treasure on the mountain, they betrayed and murdered the wizard, adding his magical possessions to their hoard. The wizard returned as a ghost and slew them all, and now pirate ghosts wage eternal war in the sky. (Eberron Player's Guide to Eberron)
In the weeks after the fire, the Knights of Thrane and their cleric allies struggled to destroy the remaining undead and rid the city of its Karrnathi stench, but the damage and loss of life were staggering. The city never recovered, and most today believe it is haunted by the ghosts of its burned residents. (Eberron The Forge of War)
Any living creature that dies by violence or disease in Valin Field has a 5% chance of rising as an undead on the second nightfall after its death, unless it is removed from the area. Sentient beings rise as ghouls or ghosts, while nonsentient beings become zombies or ghost brutes. (Eberron The Forge of War)
The citizens of Valin never stood a chance. Their few defenders were swiftly overrun by the Knights of Thrane, and those who died by the sword or the lance were the fortunate ones. At Kronen’s orders, the survivors were rounded up, impaled, and burned, their bodies scattered across the surrounding fields in symbols of great occult significance that Kronen believed were honoring the Silver Flame. Ash and boiling blood spilled over the fields; screams drowned out the crackling of flames and the shrieks of crows in the sky, come to feast on the body. (Eberron The Forge of War)
Legends disagree on the reason for what happened next. Did the ghosts of the dying call down vengeance on their attackers? Did the land itself rebel against the horrors committed upon it? Did the Silver Flame punish those who committed such atrocities in its name? Whatever the cause, the carrion birds and scavengers—crows and vultures, dogs and wolves—turned talons and jaws not upon the bodies, but upon the soldiers of Thrane. To the last individual, everyone who followed Kronen’s mad orders was ripped apart and consumed. Of Kronen himself, no trace was found, except for his emblem of the Silver Flame, scored and defaced by the raking of a thousand claws. (Eberron The Forge of War)
Held to the Material Plane through raw emotion, ghosts possess a burning need to complete some task or remain near some person or place. Love and determination are often the driving motivations behind a ghost’s existence. (Dragon 336)
All ghosts believe they died violently or of unnatural causes. A woman who dies of old age probably doesn’t become a ghost, unless she believes she was poisoned. Similarly, those who die of illness rarely rise as ghosts unless they believe the plague was deliberately spread. The truth of the matter is unimportant; only the individual’s strongly held belief matters. (Dragon 336)
In a few rare instances, the ignorant or innocent might remain as ghosts without even realizing they are dead. (Dragon 336)
Ghosts are the spectral remains of dead creatures that stubbornly refuse to leave the world of the living. Though many adventurers are stubborn, they are no more likely to return as ghosts than normal people are -- perhaps because adventurers often have access to raise dead and therefore expect to be brought back to life eventually. Nevertheless, an occasional adventurer does force herself into an undead state through sheer willpower when the life force leaves her body. Like all ghosts, such an adventurer must have a strong reason for persisting in an undead form. Thus, a player wishing to play a ghost character should consult with the DM to develop a suitable reason for the ghost's existence and determine appropriate circumstances under which she can rest in peace. (Savage Progressions Ghost and Werewolf Template Classes)
"Ghost" is an acquired template usually gained upon an intelligent creature's death. Such a creature can advance in the ghost template class and develop her powers slowly if desired. (Savage Progressions Ghost and Werewolf Template Classes)
The innate fury of bhorloth leads some that are slain to return as ghosts. Raging spirits have arisen from the fallen mounts of warriors, the leaders of slaughtered herds, and bhorloth driven from their homes. (Complete Book of Denizens)
Not all types of undead can be created by the work of mortals. For instance, only a vampire can bring about another vampire, and only a life left unfinished can rise as a ghost. (Kobold Quarterly 7)
Ghosts are the spectral impressions of individuals who died due to the plague or due to some incredibly traumatic incident. (Manual of Monsters)
The plundering dead who come to understand their true form become full-fledged spectres or ghosts. (Monster Encyclopaedia 1 Ravagers of the Realms)
If the death hunter used to have a familiar or animal companion, the animal gains the ghost template and an evil alignment. (Monster Encyclopaedia 2 Dark Bestiary)
A sculpt sound spell turns a whispering presence into a ghost of the creature it was in life. (Monster Encyclopaedia 2 Dark Bestiary)
The victims of a ghastly massacre. (Ultimate Toolbox)
It's entirely possible that the crypts could house one or more undead, like the ghouls in location H7. A wight, a ghost, or even a lich could have been entombed here, either rising after its mortal body was laid to rest or sealed in by whatever cult or sinister family created it. (World's Largest City)
Hold the Spirit spell. (The Player's Guide to Arcanis)
Mastery of the Dead feat. (Eberron Player's Guide to Eberron)
Ghostmaker magic weapon. (Villain Design Handbook)
Reading from the Scroll of Uncertain Provenance relic. (Complete Divine)
Ghoul: An afflicted humanoid with less than 4 HD who dies of ghoul fever rises as a ghoul at the next midnight. (SRD 3.5)
Most humanoids who engage in such activities and return from the grave are mere ghouls. (Libris Mortis)
Any living creature that dies by violence or disease in Valin Field has a 5% chance of rising as an undead on the second nightfall after its death, unless it is removed from the area. Sentient beings rise as ghouls or ghosts, while nonsentient beings become zombies or ghost brutes. (Eberron The Forge of War)
Although Lake Brey is normal everywhere else, a haven for fishermen and boaters, the water turns dark where it nears Valin Field. The tide and the waves leave a bloody stain where they wash over the shore. Plants rot and fish lie dying. Anyone who comes into contact with the water in this location for more than 1 round risks contracting ghoul fever, just as if he or she had been injured by a ghoul. Anyone who eats a plant or animal from this portion of the lake contracts ghoul fever with no save allowed. (Eberron The Forge of War)
Any humanoid creature drained to 0 levels by the juvenile nabassu’s deathstealing gaze dies and is immediately transformed into a ghoul. Ghouls are said to be created upon the death of a living sentient being who savored the taste of the flesh of other sentient creatures. This assertion may or may not be true, but it does explain the disgusting behavior of these anthropophagous undead. (Fiendish Codex I Hordes of the Abyss)
Any humanoid creature drained to 0 levels by a mature nabassu’s death-stealing gaze dies and is immediately transformed into a ghoul. (Fiendish Codex I Hordes of the Abyss)
A nabassu’s gaze can drain life, and those who succumb are transformed into ghouls. (Fiendish Codex I Hordes of the Abyss)
The subject of a spawn screen spell does not rise as an undead spawn should it perish from an undead’s attack that normally would turn it into a spawn, such as from the bite of a ghoul (MM 118). (Spell Compendium)
Ghouls most often result from an infection of ghoul fever or the create undead spell. In some instances, however, individuals who spent their lives feeding on others spontaneously rise as ghouls. This “feeding” can be literal, such as habitual cannibalism, or figurative, such as a tax-collector who takes more than the law requires so he might feed his avarices. Only those who commit these acts personally risk becoming a ghoul. A distant lord who commands his soldiers to rob the peasants blind is not at risk, but a greedy landlord who charges poor families every copper they own and then cheerfully evicts them certainly is. Some see the transformation into a ghoul as a curse from the deities, punishment for a life of greed and sin. (Dragon 336)
The taint of the dead god Myrkul's power in recent history animated many of the dead drowned beneath the western Mere, creating a profusion of strange undead and many sorts of ghouls, skeletons, and zombies now found in groups wandering the swamp and the lands around, attacking everyone they encounter. (Forgotten Realms Wyrms of the North Voaraghamanthar, "the Black Death")
Humanoids killed by a guraah (and not eaten) rise as normal ghouls in 1d12 hours. Casting protection from evil on a body before that time will avert the transformation. (Villain Design Handbook)
The first ghouls were humans who rose as undead because they had indulged in unwholesome pleasures in life. (Advanced Bestiary)
Any animal, giant, humanoid, or monstrous humanoid corpse with two or three class levels and within a dirgewood's foul influence range that remains in contact with the ground for 1 full round is animated into a ghoul. (Creature Collection III)
An afflicted humanoid who dies of a ghoul hound's ghoul fever rises as a ghoul at the next midnight. (Creature Collection III)
An afflicted humanoid who dies of a ghoul overghast's ghoul fever rises as a normal ghoul at the next midnight. (Creature Collection III)
An afflicted humanoid who dies of a poisonbearer ghoul's ghoul fever rises as a normal ghoul at the next midnight. (Creature Collection III)
The creation of a ghoul requires an intact or nearly intact humanoid corpse. It becomes imbued with the unnatural hunger that characterizes these undead horrors. (Kobold Quarterly 7)
CL 3rd, Create Undead, ghoul touch, animate dead I; Market Price 250 gp; Cost to Create 125 gp + 10 XP (Kobold Quarterly 7)
An afflicted humanoid who dies of a grisl's ghoul fever rises as a normal ghoul at the next midnight. (Monster Geographica Forest)
Corpses of humanoids that possessed two or three class levels within range of a deadwood's foul influence that remain in contact with the ground for 1 full round are animated as ghouls. (Monster Geographica Forest)
An afflicted humanoid who dies of a ghastiff's ghoul fever rises as a ghoul at the next midnight. (Monster Geographica Plains and Desert)
An afflicted creature that dies under a fukuranbou's curse of the rotten gut will arise as a ghoul in 1d4 days. (Monster Geographica Marsh and Aquatic)
The instant a ghoul spitter is killed or destroyed, the pustules on its skin all burst simultaneously, so that all creatures within 5 feet of it are exposed to its ghoul fever. (Monster Geographica Underground)
Poison (Ex): Spit (20 feet, once every 1d3 rounds) or bite, Fortitude DC 15, initial damage 1d4 Con, secondary damage infected with ghoul fever. The save DC is Constitution-based and includes a +2 racial bonus. If a spell or spell-like ability is used to delay, neutralize, or otherwise mitigate the effects of the poison, the caster must first make a caster level check as if trying to overcome spell resistance 19. If this check fails, the spell has no effect. (Monster Geographica Underground)
An afflicted humanoid who dies of ghoul fever rises as a normal ghoul at the next midnight. (Monster Geographica Underground)
A creature whose Strength score is reduced to 0 by a stone ghoul slider's leech life ability and then dies rises upon the following midnight as a ghoul. (Monster Geographica Underground)
An afflicted humanoid that dies of a canine Skulker's ghoul fever rises as a ghoul at the next midnight. (The Dread Codex)
An afflicted humanoid who dies of an ichor ghoul's ghoul fever rises as a normal ghoul at the next midnight. (The Dread Codex)
An afflicted humanoid who dies of a primal ghoul's ghoul fever rises as a normal ghoul at the next midnight. (The Dread Codex)
Any corpse of a humanoid with 2 or 3 class levels within range of a tree of woe's foul influence that remains in contact with the ground for 1 full round is turned into a ghoul. (The Dread Codex)
Humanoids who die from a demonling nabassu's death gaze attack are transformed into ghouls within 1d4 rounds. (Tome of Horrors Revised)
Humanoids who die from a mature nabassu's death gaze attack are transformed into ghouls within 1d4 rounds. (Tome of Horrors Revised)
The bodies out back of the Reaper, have started to animate spontaneously. Jiggs has only just realized this, and on his order fighters killed in action are now dumped out decapitated. (World's Largest City)
Create Undead spell. (SRD 3.5)
Field of Ghouls spell. (Libris Mortis)
Field of Ghouls spell. (Spell Compendium)
Ghoul Gauntlet spell. (Libris Mortis)
Ghoul Gauntlet spell. (Spell Compendium)
Animate Undead I spell. (Kobold Quarterly 7)
Animate Undead II spell. (Kobold Quarterly 7)
Animate Undead III spell. (Kobold Quarterly 7)
Animate Undead IV spell. (Kobold Quarterly 7)
Animate Undead V spell. (Kobold Quarterly 7)
Animate Undead VI spell. (Kobold Quarterly 7)
Animate Undead VII spell. (Kobold Quarterly 7)
Animate Undead VIII spell. (Kobold Quarterly 7)
Animate Undead IX spell. (Kobold Quarterly 7)
Change Zombie spell. (The Dread Codex)
Create Undead feat. (Kobold Quarterly 7)
Lacedon: When a ship sinks beneath the waves, it and its entire crew may return as ghostly wanderers, especially if the captain and crew had a less than scrupulous profession (as pirates, for example). A sunken ship of this nature may undergo a transformation from the negative energy and evil surrounding it. When this happens, the ship rises from the deep, piloted by a draug and manned by skeletons, brine zombies, zombies, and lacedons. (Tome of Horrors Revised)
A humanoid or monstrous humanoid killed by a brykolakas rises as a lacedon in 1d4 days under the control of the brykolakas that created it. Soul reapers have no ties to the land of the living, in that they have always existed and have always been. (Tome of Horrors III)
An afflicted humanoid who dies of ghoul fever from a fossil ghoul rises as a ghoul at the next midnight. A humanoid of 4 or fewer HD rises as a ghoul, a humanoid of 4-5 Hit Dice rises as a ghast, and a humanoid of 6 Hit Dice or more rises as a fossil ghoul. (Strange Lands: Lost Tribes of the Scarred Lands)
Any humanoid killed by the energy drain attack of a voracious fang swarm rises 2d6 hours later as a ghoul. (Strange Lands: Lost Tribes of the Scarred Lands)
Ghast: An afflicted humanoid with 4 or more HD who dies of ghoul fever rises as a ghast at the next midnight. (SRD 3.5)
If a ghoul lord slays its victim with its claws or bite, the victim returns as a ghast in 1d4 days. (Libris Mortis)
Lebendtod create more of their kind by breathing into the mouth of a dying humanoid (one below 0 hit points) as it draws its last breath. This requires a full-round action and provokes attacks of opportunity. The body must then be isolated for 72 hours. If the body is disturbed in any way but left largely intact, it rises as a ghast. (Libris Mortis)
If a ghoul lord slays its victim with its claws or bite, the victim returns as a ghast in 1d4 days. (Denizens of Dread)
Lebendtod create more of their kind by breathing into the mouth of a dying humanoid (one below 0 hit points) as it draws its last breath. This requires a full-round action and provokes attacks of opportunity. The body must then be isolated for 72 hours. If the body is disturbed in any way but left largely intact, it rises as a ghast. (Denizens of Dread)
Although Lake Brey is normal everywhere else, a haven for fishermen and boaters, the water turns dark where it nears Valin Field. The tide and the waves leave a bloody stain where they wash over the shore. Plants rot and fish lie dying. Anyone who comes into contact with the water in this location for more than 1 round risks contracting ghoul fever, just as if he or she had been injured by a ghoul. Anyone who eats a plant or animal from this portion of the lake contracts ghoul fever with no save allowed. (Eberron The Forge of War)
The best-known methods for creating a ghast are through create undead and by contracting ghoul fever. A third method exists, however. If someone who might spontaneously become a ghoul at death dies while actually in the process of consuming humanoid flesh, he instead rises as a ghast. (Dragon 336)
The first ghouls were humans who rose as undead because they had indulged in unwholesome pleasures in life. The original ghasts rose as undead for similar reasons, but their sins were of vaster scale. A man who broke a taboo by consuming dead bodies to avoid starvation might rise as a ghoul, but a man who murdered his wife and children, then cooked them up as a delicious meal for himself and his mistress would instead rise as a ghast. Cursed with a terrible stench of death and corruption that serves as a warning to the living, the ghast’s greater sins in life grant it greater power in undeath. (Advanced Bestiary)
Any animal, giant, humanoid, or monstrous humanoid corpse with four or more class levels and within a dirgewood's foul influence range that remains in contact with the ground for 1 full round is animated into a ghast. (Creature Collection III)
The creation of a ghast is exactly like creating a ghoul, but it requires a stronger bond to the negative energy plane. (Kobold Quarterly 7)
CL 5th, Create Undead, ghoul touch, animate dead I; Market Price 500 gp; Cost to Create 250 gp + 20 XP (Kobold Quarterly 7)
A humanoid of 4 Hit Dice or more that dies from a grisl's ghoul fever bite rises as a ghast. (Monster Geographica Forest)
Corpses of humanoids that possessed four or more class levels within range of a deadwood's foul influence that remain in contact with the ground for 1 full round are animated as ghasts. (Monster Geographica Forest)
An afflicted humanoid of 4 Hit Dice or more who dies of a ghastiff's ghoul fever rises as a ghast at the next midnight. (Monster Geographica Plains and Desert)
An afflicted humanoid who dies of ghoul fever from a fossil ghoul rises as a ghoul at the next midnight. A humanoid of 4 or fewer HD rises as a ghoul, a humanoid of 4-5 Hit Dice rises as a ghast, and a humanoid of 6 Hit Dice or more rises as a fossil ghoul. (Strange Lands: Lost Tribes of the Scarred Lands)
An afflicted humanoid 4 Hit Dice or more who dies of a ghoul creature's ghoul fever rises as a ghast at the next midnight. (The Dread Codex)
Any corpse of a humanoid with 4 or more class levels within range of a tree of woe's foul influence that remains in contact with the ground for 1 full round is animated into a ghast. (The Dread Codex)
Create Undead spell. (SRD 3.5)
Animate Undead III spell. (Kobold Quarterly 7)
Animate Undead IV spell. (Kobold Quarterly 7)
Animate Undead V spell. (Kobold Quarterly 7)
Animate Undead VI spell. (Kobold Quarterly 7)
Animate Undead VII spell. (Kobold Quarterly 7)
Animate Undead VIII spell. (Kobold Quarterly 7)
Animate Undead IX spell. (Kobold Quarterly 7)
Create Undead feat. (Kobold Quarterly 7)
Lich: A lich is an undead spellcaster, usually a wizard or sorcerer but sometimes a cleric or other spellcaster, who has used its magical powers to unnaturally extend its life. (SRD 3.5)
“Lich” is an acquired template that can be added to any humanoid creature provided it can create the required phylactery. (SRD 3.5)
The process of becoming a lich is unspeakably evil and can be undertaken only by a willing character.
An integral part of becoming a lich is creating a magic phylactery in which the character stores its life force. (SRD 3.5)
Each lich must make its own phylactery, which requires the Craft Wondrous Item feat. The character must be able to cast spells and have a caster level of 11th or higher. The phylactery costs 120,000 gp and 4,800 XP to create and has a caster level equal to that of its creator at the time of creation. (SRD 3.5)
As the quintessential “self-made” undead, a lich is a spellcaster who becomes undead through a complex ritual that takes years of research and careful experimentation. This involves the creation of a phylactery, a vessel to contain the lich’s essence. (SRD 3.5)
The process requires Craft Wondrous Item, 120,000 gp, and 4,800 XP. Discovering the proper formulas and incantations to create a phylactery requires a DC 35 Knowledge (arcane) or Knowledge (religion) check. This check requires 1d4 full months of research. Note that this check represents starting from scratch and can be bypassed entirely if the knowledge is available (such as through a tome or tutor). (SRD 3.5)
Perhaps the most common form of the accompanying ritual for arcane liches—although not the only one—involves the spells create undead, magic jar, and permanency. (SRD 3.5)
When a dread necromancer attains 20th level, she undergoes a hideous transformation and becomes a lich. A dread necromancer who is not humanoid does not gain this class feature. (Heroes of Horror)
Liches surface from time to time as a result of Wizards of High Sorcery lured into false promises of power by Chemosh. (Bestiary of Krynn Revised)
Liches are characters who’ve voluntarily transformed themselves into undead, trapping their souls in skeletal bodies. (Complete Divine)
Many clerics of Chemosh hold their positions for generations, using their powers to cling to control even after death by transforming themselves into liches or other dread beings. (Dragonlance Campaign Setting)
They wish to enter the Necrotic Cradle to transform themselves into liches so that they need not fear sunlight, but they haven’t yet been able to get past the guardian. (Player's Handbook II)
The comparable rite for clerical liches involves create undead, harm, and unhallow. (Dragon 336)
The lich template class has two special requirements. First, the base character must have the Craft Wondrous Item feat so that she can make a phylactery to hold her life force. The would-be lich must craft her phylactery over time, as described below. Second, she must be able to cast spells at a caster level of 11th or higher. It is this power, coupled with the knowledge of the process required, that allows the transformation to occur. (Savage Progressions Lich and Weretiger Template Classes)
To complete her transformation to a lich, the character must create a phylactery using the Craft Wondrous Item feat. The phylactery is crafted in three stages, and the lich transfers a bit more of her life force to it at each stage. It does not, however, grant her any of the normal benefits of a phylactery until it is fully completed. (Savage Progressions Lich and Weretiger Template Classes)
Paying the cost of each stage of its construction is a prerequisite for the corresponding level in the lich template class. Thus, to take the 2nd level in this class, the lich must invest 40,000 gp and 1,600 XP in her phylactery. She must spend the same amount again to take the 3rd level, and once again to take the 4th level (for a total investment of 120,000 gp and 4,800 XP). She can complete the phylactery early if she wishes, though doing so does not grant her any additional abilities until she takes the appropriate levels in the template class. (Savage Progressions Lich and Weretiger Template Classes)
For the purpose of determining item saving throws, the phylactery has a caster level equal to that of the lich at the time she completed the most recent stage of work. For example, if a human wizard 11/lich 1 crafts the first stage of her phylactery, it is caster level 11th. She gains three more wizard levels before finishing the second stage of construction, giving it caster level 14th. At that point, she takes the 2nd level of the template class. She then takes one more level of wizard and completes the phylactery, which is thereafter caster level 15th. (Savage Progressions Lich and Weretiger Template Classes)
The most common physical form for a phylactery is a sealed metal box containing strips of parchment on which magical phrases have been transcribed. The box is a Tiny object with 40 hit points, hardness 20, and a break DC of 40. Other kinds of phylacteries can also exist, such as rings, amulets, or similar items. (Savage Progressions Lich and Weretiger Template Classes)
Perhaps the evil wizard discovered an ancient ritual that transformed him into a lich. (Villain Design Handbook)
The template system makes it easy to quickly create these special types and understand how they work, but there is little detail about the villain’s actual preparations to become such a creature. After all, the villain doesn’t just go down to his laboratory, drink a magic potion and instantly become a lich. It takes time, hard work and the use of unnatural magical powers. (Villain Design Handbook)
Once a villain makes this choice, he may seek one of many paths. One of the most straightforward is to use a miracle or wish spell. For reasons known only the Lord of the Underworld himself, the miracle or wish spell does not allow one to become a lich or a vampire, though it does allow one to become a “lower” form of undead, such as a zombie. (Villain Design Handbook)
Becoming a Lich (Villain Design Handbook)
To become a lich, the base creature must prepare his phylactery himself. This requires he begin with an object worth 120,000 gp. While he need not construct the entire object, he must participate in the creation, assisting the craftsman. Most often, the phylactery takes the form of a sealed metal box with strips of parchment holding magically transcribed phrases. At least one of these phrases must be a special, rare prayer to the Harvester of Souls. (Evil non-followers of the Bringer of the Grave have been known to kill for these prayers. Without this special prayer to Tellene’s god of the undead, the ritual is ineffective.) The box is typically attached to a leather strap to be worn on the forehead or arm. Whatever form the object takes, every aspect must be of the finest materials and workmanship. (The box phylactery is Tiny and has a Hardness of 20, along with 40 hit points and a Break DC 40.) The phylactery can also take the form of a ring, amulet or other object. (Villain Design Handbook)
Once the object is prepared, the potential lich applies his Craft Wondrous Item feat. It takes at least 12 days to complete the complex process of enchanting the phylactery, and uses all of the sorcerer or wizard’s spell slots from magic jar, permanency and possibly limited wish for that entire time. (Though clerics can become a lich through this process, the majority of those who attempt it are wizards or sorcerers.) (Villain Design Handbook)
The preparer may use outside help for reincarnation or raise dead (instead of limited wish). Usually this involves using a ring of spell storing. Another caster charges the desired spell into the ring and the creator of the phylactery then need only use it once, but thereafter that spell can never be placed in that ring of spell storing again. (Any attempt uses the spell slot, but has no effect.) (Villain Design Handbook)
THE FINAL STEP TO LICHDOM (Villain Design Handbook)
Additionally, the caster must have a certain potion for the final ceremony. Most casters refuse to leave the creation of such a potion to anyone else, but the imbiber need not be the one who brews it. The potion can be prepared up to one year before the final ceremony. It must be a lethal concoction, and all the following spells must then be cast upon it: permanency, chill touch, fear, hold monster, protection from energy (cold) and animate dead. (Villain Design Handbook)
The final rite is performed at midnight after the phylactery is complete. The base creature must find a secluded area (often an area cursed by the Harvester of Souls or one of his temples) and, with the phylactery within range of the magic jar, complete the process. This involves drinking the potion. The imbiber must make a Will save (DC 16). If he fails, he is permanently dead. If he succeeds (and the phylactery is not destroyed in the intervening time), he rises as a lich in 1d10 days. (Villain Design Handbook)
A few scholars have suggested that adding certain other spells to the concoction can grant the imbiber a bonus (and presumably also penalties) to his Will save. No villains volunteered for experimentation regarding this possibility (i.e. it is up to the DM). (Villain Design Handbook)
Prerequisites: Minimum 11th level sorcerer, wizard or cleric; Craft Wondrous Item feat; magic jar, permanency, reincarnate or raise dead or limited wish; GP Cost: 120,000 (phylactery, caster level = caster’s current level in the appropriate class); XP Cost: 4,800 XP. (Villain Design Handbook)
To become one, an evil spellcaster must knowingly consume a potion that will end his life only to resurrect him as an unliving vessel of pure evil. (Complete Guide to Liches)
Liches are powerful undead creatures – mortal wizards, warriors, and other beings of might who use the dark necromantic arts to make their spirits immortal. (Complete Guide to Liches)
No one knows for certain how the first liches came to be. (Complete Guide to Liches)
Sages say that the necromantic arts of lichdom came from failed sorcerous attempts to find immortality, or even godhood. (Complete Guide to Liches)
The creation of a lich requires a willing, living subject. (Complete Guide to Liches)
The process of becoming a lich is a dark and arduous one. The secrets and spells that must be learned in order to create a lich are numerous and difficult – it can take a lifetime alone just to learn all that is required. (Complete Guide to Liches)
In order to create a lich or a lich variant, two simple elements are essential above all others: a skilled spellcaster to create the lich, and a willing subject to become the lich. (Complete Guide to Liches)
The spellcaster can be any high-level spellcaster, including epic-level paladins and rangers. (Complete Guide to Liches)
Spellcasting: Caster level 11
Feats: Craft Wondrous Item
The subject must be a willing subject. Should the subject not truly desire to become a lich, or understand and object to the fact that becoming a lich involves actually dying and being reborn as an undead creature, the subject will never become a lich or lich variant. Suggestion, charm, or any other sorts of magic spells and psionics used to convince a subject that becoming a lich is a good idea are not enough, nor is misleading the subject about what the lich creation process entails. Only a subject that chooses to be a lich of his own free will can ever successfully become a lich. (Complete Guide to Liches)
Once both the spellcaster and the subject are ready and willing, a phylactery must be created to begin the process of lichdom. (Complete Guide to Liches)
Creating the phylactery requires the Craft Wondrous Item feat. This phylactery costs a minimum of 120,000 gp and 4,800 XP to create, and possesses a caster level equal to that of its creator when it is made. (Complete Guide to Liches)
With the phylactery (and, optionally, the vessel) in place, a ritual is required to bind the soul to the phylactery. Different cultures and magical traditions have developed slightly different rituals for spellcasters who wish to become liches. (Complete Guide to Liches)
The Potion of Undead Life: A potion of undead life slays the drinker unless he succeeds a Fortitude save (DC 20). A creature so slain cannot be brought back from the dead by anything short of a wish or miracle. If a creature has undergone the necessary ritual to bind its soul to a phylactery (and optionally, its mind to a vessel), the potion of undead life does not immediately slay the drinker; instead, it causes the creature’s physical body to rapidly decompose, turning into little more than dust and ash in less than two days. This is often to the horror of the lich, who cannot be certain the ritual was effective. But 1d10 days after the subject’s body drops dead from drinking a potion of undead life, he returns as a lich, looking very similar to the way he did in life. (Complete Guide to Liches)
Binding the Twin Winds: For this ritual, the prospective lich must find a windy cave, which acts as his phylactery. A ritual binds his soul to the cave, but to make the bonding permanent, he must die amid the cries of both mourning friends and victorious foes – the twin winds of the ritual. After the prospective lich takes its last living breath, his body is suffused with a black miasma of negative energy that slowly dissolves his body. Only once there are no breathing creatures within a hundred feet will the lich be reanimated. Though a difficult ritual to perform, the benefit is that the lich’s phylactery is nearly impossible to steal or destroy. Though the cave only has hardness 8, it has tens of thousands of hit points. (Complete Guide to Liches)
The Sultan’s Curse: A thousand years ago, the sultan of a desert nation was blessed by a djinni to be able to invoke a curse of his choice once during his reign. That curse was lain upon a foreigner who defiled the holiest city of the land, and he was struck down by a bolt from the heavens. But the foreigner’s magic allowed him to steal a bit of the divine essence of the lightning bolt, bonding his soul with the twisted glass created when the lightning seared the desert sands. His body reformed from the sands of where he died, and he lives to this day seeking revenge. Similarly, if a mage prepares the proper ritual, and if he is slain by a spell channeling positive energy, he can corrupt that energy and use it to propel himself into the undeath of lichdom. (Complete Guide to Liches)
The Diary of Riddles: Many loremasters, feeling their pursuit of knowledge is yet incomplete, craft textual phylacteries, recording in extreme detail the events of their lives, typically in a well-bound tome. The mage seeking to become immortal must include at least one mystery he seeks to solve in his undeath, though additional mysteries may later be added to the book. He then writes an account of his own death into the tome, at which point he dies, his soul binding with the pages. (Complete Guide to Liches)
the sorcerer or wizard with an unnatural lifespan has been the subject of tales and fables throughout the ages; a thousand, thousand stories hint at their dark beginnings. One of the best known tales tells the story of the Cabal of Unsleep – a cabal of wizards who worked towards the single goal of immortality. (Kobold Quarterly 3)
The Cabal ruled kingdoms eons ago, and all its members were tyrants of renowned cruelty. While they waged war with each other on the surface – they secretly held true as a brotherhood, using their squabbles to gain influence in other lands until, at last, no part of the world was untouched by their icy fingers. This cabal, it is rumored, were among the first to discover the Dreadful Pact and thus were the first liches. (Kobold Quarterly 3)
Liches are created, not born, and their only method of reproduction is the creation of a new lich. (Kobold Quarterly 3)
The lich monster description casually mentions that the process of becoming a lich is unspeakably evil, and that it can only be undertaken by a willing character. In his great work Arcanum, Manse Hoff describes three methods through which a lich can be created, although he hints that some three dozen methods were once catalogued in the great Monstorum Sorcerus. The three known to most are the Dreadful Pact, the Hideous Sacrifice, and the Ripping. (Kobold Quarterly 3)
The Dreadful Pact – in this method, the would-be-lich’s soul is ripped from the body and placed into the phylactery by the self-destruction of the spell caster. The caster creates the phylactery and takes his own life, hoping that the magic that he has used to make the phylactery is strong enough to draw the soul into it. (Kobold Quarterly 3)
This method is quick but has the drawback that unless the phylactery has been prepared perfectly, the soul of the caster is simply drawn away. Some surmise that souls drawn in this way do not simply pass onwards, but move to some unspeakable nether place where they spend eternity wandering in madness.
The Hideous Sacrifice – this method draws the soul into the phylactery through a variant of the magic jar spell. However, the lich-initiate must cast the spell at the precise moment of his death, and this requires extraordinary timing on behalf of the spellcaster. (Kobold Quarterly 3)
As a consequence, this method is the one most fraught with the chance for mishap - the soul can be drawn before death, trapping the caster in his own spell; the caster can fail to complete the spell and die prematurely, or (in the worst case) the caster’s soul is drawn into entirely the wrong place. In this last case, the lich might end up trapped within a nearby creature or object, such as an accomplice, building, or item. (Kobold Quarterly 3)
The Ripping – the most dreadful method requires a trustworthy and willing volunteer. The ripping is spiritual warfare; the soul is driven from the body into the phylactery through force of pain inflicted on the spellcaster. (Kobold Quarterly 3)
This method is the most sure of success, but it is also the longest and most painful, and requires extraordinary determination on the part of the spellcaster. (Kobold Quarterly 3)
Once the transformation from lich-initiate has been withstood, three further stages remain in the life cycle of a lich: the Journey, the Fading, and the Corruption. (Kobold Quarterly 3)
The Journey (Kobold Quarterly 3)
Only some lich-initiates complete the Beginning and become liches. Those that are lost are variously referred to in arcane works as NetherLiches, the Lost or simply Fallen. Those who do survive acquire the lich template and can look forward to eternal life – and eternal waking. (Kobold Quarterly 3)
It's entirely possible that the crypts could house one or more undead, like the ghouls in location H7. A wight, a ghost, or even a lich could have been entombed here, either rising after its mortal body was laid to rest or sealed in by whatever cult or sinister family created it. (World's Largest City)
Mohrg: Mohrgs are the animated corpses of mass murderers or similar villains who died without atoning for their crimes. (SRD 3.5)
Mohrgs and devourers are kept alive by the overwhelming force of their wicked natures: the former as murderous chieftains and brutish killers, the latter as greedy and rapacious ogres trapped between this world and the next by their unending curse of hunger. (Bestiary of Krynn Revised)
Mohrgs are mass murderers or similar villains, but not all dead murderers become mohrgs. To become a mohrg, a killer must not only fail to atone for his crimes, he must intend to kill again. In other words, only murderers whose sprees are interrupted by death rise as mohrgs. A hanged killer possesses a better chance of rising as a mohrg than one slain through any other means. Even the wisest sages maintain no real idea why this should be, although some speculate it is because hanging is often considered the most dishonorable means of execution. (Dragon 336)
Only the spell create undead can form a mohrg from a corpse that is not a murderer. (Dragon 336)
A mohrg is the animated corpse of a mass murderer or some similarly horrific (and unatoned) villain whose inherent evil enables it to continue its depredations well beyond the grave. (Elite Opponents Mohrgs)
The creation of a mohrg requires a humanoid corpse. While the corpse is only partially animated, it is imbued with an utter hatred of the living through unspeakable ritualized torture that converts its entrails into a hideously oversized tongue. (Kobold Quarterly 7)
CL 10th, Create Undead, raise dead, speak with dead, symbol of pain; Market Price 1,500 gp; Cost to Create 750 gp + 60 XP (Kobold Quarterly 7)
Create Undead spell. (SRD 3.5)
Animate Undead VIII spell. (Kobold Quarterly 7)
Animate Undead IX spell. (Kobold Quarterly 7)
Create Undead feat. (Kobold Quarterly 7)
Mummy: Mummies are preserved corpses animated through the auspices of dark desert gods best forgotten. (SRD 3.5)
Whether it’s a mindless, shambling corpse or a spellcasting sorcerer, a mummy is usually the protector of a tomb or the victim of a curse. Either of these scenarios generates a worthwhile horror villain, but consider the possibility of a mummy not bound to a higher power. (Heroes of Horror)
Perhaps an ancient necromancer chose mummification over lichdom in his bid for immortality. Or a mummy might indeed be cursed but potentially able to escape her eternal imprisonment if she can find another to take her place. (Heroes of Horror)
For a bizarre twist, consider the possibility that the power animating the mummy is in fact contained in the wrappings. Should even a scrap of the cloth survive the first mummy’s destruction, the next creature to touch it might find itself possessed by the ancient’s vengeful spirit. (Heroes of Horror)
The cleric can use create undead to turn these corpses into mummies. (Complete Divine)
The spirits of the giants who died in the City of Gold emerge to hunt any who dare trespass on their eternal home. (Eberron Secrets of Xen'Drik)
Many elf slaves also died in the City of Gold, and their restless spirits present just as potent a threat as the undead giants. (Eberron Secrets of Xen'Drik)
Normally formed via ancient burial rites, the process to create a mummy involves complex spells, chants, and designs. The mummification ritual entails the removal of internal organs and the slow drying and desiccation of the corpse. (Dragon 336)
On very rare occasions, an individual might spontaneously rise as a mummy. If a person dies in a state of anger and hatred and if his body is naturally mummified or preserved, due perhaps to exposure to great heat and dryness, the individual might reanimate and seek to destroy the object of his rage. (Dragon 336)
This tomb houses 4 mummies who have risen from their graves after their descendants were attacked while bringing offerings to them. (Claw Claw Bite 3)
The creation of a mummy requires an intact humanoid corpse. The body must be embalmed or preserved, requiring a DC 15 Heal check. The traditional method is via organ removal, drying, and wrapping, but other preservation methods are possible. (Kobold Quarterly 7)
CL 7th, Create Undead, death ward, cause fear, bestow curse; Market Price 1,000 gp; Cost to Create 500gp + 40 XP (Kobold Quarterly 7)
Create Undead spell. (SRD 3.5)
Animate Undead VII spell. (Kobold Quarterly 7)
Animate Undead VIII spell. (Kobold Quarterly 7)
Animate Undead IX spell. (Kobold Quarterly 7)
Create Greater Undead spell from pestilence domain. (Complete Divine)
Create Undead feat. (Kobold Quarterly 7)
Mummy Lord: Unusually powerful or evil individuals preserved as mummies sometimes rise as greater mummies after death. Most are sworn to defend for eternity the resting place of those whom they served in life, but in some cases a mummy lord’s unliving state is the result of a terrible curse or rite designed to punish treason, infidelity, or crimes of an even more abhorrent nature. (SRD 3.5)
Nightshade: Nightshades are powerful undead composed of equal parts darkness and absolute evil. (SRD 3.5)
Even as he died, Izzdelth was animated by the arcane energy he wielded. (Eberron Secrets of Xen'Drik)
Nightshades were entities of pure evil even before they became undead. They result when outsiders with the evil subtype are continually subjected to negative energies long after death. The type of nightshade the fiend becomes is determined by adding up its Hit Dice and its Charisma modifier. If the total is 10 or less, the creature cannot become a nightshade. From 11 to 18, the creature might rise as a nightwing; 19 to 26, as a nightwalker; and 27 or more, as a nightcrawler. (Dragon 336)
Nightcrawler: Nightshades were entities of pure evil even before they became undead. They result when outsiders with the evil subtype are continually subjected to negative energies long after death. The type of nightshade the fiend becomes is determined by adding up its Hit Dice and its Charisma modifier. 27 or more, as a nightcrawler. (Dragon 336)
Nightwalker: Nightshades were entities of pure evil even before they became undead. They result when outsiders with the evil subtype are continually subjected to negative energies long after death. The type of nightshade the fiend becomes is determined by adding up its Hit Dice and its Charisma modifier. 19 to 26, as a nightwalker. (Dragon 336)
Nightwing: Nightshades were entities of pure evil even before they became undead. They result when outsiders with the evil subtype are continually subjected to negative energies long after death. The type of nightshade the fiend becomes is determined by adding up its Hit Dice and its Charisma modifier. From 11 to 18, the creature might rise as a nightwing. (Dragon 336)
Shadow: Any humanoid reduced to Strength 0 by a shadow becomes a shadow within 1d4 rounds. (SRD 3.5)
Any humanoid reduced to Strength 0 by an umbral creature dies and rises as a shadow under the control of its killer in 1d4 rounds. (Libris Mortis)
Shadows and allips barely even remember their former lives: the former as life-hating men bound in darkness, the latter as suicides gripped with madness. (Bestiary of Krynn Revised)
In ancient times, before the development of create greater undead, the first shadow arose. Shadows spontaneously manifest when someone dies due, at least in part, to her own physical weakness. A warrior slain after rendered helpless by a ray of enfeeblement spell, an old woman murdered because she lacked the strength to fight back or scream for help, or a rogue slowly eaten by rats after incapacitation by poison might become a shadow. (Dragon 336)
Any creature with a Charisma score of 15 or higher that is killed by a dread shadow rises as a dread shadow in 1d4 rounds. Any other creature slain by a dread shadow instead rises as a normal shadow in 1d4 rounds. (Advanced Bestiary)
Any humanoid reduced to Strength 0 by a shadow swarm becomes a shadow and joins the swarm within 1d4 rounds. (Claw Claw Bite 14)
The creation of a shadow requires a soul. The soul is merged with its shadow-plane duplicate, creating an unliving shade. (Kobold Quarterly 7)
CL 5th, Create Undead, deeper darkness, desecrate; Market Price 400 gp; Cost to Create 200 gp + 16 XP (Kobold Quarterly 7)
Any humanoid reduced to Strength 0 by a ndalawo becomes a shadow under control of its killer within 1d4 rounds. (Monster Geographica Forest)
Any humanoid reduced to a Strength score of 0 by a ndalawo shadow leopard becomes a shadow under control of its killer within 1d4 rounds. (The Dread Codex)
According to ancient texts, an arcane creature known only as the Shadow Lord created beings of living darkness to aid him and protect him. These beings, called shadows, were formed through a combination of darkness and evil. (Tome of Horrors Revised)
Create Greater Undead spell. (SRD 3.5)
Animate Undead III spell. (Kobold Quarterly 7)
Animate Undead IV spell. (Kobold Quarterly 7)
Animate Undead V spell. (Kobold Quarterly 7)
Animate Undead VI spell. (Kobold Quarterly 7)
Animate Undead VII spell. (Kobold Quarterly 7)
Animate Undead VIII spell. (Kobold Quarterly 7)
Animate Undead IX spell. (Kobold Quarterly 7)
Create Greater Undead spell. (Complete Divine)
Shadow Touch spell. (Villain Design Handbook)
Create Undead feat. (Kobold Quarterly 7)
Shadow Greater: Animate Undead VIII spell. (Kobold Quarterly 7)
Animate Undead IX spell. (Kobold Quarterly 7)
Crying Fields. (Eberron Five Nations)
Skeleton: Skeletons are the animated bones of the dead, mindless automatons that obey the orders of their evil masters. (SRD 3.5)
“Skeleton” is an acquired template that can be added to any corporeal creature (other than an undead) that has a skeletal system. (SRD 3.5)
A skull lord’s creator skull can create a bonespur, a serpentir, or a skeleton from nearby bones and bone shards. (Monster Manual V)
A remove curse or remove disease spell, or a more powerful version of either, transforms an eaten one into a normal skeleton that can crawl with a speed of 10 feet. Neither spell restores any missing portions of the eaten one’s body. (Dangerous Denizens The Monsters of Tellene)
A pyre elemental can touch the corpse of any once-living corporeal creature within its reach as a free action, animating it as a zombie or skeleton (depending on the condition of the corpse). (Denizens of Dread)
A pyre elemental can touch the corpse of any once-living corporeal creature within its reach as a free action, animating it as a zombie or skeleton (depending on the condition of the corpse). (Libris Mortis)
The spirits of the giants who died in the City of Gold emerge to hunt any who dare trespass on their eternal home. (Eberron Secrets of Xen'Drik)
Many elf slaves also died in the City of Gold, and their restless spirits present just as potent a threat as the undead giants. (Eberron Secrets of Xen'Drik)
The taint of the dead god Myrkul's power in recent history animated many of the dead drowned beneath the western Mere, creating a profusion of strange undead and many sorts of ghouls, skeletons, and zombies now found in groups wandering the swamp and the lands around, attacking everyone they encounter. (Forgotten Realms Wyrms of the North Voaraghamanthar, "the Black Death")
By day their maker, Holbad the necromancer, has commanded them to conceal themselves in the marshes to avoid the appearance of foul play. (Trove of Treasure Maps)
Deep with an underground maze somewhere in the Principality of Pekal, or so the legend goes, lies a sleeping lich queen and a mysterious black tome of immense power. Modern sages speculate that this queen somehow learned of (or created) a magical ritual that allows a willing spellcaster to transform himself into a reliqus (a powerful self-willed type of skeleton, also known as a “galanam” in Kalamaran). (Villain Design Handbook)
First, the caster must set up a contingency spell that activates an animate dead. Any of these spells can be obtained from scrolls or items. Immediately after the contingency ceremony, he must also cast a magic jar spell (using his own magical ability). If he does not use the magic jar spell, or unsuccessfully casts it, he arises as a normal undead skeleton (losing all memory, abilities, etc.) rather than gaining the reliqus template. (Villain Design Handbook)
Typically, xenoa are created when a cleric of the Harvester of Souls fails to harvest enough souls before he dies - causing him to return as a lower undead such as a skeleton, zombie or (if he is lucky) a reliqus or xenoa. (Villain Design Handbook)
Those slain by the effects of the skulleon’s bite rise as skeletons under the control of the skulleon, their flesh sliding from their bodies as they are animated. (Bestiary Malfearous)
Any living creature with a skeletal structure that dies from the Constitution drain of a desiccated creature rises as a skeleton within 1d4 rounds. Its flesh turns to dust and sloughs off. A desiccated creature can only create skeletons from creatures that have fewer Hit Dice than it does. (Book of Templates Deluxe 3.5)
Any living creature with a skeletal structure that dies from the Constitution drain of a duneshambler rises as a skeleton within 1d4 rounds. Its flesh turns to dust and sloughs off. A duneshambler can only create skeletons with 14 or fewer Hit Dice. (Book of Templates Deluxe 3.5)
As a standard action, a bone sovereign can create any number of skeletal monsters from its body. (Complete Minions)
Battle rams that fall honorably in battle are resurrected by the powers of Chardun and continue to serve him as undead. (Creature Collection III)
In the same manner as humanoid followers of Chardun, battle rams serve their evil god loyally and, if slain in battle, rise from the dead after 30 days. A risen battle ram gains the skeleton template.
Any animal, giant, humanoid, or monstrous humanoid corpse with less than two class levels and within a dirgewood's foul influence range that remains in contact with the ground for 1 full round is animated into a zombie or skeleton. (Creature Collection III)
Dragons who undergo a failed ritual of lichdom do not become semi-liches, instead tending to rise as wights or skeletal dragons. (Complete Guide to Liches)
The creation of a skeleton requires an intact skeleton. If flesh remains on the bones, it may be left to rot away naturally or be stripped from the bones with a DC 5 Heal or Profession (butcher) check. (Kobold Quarterly 7)
Caster level equal to half the HD of the skeleton, Create Undead, cause fear; Market Price 50 gp/HD; Cost to Create 25 gp and 2 XP/HD (Kobold Quarterly 7)
Any humanoid killed by the ka spirit’s rotting possession ability rises again as an undead in 1d4 rounds. Spawn are under the command of the ka spirit. Treat these unfortunates as standard zombies or skeletons, with none of the abilities they formerly had in life. (Lore of the Gods)
As a standard action, an ankou can choose any creature it has slain via its death grip or death touch attacks and cause it to rise again as a skeleton. (Monster Encyclopaedia 2 Dark Bestiary)
Any animal, giant, humanoid, or monstrous humanoid corpse within range of a deadwood's foul influence that remains in contact with the ground for 1 full round is animated as a skeleton or zombie. (Monster Geographica Forest)
As a standard action, a bone sovereign can create any number of skeletal monsters from its body. (Monster Geographica Underground)
As a full round action, an undead ooze can expel the skeletons in its body. (Monster Geographica Underground)
If a victim dies while engulfed by a bone slime, it becomes a skeleton. (The Dread Codex)
Any animal, giant, humanoid, or monstrous humanoid corpse within range of a tree of woe's foul influence that remains in contact with the ground for 1 full round is animated into a skeleton or zombie. (The Dread Codex)
When a ship sinks beneath the waves, it and its entire crew may return as ghostly wanderers, especially if the captain and crew had a less than scrupulous profession (as pirates, for example). A sunken ship of this nature may undergo a transformation from the negative energy and evil surrounding it. When this happens, the ship rises from the deep, piloted by a draug and manned by skeletons, brine zombies, zombies, and lacedons. (Tome of Horrors Revised)
Animate Dead spell. (SRD 3.5)
Plague of Undead spell. (Libris Mortis)
Plague of Undead spell. (Heroes of Horror)
Plague of Undead spell. (Spell Compendium)
Animate Undead I spell. (Kobold Quarterly 7)
Animate Undead II spell. (Kobold Quarterly 7)
Animate Undead III spell. (Kobold Quarterly 7)
Animate Undead IV spell. (Kobold Quarterly 7)
Animate Undead V spell. (Kobold Quarterly 7)
Animate Undead VI spell. (Kobold Quarterly 7)
Animate Undead VII spell. (Kobold Quarterly 7)
Animate Undead VIII spell. (Kobold Quarterly 7)
Animate Undead IX spell. (Kobold Quarterly 7)
Corpse Soldiers spell. (Behind the Spells: Animate Dead)
Mark of Thralldom spell. (The Player's Guide to Arcanis)
My Life for Yours spell. (The Dread Codex)
Puppets of Death spell. (Complete Guide to Liches)
Horrible Army of the Dead epic spell. (Epic Insights Compiled and Updated)
The Dead Walk warlock lesser invocation. (Complete Arcane)
Create Undead feat. (Kobold Quarterly 7)
Zone of Animation feat. (Complete Divine)
Animating weapon quality. (Behind the Spells: Animate Dead)
Human Warrior Skeleton: Skeletal Guard spell. (Spell Compendium)
Wolf Skeleton: ?
Owlbear Skeleton: ?
Troll Skeleton: ?
Chimera Skeleton: ?
Ettin Skeleton: ?
Advanced Megaraptor Skeleton: ?
Cloud Giant Skeleton: ?
Young Adult Red Dragon Skeleton: ?
Spectre: Any humanoid slain by a spectre becomes a spectre in 1d4 rounds. (SRD 3.5)
Living creatures in an atropal’s negative energy aura are treated as having ten negative levels unless they have some sort of negative energy protection or protection from evil. Creatures with 10 or fewer HD or levels perish (and, at the atropal’s option, rise as spectres under the atropal’s command 1 minute later) (3.5 epic srd)
The former high priest of the Monastery of the Unyielding Shield has become a spectre. (Eberron Faiths of Eberron)
The spirits of the giants who died in the City of Gold emerge to hunt any who dare trespass on their eternal home. (Eberron Secrets of Xen'Drik)
Many elf slaves also died in the City of Gold, and their restless spirits present just as potent a threat as the undead giants. (Eberron Secrets of Xen'Drik)
Any humanoid slain by a spectral creature rises as a normal spectre under the control of its killer instead. (Forgotten Realms Dragons of Faerun)
A humanoid slain by a t’liz’s energy drain rises as a spectre 1d4 days after death. (Dragon 315)
When not created by spells or the touch of another spectre, they manifest in a similar fashion to ghosts. They rise from the violent death of someone who lacks the requisite strength of purpose to become a true ghost, yet who possesses sufficient will and fury that they cannot move on. (Dragon 336)
Spectres are born from sudden acts of violence. (Dragon 336)
Any creature with a Charisma score of 16 or higher that is killed by a dread spectre rises as a dread spectre in 1d4 rounds. Any other creature slain by a dread spectre instead rises as a normal spectre in 1d4 rounds. (Advanced Bestiary)
Creating a spectre requires a soul. The soul is forced to relive the moment of its death over and over while being exposed to vast amounts of negative energy. Eventually, its pain and misery force it to arise as a spectre. (Kobold Quarterly 7)
CL 9th, Create Undead, magic jar, feeblemind, bestow curse; Market Price 1,400 gp; Cost to Create 700 gp + 56 XP (Kobold Quarterly 7)
The plundering dead who come to understand their true form become full-fledged spectres or ghosts. (Monster Encyclopaedia 1 Ravagers of the Realms)
Any humanoid killed by a spectral troll rises 1d3 days later as a free-willed spectre unless a cleric of the victim’s religion casts bless on the corpse before such time. (Tome of Horrors Revised)
The victims of a ghastly massacre. (Ultimate Toolbox)
Create Greater Undead spell. (SRD 3.5)
Animate Undead VII[/I] spell. (Kobold Quarterly 7)
Animate Undead VIII spell. (Kobold Quarterly 7)
Animate Undead IX spell. (Kobold Quarterly 7)
Create Greater Undead spell. (Complete Divine)
Create Undead feat. (Kobold Quarterly 7)
Crying Fields. (Eberron Five Nations)
Vampire: “Vampire” is an acquired template that can be added to any humanoid or monstrous humanoid creature (referred to hereafter as the base creature). (SRD 3.5)
If a vampire drains a victim’s Constitution to 0 or lower, the victim returns as a vampire if it had 5 or more HD. (SRD 3.5)
Seduced by the promises of Orcus, he cast aside his life for the dark blessings of undeath. (Monster Manual V)
He begged the gods to spare him from death, vowing that he would do whatever was asked of him in exchange for the gift of immortality. His pleas gained the attention of Orcus, who longed for mortal souls to feed his insatiable hunger. The demon prince granted this knight the power to defeat death by stealing his soul, transforming his mortal form into the undead monstrosity it remains to this day. (Monster Manual V)
Vampire myths older than Dracula (novel 1897, film 1931) attribute the existence of the undead to sinners and suicides unable to enter Heaven. (Heroes of Horror)
Some undead such as vampires and wights create spawn out of a character they kill, trapping the soul of the deceased in a body animated by negative energy and controlled by a malign intelligence. (Complete Divine)
If a vampiric dragon drains its victim’s Constitution to 0, the victim returns as a spawn if it had 4 or fewer Hit Dice and as a vampire if it had 5 or more HD. (Draconomicon)
Humanoids or monstrous humanoids slain by Kaius's energy drain become a vampire in 1d4 days. Humanoids or monstrous humanoids slain by Kaius's blood drain become vampire spawn if below 4 HD. (Eberron Five Nations)
In their reverence for their ancestors, the Aereni were determined to find a way to preserve their heroes through their interest in the art of necromancy. This research followed two paths: the negative necromancy of the line of Vol, which many blame for the spread of vampirism into Khorvaire, and the positive energy of the Priests of Transition. (Eberron Player's Guide to Eberron)
It is rumored that the secretive elven sect of the Qabalrin gave birth to the first vampires, and that these undead lords still sleep in hidden vaults. (Eberron Secrets of Xen'Drik)
The former vampire was refused atonement because he would not return to the Necrotic Cradle and fight his old companions, who had refused rebirth after he had turned them into vampires. (Player's Handbook II)
For example, a warforged fighter (a living construct from the EBERRON campaign setting) can’t become a vampire, since that template can be applied only to humanoids and monstrous humanoids. (Player's Handbook II)
Almost everyone knows that vampires spawn other vampires, but myth and legend present many other possible origins for these infamous undead. In cultures that believe suicide is a sin, anyone who takes his own life might rise from his coffin as a vampire. (Dragon 336)
Those who make deals with entities of evil and gods of death, seeking power or immortality, often become vampires, their desires granted in a most twisted fashion. Also, someone who might otherwise spontaneously rise as a ghoul, slain specifically through negative energy or the result of a curse, might instead rise as a vampire, a drinker of blood rather than an eater of flesh. (Dragon 336)
A humanoid or monstrous humanoid slain by a vampiric glabrezu's energy drain rises as a vampire spawn 1d4 days after burial. If the vampiric glabrezu instead drains the victim's Constitution to 0 or lower, the victim returns as a spawn if it had 4 or fewer HD and as a vampire if it had 5 or more HD. (Elite Opponents Creatures That Cannot Be)
"Vampire" is a fairly common acquired template among adventurers. When an adventuring party is attacked by a vampire, those slain by its special abilities may rise as vampires themselves if the proper measures are not taken. (Savage Progressions Gaining a Template Midcampaign)
A humanoid or monstrous humanoid slain by a 7th-level or higher vampire's energy drain attack rises as a vampire spawn (see the Monster Manual) 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 fewer HD and as a vampire if it had 5 or more HD. (Savage Progressions Gaining a Template Midcampaign)
Once a villain makes this choice, he may seek one of many paths. One of the most straightforward is to use a miracle or wish spell. For reasons known only the Lord of the Underworld himself, the miracle or wish spell does not allow one to become a lich or a vampire, though it does allow one to become a “lower” form of undead, such as a zombie. (Villain Design Handbook)
Deliberately becoming a vampire can be as simple as inviting one to drain your life energy. Of course, few villains volunteer for such treatment as it leaves them under the control of the vampiric “parent.” Those seeking to become a first generation vampire tread a dangerous path, but such is the risk for a dedicated villain. (Villain Design Handbook)
One method of becoming a first-generation vampire is for the villain to sell his soul to Zazimash, Lord of the Underworld (also known as the Harvester of Souls). Assuming that the deity does not simply destroy the villain on a whim, Zazimash may very well grant the villain’s desire. The second, and safer, way to become a first-generation vampire is by means of an ancient Svimohzish ritual. This ritual can be discovered through roleplaying or by succeeding at a Knowledge (arcane) check (DC 25). (Villain Design Handbook)
The ritual requires a special potion for use in the actual ceremony. Creating this potion requires the Brew Potion and Craft Wondrous Item feats. This potion requires three base components. First, at least one quart of blood from a magical creature (dragon, magical beast, outsider or shapechanger, but NOT any creature with the Fire subtype). The blood must also come from a creature whose Hit Dice at least equal that of the creature seeking to become a vampire. Second, the potion requires dust from the ashes of a burned vampire the villain had a hand in slaying. Third, the villain must spend 4,200 XP. Finally, the brewer must collect other rare and exotic ingredients
for the potion (typical lists include bat’s eyes, wolf ’s heart, rat brains, tears of a good cleric, a holy symbol dipped in human blood and a pound of dried mosquito or tick husks). The total value of these items if purchased (though that is rarely possible) is at least 16,000 gp. (Villain Design Handbook)
The caster level of the potion must be equal to or greater than that of the potential new vampire. Once the potion has been successfully brewed, the new base creature must stand within a greater magic circle against good and sacrifice a living creature, mixing its blood with the potion. It then drinks the entire potion from a human skull, and finishes off the sacrifice by drinking as much of the remainder of the sacrificed creature’s blood as it can stand. This part of the ceremony must be completed in less than ten minutes and in an area no better lit than the equivalent of a fading twilight. During the entire ceremony, when not actually drinking, the creature must recite prayers to the Lord of the Underworld. Theories suggest that the more prayers he knows, the better his chances of success are (the DM may declare a +1 to the save for every two prayers the character knows beyond the tenth). (Villain Design Handbook)
Finally, the creature must kill himself while standing in a coffin full of grave dirt, into which he falls after death. The preferred method is slashing the throat with a magical or ceremonial dagger. (Villain Design Handbook)
After all this, the base creature makes a single Will saving 0throw (DC 18). If he succeeds, he dies and becomes a free-willed vampire. If he fails, he simply dies (and is permanently deceased). If the potential base creature is NOT the brewer of the potion and his Will save comes up 1, he does become a vampire, but he is under the total control of the brewer of the potion. (Villain Design Handbook)
The new vampire rises from his coffin at nightfall 1d6 nights after the completion of the ceremony. (Villain Design Handbook)
Prerequisites: Brew Potion, Craft Wondrous Item feats; blood sacrifices; GP Cost: 16,000 gp (blood from a magical creature, dust from a vampire, one pound of mosquito/tick husks); XP Cost: 4,200. (Villain Design Handbook)
Dread vampires can create spawn only if their victims are kept in coffin homes, a special receptacle, until they rise. A coffin home can be any container capable of accommodating the corpse. (Advanced Bestiary)
Under these conditions, a humanoid or monstrous humanoid slain by a dread vampire’s energy drain attack rises as a vampire 24 hours after death. (Advanced Bestiary)
If a variant vampire drains the victim’s Constitution to 0 or lower, the victim returns as a spawn if it had 4 or fewer Hit Dice or as a vampire if it had 5 or more Hit Dice. (Book of Templates Deluxe 3.5)
The vampire is a powerful undead monster that spawns its own followers from living humans. (Complete Guide to Vampires)
Veldrane mold vampires spawn others of their kind, but a small fraction of their spawn are mutants: They are standard vampires. (Complete Guide to Vampires)
When a creature that breathed in a Veldrane vampire's spores is slain by a Veldrane mold vampire, it will rise in 6 days as a new Veldrane mold vampire. There is a 1% chance that it will rise as a standard vampire instead of a Veldrane mold vampire. (Complete Guide to Vampires)
Not all types of undead can be created by the work of mortals. For instance, only a vampire can bring about another vampire, and only a life left unfinished can rise as a ghost. (Kobold Quarterly 7)
When a humanoid or monstrous humanoid dies from a vampire’s bite, the curse of vampirism quickly corrupts the corpse. The silver cord that ties the victim’s soul to its body does not snap as it should, and the soul remains tethered to the dead vessel, slowly filling with blood lust. The soul struggles against the cord and reaches for the afterlife, but its silent screams are in vain. The gates of heaven and hell diminish as blood lust slowly reels the cord-strangled soul back into its corpse. (Kobold Quarterly 11)
One to four days after the victim’s death, a new vampire or vampire spawn rises as a mist around its grave. A victim with less than 5 HD rises as a vampire spawn. A victim of 5 HD or more rises as a vampire. (Kobold Quarterly 11)
When someone dies from a vampire bite, friends and family have little time to save their loved one’s soul. If they destroy the sire before the deceased rises as a vampire in 1-4 days, vampirism never settles on the corpse and the deceased’s soul remains free. (Kobold Quarterly 11)
Vampire Spawn: Vampire spawn are undead creatures that come into being when vampires slay mortals. (SRD 3.5)
A humanoid or monstrous humanoid slain by a vampire’s energy drain rises as a vampire spawn 1d4 days after burial. (SRD 3.5)
If a vampire drains a victim’s Constitution to 0 or lower, the victim returns as a spawn if it had 4 or less HD. (SRD 3.5)
By drinking the blood of the living, vampires rejuvenate themselves and create their foul spawn. (Monster Manual V)
A humanoid or monstrous humanoid slain by a chiang-shi’s energy drain attack rises as a vampire spawn 1d4 days after burial. (Libris Mortis)
If the chiang-shi instead drains the victim’s Constitution to 0 or less, the victim returns as a spawn if it had 4 or fewer Hit Dice. (Libris Mortis)
A humanoid or monstrous humanoid slain by a nosferatu energy drain attack rises as a vampire spawn 1d4 days after burial. (Libris Mortis)
If a nosferatu drains a humanoid or monstrous humanoid's Constitution to 0 or less, the victim returns as a vampire spawn. (Libris Mortis)
Victims reduced to 0 Intelligence or below from a cerebral vampire's intelligence drain fall into a catatonic stupor. if they die while their Intelligence is still at 0 or below, they may return as cerebral vampires, depending on their Hit Dice. (Libris Mortis)
A humanoid or monstrous humanoid slain by the diseases spread by a vrykolaka rises as a vampire spawn 1d4 days after burial. (Libris Mortis)
If the vrykolaka instead drains the Victims reduced to 0 Intelligence or below from a cerebral vampire's intelligence drain fall into a catatonic stupor. If they die while their Intelligence is still at 0 or below, they may return as cerebral vampires, depending on their Hit Dice. (Libris Mortis)
If a dwarven vampire drains a victim's Constitution to 0 or less, the victim returns as a vampire spawn if it had 4 or fewer Hit Dice. For this to happen, however, the victim’s body must be placed in a stone sarcophagus and placed underground. Next, the master vampire must visit the corpse and sprinkle it with powdered metals. If all this occurs, the new vampire spawn rises 1d4 days after the vampire’s visit.
An elf or half-elf that commits suicide due to the effects of an elven vampire’s Charisma drain rises as a vampire spawn 1d4 days after burial. (Libris Mortis)
If the elven vampire drains the victim’s Charisma to 0 or less, causing the victim to die, the victim returns as a spawn if it had 4 or fewer HD. (Libris Mortis)
A halfling victim slain by a vampire's Constitution drain returns as a vampire spawn if it had 4 or fewer HD. (Libris Mortis)
A humanoid or monstrous humanoid slain by a chiang-shi’s energy drain attack rises as a vampire spawn 1d4 days after burial. (Denizens of Dread)
If the chiang-shi instead drains the victim’s Constitution to 0 or less, the victim returns as a spawn if it had 4 or fewer Hit Dice. (Denizens of Dread)
A humanoid or monstrous humanoid slain by a nosferatu energy drain attack rises as a vampire spawn 1d4 days after burial. (Denizens of Dread)
If a nosferatu drains a humanoid or monstrous humanoid's Constitution to 0 or less, the victim returns as a vampire spawn. (Denizens of Dread)
Victims reduced to 0 Intelligence or below from a cerebral vampire's intelligence drain fall into a catatonic stupor. if they die while their Intelligence is still at 0 or below, they may return as cerebral vampires, depending on their Hit Dice. (Denizens of Dread)
A humanoid or monstrous humanoid slain by the diseases spread by a vrykolaka rises as a vampire spawn 1d4 days after burial. (Denizens of Dread)
If the vrykolaka instead drains the Victims reduced to 0 Intelligence or below from a cerebral vampire's intelligence drain fall into a catatonic stupor. If they die while their Intelligence is still at 0 or below, they may return as cerebral vampires, depending on their Hit Dice. (Denizens of Dread)
If a dwarven vampire drains a victim's Constitution to 0 or less, the victim returns as a vampire spawn if it had 4 or fewer Hit Dice. For this to happen, however, the victim’s body must be placed in a stone sarcophagus and placed underground. Next, the master vampire must visit the corpse and sprinkle it with powdered metals. If all this occurs, the new vampire spawn rises 1d4 days after the vampire’s visit. (Denizens of Dread)
An elf or half-elf that commits suicide due to the effects of an elven vampire’s Charisma drain rises as a vampire spawn 1d4 days after burial. (Denizens of Dread)
If the elven vampire drains the victim’s Charisma to 0 or less, causing the victim to die, the victim returns as a spawn if it had 4 or fewer HD. (Denizens of Dread)
A halfling victim slain by a vampire's Constitution drain returns as a vampire spawn if it had 4 or fewer HD. (Denizens of Dread)
A humanoid or monstrous humanoid slain by a vampiric dragon’s energy drain attack rises as a vampire spawn 1d4 days after death. (Draconomicon)
If a vampiric dragon instead drains its victim’s Constitution to 0, the victim returns as a spawn if it had 4 or fewer Hit Dice and as a vampire if it had 5 or more HD. (Draconomicon)
Humanoids or monstrous humanoids slain by Kaius's energy drain become a vampire in 1d4 days. Humanoids or monstrous humanoids slain by Kaius's blood drain become vampire spawn if below 4 HD. (Eberron Five Nations)
A humanoid or monstrous humanoid slain by a vampiric glabrezu's energy drain rises as a vampire spawn 1d4 days after burial. If the vampiric glabrezu instead drains the victim's Constitution to 0 or lower, the victim returns as a spawn if it had 4 or fewer HD and as a vampire if it had 5 or more HD. (Elite Opponents Creatures That Cannot Be)
A humanoid or monstrous humanoid slain by the vampiric vine horror's energy 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 was a humanoid or monstrous humanoid, and as a monstrous vampire if it had 5 or more HD and was an aberration, animal, dragon, fey, giant, humanoid, magical beast, monstrous humanoid, or vermin. (Elite Opponents Creatures That Cannot Be II)
A humanoid or monstrous humanoid slain by the vampire night twist's energy 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 was a humanoid or monstrous humanoid, and as a monstrous vampire if it had 5 or more HD and was an aberration, animal, dragon, fey, giant, humanoid, magical beast, monstrous humanoid, or vermin. (Elite Opponents Creatures That Cannot Be II)
A humanoid or monstrous humanoid slain by a monstrous vampire's energy drain rises as a vampire spawn 1d4 days after burial. If the monstrous 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 was a humanoid or monstrous humanoid, and as a monstrous vampire if it had 5 or more HD and was an aberration, animal, dragon, fey, giant, humanoid, magical beast, monstrous humanoid, or vermin. (Elite Opponents Variant Unicorns)
A humanoid or monstrous humanoid slain by Nadezda 's energy drain rises as a vampire spawn 1d4 days after burial. If Nadezda instead drains the victim's Constitution to 0 or lower, the victim returns as a spawn if it had 4 or less HD and was a humanoid or monstrous humanoid, and as a monstrous vampire if it had 5 or more HD and was an aberration, animal, dragon, fey, giant, humanoid, magical beast, monstrous humanoid, or vermin. (Fight Club The Vampire Werewolf)
A humanoid or monstrous humanoid slain by a 7th-level or higher vampire's energy drain attack rises as a vampire spawn (see the Monster Manual) 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 fewer HD and as a vampire if it had 5 or more HD. (Savage Progressions Gaining a Template Midcampaign)
A character that dies whilst wearing the suit of vampiric armor has a 35% chance of returning as a vampire spawn within 1d3 days; this is 100% if the death is caused by the armor’s blood drain ability. (Villain Design Handbook)
A creature slain by a variant vampire’s energy drain rises as a vampire spawn 1d4 days after burial. If the creature cannot qualify for the Vampire Spawn template it does not rise. Potential spawn with more Hit Dice than the vampire do not rise. (Book of Templates Deluxe 3.5)
If the variant vampire instead drains the victim’s Constitution to 0 or lower, the victim returns as a spawn if it had 4 or fewer Hit Dice or as a vampire if it had 5 or more Hit Dice. (Book of Templates Deluxe 3.5)
When a humanoid or monstrous humanoid dies from a vampire’s bite, the curse of vampirism quickly corrupts the corpse. The silver cord that ties the victim’s soul to its body does not snap as it should, and the soul remains tethered to the dead vessel, slowly filling with blood lust. The soul struggles against the cord and reaches for the afterlife, but its silent screams are in vain. The gates of heaven and hell diminish as blood lust slowly reels the cord-strangled soul back into its corpse. (Kobold Quarterly 11)
One to four days after the victim’s death, a new vampire or vampire spawn rises as a mist around its grave. A victim with less than 5 HD rises as a vampire spawn. A victim of 5 HD or more rises as a vampire. (Kobold Quarterly 11)
Sir Milton funds Fellnacht's experiments through several layers of unscrupulous moneylenders, keeping his personal involvement to a minimum. He does, however, provide one key function for his very own mad scientist: producing vampire spawn as experimental fodder. H'kuk will kidnap a subject and place him or her in the cage, whereupon Sir Milton will drain the subject's blood and transform him or her into a vampire spawn. (World's Largest City)
Vampiric Armor magic armor. (Villain Design Handbook)
Wight: Any humanoid slain by a wight becomes a wight in 1d4 rounds. (SRD 3.5)
A character with negative levels at least equal to her current level, or drained below 1st level, is instantly slain. Depending on the creature that killed her, she may rise the next night as a monster of that kind. If not, she rises as a wight. (SRD 3.5)
Wights, unless created by other wights, are animated almost entirely by their desire to do violence. Just as ghouls arise from those who feed off others, wights result from the deaths of individuals whose sole purpose in life was to maim, torture, or kill. Simply coming from a profession that requires one to kill, such as a soldier or gladiator, is not sufficient; the individual must harbor a true love of carnage and take intense pleasure in ending life. Wights arise only when the person died frustrated, unable to complete a murder he had already begun, or unable to find a chosen victim. (Dragon 336)
Some undead such as vampires and wights create spawn out of a character they kill, trapping the soul of the deceased in a body animated by negative energy and controlled by a malign intelligence. (Complete Divine)
Any humanoid or monstrous humanoid slain by a vostarr becomes an undead thrall in 1d4 rounds. Spawn are under the command of the vostarr that created them and remain enslaved until its death. These spawn are normal wights as described in the Monster Manual and as such retain none of the abilities they had in life. (Villain Design Handbook)
Unfortunately, the denizens of the graveyard are restless, and seek to haunt the Baron until he embraces the family law. (Claw Claw Bite 3)
They have been haunted by their faded family name, and have withered into wights like their corrupt descendant. (Claw Claw Bite 3)
Any humanoid slain by the Baron becomes a wight in 1d4 rounds. (Claw Claw Bite 3)
Any humanoid slain by a negative-energy-charged wight becomes a wight in 1d4 rounds. (Advanced Bestiary)
After decades or centuries of existence, certain vohrahn’s animating magics have worn a hole between the realms of life and death. The vohrahn’s passion is gone, but its power causes creatures slain by its claw attacks to rise as zombies under the vohrahn’s control after 1d4 rounds. They do not possess any of the abilities they had in life. A vohrahn with 7 or more HD can raise creatures as wights, instead. (Complete Book of Denizens)
Dragons who undergo a failed ritual of lichdom do not become semi-liches, instead tending to rise as wights or skeletal dragons. (Complete Guide to Liches)
Any humanoid slain by a slaughter wight becomes a normal wight in 1d4 rounds. (Libris Mortis)
Any creature killed by the Gray Man’s energy drain rises as a wight under the control of the Gray Man 1d4 rounds after being slain. (Creature Collection III)
It's entirely possible that the crypts could house one or more undead, like the ghouls in location H7. A wight, a ghost, or even a lich could have been entombed here, either rising after its mortal body was laid to rest or sealed in by whatever cult or sinister family created it. (World's Largest City)
The cemetery can also serve as the nexus for a villain thought slain and who, through the dark magicks coursing through this district, rises from the grave as a wight or similar undead. (World's Largest City)
Animate Undead III spell. (Kobold Quarterly 7)
Animate Undead IV spell. (Kobold Quarterly 7)
Animate Undead V spell. (Kobold Quarterly 7)
Animate Undead VI spell. (Kobold Quarterly 7)
Animate Undead VII spell. (Kobold Quarterly 7)
Animate Undead VIII spell. (Kobold Quarterly 7)
Animate Undead IX spell. (Kobold Quarterly 7)
Wraith: Wraiths are incorporeal creatures born of evil and darkness.
Any humanoid slain by a wraith becomes a 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 dread wraith becomes a 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 bane wraith becomes a standard wraith in 1d4 rounds. (Heroes of Horror)
The spirits of the giants who died in the City of Gold emerge to hunt any who dare trespass on their eternal home. (Eberron Secrets of Xen'Drik)
Many elf slaves also died in the City of Gold, and their restless spirits present just as potent a threat as the undead giants. (Eberron Secrets of Xen'Drik)
Like spectres, wraiths are the spirits of those who died under horrific circumstances, but who lack the strength of purpose to return as ghosts. Whereas spectres are born from sudden acts of violence, wraiths result from slow, lingering deaths. Someone bricked up inside a wall and allowed to starve, or slowly poisoned, is more likely to return as a wraith than a spectre. Those wraiths who do not arise spontaneously result from the touch of other wraiths or from the create greater undead spell. (Dragon 336)
Any humanoid or monstrous humanoid slain by an avildar becomes a wraith in 1d4 rounds. (Villain Design Handbook)
The creation of a wraith requires a soul. Twisting the soul into a wraith requires an elaborate ritual that suffuses the soul with the essence of darkness and evil. (Kobold Quarterly 7)
CL 7th, Create Undead, darkness, enervation, gaseous form; Market Price 1,000 gp; Cost to Create 500gp + 40 XP (Kobold Quarterly 7)
Any humanoid slain by a cavewight rises as a normal wight in 1d4 rounds. (Monster Encyclopaedia 1 Ravagers of the Realms)
Any humanoid slain by a ragged wraith becomes a wraith in 1d4 rounds. (Monster Encyclopaedia 1 Ravagers of the Realms)
After decades or centuries of existence, the animating magics of a vohrahn with the tainted passion of the spirit of undeath and with 7 HD or more have worn a hole between the realms of life and death. The vohrahn’s passion is gone, but its power causes creatures slain by its claw attacks to rise as wights under the vohrahn’s control after 1d4 rounds. (Monster Geographica Plains and Desert)
After decades or centuries of existence, the animating magics of a vohrahn with 7 HD or more and the spirit of undeath power have worn a hole between the realms of life and death. The vohrahn’s passion is gone, but its power causes creatures slain by its claw attacks to rise as wights under the vohrahn’s control after 1d4 rounds. (The Dread Codex)
Create Greater Undead spell. (SRD 3.5)
Animate Undead V spell. (Kobold Quarterly 7)
Animate Undead VI spell. (Kobold Quarterly 7)
Animate Undead VII spell. (Kobold Quarterly 7)
Animate Undead VIII spell. (Kobold Quarterly 7)
Animate Undead IX spell. (Kobold Quarterly 7)
Create Undead feat. (Kobold Quarterly 7)
Create Greater Undead spell. (Complete Divine)
Dread Wraith: The oldest and most malevolent wraiths. (SRD 3.5)
The vampires and dread wraiths are all that remain of Tanneth Silverwright’s companions. (Player's Handbook II)
Any creature slain by a dread wraith sovereign’s Constitution drain or incorporeal touch attack rises as a dread wraith in 1d4 rounds. (Advanced Bestiary)
Animate Undead IX spell. (Kobold Quarterly 7)
Crying Fields. (Eberron Five Nations)
Zombie: Zombies are corpses reanimated through dark and sinister magic. (SRD 3.5)
“Zombie” is an acquired template that can be added to any corporeal creature (other than an undead) that has a skeletal system (referred to hereafter as the base creature). (SRD 3.5)
Creatures killed by a mohrg rise after 1d4 days as zombies. (SRD 3.5)
If a hellwasp swarm inhabits a dead body, it can restore animation to the creature and control its movements, effectively transforming it into a zombie of the appropriate size for as long as the swarm remains inside. (SRD 3.5)
As a standard action, a rot reaver can animate any dead creature within 60 feet that was affected by its wound rot ability within the last 24 hours. Creatures animated by a rot reaver rise as zombies. (Monster Manual III)
As a standard action, a necrothane can animate any dead creature within 60 feet that was affected by its wound rot ability within the last 24 hours. Creatures animated by a necrothane rise as zombies. (Monster Manual III)
Whenever a creature that can acquire the zombie template dies within 20 feet of a graveyard sludge, that creature rises as a zombie 1d4 rounds later. However, the graveyard sludge imparts some of its own unique physiology to the zombie, causing each of the zombie’s natural attacks to deal an extra 1d6 points of acid damage. Any creature slain by a graveyard sludge rises as a zombielike creature with an acidic touch. (Monster Manual V)
Any humanoid slain by a bleakborn becomes a normal zombie in 1d4 rounds. (Libris Mortis)
Any humanoid slain by an undead cloaker’s energy drain (including the host) rises as a zombie 24 hours later. (Libris Mortis)
A pyre elemental can touch the corpse of any once-living corporeal creature within its reach as a free action, animating it as a zombie or skeleton (depending on the condition of the corpse). (Libris Mortis)
Humanoids slain by a Jolly Roger’s cackling touch rise as waterlogged zombies in 24 hours unless the body is blessed and given a traditional burial at sea. (Libris Mortis)
Those who fail a zombie lord's aura of death save by more than 10 die instantly and become zombies. (Libris Mortis)
Once per day, by making a successful touch attack, the zombie lord can attempt to turn a living creature into a zombie under his command. The target must make a Fortitude save. Those who fail are instantly slain, and rise in 1d4 rounds as a zombie under the zombie lord’s command. (Libris Mortis)
Any creature that dies in a tainted area animates in 1d4 hours as an undead creature, usually a zombie of the appropriate size. Burning a corpse protects it from this effect. (Heroes of Horror)
Child of Chemosh Greater Create Spawn ability. (Bestiary of Krynn Revised)
Any humanoid slain by an undead cloaker’s energy drain (including the host) rises as a zombie 24 hours later. (Denizens of Dread)
A pyre elemental can touch the corpse of any once-living corporeal creature within its reach as a free action, animating it as a zombie or skeleton (depending on the condition of the corpse). (Denizens of Dread)
Humanoids slain by a Jolly Roger’s cackling touch rise as waterlogged zombies in 24 hours unless the body is blessed and given a traditional burial at sea. (Denizens of Dread)
Those who fail a zombie lord's aura of death save by more than 10 die instantly and become zombies. (Denizens of Dread)
Once per day, by making a successful touch attack, the zombie lord can attempt to turn a living creature into a zombie under his command. The target must make a Fortitude save. Those who fail are instantly slain, and rise in 1d4 rounds as a zombie under the zombie lord’s command. (Denizens of Dread)
Emerald Reanimator Eldritch Machine magic item. (Eberron Campaign Setting)
Shanjueed Jungle is one of the largest Mabar manifest zones on Eberron. The center of the zone lies in the heart of the forest. It expands slowly each year and now covers a circle nearly as wide as the forest. Within the zone, it is as if Mabar were coterminous with Eberron. In addition, anyone slain in the forest rises as a random type of undead the next night (usually a zombie). (Eberron Secrets of Sarlona)
The spirits of the giants who died in the City of Gold emerge to hunt any who dare trespass on their eternal home. (Eberron Secrets of Xen'Drik)
Many elf slaves also died in the City of Gold, and their restless spirits present just as potent a threat as the undead giants. (Eberron Secrets of Xen'Drik)
Any living creature that dies by violence or disease in Valin Field has a 5% chance of rising as an undead on the second nightfall after its death, unless it is removed from the area. Sentient beings rise as ghouls or ghosts, while nonsentient beings become zombies or ghost brutes. (Eberron The Forge of War)
Magic that removes curses or diseases directed at a spawn of Kyuss can transform all but the most powerful into normal zombies. (Dragon 336)
a Huge or larger creature slain by a worm from a favored spawn of Kyuss becomes a normal zombie of the appropriate size. (Dragon 336)
Most dragons who drink directly from the Well of Dragons are stricken down and die immediately, animating as mindless zombie dragons in 1d4 days. (Dragon 344)
Creatures killed by a shadow mohrg rise after 1d4 days as zombies under its control. They do not possess any of the abilities they had in life. (Elite Opponents Mohrgs)
Creatures killed by a spellstitched mohrg rise after 1d4 days as zombies under its control. They do not possess any of the abilities they had in life. (Elite Opponents Mohrgs)
Creatures killed by the fiendgrafted mohrg rise after 1d4 days as zombies under its control. They do not possess any of the abilities they had in life. (Elite Opponents Mohrgs)
Creatures killed by Kurge rise after 1d4 days as zombies under his control. They do not possess any of the abilities they had in life. (Elite Opponents Mohrgs)
As a standard action, the voidmind rot reaver can animate any dead creature within 60 feet that was affected by his wound rot ability within the last 24 hours. Creatures so animated rise as zombies. The voidmind rot reaver can animate 10 HD worth of undead at any one time, and these don't count against the Hit Dice of undead he can control using his rebuke undead ability. (Fight Club Voidmind Rot Reaver)
As a standard action, the voidmind rot reaver can animate any dead creature within 60 feet that was affected by his wound rot ability within the last 24 hours. Creatures so animated rise as zombies. The voidmind rot reaver fighter 4 can animate 14 HD worth of undead at any one time, and these don't count against the Hit Dice of undead he can control using his rebuke undead ability. (Fight Club Voidmind Rot Reaver)
As a standard action, the voidmind rot reaver fighter 8 can animate any dead creature within 60 feet that was affected by his wound rot ability within the last 24 hours. Creatures so animated rise as zombies. The voidmind rot reaver can animate 18 HD worth of undead at any one time, and these don't count against the Hit Dice of undead he can control using his rebuke undead ability. (Fight Club Voidmind Rot Reaver)
The taint of the dead god Myrkul's power in recent history animated many of the dead drowned beneath the western Mere, creating a profusion of strange undead and many sorts of ghouls, skeletons, and zombies now found in groups wandering the swamp and the lands around, attacking everyone they encounter. (Forgotten Realms Wyrms of the North Voaraghamanthar, "the Black Death")
By day their maker, Holbad the necromancer, has commanded them to conceal themselves in the marshes to avoid the appearance of foul play. (Trove of Treasure Maps)
Once a villain makes this choice, he may seek one of many paths. One of the most straightforward is to use a miracle or wish spell. For reasons known only the Lord of the Underworld himself, the miracle or wish spell does not allow one to become a lich or a vampire, though it does allow one to become a “lower” form of undead, such as a zombie. (Villain Design Handbook)
Deep with an underground maze somewhere in the Principality of Pekal, or so the legend goes, lies a sleeping lich queen and a mysterious black tome of immense power. Modern sages speculate that this queen somehow learned of (or created) a magical ritual that allows a willing spellcaster to transform himself into a reliqus (a powerful self-willed type of skeleton, also known as a “galanam” in Kalamaran).
First, the caster must set up a contingency spell that activates an animate dead. Any of these spells can be obtained from scrolls or items. Immediately after the contingency ceremony, he must also cast a magic jar spell (using his own magical ability). If he does not use the magic jar spell, or unsuccessfully casts it, he arises as a normal undead skeleton (losing all memory, abilities, etc.) rather than gaining the reliqus template. (Villain Design Handbook)
He must enter the receptacle and immediately return to his normal body at the instant of its death, typically accomplished at the hands of an undead or construct. This completes the special ceremony. For the caster to gain the reliqus template, he must have the black onyx gem (for the animate dead) and the receptacle (for the magic jar) on his person, as well as a pair of gemstones of one particular type. These gemstones must be either a pair of amythests (worth at least 50gp each), diamonds (100 gp each), emeralds (75 gp each) or sapphires (150 gp each). (Villain Design Handbook)
Once he dies (any time within the duration of the contingency), he arises in 1d12 hours. Before he arises, over 50% of his flesh must be destroyed (eaten, burned, etc.). This destruction of the body is also typically left to an undead or construct. If the villain still has 50% of his flesh on his body, he gains the zombie template instead. (Villain Design Handbook)
Typically, xenoa are created when a cleric of the Harvester of Souls fails to harvest enough souls before he dies - causing him to return as a lower undead such as a skeleton, zombie or (if he is lucky) a reliqus or xenoa. However, on occasion crazed spellcasters do intentionally perform a certain dark ritual intended to transform them into such a creature. (Villain Design Handbook)
Becoming a xenoa (or “smart zombie,” when translated from Reanaarese to Merchant’s Tongue) works much like becoming a reliqus. First, the caster must set up a contingency spell that activates an animate dead. Either of these spells can be obtained from scrolls or items. Immediately after the contingency ceremony, he must also cast a magic jar spell (using his own magical ability). If he does not use the magic jar spell, or unsuccessfully casts it, he arises as a normal zombie (losing all memory, abilities, etc.) rather than gaining the xenoa (pronounced zee-know-uh) template. (Villain Design Handbook)
Any creature killed by a dread mohrg rises as a zombie in 1d4 days. (Advanced Bestiary)
After decades or centuries of existence, certain vohrahn’s animating magics have worn a hole between the realms of life and death. The vohrahn’s passion is gone, but its power causes creatures slain by its claw attacks to rise as zombies under the vohrahn’s control after 1d4 rounds. They do not possess any of the abilities they had in life. A vohrahn with 7 or more HD can raise creatures as wights, instead. (Complete Book of Denizens)
Any creature killed by Constitution damage from the ka spirit’s rotting possession ability rises as a zombie under the ka spirit’s control after 1d4 rounds. (Complete Minions)
For several minutes after the bleak crow captures a soul, its plumage becomes luminescent, emitting a soft, eerie light and giving the bird an almost ghostly appearance. The body of an individual whose soul is thus captured rises as a mindless undead creature under the Crow’s control. (Creature Collection III)
As a standard action, a bleak crow can capture the soul of a dying or recently dead creature within 30 feet. The soul of any creature that has been dead for less than 1 hour is eligible to be captured, but the crow must be able to see the body to use this ability. The crow makes a Will save with a DC equal to its target’s total HD during life. If this check succeeds, the crow captures the soul, and the body immediately rises as an undead servant of the crow. (Creature Collection III)
The undead servant is identical with a zombie of equal size. (Creature Collection III)
Any animal, giant, humanoid, or monstrous humanoid corpse with less than two class levels and within a dirgewood's foul influence range that remains in contact with the ground for 1 full round is animated into a zombie or skeleton. (Creature Collection III)
An opponent slain in any way by the Gray Man other than by energy drain animates as a zombie under the Gray Man’s control 1d4 rounds after being slain. (Creature Collection III)
Living creatures killed by a deadwood tree will rise in 1d6 rounds as zombies. (Creatures of Freeport)
Living creatures killed by a thanatos's energy drain will rise in 1d4 rounds as zombies. (Creatures of Freeport)
A zombie requires an intact, or nearly intact, fleshy corpse. A dismembered corpse can be stitched back together with a DC 15 Heal check, but all body parts must come from the same corpse.
Caster level equal to half the HD of the zombie, Create Undead, gentle repose; Market Price 50 gp/HD; Cost to Create 25 gp and 2 XP/HD (Kobold Quarterly 7)
When you imagine a zombie, I imagine you picture a shambling, rotting corpse animated by the forces of necromancy. It will help us both if you put that image to one side for now – yes, what you believe is certainly true, but it is only a part of what I mean when I talk of the Risen. (Lords of the Night: Zombies)
Serum is made from the brain fluid of dead creatures, combined with other sensitive internal organs. It is brewed slowly over the course of twenty four hours along with various other ingredients to a total of 50 gp. To complete the process, the alchemist must make a Craft (alchemy) check (DC 25). A failed check incorrectly brews the Serum and while it may still be used, it may have undesired results. Depending on the degree by which the check was failed: the corpse could remain dormant; it could be animated as a mundane zombie, or worse: it could return as a Hollow One. (Lords of the Night: Zombies)
If frost zombies are placed in warmer climes, they lose 1 hit point per minute until they collapse, rising 1d6 rounds later as a standard zombie. (Lords of the Night: Zombies)
There are many types of zombie, each created differently. While most are corpses held together by magic, this is not always the case. The form of creation determines how long a zombie will remain in existence. Zombies animated by magic can last considerably longer than those created by a disease or through more natural means. (Lords of the Night: Zombies)
A character reduced to -1 hit points from the Black Shivering, rises up as a standard zombie in 1d3 days. (Lords of the Night: Zombies)
A character that dies while suffering from Contagion rises up as a standard zombie within 1d4 days. (Lords of the Night: Zombies)
A character reduced to 0 Constitution from the Entropy disease, rises up as a standard zombie in 24 hours. (Lords of the Night: Zombies)
Ether zombie's Echoes of Life power. (Lords of the Night: Zombies)
Any humanoid killed by the ka spirit’s rotting possession ability rises again as an undead in 1d4 rounds. Spawn are under the command of the ka spirit. Treat these unfortunates as standard zombies or skeletons, with none of the abilities they formerly had in life. (Lore of the Gods)
Anyone killed by a batyuk’s thunderbolts is instantly animated as a zombie under the batyuk’s control. (Monster Encyclopaedia 1 Ravagers of the Realms)
While under the mud, the zombies of a patch of grasping hands are functionally a single entity; but if dragged up into the light, they revert to being normal zombies. (Monster Encyclopaedia 1 Ravagers of the Realms)
Any creature killed by Constitution damage from the ka spirit’s rotting possession ability rises as a zombie under the ka spirit’s control after 1d4 rounds. It does not possess any of the abilities it had in life. (Monster Geographica Underground)
The corpse of an unfortunate victim trapped in an iron maiden golem is transformed into an undead being similar to a zombie. (Monster Geographica Underground)
Any humanoid slain by a vampiric ooze’s energy drain becomes a zombie in 1d4 rounds. (Monster Geographica Marsh and Aquatic)
Any animal, giant, humanoid, or monstrous humanoid corpse within range of a deadwood's foul influence that remains in contact with the ground for 1 full round is animated as a skeleton or zombie. (Monster Geographica Forest)
As a standard action, a spirit rook can capture the soul of a dying or recently dead creature within 30 feet. The soul of any creature that has been dead for less than 1 hour is eligible to be captured, but the rook must be able to see the body to use this ability. The rook makes a Will save with a DC equal to its target’s total HD during life. If this check succeeds, the rook captures the soul, and the body immediately rises as an undead servant of the rook. (Monster Geographica Plains and Desert)
The undead servant is identical with a zombie of equal size (see the “Zombie” template in the MM), but with a number of bonus hit points equal to the victim’s total HD when it was alive. Due to the spiritual link between the spirit rook and the body of the captured soul, the servant also gains the benefit of the spirit rook’s damage reduction and spell resistance as long as it remains within 30 feet of the rook. (Monster Geographica Plains and Desert)
On a successful swordpod attack, a swordtree’s victim is implanted with a swordseed. The seed itself does no damage to its host. However, when the creature dies, it rises after three days as a zombie of the same size as the original creature. This zombie is drawn to the nearest iron-rich location at least one mile from another swordtree, where it buries itself; a sapling swordtree springs from the earth within one month. (Monster Geographica Plains and Desert)
After decades or centuries of existence, the animating magics of a vohrahn with the tainted passion of the spirit of undeath have worn a hole between the realms of life and death. The vohrahn’s passion is gone, but its power causes creatures slain by its claw attacks to rise as zombies under the vohrahn’s control after 1d4 rounds. (Monster Geographica Plains and Desert)
Any avian creature slain by a poultrygeist’s Wisdom drain rises as a zombie in 1d4 rounds. (Octavirate Presents Lethal Lexicon 2)
Any humanoid slain by a rhythmic dead becomes a zombie in 1d4 rounds. (Octavirate Presents Lethal Lexicon 2)
Living creatures killed by a deadwood tree rise in 16 rounds as zombies. (The Dread Codex)
Living creatures killed by a thanatos' energy drain rise in 1d4 rounds as zombies. (The Dread Codex)
Any animal, giant, humanoid, or monstrous humanoid corpse within range of a tree of woe's foul influence that remains in contact with the ground for 1 full round is animated into a skeleton or zombie. (The Dread Codex)
After decades or centuries of existence, the animating magics of a vohrahn with the spirit of undeath power have worn a hole between the realms of life and death. The vohrahn’s passion is gone, but its power causes creatures slain by its claw attacks to rise as zombies under the vohrahn’s control after 1d4 rounds. (The Dread Codex)
When a ship sinks beneath the waves, it and its entire crew may return as ghostly wanderers, especially if the captain and crew had a less than scrupulous profession (as pirates, for example). A sunken ship of this nature may undergo a transformation from the negative energy and evil surrounding it. When this happens, the ship rises from the deep, piloted by a draug and manned by skeletons, brine zombies, zombies, and lacedons. (Tome of Horrors Revised)
Any humanoid slain by a vampiric ooze becomes a zombie in 1d4 rounds. (Tome of Horrors Revised)
Although standard iron golems have a breath weapon, an iron maiden does not; it has the ability to usurp the essence of any humanoid being enclosed within, however. The corpse of the unfortunate victim trapped in the iron maiden golem is transformed into an undead being similar to a zombie.
Once a victim trapped within an iron maiden has died, it reanimates as a zombie in the next round (as if by an animate dead spell). It cannot escape, however, and serves only to fuel the iron maiden and provide it with skills and abilities. While it is trapped, the zombie cannot be attacked, damaged, turned, rebuked, or commanded, and it doesn’t suffer any damage from the bladed lid. If the lid of the golem is somehow forced open, the zombie has the normal abilities of a Medium zombie (as detailed in the MM). The victim of an iron maiden golem must be alive when it is placed inside and the lid is closed or the golem’s animate host ability fails. (Tome of Horrors II).
Animate Dead spell. (SRD 3.5)
Greater Seed of Undeath spell. (Complete Mage)
Plague of Undead spell. (Libris Mortis)
Plague of Undead spell. (Heroes of Horror)
Plague of Undead spell. (Spell Compendium)
Seed of Undeath spell. (Complete Mage)
Animate Undead I spell. (Kobold Quarterly 7)
Animate Undead II spell. (Kobold Quarterly 7)
Animate Undead III spell. (Kobold Quarterly 7)
Animate Undead IV spell. (Kobold Quarterly 7)
Animate Undead V spell. (Kobold Quarterly 7)
Animate Undead VI spell. (Kobold Quarterly 7)
Animate Undead VII spell. (Kobold Quarterly 7)
Animate Undead VIII spell. (Kobold Quarterly 7)
Animate Undead IX spell. (Kobold Quarterly 7)
Corpse Soldiers spell. (Behind the Spells: Animate Dead)
Mark of Thralldom spell. (The Player's Guide to Arcanis)
My Life for Yours spell. (The Dread Codex)
Puppets of Death spell. (Complete Guide to Liches)
Power Word Reanimate spell. (Lords of the Night: Zombies)
Rite of Returning spell. (Lords of the Night: Zombies)
The Dead Walk warlock lesser invocation. (Complete Arcane)
Create Undead feat. (Kobold Quarterly 7)
Zone of Animation feat. (Complete Divine)
Animating weapon quality. (Behind the Spells: Animate Dead)
Kobold Zombie: ?
Human Commoner Zombie: ?
Troglodyte Zombie: ?
Bugbear Zombie: ?
Ogre Zombie: ?
Minotaur Zombie: ?
Wyvern Zombie: ?
Umber Hulk Zombie: ?
Gray Render Zombie: ?

3.5 WotC

Spoiler

SRDs

Spoiler

SRD 3.5:

Spoiler

Undead: Undead are once-living creatures animated by spiritual or supernatural forces.
Allip: An allip is the spectral remains of someone driven to suicide by a madness that afflicted it in life.
Devourer: ?
Create Greater Undead spell.
Ghost: Ghosts are the spectral remnants of intelligent beings who, for one reason or another, cannot rest easily in their graves.
“Ghost” is an acquired template that can be added to any aberration, animal, dragon, giant, humanoid, magical beast, monstrous humanoid, or plant. The creature (referred to hereafter as the base creature) must have a Charisma score of at least 6.
Ghoul: An afflicted humanoid with less than 4 HD who dies of ghoul fever rises as a ghoul at the next midnight.
Create Undead spell.
Lacedon: ?
Ghast: An afflicted humanoid with 4 or more HD who dies of ghoul fever rises as a ghast at the next midnight.
Create Undead spell.
Lich: A lich is an undead spellcaster, usually a wizard or sorcerer but sometimes a cleric or other spellcaster, who has used its magical powers to unnaturally extend its life.
“Lich” is an acquired template that can be added to any humanoid creature provided it can create the required phylactery.
The process of becoming a lich is unspeakably evil and can be undertaken only by a willing character.
An integral part of becoming a lich is creating a magic phylactery in which the character stores its life force.
Each lich must make its own phylactery, which requires the Craft Wondrous Item feat. The character must be able to cast spells and have a caster level of 11th or higher. The phylactery costs 120,000 gp and 4,800 XP to create and has a caster level equal to that of its creator at the time of creation.
As the quintessential “self-made” undead, a lich is a spellcaster who becomes undead through a complex ritual that takes years of research and careful experimentation. This involves the creation of a phylactery, a vessel to contain the lich’s essence.
The process requires Craft Wondrous Item, 120,000 gp, and 4,800 XP. Discovering the proper formulas and incantations to create a phylactery requires a DC 35 Knowledge (arcane) or Knowledge (religion) check. This check requires 1d4 full months of research. Note that this check represents starting from scratch and can be bypassed entirely if the knowledge is available (such as through a tome or tutor).
Perhaps the most common form of the accompanying ritual for arcane liches—although not the only one—involves the spells create undead, magic jar, and permanency.
Mohrg: Mohrgs are the animated corpses of mass murderers or similar villains who died without atoning for their crimes.
Create Undead spell.
Mummy: Mummies are preserved corpses animated through the auspices of dark desert gods best forgotten.
Create Undead spell.
Mummy Lord: Unusually powerful or evil individuals preserved as mummies sometimes rise as greater mummies after death. Most are sworn to defend for eternity the resting place of those whom they served in life, but in some cases a mummy lord’s unliving state is the result of a terrible curse or rite designed to punish treason, infidelity, or crimes of an even more abhorrent nature.
Nightshade: Nightshades are powerful undead composed of equal parts darkness and absolute evil.
Nightcrawler: ?
Nightwalker: ?
Nightwing: ?
Shadow: Any humanoid reduced to Strength 0 by a shadow becomes a shadow within 1d4 rounds.
Create Greater Undead spell.
Shadow Greater: ?
Skeleton: Skeletons are the animated bones of the dead, mindless automatons that obey the orders of their evil masters.
“Skeleton” is an acquired template that can be added to any corporeal creature (other than an undead) that has a skeletal system.
Animate Dead spell.
Human Warrior Skeleton: ?
Wolf Skeleton: ?
Owlbear Skeleton: ?
Troll Skeleton: ?
Chimera Skeleton: ?
Ettin Skeleton: ?
Advanced Megaraptor Skeleton: ?
Cloud Giant Skeleton: ?
Young Adult Red Dragon Skeleton: ?
Spectre: Any humanoid slain by a spectre becomes a spectre in 1d4 rounds.
Create Greater Undead spell.
Vampire: “Vampire” is an acquired template that can be added to any humanoid or monstrous humanoid creature (referred to hereafter as the base creature).
If a vampire drains a victim’s Constitution to 0 or lower, the victim returns as a vampire if it had 5 or more HD.
Vampire Spawn: Vampire spawn are undead creatures that come into being when vampires slay mortals.
A humanoid or monstrous humanoid slain by a vampire’s energy drain rises as a vampire spawn 1d4 days after burial.
If a vampire drains a victim’s Constitution to 0 or lower, the victim returns as a spawn if it had 4 or less HD.
Wight: Any humanoid slain by a wight becomes a wight in 1d4 rounds.
A character with negative levels at least equal to her current level, or drained below 1st level, is instantly slain. Depending on the creature that killed her, she may rise the next night as a monster of that kind. If not, she rises as a wight.
Wraith: Wraiths are incorporeal creatures born of evil and darkness.
Any humanoid slain by a wraith becomes a 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 dread wraith becomes a wraith in 1d4 rounds. Its body remains intact and inanimate, but its spirit is torn free from its corpse and transformed.
Create Greater Undead spell.
Dread Wraith: The oldest and most malevolent wraiths.
Zombie: Zombies are corpses reanimated through dark and sinister magic.
“Zombie” is an acquired template that can be added to any corporeal creature (other than an undead) that has a skeletal system (referred to hereafter as the base creature).
Creatures killed by a mohrg rise after 1d4 days as zombies.
If a hellwasp swarm inhabits a dead body, it can restore animation to the creature and control its movements, effectively transforming it into a zombie of the appropriate size for as long as the swarm remains inside.
Animate Dead spell.
Kobold Zombie: ?
Human Commoner Zombie: ?
Troglodyte Zombie: ?
Bugbear Zombie: ?
Ogre Zombie: ?
Minotaur Zombie: ?
Wyvern Zombie: ?
Umber Hulk Zombie: ?
Gray Render Zombie: ?

Animate Dead
Necromancy [Evil]
Level: Clr 3, Death 3, Sor/Wiz 4
Components: V, S, M
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Touch
Targets: One or more corpses touched
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: No
This spell turns the bones or bodies of dead creatures into undead skeletons or zombies that follow your spoken commands.
The undead can follow you, or they can remain in an area and attack any creature (or just a specific kind of creature) entering the place. They remain animated until they are destroyed. (A destroyed skeleton or zombie can’t be animated again.)
Regardless of the type of undead you create with this spell, you can’t create more HD of undead than twice your caster level with a single casting of animate dead. (The desecrate spell doubles this limit)
The undead you create remain under your control indefinitely. No matter how many times you use this spell, however, you can control only 4 HD worth of undead creatures per caster level. If you exceed this number, all the newly created creatures fall under your control, and any excess undead from previous castings become uncontrolled. (You choose which creatures are released.) If you are a cleric, any undead you might command by virtue of your power to command or rebuke undead do not count toward the limit.
Skeletons: A skeleton can be created only from a mostly intact corpse or skeleton. The corpse must have bones. If a skeleton is made from a corpse, the flesh falls off the bones.
Zombies: A zombie can be created only from a mostly intact corpse. The corpse must be that of a creature with a true anatomy.
Material Component: You must place a black onyx gem worth at least 25 gp per Hit Die of the undead into the mouth or eye socket of each corpse you intend to animate. The magic of the spell turns these gems into worthless, burned-out shells.

Create Undead
Necromancy [Evil]
Level: Clr 6, Death 6, Evil 6, Sor/Wiz 6
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
A much more potent spell than animate dead, this evil spell allows you to create more powerful sorts of undead: ghouls, ghasts, mummies, and mohrgs. The type or types of undead you can create is based on your caster level, as shown on the table below.
Caster Level Undead Created
11th or lower Ghoul
12th–14th Ghast
15th–17th Mummy
18th or higher Mohrg
You may create less powerful undead than your level would allow if you choose. Created undead are not automatically under the control of their animator. If you are capable of commanding undead, you may attempt to command the undead creature as it forms.
This spell must be cast at night.
Material Component: A clay pot filled with grave dirt and another filled with brackish water. The spell must be cast on a dead body. You must place a black onyx gem worth at least 50 gp per HD of the undead to be created into the mouth or eye socket of each corpse. The magic of the spell turns these gems into worthless shells.

Create Greater Undead
Necromancy [Evil]
Level: Clr 8, Death 8, Sor/Wiz 8
This spell functions like create undead, except that you can create more powerful and intelligent sorts of undead: shadows, wraiths, spectres, and devourers. The type or types of undead you can create is based on your caster level, as shown on the table below.
Caster Level Undead Created
15th or lower Shadow
16th–17th Wraith
18th–19th Spectre
20th or higher Devourer

3.5 Psionics SRD:

Spoiler

Undead Psionic Creature: ?
Caller in Darkness: A caller in darkness is an incorporeal creature composed of the minds of dozens of victims who died together in terror.
Caller in Darkness: A caller in darkness is an incorporeal creature composed of the minds of dozens of victims who died together in terror. (Psionics Unbound)

3.5 Epic SRD:

Spoiler

Atropal: ?
Demilich: “Demilich” is a template that can be added to any lich.
A demilich’s form is concentrated into a single portion of its original body, usually its skull. Part of the process of becoming a demilich includes the incorporation of costly gems into the retained body part.
The process of becoming a demilich can be undertaken only by a lich acting of its own free will.
Each demilich must make its own soul gems, which requires the Craft Wondrous Item feat. The lich must be a sorcerer, wizard, or cleric of at least 21st level. Each soul gem costs 120,000 gp and 4,800 XP to create and has a caster level equal to that of its creator at the time of creation. Soul gems appear as egg-shaped gems of wondrous quality. They are always incorporated directly into the concentrated form of the demilich.
Hunefer: ?
Lavawight: Any humanoid slain by a shape of fire becomes a lavawight in 1d4 rounds.
Shadow of the Void: ?
Shape of Fire: ?
Winterwight: Any humanoid slain by a shadow of the void becomes a winterwight in 1d4 rounds.

Mummy 18 HD: A creature afflicted with hunefer rot that dies shrivels away into sand unless both remove disease and raise dead (or better) are cast on the remains within 2 rounds. If the remains are not so treated, on the third round the dust swirls and forms an 18 HD mummy with the dead foe’s equipment under the hunefer’s command. (srd 3.5 epic)
A creature afflicted with hunefer rot that dies shrivels away into sand unless both remove disease and raise dead (or better) are cast on the remains within 2 rounds. If the remains are not so treated, on the third round the dust swirls and forms an 18 HD mummy with the dead foe’s equipment under the hunefer’s command. (Epic Monsters)
Mummy Dust epic spell (srd 3.5 epic)

Spectre: Living creatures in an atropal’s negative energy aura are treated as having ten negative levels unless they have some sort of negative energy protection or protection from evil. Creatures with 10 or fewer HD or levels perish (and, at the atropal’s option, rise as spectres under the atropal’s command 1 minute later).

Mummy Dust
Necromancy [Evil]
Spellcraft DC: 35
Components: V, S ,M, XP
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Touch
Effect: Two 18-HD mummies
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: No
To Develop: 315,000 gp; 7 days; 12,600 XP. Seed: animate dead (DC 23). Factors: 1-action casting time (+20 DC). Mitigating factors: burn 400 XP (–4 DC), expensive material component (ad hoc –4 DC).
When the character sprinkles the dust of ground mummies in conjunction with casting mummy dust, two Large 18-HD mummies (see below) spring up from the dust in an area adjacent to the character. The mummies follow the character’s every command according to their abilities, until they are destroyed or the character loses control of them by attempting to control more Hit Dice of undead than he or she has caster levels.
Material Component: Specially prepared mummy dust (10,000 gp).
XP Cost: 2,000 XP.
Mummy, Advanced: CR 8; Large undead; HD 18d12+3; hp 120; Init -1; Spd 20 ft.; AC 20, touch 8, flat-footed 20; Base Atk +9; Grp +24; Atk +20 melee (1d8+16 plus mummy rot); Full Atk +20 melee (1d8+16 plus mummy rot); Space/Reach 10 ft./10 ft.; SA Despair, mummy rot; SQ Damage reduction 5/–, darkvision 60 ft., undead traits, vulnerability to fire; AL LE; SV Fort +8, Ref +7, Will +13; Str 32, Dex 8, Con --, Int 6, Wis 14, Cha 15. Skills and Feats: Hide -5, Listen +9, Move Silently +10, Spot +9; Alertness, Blind-Fight, Great Fortitude, Lightning Reflexes, Power Attack, Toughness, Weapon Focus (slam).
Despair (Su): At the sight of a mummy, the viewer must succeed at a Will save (DC 21), or be paralyzed with fear for 1d4 rounds. Whether or not the save is successful, that creature cannot be affected again by that mummy’s despair ability for one day. Mummy Rot (Su): Supernatural disease—slam, Fortitude save (DC 21), incubation period 1 minute; damage 1d6 Con and 1d6 Cha. The save DC is Charisma-based. Unlike normal diseases, mummy rot continues until the victim reaches Constitution 0 (and dies) or is cured as described below. Mummy rot is a powerful curse, not a natural disease. A character attempting to cast any conjuration (healing) spell on a creature afflicted with mummy rot must succeed on a DC 20 caster level check, or the spell has no effect on the afflicted character. To eliminate mummy rot, the curse must first be broken with break enchantment or remove curse (requiring a DC 20 caster level check for either spell), after which a caster level check is no longer necessary to cast healing spells on the victim, and the mummy rot can be magically cured as any normal disease.
An afflicted creature who dies of mummy rot shrivels away into sand and dust that blow away into nothing at the first wind.

WotC Books

Spoiler

Monster Manual:

Spoiler

Undead: Undead are once-living creatures animated by spiritual or supernatural forces.
Allip: An allip is the spectral remains of someone driven to suicide by a madness that afflicted it in life.
Bodak: Bodaks are the undead remnants of humanoids who have been destroyed by the touch of absolute evil.
Humanoids who die from this attack are transformed into bodaks 24 hours later.
Devourer: ?
Ghost: Ghosts are the spectral remnants of intelligent beings who, for one reason or another, cannot rest easily in their graves.
“Ghost” is an acquired template that can be added to any aberration, animal, dragon, giant, humanoid, magical beast, monstrous humanoid, or plant. The creature must have a Charisma score of at least 6.
Ghost Human Fighter 5: ?
Ghoul: Ghouls are said to be created upon the death of a living man or woman who savored the taste of the flesh of people. This assertion may or may not be true, but it does explain the disgusting behavior of these anthropophagous undead. Some believe that anyone of exceptional debauchery and wickedness runs the risk of becoming a ghoul.
An afflicted humanoid who dies of ghoul fever rises as a ghoul at the next midnight. A humanoid of 4 Hit Dice or more rises as a ghast, not a ghoul.
Ghoul Fever.
Lacedon: ?
Ghast: An afflicted humanoid who dies of ghoul fever rises as a ghoul at the next midnight. A humanoid of 4 Hit Dice or more rises as a ghast, not a ghoul.
Ghoul Fever.
Lich: A lich is an undead spellcaster, usually a wizard or sorcerer but sometimes a cleric or other spellcaster, who has used its magical powers to unnaturally extend its life.
Even the least of these creatures was a powerful person in life, so they often are draped in once-grand clothing.
“Lich” is an acquired template that can be added to any humanoid creature, provided it can create the required phylactery.
The process of becoming a lich is unspeakably evil and can be undertaken only by a willing character.
An integral part of becoming a lich is creating a magic phylactery in which the character stores its life force.
Each lich must make its own phylactery, which requires the Craft Wondrous Item feat. The character must be able to cast spells and have a caster level of 11th or higher. The phylactery costs 120,000 gp and 4,800 XP to create and has a caster level equal to that of its creator at the time of creation.
The most common form of phylactery is a sealed metal box containing strips of parchment on which magical phrases have been transcribed. The box is Tiny and has 40 hit points, hardness 20, and a break DC of 40. Other forms of phylacteries can exist, such as rings, amulets, or similar items.
Lich Human Wizard 11: ?
Crying Fields. (Eberron Five Nations)
Lich Nonhumanoid: ?
Mohrg: Mohrgs are reahe animated corpses of mass murderers or similar villains who died without atoning for their crimes.
Mummy: Mummies are preserved corpses animated through the auspices of dark desert gods best forgotten.
Mummy Lord: Unusually powerful or evil individuals preserved as mummies sometimes rise as greater mummies after death.
Most are sworn to defend for eternity the resting place of those whom they served in life, but in some cases a mummy lord’s unliving state is the result of a terrible curse or rite designed to punish treason, infidelity, or crimes of an even more abhorrent nature.
Nightshade: Nightshades are powerful undead composed of equal parts darkness and absolute evil.
Nightcrawler: ?
Nightwalker: ?
Nightwing: ?
Shadow: Any humanoid reduced to Strength 0 by a shadow becomes a shadow under the control of its killer within 1d4 rounds.
Greater Shadow: ?
Skeleton: Skeletons are the animated bones of the dead, mindless automatons that obey the orders of their evil masters.
“Skeleton” is an acquired template that can be added to any corporeal creature (other than an undead) that has a skeletal system.
Human Warrior Skeleton: ?
Wolf Skeleton: ?
Owlbear Skeleton: ?
Troll Skeleton: ?
Chimera Skeleton: ?
Ettin Skeleton: ?
Advanced Megaraptor Skeleton: ?
Cloud Giant Skeleton: ?
Young Adult Red Dragon Skeleton: ?
Spectre: Any humanoid slain by a spectre becomes a spectre in 1d4 rounds.
Vampire: “Vampire” is an acquired template that can be added to any humanoid or monstrous humanoid creature.
A humanoid or monstrous humanoid slain by a vampire’s energy 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.
Vampire Human Fighter 5: ?
The vampires and dread wraiths are all that remain of Tanneth Silverwright’s companions. (Player's Handbook II)
Crying Fields. (Eberron Five Nations)
Vampire Half-Elf Monk 9/Shadowdancer 4: ?
The vampires and dread wraiths are all that remain of Tanneth Silverwright’s companions. (Player's Handbook II)
Vampire Spawn: Vampire spawn are undead creatures that come into being when vampires slay mortals.
A humanoid or monstrous humanoid slain by a vampire’s energy 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.
Wight: Wights are undead creatures given a semblance of life through sheer violence and hatred.
Any humanoid slain by a wight becomes a wight in 1d4 rounds.
Wraith: Wraiths are incorporeal creatures born of evil and darkness.
Any humanoid slain by a wraith becomes a 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 dread wraith becomes a wraith in 1d4 rounds. Its body remains intact and inanimate, but its spirit is torn free from its corpse and transformed.
Dreadwraith: The oldest and most malevolent wraiths.
Zombie: Zombies are corpses reanimated through dark and sinister magic.
“Zombie” is an acquired template that can be added to any corporeal creature (other than an undead) that has a skeletal system
Creatures killed by a mohrg rise after 1d4 days as zombies under the morhg’s control.
Kobold Zombie: ?
Human Commoner Zombie: ?
Troglodyte Zombie: ?
Bugbear Zombie: ?
Ogre Zombie: ?
Minotaur Zombie: ?
Wyvern Zombie: ?
Umber Hulk Zombie: ?
Gray Render Zombie: ?

Ghoul Fever (Su): Disease—bite, Fortitude DC 12, incubation period 1 day, damage 1d3 Con and 1d3 Dex. The save DC is Charisma-based.
An afflicted humanoid who dies of ghoul fever rises as a ghoul at the next midnight. A humanoid who becomes a ghoul in this way retains none of the abilities it possessed in life. It is not under the control of any other ghouls, but it hungers for the flesh of the living and behaves like a normal ghoul in all respects. A humanoid of 4 Hit Dice or more rises as a ghast, not a ghoul.

Monster Manual III:

Spoiler

Boneclaw: The lore of the dead does not reveal from what dark necromancer’s laboratory or fell nether plane boneclaws entered the world. Perhaps they merely “evolved” from lesser forms.
Droaamite necromancers working for the Daughters of Sora Kell have learned how to transform ogre magi skeletons into boneclaws.
Rumors persist that Szass Tam, the zulkir of necromancy in Thay, created the first boneclaws to protect Thayan enclaves. However, boneclaws have been encountered in the service of various liches and necromancers across Faerûn. Some necromancers speak of a night hag who visits them in their dark dreams, trading the secrets of boneclaw creation for some “gift” to be named later.
Created as an immortal weapon, only the most abominable rituals birth boneclaws. The rite calls for the skeletons of Large, magic-using, humanoid-shaped creatures (such as ogre magi and certain types of hags). It infuses them with negative energy, strips them of most of their remaining flesh, and grafts additional bones to their body—mostly around the fingers. These additional bones must be cut from the flesh of living victims. (Dragon 336)
This rite requires the spells create undead (caster level 15+) and greater magic fang. (Dragon 336)
Bonedrinker: Terrible undead created in a horrid ritual reminiscent of mummy creation, bonedrinkers wander the dark places of the world, seeking new creatures to feed upon. Hobgoblin wizards originally developed the ritual to create these monstrosities, using the fallen corpses of goblin and bugbear warriors to create the first lesser bonedrinkers and bonedrinkers. The tradition of using bugbears and goblins became habit, and nearly all bonedrinkers previously lived as one of these two goblinoid races. In theory, other humanoid creatures could be converted into bonedrinkers, but this would require twisting and adapting the original ritual.
The ritual that turns a bugbear corpse into a bonedrinker requires the create undead spell cast by a caster of 15th level or higher with 10 or more ranks in Knowledge (religion). These rituals are typically known only to hobgoblin wizards and clerics, though the secret has undoubtedly spread to other races over the years.
Many hobgoblin warlords and their bodyguards became bonedrinkers as a result of unorthodox burial rituals.
Bonedrinker Lesser: Lesser bonedrinkers result from applying the necromantic bonedrinker ritual to goblins.
The ritual that turns a bugbear corpse into a bonedrinker requires the create undead spell cast by a caster of 15th level or higher with 10 or more ranks in Knowledge (religion). Transforming a goblin corpse into a lesser bonedrinker is a similar but less exacting process, requiring create undead cast by a caster of 12th level or higher with 7 or more ranks in Knowledge (religion). These rituals are typically known only to hobgoblin wizards and clerics, though the secret has undoubtedly spread to other races over the years.
Charnel Hound: Charnel hounds are a stunning achievement of some crazed necromancer or god of death.
The first charnel hound formed from the corpses of one particular cemetery, located behind a secret shrine to Nerull the Reaper. (Dragon 336)
No longer the province of deities alone, mortal spellcasters have unlocked the secrets to charnel hound creation. (Dragon 336)
The ritual requires 200 corpses, the spell create greater undead (caster level 20+), and unholy unguents worth 15,000 gp (in addition to the standard components of the spell). (Dragon 336)
On occasion, charnel hounds arise without a mortal creator, spawned by the vile will of a deity even as the first such horror was created by Nerull. (Dragon 336)
Crying Fields. (Eberron Five Nations)
Deathshrieker: The deathshrieker is an undead spirit that embodies the horrible cries and shrieks of the dying as they utter their last gasps of life. It roams lonely and forgotten battlefields, charnel houses, or sites of terrible plagues, filling the air with its mournful and soul-sapping screams. It relives the final moments of those who have died from slow, agonizing deaths due to violence, disease, or some other tragedy. Typically, the larger the death and despair of an area, the larger the deathshrieker, although relatively small areas that hosted truly despicable acts of violence can bring one into being as well.
Deathshrieker Advanced: Truly cataclysmic battles sometimes spawn deathshriekers of incredible power.
Drowned: The drowned lost their lives in the watery deep. The evidence of their gasping death always saturates their clothing and flesh, and fills the air around them. Many drowned came to their current circumstances when their ships went down at sea with all hands. Others, more ancient, first arose when their island homes sank beneath the waves ages ago, drowning all.
Clearly, not all who drown become undead. Drowned appear when people perish beneath the waves specifically due to the actions (or negligence) of others. A ship that sinks due to storm damage does not transform those onboard into drowned, but one that sinks because of sabotage or pirates might. The earliest drowned formed when an entire island sank because of the foolish efforts of a powerful mage to enslave the sea god, and it is his curse that continues to form these undead today. (Dragon 336)
Dust Wight: Dust wights are hateful creatures formed by a conjunction of elemental earth and negative energy.
Ephemeral Swarm: Ephemeral swarms are the ghostly collections of many little creatures that suffered a common death. Just as when a spirit of a particular creature lingers on as a ghost, when many small creatures die a violent death, they may linger on as a vengeful ephemeral swarm. The undead swarm is composed of the psychic agony and anguish of the newly departed.
Ephemeral swarms sometimes manifest in cities recovering from a terrible animal or vermin infestation. These undead swarms are the remnants of one or more swarms that were previously exterminated.
Grimweird: Grimweirds are weak, withered, paranoid former humanoids who have tapped into the energy of the Negative Energy Plane.
Necronaut: Necronauts are created by demons on plains of bones in the Abyss.
Necronauts form near sinister planar rifts that haunt the Mournland.
Plague Spewer: ?
they are rumored to be the undead remains of giants whom the great dragons of Argonnessen cursed with a foul plague.
Salt Mummy: Salt mummies are preserved corpses of ancient humanoids who were accidentally buried too close to veins of white, brittle salt. Of course, salt alone is not sufficient to suffuse a body with undead vigor; often, such a creature has taken a great sin with it to its subterranean grave, the horror of which eventually creates a linkage to the Negative Energy Plane.
Clerics of the Blood of Vol sometimes seal the corpses of slain assassins, corrupt officials, and criminals in caskets packed with salt in hopes of spurring the transformation of those corpses into salt mummies. Most salt mummies, however, are found underground—the remains of evil adventurers, goblinoids, and other humanoid creatures killed in Khyber and ravaged by the salt deposits.
Vasuthant: ?
Although their empire perished more than ten thousand years before Dale reckoning, the remains of many Aryvandaar sorcerers continue to haunt their empire’s ancient ruins as vasuthants—ambitious, power-hungry sun elves consumed by utter darkness.
Vasuthant Horrific: A horrific vasuthant has grown massive and terrifying after centuries of absorbing life energy.

Zombie: As a standard action, a rot reaver can animate any dead creature within 60 feet that was affected by its wound rot ability within the last 24 hours. Creatures animated by a rot reaver rise as zombies.
As a standard action, a necrothane can animate any dead creature within 60 feet that was affected by its wound rot ability within the last 24 hours. Creatures animated by a necrothane rise as zombies.

Monster Manual IV:

Spoiler

Bloodhulk: Bloodhulks are corpses reanimated through an infusion of the blood of innocent victims in a dark and horrible ritual. Their bloated bodies are filled with viscous gore and unholy fluids, providing them with the endurance to absorb an amazing amount of punishment before falling.
A bloodhulk is created through a foul ritual that saturates a creature’s flesh with the blood of sacrificed victims.
Creating a bloodhulk requires a ritual of bloody sacrifice culminating in a spell of animation. Most living corporeal beings can be made into these horrors.
The animate dead spell normally allows the creation of only skeletons and zombies. It can also create bloodhulks, though the process is more difficult.
• You can create bloodhulk warriors, giants, or crushers based solely on the size of the corpse you wish to animate:
A Medium corpse is required for a bloodhulk fighter, Large for a giant, and Huge for a crusher. Smaller and larger corpses cannot be made into bloodhulks. The creation of a bloodhulk changes the original corpse too much for it to retain most of its original features.
• In addition to the usual material components, you must supply blood from three recently slain creatures the same size as the potential bloodhulk.
• Bloodhulks are considered to have double their Hit Dice for the purpose of creating and controlling them. Thus, the number of bloodhulks you can create is equal to your Hit Dice (instead of twice your Hit Dice) if you are not in a desecrated area. You can control no more than 2 HD worth of bloodhulks per caster level; if you are attempting to control different sorts of undead creatures, the bloodhulks are considered to have twice as many Hit Dice as are shown in their entries for the purpose of determining the total number of undead you can control.
Defacer: A defacer arises when a spellcaster creates an undead being from the corpse of a doppelganger or other creature that assumes others’ visages.
A spellcaster of 14th or higher level can create a defacer by casting create undead on the corpse of a creature that mimics other creatures, such as a doppelganger.
Changelings turned into undead sometimes spontaneously rise as defacers instead of what their creators intended. When Dolurrh is coterminous, dead changelings become defacers under circumstances when they might otherwise become ghosts.
Necrosis Carnex: A necrosis carnex is created from several corpses bound together with cold iron bands.
They have a simple and stark existence, stemming entirely from their origin as purposefully created undead.
A spellcaster of 11th level or higher can create a necrosis carnex with an animate dead spell. To do so requires three corpses from Medium creatures and cold-hammered iron bands worth 200 gp. None of this material is consumed in the casting and but instead becomes the undead amalgam of the carnex. When used to create a necrosis carnex, the animate dead spell has a casting time of 10 minutes.
Plague Walker: A plague walker is an undead weapon created by evil mages and clerics.
As undead creatures crafted for use in war, plague walkers have no place in the natural environment. Tales claim that they arise as the result of a rare contagion, but in truth any diseased corpse serves to produce these monstrosities.
Creating a plague walker is a relatively simple process, though its cost prevents most spellcasters from producing the creatures in great numbers outside of wartime. Any arcane or divine caster of 6th level or higher who can cast necromancy spells can craft a plague walker. Doing so involves performing a horrific ritual that requires 800 gp worth of unholy water, the corpses of four Medium creatures that died of disease, and two days of prayer. (Two Small corpses are equivalent to one Medium corpse, and one Large body counts as two Medium corpses.) At the end of the ritual, the remains meld into a single plague walker, which obeys its creator’s commands to the best of its ability.
Web Mummy: “Web mummy” is an acquired template that can be added to any corporeal giant, humanoid, or monstrous humanoid.
When ready to reproduce, a tomb spider finds a suitable corpse (or kills such a creature), implants its eggs, and wraps the corpse in webbing. The host corpse animates as a web mummy and protects its creator.
Web mummies are undead creatures animated by a spider with a connection to negative energy.
A tomb spider lays its eggs in a humanoid, monstrous humanoid, or giant’s body, animating the corpse as a web mummy.
Vitreous Drinker: The creatures were reputedly created by Vecna for some nefarious purpose.

Monster Manual V:

Spoiler

Blackwing: The orcs caught and brutalized eagles for sport until their depraved mystics discovered the necessary ritual to create powerful undead servitors—the first blackwings.
The necromantic ritual used to create blackwings requires the intact body of a giant eagle.
Blackwings are created from the corpses of giant eagles. The corpse must be buried within the area of an unhallow spell for at least six months. Then, a spellcaster of 18th level or higher must cast create undead on the remains.
Deadborn Vulture Zombie: When a deadborn vulture is reduced to 0 hit points, it immediately dies and becomes a deadborn vulture zombie that retains the vulture’s disease ability.
A deadborn vulture reanimates as a zombie after it dies.
God-Blooded Orcus-Blooded: Orcus-blooded” is an acquired template that can be added to any evil undead creature. The sacrifice of good-aligned creatures totaling 20 or more Hit Dice causes an aspect of Orcus to appear and bathe the petitioner with black, tarry blood poured from a golden chalice. The undead creature covered in this blood then grows goatlike horns and gains the Orcus-blooded template.
Haunt: Haunts are spirits that left unfi nished business in life and have returned to seek recompense.
Bridge Haunt: A bridge haunt is a ghostly undead that lingers near the bridge where it came into being after the death of the living creature it once was.
This is a bridge haunt, the incorporeal spirit of someone who died at this bridge.
Forest Haunt: Forest haunts are the spirits of fey-touched trees that seek vengeance on intruders within their forest domain. When a dryad is killed, she can curse those who slew her with her dying breath. This curse fuels the spirit of the oak to which she is tied, causing it to stalk the forest until her killers are slain, and sometimes beyond.
This is a forest haunt, the spirit of a tree touched by the fey. When a dryad is destroyed and speaks a curse with her dying breath, a forest haunt is born.
Taunting Haunt: A taunting haunt is the twisted, jealous spirit of a deceased bard, jester, or other performer.
This is a taunting haunt, the bitter spirit of a troubadour, jester, or bard.
Phantom: “Phantom” is an acquired template that can be applied to any corporeal creature
Phantom Ghast Ninja: By using a secret ritual, Kugan’s master granted him the phantom template for his years of honorable and successful service.
Sanguineous Drinker: Occasionally, small packs of three to nine individuals form in areas of intense death and suffering.
Necromancers and cunning undead spellcasters create sanguineous drinkers.
Necromancers create them from corpses boiled in blood. Particularly evil and bloodthirsty creatures might spontaneously rise as sanguineous drinkers if they die in an environment soiled with blood and corrupted by negative energy.
A spellcaster of 15th level or higher can use the create undead spell to animate a sanguineous drinker.
Skull Lord: Dark rumors speak of the skull lords, powerful undead beings created by the magic unleashed at the death of the mighty necromancer Vrakmul.
The twelve skull lords arose from the ashes of the Black Tower of Vrakmul. Whether they were created intentionally by that mad necromancer or came forth spontaneously from the foul energies of his fallen sanctum, none can say.
Alternatively, skull lords might simply be a powerful new form of undead with no specific background or number. Skull lords might be the result of failed attempts at achieving lichdom, the undead remains of a race of three-headed beings, or a single creature formed from the magical amalgamation of three corpses.
The Battle of Bones is a popular destination for Faerûn’s necromancers, and it is rumored that the first skull lords were spawned in that cursed place.
Bonespur: Bonespurs are animalistic monstrosities created only for fighting and killing.
A skull lord’s creator skull can create a bonespur, a serpentir, or a skeleton from nearby bones and bone shards.
A spellcaster of 8th level or higher can create a bonespur using the create undead spell. Creating a bonespur requires skeletal remains equivalent to six Medium creatures.
Serpentir: Serpentirs are dreadful snakelike undead formed from several skeletons.
A spellcaster of 10th level or higher can create a serpentir using the create undead spell. Creating a serpentir requires skeletal remains equivalent to six Medium creatures.
A skull lord’s creator skull can create a bonespur, a serpentir, or a skeleton from nearby bones and bone shards.
Spectral Rider: Each spectral rider is born of particular circumstances.
Blackguards and evil knights are the individuals who most commonly become spectral riders after death. However, even the holiest of paladins can be polluted by foul necromantic magic and twisted into these dark warriors. The rituals that create a spectral rider involve unspeakable desecrations of the corpse. In the case of paladins or holy knights, deception is used to lure the spirit back to its body, binding a pure soul to tainted dead flesh.
A spellcaster of 12th level or higher can create a spectral rider using a create greater undead spell. The PC must fi nd a suitable subject corpse—a mounted warrior of at least 6th level at the time of his or her death.
Once per month, a skull lord can engage in a 12-hour ritual under the dark moon to create a spectral rider from the remains of a mounted warrior.

Skeleton: A skull lord’s creator skull can create a bonespur, a serpentir, or a skeleton from nearby bones and bone shards.
Vampire: Seduced by the promises of Orcus, he cast aside his life for the dark blessings of undeath.
He begged the gods to spare him from death, vowing that he would do whatever was asked of him in exchange for the gift of immortality. His pleas gained the attention of Orcus, who longed for mortal souls to feed his insatiable hunger. The demon prince granted this knight the power to defeat death by stealing his soul, transforming his mortal form into the undead monstrosity it remains to this day.
Vampire Spawn: By drinking the blood of the living, vampires rejuvenate themselves and create their foul spawn.
Zombie: Whenever a creature that can acquire the zombie template dies within 20 feet of a graveyard sludge, that creature rises as a zombie 1d4 rounds later. However, the graveyard sludge imparts some of its own unique physiology to the zombie, causing each of the zombie’s natural attacks to deal an extra 1d6 points of acid damage.
Any creature slain by a graveyard sludge rises as a zombielike creature with an acidic touch.

Libris Mortis:

Spoiler

Angel of Decay: ?
Atropal Scion: Atropal scions are clots of divine flesh given form and animation by bleak-hearted gods of death. When a stillborn godling rises spontaneously as an undead, a great abomination is born. If that abomination is defeated, but any fragment or cast-off bit of fl esh remains, an atropal scion may yet arise from those fragments, lessened in power from its divine beginnings, but no less hateful for its stature.
Blaspheme: Crafted in bygone days by power-mad wizards searching to create the perfect undead guardians.
Each blaspheme is created with parts from multiple ancient corpses, with teeth specially harvested from sacrifi ces to evil powers.
Bleakborn: Sometimes a newly created bleakborn spawn becomes a bleakborn instead of a mere zombie, though the wiles of the dark gods determine such instances.
Blood Amniote: If a blood amniote deals as many points of Constitution damage during its existence as its full normal hit point total, it self spawns, splitting into two identical blood amniotes, each with a number of hit points equal to the original blood amniote’s full normal total.
Bloodmote Cloud: ?
Bone Rat Swarm: ?
Boneyard: ?
Brain in a Jar: The ritual of extraction, the spells of formulation, and the alchemical recipes of preservation are closely guarded secrets held by only a few master necromancers.
Cinderspawn: Cinderspawn are burnt-out undead remnants of creatures of elemental fire.
Corpse Rat Swarm: ?
Crypt Chanter: Any humanoid slain by a crypt chanter through its draining melody becomes a crypt chanter 1d4 rounds later.
Deathlock: Deathlocks are undead born of the corpses of powerful spellcasters whose remains are so charged with magic that they are unable to lie quiet in the grave.
Dessicator: Desiccators are the dried-out undead remnants of creatures of elemental water.
Dream Vestige: The original dream vestige was born from the nightmares of an entire city, as all of its citizens died in cursed sleep (a curse that some attribute to Orcus). Since then, that creature has spawned itself many times over.
When a dream vestige gains a number of temporary hit points equal to its full normal hit point total, it self spawns, splitting into two identical dream vestiges, each with a number of hit points equal to the original dream vestige’s full normal total.
Entomber: Entombers are undead animated by necromancers who prefer to leave the dirty work to their servants.
Entropic Reaper: Entropic reapers are undead that arise in Limbo.
Evolved Undead: An evolved undead is an undead whose body is flushed with more negative energy than normal due to an exceptionally long lifetime.
When an intelligent undead creature survives for 100 years or more (or when the DM decides to create an undead monster with a twist), there is a 1% chance that its connection to the Negative Energy Plane grows more mature. When this “evolution” occurs, the undead gains this template. Each additional 100 years of existence affords an additional 1% chance of a more mature connection, plus an additional 1% chance for each previous evolution.
“Evolved undead” is an acquired template that can be added to any undead with an Intelligence score.
Forsaken Skin: Creatures killed by a forsaken shell slough their skins after 1d4 rounds. These sloughed skins are new forsaken shells under the spawner’s control.
Ghost Brute: Ghost brutes are the spectral remnants of animals, magical beasts, and sentient plants—creatures without the minimum Charisma needed to become normal ghosts.
A ghost brute most often results from the same circumstances that caused its earthly companion or master to remain after death. It might be the mount of a betrayed paladin, the beloved pet of a child tragically killed, the scorched oak of a ghostly dryad, or a murdered druid’s animal companion.
However, sometimes a bizarre circumstance might produce a ghost brute without an intelligent companion. For example, a forest suddenly obliterated by an evil magical attack might remain as a ghostly grove populated by lingering spirits not even completely aware of their own destruction.
“Ghost brute” is an acquired template that can be added to any animal, magical beast, or plant with a Charisma score below 8.
Any living creature that dies by violence or disease in Valin Field has a 5% chance of rising as an undead on the second nightfall after its death, unless it is removed from the area. Sentient beings rise as ghouls or ghosts, while nonsentient beings become zombies or ghost brutes. (Eberron The Forge of War)
Gravetouched Ghoul: Some believe that anyone of exceptional debauchery and wickedness runs the risk of becoming a gravetouched ghoul.
In rare occasions the creation of a ghoul briefly draws the attention of Doresain, King of the Ghouls. When this happens, the newly formed ghoul does not possess the standard Monster Manual statistics for a ghoul, but instead the base creature gains the gravetouched ghoul template.
“Gravetouched ghoul” is an acquired template that can be added to any corporeal aberration, fey, giant, humanoid, or monstrous humanoid with Intelligence and Charisma scores of 3 or higher.
Hulking Corpse: ?
Mummified Creature: Mummies are undead creatures, embalmed using ancient necromantic lore.
“Mummified creature” is an acquired template that can be added to any corporeal giant, humanoid, or monstrous humanoid.
The process of becoming a mummy is usually involuntary, but expressing the wish to become a mummy to the proper priests (and paying the proper fees) can convince them to bring you back to life as a mummy—especially if some of your friends make sure the priests do what you paid them to do.
Murk: A murk that bestows a negative level on a 1 HD creature kills the creature, which becomes a murk under the control of its killer within 1d4 rounds.
Necromental: A necromental is the undead remnant of an elemental creature.
“Necromental” is an acquired template that can be added to any elemental.
Necropolitan: Necropolitans are humanoids who renounce life and embrace undeath in a special ritual called the Ritual of Crucimigration.
“Necropolitan” is an acquired template that can be added to any humanoid or monstrous humanoid.
Any living humanoid or monstrous humanoid can petition for consideration to undergo the Ritual of Crucimigration, which (if successful) enables the creature to become a necropolitan. The petition for consideration requires a fee of 3,000 gp and a written plea.
The Ritual: The first part of the ritual requires the placement of the petitioner on a standing pole. Cursed nails are used to affix the petitioner, and then the pole is lifted into place. The resultant excruciating pain that shoots like molten metal through the petitioner’s fingers and up the arms is not what finally ends the petitioner’s mortal life, however, since death usually comes from asphyxiation and heart failure. As petitioners feel death’s chill enter their bodies, many have second thoughts, but it is far too late to go back—the cursed nails and chanting of the ritual ensures that the Crucimigration is completed.
The ceremony that lasts for 24 hours—the usual time it takes for the petitioner to perish. During this period, two or three zombie servitors keep up a chant initiated by the ritual leader when the petitioner is first placed into position. Upon hearing the petitioner’s last breath, the ritual leader calls forth the names of evil powers and gods to forge a link with the Negative Energy Plane, and then impales the petitioner. Dying, the petitioner is reborn as a necropolitan, dead but animate.
Plague Blight: Plague blights are animated corpses of humanoids who died from plague or rot.
Quell: ?
Raiment: A raiment is the clothing of a victim of some atrocious crime, animated by the spirit of the vengeful victim.
Revived Fossil: Revived fossils are the remains of animals or monsters that were preserved in a petrified state. Fossils are found encased in stone or other geological deposits, but revived fossils are the freed and animated remains of the dead.
Revived fossils cannot be created with the animate dead spell, but instead are created through special necromantic rituals that vary depending on the fossil to be revived.
“Revived fossil” is an acquired template that can be added to any corporeal creature.
Skin Kite: When a skin kite has absorbed 4 points of Charisma (through its steal skin ability), it attempts to retreat to a safe place where it can take a full-round action to spawn a new skin kite with the stolen skin.
Skirr: ?
Skulking Cyst: A skulking cyst is disgorged from the rotting corpse of a living creature, born of a necrotic cyst that eventually kills its host (see the necrotic cyst spell).
Necrotic Cyst spell.
Slaughter Wight: Slaughter wights are undead that have been specially touched by dark gods, endowing them with a vicious hatred of life that goes beyond that of simple walking dead.
Sometimes a newly created slaughter wight spawn becomes a slaughter wight instead of a mere wight, though the wiles of the dark gods determine such instances.
Slaymate: Slaymates are undead creatures given a semblance of life when a guardian’s betrayal, either outright or through negligence, leads to death.
Spectral Lyricist: In life, a spectral lyrist used its powers of performance and persuasion to further the cause of evil and strife, whether by urging listeners to commit violence or simply luring the innocent to their deaths. Cursed to forever walk the earth, it blames those still alive for its undead state and seeks to commit even greater evils against them.
Swarm-Shifter: “Swarm-shifter” is an acquired template that can be added to any corporeal undead with an Intelligence score.
Tomb Motes: Tomb motes sometimes spontaneously arise in graveyards with a high concentration of buried magic, undead activity, and/or mass burials.
Umbral Creature: “Umbral creature” is an acquired template that can be added to any aberration, dragon, giant, magical beast, or monstrous humanoid with a Charisma score of at least 8.
Visage: The first visages were formed from the spirits of demons by Orcus, Demon Prince of Undead, while he had assumed the identity of Tenebrous. When he reassumed his true identity and mantle, however, Orcus discarded the visages from his service, and since that time, they have reproduced by spawning new visages from any evil outsiders.
Any evil outsider slain by a visage becomes a visage 24 hours after death.
Voidwraith: ?
Wheep: ?

Ghoul: Ghouls are said to be created upon the death of a living sentient being who savored the taste of the flesh of other sentient creatures. This assertion may or may not be true, but it does explain the disgusting behavior of these anthropophagous undead.
Ghost: Most humanoids who engage in such activities and return from the grave are mere ghouls.
Ghosts are similar to - though more powerful than - geists, spirits of intelligent creatures who have died with unfinished business and who remain close to the physical world in the hopes of completing some goal. (Libris Mortis)
“Ghost” is an acquired template that can be applied to any living creature. (Libris Mortis)
Shadow: Any humanoid reduced to Strength 0 by an umbral creature dies and rises as a shadow under the control of its killer in 1d4 rounds.
Wight: Any humanoid slain by a slaughter wight becomes a normal wight in 1d4 rounds.
Zombie: Any humanoid slain by a bleakborn becomes a normal zombie in 1d4 rounds.

Heroes of Horror:

Spoiler

Jonah Parsons Human Ghost Expert 4: Less than a year ago, Jonah and Annalee Parsons were a happy couple in a happy community. They had just found out that they were expecting a child. While Jonah, a researcher and scribe by profession, was working overtime to provide for all that they would soon need, Annalee was busily converting their unused barn into a study for her husband, now that his former study was going to become the new baby’s room.
Not long into the pregnancy, however, Jonah began to notice a change in his wife. She wasn’t doing anything different or unusual, but she just didn’t seem like the same person. The one person in whom he could confide his concerns blamed them on the combination of the changes of pregnancy and the anxiety felt by every expectant father. But Jonah was not convinced, and he began to investigate his wife’s condition. Within three months, Jonah was dead—stabbed to death by town guards in his own study; records indicate that he was “slain while attempting to resist a lawful arrest.”
What actually happened is that Jonah began to suspect that something had infected his wife’s mind, soul, or both. But before he could discover what was really going on, and perhaps find a way to bring back the Annalee he once knew, the thing inside her sensed his suspicion and contrived a way to silence him. The unholy scion made its mother, now some five months pregnant, scratch and beat herself before running in terror to the local constable. She claimed her husband had gone mad and locked himself into his study after nearly killing her. When the soldiers arrived, they took Jonah by surprise and, in the confusion, mortally wounded him.
The story picks up some five months after the death of Jonah Parsons. His daughter, Eve, was born recently, and with her birth came the return of her father as a ghost. What Jonah had begun to uncover is that inside his barn dwelled a dark entity that began to take over the unborn child growing inside his wife as she worked to convert the site into a study for him. Unknown to anyone, the site had once been the location of a shrine dedicated to Cas, the demigod of spite, and that lingering taint was an open invitation to demonic forces to take up residence in Cas’s absence.
Cas, rarely one to forgive a slight of any kind, offered Jonah’s restless soul a glimpse of what the Lord of Spite would see as hope. Jonah arose as a ghost, filled with the knowledge that the source of his wife’s madness and his own death was the child she had borne in her womb.
Haunting Presence: Sometimes when undead are created they come into being without a physical form and are merely presences of malign evil. Haunting presences usually occur as the result of atrocious crimes. Tied to particular locations or objects, these beings might reveal their unquiet natures only indirectly, at least at first.
As a haunting presence, an undead is impossible to affect or even sense directly. A haunting presence is more fleeting than undead who appear as incorporeal ghosts or wraiths, or even those undead enterprising enough to range the Ethereal Plane. Each haunting presence is tied to an object or location and can only be dispelled by exorcism or the destruction of the object or location. Despite having no physicality, each haunting presence still possesses the identity of a specific kind of undead. For instance, one haunting presence might be similar to a vampire, while another is more like a wraith.
Bane Wraith: They result when someone dies a violent and gruesome death, accompanied by the deaths of his family, friends, and everything he loved and worked for. Bane wraiths develop most frequently, but not exclusively, in or near tainted regions.
Bloodrot: While sages originally believed that bloodrots were slain oozes animated by necromantic spells, they have now come to understand that the bloodrot is not a true ooze at all, despite its oozelike form. Rather, a bloodrot is formed from the remaining fluids of a creature dissolved in acid or otherwise liquefied.
Tainted Minion: A tainted minion is a mortal who has been transformed into a horrific undead servant of evil.
“Tainted minion” is an acquired template that can be added to any humanoid or monstrous humanoid creature with at least mild levels of both corruption and depravity (referred to hereafter as the base creature). It is most often applied to a creature that dies because its corruption score exceeds the maximum for severe corruption for a creature with its Constitution score.
Tainted Minion Human Fighter 5: ?

Undead: Any creature that dies in a tainted area animates in 1d4 hours as an undead creature, usually a zombie of the appropriate size. Burning a corpse protects it from this effect.
Oath of Blood spell.
Lich: When a dread necromancer attains 20th level, she undergoes a hideous transformation and becomes a lich.
A dread necromancer who is not humanoid does not gain this class feature.
Mummy: Whether it’s a mindless, shambling corpse or a spellcasting sorcerer, a mummy is usually the protector of a tomb or the victim of a curse. Either of these scenarios generates a worthwhile horror villain, but consider the possibility of a mummy not bound to a higher power. Perhaps an ancient necromancer chose mummification over lichdom in his bid for immortality. Or a mummy might indeed be cursed but potentially able to escape her eternal imprisonment if she can find another to take her place.
For a bizarre twist, consider the possibility that the power animating the mummy is in fact contained in the wrappings. Should even a scrap of the cloth survive the first mummy’s destruction, the next creature to touch it might find itself possessed by the ancient’s vengeful spirit.
Skeleton: Plague of Undead spell.
Vampire: Vampire myths older than Dracula (novel 1897, film 1931) attribute the existence of the undead to sinners and suicides unable to enter Heaven.
Wraith: Any humanoid slain by a bane wraith becomes a standard wraith in 1d4 rounds.
Zombie: Any creature that dies in a tainted area animates in 1d4 hours as an undead creature, usually a zombie of the appropriate size. Burning a corpse protects it from this effect.
Plague of Undead spell.
Corpse Gatherer: Mass graves and charnel pits sometimes give rise to large undead formed from multiple corpses, such as corpse gatherers.

OATH OF BLOOD
Necromancy
Level: Cleric 5, sorcerer/wizard 5
Components: V, S, M, DF
Casting Time: 1 minute
Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)
Target: One living creature
Duration: See below
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: Yes
Oath of blood functions only when cast on a creature that has recently been subject to a geas or similar spell. It extends the reach of the geas beyond death. If the individual subject to the geas dies before completing the task, oath of blood animates him as an undead creature in order that he might continue his quest. The nature of the undead creature is determined by the caster level of this spell, as per create undead. Once the task is complete or the original geas (or similar spell) expires, the magic animating the subject ends and he returns to death.
Material Component: Grave dirt mixed with powdered onyx worth at least 40 gp per HD of the target.

PLAGUE OF UNDEAD
Necromancy [Evil]
Level: Cleric 9, dread necromancer 9, sorcerer/wizard 9
Components: V, S, M
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)
Targets: One or more corpses within range
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: No
This spell unleashes great necromantic power, raising a host of undead creatures. Plague of undead turns the bones or bodies of dead creatures within the spell’s range into undead skeletons or zombies with maximum hit points for their Hit Dice. The undead remain animated until destroyed. (A destroyed zombie or skeleton can’t be animated again.)
Regardless of the specific numbers or kinds of undead created with this spell, a single casting of plague of undead can’t create more HD of undead than four times your caster level.
The undead you create remain under your control indefinitely and follow your spoken commands. However, no matter how many times you use this spell or animate dead, you can only control 4 HD worth of undead creatures per caster level; creatures you animate with either spell count against this limit. If you exceed this number, newly created creatures fall under your control and any excess undead from previous castings of this spell or animate dead become uncontrolled. Anytime this limit causes you to release some of the undead you control through this spell or animate dead, you choose which undead are released.
The bones and bodies required for this spell follow the same restrictions as animate dead. All the material to be animated by this spell must be within range when the spell is cast.
Material Component: A black sapphire worth 100 gp or several black sapphires with total value of 100 gp.

Complete Adventurer

Spoiler

Vampire, Malkan Ry-Ul: ?

Undead: ?
Vampire: ?

Complete Arcane

Spoiler

Spellstitched: Spellstitched creatures are undead that have been powerfully enhanced and fortified by arcane means.
Spellstitched creatures can be created only by a wizard or sorcerer with the Craft Wondrous Item feat and of sufficient level to cast the spells to be imbued within the undead’s body. The creation process takes a number of days equal to the Wisdom score of the undead creature being spellstitched (so a minimum of 10 days) and requires the expenditure of 1,000 gp for carving or tattooing materials in addition to 500 XP x the undead creature’s Wisdom score.
Undead with arcane spellcasting abilities can spellstitch themselves.
“Spellstitched” is an acquired template that can be added to any corporeal undead with a Wisdom score of 10 or higher (referred to hereafter as the base creature).
Spellstitched Ghast: ?
Spellstitched Skeleton: ?
Vecna, The Whispered One, The Maimed Lord: ?

Skeleton: The Dead Walk warlock lesser invocation.
Zombie: The Dead Walk warlock lesser invocation.
Bodak: ?
Ghoul: ?
Ghast: ?
Devourer: ?
Lich: ?
Nightshade: ?
Undead: ?
Vampire: ?
Ghost: ?

THE DEAD WALK
Lesser; 4th
You can turn the bones or bodies of dead creatures into undead skeletons or zombies (as the animate dead spell). Unless you include the normal material component for the spell (an onyx gem worth 25 gp per Hit Die of the undead) as part of the process, undead created by this ability crumble into dust after 1 minute per caster level.

Complete Divine

Spoiler

Skeleton Animal: Blighter's Undead Wild Shape power.
Blighter's Animate Dead Animal power.
Skeleton Animal Large: Blighter's Undead Wild Shape power 5th level.
Skeleton Animal Huge: Blighter's Undead Wild Shape power 9th level.
Zombie Animal: Blighter's Animate Dead Animal power.
Lich Wizard 15, Herald of Vecna: ?
Nightwalker, Herald of Nerull: ?
Vampiric Drow Cleric: ?
Vecna, God of Secrets, Maimed One: ?
Kas: ?

Undead: Nerull’s followers desecrate ancient tombs looking for lost lore, establish cults to provide willing food for vampires, and raise undead armies to terrify the world of the living.
The souls of characters who die in specific ways sometimes become undead.
Some undead such as vampires and wights create spawn out of a character they kill, trapping the soul of the deceased in a body animated by negative energy and controlled by a malign intelligence.
Allip: Those driven to suicide by madness become allips.
Not every suicide victim becomes an allip, and not everyone destroyed by absolute evil becomes a bodak; as with ghosts, the exact nature of the transformation is unknown.
Devourer: Create Greater Undead spell.
Ghost: Some souls gather incorporeal ectoplasm around themselves and become ghosts. This process often takes days or months. No one knows why some souls pass on to the Outer Planes and others are “stuck” where they die, but a typical ghost has an instinctive sense of why it specifically exists as a ghost rather than passing on. Usually there’s an unresolved situation that prevents the soul from resting in peace, such as a lover who hasn’t returned from a far-off war or a killer who hasn’t been brought to justice.
Not every suicide victim becomes an allip, and not everyone destroyed by absolute evil becomes a bodak; as with ghosts, the exact nature of the transformation is unknown.
Reading from the Scroll of Uncertain Provenance relic.
Ghoul: ?
Ghast: ?
Lich: liches are characters who’ve voluntarily transformed themselves into undead, trapping their souls in skeletal bodies.
Lich Wizard 11: ?
Mummy: The cleric can use create undead to turn these corpses into mummies.
Create Greater Undead spell from pestilence domain.
Nightshade: ?
Shadow: Create Greater Undead spell.
Skeleton: Zone of Animation feat.
Spectre: Create Greater Undead spell.
Vampire: Some undead such as vampires and wights create spawn out of a character they kill, trapping the soul of the deceased in a body animated by negative energy and controlled by a malign intelligence.
Vampire Monk 9/Shadowdancer 4: ?
Wight: Some undead such as vampires and wights create spawn out of a character they kill, trapping the soul of the deceased in a body animated by negative energy and controlled by a malign intelligence.
Wraith: Create Greater Undead spell.
Dread Wraith: ?
Zombie: Zone of Animation feat.

Zone of Animation [Divine] [Epic]
You can channel negative energy to animate undead.
Prerequisite: Cha 25, Undead Mastery, ability to rebuke or command undead.
Benefit: You can use a rebuke or command undead attempt to animate corpses within range of your rebuke or command attempt. You animate a total number of HD of undead equal to the number of undead that would be commanded by your result (though you can’t animate more undead than there are available corpses within range). You can’t animate more undead with any single attempt than the maximum number you can command (including any undead already under your command). These undead are automatically under your command, though your normal limit of commanded undead still applies.
If the corpses are relatively fresh, the animated undead are zombies. Otherwise, they are skeletons.

Undead Wild Shape (Sp): At 3rd level, the blighter gains a version of the wild shape ability. Undead wild shape functions like the druid’s wild shape ability, except that the blighter adds the skeleton template to the animal form he chooses to transform into. The blighter’s animal form is altered as follows:
— Type changes to undead.
— Natural armor bonus is +0 (Tiny animal), +1 (Small), +2 (Medium or Large), or +3 (Huge).
— +2 Dexterity, no Constitution score.
— Immunity to cold.
— Damage reduction 5/bludgeoning.
The blighter gains one extra use per day of this ability at every even blighter level after 3rd. In addition, she gains the ability to take the shape of a Large skeletal animal at 5th level and a Huge skeletal animal at 9th level.

Animate Dead Animal (Sp): This ability, gained at 6th level, functions like an animate dead spell, except that it affects only corpses of animal creatures and requires no material component. It is usable once per day.

Scrolls of Uncertain Provenance: These bundles of rough parchment have long been associated with Wee Jas, although even her lorekeepers don’t know where the first ones came from. Their name is something of a misnomer: The scrolls of uncertain provenance are not spells stored in written form. Instead, they are a collection of death-obsessed writings in an unknown hand. Those who can command the lore with a set of scrolls of uncertain provenance, it is said, have power over life and death itself.
But there are several barriers to understanding the lore of the scrolls. To begin with, they’re written in nearly every language, ancient and modern, and they sometimes switch languages within the same sentence. One hour of reading allows a DC 20 Knowledge (religion) check to learn anything useful from the scrolls, with a +2 bonus for every language the reader speaks. Multiple readers can assist one another in translation, lending the languages they know automatically, but they share in the risk as well (detailed below). Read magic and comprehend languages spells don’t help a reader understand the scrolls, so cryptic are their wisdom. A reader—or at least one reader if a group is translating together—must worship Wee Jas to get anything at all from the scrolls.
The second barrier to reading scrolls of uncertain provenance is that the reader often draws near to the border between life and death himself. Whenever someone spends an hour reading scrolls of uncertain provenance, they must roll on the following table whether or not they learn anything useful.
d% Effect
01–10 DC 20 Will save or go insane (as the insanity spell).
11–30 DC 20 Will save or the scrolls bestow greater curse upon you.
31–60 DC 20 Will save to receive a geas/quest to perform for Wee Jas.
61–90 Take 1d6 negative levels as energy drain (DC 20 Fort save negates after 24 hours)
91–100 DC 20 Fortitude save or become a ghost for a year and a day.
While the risks of reading scrolls of uncertain provenance are great, so too are the rewards. A character who successfully reads from the scrolls for the listed time can choose from the following benefits.
Time Benefit
1 hour Renewal pact for yourself
2 hours Renewal pact for another
3 hours Death pact for yourself
4 hours Death pact for another
6 hours True resurrection (and the scrolls disappear)
To use this relic, at least one reader must worship Wee Jas and either sacrifice an 8th-level divine spell slot or have the True Believer feat and at least 15 HD.
Strong necromancy; CL 15th; Sanctify Relic, Craft Wondrous Item, death pact, renewal pact, true resurrection, creator must worship Wee Jas; Price 118,000 gp; Weight 10 lb.

Complete Mage:

Spoiler

Zombie: Seed of Undeath spell.
Greater Seed of Undeath spell.

SEED OF UNDEATH
Necromancy
Level: Cleric 4, sorcerer/wizard 4
Components: V, S, M
Casting Time: 1 full round
Range: Touch
Target: Living humanoid or animal touched
Duration: 1 day/level (D)
Saving Throw: Fortitude negates
Spell Resistance: Yes
The subject’s face briefly takes on a gaunt, pale look and a death’s-head rictus before returning to normal.
You plant a kernel of negative energy in a subject, which is held in check by the positive energy inherent to the subject’s own life force. Seed of undeath does not in and of itself, harm the subject. Should the subject die before the spell expires, however, it rises as a zombie 1 round later (as per the animate dead spell), as long as a sufficient corpse remains.
Any undead created in this manner are automatically under your control. At any given time, you can have a number of HD worth of undead animated through seed of undeath equal to your own HD, and they count against the maximum number of HD worth of undead you can control at any time (as described under animate dead).
Material Component: A black onyx gem worth 25 gp per HD of the subject.

SEED OF UNDEATH, GREATER
Necromancy
Level: Cleric 7, sorcerer/wizard 7
Components: V, S, M
Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)
Area: 40-ft.-radius emanation
Every creature in the area briefly takes on a corpselike appearance, then returns to normal.
This spell functions like seed of undeath, except it applies to any humanoid or animal that dies in the area while the spell is in effect.
Corpses of creatures that died before you cast the spell, or that died outside the area and were then carried within, are unaffected.
Material Component: A black onyx worth at least 5,000 gp.

Complete Warrior

Spoiler

Undead: ?
Ghost: ?
Lich Lord: ?
Vampire: ?
Vampire Spawn: ?
Vecna: ?

Draconomicon:

Spoiler

Undead Dragon: It is generally accepted that Falazure created (or had a hand in the creation of ) the first undead dragons, such as dracoliches, vampiric dragons, and ghostly dragons.
Dracolich: The dracolich is an undead creature resulting from the transformation of an evil dragon. The process usually involves a cooperative effort between an evil dragon and a powerful cleric, sorcerer, or wizard, but especially powerful spellcasters have been known to coerce an evil dragon to undergo the transformation against its will.
The dragon must first consume a lethal concoction known as a dracolich brew. This act instantly slays the dragon, whereupon its spirit is transferred to its dracolich phylactery, regardless of the distance between the phylactery and the dragon’s body.
A spirit contained in a phylactery can sense any reptilian or dragon corpse of Medium or larger size within 90 feet and attempt to possess it. Under no circumstances can the spirit possess a living body. The spirit’s original body is an ideal vessel, and any attempt to possess it is automatically successful. To possess a suitable corpse other than its own, a dracolich must make a successful Charisma check (DC 10 for a true dragon DC 15 for any other creature of the dragon type, or DC 20 for any other kind of reptilian creature, such as a giant snake or lizardfolk). If the check fails, the dracolich can never possess that particular corpse.
If the corpse accepts the spirit, the corpse becomes animated. If the animated corpse is the spirit’s former body, it immediately becomes a dracolich. Otherwise, it becomes a proto-dracolich.
“Dracolich” is an acquired template that can be added to any evil dragon.
A proto-dracolich transforms into a full-fledged dracolich in 2d4 days.
It is generally accepted that Falazure created (or had a hand in the creation of ) the first undead dragons, such as dracoliches, vampiric dragons, and ghostly dragons.
The Order of the Emerald Claw has sent a mad wizard to raise an army of dracoliches from the battlefields of the Age of Demons. (Eberron Campaign Setting)
Sammaster created his first dracolich in the Year of Queen’s Tears (902 DR), and the ranks of the Cult of the Dragon soon swelled. (Forgotten Realms Dragons of Faerun)
While exploring the Well of Dragons, Reveilaein came across a group of ogres hauling rubble from a dig. Tossing the dirt everywhere, the ogres were mindless of what might be found in the turned soil. Their taskmaster, a Wearer of Purple named Arleanda (LE female Chondathan human cleric [Velsharoon] 6/wearer of purple 5) wasn’t particularly interested in the excavation—being a more academic type—and failed to notice a tablet amid the dirt. Reveilaein was much more alert, and he secreted away the artifact before anyone discovered it. (Forgotten Realms Dragons of Faerun)
In between hours of monotonous work as an apprentice, Reveilaein found time to translate the writings on the tablet—an ancient artifact sacred to the draconic demigod Kalzareinad, the nefarious dragon god of dark secrets. The writings detailed a process through which a half-dragon could undergo a transformation into a dracolich known as the Kaemundar. (Forgotten Realms Dragons of Faerun)
The magic used to create dracoliches is a powerful and well-controlled secret, but it does result in occasional unforeseen consequences. (Forgotten Realms Dragons of Faerun)
Ancient Blue Dracolich: ?
Proto-Dracolich: A proto-dracolich comes into being when a dracolich’s spirit possesses any body other than the corpse that was created when the dragon consumed its dose of dracolich brew.
The dracolich is an undead creature resulting from the transformation of an evil dragon. The process usually involves a cooperative effort between an evil dragon and a powerful cleric, sorcerer, or wizard, but especially powerful spellcasters have been known to coerce an evil dragon to undergo the transformation against its will.
The dragon must first consume a lethal concoction known as a dracolich brew. This act instantly slays the dragon, whereupon its spirit is transferred to its dracolich phylactery, regardless of the distance between the phylactery and the dragon’s body.
A spirit contained in a phylactery can sense any reptilian or dragon corpse of Medium or larger size within 90 feet and attempt to possess it. Under no circumstances can the spirit possess a living body. The spirit’s original body is an ideal vessel, and any attempt to possess it is automatically successful. To possess a suitable corpse other than its own, a dracolich must make a successful Charisma check (DC 10 for a true dragon DC 15 for any other creature of the dragon type, or DC 20 for any other kind of reptilian creature, such as a giant snake or lizardfolk). If the check fails, the dracolich can never possess that particular corpse.
If the corpse accepts the spirit, the corpse becomes animated. If the animated corpse is the spirit’s former body, it immediately becomes a dracolich. Otherwise, it becomes a proto-dracolich.
Ghostly Dragon: Ghostly dragons are most often created when a powerful dragon is slain and its hoard looted.
“Ghostly” is an acquired template that can be added to any dragon. The creature must have a Charisma score of at least 8.
It is generally accepted that Falazure created (or had a hand in the creation of ) the first undead dragons, such as dracoliches, vampiric dragons, and ghostly dragons.
Ghostly Adult Green Dragon: ?
Skeletal Dragon: Skeletal dragons are created via the animate dead spell and function as normal skeletons in most ways, though they retain a few of their draconic abilities and qualities even after death.
“Skeletal” is an acquired template that can be applied to any dragon.
Skeletal Mature Adult Black Dragon: ?
Vampiric Dragon: Thankfully, such creatures are rare in the extreme, most often created by energy draining effects or unique confluences of negative energy.
“Vampiric” is a template that can be added to any dragon of at least adult age.
An adult or older dragon slain by a vampiric dragon’s blood drain returns as a vampiric dragon.
It is generally accepted that Falazure created (or had a hand in the creation of ) the first undead dragons, such as dracoliches, vampiric dragons, and ghostly dragons.
Vampiric Mature Adult Red Dragon: ?
Zombie Dragon: A zombie dragon is created by use of the animate dead spell or by a vampiric dragon.
“Zombie” is a template that can be added to any dragon of at least adult age.
Young adult or younger dragons slain by a vampiric dragon's blood drain attack, or any dragons slain by its energy drain attack, rise instead as mindless zombie dragons.
Zombie Young Adult White Dragon: ?

Vampire Spawn: A humanoid or monstrous humanoid slain by a vampiric dragon’s energy drain attack rises as a vampire spawn 1d4 days after death.
If a vampiric dragon instead drains its victim’s Constitution to 0, the victim returns as a spawn if it had 4 or fewer Hit Dice and as a vampire if it had 5 or more HD.
Vampire: If a vampiric dragon drains its victim’s Constitution to 0, the victim returns as a spawn if it had 4 or fewer Hit Dice and as a vampire if it had 5 or more HD.

Dracolich Brew: This ingested poison (Fortitude DC 25; 2d6 Con/2d6 Con) is created specifically for a dragon who wishes to become a dracolich. It automatically slays the dragon for which it is prepared (no save allowed).
Moderate necromancy; CL 11th; Brew Potion, Knowledge (arcana) 14 ranks; Price 5,000 gp.

Dracolich Phylactery: A dracolich’s phylactery is crafted from a solid, inanimate object of at least 2,000 gp value. Gemstones, particularly ruby, pearl, carbuncle, and jet, are commonly used for the phylactery, since they must be able to resist decay.
When a dracolich first dies, and any time its physical form is destroyed thereafter, its spirit instantly retreats to its phylactery regardless of the distance between that and its body. A dim light within the phylactery indicates the presence of the spirit. While so contained, the spirit cannot take any actions except to possess a suitable corpse; it cannot be contacted or attacked by magic. The spirit can remain in the phylactery indefinitely.
Strong necromancy; CL 13th; Craft Wondrous Item, control undead, gem or similar item of minimum value 2,000 gp; Price 50,000 gp plus value of gem; Cost 25,000 gp plus value of gem + 2,000 XP.

Dragon Magic:

Spoiler

Undead Dragon: ?
Dracolich: ?
Ghost Dragon: ?
Vampiric Dragon: ?

Dragonlance Campaign Setting:

Spoiler

Death Knight of Krynn: Death knights are terrifying corruptions of those who once served as champions of a god. Only a handful of such beings have existed in Krynn’s history, most of whom were Knights of Solamnia in life. Gods of Evil create death knights in return for terrible acts on the part of those who have spurned the protection of the deities of Good.
“Death knight” is a template that can be added to any humanoid creature of 6th level or higher.
Lord Ausric Krell, Death Knight Fighter 5, Knight of the Lily 7: A Nordmaarian youth recruited directly by Lord Ariakan, Lord Ausric Krell rose to hold the rank of “Night Warrior” in the Knights of Takhisis, serving and fighting directly under Lord Ariakan himself during the Chaos War. Dishonoring himself and disobeying every tenet of the Dark Knights, Ausric secretly plotted against his lord, finally poisoning Ariakan’s mount before the last, fateful battle with the forces of Chaos.
Anyone who might have discovered Ausric’s treachery died in the battle, and he too was overwhelmed and killed by the enemy. The goddess Zeboim, however, found out about the murder of her son and was determined to avenge him. She cursed Ausric to eternal, tormented life.
Fireshadow: Any living creature reduced to Constitution 0 by the green flame of a fireshadow becomes a fireshadow within 1d4 rounds.
Skeletal Warrior: Skeletal warriors were dangerous combatants in life who are forced to battle on after death.
To be considered for transformation to a skeletal warrior, a character must be at least 3rd level.
“Skeletal warrior” is a template that can be added to any humanoid creature.
If a death knight creates a skeletal warrior, it must serve its master until either the death knight or skeletal warrior is destroyed. When a skeletal warrior is created through arcane or divine magic, however, its soul is trapped in a golden circlet, which can then be used to command the creature. Unless commanded against it, a skeletal warrior will do anything in its power to recover the golden circlet and ensure its own free will. A skeletal warrior’s golden circlet is much like a lich’s phylactery.
The spellcaster creating the golden circlet must be a cleric, mystic, sorcerer, or wizard of at least 6th level who possesses the Craft Wondrous Item feat. The golden circlet costs 60,000 stl and 2,400 XP to create and has a caster level equal to that of its creator at the time of its creation.
Physically, golden circlets are unremarkable bands of gold with a circumference large enough to fit around the creator’s head. The golden circlet has a hardness rating of 10, 20 hit points, and a break DC of 20.
Here Sir Ausric Krell, a death knight served by a group of skeletal warriors, is imprisoned, battered by a perpetual storm. Fighting loneliness and boredom, he might keep captives alive for a time before killing them. He forces those he kills to serve him forever as skeletal warriors.
Grimix, Skeletal Warrior Barbarian 4: A minotaur warrior who survived a shipwreck upon the island of Storm’s Keep, Grimix found himself challenged by the death knight, Lord Ausric. Never one to back down, Grimix fought the death knight and was quickly dispatched. Ausric admired the minotaur’s bravery in the face of overwhelming odds, and raised him as a skeletal warrior to serve in the death knight’s growing retinue.
Spectral Minion: A spectral minion is the soul of an intelligent humanoid who died before she could fulfill an important vow. Even in death, spectral minions are bound by the vow or quest placed upon them while they were alive.
“Spectral minion” is a template that can be added to any humanoid, monstrous humanoid or giant creature.
Spectral minions may have been anything in life, from a lowly clerk to a mighty heroic paladin.
Dedrinch, Spectral Minion Expert 5: This spectral minion was a former scribe and archivist who turned to forgery as a way to make more money. Although he can provide helpful advice or information to adventurers who encounter him in his buried library ruins, his overriding goal is to create perfect forgeries of all the volumes in his collection.
Lord Soth, Death Knight: When Lord Soth was cursed for his crimes at the moment of the Cataclysm, he became a death knight.
Fistandantilus, Demilich: ?
Undead Dragon: ?
Shadow Wight: ?
Frost Wight: ?

Undead: Chemosh is the creator and ruler of the undead. Chemosh raises and animates corpses and imprisons souls by tempting mortals with promises of eternal “life,” dooming them to a horrible existence as his undead slaves.
Ghoul: ?
Ghast: ?
Skeleton: ?
Wight: ?
Zombie: ?
Lich: Many clerics of Chemosh hold their positions for generations, using their powers to cling to control even after death by transforming themselves into liches or other dread beings.
Banshee: ?
Ghost: The “Lake of Death” occupies the area where the capital city of Qualinost once stood. The White-Rage River empties into the lake. It is likely that some of the buildings in the ruined city still stand far beneath the surface of the water, along with the carcass of the alien green dragon Beryllinthranox. Many say the ghosts of those who died on both sides haunt the lake.

Eberron Campaign Setting:

Spoiler

Deathless: Deathless is a new creature type, describing creatures that have died but returned to a kind of spiritual life.
The deathless are strongly tied to the plane of Irian, the Eternal Day, the birthplace of all souls. In fact, the death less are little more than disincarnate souls, sometimes wrapped in material flesh, often incorporeal and hardly more substantial than a soul in its purest state.
In the center of the island-continent lies a region where necromantic energy flows easily, and it was here that the elf Priests of Transition discovered the rites and rituals required to preserve their elders beyond death.
The Aereni preserve their greatest heroes as deathless. (Eberron Player's Guide to Eberron)
The Aereni elves preserve their greatest heroes through magic and devotion, and these deathless elves have provided protection and guidance for thousands of years. (Eberron Player's Guide to Eberron)
In their reverence for their ancestors, the Aereni were determined to find a way to preserve their heroes through their interest in the art of necromancy. This research followed two paths: the negative necromancy of the line of Vol, which many blame for the spread of vampirism into Khorvaire, and the positive energy of the Priests of Transition. (Eberron Player's Guide to Eberron)
Ascendant Councilor: ?
Karrnathi Skeleton: It has been imbued with malign intelligence, and its bones have been treated alchemically to make them more resilient.
Karrnathi skeletons are created from the remains of elite Karrnathi soldiers slain in battle.
First, the priests worked with Kaius’s own court wizards to perfect the process for creating zombie and skeleton troops to bolster Karrnath’s forces. With the addition of armor and weapons, as well as a slight increase in power, these undead were stronger and more formidable than the average mindless walking corpse.
Royal corpse collectors still have the right to claim suitable bodies from Karrnath’s morgues, turning them into the Karrnathi skeletons and zombies. (Eberron Five Nations)
Karrnathi Skeleton Archer: ?
Karrnathi Zombie: It has been imbued with evil intelligence, and its desiccated flesh has been treated alchemically to make it more resilient.
Karrnathi zombies are created from the remains of elite Karrnathi soldiers slain in battle.
First, the priests worked with Kaius’s own court wizards to perfect the process for creating zombie and skeleton troops to bolster Karrnath’s forces. With the addition of armor and weapons, as well as a slight increase in power, these undead were stronger and more formidable than the average mindless walking corpse.
Royal corpse collectors still have the right to claim suitable bodies from Karrnath’s morgues, turning them into the Karrnathi skeletons and zombies. (Eberron Five Nations)
Karrnathi Zombie Archer: ?
Undying Councilor: Similar in some ways to undead mummies, undying councilors are the well-preserved corpses of ancient elves, still animated by their benevolent spirits.
An undying soldier or councilor is an undead creature, but it is charged with positive energy and sustained by the devotion of its descendants.
Undying Soldier: An undying soldier or councilor is an undead creature, but it is charged with positive energy and sustained by the devotion of its descendants.
Erandis d'Vol, Vol, Queen of the Dead, Elf Half-Dragon Lich Wizard 16: In life, Vol was the heir to the fortunes of House Vol. She carried the Mark of Death and proudly proclaimed her heritage as both elf and green dragon. Her half-dragon blood, once thought to be a way to end the elf-dragon wars, eventually led to the eradication of House Vol as both elves and dragons declared the mixing of the species to be an abomination. Lady Vol survived the destruction of her family, but became an undead creature—a lich.
As the Vol family was slaughtered, the matriarch used her powers over death to make sure her beloved daughter survived. Erandis became a lich, and now remains as the single memory of her family’s ancient glory.
Undead Mind Flayer: ?
Kaius III , Kaius I, Human Vampire Aristocrat 2, Fighter 11: When Vol, the ancient lich at the heart of the Blood of Vol cult, appeared before Kaius to collect her “considerations” for the aid her priests provided him, he had no choice but to submit. In addition to allowing the cult to establish temples and bases throughout Karrnath, Vol demanded that Kaius partake in the Sacrament of Blood. Instead of the usual ceremony, Vol invoked an ancient incantation that turned Kaius into a vampire.
The lich queen Vol turned Kaius I into a vampire, a fact that’s one of the most closely held secrets in the world. (Eberron Five Nations)
Moranna, Human Vampire Aristocrat 4/sorcerer 5: ?
Kaius turned his granddaughter into a vampire. (Eberron Five Nations)
Malevanor, Mummy Half-Elf Cleric 8: ?
Spectral Dinosaur: ?
Undead Lizardfolk Priest: ?
Undead Dragon: ?
Undead Rat Monstrosity: Deep in the sewers of Sharn, a mad necromancer assembles a device to transform the rats of the city into undead monstrosities.
Skeletal Dragon: ?
Ghostbear: Some of the scavengers believe that the ghostbeasts are guardian spirits left behind by the royal family of Cyre to protect the city. Others say that they are the ghosts of the city’s dead.

Zombie: Emerald Reanimator Eldritch Machine magic item.
Skeleton: ?
Vampire: ?
Lich: ?
Ghoul: ?
Ghost: When Dolurrh is coterminous, slippage can sometimes occur between the Material Plane and the Realm of the Dead. Ghosts become common on Eberron because it is as easy for spirits to remain in the world of the living as it is for them to pass to Dolurrh. Spells to bring back the dead work normally, but run the risk of calling back more spirits than the one desired. Whenever a character is brought back from the dead while Dolurrh is coterminous, roll on the following table.
d% Result
01–50 Spell functions normally.
51–80 1d4 ghosts (CR = raised character’s level) appear near the raised character.
81–90 As above, but the wrong spirit claims the risen body and the intended spirit returns as a ghost.
91–99 The spell functions normally, but a nalfeshnee possesses the raised character.
100 The spell does not function; instead, a nalfeshnee animates the body.
Dolurrh is coterminous for a period of one year every century, precisely fifty years after each period of being remote.
Some of the scavengers believe that the ghostbeasts are guardian spirits left behind by the royal family of Cyre to protect the city. Others say that they are the ghosts of the city’s dead.
Dracolich: The Order of the Emerald Claw has sent a mad wizard to raise an army of dracoliches from the battlefields of the Age of Demons.
Dust Wight: ?
Ephemeral Swarm: ?
Bodak: ?
Nightshade: ?
Shadow: ?
Necronaut: ?
Vasuthant: ?

Emerald Reanimator: This gruesome device incorporates bone and undead flesh into its construction. Any creature that dies within 2 miles of this eldritch machine immediately animates as a zombie under the control of the device’s creator. An emerald reanimator must be built within a manifest zone linked to Mabar.

Eberron Faiths of Eberron:

Spoiler

General Raulz, Karrnathi Skeleton Cleric 9: ?
Erandis d'Vol: Rather than see her daughter destroyed, Minara used her powers over life and death to transform Erandis into a lich.
Kaius I, Human Vampire: Vol herself came before the king of Karrnath to claim her due. First, she demanded that her cult be allowed to establish temples and bases in his kingdom.
Second, she required Kaius to undergo the Sacrament of Blood. Kaius had heard of the ritual and knew it was harmless to participants, so he agreed. Vol deceived him, however, and used the ritual to turn Kaius into her own personal thrall as a vampire.
Malevanor, Mummy Cleric 9: ?
Baszilio, Human Vampire Rogue 2, Wizard 5, Cleric 3: ?
Randall A leazar d’Deneith, Vampire Human Rogue 7: ?

Spectre: The former high priest of the Monastery of the Unyielding Shield has become a spectre.

Eberron Five Nations

Spoiler

Ghostbeast: ?
Mourner: Mourners are undead native to the Mournland, the remains of soldiers who died as a consequence of a great betrayal. All verifiable mourners were once Thrane soldiers under the command of General Kalion Adara at Arjon Ford. They formed in the wake of whatever cataclysm created the Mournland.
During the Last War, a legion of Thrane soldiers marched into northern Cyre to halt the advance of several hundred living and undead soldiers from Karrnath. In the Battle of Arjon Ford, the Thrane and Karrnathi forces were about evenly matched, but the terrain and troop disposition gave Thrane a slight edge.
On the evening before battle, leaders on both sides outlined their plans and formed their strategies. Each force controlled one side of the Emerald Gleam River. The river was wide and easily crossed at the Arjon Ford.
General Delios Adara led the Thrane forces. His plan relied on the organization and cooperation of the three captains under his command: Captain Mythulan Vasiraghi, Captain Thellia Zant, and Captain Kalion Adara (Delios’s daughter). Unknown to Delios, Karrnath had sent a changeling named Qui in disguise to spy upon the Thrane military leaders. Qui gained more than just strategic and tactical information; he found a conflict among the generals that he could exploit. Kalion had long envied her father’s prestige and resented his condescension and lack of confidence in her leadership ability. The spy did what he could to play upon this bitterness.
Mere days before the Battle of Arjon Ford, Qui approached Kalion with a deal. Karrnath promised her land, titles, and a prestigious military post superior to what she held in Thrane’s army. Her instructions were to lead her troops (300 soldiers in all) back away from the river toward a narrow culvert. Karrnathi troops would cut off their escape. She agreed, on the condition that if Karrnath ever captured her father, he would not be killed but instead imprisoned to live and watch his daughter’s success.
The battle started much as expected. Mythulan feinted across the river, drawing Karrnath’s attention. As he withdrew, Thellia’s troops pressed forward. However, Kalion’s troops did not engage as planned. Lacking any opposition in the center, the Karrnathi forces wedged down the center of the field and split the Thrane forces in two.
Kalion’s soldiers had little regard for their captain, but they respected her father greatly. Told that they were circling around in a clever maneuver planned by General Adara, they entered the narrow culvert. Volleys of Karrnathi arrows rained death upon them. All three hundred of Kalion’s soldiers died. Back at Arjon Ford, the situation looked grim for Thrane. Delios worried about his daughter and the missing troops.
Karrnath, it seemed, would win the day. Then, above the din and fury of battle, he heard the sound of Cyran trumpets. Cyran soldiers and warforged attacked the Karrnathi forces from the east, pulling the enemy forces in two directions.
Heartened by the arrival of the Cyran troops, the Thrane soldiers fought with renewed vigor. The tide of battle had turned, and Thrane won a costly victory that day.
After the battle, Kalion Adara’s betrayal became known. Many believe that Kalion fled to Karrnath, but to this day she has not resurfaced, leading some to suspect that she, in turn, was betrayed and killed. The arrow-pocked bodies of the three hundred soldiers who died in the ambush were laid to rest. The bodies were interred in a mass grave, their arms and armor returned to the army for redistribution to other troops. The presiding cleric from the Church of the Silver Flame held a memorial ceremony for the betrayed soldiers.
Three days after the Battle of Arjon Ford, a cataclysm transformed Cyre into the Mournland. The soldiers killed by Kalion Adara’s betrayal rose from their mass grave as mourners. Perhaps they seek the death of Kalion, or perhaps they resent those who left them in the Mournland to rot. Whatever they want, they haven’t found it yet.
Jarren Firstblood: ?
Skeletal Steed, Heavy Warhorse Skeleton: ?
Madox's Skeletal Steed, Heavy Warhorse Skeleton: ?
Dire Wolf Skeleton: ?

Skeleton: ?
Zombie: ?
King Kaius, Kaius III, Kaius I, Human Vampire Aristocrat 2/Fighter 11: The lich queen Vol turned Kaius I into a vampire, a fact that’s one of the most closely held secrets in the world.
Charnel Hound: Crying Fields.
Lich Wizard 11: Crying Fields.
Dread Wraith: Crying Fields.
Bodak: Crying Fields.
Devourer: Crying Fields.
Spectre: Crying Fields.
Vampire Fighter 5: Crying Fields.
Greater Shadow: Crying Fields.
Undead: Every month when the moon is full, those who died on the Crying Fields are returned to life as undead horrors, and they battle each other until sunrise.
Using the necromantic arts at their disposal, the Vol priests called Karrnath’s fallen warriors back from the grave, setting the stage for the rest of the long, long war.
The corpse collectors seem to be collecting bodies from specific bloodlines, trying to reanimate them with powers beyond the norm for undead.
In the heart of the Crimson Monastery is an immense necromantic laboratory where the high priest Malevanor spends almost all his time. Corpses—some animate, some not—lie on tables and biers throughout the cavernous room. Channels carved into the floor hold a steady stream of blood that drains into catch basins at the room’s edge. Unless he’s leading a worship service, Malevanor is here as well, creating more undead minions for the Blood of Vol.
The Karrnathi in Shadukar animated dead Karrns and Thranes to reinforce their dwindling ranks.
Ghost: ?
Lich: ?
Lich Queen Vol: ?
Karrnathi Skeleton: Royal corpse collectors still have the right to claim suitable bodies from Karrnath’s morgues, turning them into the Karrnathi skeletons and zombies.
Karrnathi Zombie: Royal corpse collectors still have the right to claim suitable bodies from Karrnath’s morgues, turning them into the Karrnathi skeletons and zombies.
Wight: ?
Vampire Spawn: Humanoids or monstrous humanoids slain by Kaius's energy drain become a vampire in 1d4 days. Humanoids or monstrous humanoids slain by Kaius's blood drain become vampire spawn if below 4 HD.
Vampire: Humanoids or monstrous humanoids slain by Kaius's energy drain become a vampire in 1d4 days. Humanoids or monstrous humanoids slain by Kaius's blood drain become vampire spawn if below 4 HD.
Regent Moranna Ir-Wynarn, Human Vampire Aristocrat 4/Necromancer 5: Kaius turned his granddaughter into a vampire.
Malevanor, Mummy Cleric 8: ?
Mummy: ?
Wraith: ?
Boneclaw: ?
Salt Mummy: ?
Minotaur Zombie: ?
Allip: ?
Shadow: ?
Ogre Zombie: ?

CRYING FIELDS
Haunted Battlefield; Temperate Plains
Twenty-seven days of the month, the Crying Fields of southern Aundair are quiet grasslands notable only for the red-tinged flora and the white stone monuments and crypts that dot the landscape. But on nights when the moon is full, the Crying Fields become a twisted mockery of a Last War battlefield, with once-living soldiers battling each other to gain the victory they could not attain in life.
The Crying Fields lie east of Ghalt near the Thrane border. Thrane armies, attempting to avoid long sieges of Tower Valiant or Tower Vigilant, invaded toward Ghalt on five separate occasions during the Last War.
Each time, a bloody battle was fought among the farms of southeast Aundair—hundreds of acres of land that now comprise the Crying Fields.
Aundairian farmers long since abandoned the farms, and now the only life in the Crying Fields is the hardy, crimson-tinged grass that sprang up when the fields lay fallow. Even on the sunniest day, visitors to the Crying Fields can hear the clash of swords and cries of anguish, though muffled and distant as if issuing from another world. At night the sounds of battle grow louder and more distinct.
On the night of the full moon, the battle be comes entirely real, as undead soldiers, Aundairian and Thrane alike, emerge from the night to battle one another—and any among the living who are brave enough or unlucky enough to be in the Crying Fields on that night.

Eberron Player's Guide to Eberron

Spoiler

Vol, Demilich: ?
Krael Kavarat, Vampire: ?

Erandis d'Vol, Vol the Lich-Queen, Queen of the Undead, Half-Dragon, Half-Elf Lich: ?
Deathless: The Aereni preserve their greatest heroes as deathless.
The Aereni elves preserve their greatest heroes through magic and devotion, and these deathless elves have provided protection and guidance for thousands of years.
In their reverence for their ancestors, the Aereni were determined to find a way to preserve their heroes through their interest in the art of necromancy. This research followed two paths: the negative necromancy of the line of Vol, which many blame for the spread of vampirism into Khorvaire, and the positive energy of the Priests of Transition.
Vampire: In their reverence for their ancestors, the Aereni were determined to find a way to preserve their heroes through their interest in the art of necromancy. This research followed two paths: the negative necromancy of the line of Vol, which many blame for the spread of vampirism into Khorvaire, and the positive energy of the Priests of Transition.
Undead: ?
Undying Councilor: ?
Undying Soldier: ?
Lich: ?
Skeleton: ?
Zombie: ?
Ghost: Other rumors speak of a pirate wizard who arrived on the island with his captain and crew. After the pirates hid their treasure on the mountain, they betrayed and murdered the wizard, adding his magical possessions to their hoard. The wizard returned as a ghost and slew them all, and now pirate ghosts wage eternal war in the sky.
Mastery of the Dead feat.

Mastery of the Dead
You have learned to calculate the precise location of Dolurrh at any given time, and to use that knowledge to capture the souls of creatures slain with your death spells.
Prerequisite: Knowledge (the planes) 6 ranks, Spellcraft 12 ranks, Spell Focus (necromancy).
Benefit: Whenever you slay a creature with a spell that has the death descriptor, you can attempt a caster level check (DC 10 + slain creature’s HD) as a free action to transform the slain creature’s spirit into a ghost under your control.
If the check succeeds, the ghost appears in the slain creature’s space at the beginning of your next turn and acts immediately. It follows your spoken commands (even if you don’t share a language), even attacking its former allies if you so choose. It remains present for a number of rounds equal to your caster level (or until you are slain, whichever comes first). While the ghost is present, the corpse can’t be returned to life by any means.
You can’t have more than one ghost present simultaneously with this feat. If you create a second ghost while your first ghost is still present, you can choose which one remains (the other disappears, its soul freed from your control).

Eberron Secrets of Sarlona:

Spoiler

Old Copper Dragon Ghost: ?

Undead: Test of Death: The massive skull of a black dragon rests in the center of this chamber, signifying the baleful majesty of Falazure. Its eyes flash red as anyone enters, calling forth heinous undead to harry good folk. Evil beings might find a boon here instead, such as the secret of becoming one of the free-willed undead, if they are willing to risk death to acquire it.
Shanjueed Jungle is one of the largest Mabar manifest zones on Eberron. The center of the zone lies in the heart of the forest. It expands slowly each year and now covers a circle nearly as wide as the forest. Within the zone, it is as if Mabar were coterminous with Eberron. In addition, anyone slain in the forest rises as a random type of undead the next night (usually a zombie).
Zombie: Shanjueed Jungle is one of the largest Mabar manifest zones on Eberron. The center of the zone lies in the heart of the forest. It expands slowly each year and now covers a circle nearly as wide as the forest. Within the zone, it is as if Mabar were coterminous with Eberron. In addition, anyone slain in the forest rises as a random type of undead the next night (usually a zombie).

Eberron Secrets of Xen'Drik:

Spoiler

Cloud Giant Skeleton: Even as he died, Izzdelth was animated by the arcane energy he wielded.
Advanced Bodak: Even as he died, Izzdelth was animated by the arcane energy he wielded.

Vampire: It is rumored that the secretive elven sect of the Qabalrin gave birth to the first vampires, and that these undead lords still sleep in hidden vaults.
Skeleton: The spirits of the giants who died in the City of Gold emerge to hunt any who dare trespass on their eternal home.
Many elf slaves also died in the City of Gold, and their restless spirits present just as potent a threat as the undead giants.
Zombie: The spirits of the giants who died in the City of Gold emerge to hunt any who dare trespass on their eternal home.
Many elf slaves also died in the City of Gold, and their restless spirits present just as potent a threat as the undead giants.
Spectre: The spirits of the giants who died in the City of Gold emerge to hunt any who dare trespass on their eternal home.
Many elf slaves also died in the City of Gold, and their restless spirits present just as potent a threat as the undead giants.
Mummy: The spirits of the giants who died in the City of Gold emerge to hunt any who dare trespass on their eternal home.
Many elf slaves also died in the City of Gold, and their restless spirits present just as potent a threat as the undead giants.
Wraith: The spirits of the giants who died in the City of Gold emerge to hunt any who dare trespass on their eternal home.
Many elf slaves also died in the City of Gold, and their restless spirits present just as potent a threat as the undead giants.
Undead: If no sentient races inhabit the caverns, then PCs might encounter entombed undead animated by the demise of Izzdelth. When the great necromancer died, his power seeped into the surrounding area, animating the corpses of the fallen.
Nightshade: Even as he died, Izzdelth was animated by the arcane energy he wielded.

Eberron Sharn: City of Towers

Spoiler

Feral Spirit: The legends say that these are the spirits of the warriors who fought for Lord Tarkanan in the War of the Mark. The death curse of the Lady of the Plague bound them to the hordes of vermin called up from below. However, feral spirits can be found beyond Sharn. Any region with a link to Mabar—such as the Gloaming in the Eldeen Reaches—could produce these unnatural swarms.
Forgewraith: The incorporeal spirit of a powerful humanoid consigned to death in the lava furnaces below Sharn, a forgewraith is one of the most fearsome undead creatures found in the city. Some forgewraiths are actually formed from multiple weaker spirits rather than a single powerful soul.
Any humanoid slain by a forgewraith becomes a forgewraith in 1d4 rounds. Its body dissolves into ash, while its spirit is torn free from its corpse and transformed.
Rancid Beetle Zombie: Rancid beetle zombies are the animated forms of humanoids who died from beetle rot or the swarm attack of a rancid beetle swarm. The growth of a rancid beetle swarm inside the corpse has caused its skin to harden like chitin, and the body is incredibly resilient.
A creature killed by a rancid beetle zombie rises as a rancid beetle zombie in 1d4+1 rounds. A creature that dies of beetle rot becomes a rancid beetle zombie in 1d4+1 days.
A rancid beetle zombie is animated by the rancid beetle swarm inside it, though they are separate creatures.
A creature that is killed by a rancid beetle swarm immediately becomes a rancid beetle zombie. A creature who dies of beetle rot becomes a rancid beetle zombie in 1d4+1 days.
Lady Jesel Tarra'az, Human Vampire Monk 6: ?
Gath, Human Lich Cleric 14: ?
Calderus, Psionic Vampire: ?

Undead: ?
Lich: ?
Vampire: ?
Nightshade: ?
Death Knight: ?
Ghoul: ?
Ghast: ?
Mohrg: ?
Mummy: ?
Spectre: ?
Vampire Spawn: ?
Wight: ?
Wraith: ?
Effigy: ?
Famine Spirit: ?
Gravecaller: ?
Jahi: ?
Spawn of Kyuss: ?
Spellstitched: ?
Huecuva: ?
Bonedrinker: ?
Plague Spewer: ?
Vol: ?

Eberron The Forge of War:

Spoiler

Karrnathi Dread Marshall: The result of substantial necromantic experimentation was the dread marshal, an undead officer of greater skill, higher Intelligence, and a substantially stronger sense of personality, than any Karrnathi undead before.
Skeletal Heavy Warhorse: ?
Avlast, Ghast Fighter 2: ?
Shiril, Wight Rogue 2: ?
Lavro, Mummy: ?
Mathir, Ghoul Adept 4: ?
Woeforged: The necromancers of Karrnath have made a horrific discovery deep in the gray mist. A band of warforged once assumed to be part of the Lord of Blades’ cult are in fact nothing of the kind. Just as the warforged are “sort of” alive, they can apparently become “sort of” undead. These “woeforged,” as the necromancers have come to call them, are rusted and broken, just as normal undead are often decayed, and they show the same affinity for negative energy as other undead. Where they come from, who created them, and what they can do remain unclear.
Lord Vladimar Kronen, Ghoul Fighter 5, Cleric 4: ?

Undead: During the spring and summer of 898, new armies arose within the catacombs of the City of Night, as necromancers and corpse collectors created the first undead Legion of Atur.
In mid-994, Cyre launched a deep-strike invasion of Karrnath aimed at the undead-producing crypts of Atur.
Next, the flashback PCs find themselves dispatched to investigate why an entire town in Thrane has fallen silent. Their discovery is horrific: The townsfolk have been wiped out by a virulent plague, very much like the one they faced years ago. Some of the townsfolk have not remained dead, and the PCs must prevent the spread not of plague, but of plague-spawned undead!
Karrnathi Skeleton: ?
Karrnathi Zombie: ?
Skeleton: ?
Zombie: Any living creature that dies by violence or disease in Valin Field has a 5% chance of rising as an undead on the second nightfall after its death, unless it is removed from the area. Sentient beings rise as ghouls or ghosts, while nonsentient beings become zombies or ghost brutes.
Human Warrior Skeleton: ?
Human Commoner Zombie: ?
Bleakborn: ?
Bodak: ?
Ghoul: Any living creature that dies by violence or disease in Valin Field has a 5% chance of rising as an undead on the second nightfall after its death, unless it is removed from the area. Sentient beings rise as ghouls or ghosts, while nonsentient beings become zombies or ghost brutes.
Although Lake Brey is normal everywhere else, a haven for fishermen and boaters, the water turns dark where it nears Valin Field. The tide and the waves leave a bloody stain where they wash over the shore. Plants rot and fish lie dying. Anyone who comes into contact with the water in this location for more than 1 round risks contracting ghoul fever, just as if he or she had been injured by a ghoul. Anyone who eats a plant or animal from this portion of the lake contracts ghoul fever with no save allowed.
Ghost: In the weeks after the fire, the Knights of Thrane and their cleric allies struggled to destroy the remaining undead and rid the city of its Karrnathi stench, but the damage and loss of life were staggering. The city never recovered, and most today believe it is haunted by the ghosts of its burned residents.
Any living creature that dies by violence or disease in Valin Field has a 5% chance of rising as an undead on the second nightfall after its death, unless it is removed from the area. Sentient beings rise as ghouls or ghosts, while nonsentient beings become zombies or ghost brutes.
The citizens of Valin never stood a chance. Their few defenders were swiftly overrun by the Knights of Thrane, and those who died by the sword or the lance were the fortunate ones. At Kronen’s orders, the survivors were rounded up, impaled, and burned, their bodies scattered across the surrounding fields in symbols of great occult significance that Kronen believed were honoring the Silver Flame. Ash and boiling blood spilled over the fields; screams drowned out the crackling of flames and the shrieks of crows in the sky, come to feast on the body.
Legends disagree on the reason for what happened next. Did the ghosts of the dying call down vengeance on their attackers? Did the land itself rebel against the horrors committed upon it? Did the Silver Flame punish those who committed such atrocities in its name? Whatever the cause, the carrion birds and scavengers—crows and vultures, dogs and wolves—turned talons and jaws not upon the bodies, but upon the soldiers of Thrane. To the last individual, everyone who followed Kronen’s mad orders was ripped apart and consumed. Of Kronen himself, no trace was found, except for his emblem of the Silver Flame, scored and defaced by the raking of a thousand claws.
Ghost Brute: Any living creature that dies by violence or disease in Valin Field has a 5% chance of rising as an undead on the second nightfall after its death, unless it is removed from the area. Sentient beings rise as ghouls or ghosts, while nonsentient beings become zombies or ghost brutes.
Deathshrieker: ?
Ghast: Although Lake Brey is normal everywhere else, a haven for fishermen and boaters, the water turns dark where it nears Valin Field. The tide and the waves leave a bloody stain where they wash over the shore. Plants rot and fish lie dying. Anyone who comes into contact with the water in this location for more than 1 round risks contracting ghoul fever, just as if he or she had been injured by a ghoul. Anyone who eats a plant or animal from this portion of the lake contracts ghoul fever with no save allowed.
Spectre: ?
Wraith: ?

Fiendish Codex I Hordes of the Abyss:

Spoiler

Ghoul: Any humanoid creature drained to 0 levels by the juvenile nabassu’s deathstealing gaze dies and is immediately transformed into a ghoul.
Any humanoid creature drained to 0 levels by a mature nabassu’s death-stealing gaze dies and is immediately transformed into a ghoul.
A nabassu’s gaze can drain life, and those who succumb are transformed into ghouls.

Forgotten Realms Dragons of Faerun:

Spoiler

Spectral Creature: “Spectral creature” is an acquired template that can be added to any aberration, animal, dragon, giant, magical beast, or monstrous humanoid with a Charisma score of at least 8.
Any aberration, animal, dragon, giant, humanoid, magical beast, or monstrous humanoid slain by a spectral creature rises as a spectral creature under the command of its killer in 1d4 rounds.
Create Spectral Spawn feat. (Forgotten Realms Dragons of Faerun Web Enhancement City of Wyrmshadows)
Spectral Spitting Felldrake: ?
Quildan has created two undead guardians for the main supply entrance. (Forgotten Realms Dragons of Faerun Web Enhancement City of Wyrmshadows)
Aghazstamn, Wyrm Blue Diembodied Dracolich: ?
Alasklerbanbastos, “The Greay Bone Wyrm”, the Great Bone Wyrm of Dragonback Mountain, Great Wyrm Blue Dracolich: Alasklerbanbastos is literally just the skeleton of a great wyrm blue dragon animated by a fell intelligence that clings to existence with fierce intensity.
After Tchazzar’s apparent ascension to godhood in the Year of the Dracorage (1018 DR), Alasklerbanbastos turned to the nascent Dragon Cult cell in Mourktar in a desperate bid for additional power and underwent the transformation ritual to become a dracolich shortly thereafter.
Alglaudyx, Wyrm Black Dracolich: ?
Arkhelthingril, “Ice”, Old White Dracolich: ?
Arlauthra Manytalons, Wyrm Black Dracolich: ?
Aurgloroasa, The Sibilant Shade, First Whisperer, Wyrm Shadow Dracolich: ?
Azarvilandral, “Shard”, Old Blue Dracolich: ?
Azurphax, Adult Green Dracolich: ?
Calathanorgoth, “The Old One”, Black Wyrm Dracolich: In the Year of the Immortals (1037 DR), Calathanorgoth transformed himself into a dracolich with the aid of the Cult, who hoped to subsume the magical might of House Orogoth.
Canthraxis, Adult Blue Dracolich: ?
Capnolithyl, “Brimstone”, Vampiric Advanced 36 HD Smoke Drake Dragon Sorcerer 10: ?
Chardansearavitriol, “Ebondeath”, Very Old Black Disembodied Dracolich: ?
Crimdrac, Ancient Red Dracolich: ?
Daurgothoth, “The Creeping Doom”, First Reader, Great Wyrm Black Dracolich Wizard 20, Archmage 5: ?
Dretchroyaster, “The Monarch Reborn”, Wyrm Green Dracolich: ?
Eboanaflimoth, “Ebonflame”, Adult Red Dracolich: ?
Garrathmaw, “Insyzor”, “Incisor”, Very Old Fang Dracolich: ?
Ghaulantatra, Old Mother Wyrm, Ghostly Great Wyrm White Dragon: Thaluul was the cause of her death, but in her stronger ghostly form she managed to destroy the beholder, and now they are both fettered to the lair.
Goarulskul, “the Black”, Wyrm Black Dracolich: ?
Gotha, Ancient Red Dracolich: ?
Greshrukk, “Red Eye”, Old Red Disembodied Dracolich: ?
Halatathlaer, Ghostly Ancient Copper Dragon: ?
Hethcypressarvil, “Cypress the Black”, Wyrm Black Dracolich: ?
Iltharagh, “Golden Night”, Very Old Topaz Dracolich: ?
Ividilandyr, “Ivy Deathdealer”, Mature Adult Green Dracolich: ?
Jaxanaedegor, Very Old Green Vampiric Dragon: ?
Khalahmongre, Ancient Blue Dracolich: ?
Kistarianth, “The Red”, Ancient Red Dracolich: ?
Kryonar, Wrym White Dracolich: ?
Malygris, “The Suzerain of Anauroch”, Very Old Blue Dracolich: In the Year of the Sword (1365 DR), the Sembian cell convinced a very old blue dragon named Malygris to become a dracolich.
Mornauguth, “The Moor Dragon”, Young Adult Green Dracolich Cleric 8:
Rauglothgor, Great Wyrm Red Dracolich: ?
Sapphiraktar, “The Blue”, Wyrm Blue Dracolich: ?
Saurglyce, Mature Adult White Dracolich: ?
Shargrailer, “The Dark”, “The Sacred One”, Great Wyrm Red Disembodied Dracolich: Sammaster and his followers created their first dracolich, Shargrailer, in the Year of the Queen’s Tears (902 DR).
Shhuusshuru, “Shadow Wing”, Great Shadowing of the Far Hills, Great Wyrm Shadow Dracolich: ?
Urshula, Very Old Black Dracolich: ?
Uthagrimnoshaarl, Great Wyrm Shadow Dracolich: ?
Vesz’zt Auvryana, Vampiric Adult Drow-Dragon Rogue 6, Assassin 3: ?
Vr’tark, Mature Adult Blue Dracolich: ?
Xavarathimius, “The Everlasting Wyrm”, Great Wyrm Green Dracolich: ?
Zethrindor, Ancient White Disembodied Dracolich: ?
Sammaster, Lich: In the Year of Many Mists (1282 DR), Sammaster briefly returned as a lich, once criteria he had set into play three centuries before were finally resolved amid the ruined city of Harrowsmouth.
Thaluul, Ghost Beholder: Thaluul was the cause of her death, but in her stronger ghostly form she managed to destroy the beholder, and now they are both fettered to the lair.
White Dracolich: ?
First Interpreter, Alagshon Nathaire, Banelich Human Cleric 25, Divine Disciple 5: Before his own destruction, Sammaster secretly brought Alagshon Nathaire back from the dead as a banelich.
Sammaster brought him back from the dead in the Year of Rogue Dragons (1373 DR) as a banelich, intending to make restore him to his position as Second-Speaker.
Reveilaein Brant, Dracolich Half-Black Dragon Human Wizard 6: While exploring the Well of Dragons, Reveilaein came across a group of ogres hauling rubble from a dig. Tossing the dirt everywhere, the ogres were mindless of what might be found in the turned soil. Their taskmaster, a Wearer of Purple named Arleanda (LE female Chondathan human cleric [Velsharoon] 6/wearer of purple 5) wasn’t particularly interested in the excavation—being a more academic type—and failed to notice a tablet amid the dirt. Reveilaein was much more alert, and he secreted away the artifact before anyone discovered it.
In between hours of monotonous work as an apprentice, Reveilaein found time to translate the writings on the tablet—an ancient artifact sacred to the draconic demigod Kalzareinad, the nefarious dragon god of dark secrets. The writings detailed a process through which a half-dragon could undergo a transformation into a dracolich known as the Kaemundar. Fascinated by the idea of becoming immortal but aware of his human limitations, the young apprentice sought a way to transform himself into a half-dragon.
Reveilaein was aware that his master Vargo had once been a normal human but had discovered an alchemical process that turned him into a half-black dragon. The young mage concocted a scheme to steal the formula. He waited until Vargo was busy with Cult duties and ripped the page out of the mage’s notes that contained the formula. Reveilaein had the command word to bypass the wards on Vargo’s spellbook, having required it for some of his tasks as an apprentice. What he did not expect is that ripping the page also set off a ward. Vargo sensed the ripping of his spellbook and immediately transported himself back to his chambers. Reveilaein was somewhat prepared for such an eventuality. He read a scroll of teleport he had stolen from Vargo and transported himself away from the Well.
Reveilaein retreated to Arabel, where he analyzed the alchemical formula stolen from Vargo and the ritual described on the tablet. He searched out a priest of Kalzareinad, employing considerable resources to pay a diviner to locate a follower of the dark demigod. The divinations paid off, and Reveilaein located Morven Vance, a Mulan priestess of Kalzareinad. Morven was a disciple of Maldraedior (LE male great wyrm blue dragon ascendant 3) and is one of a very small number of worshipers of Kalzareinad. Tantalizing the priestess with a relic of her deity, Reveilaein convinced her to help him perform his two rituals. It occurred to him that she might seek to slay him or steal the knowledge for herself, but he was too obsessed with immortality and power to care.
Morven did indeed consider the possibility of killing the wizard or stealing the magic. In a moment of weakness, while helping him perform the ritual, she became too afraid to seize the artifact for herself. She helped Reveilaein perform the ritual to transform him into a Kaemundar.
Lacedon Ghast: ?
Gilgeam: The worshipers of Gilgeam have just suffered what might be their worst defeat. They managed to bring their deity back in an undead body, but the followers of Tiamat and their allies destroyed the god-king, ending any hope of his return.
Dracolich Slough: The magic used to create dracoliches is a powerful and wellcontrolled
secret, but it does result in occasional unforeseen consequences. As a dracolich ages and moves around its lair, it brushes up against its treasure and rock formations; it has occasional fights with dragon slayers, and almost always wins. This daily wear and tear leads to sloughing of the rotting tissue hanging on a dracolich’s massive frame. What few know is that this sloughed carrion often has a life of its own.
Dracolich slough tends to accumulate, and due to the negative energy of the magic infusing the dracolich, it gathers in small piles.
Djinni Ghost, Undead Genie: Ghazir the Deserts Edge magic item.
Frost Giant Phantasm, Frost Giant Ghost, Frost Giant Spirit: Ghazir the Deserts Edge magic item.

Spectre: Any humanoid slain by a spectral creature rises as a normal spectre under the control of its killer instead.
Dracolich, Sacred One, Night Dragon: Sammaster created his first dracolich in the Year of Queen’s Tears (902 DR), and the ranks of the Cult of the Dragon soon swelled.
While exploring the Well of Dragons, Reveilaein came across a group of ogres hauling rubble from a dig. Tossing the dirt everywhere, the ogres were mindless of what might be found in the turned soil. Their taskmaster, a Wearer of Purple named Arleanda (LE female Chondathan human cleric [Velsharoon] 6/wearer of purple 5) wasn’t particularly interested in the excavation—being a more academic type—and failed to notice a tablet amid the dirt. Reveilaein was much more alert, and he secreted away the artifact before anyone discovered it.
In between hours of monotonous work as an apprentice, Reveilaein found time to translate the writings on the tablet—an ancient artifact sacred to the draconic demigod Kalzareinad, the nefarious dragon god of dark secrets. The writings detailed a process through which a half-dragon could undergo a transformation into a dracolich known as the Kaemundar.
The magic used to create dracoliches is a powerful and well-controlled secret, but it does result in occasional unforeseen consequences.
Ghostly Dragon: ?
Vampiric Dragon: ?

Ghazir the Desert’s Edge
Employed in the conquest of the Nelanther and the taming of the Cloud Peaks, Ghazir the Desert’s Edge is a legendary weapon of the Shoon Imperium with a cursed reputation.
Lore: Characters can gain the following pieces of information about Ghazir by making Knowledge (arcana) or Knowledge (history) checks.
DC 15: In the Year of the Burnished Blade (276 DR), Qysar Shoon IV of the Shoon Imperium fashioned a uniquely powerful scimitar from the shifting sands of the Calim Desert, drawing on the trove of magical lore seized from the hoard of Rhimnasarl the Shining. Shoon IV was a necromancer, unskilled in swordplay, who crafted the weapon solely to prove it could be done. The blade (named Ghazir, or “war crescent” in Alzhedo) lay unused in the royal vaults for nearly a decade after it was forged.
DC 20: In the Year of Wasted Pride (285 DR), Qysara Shoon V formally bequeathed the scimitar to a senior ralbahr (admiral), Murabir of Memnon Faruk yn Aban el Khafar yi Memnon, as a symbol of office. Faruk had long championed the conquest and colonization of the Nelanther, as the genie-haunted isles west of Zazesspur were known, and the gift was seen as a symbol of the qysara’s favor. The ensuing naval campaign was a great success; nearly a score of rogue djinn were slain, and the gale-force winds that had long prevented the safe passage of sailing ships along the Sword Coast abated. Despite the construction of the Sea Towers of Irphong and Nemessor, the subsequent colonization efforts foundered, due to the nobles’ distaste for the constant cool winds (which many attributed to the angry spirits of the djinn) and other factors of living close to the stormy Trackless Sea. Faruk was eventually cashiered in the Year of Sundered Sails (302 DR) by the qysara’s successor, Shoon VI, and Ghazir was returned to the vaults beneath the Imperial Mount of Shoonach, where it languished for nearly three decades.
DC 30: The winter that stretched from the Year of Roused Giants (330 DR) to the Year of Cold Clashes (331 DR) was one of the coldest on record in the Shoon Imperium. The Calishar Emirates were blanketed in snow, and raiding giants emerged from the mountains to plunder isolated communities. After a large tribe of frost giants began harrying the outlying farms of Athkatla, Qysar Shoon VII dispatched a large company of soldiers to deal with the menace. Ghazir was loaned to the troops’ colonel, Balak Muham yn Daud el Talhib, who used Desert’s Edge to dispatch dozens of northern behemoths.
Although Muham was hailed as a hero upon his return to Shoonach, Ghazir’s reputation was tarnished by the string of harsh winters that followed, coupled with reports that the frost giants’ spirits continued to haunt the Cloud Peaks. Rumors suggested that the weapon was in some manner cursed, and that the souls of its victims remained tethered to this world where they continued to harass the living. It was deemed politically expedient by Shoon VII’s viziers to return Ghazir to the royal vaults, where it lay untouched until the fall of the Imperium. In the Year of the Corrie Fist (450 DR), Iryklathagra seized Ghazir along with many other treasures as she plundered Shoonach, and Desert’s Edge has lain untouched in her hoard ever since.
Description: Ghazir is a great scimitar nearly 5 feet in length from tip to pommel. The glassteel blade is fashioned from the crystalline sand left in the wake of Memnon’s Crackle, a shifting region of intense heat in the Calim Desert. A curving line of fire endlessly dances within the heart of the blade. The scimitar’s smoothly polished basket and hilt are carved from the talon of a long-dead blue wyrm and engraved with magic runes encircling the sigil of Shoon IV.
Effect: Ghazir is a +2 elemental bane flaming scimitar. The weapon also absorbs the first 10 points of fire damage per attack that the wearer would normally take (similar to the resist energy spell). Once per day, the bearer can use air walk.
Finally, one curious power of Ghazir creates lingering phantoms of every creature it fells. Such ghosts are tied only to the general geographic region in which they are slain and are left with only the power to manifest themselves in two different forms (though not both concurrently). The dead victims can manifest as either visual phantoms or as natural or elemental phenomena somehow linked to their mortal lives. Although this power is little understood, it seems to have created djinni ghosts capable of manifesting as winds throughout the Nelanther and frost giant phantoms capable of manifesting as regions of bitter cold and snow in the Cloud Peaks.
Consequences: Ghazir has a fell reputation, even today, although most folk who do not understand Alzhedo think it the name of an efreeti bound into to the form of a blade. Merchants regularly curse Desert’s Edge when making a treacherous passage through the blizzard-prone Fang Pass or the fierce gales that buffet Asavir’s Channel. Should Ghazir resurface in Amn or Tethyr after being removed from Iryklathagra’s hoard, tales of vengeful frost giant ghosts and tormented undead genies will once again spread through the Nelanther and along the Sword Coast. Moreover, such rumors might be rooted in fact, for the coast of Amn and northern Tethyr will suffer increasingly fierce gales and harsh winters in the years following Ghazir’s reappearance, as each additional phantom created by the blade incites all previous phantoms to employ their remaining magical powers to the greatest effect possible. Moreover, should Desert’s Edge be used to slay other beings, tales might spread of their spirits plaguing the region as well.
The leaders of Amn and Tethyr will be forced by public opinion to seek custody of the scimitar, but the white wyrm who lairs atop Mount Speartop (Icehauptannarthanyx) will move quickly to claim Ghazir for his own hoard. He fears that the Cloud Peaks climate will grow noticeably warmer if the frost giant spirits are somehow laid to rest by destroying the scimitar. Having bargained unsuccessfully with Iryklathagra for centuries to acquire Desert’s Edge, Icehauptannarthanyx will be quick to take advantage of the opportunity afforded by a band of adventurers who acquire the scimitar.
Overwhelming conjuration; CL 20th.

Player's Handbook II:

Spoiler

Tanneth Silverwright, Vampire Fallen Paladin: ?
Undead: Necrotic Cradle.
Sashess, Half-Elf Vampire Monk: The former vampire was refused atonement because he would not return to the Necrotic Cradle and fight his old companions, who had refused rebirth after he had turned them into vampires. One of these vampires, a half-elf monk named Sashess, is rumored to haunt the lands around the Necrotic Cradle still.
Raptor-Pharaoh mummy: ?
Displacer Beast Skeleton: ?
Sorcerer Wraith: ?
Vampire Halfling: ?

Vampire: The former vampire was refused atonement because he would not return to the Necrotic Cradle and fight his old companions, who had refused rebirth after he had turned them into vampires.
For example, a warforged fighter (a living construct from the EBERRON campaign setting) can’t become a vampire, since that template can be applied only to humanoids and monstrous humanoids.
Devourer: ?
Dread Wraith: The vampires and dread wraiths are all that remain of Tanneth Silverwright’s companions.
Nighwing: ?
Human Vampire Fighter 5: The vampires and dread wraiths are all that remain of Tanneth Silverwright’s companions.
Half-Elf Vampire Monk 9, Shadowdancer 4: The vampires and dread wraiths are all that remain of Tanneth Silverwright’s companions.
Lich: They wish to enter the Necrotic Cradle to transform themselves into liches so that they need not fear sunlight, but they haven’t yet been able to get past the guardian.
Ghost: ?
Demilich: ?
Mummy: ?
Shadow: ?
Vecna: ?
Wight: ?

The Necrotic Cradle: Character rebuilds that relate to necromancy (both undeath and aspects of the physical body) seem particularly appropriate for the Necrotic Cradle. This location might allow any or all of the following rebuilds: return an undead character to life, exchange life for undeath at the cost of an appropriate number of character levels, change ability scores, or exchange class levels or prestige class levels for necromancy-themed class levels or prestige class levels.
Certain places of power allow those with mettle to change themselves in strange and wondrous ways. Rumor holds that in some such places, a person can ignore the plans of the gods and even change his race.
Because the Necrotic Cradle is a place where life and death meet and mix, great changes can be wrought there.

Spell Compendium:

Spoiler

Dog Skeleton: ?
Orc Skeleton: ?
Zombie Fighter: ?
Zombie Warhorse: ?
Incorporeal Undead: ?
Corporeal Undead: ?

Undead: Kiss of the Vampire spell.
Vampire: ?
Bodak: Bodak's Glare spell.
Skeleton: Plague of Undead spell.
Zombie: Plague of Undead spell.
Ghoul: The subject of a spawn screen spell does not rise as an undead spawn should it perish from an undead’s attack that normally would turn it into a spawn, such as from the bite of a ghoul (MM 118).
Field of Ghouls spell.
Ghoul Gauntlet spell.
Wight: ?
Human Warrior Skeleton: Skeletal Guard spell.
Kobold Zombie: ?
Owlbear Skeleton: ?
Bugbear Zombie: ?
Troll Skeleton: ?
Ogre Zombie: ?
Allip: ?
Ghast: ?
Wyvern Zombie: ?
Mummy: ?
Shadow: ?
Vampire Spawn: ?
Devourer: ?
Mohrg: ?
Nightshade: ?
Wraith: ?
Spectre: ?
Lich: ?

BODAK’S GLARE
Necromancy [Death, Evil]
Level: Abyss 8, Cleric 8
Components: V, S, F
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: 30 ft.
Target: One living creature
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: Fortitude negates
Spell Resistance: Yes
You invoke the powers of deep darkness and your eyes vanish, looking like holes in the universe itself.
Upon completion of the spell, you target a creature within range that can see you. That creature dies instantly unless it succeeds on a Fortitude save. The target need not meet your gaze.
If you slay a humanoid creature with this attack, 24 hours later it transforms into a bodak (MM 28) unless it has been resurrected in the meantime. The bodak is not under your command, but can be controlled as normal with a rebuke undead check.
Focus: A black onyx gem worth at least 500 gp.

FIELD OF GHOULS
Necromancy [Death, Evil]
Level: Hunger 7
Components: V, S
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: 30 ft.
Area: 30-ft.-radius emanation
centered on you
Duration: 1 round/level
Saving Throw: Will negates
Spell Resistance: Yes
Wrenching life from their bodies with your magic, your foes’ remains stir and rise as ghouls under your control.
Humanoid creatures in the area with –1 to –9 hit points that fail their saving throws die and immediately rise as ghouls (MM 118) under your control. You choose whether the ghouls follow you, or whether they can remain where formed and attack any creature (or just a specific kind of creature) the ghouls notice. The ghouls remain until they are destroyed.
The ghouls that you create remain under your control indefinitely. No matter how many ghouls you generate with this spell, however, you can control only 4 HD worth of undead creatures per caster level (this includes undead from all sources under your control). If you exceed this number, all the newly created creatures fall under your control, and any excess undead from previous castings become uncontrolled (you choose which creatures are released). If you are a cleric, any undead you might command by virtue of your power to command or rebuke undead do not count toward the limit.
Creatures that fall to –1 hit points or fewer in the area after the spell is cast are likewise subject to its effect and rise as ghouls on your next turn.
No creature can be affected by this spell more than once per round, regardless of the number of times that the area of the spell passes over it. This spell does not affect creatures that are already dead, or creatures that are killed by reducing their hit points to –10.

GHOUL GAUNTLET
Necromancy [Death, Evil]
Level: Hunger 5, sorcerer/wizard 6
Components: V, S
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Touch
Target: One living humanoid creature
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: Fortitude negates
Spell Resistance: Yes
Your touch gradually transforms a living victim into a ravening, flesh-eating ghoul.
The subject takes 3d6 points of damage per round while its body slowly dies and its flesh is transformed into the cold, undying flesh of the undead. When the victim reaches 0 hit points, it becomes a ghoul (MM 118).
If the target fails its initial saving throw, remove disease, dispel magic, heal, limited wish, miracle, Mordenkainen’s disjunction, remove curse, wish, or greater restoration negates the gradual change. Healing spells can temporarily prolong the process by increasing the victim’s hit points, but the transformation continues unabated.
The ghoul that you create remains under your control indefinitely. No matter how many ghouls you generate with this spell, however, you can control only 4 HD worth of undead creatures per caster level (this includes undead from all sources under your control). If you exceed this number, all the newly created creatures fall under your control, and any excess undead from previous castings become uncontrolled (you choose which creatures are released). If you are a cleric, any undead you might command by virtue of your power to command or rebuke undead do not count toward the limit.

KISS OF THE VAMPIRE
Necromancy
Level: Sorcerer/wizard 7
Components: V, S, M
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: 1 round/level
Drawing upon the powers of unlife, you give yourself abilities similar to those of a vampire. You become gaunt and pale with feral, red eyes.
You gain damage reduction 10/magic, and you can use any one of the following abilities each round as a standard action.
• enervation, as a melee touch attack
• vampiric touch, as a melee touch attack
• charm person
• gaseous form (self only)
While you are using this spell, inflict spells heal you and cure spells hurt you. You are treated as if you were undead for the purpose of all spells and effects. A successful turn (or rebuke) attempt against an undead of your Hit Dice requires you to make a Will saving throw (DC 10 + turning character’s Cha modifier) or be panicked (or cowering) for 10 rounds. A turn attempt that would destroy (or command) undead of your Hit Dice requires you to make a Will save (DC 15 + turning character’s Cha modifier) or be stunned (or charmed as by charm monster) for 10 rounds.
Any charm effect you create with this spell ends when the spell ends, but all other effects remain until their normal duration expires.
Material Component: A black onyx worth at least 50 gp that has been carved with the image of a fang-mouthed face.

PLAGUE OF UNDEAD
Necromancy [Evil]
Level: Cleric 9, sorcerer/wizard 9
Components: V, S, M
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)
Targets: One or more
corpses within range
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: No
Unleashing a cold rush of necromantic energy, you cause a host of undead to rise from the bodies of the fallen.
This spell turns the bones or bodies of dead creatures into undead skeletons (MM 225) or zombies (MM 265) with maximum hit points for their Hit Dice. If you can control them, these undead follow your spoken commands. The undead remain animated until destroyed (a destroyed skeleton or zombie can’t be animated again).
Regardless of the specific numbers or kinds of undead created with this spell, you can’t create more HD of undead with this spell than four times your caster level with a single casting of plague of undead.
The undead you create remain under your control indefinitely. No matter how many times you use this spell or animate dead (PH 198), however, you can control only 4 HD worth of undead creatures per caster level. The limit imposed by this spell and the animate dead spell are the same, meaning that creatures you animate with either spell count against this limit. If you exceed this number, all the newly created creatures fall under your control and any excess undead from previous castings of this spell or animate dead become uncontrolled. Any time you must release part of the undead that you control because of this spell or animate dead, you choose which undead are released until the total HD of undead you control is equal to four times your caster level.
The bones and bodies required for this spell follow the same restrictions as animate dead.
Material Component: A black sapphire worth 100 gp or several black sapphires with a total value of 100 gp.

SKELETAL GUARD
Necromancy [Evil]
Level: Sorcerer/wizard 8
Components: V, S, M
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Touch
Target: One or more fingerbones
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: No
Shaking the fingerbones in your hand like dice, you coat them in shadowy energy. As you cast them to the ground to complete the spell, animate skeletons spring up where you threw the bones.
You create a number of loyal skeletons from fingerbones. Treat all skeletons as human warrior skeletons (MM 226), except that each one has turn resistance equal to your caster level – 1. You can create one skeleton per caster level. These skeletons count toward the number of Hit Dice of undead you can have in your control (4 HD per caster level, as with animate dead).
Material Component: One finger bone from a humanoid and one onyx gem worth 50 gp per skeleton to be created.

Dragon Magazine:

Spoiler

Dragon 315
T'liz: Arcane spellcasters who perform a paroxysm of defiling magic sometimes become t’liz, undead defilers who walk the earth, feasting on the living energy of creatures rather than plants. Sometimes becoming a t’liz is accidental, but a defiler often seeks out undeath to prolong his life at the expense of the planet’s health.
“T’liz” is an acquired template that must be applied to any humanoid creature.
Ghoul Fleshgivor: Repeat uses of rejuvenative corpse on the temple ghouls has given Yorin some insight into the interaction of life energy and ghoulish hunger, and (with help from others in his church) he is on the brink of turning Hedris and Pont into a new type of undead, the fleshvigor, which gains power from eating the dead. Once perfected, the process could be used on other corporeal undead, and Yorin would gain great status in his church.
An afflicted humanoid who dies of the fleshvigor ghoul’s ghoul fever rises as a fleshvigor ghoul at the next midnight.
Ghast Fleshgivor: An afflicted humanoid with 4 or more Hit Dice who dies of the fleshvigor ghoul’s ghoul fever rises as a fleshvigor ghast at the next midnight.
“Fleshvigor” is an acquired template that can be added to any non-skeletal corporeal undead

Spectre: A humanoid slain by a t’liz’s energy drain rises as a spectre 1d4 days after death.

Dragon 322
Nether Hound: Kiaransalee, drow goddess of the undead and vengeance, is credited with the creation of nether hounds, slavering undead empowered to hunt down and slay her enemies. The truth is perhaps more complex, as other powers of undeath have also been known to send these fiendish undead after their foes. In fact, Kiaransalee has shared the nature of the nether hounds’ creation with her allies—particularly those who have sided with her against the demon lord Orcus.
The exact process of how nether hounds are created remains unknown, although it is thought to require acts only Kiaransalee and her night hag minions are corrupt enough to perform.
“Nether hound” is an acquired template that can be added to any corporeal undead with an Intelligence of 3 or more and nongood alignment.

Dragon 324
Icy Prisoner: Icy prisoners are undead creatures created from the bodies of those drowned in icy lakes, ponds, or streams.
Any humanoid drowned by an icy prisoner becomes an icy prisoner in 1d4 rounds.
Steaming Soldier: Steaming soldiers are undead born of battles on frigid tundra and unforgiving ice fields. These monstrosities arise when wounded warriors are left to die on the battlefield, and the icy landscape drains their warmth.
Any humanoid slain by a steaming soldier becomes a steaming soldier in 1d4 rounds.

Dragon 334
Humbaba: Some believe that they were first created by the gods of the afterlife.

Dragon 336
Favored Spawn of Kyuss: Favored spawn of Kyuss cannot be created with create undead spell or with create greater undead; the secrets of their creation reside only with Kyuss and his most trusted minions.
“Favored Spawn of Kyuss” (known simply as the “favored” to cultists of Kyuss) is an inherited template that can be added to any living, corporeal creature.
By pressing its face against a helpless victim, the favored spawn of Kyuss can infest the victim with a rain of 2d6 worms. This ability is treated the same as its create spawn ability, but a victim slain by the resulting infestation rises as a favored spawn of Kyuss rather than a normal zombie.

Allip: The allip is the spirit of someone driven to suicide by madness.
Suicide need not be the individual’s conscious goal, so long as it can be directly attributed to the insanity.
For instance, someone who jumps from a tower out of depression qualifies, but so does a madman who perishes after gouging out his own eyes in order to escape his hallucinations. Further, someone found shortly after death and offered a respectful burial is not likely to become an allip; only those who lie unfound for days or longer seem to linger as undead.
Bodak: Bodaks are “the undead remnants of humanoids who have been destroyed by the touch of absolute evil.” Typically this means that bodaks are created by other bodaks through their death gaze, but other methods exist as well.
A bodak might rise when an outsider with the evil subtype slays a humanoid creature with negative energy, a necromantic spell, or a death effect.
Bone Naga: Dark nagas know of a ritual to create a bone naga using animate dead. The ritual requires numerous components, including the ocular fluids of a divine caster and a sentient reptile. These can come from the same creature, if appropriate. Only taught to dark nagas, this rite contains a number of special somatic components that humanoids cannot emulate.
It is rumored that some free-willed bone nagas also possess the ability to perform the creation ritual and actively seek out their living brethren, enslaving them in undeath.
Boneclaw: Created as an immortal weapon, only the most abominable rituals birth boneclaws. The rite calls for the skeletons of Large, magic-using, humanoid-shaped creatures (such as ogre magi and certain types of hags). It infuses them with negative energy, strips them of most of their remaining flesh, and grafts additional bones to their body—mostly around the fingers. These additional bones must be cut from the flesh of living victims.
This rite requires the spells create undead (caster level 15+) and greater magic fang.
Charnel Hound: The first charnel hound formed from the corpses of one particular cemetery, located behind a secret shrine to Nerull the Reaper.
No longer the province of deities alone, mortal spellcasters have unlocked the secrets to charnel hound creation.
The ritual requires 200 corpses, the spell create greater undead (caster level 20+), and unholy unguents worth 15,000 gp (in addition to the standard components of the spell).
On occasion, charnel hounds arise without a mortal creator, spawned by the vile will of a deity even as the first such horror was created by Nerull.
Crawling Head: The first crawling head was created deliberately years ago, constructed from the severed head of a hill giant by a necromancer later slain by his own creation.
The rite requires create undead and the sacrifice of a giant who just fed on at least three sentient beings.
Crimson Death: Legends tell that a crimson death is born from the destruction of a strong-willed vampire. This is not, in fact, the case. Crimson deaths might form from anyone who dies via exsanguination and whose body is then consumed or destroyed. A traveler in a marsh sucked dry by leeches and then consumed by other swamp creatures might rise as a crimson death. Similarly, a vampire who drains a victim and then cremates the body to prevent it from rising as another vampire might provoke the manifestation of a crimson death. The same hatred and iron will required to create ghosts or wraiths is necessary for the formation of a crimson death.
Death Knight: The demon prince Demogorgon is credited with creating the first such horror. Some warriors seek out the undead existence of the death knight, but a mortal cannot perform the ritual without assistance. The transformation requires the active assistance of a powerful fiend. On rare occasions, death knights occur spontaneously upon the death of a favored servant of an archfiend or evil deity. Finally, and even less frequently, death knights might arise as the result of a curse. If an innocent dies due to a fallen paladin’s actions, that individual might pronounce a dying curse that results in eternal unlife for the former champion of light.
Drowned: Clearly, not all who drown become undead. Drowned appear when people perish beneath the waves specifically due to the actions (or negligence) of others. A ship that sinks due to storm damage does not transform those onboard into drowned, but one that sinks because of sabotage or pirates might. The earliest drowned formed when an entire island sank because of the foolish efforts of a powerful mage to enslave the sea god, and it is his curse that continues to form these undead today.
Effigy: Like so many undead, effigies form from the hate and rage of a dying individual. Such people must die under circumstances wherein they believe they have been deprived of their rightful due by the actions of others. For example, someone murdered on the verge of completing a major ambition or gaining a windfall might become an effigy. In addition, an effigy can only form if the individual died by fire, such as a fireball or flame strike spell, or a dragon’s breath.
Famine Spirit: Not everyone who dies of hunger becomes a famine spirit. Specifically, someone must spend much of his life hungry or otherwise wanting for basic necessities.
Potential sources include people living in poverty or who dwell in famine-prone areas. The individual must, near the end of his life, have had the opportunity to raise himself from his current state, perhaps to acquire riches or move to more fertile lands. This chance must be snatched away by the actions of another person or sentient being, thus causing the individual to perish not only of starvation but also of frustration and cruelly shattered hopes. Only when all these conditions are met, a truly strong-willed individual becomes a famine spirit.
Ghast: The best-known methods for creating a ghast are through create undead and by contracting ghoul fever. A third method exists, however. If someone who might spontaneously become a ghoul at death dies while actually in the process of consuming humanoid flesh, he instead rises as a ghast.
Ghost: Held to the Material Plane through raw emotion, ghosts possess a burning need to complete some task or remain near some person or place. Love and determination are often the driving motivations behind a ghost’s existence.
All ghosts believe they died violently or of unnatural causes. A woman who dies of old age probably doesn’t become a ghost, unless she believes she was poisoned. Similarly, those who die of illness rarely rise as ghosts unless they believe the plague was deliberately spread. The truth of the matter is unimportant; only the individual’s strongly held belief matters.
In a few rare instances, the ignorant or innocent might remain as ghosts without even realizing they are dead.
Ghoul: Ghouls most often result from an infection of ghoul fever or the create undead spell. In some instances, however, individuals who spent their lives feeding on others spontaneously rise as ghouls. This “feeding” can be literal, such as habitual cannibalism, or figurative, such as a tax-collector who takes more than the law requires so he might feed his avarices. Only those who commit these acts personally risk becoming a ghoul. A distant lord who commands his soldiers to rob the peasants blind is not at risk, but a greedy landlord who charges poor families every copper they own and then cheerfully evicts them certainly is. Some see the transformation into a ghoul as a curse from the deities, punishment for a life of greed and sin.
Huecuva: Legend tells that a huecuva results from a curse levied on fallen clerics, druids, monks, and paladins. As punishment for their heresies, their patron deities condemn them to a state of eternal undeath.
In truth, this is only partially correct. Most deities who count paladins and druids among their servants are unlikely to inflict such an undead horror upon the world. Indeed these fallen souls are cursed by their patron—but that curse is simply the complete abandonment of the former servant’s soul, leaving him open to whatever evils might lurk in the depths of his spirit. Eventually, these evils consume him, leaving little but resentment and loathing for the deity that once favored him. Only then, when such powerful hate mingles with lingering divine energy does the fallen faithful become a huecuva.
Lich: As the quintessential “self-made” undead, a lich is a spellcaster who becomes undead through a complex ritual that takes years of research and careful experimentation. This involves the creation of a phylactery, a vessel to contain the lich’s essence.
The process requires Craft Wondrous Item, 120,000 gp, and 4,800 XP. Discovering the proper formulas and incantations to create a phylactery requires a DC 35 Knowledge (arcane) or Knowledge (religion) check. This check requires 1d4 full months of research. Note that this check represents starting from scratch and can be bypassed entirely if the knowledge is available (such as through a tome or tutor).
Perhaps the most common form of the accompanying ritual for arcane liches—although not the only one—involves the spells create undead, magic jar, and permanency.
The comparable rite for clerical liches involves create undead, harm, and unhallow.
Mohrg: Mohrgs are mass murderers or similar villains, but not all dead murderers become mohrgs. To become a mohrg, a killer must not only fail to atone for his crimes, he must intend to kill again. In other words, only murderers whose sprees are interrupted by death rise as mohrgs. A hanged killer possesses a better chance of rising as a mohrg than one slain through any other means. Even the wisest sages maintain no real idea why this should be, although some speculate it is because hanging is often considered the most dishonorable means of execution.
Only the spell create undead can form a mohrg from a corpse that is not a murderer.
Mummy: Normally formed via ancient burial rites, the process to create a mummy involves complex spells, chants, and designs. The mummification ritual entails the removal of internal organs and the slow drying and desiccation of the corpse.
On very rare occasions, an individual might spontaneously rise as a mummy. If a person dies in a state of anger and hatred and if his body is naturally mummified or preserved, due perhaps to exposure to great heat and dryness, the individual might reanimate and seek to destroy the object of his rage.
Nightshade: Nightshades were entities of pure evil even before they became undead. They result when outsiders with the evil subtype are continually subjected to negative energies long after death. The type of nightshade the fiend becomes is determined by adding up its Hit Dice and its Charisma modifier. If the total is 10 or less, the creature cannot become a nightshade. From 11 to 18, the creature might rise as a nightwing; 19 to 26, as a nightwalker; and 27 or more, as a nightcrawler.
Shadow: In ancient times, before the development of create greater undead, the first shadow arose. Shadows spontaneously manifest when someone dies due, at least in part, to her own physical weakness. A warrior slain after rendered helpless by a ray of enfeeblement spell, an old woman murdered because she lacked the strength to fight back or scream for help, or a rogue slowly eaten by rats after incapacitation by poison might become a shadow.
Spectre: When not created by spells or the touch of another spectre, they manifest in a similar fashion to ghosts. They rise from the violent death of someone who lacks the requisite strength of purpose to become a true ghost, yet who possesses sufficient will and fury that they cannot move on.
Spectres are born from sudden acts of violence.
Sword Wraith: Like a ghost, a sword wraith is driven by a single-minded ambition that lingers after death—in this case, the desire to continue battle, to shed more blood. Unlike the ghost, however, the sword wraith’s purpose might not actually be his own. The bloodlust and dark desires of his fellow soldiers often mixes with the sword wraith’s own. Thus, the purpose that drives a sword wraith might belong to any one of the soldiers lying dead on the field, or might even be an entire platoon’s combined discipline and love of carnage. This can sometimes create sword wraiths from the noblest commanders and the lowliest scouts.
Vampire: Almost everyone knows that vampires spawn other vampires, but myth and legend present many other possible origins for these infamous undead. In cultures that believe suicide is a sin, anyone who takes his own life might rise from his coffin as a vampire.
Those who make deals with entities of evil and gods of death, seeking power or immortality, often become vampires, their desires granted in a most twisted fashion. Also, someone who might otherwise spontaneously rise as a ghoul, slain specifically through negative energy or the result of a curse, might instead rise as a vampire, a drinker of blood rather than an eater of flesh.
Wight: Wights, unless created by other wights, are animated almost entirely by their desire to do violence. Just as ghouls arise from those who feed off others, wights result from the deaths of individuals whose sole purpose in life was to maim, torture, or kill. Simply coming from a profession that requires one to kill, such as a soldier or gladiator, is not sufficient; the individual must harbor a true love of carnage and take intense pleasure in ending life. Wights arise only when the person died frustrated, unable to complete a murder he had already begun, or unable to find a chosen victim.
Wraith: Like spectres, wraiths are the spirits of those who died under horrific circumstances, but who lack the strength of purpose to return as ghosts. Whereas spectres are born from sudden acts of violence, wraiths result from slow, lingering deaths. Someone bricked up inside a wall and allowed to starve, or slowly poisoned, is more likely to return as a wraith than a spectre. Those wraiths who do not arise spontaneously result from the touch of other wraiths or from the create greater undead spell.
Spawn of Kyuss: The spawn began with Kyuss, an ancient priest of a forgotten deity who ruled an empire before the advent of modern civilization.
Any evil cleric can create a spawn of Kyuss by casting create undead as long as he is at least 15th level. The material component for creating a spawn of Kyuss, however, is slightly different than normal. This version of the spell must be cast over the grave of a killer who was buried without a coffin in unhallowed ground (a DC 25 Knowledge [local] check can usually determine if such a body lies near a specific settlement). If the caster has a preserved or live Kyuss worm he may substitute that for the 250 gp black onyx gem that is otherwise required to animate the body. As the spell is cast, the grave blooms with worms and maggots as the newly created spawn of Kyuss rises from within.
A Small, Medium, or Large creature slain by a worm from a favored spawn of Kyuss rises as a new spawn of Kyuss (not a favored spawn) 1d6+4 rounds later.
The nigh-indestructible sons of Kyuss were created by the then priest Kyuss for his own dark purposes.
Zombie: Magic that removes curses or diseases directed at a spawn of Kyuss can transform all but the most powerful into normal zombies.
a Huge or larger creature slain by a worm from a favored spawn of Kyuss becomes a normal zombie of the appropriate size.

Dragon 339
Animus: An animus is the product of a magical ritual performed on live humanoids by devils and clerics of Hextor.
“Animus” is an acquired template that can be added to any humanoid creature.
Lich, Suel: Suel liches are ancient undead spellcasters who managed to survive the Rain of Colorless Fire that destroyed their homeland.
“Suel lich” is an acquired template that can be added to any humanoid arcane spellcaster of at least 15th level.

Dragon 340
Cauldron Spawn: If bodies are placed within the cauldron of corruption and no spell is cast, 3 rounds later they arise as cauldron spawn.
“Cauldron spawn” is an acquired template that can be added to the corpse of any creature that was once a living corporeal creature with an Intelligence of 6 or higher. Such creatures must be Large or smaller to fit within the Cauldron of Corruption and gain this template.

Dragon 343
Living Wall: Some living walls are deliberate creations by evil and cruel necromancers using rare spells, but some (particularly in Ravenloft) arise spontaneously when a person is entombed alive within a wall. This only happens when the terrified victim curses his slayer, his screams rising loud enough to be heard beyond the walls of his prison. When the victim dies, the curse soils his life energy, which becomes trapped in the wall. Eventually, madness overtakes the spirit and turns it chaotic evil, at which point all dead creatures within 300 feet of the wall rise, shamble to the wall, and join it, fusing together into a thing that seems like stone made from fused and transformed flesh.
“Living wall” is an acquired template that can be added to any Small, Medium, or Large corporeal aberration, animal, dragon, fey, giant, humanoid, magical beast, monstrous humanoid, outsider, or vermin creature with at least 4 Hit Dice.

Web Articles

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Complete Divine Web Enhancement More Divinity:

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Shadow: ?
Allip: ?
Wraith: ?
Spectre: ?
Greater Shadow: ?

Dragonlance Campaign Setting Web Enhancement Minor Dragon Overlords of the Fifth Age:

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Frostwight: ?

Elite Opponents Gnolls:

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Y'reess, Fiendish Gnoll Vampire Ranger 9: Once a member of an elite caste of demon-touched gnolls, Y'reess was an esteemed hunt leader among his people. Many years ago, he ran afoul of a powerful vampire when his pack of hunters discovered the creature's tomb.

Elite Opponents Creatures That Cannot Be:

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Demon Vampire, Vampiric Glabrezu, Glabrezu Vampire: ?
Gelatinous Cube Vampire: ?
Gelatinous Vampire Bear: ?
Gelatinous Vampire Griffon: ?

Vampire Spawn: A humanoid or monstrous humanoid slain by a vampiric glabrezu's energy drain rises as a vampire spawn 1d4 days after burial. If the vampiric glabrezu instead drains the victim's Constitution to 0 or lower, the victim returns as a spawn if it had 4 or fewer HD and as a vampire if it had 5 or more HD.
Vampire: A humanoid or monstrous humanoid slain by a vampiric glabrezu's energy drain rises as a vampire spawn 1d4 days after burial. If the vampiric glabrezu instead drains the victim's Constitution to 0 or lower, the victim returns as a spawn if it had 4 or fewer HD and as a vampire if it had 5 or more HD.

Elite Opponents Creatures That Cannot Be II:

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Vampiric Vine Horror: ?
Vampire Night Twist: ?
Nymph Lich Druid 6: ?

Vampire Spawn: A humanoid or monstrous humanoid slain by the vampiric vine horror's energy 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 was a humanoid or monstrous humanoid, and as a monstrous vampire if it had 5 or more HD and was an aberration, animal, dragon, fey, giant, humanoid, magical beast, monstrous humanoid, or vermin.
A humanoid or monstrous humanoid slain by the vampire night twist's energy 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 was a humanoid or monstrous humanoid, and as a monstrous vampire if it had 5 or more HD and was an aberration, animal, dragon, fey, giant, humanoid, magical beast, monstrous humanoid, or vermin.
Monstrous Vampire: A humanoid or monstrous humanoid slain by the vampiric vine horror's energy 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 was a humanoid or monstrous humanoid, and as a monstrous vampire if it had 5 or more HD and was an aberration, animal, dragon, fey, giant, humanoid, magical beast, monstrous humanoid, or vermin.
A humanoid or monstrous humanoid slain by the vampire night twist's energy 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 was a humanoid or monstrous humanoid, and as a monstrous vampire if it had 5 or more HD and was an aberration, animal, dragon, fey, giant, humanoid, magical beast, monstrous humanoid, or vermin.

Elite Opponents Mohrgs:

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Shadow Mohrg: ?
Spellstitched Mohrg: ?
Elite Fiendgrafted Mohrg: ?
Kurge the Executioner, Mohrg Assassin 5: ?

Mohrg: A mohrg is the animated corpse of a mass murderer or some similarly horrific (and unatoned) villain whose inherent evil enables it to continue its depredations well beyond the grave.
Zombie: Creatures killed by a shadow mohrg rise after 1d4 days as zombies under its control. They do not possess any of the abilities they had in life.
Creatures killed by a spellstitched mohrg rise after 1d4 days as zombies under its control. They do not possess any of the abilities they had in life.
Creatures killed by the fiendgrafted mohrg rise after 1d4 days as zombies under its control. They do not possess any of the abilities they had in life.
Creatures killed by Kurge rise after 1d4 days as zombies under his control. They do not possess any of the abilities they had in life.

Elite Opponents Ogre Mages:

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Nam-Sun, Ghost Half-Green-Dragon/Half-Ogre-Mage Sorcerer 8: Slain decades ago by a rival ogre mage, Nam-Sun now haunts the forest where she once lived. She hungers only for revenge against her killer, who currently serves as advisor to a tribe of fire giants in a distant mountain range.

Elite Opponents Variant Blackspawn Stalkers:

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Blackspawn Stalker Mumia Swarm-Shifter: Undoubtedly some splinter group devoted to Nerull or Lolth or even Tiamat made a blackspawn stalker into a mumia so it could continue the fight, and the patron deity gave it swarm powers.
Imhotep: ?

Elite Opponents Variant Frostwind Viragos:

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Spellwarped Silveraith Frostwind Virago: ?

Silveraith: A spellcaster killed outright by the backlash of this Spellwarped Silveraith Frostwind Virago creature's magic absorption rises as a silveraith in 1d4 days if it would qualify for the template.
Juju Zombie: Each month a creature lives as a blightspawned, it must succeed at a Fortitude save (DC 15 + 1 per previous saving throw attempted) or die. A blightspawned that dies in this fashion animates as a juju zombie.

Elite Opponents Variant Medusas:

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Ghost Medusa: ?

Elite Opponents Variant Unicorns:

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Monstrous Vampire Unicorn: ?

Vampire Spawn: A humanoid or monstrous humanoid slain by a monstrous vampire's energy drain rises as a vampire spawn 1d4 days after burial. If the monstrous 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 was a humanoid or monstrous humanoid, and as a monstrous vampire if it had 5 or more HD and was an aberration, animal, dragon, fey, giant, humanoid, magical beast, monstrous humanoid, or vermin.
Monstrous Vampire: A humanoid or monstrous humanoid slain by a monstrous vampire's energy drain rises as a vampire spawn 1d4 days after burial. If the monstrous 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 was a humanoid or monstrous humanoid, and as a monstrous vampire if it had 5 or more HD and was an aberration, animal, dragon, fey, giant, humanoid, magical beast, monstrous humanoid, or vermin.

Elite Opponents Weird and “Wonderful” Stirges:

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Ghost Brute Stirge: The ghost brute stirge (CR 2) was driven to return from death by an unquenchable thirst for warm blood, and it single-mindedly searches for victims to sate its terrible cravings.

Elite Opponents Wyverns:

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Skeletal Wyvern: ?

Epic Insights Compiled and Updated:

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Skeleton: Horrible Army of the Dead epic spell.

HORRIBLE ARMY OF THE DEAD
Necromancy [Death, Evil]
Spellcraft DC: 112
Components: V, S
Casting Time: 1 full round
Range: 300 ft.
Area: 300-ft. radius
Target: One or more living creatures
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: Fortitude negates
Spell Resistance: Yes
To Develop: 1,008,000 gp; 21days; 40,320 XP. Seeds: animate dead (DC 23), slay (DC 25). Factors: reduce casting time by 9 rounds (+18 DC), create additional 60 HD of undead (+60 DC), create skeletons (-12 DC). Mitigating factor: burn 1,000 XP (-10 DC).
All living creatures within the area (to a maximum of 80 HD, no creature with more than 10 HD is affected) wither and die, their flesh falling to dust in seconds. The next round, these creatures rise as skeletons. You can naturally control 1 HD of undead per caster level; any undead beyond this number are uncontrolled (but since you’re probably creating them out of the middle of your enemy’s army, they’ll cause plenty of chaos on their own).
XP Cost: 1,000 XP.

Far Corners of the World Shadows of Glory Monsters of the Lost City:

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Golem Remnant: With the passage of countless ages, the majority of any guardians and sentinels that survived the ancient cataclysm long since died or moved to different regions. Yet one category of creature in particular remained at their posts: constructs. The golems and other animated guardians created by the ancients simply remained at their posts, patient and silent, awaiting new orders that would never come. Eventually, the elements wore down even these ancient constructs, and their bodies fell apart from disuse.
Yet so strong was the binding magic that anchored the animating elemental spirits to these ancient golems that when the bodies died, their elemental "souls" died as well -- yet they did not return to the elemental planes once their bodies wasted away. Still bound to a body that no longer existed, these disembodied elemental spirits transformed into strange undead known today as golem remnants.
A golem remnant is a particularly unusual undead creature. The elemental spirits that create them are no longer bound to the Material Plane, yet their ages of idle torment that ended with dissolution universally leave them insane, and once freed, they seek out other statues, suits of armor, even dead bodies to inhabit and animate.

Fight Club Chuladoal:

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Chuladoal Fiendish Gravetouched Ghoul Swarm-Shifter Troll: Too much flesh-eating in life resulted in his transformation to a gravetouched ghoul after death.
Chuladoal Fiendish Four-Headed Gravetouched Ghoul Swarm-Shifter Pyro-Troll: Too much flesh-eating in life resulted in his transformation to a gravetouched ghoul after death.
Chuladoal Fiendish Four-Headed Gravetouched Ghoul Swarm-Shifter Pyro-Troll Barbarian 4: Too much flesh-eating in life resulted in his transformation to a gravetouched ghoul after death.

Fight Club Drossang Tachlash:

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Drossang Tachlash, Redspawn Arcaniss Spectral Mage Rogue 1/Spellwarp Sniper 1: So, she began seeking out training in arts that are rare among her kind, and as she became more specialized with ray spells, she gained more notice. Not in a good way, though, because a wizard in the Cult of the Dragon captured her and turned her into a spectral mage.
Drossang Tachlash, Redspawn Arcaniss Spectral Mage Rogue 1/Spellwarp Sniper 5: So, she began seeking out training in arts that are rare among her kind, and as she became more specialized with ray spells, she gained more notice. Not in a good way, though, because a wizard in the Cult of the Dragon captured her and turned her into a spectral mage.
Drossang Tachlash, Redspawn Arcaniss Spectral Mage Rogue 1/Spellwarp Sniper 5/Incantatrix 4: So, she began seeking out training in arts that are rare among her kind, and as she became more specialized with ray spells, she gained more notice. Not in a good way, though, because a wizard in the Cult of the Dragon captured her and turned her into a spectral mage.

Fight Club Imbrudar:

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Imbrudar, Brain in a Jar Psion 2: Imbrudar was created in a lab long ago.
Imbrudar, Brain in a Jar Psion 9: Imbrudar was created in a lab long ago.
Imbrudar, Brain in a Jar Psion 13: Imbrudar was created in a lab long ago.

Fight Club The Vampire Werewolf:

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Nadezda Jilek, Orc Werewolf Vampire Scout 5: Among the colony of orc werewolves, Nadezda wasn't that special or even noticed. As one among many in the pack, she took her place like everyone else. She trained as a scout and hunted food for the tribe. On her last hunt, lycanthrope-hating paladins and clerics wiped out her whole tribe while she was away, and she returned to a burned village and piles of charred corpses. As she grieved and buried her kin that night, a vampire attacked her.
Nadezda Jilek, Orc Werewolf Vampire Scout 5/Rogue 1/Pious templar 4: After Nadezda's tribe was wiped out, she wandered the world for a while, and eventually fell in with a temple of Gruumsh. She trained as a temple guardian and served in that capacity for a few years before the temple was attacked by a vampire. She did her best to hold it at bay, but in the end she was overcome.
Nadezda Jilek, Orc Werewolf Vampire Scout 5/Rogue 1/Pious Templar 4/Shadowdancer 1/Warshaper 4: After years of serving a temple of Gruumsh as a pious templar, Nadezda became disillusioned with religion and wandered the world again. Along the way she met a druid and learned much from him about shapechanging and controlling her body. But wanderlust called again, and she was on the verge of departing when a vampire attacked them both.

Vampire Spawn: A humanoid or monstrous humanoid slain by Nadezda 's energy drain rises as a vampire spawn 1d4 days after burial. If Nadezda instead drains the victim's Constitution to 0 or lower, the victim returns as a spawn if it had 4 or less HD and was a humanoid or monstrous humanoid, and as a monstrous vampire if it had 5 or more HD and was an aberration, animal, dragon, fey, giant, humanoid, magical beast, monstrous humanoid, or vermin.
Monstrous Vampire: A humanoid or monstrous humanoid slain by Nadezda 's energy drain rises as a vampire spawn 1d4 days after burial. If Nadezda instead drains the victim's Constitution to 0 or lower, the victim returns as a spawn if it had 4 or less HD and was a humanoid or monstrous humanoid, and as a monstrous vampire if it had 5 or more HD and was an aberration, animal, dragon, fey, giant, humanoid, magical beast, monstrous humanoid, or vermin.

Fight Club Voidmind Rot Reaver:

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Sapphiraktar, Dracolich: ?

Zombie: As a standard action, the voidmind rot reaver can animate any dead creature within 60 feet that was affected by his wound rot ability within the last 24 hours. Creatures so animated rise as zombies. The voidmind rot reaver can animate 10 HD worth of undead at any one time, and these don't count against the Hit Dice of undead he can control using his rebuke undead ability.
As a standard action, the voidmind rot reaver can animate any dead creature within 60 feet that was affected by his wound rot ability within the last 24 hours. Creatures so animated rise as zombies. The voidmind rot reaver fighter 4 can animate 14 HD worth of undead at any one time, and these don't count against the Hit Dice of undead he can control using his rebuke undead ability.
As a standard action, the voidmind rot reaver fighter 8 can animate any dead creature within 60 feet that was affected by his wound rot ability within the last 24 hours. Creatures so animated rise as zombies. The voidmind rot reaver can animate 18 HD worth of undead at any one time, and these don't count against the Hit Dice of undead he can control using his rebuke undead ability.

Forgotten Realms Adventure Locales The Haunted Glen:

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Haunted Glen: Some time ago, a fey nymph visited him, fell in love with him, and enticed him to fall in love with her. This love was his undoing, for his paramour was an evil fey from the Unseelie Court. She and a group of evil fey creatures came one night and captured the woodsman, and in a night-long dance ritual stole his soul, or at least a part of it. The ritual so affected the trees that they can no longer grow in the clearing. They carried the body into the forest and hid it; later, animals ate it. Part of his spirit remains, seeking wholeness or rest, but unable really to affect the world around him. (This is the darkness or sadness that presses upon the area.)

Forgotten Realms Adventure Locales The Ruined Village Square:

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Fronn, Human Ghost Ranger 9: The three people who were lost from the village died (either due to the passing of time or unlucky mishaps with the portal), but only the farmer's son became a ghost and started haunting the ruins. This ghost is the form that one occasionally glimpses in the square, and he is restlessly trying to find a way home. He may choose to interact with the PCs if they stay in the ruins area for at least 2 hours. His name is Fronn, and he came to realize how he was transported via the fountain; though he died, his spirit remained behind at the site of the portal. Because of this, he tries to keep other people out of the fountain during the times that the portal is active.

Forgotten Realms City of Splendors Waterdeep Web Enhancement Environs of Waterdeep:

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Baelnorn: ?
Daurgothoth, The Creeping Doom, First Reader of the Cult of the Dragon, Black Greay Wyrm Dracolich Wizard 20/Archmage 5: ?
Larloch: ?
Hill Giant Skeleton: ?
Death Tyrant: ?
The Howler, Banshee: ?
Umbralax, Shadow Dracolich: ?
Rorrina, dual, (daughter) of Tuvala of Clan Stoneshaft, Vampire Shield Dwarf Cleric 10: ?

Skeleton: ?
Lich: ?
Lacedon: ?
Wraith: ?

Forgotten Realms Dragons of Faerun Web Enhancement City of Wyrmshadows:

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Spectral Shadow Dragon: In the Year of the Darkspawn (634 DR), the shadow dragons of Clan Jaezred were overthrown by their own half-drow/half-shadow dragon progeny, known as the zekylen, who had mastered powerful planar magic in secret while purporting to serve their masters. Haerinvureem, a great shadow wyrm better known as “Shimmergloom,” escaped the carnage through the Shadow Plane, but the rest of his clan were slain and reanimated as spectral creatures.
Spectral shadow dragons, undead remnants of the shadow dragons of Clan Jaezred.

Spectral Spitting Felldrake: Quildan has created two undead guardians for the main supply entrance.
Spectral Creature: Create Spectral Spawn feat.
Shadow: ?

Create Spectral Spawn
You have the ability to create undead spawn with ties to the Plane of Shadow with your energy drain ability.
Prerequisite: Energy drain special ability.
Benefits: Creatures slain with your energy drain ability arise as sp

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awn under your control with the spectral creature†† template. They remain under your control until your death.

Forgotten Realms Dragons of Faerun Web Enhancement New Draconic Monsters:

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Hoarder Dragon: Hoarders are dragons who were so greedy in life that when they died, they could not abandon their treasure. While they hold many similarities to ghosts, these creatures manifest for entirely different reasons. Their unfettered avarice causes them to haunt the site of their hoard, unwilling to give up a single coin.
In life, most hoarders worshipped Task, the dragon god of greed. Scholars suggest that he rewards them for their service by transforming them into hoarders when they die. They point out that the creatures usually use gems the color of their scales for eyes.
"Hoarder" is a template that can be added to any nongood dragon.
Amilektrevitrioelis, "Amilek", Mature Blue Dragon Hoarder: As Amilek grew in size and greed, he attracted the attention of Task, the dragon god of greed. Most blues have aspirations of tyranny and domination, but Amilek was an exception. Task loved to watch the avaricious blue writhing in his mountains of coins, spending months cataloging his wealth, down to the last copper piece. Amilek was one of Task's favorite, receiving numerous gifts from The Taker throughout the years.
What he did not know was that the spirit of Amilek still existed, called back to the treasure hoard by its dark master.

Forgotten Realms Dragons of Faerun Web Enhancement Roll Call of Dragons:

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Aghazstamn, Wyrm Blue Disembodied Dracolich: ?
Alasklerbanbastos, The "Great Bone Wyrm", Great Wyrm Blue Dracolich: ?
Alglaudyx, Wyrm Black Dracolich: ?
Arkhelthingril, "Ice", Old White Dracolich: ?
Arlauthra Manytalons, Wyrm Black Dracolich: ?
Aurgloroasa, "The Sibilant Shade", Wyrm Shadow Dracolich: ?
Azarvilandral, "Shard", Old Blue Dracolich: ?
Azurphax, Adult Green Dracolich: ?
Calathanorgoth, "The Old One", Wyrm Black Dracolich: ?
Canthraxis, Adult Blue Dracolich: ?
Capnolithyl, "Brimstone", Vampiric Advanced 36 HD Smoke Drake Sorcerer 10: ?
Chardansearavitriol, "Ebondeath", Very Old Black Disembodied Dracolich: ?
Crimdrac, Ancient Red Dracolich: ?
Daurgothoth, "The Creeping Doom", Great Wyrm Black Dracolich Wizard 20/Archmage 5: ?
Dretchroyaster, "The Monarch Reborn", Wyrm Green Dracolich: ?
Eboanaflimoth, "Ebonflame", Adult Red Dracolich: ?
Garrathmaw, "Insyzor", "Incisor", Very Old Fang Dracolich: ?
Ghaulantatra, "Old Mother Wyrm", Ghostly Great Wyrm White Dragon: ?
Goarulskul, "The Black", Wyrm Black Dracolich: ?
Gotha, Ancient Red Dracolich: ?
Greshrukk, "Red Eye", Old Red Disembodied Dracolich: ?
Halatathlaer, Ghostly Ancient Copper Dragon: ?
Hethcypressarvil, "Cypress the Black", Wyrm Black Dracolich: ?
Iltharagh, "Golden Night", Very Old Topaz Dracolich: ?
Ividilandyr, "Ivy Deathdealer", Mature Adult Green Dracolich: ?
Jaxanaedegor, Vampiric Very Old Green Dragon: ?
Khalahmongre, Ancient Blue Dracolich: ?
Kistarianth "The Red", Ancient Red Dracolich: ?
Kryonar, Wyrm White Dracolich: ?
Malygris, "The Suzerain of Anauroch", Very Old Blue Dracolich: ?
Mornauguth, "The Moor Dragon", Young Adult Green Dracolich, Human, Cleric 8: ?
Pelendralaar, Adult Red Dracolich: ?
Rauglothgor, Great Wyrm Red Dracolich: ?
Sapphiraktar, "The Blue", Wyrm Blue Dracolich: ?
Saurglyce, Mature Adult White Dracolich: ?
Shargrailar, "The Dark", "The Sacred One", Great Wyrm Red Disembodied Dracolich: ?
Shhuusshuru, "Shadow Wing", Great Wyrm Shadow Dracolich: ?
Urshula, Very Old Black Dracolich: ?
Uthagrimnoshaarl, "The Dire Dragon", Great Wyrm Shadow Dracolich: ?
Vesz’zt Auvryana, Vampiric Adult Drow-Dragon Rogue 6/Assassin 3: ?
Vr’tark, Mature Adult Blue Dracolich: ?
Xavarathimius, "The Everlasting Wyrm", Great Wyrm Green Dracolich: ?
Zethrindor, Ancient White Disembodied Dracolich: ?

Forgotten Realms Realms Personalities Ghiz'kith, Devotee of the True Sseth:

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Ghiz'kith, Sarrukh Lich Wizard 10/Arcane Devotee of Sseth 5: Driven from Okoth prior to its fall (circa -34,100 DR), Ghiz'kith fled from his defeat at the hands of the foul albino, Pil'it'ith. Retreating into Mhairshaulk, the powerful sarrukh wizard longed for further arcane knowledge. Ultimately, he sought knowledge that would allow him to outlast his enemy and survive into the future, that he might rise to power once again. He scoured his vast personal library for answers, though none could be found. At long last, in the twilight of his life, it looked as though Pil'it'ith had succeeded in finally destroying Ghiz'kith when Ghiz'kith made a desperate plea to Sseth, praying for the knowledge that had eluded him begging for immortality. Sseth responded to his disciple and bestowed upon him knowledge of a process that would transform him body and soul, turning arcane might into the long sleep from which Ghiz'kith would awaken as a lich. To this day, the reason for Sseth's assistance to Ghiz'kith is unknown. Perhaps he had foreseen his imprisonment by the dark god Set or perhaps he did this to test his chosen, Pil'it'ith. Whatever the reason, Ghiz'kith slumbered in an amber chrysalis and slowly changed.
The yuan-ti of Mhairshaulk displayed Ghiz'kith in his amber prison, hanging the massive amber tomb from the ceiling in the grand temple like some misbegotten crystal chandelier. Ghiz'kith's corpse, contained within, served as a constant reminder of the past and the yuan-tis' slavery to the sarrukh. The Time of Troubles came, and indeed Sseth found himself imprisoned by Set. Shortly after Set began granting spells to his sarrukh worshipers, Sseth began struggling against the bonds of eternal slumber. As a result of these struggles, Ghiz'kith awoke, much to the surprise of the yuan-ti of Mhairshaulk, who, upon opening the proceedings of what was to be a grand sacrifice, entered their place of worship to find the amber prison shattered and its former occupant missing. A great hunt for the body of Ghiz'kith ensued, but for a time, he was nowhere to be found.

Forgotten Realms Player's Guide to Faerun Web Enhancement Monster Update:

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Beholder Death Tyrant: ?
Dracolich: ?
Banedead: ?
Baneguard: ?
Bat Deep Bonebat: ?
Dread Warrior: ?
Zombie Tyrantfog: ?
Curst: ?
Revenant: ?
Crypt Spawn: ?
Spectral Mage: ?
Abyssal Ghoul: ?
Drider Vampire: ?
Orb Wraith: ?
Wraith Spider Small: ?
Wraith Spider Medium: ?
Wraith Spider Large: ?
Wraith Spider Huge: ?
Keening Spirit: ?
Silveraith: ?
Zin-Carla: ?

Forgotten Realms Underdark Web Enhancement Organizations of the Underdark:

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Dracolich: ?

Forgotten Realms Underdark Web Enhancement Underdark Dungeons:

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Death, Dread Wraith: ?
Disease, Mummy Monk 7: ?
Yureck, Nightcrawler: ?

Shadow: ?

Forgotten Realms Wyrms of the North By Dragons Ruled and Divided:

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Daurgothoth, The Creeping Doom, Black Great Wyrm Dracolich: ?

Forgotten Realms Wyrms of the North Voaraghamanthar, "the Black Death":

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Penanggalan: ?
Sea Zombie: ?
Iniarv, Lich: ?
Chardansearavitriol, "Ebondeath", Old Black Dracolich: The dragon had actually heeded the entreaties of Strongor Bonebag, a charismatic Priest of Myrkul with ties to the Cult of the Dragon, and been transformed into a dracolich.
On their own, the brothers unearthed a collection of dark sermons probably written by Strongor Bonebag. Reading these sermons (which they've kept secret from the Cult), they've come to believe Chardansearavitriol underwent a process different from that which the Cult uses to create most dracoliches.

Lich: ?
Undead: The taint of the dead god Myrkul's power in recent history animated many of the dead drowned beneath the western Mere, creating a profusion of strange undead and many sorts of ghouls, skeletons, and zombies now found in groups wandering the swamp and the lands around, attacking everyone they encounter.
Ebondeath, who cared more for gaining personal power than for Strongor's vision, was slavishly served by the cultists (each of whom, upon death, was transformed into an undead servitor by his fellows).
Upon Myrkul's death, the god's avatar exploded high above the Sea of Swords. Much of his might rained down on the waters to slowly collect on the sea floor, and the god's essence survives in the Crown of Horns, but a small fraction of the god's power coalesced atop the waves. This floating patch of bone dust drifted north, and -- perhaps by chance, perhaps by dark design -- recently entered the Mere, where Myrkul's fading power animated a leaderless legion of undead from the countless fallen bodies that lie unburied beneath the dark waters.
Ghoul: The taint of the dead god Myrkul's power in recent history animated many of the dead drowned beneath the western Mere, creating a profusion of strange undead and many sorts of ghouls, skeletons, and zombies now found in groups wandering the swamp and the lands around, attacking everyone they encounter.
Skeleton: The taint of the dead god Myrkul's power in recent history animated many of the dead drowned beneath the western Mere, creating a profusion of strange undead and many sorts of ghouls, skeletons, and zombies now found in groups wandering the swamp and the lands around, attacking everyone they encounter.
Zombie: The taint of the dead god Myrkul's power in recent history animated many of the dead drowned beneath the western Mere, creating a profusion of strange undead and many sorts of ghouls, skeletons, and zombies now found in groups wandering the swamp and the lands around, attacking everyone they encounter.

Planar Handbook Web Enhancement Planar Touchstones:

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Balor Skeleton: ?

Lich: ?
Dread Wraith: ?
Elite Vampire Half-Elf Monk/Shadowdancer 13: ?

Red Hand of Doom Web Enhancement Creature Appendix:

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Ghost Dire Lion: ?
Ghost Brute Lion: ?
The Ghostlord, Human Lich Druid6/Blighter 5: ?

Lesser Bonedrinker: ?

Savage Progressions Gaining a Template Midcampaign:

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Vampire: "Vampire" is a fairly common acquired template among adventurers. When an adventuring party is attacked by a vampire, those slain by its special abilities may rise as vampires themselves if the proper measures are not taken.
A humanoid or monstrous humanoid slain by a 7th-level or higher vampire's energy drain attack rises as a vampire spawn (see the Monster Manual) 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 fewer HD and as a vampire if it had 5 or more HD.
Vampire Spawn: A humanoid or monstrous humanoid slain by a 7th-level or higher vampire's energy drain attack rises as a vampire spawn (see the Monster Manual) 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 fewer HD and as a vampire if it had 5 or more HD.

Savage Progressions Ghost and Werewolf Template Classes:

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Ghost: Ghosts are the spectral remains of dead creatures that stubbornly refuse to leave the world of the living. Though many adventurers are stubborn, they are no more likely to return as ghosts than normal people are -- perhaps because adventurers often have access to raise dead and therefore expect to be brought back to life eventually. Nevertheless, an occasional adventurer does force herself into an undead state through sheer willpower when the life force leaves her body. Like all ghosts, such an adventurer must have a strong reason for persisting in an undead form. Thus, a player wishing to play a ghost character should consult with the DM to develop a suitable reason for the ghost's existence and determine appropriate circumstances under which she can rest in peace.
"Ghost" is an acquired template usually gained upon an intelligent creature's death. Such a creature can advance in the ghost template class and develop her powers slowly if desired.

Savage Progressions Lich and Weretiger Template Classes:

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Lich: The lich template class has two special requirements. First, the base character must have the Craft Wondrous Item feat so that she can make a phylactery to hold her life force. The would-be lich must craft her phylactery over time, as described below. Second, she must be able to cast spells at a caster level of 11th or higher. It is this power, coupled with the knowledge of the process required, that allows the transformation to occur.
To complete her transformation to a lich, the character must create a phylactery using the Craft Wondrous Item feat. The phylactery is crafted in three stages, and the lich transfers a bit more of her life force to it at each stage. It does not, however, grant her any of the normal benefits of a phylactery until it is fully completed.
Paying the cost of each stage of its construction is a prerequisite for the corresponding level in the lich template class. Thus, to take the 2nd level in this class, the lich must invest 40,000 gp and 1,600 XP in her phylactery. She must spend the same amount again to take the 3rd level, and once again to take the 4th level (for a total investment of 120,000 gp and 4,800 XP). She can complete the phylactery early if she wishes, though doing so does not grant her any additional abilities until she takes the appropriate levels in the template class.
For the purpose of determining item saving throws, the phylactery has a caster level equal to that of the lich at the time she completed the most recent stage of work. For example, if a human wizard 11/lich 1 crafts the first stage of her phylactery, it is caster level 11th. She gains three more wizard levels before finishing the second stage of construction, giving it caster level 14th. At that point, she takes the 2nd level of the template class. She then takes one more level of wizard and completes the phylactery, which is thereafter caster level 15th.
The most common physical form for a phylactery is a sealed metal box containing strips of parchment on which magical phrases have been transcribed. The box is a Tiny object with 40 hit points, hardness 20, and a break DC of 40. Other kinds of phylacteries can also exist, such as rings, amulets, or similar items.

3.5 2nd Party

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Bestiary of Krynn Revised:

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Corporeal Undead: These are undead with physical bodies, usually their own. Their souls are bound to them, usually in such a way as to darken their natures and make them hateful and dangerous to the living.
Incorporeal Undead: Incorporeal undead are souls prevented from leaving Krynn and joining the Progression of Souls for some reason.
Ankholian Undead: Ankholian undead are the result of imbuing standard undead with the properties of a fireshadow.
Texts found in the libraries of the Tower of Wayreth say the ankholian undead first arose early on during the Age of Might when a wizard named Ankholus attempted to create a fireshadow (DRAGONLANCE Campaign Setting, page 225). These texts state that Ankholus, though powerful, had a limited understanding of planar entities and assumed the fireshadow was an undead creature that could be easily recreated. The fate of Ankholus was never made clear, though the texts speculate that he succumbed to an ankholian form of undeath as a lich.
“Ankholian undead” is an acquired template that can be added to any corporeal undead creature.
The breath weapon and heat aura of an ankholian undead also affect other undead in a unique way. When damaged by an ankholian undead’s breath weapon or heat, corporeal undead creatures must succeed at a Reflex save or gain the ankholian undead template.
Ankholian Owlbear Zombie: ?
Ankholian Zombie: Any living creature slain by an ankholian undead becomes an ankholian undead zombie in 1d4 rounds.
Daemon Warrior: Daemon warriors are the soldiers of Chaos, created by the mad god from the souls of the dead trapped in torment within the Abyss.
Knight Haunt: Knight haunts are the spectral remains of members of one of Krynn’s Knightly Orders whose spirits now inhabit the armor and weapons they bore in life.
Up until the Chaos War, almost all knight haunts were former Knights of Solamnia who, for some reason, were unable to pass onto the hereafter. Many had fallen in battle and had unfinished business, while others remained after death as guardians of places which they had once sworn to defend. With the formation of the Knights of Takhisis, a few fallen individuals of that Order also rose as knight haunts. The War of Souls brought about a marked rise in the numbers of knight haunts, not only the from Solamnics and Dark Knights, but also some members of the Legion of Steel. However, after the return of the gods and the opening of the Gate of Souls once again, these numbers dropped considerably.
Remnant: Remnants are the spectral remains of powerful wizards and sorcerers who died as a result of a large surge in magic or whose magic consumed them.
Any arcane spellcaster slain by a remnant becomes a remnant in 1d4 rounds. His body is consumed by a rush of magical forces, and his spirit remains.
Shadow Wight: A shadow wight is a horrid creation of Chaos. The first shadow wights were created from the slain souls of Knights of Solamnia and Takhisis, as well as other dead spirits.
Frost Wight: ?
Undead Beast: Undead beasts are the result of wanton destruction visited upon forest animals by priests of Chemosh. Many believe that after the slaughter of countless animals, the priests conduct a foul rite that twists the remains of the animals into the unnatural shape of a stahnk or gholor.
Like all matters supernatural, rumors abound that sometimes the intervention of a cleric of Chemosh is not needed to bring forth an undead beast. Legends tell of a game-hunting Ergothian whose kills melted together and took the form of a stahnk to avenge their senseless deaths. If this tale is indeed true, then it deserves close scrutiny to determine how anyone managed to survive to relate the events.
Create Undead Beast spell.
Undead Beast Stahnk: Legends tell of a game-hunting Ergothian whose kills melted together and took the form of a stahnk to avenge their senseless deaths. If this tale is indeed true, then it deserves close scrutiny to determine how anyone managed to survive to relate the events.
Undead Beast Gholor: ?
Witchlin: Wichtlins were once elves, half-elves, or the animal companions of elven or half-elven druids and rangers, transformed by the power of Chemosh into creatures of hatred. Legends among the elves tell of a Silvanesti queen, Sylvyana, known as the Ghoul Queen for her abhorrent devotion to necromancy. The god of the undead, Chemosh, granted her a timeless existence in return for her services, and it was apparently her dark curse upon those subjects who rose up against her that created the wichtlins.
Wichtlin druids and rangers lose access to spellcasting and supernatural abilities, but retain their animal companions. These companions also acquire the wichtlin template, their type changing to undead.
“Wichtlin” is an acquired template that can be added to any elf, half-elf, or fey or the animal companion of a druid or ranger.
An elf or half-elf slain by a wichtlin rises in seven days as a wichtlin.
Witchlin Kagonesti Elf Ranger 4: This wichtlin was once a Kagonesi hunter in Southern Ergoth prior to the arrival of the great white dragon, Gellidus. During the Chaos War, his hunting party ran afoul of a wichtlin and managed to defeat it, but not before he and his stag were slain by the creature. The Kagonesti’s companions, unable to properly prepare his body for burial due to the ongoing war, left him and his mount in an unmarked cairn deep in the forests near Foghaven Vale.
Witchlin Elk Animal Companion: This wichtlin was once a Kagonesi hunter in Southern Ergoth prior to the arrival of the great white dragon, Gellidus. During the Chaos War, his hunting party ran afoul of a wichtlin and managed to defeat it, but not before he and his stag were slain by the creature. The Kagonesti’s companions, unable to properly prepare his body for burial due to the ongoing war, left him and his mount in an unmarked cairn deep in the forests near Foghaven Vale.

Undead: Child of Chemosh Improved Create Spawn ability.
Child of Chemosh Greater Create Spawn ability.
Allip: Shadows and allips barely even remember their former lives: the former as life-hating men bound in darkness, the latter as suicides gripped with madness.
Devourer: Mohrgs and devourers are kept alive by the overwhelming force of their wicked natures: the former as murderous chieftains and brutish killers, the latter as greedy and rapacious ogres trapped between this world and the next by their unending curse of hunger.
Ghost: Ghosts are encountered in many forms, kept back on Krynn for wrongs left unrighted, love unresolved, or perhaps desires left unpursued.
Lich: Liches surface from time to time as a result of Wizards of High Sorcery lured into false promises of power by Chemosh.
Mohrg: Mohrgs and devourers are kept alive by the overwhelming force of their wicked natures: the former as murderous chieftains and brutish killers, the latter as greedy and rapacious ogres trapped between this world and the next by their unending curse of hunger.
Shadow: Shadows and allips barely even remember their former lives: the former as life-hating men bound in darkness, the latter as suicides gripped with madness.
Zombie: Child of Chemosh Greater Create Spawn ability.

Create Undead Beast
Necromancy [Evil]
Level: Clr 8 (Chemosh)
Components: V, S, M, DF
Casting Time: 2 hours
Range: Close (25 ft. +5 ft./2 levels)
Target: See text
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: No
This evil spell is one granted only by Chemosh to his worshippers. With it, you can create an undead beast of your choosing. This spell requires you to cast it upon the corpses of any number of animals. The Hit Dice of these animals must be equal to those of the undead beast you wish to create. Creatures created by this spell are automatically under your control, and you can bestow control of the creature to any other individual of your choice. If the controller of an undead beast dies, the creature is free to act of its own accord.
Material Component: A small clay statue of the creature to be created. This spell must be cast upon the remains of many animals. You must place a black onyx gem worth at least 50 stl per HD of the undead to be created into the mouth of the statue. The magic of this spell melts both the statue and the gem, using them as the basic foul viscous fluids that merge and breathe tainted life into the animal corpses.

Improved Create Spawn (Su) At 2nd level, a Child of Chemosh with the ability to create spawn (such as a wight or vampire) may do so with victims it has not personally slain. The Child of Chemosh must have witnessed the death of the target creature within the last 24 hours and must spend one hour with the corpse. At the end of this vigil, the creature is assumed to have just been slain for the purposes of how soon the creature will rise as a spawn of the Child of Chemosh.
Children of Chemosh without the ability to create spawn do not benefit from this ability. Children of Chemosh whose victims rise as free-willed undead (such as ghouls and ghasts) may spend one hour in vigil with the corpse before it rises, in which case the newly created undead is under the child’s control until the child is destroyed.
Corpses that have been preserved with gentle repose or which are the target of a bless or protection from evil spell, or are in the area of effect of a consecrate, hallow or magic circle against evil spell, are protected from this ability.

Greater Create Spawn (Su) At 4th level, the Child of Chemosh’s ability to create spawn improves even further. The child no longer needs to have been personally present at the death of the target creature, and the creature may have been dead for up to a week. This ability otherwise works exactly like the improved create spawn ability above.
Children of Chemosh without the ability to create spawn gain the ability to create zombies from any humanoid they slay, just as a mohrg does (see Monster Manual). Children of Chemosh whose victims rise as free-willed undead may choose to create zombies instead or spend time in vigil as described under Improved Create Spawn above.
Corpses that have been preserved with gentle repose or which are the target of a bless or protection from evil spell, or are in the area of effect of a consecrate, hallow or magic circle against evil spell, are protected from this ability.

Dangerous Denizens The Monsters of Tellene:

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Eaten One: created from fallen heroes who have been partially consumed by oozes or other hideous creatures.
Hound of Ill-Omen: ?
Mummy Blood Hijarjany: The blood mummy (known as the “hijarjany”) results from mummification that excluded the removal of the organs (usually common folk).
Mummy Heretic Ghoskinjany: These beings were horridly tortured and then mummified alive, a process that granted them great power and a terrible hatred for anything living.
Mummy Noble Shojarijany: The Shojarijany, or “noble mummy,” resulted from the best mummification process available during the Middle Period.
Mummy Rattlebon Thinchejany: ?
Mummy Royal Shijarinjany: ?
Mummy Servitor Jhurijany: Jhurijany, or “servitor mummies,” were created from commoners as servants to the kings, priests and to the undead masters.
Poltergeist: ?
Reliqus: The reliquae of Tellene are rumored to be the creation of Queen Simura, a former ruler of Pekal who turned to the dark arts of necromancy late in her reign.
Rusalka: Rusalka are the undead spirits of women who have met an untimely end through drowning, whether by murder or suicide.
Some Kalamaran scholars say that the ancient origins of the rusalka lie in the Ep’Sarab Swampland, where three witches lay buried in three separate, but adjoining mounds. In the year 458 IR, river pirates led by the famous brigand Caran Bluetooth plundered the mounds. When they did so they roused the souls of the three witches. These evil incarnations rose from the dead in raging madness, hounding the greater part of the crew to death. Only a few escaped, fleeing south down the Badato River. One of these, Caran’s brother Malaran, is thought to have escaped with a powerful magic ring. He fled into the swamps and for a great while wandered listlessly, without home or any kind of shelter. The witches, not satisfied with destroying the pirates, lay a curse on the water and all the water that earned the pirates their livelihood.
The curse had greater impact than the witches ever dared hope and soon the spirits of women tormented in life rose from the surrounding bogs and rivers; the rusalka had come to Kalamar.
Sheet Phantom: Sheet phantoms are the maligned spirits of those betrayed byfriends and family members. They return for revenge by inhabiting a piece of fabric related to their betrayal and death.
No one knows for certain where the sheet phantom originates, for the first documented case of the sheet phantom has been corrupted by urban legend. Coincidentally (or not), this sheet phantom was the spirit of an expert Mendarn tailor, Blesdar Forband. Blesdar was said to make the most magnificent clothing known throughout the region. But one customer, a noble by the name of Granden, refused payment until he saw perfection. Blesdar locked himself in his shop and worked. Completing his fifth attempt, the tailor proudly presented his
work to the noble. Granden turned down his efforts yet again. Finishing his sixth attempt with an unexpected speed, Blesdar presented himself at the noble’s home to show off his latest creation. It was there that he realized the truth – Granden had cruelly kept Blesdar working so that he could spend time with the tailor’s wife. Collapsing from exhaustion and shock, Blesdar died. He was mourned only by those that knew and appreciated his work.
The following week, Granden took the tailor’s last creation from his wardrobe, intending to wear the exquisite ensemble at his next ball. There, he was the talk of the party. When asked where he had commissioned such wonderful clothing, Granden claimed that his wife had made them for him. Moments later, Granden fell to the floor dead. The noble’s chest had been crushed in.
Supposedly, since that event, sheet phantoms have appeared across the lands of Tellene. Some say Blesdar’s fabric had been resold and his vengeful spirit curses any who uses it. Others say that the story is no more than myth and some type of unseen demon stalks the land. The Brandobians call this creature a “blesdar,” with no other understanding of what it may be.
Sheet Ghoul: If a person dies because of a sheet phantom’s constricting ability, or as a result of damage caused by another source while wearing the sheet phantom, the victim rises as a sheet ghoul in 1d4 days.
Swordwraith Skarrnid: Swordwraiths are the evil spirits of defeated soldiers, come back from the darkness to wreak vengeance on any living creature that in some way resembles their former opponents.
Treant Undead: The undead treant is a once-benevolent servant of nature now corrupted and twisted into a shell of its former self.
Although opposing forces have combated undead treants in the past, they are still no closer to understanding where these undead treants come from. The undead treants certainly do not multiply like natural creatures, nor do certain spells (those that normally create undead) work on dead trees.
Amongst the druids and rangers, theories of the undead treant abound, though none of them have been proven. One theory states that trees the monster animates become undead themselves. Another speculates that the undead treant’s touch passes on the undead curse to others of its kind. One more blames evil druids and their blighting magic, creating such creatures to serve out their bidding. And yet one more assumes that when an undead treant kills a living treant, it passes on its curse much like a vampire.

Skeleton: A remove curse or remove disease spell, or a more powerful version of either, transforms an eaten one into a normal skeleton that can crawl with a speed of 10 feet. Neither spell restores any missing portions of the eaten one’s body.

Denizens of Dread:

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Akikage (Shadow Assassin): Creatures spawned from ninjas and assassins who died while trying to destroy an assigned victim.
Ancient Dead: Created by the ritual preservation of a corpse and animated by dark magic.
“Ancient Dead” is a template that can be applied to any living creature.
Animator: Animator is an acquired template that can be added to any nonmagical object.
Arayashka (Snow Wraith): Arayashka are the souls of people who were killed by an arayashka.
Any humanoid slain by an arayashka and buried in an area where snow may fall rises as an arayashka during the next snowstorm.
Bastellus (Dream Stalker): Victims who die due to the bastellus’s dream invasion become a bastellus in 1d4 days.
Bat Skeletal Bat: ?
Boneless: First created in the laboratories of Darkon’s ruler through a bizarre ritual that separated and animated separately the bones and flesh of a corpse.
“Boneless” is an acquired template that can be added to any corporeal creature (other than undead) that once had a skeleton.
Bowlyn: Without exception, the bowlyn were sailors on oceangoing vessels who died from an accident at sea.
Cat Crypt: ?
Cloaker Dread Undead: Undead Cloakers are rumored to be the tragic remnant of a resplendant cloaker drained by undead.
Corpse Candle: Corpse candles are incorporeal spirits of murdered individuals that attempt to coerce the living into gaining revenge upon their killers.
Crimson Bones: Crimson bones are gruesome undead created when a humanoid is flayed alive in a sacrificial ritual.
Crimson bones are not created purposely; they rise spontaneously from the dead, driven by hatred of the living and lust for vengeance.
Geist: Geists are the undead spirits of creatures that died a traumatic death with either a task uncompleted or an evil deed unpunished.
“Geist” is a template that can be added to any aberration, animal, dragon, giant, humanoid, magical beast, monstrous humanoid, or shapechanger.
Bussengeist: Bussengeists are the spirits of people whose actions or inaction caused a great tragedy in which they were killed.
Poltergeist: Beings that become poltergeists often died in scenes of great violence and emotional turmoil.
Ghoul Lord: Ghoul Lords are the cursed souls of humanoids who dared to taste the flesh of their own race. These individuals gain the dire attention of the Dark Powers and are corrupted by their cannibalistic sins. They become twisted creatures, eventually dying and rising again in the form of ghoul lords, masters of the ravenous dead.
“Ghoul lord” is an acquired template that can be added to any humanoid or monstrous humanoid creature.
A humanoid or monstrous humanoid reduced to 0 Constitution or less by a ghoul lord’s ravenous fever dies and rises as a ghoul lord in 24 hours if the body is not destroyed.
Spectral Hag: A spectral hag arises when a hag dies during an evil ceremony.
“Spectral Hag” is an acquired template that can be added to any hag.
Hound Dread Phantom Hound: Phantom hounds are the restless spirits of loyal dogs who failed in their duty to their master.
Hound Dread Carcass Hound: Carcass hounds are zombielike, mindless animated corpses.
Jolly Roger: A jolly roger is the restless corpse of a pirate or ship’s captain that died at sea.
Lebentod: Lebendtod are a dangerous form of undead first created by the necromancer Meredoth.
“Lebendtod” is An acquired template that can be added to any humanoid creature.
Lebendtod create more of their kind by breathing into the mouth of a dying humanoid (one below 0 hit points) as it draws its last breath. This requires a full-round action and provokes attacks of opportunity. The body must then be isolated for 72 hours. If the body is left completely undisturbed, the creature rises as a lebendtod.
Lich Elemental: “Elemental Lich” is an acquired template that can be added to any humanoid creature, provided it can create the required phylactery.
Mist Ferryman: A few sages hold that they are manifestations of the mists themselves, but most believe they represent the fate of those who die in the Misty Border, doomed to wander forever.
If an afflicted victim dies of ferryman's rot, her skin flakes away into
dust, leaving a skeletal corpse that rises as a mist ferryman in 6 rounds and retreats into the Mists.
Mist Horror: Some maintain that they are the spirits of evil beings who attracted the attentions of the Dark Powers but who were not evil enough to imprison in their own domain.
Other scholars have posited the theory that mist horrors are created from the bodies of creatures slain by a mist golem.
“Mist horror” is a template that can be applied to any living creature.
Odem: Odems are remnants of the spirits of evil humanoids that did not have the force of will to become ghosts.
Death's Head Tree Death's Head: When the heads ripen, they break off from the Death's Head tree and float away. When this happens, the heads’ type becomes “undead.”
Undead Treant: Thoroughly corrupted by evil in life, many
dread treants assumed a vampiric existence in death.
Radiant Spirit: Radiant spirits manifest when a powerful paladin or lawful good cleric is killed before completing an important spiritual quest.
Remnant Aquatic: Remnants are the spirits of humanoids whose bodies were thrown into a watery, unconsecrated grave after they had been worked to death.
Rushlight: The rushlight is created from the spirit of an evil creature who has been burned alive.
skeleton Pyroskeleton: Created from the skeletons of murdered humanoids.
The undead priestess Radaga of Kartakass was the first to create pyroskeletons. On a night when the Mists were thick, Radaga and her minions took the corpses of six murdered soldiers and cast enlarge person, produce flame, protection from energy and animate dead on them. As the skeletons began to stir, enlarge person was cast on each a second time. The Mists fused with the newly created undead to allow enlarge person to increase the skeletons a second time. Others have since learned the methods, and each creator often experiments with the process until they create a distinct variant.
Skeleton Strahd Skeleton: Animated by Barovia's darklord.
Whether as a result of Count Strahd's own research or because of some inherent property of the land of Barovia is unknown.
Skeleton Strahd's Skeletal Steed: Strahd’s skeletal steeds are
the animated remains of heavy warhorses whose riders have fallen in battle against the lord of Barovia.
Spirit Waif: A spirit waif is the restless soul of a murdered child. Having become the victim of some nefarious beast, the child’s soul remains trapped on this plane.
Valpurleiche (Hanged Man): The valpurleiche, or hanged man, is the tortured form of a hanged humanoid filled with a tremendous amount of spite and hate during his execution. Some valpurleiches are created from the souls of those who were wrongly executed. Others are simply enraged criminals who want revenge despite their just sentence.
Vampire Chiang-Shi: If the chiang-shi drains the victim’s Constitution to 0 or less, the victim returns as a chiang-shi if it had 5 or more Hit Dice.
Vampire Nosferatu: If a nosferatu drains a humanoid or monstrous humanoid's Constitution to 0 or less, the victim returns as a nosferatu if it had 5 or more Hit Dice.
Vampire Nosferatu Cerebral vampire: Victims reduced to 0 Intelligence or below from a cerebral vampire's intelligence drain fall into a catatonic stupor. If they die while their Intelligence is still at 0 or below, they may return as cerebral vampires, depending on their Hit Dice.
Vampire Vrykolaka: If the vrykolaka drains the victim’s Constitution to 0 or less, the victim returns as a vrykolaka if it had 5 or more Hit Dice.
Vampire Dwarven Vampire: If a dwarven vampire drains a victim's Constitution to 0 or less, the victim returns as a dwarven vampire if it had 5 or more Hit Dice. For this to happen, however, the victim’s body must be placed in a stone sarcophagus and placed underground. Next, the master vampire must visit the corpse and sprinkle it with powdered metals. If all this occurs, the new vampire rises 1d4 days after the vampire’s visit.
Vampire Elven Vampire: If the elven vampire drains the victim’s Charisma to 0 or less, causing the victim to die, the victim returns as an elven vampire if it had 5 or more HD.
Vampire Gnome Vampire: To create a new minion, a gnomish vampire must drain a gnome victim's Constitution to 0 or less, then place the corpse in the same sarcophagus in which the vampire itself sleeps. The gnomish vampire must then lie atop its victim for three full days, not even leaving to feed, allowing its negative energy to seep into the victim. At the end of this period, the victim returns as a gnomish vampire if it had 5 or more Hit Dice.
Vampire Halfling Vampire: A halfling victim slain by a vampire's Constitution drain returns as a halfling vampire if it had 5 or more HD.
Wight Dread: Any humanoid slain by a dread wight becomes a dread wight in 1d4 rounds.
Any humanoid slain by a greater dread wight becomes a dread wight in 1d4 rounds.
Wight Dread Greater: Any giant slain by a greater dread wight becomes a greater dread wight.
Zombie Cannibal: An individual slain by a cannibal zombie rises swiftly to join his slayer and the pack as a new cannibal zombie.
Zombie Desert: The first desert zombies were the product of the experimentations of one of Har’Akir’s most powerful spellcasters, the ancient dead known as Senmet. Since his time, other powerful wizards and sorcerers in that desert realm have learned how to raise up the dead to serve them as desert zombies.
Zombie Mud: Mud zombies generally hail from Darkon, where Azalin Rex has discovered how to create minions that would keep going despite insurmountable problems, such as missing arms or legs.
Zombie Sea: ?
Zombie Strahd: Barovia’s darklord has mastered the secret of creating more potent zombies than the usual animated corpses.
Zombie Fog: ?
Fog Cadaver: The fog can animate any humanoid corpse within its mist-filled area. It can animate corpses that are buried in the ground unless they were blessed at the time of burial or are buried in sanctified ground. The fog can animate up to 10 dead bodies each round. A zombie fog can animate a total number of cadavers at any one time equal to its current hit points.
Zombie Lord: Zombie lords are created only through a rather unlikely set of circumstances. A humanoid of evil alignment must first be slain by an undead creature, without joining the ranks of the undead himself. Then, an attempt to restore the dead individual to life, such as through a raise dead spell, must go awry, with the deceased individual failing the necessary Fortitude save. If that happens, the deceased may enter undeath as a decayed, corpselike zombie lord.
“Zombie lord” is a template that can be added to any humanoid or monstrous humanoid.

Ghast: If a ghoul lord slays its victim with its claws or bite, the victim returns as a ghast in 1d4 days.
Lebendtod create more of their kind by breathing into the mouth of a dying humanoid (one below 0 hit points) as it draws its last breath. This requires a full-round action and provokes attacks of opportunity. The body must then be isolated for 72 hours. If the body is disturbed in any way but left largely intact, it rises as a ghast.
Ghost: Ghosts are similar to- though more powerful than - geists, spirits of intelligent creatures who have died with unfinished business and who remain close to the physical world in the hopes of completing some goal.
“Ghost” is an acquired template that can be applied to any living creature.
Skeleton: A pyre elemental can touch the corpse of any once-living corporeal creature within its reach as a free action, animating it as a zombie or skeleton (depending on the condition of the corpse).
Vampire Spawn: A humanoid or monstrous humanoid slain by a chiang-shi’s energy drain attack rises as a vampire spawn 1d4 days after burial.
If the chiang-shi instead drains the victim’s Constitution to 0 or less, the victim returns as a spawn if it had 4 or fewer Hit Dice.
A humanoid or monstrous humanoid slain by a nosferatu energy drain attack rises as a vampire spawn 1d4 days after burial.
If a nosferatu drains a humanoid or monstrous humanoid's Constitution to 0 or less, the victim returns as a vampire spawn.
Victims reduced to 0 Intelligence or below from a cerebral vampire's intelligence drain fall into a catatonic stupor. if they die while their Intelligence is still at 0 or below, they may return as cerebral vampires, depending on their Hit Dice.
A humanoid or monstrous humanoid slain by the diseases spread by a vrykolaka rises as a vampire spawn 1d4 days after burial.
If the vrykolaka instead drains the Victims reduced to 0 Intelligence or below from a cerebral vampire's intelligence drain fall into a catatonic stupor. If they die while their Intelligence is still at 0 or below, they may return as cerebral vampires, depending on their Hit Dice.
If a dwarven vampire drains a victim's Constitution to 0 or less, the victim returns as a vampire spawn if it had 4 or fewer Hit Dice. For this to happen, however, the victim’s body must be placed in a stone sarcophagus and placed underground. Next, the master vampire must visit the corpse and sprinkle it with powdered metals. If all this occurs, the new vampire spawn rises 1d4 days after the vampire’s visit.
An elf or half-elf that commits suicide due to the effects of an elven vampire’s Charisma drain rises as a vampire spawn 1d4 days after burial.
If the elven vampire drains the victim’s Charisma to 0 or less, causing the victim to die, the victim returns as a spawn if it had 4 or fewer HD.
A halfling victim slain by a vampire's Constitution drain returns as a vampire spawn if it had 4 or fewer HD.
Zombie: Any humanoid slain by an undead cloaker’s energy drain (including the host) rises as a zombie 24 hours later.
A pyre elemental can touch the corpse of any once-living corporeal creature within its reach as a free action, animating it as a zombie or skeleton (depending on the condition of the corpse).
Humanoids slain by a Jolly Roger’s cackling touch rise as waterlogged zombies in 24 hours unless the body is blessed and given a traditional burial at sea.
Those who fail a zombie lord's aura of death save by more than 10 die instantly and become zombies.
Once per day, by making a successful touch attack, the zombie lord can attempt to turn a living creature into a zombie under his command. The target must make a Fortitude save. Those who fail are instantly slain, and rise in 1d4 rounds as a zombie under the zombie lord’s command.

Deadly Trappings

Spoiler

Maladren, Malagren, Garamen Sparkfinger, Gnome Lich: ?
Gramagorda, Lich: ?

Ghoul: ?
Undead: ?
Shadow: ?
Zombie: ?

Trove of Treasure Maps

Spoiler

Lucky Bob, Spectre: Lucky Bob was a well-known pirate who ravaged the sea lanes for many years. While robbing merchant vessels was profitable, Lucky Bob grew weary of the ordinary booty of trade goods available to him on the high seas. He plundered his share of merchant goods, arms and supplies over the years but he longed for that one big haul that would make him rich and let him retire to an easy life.
His greed and rumors of great treasure convinced him to travel inland to the Village of Golain. Golain was home to the Feerino family, who reputedly had a collection of fabulous jewels. Thus, he and his accomplice, Sal "Cutthroat" Sonog set out to Golain to begin their career as burglars. Golain was a tiny but well defended village that had a wooded wall surrounding it with several guard towers overlooking the homes and the surrounding land.
After staying at an inn in Golain for several days while they cased the home of the Feerino family, they concluded that it was too well defended to risk an ordinary break-in – the Feerinos maintained a large number of mercenary guards to man their towers and walls. But Lucky Bob’s partner in crime, Sonog, had an idea: if they could create a diversion, they could distract the family and the guards and he and Bob could sneak in to grab the jewels. This diversion had to be something big; some enormous spectacle that would draw everyone out of the Feerino mansion.
That was when Lucky Bob and Sonog decided to set fire to the farmer’s market on the east side of town. If the fire could be made large and impressive enough, every able-bodied hand in the village would be called into the bucket brigade, leaving the jewels unguarded.
Their plan worked. In fact, it worked so well that they obtained the Feerino jewels without so much as raising a sword. Unfortunately, their fire rampaged out of control. Many lives were lost as the conflagration consumed the entire village and much of the surrounding forest.
The unanticipated mass destruction presented a problem for the thieves. Surely refugees from the village would begin an exodus to neighboring settlements. They would likely seek shelter in the coastal Town of Tairid near where Lucky Bob’s pirate crew lay in wait for the return of their captain. The Golain disaster would bring a significant number of authorities sniffing around and that was the last thing the two men needed. So they decided to head further inland to lay low until the coast was clear. They fled to the tiny village of Terinoot.
What Lucky Bob and Sonog failed to realize was that the Feerino jewels bore a curse. This curse drove many of those who possessed the jewels over the years mad. For Lucky Bob and Sonog, already considered not entirely stable by many, this process progressed very quickly.
On the way to the village of Terinoot, the men passed through a forest of palm trees as the landscape became dryer. There, the strange birds in the trees seemed to heckle them with calls of "Lucky Bob, caw, not so lucky! Caw!" In the men’s minds the bizarre avians repeated this over and over, each time it grew louder and louder. When the men arrived in Terinoot, they could still hear the voices of the birds in their minds. "Lucky Bob, caw, not so lucky! Caw!" It was as if the birds were laughing at them.
They rented a room at an inn called the Sailor’s Last Bunk and nervously made plans to free themselves of their predicament. The men planned to hide the jewels and lay low, hoping that the incessant laughing of the birds in their heads would fade when the birds lost interest. Once free of the avian mockery, they would to return later with a magic-user or cleric who could dispel the supernatural forces that were surely at work here.
The men investigated the cellar of the inn for a good place to hide their booty. There in the cellar they found a stone cover over an old abandoned well. In years past, the inhabitants of the inn used the well for both water and brewing. But over time the well became fouled by excessive iron ore deposits in the surrounding rock and the water (and more importantly the beer) became rust colored and foul to the taste. Thus, the well was abandoned. The pirates climbed into the well and buried Lucky Bob’s prize in the wall of the well behind loose stones.
The ill-fated pair tried to retire for the night but neither of them slept soundly. They continued tossing and turning to the laughing of the birds in their heads and the mantra, "Lucky Bob, caw, not so lucky! Caw". The next morning the men set out to return to their ship.
By the time the men had reached the forest of the birds, Lucky Bob began blaming his companion for the maddening sounds. In a fit of insanity, he struck out at Sonog hoping to make the noises stop. By this time, Sonog too had begun to mistrust Lucky Bob and this attack pushed him over the edge. The two men struggled and Sonog bludgeoned Lucky Bob to death with a stone, shouting out all the while, "Lucky Bob, caw, not so lucky! Caw".
With the voices still in his head and Sonog fully gripped by the insanity of the curse of the Feerino jewels, he saw the blood and gore that spilled out of Lucky Bob’s remains and began to consume his former shipmate. As he tore into the flesh he was overjoyed to find that this grisly act began to quiet the voices in his head. With a renewed vigor he stripped the body to the bone hoping it would quell the voices permanently. Once his mind was quiet, he came to his senses and confronted the ever-growing horror of what he had done.

Shadow: ?
Skarrnid Swordwraith: ?
Huecuva: ?
Swordwraith: ?
Skeleton: By day their maker, Holbad the necromancer, has commanded them to conceal themselves in the marshes to avoid the appearance of foul play.
Zombie: By day their maker, Holbad the necromancer, has commanded them to conceal themselves in the marshes to avoid the appearance of foul play.

Villain Design Handbook

Spoiler

Avildar, Great Wraith: Becoming an avildar (meaning “great wraith” in Brandobian) is a tricky and involved process. It is also one of the rarer procedures, so often a villain must spend considerable time and resources even learning how to go about it. As far as anyone knows, ancient Brandobian records are the only known source of information on these creatures. Unfortunately, no one yet knows from where (or from what) the first avildar originated. The ancient Brandobian ritual to become an avildar can be learned through roleplaying or with a successful Knowledge (arcana) check (DC 30).
To gain an avildar template, the potential new undead creature needs several spells, though he need not cast all of them himself. The ceremony takes 5-8 hours and must be performed in an area sacred to the Harvester of Souls within a greater magic circle against good. The prospective avildar must spend four hours in a row reciting special prayers before casting or using any spells at all.
First, the villain must use a magic jar, entering the receptacle and returning to his body twice before continuing. Then he casts fly upon his body, hovering a few feet above the ground. He must use permanency and then enervation upon himself (to show his disdain for the world) within a three-round span of time or the entire ritual fails. Finally, he must cast gaseous form on himself. Using secret knowledge obtained in learning the ritual, he moves his gaseous form in a peculiar, swirling pattern for the remainder of the ceremony. Some speculate that the final form is a “ghostly” representation of the skull that symbolizes the Harvester of Souls. At the end of that time, the body dies and the form dissipates.
The potential new avildar must succeed at a Will save (DC 15) or permanently die. If he succeeds, he rises in 1d4 nights as a self-willed avildar.
Prerequisites: enervation, fly, gaseous form, magic jar, permanency; GP Cost: 5,000; XP Cost: 1,250.
Guraah, Self-Willed Ghoul: Becoming a guraah is relatively simple, compared to some other types of undead. First, the prospective creature that wishes to gain the guraah template must learn the appropriate ritual ceremony. This can be discovered through roleplaying or by a successful Knowledge (arcane) check (DC 25). According to rumor, the guraah (a Reanaarese word that roughly translates as “self-willed ghoul”) are frequently found in the city of Giilia as visitors, or servants, of the city’s vampire ruler, Esmaran. It is unknown if Esmaran invented the dark ritual wherein a person may magically become this type of ghoul, or if she simply discovered it in an ancient book found deep in the catacombs under the city. Regardless of its creator, the ceremony is still effective. This ceremony lasts 1d4 hours, and proceeds as follows:
First, the caster must set up a contingency spell that activates an animate dead. Then the prospective guraah casts ghoul touch upon himself, making it permanent. Any of these spells can be obtained from scrolls or items. Next, he must see to it that his body will die within 1d4 hours (often, personally slashing his wrists before exiting his corporeal form, or relying on an assistant such as an undead or construct). Finally, he must cast magic jar (through his own ability, not with a scroll or other item) and send his life force into a nearby receptacle.
At the moment of death, the caster returns from his magic jar to his body. If he succeeds at a Will save (DC 10), he gains the guraah template. The new guraah rises at the first midnight after its creation. If the caster fails his save, either the timing of his return or his preparations were off. He is now dead, not undead. Of course, he can be animated or raised like any other corpse.
Prerequisites: animate dead, contingency, ghoul touch, magic jar, permanency; GP Cost: 100 gp (magic jar focus); XP Cost: 500.
Kyseth, Great Mummy: The secrets of creating any type of kyseth (an ancient Dejy word meaning “great mummy”) have been lost to the sands of time. Sages suggest that only ancient Dejy cultures (who guarded the secrets in life and beyond the grave) knew them.
It is said that Kordalen, a Brandobian scholar, took a small band of mercanaries and other scholars deep into the Khydoban desert in hopes that he could find the fabled undead kingdom and learn the answer. Neither he nor any member of his group ever returned.
However, current sages do know that creating a kyseth requires many individuals working together, and the mummified subject has little to do beyond a certain point, as he must be killed early in the process. Some Reanaarian sages speculate it took a minimum of 90 days to create a kyseth. Of course, no modern villain with a modicum of sense would leave his fate up to underlings attempting to apply secrets of an uncertain nature. It may also be that mummification inexorably links the subject to a specific location, and such a loss of mobility interferes with one’s plans. It would be a serious weakness, as enemies can continuously assault the location until the kyseth is destroyed.
Because of these difficulties, no modern villain can easily become a kyseth. However, the template may still be applied to ancient villains who died many centuries ago.
Reliqus, Galanam: Deep with an underground maze somewhere in the Principality of Pekal, or so the legend goes, lies a sleeping lich queen and a mysterious black tome of immense power. Modern sages speculate that this queen somehow learned of (or created) a magical ritual that allows a willing spellcaster to transform himself into a reliqus (a powerful self-willed type of skeleton, also known as a “galanam” in Kalamaran).
First, the caster must set up a contingency spell that activates an animate dead. Any of these spells can be obtained from scrolls or items. Immediately after the contingency ceremony, he must also cast a magic jar spell (using his own magical ability). If he does not use the magic jar spell, or unsuccessfully casts it, he arises as a normal undead skeleton (losing all memory, abilities, etc.) rather than gaining the reliqus template.
He must enter the receptacle and immediately return to his normal body at the instant of its death, typically accomplished at the hands of an undead or construct. This completes the special ceremony. For the caster to gain the reliqus template, he must have the black onyx gem (for the animate dead) and the receptacle (for the magic jar) on his person, as well as a pair of gemstones of one particular type. These gemstones must be either a pair of amythests (worth at least 50gp each), diamonds (100 gp each), emeralds (75 gp each) or sapphires (150 gp each).
Once he dies (any time within the duration of the contingency), he arises in 1d12 hours. Before he arises, over 50% of his flesh must be destroyed (eaten, burned, etc.). This destruction of the body is also typically left to an undead or construct. If the villain still has 50% of his flesh on his body, he gains the zombie template instead. Before he arises, the pair of gemstones must be placed in the character’s empty eye sockets, where they will magically graft themselves and be in no danger of falling out. If this is not done, the character will not have access to the gem’s special abilty (see below).
Typically, xenoa are created when a cleric of the Harvester of Souls fails to harvest enough souls before he dies - causing him to return as a lower undead such as a skeleton, zombie or (if he is lucky) a reliqus or xenoa. However, on occasion crazed spellcasters do intentionally perform a certain dark ritual intended to transform them into such a creature.
Becoming a xenoa (or “smart zombie,” when translated from Reanaarese to Merchant’s Tongue) works much like becoming a reliqus. First, the caster must set up a contingency spell that activates an animate dead. Either of these spells can be obtained from scrolls or items. Immediately after the contingency ceremony, he must also cast a magic jar spell (using his own magical ability). If he does not use the magic jar spell, or unsuccessfully casts it, he arises as a normal zombie (losing all memory, abilities, etc.) rather than gaining the xenoa (pronounced zee-know-uh) template.
He must enter the receptacle and immediately return to his normal body at the instant of its death, typically accomplished at the hands of an undead or construct. This completes the special ceremony. For the caster to gain the xenoa template, he must have the black onyx gem (for the animate dead) and the receptacle (for the magic jar) on his person.
Once he dies (any time within the duration of the contingency), he arises as a xenoa in 1d12 hours. If, for some reason, more than 50% of his flesh was destroyed (eaten, burned, etc.), before his arising, he gains the reliqus template (see above), though without the use of the special gem powers normally available to a reliqus.
Vostarr, Barrowman, Wight: Deliberately becoming a vostarr (a Fhokki word roughly translating as “barrow man,” or “wight” in Merchant’s Tongue) is similar to becoming an avildar. The subject must perform a ritual in an area sacred to the Harvester of Souls, within a greater magic circle against good. However, he does not need gaseous form or fly spells.
At the beginning, he need only switch into the receptacle and back once. Halfway through the ceremony, after reciting a long series of prayers to the King of the Undead (which are different than those necessary to gain any other undead template) he casts bull’s strength upon himself (this spell cannot be supplied by outside forces). He must cast permanency and enervation within a three round span. The remaining time is spent reciting further prayers. At the end of the ceremony, the creature sacrifices its own life to the Harvester of Souls.
The villain must succeed at a Will save (DC 12). If he succeeds, he rises the next night as a vostarr.
Prerequisites: bull’s strength, enervation, magic jar, permanency; GP Cost: 3,000; XP Cost: 750.
It is said that the first vostarr came from an arctic land far to the north, and soon spread its taint among the Fhokki tribes near Lake Jorakk, before the tribesmen banded together briefly to destroy all the undead menaces. Yet, rumors of vostarrs still echo throughout the countryside and more than one murder or disappearance has been attributed to this monster.
Xenoa, Smart Zombie: Typically, xenoa are created when a cleric of the Harvester of Souls fails to harvest enough souls before he dies - causing him to return as a lower undead such as a skeleton, zombie or (if he is lucky) a reliqus or xenoa. However, on occasion crazed spellcasters do intentionally perform a certain dark ritual intended to transform them into such a creature.
Becoming a xenoa (or “smart zombie,” when translated from Reanaarese to Merchant’s Tongue) works much like becoming a reliqus. First, the caster must set up a contingency spell that activates an animate dead. Either of these spells can be obtained from scrolls or items. Immediately after the contingency ceremony, he must also cast a magic jar spell (using his own magical ability). If he does not use the magic jar spell, or unsuccessfully casts it, he arises as a normal zombie (losing all memory, abilities, etc.) rather than gaining the xenoa (pronounced zee-know-uh) template.
He must enter the receptacle and immediately return to his normal body at the instant of its death, typically accomplished at the hands of an undead or construct. This completes the special ceremony. For the caster to gain the xenoa template, he must have the black onyx gem (for the animate dead) and the receptacle (for the magic jar) on his person.
Once he dies (any time within the duration of the contingency), he arises as a xenoa in 1d12 hours. If, for some reason, more than 50% of his flesh was destroyed (eaten, burned, etc.), before his arising, he gains the reliqus template (see above), though without the use of the special gem powers normally available to a reliqus.
Esmaran, Elven Vampire Necromancer 13: ?
Puramal, Human Ghost Fighter 4: A fallen bridge in the city of Pipido is the anchor for the ghost of Puramal, a soldier who died defending the bridge. The ghost is filled with anger at seeing his companions flee, leaving him to die. Puramal died as the bridge collapsed and does not know or does not care that there is nothing left to defend.
Puramal is a victim of circumstances whose unlife is devoted to defending the bridge that he could not protect in life. He will defend this area with every ounce of strength that he has, not caring whom he is defending it from.
Terrus Dyrn, Lich Sorcerer 18: The origin of Terrus Dyrn, the lich, is lost to the sands of time. Rumors say that Dyrn was an evil sorcerer who traveled with a group of adventurers, now dead these many centuries. Of course, no one has talked to Dyrn to confirm this.

Undead: As another interesting plot twist, the PCs could storm the laboratory of a necromancer just in time to disrupt a crucial part of an experiment. Perhaps this creates a powerful or previously unknown variant of undead.
Over the centuries, many tragic tales arise of people swallowed up or seduced by dark forces. Not truly alive, not quite dead, these walking corpses roam the land for their own purposes, haunting and horrifying those who remain among the living (especially those whom they have left behind). In general, those who become undead do not do so of their own free will. They are merely corpses reanimated through dark and sinister magic, doing their master’s bidding without fear or hesitation. However, some villains seek to gain an undead template (such as a lich) so that they can pursue their mad goals throughout eternity.
On Tellene, it is common knowledge (among the well educated) that the Congregation of the Dead treats undeath as a reward, not a curse. What is not generally known is that the number and strength of the souls that a cleric takes directly reflects on his future undead status. Dying while attempting to take a soul is said to grant automatic undeath. Those outside the Congregation of the Dead must find another path, but regardless of the technique, all that seek this dark knowledge must pay homage to the King of the Undead.
Once a villain makes this choice, he may seek one of many paths. One of the most straightforward is to use a miracle or wish spell. For reasons known only the Lord of the Underworld himself, the miracle or wish spell does not allow one to become a lich or a vampire, though it does allow one to become a “lower” form of undead, such as a zombie. Whether the caster is the recipient or not, the recipient must be willing to undergo the transformation. Additionally, the caster must spend the spell’s XP cost and material components worth no less than 10,000 gp. This can be a gem-studded piece of artwork honoring the Harvester of Souls, and it is destroyed in the casting.
As the final step, the caster must kill the recipient of the spell (if this is the caster himself, he must commit suicide). The newly formed undead creature retains his original class abilities, adding the appropriate undead template (see below). Note that if the recipient is not the caster, any time the caster gives the new undead a command, it must make a Will save as if the caster had used control undead to obey. Furthermore, the recipient suffers a –8 circumstance penalty to any save against an actual control undead spell or any other relevant magic that controls undead. If the caster tries to turn, command or rebuke the undead he created, treat the undead as if it had half its number of Hit Dice. (These limitations apply only when the creator of the undead uses these abilities. Other clerics and spells affect the undead normally.)
Those without access to such overwhelming magical forces can choose to unlock the secrets of certain rituals to become a specific type of undead. Villains trying to obtain the necessary components for these processes must be very secretive. Heroes and even other villains usually want to prevent them from gaining any of the undead templates, and some of the combinations of components for these processes are quite recognizable.
Unless otherwise specified, discovering the process of becoming a free-willed undead requires a Knowledge (arcana) or Knowledge (undead) skill check against DC 25.
Ghost: Ghostmaker magic weapon.
Lich: Perhaps the evil wizard discovered an ancient ritual that transformed him into a lich.
The template system makes it easy to quickly create these special types and understand how they work, but there is little detail about the villain’s actual preparations to become such a creature. After all, the villain doesn’t just go down to his laboratory, drink a magic potion and instantly become a lich. It takes time, hard work and the use of unnatural magical powers.
Once a villain makes this choice, he may seek one of many paths. One of the most straightforward is to use a miracle or wish spell. For reasons known only the Lord of the Underworld himself, the miracle or wish spell does not allow one to become a lich or a vampire, though it does allow one to become a “lower” form of undead, such as a zombie.
Becoming a Lich
To become a lich, the base creature must prepare his phylactery himself. This requires he begin with an object worth 120,000 gp. While he need not construct the entire object, he must participate in the creation, assisting the craftsman. Most often, the phylactery takes the form of a sealed metal box with strips of parchment holding magically transcribed phrases. At least one of these phrases must be a special, rare prayer to the Harvester of Souls. (Evil non-followers of the Bringer of the Grave have been known to kill for these prayers. Without this special prayer to Tellene’s god of the undead, the ritual is ineffective.) The box is typically attached to a leather strap to be worn on the forehead or arm. Whatever form the object takes, every aspect must be of the finest materials and workmanship. (The box phylactery is Tiny and has a Hardness of 20, along with 40 hit points and a Break DC 40.) The phylactery can also take the form of a ring, amulet or other object.
Once the object is prepared, the potential lich applies his Craft Wondrous Item feat. It takes at least 12 days to complete the complex process of enchanting the phylactery, and uses all of the sorcerer or wizard’s spell slots from magic jar, permanency and possibly limited wish for that entire time. (Though clerics can become a lich through this process, the majority of those who attempt it are wizards or sorcerers.)
The preparer may use outside help for reincarnation or raise dead (instead of limited wish). Usually this involves using a ring of spell storing. Another caster charges the desired spell into the ring and the creator of the phylactery then need only use it once, but thereafter that spell can never be placed in that ring of spell storing again. (Any attempt uses the spell slot, but has no effect.)
THE FINAL STEP TO LICHDOM
Additionally, the caster must have a certain potion for the final ceremony. Most casters refuse to leave the creation of such a potion to anyone else, but the imbiber need not be the one who brews it. The potion can be prepared up to one year before the final ceremony. It must be a lethal concoction, and all the following spells must then be cast upon it: permanency, chill touch, fear, hold monster, protection from energy (cold) and animate dead.
The final rite is performed at midnight after the phylactery is complete. The base creature must find a secluded area (often an area cursed by the Harvester of Souls or one of his temples) and, with the phylactery within range of the magic jar, complete the process. This involves drinking the potion. The imbiber must make a Will save (DC 16). If he fails, he is permanently dead. If he succeeds (and the phylactery is not destroyed in the intervening time), he rises as a lich in 1d10 days.
A few scholars have suggested that adding certain other spells to the concoction can grant the imbiber a bonus (and presumably also penalties) to his Will save. No villains volunteered for experimentation regarding this possibility (i.e. it is up to the DM).
Prerequisites: Minimum 11th level sorcerer, wizard or cleric; Craft Wondrous Item feat; magic jar, permanency, reincarnate or raise dead or limited wish; GP Cost: 120,000 (phylactery, caster level = caster’s current level in the appropriate class); XP Cost: 4,800 XP.
Vampire: Once a villain makes this choice, he may seek one of many paths. One of the most straightforward is to use a miracle or wish spell. For reasons known only the Lord of the Underworld himself, the miracle or wish spell does not allow one to become a lich or a vampire, though it does allow one to become a “lower” form of undead, such as a zombie.
Deliberately becoming a vampire can be as simple as inviting one to drain your life energy. Of course, few villains volunteer for such treatment as it leaves them under the control of the vampiric “parent.” Those seeking to become a first generation vampire tread a dangerous path, but such is the risk for a dedicated villain.
One method of becoming a first-generation vampire is for the villain to sell his soul to Zazimash, Lord of the Underworld (also known as the Harvester of Souls). Assuming that the deity does not simply destroy the villain on a whim, Zazimash may very well grant the villain’s desire. The second, and safer, way to become a first-generation vampire is by means of an ancient Svimohzish ritual. This ritual can be discovered through roleplaying or by succeeding at a Knowledge (arcane) check (DC 25).
The ritual requires a special potion for use in the actual ceremony. Creating this potion requires the Brew Potion and Craft Wondrous Item feats. This potion requires three base components. First, at least one quart of blood from a magical creature (dragon, magical beast, outsider or shapechanger, but NOT any creature with the Fire subtype). The blood must also come from a creature whose Hit Dice at least equal that of the creature seeking to become a vampire. Second, the potion requires dust from the ashes of a burned vampire the villain had a hand in slaying. Third, the villain must spend 4,200 XP. Finally, the brewer must collect other rare and exotic ingredients
for the potion (typical lists include bat’s eyes, wolf ’s heart, rat brains, tears of a good cleric, a holy symbol dipped in human blood and a pound of dried mosquito or tick husks). The total value of these items if purchased (though that is rarely possible) is at least 16,000 gp.
The caster level of the potion must be equal to or greater than that of the potential new vampire. Once the potion has been successfully brewed, the new base creature must stand within a greater magic circle against good and sacrifice a living creature, mixing its blood with the potion. It then drinks the entire potion from a human skull, and finishes off the sacrifice by drinking as much of the remainder of the sacrificed creature’s blood as it can stand. This part of the ceremony must be completed in less than ten minutes and in an area no better lit than the equivalent of a fading twilight. During the entire ceremony, when not actually drinking, the creature must recite prayers to the Lord of the Underworld. Theories suggest that the more prayers he knows, the better his chances of success are (the DM may declare a +1 to the save for every two prayers the character knows beyond the tenth).
Finally, the creature must kill himself while standing in a coffin full of grave dirt, into which he falls after death. The preferred method is slashing the throat with a magical or ceremonial dagger.
After all this, the base creature makes a single Will saving 0throw (DC 18). If he succeeds, he dies and becomes a free-willed vampire. If he fails, he simply dies (and is permanently deceased). If the potential base creature is NOT the brewer of the potion and his Will save comes up 1, he does become a vampire, but he is under the total control of the brewer of the potion.
The new vampire rises from his coffin at nightfall 1d6 nights after the completion of the ceremony.
Prerequisites: Brew Potion, Craft Wondrous Item feats; blood sacrifices; GP Cost: 16,000 gp (blood from a magical creature, dust from a vampire, one pound of mosquito/tick husks); XP Cost: 4,200.
Allip: ?
Zombie: Once a villain makes this choice, he may seek one of many paths. One of the most straightforward is to use a miracle or wish spell. For reasons known only the Lord of the Underworld himself, the miracle or wish spell does not allow one to become a lich or a vampire, though it does allow one to become a “lower” form of undead, such as a zombie.
Deep with an underground maze somewhere in the Principality of Pekal, or so the legend goes, lies a sleeping lich queen and a mysterious black tome of immense power. Modern sages speculate that this queen somehow learned of (or created) a magical ritual that allows a willing spellcaster to transform himself into a reliqus (a powerful self-willed type of skeleton, also known as a “galanam” in Kalamaran).
First, the caster must set up a contingency spell that activates an animate dead. Any of these spells can be obtained from scrolls or items. Immediately after the contingency ceremony, he must also cast a magic jar spell (using his own magical ability). If he does not use the magic jar spell, or unsuccessfully casts it, he arises as a normal undead skeleton (losing all memory, abilities, etc.) rather than gaining the reliqus template.
He must enter the receptacle and immediately return to his normal body at the instant of its death, typically accomplished at the hands of an undead or construct. This completes the special ceremony. For the caster to gain the reliqus template, he must have the black onyx gem (for the animate dead) and the receptacle (for the magic jar) on his person, as well as a pair of gemstones of one particular type. These gemstones must be either a pair of amythests (worth at least 50gp each), diamonds (100 gp each), emeralds (75 gp each) or sapphires (150 gp each).
Once he dies (any time within the duration of the contingency), he arises in 1d12 hours. Before he arises, over 50% of his flesh must be destroyed (eaten, burned, etc.). This destruction of the body is also typically left to an undead or construct. If the villain still has 50% of his flesh on his body, he gains the zombie template instead.
Typically, xenoa are created when a cleric of the Harvester of Souls fails to harvest enough souls before he dies - causing him to return as a lower undead such as a skeleton, zombie or (if he is lucky) a reliqus or xenoa. However, on occasion crazed spellcasters do intentionally perform a certain dark ritual intended to transform them into such a creature.
Becoming a xenoa (or “smart zombie,” when translated from Reanaarese to Merchant’s Tongue) works much like becoming a reliqus. First, the caster must set up a contingency spell that activates an animate dead. Either of these spells can be obtained from scrolls or items. Immediately after the contingency ceremony, he must also cast a magic jar spell (using his own magical ability). If he does not use the magic jar spell, or unsuccessfully casts it, he arises as a normal zombie (losing all memory, abilities, etc.) rather than gaining the xenoa (pronounced zee-know-uh) template.
Skeleton: Deep with an underground maze somewhere in the Principality of Pekal, or so the legend goes, lies a sleeping lich queen and a mysterious black tome of immense power. Modern sages speculate that this queen somehow learned of (or created) a magical ritual that allows a willing spellcaster to transform himself into a reliqus (a powerful self-willed type of skeleton, also known as a “galanam” in Kalamaran).
First, the caster must set up a contingency spell that activates an animate dead. Any of these spells can be obtained from scrolls or items. Immediately after the contingency ceremony, he must also cast a magic jar spell (using his own magical ability). If he does not use the magic jar spell, or unsuccessfully casts it, he arises as a normal undead skeleton (losing all memory, abilities, etc.) rather than gaining the reliqus template.
Typically, xenoa are created when a cleric of the Harvester of Souls fails to harvest enough souls before he dies - causing him to return as a lower undead such as a skeleton, zombie or (if he is lucky) a reliqus or xenoa.
Wraith: Any humanoid or monstrous humanoid slain by an avildar becomes a wraith in 1d4 rounds.
Ghoul: Humanoids killed by a guraah (and not eaten) rise as normal ghouls in 1d12 hours. Casting protection from evil on a body before that time will avert the transformation.
Wight, Undead Thrall: Any humanoid or monstrous humanoid slain by a vostarr becomes an undead thrall in 1d4 rounds. Spawn are under the command of the vostarr that created them and remain enslaved until its death. These spawn are normal wights as described in the Monster Manual and as such retain none of the abilities they had in life.
Ghast: ?
Shadow: Shadow Touch spell.
Vampire Spawn: A character that dies whilst wearing the suit of vampiric armor has a 35% chance of returning as a vampire spawn within 1d3 days; this is 100% if the death is caused by the armor’s blood drain ability.
Vampiric Armor magic armor.

SHADOW TOUCH
Necromancy [Evil]
Level: Clr 3, Sor/Spl/Wiz 3
Components: V, S
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Personal
Duration: 3 rounds + 1 round per level
Saving Throw: Fortitude negates
Spell Resistance: Yes
When the caster completes this spell, his or her hand turns black as pitch. Touched creatures must make a saving throw or suffer 1d4+1 hit points of damage and 1 point of temporary Strength damage. If an opponent is reduced to 0 Strength in such a manner, he or she becomes a shadow (see the Monster Manual). Otherwise, lost Strength points return at the rate of 1 point per day. A creature brought below 0 hit points by the damage is dying, but will not become a shadow. Note that the caster must also make a Fortitude saving throw or he begins to suffer the effects of lost Strength at a rate of 1 point per round. He must engulf his shadow hand in flames (taking 1d4 points of damage) in order to remove the dweomer before the spell duration expires if he wishes to avoid further Strength loss.

Ghostmaker: This fiendish heavy mace, crafted from black iron, has a head worked to resemble a human face shrieking in agony. This heavy mace is a +3 enchanted weapon, and is favoured by clerics of the Rotlord who have the ability to compel service from powerful undead. Any creature killed by this weapon arises as a ghost, and immediately seeks out the mace’s bearer. If he is capable of rebuking and commanding undead, the mace’s owner may use a turning attempt to seize control of the ghost. Otherwise, the ghost attacks the bearer. If the ghost destroys the bearer, it leaves to stalk the living and spread destruction in its wake.
Strong Necromancy; Caster Level: 15th; Prerequisites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, command, create greater undead; Market Price: 30,312 gp.

Vampiric Armor: Commonly found only in half- and fullplate varieties, vampiric armor is both bane and boon to its wearer. To most wearers, the armor looks like a fairly typical suit of shrike armor (see the KINGDOMS OF KALAMAR Player’s Guide).
However, with magical aid such as detect magic, the suit shows strong enchantment and necromantic auras.
On the positive side, the armor is +1 magical armor (or better), allows the wearer to turn into gaseous form three times per week, and has the added special ability of Invulnerability (see Dungeon Master’s Guide page 219). On the negative side, the external spikes are actually a form of drinking tube for the armor, which needs the blood of sentient beings in order to survive. Each day the armor is worn, it requires a number of hit points (of blood) equal to twice its AC bonus. The armor must take the blood from live foes through the spikes. Only damage caused by the actual spikes counts towards this total. One of the ways to achieve this is to grapple opponents on the spikes (see Armor Spikes on page 124 of the Player’s Handbook). If no blood is forthcoming by the end of the day, the suit automatically drains it from its wearer, growing spikes inwards into his or her flesh.
Even when not worn, the armor still craves blood and loses one from its AC bonus and a number of uses of gaseous form per week it is not fed. Feeding the unworn armor one hit point of blood per day halts this slow degradation. Each day missed, even if not concurrent, should be counted (the villain cannot feed the armor only once per week and still stave off the power loss!). When the armor reaches a zero AC bonus it has effectively “died,” and requires 20 hit points worth of blood per +1 AC and use of gaseous form that the wearer wants “re-charged.” The Invulnerability bonus only functions when the armor is fully fed.
A character that dies whilst wearing the suit of vampiric armor has a 35% chance of returning as a vampire spawn within 1d3 days; this is 100% if the death is caused by the armor’s blood drain ability.
Strong Necromancy; Caster Level: 18th; Prerequisites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, bestow curse, gaseous form, slow death, stoneskin, wish or miracle. Market Price: 124,750 gp; Weight: 45 lb.

3.5 3rd Party

Spoiler

Advanced Bestiary:

Spoiler

Blood Knight: Blood knights are the damned souls of fierce warriors who died in a particularly bloody manner. Cursed to walk the earth until their warlike ways lead to their destruction, blood knights seek always to fight and conquer.
“Blood knight” is an acquired template that can be applied to any living creature that is proficient with light, medium, and heavy armor, wears full plate armor, and has blood
Altered Blood Knight: Ignore the required proficiency with armor and change the name of the template to the blood gaunt. In this form, the template could be applied to the temple guardians of a god of murder. Alternatively, blood knights could result from a curse that animates great quantities of spilled blood into a strange new form.
The blood knights could be unique. Perhaps a group of paladins that unwittingly participated in a highly evil act were cursed to become blood knights.
Make the template self-propagating. Creatures killed by Constitution damage from a blood knight’s attacks rise as blood knights in 1d4 rounds.
Morden Thrallhammer: Morden Thrallhammerer was once a dwarf hero of some fame. Loyal to his clan and a staunch defender of its sovereignty, he was ruthless to the point of sadism in combat with its enemies. When some giants took up residence near his clan’s territory, Morden provoked conflict with them, beginning a long and unnecessary feud that resulted in the deaths of hundreds of his kin. In the final days of the war, Morden led a vicious attack on wounded and noncombatant giants while a decoy force of dwarves distracter their warriors. When Morden dealt the killing blow to a mother protecting her child, he could not get out of the way of her falling body fast enough. The rest of Morden’s force retreated, leaving him trapped beneath the she-giant’s body. By the time the giant warriors returned, Morden had drowned in his foe’s blood. The giants cast his body off the mountain, cursing his name and praying to their gods to punish him. Thus, he returned to haunt the world as a blood knight, wearing the ornate, dwarf-made armor in which he died.
Dread Allip: Babbling, whispering, screaming, and muttering, dread allips pass through walls and strike at living creatures, hoping to gain companions in undeath and madness. A dread allip is a crazed incorporeal undead created when a sentient creature follows an order to commit suicide against its own wishes. The angry spirit that rises from the corpse is insane because its mind was conflicted at death, and it seeks to inflict a similar fate on others.
“Dread allip” is an acquired template that can be added to any living creature with an Intelligence score of 3 or higher that commits suicide because of domination by a dread allip or at the command of some other creature.
A creature that dies while dominated by a dread allip rises as a new dread allip in 1d6 rounds if it committed suicide, or died fulfilling an obviously self-destructive command, or had 0 Wisdom and was within 30 feet of the dread allip at the time of death.
Dread Allip Spirit Naga: ?
Dread Bodak: Bodaks are extraplanar undead created when living beings are touched by ultimate evil.
A dread bodak is sometimes created when an intelligent creature turns traitor and kills an ally or murders a friend. In particular, the use of the death knell spell on a friend seems most likely to create a dread bodak. A dread bodak is consumed with the desire for revenge on everyone it knew in life and anyone who gets in the way. Worse still, it can create more of its vile kind. Its gaze brings foes to the brink of death, and its voice then snuffs out their life force and turns them into dread bodaks.
“Dread bodak” is an acquired template that can be added to any living creature (referred to hereafter as the base creature) that was killed by a dread bodak or murdered by an ally via a method such as use of the death knell spell.
Any creature killed by a dread bodak’s death knell ability rises as a dread bodak in 1d6 rounds.
Dread Bodak Tyrannosaurus: ?
Dread Devourer: Few know how these dread devourers originated, but some sages speculate that they form as ethereal or astral “shadows” of creatures on coexistent planes that die from energy draining effects.
“Dread devourer” is an acquired template that can be added to any living creature that has a chest cavity or similar body part.
Dread Devourer Purple Worm: ?
Dread Ghast: The first ghouls were humans who rose as undead because they had indulged in unwholesome pleasures in life. The original ghasts rose as undead for similar reasons, but their sins were of vaster scale. A man who broke a taboo by consuming dead bodies to avoid starvation might rise as a ghoul, but a man who murdered his wife and children, then cooked them up as a delicious meal for himself and his mistress would instead rise as a ghast. Cursed with a terrible stench of death and corruption that serves as a warning to the living, the ghast’s greater sins in life grant it greater power in undeath.
The first dread ghasts were villains of still broader scope. Leaders in life, they influenced the actions of scores of others and led them to participate in terrible atrocities. Today, the dread ghast “race” of undead perpetuates itself through the transmission of vile power. A creature killed but not consumed by a dread ghast rises as another dread ghast.
“Dread ghast” is an acquired template that can be added to any living creature.
Any creature killed by a dread ghast that lies undisturbed until the next midnight rises as a dread ghast at that time.
Dread Ghast Gnoll: ?
Dread Ghost: Like normal ghosts, dread ghosts are restless spirits that exist on both the Material and the Ethereal Planes. Unlike many other dread undead, dread ghosts have no special power over others of their kind, but some mystery of their creation makes them more powerful than standard ghosts.
“Dread ghost” is an acquired template that can be added to any living creature that has an Intelligence score.
Dread Ghost Medusa: “Dread ghost” is an acquired template that can be added to any living creature that has an Intelligence score.
Dread Ghoul: Eaters of the dead that hunger for the living, the first ghouls were the undead remains of humans who had indulged in unwholesome pleasures, such as cannibalism or necrophilia, in life. The original dread ghouls came into being because they had exhorted or compelled others to such acts while alive.
“Dread ghoul” is an acquired template that can be added to any living creature.
In most cases, dread ghouls feast on the bodies of the fallen. However, any creature killed by a dread ghoul that lies undisturbed until the next midnight rises as a dread ghoul at that time.
Dread Ghoul Frost Giant: ?
Dread Lacedon: Dread lacedons are corpses animated by the restless spirits of those who drowned or were killed but not devoured by a dread lacedon.
“Dread lacedon” is an acquired template that can be added to any living creature.
In most cases, dread lacedons feast on the bodies of the fallen, or sea creatures such as sharks devour them. However, any creature killed by a dread lacedon that lies undisturbed until the next midnight rises as a dread lacedon at that time.
Dread Lacedon Cachalot Whale: ?
Dread Lich: Like normal liches, dread liches are powerful undead spellcasters who used vile magic and dreadful ceremonies to prolong their time in the living world. However, the process of becoming a dread lich is a greater secret than the evil ceremonies required to become a normal lich. Although powerful spellcasters sometimes discover this secret while preparing for lichdom, most dread liches were once normal liches who spent centuries researching arcane lore in search of the secret.
“Dread lich” is an acquired template that can be added to any living creature capable of creating the required phylactery, or to any standard lich.
Only a willing evil creature can become a dread lich.
An integral part of becoming a dread lich is creating a magic phylactery in which to store its life force. Unless the phylactery is located and destroyed, the dread lich reforms next to its phylactery 1d4 days after its apparent death. It does not matter how far away the dread lich is from its phylactery, but the two must be on the same plane. If the phylactery is on a different plane, the dread lich reforms 1d4 days after the phylactery is brought to the plane on which the dread lich was destroyed.
Each dread lich must make its own phylactery—a task that requires the Craft Wondrous Item feat. The base creature must be able to cast spells or use spell-like abilities, and its caster level must be at least 15th. The phylactery costs 200,000 gp and 8,000 XP to create and has a caster level equal to that of its creator at the time of creation.
The most common kind of phylactery is a Tiny mithral box that has hardness 20, 40 hit points, and a break DC of 40. Other types of phylacteries, such as rings, amulets, or similar items, can also exist.
Dread Lich Titan: The rare evil titan that learns the secret of lichdom in its youth cannot help but seek out and follow that dark path.
Dread Mohrg: Some say that a dread mohrg is the restless spirit of a sentient creature that perished from starvation and never received a proper burial. Others say that it is all that remains of a mortal punished by the gods for gluttony or for starving other creatures.
“Dread mohrg” is an acquired template that can be added to any evil living creature with a mouth and a digestive tract that includes intestines.
Dread Mohrg Seven Headed Cryohydra: Native to the colder climes, it was created when a normal cryohydra slew an entire village of humans.
Dread Mummy: “Dread mummy” is an acquired template that can be added to any living corporeal creature.
Any creature killed by a dread mummy’s mummy rot ability turns to dust and blows away on the wind. If the dread mummy that infected the creature with the disease is not destroyed within 1 week, the dust reforms next to it as a new dread mummy.
Dread Mummy Harpy: ?
Dread Shadow: Like normal shadows, they are sentient pools of darkness and negative energy that drain strength and life from living creatures.
“Dread shadow” is an acquired template that can be added to any living, intelligent creature with a Charisma score of 15 or higher that was killed by a shadow or dread shadow.
Any creature with a Charisma score of 15 or higher that is killed by a dread shadow rises as a dread shadow in 1d4 rounds. Any other creature slain by a dread shadow instead rises as a normal shadow in 1d4 rounds.
Dread Shadow Achaierai: ?
Dread Skeleton: “Dread skeleton” is an acquired template that can be added to any living creature with a skeleton or exoskeleton.
Dread Skeleton Blink Dog: ?
Dread Spectre: Like ghosts, dread spectres are the incorporeal spirits of living beings that continue to act after death.
“Dread spectre” is an acquired template that can be added to any living, intelligent creature killed by a spectre or a dread spectre.
Any creature with a Charisma score of 16 or higher that is killed by a dread spectre rises as a dread spectre in 1d4 rounds. Any other creature slain by a dread spectre instead rises as a normal spectre in 1d4 rounds.
Dread Spectre Nymph: ?
Dread Wight: Dread wights are the animate remains of creatures that were terribly violent and hateful in life.
“Dread wight” is an acquired template that can be added to any living corporeal creature.
Any creature killed by a dread wight’s energy drain ability rises as a dread wight in 1d4 rounds.
Dread Wight Gargoyle: ?
Dread Vampire: “Dread vampire” is an acquired template that can be added to any living creature with an Intelligence score of 3 or higher.
Dread vampires can create spawn only if their victims are kept in coffin homes, a special receptacle, until they rise. A coffin home can be any container capable of accommodating the corpse.
Under these conditions, a humanoid or monstrous humanoid slain by a dread vampire’s energy drain attack rises as a vampire 24 hours after death. Any creature with an Intelligence score of 3 or higher whose Constitution score reaches 0 from a dread vampire’s blood drain attack returns as a dread vampire 24 hours after death.
Dread Vampire Night Hag: ?
Dread Wraith Sovereign: “Dread wraith sovereign” is an acquired template that can be added to any living creature with 10 or more Hit Dice killed by a dread wraith sovereign.
Any creature slain by a dread wraith sovereign’s Constitution drain or incorporeal touch attack rises as a dread wraith in 1d4 rounds. A dread wraith created in this manner is under the command of its creator and remains so until either it or the creator is destroyed. When a dread wraith sovereign is killed, one of its dread wraith spawn that had 10 or more character levels in life becomes a dread wraith sovereign.
Dread Wraith Sovereign Trumpet Archon: When a trumpet archon falls to the touch of a dread wraith sovereign, gods and angels weep. Dread wraith sovereign trumpet archons are heinous undead beings composed in equal parts of sacrilege, cruelty, and hate.
Dread Zombie: Dread zombies are created when the magic used to animate a zombie or other corporeal undead goes awry, or when a dread mummy breathes death on a living creature. Sometimes when the ceremony to create a lich fails, the would-be lich instead becomes a dread zombie, attaining eternal unlife at an unexpected cost—the loss of some of the intelligence it had in life.
“Dread zombie” is an acquired template that can be added to any living creature.
Once every 1d4 rounds, a dread mummy can breathe a 30-foot cone of tomb gas, sand, and dust. Each living creature in the area must succeed on a Fortitude save (DC 10 + 1/2 dread mummy’s character level + dread mummy’s Cha modifier) or gain 1d4 negative levels. A creature killed by a dread mummy’s breath of death ability rises as a dread zombie in 1d4 rounds.
Dread Zombie Aasimar: ?
Negative-Energy-Charged Creature: Through dark magic, a spellcaster can strengthen an undead creature’s link to the chilling source of its unnatural existence.
“Negative-energy-charged creature” is an acquired template that can be added to any undead creature.
Empower Undead spell
Negative-Energy-Charged Wight: ?
Any humanoid slain by a negative-energy-charged wight becomes a wight in 1d4 rounds.
Nightmare Creature Undead: Make nightmare creature an acquired template gained when an evil individual is killed in a particularly torturous manner by good creatures.
Poltergeist: A poltergeist is created when a creature dies under traumatic circumstances in a place of great importance to it. Often the locations that house poltergeists are places where they felt a sense of ownership and security. A simple death, even a murder, is rarely enough to cause the victim’s spirit to remain as a poltergeist—the death must intimately involve the location. A gravedigger buried alive in his graveyard might become a poltergeist, as might a ferryman who drowned beneath his dock, or a steward crushed beneath his desk.
“Poltergeist” is an acquired template that can be added to any living, intelligent creature with a Charisma score of 3 or higher.
Dread Poltergeist: ?
Athach Poltergeist: ?
Alternate Sonic Creatures: Ghosts: Sonic creatures might be ghosts or a specific form of undead. In this case, the template should change the creature’s type to undead, and the sound the sonic creature makes should be mournful wailing.
Changed Swamp Lord Template: ?

Ghoul: The first ghouls were humans who rose as undead because they had indulged in unwholesome pleasures in life.
Ghast: The first ghouls were humans who rose as undead because they had indulged in unwholesome pleasures in life. The original ghasts rose as undead for similar reasons, but their sins were of vaster scale. A man who broke a taboo by consuming dead bodies to avoid starvation might rise as a ghoul, but a man who murdered his wife and children, then cooked them up as a delicious meal for himself and his mistress would instead rise as a ghast. Cursed with a terrible stench of death and corruption that serves as a warning to the living, the ghast’s greater sins in life grant it greater power in undeath.
Shadow: Any creature with a Charisma score of 15 or higher that is killed by a dread shadow rises as a dread shadow in 1d4 rounds. Any other creature slain by a dread shadow instead rises as a normal shadow in 1d4 rounds.
Spectre: Any creature with a Charisma score of 16 or higher that is killed by a dread spectre rises as a dread spectre in 1d4 rounds. Any other creature slain by a dread spectre instead rises as a normal spectre in 1d4 rounds.
Vampire: Dread vampires can create spawn only if their victims are kept in coffin homes, a special receptacle, until they rise. A coffin home can be any container capable of accommodating the corpse.
Under these conditions, a humanoid or monstrous humanoid slain by a dread vampire’s energy drain attack rises as a vampire 24 hours after death.
Wight: Any humanoid slain by a negative-energy-charged wight becomes a wight in 1d4 rounds.
Dread Wraith: Any creature slain by a dread wraith sovereign’s Constitution drain or incorporeal touch attack rises as a dread wraith in 1d4 rounds.
Zombie: Any creature killed by a dread mohrg rises as a zombie in 1d4 days.

Empower Undead
Necromancy [Evil]
Level: Clr 6, Sor/Wiz 6
Components: V, S, M
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Touch
Target: Undead creature touched
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: No
This spell grants the touched undead the negative-energy-charged creature template. The target is immediately empowered with the benefits of the template and knows how to utilize all the abilities it grants.
Material Component: A gem worth at least 10 gp that has spent a night within the body of an undead creature.

Anger of Angels

Spoiler

Vrykolaka: Vrykolakas are created when a fiend possesses the corpse of an evil person and animates it.
“Vrykolaka” is an acquired template that you can add to any humanoid creature.
A humanoid slain by a vrykolaka’s blood drain attack rises as a vrykolaka 1d10 days after its death (possessed by a different fiendish spirit than the one inhabiting its killer).
Nikolos, Human Vrykoloaka Aristocrat 2: ?

Bane Ledger I :

Spoiler

Angiaks: During lean times, tribal peoples are forced to make hard decisions about who can eat and who cannot. Newborn babies that cannot be fed are left to die in the wilderness. Angiaks are the restless souls of these children killed by their fellow clansmen.
The naming of a child imbues it with a spirit. If a child must be sacrificed in this way, avoid naming it and you will be safe from the vengeful angiaks.
Bay-kok: ?
Civatateo: When a woman of royal status dies while giving birth, she sometimes returns from the dead as a fiendish civatateo.
Impundulu: Necromancers create these fell creatures to be both servants and lovers.

Behind the Spells: Animate Dead:

Spoiler

Kritak Gnoll Lich: Kritak, it is said, battled to the death; but even as the final blow was struck upon him, a specially prepared wand exploded.
After his exile, Kritak fashioned the wand as a security measure. For you see, even if his body perished the prepared magics of the wand would preserve the gnoll’s consciousness in a nearby body, allowing him to forever pursue his necromantic sorcery. In this case, an elven survivor became the vessel of Kritak’s soul and mind. Those other elves that were not killed in the wand’s blast were shortly slain thereafter by their “trusted friend.” But an unforeseen side effect of the possession magic soon showed itself. Apparently, the raw power which fed the wand’s magic continues in the new body, which becomes a surrogate wand itself. Not designed to contain such necromantic energies, each body Kritak jumps into slowly deteriorates. Within months, perhaps a year, the gnoll’s current body disintegrates and his consciousness must jump into another living creature or be forever lost.
The shaman is rumored to still exist, within Noras no less (although that nation has been split and renamed many times since) as some form of demi-lich. You can easily tell his true nature, for even if the host body has not yet deteriorated badly, the original “U” branded on him by Xox carries over from body to body as some kind of curse. This brand no longer means “exile” to the gnolls but rather is identified with Kritak directly. Many gnolls worship the former shaman as a deity of undeath. “Was Kritak the first lich?” you ask. No, but he is probably the first gnoll lich.

Skeleton: Corpse Soldiers spell.
Animating weapon quality.
Zombie: Corpse Soldiers spell.
Animating weapon quality.

VARIANT SPELL:
Corpse Soldiers
As the spell animate dead with the following exceptions.
Level: Clr 5, Death 5, Sor/Wiz 5
Casting Time: 10 minutes
Range: 300-ft.-radius, centered on you
Target: Any whole corpse in range
The spell’s power reaches into the earth which allows even buried undead to come to the magic’s call. There is no limit to the amount of undead affected by a single casting of corpse soldiers. All corpses within range walk, shuffle, claw, or swim their way to you after casting. No matter how many times you use this spell, however, you can control only 7 HD worth of undead creatures per caster level, instead of the 4 HD maximum as imposed by animate dead. In addition, each undead receives a +1 profane bonus to attack and damage rolls.
Material Component: A black onyx gem worth 1,000 gold pieces which you must smash at the end of the casting time.

Animating
If a weapon with this quality inflicts enough damage to bring a living target below zero hit points, the target must succeed a Fortitude save (DC 20) or be instantly turned into a skeleton or zombie (wielder’s choice). The created undead is under direct control of the weapon wielder as per the animate dead spell. The maximum Hit Dice worth of undead that can be controlled through the weapon is 36. This number is cumulative with undead controlled by any other means.
Moderate necromancy; CL 9th; Craft Magic Arms and Armor, animate dead, creator must be evil; Price +3 bonus.

Bestiary Malfearous:

Spoiler

Death Beater: It is unknown what event creates a death beater, but they are often found in mines, dungeon hallways and tombs where many beings have lost their lives in previous accidents.
Ghargoyle: The ghargoyle is a horrid construct created by necromantic wizards as guardians.
It costs 1,000 gp to properly prepare the dead body of a gargoyle for transformation into a ghargoyle. It takes a DC 13 craft (taxidermy) or DC 13 (leatherworking) check to create the body.
Caster Level 9; craft construct; Animate Dead, Confusion, Enervation, Geas/Quest; Price: 15,000 gp; Cost: 8,000 gp + 320 XP.
Karrock: The bite of a karrock spreads a deadly plague to its victim. Those bitten that fail a Fort save are infected (Injury; Fort DC 15; incubation: Instant; Init: 3d8 Con, Sec: 1d8 Con). Those who die from the disease fall to the ground lifeless, becoming a blackened, bloated corpse in but a single round. In a short span of time (1d4+1 rounds) later, the deceased victim rises as a karrock.
Keeper: Keepers are undead constructs, but the exact procedure to create them is unknown, and there do not seem to be any known procedures to spawn new keepers.
It is thought that the deceased god Teeth, The Master Vampire, passed the secret of creation of these creatures to his priests. With the god’s destruction, the secret to creating new keepers has become lost.
Gray Render Zombie: ?
Human Warrior Zombie: ?
Cloud Gant Skeleton: ?
Living Dead: The Living Dead are beings that have been infected with a deadly disease that stops the living processes (heartbeat, need for rest), yet sustains the body in a semblance of life.
The bite and claw attacks of the Living Dead carry the disease that transforms victims into the Living Dead. Those struck by a claw or bite attack must make a Fort Save (DC 15; Infection: Injury, Incubation: 1 hour, Damage: Transformation). Failure on the save causes the victim to transform into a living dead within an hour. When the transformation occurs, the victim appears to drop dead, only to awaken as a ravening Living Dead a round later.
It is thought that the living death disease is a creation of Lepornunse, who in some way wanted to emulate his father Teeth, lord of the undead.
Living Dead Human Commoner: Wracked with the horrid disease that makes the victim like a walking zombie, the living dead is a being cursed to feed on human flesh and spread the terrible disease to others.
The bite and claw attacks of the Living Dead carry the disease that transforms victims into the Living Dead. Those struck by a claw or bite attack must make a Fort Save (DC 15; Infection: Injury, Incubation: 1 hour, Damage: Transformation). Failure on the save causes the victim to transform into a living dead within an hour. When the transformation occurs, the victim appears to drop dead, only to awaken as a ravening Living Dead a round later.
Living Dead Plaguebearer: ?
Living Dead Lord of Disease: ?
Redbones: Redbones are undead created by powerful spellcasters using a deadly spell to effect their creation.
Redbones are created with the use of a special spell.
Redbones are the specialty creations of the Red Cabal of Barbed March. The Red Cabal keeps the secret of their creation a jealously guarded secret.
Redifre Death spell
Skeleking: Skelekings are foul necromantic constructs animated from the fallen bodies of powerful Aesir warriors. Their endless years of battle give them great skill, and the foul magic that binds them back to a corporeal body also enslaves them to the evil being who has raised them.
A skeleking template may be applied to any formerly good warrior-type of 6th level or better. Once animated, the flesh is consumed in an unholy fire and the incantation that raises them from the dead burns a crown of ashes into their skull, forever marking them as servants to their animator.
Only spellcasters of an evil alignment who worship a devilish power can create a skeleking. Creating a skeleking requires the corpse of a deceased warrior with a Base Attack Bonus of +6 or better. The caster then uses the spell Create Greater Undead and requires the expenditure of a fire opal (instead of a black onyx gem) worth 50 gp per hit dice of the skeleking to be created. A caster cannot create a skeleking whose hit dice are greater than ¾ the level of the caster.
According to legend, the Dark One found a way to steal away the dead from Asgard and bind them into these skeletal frames, and passed this knowledge to his dark armies of the Skyland Hold.
Since the Skyland Hold fell, devils have continued to pass the knowledge on to those wizards and clerics who prove their allegiance to the Dark One.
Skeleking Duke: This skeleking is formed from the body of a fallen warrior of good.
Skeleking Baron: ?
Skeleking Warrior-King: ?
Skulleon: A skulleon is the undead remnants of a drake, orm or dragon brought to life by unknown magical powers. Legends often ascribe them as rising from the remnants of a draconic creature that was slain in battle and its hoard stolen from it.
Skulleons are often ascribed to being remnants of dragons slain during the First Dragon War in Amberos’s past. The draconic remains often linger in desolate areas, killing all that come near.

Skeleton: Those slain by the effects of the skulleon’s bite rise as skeletons under the control of the skulleon, their flesh sliding from their bodies as they are animated.

Redfire Death
Necromancy (Evil, Fire)
Level: Sor/Wiz 7
Components: V, S, M
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Short (25 ft. +5 ft./2 levels)
Area: 20-ft.-radius spread
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: Reflex half
Spell Resistance: Yes
Casting this spell release a furious ball of flame that detonates with a low roar and deals 1d6 points of fire damage per caster level (maximum 10d6) to every creature within the area. The spell does no damage to objects. The explosion creates no pressure.
Perhaps most insidious about this spell is that any humanoid victim reduced to -10 hit points or less by the spell is immolated by the flame, transforming the slain individual into a redbones (regardless of original form or HD).
You cannot create more HD of redbones than twice your caster level with a single casting of Redfire Death. Any additional corpses slain but not raised by the spell are consumed to ash and cannot be the target of Animate Dead or another casting of Redfire Death.
The undead you create remain under your control indefinitely. No matter how many times you use this spell, however, you can control only 4 HD worth of undead creatures per caster level. If you exceed this number, all the newly created creatures fall under your control, and any excess undead from previous castings become uncontrolled. (You choose which creatures are released.) If you are a cleric, any undead you might command by virtue of your power to command or rebuke undead do not count toward the limit.
Material Component: You must possess a ruby worth 125 gp per redbones you animate. The magic of the spell turns the gem into worthless powder.

Blackdirge's Dungeon Denizens:

Spoiler

Ash Guardian: The ash guardian is a creature of dust, earth and ash created when soil is fouled with the remains of innocent victims burned en masse; their angry spirits infest the earth itself with an unimaginable thirst for revenge. Ultimately the wrath of these spirits congeals into a single entity capable only of hate and evil. The ash guardian is usually found in the “special” earth belonging to a vampire.
Bone Swarm: A creature reduced to 0 levels by a bone swarm’s energy drain attack is slain and rapidly decays, all flesh rotting away in a manner of seconds. The resulting skeleton then spontaneously disassembles, each individual bone separating from the whole to form a new bone swarm.
Flayed Horror: The process of creating a flayed horror requires a living humanoid victim, who is slowly and torturously flayed alive. The terrible pain and horror suffered by the victim, as well as no small amount of necromantic energy, is combined to provide the spark of undeath necessary to animate the flayed horror.
Lichling: Lichlings are undead servitors that are created by their lich masters. Mortal wizards are unable to create lichlings; only those who have crafted a phylactery and stored their soul in it understand the magic necessary to create lichlings. Lichlings are skeletal undead created from piles of bones that are infused with a fragment of a soul.
Lichwarg: Lichwargs are undead hunters created by liches to trackdown living prey for their masters. The lich who creates a lichwarg binds a bit of his soul to it.
Any lich can create a lichwarg with create undead or create greater undead.
Possessed Object: Possessed objects are mundane items given unnatural locomotion through the controlling presence of ghostly remnants. Largely indistinguishable from mundane items, possessed objects most commonly arise when beings die in particularly traumatic manners, yet do not possess the force of will to manifest as ghosts. Usually these items were closely related to or meaningful in the lives of the presences that animate them (like a warrior’s weapon or a cleric’s robes), although proximity to or involvement in a creature’s death seems just as likely causes for possession. In such cases, weapons, statues, large pieces of furniture, and even constructs prove attractive choices for possession.
Possessed objects most commonly appear in civilized areas where some murder or accident took place, and many minor hauntings and urban legends arise due to random attacks from these lesser ghosts. Evidence also suggests mass tragedies generating a single possessed object animated by numerous souls. For example, a lone carriage might roll through the burnt-out husk of an orphanage, possessed by the souls of dozens of orphans, forever seeking a mother. While mass deaths might create a possessed object of gigantic size, this is no more likely than a single soul infusing a large object.
“Possessed object” is an acquired template that can be added to any construct without an Intelligence score.
Scourging Corpse: A scourge corpse is an undead creature forced to endure eternal torment, a constant state of unrelenting physical and mental pain. The creature is placed in this horrible condition either by a vengeful deity, or by a powerful artifact created by beings of immense power. This process is long and dangerous, requiring intricate rituals and the combined casting of many powerful spells (blasphemy, destruction, geas/quest, resurrection, soul bind) that may take days to complete.
“Scourge corpse” is an acquired template that can be added to any humanoid.
Shambling Skullpiles: A shambling skullpile is an undead monstrosity formed from the many skulls of ritually sacrificed creatures. The horror and torment of these sacrificed victims form a maelstrom of psychic energies, which take a physical form by animating and possessing skulls into a rough humanoid form.
Doomtwitch Zombie: Doomtwitch zombies are a rare form of undead, supernaturally quickened by an obscure necromantic process.
“Doomtwitch Zombie” is an acquired template that can be added to any corporeal humanoid, giant, or monstrous humanoid.

Book of Fiends:

Spoiler

Skulldugger: Only two demon princes know the secret of skulldugger creation: Gamigin and Orcus. Both of these princes are masters of necromancy and lords of undeath.
Skullduggers are created in blasphemous rituals enacted personally by the demon princes. They use souls to animate these undead, rather than negative energy as is usually the case. In theory the ritual can be performed on several different types of skeletons. However, both demon princes favor the remains of an extinct breed of qlippoth. They have found its winged form of great utility, so other forms of skullduggers are almost never seen.
Vessel of Orcus: Orcus constructs these vessels from the stitched together faces of sinners. Even though they lack mobility, these faces retain some sense of their former lives and their current fate. The skins form a sort of bladder, of which Orcus then fills near to bursting with maggots. He ties off sections with hard leather straps to give the creature form—legs and arms, and a pillow-like head. Vessels of Orcus are very rare and never made by necromancers; they are a product of Orcus’ depraved invention alone.
Necro-Ripper: In the eternal war, Ulasta, the Exarch of Envy creates her own soldiers. Cobbled together in great lifeless factories at the heart of the Circle of Envy, these constructs are made of undead parts, pieced together by daemons that yearn to join the battle but are forced instead to toil.
Exiled: Not all residents of Hell remain there for eternity. Some gods and powers sentence spirits who did mostly good deeds in life but experienced a moral failing somewhere close to his death, preventing immediate entry into the proper plane he deserves.
“Exiled” is an acquired template that can be added to any dead humanoid or monstrous humanoid creature, provided it is of good alignment and violated the tenets of its faith, code of conduct or alignment just prior to death and died before repenting.
Jalie Squarefoot The Lich Fiend: Millennia ago, Jalie was a pit fiend whose promotion to the nobility came at the expense of a vicious rival, another pit fiend named Belphagon. The vengeful fiend and his coterie, jealous of Jalie’s meteoric rise, concocted a number of plans for his assassination. After he had escaped dozens of attempts, one finally left Jalie barely alive, mere inches from humiliating demotion. He needed a new weapon—and he found one.
Jalie discovered the secrets of lichdom, but he also learned that a mortal body was a prerequisite. Leaving a polymorphed double at court, he hid away to prepare the lich’s phylactery, then took mortal form long enough to ritually destroy his body and pass through the horrid change to unlife.

Book of Templates Deluxe 3.5:

Spoiler

Corpse Vampire: Nosferatu, mullo, and dreaded hopping vampires all have one thing in common—they are corpses animated by an evil and animalistic will to feed on the living. Not truly sentient, these abominations are like a spiritual plague that can infest almost any creature. Only the bodies of the truly vile or terribly corrupted animate thusly.
“Corpse Vampire” is an acquired template that can be added to any living creature besides an elemental, ooze, or plant.
An appropriate creature slain by a
corpse vampire’s blood drain attack rises as a corpse vampire 1d3 nights after its death if it fails a Will save (as if it were alive, DC 10 + one-half of the corpse vampire’s HD + its Charisma modifier). Evil creatures take a –6 penalty on the save, while chaotic evil creatures take a –10 penalty.
An appropriate creature slain by a gnoll corpse vampire’s blood drain attack rises as a corpse vampire 1d3 nights after its death if it fails a DC 10 Will save. Evil creatures take a –6 penalty on the save, while chaotic evil creatures take a –10 penalty.
Any appropriate creature that drinks or otherwise ingests the blood of a fleshbound vampire comes back as a corpse vampire if it dies with the blood still in its system. Such a creature gains the Corpse Vampire template.
Alternatives to vampire spawn include the possibility of low-HD creatures slain by a vampire becoming corpse vampires or even fleshbound vampires, using the Corpse Vampire template or Fleshbound Vampire template. Only your imagination and the metaphysics of your game world are limits.
Create Undead spell
Create Greater Undead spell
Gnoll Corpse Vampire: ?
Dessicated: Aptly called the “horrors of the sands” or the “dried ones,” desiccated are a special type of undead created from the dried remains of creatures that have perished in the brutal environments of the world’s deserts. Skilled necromancers know how to raise desiccated.
“Desiccated” is an acquired template that can be added to any living creature besides an elemental or ooze.
Create Undead spell
Create Greater Undead spell
Duneshambler: ?
Fleshbound Vampire: Fleshbound vampires are bloodsucking undead possessing superior physical abilities. Although they are undead, they can breed with each other (or suitable humanoids) to produce young or infect humanoids by forcing them to ingest vampire blood.
“Fleshbound Vampire” is an acquired template that can be added to any living creature besides an elemental, ooze, or plant.
An appropriate creature slain by a fleshbound vampire’s blood drain attack rises as a fleshbound vampire the next night after its death.
Any creature of the appropriate type that is disabled or dying and drinks the blood of a fleshbound vampire immediately stabilizes, but transforms into a fleshbound vampire over the next 24 hours.
An afflicted dhampirelike creature begins to hunger for blood, and must make a Will saving throw against drinking the blood of any sentient creature it sees bleeding (wounded in combat, and so on). If the infected creature does drink, it must make a similar saving throw to resist drinking its victim dry. Killing another sentient creature in this manner causes the dhampirelike creature to die and transform into a full fleshbound vampire (losing the Dhampire template abilities altogether) after the next day has passed into night.
As indicated in the template, fleshbound vampires can reproduce biologically. To do so requires a partner of the appropriate species that is either alive or also a fleshbound vampire. The offspring of a fleshbound vampire and a living being is a dhampire (see the Dhampire sample of the Half-Template metatemplate). Two fleshbound vampires produce another fleshbound vampire that ages like a normal member of the species until it reaches adulthood, at which point aging ceases.
An appropriate creature slain by Pavil’s blood drain attack rises as a fleshbound vampire the next night after its death.
Alternatives to vampire spawn include the possibility of low-HD creatures slain by a vampire becoming corpse vampires or even fleshbound vampires, using the Corpse Vampire template or Fleshbound Vampire template. Only your imagination and the metaphysics of your game world are limits.
Create Greater Undead spell
Pavil: A murderer, Pavil was cast out into the wilderness by his north-dwelling clan. He faired well there, preying on those unfortunate enough to cross his path and eventually falling in with similar ne’er-do-wells. This all changed when Pavil’s band took a young girl from a passing group of strangers for sport—what was good in Pavil made him protect her. When her kinsman, an immortal blood-drinker, came to find the girl, Pavil was the only man given any sort of mercy.
Paleoskeleton: Paleoskeletons are the fossilized remains of long-dead creatures animated by special rituals associated with spirits of the earth. Shamans or druids who know the proper rites can summon these undead dinosaurs as guardians. Evil clerics have necromantic arts that allow them to raise similar creations, though fossil skeletons associated with mere negative energy are much weaker.
Paleoskeleton” is an acquired template that can be applied to any dinosaur, prehistoric animal, or any other living creature appropriate for fossil remains.
Animate Paleoskeleton spell
Triceratops Paleoskeleton: ?
Skinhusk: An idea born of the vilest necromantic depravation, the skinhusk is a hollow shell of a creature’s skin, animated to undeath by rituals of unspeakable evil.
“Skinhusk” is a template that can be added to any living creature that has a skin.
Craft (taxidermy) is used to create skinhusks, taking a DC 20 Craft (taxidermy) check. Cost is the same as preparing a body for create undead. A skinhusk may be given the Hardened variant only if its creator succeeds on a DC 25 Craft (taxidermy) check.
Create Undead spell
Create Greater Undead spell
Dire Bear Skinhusk: ?
Terror Vampire: “Terror Vampire” is an acquired template that can be added to any living creature besides an elemental, ooze, or plant.
A humanoid or monstrous humanoid with 5 or fewer Hit Dice that is reduced to 0 Wisdom by a terror vampire’s absorb fear attack rises as a terror vampire spawn 1d4 days after death. A creature with 5 or more Hit Dice instead returns as a terror vampire.
Create Greater Undead spell
Terror Vampire Spawn: A creature slain by a terror vampire’s energy drain rises as a terror vampire spawn 1d4 days after death. If the creature cannot qualify for the Terror Vampire Spawn template, it does not rise. Potential spawn with more Hit Dice than the terror vampire do not rise.
A humanoid or monstrous humanoid with 5 or fewer
Hit Dice that is reduced to 0 Wisdom by a terror vampire’s absorb fear attack rises as a terror vampire spawn 1d4 days after death. A creature with 5 or more Hit Dice instead returns as a terror vampire.
Terror vampire spawn are creatures with fewer Hit Dice than the terror vampire that created them, most often 4 or fewer Hit Dice.
A creature slain by a terror harpy’s energy drain rises as a terror vampire spawn 1d4 days after death. If the creature cannot qualify for the Terror Vampire Spawn template, it does not rise.
A creature with 5 or fewer Hit Dice that is reduced to 0 Wisdom by a terror harpy’s absorb fear attack rises as a terror vampire spawn (see the Terror Vampire Spawn template, page 170) 1d4 days after death. A creature with 5 or more Hit Dice instead returns as a terror harpy.
Create Greater Undead spell
Terror Harpy: A creature with 5 or fewer Hit Dice that is reduced to 0 Wisdom by a terror harpy’s absorb fear attack rises as a terror vampire spawn 1d4 days after death. A creature with 5 or more Hit Dice instead returns as a terror harpy.
True Mummy: The true mummy is the pinnacle of the embalmer’s art—a sentient undead as powerful as many liches. The problem with becoming one is that almost all the vital work for the creation of the true mummy occurs after the death of the person to be preserved, and no guarantees can be had that the embalmer will do the job correctly or that he will not steal the immortal power of the true mummy for his own, leaving the mummy as a nearly mindless automaton of the gods of death.
“True Mummy” is an acquired template that can be added to any living creature with an Intelligence score greater than 3, other than an elemental, an ooze, or a plant.
A true mummy is always created via a long ritual that is planned before the aspiring mummy’s death. This ritual requires the sacred vessels detailed here.
The core element of becoming a true mummy is the removal of the organs during the embalming process and placing them into specially prepared sacred vessels, which in turn store the true mummy’s essential soul and persona. Unless the true mummy is separated from these sacred vessels, no mere physical attacks can ever slay it due to its fast healing.
Each would-be true mummy must make (or have made) three sacred vessels. The sacred vessels are usually small stone or clay jars (sometimes metal) just large enough to contain the fresh organs to be placed within. Many also have rings mounted upon their top so they may be hung from a rope or cord. A sacred vessel has a hardness of 12 and 30 hit points, with a spell resistance of 12 + the creator’s level.
The sacred vessels contain some of the essential energies of the embalmed true mummy. Each jar contains one or more organs, and each organ is linked to a specific ability. The liver is linked to Intelligence, stomach and small and large intestines to Wisdom, and spleen and lungs to Charisma. If any are destroyed, the true mummy can be killed, and only a wish or miracle can restore the creature. Destruction of one or more of the jars also causes the mummy to lose her former self over the course of 39 days divided by the number of jars destroyed. She begins to forget things, lose class abilities, and act erratic and aggressive. Once this process is complete, the mummy is a desecrated true mummy and the sacred vessels become nonmagical (except for their hardness and hit points).
Desecrated True Mummy: Destruction of one or more of a true mummy’s sacred vessel jars causes the mummy to lose her former self over the course of 39 days divided by the number of jars destroyed. She begins to forget things, lose class abilities, and act erratic and aggressive. Once this process is complete, the mummy is a desecrated true mummy and the sacred vessels become nonmagical (except for their hardness and hit points).
If the true mummy’s sacred vessels are destroyed, the creature loses all memories of its former life and becomes an abomination. A desecrated true mummy usually has a true mummy as its base creature, but this variant can be applied to any creature that qualifies for the True Mummy template.
Kaminheni the Traveler: Though her true name is known only to her, it is rumored
the Traveler was once a princess—one gifted with the final power of eternal life.
Exoskeleton: The Skeleton template can be applied to creatures with exoskeletons as much as those with internal bones.
Greater Undead: Greater undead can be created using the versions of create undead or create greater undead found in this book.
Greater Skeleton: Use the Skeleton template in the MM, but a greater skeleton can have any amount of Hit Dice, limited only by the base creature’s Hit Dice.
The only limit on a greater skeleton’s potential Hit Dice is the caster level of the spellcaster who creates them.
Create Undead spell
Create Greater Undead spell
Greater Zombie: Use the Zombie template in the MM, but a greater zombie can have any amount of Hit Dice, limited only by the base creature’s Hit Dice.
Do not double racial Hit Dice. The only limit on a greater zombie’s potential Hit Dice is the caster level of the spellcaster who creates them.
Create Undead spell
Create Greater Undead spell
Hardened: Hardened undead are corporeal undead specially treated to be tougher and more resilient.
Preparing a skeletal corpse for animation involves removing all skin and flesh by boiling but preserving cartilage and ligaments in place for proper range of motion of the animated bones. It also hardens foot and hand bones for greater durability. Preparing a fleshy corpse for animation preserves it from quick decay, keeping the flesh intact by draining the most easily corrupted fluids and removing unnecessary organs (such as the lungs and intestines) that are often the first site of rot. A corporeal undead creature successfully prepared with the embalming skill gains the Hardened variant.
Hardened Skinhusk: A skinhusk may be given the Hardened variant only if its creator succeeds on a DC 25 Craft (taxidermy) check.
Variant Vampire Spawn: A creature slain by a variant vampire’s energy drain rises as a vampire spawn 1d4 days after burial. If the creature cannot qualify for the Vampire Spawn template it does not rise. Potential spawn with more Hit Dice than the vampire do not rise.
If the variant vampire instead drains the victim’s Constitution to 0 or lower, the victim returns as a spawn if it had 4 or fewer Hit Dice or as a vampire if it had 5 or more Hit Dice.
Vampire spawn are humanoids or monstrous humanoids (and other creatures you allow) with fewer Hit Dice than the vampire that created them, most often 4 or fewer Hit Dice.
Alternative Vampire Spawn: Alternatives to vampire spawn include the possibility of low-HD creatures slain by a vampire becoming corpse vampires or even fleshbound vampires, using the Corpse Vampire template or Fleshbound Vampire template. Only your imagination and the metaphysics of your game world are limits.
Incorporeal Undead: Preparing a skeletal corpse for animation involves removing all skin and flesh by boiling but preserving cartilage and ligaments in place for proper range of motion of the animated bones. It also hardens foot and hand bones for greater durability. Preparing a fleshy corpse for animation preserves it from quick decay, keeping the flesh intact by draining the most easily corrupted fluids and removing unnecessary organs (such as the lungs and intestines) that are often the first site of rot. A corporeal undead creature successfully prepared with this skill gains the Hardened variant. An incorporeal undead prepared with this skill gains +1 hit point per Hit Die from the respect shown its body.

Undead: An undead is a once-living creature animated by spiritual or supernatural forces.
Skeleton: Any living creature with a skeletal structure that dies from the Constitution drain of a desiccated creature rises as a skeleton within 1d4 rounds. Its flesh turns to dust and sloughs off. A desiccated creature can only create skeletons from creatures that have fewer Hit Dice than it does.
Any living creature with a skeletal structure that dies from the Constitution drain of a duneshambler rises as a skeleton within 1d4 rounds. Its flesh turns to dust and sloughs off. A duneshambler can only create skeletons with 14 or fewer Hit Dice.
Vampire: If a variant vampire drains the victim’s Constitution to 0 or lower, the victim returns as a spawn if it had 4 or fewer Hit Dice or as a vampire if it had 5 or more Hit Dice.
Vampire Spawn: A creature slain by a variant vampire’s energy drain rises as a vampire spawn 1d4 days after burial. If the creature cannot qualify for the Vampire Spawn template it does not rise. Potential spawn with more Hit Dice than the vampire do not rise.
If the variant vampire instead drains the victim’s Constitution to 0 or lower, the victim returns as a spawn if it had 4 or fewer Hit Dice or as a vampire if it had 5 or more Hit Dice.

Animate Paleoskeleton
Necromancy
Level: Animal 8, druid 7, shaman 7
Components: V, S, M
Casting Time: 1 hour
Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)
Target: One set of fossils
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: No
You summon a primal spirit to occupy the fossils of a deceased prehistoric beast. The fossils include most of the upper portion of the creature’s skull and 20% of the creature’s other bone mass, but the power of the spell creates the missing parts of the skeleton out of the local rock. The raised paleoskeleton must have no more Hit Dice than your caster level, or the spell automatically fails. The created paleoskeleton is not under your control, but you can attempt to command it and secure its loyalty with a wild empathy check. See the Paleoskeleton template.
Material Component: Volcanic ash, obsidian, and amber worth at least 50 gp per Hit Die of the creature raised.

Create Greater Undead
Necromancy [Evil]
Level: Cleric 7, Death 7, sorcerer/wizard 9
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
This spell must be cast at night. You create even more potent undead than those created with create undead, limited to devourers, fleshbound vampires, ghosts, greater desiccated, mohrgs, mummies, spectres, terror vampires, vampires, and wraiths. You can raise 4 Hit Dice of these types of undead +2 Hit Dice per level you are over 13th. You may also use this spell to create undead listed in the create undead spell, starting at 7 Hit Dice and gaining +2 Hit Dice per level over 13th. Created undead are not automatically under your control. You may attempt to command the undead as it forms with a turning check. A wish or miracle spell puts a creature of the types listed in this spell under your control.
Material Component: A jet gem worth 50 gp per Hit Die of the raised creature.

Create Undead
Necromancy [Evil]
Level: Cleric 5, Death 5, Evil 5, sorcerer/wizard 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
This spell must be cast at night. You can create powerful kinds of undead: corpse vampires, desiccated, ghasts, ghouls, greater skeletons, greater zombies, shadows, skinhusks, and wights. You can raise 3 Hit Dice of these types of undead +1 Hit Die per level you are above 9th. Thus, a 12th-level character could raise any of these undead that have 6 Hit Dice or less. Other created undead are not automatically under your control, but you may attempt to command the undead as it forms with a turning check. A limited wish or small miracle spell puts the creature under control automatically.
Material Component: A jet gem worth 50 gp per Hit Die of the raised creature.

Claw Claw Bite:

Spoiler

Claw Claw Bite 2:

Spoiler

Lux Cathcart, Butler and Restless Soul, human Aristocrat 7 ghost: Lux came to this inn still alive but mortally wounded. Several days ago he escaped form the Castle Stieglitz, stealing some jewelry and coming to Onuago where he intended to use the money from the jewelry to start a new life elsewhere with his sweetheart who lives in east Onuago.
Unfortunately, he was wounded by a zombie while escaping, and though able to swim to a boat and make his way to Onuago, he became feverish and died shortly after arriving at the inn.
Now his spirit cannot rest until the letters and jewelry are delivered to his love in the east side of town.

Claw Claw Bite 3:

Spoiler

Baron Von Stieglitz, Wight Fighter 7, Rogue 2: The situation is that the Baron's guilt, brought on by years of leading a militia of thieves and robbers, has finally caught up to him with the murder of one of his servants. The Baron feels that the murder is his fault, and has spent the past few months holed up in his room, brooding over his fallen mistress. This time in isolation and depression, coupled with the corruption already present in his soul and a drinking habit which has hampered his body to fight off infections, has hastened his becoming a wight.
In the past few months, the Baron has become corrupted by his greedy lifestyle, and has become a wight.

Undead: The situation is that the Baron's guilt, brought on by years of leading a militia of thieves and robbers, has finally caught up to him with the murder of one of his servants. The Baron feels that the murder is his fault, and has spent the past few months holed up in his room, brooding over his fallen mistress. This time in isolation and depression, coupled with the corruption already present in his soul and a drinking habit which has hampered his body to fight off infections, has hastened his becoming a wight. Meanwhile his men have splintered into factions, each with its own lieutenant-leader, and the castle has been looted, which has caused unrest in his buried elders. They too have risen as undead to restore the family to its once proud status as a merchant house.
Undead are once-living creatures animated by spiritual or supernatural forces.
Mummy: This tomb houses 4 mummies who have risen from their graves after their descendants were attacked while bringing offerings to them.
Wight: Unfortunately, the denizens of the graveyard are restless, and seek to haunt the Baron until he embraces the family law.
They have been haunted by their faded family name, and have withered into wights like their corrupt descendant.
Any humanoid slain by the Baron becomes a wight in 1d4 rounds.

Claw Claw Bite 5:

Spoiler

Hungry Plant: The plants are undead, having consumed the haunted souls of the living.
The plants sucked the undead out of the corpses and fed on the moonlight streaming in through cracks in the ceiling, becoming the monstrosities that the characters so recently encountered.

Undead: The people became so downtrodden that many succumbed to mental illnesses, which, after burial, led to an undead state.

Claw Claw Bite 7:

Spoiler

Creeping Vine: ?
Death Root: ?

Claw Claw Bite 8:

Spoiler

Zombie Ettin: In the ettin lands to the south of the Ettal Valley, a deep shadow glides down from the mountain. It is said that in this shadow, the bodies of fallen ettin rise up in the night and drag their feet across the hills.
These zombie ettin have been reanimated by ettin priests.
Root of All Evil: A hybrid of plant, corpse and demon grown in the soils of the abyss, these root-covered bipeds thrive on the roots of other plants.

Claw Claw Bite 9:

Spoiler

Drop Vine: ?

Claw Claw Bite 10:

Spoiler

Spider Zombie: Spider zombies were once spiders of a different (s)ilk who were slain, but never properly lain to rest. They typically become affected by their own poisons and succumb to an affliction that leaves them in limbo, where they make tasty fleshy treats for zombies, ghouls, and wights
Spider Ghoul: ?
Spider Wight: ?
Spider Ghost: Also creepy, usually after these spider zombies pass from undeadness, they become ghost spiders.

Claw Claw Bite 12:

Spoiler

Faduardo Gantonin, Human Lich Wizard 3, Cleric 3, Mystic Theurge 10, Crafting Artificer 2: Eventually Faduardo was consumed by his obsession and became a lich, turning himself on his old friends and causing major problems for the people he served for so many years.

Claw Claw Bite 14:

Spoiler

Shadow Swarm: ?
Thoul: A Thoul is a troll which has become a ghoul.

Shadow: Any humanoid reduced to Strength 0 by a shadow swarm becomes a shadow and joins the swarm within 1d4 rounds.

Complete Book of Denizens:

Spoiler

Aszevara: Aszevara are creatures touched by chaotic forces, their bodies warped by fell magics and wracked with terrible suffering.
The exact method by which a creature is transformed into an aszevara is unknown. Such an event is a rare occurrence, brought on by terribly destructive magics. Often, the creature is exposed to these magics as a result of its own tampering with powers beyond its control, but witnesses to such magics may be tainted by them, as well. The unleashed energy leaves the creature both physically and spiritually devastated, and the dark magics replace everything that has been lost.
“Aszevara” is an acquired template that can be added to any corporeal aberration, animal, dragon, fey, giant, humanoid, magical beast, monstrous humanoid, plant, undead, or vermin.
When the xxyth rose up from the oceans of the north, the mistji responded by delving into forbidden tomes and devising spells which would rend the fabrics of energy and life. By creating a storm of overwhelming destruction, they thought would lay waste to the xxyth. Somewhere in their souls they knew that by their spells, Avadnu would be marred, but it seemed a small price to prevent the world’s utter demise.
The great storm rose with unbridled fury called from the depths of the universe. Those surviving during those dark times saw a cloud of swirling red, hanging as a sign of doom over Kaelendar’s northwestern skies. Stones melted under the cloud’s lightning, and lakes evaporated beneath its rain. But it was all a waste. The xxyth remained, and moved over the blasted land as easily as they had the formerly fertile valleys.
The mistji had failed.
But the storm of alien energies did not kill all. Some creatures were changed, life clinging to deformed, withering shells and changing as the xxyth passed. Minds and souls twisted beyond hope, the aszevara wander the Kaarad Lands, working madness with the powers that the storm that birthed them was meant to destroy.
Bhorloth Raging Spirit: The innate fury of bhorloth leads some that are slain to return as ghosts. Raging spirits have arisen from the fallen mounts of warriors, the leaders of slaughtered herds, and bhorloth driven from their homes.
Carcaetan: A carcaetan is created by magic designed to remove a creature from the cycle of life. The ritual is sometimes used as a punishment or a powerful curse, but some evil individuals undergo it intentionally.
Found throughout Avadnu, the Izgrat Witches perform bizarre rituals of self-mutilation, and revere Vérthax as their lord and master. Through their meddling in necromancy, they created the carcaetans to further their evil influence over the world.
Flame Servant: Born from dark necromancy, flame servants are tools of violence and hatred.
Every flame servant is created by a spellcaster to complete a particular task.
The creation of a flame servant is a long and taxing process and must begin no later than seven nights after the host body’s death. The body is prepared by replacing its innards with leaves and wet mud, stuffing its throat with dried insect larvae, pouring fresh blood into its mouth, painting it with runes, and soaking it in oils. These special materials cost 500 gp.
Preparing the body requires a DC 13 Craft (leatherworking) or Heal check, and can be done by the spellcaster or another party. After the body is readied, it must be animated through an extended magical ritual that requires a specially prepared laboratory similar to an embalmer’s workshop and costing 200 gp to establish. If personally preparing the body, the creator can perform the preparations and ritual together.
The cost to create listed below includes the cost of all the materials and spell components that are consumed or become a permanent part of the flame servant.
A flame servant with more than 8 Hit Dice can be created, but each additional Hit Die adds 4,000 gp to the base price and another 50 gp to the market price. The price increases by 20,000 gp if the creature’s size increases to Large, or 50,000 gp if the creature’s size increases to Huge. The cost to create is modified accordingly.
CL 14th; Craft Construct, Spell Focus (necromancy), burning hands, create undead, fire shield, fireball, caster must be at least 14th level; Price 60,900 gp; Cost 30,900 gp + 2,400 XP.
Flame Soul: Some orders of monks embrace the “burning soul,” a set of spiritual beliefs epitomizing the destructive power of flame. Certain initiates in these orders go to their deaths prepared to be raised by their brothers as flame servants, and emerge from the transformation with their minds intact.
During the civil uprising of Iipon Hurr, Lord Tholust’s only son Feitruin was slain in the very battle that he thought would end the conflict. King Lonthbeern sent Feitruin’s body to Tholust’s castle as a warning to either cease the attacks and reopen trade routes, or face the wrath of his army. Enraged, Tholust summoned the necromancer Slithbourne to exact his revenge.
Slithbourne took Feitruin’s body deep into the bowels of Lord Tholust’s keep, and for seven days and nights the necromancer worked his dark magics. On the eighth day, Slithbourne emerged with the reanimated corpse of Feitruin. Feitruin marched across the Tuath Plain and into Iipon Hurr, and none could stand against him as he stalked through the streets. He proceeded to Lonthbeern’s castle, and sought out the king’s chamber, where he wrapped his smoking hands around Lonthbeern’s neck. Both man and corpse were reduced to ash in a flash of light.
The burnt and blackened path left by Feitruin’s journey to Iipon Hurr became known as the Path of Sorrow, and to this day, the floor in King Lonthbeern’s old chamber has a charred spot which cannot be removed. And though Feitruin was the first flame servant created by Slithbourne, he was not the last. In time, other necromancers learned Slithbourne’s ritual, though it remains a guarded secret.
Inscriber: Every inscriber was once a living scholar who obsessed over a certain field of study. Some inscribers devoted their lives to particulars of occult lore, while others strove to catalog every species of plant in existence, or to learn the secrets of creating perfect wine. Regardless of their missions, they shared the same end: after death, their lust for knowledge overcame the laws of nature, driving them to search the world for further information.
Magickin Necromantos: The necromantic powers infusing the necromantos can bring it back from death. If the necromantos is killed and its body is not destroyed, it makes a level check (1d20 + necromantos’s HD) against DC 16. If it succeeds, it returns to life in 2d4 days. There is a 10% chance that the necromantos will not return fully alive, and permanently gain the undead type.
Malison: A malison is a spiteful undead formed by the union of a man’s fury with the dying curse of a god.
The first malisons were born when a god took his final breath, and cursed the world that had destroyed him. That breath, those words, held so much power that they lingered in the air. They spread apart, and each syllable was drawn to a dead human whose hatred resembled its own. The humans rose, empowered and enraged. They remembered little of their lives, but their personalities and quirks remained, as well as their memory of what they had hated. When each was finally destroyed, its empowering breath sought out a new host, creating a new malison.
Soulless One: Soulless ones are the product of unbearable lament, the spirits of stillborn children who were taken by darkness. These spirits are raised by evil entities, learning to hate the living and grant strength to undead.
In one of the last cycles of the seventh arc, a young woman from Falas claimed to have been ravaged by a demon. A child would be born, she’d been told, and that child would bring about the damnation of the world. The woman fell into a nightmare of delusion and self-destruction, wishing to end her life rather than inflict such a terror upon Avadnu. She carried the child within her womb for six weeks, until a skarren raid cut through Falas. Skarren warriors fell upon the village in waves, and the young woman was slain by a skarren thar-chak. The skarren slaughtered every resident of the village, never knowing the horror they destroyed. Though the child was never born, it was transformed and rose as the world’s first soulless one. In time, the soulless one reached out to other stillborn spirits, and began raising them as its servants.
Swallowed: The swallowed are the transformed remains of drowned men and women, forced into the service of a watery master.
When a human drowns in an ocean ruled by magical forces, there’s a chance he or she will rise again as one of the swallowed. The swallowed retain a few fragmented memories, but none of the personality of their old selves—sages believe that a drowned victim’s body and soul are reshaped, used like clay by a powerful being who lacks the knowledge to create life from nothingness.
Swallowed are born in the seas surrounding the Broken Isles, and local shamans say that their master is the daughter of a mysterious sea god.
Vohrahn: Created by spellcasters by binding dead spirits to the bodies of recently-slain warriors, vohrahn are lost souls trapped within corpses, whose distress over their predicament only furthers their masters’ goals.
Bind Vohrahn Spell
After decades or centuries of existence certain vohrahn’s animating magics have worn a hole between the realms of life and death. The vohrahn’s passion is gone, but its power causes creatures slain by its claw attacks to rise as zombies under the vohrahn’s control after 1d4 rounds. They do not possess any of the abilities they had in life. A vohrahn with 7 or more HD can raise creatures as wights, instead.
The spell to create these creatures was originally developed by members of xxyth cults, and the practice dates back to the Time of Dust. Since then, creating vohrahn has become a common practice among many students of the black arts, but until the War of the Shadow had never been used on such a grand scale.
Wraithlight: Theologians, historians, and hunters of the undead are unsure of wraithlights’ true origins. Their actions suggest that they may be earthbound spirits who refuse to pass into the afterlife, but some spellcasters claim that they are the ghosts of a strange and ancient race from another plane, trapped in a foreign world after theirs was destroyed and trying to continue their existence.
Mouleji, the infamous sulwynarii explorer whose observations on unusual creatures were as often wildly inaccurate as they were insightful, believed that wraithlights were the only peaceful creatures ever to have been born in the Void, and that their souls had come to Avadnu after their swift extinction. Mouleji’s contemporaries were quick to point out holes in his theory, but only halfheartedly defended their own proposal that wraithlights were the ghosts of the gods’ first, failed attempts at creating life.

Ghost: The innate fury of bhorloth leads some that are slain to return as ghosts. Raging spirits have arisen from the fallen mounts of warriors, the leaders of slaughtered herds, and bhorloth driven from their homes.
Wight: After decades or centuries of existence, certain vohrahn’s animating magics have worn a hole between the realms of life and death. The vohrahn’s passion is gone, but its power causes creatures slain by its claw attacks to rise as zombies under the vohrahn’s control after 1d4 rounds. They do not possess any of the abilities they had in life. A vohrahn with 7 or more HD can raise creatures as wights, instead.
Zombie: After decades or centuries of existence, certain vohrahn’s animating magics have worn a hole between the realms of life and death. The vohrahn’s passion is gone, but its power causes creatures slain by its claw attacks to rise as zombies under the vohrahn’s control after 1d4 rounds. They do not possess any of the abilities they had in life. A vohrahn with 7 or more HD can raise creatures as wights, instead.

Complete Guide to Liches:

Spoiler

Dracolich: Like a lich, a dracolich must possess a phylactery for its soul to survive the transition to undeath. Though the dragon itself need not craft its own phylactery, the fiercely magical nature of dragons requires that the dragon must possess some spellcasting ability for its soul to endure in a phylactery, putting a certain age limit on which dragons can become dracoliches. Either the dragon must have spellcaster class levels, or it must be of a sufficient age to naturally have a caster level.
A dracolich’s phylactery costs a minimum of 190,000 gp and 7,700 XP to create, and possesses a caster level equal to the caster level of the spellcaster who created it.
Should the dragon so desire, a more elaborate and expensive phylactery can be created; as with a standard lich, this extra expense in creating a phylactery aids in the process of successfully creating a dracolich.
Drowlich: The creation process for a drowlich is no different than that of a standard lich; however, the drow’s affinity for evil and its long years of existence in the underdark somehow serve to enhance the necromantic power that gives the drowlich its undead existence.
Novalich: A spellcaster cannot turn another creature into a novalich, so all novaliches are necessarily spellcasters themselves. Otherwise, novalich phylacteries are identical to those of normal liches.
Philolich: When a lich desires to keep cherished family or servants with him through eternity, he creates a philolich, a lesser lich whose spirit is bound to his own.
Philoliches can only be created by another lich; the philolich cannot be created by a living spellcaster.
The only requirements to become a philolich are to be willing, and to have a lich capable and willing to transform the character. Because much of the essence of the philolich’s soul is bound to the original lich’s phylactery, a philolich’s phylactery is easier to make, costing a minimum of 2,000 gp and 80 XP. It has a caster level equal to that of the lich that created it.
Failed rituals to create a philolich instead create a semi-lich.
Semi-Lich: The result of a failed attempt to become a lich.
Sometimes the process of lichdom is not successful, and with such complicated spells and rituals involved, it is almost surprising there are so few tales of lichdom gone awry. For example, most drinkers of the potion of undead life let themselves die, but if the subject resists the poison after letting his soul be bonded to the phylactery, the subject may rise as a creature known as a semi-lich.
If a creature dies while its soul is partially in a phylactery due to the join the soul spell, it rises as a semilich within 1d10 days unless the victim is brought back from the dead before that.
Failed rituals to create aphilolich instead create a semi-lich.
It is a creature that attempted to become a lich and was mostly unsuccessful. This failure stems from its phylactery. While the physical form of the creature became imbued with necromantic force in order to animate it in an undead state, the semi-lich’s original life force – its soul – was never successfully captured and bonded to the prepared phylactery. Without the phylactery, the creature’s original life force dissipated into nothingness, leaving behind only a ghastly undead monster inhabiting the creature’s original body.
Warlich: Spellcasters cannot turn themselves into warliches; they can only change others into this undead monster. The spellcaster turning a warrior into a warlich can either be living or undead.
Lichling: Imbued with the essence of a lich.
Lichlings are undead servitors that are created by their lich masters. Mortal wizards are unable to create lichlings; only those who have crafted a phylactery and stored their soul in it understand the magic necessary to create lichlings. Lichlings are skeletal undead created from piles of bones that are infused with a fragment of a soul.
Animate Lichling spell.
Lichwarg: Lichwargs are undead hunters created by liches to track down living prey for their masters. The lich who creates a lichwarg binds a bit of his soul to it, allowing him to see through its eyes and direct it from a distance.
Any lich can create a lichwarg with create undead or create greater undead.
Demi-Lich: The second possibility is that the lich’s body breaks apart and shatters, turning it into little more than fine powder and a skull. In this state, the skull still houses the remaining fragments of the lich’s still-living mind. With only its demented mind left intact, the lich finally reaches its ultimate state of purest evil – the demi-lich.

Lich: To become one, an evil spellcaster must knowingly consume a potion that will end his life only to resurrect him as an unliving vessel of pure evil.
Liches are powerful undead creatures – mortal wizards, warriors, and other beings of might who use the dark necromantic arts to make their spirits immortal.
No one knows for certain how the first liches came to be.
Sages say that the necromantic arts of lichdom came from failed sorcerous attempts to find immortality, or even godhood.
The creation of a lich requires a willing, living subject.
The process of becoming a lich is a dark and arduous one. The secrets and spells that must be learned in order to create a lich are numerous and difficult – it can take a lifetime alone just to learn all that is required.
In order to create a lich or a lich variant, two simple elements are essential above all others: a skilled spellcaster to create the lich, and a willing subject to become the lich.
The spellcaster can be any high-level spellcaster, including epic-level paladins and rangers.
Spellcasting: Caster level 11
Feats: Craft Wondrous Item
The subject must be a willing subject. Should the subject not truly desire to become a lich, or understand and object to the fact that becoming a lich involves actually dying and being reborn as an undead creature, the subject will never become a lich or lich variant. Suggestion, charm, or any other sorts of magic spells and psionics used to convince a subject that becoming a lich is a good idea are not enough, nor is misleading the subject about what the lich creation process entails. Only a subject that chooses to be a lich of his own free will can ever successfully become a lich.
Once both the spellcaster and the subject are ready and willing, a phylactery must be created to begin the process of lichdom.
Creating the phylactery requires the Craft Wondrous Item feat. This phylactery costs a minimum of 120,000 gp and 4,800 XP to create, and possesses a caster level equal to that of its creator when it is made.
With the phylactery (and, optionally, the vessel) in place, a ritual is required to bind the soul to the phylactery. Different cultures and magical traditions have developed slightly different rituals for spellcasters who wish to become liches.
The Potion of Undead Life: A potion of undead life slays the drinker unless he succeeds a Fortitude save (DC 20). A creature so slain cannot be brought back from the dead by anything short of a wish or miracle. If a creature has undergone the necessary ritual to bind its soul to a phylactery (and optionally, its mind to a vessel), the potion of undead life does not immediately slay the drinker; instead, it causes the creature’s physical body to rapidly decompose, turning into little more than dust and ash in less than two days. This is often to the horror of the lich, who cannot be certain the ritual was effective. But 1d10 days after the subject’s body drops dead from drinking a potion of undead life, he returns as a lich, looking very similar to the way he did in life.
Binding the Twin Winds: For this ritual, the prospective lich must find a windy cave, which acts as his phylactery. A ritual binds his soul to the cave, but to make the bonding permanent, he must die amid the cries of both mourning friends and victorious foes – the twin winds of the ritual. After the prospective lich takes its last living breath, his body is suffused with a black miasma of negative energy that slowly dissolves his body. Only once there are no breathing creatures within a hundred feet will the lich be reanimated. Though a difficult ritual to perform, the benefit is that the lich’s phylactery is nearly impossible to steal or destroy. Though the cave only has hardness 8, it has tens of thousands of hit points.
The Sultan’s Curse: A thousand years ago, the sultan of a desert nation was blessed by a djinni to be able to invoke a curse of his choice once during his reign. That curse was lain upon a foreigner who defiled the holiest city of the land, and he was struck down by a bolt from the heavens. But the foreigner’s magic allowed him to steal a bit of the divine essence of the lightning bolt, bonding his soul with the twisted glass created when the lightning seared the desert sands. His body reformed from the sands of where he died, and he lives to this day seeking revenge. Similarly, if a mage prepares the proper ritual, and if he is slain by a spell channeling positive energy, he can corrupt that energy and use it to propel himself into the undeath of lichdom.
The Diary of Riddles: Many loremasters, feeling their pursuit of knowledge is yet incomplete, craft textual phylacteries, recording in extreme detail the events of their lives, typically in a well-bound tome. The mage seeking to become immortal must include at least one mystery he seeks to solve in his undeath, though additional mysteries may later be added to the book. He then writes an account of his own death into the tome, at which point he dies, his soul binding with the pages.
Skeleton: Dragons who undergo a failed ritual of lichdom do not become semi-liches, instead tending to rise as wights or skeletal dragons.
Wight: Dragons who undergo a failed ritual of lichdom do not become semi-liches, instead tending to rise as wights or skeletal dragons.

Animate Lichling
Necromancy [Evil]
Level: Clr 4, Sor/Wiz 5
Components: V, S, M
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Touch
Targets: 1 or more pile of bones touched
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: No
This spell functions as animate dead, except that you create a type of undead known as a lichling. The limit for the total hit dice of undead you can control applies to lichlings as well as normal zombies and skeletons created with animate dead.
Animate lichling can only be cast by a spellcaster who has successfully created a phylactery.
Material Components: A diamond worth 100 gp and a withered goat’s heart for each lichling you create, both of which must be placed in a pile of bones. The bones become the lichling, and the components are consumed in the casting.

Join the Soul
Necromancy [Evil]
Level: Brd 4, Clr 6, Drd 6, Sor/Wiz 6
Components: V, S
Casting Time: 30 minutes
Range: Touch
Target: Personal or creature touched, and
prepared phylactery
Duration: Instantaneous then 1 round/level
Saving Throw: Will negates
Spell Resistance: Yes
This spell is used in many rituals of lichdom to bind the life essence of the caster or another creature into a prepared phylactery. Willing creatures voluntarily fail their save to resist. If cast upon an unwilling target, the spell traps the life essence of that target in the phylactery for 1 round per caster level. The target suffers a penalty to all his ability scores equal to 2d4 for the spell’s duration, although this cannot reduce an ability below 1. If the creature dies while its soul is partially in the phylactery, it rises as a semilich within 1d10 days unless the victim is brought back from the dead before that.
A successful Will save by an unwilling target only means that the target feels slightly nauseous, but otherwise is able to function normally.
If, after receiving this spell, the ritual to become a lich is not completed within 1 hour, the subject’s body dies, and the subject’s life essence is trapped within the phylactery for the rest of eternity.

Puppets of Death
Necromancy [Evil]
Level: Clr 6, Death 6, Sor/Wiz 7
Components: V, S, M
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: 50 ft.
Area: 50 ft. radius emanation, centered on the caster
Duration: 1 round/level
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: No
This spell functions like animate dead, except that the skeletons or zombies animated this way only remain animated until the end of the spell’s duration, and that the spell animates all dead bodies in the area of effect. The caster may control up to 2 Hit Dice of undead per caster level with this spell, in addition to the normal limit of animate dead spells. Material Components: Powder from a crushed skull.

Complete Guide to Vampires:

Spoiler

Inferno Vampire: The first inferno vampire was created unintentionally. A terrible curse was cast upon a vampire, turning all of him – except his blood – into stone before he was hurled into a lava flow. Somehow he survived, becoming the first inferno vampire. That first inferno vampire was able to create more of his kind, and a new and violent type of vampire appeared.
Must drink the blood of a dragon, preferably red, while already a vampire or just prior to being turned into a vampire by another inferno vampire who has the create spawn ability. Creatures with the cold subtype cannot become inferno vampires (attempts are fatal).
If a humanoid or monstrous humanoid slain by an inferno vampire’s energy drain was a sorcerer, or had ever consumed dragon’s blood, he rises from his ashes as an inferno vampire after 1d4 days.
Lymphatic Vampire: About one in a thousand vampires that drinks blood can become a lymphatic vampire. Of these, most continue to drink blood, but those that switch to lymphatic fluids only transform into lymphatic vampires.
The character must be turned into a vampire by another lymphatic vampire who has the create spawn ability, or be one of the few naturally occurring mutations.
A lymphatic vampire’s spawn are also lymphatic vampires.
Magebane Vampire: Magebane vampires come into existence when powerful magic users become vampires.
The character must be turned into a vampire by another magebane vampire who has the create spawn ability.
If a magebane vampire drains a humanoid or monstrous humanoid of all spell slots or psionic power points, the victim’s Intelligence immediately drops to 0. He returns as a magebane vampire with 0 race levels after 1d4 days. (A creature without spellcasting or psionic ability cannot become a magebane vampire.)
Moglet Vampire: Like lymphatic vampires, moglets are created when a standard vampire or moglet uses the create spawn ability on someone who meets the requirements.
A moglet vampire who has the create spawn ability must slay the character. Before death the character must have experienced some extreme emotional trauma that has left them emotionally damaged.
If a moglet drains a humanoid or monstrous humanoid’s Charisma to 0 or lower, and slays the victim, he returns as a moglet vampire with 0 race levels after 1d4 days.
Sukko Vampire: The character must be turned into a vampire by another sukko vampire who has the create spawn ability. Creatures with the fire subtype cannot become sukko vampires (attempts are fatal).
If a sukko vampire drains a humanoid or monstrous humanoid’s Strength to 0 or lower, and then slays them by freezing them in ice, the victim returns as an sukko vampire with 0 race levels after 1d4 days.

Vampire: The vampire is a powerful undead monster that spawns its own followers from living humans.
Veldrane mold vampires spawn others of their kind, but a small fraction of their spawn are mutants: They are standard vampires.
When a creature that breathed in a Veldrane vampire's spores is slain by a Veldrane mold vampire, it will rise in 6 days as a new Veldrane mold vampire. There is a 1% chance that it will rise as a standard vampire instead of a Veldrane mold vampire.

Complete Minions:

Spoiler

Bone Sovereign: Bone sovereigns are the accumulated remains of skeletons whose animating enchantments have coalesced over the years to form a single, self-aware undead entity.
When skeletal undead are left to stand unguided over centuries in concentrated groups, their animating forces and physical forms occasionally merge together and achieve a type of sentience. Whether this is brought about by the gradual failure of their individual enchantments or caused by the will of malevolent outsiders remains unknown. It is even speculated that a god of death may create these monsters from abandoned undead to increase his domain.
Cacogen: The cacogen is a deformed human, typically a leper, hunchback, or clubfoot, but sometimes a scarred or branded rogue, who has been brought back to life to serve an evil sorcerer or wizard as a necromantic guardian.
Heart Stalker: A humanoid victim who has its heart removed by a heart stalker begins to decompose rapidly, rising as a heart stalker on the following night
Hearth Horror: A hearth horror is the ghost of a dead place, horribly corrupted by evil, and obsessed with restoring itself to its former glory.
A hearth horror cannot form just anywhere. It forms in a location where great or terrible events have taken place. The horror takes on the personality and alignment of the events that happened there, and is typically evil.
Ka Spirits: In many ancient cultures, people were sacrificed during the burial of important individuals. It was believed that their spirits would serve that of the deceased in the other world. The ka spirit is the soul of one this unfortunates.
In order to create a ka spirit, ancient necromantic rituals must be performed, involving the victim being killed by a special cursed scarab of death.
Undead Warlord: This creature is the spirit of a powerful ancient warlord, who long ago lost his life through an act of betrayal.
Wraith Skin: Skinwraiths are the remains of torture victims flayed alive on the rack, animated by their own pain and suffering.

Skeleton: As a standard action, a bone sovereign can create any number of skeletal monsters from its body.
Zombie: Any creature killed by Constitution damage from the ka spirit’s rotting possession ability rises as a zombie under the ka spirit’s control after 1d4 rounds.

Creature Collection Revised:

Spoiler

Alley Reaper: An alley reaper is the spirit of an assassin or cutthroat who died with blood on his hands. Belsameth - considering that person particularly ruthless, cunning, and deceitful - gave him an extended lease not on life, but on the world.
Bottle Imp: Rumor has it that these horrible shadowy creatures are crafted from the ghosts of children by using dark rituals.
Carnival Crewes Necromantic Golem: Not every corpse is reanimated sufficiently intact to serve as an individual warrior, and many who begin undeath in good repair become so severely damaged that they can no longer perform field service. From these remnants are made the Krewe of Bone’s so-called necromantic golems. They are golems only in that they are constructed, usually by sewing or lashing remains together around carefully constructed hardwood and iron frames. The rest of the process is completed by the Krewe’s sons of Mirth, using the powers of the blood and curses that saturate Blood Bayou to give a sort of life to the dead tissue. After the proper rituals are enacted, the pieces of the golem gain a dark communal life and begin acting as parts of a single, terrible undead behemoth, the product of long hours of careful craftsmanship. Built not only for the battlefield, but also as works of art to be used in the carnival, these monstrosities are the pride of the Bones.
Chardun-Slain: The God Chardun, the Great General, awards distinguished soldiers and units the gift to carry on their wars after death. Chardun-slain rise one full solar cycle after their deaths, apparently at the behest of the Great General, and resume whatever assignment cost them their lives.
Fleshcrawler: Fleshcrawlers were once wicked humans who made dark bargains and ultimately were taken to the Abyssal Caldera, where demon lords made them undead and gave them dark gifts.
Golem Bone: Bone golems are constructed through the use of magical tomes and access to at least 4 Medium skeletons. Creating the golem requires a successful DC 15 Craft (bone) check.
CL 5th; Craft Construct, bone construct (Hollowfaust: City of Necromancers, Chapter Five), gentle repose, polymorph other, caster must be at least 5th level; Price 2,000 gp; Cost 1,000 gp +80 xp
Ice Haunt: Legends say that a man who dies in the snow cursing the goddess of the bitter arctic winds will rise again on the night of the full moon, hungry for warm, raw flesh to fill his shrunken belly.
Ice haunts are the frost-rimed remains of travelers who starved to death in the blizzards of the north, undead creatures with pale white skin and withered flesh.
Inn Wight: Inn-wights are the ghosts of children who do not realize that they are dead, and they wander a city in search of warmth and comfort.
Marrow Knight: These knights are crafted from the bones of humans and horses defeated and collected by the necromancers of Hallowfaust.
Memory-Eater: Creatures slain by a memory-eater rise in 1d6 days as a memory-eater.
Mistwalker: ?
Slarecian Ghoul: There is little dispute that these ghouls were once slarecians. Whether they became ghouls to escape destruction or were subject to it upon death due to a predilection for cannibalism is hardly of concern to the unfortunates who face them.
Slarecian Shadowman: ?
Spirit of the Plague: After death, the spirits of those who had agonized under Chern's plagues the longest, those whose wills were broken and spent at death, returned to the mortal world bound by Chern’s will.
A very few souls who die from a communicable illness rise as spirits of the plague a few months later to ignite epidemics.
Undead Ooze: The undead ooze is created when an ooze of any other sort violates the grave of a restless and evil soul. A malevolent spirit, still tied to the rotting flesh consumed by the ooze, occasionally enters it. This is the last meal the ooze takes as a living creature, as it is changed into a thing of undeath and filled with a hatred of the living as well as a low cunning.
Unholy Child: These deceptive creatures are the spirits of infants murdered or left to die by their parents.
Well Spirit: The ghost of a being who drowned in a well.
Butcher Spirit: Butcher spirits are what remains of animals once sacrificed in religious rites to feed the relentless hunger of the titan Gaurak. The animals’ wholesale slaughter was avenged by an angry Denev, who sought to destroy the ravenous lord’s cults by allowing the animal spirits to remain in the world to lash out at their murderers.
“Butcher spirit” is an acquired template that can be added to any animal.
Unhallowed: Sometimes, perhaps once in a hundred years, a child is born bearing signs that he or she is beloved of the gods. She may be stronger, smarter, swifter or more beautiful than
any other child. Above all, she is gifted with abundant blessings and is clearly destined for greatness in the fullness of time. These souls go on to become mighty warriors, legendary paramours, silver-tongued thieves or righteous holy men, meant to share their talents with those in need. It is a fundamental truth of the universe that the gods expect much of those to whom they give the greatest gifts.
Sometimes that trust is betrayed. With a single act, these blessed individuals turn their backs on their sacred pacts with the gods and heed the call of self-interest and evil.
People are fallible, and power can corrupt. Not everyone is up to the challenges of a disciplined and compassionate life, and the temptations of base nature are always present. Usually, once these heroes lose their way and use their mighty skills to indulge their dark sides, there is no turning back. Such a violation of sacred trust earns them the eternal enmity of the gods. When these fallen souls reach the end of their lives, nothing but an eternity of torment awaits them.
Along with all the gods’ wonderful gifts comes an equally powerful ego, and many corrupted heroes do not go so easily into the afterlife. They linger in the world ofthe living by sheer black will. The more their bodies rot, the more they cling to their physical existence, knowing that everything they feel is just a pale shadow of the punishments that await them.
These tormented spirits, called the Unhallowed because of their abandonment by the gods, are very powerful undead creatures whose influence can bring ruin not just to individuals, but to entire kingdoms.
Unhallowed Faithless Knight: The faithless knight was once a bold and noble warrior who, in a moment of rashness or passion, committed an act of terrible cowardice or dishonor so great that it violated the most essential tenets of his patron deity’s faith.
“Faithless knight (Unhallowed)” is a template that can be added to any humanoid creature that possesses levels in fighter or paladin and betrayed the tenets of his god in life.
Unhallowed False Lover: The false lover was once the paragon of charm and beauty, who effortlessly won the hearts and souls of any who looked upon him. He inspired heroes and heroines to great deeds, gave birth to new forms of art and literature and transformed the cultures of entire kingdoms with his wit and grace. Ultimately, however, he betrayed those dreams, crushing the spirits of those who loved him, sometimes simply because he could. He left a trail of broken lives in his wake, exulting in raw sensuality and power. As the years passed and his looks began to wane, he lapsed into bitterness, spitefully using his powers to manipulate those around him and leech every last drop of happiness from their lives.
“False lover (Unhallowed)” is a template that can be added to any humanoid creature with a Charisma of 15 or greater and betrayed the trust and love of multiple paramours in life.
Unhallwed Forsaken Priest: There is no greater crime in the eyes of the gods than that committed when a holy woman forsakes her vows of obedience and uses her influence to lead innocent members of the faith down paths of corruption and iniquity. The forsaken priest is a creature who betrayed the highest offices of her patron deity and, since that time, has been a force of malevolence and temptation to any soul caught in her clutches.
“Forsaken priest (Unhallowed)” is a template that can be added to any humanoid creature that has levels in the cleric class, followed one of the gods of good and used his influence in the clergy to lead worshipers of his god away from the god’s tenets.
Unhallowed Treacherous Thief: The treacherous thief was cursed by the gods for betraying those who trusted him, all for the sake of nothing more than petty greed. He used his skills to steal from those who had almost nothing to call their own, simply for the joy of taking what did not belong to him. He murdered people for nothing more than a handful of coins. And now, in death, there is no treasure in the world great enough to buy his way out of damnation.
“Treacherous thief (Unhallowed)” is a template that can be added to any humanoid creature that has levels in the rogue or bard class and performed acts of great treachery.

Creature Collection III:

Spoiler

Ashcloud: Although attributed to Chern by the divine races, titanspawn themselves blame these undead on the goddess Belsameth, or sometimes on the Lord of Destruction, Vangal.
Carcass: Gathered and created from the fallen ranks of the Ghoul King's most stalwart enemies, these undead atrocities have been denied any hope of a dignified death,
corrupted into some of the most grotesque of the Ghoul King’s slaves.
Bloated to an obscene size by the fell magics of the Ghoul King, carcasses are grossly obese. Jagged horizontal incisions through which all their internal organs are removed, split their distended abdomens into gaping maws, leaving the creatures nothing more than gigantic rotting husks. Once the bodies are magically and surgically altered, they are then reanimated and sent out on stumps of morbid fat to tromp back against the ranks of the Ghoul King's foes.
Deep Stalker: Some claim these creatures arise from slaughtered sea life, while others claim they are the twisted souls of evil men who perished at sea. Perhaps they are some combination of the two.
Dread Crawler: Along the coast of Termana, near the fearsome Isle of the Dead, there is a salt bog and bayou. This area was once inhabited by a species of large, roachlike vermin, but the negative energies of the Isle reached out and transformed them into undead servants of the Ghoul King.
Forsaken Spirit: When Chem was felled by the high elves, he cursed not only the living with his foul breath, but those who were dying, dead, or not yet born as well. So great was hts wrath that he shackled the souls of his destroyers to the earth, while infecttng them with diseases potent enough to affect even the undead.
Ghoul Hound: Created through secret necromantic rituals, these relentless predators are animated by their dark masters to hunt down and terrify the living.
An afflicted canine who dies of a ghoul hound's ghoul fever rises as a ghoul hound at the next midnight.
Ghoul Gormul: Gormul ghouls draw much of their power from the stone embedded in their bodies. This necromantic development of the Ghoul King is crafted from a semiprecious gemstone found only on the Isle of the Dead and apparently imbued with quantities of negative energy. While only the Ghoul King possesses the secret of creating Gormul ghouls.
The process of creating a Gormul ghoul wipes out all memory of its previous life.
Ghoul Overghast: Theories about overghasts’ origins abound. Most scholars believe that they were created spontaneously by explosions of necromantic energy near the end of the Divine War - the same energies that are thought to have created the fearsome Isle of the Dead. While these notions have not been confirmed, it is known that on occasion an ordinary ghast can be transformed into one of these creatures.
Ghoul Poisonbearer: The poisonbearer is yet another undead creation of the Ghoul King, lord of the Isle of the Dead.
Love-Scorned Soul: These sad creatures are the undead remains of particularly strong-willed people who died tragically because of their love for another. A woman slain en route to the altar, a man who fell from his bedroom window after finding his lover in the arms of another, victims of the unhallowed monster known as the false lover - any of these might return as a love-scorned soul. Embittered and warped by their deaths, love-scorned souls appear as spectral versions of their former lives, their once happy features twisted by sorrow, anger, despair, and hatred.
Mummy Spiderweb: Spiderweb mummies are created by necromancers with the aid of a rare species of spider found only in southern Termana. These so-called mummy spiders are harmless in small numbers, but those who wish to create spiderweb mummies breed the arachnids by the tens of thousands. Fresh corpses are given to these spiders, which immediately cover them in webbing and inject their bodies with a poison that preserves the flesh for future consumption. Normally, the spiders would feed upon the corpse for weeks or months, but once it has been treated with enough venom, the corpse is then taken back by the necromancer and subjected to profane rituals that bring it back to a shambling semblance of life. The mummy spiders also lay their eggs on the corpse, and spiderweb mummies are often crawling with hundreds if not thousands of the tiny creatures.
On the Isle of the Dead, however, the fell necromantic energies that abound there will sometimes spontaneously create a spiderweb mummy from the corpses of those who die near a mummy spider lair.
Mummy Spiderweb Ghoul King's Guard: The Ghoul King’s necromancers make fearsome versions of these already dangerous hunters.
Pain Doll: Pain dolls are tormented undead creatures created by cruel and sadistic ritual.
While pain dolls can be created by evil cults. necromancers and the like, they can also be created spontaneously, as the victims of cruel torture return to madness-tinged unlife.
A cleric of at least 16th level can create a pain doll using a create undead spell cast in a special 6-hour ritual, requiring a DC 17 Ritual Casting check for each hour; the body to be animated must be slain during this special torture ritual, which also requires a single DC 15 Profession (torturer) check.
In addition, victims of especially wicked torture have been known to rise spontaneously as pain dolls (especially those who worship Chardun or Vangal), seeking vengeance upon those who tormented them.
Phoenix Black: The black phoenix's dying place becomes an unholy spot, prowled by undead. Living things shun the area; plants refuse to grow there; milk curdles and food spoils; and only foul beasts are willing to call the tainted locale home. Inevitably, a bird dies near the spot of the black phoenix's death, and this bird rises as the new black phoenix. It rapidly grows in size, absorbing the nearby death energy, and the cycle of the black phoenix continues.
Plague Gator: As the forsaken elves struggled against Chern, bits of his corrupt flesh flew everywhere, some landing many leagues away in the swamps of northern Termana. There, alligators that consumed his flesh were transformed into the perversions now known as plague gators.
Slon Gravekeeper: The gravekeeper is an undead slon, the first to be buried at a particular graveyard.
An elder slon who dies suddenly and cannot make its way to an established graveyard becomes the gravekeeper of a new gravesite.
Unbegotten: Closely related to forsaken spirits, they are the spirits of elven children who died from Chern’s curse while still in their mothers’ wombs.
Soulless: The Sisters of the Sun learned of such horrors when they originally pushed the Ghoul King from the western kingdoms back to the Isle of the Dead. The Army of the Living watched as the very life force was drawn from the first 13 Sisters to step onto those bleak shores. Consumed by undeath, these 13 turned against their former fellows.
Since that time, a few other unwary paladins have been captured by the Ghoul Lord’s servitors and brought to the Isle to be twisted by its dark power.
“Soulless” is a template that can be added to any living creature with levels in paladin or ex-paladin.

Undead: Few mortal creatures have ever attempted to eat an entire dirgewood fruit, and none who has is known to have survived. Tales of what might happen to those who “live” through such an attempt vary - some believe they would gain permanent command over the dead, and others that they would be transformed into strange, powerful, and unique undead themselves.
The passage of the black phoenix causes the dead to rise, randomly imbuing corpses below it with varying degrees of unholy might. It is attracted to places of death, disease, and oppression, where, as it passes, ghouls, skeletons, vampires, and other fell beings rise up from among the dead.
Any corpse or skeleton within a black phoenix's aura of undeath or that the phoenix casts its shadow upon as it flies overhead may rise up as some type of undead.
Ghoul: Any animal, giant, humanoid, or monstrous humanoid corpse with two or three class levels and within a dirgewood's foul influence range that remains in contact with the ground for 1 full round is animated into a ghoul.
An afflicted humanoid who dies of a ghoul hound's ghoul fever rises as a ghoul at the next midnight.
An afflicted humanoid who dies of a ghoul overghast's ghoul fever rises as a normal ghoul at the next midnight.
An afflicted humanoid who dies of a poisonbearer ghoul's ghoul fever rises as a normal ghoul at the next midnight.
Ghast: Any animal, giant, humanoid, or monstrous humanoid corpse with four or more class levels and within a dirgewood's foul influence range that remains in contact with the ground for 1 full round is animated into a ghast.
Skeleton: Battle rams that fall honorably in battle are resurrected by the powers of Chardun and continue to serve him as undead.
In the same manner as humanoid followers of Chardun, battle rams serve their evil god loyally and, if slain in battle, rise from the dead after 30 days. A risen battle ram gains the skeleton template.
Any animal, giant, humanoid, or monstrous humanoid corpse with less than two class levels and within a dirgewood's foul influence range that remains in contact with the ground for 1 full round is animated into a zombie or skeleton.
Wight: Any creature killed by the Gray Man’s energy drain rises as a wight under the control of the Gray Man 1d4 rounds after being slain.
Zombie: For several minutes after the bleak crow captures a soul, its plumage becomes luminescent, emitting a soft, eerie light and giving the bird an almost ghostly appearance. The body of an individual whose soul is thus captured rises as a mindless undead creature under the Crow’s control.
As a standard action, a bleak crow can capture the soul of a dying or recently dead creature within 30 feet. The soul of any creature that has been dead for less than 1 hour is eligible to be captured, but the crow must be able to see the body to use this ability. The crow makes a Will save with a DC equal to its target’s total HD during life. If this check succeeds, the crow captures the soul, and the body immediately rises as an undead servant of the crow.
The undead servant is identical with a zombie of equal size.
Any animal, giant, humanoid, or monstrous humanoid corpse with less than two class levels and within a dirgewood's foul influence range that remains in contact with the ground for 1 full round is animated into a zombie or skeleton.
An opponent slain in any way by the Gray Man other than by energy drain animates as a zombie under the Gray Man’s control 1d4 rounds after being slain.

Creatures of Freeport:

Spoiler

Deadwood Tree: Before the fall of the serpent people, the great trees of Valossa’s jungles were inhabited by spirit lizards. When the cataclysm struck, the trees were killed along with most other living things. However, a few spirit lizards were trapped inside their dead and dying trees, and fused with them by the warping influence of the Unspeakable One. These became the first of the deadwood trees.
As mentioned previously, the deadwood trees were created during the great cataclysm that destroyed Valossa; many spirit lizards were fused to their home trees by the dark power that washed over the remains of the continent, becoming the first of the terrible deadwood trees.
Spirit lizards were the predominant fey species of Valossa, but when the summoning of the Unspeakable One destroyed the continent, many of them suffered a terrible fate. As the essence of the Unspeakable One permeated the living things of the continent, many spirit lizards became trapped in their home trees and warped by the chaotic forces unleashed upon the land. Twisted and evil, these became the first of the deadwood trees.
It is claim’d by some Authorities as Facte that the Natures of the Deville Lizarde, the Spiritte Lizarde, and the Deadewoode Tree are intertwined, all three Creatures sharing a Common Originne. The Isles of the Serpente’s Teethe, according to this Theory, were, in far distant Antiquity, the topmoste Peakes of a Greate Continente, that some have named Valossa. This Valossa, it is saide, was riven in Fragmentes and caste into the Sea by the Unspeakable One, which was at that Time a most potente Power of Chaosse; and the Magickal Humours that were bred by this Catastrophe shot through certaine of the Spiritte Lizardes, which had until that Time served the same Office in Valossa as Dryaddes do in other Landes. Some Few escaped the Corruption; but those caught in their Trees by the Unnaturale Blaste were fused with the Woode and became the Evil Deadewoodes, while those that were Outside suffered the Destruction of their Trees and were scour’d by the magickal Windes of the Disaster, shaping them into the Deville Lizardes. This, it is claim’d, is why the Deville Lizardes show such Fury towarde the Deadewoodes, who were once their Kin but now embrace Evil; while equally they are Abash’d to show Themselves before the Spiritte Lizardes, who suffer’d neither their Losse nor their Shame. So the Story goes; whether it be Facte or Fancy remaines to be proven.
There are, in Freeporte and elsewhere, certaine Manuscripts that suggest that the Islandes of the Serpente’s Teethe were at one time high Mountains set upon a Vaste Continent knowne as Valossa; which Lande was sunder’d and throwne into the Sea by a Greate Disaster in Ancient Times. The Force behinde this Cataclysm is thought to be a powerful Being of Chaosse knowne as the Unspeakable One. The Chaotick Energies that were released afflict’d the remaining Lande most cruelly, binding some of these Fey Reptiles into their Trees, which became the awful Deadewoodes; while others, caught without their Arboreal Homes, were Blast’d by Chaosse and Warp’d into the Creatures presently knowne as Deville Lizardes.
Hazarel Boneroot, Deadwood Tree: ?
Death Crab Swarm: It is said that death crabs are a solid manifestation of the spirits of long-dead pirates.
Thanatos: Some do contende that the Creature is Undeade in its Nature, having once been a Greate Living Fishe that was alter’d by Magick, or by feasting upon the Corpses of the Deade.

Zombie: Living creatures killed by a deadwood tree will rise in 1d6 rounds as zombies.
Living creatures killed by a thanatos's energy drain will rise in 1d4 rounds as zombies.

E.N. Critters 1 Ruins of the Pale Jungle:

Spoiler

Animus: An animus is the spiritual remains of a humanoid, intelligent magical beast or dragon that remains behind to guard a site long after the body has crumbled to dust.
An animus comes into being when a creature, often a humanoid of average intelligence, dies while attempting to guard or protect a particular site, object, or being.
An animus is created when a creature, usually a humanoid, dies while attempting to protect something and continues to try to do so after its death.
Baya Tumbili: It is said that it was once a flesh and blood creature, an awakened ape turned into an undead monster by a powerful evil druid researching necromantic rituals. However, the baya tumbili proved to be too chaotic and too unstable for even the druid to tolerate. Its master destroyed its pet’s body while it was on the Material Plane, and then set in place powerful wards that prevented the creature’s essence from reconstituting itself back on the druid’s home plane.
An ape slain by a baya tumbili’s energy drain rises as a baya tumbili spawn 1d4 days later. If the baya tumbili instead drains the ape’s Constitution to 0 or lower, the ape returns as a spawn only if it had 4 or less hit dice. An ape with greater than 4 hit dice cannot be transformed into a spawn in this manner.
Baya Tumbili Spawn: Baya tumbili spawn are apes that have been turned into undead spawn.
An ape slain by a baya tumbili’s energy drain rises as a baya tumbili spawn 1d4 days later. If the baya tumbili instead drains the ape’s Constitution to 0 or lower, the ape returns as a spawn only if it had 4 or less hit dice. An ape with greater than 4 hit dice cannot be transformed into a spawn in this manner.
Haze Horror: Heat and humidity often manifest as a visible haze and many people have survived the dangers of a hostile environment only to succumb to heat exhaustion. A haze horror is that fate manifested.
Any humanoid slain by a haze horror becomes a haze horror in 1d4 rounds.
Haze horrors are most likely the creation of some necromancer.
Although the origin of the haze horror is unknown, it is known that they tend to remain near where they died, and sometimes where their corpse is.
Leafling Ancestor Lesser: Leafling ancestors are the undead life forces of leafling shamans occupying their own shrunken, disembodied heads. Most every leafling shaman is honored by having their head shrunken and worn as a totem in battle, but only a select few have the power in life to live on in undeath as a lesser ancestor.
Leafling Ancestor Greater: On occasion, this lesser form of ancient will attract such a following that it achieves a god-like status among several clans or tribes. Their combined devotions empower the Ancestor to become one of the greater variety.
Revered Ancestor: Revered ancestors are psionically endowed members of ancient cultures, sacrificed by friends and family to protect them in this life through powers of the afterlife.
Often they were entombed with the treasure they had in life as well as with psionic enhanced items in the hope that it would increase their chances of awakening after the sacrificial ritual was done to create them. They always have a jade knife as it is a standard requirement of the ritual to create them.
The ancient cultures of the Pale Jungle sacrificed and entombed their family members in an attempt to gain protection over their house and sometimes even over their village. The tombs were often cornerstones of buildings, columns, and even carefully dug holes in the ground. The family member would be sacrificed (sometimes to a balam chac), the body wrapped in cloth and mummified with sacred herbs, and then placed in the prepared location. The location was then sealed according to ritual. Those family members with latent psionic ability so entombed became active revered ancestors with those powers fully awakened and directed toward kineticism.
Shetani: Legends speak of a great wizard called Eldaar, known for exploits of great daring and acts of equally great cruelty. It is said that this mage took great delight in his arcane experimentation, and that the Shetani or Children of Eldaar are the result of one such experiment.
When a living monkey is brought down by a shetani, its corpse is left alone by the pack for reasons that are unknown. The newly dead monkey will then rise 24 hours later as a new shetani.
Any monkey slain by shetani will rise as one in hours unless their corpse is destroyed.
Their origin is through arcane experiments in an attempt to create a bestial zombie.

E.N. Critters 2 Beyond the Campfire:

Spoiler

Bereft: A Bereft is the undead remains of a dryad that was forced to watch as its bound tree was cut down or destroyed and was unable to do anything to prevent it. With its tree gone, it slowly perished within the next day full of suffering, unrelenting grief and remorse. Unable to accept that it failed to protect its home, it now wanders the land untied to any particular tree, guilt-ridden and irrational. These creatures are twisted mockeries of their former selves, deformed by hate and self-loathing.
The Bereft are created when forced to watch their bound tree destroyed and then left to wither in its absence.
Blighter: Blighters are undead specially created from the corpses of humanoid druids.
Centuries ago, a conflict arose between a circle of druids and a powerful city-state that was seeking to expand into areas under the druids’ protection. The druids were powerful, but too few in number to effectively combat the legions of the city-state. One of the circle, a brash druid known for his eccentric ideas, proposed that they use their powers to create warriors of their own, an army of guardians that could be used to defend the wilderness. Intrigued, but cautious, the elder druids began experimenting in the creation of a being that could serve to defend different areas of their territory. In the end, they succeeded and created what they began calling a Nature’s Avatar. Fearful that their creation could be perverted to some dark purpose, the elder druids purposely tied the creature to one specific area, charging it with the defense of that area and no more.
The brash druid who had initially proposed the idea was outraged. Since the Nature’s Avatar was bound to one area, it could only serve as a defensive creature. The druid believed strongly that the fight should be taken to the city-state itself, and thus in secret he began experimenting with his own designs in an attempt to create a mobile foot soldier, one that could wreak havoc among the farming communities and travel routes that led to and from the city-state.
The druid became obsessed and began tapping into dark powers in order to complete his creation. Instead of constructing a being made from the elements of nature, he turned towards transforming and re-animating the remains of dead comrades. The forces that he was manipulating began to affect his mind, turning him from the path of protector of nature to the creator of something malevolent and undead. (Some sages have theorized that a powerful devil or demon lord was manipulating the druid without his knowledge, but this theory has never been proven.) In the end, he created what would come to be known as the blighters.
Blighters were created to cause death and destruction to the citizens of the threatening city-state.
Their powers were designed to be able to combat the city-state’s soldiers while also being able to raze farms and harry merchant caravans. They were created with a desire to destroy the humanoids that dwelled in the opposing community.
They were originally created long ago by a corrupted druid using necromantic powers.
The druid responsible for the creation of these creatures strayed from the true path of druidism. He was first obsessed and then possibly became insane as his project evolved. Dark powers took an active interest in this foolhardy venture and twisted it to serve their own ends.
Nightshade Nightflyer: Like other nightshades, it is a powerful undead composed of equal parts shadow and absolute evil, reeking of malevolence and an absolute hatred for all living things, with the faint scent of carrion on its breath.
Nightflyers originate from the plane of shadow and are formed from the darkness therein, resembling any of a number of raptors all combined into one creature.
Sages speculate a nightflyer is a dream reflection of all such birds of prey given form and substance, its undead nature a result of its plane of origin more than by any spell or spawning.
While it is unknown for sure how they are created, it is believed they are incapable of reproduction or spawning, which implies they may be limited in number, but exactly how large that number is as yet remains unknown.
It serves as aerial spy for greater night shades and is incapable of reproduction, including creating spawn.
Nightshade Nightguard: Nightshades are powerful undead creatures with a variety of devastating abilities that hail from the plane of shadow. It is not known if any true ecology exists for them, since being undead creatures is it presumed they are incapable of true reproduction, but it is apparent the nightguard were created to serve as the shock troops for the nightshades. They are the equivalent of elite guardsmen serving powerful nobles, only with no small amount of power themselves.
They are believed to be incapable of reproduction or spawning, but it is rumored that more powerful nightshades are able to create nightguards by capturing the souls of particularly powerful evil warriors and empowering them with negative energy from the plane of shadow, binding them to their forces while doing so.
It serves as an advance scout for greater nightshades and is incapable of reproduction, including creating spawn.
Nightshade Nighthound: Believed to be fey hounds from the plane of shadow, they only appear during the hour of twilight when the sun has just set and before night fully encompasses the land. They resemble hunting dogs composed entirely shadows, and are thought to be shadow reflections of once-living hounds. Some say they are the magically created crossbreed of nightstalkers and shadow mastiffs, if such could breed.
The more common belief is they are the souls of guard and attack dogs summoned by dark forces and empowered with negative energy from the plane of shadow. Regardless of how they were created, it is believed nighthounds are incapable of reproduction or spawning, have no interest in anything other than hunting and killing, and are incapable of remorse, sympathy, or compassion for any living creature.
Nightshade Nightstalker: Like other nightshades, it is a powerful undead composed of equal parts shadow and absolute evil, reeking of malevolence and an absolute hatred for all things living, its foul breath bearing the scent of death and decay.
Nightstalkers originate from the plane of shadow and are formed from the darkness therein, resembling large hounds or wolves in form but composed entirely of shadow. Sages speculate that a nightstalker is a dream reflection of all such beasts given form and substance, its undead nature a result of its plane of origin more than by any spell or spawning.
Others believe they are the souls of worgs and other evil wolf-like creatures summoned by dark forces and given substance by negative energy from the plane of shadow, ruthless hunters with little regard for the living except as prey which they take great pleasure in hunting and killing.
It serves as a hunting hound for greater nightshades and is incapable of reproduction, including creating spawn.
Owl Howler: Owl howlers were first created by a necromancer nearing lichhood that devised a ritual to bring along his familiar with him to the life of the undead. It was so effective that other owls were used to create guardians for his lair.
The ritual it takes to create an owl howler is quite painful. It is at the height of pain when the creature is about to pass on, that its essence is captured and stored into a gem. This gem is then placed inside the skull of the recently dead owl. The gem used must be at least 100gp in value and needs to be yellowish in coloring like a topaz or a piece of amber. The gem is not destroyed in the creation process and can be collected from the creature’s skull after it is slain. It is said that its screech is caused by the immense pain that the creature has endured and now releases in a horrifying attack.
They are created through a horrific ritual and serve necromancers as familiars.

E.N. Critters 3 Tulenjord Land of the Fallen One:

Spoiler

Frostbitten: The frostbitten are the animated corpses of those who die from exposure. Oftentimes their last prayers of salvation will go out to any deity that will listen. Evil deities are not above twisting these final pleas, and as the elements take the life, they fill the husk with a spirit from whatever plane they call home.
The frostbitten on Tulenjord are the direct result of the dead god’s lingering malevolence. Although any evil deity is capable of creating them, for some unknown reason the dead divinity has dozens of them roaming the island.
The souls inhabiting the frozen bodies are usually those of former priests. Oaths and promises of servitude along with past displays of faith are sometimes rewarded with this second chance upon the earth. Frostbitten are usually put in charge of a cult, or placed in the service of especially powerful priests. They will do anything to avoid heading back to the torment they have returned from, using every moment of their wretched existence to propagate the will of their deity. Those frostbitten raised by the dead god know only that they must find a way to revive him.
Its frozen body is inhabited by the soul of a fervent worshipper of an evil god.
Snow Spirit: A snow spirit is the undead life essence of someone who has died a cold and lonely death from exposure to the arctic elements.
The vast majority of snow spirits are chaotic neutral spending their time careening wildly and mindlessly through the arctic wastelands. A few are created from the death of a black-hearted and malevolent creature, who, once expired, leaves behind only its hateful spirit. This form of snow spirit will actively seek living creatures to suck the life and warmth from. Lastly, and most rare, are the wandering life essences of a soul so saintly that its beneficent nature withstands its cold and lonely death. This form of snow spirit will actually seek out dying creatures and protect them from the elements.
They are the lost souls of those freezing to death alone and helpless in the frozen wastes.

E.N. Critters 4 Along the Banks of the River Vaal:

Spoiler

Bandalvis: A bandalvis is a form of undead created when a vissalia succumbs to the ancient curse upon it, feeding on the blood of the living but never able to completely sate its hunger. When this bloodlust curse overtakes a vissalia, it seeks out a victim to feed upon. Once it drinks the blood of a victim it slays for the first time, the transformation to a bandalvis completes and dark powers infuse the body.
Fortunately, a bandalvis is a unique form of undead unable to create spawn and only coming into being through the curse upon the vissalia.
It is created when a vissalia succumbs to a curse laid upon its race by the gods.
Those of the vissalia who had not been transformed became cursed by their gods to forever long for the land, but to never have it unless they drank of the lifeblood of the land-dwellers. At first, they believed this to be a fair trade, and hunted the land-dwellers who came to the water’s edge. It wasn’t too long before the vissalia understood the full extent of the curse as they spilled the blood of innocent creatures and in so doing were transformed into terrible monsters ever hungering for warm blood. Thus were the first bandalvis created.
Once the vissalia and terravis were of one race that dwelled in the deep waters of the seas and rivers, but a desire to become part of the realms above led the vissalia’s ancestors to involve themselves in forbidden magics, and to forsake the gods they worshipped to gain favor with the gods of the upper realms. The gods of the deep were justly angered by this, and punished the vissalia with the curse of bloodlust. Now they long for the warm blood of the land-dwellers, the smell of it awakening a primal hunger that if not kept in check threatens to consume them by leading them into a frenzy to attack the source of the blood to sate their hunger. This bloodlust can cause a vissalia to forsake its mortality and give itself over to the darker gods, becoming an undead abomination that exists solely to feed upon the living.
If it gives in to its bloodlust, a vissalia can turn into the undead bandalvis.
Blood Fountain Swarm: A blood fountain swarm consists of about 1,500 undead leeches.
They are created through a rather specific process over a number of days. First, a stone receptacle must be coated with the blood of a sacrificed humanoid. Then at least 1,500 leeches must be collected and each leech must suck a tiny amount of the necromancers blood. Next, each leech has its back quarter cut off and is placed into the receptacle to die. Once all have been cut and slain, 4 animate dead spells must be cast consecutively (either from memory or spell completion items) and the swarm rises and is released into the place it is to guard.

zombie: ?
ghoul: ?

E.N. Critters 5 Interlopers of the Blasted Realms:

Spoiler

Remains of the Fallen: This swarm is native to the Blasted Realm. It is formed from the aftermath of any great conflict that has left bodies strewn across the battle field. Drawn to the psychic and emotional turmoil of such a conflict, the soulfire that permeates this realm coalesces within the remains of the various combatants, re-animates the individual body parts and then gathers them into a collective mass. This mass then develops a hive-like mind and begins to act independently. The swarm is an expression of the fury of the battle and therefore seeks out further conflict. It will attack any living being in an attempt to destroy it.
One swarm may form for every 30 bodies left on the field. Swarms tends to form within 24 hours of the conflict’s cessation.
This swarm is essentially soulfire taking shape as the rage of the great many that have fallen in the countless battles across the Blasted Realm.

E.N. Critters 6 Berk’s Wasetland:

Spoiler

Boneswirl: A boneswirl is an undead creature animated through strong elemental magic.
Boneswirls were originally created by evil djinn that had taken up residence on the material plane, away from their inherently good brethren. Djinn necromancers used the bodies of humanoids to make more powerful and mobile undead guardians.
The ritual of creating a boneswirl is long and complicated, as with creating many greater undead, but the process is a bit different. The primary difference is that minor air elementals are bound to the bones that comprise a boneswirl. They keep the whirlwind in motion. The elementals are twisted and perverted in the binding, but they are also part of the boneswirl’s new identity. Their insanity is a large part of what drives a boneswirl to kill everything it can.
A boneswirl is typically created from the bones of a single humanoid creature, though it is possible to create one from any creature with a skeleton. The visage of a standard boneswirl is disturbing enough, but one created with the skull of a dragon or a mindflayer can send opponents fleeing into the desert without even attacking. No matter what creature it was originally made from, it retains no memory of its past life. It knows only an intense feeling of loss and pain. This is its primary drive for hunting down and killing living creatures.
A boneswirl can be created through use of the create undead spell by a 15th-17th level caster (though characters should be made to research the ritual first).
It is native to warm deserts where it was first created by evil djinn.
It can be created through the use of a create undead spell by a caster of 15th level or higher.
Dessicated: A desiccated is an intelligent undead creature that has had all the moisture drained from its body.
A humanoid slain by a desiccated’s absorb moisture ability rises as a desiccated 1d4 days later.
When a desiccated kills a humanoid creature with its absorb moisture ability, that creature undergoes a slow transformation during which every last drop of moisture is lost from its body. Water, blood, and other bodily fluids completely evaporate, organs turn to dust, and the skin becomes a dried out husk. Once complete, negative energy animates and gives sentience to the corpse. Even though the new creature retains some small semblance of its former self, bits and pieces of memories and thoughts, it is now overcome with an incredible and unquenchable thirst. The energy that created the desiccated continues to work and the creature continually feels the moisture being sucked from it.
Those slain by having all of their moisture sucked out will rise as desiccated themselves within four days time.

Elemental Lore

Spoiler

Drought: Droughts look like massive, desiccated draft horses. They range from six to eight feet tall at the shoulder. The process of transformation into a drought darkens their hides to sooty black, no matter what color they were in life. Their manes also turn dark, usually either burnt brown or black. Everything soft weathers away from these creatures when they rise from the grave, leaving behind only hard bone, leathery skin, and flickering flames.
Not even the greatest necromancers know for sure how they come into being. Many speculate that they appear when thousands of animals die of thirst due to unnaturally long droughts. Others feel that they may be punishments sent into the world by particularly demented gods.
Rime Wraith: Rime wraiths are the spirits of hunters, fishermen, and others who drowned in the dead of winter after slipping under the ice.
Shadow With the Cold Descriptor: A humanoid reduced to zero Strength by a rime wraith becomes undead. Within 1d4 rounds, it rises as a shadow with the cold descriptor.

Epic Monsters:

Spoiler

Atropol Abomination: Not every divine pregnancy ends in a successful birth. As with the non-divine races some children fail to reach term, when this occurs in the divine realm the child is sometimes animated by the Negative Energy Plane and is reborn as an atropal.
Demilich: A demilich is the next evolutionary step in the life of an evil wizard. Through the creation of soul gems a lich may shed they body and travel the multiverse as an astral entity.
‘Demilich’ is a template that can be added to any lich. A demilich’s form is concentrated into a single portion of its original body, usually its skull. Part of the process of becoming a demilich includes the incorporation of costly gems into the retained body part; see Creating Soul Gems, below.
The process of becoming a demilich can be undertaken only by a lich acting of its own free will.
Each demilich must make its own soul gems, which requires the Craft Wondrous Item feat. The lich must be a sorcerer, wizard or cleric of at least 21st level. Each soul gem costs 120,000 gp and 4,800 XP to create and has a caster level equal to that of its creator at the time of creation. Soul gems appear as egg-shaped gems of wondrous quality. They are always incorporated directly into the concentrated form of the demilich.
Hunefer: Hunefers once strode across the planes as demigods. Slain by adventurers their godly power was stripped from them, but their followers did not abandon them. The body of the hunefer was recovered inscribed with symbols important to them and carefully wrapped for their eventual return to life and ascension to godhood. Now awakened, the hunefer are on a undying quest to recover their lost divinity.
Lavawight: The lavawight is the end result of foolish adventurers who attack a shape of fire.
Those that succumb to a shape of fire's blazefire embrace are converted to lavawights.
Any humanoid slain by a shape of fire becomes a lavawight in 1d4 rounds.
Nightswimmer Nightshade: ?
Shadow of the Void: A shadow of the void is cold vengeance personified.
Shape of Fire: A shape of fire is white-hot rage personified.
Winterwight: The winterwight is the end result of adventurers foolish enough to attack shadow of the void.
Those that succumb to a shadow of the void's blightfire embrace are converted to winterwights.
Any humanoid slain by a shadow of the void becomes a winterwight in 1d4 rounds.
Sebastian the Shadow Souled: Although no one else remembers his history, Sebastian still feels the driving fear of death that led him to sacrifice his kingdom, his people and his own newborn son to the powers of darkness in return for eternal life.
Bodiless Ao: ?

Undead: Orcus is the Prince of the Undead, and it is said that he alone created the first undead that walked the worlds.
Mummy: A creature afflicted with hunefer rot that dies shrivels away into sand unless both remove disease and raise dead (or better) are cast on the remains within 2 rounds. If the remains are not so treated, on the third round the dust swirls and forms an 18 HD mummy with the dead foe’s equipment under the hunefer’s command.

The Freeport Trilogy Five Year Anniversary Edition:

Spoiler

Shadow Constrictor Snakes: Shadow snakes are undead created by evil mages or, as in this case, the anger of a deity.
Shadow Serpents: The serpent god Yig turned his priests into shadow serpents as a punishment.

Frost and Fur:

Spoiler

Corpse Shroud: In Slavic lands, corpses are wrapped in shrouds and then buried. The spirits that have unfinished business arise at night in graveyards and terrorize the living.
Draugr: It is animated out of sheer jealousy. The draugr misses its old life and envies the living.
Haugbui: The ketta (she-cat) is considered the “mother” of haugbui in the sense that the creature can create such spawn by inhabiting mounds. Haugbui are stirred to undead life by a ketta’s presence.
Mummy Aleutian: The Aleuts have considerable knowledge of human anatomy because they mummify the corpses of important people. They achieve mummification by removing the viscera, washing the body in a cold stream, and stuffing it with oiled sphagnum moss for preservation. The bodies of children are also treated in this way. Mummies are wrapped in sealskins, tightly tied, and laid to rest in caves or even in a special compartment of the family dwelling.
Rusalka: These beautiful longhaired maidens were once girls who drowned, were strangled, committed suicide, or didn’t receive a proper burial.
Ruskaly: Ruskaly are believed to be the unborn souls of children who were not baptized or claimed by a particular religion. Their souls lost and without guidance, they roam the cold forests of Torassia.
Snow Angel: Snow angels are formed from the thrashings of good-aligned creatures that succumb to the cold. The snow around them becomes a mist that is shaped like an angel.
Snow angels haunt places of avalanches, icefalls, and glaciers—where they died and were left without a proper burial. There are many corpses that are lost deep in ice and snow, only a select few create snow angels.
Yek: When a person dies by drowning, he turns into an otter that becomes a werewolf-like creature bent on drowning other humans.
Any humanoid slain by a yek becomes a yek in 1d4 rounds.

Hallows Eve - 11 Halloween Monsters:

Spoiler

Manumit: these spirits are the remains of petty, worthless men. The tattered souls go abandoned and unwanted, languishing in their graves as they lament their wasted lives. On the night of Hallows Eve however, the barrier between the physical world and the spirit world is at its weakest; and the spirits of the dead are freed to roam the earth.

Hallows Eve Demo:

Spoiler

Haunted Casket: Animated randomly by rich sources of negative energy and errant corruptions.

Hungry Little Monsters:

Spoiler

Ashen Hound: Created by the burnt sacrifice of a dog and a unique necromancy spell, an ashen hound rises from the pyre to serve as a loyal watchdog to its creator.
Bound: A bound is a spirit that has been trapped in its material remains.
Canker Zombie: Canker zombies are undead creatures formed when a humanoid dies from a particularly potent disease (whether natural or magical).
Any humanoid killed by a canker zombie and not stripped of its flesh rises as a free-willed canker zombie 1d3 days later.
Kyokan: Several years ago, a magical experiment went wrong. Not so wrong that there were deaths involved, but wrong enough that it wasn’t what the experimenters expected. Left with toxic, magical waste, the experimenters did what any organization would do in their situation — they took a boat out to sea very late in the night and slowly dropped the barrels of waste over the side of the ship. No harm done to them, of course.
Ever so slowly, the barrels of waste drifted to the sea floor, and after impact rolled down a slope to a deeper part of the ocean. Eventually the barrels came to a stop on a flat bed, not entirely flat but with enough knife-sharp growths of coral to break the barrels open and spill the toxic waste onto the sea floor. Luckily for the experimenters, the toxic sludge was heavier than the sea water and stayed at the bottom of the ocean.
This sludge spilled in a final resting place for squid, a location where the local squid came to die. Somehow, this toxic magical waste interacted with the dying squid to return them to life, at three times their original size. Unknowingly, those stalwart experimenters created a new scourge of the seas, the kyokan.
Soulgaunt: The soulgaunt is a hateful undead spirit that forms on the sites of terrible accidents that have claimed the lives of no fewer than a dozen people. The accident can be something as simple as an explosion at a sawmill or as expansive as an earthquake that devastated a city; the larger the accident or disaster, the more soulgaunts result. Many evil death cults revere soulgaunts as unholy aspects of their deities, and a few powerful necromancers have learned how to create soulgaunts with the use of create greater undead. In order to do so, the spellcaster must be at least 19th level, and the spell must be cast on the site of an accident no more than one hour old.
Sugareater Zombie: Creatures trapped by a sugareater suffer 1d4 points of Constitution drain per round until they reach 0 Constitution, at which time they are immediately transformed into sugareater zombies.
“Sugareater zombie” is an acquired template that can be added to any living creature.
Sample Sugareater Zombie: This gnoll and its five packmates were ambushed by a sugareater, who hunted them one by one until they all succumbed to its feasting. Now the six roam the forests as sugareater zombies, bringing new victims to their master.
Vain Dead: Vain dead are undead tempters, spawned from the most arrogant, narcissistic, and sybaritic creatures ever to have lived. Most of these creatures arise from the ranks of corrupted clerics of gods of beauty, who have perverted the teachings of their god and now exist as accursed personifications of their blasphemy.

Into the Black: A Guide Below:

Spoiler

Hellscorn: Driven by banal motivations such as greed and lust, some discontent lovers break their partner’s trust, fulfilling their primordial desires with someone else. Viewing the spurned lover as an inconvenient obstacle on the road to true happiness, the two new companions gleefully plot and carry out his earthly demise in the ultimate act of betrayal. Yet, while most individuals cross the fine boundary between love and hate during life, some spirits only complete the transition after death. Rising from the grave in search of revenge.
Hellscorns rise from the grave solely to wreak vengeance against their killers.
Waking Dead: Bereft of any formal medical training or knowledge, physicians and healers sometimes incorrectly pronounce their patients dead. Unfortunately, the individual actually lapsed into a deep coma, a catatonic state that simulates death, thus fooling the average layperson and the professional alike. Before long, the slumbering person awakens to a horrific nightmare, finding himself trapped within a coffin. Despite his feverish efforts to escape his eternal tomb, he eventually succumbs to thirst and suffocation. The sheer terror and frantic desperation experienced during his final moments serve as the catalyst transforming his corpse into the terrifying waking dead.
Gremmin: The discovery of gold and other precious minerals invariably draws the rapacious interest of desperate prospectors craving instant wealth and fortune. Enraptured by the mesmerizing allure of fabulous riches, starry eyed speculators hastily delve deep into the earth, fully intent on staking their claim to the dense veins of precious minerals before anyone else. In their mad rush to unearth the buried treasure, they pay no regard to practical concerns such as food, water, and leaving a discernible trail back to the surface. After the initial ecstasy subsides, the hungry, thirsty, and hopefully lost miner finally realizes the gravity of his predicament. Although ultimately doomed to a lonely and prolonged death, he refuses to part from his spectacular find, a sentiment that sparks his transformation into a gremmin after his earthly demise.
Walking Disease: No natural or artificial environment serves as a better incubator for disease than sewers. Teeming with copious volumes of rotting organic material, stable temperatures and abundant moisture, countless virulent bacteria, viruses and fungi abound within the filthy, nutrient rich habitat. Nearly all of these infectious agents remain simple, non sentient organisms, but some inexplicably form a vast symbiotic community on a humanoid corpse that acquires a degree of intelligence, plaguing the subterranean world as the dreaded walking disease. Although seemingly created as a part of a natural evolution, sages unanimously agree that humanoid intervention undoubtedly plays a role in the birth of this horrific scourge. The consensus lays the blame for these abominations on the wicked priests and worshippers of several nefarious deities performing their devilish rituals and savage rites in the anonymity and security of the sewers.

Undead: Despite every possible contingency, some spirits fail to pass into the next world, remaining trapped in an unnatural state between life and death. Some powerful individuals consciously aspire to achieve undead status, but most unwillingly join their ranks either through death at the hands of such a creature, through the magical intervention of a mortal or via the unfortunate circumstances surrounding their earthly demise.

Into the Blue:

Spoiler

Lost Sailor: Lost sailors are a rare form of undead created from seafarers who died far from their beloved ocean. Longing for the comfort of the water’s embrace, these seafarers could not rest in death, crawling forth from their graves to trek overland to reach the sea. They usually only rise when they are buried within a handful of miles of the ocean, yet still feel robbed of it in death.
The irony of being such a short distance from their goal only makes the spirits of the mariners more restless.
Sea Scorned: A very rare form of undead, a sea scorned is the wife or lover of a sailor and wanderer slain while traveling the seas. They are normally only encountered near seaside or aquatic settlements. These are the unfortunate, lonely souls that take their own lives over the loss of a loved one, becoming doomed to stand vigil forever, waiting for their dead love to return.
Unwanted: Among some sailors, it is bad luck to save a man who falls overboard: it is believed that what the sea wants, the sea takes, and no one wishes to evoke the sea’s wrath by standing in its way. Unfortunately, men sometimes fall over the side of their own accord—or are given some help by an angry comrade—but still are not rescued for fear of angering the sea. The sea does not want these men, but they are forced upon it. Either through the sea’s anger or their own rage at not being rescued, these lost men sometimes return as undead. Called the unwanted, they were rejected by both seas and men, and have returned to take their vengeance on both.
Unwanted is an acquired template that can be added to any humanoid creature lost at sea.
Floating Dead: Floating dead are undead born of those who die on the open sea in life boats, or who perish floating adrift while clinging to the hope that help will come.

Kaiser’s Garden - 23 Monstrous Plants:

Spoiler

Vine of Decay: ?

Kobold Quarterly:

Spoiler

Kobold Quarterly 2:

Spoiler

Darrakh, Adult Darakhul Cave Dragon: The ravenous hunger and ambition that define the Empire of the Ghouls come from a hunting expedition 200 years ago. A priest of the Death God led a pack of ghouls and ghasts into the underdark in a hunt for new sources of meat. The hunters met and devoured a few of the weaker residents of the deep lands, but then met a horror they were woefully ill-prepared to fight, a cave dragon in its prime. Its darkness filled the tunnels, and its jaws devoured ghouls by the dozens.
Strengthened the Death God’s blessing, one ghast struck a crucial blow with its paralyzing claw, and the dragon was rendered immobile for a dozen heartbeats. The frenzy that followed infected the dragon with ghoul fever. The rest of the ghouls and ghasts died before the dragon could be slain, but the priest of the Death God survived and became the ghoul-dragon’s minion and chief servant. The dragon grew powerful in undeath. Though its growth stopped, its power was greater than any others of its kind.
So was born Darrakh, Father of Ghouls, the Great and Unending Devourer. Of all dragons below the earth, he is the greatest. He recieves ghoul petitioners in a deep cavern perpetually wrapped in darkness, and when he is displeased, he dines on the flesh of the ghouls, his followers and children.
The cult of the Hunger God reveres him as an avatar of their deity, an earthly manifestion of the endless gnawing need that drives ghouls to consume corpses. Darrakh is fast, tough, and powerful — and as an undead dragon, extremely lethal.
As he created ghoul followers, Darrakh and the priest learned that the form of ghoul fever the dragon carried was magically strengthened. Darrakh has always claimed he bathed in the River Styx and struck a bargain with Charon the boatman. The terms seemed to be that to return to the mortal world, he would raise up a race of followers of the Death God. That story is among the secret lore of the Imperial priesthoods. It’s truth depends on what one thinks of the veracity of the undead and the trustworthiness of dragons. Most are sure it’s sheer puffery.
Darakhul Ghoul: Darakhul Fever (Su): Magical disease—bite, Fortitude DC 30, incubation period 1 hour, damage 1d6 Con and 1d3 Dex. Requires a DC 16 level check to cure magically. A creature which dies while infected with darakhul fever may become a more powerful form of ghoul (see Empire of the Ghouls for details).

Kobold Quarterly 3:

Spoiler

Thing at the Soul of the Mire, Human Lich Druid 15: ?
Stone Door: Combining necromantic artifice and the art of trapmaking, this door is a favorite among priests of undeath, liches, necromancers, and the depraved wretches who favor such evil devices to deal with trespassers. Creating a bone door is quite tedious, and requires placing an animated skeleton in a specially prepared door mold, then pouring in a high quality mortar. This slurry eventually hardens to the consistency of stone. Later, the stonework is decorated, fitted with a locking mechanism and hinges, and then mounted.
The skeleton’s arms and head are free of the stone confining the rest of its folded extremities, and they jut out like a necromantic fossil. Each bone door’s skeleton has different instructions, though most attack trespassers. Thus, a bone door has two parts: a masterfully constructed stonework door and a large embedded skeleton. In combat, the stonework provides the skeleton with improved cover, though it negates any Dexterity bonus to AC and imposes a –8 penalty on its Reflex saves.
The sample bone door uses a stone giant skeleton to grapple would-be trespassers and crush them to pieces. The EL takes into account its high AC and grapple bonuses.
The cost to construct a bone door varies but is never less than 1,825 gp.
Stone Giant Skeleton: ?

Lich: the sorcerer or wizard with an unnatural lifespan has been the subject of tales and fables throughout the ages; a thousand, thousand stories hint at their dark beginnings. One of the best known tales tells the story of the Cabal of Unsleep – a cabal of wizards who worked towards the single goal of immortality.
The Cabal ruled kingdoms eons ago, and all its members were tyrants of renowned cruelty. While they waged war with each other on the surface – they secretly held true as a brotherhood, using their squabbles to gain influence in other lands until, at last, no part of the world was untouched by their icy fingers. This cabal, it is rumored, were among the first to discover the Dreadful Pact and thus were the first liches.
Liches are created, not born, and their only method of reproduction is the creation of a new lich.
The lich monster description casually mentions that the process of becoming a lich is unspeakably evil, and that it can only be undertaken by a willing character. In his great work Arcanum, Manse Hoff describes three methods through which a lich can be created, although he hints that some three dozen methods were once catalogued in the great Monstorum Sorcerus. The three known to most are the Dreadful Pact, the Hideous Sacrifice, and the Ripping.
The Dreadful Pact – in this method, the would-be-lich’s soul is ripped from the body and placed into the phylactery by the self-destruction of the spell caster. The caster creates the phylactery and takes his own life, hoping that the magic that he has used to make the phylactery is strong enough to draw the soul into it.
This method is quick but has the drawback that unless the phylactery has been prepared perfectly, the soul of the caster is simply drawn away. Some surmise that souls drawn in this way do not simply pass onwards, but move to some unspeakable nether place where they spend eternity wandering in madness.
The Hideous Sacrifice – this method draws the soul into the phylactery through a variant of the magic jar spell. However, the lich-initiate must cast the spell at the precise moment of his death, and this requires extraordinary timing on behalf of the spellcaster.
As a consequence, this method is the one most fraught with the chance for mishap - the soul can be drawn before death, trapping the caster in his own spell; the caster can fail to complete the spell and die prematurely, or (in the worst case) the caster’s soul is drawn into entirely the wrong place. In this last case, the lich might end up trapped within a nearby creature or object, such as an accomplice, building, or item.
The Ripping – the most dreadful method requires a trustworthy and willing volunteer. The ripping is spiritual warfare; the soul is driven from the body into the phylactery through force of pain inflicted on the spellcaster.
This method is the most sure of success, but it is also the longest and most painful, and requires extraordinary determination on the part of the spellcaster.
Once the transformation from lich-initiate has been withstood, three further stages remain in the life cycle of a lich: the Journey, the Fading, and the Corruption.
The Journey
Only some lich-initiates complete the Beginning and become liches. Those that are lost are variously referred to in arcane works as NetherLiches, the Lost or simply Fallen. Those who do survive acquire the lich template and can look forward to eternal life – and eternal waking.

Kobold Quarterly 7:

Spoiler

Vampire: Not all types of undead can be created by the work of mortals. For instance, only a vampire can bring about another vampire, and only a life left unfinished can rise as a ghost.
Ghost: Not all types of undead can be created by the work of mortals. For instance, only a vampire can bring about another vampire, and only a life left unfinished can rise as a ghost.
Undead: Create Undead feat.
Zombie: A zombie requires an intact, or nearly intact, fleshy corpse. A dismembered corpse can be stitched back together with a DC 15 Heal check, but all body parts must come from the same corpse.
Caster level equal to half the HD of the zombie, Create Undead, gentle repose; Market Price 50 gp/HD; Cost to Create 25 gp and 2 XP/HD
Animate Undead I spell.
Animate Undead II spell.
Animate Undead III spell.
Animate Undead IV spell.
Animate Undead V spell.
Animate Undead VI spell.
Animate Undead VII spell.
Animate Undead VIII spell.
Animate Undead IX spell.
Create Undead feat.
Skeleton: The creation of a skeleton requires an intact skeleton. If flesh remains on the bones, it may be left to rot away naturally or be stripped from the bones with a DC 5 Heal or Profession (butcher) check.
Caster level equal to half the HD of the skeleton, Create Undead, cause fear; Market Price 50 gp/HD; Cost to Create 25 gp and 2 XP/HD
Animate Undead I spell.
Animate Undead II spell.
Animate Undead III spell.
Animate Undead IV spell.
Animate Undead V spell.
Animate Undead VI spell.
Animate Undead VII spell.
Animate Undead VIII spell.
Animate Undead IX spell.
Create Undead feat.
Ghoul: The creation of a ghoul requires an intact or nearly intact humanoid corpse. It becomes imbued with the unnatural hunger that characterizes these undead horrors.
CL 3rd, Create Undead, ghoul touch, animate dead I; Market Price 250 gp; Cost to Create 125 gp + 10 XP
Animate Undead I spell.
Animate Undead II spell.
Animate Undead III spell.
Animate Undead IV spell.
Animate Undead V spell.
Animate Undead VI spell.
Animate Undead VII spell.
Animate Undead VIII spell.
Animate Undead IX spell.
Create Undead feat.
Ghast: The creation of a ghast is exactly like creating a ghoul, but it requires a stronger bond to the negative energy plane.
CL 5th, Create Undead, ghoul touch, animate dead I; Market Price 500 gp; Cost to Create 250 gp + 20 XP
Animate Undead III spell.
Animate Undead IV spell.
Animate Undead V spell.
Animate Undead VI spell.
Animate Undead VII spell.
Animate Undead VIII spell.
Animate Undead IX spell.
Create Undead feat.
Shadow: The creation of a shadow requires a soul. The soul is merged with its shadow-plane duplicate, creating an unliving shade.
CL 5th, Create Undead, deeper darkness, desecrate; Market Price 400 gp; Cost to Create 200 gp + 16 XP
Animate Undead III spell.
Animate Undead IV spell.
Animate Undead V spell.
Animate Undead VI spell.
Animate Undead VII spell.
Animate Undead VIII spell.
Animate Undead IX spell.
Create Undead feat.
Mummy: The creation of a mummy requires an intact humanoid corpse. The body must be embalmed or preserved, requiring a DC 15 Heal check. The traditional method is via organ removal, drying, and wrapping, but other preservation methods are possible.
CL 7th, Create Undead, death ward, cause fear, bestow curse; Market Price 1,000 gp; Cost to Create 500gp + 40 XP
Animate Undead VII spell.
Animate Undead VIII spell.
Animate Undead IX spell.
Create Undead feat.
Wraith: The creation of a wraith requires a soul. Twisting the soul into a wraith requires an elaborate ritual that suffuses the soul with the essence of darkness and evil.
CL 7th, Create Undead, darkness, enervation, gaseous form; Market Price 1,000 gp; Cost to Create 500gp + 40 XP
Animate Undead V spell.
Animate Undead VI spell.
Animate Undead VII spell.
Animate Undead VIII spell.
Animate Undead IX spell.
Create Undead feat.
Spectre: Creating a spectre requires a soul. The soul is forced to relive the moment of its death over and over while being exposed to vast amounts of negative energy. Eventually, its pain and misery force it to arise as a spectre.
CL 9th, Create Undead, magic jar, feeblemind, bestow curse; Market Price 1,400 gp; Cost to Create 700 gp + 56 XP
Animate Undead VII spell.
Animate Undead VIII spell.
Animate Undead IX spell.
Create Undead feat.
Mohrg: The creation of a mohrg requires a humanoid corpse. While the corpse is only partially animated, it is imbued with an utter hatred of the living through unspeakable ritualized torture that converts its entrails into a hideously oversized tongue.
CL 10th, Create Undead, raise dead, speak with dead, symbol of pain; Market Price 1,500 gp; Cost to Create 750 gp + 60 XP
Animate Undead VIII spell.
Animate Undead IX spell.
Create Undead feat.
Devourer: Creating a devourer requires the body of a medium humanoid. Animating this body as a devourer requires an elaborate ritual, binding the new undead to either the Astral Plane or the Ethereal Plane. During this ritual, the body grows tall and gaunt, leaving the Devourer’s distinctive chest cavity.
At the completion of the ritual, the devourer may be provided with an essence from a soul trapped using other means (such as magic jar or trap the soul), or via the sacrifice of a living creature. The devourer can be created without a trapped essence but will be unable to use its spell-like abilities until it can trap an essence for itself.
CL 13th; Craft Undead, magic jar, planar binding (any), enlarge person, enervation, spectral hand; Market Price 2,000 gp; Cost to Create 1,000 gp + 80 XP
Animate Undead IX spell.
Create Undead feat.
Wight: Animate Undead III spell.
Animate Undead IV spell.
Animate Undead V spell.
Animate Undead VI spell.
Animate Undead VII spell.
Animate Undead VIII spell.
Animate Undead IX spell.
Greater Shadow: Animate Undead VIII spell.
Animate Undead IX spell.
Dread Wraith: Animate Undead IX spell.

Create Undead [Item Creation]
Prerequisite: Spell Focus (Necromancy) or the ability to rebuke undead, caster level 1st
Benefit: You can create any undead provided the prerequisites are met.
Creating an undead requires one day for every 1,000 gp of its market price, 1/25 of its cost to create in XP, and raw materials costing half that price (see individual monster entries for details).
Completing the undead’s creation drains the appropriate XP from the creator and requires the casting of any spells on the final day.
The creator must cast the spells personally but may do so using a scroll or similar device.
As most undead are Evil, creating an undead creature is almost always an Evil act.
A newly created undead has average hit points for its Hit Dice.
Mindless undead created using this feat are automatically under the creator’s control. Free-willed undead are not controlled, though the creator can attempt to gain control using some other method at the moment of creation.
A character can control up to 4 HD of created, mindless undead per level. If you exceed this number, all the newly created creatures fall under your control, and any previously created undead over this limit are released from your control. (The caster chooses which creatures are released.) Any undead commanded by virtue of a command or rebuke undead ability do not count toward this limit.

Animate Dead I
Necromancy (Animation)
Level: Clr 1, Sor/Wiz 1
Components: V, S, M/DF
Casting Time: 1 round
Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)
Effect: One or more animated undead
Duration: 1 round/level (D)
Targets: Corpses, no two of which can
be more than 30 feet apart [See below]
Saving Throw: Will negates (object)
Spell Resistance: No
This spell temporarily infuses the remains of a once-living creature with negative energy, animating it in a mockery of its former life. The resulting undead creature acts immediately, on your turn. It attacks your opponents to the best of its ability. If you can communicate with the creature, you can direct it not to attack, to attack particular enemies, or to perform other actions within the limits of the creature to obey or understand.
The spell animates one of the creatures from the 1st-level list on the accompanying table. You choose which kind of undead to animate, and you can change that choice each time you cast the spell.
To animate a particular type of undead, the correct remains must be available for each creature created. Remains must be mostly intact. A soul is present in any corporeal remains for which the creature has not been resurrected or previously animated as an undead. A soul can also be obtained from trap the soul, magic jar, or similar magic.
Unlike most spells, line of effect is not required to animate the remains, as long as their location is known. This allows a body to be animated in its grave.
An animated undead cannot summon or otherwise conjure another creature, create spawn, or use any teleportation or planar travel abilities.
When you use an animation spell to create an Air, Chaotic, Earth, Evil, Fire, Good, Lawful, or Water subtype creature, it is a spell of that type.
Within the area of a desecrate spell, the duration of animate dead I is doubled.
Arcane Material Component: A fistful of graveyard soil or a fragment of a tombstone.

Animate Dead II
Necromancy (Animation)
Level: Clr 2, Sor/Wiz 3
This spell functions like animate dead I, except that you can animate one creature from the 2nd-level list or 1d3 of the same option from the 1st-level list.

Animate Dead III
Necromancy (Animation)
Level: Clr 3, Sor/Wiz 4
This spell functions like animate dead I except that you can animate one creature from the 3rd-level list or 1d3 creatures of the same kind from the 2nd-level list, or 1d4+1 of the same option from the 1st level list.

Animate Dead IV
Necromancy (Animation)
Level: Clr 4, Sor/Wiz 5
This spell functions like animate dead I, except that you can animate one creature from the 4th-level list or 1d3 creatures of the same kind from the 3rd-level list, or 1d4+1 of the same option a lower level list.

Animate Dead V
Necromancy (Animation)
Level: Clr 5, Sor/Wiz 6
This spell functions like animate dead I except that you can animate one creature from the 5th-level list or 1d3 creatures of the same kind from the 3rd-level list, or 1d4+1 of the same option from a lower level list.

Animate Dead VI
Necromancy (Animation)
Level: Clr 6, Sor/Wiz 7
This spell functions like animate dead I except that you can animate one creature from the 6th-level list or 1d3 creatures of the same kind from the 5th-level list, or 1d4+1 of the same option from a lower level list.

Animate Dead VII
Necromancy (Animation)
Level: Clr 7, Sor/Wiz 8
This spell functions like animate dead I except that you can animate one creature from the 7th-level list or 1d3 creatures of the same kind from the 6th-level list, or 1d4+1 of the same option from a lower level list.

Animate Dead VIII
Necromancy (Animation)
Level: Clr 8, Sor/Wiz 9
This spell functions like animate dead I except that you can animate one creature from the 8th-level list or 1d3 creatures of the same kind from the 7th-level list, or 1d4+1 of the same option from a lower level list.

Animate Dead XI
Necromancy (Animation)
Level: Clr 9
This spell functions like animate dead I except that you can animate one creature from the 9th-level list or 1d3 creatures of the same kind from the 8th-level list, or 1d4+1 of the same option from a lower level list.

Table 1: Undead Animation
Spell Level Undead Remains Required Alignment
Animate Undead I ghoul humanoid corpse CE
1d4 skeletons (1 HD) appropriate corpse or skeleton NE
skeleton (2-3 HD) appropriate corpse or skeleton NE
1d3 zombies (2 HD) appropriate corpse NE
zombie (4 HD) appropriate corpse NE
Animate Undead II skeleton (4-5 HD) appropriate corpse or skeleton NE
zombie (6 HD) appropriate corpse NE
Animate Undead III ghast humanoid corpse CE
shadow humanoid soul CE
skeleton (6-7 HD) appropriate corpse or skeleton NE
wight humanoid corpse LE
zombie (8-10 HD) appropriate corpse NE
Animate Undead IV skeleton (8-9 HD) appropriate corpse or skeleton NE
zombie (12-14 HD) appropriate corpse NE
Animate Undead V skeleton (10-11 HD) appropriate corpse or skeleton NE
wraith humanoid soul LE
zombie (15-16 HD) appropriate corpse NE
Animate Undead VI skeleton (12-14 HD) appropriate corpse or skeleton NE
zombie (18-10 HD) appropriate corpse NE
Animate Undead VII skeleton (15-17 HD) appropriate corpse or skeleton NE
spectre humanoid soul LE
Animate Undead VIII mohrg humanoid corpse CE
greater shadow humanoid soul CE
skeleton (18-20 HD) appropriate corpse or skeleton NE
Animate Undead IX devourer humanoid corpse NE
dread wraith humanoid or giant soul LE

Kobold Quarterly 9:

Spoiler

Skin Bat: Camazotz has created flesh vats within these inverted spires that transform the flayed remnants of sacrifices into undead abominations built of skin.
Skin bats are undead creatures created from the skin flayed from the victims of sacrificial rites. They are given a measure of unlife by a vile rituals involving immersion in the Abyssal flesh vats.
They were born in the fleshwarp cauldrons of Camazotz, the dark bat-god.

Kobold Quarterly 11:

Spoiler

Vampire: When a humanoid or monstrous humanoid dies from a vampire’s bite, the curse of vampirism quickly corrupts the corpse. The silver cord that ties the victim’s soul to its body does not snap as it should, and the soul remains tethered to the dead vessel, slowly filling with blood lust. The soul struggles against the cord and reaches for the afterlife, but its silent screams are in vain. The gates of heaven and hell diminish as blood lust slowly reels the cord-strangled soul back into its corpse.
One to four days after the victim’s death, a new vampire or vampire spawn rises as a mist around its grave. A victim with less than 5 HD rises as a vampire spawn. A victim of 5 HD or more rises as a vampire.
When someone dies from a vampire bite, friends and family have little time to save their loved one’s soul. If they destroy the sire before the deceased rises as a vampire in 1-4 days, vampirism never settles on the corpse and the deceased’s soul remains free.
Vampire Spawn: When a humanoid or monstrous humanoid dies from a vampire’s bite, the curse of vampirism quickly corrupts the corpse. The silver cord that ties the victim’s soul to its body does not snap as it should, and the soul remains tethered to the dead vessel, slowly filling with blood lust. The soul struggles against the cord and reaches for the afterlife, but its silent screams are in vain. The gates of heaven and hell diminish as blood lust slowly reels the cord-strangled soul back into its corpse.
One to four days after the victim’s death, a new vampire or vampire spawn rises as a mist around its grave. A victim with less than 5 HD rises as a vampire spawn. A victim of 5 HD or more rises as a vampire.

Lords of the Night: Liches:

Spoiler

Void Lich: But the Guardian’s worst betrayal was yet to come. To prove his loyalty, the newly named Sentinel of the Void gave his dark master a terrible gift. He devised magical incantations that allowed mortals the ability to trade their life energy in exchange for the powers of Creation. Known as Black Rituals, these incantations were terrible and sinister indeed, for in addition to the power to shape reality, those performing the Rituals were flooded with Void, the wicked darkness that ensnared their minds and corrupted their thoughts. They became slaves to the Void, minions of a truly terrible evil.
Thriving on shadow, all who cast the rituals became known as Void Liches and they were a force of terrible darkness, twisted by the power of the Arcane and wrapped with the rage and madness of the Void.
Void Liches follow a similar progression to that of Arcane Liches yet unlike those of the Arcane, they have but one Ritual to bind them inexorably to the Void.
An Arcane Lich that has been corrupted by the Void.
Void Rituals on the other hand, can be found almost everywhere. Most great libraries will contain them, sometimes masked as the ramblings of madmen or disguised as nonmagical formulae and obscure mystical information. However innocuous they may at first seem, these Rituals are utterly corrupted and will drag the caster down the Path of the Void into utter despair. Only the most foolish, naive or desperate should attempt them. Or those wishing to align themselves with the Great Corrupter...
Unlike Arcane Liches, there is but one Void Ritual; a single mystical oath that binds a person, body, mind and soul to the power of the Void. Once the words are uttered, the Void is conjured, weaving itself into the caster’s thoughts. From then on they are bound by shadow, shackled to the Void with unbreakable chains of hunger. As a mortal moves down the Black Path, they are further twisted, their minds and bodies shifting into new forms until they finally collapse into death and arise, a dark and terrible Void Lich.
Void Wraith: Many of us reached out to the Void in an attempt to turn back the tide of shadow, yet those that did found only madness. The Void took those that had not the strength to resist and twisted them into harrowed creations. These Wraiths fled the Spectral to wander the mortal realms, champions of evil and enemies of the Arcane, bound in mortal flesh and given strength by the Void.
Those touched by the Void were transformed into madness-stricken Wraiths filled with a desperate thirst for Arcane energy and a terrible desire to feast upon our essence.
When a Void Lich is Vanquished, they Reform in the Spectral, bereft of sanity and filled with a terrible craving for Arcane energy. They are doomed to linger as madness riddled ghosts for the rest of eternity...
When the Arcane was touched by the Void, those that reached out to explore the new and alien force were corrupted by its power. They became the Darke Vertex, terrible beings of the purest evil (known as Wraiths by the Conclave).
Arcane Lich: In our most desperate hour we were left with only one option. We amended the Rituals the Sentinel of the Void had used to enslave his army of Void Liches. Binding the Ritual to the forces of Creation we gathered our powers and created the first Arcane Liches.
Armed with the Rituals of the Arcane Transference, the Conclave was sent out into the mortal realms in search of others to join our army. We offered our powers freely, allowing those that would cast the Rituals to do so of their own volition.
An Arcane Lich is a once-living creature that has sacrificed their mortality to gain a glimpse of the powers of Creation. Through the five Rituals of the Arcane Transference, the mortal imprints the matrix of their consciousness upon reality.
The Ritual of the Arcane Transference
The five Rituals of the Arcane Transference allow a mortal to exchange some of their life-force in return for the ability to manipulate reality. With every Ritual, a mortal must give up a portion of their life essence in exchange for a similar amount of Arcane energy. This energy grants them incredible powers but it also takes them one step away from their mortality.
When a Lich imprints their mind into reality, they are acknowledged by the universe and accepted by Creation. They are granted an endless existence, but this is in mind alone. To derive any lasting power from the Arcane, a potential Lich must become immortal.
The easiest way to do this is by passing into undeath.
The Arcane Rituals use necromancy to seal the caster’s flesh into undeath. Only then is the caster’s mind elevated to a new level of consciousness, free to explore the Path of the Arcane, unfettered by the demands of the flesh.
A mortal that has sacrificed their mortality to become one with the Arcane.
All mortals beginning down the Arcane Path must create a Lesser Phylactery. A Lesser Phylactery is a simple item, hand crafted by the prospective Lich as per the instructions in the Ritual of the Arcane Transference. Lesser Phylacteries typically appear as: jewelry, weapons, armor, crystals, ornate boxes and religious icons. A Lesser Phylactery has double the hardness, hit points and Break DC of a standard item of its kind. It has a crafting DC of 15, takes one week to create and costs between 25 to 50 gp (made up of silver, gold or at least one semi-precious stone).
A mortal can only become an Arcane Lich through the Rituals of the Arcane Transference. These Rituals allow a mortal to imprint their mind upon the fabric of the universe through complex magical incantations and mystical words of power. The Rituals quite literally fool the universe into believing that the caster is one of the Arcane and has free reign to shape reality by the power of thought alone.
There are five Arcane Rituals, each one of increasing power and complexity. Only the first Ritual can be found in the mortal realms. Beyond that, if a mortal wishes to venture further down the Arcane Path they must journey to Kethak in search of the wisdom of the Conclave and their aid in becoming an Arcane Lich.
The easiest way to obtain the Rituals of the Arcane Transference is to visit Kethak and the Aedes Singularis, the home of the Conclave and the great Rituals of Power. Of course, merely getting to Kethak requires that the character be Arcane Touched, so that in itself is the first test. The Guild of Wizards guard their Rituals carefully, and those that petition the Conclave to become Liches are carefully screened for suitability. A candidate must show considerable magical potential, have the intelligence to comprehend the complex mystical incantations and have the stability to handle the transformation the Arcane will exert over mind and body. Only when the Conclave deems a mortal ready do they confer the next of the Rituals upon them.
Each Ritual has a minimum Intelligence requirement that a Lich must meet in order to be able to decipher its complex mystical instructions. To the less intelligent an Arcane Ritual is simply a jumble of incomprehensible glyphs, symbols and diagrams.
A spellcaster must be of sufficient power and level to be able to command the forces contained within each Arcane Ritual. They must be arcane spellcasters of a minimum level.
A lesser mortal (even one that can read the Ritual) simply will not be able to master the vast power needed to fuel the Ritual and all casting attempts will utterly fail.
Arcane Rituals are complex and often expensive affairs. Many can take months or even years to prepare. A number of rare and/or exotic items may be needed, all of which must be hand-crafted. A would-be Lich must take specific precautions indeed to ensure that the Ritual is performed as accurately and precisely as possible.
Before a mortal can begin the Rituals to become an Arcane Lich, he must have created a Lesser Phylactery. This is a simple device that ties his life force into the Arcane. A mortal cannot create a Standard Phylactery until he becomes a Sunken Lich.
The Arcane Rituals are complex and time consuming to perform. Each takes a minimum of eight hours plus at least two additional hours per Ritual level (to become a Skeletal Lich takes around sixteen hours). The caster must expend all of their Arcane energy in the process.
The Arcane Rituals are draining on the mortal endurance. They must only be performed once in every thirty day period or the caster could be utterly slain in the process. At a Ritual’s completion, a still-mortal caster is drained of all but one point of their Constitution and recovers at a rate of 1 point per hour thereafter.
A mortal must have a minimum level of Constitution to withstand the necromantic forces of the Ritual. If he does not meet the minimum requirement, he is slain in the casting of the Ritual and his mind is destroyed. Providing the caster follows the Ritual exactly (and meets all of the requirements) there is no chance of failure.
After successfully completing each Arcane Ritual, the mortal advances to the next Lich State, taking on a new template as his body is further infused with necromantic energy. Example: A mortal casts the third Ritual of the Arcane Transference and becomes a Sunken Lich. He applies all the template modifiers for his State and changes his type to Undead.
The Arcane Rituals were designed for the mortal races (specifically humans). Elementals, demons, undead, nonsentient beings and creatures non-native to the mortal realms cannot bind themselves to the Spectral. Additionally there is a fifty percent chance of failure for non-human creatures or for beings with exceptionally long life spans (in particular elves and drow). The Rituals NEVER work on magical creatures (including dragons, and all monsters).
Lich State Death Living Sunken Necrotic Skeletal Spectral
Touched Dead Lich Lich Lich Lich
Ritual Level AR1 AR2 AR3 AR4 AR5 N/A
Minimum Intelligence 16 17 20 22 25 30
Minimum Level 1 5 9 11 13 17
Constitution Cost 2 (11) 4 (8) All (5) - - -
Arcane +1 +2 +3 +4 +5 +10
Arcana Points +3/1 +0/2 +0/3 +0/4 +0/5 +0/6
Arcane Threshold 3 6 10 15 20 N/A
Insanities +1 +1 +1 +1 +1 N/A
Insanity Threshold 12 (10) 13 (12) 14 (14) 15 (16) 16 (20) N/A
Sorcerae Modifier +1 +2 +3 +4 +5 +8
Ability Penalty -2 -3 -4 -5 -6 N/A
Arcane Feats +1 +1 +1 +1 +1 +1
Ritual Level: This is the Ritual number that must be followed in sequence. Example: a mortal must become Death Touched before he can become Living Dead. Where noted, AR refers to the current Ritual level the character has attained. Example: AR2 indicates that the character has cast the second Arcane Ritual and is currently Living Dead.
Minimum Intelligence: This is the base (minimum) level of Intelligence a Lich needs to be able to comprehend each Arcane Ritual. This must be his permanent Intelligence score and cannot be modified by spell or magical items.
Minimum Level: This is the minimum level a character must be before they can perform each Arcane Ritual. Only a Lich’s arcane spellcasting classes have any impact on the minimum level requirement. Example: A character must be 9th level to become a Sunken Lich. He must have nine levels of Wizard or Sorcerer (or any pure arcane spellcasting class); any other classes do not count.
Constitution Cost: This is the amount of Constitution a character loses when casting each Arcane Ritual. The number in parentheses is the base (minimum) Constitution a character must have in order to perform each Ritual. This must be his permanent Constitution score and cannot be modified by spell or magical items. Upon casting each Ritual the caster loses an amount of Constitution stated for that Ritual and gains an equal amount of Arcane in return. A character does not ever lose hit points from their reduced Constitution.
Necromantic Lich: Although necromantic liches (known as mundane liches) have existed in the mortal realms for millennia, they are not like us in any way. Some say the dark gods sought to mirror the power of the Ancients and to create beings that could shape the universe, yet instead they managed only to create beings that were trapped in necromancy and undeath, mortals twisted by darkness and the most terrible evil.
Sunken Lich: All mortals becoming Sunken Liches must fashion a Standard Phylactery. This is a more potent device of similar design to a Lesser Phylactery but has a hardness of 20, 40 hit points and a Break DC of 40. A Standard Phylactery has a crafting DC of 20 and costs 100,000gp and 2,000 XP. The creator must be 9th level or greater and must have the Craft Wondrous Item feat and a crafting skill of no fewer than 9 ranks in their chosen material (or materials).
Sunken Liches are those mortals that have passed beyond the veil of life and into undeath.
The three Advanced Rituals of the Arcane Transference allow a mortal to transform immediately into a Sunken, Necrotic Lich or Skeletal Lich. Hugely expensive and difficult, they are grueling to perform and the chance of success is not always guaranteed. They have no Arcane cost, but require many rare and/or exotic ingredients.
Many mortals quest for decades to get the correct mystical potions and artifacts together to perform one of these Rituals. Rare items are those highly expensive and/or difficult to obtain items that typically must be found or sourced by the aspirant Lich. They cannot normally be bought. The caster must make a Spellcraft check to perform each Ritual safely. A fail and the Ritual has absolutely no effect. Each Ritual is permanent.
Arcane Ascendance ritual of power.
Necrotic Lich: Necrotic Liches have advanced far beyond mortal existence. The long years have worn down flesh until nothing but tendon and sinew remain and the breath of life is nothing but a distant memory.
The three Advanced Rituals of the Arcane Transference allow a mortal to transform immediately into a Sunken, Necrotic Lich or Skeletal Lich. Hugely expensive and difficult, they are grueling to perform and the chance of success is not always guaranteed. They have no Arcane cost, but require many rare and/or exotic ingredients.
Many mortals quest for decades to get the correct mystical potions and artifacts together to perform one of these Rituals. Rare items are those highly expensive and/or difficult to obtain items that typically must be found or sourced by the aspirant Lich. They cannot normally be bought. The caster must make a Spellcraft check to perform each Ritual safely. A fail and the Ritual has absolutely no effect. Each Ritual is permanent.
Corpus Transformation ritual of power.
Skeletal Lich: Skeletal Liches are thousands of years old. Their flesh has long been consumed by necromancy and they are naught but bones.
The three Advanced Rituals of the Arcane Transference allow a mortal to transform immediately into a Sunken, Necrotic Lich or Skeletal Lich. Hugely expensive and difficult, they are grueling to perform and the chance of success is not always guaranteed. They have no Arcane cost, but require many rare and/or exotic ingredients.
Many mortals quest for decades to get the correct mystical potions and artifacts together to perform one of these Rituals. Rare items are those highly expensive and/or difficult to obtain items that typically must be found or sourced by the aspirant Lich. They cannot normally be bought. The caster must make a Spellcraft check to perform each Ritual safely. A fail and the Ritual has absolutely no effect. Each Ritual is permanent.
Osseus Transfiguration ritual of power.
Spectral Lich, Ghost Lich: Spectral Liches (also known as Ghost Liches) are powerful, and very old. They are those Liches that have passed beyond the physical and into a realm of pure consciousness.
Artifex Lich, Artificer: ?
Darke Lich: ?
Dirge Lich, Corpse Lich: ?
Frost Lich, Battle Lich: A Frost Lich is bound to the element of cold.
Mors Lich, Crypt Lich: ?
Prime Lich, High Lich: ?
Umbral Lich, Puppeteer: An Umbral Lich is an elementalist bound at least partially to the element of Shadow.
Servitor: Servitor Arcane power.
Arcane Vampire: There are whispers of ancient Rituals that can convert a vampire into an Arcane Vampire, beings far beyond those of the Void and attuned to the powers of Creation. The Sanctus Cor are said to be capable of performing these Rituals, but they have not chosen to do so. They have told the Conclave that they are waiting for something. But for what could the mysterious Sleepers be waiting...?
Blood Lich: Void Liches may at first seem similar, but there are actually several different Types. The best performing members (those supplicants that Destroy the most Arcane Liches or devour the most Arcane energy) are summoned to Varg’Ash where they are subjected to powerful energies in chambers terrifyingly close to the very essence of the Void. There they are transformed in an agonizing process into the higher forms of Void Lich.
Nether Lich: Void Liches may at first seem similar, but there are actually several different Types. The best performing members (those supplicants that Destroy the most Arcane Liches or devour the most Arcane energy) are summoned to Varg’Ash where they are subjected to powerful energies in chambers terrifyingly close to the very essence of the Void. There they are transformed in an agonizing process into the higher forms of Void Lich.

SERVITOR
This is the power of legends, for through it you can raise the dead and create permanent Servitors for yourself. These Servitors are your absolute minions and you can have great power over them. While most of your Servitors are skeletons and zombies, at higher levels of power you can create unique and powerful forms of undead, from mundane vampires, to spectres and even greater creations. The most powerful Liches can create entire armies of shambling undead.
Creating the Undead
You can animate the dead by expending Arcane energy to create Servitors, artificially created corpses under your absolute will. These Servitors are mindless creatures, incapable of anything but the most menial tasks.
Your Servitors rise up as Skeletons or Zombies (depending on the creature and condition of the corpses). You may create more powerful Servitors with this ability but you are restricted as to the maximum HD and number of undead you can control at any one time.
Use of this power takes one full round. The dead begin to rise at the start of the second round.
Regardless of the hit dice of a Servitor, you cannot create a nonstandard monster with the standard Servitor powers. Only higher State Liches can create Vampires, Shadow Knights and other Liches.
Creating Servitors
You gain the ability to create more powerful undead as you gain further ranks in the Servitor Arcana. For more information on the number, type and power of your Servitors at each Arcana rank, consult the Servitor Creation Chart, below.
SERVITOR CREATION
Skill Rank Undead per Arcane Cost Max Control Max Undead HD
First Tier Necromancer 1 1 2 2
Second Tier Necromancer 2 1 4 2
Third Tier Necromancer 3 1 6 3
Fourth Tier Necromancer 4 1 8 4
Fifth Tier Necromancer 5 1 10 5
Sixth Tier Necromancer 6 1 12 6
Servitor Creation Notes
♦Servitors have stats identical to those of the undead creature they mimic (ie. skeleton, zombie, ghoul. etc.)
♦You cannot create any one Servitor whose Hit Dice exceed your own.
♦ You can see through the eyes of any of your Servitors at any time as a standard action.
♦ The eyes of your Servitors glow with an eerie purplish energy while using this Arcana and streams of Arcane force surround them.
♦ Servitors do not have their original souls. They are Arcane-animated corpses created by your will. They can be turned (although they receive a bonus to their Turn Resistance equal to your Arcana rank).
♦ Your Servitors are affected by Null Magic. Any passing through such areas are instantly destroyed.
♦ Providing a corpse has not been irreparably damaged, you can create a new Servitor out of the parts of old ones. Servitors created with this power simply rise up from the parts of destroyed creatures, glimmering with Arcane energy.
♦Servitors cannot be commanded or compelled by anyone other than their creator through mundane means. However, another Arcane Lich may attempt to take control of another’s Servitor by Arcane methods...

ARCANE ASCENDENCE
Level Requirement: 15th
Apparatus: 250,000 black (must have 25+ Intelligence and no less than five rare/exotic items)
Performance: 24 hours (difficulty: 40)
Transforms a character into a Sunken Lich.

CORPUS TRANSFIGURATION
Level Requirement: 15th
Apparatus: 500,000 black (must have 27+ Intelligence and no less than six rare/exotic items)
Performance: 24 hours (difficulty: 45)
Transforms a character into a Necrotic Lich.

OSSEUS TRANSFIGURATION
Level Requirement: 18th
Apparatus: 1,000,000 black (must have 30+ Intelligence and no less than seven rare/exotic items)
Performance: 24 hours (difficulty: 50)
Transforms a character into a Skeletal Lich.

The Lords of the Night Vampires:

Spoiler

Vampire, Black Blood: Vampires were once living creatures that have been raised from death by necromancy.
Ever since mortals have existed, feral vampires have wandered the mortal realms under cover of darkness. Created by the raw forces of nature, by curse or magic, feral vampires will certainly exist long after the mortal races have passed to dust.
Armed with the greatest of the Powers of Darkness, Vangual transformed the living order into vampires, creatures that looked like mortals and had fearsome powers. Denied sanctuary in the mortal realms, these beings fled deep into the earth beneath the city of Veil where they became the First, the progenitors of the vampire races.
A Vampire Scion can become a true vampire should their master be slain, although the outcome of this is uncertain.
The vampire touched are those mortals bitten on one or more separate occasions by the Children of Vangual. In this blood-drained state, death is close. A third visitation and the victim will rise up as a vampire a few nights later (provided the victim is slain in the process).
To create a vampire the Children of Vangual must slay their mortal victim by draining every last drop of blood from their body. This is a task in itself - for drinking to the point of death can be extremely difficult. However, this process is not done all at once. The Children of Vangual must come to a mortal three times if they are to turn them into a vampire. This process is called the Visitation and is steeped in ancient ritual and ceremony.
On the third Visitation, the vampire must drain not only all of the blood but the last vestiges of life energy from their victim. The dead and cold corpse will then rise up as a fledgling vampire a few days later. If the master does not (or can not) follow this process exactly, the slain mortal will become a Vampire Scion, cursed to eternal stagnation and endless subservience.
On the fourth night of death, a fledgling vampire will rise from the grave. Occasionally this process can happen more quickly, other times, somewhat longer. The necromantic processes are mysterious and cannot be predicted, even by the most learned of sages.
They were the first of Vangual’s creations and consider themselves the most favored of his children.
The curse can be passed to any of the mortal races, from human, elf and dwarf, to the monster races: goblin, troll and ogre. There are Black Blood giants, drow and even vampire lizardmen lurking in darkness across the realms.
Black Blood is an acquired template that can be added to any humanoid or monstrous humanoid creature.
Shadow Vampires cannot make more of their own. Even if they follow the process exactly, they simply create a standard Black Blood.
Vampire Scion can evolve to become true vampires, although the process is dangerous and involves either intervention by a lich, or the Second Death of their master. A Vampire Scion’s necromantic energies are intrinsically linked to those of their master. If a vampire master is slain, all Vampire Scion under his control make a Will save (DC 20). If they fail, they are forever slain, the negative energies that sustained them dissipating with their master. Success indicates they become fledgling vampires.
A vampire must come to a mortal three times if he wants to make a true vampire.
To create a true vampire, a vampire must drain all of the blood from a mortal and all of their levels. He must do this on three separate encounters on three or more nights. The vampire must drink carefully, for should his victim die before the third visitation, they will rise up as a Vampire Scion a few nights later. There can be interruptions in the process, but any vampire wishing to cement a full and complete relationship with their progeny must follow this procedure. The vampire must perform the Black Kiss within one month of his first visitation or he must begin the whole process anew.
Vangual’s touch can slay any living being in an instant, devouring their life force with no possible chance of resurrection. He can cause any mortal to rise up as a vampire of any race with but a moment’s thought. This transformation is both permanent and irreversible, but is seen as a blessing rather than a curse in the eyes of his devoted.
It is said that the dread god Vangual manifested amongst the burning buildings, ready to cast sentence upon those who had slain his faithful. Vangual’s wrath was terrible, he called for justice and the other gods turned away. They knew there was enough darkness festering in the hearts of the Ordo Nobilis to punish each of them forever. They had shown neither compassion nor wisdom in destroying so many, so very willingly. As the god of blood had lost his chosen, so the Ordo Nobilis became his new family. They became vampires - the Children of Vangual…
When a mortal becomes a vampire, the dark energies of necromancy transform their abilities.
Beholder vampires radiate powerful necromancy and have the power to transform their targets into vampires with the use of their central eye.
Curse of Vampirism spell.
Vangaard: But Vangual was far from done. He took one of his chosen and shaped them into a new form, the Vangaard, a creature filled with rage and cold fury.
The Vangaard can trace their origins back to Toth, the First vampire barbarian and member of the Black Council. The Vangaard Toth is the only member of the Black Council who is not a pure Black Blood. No one knows why Vangual transformed Toth into a Vangaard; perhaps it was a capricious whim by the god of vampires.
Vangaard is an acquired template that can be added to any humanoid or monstrous humanoid creature.
Who knows what power Vangual used to create the new order of Vangaard.
Fire Vampire, Inferno: The First found a wizard who had been burned beyond imagining in the razing of the great city. Vangual breathed unlife into his tortured flesh, returning him from death as a horribly charred and smoldering spirit. Joined with the powers of flame, this vampire became the embodiment of fire, and was vengeance and destruction incarnate.
Perhaps the rarest of all vampires, Fire Vampires (or Infernos) are those mortals horribly burned in life.
Fire Vampires can create progeny, although they rarely choose to (for the memory of their own creation burns upon their minds - and even as filled with madness as they are, they are reluctant to inflict their torment upon another).
To do so, they must drain all of the blood from a candidate while inflicting powerful flame attacks upon their bodies. They must incinerate their victim on the very threshold of death. Horribly disfigured, the mortal will then rise up as a Fire Vampire a few nights later. They call this method of death (and subsequent reanimation) the Kiss of Fire, and it is said to be one of the most agonizing ways to die. Even cremation does not always prevent the Second Waking, a Fire Vampire’s charred and unrecognizable body reforms from ashes unless it was buried on holy ground.
Fire Vampire is an acquired template that can be added to any humanoid or monstrous humanoid creature.
Ravenous, Leeches: As the flames of the city died, the remaining dead fell around the ruined city. Some, touched by disease were corrupted by Vangual’s malevolence. They arose as the Ravenous, desperately hungry vampires with a craving for mortal flesh.
Some say the Ravenous were created by the god of slimes and oozes, while others believe they are demons cast from the abyss and given mortal form.
When they so choose, the Ravenous can make their own. To do this the victim must be forced to drink a concentrated point of the Leech’s blood. The victim will be fine - for a day or so. After forty eight hours they will begin to get chills, feeling sick and losing a point of Constitution and Strength per day. This will continue throughout the next 2d4+1 days until their skin turns a greenish hue. Finally, facing uncontrollable and agonizing convulsions, they lose one point of Strength and Constitution per hour. Only a neutralize poison spell cast by a cleric of 15th Level or higher, followed swiftly by a remove curse will prevent death. Lost abilities are regained at a rate of 1 point per week.
Ravenous Vampire is an acquired template that can be added to any humanoid or monstrous humanoid creature.
Shadow Vampire: Next, Vangual awoke the shadow. He ordered the First to bring to him the drow they found in the underworld. Willing or not, he transformed them into Shadow Vampires, insubstantial creatures that only half reside in the mortal realms.
Shadow Vampires are drow that have been cursed by a most terrible darkness. They were taken by Vangual and transformed into shadow, stripped of their physical forms and their souls.
Only the drow elder Avernuus has the authority to create new Shadow Vampires, and then only at Vangual’s instruction.
The Black Council petitioned Vangual for a number of non-drow Shadow Vampires to be created, and he agreed.
Shadow Vampire is an acquired template that can be added to any humanoid or monstrous humanoid creature.
Mock Vampire, The Mocked: Mock Vampires or the mocked are ghoulish creatures whose bodies have not successfully survived the transition from mortal to vampire. They have remained dead for too long before their Second Waking and have suffered both physical and mental degeneration in the grave.
The mocked have lain dead in the ground for too long.
No one knows exactly what creates the mocked, certainly there are many things that can influence the necromantic process: holy ground, divine blessings, even nearby running water or a holy symbol casually tossed into a coffin. A poor first Katharein can result in the vampire rising as one of the mocked.
The mocked typically remain dead for at least a week longer than the typical 1d4 days, rotting while in the grave.
Mock Vampire is an acquired template that can be added to any humanoid or monstrous humanoid creature.
Ash Vampire: At the height of Vangual’s power came the most terrible of his children. Ash Vampires: they who feast upon life itself. Draining the very essence from the living, plants wither and the ground turns to dust as they pass. These emotionless vampires are given mortal form in return for performing despicable acts in the name of the lord of blood. It is said those of the ash are the most powerful of Vangual’s creations, and that he could only create them when he had sufficient followers amongst mortals and vampires alike.
Ash Vampire is an acquired template that can be added to any humanoid or monstrous humanoid creature.
There are many rumors as to why this might be. Some say the Ash Vampires are much older even than Vangual, that only those in the mortal realms were corrupted by the Void and that those that remain on the Ash Plane at the tower of Araxx are immune to the effects of the great corrupter.
Some say that the Ash Vampires are a truly ancient race, and that their wisdom dates back thousands, if not tens of thousands of years. Others claim that they were never mortal, that the first Ash Vampires came from a race that no longer exists except in memory.
The Lost: Finally came the Lost, divine beings that have fallen from the grace of their celestial realm and cast to earth. Retaining a fragment of their memory and a shard of divinity, these creatures are perhaps the most tragic of all the vampire races. Forced to drink blood and to eat ash, they wake to darkness knowing they have done wrong, but not what. Perhaps they can find redemption, but most Lost spend their unlives brooding over their mysterious past and punishing themselves for a transgression they cannot remember. While they are not one of Vangual’s creations, the god of blood eagerly accepts them as his own.
These creatures are not and have never been mortal. Cursed by divine magic, they have fallen from whichever spiritual domain they once inhabited, given immortal bodies and doomed to live in exile amongst the undead. Once glorious spirits - now vampires - they must drink blood and devour ashes to survive.
The Lost are not true vampires. They were never ‘turned’ by another, but were instead cursed by powerful magic. Exiled, they appear with no clue as to who they are or from where they came. Occasionally, a divine being will visit them to inform them of their exile, but this will be brief and perfunctory. Their minds and spirits are their own, but their memories are all but gone.
Lost Vampire is an acquired template that can be added to any humanoid or monstrous humanoid creature.
The Lost are celestials that have been cursed by their god. A character must have previously been a celestial that was cast down from his planar home.
Vampire Scion: In time, Vangual showed his vampires how to create children of their own. Vampire Scion are created by a single draining of a mortal’s blood without following the ritualistic process of the Black Kiss. These creatures are devoid of the uniqueness of a true vampire and are typically created as a result of a careless encounter with a mortal.
To create a vampire the Children of Vangual must slay their mortal victim by draining every last drop of blood from their body. This is a task in itself - for drinking to the point of death can be extremely difficult. However, this process is not done all at once. The Children of Vangual must come to a mortal three times if they are to turn them into a vampire. This process is called the Visitation and is steeped in ancient ritual and ceremony.
On the third Visitation, the vampire must drain not only all of the blood but the last vestiges of life energy from their victim. The dead and cold corpse will then rise up as a fledgling vampire a few days later. If the master does not (or can not) follow this process exactly, the slain mortal will become a Vampire Scion, cursed to eternal stagnation and endless subservience.
Vampire Scion are locked in unlife at the moment of death, unchanging yet eternal. Slaves to their masters, most are created when a vampire bitten (once touched) mortal is slain before the effects of the first bite have worn off. These poor souls rise to become Vampire Scion, vampires in name alone, hunters of blood and bringers of death.
Vampire Scion are created by a single draining of a mortal’s blood (or levels) without following the ritualistic process of the Black Kiss.
Vampire Scion is an acquired template that can be added to any humanoid or monstrous humanoid creature.
To create a true vampire, a vampire must drain all of the blood from a mortal and all of their levels. He must do this on three separate encounters on three or more nights. The vampire must drink carefully, for should his victim die before the third visitation, they will rise up as a Vampire Scion a few nights later.
Curse of Vampirism spell.
Kethax: The Avystyx Prophecies also mention the coming of the Kethax: evil vampires of hellfire and brimstone from the Ash Plane.
The First: Armed with the greatest of the Powers of Darkness, Vangual transformed the living order into vampires, creatures that looked like mortals and had fearsome powers. Denied sanctuary in the mortal realms, these beings fled deep into the earth beneath the city of Veil where they became the First, the progenitors of the vampire races.
It is said that the dread god Vangual manifested amongst the burning buildings, ready to cast sentence upon those who had slain his faithful. Vangual’s wrath was terrible, he called for justice and the other gods turned away. They knew there was enough darkness festering in the hearts of the Ordo Nobilis to punish each of them forever. They had shown neither compassion nor wisdom in destroying so many, so very willingly. As the god of blood had lost his chosen, so the Ordo Nobilis became his new family. They became vampires - the Children of Vangual…
Avystyx, The Vampire Bard: Armed with the greatest of the Powers of Darkness, Vangual transformed the living order into vampires, creatures that looked like mortals and had fearsome powers. Denied sanctuary in the mortal realms, these beings fled deep into the earth beneath the city of Veil where they became the First, the progenitors of the vampire races.
It is said that the dread god Vangual manifested amongst the burning buildings, ready to cast sentence upon those who had slain his faithful. Vangual’s wrath was terrible, he called for justice and the other gods turned away. They knew there was enough darkness festering in the hearts of the Ordo Nobilis to punish each of them forever. They had shown neither compassion nor wisdom in destroying so many, so very willingly. As the god of blood had lost his chosen, so the Ordo Nobilis became his new family. They became vampires - the Children of Vangual…
Salvatorian Vandadyne: Armed with the greatest of the Powers of Darkness, Vangual transformed the living order into vampires, creatures that looked like mortals and had fearsome powers. Denied sanctuary in the mortal realms, these beings fled deep into the earth beneath the city of Veil where they became the First, the progenitors of the vampire races.
It is said that the dread god Vangual manifested amongst the burning buildings, ready to cast sentence upon those who had slain his faithful. Vangual’s wrath was terrible, he called for justice and the other gods turned away. They knew there was enough darkness festering in the hearts of the Ordo Nobilis to punish each of them forever. They had shown neither compassion nor wisdom in destroying so many, so very willingly. As the god of blood had lost his chosen, so the Ordo Nobilis became his new family. They became vampires - the Children of Vangual…
Lord Melanch Abraxia, Lord of the Blood Knights of Avystervan: Armed with the greatest of the Powers of Darkness, Vangual transformed the living order into vampires, creatures that looked like mortals and had fearsome powers. Denied sanctuary in the mortal realms, these beings fled deep into the earth beneath the city of Veil where they became the First, the progenitors of the vampire races.
It is said that the dread god Vangual manifested amongst the burning buildings, ready to cast sentence upon those who had slain his faithful. Vangual’s wrath was terrible, he called for justice and the other gods turned away. They knew there was enough darkness festering in the hearts of the Ordo Nobilis to punish each of them forever. They had shown neither compassion nor wisdom in destroying so many, so very willingly. As the god of blood had lost his chosen, so the Ordo Nobilis became his new family. They became vampires - the Children of Vangual…
Agoravaal The Damned Vampire Mage: Armed with the greatest of the Powers of Darkness, Vangual transformed the living order into vampires, creatures that looked like mortals and had fearsome powers. Denied sanctuary in the mortal realms, these beings fled deep into the earth beneath the city of Veil where they became the First, the progenitors of the vampire races.
It is said that the dread god Vangual manifested amongst the burning buildings, ready to cast sentence upon those who had slain his faithful. Vangual’s wrath was terrible, he called for justice and the other gods turned away. They knew there was enough darkness festering in the hearts of the Ordo Nobilis to punish each of them forever. They had shown neither compassion nor wisdom in destroying so many, so very willingly. As the god of blood had lost his chosen, so the Ordo Nobilis became his new family. They became vampires - the Children of Vangual…
Ishtyx: Armed with the greatest of the Powers of Darkness, Vangual transformed the living order into vampires, creatures that looked like mortals and had fearsome powers. Denied sanctuary in the mortal realms, these beings fled deep into the earth beneath the city of Veil where they became the First, the progenitors of the vampire races.
It is said that the dread god Vangual manifested amongst the burning buildings, ready to cast sentence upon those who had slain his faithful. Vangual’s wrath was terrible, he called for justice and the other gods turned away. They knew there was enough darkness festering in the hearts of the Ordo Nobilis to punish each of them forever. They had shown neither compassion nor wisdom in destroying so many, so very willingly. As the god of blood had lost his chosen, so the Ordo Nobilis became his new family. They became vampires - the Children of Vangual…
Kynosh, The Blood-Stained Druid: Armed with the greatest of the Powers of Darkness, Vangual transformed the living order into vampires, creatures that looked like mortals and had fearsome powers. Denied sanctuary in the mortal realms, these beings fled deep into the earth beneath the city of Veil where they became the First, the progenitors of the vampire races.
It is said that the dread god Vangual manifested amongst the burning buildings, ready to cast sentence upon those who had slain his faithful. Vangual’s wrath was terrible, he called for justice and the other gods turned away. They knew there was enough darkness festering in the hearts of the Ordo Nobilis to punish each of them forever. They had shown neither compassion nor wisdom in destroying so many, so very willingly. As the god of blood had lost his chosen, so the Ordo Nobilis became his new family. They became vampires - the Children of Vangual…
Raxx, Leader of the Black Eye: Armed with the greatest of the Powers of Darkness, Vangual transformed the living order into vampires, creatures that looked like mortals and had fearsome powers. Denied sanctuary in the mortal realms, these beings fled deep into the earth beneath the city of Veil where they became the First, the progenitors of the vampire races.
It is said that the dread god Vangual manifested amongst the burning buildings, ready to cast sentence upon those who had slain his faithful. Vangual’s wrath was terrible, he called for justice and the other gods turned away. They knew there was enough darkness festering in the hearts of the Ordo Nobilis to punish each of them forever. They had shown neither compassion nor wisdom in destroying so many, so very willingly. As the god of blood had lost his chosen, so the Ordo Nobilis became his new family. They became vampires - the Children of Vangual…
Toth: Armed with the greatest of the Powers of Darkness, Vangual transformed the living order into vampires, creatures that looked like mortals and had fearsome powers. Denied sanctuary in the mortal realms, these beings fled deep into the earth beneath the city of Veil where they became the First, the progenitors of the vampire races.
It is said that the dread god Vangual manifested amongst the burning buildings, ready to cast sentence upon those who had slain his faithful. Vangual’s wrath was terrible, he called for justice and the other gods turned away. They knew there was enough darkness festering in the hearts of the Ordo Nobilis to punish each of them forever. They had shown neither compassion nor wisdom in destroying so many, so very willingly. As the god of blood had lost his chosen, so the Ordo Nobilis became his new family. They became vampires - the Children of Vangual…
Vathan Gellean, The Hunter: Armed with the greatest of the Powers of Darkness, Vangual transformed the living order into vampires, creatures that looked like mortals and had fearsome powers. Denied sanctuary in the mortal realms, these beings fled deep into the earth beneath the city of Veil where they became the First, the progenitors of the vampire races.
It is said that the dread god Vangual manifested amongst the burning buildings, ready to cast sentence upon those who had slain his faithful. Vangual’s wrath was terrible, he called for justice and the other gods turned away. They knew there was enough darkness festering in the hearts of the Ordo Nobilis to punish each of them forever. They had shown neither compassion nor wisdom in destroying so many, so very willingly. As the god of blood had lost his chosen, so the Ordo Nobilis became his new family. They became vampires - the Children of Vangual…
Volik, Leader of the Blood Guard: Armed with the greatest of the Powers of Darkness, Vangual transformed the living order into vampires, creatures that looked like mortals and had fearsome powers. Denied sanctuary in the mortal realms, these beings fled deep into the earth beneath the city of Veil where they became the First, the progenitors of the vampire races.
It is said that the dread god Vangual manifested amongst the burning buildings, ready to cast sentence upon those who had slain his faithful. Vangual’s wrath was terrible, he called for justice and the other gods turned away. They knew there was enough darkness festering in the hearts of the Ordo Nobilis to punish each of them forever. They had shown neither compassion nor wisdom in destroying so many, so very willingly. As the god of blood had lost his chosen, so the Ordo Nobilis became his new family. They became vampires - the Children of Vangual…
Agan Ravarr: ?
Avernuus: ?
Corth The Grey, Ash Vampire: ?
Malik Faldein, Ravenous: ?
Moloch: Moloch is a bitter vampire. Horribly burned in the fires that ravaged Veil he was not one of the First. He fell in the great melee that destroyed the city. After his death, necromantic energies seeped into him, perhaps with a blessing from Vangual and he awoke at dusk the following night as the first Fire Vampire.
Arikostinaal, Lich: ?
Avystyx: ?
Ket Uth Makkar: ?
Phillian Artus Alucidan: ?
Blood Hound: Transformed from the worst performing vampire clerics in Vangual’s service, they are vaguely dog shaped, but with long crimson covered bodies and scarlet matted fur and piercing vermilion eyes.
Bloodling: They are favoured by Vangual and are said to be the transformed remnants of his enemies.
Children of Vangual, Age 1 Black Fighter 6: ?
Consanguineous Vampire: Consanguineous vampires the ‘least of vampires’ were created by the Black Cabal. A punishment inflicted upon their greatest enemies, consanguineous vampires are ravenous creatures tormented by madness and hunger. Created in a special ritual, the procedure of which is known only to members of the Black Cabal, the process transforms a mortal (or a vampire) into a consanguineous vampire.
Created by the Black Cabal,
Consanguineous Vampires are the least of vampires.
Vampire Ghoul: Created by the twisted diseases of the Ravenous and the sorceries of the Black Cabal, vampire ghouls are twisted versions of vampires.
Mortals devoured by a vampire ghoul rise up as vampire ghouls in 1d4 nights time.
Spellmite, Arcanus Phagum: Spellmites, or Arcanus Phagum are tiny vampiric creatures created by the Black Cabal.
Blood Leech: ?
Goblin Vampire: ?
Lizardman Vampire: ?
Ogre Vampire: ?
Orc Vampire: ?
Troll Vampire: ?
Beholder Vampire, Blood Tyrant: Not much is known about beholder vampires except that somehow, the transformation to undeath is possible.
Whispers abound of beholders created by Vangual known only as Blood Tyrants, evil and wicked creatures conjured by dark magic and filled with bloodlust for the mortal races.
Demon Vampire: Demons and outsiders typically can not be made into vampires. Only the greatest powers have the might to strip the divine energies from outsiders and transform them into vampires. The Black Cabal has had some minor success with lesser demons and devils, but on the whole, demonic blood will never support vampirism.
Devil Vampire: Demons and outsiders typically can not be made into vampires. Only the greatest powers have the might to strip the divine energies from outsiders and transform them into vampires. The Black Cabal has had some minor success with lesser demons and devils, but on the whole, demonic blood will never support vampirism.
Outsider Vampire: Demons and outsiders typically can not be made into vampires. Only the greatest powers have the might to strip the divine energies from outsiders and transform them into vampires. The Black Cabal has had some minor success with lesser demons and devils, but on the whole, demonic blood will never support vampirism.
Dragon Vampire: the Black Cabal have made a handful of dragons that now reside on the Elemental Planes of Ash or Negativity, allies and minions of the Necromancers that live there.
Ash Dragon: ?
Drider Vampire: ?
Drow Vampire: ?
Giant Vampire: Although the Black Cabal have successfully made a number of vampire giants, they do not adapt well to the change and the Black Kiss works rarely upon them.
Mind Flayer Vampire: ?

Undead: It is time to discuss the Void: the source of all darkness, the driving force that gives life to the undead and caresses their cold flesh with soothing hands of shadow.
The Void is pure darkness. It is the force that drives the undead, the power of evil and shadow. It corrupts the mind and slowly destroys the soul.

Curse of Vampirism
Necromancy
Level: Clr 9, Sor/Wiz 9
Components: V, S, M
Casting Time: 1 hour
Range: Touch
Target: Person touched
Duration: Permanent
Saving Throw: Will negates
Spell Resistance: Yes
You can transform a mortal into a vampire. Upon the spell’s completion, your target will be slain and will rise up as a Vampire Scion under your control or a fledgling vampire (your choice) 1d4 nights later.
Material Components: A mortal heart marinated in red wine with a pint of attuned vampire Blood and a pinch of vampire dust that the mortal must (be forced to) drink.

Lords of the Night: Zombies:

Spoiler

Zombie, Risen Dead: THE JOURNAL OF MALADAMIUS, ALCHEMIST
Monday 4th January - I am taking a break from my conventional research, for I have found something that greatly intrigues me. Whilst studying in the library late this eve I noticed a scrap of parchment that had fallen beneath my desk. The note was a formula of sorts, pertaining to the manipulation (and I presume subsequent re-animation of dead tissue). Curious...
Tuesday 5th January - I have spent much of the day searching the alchemy section of the library for information on this formula, but have found none. I have not been able to discover from where the parchment came nor any other reference works on so complex a subject. The scrap of paper was torn and the whole formula lost. The secret eludes my mind, but without a complete manuscript I have little on which to work but for tantalizing insights in to what might one day be possible. I shall not grasp at futile secrets. I shall instead accept that such things belong solely to the realm of fiction and not within my reach.
Thursday 8th January - It is no use. I have been trying to continue my own studies and cast aside the thoughts of the deeper alchemy. I have a paper to present this coming Friday – but I cannot get the formula out of my head.
Afternoon - I spoke with the head of my department who informed me that the knowledge I sought was as rare as the Philosopher’s stone. He quite clearly informed me that only through divine magic can the dead be truly restored to life. I have determined to prove the hypothesis that alchemy can lead to the reanimation of the dead. Then perhaps I can return to my own work with a clear mind.
Friday 13th February - I have converted my bedroom into a laboratory, of sorts, although I have used the laboratory in the great hall of wizardry whenever I could, secreting bottles of formaldehyde home in the depths of my cloak. I have abandoned my regular studies in the search for the true formula. The secret is out there, I merely need to find that elusive spark of life.
Friday 20th February - I have become something of a recluse and even my friends tired of my continual excuses and abandoned me to my research. It is for the best, for I am close now. I have created something that I believe resembles the formula spoken of upon the scrap of paper. This formula, I have called Serum, and I think that through it, I will bridge the gap between the living and the dead. A noble goal, I believe.
Saturday 21st February - The formula did not work. I injected a quart of the Serum into the corpse of a rat, with no discernible effect. Nothing seems to work. There are times when the Serum, a luminous green in color seems to elicit a response from some of the subjects, but they seem either too long dead or the formula is not strong enough to pull them back from death…
Saturday 6th March - One month of research; of refining and changing, of spending my entire (yet meager) wealth on equipment, rare potions and powders, I have come to conclusion that without the final part of the puzzle, I will never complete this task. The formula is simply too complex. It is with a heavy heart that I return to my own – admittedly mundane - studies. I only hope I can put this failure behind me and catch up on all that I have lost this past month.
Thursday 11th March - Something has vexed me all morning. The Serum did not work because the formula was wrong! It called for a single gram of moonsalt, but moonsalt is only an effective reagent in larger doses. Thus I will triple the quantity of moonsalt and reinject it into a fresh rat.
Evening - Gods be plagued. Once again the Serum has failed. I was sure it would have some effect upon the creature this time. The rat twitched and even opened its eyes and stared curiously around it before falling into a dormancy from which it would not awaken, no matter how much of the Serum I injected into it.
No matter. It is out of my mind now. I have failed and I must concentrate on more earthly (and practical matters).
Friday 12th March - I awoke this morning and curiously, the corpse of the rat had vanished. I was certain I left it on the table beside my bed, yet now, it is gone. I suspect foul play from my fellow students, who appear to have taken me back into the fold with open arms.
Sunday 14th March - I have been unable to sleep. Questions ravage my mind. What if the Serum worked and the rat simply walked away?
I have prepared another quart of Serum and injected it into a fresh rat. This time it is pinned to my dissection board and I am sitting watching.
Afternoon - Incredible! I left to fetch more ink from the stationer and when I returned the rat was squirming about on my worktop, fixed securely in place on the board. What to do now? I cannot concentrate on quicksilver this afternoon, but must instead obtain more moonsalt and laudanum.
Monday 15th March - The rat has vanished. The blood on the dissecting board suggests it tore itself free. Disconcerting; but who is to question the motives of lower species that rely solely on the most basic instincts? I shall move on to larger animals tomorrow.
I am supposed to be in the Great Hall delivering a paper on the properties of quicksilver, but it will have to wait.
If my experiments are a success my name will be forever etched into the halls of academia!
Friday 26th March - I have procured the fresh corpse of a scrawny hound. It is about ten times the size of the rat, so I have increased the concentration of the Serum by a factor of ten. I am injecting the Serum directly into its brain, in an attempt to quicken the reaction time.
Noon - The hound has awoken! Although I wish it had not, for it howls like some maddened creature, ululating with cries that seem to be issued from the very depths of hell itself.
I am glad it is secured with tight leather straps, for a great hunger fills its eyes when it looks upon me. Only then is it quiet, and then I wish it would howl again.
Late Afternoon - Will the creature not shut up?
Saturday 27th March - I have taken a hatchet to the damnable creature. It is quiet now, at least. Beasts are clearly too primitive to be animated successfully, lacking souls and all.
Tomorrow I shall speak with the physician – a drinking friend of mine – whose ward this is and see about obtaining a creature of a higher order, for it is now on the highest form of life that I must test my work.
Sunday 28th March - My laboratory has been upturned and the body of the hound is gone! Its head remains, although I shall dispose of it today. It stares at me still with those hungry eyes. Was this some manner of burglary? Has one of my colleagues been seized by a fit of jealousy? Or did the creature – like the rats – walk away by itself? I cannot torment myself by such thoughts.
Evening - I have returned from my meeting with the physician. He has agreed to obtain for me a fresh cadaver and I cannot express how overjoyed I am. To converse with someone freshly returned from the grave; that will be an experience unlike any other. To converse with the dead; to discover what lies beyond the veil of death. These are things of which dreams are made.
Tuesday 6th April - I was roused from my sleep late last night by a resounding knock at the door. It was a servant of the physician bearing a large sack. I swiftly admitted him and the cadaver now lies in my cellar. I am moving my laboratory down there, for it is more secure. And hidden from casual observance.
Afternoon - I have begun my calculations for the concentration of Serum needed. A great quantity is needed for the cadaver, which by all accounts, was a laborer who fell from the top of a nearby construction and broke his neck. The clerics may not have been able to do anything for him but perhaps I might…
Evening - I injected a measure of the Serum into the brain of the fellow and waited. Finally he stirred, his eyes rolling wildly in his head and an expression of terror on his face. He gave a low gasp, then he was still. I have re-injected the Serum into his heart, in ever-increasing doses, to no effect.
Midnight - A terrible shriek summoned me to the cellar while I was trying to get a rare few moments rest. The cadaver was sitting bolt upright, screaming and shrieking in agony (or perhaps fright). He had somehow broken loose of the bonds around his wrists and was flailing wildly. I will leave him for now, and see how long the Serum lasts.
The first chills of the grave wash over me as I realize the grisly extent to which my research has taken me, but I must cast off such emotions in the name of scientific discovery.
Monday 17th May - I believe I have perfected the quantities of Serum needed. I managed to rouse the cadaver once more, and he wailed until dawn before falling still. I shall reanimate him when I awaken.
Late Evening - I have successfully reanimated the cadaver for a third time. It would seem that, so long as I have sufficient Serum, I can keep at this indefinitely. With each injection the look of awareness seems to gather in the corpse’s eyes. I have hope that with enough time I can confer sufficient intellect upon this corpse to enable it to speak…
Saturday 19th June - It has been quite a taxing few days – I have been so busy that I have hardly had the time to eat, let alone detail my findings in this journal. I have obtained four more corpses, all of which have been animated successfully. I have buried two of them in the graveyard, for I do not need quite so many cadavers in my cellar. The rest are still for now, but I only have to inject Serum into their veins to bring them back to life.
Monday 21st June - Most exciting is the last of the corpses I animated, for it possesses intelligence! I have had quite a conversation with it this past day, although its mind seems addled and fogged by death. Perhaps it was like that in life. I cannot deny that the creatures I animate look at me innocently enough, yet behind their eyes lies a monstrous and almost feral hunger.
Were they not restrained I believe I would fear for my safety.
Noon - I am preparing for the final experiment. Tonight I shall inject the Serum into my own veins. If my journal ends here, the experiment has failed and I am naught but another lifeless cadaver.
Wednesday 23rd June - I write to you from the other side of the threshold of life and death. The Serum was a complete success. I felt death grasp at me and my heart cease to beat. My vision darkened and all was still. Then I awakened, as though from the deepest slumber and found that a whole day had passed. It feels different. Yes, very different. But I feel strong! And hungry, ever so hungry.
Over the years many twisted monstrosities were created by Gariach in his attempts to unlock the secrets of life and death. Some were swiftly destroyed while others were left to roam the dusty halls of his mansion, acting as guardians and servants to the madness-stricken wizard. His mansion became a grisly place of death, of gruesome horrors, horrendous abominations and the walking dead...
Finally, one night, some ten years later, Gariach found the success he desired. He managed to bring a local blacksmith back to unlife with his soul and mind intact. Gariach repeated the process, this time with the corpse of a watchman he had magically transported into the mansion. Again, although his reanimated body was cold and very much dead, his mind and soul were present, unlike the other undead monstrosities he had created before.
Over the years, Gariach discovered and catalogued countless methods of reanimating the dead from all across the mortal realms, but he was unhappy with all of them. None of them would restore his wife in exactly the way he desired. He sought a master process, one that would precisely approximate the motions of life. Gariach came to the conclusion early on in his research that he would never be able to emulate the gods. His Paths did not create living, breathing creatures, but beings animated by the blackest science or magic. They were the undead.
As Gariach desperately studied death, he discovered six very different methods existed to restore the dead to unlife. Known as Paths, these six areas of wisdom: Alchemy, Corruption, Ether, Invocation, Sorcery and Surgery, are all the blackest forms of knowledge and only those that have (perhaps) stepped over the line of sanity should learn them (or those that do not care about their souls once they finally depart their mortal coil). Once learned, a Path allows a mortal to cast back the veil of death and to restore a semblance of life back to the dead, but one should be warned: the six Paths are not a route to absolute success and as with all things, the restoration of the dead is never an exact science. One might unlock a terrible doom in the quest for immortality, bringing back more than just the soul of the deceased in the process. Sometimes, the fates deem a soul irretrievably destroyed and not fit for reanimation. When such a creature is made, there are always strange (and sometimes horrifying) results. A creature made by one of these Paths is known as one of the Risen.
The process by which a Risen is brought back from death (reanimated) is known as the Kindling. The creature’s spark of life is re-ignited, recovering a portion of the vitality they held in life.
When a Risen is reanimated, they are imbued with a certain amount of life force. Known as Corpus, this essence mirrors the vitality of the living; it is pure, living energy. The Risen are undead beings, animated by necromancy, but within each stirs a flicker of mortal vitality.
While most of the Risen are reanimated through external methods, a Risen may (far more rarely) reanimate spontaneously. Why this happens is still a mystery; even Gariach himself expressed consternation at being denied the wisdom as to why a Revenant returns from death without magical intervention. Spontaneous Kindling seems to be attributed to random magical influences than to any specific process and such creatures are typically rare and powerful individuals beyond Gariach’s wisdom.
Each of the six Paths of Creation allows the maker to create a different type of Risen.
The skill of Risen creation is divided up into six unique feats that must be painstakingly researched in a laboratory or taught by a skilled tutor to any creator that meets the base requirements. Risen creation feats are standard item creation feats that can be purchased with normal character feats (when all research is completed). Anyone that knows one of the Risen creation feats can create a Risen of that type (although there are limits on the number of Risen that can be created). A creator must successfully research one Path of Creation before he can begin studying another.
The process for creating a Risen is as follows:
1. Select a base creature, complete with class levels.
2. Convert the Constitution of the base creature into Corpus energy on a one-for-one basis. All Risen begin play with a minimum Permanent Corpus score of 10.
3. Apply a Risen template to the base creature, converting Hit Dice, type to undead (or living dead) and acquiring the listed
attacks and special abilities.
4. Purchase up to three Corpus powers (adding up the total number of Marks of Decay the powers you gain).
5. Your DM will select your Marks of Decay up to your required total as purchased by your Corpus powers. You automatically begin play with all required Marks of Decay, even if you did not buy sufficient Corpus powers to offset those Marks of Decay.
Required Marks of Decay are always used to offset Corpus powers.
6. Calculate Signum by adding up the total number of Marks of Decay. Adjust the effects of any Corpus powers and Marks of Decay that are altered by Signum.
When Gariach created the first Risen Dead, his procedures were tailored towards humans, and thus would only work on human corpses.
Over the centuries Gariach’s Paths have been greatly modified, with varying results, including the ability to create demi-human Risen Dead.
Regardless of the alterations made to the procedures, the methods of creation only effect corporeal humanoid corpses. Attempts to create Risen giants, dragons and other monstrous undead have met with varying degrees of failure - although there have been some successes: the destruction of the coastal town of Amburgh is thought to be as the result of an attempt to create a Risen kraken by a cult devoted to its worship. What became of the hopelessly insane, undead creature remains a mystery.
The procedures used to transform magical creatures into Risen are as yet unknown. But the secrets are out there...
Gariach was ready. For hours had he prepared, casting spells, performing rites and scattering ointments and powders into the air. Sariah’s face was sprinkled with silver, her cheeks glistening like fire when the light from the candelabra caught it.
The mage stood at the head of the great stone dais upon which his wife lay. He took up a great book in one arm, and raised the other to the skies, “Relash-uurman, est, ethlakar,” he shouted, as if speaking directly to the heavens, “Uvuuth Ost Avantikarr,” the words echoed throughout the Manse, repeating themselves over and over until they finally faded from hearing. In response, lightning crashed somewhere overheard.
“Wake up, my love.” Gariach whispered, bending over the motionless form of his wife and reaching out to take her hand.
Yet he faltered; for all of his desires, all of his conviction, something deep within whispered to him – as it did every night when he lay writhing in his bed – the voice of doubt.
This will never be your wife Gariach. Oh she will be returned to you, but she will never be the same. She may look the same, she may sound the same, but nothing you do will ever return your wife to you.
Be silent, fools! He hissed inwardly. Cease your taunting. My wife will be returned to me.
The voices were silent.
The next moments were a blur. Gariach performed the remainder of the ritual, screaming out a mix of near-unpronounceable vowels and harsh, grinding consonants. With every word, lightning ravaged the world outside the Manse and rain lashed down upon the windows. Finally it was almost dawn, when, exhausted and hoarse beyond words, Gariach said the final words of the ritual that would infuse his wife with vitality once more. The morning sun glimmered upon the horizon, a pale sliver of orange in a plum-colored sky and still lightning raged overhead, illuminating the chamber in electric yellow, and casting stark shadows across the walls.
Lightning crashed across the chamber; the chandelier exploded with a deafening crack, sending sparkling cinders of glass cascading across the room. Gariach lifted up his arms protectively to shield his eyes, and waited, feeling his heart pounding in his chest.
The room was quiet, and deathly still. The dust had slowly settled and a terrible silence had fallen over the Manse. There on the dais, alone and bathed in twilight, Sariah opened her eyes…
An intriguing way to include the Risen in an existing campaign is to have a recently deceased character return to unlife – intentionally or otherwise. Although normally infallible, a raise dead or similar spell may go awry. Interference of evil spirits; impure thoughts on the part of the caster; location, or the flaws inherent in the beliefs of a cleric have all been known to cause ill effects with spellcasting – leading to the return of a character as one of the Risen Dead.
The Character has died and gone to their god, but they have been punished for their crimes/lack of faith and returned to the mortal realms as one of the Fallen; a Risen of any particular type.
Alchemical Zombie: The Path of Alchemy allows the creation of Alchemical Zombies, living dead beings bound to their life-giving Serum.
When Gariach first began his studies to restore life to his beloved wife, he discovered the life-giving properties of the raw elements of nature. When brewed to the most precise alchemical specifications, the resulting viscous fluid (called Serum) will restore life to the dead. While scholars have been seeking the formula for the elixir of life for centuries, Gariach discovered that it was in fact easier to approximate it through a process that created not actual life, but a facsimile of it. This ‘elixir of unlife’ was the closest thing to restoring life to the dead, although it never quite brings them back as they once were…
The Path of Alchemy is the only way in which a mortal may transform himself into one of the Risen (although injecting oneself with Serum involves certain death with no guarantee of successfully reanimating as an Alchemical Zombie). Such are the risks of gaining great power and life after death.
An alchemist must be in possession of a working reanimation formula before they can begin making Serum. The formula is rarely found and even more rarely sold. Researching the formula requires 4d6 months, but the alchemist must have some rudimentary information upon which to work (without such a base, research takes 2d6 years).
Serum is made from the brain fluid of dead creatures, combined with other sensitive internal organs. It is brewed slowly over the course of twenty four hours along with various other ingredients to a total of 50 gp. To complete the process, the alchemist must make a Craft (alchemy) check (DC 25). A failed check incorrectly brews the Serum and while it may still be used, it may have undesired results. Depending on the degree by which the check was failed: the corpse could remain dormant; it could be animated as a mundane zombie, or worse: it could return as a Hollow One. An application of Serum provides 10 points of Corpus (to an Alchemical Zombie only).
Correctly brewed Serum is a viscous golden-yellow fluid that smells strangely organic and rather coppery. Serum can only be made in a well-stocked laboratory or a room specially equipped to brew it. A single corpse provides sufficient bodily materials to make two to four applications of Serum. Once distilled, Serum lasts indefinitely (although particularly old Serum may have a number of unusual side-effects: it might create horribly deranged Risen, or it may not work at all).
Once prepared, the Serum must be injected into a fresh cadaver. The first injection is the most important part of the process, and is exceptionally sensitive to the condition of the corpse. For every hour that has passed since death, there is a 10% chance that something will go wrong with the reanimation process. Insufficiently fresh corpses will result in animating creations with unexpected side effects (they may arise with horrific mental defects or monstrous urges).
If the formula has been successfully brewed, the Alchemical Zombie Kindles immediately and stirs into unlife within 2d4 hours.
If injected into a living person – the target must make a Fortitude save every hour (DC 18) or lose 1 point of Constitution. When they reach 0 Constitution, they die an agonizing death (the cure requires a neutralize poison and a heal (or better) spell from a 10th level cleric). The corpse will then arise 2d12 hours later as an Alchemical Zombie.
While many alchemists may be willing to perform the grisly task of reanimating human dead, others are content to work on more simple creatures. Animals can be reanimated much in the same way as living beings (with a much smaller dose of Serum). As with living mortals, the process is not exact and on occasion the use of Serum can create monstrous aberrations with terrible mental deficiencies: bloated, killer rats and blood-hungry dogs.
The Alchemical Zombie is such a theory made manifest: a cadaver reanimated by the application of alchemy through Serum: the elixir of unlife.
Of all the Risen Dead, the Alchemical (or Serum) Zombie appears the least corpselike. This is in part because the process only works on the freshest of corpses, and partly because the Serum is a powerful preservative.
“Alchemical Zombie” is an acquired template that can be added to any corporeal creature (other than undead) that has a skeletal system.
Distill Serum feat.
Eldritch Zombie: The Path of Sorcery allows the creation of Eldritch Zombies, monstrous beings that devour magic.
Of all the routes Gariach followed to restore Sariah, the Path of Sorcery was perhaps the most terrible, for it called upon the darkest of enchantments to create a being that was literally ravaged by magic.
The Rite of the Scourge: This mystical rite creates an Eldritch Zombie. It is considered a most terrible ritual, both in its performance and upon those it touches. There are few that will risk the wrath of the gods to perform it and even fewer that actually choose to perform the Rite of the Scourge upon a willing subject.
The rite can be taught by a willing teacher or from a book. It takes approximately a week to learn the complex incantations and gestures necessary to perform the rite from a teacher, and no less than a month to study the processes set down on paper.
The rite requires many rare and complex items in order to be successfully performed. The caster must ensure that the corpse to be Kindled was slain by a magical death effect (such as power word kill). Most necromancers bring a living body back to their laboratory where they can prepare it at their leisure.
The rite requires that a circle of silver is drawn around the cadaver as well as the lighting of many candles made from the fat of arcane spellcasters. The rite takes four hours to perform, and must result in the destruction of a magical item that is at least as old as the caster. The caster may have no assistance in performing the rite and all items used cannot have been touched by another living being within one month of their use or the entire process must be started afresh.
Once the rite is completed, the caster makes a
Spellcraft check (DC25) to Kindle the corpse. A success infuses the cadaver with the mystical energies of the Scourge, reanimating them as an Eldritch Zombie with a single point of Corpus in 1d4 hours. It must feed within one hour of its creation or fall back into a mystical slumber from which it cannot be awakened.
A Scourge is often spontaneously animated (in very rare cases) when the dead are buried (or have fallen) in places rich with powerful magic (such as: areas of wild magic, sites of powerful rituals or the resting place of an artifact). A creature slain by excessively powerful magic may also arise as a Scourge (a mortal slain by a wish spell, for example), although such reanimations are rare indeed.
Animated in places of great magical power, the Eldritch Zombie is blight upon magic.
They do not realize that I was created by the darkest powers to devour their arcane mumblings.
“Eldritch Zombie” is an acquired template that can be added to any corporeal creature (other than an undead) that has a skeletal system.
Rite of the Scourge feat.
Ether Zombie: The Path of Ether allows the creation of the Ether Zombie, undead beings that can temporarily expend their life force to animate the dead around them for a period.
Gariach speculated that a body could be reanimated through infusions of spiritual energy from other living beings. He believed that by binding the souls of the living to the preserved spirit of the deceased, he could tether a soul to reality - thus allowing complete reanimation. The resulting process creates yet another undead being, but the creature has a more malleable spirit, buffered by the forces of necromancy and sustained by the life force of the living.
Gariach successfully mastered this process and created several creations (he named Ether Zombies) before discarding the process as being ‘unsuitable’ for the reanimation of his dead wife. He deemed the procedure ‘too fickle’, that ether was highly unstable, and that it produced uncertain mental aberrations in those reanimated.
Often considered one of the most gruesome of the Paths of Gariach, the Process of Necrotic Transfusion involves the direct transfer of life force from the living to the dead. Through specially crafted receptacles, the cadaver is prepared and then is Kindled at the expense of the living. This process creates an Ether Zombie (although the results are not always certain; many aberrations have been made over the years as a result of incorrectly applied amounts of life force). The draining of life force from the living is said to be agonizing and many careless necromancers have been destroyed by the local militia, having been alerted to the grisly goings-on by the wails of the still-living echoing from their laboratories.
This procedure is inherently dark and only non-good characters will ever perform it. There are those that consider using evil (or the unspeakably wicked) souls in the process, believing that in the destruction of their souls, the balance against the living is repaid ‘an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth’, but many consider it the highest crime against life and indeed, against nature itself.
The process can be learned by any would-be scholar from a necromancer that has successfully performed the procedure on at least five separate occasions. It takes approximately 40 days (minus the Intelligence score of the pupil) to learn and the student must successfully perform the process to complete their training.
The Laboratory must be well-prepared for the reanimation process. It must have both an Ether Machine, the receptacles for the energy transfusion as well as a number of Ether Glyphs needed to store the spiritual energy required for the process.
In addition, the laboratory must be spiritually warded against extra-planar intrusion as well as having sufficient space for the living that are part of this process (usually glass containers that stand upright from which enchanted tubes pass their essence into a central ‘refinement’ crystal).
The creature to be reanimated must be slain with the draining of each of their levels into a number of magical receptacles known as Ether Glyphs. The corpse must be embalmed with an acrid smelling substance made from organic minerals, life-giving salts and ether. The necromancer must then tattoo various mystical symbols upon the body of the cadaver (this takes about eight hours). These tattoos capture the ether and magical essences, focusing the spirit and allowing the Risen to harness the life force of others.
The necromancer needs to know how much life force he needs to instill into the corpse before he can reanimate the flesh. He does this by ‘weighing’ the soul of the (still living) creature with Spirit Scales – a mystical device made up of tiny bronze weights that weigh the soul and tell the necromancer exactly how much life force he should use in the creation process. A heavy (higher level) soul requires a lot of life force whereas a weaker (lighter) soul requires only a small amount.
The process takes between ten and twenty minutes to perform, involving the spiritual energy of the living being stripped from their bodies and bound into the cadaver. It takes approximately one minute to drain one level from a mortal (the process confers one negative level upon them per minute; these levels are restored if the process is interrupted before its completion). At the end of the process, the spiritual energy is transfused into the cadaver in an incandescent swirl of life essence. Ribbons of amber, violet, azure and vermillion burst around the corpse as the Ether Glyphs release their vital energy. At the end of the procedure, the Ether Zombie is immediately Kindled, with Corpus equal to its maximum Permanent score.
The souls used in the Kindling process are forever destroyed with no possible chance of resurrection. They have been absorbed by the Ether Zombie and cannot be separated. It would take nothing short of a miracle far beyond the power of the gods to unwork such terrible magic. This is considered a most despicable form of reanimation.
“Ether Zombie” is an acquired template that can be added to any corporeal creature (other than an undead) that has a skeletal system.
Process of the Necrotic Transfusion feat.
Golem Zombie: The Path of Surgery allows the creation of Golem Zombie, beings created not from one corpse but from many stitched together and animated by the primal energies of nature.
The Surgical Process: This rather ghoulish process creates a Golem Zombie: a being reanimated from death, the spark of life rekindled through an electrical process. Through this procedure, the creator literally makes a humanoid by stitching together the preserved body parts of others.
The brain, internal organs, limbs and even flesh must be sourced and carefully preserved in liquids painstakingly brewed to ensure the organs are kept in perfect condition before they are used.
The process can be learned from a surgeon with the skill (taking just 2d4 months) or it can be discovered through careful research and painstaking (and ghoulish) experimentation. The researcher may make an Intelligence check at the end of each full year they have spent researching the Path of Surgery (DC 30). The DC falls by 1 with every additional year they spend in study. With comprehensive notes from another surgeon, the DC falls to 25 (-2 per additional year of study).
A Golem Zombie is created through a combination of surgery, crafting and alchemy. It must comprise of at least six separate components: head and brain, torso, two arms and two legs. The majority of the components must come from living creatures, but need not necessarily come from the same creature. Note: Some body parts, with the exception of the head and brain, may be artificial. A Golem Zombie may be constructed with weapons grafted in place of an arm or hand (this requires specialist knowledge - see Black Surgeon).
To assemble the components the crafter must bind them together using a combination of staples, metal studs and leather straps. Construction can take a variable number of hours, depending on the number of cadavers used and the quality of the internal organs. It takes approximately eight hours to prepare a creature for reanimation (if all the parts are prepared in advance).
Once the creature is made, the creator must make a Craft (Leatherworking) check and a Heal check (both with DC 15). A success has crafted a corpse suitable for reanimation. The flesh must then be injected with a thick and syrupy embalming fluid that reacts to electrical energy.
There are occasions when a surgeon does not have access to all the internal organs and body parts required for the creation of a Golem Zombie. In such instances, flesh and organs can be preserved indefinitely with their injection and/or suspension in preserving fluid. The creation of this fluid requires an alchemy skill of 12 ranks and costs 100 gp for sufficient fluid to contain one internal organ (such as the brain). Preserving fluid takes approximately twelve hours to brew and requires a well-stocked laboratory.
To reanimate the flesh, a mechanical device known as a Brass Heart must be fashioned and inserted into the chest cavity of the assembled corpse. Roughly spherical, the Brass Heart costs 500 gp and requires a Crafting (metalworking) skill of 12 ranks and has a crafting DC of 20. While inside the Risen, the Brass Heart is wholly inert and cannot be affected in any way.
The demands placed upon a creator to successfully reanimate the flesh are considerable. They must have access to large amounts of electricity to Kindle the cadaver, plus their laboratory must be well-stocked with some very expensive equipment. Most surgeons build their laboratories on high ground where storms are frequent or use magic to conjure storms when needed. Some employ druids to assist them in their grisly work, while others learn the elemental spells needed to power their experiments.
It costs approximately 10,000 gp to 50,000 gp to purchase and set up the equipment needed to specifically reanimate the dead. Many items parts are hard to find and their installation can raise some strange questions by those building their recondite devices in mysterious laboratories high up in stormy mountain ranges.
Once all preparations are complete, the newly prepared cadaver must receive eight points of electricity damage for every point of Corpus the Golem Zombie is to possess. This ‘charging’ must be inflicted within one hour of the Corpse’s completion, or the entire Kindling process must be done afresh. A newly Kindled Golem Zombie begins with a Temporary Corpus score equal to its Permanent Corpus.
The Golem Zombie is not created from a single corpse, but from the body parts of several creatures stitched together to create a Risen not unlike a flesh golem in appearance.
“Golem Zombie” is an acquired template that can be added to any corporeal creature or creatures.
Craft Golem Zombie feat.
Mock Zombie: The Path of Corruption allows the creation of Mock Zombies, beings animated through vampiric energy and bound to an ever-changing, liquid form.
When Gariach was experimenting with the dead and their endless internment in the grave, he discovered that some cadavers naturally animate, for reasons unknown. He was experimenting with unlife, in particular with vampires and liches, studying the necromantic processes involved in their creation. He called this the Path of Binding, and in trying to recreate the process, discovered that the necromantic energies could be corrupted, transforming vampires and mortals into the creatures now known as Mock Zombies. Through this process, mortals that would otherwise become vampires would instead become lesser creatures, the entropic forces diminishing their essence and leaving them filled with festering rot and decay.
The Path of Binding was designed to harness the necromantic energies of the undead in an attempt to restore life to the slain. The process, through a complex array of crystals and cables, was intended to channel the energy of the undead by converting entropic energy into life-giving vitality. It failed, corrupting all used in the procedure, turning them into Mock Zombies. Its name was changed and it was left as nothing more than a curse, used by evil necromancers to transform their enemies into Mock Zombies.
Any man of science, alchemy or learned individual can learn this Path, having a very well equipped laboratory designed specifically for the purpose of reanimating the dead. The process can be mastered with a teacher in 1d6 months, or it can be researched, but it is very hard to learn. The student must have access to several Mock Zombies and at least one powerful corporeal undead creature. Research takes 1d4+1 years, at which point the researcher can make an Intelligence check (DC25). Every additional year they spend in research allows another Intelligence check to master the creation process (the DC is lowered by 2 for each additional year of research).
The binding process is not only expensive, it is time-consuming and difficult to perform. A necromancer must have a well-equipped laboratory before he can begin the process. He must have an network of quartz crystals and magical cabling installed, costing 50,000 gp to purchase and requiring six months to prepare. He must have a wide range of rare potions and unguents to inject into and apply to the corpse costing in the region of 5,000 gp.
Lastly, the equipment needed to perform the binding process is fragile, expensive and time-consuming to create, costing around 20,000 gp and taking approximately four months to make.
The cadaver must be injected with a syringe of fresh vampire blood and placed within an intricate network of crystals and magically attuned silver cabling. The corpse may not have been dead for more than 24 hours, or the entire process will fail (or the cadaver will animate purely as a feral zombie). A vampire of no fewer than 5HD must be used to power the procedure. The vampire must have been in existence for longer than one year (or they can not provide sufficient energies to fuel the necromantic process).
The process takes about one hour for the necromantic energies to pass from the vampire to the cadaver. Blue-black flashes of energy coruscate between the two corpses during the process as the vampire grows slowly weaker. Finally, the vampire passes into a form of unconsciousness, and finally, death, at which point they are reduced to inert ashes (from which there is no returning). At the end of the process, the corpse is animated as a Mock Zombie with 1 point of Corpus for every hit die the vampire possessed.
A Mock Zombie is almost never created deliberately, instead created by mistake when a vampire fails to rise after the Black Kiss (or through some other vampiric creation process - but never through a typical spell). It is not unheard of for entire groups of vampires to fail to rise when expected, only to emerge over the centuries as Mock Zombies. Rumors abound of a terrible rite known to the Black Council that is powerful enough to strip a vampire of his mystical prowess and forcing his undead flesh to decay, turning him into a Mock Zombie.
The Mock Zombie is a would-be vampire whose Black Kiss has failed and caused them to lie in their coffins for weeks, months or even years before they rose, not as one of the Children of Vangual but as one of the Risen.
“Mock Zombie” is an acquired template that can be added to any corporeal creature (other than undead) that has a skeletal system.
Create Mock Zombie feat.
Revenant Zombie: The Path of Invocation allows the creation of the Revenant Zombie, a being pulled from their eternal slumber in order to perform a task for their creator.
The Rite of Pathos conjures a spirit and Kindles a corpse into a Revenant Zombie, either to right an injustice or to (more commonly) bind a particular spirit to a necromancer’s will for a period, forcing them to endure a form of slavery.
The ritual can be learned by any with
the desire and ability to learn it. It is jealously guarded by scholars and the necromancers that know it. Few actually know the true rite; most animate wisps of smoke and deranged spirits from the nether realms. It takes just 48 hours to learn the rite from one that has successfully performed it and 7 days to learn if the pupil has only the written form of the rite from which to learn.
The caster must protect the area in which he is to perform the Rite with a mystical circle scribed from a powdered mix of silver, salt and chalk. Failure to correctly perform the protective rites will result in the nether spirits conjured during the ritual being loosed to attack the caster during the rite. The caster must be present at the location of the deceased, or at some location that has a direct bearing on their death (such as the place of their demise).
The rite takes 1 hour to perform, during which time the caster cannot be disturbed or lose his concentration in any way (lest the rite fail and any spirits conjured be let loose upon him). The caster must be in possession of an item that was of value to the deceased in order for the rite to work. This can even be a living member of the deceased’s family (if the necromancer wishes to have a bargaining chip under his belt during the Covenant of Binding).
At the Rite’s conclusion, the deceased’s soul materializes to form the Covenant of Binding with the necromancer. If both parties agree, the spirit is bound into its original body (or the body of another should the original be unsuitable) and the Revenant is Kindled on full Corpus.
Some emotions are so strong that their reach extends beyond the grave, clutching at the hearts of the dead and refusing them rest. Love, hate, revenge and loyalty are all emotions strong enough to bring a Revenant Zombie back to life. Revenants walk the earth for two very different reasons:
Bound Revenants: By being bound by a necromancer or powerful figure for a period of service.
Unbound Revenants: To complete a task left incomplete by their death – to avenge the death of a loved one; to hunt down and slay the last of their hated foes, or to rescue the master in whose service they died defending.
Unbound Revenants: Are created spontaneously (or are summoned) due to something bringing them back from death. All have some mission upon the earth (their Quest) that they must complete before they can find eternal rest.
“Revenant Zombie” is an acquired template that can be added to any corporeal creature (other than an undead) that has a skeletal system.
Spontaneous animation, while rare, happens occasionally. It is usually triggered by powerful emotion at the site of a mortal’s death (or where they have a connection to the mortal realms). Tears of the bereaved upon their gravestone, or the blood of the innocent; there are many ways to trigger the return of a Revenant. Strong emotions can, with the aid of magic, stir the dead back into life, albeit with a terrible desire to put right their wrongs.
The Rite of Pathos feat.
Calthar Brecht, Human Alchemical Zombie Wizard 10: ?
Irisu, Human Eldritch Zombie Rogue 5, Assassin 5: It was not the wizard that slew Irisu, but his magical defences. But death was not the end for Irisu, for the magic that slew him also reanimated him as a Scourge.
Brevik Enkilian, Human Ether Zombie Wizard 14: ?
Tolvek, Human Golem Zombie Barbarian 12: In life he was four or five different people, mostly warriors from his tribe, all slain by the wizard Kathrasin. Tolvek was reanimated by the evil wizard to serve as a bodyguard.
Ricard Lupus, Human Mock Zombie Rogue 10: In life, Ricard was a thief and grave robber with a penchant for fencing artifacts and relics. One night he had the misfortune of breaking into a tomb inhabited by a beautiful vampire who, taking a fancy to the unfortunate thief, gifted him with the Black Kiss. Before Ricard could rise as a vampire, a group of priests attacked the vampire, staking her and consecrating the ground. Ricard lay in a state of limbo, not quite dead and yet not alive either. It was five years later that Ricard awoke, not as a vampire but as a Mock Zombie.
Kargan, Human Revenant Zombie Fighter 12: ?
Ash Dragon: They reproduce by stealing the eggs from other dragons and corrupting them with powerful necromantic rituals.
Feral Zombie: A feral zombie is created when a mortal is slain (or bitten within seven days) by a Risen. These corpses Kindle, creating a creature with dark, terrible eyes, the ability to move normally, and an endless and ceaseless appetite for living flesh: a feral zombie...
Any creature slain by a feral zombie rises up as a feral zombie within 1d6 rounds. Any creature bitten or scratched by a feral zombie that dies within seven days of receiving that wound will automatically rise up as a feral zombie.
A creature slain by an Eldritch Zombie has a 5% chance of rising up as a feral zombie.
There is a 1% chance for every level/HD of the Ether Zombie that any mortal upon whom they slay through feeding will reanimate as a feral zombie within 1d6 rounds of their death.
The cadaver to be turned into a mock zombie must be injected with a syringe of fresh vampire blood and placed within an intricate network of crystals and magically attuned silver cabling. The corpse may not have been dead for more than 24 hours, or the entire process will fail (or the cadaver will animate purely as a feral zombie).
A creature slain by a Mock Zombie has a chance of reanimating as either a feral zombie or an ooze zombie. Mock Zombies are careful to avoid passing on their curse to others and so are careful how they slay their prey. Many decapitate the corpse (thus preventing all form of reanimation). On death roll d100: 01 to 10: the slain will rise up as an ooze zombie (this chance rises to 01 to 25% if the Mock Zombie devours the brains of the deceased (with the intention of actively creating an ooze zombie). There is an additional 10% chance that even if the corpse does not rise up as an ooze zombie, that it will reanimate as a feral zombie.
Curse of the Undead spell.
Stricken spell,
Flayed Zombie: The flayed zombie is a horrific monstrosity created by the Black Cabal for use as a potent warrior and assassin.
A flayed zombie is created by having their skin painfully removed by another flayed zombie, or by a mage using the excoriate flesh spell.
Any humanoid slain by a flayed zombie’s excoriate attack will rise as a flayed zombie in 1d4 rounds.
Excoriate Flesh spell.
Frost Zombie: The tragically slain corpses of past adventurers, the frost zombie exists only in freezing climes, for they rely on the cold to slow the rate of decomposition of their flesh.
Gangrel Zombie: Gangrel zombies are afflicted with a virulent magical disease known only as Pain. Any character receiving damage from a gangrel zombie must make a Fortitude save (DC 15) or be afflicted with Pain. Characters infected with Pain immediately lose 1 hit point and a further 1 hit point at the start of every round. A terrible agony fills those afflicted as their flesh begins to burn from within. Lost hit points incurred due to Pain can only be healed naturally; the disease is highly resistant to magical curing and it can only be removed by a remove disease spell. A target may only contract Pain once at any one time and once cured, are immune to the effects of the disease for 24 hours. If a character falls to 0 hit points, they are overcome with agony for 10 rounds (stunned) while their flesh boils and their minds collapse. Thereafter they rise up as a gangrel zombie.
Hollow One: Hollow Ones (or hollow zombies) are the shells of the Risen that have wholly succumbed to the Decay. Their spark of life has been extinguished and their soul forever lost to the swirling mists of entropy. In its place emerges a dreadful malevolence and hunger, desiring nothing more than to feed upon the life force of the living.
“Hollow One” is an acquired template that can be added to any corporeal Risen Dead.
Any humanoid slain by a Hollow One rises up as a Hollow One in 1d4 rounds.
A Risen that loses all of their Corpus energy wholly succumbs to the Decay. Their life force is depleted, their mortal minds forever stripped away. They become Hollow Ones: mindless creatures possessed with naught but an unquenchable hunger for the essence of the living.
Serum is made from the brain fluid of dead creatures, combined with other sensitive internal organs. It is brewed slowly over the course of twenty four hours along with various other ingredients to a total of 50 gp. To complete the process, the alchemist must make a Craft (alchemy) check (DC 25). A failed check incorrectly brews the Serum and while it may still be used, it may have undesired results. Depending on the degree by which the check was failed: the corpse could remain dormant; it could be animated as a mundane zombie, or worse: it could return as a Hollow One.
Ooze Zombie: The spawn of Mock Zombies, they are known as carrion eaters for they are Any creature slain by an ooze zombie rises up as an ooze zombie in 2d6 rounds.
the cleaners of dungeons, readily devouring anything put in front of them.
A creature slain by a Mock Zombie has a chance of reanimating as either a feral zombie or an ooze zombie. Mock Zombies are careful to avoid passing on their curse to others and so are careful how they slay their prey. Many decapitate the corpse (thus preventing all form of reanimation). On death roll d100: 01 to 10: the slain will rise up as an ooze zombie (this chance rises to 01 to 25% if the Mock Zombie devours the brains of the deceased (with the intention of actively creating an ooze zombie). There is an additional 10% chance that even if the corpse does not rise up as an ooze zombie, that it will reanimate as a feral zombie.
Ooze Transfiguration spell.
Sanguine Zombie: Sanguine is a magical disease devised by the Black Cabal to render the mortal populace vulnerable to vampiric domination. Their experiments failed, creating a disease that mutated, filling those infected with a terrible thirst for violence and stripping them of their higher brain functions. Creatures infected by Sanguine quickly lose their minds, becoming highly feral, hungry for the blood of the living.
Sanguine is highly contagious, passed from person to person via saliva or blood. Someone bitten or scratched by an infected creature is swiftly filled with a terrible bloodlust. In time, the hunger consumes their life essence, leaving them forever a blood hungry sanguine zombie.
Sanguine is a magical disease that affects all living creatures not otherwise immune to magical diseases. A creature that comes into contact with the infection must succeed at a Fortitude save (DC 18) or contract Sanguine infection immediately. On infection, the victim loses 1d6 points of Intelligence and Wisdom, and 1 point of Intelligence and Wisdom per round thereafter as the virus courses through their bloodstream. A creature reduced to 0 Intelligence or Wisdom is immediately overcome by a terrible bloodlust, lashing out and attacking everyone near them, discarding weapons in favor of teeth and nails.
Each day following infection the creature loses 1 point of Constitution. When reduced to 0 Constitution an infected creature dies and rises as a sanguine zombie.
“Sanguine Zombie” is an acquired template that is added to any living creature that has a skeletal system slain by the Sanguine infection.
Blight Zombie: A magical disease of unknown origin, the Voracious Wasting afflicts its victims with an inhuman hunger for human flesh, combined with a terrible rotting.
The disease is passed on through blood, bites and wounds caused by the infected. A victim may only contract the disease once at any one time and only magical detection will alert a character to the presence of the Voracious Wasting.
A character must make a Fortitude save (DC 16) to shrug off the effects of the disease when it is first encountered. A failed save causes the victim to lose 1 point of Constitution, Wisdom and Dexterity each day. When their Wisdom reaches 0 the victim has reverted to a completely bestial state and will gorge themselves as much as they can upon human flesh or upon any raw food they can obtain. When their Constitution or Dexterity reaches 0, they have wasted away and arise within 1d6 hour as a blight zombie.
Once the Wasting is contracted, the victim seems relatively normal for a few days (until they reach half Constitution). At that point they begin to develop a desperate thirst that they cannot sate. After few more days, they begin to develop purple lesions across most of their body. Their hair begins to fall out, their breath grows increasingly more fetid, and they grow yellow, discolored nails. In the final stages of the disease, the victim is sullen, their mind and bodies dimmed, the hunger for flesh uncontrollable. A character that dies while they are infected by the Voracious Wasting immediately rises up as blight zombies one round later.
The Voracious Wasting may not be naturally cured with the heal skill. Only a cure disease spell (or more potent healing) will remove the disease from a subject, but only within the first 24 hours of infection. Thereafter, the infected character must have all ability points (lost to the Wasting) restored before a cure disease will be effective upon them.
Necrotic Bacteria: ?
Zombie Flesh Eater: Flesh eaters are undead beings fuelled by powerful necromancy, but their creators have conferred upon them the need to eat living flesh to remain animated and to stave off any signs of rot. Any undead-creation spell (such as animate dead) can make flesh eaters (so long as the necromancer knows how to alter the spell to do so).
Grafted Zombie: Black Surgeon Perform Surgical Graft powers.
Necromancer Grafting feats.

Undead: This book is about hunger, about being slowly consumed from within. It’s about stealing life from beyond the grave, and facing the consequences for extending your existence beyond its natural lifespan. It’s about evading death’s grip; returning from the dead; completing your last quest; whispering a curse on death’s door and haunting the living. All of these things may bring back a creature from the dead.
When Gariach was experimenting with the dead and their endless internment in the grave, he discovered that some cadavers naturally animate, for reasons unknown.
Ether Zombie's Minions of the Dead power.
Zombie: When you imagine a zombie, I imagine you picture a shambling, rotting corpse animated by the forces of necromancy. It will help us both if you put that image to one side for now – yes, what you believe is certainly true, but it is only a part of what I mean when I talk of the Risen.
Serum is made from the brain fluid of dead creatures, combined with other sensitive internal organs. It is brewed slowly over the course of twenty four hours along with various other ingredients to a total of 50 gp. To complete the process, the alchemist must make a Craft (alchemy) check (DC 25). A failed check incorrectly brews the Serum and while it may still be used, it may have undesired results. Depending on the degree by which the check was failed: the corpse could remain dormant; it could be animated as a mundane zombie, or worse: it could return as a Hollow One.
If frost zombies are placed in warmer climes, they lose 1 hit point per minute until they collapse, rising 1d6 rounds later as a standard zombie.
There are many types of zombie, each created differently. While most are corpses held together by magic, this is not always the case. The form of creation determines how long a zombie will remain in existence. Zombies animated by magic can last considerably longer than those created by a disease or through more natural means.
A character reduced to -1 hit points from the Black Shivering, rises up as a standard zombie in 1d3 days.
A character that dies while suffering from Contagion rises up as a standard zombie within 1d4 days.
A character reduced to 0 Constitution from the Entropy disease, rises up as a standard zombie in 24 hours.
Rite of Returning spell.
Power Word Reanimate spell.
Ether zombie's Echoes of Life power.

RITE OF RETURNING
Necromancy
Level: Clr 4, Nec 4, Sor/Wiz 5
Components: V, S, F
Casting Time: 1 minute
Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)
Effect: One creature
Duration: 1 day/level (D)
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: No
This spell infuses any of your living minions with powerful necromantic energy. They lose 1d4 hit points that only return after the expiration of the spell. If they are slain during the spell’s duration, they immediately rise up as a zombie 1d4 rounds later.
Focus: A circle of silver

POWER WORD REANIMATE
Necromancy
Level: Clr 9, Nec 8, Sor/Wiz 9
Components: V, S, F
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: Long (400 ft. + 40 ft./level)
Duration: Instant
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: No
This spell causes a wash of necromancy to swirl out from the speaker of the single power word. This reanimates all corpses in the area of effect as 1 HD skeletons and 2 HD zombies depending on the condition of the corpses. Corpses rise up at the end of the round and can act at the start of the next round.
Focus: A sphere of obsidian

CURSE OF THE UNDEAD
Necromancy [Evil]
Level: Clr 2, Nec 2, Sor/Wiz 3
Components: V, S
Casting time: 1 action
Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft. per level)
Effect: 1 living creature
Duration: Special
Saving throw: Fortitude negates
Spell resistance: Yes
This foul spell afflicts the subject with bands of powerful necromantic energy. If the subject victim dies within a year and a day of this curse being uttered, they immediately rise up as a feral zombie 1 round after their death.

STRICKEN
Necromantic [Evil]
Level: Nec 5, Sor/Wiz 6
Components: V, S, M
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: Touch
Target: One living creature
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: Fortitude negates
Spell Resistance: Yes
The subject is afflicted by a malevolent wasting condition that makes them feel strangely nauseous and unable to eat. They lose 1d4 points of Constitution on the spell’s completion. This Constitution is not regained until the condition is cured or the spell is neutralized. A character loses 1 from their maximum hit point total at the end of every day and receives a -4 penalty to their Fortitude saves. If they are reduced to 0 hit points through this spell, they rise up as a feral zombie within 1d6 rounds.
Material Component: Fennel steeped in the poison of an adder.

Ooze Transfiguration
Necromancy [Evil]
Level: Sor/Wiz 5
Components: V, S, M
Casting Time: 30 minutes
Range: 10 ft. per level
Target one creature
Duration: instantaneous
Save: Fortitude
Spell Resistance: Yes
This spell transforms a vampire into an ooze zombie. It is considered the worst of curses, only ever performed on those that have committed the most terrible of crimes.
Arcane Material Components: A sprinkling of fresh Mocked Vampire ichor.

DISTIL SERUM [ITEM CREATION]
You can brew Serum
Requirements: 7th Level, Brew Potion, Intelligence 15
Benefits: You can make Serum provided you have a well-equipped laboratory and the correct ingredients (as listed above). You must have access to a working formula before you can comprehend the complex nature of this feat.
XP Cost: 500 XPs per Hit Dice.

RITE OF THE SCOURGE [ITEM CREATION]
You can create Eldritch Zombies
Requirements: Write Scroll, must be able to cast 5th level spells
Benefits: You can create an Eldritch Zombie; a Scourge. A character can only make one Scourge at any one time. A character can assist in any number of Eldritch Zombie creations, but they themselves may only have one Scourge that they personally created with the Rite of the Scourge.
XP Cost: 1000 XPs per Hit Dice.

PROCESS OF THE NECROTIC TRANSFUSION [ITEM CREATION]
You can create Ether Zombies
Requirements: Write Scroll, must be able to cast 5th level spells, Intelligence 16+
Benefits: So long as you have a suitably equipped laboratory, you can create a permanent Ether Zombie.
XP Cost: 400 XPs per Hit Dice

CRAFT GOLEM ZOMBIE [ITEM CREATION]
You can manufacture a Golem Zombie.
Requirements: Craft: Metalworking (12), Craft: Leatherworking (15), Heal (12), Knowledge (Anatomy) 12
Benefits: You can manufacture a Golem Zombie as per the procedures above.
XP Cost: 600 XPs per Hit Dice

CREATE MOCK ZOMBIE [ITEM CREATION]
You can perform the process needed to create a Mock Zombie.
Requirements: Craft (alchemy) 10 ranks; able to cast 5th level spells.
Benefits: You have learned the Path of Corruption and can successfully make Mock Zombies (providing you have access to the correct ritual components).
XP Cost: 300 XPs per Hit Dice.

THE RITE OF PATHOS [ITEM CREATION]
You can summon and bind a Revenant to you.
Requirements: 12th Level, able to cast 5th level wizard spells.
Benefits: You can summon and bind one Revenant to you (but only one at any one time). You must comply with the Covenant of Binding lest the Revenant be set free (and released with the ability to destroy you).
XP Cost: 800 XPs per Hit Dice

THE BLACK SHIVERING
This disease is carried by many forms of the undead, and is a terrible plague indeed. The Shivering can destroy an entire town, while the population remains unaware that they are the victims of a plague at all.
Origins: Created by a group of life-hating necromancers, the Black Shivering is designed to slowly whittle away at a population while working in complete secrecy.
Symptoms: The Shivering afflicts a victim in subtle ways. The target loses 1 from their maximum hit point total once for every 24 hours of the affliction. The character will not be aware of the condition until their hit point total has fallen to half, at which point they will start to feel strange and somewhat light-headed. Note: To avoid suspicion, characters should not know their new hit point totals as time passes, only that they are suffering from some mysterious affliction (thus adding to the suspense and fear of their unknown malady). As the disease progresses (reaches 10 hit points or fewer), the victim’s flesh begins to dry painfully, then begins to disintegrate, nails yellow then fall off, and lips start to wear away, until the teeth begin to show. In the final stages of the disease, the flesh on the victim’s body turns a yellow-parchment color with bloody blotches.
Death: A character reduced to -1 hit points from the Shivering, rises up as a standard zombie in 1d3 days.
Curing: The Shivering can only be removed by a 15th level cleric and a wizard of the same level (or higher). The wizard must begin the curing by successfully casting dispel magic (targeted dispel - DC 25). If successful, the cleric must then cast the spells: remove disease and heal. A fail at any part of the process and the curing must be started anew.
Notes: Those that contract the Shivering do not register as being afflicted by any form of disease. The Shivering is almost completely immune to most forms of magical detection. Only the most powerful detections performed by a 15th level character or higher will recognize that there is any form of magical ailment affecting a character (and even then the results will be vague and unspecific ‘a character will know that there is ‘something’ amiss with another, but not exactly what’).

CONTAGION
This is a disease carried by many Risen (and some zombies). Their claws and teeth glimmer with a nacreous green radiance and they seem to be filled with an abnormal malevolence that even the most non spiritually aligned can detect.
Origins: No one knows (or will accept responsibility) exactly where Contagion began. Many believe it to have been created in some laboratory under the scrutiny of vampire wizards and evil liches.
Symptoms: When a character is infected with Contagion, they do not heal naturally. Wounds steadily worsen and if left unchecked, a character will eventually die. While magical healing will work on them, their bodies simply do not recover from injury on their own. They suffer a -4 penalty to their Fortitude saves, and -8 against all forms of diseases and poisons.
Death: A character that dies while suffering from Contagion rises up as a standard zombie within 1d4 days.
Curing: Contagion can only be cured by a neutralize poison and a remove disease spell cast by a 10th level cleric or higher. Anything else will not work (although higher-level curing will always be successful).
Note: there are new (and even more terrible) versions of Contagion in existence that are even granted a save against the curing effects of a cleric. This enhanced version of Contagion saves against any curing attempts as a 15th level wizard.

ENTROPY
This disease was designed to gain revenge upon the strong and the powerful. While its effects are slow, there are few known cures, and most that contract it, eventually dies a horrible wasting death...
Origins: No necromantic group will take credit for Entropy. It is believed to have originated on the higher planes. The elves call this disease the ‘black wasting’ and treat the afflicted like lepers.
Contracting the Disease: It must be contracted through food or water, or by direct blood contact with an infected creature (certain undead carry the disease).
Symptoms: Entropy affects a victim in subtle ways. Infected victims have a greenish tint in their eyes that glimmers in darkness. Elves and other woodland creatures can sense the ‘wrongness’ about them and druids will be sickened by contracting this illness. Every week the infected must make a Fortitude save (DC18) or lose one point of Constitution. Their flesh grows greener as the disease progresses and their nails take on an emerald sheen.
Death: A character reduced to 0 Constitution, rises up as a standard zombie in 24 hours. They are then carriers of the disease that go on to pass their infection on to all they meet.
Curing: Entropy is very hard to cure. The magic of the disease mixes with the life force of the victim making a cure, near-impossible to find. A god may remove the infection, as will the death of the character. Other restoratives are much harder to find.

Echoes of Life (Su): An Ether Zombie can animate corpses, infusing them with a fraction of its life force. It can choose to expend 1 Corpus to animate any corpse within 30 feet. Corpses animate with a number of HD equal to the Ether Zombie’s Signum. Example: a 2nd Signum Ether Zombie can reanimate the corpse of a 10HD warrior, but the corpse only animates as a 2 HD zombie. Corpses animate immediately and remain animated for 10 rounds (the Ether Zombie can expend additional Corpus energy to continue their existence for another 10 rounds if he desires). All animated zombies remain wholly under the command of the Ether Zombie and cannot be commanded or controlled by anyone else (but they can be turned). If the Ether Zombie is destroyed, all of his creations are destroyed. An Ether Zombie can only have as many undead creatures in existence at any one time as his character level. All creatures reanimate at full hit points. Once a creature has been destroyed, it can never again be reanimated by necromancy; the flesh is corrupted with the taint of ether. Additionally, the Risen cannot feed from any corpse that has been previously animated by an Ether Zombie. The dead flesh has been stripped of vitality and no longer provides any Corpus energy.

MINIONS OF THE DEAD
Cost: 3 Marks
Effect: An Ether Zombie can animate a number of permanent undead minions equal to his Signum. These minions may have a maximum number of Hit Dice equal to twice their creator’s Signum. To create a minion, an Ether Zombie must expend 5 points of Corpus, reanimating the corpse in 1d10 minutes. If a minion is destroyed, the Ether Zombie can immediately animate another by following the same procedure.
Level Requirement: None

Lore of the Gods:

Spoiler

Defiler: ?
Husk: If the shell of a deceased victim is not destroyed, it will rise as a husk in 2d4 days.
Ka Spirit: In many ancient cultures, people were sacrificed during the burial of important individuals. It was believed that their spirits would serve that of the deceased in the afterlife. The ka spirit is the soul of one of these unfortunates.
In order to create a ka spirit, ancient necromantic rituals must be performed, involving the victim being killed by a special cursed scarab of death. Such knowledge is mostly now lost, isolated to a few terrible cults who still perform the ceremony.
Mummy: Mummies are preserved corpses animated through the auspices of dark desert gods best forgotten.

Skeleton: Any humanoid killed by the ka spirit’s rotting possession ability rises again as an undead in 1d4 rounds. Spawn are under the command of the ka spirit. Treat these unfortunates as standard zombies or skeletons, with none of the abilities they formerly had in life.
Zombie: Any humanoid killed by the ka spirit’s rotting possession ability rises again as an undead in 1d4 rounds. Spawn are under the command of the ka spirit. Treat these unfortunates as standard zombies or skeletons, with none of the abilities they formerly had in life.

Lost Creatures:

Spoiler

Bonegore: Bonegore are undead created from large battlefi elds and mass graves that were never given any last rights.
Cinder Ash: Cinder ash creatures are those that were caught in the hot ash and toxic fumes of a volcanic eruption and died. Sometimes, in the wake of an eruption that was caused by magic or divine power, cinder ash are created.
“Cinder Ash” is a template that can be added to any corporeal animal, aberration, animal, dragon, fey, giant, humanoid, magical beast, monstrous humanoid, or vermin.
Thrain: Once known as Thrain, this cinder ash was an oolori sage and scholar whose coastal village was destroyed when the nearby volcano erupted over a millennia ago. Thrain was buried alive in hot ash and was transformed into a cinder ash.

Manual of Monsters

Spoiler

Spirit of Vengeance Greater: When a powerful creature takes to the grave with intense feelings of hatred and business unfinished, she will occasionally rise again as a greater spirit of vengeance.
Spirit of Vengeance Lesser: Any humanoid slain by a greater spirit of vengeance becomes a lesser spirit of vengeance on the following round.
Scourge: "Scourge" is a template that can be added to any creature.
Banshee: Banshees were once beautiful female night elves who were brutally murdered by demons during the fall of Kalimdor. Their restless spirits were left to wander the world for many ages in silent, tortured lamentation.
Banshees are relatively rare and difficult to produce; even the Lich King does not truly know what causes a banshee to be produced among his minions. It is some supernatural perversion or imbalance of the soul that sheds its mortal shell and walks forth as one of these spectral beings.
“Banshee” is an acquired template that can be added to any humanoid creature.
Crypt Fiend: As the nerubian empire was dismantled, the remnants were scattered and the dead were raised as minions of Ner’zhul.
“Crypt fiend” is an acquired template that can be added to any nerubian.
Forsaken: The forsaken are humans transformed into the undead, with all the powers associated with the Scourge.
“Forsaken” is a template that can be added to any human character.
Ghoul of the Scourge: “Ghoul of the Scourge” is an acquired template that can be added to any humanoid or monstrous humanoid creature.
Shade: Shades are created by a formal ritual of sacrifice, in which a single acolyte who has completely proven himself to Nr'zhul is brought over to the far side of death. The plague is allowed to enter his body, and powerful necromancers spend several days transforming the acolyte's pitiful shell into a devastating creature of undeath. The ritual occurs in a place known as the Sacrificial Pit, where the focused energy of the Lich King and his necromancers are at their most powerful.
"Shade" is an acquired template that can be added to any humanoid creature.
Skeletal Mage: These Powerful skeletal Sorcerers are extremely dangerous undead, usually created independently through force of unrequited will.
“Skeletal mage” is an acquired template that can be added to any humanoid creature.
Skeletal Warrior: Skeletal warriors are extremely dangerous undead minions, usually created independently through the force of unrequited will.
Skeletal warriors are created from the fallen bones of dead opponents. Skeletons can be created even without the assistance of necromancers.
“Skeletal warrior” is an acquired template that can be added to any humanoid or monstrous humanoid creature.
Withered: This template can be applied to any dead creature through the use of necromancy or to any creature brought close to death by a member of the Scourge.
"Withered" is a template that can be added to any aberration, animal, dragon, fey, magical beast, plant, or other monstrous creature.
Wraith: “Wraith” is an acquired template that can be added to any humanoid or monstrous humanoid creature.
Zombie: These undead are created from plague-infected individuals, but their bodies are not as riddled with the disease as those of more powerful undead.
“Zombie” is an acquired template that can be added to any humanoid or monstrous humanoid creature.
Abomination: Abominations are large created creatures, similar to flesh golems. These magically created automatons are incredibly powerful, possessing (literally) the strength of ten human men. Constructing one requires a great understanding of necromancy and science and the capacity to both animate undead and cause magical healing to living flesh. They are difficult to create, but once made they are fanatically loyal servants and tremendously powerful warriors.
The twisted, mutilated bodies of abominations are comprised of multiple dead limbs and body parts from various corpses.
The animating force of an abomination is a blasphemous conglomeration of the souls incorporated into the corpses that make up the abomination’s unliving flesh.
An abomination is created from the mutilated and disease-ridden corpses brought from the battlefield. It stands over 8 feet tall and weighs well over 500 pounds. The skin of an abomination is a sickly green and yellow, obviously covered with disease and twisted with horrible magics. It has no possessions and carries only the items given to it by its creator.
This creature costs 40,000 gp to create, which includes the cost of collection and dissection of more than 10 bodies to be used as the abomination’s flesh and organs. Each of these bodies must be infected with the Lich King’s plague, so that they will properly mutate when affected with the rituals to create the abomination proper. Assembling the body requires a successful DC 12 Craft (leatherworking) or Heal check.
The creator must be at least 14th level and be able to cast divine spells. Completing the ritual drains 400 XP from the creator and requires animate dead, animate objects, bless, bull’s strength, regenerate, and spell resistance.

Ghost: Ghosts are the spectral impressions of individuals who died due to the plague or due to some incredibly traumatic incident.

Midnight Minions of the Shadow:

Spoiler

Forsaken: The dark truth would shatter even the strongest spirit. As the Shadow rose, so too did the necromantic forces that fueled the Fell. As the years pass, more and more of the dead rise as horrors that live only to feast on the living. In the last days of Aryth, even a mother’s womb cannot protect her child from the Shadow.
There is a small chance that any fetus that dies during the pregnancy will awaken into a hideous state of half-life. Called the forsaken, these creatures continue on in a parody of natural growth and birth.
Forsaken is an inherited template that can be applied to any newborn humanoid creature.

Monster Anthology Volume 1:

Spoiler

Gheist: The spirits of cruel dead.
Pariah: Sometimes magic does strange things to a person. Sometimes, when someone is killed by magic, the energy permeates every fi ber of the victim’s being, bringing the person back from the dead in a mockery of life. If the person does not believe in the gods or an afterlife, there is a chance that the magic will claim the soul, trapping it within the mortal shell and putting it back on its feet. From such is this blasphemy born.
“Pariah” is an acquired template that may be applied immediately to any humanoid race that is killed by magic that does not believe in an afterlife or reincarnation, though not every humanoid that meets these criteria becomes a pariah. The nature of such a transformation seems to target individuals at complete random.

Monster Encyclopaedia 1 Ravagers of the Realms:

Spoiler

Batyuk: Batyuks arise from mass graves, where hundreds of butchered bodies were buried without due ceremony or care. Furious at this injustice, they rise up in the communal form of a stormcloud to hunt down those who slaughtered them.
Blood Scarecrow: The blood scarecrow is a free-willed corporeal undead creature which is created when an ordinary scarecrow is dressed in the clothing once worn by a murdered man. Sometimes, when conditions are correct, the spirit of the deceased returns and inhabits the scarecrow, looking for vengeance on those who killed him.
Cavewight: Should a wight linger in a particular cave or tomb for long enough – a century or so, depending on the amount of vegetation and other living things in the vicinity and the quality of any wards or holy blessings placed on the area – then its negative energy permeates its lair, turning the lair into an outcropping of the negative realm. The wight feeds on this negative energy, becoming even more powerful.
Devouring Zombie: the magic animating the devouring zombie can be passed onto others; one devouring zombie can produce a horde of other undead.
Devouring zombies can be created with the create undead spell and require a 12th level or higher caster.
Anyone who dies while under the effect of the devouring zombie’s Constitution drain becomes a devouring zombie within 2d6 minutes of dying.
Human Commoner Devouring Zombie: ?
Dissolute: The dissolute is the remains of a humanoid slain by an ooze while the humanoid was at least partially tainted by negative energy (such as having gained negative levels within a day of being killed).
Fingerfetch: Fingerfetches are a minor species of undead, said to be the spirits of dead thieves.
Grasping Hands: Grasping hands patches are usually spawned when a party of travellers goes off the path and die lost and wandering in the swamp, but they soon add to their numbers by killing other passers-by.
Headless Screamer: Headless screamers arise from the corpses of those who were buried beheaded, such as the victims of execution or vorpal weapons.
Mesmeric Spectre: Mesmeric spectres are said to be spawned when a soul condemned to eternal torment bargains with its jailors, arguing that if it were sent back for just a short time it could gather even more souls into the flames. Others believe that mesmerics are the spirits of those who had great potential in life but squandered it, the ghosts of those who might have been archwizards and famous adventurers, but instead spent their days in alehouses or indolence.
Mirror Ghost: It is created under fairly rare circumstances, when a distraught individual is driven to suicide while facing a mirror and whose final actions crack or damage the mirror in some say. Occasionally, when this combination of events occurs, the spirit of the deceased passes into the shards of the mirror, creating a mirror ghost.
Mirthless: Many necromancers have experimented in creating more mirthless; they stretch dead men on the wrack or pump poisoned growth potions into dying flesh, or sending dark summonses into the netherworld of wraiths and spectres. There come no answers, no mortuary transformations. All the mirthless in the world are said to dwell in one obscure temple, from which they can be called forth with the right offer and the right ritual.
Mummer: Mummers are the god-curse of a murdered deity. As the god died, a billion black flies rose out of his mouth and scattered to the infinite worlds.
Mummer Template: A mummer who bites a humanoid corpse at the moment of death possesses that corpse.
‘Mummer’ is a template that can be added to any humanoid.
Nightswimmer Nightshade: ?
Octospine: The octospine is a hideous creature, believed to be the creation of a demon lord.
Plundering Dead: Plundering dead are piratical undead, who remain tied to their bodies after death because of their lust for gold and treasure. They are also produced by certain terrible curses and ancient artefacts.
Ragged Wraith: Ragged Wraiths are the spirits of those whose bodies were desecrated or dismembered after death.
Scuttling Skeleton: Scuttling skeletons are a variety of normal skeleton made using the create undead spell.
‘Scuttling skeleton’ is an acquired template that can be added to any corporeal creature (other than an undead) that has a skeletal system.
Wintersinger: Wintersingers are a species of undead associated with those who die from frostbite and exposure. In truth, they are not unquiet dead – a wintersinger is not the spirit of someone who died in the cold and does not resemble any human who ever lived or died. They are simply the spirits of death amongst the snow and frost, of lonely, frozen sorrow.
Withering Cadaver: Withering cadavers are produced when an attempt to create a wight fails. Enough negative energy is infused into the corpse to animate it but not enough to make a direct link with the negative plane. The process of animation awakens the latent survival instincts and animal drives of the corpse, giving it a sense of self-preservation and a hunger. Without a full channel to the negative plane to preserve its dead tissues, the body begins to rot.
Zombie Parched: Parched zombies arise from the remains those who die of thirst in the desert.

Ghost: The plundering dead who come to understand their true form become full-fledged spectres or ghosts.
Spectre: The plundering dead who come to understand their true form become full- fledged spectres or ghosts.
Wight: Any humanoid slain by a cavewight rises as a normal wight in 1d4 rounds.
Wraith: Any humanoid slain by a ragged wraith becomes a wraith in 1d4 rounds.
Zombie: Anyone killed by a batyuk’s thunderbolts is instantly animated as a zombie under the batyuk’s control.
While under the mud, the zombies of a patch of grasping hands are functionally a single entity; but if dragged up into the light, they revert to being normal zombies.

Monster Encylopaedia 2 Dark Bestiary:

Spoiler

Abiku: Any Small humanoid slain by the abiku’s energy damage ability becomes an abiku himself 1d6 hours after death.
Ankou: ?
Death Hunter: Death hunters are a special form of mighty undead created by evil druids via a secret ritual. They are former evil-aligned rangers who consecrate their immortal soul to vengeful spirits of nature, so they may return after death to stalk and murder the enemies of their land.
‘Death hunter’ is an acquired template that can be added to any non-monstrous, evil aligned humanoid creature with six or more levels of ranger.
All death hunters were evil rangers once.
Sample Death Hunter: ?
Dragonskin: In the extremely rare case a dragon is slain before its last shed skin is consumed, there is the possibility a faint portion of the dragon’s undead spirit remains attached to the skin, animating it as if it was the complete, living creature.
Dread Familiar: Dread familiars are the evil undead spirits of normal familiars that died in the service of their masters.
‘Dread familiar’ is an acquired template that can be added to any wizard’s or sorcerer’s familiar that died in the service of its master.
Sample Dread Familiar: ?
Hollow Host: A hollow host is a special form of undead that requires an artificial vessel to contain its essence. Through a secret ritual involving mysterious and dark magic, a metallic body is created to hold the soul of an evil humanoid; this must always be a perfect likeness, but its form is much stronger and tougher than the mortal essence ever was in life. Once this construct body is ready, the soul of the original creature is brought to inhabit it, to walk the world again in the guise of a living suit of armour.
‘Hollow Host’ is an acquired template that can be added to any evil, normal (non-monstrous) humanoid.
A hollow host must be crafted from iron or stone; the materials and procedures required cost a total of 5,000 gold pieces. The materials must be crafted in the likeness of an evil humanoid, which must have died already. Creating the body requires a Craft (armoursmithing), Craft (blacksmithing) or Craft (sculpting) check (DC 20). For the construct to animate, the undead spirit of the creature it represents must be summoned to inhabit it. Once the last spell is cast, the evil creature is reincarnated in its new artificial body, thus animating the construct.
CL 16th; Craft Construct, greater magic weapon, limited wish, magic jar, reincarnate, trap the soul; caster must be at least 16th level; Price 10,000 + (3,500 per base creature’s HD) gp; Cost 10,000 + (1,750 per base creature’s HD) gp + (200 + 140 per base creature’s HD) XP.
Sample Hollow Host: ?
Skullwearer: ?
Ululant: An Ululant is a semi-sentient (but thoroughly evil) undead tree, once a treant or some other similar creature, which, upon dying, became a dead stump whose roots slowly reached the lower planes and became firmly grafted on it. As a dead tooth’s root, the hollow tunnel of the rotted tree reaches the depths of the most dreadful lower realms, which channel all the anguish, pain, punishment and sin of their world through the ululating sound coming through the tree’s cavity. Some say ululants are in fact the reincarnated souls of great sinners, given the grisly and imaginative punishment of becoming a living conduct for Hell’s pain.
Whispering Presence: ?
Wispwraith: ?
Wraith Wolf: A wraith wolf is a specific form of undead, created from the spirits of hundreds of slain forest animals.

Ghost: If the death hunter used to have a familiar or animal companion, the animal gains the ghost template and an evil alignment.
A sculpt sound spell turns a whispering presence into a ghost of the creature it was in life.
Skeleton: As a standard action, an ankou can choose any creature it has slain via its death grip or death touch attacks and cause it to rise again as a skeleton.

Monster Geographica Forest:

Spoiler

Autumnal Mourner: As the lingering spirits of the neglected dead, autumnal mourners appear during the gray mists of autumn. Deprived of a proper funeral, burial, or even commemoration, they now mourn the summer’s annual passing and the subsequent death of the trees’ falling leaves.
While the potential for autumnal mourners exists in every land, only the forest and woods’ seasonal changes, as experienced by their deciduous plant life, generate their creation.
Bracken Corpse: Bracken corpses are the reanimated remains of murder victims hidden or dumped in the wilderness by their killer. Whether their creation results from arcane power or the whim of a vengeful deity, bracken corpses are fearsome shambling abominations.
During its metamorphosis into a bracken corpse, the dark powers of vengeance provided the bracken corpse with every detail surrounding its death.
On very rare occasions, the victims of a mass murderer arise as bracken corpses all searching for the same killer.
Pontianak: Pontianaks are corporeal undead, giving life to the children slain by langsuyars or those born dead.
Any infant humanoid or monstrous humanoid slain by a langsuyar’s devouring maw attack rises as a pontianak 1d4 days after burial.
Ghost of the Hunt: Unless a hunting party takes a druid with it to perform sacred rites on game it has killed, a ghost of the hunt may arise from any Survival checks made to hunt in the wild.
Grisl: ?
Hollow Dead: These tortured souls look like decaying corpses coated in a thick layer of dark ash. Their features are barely discernible, making it impossible to tell what race one belonged when it was alive. The despairing soul forms its body from the ash and dirt.
Langsuyar: Some women speculate langsuyars are the ghosts of women who died in childbirth and seek revenge against that which killed them.
Uragh Dhu: Some scholars insist these creatures are the remains of dead treants reanimated by a dark and forbidden evil ritual.
Hearth Horror: A hearth horror is the ghost of a dead place, horribly corrupted by evil and obsessed with restoring itself to its former glory.
A hearth horror cannot form just anywhere. It forms in a location where great or terrible events have taken place. The horror takes on the personality and alignment of the events that happened there and is typically evil.
The heart of the hearth horror is formed when blood from victims spills upon the soil and sinks deep into the ground. The clot slowly grows in size over the years until it gradually forms into a heart buried in the earth beneath the area of the original construction.
Ndalawo: Also known as a shadow leopard, the ndalawo is a leopard that has been transformed into an undead shadow.
A leopard reduced to Strength 0 by a shadow leopard becomes a new shadow leopard within 1d6 rounds.
White-Haired Ghost: ?
Thaye Tase: It is rumored that they are the remains of giants or trolls that died a violent death.
Lostling: Lostlings are the pitiful souls of creatures of lost individuals who died in the wilderness from starvation or madness.
Condemned to wander the woods in search of their former homes, these vile creatures develop an intense hatred of the living, and they seek to share their pain by damning their victims to share the same fate that caused their unnatural lives.
Creatures dying from starvation or thirst while in a catatonic state from a lostling's wisdom drain incorporeal touch transform into lostlings within 1d3 days.
Variant Lostling: Lostlings that succumbed to the elements still bear marks of the weather conditions that killed them.
Shenhab Cemetery Sentinel: Chosen as guards the honored dead, the shenhab cemetery sentinels are the first to be buried at a particular graveyard.
Arborgeist: These twisted and corrupted spirits are the souls of treants and sentient trees that met their end at the hands of fire and great evil. Unable to find rest, these trees return as terrible spirits of vengeance known as arborgeists.
?: Few mortal creatures have ever attempted to eat an entire deadwood fruit, and none who has is known to have survived. Tales of what might happen to those who “live” through such an attempt vary — some believe they would gain permanent command over the dead, and others that they would be transformed into strange, powerful, and unique undead themselves.

Ghast: A humanoid of 4 Hit Dice or more that dies from a grisl's ghoul fever bite rises as a ghast.
Corpses of humanoids that possessed four or more class levels within range of a deadwood's foul influence that remain in contact with the ground for 1 full round are animated as ghasts.
Ghoul: An afflicted humanoid who dies of a grisl's ghoul fever rises as a normal ghoul at the next midnight.
Corpses of humanoids that possessed two or three class levels within range of a deadwood's foul influence that remain in contact with the ground for 1 full round are animated as ghouls.
Shadow: Any humanoid reduced to Strength 0 by a ndalawo becomes a shadow under control of its killer within 1d4 rounds.
Skeleton: Any animal, giant, humanoid, or monstrous humanoid corpse within range of a deadwood's foul influence that remains in contact with the ground for 1 full round is animated as a skeleton or zombie.
Zombie: Any animal, giant, humanoid, or monstrous humanoid corpse within range of a deadwood's foul influence that remains in contact with the ground for 1 full round is animated as a skeleton or zombie.

Monster Geographica Hill and Mountain:

Spoiler

Bone Delver: Bone delvers are a form of undead who were once grave robbers and died whilst performing their nefarious tasks.
Cu Marbh: The cu marbh (pronounced ‘coo marv’) is an undead creature made from the body of a hound.
Yasha: Yasha are undead vampire bats, whose hunger for blood is increased in unlife.
Cacogen: The cacogen is a deformed human, typically a leper, hunchback, or clubfoot, but sometimes a scarred or branded rogue, who has been brought back to life to serve an evil sorcerer or wizard as a necromantic guardian.
Carcaetan: A carcaetan is created by magic designed to remove a creature from the cycle of life. The ritual is sometimes used as a punishment or a powerful curse, but some evil individuals undergo it intentionally.
Enfant Terrible: When an infant is murdered, the same forces that sometimes create ghosts may create an enfant terrible.
Ghoul Wolf: ?
Shadow Raven: Shadow ravens are undead birds created to serve as familiars and pets. Most are gifts from evil gods or manufactured by necromancers by some well-guarded ritual.
Coffer Corpse: The coffer corpse is an undead creature formed as the result of an incomplete death ritual.
Heart Stalker: A humanoid victim who has its heart removed by a heart stalker begins to decompose rapidly, rising as a heart stalker on the following night under control of the first heart stalker.
Hoar Spirit: Believed to be the spirits of humanoids that freeze to death either because of their own mistakes or because of some ritualistic exile into the icy wastes by their culture, hoar spirits haunt the icy wastelands of the world seeking warm-blooded living creatures in which to share their icy hell.
Shadow Wolf: ?
Chill Slain: Chill slain are formed when a humanoid perishes from exposure to extreme cold. It is unknown what causes these tortured souls to rise again, as the creatures cannot create spawn. Some sages speculate that a chill slain arises as a form of punishment for offending a deity of winter or the mountains.
Lifethief: Lifethieves are the undead form of some alien being, possibly from a long-dead civilization or another world.
Dreadwraith: ?
Demiurge: The demiurge is the undead spirit of an evil human returned from the grave with a wrathful vengeance against all living creatures that enter its domain.
Rom: The rom are a race of ghostly stone giants. In an ancient mythic battle between the dwarves and the rom, the rom all perished in a massive cave-in.
Stone Slider Ghoul: ?

Monster Geographica Marsh and Aquatic:

Spoiler

Bog Slain: Bog slain are the bloated, waterlogged corpses that rise from the site of their demise—the peat bogs of colder climates.
Brine Zombie: Brine zombies are the remnants of a ship’s crew that has perished at sea.
The spark of evil that brought them back from the ocean depths drives them to seek the living so they may join them in their watery graves.
Mire Walkers: Long-dead corpses have been dug out of the bog with still-supple limbs and unrotted flesh. Unlike more common zombies, mire walkers created from such preserved corpses retain much of their dexterity and skills. Mire walkers even have enough intellect to learn a limited amount of new information.
Sometimes, bodies can be so well preserved that when they are unearthed, the departed spirit is confused, and returns to its mortal shell. Such corpses arise as semi-intelligent, free-willed undead, staggering in search of the remnants of their mortal lives.
Barrow Roach: ?
Gray Lady: Many a seaman that ventures out into the trackless sea is destined never to look again on the loved ones he left behind. Either death or the lure of foreign lands keeps them from returning to those who wait patiently for them. Pining away on shore for the sight of a lost husband or son, and ultimately dying of a broken heart, some women return to haunt the coast as gray ladies.
A gray lady is the shade of a woman who died heartbroken and alone waiting for the return of a loved one from across the sea.
Skinwraith: Skinwraiths are the remains of torture victims flayed alive on the rack, animated by their own pain and suffering.
Waterlost: Waterlost are the walking dead of the sea.
Well Haunt: Well haunts seek to drown others, or else they hated the settlement enough in life to haunt its water supply in death.
Filth Gator: ?
Floating Dead: Floating dead are undead born of those who die on the open sea in life boats, or who perish floating adrift while clinging to the hope that help will come. These tortured souls grasp at that final hope past the days of their mortal lives, carrying on in death but no longer looking for rescue.
Any humanoid slain by a floating dead’s dehydrating touch ability rises as a
floating dead in 1d4 rounds.
Fog Strider: Fog striders are the unrested souls of the dead, walking the land of the living whenever a heavy fog rolls in. Formed from the mist itself, fog striders are indistinct figures at best, although their countenance of misery and anguish are crystal clear.
Lake Hag: Any female humanoid slain and dumped carelessly into the murky waters of desolate lakes and marshes have a 10% chance to emerge a week later as a lake hag, seething with rage at its murderer.
Mummy of the Deep: Evil creatures buried at sea for their sins in life sometimes rise in death.
Bog-Spawn: The bog-spawn is a grotesque form of undead formed when bodies die in a swamp and sink into the murky depths. Sometimes a bog-spawn is created almost spontaneously from negative energy in the swamp, but just as often a new bog-spawn will rise from the among the uneaten victims of the bog-spawn that killed it.
Fukuranbou: fukuranbou are corporeal undead born of the spirit of vanity: people who spent their lives focused on personal beauty and little else.
Sinew Dragger: ?
Waterbaby: Waterbabies are the corporeal spirits of children who were drowned or ritually slain because of their early signs of psionic ability.
Bog Mummy: When a corpse preserved by swamp mud is imbued with negative energy, it rises as a bog mummy.
Any humanoid that dies from bog rot becomes a bog mummy in 1d4 days.
Vine of Decay: ?
Groaning Spirit: The groaning spirit is the malevolent spirit of a female elf that is found haunting swamps, fens, moors, and other desolate places.
Lady-in-Waiting: ?
Sea Scorned: A very rare form of undead, a sea scorned is the wife or lover of a sailor and wanderer slain while traveling the seas. Although they took their lives to end their lonely despair, they become sea scorned, doomed to stand vigil forever, waiting for their sailors to return home.
Skull of the Deep: ?
Lost Sailors: Lost sailors are a rare form of undead created from seafarers who died far from their beloved ocean. These seafarers could not rest in death and crawl out of their graves to reach the sea. They usually only rise when buried within a handful of miles of the ocean, as they still feel robbed of it in death.
Vampiric Ooze: ?

Ghoul: An afflicted creature that dies under a fukuranbou's curse of the rotten gut will arise as a ghoul in 1d4 days.
Zombie: Any humanoid slain by a vampiric ooze’s energy drain becomes a zombie in 1d4 rounds.

Monster Geographica: Plain and Desert:

Spoiler

Cadaver: Cadavers are the undead skeletal remains of people who have been buried alive or given an improper burial (an unmarked grave or mass grave for example).
Ghastiff: Ghastiffs may be created by any spell or effect that can
create a ghoul.
An afflicted humanoid or canine who dies of ghoul fever rises as a ghoul or a ghastiff, respectively, at the next midnight.
Glacial Haunt: In the icy wastes of the north lurks the undead spirits of those who froze to death in the snows.
Burning Ghat: The burning ghat is a rare form of undead, created in areas of unusually high negative energy saturation when a sentient creature is put to death by fire for a crime it was innocent of.
Heart Stalker: A humanoid victim who has its heart removed by a heart stalker begins to decompose rapidly, rising as a heart stalker on the following night under control of the first heart stalker.
N'erfalter: N’erfalters are soldiers who were cut down without completing their missions. Their resilience to a cause is so strong that they simply refuse to succumb to eternal rest and are granted temporary unlife by a war deity.
Sword Tree: Swordtrees are undead plants that grow and propagate by embedding their seeds in living flesh.
On a successful swordpod attack, the swordtree’s victim is implanted with a swordseed. The seed itself does no damage to its host. However, when the creature dies, it rises after three days as a zombie of the same size as the original creature. This zombie is drawn to the nearest iron-rich location at least one mile from another swordtree, where it buries itself; a sapling swordtree springs from the earth within one month.
Vohrahn: Created by spellcasters by binding dead spirits to the bodies of recently-slain warriors, vohrahn are lost souls trapped within corpses, whose distress over their predicament only furthers their masters’ goals.
Every vohrahn contains the soul of a dead being who was at peace before its entrapment.
Wraithlight: Theologians, historians, and hunters of the undead are unsure of wraithlights’ true origins. Their actions suggest that they may be earthbound spirits who refuse to pass into the afterlife, but some spellcasters claim that they are the ghosts of a strange and ancient race from another plane, trapped in a foreign world after theirs was destroyed and trying to continue their existence.
Gray Moaner: Gray moaners are the pitiful souls of fallen warriors who died of exposure to the elements.
Blightsower: They parch the land and roam, offering promises of prosperity to desperate farmers in an infernal pact. Once the farmers agree to the pact, the land turns fruitful for seven years. After seven years to the day, the farmer’s soul suddenly departs from this world, fulfi lling the terms of the pact. While the farmer’s spirit suffers endless torment in the realm of the dark forces, his body rises from death and assumes its new undead existence as a blightsower.
Cinderwrath: Cinderwraths are rumored to be the collective remnants of those who have been abandoned in the desert, their bodies left to burn in the sweltering heat of the sunbaked sands. This theory is supported by the fact that those it burns itself join with its body, causing it to grow in size and power.
Raging Spirit: Raging spirits are the ghosts of the mighty bhorloth, a three-tusked bison that roams the plains and prized as mounts, pack animals, and manual labor. The innate fury and temperamental will of the bhorloth sometimes cause their spirit to return as ghosts, haunting the plains and those responsible for their demise. Raging spirits have arisen from the fallen mounts of warriors, the leaders of slaughtered herds, and bhorloths driven from their homes.
Tortured: Tortured are the twisted souls of good clerics and paladins who were murdered before they could atone for their misdeeds. Separated from their god for eternity, they hunt good clerics and paladins, seeking those who have what they cannot.
Cadavalier: Cadavaliers are created by necromancers to serve as cavalry in their undead armies.
A spellcaster of 15th level or higher can create a cadavalier using a create undead spell.
Walking Disease: Any humanoid creature slain by a walking disease's massive infection power rises as a walking disease 1d4 days later.

Ghoul: An afflicted humanoid who dies of a ghastiff's ghoul fever rises as a ghoul at the next midnight.
Ghast: An afflicted humanoid of 4 Hit Dice or more who dies of a ghastiff's ghoul fever rises as a ghast at the next midnight.
Wight: After decades or centuries of existence, the animating magics of a vohrahn with the tainted passion of the spirit of undeath and with 7 HD or more have worn a hole between the realms of life and death. The vohrahn’s passion is gone, but its power causes creatures slain by its claw attacks to rise as wights under the vohrahn’s control after 1d4 rounds.
Zombie: As a standard action, a spirit rook can capture the soul of a dying or recently dead creature within 30 feet. The soul of any creature that has been dead for less than 1 hour is eligible to be captured, but the rook must be able to see the body to use this ability. The rook makes a Will save with a DC equal to its target’s total HD during life. If this check succeeds, the rook captures the soul, and the body immediately rises as an undead servant of the rook.
The undead servant is identical with a zombie of equal size (see the “Zombie” template in the MM), but with a number of bonus hit points equal to the victim’s total HD when it was alive. Due to the spiritual link between the spirit rook and the body of the captured soul, the servant also gains the benefi t of the spirit rook’s damage reduction and spell resistance as long as it remains within 30 feet of the rook.
On a successful swordpod attack, a swordtree’s victim is implanted with a swordseed. The seed itself does no damage to its host. However, when the creature dies, it rises after three days as a zombie of the same size as the original creature. This zombie is drawn to the nearest iron-rich location at least one mile from another swordtree, where it buries itself; a sapling swordtree springs from the earth within one month.
After decades or centuries of existence, the animating magics of a vohrahn with the tainted passion of the spirit of undeath have worn a hole between the realms of life and death. The vohrahn’s passion is gone, but its power causes creatures slain by its claw attacks to rise as zombies under the vohrahn’s control after 1d4 rounds.

Bind Vohrahn
Necromancy [Evil]
Level: Clr 7, Sor/Wiz 7
Components: V, S, M
Casting Time: 1 hour
Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)
Target: Up to four humanoid corpses
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: None; see text
Spell Resistance: No
The caster calls recently-deceased spirits from the realms of the dead, forcing them into nearby corpses which rise and become vohrahn. The spirits’ desire to rest again is converted into magical energy by the spell, granting the vohrahn additional power.
This spell creates up to four vohrahn, who follow commands as if controlled by animate dead. The vohrahn are self-aware, however, and may be able to subvert their creator’s commands by following the letter, but not the spirit, of an order. A vohrahn who wishes to subvert a command can make a Will save. Success means that it retains enough free will to twist the command’s wording, while failure means it cannot try again for another week.
This spell must be cast within 300 feet of the site of a recent (1d8 weeks past) humanoid death or burial. The spell cannot create more vohrahn than the number of recent deaths. For this reason, bind vohrahn is usually cast in graveyards or at the sites of battles.
Material Component: The spell must be cast on a dead humanoid body, and the caster must sprinkle a powder made of mandrake root, ground black onyx, and silver dust over each body to be animated. The powder is worth 200 gp.

Monster Geographica Underground:

Spoiler

Chitinous Battlemounts: Even in death, the dark elves’ insect companions continue to serve their masters on the battlefield. The dark elves use their necromantic magic on the large beetles and spiders to create these walking, undead war machines. Through a process known only to the weavers of power, the undead insect is changed into a mighty machine that can fire blasts of magical force from specially designed turrets dug out of their carapace.
Foul Spawner: ?
Dark Voyeur: Dark voyeurs are incorporeal undead associated with mirrors.
Mirror Bound (Su): A dark voyeur’s affinity for mirrors is caused primarily by its link to one special mirror. This “home” mirror commonly reflected the death of the voyeur’s living form, and trapped part of the departing soul within its glass. The mirror is always a glass of the inhabiting voyeur’s size category or larger with a hardness of 1 and 5 hit points.
If its mirror is shattered, the voyeur instantly returns to the broken glass, its body transforming 1d6 shards into exact copies of itself, but of Diminutive size and with only 1 hit point. These copies must all be destroyed to kill the dark voyeur, otherwise they will each flee to another mirror of their home mirror’s original size or larger and will reappear at full size and with total hit points in 1d4 days.
Gremmin: Gremmins are haunted remnants of desperate prospectors who craved nothing but instant wealth in life. Paying no regard to practical concern in their mad rush to unearth buried treasure, hungry, thirsty, and lost miners eventually realize the gravity of their predicament—though leaving their spectacular find is out of the question. This sentiment ultimately sparks their transformation into a gremmin after earthly demise.
Skulleton: Believed to have been created by a lich or demilich, the skulleton resembles the latter creature in that it appears as a skull, pile of dust, and collection of bones. Several small gems (false - all are painted glass and worthless) are inset in its eye sockets and mouth. The skulleton is thought to have been created to deter would-be tomb plunderers into thinking they had desecrated the lair of a demilich.
Waking Dead: Waking dead are the unrestful souls of those who were buried alive and awoke trapped in a coffin. Their glowing violet eyes reflect the terror and mania that followed them into undeath. Though their mortal bodies succumb to suffocation, their frantic desperation transformed the corpse into the waking dead. Panic-stricken scratching hones their razor sharp bony claws.
The creature’s height and weight vary based upon the individual. The metamorphosis into their current state erased all of their previous memories; therefore, waking dead possess no language skills.
Inscriber: Every inscriber was once a living scholar who obsessed over a certain field of study. After death, their lust for knowledge overcame the laws of nature, driving them to search the world for further information.
Spitting Ghoul: ?
Black Skeleton: Black skeletons are the remnants of living creatures slain in an area where the ground is soaked through with evil. The bodies of fallen heroes are contaminated and polluted by such evil and within days after their death, the slain creatures rise as black skeletons, leaving their former lives and bodies behind. Black skeletons are intelligent and do maintain some memories of their former lives.
Bone Sovereign: Bone sovereigns are amalgamations of skeletons whose animating enchantments coalesced to form a single, self-aware undead entity. Usually encountered near the ancient tombs and other fell places that spawned them, these undead creatures are driven by the need to assimilate other skeletal monsters into their own bodies, feeding off the animating enchantments that bind such creatures in undeath. A bone sovereign becomes larger and more powerful, with a proportionally increased appetite for necromantic energy as it assimilates other undead. No two bone sovereigns are identical, as each is an accumulation of the bones of many smaller skeletons. Usually they take a bipedal humanoid form, though some resemble demons, dragons, or other beasts, especially if the bones of such creatures have been collected by the monster. As a bone sovereign becomes larger and more powerful, it becomes less recognizable as any one type of creature.
Crypt Thing: Create Crypt Thing spell
Dark Elf Spirit: ?
Fear Guard: Fear guards embody evil in its blackest conjuration. They are summoned from some unknown place by evil wizards and clerics to act as unusual bodyguards.
Create Spawn (Su): Any living creature reduced to Wisdom 0 by a fear guard and is killed by another creature becomes a fear guard under the control of its killer within 2d6 hours. If a bless spell is cast on the corpse before this time, it prevents the transformation.
Ka Spirit: In many ancient cultures, people were sacrificed during the burial of important individuals. It was believed that their spirits would serve that of the deceased in the other world. The ka spirit is the soul of one this unfortunates. The first of these beings date from the early ages of civilization. Ka spirits appear as incorporeal versions of their former selves. They are rooted to their tomb, and are charged with guarding it against all intruders. Although they have no ability to manipulate the material world, they are able to possess and destroy the bodies of desecrators. Anyone killed by a ka spirit is bound to guard the tomb they despoiled.
Undead Ooze: Sometimes, when an ooze raids the grave of a restless and evil soul, a transformation takes place. The malevolent spirit, still tied to the rotting flesh consumed by the ooze, melds with the ooze. The result is a creature filled with hatred of the living and an intelligence and cunningness not normally known among its kind. An undead ooze appears as a large, viscous, black mass, from which the bones of its previous victims’ protrude.
Cinder Wight: A creature that is burned to death by magical fire may rise again as a fiery undead being called a cinder wight.
Phantasm: Phantasms are malevolent and sinister spirits that delight in the destruction of good-aligned creatures. While many undead creatures are the undead form of once living creatures, phantasms have no real material connection to living creatures; they are spirits born of pure evil. They are most often found haunting ruined temples or churches dedicated to evil gods, or dungeons constructed by evil creatures; any place where the stench of evil permeates the very air.
Crorit: A crorit is the angry spirit of a willful miner that was betrayed by his comrades. The crorit will haunt a particular tunnel, room, or even a whole mine, killing anyone unfortunate enough to venture into its territory. It forms its body from whatever materials are nearby, and can use picks, saws, and other tools to make slashing claws.
Hellscorn: Hellscorns are the undead manifestations of vitriolic hate that only spurned love can engender. Hellscorns predominantly appear as they did in life; however all hellscorns still bear the open wounds dealt by their capricious lover.
Slavering Mouther: Slavering mouthers are thought to be undead gibbering mouthers, raised, killed, and brought back from the dead by dark powers.
Vampire Spider: Vampire spiders are a unique combination of fiendish and vampiric essences in the form of a giant spider.
Walking Disease: ?
Soulless Ones: Soulless ones are powerful undead spirits driven by lament and hatred of the living.
Soulless ones are the product of unbearable lament, the spirits of stillborn children who were taken by darkness. These spirits are raised by evil entities, learning to hate the living and grant strength to undead.

Ghoul: The instant a ghoul spitter is killed or destroyed, the pustules on its skin all burst simultaneously, so that all creatures within 5 feet of it are exposed to its ghoul fever.
Poison (Ex): Spit (20 feet, once every 1d3 rounds) or bite, Fortitude DC 15, initial damage 1d4 Con, secondary damage infected with ghoul fever. The save DC is Constitution-based and includes a +2 racial bonus. If a spell or spell-like ability is used to delay, neutralize, or otherwise mitigate the effects of the poison, the caster must first make a caster level check as if trying to overcome spell resistance 19. If this check fails, the spell has no effect.
Ghoul Fever (Su): Disease (Su): Ghoul fever—bite, Fortitude DC 15, incubation period 1 day, damage 1d3 Dex and 1d3 Con. The save DC is Charisma-based.
An afflicted humanoid who dies of ghoul fever rises as a normal ghoul at the next midnight.
A creature that becomes a ghoul in this way retains none of the abilities possessed in life. It is not necessarily under control of any other ghouls, but it hungers for the flesh of the living and behaves like other ghouls in all respects.
A creature whose Strength score is reduced to 0 by a stone ghoul slider's leech life ability and then dies rises upon the following midnight as a ghoul.
Skeleton: As a standard action, a bone sovereign can create any number of skeletal monsters from its body.
As a full round action, an undead ooze can expel the skeletons in its body.
Zombie: Any creature killed by Constitution damage from the ka spirit’s rotting possession ability rises as a zombie under the ka spirit’s control after 1d4 rounds. It does not possess any of the abilities it had in life.
The corpse of an unfortunate victim trapped in an iron maiden golem is transformed into an undead being similar to a zombie.

Create Crypt Thing Necromancy [Evil]
Level: Clr 7, 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. The spell must be cast in the area where the crypt thing will make its lair. 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, not on what abilities the creature may have possessed while alive. Only one crypt thing is created with this spell, and it remains in the area where it was created until destroyed. Material Component: A black pearl gem worth at least 300 gp. The gem is placed inside the mouth of the corpse. Once the corpse is animated into a crypt thing, the gem is destroyed.

MST3K Monster Project:

Spoiler

Projected: The first projected was a wizard who attempted to create a non-magical means of teleportation, or “projection”. The wizard’s experiment was only partially successful- he was teleported, but was killed and reanimated as a bizarre undead creature by the process. Driven mad by his transformation, the wizard killed several people before destroying his work and himself. Despite the loss of the original experiment, more projected are still being created by some unknown process.
Reconstructed: The reconstructed are horrible undead monsters created by the misapplications of science.
In lands where clerics are rare and divine magic is a myth, people turn to science to heal wounds and cure disease. If an experiment in tissue replacement or the reanimation of the dead through electricity and drugs goes awry, the resulting creature is a thing no longer human and no longer fully alive.
Undead Head: Created either by mad science or the intervention of an evil deity, undead heads are intelligent, frightfully persuasive and deadly cunning.
“Undead head” is an acquired template that can be added to any giant, humanoid or monstrous humanoid that can cast spells or use psionic powers.
Sample Undead Head, Human Wizard 5: ?

OCS Outcastia Campaign Sourcebook Book II Player's Guidebook:

Spoiler

Bone Mage: Create Bone Mage spell.

Ghoul: Power Word Undeath spell.
Wight: Power Word Undeath spell.
Wraith: Power Word Undeath spell.
Skeleton: Skeletonize spell.
Zombie: Zombify spell.

Create Bone Mage
Necromancy
Level: Sor/Wiz 7
Components: V, S, M, F, XP
Casting Time: 24 hours
Range: Touch
Target: One undead skeleton
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: No
You create an undead ally to aid you in casting spells and making items.
You bind an unholy spirit into the body of one of your already-animated skeletons. This allows you to transform one of your skeletons into an undead ally to aid you in casting spells, making alchemical items, and crafting items. This spell instills no Intelligence in the creature, but instead allows Charisma to define spellcasting ability and skill checks involving Intelligence.
The skeleton is now able to take the bone mage prestige class and it uses its Charisma modifier to determine extra skill points instead of its Intelligence modifier. This spell gives the target skeleton the ability to approximate the verbal components necessary to cast spells. Undead that gain levels as bone mage count as their total Hit Dice for purposes of animate dead. This spell does three things: first, it enables the skeleton to do a few more things; second, it raises the skeleton’s Charisma by 12 points (the force of will of the unholy spirit); and third, it allows the skeleton to take the bone mage prestige class.
Material Components: A piece of a brain from an intelligent creature.
Focus Component: A wand made from a lich’s femur set with gems worth at least 1,000 fr.
XP Component: You must pay 500 xp each time you cast this spell.

Power Word, Undeath
Necromancy [Death, Evil, Power]
Level: Elc 9, UtM 9
Components: V
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: 30 feet
Target: One living humanoid creature
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: Yes
The caster has learned the Proper Word for re-animate.
Use of this spell allows him to instantaneously kill and reanimate one creature, whether the creature can hear the word or not. The target creature falls to the ground and rises the next round as the appropriate type of undead. The type of undead it is reanimated as, is dependant upon its current hit points at the time the spell is cast. All undead animated by this spell have average hit points for their type and be of medium size, no matter what size they were as living creatures. Any creature that currently has 76 or more hit points is unaffected by power word, undeath. The animated creature follows the caster’s spoken commands and does not count against the number of creatures that can be animated by the animate dead spell. The undead remains animated until it is destroyed. (An undead created by this spell that is destroyed cannot be re-animated again as any type of undead). This spell allows the caster to have up to his level in hit dice of undead created by this spell under his control. If he exceeds this number, all the newly created creatures fall under his control, and any excess undead from previous castings become uncontrolled. (The caster chooses which creatures are released.) This spell can only be cast at night.
Table 8.04: Undead
Hit Points Type of Undead Animated
25 or less Ghoul
26–50 Wight
51–75 Wraith

Skeletonize
Necromancy [Evil, Power]
Level: Elc 4, UtM 5
Components: V
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Touch
Target: One or more corpses touched
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: No
This spell turns the bodies or bones of dead creatures into undead skeletons that follow the caster’s spoken commands. A skeleton can be created only from a mostly intact corpse or skeleton. The corpse must have bones. If a skeleton is made from a corpse, the flesh falls off the bones.
The undead can follow the caster, or they can remain in an area and attack any creature (or just a specific kind of creature) entering the place. They remain animated until they are destroyed. (A destroyed skeleton can’t be animated again.)
The caster can’t create more HD of undead than twice his caster level with a single casting of skeletonize. The undead he creates remain under his control indefinitely.
No matter how many times he uses this spell, animate dead, or zombify, however, he can control only 4 HD worth of undead creatures per caster level. If he exceeds this number, all the newly created creatures fall under his control, and any excess undead from previous castings become uncontrolled. (The caster chooses which creatures are released.) If the caster is a cleric, any undead he might command by virtue of his power to command or rebuke undead do not count toward the limit.

Zombify
Necromancy [Evil, Power]
Level: Elc 5, UtM 6
Components: V
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Touch
Target: One or more corpses touched
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: No
This spell turns the bodies of dead creatures into undead zombies that follow the caster’s spoken commands. A zombie can be created only from a mostly intact corpse. The corpse must be that of a creature with a true anatomy.
The undead can follow the caster, or they can remain in an area and attack any creature (or just a specific kind of creature) entering the place. They remain animated until they are destroyed. (A destroyed zombie can’t be animated again.)
The caster can’t create more HD of undead than twice his caster level with a single casting of zombify. The undead the caster creates remain under his control indefinitely.
No matter how many times he uses this spell, animate dead, or skeletonize, however, he can control only 4 HD worth of undead creatures per caster level. If he exceeds this number, all the newly created creatures fall under his control, and any excess undead from previous castings become uncontrolled. (The caster chooses which creatures are released.) If the caster is a cleric, any undead he might command by virtue of his power to command or rebuke undead do not count toward the limit.

OCS Tome of Terrors:

Spoiler

Bone Dancer: Some say the first bone dancer was created by Gremian, Lord of Revelry, as a means of vengeance against those who disdained the power of the dance. Others say these creatures are created by an ice witch ritual dance used against captives in an annual ceremony. And still others blame the bone dancer’s existence on vicious peak faeries.
Anyone killed by taking Constitution damage from dancing with bone dancers rises again in 3 rounds and shakes off its skin to become a bone dancer and join in the dance.
Dead Rattor: Dead rattors are created by use of a special ritual performed on the three nights of the triple full moon using the feat Create Sacrificial Undead. Knowledge of this ritual and its components is not widespread and requires at least a major quest and/or intensive research to discover its particulars.
CONSTRUCTION
The ceremony for creating a dead rattor takes 8 hours on each of three nights and must take place on the night that all three moons are full and the nights immediately preceding and following the triple full moon. Vestments for the ceremony cost 1,500 fr but can be reused. Each night rare herbs and incenses worth at least 800 fr must be burned in a small campfire. Each prospective sacrifice must be shackled with alchemical silver shackles and bound with an alchemical silver chain. The sacrifices must be wererats and should be killed by the rising of the moon on the middle night. The ears are cut off with an alchemical silver knife then the knife is plunged into the sacrificial victim’s left eye and left there to simmer. Multiple dead rattors can be created; but a wererat must be sacrificed for each one. At the end of the third night’s ceremony, each wererat shrinks into the form of a dead rattor. Dead rattors are under the control of their creator for only 24 hours. After that, the dead rattor becomes free-willed.
Prerequisites: Sacrificial Undead, baleful polymorph; Costs: 2,400 fr of rare herbs and incenses, 1,500 fr for vestments, an alchemical silver knife for each prospective sacrifice, an alchemical silver set of shackles for each prospective sacrifice, an alchemical silver chain for each prospective sacrifice, a wererat sacrifice for each undead to be created, and 5 xp/HD of undead created; Time: 3 days (24 hours).
Digger Ghoul: CONSTRUCTION
The ceremony for creating a digger ghoul takes 8 hours and must take place on the night of the waning gibbous moon, Luminor, during an autumn rainstorm. The rainstorm need not last for the whole ceremony but must last at least an hour. Vestments for the ceremony cost 3,000 fr but can be reused. Rare herbs and incenses worth at least 300 fr must be mixed with grave dirt and burned in a black cauldron. The sacrifice must be a humanoid rogue that must be killed using a scythe with a snaith made of bone. Multiple digger ghouls can be created; but a humanoid rogue must be sacrificed for each one. At the end of the ceremony, the dead rogue’s body changes into the form of a digger ghoul. The claws and teeth thicken and lengthen to 6 inches each. The hair grows at an alarming rate until it reaches the shoulder blades. The hair also thickens and becomes stringy. The eyes sink deep into the skull and glow with an inner yellow light. The digger ghoul is ingrained with a singular purpose: to find and dig up bodies for its master. Once the ceremony is complete, the digger ghoul jumps up and sniffs the ground to smell out dead bodies within range. The digger ghoul will go to the nearest buried dead body and dig it up for its creator. As soon as the digger ghoul unearths a body, it runs off in search of another. It will continue doing this until ordered to stop, it is attacked, it is destroyed, or there are no dead bodies in range.
The digger ghoul can also be given other orders within its abilities. Digger ghouls are expert trackers, excellent diggers, and fast scouts. Only orders that use one of these abilities will be obeyed.
Digger ghouls are always under the control of their creator and do not count as undead controlled for purposes of the animate dead spell.
Prerequisites: Sacrificial Undead, ghoul touch; Costs: 300 fr of rare herbs and incenses, grave dirt, 3,000 fr for vestments, a scythe with a snaith made of bone, a humanoid rogue victim for each undead to be created, and 100 xp/HD of undead created; Time: 1 days (8 hours).
Risen: They were born from the remains of those mortals who fell under the mighty clashing gods of Hakam Nore and Starrl. When the wounded Starrl’s blood spilled unto the bodies, they rose as eternal undead creatures infused with the divine essence of Starrl.
Shadow Spy: They are created in a special ritual done on the eve of the new moon of Zkor. Usually teenagers and children of medium races are made into shadow spies. Halflings, goblins, and gnomes of all ages are also often fodder for this ritual; because medium creatures can be made into more dangerous types of undead. The soon-to-be-shadow-spies are sacrificed in a ceremony that binds their spirits to both shadowstuff and the leader of the ritual. Most of the time, this is a huge ceremony involving the sacrifice of hundreds of youths and small-sized humanoids. The resulting shadow spies are totally faithful to their creator and can speak with him using a series of gestures and shapes. They understand any language their creator can speak.
The next night a second ritual provides the creator the means to understand the shadow spy’s semi-language through a gem infused with the dark of the moon Zkor, made in a separate ceremony. Without the gem information can not be received from the shadow spy (it still retains the ability to understand its creator’s languages).
The ceremony for creating a shadow spy takes 8 hours and must take place on the night of the eve of the new moon of Zkor. Vestments for the ceremony cost 500 fr but can be reused. Rare herbs and incenses worth at least 1,000 fr must be burned in a blackened iron brazier. The sacrifices must be small size creatures and should be killed by midnight. The hearts are cut out of the sacrificial victims and offered to the darkness (thrown out of visual range) creating the shadow spy. Multiple shadow spies can be created; but a small-sized creature must be sacrificed for each one.
The next night, the new moon, requires another ceremony. The brazier is again lit, costing another 1,000 fr worth of rare herbs and incenses, while the creator chants over a black gem (worth 10 fr/HD of undead created the night before). This ceremony takes 8 hours.
Prerequisites: Sacrificial Undead, blacklight; Costs: 2,000 fr of rare herbs and incenses, 500 fr for vestments, a black gem worth 10 fr/HD of undead to be created, and a sacrificial victim of Small size for each undead to be created and 5 xp/HD of undead created;
Time: 2 days (16 hours).
Shadow Warrior: Shadow warriors are undead members of some unknown race on a plane parallel but separate from our own. Because of the amount of bonus “racial” feats, it is theorized that shadow warriors were actually fighter-classed creatures; there is no proof to substantiate this, though. Upon death, through a dark ritual, their essences are sucked into the ethereal and bound to their creator as hunter-killers.
It is supposed by many sages that the shadow warriors are the remnants of some otherworldly empire once or still ruled by Starsmith. Whether this is the case or that they are really demonic spirits trapped in shadowstuff is a debate best left to the experts.
Spirit of the Night: When Gingus Starsmith fell, his followers continued his research and even began construction of the Veil of Shadows. Upon Starsmith’s return in the body of a dead dragon after the Great Conjunction, he finished the arcane construct and began to implement its powers across his newly acquired empire. Sages call this time the Age of Shadows because of all the shadowy creatures that made their first recorded appearances then. Carthan, the Wise, a prominent sage of Bridgeford, insists that the artifact created by Starsmith and his minions was either directly or indirectly to blame for the appearance of all these shadowy creatures.
Spirit of the Slain: Rowers of willow galleys are formerly captured unfortunates who have had their life-forces completely drained to power the ship’s flight through the ethereal.
The willow galley ship’s hold drains one level per day from each creature in the hold (no save) in order to give the ship its ethereal and material speed. Creatures drained to 0 levels are dead with no hope of resurrection (possibly a god could resurrect them; but raise dead, resurrection, true resurrection, wish and miracle automatically fail) and become spirits of the slain.
Rowers on the willow galley are formerly captured unfortunates who have had their life-forces completely drained to power the ship’s flight through the ethereal. The ship’s hold drains one level per day from each creature in the hold (no save) in order to give the ship its ethereal and material speed. Creatures drained to 0 levels are dead with no hope of resurrection (possibly a god could resurrect them; but raise dead, resurrection, true resurrection, wish and miracle automatically fail) and become spirits of the slain.
Power Wraith: Any humanoid slain by a power wraith becomes a power wraith in 1d4 rounds. Its body remains intact and inanimate, but its spirit is torn free from its corpse and transformed.
Power wraiths are created when an utter master fails his Fortitude save when casting an utter master spell resulting in enough damage to reduce his Constitution score to 0. A power wraith can also be created by an elocutionist who has broken his oath failing his Fortitude save when casting any spell resulting in enough damage to reduce his Constitution score to 0. If the dead utter master’s or elocutionist’s body is not blessed by spell or holy water, it rises again 3 days later as a free-willed power wraith.
Sanctum Wraith: Sanctum wraiths are incorporeal creatures born of evil and darkness.
Any humanoid slain by a sanctum wraith becomes a sanctum wraith in 1d4 rounds. Its body remains intact and inanimate, but its spirit is torn free from its corpse and transformed.
CONSTRUCTION
The ceremony for creating a sanctum wraith takes 8 hours on each of three nights and must take place on the nights Durvs 14-16. In ancient times dragons called this period the festival of samhain. Vestments for the ceremony cost 5,000 fr and cannot be reused. Each night rare herbs and incenses worth at least 1,200 fr must be burned in silver sanqphors throughout the sanctum. A line of silver dust worth at least 500 fr per 100 square feet of the sanctum must be traced around the sanctum on the first night, samhain’s eve. This line delineates the boundaries of the protective sacrifice’s aura as well as the limits of the future sanctum wraiths’ domain. Up to three wraiths can be sacrificed (one each night) to fuel the protective aura around your sanctum. You must pay 1,000 xp per wraith sacrificed. Once the ceremony is complete, your sanctum radiates a palpable aura of evil much like the wraith’s unnatural aura ability. Any living creatures entering your sanctum without first speaking the word of command you set during the ceremony becomes affected by the essences of the sacrificed wraith(s). The intruder must make a Fortitude save DC 10 + ½ your caster level + your primary casting stat bonus, each hour or take 1d4 Constitution damage (+2 per wraith beyond the first that was sacrificed), successful saves halve the damage. A creature reduced to 0 Constitution in this way dies and rises again in 1d4 rounds as a sanctum wraith. The sanctum wraith is prevented from attacking anyone that spoke the word of command set by you during the ceremony and can never leave the confines of its domain, your sanctum. Once the aura has created as many sanctum wraiths as the number of wraiths you sacrificed in the ceremony, it is discharged and does not further work.
Sacrificial Undead, create greater undead, unhallow; Costs: 3,600 fr of rare herbs and incenses, 5,000 fr for vestments, 500 fr of powdered silver per 100 square feet of the sanctum, up to three wraith sacrifices, and 1,000 xp per wraith sacrificed. Time: 3 days (24 hours).
Death Elemental: Undead elementals exist; spontaneously created whenever a wave of negative energy sweeps over an elemental plane. It catches some elementals unaware and transforms them into death elementals. The wave eats away all of the creature’s physical elemental material leaving only a smaller, incorporeal blotch of raw negative energy that seeks to destroy everything in some sort of misguided revenge.
“Death elemental” is an acquired template that can be added to any elemental.
Ice Shaman: Ice shamans are corpses reanimated through a dark, sinister, and powerful magic ritual using the Sacrificial Undead feat.
“Ice shaman” is an acquired template that can be added to any corporeal creature (other than an undead or a creature with the Fire subtype) that has a skeletal system.
Inga's Skeleton: An Inga’s skeleton is a normal skeleton that at one time possessed the minor artifact, Inga’s Scythe. The scythe transforms those skeletons that carry it by giving them an Intelligence score, skills, and feats.
“Inga’s Skeleton” is an acquired template that can be added to any undead skeleton of Huge size or smaller that is basically humanoid or able to wield two-handed weapons.
Power Lich: A power lich is an undead spellcaster, usually a wizard or sorcerer but sometimes a cleric or other spellcaster, who has used its magical powers to unnaturally extend its life by transforming its life-force or spirit into sound and storing it in a magical sound receptacle.
“Power lich” is an acquired template that can be added to any humanoid, giant, monstrous humanoid, or intelligent undead creature, provided it can create the required phylactery.
The process of becoming a power lich is unspeakably evil and can be undertaken only by a willing character.
The Power Lich’s Crystal Obsidian Bell
An integral part of becoming a power lich is creating a magic bell in which the character stores its sound force. Changing the base creature’s life force or spirit into sound force is the second part of the extended ritual. As a rule, the only way to get rid of a power lich for sure is to destroy its crystal obsidian bell. Unless its crystal obsidian bell is located and destroyed, a power lich reappears 1d8 days after its apparent death.
Each power lich must make its own crystal obsidian bell, which requires the Craft Wondrous Item feat. The character must be able to cast spells and have a caster level of 18th or higher. The character must know at least 12 power words or words of power. The crystal obsidian bell costs 440,000 fr and 17,600 XP to create and has a caster level equal to that of its creator at the time of creation.
The bell is Diminutive and has 50 hit points, hardness 25, and a break DC of 50.
Other forms of crystal obsidian bells can exist, such as chimes, drums, or similar items. This item is specifically created by a power lich in order to store his essence, much like a lich’s phylactery but much more powerful.
In addition to all of the abilities of a lich’s phylactery, a crystal obsidian bell can be rung (a standard action) so as to produce power word, blind three times per day; power word, stun twice per day; and power word, kill once per day.
Moreover, the bell itself can store one spell of up to 8th level. The bell can be set to release this spell as a free action if the wielder whispers to it the conditions of the release when the spell is stored. Storing a spell in the crystal obsidian bell takes one minute. The conditions needed to bring the spell into effect must be clear, although they can be general. In all cases, the crystal obsidian bell immediately brings into effect the stored spell, the latter being “cast” instantaneously when the prescribed circumstances occur. If complicated or convoluted conditions are prescribed, the spell may fail when called on. The stored spell occurs based solely on the stated conditions, regardless of whether the caster wants it to.
Strong to overwhelming enchantment, evocation, and transmutation; CL 18th or higher; Craft Wondrous Item, power word blind, power word kill, power word stun, magic jar, polymorph any object, creator must know at least 12 power words/words of power; Cost: 440,000 fr and 17,600 XP; Weight: 1 lb.
Shadow Lich: A shadow lich is an undead spellcaster, usually a wizard or sorcerer but sometimes a cleric or other spellcaster, who has used its magical powers to unnaturally extend its life by infusing its life-force with shadowstuff.
“Shadow Lich” is an acquired template that can be added to any humanoid, giant, or monstrous humanoid creature, provided it can create the required phylactery.
The process of becoming a shadow lich is unspeakably evil and can be undertaken only by a willing character.
The Shadow Lich’s Shadow Box
An integral part of becoming a shadow lich is creating a magic shadow box in which the character stores its life force. As a rule, the only way to get rid of a shadow lich for sure is to destroy its shadow box. Unless its shadow box is located and destroyed, a shadow lich reappears 1d10 days after its apparent death.
Each shadow lich must make its own shadow box, which requires the Craft Wondrous Item feat. The character must be able to cast spells and have a caster level of 11th or higher. The shadow box costs 120,000 fr and 4,800 XP to create and has a caster level equal to that of its creator at the time of creation.
The most common form of shadow box is a sealed metal box containing strips of parchment on which magical phrases have been transcribed. The box is Tiny and has 40 hit points, hardness 20, and a break DC of 40 on the plane of shadows. It is incorporeal otherwise and becomes much harder to destroy without access to the plane of shadows.
Other forms of shadow boxes can exist, such as rings, amulets, or similar items.
Strong to overwhelming transmutation; CL 15th or higher; Craft Wondrous Item, etherealness, magic jar; Cost: 120,000 fr and 4,800 XP; Weight: —.

Skeleton: When a new food source has been found, the Nore trap will expectorate the current food source if it is dead. This is a standard action that does not provoke attacks of opportunity. The Nore trap will keep a food source until a new one has been found. The spat out food sources will be in one of two of states of digestion. Roll 1d20 to determine the stage, 1–13 indicates complete consumption, while 14–20 indicates partial consumption.
All expectorated food sources become undead fiends. Any food source that was completely consumed animates as a skeleton within 1 minute of being spat out. An expectorated food source lands in a random adjacent square (use 1d12). Partially consumed food sources become other types of undead. Determine type of undead on the table below.
Partially Consumed Expectorated Food Sources
d20 Roll Undead Type Time to Animate
1–10 Zombie 5 minutes
11–15 Ghoul 10 minutes
17–19 Ghast 1 hour
20 Wight 8 hours
Zombie: When a new food source has been found, the Nore trap will expectorate the current food source if it is dead. This is a standard action that does not provoke attacks of opportunity. The Nore trap will keep a food source until a new one has been found. The spat out food sources will be in one of two of states of digestion. Roll 1d20 to determine the stage, 1–13 indicates complete consumption, while 14–20 indicates partial consumption.
All expectorated food sources become undead fiends. Any food source that was completely consumed animates as a skeleton within 1 minute of being spat out. An expectorated food source lands in a random adjacent square (use 1d12). Partially consumed food sources become other types of undead. Determine type of undead on the table below.
Partially Consumed Expectorated Food Sources
d20 Roll Undead Type Time to Animate
1–10 Zombie 5 minutes
11–15 Ghoul 10 minutes
17–19 Ghast 1 hour
20 Wight 8 hours
Ghoul: When a new food source has been found, the Nore trap will expectorate the current food source if it is dead. This is a standard action that does not provoke attacks of opportunity. The Nore trap will keep a food source until a new one has been found. The spat out food sources will be in one of two of states of digestion. Roll 1d20 to determine the stage, 1–13 indicates complete consumption, while 14–20 indicates partial consumption.
All expectorated food sources become undead fiends. Any food source that was completely consumed animates as a skeleton within 1 minute of being spat out. An expectorated food source lands in a random adjacent square (use 1d12). Partially consumed food sources become other types of undead. Determine type of undead on the table below.
Partially Consumed Expectorated Food Sources
d20 Roll Undead Type Time to Animate
1–10 Zombie 5 minutes
11–15 Ghoul 10 minutes
17–19 Ghast 1 hour
20 Wight 8 hours
An afflicted humanoid that dies of a dead rattor's ghoul fever rises as a ghoul at the next midnight. A humanoid of 4 Hit Dice or more rises as a ghast, not a ghoul.
Anyone killed by risen will rise as a ghoul under the risen’s control 24 hours later.
Ghast: When a new food source has been found, the Nore trap will expectorate the current food source if it is dead. This is a standard action that does not provoke attacks of opportunity. The Nore trap will keep a food source until a new one has been found. The spat out food sources will be in one of two of states of digestion. Roll 1d20 to determine the stage, 1–13 indicates complete consumption, while 14–20 indicates partial consumption.
All expectorated food sources become undead fiends. Any food source that was completely consumed animates as a skeleton within 1 minute of being spat out. An expectorated food source lands in a random adjacent square (use 1d12). Partially consumed food sources become other types of undead. Determine type of undead on the table below.
Partially Consumed Expectorated Food Sources
d20 Roll Undead Type Time to Animate
1–10 Zombie 5 minutes
11–15 Ghoul 10 minutes
17–19 Ghast 1 hour
20 Wight 8 hours
An afflicted humanoid that dies of a dead rattor's ghoul fever rises as a ghoul at the next midnight. A humanoid of 4 Hit Dice or more rises as a ghast, not a ghoul.
Wight: When a new food source has been found, the Nore trap will expectorate the current food source if it is dead. This is a standard action that does not provoke attacks of opportunity. The Nore trap will keep a food source until a new one has been found. The spat out food sources will be in one of two of states of digestion. Roll 1d20 to determine the stage, 1–13 indicates complete consumption, while 14–20 indicates partial consumption.
All expectorated food sources become undead fiends. Any food source that was completely consumed animates as a skeleton within 1 minute of being spat out. An expectorated food source lands in a random adjacent square (use 1d12). Partially consumed food sources become other types of undead. Determine type of undead on the table below.
Partially Consumed Expectorated Food Sources
d20 Roll Undead Type Time to Animate
1–10 Zombie 5 minutes
11–15 Ghoul 10 minutes
17–19 Ghast 1 hour
20 Wight 8 hours

Sacrificial Undead [Item Creation]
You can create undead followers by means of sacrificial rituals.
Prerequisites: Evil alignment, Spell Focus (necromancy), Craft Magical Arms and Armor
Benefit: This feat allows you to construct different kinds of undead. Making an undead is a ritual that takes place on a specified night (full moon, new moon, spring equinox, winter solstice, all hallows eve, etc.) and usually takes 8 hours/HD of the created undead. The ritual requires the sacrifice of one intelligent creature for each created undead. Each undead that can be created by this process has a Construction paragraph that tells the specifics of the ritual as well as any additional requirements.

Octavirate Presents Lethal Lexicon 2:

Spoiler

Poultrygeist: When a chicken is put to death by the axe there is a chance that its lingering spirit may seek vengeance against its uncooked brethren.
Every time a poultrygeist slays another chicken there is a cumulative 1% chance that the resulting spawn will be another poultrygeist independent of its creator’s control.
Rhythmic Dead: Sometimes, when a performer dies before his talents are recognized, the spirit of the slain performer will rise from the grave to take its revenge upon the world.
Any humanoid with 10 or more ranks in Perform (dance) slain by a rhythmic dead will rise as a rhythmic dead.

Zombie: Any avian creature slain by a poultrygeist’s Wisdom drain rises as a zombie in 1d4 rounds.
Any humanoid slain by a rhythmic dead becomes a zombie in 1d4 rounds.

Predators of the Pit:

Spoiler

Zombie: Arknors have the ability to consume the souls of those they feast upon. Those consumed by the arknor cannot be resurrected by any means, nor do their souls go on to an afterlife. The corpse of the victim remains in the webbing, and the arknor controls it as a puppet. These strange undead pass through the arknor’s territory, gossamer strands of webbing coaxing it along, as though by an electrical current. The poison of the arknor prevents rigor mortis.
Any corpse within the web can be controlled by the arknor. Such corpses are considered zombies.

Psionics Unbound:

Spoiler

Soul-Riven Wanderer: Most corporeal undead creatures that walk Onara are created by binding the soul to the body. However, a Soul-Riven Wanderer is a corporeal undead creature that is not created in this manner. Rather, it is an undead creature whose soul is consumed by the Silence; in return the Silence occupies and powers this fell creature.
The exact process that the Silence uses to create these creatures is not known.
Corporeal Undead: Most corporeal undead creatures that walk Onara are created by binding the soul to the body. However, a Soul-Riven Wanderer is a corporeal undead creature that is not created in this manner. Rather, it is an undead creature whose soul is consumed by the Silence; in return the Silence occupies and powers this fell creature.

Undead Psionic Creature: ?
Caller in Darkness: A caller in darkness is an incorporeal creature composed of the minds of dozens of victims who died together in terror.

Quintessential Drow:

Spoiler

Vampiric Spider: The vampire spider is one of the most vile creations of the drow - the imprisonment of a fiendish spirit and an undead vampiric essence within the form of a giant spider.
Spawn Sanguine spell.

Spawn Sanguine
Necromancy [Death, Evil]
Level: Clr 5
Components: V, S, M
Casting Time: 1 round
Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft/2 levels)
Target: One spider egg sac
Duration: Instantaneous
Save: None
Spell Resistance: Yes
By whispering words of purest corruption taught to them by the dark gods that watch over the evil the hearts of drow, this spell seeps the very heart of darkness and negative energy into its material component, an egg sac from a Huge spider of any sort. The spell sets to work immediately on the small creatures squirming within the sac, driving them to consume each other in an orgy of violence and hunger until only one survives. That one is the sole inheritor of the black energies waiting to suffuse it and change it into something monstrous, a vampire spider. One hour after the spell is cast, the egg sac bursts open and the vampire spider emerges fully formed and ready to serve.
A vampire spider is utterly devoted to its creator or any one other sentient being designated by its creator at the time of spellcasting. If its master is not the same as the one who casts the spell, the vampire spider will seek to move to its intended master and bite him for 1d8 damage and a temporary Constitution drain of 1 point. This attunes the spider to its new master and that individual need never worry about its attacking him again. Vampire spiders can only serve one master, that individual can never be changed, and the creatures go rogue and masterless if that being dies. Unbound vampire spiders are a threat to any living being except drow priestesses of the Great Mother, whom they will flee from at every opportunity.

Ssethregore: In the Coils of the Serpent Empire:

Spoiler

Caimeth: Caimeth is quite unique among all the demipowers of Arcanis, for he is in fact undead. Countless ages ago, in an attempt to increase his own power and position, he began to study the arts of Thanatology and Necromancy. Fascinated with the process of murder, it was inevitable that Caimeth would turn down the road of the Dead. Naturally immortal, it was quite a task for the powerful Varn to set up his own demise, but along with a cadre of contingency spells and triggered enchantments, Caimeth was able to break the line between life and death.

Shadows of a Dying World:

Spoiler

Corphal Ghost: When a Corphal eventually dies through violence or after long years of neglect and isolation, its unholy will to live seldom allows its spirit to rest quietly.

Soul Harvest:

Spoiler

Pariah: Sometimes magic does strange things to a person. Sometimes, when someone is killed by magic, the energy permeates every fi ber of the victim’s being, bringing the person back from the dead in a mockery of life. If the person does not believe in the gods or an afterlife, there is a chance that the magic will claim the soul, trapping it within the mortal shell and putting it back on its feet. From such is this blasphemy born.
A pariah is an undead template that may be applied immediately to any humanoid race that is killed by magic that does not believe in an afterlife or reincarnation, though not every humanoid that meets these criteria becomes a Pariah. The nature of such a transformation seems to target individuals at complete random.

Spiros Blaak:

Spoiler

Diswosnia Entrhaller: Tragically, some plain and homely women are victims of violence. Whether denounced as witches, butchered by loveless husbands lusting after young maidens, or abandoned to starvation or exposure because they grow old, the result is the same. In some cases, the horror and cause of their deaths force the victims to return as dizwosinas: deranged undead who seek vengeance for the injustices done to them.
Necrozen: Following the failure of his Witch Lords to help him conquer the burgeoning Wildlands, Sallous Yar set about developing alternative agents of his depravity. One of the reasons for the failure of the Witch Lords, the dread god believed, was that he had allowed himself to put his faith in mortals, a mistake he would not repeat. Instead, he would create the Necrozen, his Death Bringers, to do his bidding.
Instilled with the dark light of undeath, the Necrozen are selected from those mortal warriors who fervently pursued Sallous Yar’s goals in life and sought nothing but the cold waiting beyond the grave as their reward.
“Necrozen” is a template that can be added to any giant, humanoid, or monstrous humanoid with an Intelligence score of 10 or more.

Strange Lands: Lost Tribes of the Scarred Lands:

Spoiler

Fossil Ghoul: An afflicted humanoid who dies of ghoul fever from a fossil ghoul rises as a ghoul at the next midnight. A humanoid of 4 or fewer HD rises as a ghoul, a humanoid of 4-5 Hit Dice rises as a ghast, and a humanoid of 6 Hit Dice or more rises as a fossil ghoul.
Na'heem: The Na’heem are the result of the misapprehension of spiritual epiphany at the most delicate moment of the enlightenment process - instead of rising to the status of Exemplar, the monk undergoes a dark and hideous metamorphosis.
The Brotherhood of Na’heem embodied the highest levels of ascetic virtue for an eon. Disciplined and devoted to the arts of self-mortification, the brotherhood set off into the wastes to pursue
total mastery of their spiritual system. It was not long before the Ministers of Cruelty, an order of sadisiic devils that “patronizes” the religiously ascetic, disturbed the deep desert meditation of these nomadic monks. Their souls stretched shreds upon the unresolved Paradox Of their Order” to mysteries, the first masters of the Na’heem brotherhood were cursed to walk the sands as undead warnings to the religiously zealous, thinking only of the yawning void coursing through their husks. Since then, other misguided spiritualists, drawn to the promise of unholy wisdom and immortality, have chosen to walk the maddening path of the Na’heem, swelling the brotherhood’s ranks with worthy new believers.
“Na’heem” is an acquired template that can be added to any humanoid monk of at least 11th level.
Sample Naheem: ?
Voracious Fang Swarm: Although the origin of these swarms is unknown, one thing is obvious: they almost certainly have some connection to Gaurak the Glutton. Some sages speculate that these swarms arise in areas where one of the ravenous titan's teeth tainted the land; others believe that they may have been created by Gaurak himself.
Unholy Chorus: ?
Nether Dragon: Some rare chromatic dragons continue to live on, long past the point where even other dragons have perished of old age. Nesting on treasure hoards they’ve no intention of using, their spirits are poisoned by their greed and by their loathing and distrust of every living thing. Such a dragon can become a twisted, corrupted thing indeed, its body bloated beyond all proportion and its soul rotten beyond the foulest evil. Dragons that reach this state of taint usually retire far below the earth; there, the utter lack of light, the dark arcane forces below the Scarred Lands, and the very weight of excess years finally turn the creature into a nether dragon.
Nether dragons are undead creatures, although they don’t need to physically die in the process - their souls are simply snuffed out and they turn into foul husks, empty of life and light.
“Nether dragon” is an acquired template that can be added to any true dragon of evil alignment that has reached great wyrm age.
Sample Nether Dragon: This nether dragon was originally a green dragon who finally killed or drove away all other living creatures from its forest. It then retreated to the core of the dead wood it used to call home and descended more and more deeply into its caves, until it reached the deepest underground lake it could find, where it now lies submerged, wallowing in its own hatred of everything.
Frost Maiden: Occasionally, a dryad’s resplendent oak succumbs to the frigid touch of winter. The tree’s destruction spells doom for the dryad, but death is not always the final result. The dryad may rise again as an undead monster filled with winter’s fury - a frost maiden.
Rekirrac: ?
Winter Wraith: In Fenrilik and other icy regions, young children who die from exposure to the elements sometimes return as winter wraiths, called “thirsty ghosts” by some.

Undead: Once per day with a successful touch attack, Otossal’s avatar can transform any living being into an undeadcreature. The creature touched must make a DC 36 Fortitude save or gain any undead template of Otossal’s choice.
Ghoul: An afflicted humanoid who dies of ghoul fever from a fossil ghoul rises as a ghoul at the next midnight. A humanoid of 4 or fewer HD rises as a ghoul, a humanoid of 4-5 Hit Dice rises as a ghast, and a humanoid of 6 Hit Dice or more rises as a fossil ghoul.
Any humanoid killed by the energy drain attack of a voracious fang swarm rises 2d6 hours later as a ghoul.
Ghast: An afflicted humanoid who dies of ghoul fever from a fossil ghoul rises as a ghast at the next midnight. A humanoid of 4 or fewer HD rises as a ghoul, a humanoid of 4-5 Hit Dice rises as a ghast, and a humanoid of 6 Hit Dice or more rises as a fossil ghoul.
Ice Haunt: Victims killed by a rime witch’s spells or her ice haunts rise after 24 hours as ice haunts under her control.

Template Troves II: Oozes and Aberrations:

Spoiler

Bloodseeker: How the first bloodseeker was created is a matter for the sages to debate. Some suggest it was the result of an experiment performed by the legendary vampire sorcerer Necromortis. Others believe it was the result of an ooze accidentally ingesting a vampire as it rested in its coffin.
“Bloodseeker” is an acquired template that can be added to any ooze.
Necromanctic Ooze: The necromantic ooze is a horrible creation that results when an ooze is slain by an energy drain attack.
“Necromantic Ooze” is an acquired template that can be added to any ooze.

Template Troves III: Diseases, Parasites, & Symbiotes:

Spoiler

Plague Zombie: The zombie plague bestows upon its victims a foul semblance of life, as well as an insatiable hunger for the flesh of the living.
In the course of their cannibalistic hunt, plague zombies inevitably spread their disease to the creatures they kill. Victims who do not die outright are eventually overcome by the plague itself, dying in short order only to rise an hour or two later as voracious, undead creatures.
“Plague zombie” is an acquired template that can be added to any corporeal animal, giant, humanoid, or monstrous humanoid possessing a skeletal system.
Any creature that dies as a result of zombie plague rises as a plague zombie 1d6 minutes after its death. Any creature that is infected with zombie plague, but which dies by another means, also rises as a plague zombie 1d6 minutes after its death.
Sample Plague Zombie Klein: ?
Sample Plague Zombie Ormand: ?
Pox Spirit: Ghost pox is a disease of the ethereal plane that lays waste to the spirits of men. Though its incorporeal sickness can infect many types of creatures, many scholars speculate that ghost pox prefers to defile sentient beings with its contagion. While the disease is considered by many to manifest some sort of malign intelligence, there could be nothing further from the truth. Indeed, the sickness is spread by the ghostly victims of the pox itself. Denied of life, and twisted into spiteful revenants, they seek to swell their own ranks by infecting the living.
The affliction begins with nightmares too horrible for the victim to remember. Cold sweats, accompanied by a substantial drop in body temperature, follow. Small points of phosphorescence lend a pocked appearance to the victim’s skin if examined by moonlight. Disembodied sounds accompany the nightmare screams of the dying, and small objects will occasionally float about the sickroom, seemingly of their own accord. Traditional remedies fail to cure the affliction, though religious rites are occasionally effective if the presiding priest is strong in his faith. Eventually, even the strongest of patients succumbs to a coma from which he will never awaken.
When death finally takes him, the victim’s soul has undergone a malevolent transformation. While his body is buried or burned, his spirit remains behind to seek its own solace. Such peace is temporary at best, and is typically at the expense of the living he has left behind. In an attempt to provide himself with companions to populate his bleak afterlife, the pox spirit spreads his own contagion to those he once loved, and the cycle continues once more.
“Pox spirit” is an acquired template that can be added to any animal, giant, humanoid, magical beast, or monstrous humanoid.
Pox spirits seek to create more of their kind by spreading their own ethereal sickness to the living. A pox spirit may take a full attack action to infect an opponent with ghost pox. If the spirit’s ethereal touch attack is successful, its opponent takes 1d6 damage and must make an immediate Fortitude saving throw (DC 14) to resist the infection.
Characters who acquire the pox spirit template are driven mad with loneliness and grief. They seek to end their profound despair by inflicting their ghostly disease upon friends and loved ones.
Sample Pox Spirit: ?

Testament: Roleplaying in the Biblical Era:

Spoiler

Rephaim: Rephaim are the shades of those nephilim who drowned in the Flood. Because of their semi-divine heritage, death transformed them into terrifying spirits.
Accursed Ka-Spirit: When one seeks divine knowledge forbidden to mortal man, such as the secret of life that belongs to Amun-Ra alone, he runs the risk of being transformed into a ka-spirit, a ghost that cannot pass beyond the grave into the next life.
Accursed ka-spirits typically serve as tomb guardians, such as those who protect the books of Thoth, most of whom were mages who failed in attempts to wrest divine secrets from the texts themselves.
“Accursed ka-spirit” is a template that can be added to any humanoid.

The Dread Codex:

Spoiler

Akyanzi: Akyanzi are the heads of spellcasters who are slain by a fire-enchanted weapon. After slain (and likely beheaded) by victorious warriors, negative energy wells from the caster’s anger at being defeated by a non-spellcaster and animates the head only.
Perhaps akyanzi come from spellcasters slain by drow weapons, or slain by weapons forged in a specific geographic area.
Barrow Wight: “Barrow wight” is a template that can be added to any sentient creature with an organic body and a culture with death rituals and has recently died either by a barrow wight’s energy drain ability or naturally; if naturally, the creature must be raised as a barrow wight by some magical force (referred to hereafter as the “base creature”). The creature’s possession of a soul is a determination for the GM to make, but in most campaigns it includes any dragon, giant, humanoid, or monstrous humanoid. Fey, elementals, and other such creatures depend on the campaign’s cosmology; creatures that are a type of spirit are not subject to being raised as a barrow wight.
Any sentient creature with a soul and death rituals slain by a barrow wight’s energy drain rises as a barrow wight the next night, as per this template.
Annis Hag Barrow Wight Manx: ?
Blighted One: Born of pestilence, the blighted one is the incorporeal manifestation of creatures that have died from a disease. For only a shadow of the deceased’s essence remains on the Material Plane. When enough creatures die in a general area from the same disease, their shadowy soul remnants band together to form a blighted one (usually 20 creatures to a blighted one).
Bloodwraith: The bloodwraith rises from a site of much bloodshed to hunt the creatures that bled, yet did not die, there. Battlefields are, naturally, the most common areas of bloodwraith origin. But if the slain creatures are strong enough (i.e. high-level), then not much blood is required to birth a bloodwraith. The creature’s mind may have come from different entities, but the bloodwraith is nonetheless an individual.
Bog Slain: The bog slain is essentially a better version of a zombie. Created by a water mage of little repute (her name is not even remembered today), the only corpses the woman had to work with were ones found in the bog nearby her home.
Cadaver: Cadavers are the undead skeletal remains of people who have been buried alive or given an improper burial (an unmarked grave or mass grave for example).
Furthermore, perhaps the initial animating process does not occur until a priest of the rebirth deity casts a spell over the ill-buried corpse. Such ability could be a special one granted by the evil god whenever a follower casts animate dead or similar magics.
A creature slain by a cadaver lord rises in 1d4 minutes as a cadaver.
Canine Skulker: The first skulkers were actual hunting dogs buried with their master. When a lich was slain atop their burial ground, the creature’s necromantic energies seeped into the ground and animated the dogs as skulkers.
An afflicted canine that dies of a canine skulker's ghoul fever rises as a canine skulker at the next midnight.
Carcaetan: A carcaetan is created by magic designed to remove a creature from the cycle of life. The ritual is sometimes used as punishment or a powerful curse, but some evil individuals undergo it intentionally.
Cinder Ghoul: A creature that is burned to death by magical fire may rise again as a fiery undead being called a cinder ghoul.
Crucifixion Spirit: Crucifixion spirits are the ghostly remains of living beings executed through crucifixion. Their soul having not entirely departed the Material Plane, has risen to seek vengeance on the living, particularly clerics or other divine spellcasters whom they blame for forsaking them and allowing them to die in such a ghastly manner.
Dark Voyeur: A dark voyeur is the spirit of someone who died in its reflection. The slain individual must have had some familiarity with the mirror; which can be as simple as it being in his home or possession for more than five years. The spirit of the slain is unwilling to leave this life and retreats to the mirror in order to watch life as it happens after his death.
If its mirror is shattered, the voyeur instantly returns to the broken glass, its body transforming 1d6 shards into exact copies of itself, but of Diminutive size and with only 1 hit point. These copies must all be destroyed to kill the dark voyeur, otherwise they each flee to anther mirror of their home mirror’s original size or larger and reappear at full size and with normal hit points in 1d4 days.
Deadwood Tree: It is thought by some elven sages that the deadwood trees were created when the dark elves broke away from the surface world and descended into the underearth, leaving behind a taint on the land which infected random treants throughout the lands. Most scholars scoff at this grandiose theory, but none have been able to disprove it so the myth remains.
Death Crab Swarm: When ghouls and other lesser intelligent undead types are destroyed, what is left of their spirits is automatically stored between the material and negative energy planes. When 300 or so of these twice-slain souls are amassed, they reenter the material plane near a coastal area as death crabs. The swarm represents the final effort by the spirits to hold onto life itself as their energy drain power indicates.
Death Roach: As soon as one death roach is slain, two more seem to take its place. In living roaches, this is due to rapid birthing from multiple egg batches. But for the death roaches, the reason is a bit more mysterious. When a death roach is killed, its necromantic energy is released and wanders the world like a stale breeze. After one month per hit die of the slain death roach has passed, the energy somehow finds a living roach and inhabits it. When that roach then dies, it immediately animates as a death roach.
There are some primitive tribes of humans who believe that death roaches are not a world-wide infestation. Rather, death roaches are confined to a certain country and are all part of the same soul. An ancient legend says that Gritztaa, deity of vermin, was attacked and nearly slain by a rival god. So weakened was the deity, that Gritztaa wove his essence into several thousand roaches in order to survive and eventually to regain strength to reassemble as a single entity in the future. Sages prompted for evidence of this theory point to the death roach’s collective mind ability.
Death Squid: Some sages believe they are the souls of sailors who drowned beneath the waves. Others are convinced that there are necromantically-charged stones from a long-submerged undead kingdom which turn large aquatic lifeforms into death squids on contact.
In fact, sahuagin are actually the creators of the death squid, despite the more prominent origin theories bandied about (mentioned above). The ritual used to create them was unique to the evil sea humanoids, but has since been sold to land cultures in exchange for other magics.
Dread Sphere: In an ancient magical struggle, the dread spheres were created to perpetuate undead forces for all time.
Dreadwraith: The spirits of soldiers who flee from their post in fear return after death as dreadwraiths.
Fear Guard: Fear guards embody evil in its blackest incarnation. They are summoned from some unknown place by evil wizards and clerics to guard prized possessions or a valued location.
Any living creature reduced to Wisdom 0 by a fear guard becomes a fear guard under the control of its killer within 2d6 hours.
As for where fear guards truly come from, it could be as simple as guards who take a blood oath to a necromancer to serve them in exchange for eternal life. But in this case, it may not be the existence the guards planned.
Filth Croc: Sages speculate that these creatures are the result of necromantic experimentation by an ancient sahuagin lich named Klek-tiim. The extensive marshes were the only buffer zone between Klek-tiim’s burgeoning kingdom and the mainland civilization. The lich wanted to stock the marshy borderland with creatures that would deter those who wished to destroy it. As one of the most numerable types of creatures in the marsh, the crocs became the target of undead transformation.
Fire Phantom: When a creature dies on the Elemental Plane of Fire, its soul often melds with part of the fiery plane and reforms as a fire phantom; a humanoid creature composed of rotted and burnt flesh swathed in elemental fire.
Chill Phantom: Chill Phantom originate from an icy region on the Elemental Plane of Water.
Flame Servant: Born from dark necromancy, flame servants are tools of violence and hatred. Every flame servant is created by a spellcaster to complete a particular task.
The creation of a flame servant is a long and taxing process and must begin no later than seven nights after the host body’s death. The body is prepared by replacing its innards with leaves and wet mud, stuffing its throat with dried insect larvae, pouring fresh blood into its mouth, painting it with runes, and soaking it in oils. These special materials cost 500 gp. Preparing the body requires a DC 13 Craft (leatherworking) or Heal check, and can be done by the spellcaster or another party. After the body is readied, it must be animated through an extended magical ritual that requires a specially prepared laboratory similar to an embalmer’s workshop and costing 200 gp to establish. If personally preparing the body, the creator can perform the preparations and ritual together.
The cost to create listed below includes the cost of all the materials and spell components that are consumed or become a permanent part of the flame servant.
A flame servant with more than 8 Hit Dice can be created, but each additional Hit Die adds 4,000 gp to the base price and another 50 gp to the market price. The price increases by 20,000 gp if the creature’s size increases to Large, or 50,000 gp if the creature’s size increases to Huge. The cost to create is modified accordingly.
CL 14th; Craft Construct, Spell Focus (necromancy), burning hands, create undead, fire shield, caster must be at least 14th level; Price 60,900 gp; Cost to Create 30,900 gp + 2,400 XP.
Arguably more expensive and costly than a standard golem, the flame servant is the necromancer’s answer to constructs. Unfortunately, it is a very poor answer. Used only by those infatuated with death and/or fire, the flame servant requires a high level caster, can only perform a single task, and is not universally effective in any terrain like standard golems. While a flame servant is cheaper in terms of raw materials, the price increases dramatically due to the necessary spells.
Chill Servant: Born from dark necromancy, chill servants are tools of violence and hatred. Every chill servant is created by a spellcaster to complete a particular task.
The creation of a chill servant is a long and taxing process and must begin no later than seven nights after the host body’s death. The body is prepared by replacing its innards with leaves and wet snow, stuffing its throat with dried insect larvae, pouring fresh blood into its mouth, painting it with runes, and soaking it in oils. These special materials cost 500 gp. Preparing the body requires a DC 13 Craft (leatherworking) or Heal check, and can be done by the spellcaster or another party. After the body is readied, it must be animated through an extended magical ritual that requires a specially prepared laboratory similar to an embalmer’s workshop and costing 200 gp to establish. If personally preparing the body, the creator can perform the preparations and ritual together.
The cost to create listed below includes the cost of all the materials and spell components that are consumed or become a permanent part of the chill servant.
A chill servant with more than 8 Hit Dice can be created, but each additional Hit Die adds 4,000 gp to the base price and another 50 gp to the market price. The price increases by 20,000 gp if the creature’s size increases to Large, or 50,000 gp if the creature’s size increases to Huge. The cost to create is modified accordingly.
CL 14th; Craft Construct, Spell Focus (necromancy), torpor, create undead, fire shield, caster must be at least 14th level; Price 60,900 gp; Cost to Create 30,900 gp + 2,400 XP.
Flying Abomination: These monsters are created by the spell of the same name.
A spellcaster creates these skeletal body parts to have as “handy” servants and to act as guardians of low priority treasures or places.
Fog Spirit: Whether fire slew the creature in life or was just its terrible phobia, the emotion was intense enough at the time of unnatural death to reform its essence as a fog spirit.
Frozen Horror: The frozen northern landscape is a sea of ice and snow amidst tranquil snow-packed mountains. But amidst this beauty is a veritable graveyard of creatures that die in that dangerous beauty. Harsh elements and starvation take the lives of so many creatures that are not native to the north. Those that lay dead for over a year, however, gather the power to return. If a living creature being walks over the grave spot of a creature that died in the elements, there is a 10% chance per Hit Die of the living creature that the corpse animates as a frozen horror.
Ghostly Slasher: Every region in a campaign world has its handful of crazed killers and other evil creatures whose only joy in life is to inflict fear and death on others. When these creatures are eventually hunted down and slain (commonly by brave adventurers), not all of their souls descend into the realm of the damned. The forces in charge of the hells decide to wad many of these murdering, irredeemable spirits together and then send them back onto the Material Plane as one creature—a ghostly slasher—to continue their evil work.
As many as a dozen former murderers inhabit a ghostly slasher.
Ghoul Template: “Ghoul” is a template that can be added to any sentient creature with an organic body and a soul who was killed by a ghoul and affected by its Create Spawn ability, or who ate the flesh of creatures of its type in life and recently died (referred to hereafter as the “base creature”). In most campaigns, this will include any dragon, giant, humanoid, monstrous humanoid, or shapechanger. Fey, elementals, and other such creatures depend on the campaign’s cosmology; creatures that are a type of spirit are not subject to undead raising as a ghoul.
An afflicted humanoid who dies of a ghoul creature's ghoul fever rises as a ghoul at the next midnight.
Ogre Ghoul: This ogre succumbed to a ravenous pack of ghouls many years ago.
Ghast Prestige Class: Ghouls who adapt to their degenerate undead state and thrive become fearsome predators called ghasts. While they can no longer follow the classes of civilization, cunning ghasts can progressively build upon the powers of their cursed state and travel down darker paths, increasing their connection to the Negative Energy Plane and becoming ever more deadly threats to those they encounter.
Ichor Ghoul: Created to spread disease and general revulsion, the ichor ghoul can be found in any environment where living creatures dwell. Ichor ghouls are found infrequently on their own. They are most often acting on the directives of their creator, a being of some power known as the Dripping Darkness.
Primal Ghoul: Sometimes when a spellcaster wants to build a better monster, the result is not always what he expected. The primal ghoul was developed originally as a more powerful version of a ghoul.
Grave Risen: They are created from a normal corpse in an area where the blood of a spellcaster is spilled and permeates the ground. The blood fuses with a corpse which sometimes animates as a grave risen.
Gray Death: Born from a creature that was burned alive, the gray death seeks to destroy all living creatures in revenge for its current state. When this creature dies, its spirit gathers up the elemental force which slew it. The soul then drifts slowly and invisibly for 1d4 days before reforming up to a mile from the place of its death. The gray death’s “birth” is a spectacular display of fiery explosions contained within a 10-foot area.
When a gray death is born in its fiery explosion, it is actually triggered by a tiny pinprick which links the Elemental Plane of Fire to the Material Plane. When the soul which powers this undead dies in a fire, it then searches for a more permanent source of fire to power itself. The soul spark drifts for a time because it unconsciously is looking for a “weak” area where the Fire Plane can be accessed. When it finds such an area, the resulting birth explosion inflicts 4d6 points of fire damage to any creatures within the 10-foot by 10-foot area.
Hoar Spirit: Believed to be the spirits of humanoids that freeze to death either because of their own mistakes or because of some ritualistic exile into the icy wastes by their culture, hoar spirits haunt the icy wastelands of the world seeking warm-blooded living creatures to share their icy hell.
The fact that no hoar spirits are encountered on their own can point to a more unusual cause than is stated above. Instead of attributing it to like minds, perhaps hoar spirits are the result of a magical device hidden in the icy wastes of the spirits’ home. While calling to these undead to unearth itself, the gem might also have a “hive mind” effect on the spirits.
The unifying factor might not be a magic item, but could be the lost fragments of a forgotten ice deity. The godling was thought destroyed in a long-ago struggle and the pieces of its body were flung to the ends of the campaign world. However, the pieces which landed in the godling’s native environment (arctic cold) are still powerful enough to animate and call upon the hoar spirits to find them.
Inscriber: Every inscriber was once a living scholar who obsessed over a certain field of study. Some inscribers devoted their lives to particulars of occult lore, while others strove to catalog every species of plant in existence, or to learn the secrets of creating perfect wine.
Regardless of their missions, they shared the same end: after
death, their lust for knowledge overcame the laws of nature,
driving them to search the world for further information.
It is said that, centuries ago, a trickster god convinced a young man to devote his life to researching the other gods. The minor deity wished to learn his greaters’ weaknesses and knew that only a lowly mortal might succeed at the task (the trickster was forbidden to even speak of such knowledge). That young man became so involved with the cosmic directive that he died and became the first inscriber.
Jikini: Fashioned from common vipers, jikini were created for a good purpose—to dispose of dead bodies after a plague swept through the region. Unfortunately, their undead nature turned these snakes to evil, mutating their poisonous bite into a disease and increasing their mental attributes to dangerous levels.
Perhaps the jikini are the result of one tribe of humanoids being cursed into this form.
Lector: It is not entirely known how a lector forms, though it is believed that a lector is created when an ordinary skeletal undead creature comes into contact with a powerful evil object. When such an event occurs, the skeleton is endowed with a powerful intelligence and a desire to seek out and find other such items and absorb them into itself.
Murder Born: Spawned of hatred when both mother and child are murdered, the rapacious soul of the unborn sometimes rises as a foul and corrupt spirit.
Ndalawo: Also known as a shadow leopard, the ndalawo is a leopard that has been transformed into an undead shadow of its former self. Though they prefer to prey on other leopards, perpetuating their foul species, they occasionally attack humanoids as well.
A leopard reduced to 0 Strength by a ndalawo becomes a new shadow leopard within 1d6 rounds.
Necroling: The necroling is the heritage of all necromancers. Each student of the black arts is required to create a necroling of his own before more potent spells and powers are available to him. The necroling, commonly forgotten by the caster, is then used to guard his laboratory or other precious possessions. Designed so the necromancer can experience the feelings associated with death and rebirth as undead, the necroling is created with the spark of a soul who died unnaturally. The necromancer essentially puts a sliver of the angry soul inside its own tiny sarcophagus (in this case an ink bottle) after imbibing the emotions it experienced at death by way of dreams.
Let’s look a little closer at necroling construction. A spellcaster requires the following: Craft Wondrous Item feat, a corpse of someone who died unnaturally no longer than a day ago, a vial filled with black ink, consecutive casting of sleep, gaseous form, dimension door, and detect thoughts on the ink vial, and finally the drawing of the necromantic glyph of undeath on the corpse’s forehead (requires a DC 12 Knowledge (arcana) check).
Once the spells have been cast and the glyph drawn, the necromancer must sleep next to the body for 8 hours with the enspelled ink vial on the other side. During the slumber, the necromancer imbibes the thoughts and feelings the corpse’s soul endured at the point of death. The spellcaster learns in vivid mind-wrenching detail what it means to cross the barrier from life into death. At the same time, the ink vial absorbs the last wisp of spirit before it leaves the corpse. This wisp becomes the necroling’s mind while the ink is used when the creature manifests a physical body.
Necromancer and necroling are not bonded, as such, when he awakens but there is a definite connection between the two. The necroling intuitively recognizes the necromancer as having touched a piece of its former mind and desires to remain close to that presence. The necromancer gains a permanent black stain right below the back of his neck. What this stain does is mark him as a true necromancer. He has experienced what it is to die and understands the very nature of undeath in the creature he has created. The mark also identifies him to other “true” necromancers, perhaps thereby gaining access to secretive cults or information. Undertaking necroling creation is a wholly evil act since the character is ripping part of a person’s soul from its rightful rest and forcing it into eternal servitude.
Necrotic Entrailer: The ritual that creates an entrailer not only causes its insides to reorganize into the monster’s tethers, but actually fuses the entrails from other creatures into its matrix. These entrails occupy the entire interior of the entrailer except the brain. As a result, a necrotic entrailer has many densely packed miles of tethers available to it.
Orc Death Lord: Powerful orc commanders, if they worship the right god, are returned to the world soon after their usually bloody demise as death lord orcs.
Orphan of the Night: Many children are pranksters that, as they mature, repress those childish impulses to the point that they vanish from the adult mind. Those repressed thoughts do actually disappear and reform on the Plane of Shadow as orphans of the night.
Orphan of the Light: Unfortunately, for every person who leaves their childish ways behind, there two more who do not. Some of these individuals actually move in the opposite direction, leaving behind caring and innocence. These cast off emotions could theoretically coalesce into “orphans of the light”.
Phantasm: Phantasms are malevolent and sinister spirits that delight
in the destruction of good-aligned creatures. While many undead creatures are the undead form of once living creatures, phantasms have no real material connection to living creatures; they are spirits born of pure evil.
Quick-Shard Cavalier: The origins of the quickshards lie in ambitious, militant necromancer-kings. Not merely content to craft spells which slay others and animate them, these necromancers of some forgotten continent cooperated to create the quick-shard ritual. The ability to create many quick-shards at one time is a well-guarded secret today. To create even one, however, requires magic en par with create greater undead.
The bones of slain creatures are gathered together (enough to make a Large creature) and, as long as a humanoid head is amongst the ivory pile, a quick-shard cavalier can be fashioned. The other bone shards fuse together to create the core skeleton while other bits are left to form the creature’s spurs.
Red Jester: Red jesters are thought to be the remains of court jesters put to death for telling bad puns, making fun of the local ruler, or dying in an untimely manner (which could be attributed to one or both of the first two). Another tale speaks of the red jesters as being the court jesters of a god of undeath, sent to the Material Plane to “entertain” those the deity has taken a liking to. The actual truth to their origin remains a mystery.
Rom: The rom are a race of ghostly stone giants. As living giants, they once ruled over the population of a great mountain chain. However, these giants’ brutality eventually met with revolution spearheaded by a tribe of dwarves known as the Skull Splitters. During their retreat, the giants’ shaman took matter into his own hands and laid a curse on the region—every giant who died in the war would one day rise again as undead to take back what was once theirs. Unfortunately for the ancestors of that war’s victors, for it is now a century later, the curse appears to be coming true. Several dozen rom (named for the shaman who laid the curse) have been spotted around the northern mountains and all attempts to parlay with them have met with the diplomats’ own deaths.
Well, perhaps the Rom were cursed to exist in this form before their natural deaths.
Persistent Soldier: Whether or not their respective units were victorious, persistent
soldiers are those inevitable casualties of any war who perished on the battlefield. It is because of these monsters that visitors to a known battlefield site often speak in hushed reverent tones. For it is said that those who mock the fallen military risk their eternal ire. Although they can be centuries perished, some wisp of the persistent soldier’s soul still remains tied to his corporeal body. Accusations against the soldiers, be they in jest or truly malicious, have a chance of rousing that soul to action once again. The fractured personality and memories call their old body which crawls from the earth in the same condition it was in just moments after it died.
Sacred Guardian: The sacred guardian is a ghostly tiger of great size which keeps eternal watch over very special graveyards and other burial sites. Whether the guardian is summoned or created for its task is not known; the only certainty being that it is the stuff of powerful magic. The one commonality that sages have discovered amongst the sites protected is that they all have something to do with famous (or infamous) adventurers.
Perhaps the sacred guardian doesn’t guard the dead at all. Perhaps really great adventurers are asked to serve on another plane of existence before their deaths. If they agree to serve the beings that contact them, these unknown creatures help to fake the adventurer’s death, provide an elaborate burial site, and then bring the adventurers out of this world. To ensure that no one discovers the portal to that other plane which is left in the graveyard or site, the sacred guardian is summoned to duty there.
Black Skeleton: Black skeletons are the remnants of living creatures slain in an area where the ground is soaked with evil. The bodies of fallen humanoids are contaminated and polluted by such evil and within days after their death, the slain creatures rise as black skeletons, leaving their former lives and bodies behind.
Black skeletons are patterned after the evil dark elves because of that race’s distinctive two-handed fighting style (not to mention the black bones).
Shock troops of a deity of fear and/or darkness.
After a fighter wielding two blades fell in battle, an enterprising necromancer attempted to add the fighter to his undead force. But the necromancy became somehow contaminated and the fallen fighter rose as a free-willed skeleton, its bones blackened by the evil which birthed it. The two-handed fighting style was retained and passed to all victims of this original black skeleton. Those humanoids slain by a black skeleton become black skeletons themselves within 1d4 days unless their corpses are burned.
In numerous prophecies, the End Times are heralded by the appearance of “coal black bones wielding the twin blades of pestilence and fear.” When a planar portal opens not far from a major city and pours forth dozens of black skeletons at irregular intervals, could prophecy be coming true? More likely it is just a plot by a necromancer using the prophecies and black skeletons to his advantage.
Soulless One: Soulless ones are powerful undead spirits driven by lament and hatred of the living.
Soulless ones are the products of unbearable lament, the spirits of stillborn children who were taken by darkness. These spirits are raised by evil entities, learning to hate the living and grant strength to undead.
The origins of the soulless one lie with a young woman who once carried the child of a purportedly-celibate priest. Angry that his sin might be exposed to his superiors, the priest attacked and nearly killed the young woman. Days later, she gave premature birth to a stillborn child, who was taken by the “Dark Ones” to become the very first soulless one.
Spellgorged Zombie: Created with the use of a create greater undead spell, a spellgorged zombie is a programmed being, which appears much like a normal zombie. It must be made from a corpse that was in life an arcane or divine spellcaster.
“Spellgorged Zombie” is an acquired template that can be added to any character capable of casting arcane or divine spells.
Sample Spellgorged Zombie: This spellgorged zombie was slain by a more powerful rival for some blackmail the former caster threatened to employ. In retribution, the wizard decided to use the slain caster as a spellgorged guardian.
Spirit of Hate: Creatures that are slain just before a pleasingly anticipated event return to this plane within 1d4 days as a spirit of hate.
In elven mythology, spirits of hate (or “pec’zaah” in the Elven tongue) originated in the time just after the split between surface and dark elves. After centuries of discontent, those elves who would become the black-skinned menaces of today finally broke tradition with their surface cousins in an organized protest (the specifics are not known to non-elves). When it seemed these elves were lost to the darkness, a few dozen of their number returned to the forest as part of a ruse. When their surface brothers emerged from their protected community to welcome them home, the dark elves turned on them in a bloody massacre. The deaths of so many elves filled with glad tidings of their fellows’ return supposedly gave birth to the first sprits of hate. There may indeed be some truth to this legend because drow elves are documented as attacking these spirits on sight.
The spirit of hate can spontaneously emerge from a person who was wrongly slain in sight of her would-be rescuers. The energy of an anticipated rescue becomes the force for undying revenge as the spirit of hate then shadows the failed rescuers until their deaths.
Tavern Prowler: All adventurers see the barflies that inhabit every location of drunkenness and revelry in each community. Some of these wretched drunkards were former adventurers themselves. But too many waste their lives away on the barstool, waiting for some kind of emotional pain to dissipate or for good paying work to materialize out of thin air. It is no surprise that these men (and some women) die either inside or on their way to/from the tavern. These are the souls that become tavern prowlers.
A spirit returns to the same tavern it frequented one month to the day after its death.
For whatever reason, the same powers which gave the prowler life also gave it a purpose—protect its former home.
Terkow: “Terkow” is a template that can be added to any humanoid creature.
Any creature reduced to a 0 Constitution score by the terkow’s blood draining attack and then skinned by the creature returns as a terkow if it had 5 or more HD.
Sample Terkow: This terkow sorcerer was just beginning a promising career in the arcane academy before an expedition to the southern jungles turned his life into unlife. A terkow slaughtered the spellcaster’s companions before feeding on him last.
Thanatos: Spawned by evil, the thanatos is a great undead fish which exists only to spread that evil. As often as great wars tear apart the land, there are just as many that wage across the ocean depths. Thanatos are one of the earliest attempted at an aquatic doomsday weapon. Created by ancient magic held by sahuagin clerics, the gargantuan versions of these undead fish were sent against all good-aligned aquatic creatures, slaying hundred if not thousands of souls before the assault was countered. And while the sahuagin were obviously unsuccessful in their bid for total domination, dozens of gargantuan thanatos remain today as a chilling reminder of that time; warning all aquatic races that not all stories of the past are fiction.
The sahuagin have no direct method of creating more thanatos in modern times, but secret rituals known only to the high clerics enable those who can find a thanatos to command it. Other rituals allow the mutation of whales into large thanatos, but not gargantuan ones.
Tortured: Tortured undead are those poor creatures who are unfairly tortured to death. The desperate fevered emotions running through the creature at the time of death are enough to push it to the attention of the dread gods responsible for raising undead creatures. But those emotions are just barely enough to grant it an undead status, for the tortured has no intelligence and is only barely aware of itself.
Undead Lord: For every type of undead, there exists an undead lord, a being of great power that commands the lesser of its kind.
“Undead Lord” is an inherited template that can be applied to any undead creature.
It could be chalked up to a favorable brush with an undead deity, the accidental discovery of a magical pool, or a complex ritual which sacrifices many creatures to enhance a chosen one.
Cadaver Lord: ?
Vohrahn: Created by spellcasters by binding dead spirits to the bodies of fallen warriors, vohrahn are lost souls trapped within corpses, whose distress over their predicament only furthers their masters’ goals.
Webbed Sentinel: Webbed sentinels were created by dark elves soon after their retreat into the subterranean world. To deter pursuit by surface elves (and attack by other underearth races), drow necromancers fashioned these creatures made from the most common element they encountered—spiders and their webs. Webbed sentinels patrolled the areas surrounding drow camps and, eventually, fledgling drow cities. After the dark elves managed to establish a firm hold in the underearth, the webbed sentinels were released from servitude to roam the subterranean world, inflicting fear and death on all they met. Dwarves and underearth gnomes each share similar tales about the sentinels and teach them to their children as dreaded nursery rhymes.
Wraithlight: Theologians, historians, and hunters of the undead are unsure of wraithlights’ true origins. Their actions suggest that they be earthbound spirits who refuse to pass into the afterlife, but some spellcasters claim that they are the ghosts of a strange and ancient race from another plane, tapped in a foreign world after theirs was destroyed and trying to continue their existence.
These undead creatures are the losers in a battle between two ancient races. The gods punished both races for their insolence at destroying much of the lands during their war. The victors were changed into will-o’-wisps. The losing race, who had been subjected to massive necromantic energies from the victors, was changed into today’s wraithlights.
True Zombi: A true zombi can only be created by a Zombi cultist or through the use of magical zombi powder.
“True Zombi” is a template that can be added to any humanoid creature.
Any creature reduced to a 0 Constitution score by the terkow’s blood draining attack and then skinned by the creature returns as a true zombie if it had 4 or fewer HD, and a terkow if it had 5 or more HD.
Some sages believe that deep within the world’s largest jungle there exists an ancient magical well of zombi-making. Living creatures partaking of its waters are stricken with the “curse of the true zombi” and become a free-willed undead of this type within 24 hours.
Sample True Zombi: An arrogant leader of his own group of bandits, the half-orc led his soldiers into an ambush set by the sinister cult of Zombi. It remembers a brief clash of metal and then a magical powder being blown at it.

Ghoul: An afflicted humanoid that dies of a canine Skulker's ghoul fever rises as a ghoul at the next midnight.
An afflicted humanoid who dies of an ichor ghoul's ghoul fever rises as a normal ghoul at the next midnight.
An afflicted humanoid who dies of a primal ghoul's ghoul fever rises as a normal ghoul at the next midnight.
Any corpse of a humanoid with 2 or 3 class levels within range of a tree of woe's foul influence that remains in contact with the ground for 1 full round is turned into a ghoul.
Change Zombie spell.
Ghast: An afflicted humanoid 4 Hit Dice or more who dies of a ghoul creature's ghoul fever rises as a ghast at the next midnight.
Any corpse of a humanoid with 4 or more class levels within range of a tree of woe's foul influence that remains in contact with the ground for 1 full round is animated into a ghast.
Shadow: Any humanoid reduced to a Strength score of 0 by a ndalawo shadow leopard becomes a shadow under control of its killer within 1d4 rounds.
Skeleton: If a victim dies while engulfed by a bone slime, it becomes a skeleton.
Any animal, giant, humanoid, or monstrous humanoid corpse within range of a tree of woe's foul influence that remains in contact with the ground for 1 full round is animated into a skeleton or zombie.
My Life for Yours spell.
Undead: Undead are once-living creatures animated by spiritual or supernatural forces.
Over the course of a few years, every plant and animal that dies within a mile of the rupture to the negative energy plane left after a bone slime is destroyed would rise as some kind of minor undead.
Any corpse (be it fleshy or skeletal) within a death sphere's aura of undeath or that the sphere casts its shadow upon as it flies overhead may rise up as some type of undead.
A creature slain by an undead lord rises in 1d4 minutes as an undead creature of the same type as the undead lord.
Wight: After decades or centuries of existence, the animating magics of a vohrahn with 7 HD or more and the spirit of undeath power have worn a hole between the realms of life and death. The vohrahn’s passion is gone, but its power causes creatures slain by its claw attacks to rise as zombies under the vohrahn’s control after 1d4 rounds.
Zombie: Living creatures killed by a deadwood tree rise in 16 rounds as zombies.
Living creatures killed by a thanatos' energy drain rise in 1d4 rounds as zombies.
Any animal, giant, humanoid, or monstrous humanoid corpse within range of a tree of woe's foul influence that remains in contact with the ground for 1 full round is animated into a skeleton or zombie.
After decades or centuries of existence, the animating magics of a vohrahn with the spirit of undeath power have worn a hole between the realms of life and death. The vohrahn’s passion is gone, but its power causes creatures slain by its claw attacks to rise as zombies under the vohrahn’s control after 1d4 rounds.
My Life for Yours spell.

Flying Abominations
Necromancy [Evil]
Level: Clr 5, Evil 5, Sor/Wiz 7
Components: V, S, M/DF
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: 10 ft.
Target: One or more body parts within range
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: No
With this grotesque spell, you animate one or more body parts, imbuing them with the ability to fly and to follow simple verbal commands. The body parts must be relatively fresh (no more than a week old) and cannot be larger than Medium. Any creature that can be affected by animate dead can have a body part subjected to this spell.
You can animate one HD worth of flying abomination per caster level. These HD can be divided among different body parts as required. A 14th-level wizard could, for example, animate seven 2 HD body parts, or one 10 HD body part and four 1 HD body parts, etc. All body parts to be animated must be within 10 feet of you during casting.
The characteristics of a flying abomination are determined by the creature’s original size. See the Flying Abominations monster entry above for each creature’s characteristics based on size. The body part does retain the special attacks of the original creature, but only those that could be delivered with only the part in question. Thus, an animated red dragon’s head could bite but could not breathe fire. A dragon’s breath weapon is not a power of its head. An animated giant scorpion stinger, however, would retain the ability to inject poison. Supernatural and spell-like abilities may never be retained.
Flying abominations obey simple verbal commands in the same manner as a zombie or skeleton and the body parts remain animated until destroyed. They can be turned or rebuked normally.
Arcane Material Component: The body parts to be animated and a vial of unholy water which is sprinkled over the fragments during casting.

Change Zombie
Necromancy [Evil]
Level: Sor/Wiz 6
Components: V, S, M
Casting Time: 1 full round
Range: Touch
Target: One zombie touched
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: Fortitude negates
Spell Resistance: Yes
You touch a single zombie, which must then attempt a Fortitude save to avoid the spell’s effects. If the zombie fails its save, it becomes a ghoul. Controlled zombies transformed by this spell remain under their controller’s command and still count against controlled undead HD limits, as do spawn created by the controlled ghouls.
Material Component: A bone from a ghoul and a black onyx gem worth at least 100 gp.

My Life For Yours
Necromancy [Evil]
Level: Sor/Wiz 3
Components: V, S, M
Casting Time: 10 minutes
Range: Touch
Target: One corpse touched
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: No
You draw forth a part of your own life force and (if you are not an undead) corrupt it into negative energy, which you can use to animate one corpse as a skeleton or zombie. Because the process of infusing the corpse with the negative energy is inefficient, you must draw forth twice as much of your life energy as what the undead would actually use. Therefore, you lose twice the number of hit points the undead creature would have when finished (so creating a normal Medium skeleton with 6 hit points costs you 12 hit points). Any skeleton or zombie created with this spell is treated as if it had been created with animate dead for the purpose of how many undead you can control. These hit points can be recovered normally (rest, magical healing, etc.)
If you cannot lose these hit points for any reason (such as if you are protected by a spell that prevents you from taking damage or converts normal damage to subdual or any other kind of damage) the spell fails. If you have no life force, whether positive or negative (for example, if you are a construct) the spell fails.
Material Component: A black onyx gem worth at least 50 gp with iron and silver wires wrapped around it, which must be placed in the mouth or eye socket of the corpse.

The Echoes of Heaven Bestiary:

Spoiler

Elemental Wraith: Elemental Wraiths were all Mortals who subjected themselves to a conversion process while still alive. There are seven levels of Elemental Wraith and each requires a new ordeal of one-hundred-and-one days.
Earth Wraith: Agents of the Nopheratus create an Earth Wraith by taking an Ice Wraith and subjecting it to the Ordeal of Earth. The Wraith in question is placed in a special necromantic vault for one-hundred-and-one days, where it is tormented by a constant grinding of elemental Earth. This is absolute agony, grinding their bones into pieces. At any time, the subject can beg for death and receive it, but if it endures the entire one-hundred-and-one days, it emerges as an Earth Wraith.
Fire Wraith: Agents of the Nopheratus create a Fire Wraith by taking a Water Wraith and subjecting it to the Ordeal of Fire. The Wraith in question is placed in a special necromantic vault for one-hundred-and-one days, where it is tormented by a constant buffing of scorching fires. This is absolute agony. At any time, the subject can beg for death and receive it, but if it endures the entire one-hundred-and-one days, it emerges as a Fire Wraith.
Ice Wraith: Agents of the Nopheratus create an Ice Wraith by taking a Light Wraith and subjecting it to the Ordeal of Ice. The Wraith in question is placed in a special necromantic vault for one-hundred-and-one days, where it is tormented by a constant grinding of elemental ice. This is absolute agony, abrading away their remaining soft tissue. At any time, the subject can beg for death and receive it, but if it endures the entire one-hundred-and-one days, it emerges as an Ice Wraith.
Light Wraith: Agents of the Nopheratus create a Light Wraith by taking a Fire Wraith and subjecting it to the Ordeal of Light. The Wraith in question is placed in a special necromantic vault for one-hundred-and-one days, where it is tormented by a constant buffing of lightning. This is absolute agony, burning their remaining deep tissue with constant and penetrating current. At any time, the subject can beg for death and receive it, but if it endures the entire one-hundred-and-one days, it emerges as a Light Wraith.
Void Wraith: No one knows how they create the most powerful of all the Elemental Wraiths. Most people think that an Earth Wraith passes beyond the Mortal Realm, into the plane where the Nopheratus resides. There, the Earth Wraith experiences the raw force of death. It strips away the last vestiges of flesh, of emotion, of all humanity. What’s left is a creature almost as alien as the Nopheratus itself. It is the Void Wraith.
Water Wraith: A Water Wraith is created by taking a Wind Wraith and subjecting it to the Ordeal of Water. The Wraith in question is placed in a special necromantic vault for one-hundred-and-one days, where it is tormented by a constant buffing of violent waters. The Wind Wraith still has the habits of Mortality, so although it doesn’t need to breathe, it can still feel like it’s drowning. At any time, the subject can beg for death and receive it, but if it endures the entire one-hundred-and-one days, it emerges as a Water Wraith.
Wind Wraith: A Wind Wraith is created by the Ordeal of Air. A Mortal is placed in a special necromantic vault for one-hundred-and-one days, where they are killed by a constant buffing of high-velocity winds. The vault eliminates the need for food or water and many subjects survive for weeks or even months. Even after death, the agony continues. At any time, the subject can beg for death and receive it, but if they endure the entire one-hundred-and-one days, they emerge as the Undead Wind Wraith.

The Player's Guide to Arcanis:

Spoiler

Undead Animal: ?
Skeletal Companion spell.
Spirit Warrior: ?
Undead Template: “Undead” is a template that can be added to any corporeal humanoid that has a skeletal system.
Val'Mordane 4th level Bloodline Neroth's Final Blessing power.

Undead: Sentient undead are the blessed of Neroth; only those whose souls are close to purity can live on as beings of pure intellect, free to contemplate spiritual perfection, unhindered by the demands of living flesh.
Within the church of Neroth there is an Order, not even spoken of outside of Canceri, and even then only in whispers, known to outsiders as the Order of the Still Heart. To those within, they call it the Blessed Path of Neroth. To most Nerothians, Neroth’s gift is to be sought after, and treasured if it is given. To these ambitious people, however, unlife is not a gift to be given, but a secret to be discovered, and taken. Once a willing soul is taken through the rituals to begin this process, there is no stopping it – he will become an undead creature, dying and rising again.
In the world of Arcanis, undead are created differently than suggested by the core rules. Therefore, all undead do not automatically radiate as evil creatures. Unless stated otherwise, undead radiate like any other creature (as described above) regardless of their origins. This change affects no other aspect of undead other than alignment and all other spells affect undead normally. Unless detailed otherwise, undead are created with negative energy. However, some undead on Onara are animated through the use of positive energy.
Intelligent undead are created by using the soul of the person as the fuel that powers the transformation.
Deathbringer's Life Beyond Life power.
Order of the Still Heart's Death and Rebirth power.
Ghost: Hold the Spirit spell.
Skeleton: Mark of Thralldom spell.
Zombie: Mark of Thralldom spell.

Hold the Spirit
Necromancy
Level: Clr (Beltine) 2, HC (Beltine) 3, Spirit 1
Components: V, S, M
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Touch
Target: One creature that died within the last 24 hours
Duration: 1 day/level
Saving Throw: Will negates (harmless)
Spell Resistance: No
Beltine owns the sprit and has granted her devout followers the power to hold the sprit to the body for a short amount of time. By casting this spell, the spirit may be bound to the body for longer than the standard 24-hour period. As long as the soul is bound to the body in this fashion and the other requirements of the spell are met, a raise dead spell will bring the target back to life even after the 24-hour limit associated with the cosmology of Arcanis.
However, death is not easily cheated and this spell is not cast without substantial risks. First, binding the soul to the body in this manner is very traumatic. For every day the target’s soul is bound to its body through this spell, there is a chance the experience will drive the intellect insane. Every day the target is under the effects of this spell, it must make a Will save (DC 10 plus the number of days under the spell’s effect) or become insane as if affected by the insanity spell. Only a heal, limited wish, miracle, or wish can restore the target’s mind. Second, any target of this spell that is not returned to life, for any reason, is forever cursed in the afterlife. When the spell expires without the target being returned to life, it rises, becoming an undead menace to the living. The target gains the ghost template and immediately switches alignment to Chaotic Evil. The first priority of this abomination is to seek out those who where responsible for its death, as well as the caster of the spell who caused its current state. If these goals cannot be met for any reason, the ghost will wander an area equal to one square mile per character level or Hit Die it had in life, slaying all living creatures who enter its domain.
Material Component: A pearl worth at least 50 gp, which is placed in the corpse’s mouth and remains there until life is returned to the body. The pearl is consumed when the soul returns to its body or when the spell’s duration ends and the body rises as an undead abomination.

Mark of Thralldom
Necromancy (Creation)
Level: Clr 3 (Neroth), Sor/Wiz (val’Mordane) 3
Components: V, S, M
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Touch
Targets: One living creature
Duration: One year and one day
Saving Throw: Will negates
Spell Resistance: Yes
By casting this spell on a single living creature, you ensure that when that creature dies, it will animate as an undead within 1-3 rounds. The target will become either a zombie or a skeleton depending on how intact the body is immediately after death. At the time of the casting, you may issue one simple command that the subject will obey when it returns as one of the living dead, such as “Seek me out for further orders” or “Kill the Elorii in the red tunic.”
Once the spell is cast, the mark of thralldom lasts for one year and one day, and it is very difficult to remove. First, the victim must have a remove curse cast by a higher level caster than the caster of the mark of thralldom. This nullifies the effects of the mark for 24 hours and allows further steps to be taken to remove it. Next, the victim must have an erase spell cast to remove the mark, then a heal spell cast to nullify the remaining effects. Once this final step is taken, the red dye will seep from the skin and flake away.
Due to the nature of the casting of this spell, it may not be cast through a spectral hand spell.
Material Component: A red dye worth 100 gold pieces that is smeared on the subject.

Skeletal Companion
Necromancy
Level: Clr (Neroth) 1, Blackguard 1, Sor/Wiz 1
Components: V, S, M
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Touch
Target: One corpse or skeleton
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: No
With this spell you may create a skeletal companion. Though limited by its mindless nature; a skeletal companion can be quite useful. This spell animates the body or bones of a Medium-sized or smaller creature and turns it into a skeleton that will follow your simple spoken commands. This skeleton remains animated until destroyed or dismissed by the original caster. Once animated by this spell, the skeleton may never be animated again by any other means. Only a single skeleton from this spell may be controlled at any one time. Any further castings of this spell will fail if you already have one skeletal companion.
This undead companion does not count against your limit on the number of Hit Dice of undead creatures you may control at any one time. A skeletal companion can only be created from a mostly intact skeleton or corpse. If made from a corpse, the flesh falls off of the bones during animation. The skeletal companion is equal in all respects to the Human Warrior Skeleton entry found in Core Rulebook III.
This spell will not work on any recently deceased corpse or any corpse that has a spirit still bound to the body in some way.
Material Component: A small black onyx worth 50 gp, which is placed in the skeleton or corpse’s eye socket or mouth.

Death and Rebirth: When the character reaches enough experience to gain 6th level in the Order, he dies (but does not lose a level). This death cannot be stopped short of a wish or miracle. If the character does circumvent this death in some fashion, he may not progress any further in this or any other class. Assuming the character allows his death to overtake him, the next morning, after the warming rays of Illiir illuminate his corpse, the true blessing of Neroth takes hold. The character rises as a free-willed undead. His type changes to Undead and he gains all of the undead characteristics (see Core Rulebook III for the characteristics of this type).

Life Beyond Life (Ex): At the apex of his career, after a lifetime punishing those who have spent their lives doing evil unto others, the Deathbringer is granted the power of unlife; the exact nature of his transformation into an undead creature is subject to the GM’s discretion and is proportional to how well the Deathbringer has carried out his mission during his mortal lifetime. The typical transformation is for the Deathbringer to be granted some powerful undead form that permits him to continue carrying out his charge as a member of the Order, but sometimes Neroth has other plans for these most devoted and puissant of His servants.

Neroth’s Final Blessing (Ex)
The greatest blessings of Neroth do not come lightly, and few receive them with such open arms as the val’Mordane. The journey into un-life carries with it great power and strength, shedding the fears and frailties of the human form in exchange for life everlasting, though only those closest to Neroth’s teachings truly comprehend this. In such a measure of understanding, the Val’s body is reborn as that of a walking dead, gaining the Undead template.

Tome of Horrors Revised:

Spoiler

Apparitions: Apparitions are undead spirits of creatures that died as the result of an accident. The twist of fate that ended their life prematurely has driven them totally and completely to the side of evil.
Any humanoid slain by an apparition becomes an apparition in 1d4 hours.
Barrow Wight: A humanoid slain by a barrow wight becomes a barrow wight in 1d4 rounds.
Bhuta: When a person is murdered, the spirit sometimes clings to the Material Plane, refusing to accept its mortal death. This spirit possesses its original body and seeks out those responsible for its murder.
Bloody Bones: Their true origins are unknown, but they are believed to be the undead remains of those who desecrate evil temples and are punished by the gods for their wrongdoings.
Bog Mummy: When a corpse preserved by swamp mud is imbued with negative energy, it rises as a bog mummy.
Any humanoid that dies from bog rot becomes a bog mummy in 1d4 days.
Coffer Corpse: The coffer corpse is an undead creature formed as the result of an incomplete death ritual.
Crypt Thing: Crypt things are undead creatures found guarding tombs, graves, crypts, and other such structures. They are created by spellcasters to guard such areas and they never leave their assigned area.
Create Crypt Thing Spell
Darnoc: The darnoc are said to be the restless spirits of oppressive, cruel, and power hungry individuals cursed forever to a life of monotony and toil, forbidden by the gods to taste the spoils of the afterlife they so desperately craved in life.
Any humanoid slain by a darnoc becomes a darnoc in 1d4 rounds.
Demiurge: The demiurge is the undead spirit of an evil human returned from the grave with a wrathful vengeance against all living creatures that enter its domain.
Orcus: Orcus is the Prince of the Undead, and it is said that he alone created the first undead that walked the worlds.
Draug: The draug is the vengeful spirit of a ship’s captain who died at sea, thus being denied a proper burial. If an entire ship sinks at sea with the loss of all hands, the ship itself and its entire crew may return as ghostly wanderers. The captain usually rises as a draug and his crew rises as brine zombies
When a ship sinks beneath the waves, it and its entire crew may return as ghostly wanderers, especially if the captain and crew had a less than scrupulous profession (as pirates, for example). A sunken ship of this nature may undergo a transformation from the negative energy and evil surrounding it. When this happens, the ship rises from the deep, piloted by a draug and manned by skeletons, brine zombies, zombies, and lacedons.
Ghoul-Stirge: The origin of the ghoul-stirge has been lost, but it is believed to be the result of a failed magical experiment conducted in ages past by a group of evil and (thought to be) insane necromancers.
Groaning Spirit: The groaning spirit is the malevolent spirit of a female elf
Haunt: The haunt is the spirit of a person who died before completing some vital task.
Huecuva: Huecuva are the undead spirits of good clerics who were unfaithful to their god and turned to the path of evil before death. As punishment for their transgression, their god condemned them to roam the earth as the one creature all good-aligned clerics despise — undead.
Mummy of the Deep: It is the result of an evil creature that was buried at sea for its sins in life. The wickedness permeating the former life has managed to cling even into unlife and revive the soul as a mummy of the deep.
Undead Ooze: When an ooze moves across the grave of a restless and evil soul, a transformation takes place. The malevolent spirit, still tied to the rotting flesh consumed by the ooze, melds with the ooze.
As a full-round action, an undead ooze can expel 1d6 skeletons from its mass.
Vampiric Ooze: The vampiric ooze is thought to have been created by a great undead spellcaster using ancient and forbidden magic. Some believe the vampiric ooze was formed when an ochre jelly slew a vampire and absorbed it.
Any humanoid slain by a vampiric ooze becomes a zombie in 1d4 rounds.
Poltergeist: Poltergeists are undead spirits that haunt the area where they died. A poltergeist has no material form and cannot manifest on the Material Plane. Most poltergeists are evil, as they are “trapped” in the area where they were killed and can never leave this area unless they are destroyed. This “prison” drives them mad and they come to hate all living creatures.
Shadow Rat Common: ?
Shadow Rat Dire: ?
Lesser Shadow: According to ancient texts, an arcane creature known only as the Shadow Lord created beings of living darkness to aid him and protect him. These beings, called shadows, were formed through a combination of darkness and evil. He also created other beings of darkness, lesser beings, not quite as powerful as his original creations. These creatures became known as lesser shadows.
Skulleton: Skulletons are undead creatures believed to have been created by a lich or demilich, for the creature greatly resembles the latter in that it is nothing more than a pile of dust, a skull, and a collection of bones. The gemstones inset in its eye sockets and in place of its teeth are not gemstones at all, but painted glass (worthless).
The skulleton is thought to have been created to detour would-be tomb plunders in to thinking they had desecrated the lair of a demilich.
To create a skulleton, the creator must be at least 9th level. The following ingredients are required.
— The skull of a humanoid or monstrous humanoid.
— A few bones from a humanoid or monstrous humanoid.
— A small quantity (at least 1 pint) of earth (dirt).
Powder the bones (but not the skull) and mix with the earth or dirt in an iron bowl. Pour the powdered mixture over the skull. Cast the following spells in this order: contagion, fly, stinking cloud, and animate dead. Within 1 hour, the skulleton animates and comes to “life.”
Ghoul Wolf: ?
Dire Ghoul Wolf: ?
Shadow Wolf: ?
Brine Zombie: Brine zombies are the remnants of a ship’s crew that has perished at sea.
The draug is the vengeful spirit of a ship’s captain who died at sea, thus being denied a proper burial. If an entire ship sinks at sea with the loss of all hands, the ship itself and its entire crew may return as ghostly wanderers. The captain usually rises as a draug and his crew rises as brine zombies
When a ship sinks beneath the waves, it and its entire crew may return as ghostly wanderers, especially if the captain and crew had a less than scrupulous profession (as pirates, for example). A sunken ship of this nature may undergo a transformation from the negative energy and evil surrounding it. When this happens, the ship rises from the deep, piloted by a draug and manned by skeletons, brine zombies, zombies, and lacedons.
Bleeding Horror: Created by the axe of blood, these foul creatures drip with the blood they were so willing to sacrifice to the hungry blade.
“Bleeding horror” is an acquired template that can be added to any humanoid, monstrous humanoid, giant, magical beast, or outsider (hereafter referred to as the “base creature”) that dies as a result of feeding the axe of blood.
Any creature slain by the blood consumption attack of a bleeding horror becomes a bleeding horror in 1d4 minutes
Bleeding Horror Minotaur: ?
Skeleton Warrior: The skeleton warrior is a lich-like undead that was once a powerful fighter of at least 8th level. Legend says that the skeleton warriors were forced into their undead state by a powerful demon prince who trapped each of their souls in a golden circlet.
“Skeleton Warrior” is an acquired template that can be added to any humanoid creature.
Skeleton Warrior Sample: ?
Spectral Troll: “Spectral troll” is an inherited template that can be added to any troll.
Any humanoid killed by a spectral troll rises 1d3 days later as a free-willed spectre unless a cleric of the victim’s religion casts bless on the corpse before such time.
Spectral Troll Sample: ?
Juju Zombie: Juju zombies’ hatred of living creatures and the magic that created them are what hold them to the world of the living. When a humanoid or monstrous humanoid is slain by an energy drain, enervation, or similar spell or spell-like ability, it may rise as a juju zombie.
“Juju zombie” is an acquired template that can be added to any humanoid or monstrous humanoid.
Juju Zombie Sample: ?

Undead Type: Undead are once-living creatures animated by spiritual or supernatural forces.
Lacedons: When a ship sinks beneath the waves, it and its entire crew may return as ghostly wanderers, especially if the captain and crew had a less than scrupulous profession (as pirates, for example). A sunken ship of this nature may undergo a transformation from the negative energy and evil surrounding it. When this happens, the ship rises from the deep, piloted by a draug and manned by skeletons, brine zombies, zombies, and lacedons.
Skeletons: When a ship sinks beneath the waves, it and its entire crew may return as ghostly wanderers, especially if the captain and crew had a less than scrupulous profession (as pirates, for example). A sunken ship of this nature may undergo a transformation from the negative energy and evil surrounding it. When this happens, the ship rises from the deep, piloted by a draug and manned by skeletons, brine zombies, zombies, and lacedons.
Spectre: Any humanoid killed by a spectral troll rises 1d3 days later as a free-willed spectre unless a cleric of the victim’s religion casts bless on the corpse before such time.
Zombie: When a ship sinks beneath the waves, it and its entire crew may return as ghostly wanderers, especially if the captain and crew had a less than scrupulous profession (as pirates, for example). A sunken ship of this nature may undergo a transformation from the negative energy and evil surrounding it. When this happens, the ship rises from the deep, piloted by a draug and manned by skeletons, brine zombies, zombies, and lacedons.
Any humanoid slain by a vampiric ooze becomes a zombie in 1d4 rounds.

Tome of Horrors II:

Spoiler

Cadaver: Cadavers are the undead skeletal remains of people who have been buried alive or given an improper burial (an unmarked grave or mass grave for example).
A creature slain by a cadaver lord rise in 1d4 minutes as a cadaver.
Cinder Ghoul: A creature that is burned to death by magical fire may rise again as a fiery undead being called a cinder ghoul.
Crucifixion Spirit: Crucifixion spirits are the ghostly remains of living beings executed through crucifixion. Their soul having not entirely departed the Material Plane, has risen to seek vengeance on the living, particularly clerics or other divine spellcasters whom they blame for forsaking them and allowing them to die in such a ghastly manner.
Fear Guard: Fear guards embody evil in its blackest conjuration. They are summoned from some unknown place by evil wizards and clerics to guard prized possessions or a valued location.
Any living creature reduced to Wisdom 0 by a fear guard becomes a fear guard under the control of its killer within 2d6 hours.
Fire Phantom: When a creature dies on the Elemental Plane of Fire, its soul often melds with part of the fiery plane and reforms as a fire phantom; a humanoid creature composed of rotted and burnt flesh swathed in elemental fire.
Grave Risen: They are created from a normal corpse in an area where the blood of a spellcaster is spilled and permeates the ground. The blood fuses with a corpse which sometimes animates as a grave risen.
Hanged Man: A hanged man is the restless corpse of an evil humanoid that was hanged or the spirit of one wrongfully accused of a crime and hanged.
Hoar Spirit: Believed to be the spirits of humanoids that freeze to death either because of their own mistakes or because of some ritualistic exile into the icy wastes by their culture.
Murder Born: Spawned of hatred when both mother and child are murdered, the rapacious soul of the unborn sometimes rises as a foul and corrupt spirit.
Phantasm: While many undead creatures are the undead form of once living creatures, phantasms have no real material connection to living creatures; they are spirits born of pure evil.
Red Jester: Red jesters are thought to be the remains of court jesters put to death for telling bad puns, making fun of the local ruler, or dying in an untimely manner (which could be attributed to one or both of the first two). Another tale speaks of the red jesters as being the court jesters of Orcus, Demon Prince of the Undead, sent to the Material Plane to “entertain” those the demon prince has taken a liking to. The actual truth to their origin remains a mystery.
Black Skeleton: Black skeletons are the remnants of living creatures slain in an area where the ground is soaked through with evil. The bodies of fallen heroes are contaminated and polluted by such evil and within days after their death, the slain creatures rise as black skeletons, leaving their former lives and bodies behind.
Black skeletons speak Common and Abyssal (leading some to believe that the evil that first created these creatures was the product of the demon prince Orcus).
Corpsespun Creature: Corpsespun are undead creatures formed when a living creature is slain by a corpsespinner. The poison of the corpsespinner interacts with the slain creature’s body and animates it as a corpsespun creature; a zombie–like automaton sheathed in webs whose insides have been replaced with thousands of tiny spiders.
“Corpsespun” is an acquired template that can be added to any corporeal creature slain by a corpsespinner.
Creatures slain (and not devoured) by a corpsespinner rise in 1 hour as creatures known as corpsespuns.
Corpsespun Fighter: ?
Corpsepun Minotaur: ?
Spellgorged Zombie: Created with the use of a create greater undead spell, a spellgorged zombie is a programmed being, which appears much like a normal zombie. It must be made from a corpse that was in life an arcane or divine spellcaster.
“Spellgorged Zombie” is an acquired template that can be added to any character capable of casting arcane or divine spells.
Sample Spellgorged Zombie: ?
Undead Lord: “Undead Lord” is an inherited template that can be applied to any undead creature.
A creature slain by an undead lord rises in 1d4 minutes as an undead creature of the same type as the undead lord.
Cadaver Lord: ?

Zombie: Although standard iron golems have a breath weapon, an iron maiden does not; it has the ability to usurp the essence of any humanoid being enclosed within, however. The corpse of the unfortunate victim trapped in the iron maiden golem is transformed into an undead being similar to a zombie.
Once a victim trapped within an iron maiden has died, it reanimates as a zombie in the next round (as if by an animate dead spell). It cannot escape, however, and serves only to fuel the iron maiden and provide it with skills and abilities. While it is trapped, the zombie cannot be attacked, damaged, turned, rebuked, or commanded, and it doesn’t suffer any damage from the bladed lid. If the lid of the golem is somehow forced open, the zombie has the normal abilities of a Medium zombie (as detailed in the MM). The victim of an iron maiden golem must be alive when it is placed inside and the lid is closed or the golem’s animate host ability fails.

Tome of Horrors III:

Spoiler

Blood Wight: When a living creature bleeds to death on unholy ground, its corpse sometimes returns to life as a blood wight. Evil priests of Orcus, Jubilex, Lucifer and various other demon
princes and devil lords often hold dark rituals where they bleed a living creature to death in order to create a blood wight.
Bogeyman: Bogeymen are the stuff of legends: creatures created in the minds of parents who relayed stories about incorporeal ghosts coming to carry their children off if they didn’t go to bed when they were supposed to, didn’t do their chores when asked, and so on. The apparitional bogeyman’s ties to the land of the living are a result of these stories.
Brykolakas: Their true origin remains a mystery to even the most learned of sages though stories among the learned speak of dark necromantic arts involving ancient magicks and packs of ghouls.
Demilich: When the life force of a lich ceases to exist and the material body finally decays (often after centuries of undeath), the soul lingers in the area and slowly over time possesses all that remains of the lich—its skull.
Fetch: When a murdered person is buried on frozen ground, it often returns from the grave as a fetch, an evil undead monster with a hatred of fire and the living.
Fye: When a traumatic event occurs within the vicinity of a temple or other holy place, energy often lingers in the area polluting and contaminating an object or the ground itself. This sometimes leads to the formation of a mindless entity—the fye.
Ghoul, Dust: When a humanoid creature dies on the Parched Expanse on the Plane of Molten Skies, there is a good chance it returns from the afterlife as a dust ghoul—an undead flesh-eating creature composed of dust and earth.
Lantern Goat: Lantern goats are undead wanderers thought to be the coalescence of souls of people who died while lost in the wilderness. Just as normal goats sometimes drift from the shepherd’s care and fall prey to the dangers of the wild, so too do humans and demihumans often meet with a dire end while trekking alone in the hills. Whether they die of exposure or become a predator’s meal, these lost travelers usually journey in spirit form to the afterlife. Some, however, if they perish too close to a lantern goat, find their souls drawn into the fell receptacle the creature wears around its neck. The scarred and battered lantern that depends from the goat’s neck serves to channel souls into the creature itself.
Soul Capture (Su): Any living creature reduced to 0 or less hit points while within 60 feet of a lantern goat must succeed on a DC 15 Will save or have its soul drawn into the lantern goat’s lantern. The DC increases by +1 for every hit point the character is below 0 (e.g., a character at –3 hit points must save at DC 18). Once captured, the lantern goat slowly digests the creature’s soul over a period of 1 hour, using it to fuel its dark energies. The save DC is Charisma-based.
A creature slain in this manner can only be returned to life by a resurrection, true resurrection, wish, or miracle. Raise dead has no effect on such a slain creature.
Lich Shade: During the dark rituals invoked to achieve lichdom, the caster sometimes errs in his or her calculations or unleashes mystic forces best left untapped. When such an event occurs, the spellcaster is usually destroyed outright. Other times, something is born as a result of this failed ritual—a lich shade.
Lich shades are evil creatures who attempted to achieve lichdom but failed for whatever reason. The creature is not destroyed, nor does it become a lich, it becomes something in between—something in between mortal life and eternal unlife.
Mortuary Cyclone: A mortuary cyclone is an undead creature born when living creatures tamper with or desecrate a mass grave (either magically or naturally).
Murder Crow: These creatures are formed in desolate areas where the formless souls of birds condense into a solitary creature—a murder crow.
Phasma: A phasma is an undead creature spawned when a humanoid or monstrous humanoid fails its Fortitude saving throw against a phantasmal killer spell and dies as a result.
Rawbones: A rawbones is an undead creature that comes into being when a tortured person rises from the grave.
Soul Reaper: Soul reapers have no ties to the land of the living, in that they have always existed and have always been. Their origins are unknown, but speculation says they stepped from the great void at the beginning of creation.
Swarm Shadow Rat: ?
Shadow Rat Common: ?
Swarm Raven Undead: ?
If a murder crow is reduced to 0 hit points or less, it explodes into a murder of standard crows. Use the statistics for the undead raven swarm.
Paleoskeleton Creature: Paleoskeletons are the fossil remains of long-dead creatures animated by necromantic rituals. Only fossilized remains can become paleoskeletons. The bones that comprise a paleoskeleton must have been in the earth for thousands or even millions of years. Provided the skull and at least 20% of the actual bones remain, an animate dead spell cast by an arcane spellcaster of at least 12th level will produce a paleoskeleton. The extreme age of the bones and the strange properties of the mineralization interact with the negative energy to produce a very powerful undead creature.
“Paleoskeleton” is an acquired template that can be applied to any dinosaur or prehistoric animal.
Paleoskeleton Triceratops: ?

Undead: Any living creature slain by a mortuary cyclone’s necrocone attack or energy drain attack becomes an undead creature in 1d4 rounds.
Lacedon: A humanoid or monstrous humanoid killed by a brykolakas rises as a lacedon in 1d4 days under the control of the brykolakas that created it. Soul reapers have no ties to the land of the living, in
that they have always existed and have always been.

Ultimate Toolbox:

Spoiler

Undead Skeleton: ?
Undead Fish: ?
Undead Crew: ?
Undead Pirate: ?
Undead Bound Spirit Adnan, Sailor: Haunts inn where he was killed.
Undead Bound Spirit Armigar, Tinker: Trapped inisde a golem.
Undead Bound Spirit Belfius, Wizard: Trapped inside his own rings.
Undead Bound Spirit Byrent, Saint: Watches over his church.
Undead Bound Spirit Delleria, Pirate: Bound to the ship she died on.
Undead Bound Spirit Eniggi, Wizard: Cursed to fix a broken spyglass.
Undead Bound Spirit Forredain, Centaur: Protects sacred falls.
Undead Bound Spirit Gerae, Pixie: Bound to the sword that killed it.
Undead Bound Spirit Jorien, Druid: Guards grove of rare trees.
Undead Bound Spirit Khanor, Lich: Trapped inside his own soul jar.
Undead Bound Spirit Lutior, Elf Illusionist: Believes he is still alive.
Undead Bound Spirit Majeleron, Cardinal: Sworn to serve forever.
Undead Bound Spirit Mazrath, Jannisary: Guards family as a spirit.
Undead Bound Spirit Ordent, Wizard: Bound to magical figurine.
Undead Bound Spirit Ox, Nomad: Wanders the wastes, searching…
Undead Bound Spirit Razathon, Gravekeeper: Roams his cemetery.
Undead Bound Spirit Saratine, Angel: Bound to a great holy sword.
Undead Bound Spirit Sevron the Tyrant: Bound to a crumbling keep.
Undead Bound Spirit Thronn, Dwarf General: Moored to a runestone.
Undead Bound Spirit Thaddeum, Senator: Cursed to never be free.
Apparition: The victims of a ghastly massacre.
Created: ?
Grudge Spirit: ?
Haunt: The victims of a ghastly massacre.
Poltergeist: ?
Revenant: ?
Soulforged: ?
Spirit: ?
Abarenth, Revenant: Haunts his brother who killed him for an inheritance.
Alteniat, Revenant: Wealthy merchant killed by debtor to cancel debt.
Anio, Revenant: Young groom killed accidentally, kills any man close to bride.
Artenios, Revenant: Framed by family and seeks their downfall.
Doniar, Revenant: Guild lied by omission and caused his untimely death.
Ellema, Revenant: Brother was cursed and killed her; he won’t let her pass on.
Fromion, Revenant: Overcome by priests and hates their religion and followers.
Jorathan, Revenant: Murdered by wife’s lover, seeks both still.
Lotemvar, Revenant: Locked in an oubliette and left to starve to death.
Manarette, Revenant: Seeks the man who let her drown.
Marwond, Revenant: Accidently killed by adventurers, hunts them now.
Onlortus,Revenant: Betrayed by fellow adventurers for his treasure.
Prisema, Revenant: Lost her love to a black widow noble, wants to stop her.
Salivar, Revenant: Bard killed so another could claim his creativity.
Saranar, Revenant: Spies on bandit that killed him, needs hero to help.
Schemastria, Revenant: Husband killed her to marry another, hates all men.
Sparial, Revenant: Sadistic serial killer victim tries to warn future victims.
Tremestar, Revenant: Killed so another could claim his identity.
Trinella, Revenant: Burned to death, seeks to purge fire from the world.
Turestos, Revenant: Died in prison and haunts all involved in his sentence.
Arbor Wood: ?
Butcher’s Mire: A brutal killer was chased into the woody swamp and executed by the guard. The locals say he still preys on anyone foolish enough to enter the swampy forest.
Chessup Barn: Old man Chessup’s son went mad and killed himself in this huge red building, the house and outlying buildings haven’t been used since due to unexplained occurrences.
Crazy Quinn’s: This huge tree has the remnants of a house in its branches — once the home of a slightly mad hermit that traded with locals. His body was found missing its head.
Dark Grove: This stand of stones was once a druid’s grove. Now it is twisted and defiled. No one admits to the deed, Nature spirits once guarding the shrine are trapped there, crying for release.
Darken Fields: ?
Esfir’s Mark: A gypsy caravan was killed and burned in this secluded spot by an angry mob. The ground is scorched and dark to this day. The nomad spirits remain trapped until vindicated.
Frostfire’s Rest: A mountain cave where an old red dragon with two breath weapons was killed by adventurers for its unique qualities and riches. Ever since then the mountain rumbles…
Ghoston: All the villagers here claim they have at least one ghost living with them in their homes. The spirits are generally friendly, but anyone threatening them risks their displeasure.
Graven’s Wood: A bandit king buried treasure in this wood, when he was about to pass on he went back there and guards it even now.
Kevril’s Library: ?
Liberator’s Rest: The entire population has recently been sacrificed to the Cult of Pestilence. A cultist introduced a potent disease that spread through town. The ghosts want peace.
Lover’s Leap: Two lovers were chased to this ridge by bandits, the young man died defending the woman and she leapt off the cliff rather than get captured.
Nightmare Run: This dark section of road haunted by the spirit of a black horse, no one claims to remember why, but the creature tries to spook mounts and run them off the road.
Old Well: The buildings surrounding the boarded up well are abandoned. They say a dead body poisoned the water. When retrieved they found signs of wrongful death on the corpse. The victim’s ghost wants revenge.
Rosewood: Many years ago during a war this forest was en route to a military base. It was entered by a unit of soldiers who stripped it of anything they found useful, destroying even things they didn’t need. The forest fought back and killed them almost to a man. It still doesn’t welcome visitors.
Sephra’s Gem: ?
Slaver’s Ride: Once the well used road of a slave caravan, it’s now usually called Freedom’s Ride. A rebellious slave was once beaten to death and his ghost now guards the area.
Trenk’s Rule: An orc scouting patrol lead by a particularly smart and ambitious orc was ambushed and killed here. The patrol’s leader Trenk Stonerival couldn’t accept his own death and now his ghost rules the area, killing any one, even other orcs and leaving grisly markers around his territory.
Wayfarer's Rest: ?
Wraith Lord: ?
Shadow Soldier: ?
Undead Vermin: ?
Mummy Priest: ?
Plague Gaunt: ?
Damned and Evil Fey Spirit: ?
Elven Ghast: ?
Gaunt: ?
Vampire Sorcerer-King: ?
Souls of the Damned: Submerged reliquary where the souls of the damned have broken free and hunt the living.
Undying Soul of Tormented and Vile Crewman: Sunken ship filled with the undying souls of tormented and vile crewmen.
Lich Lord: ?
Undead Zealot: Venerable throne room littered with undead zealots, still serving their unclean gods.
Songbolt Muse: Manifested from song.
Ghostly Undead Spirit: Bound by magic.
Lord of Kaloria: ?
Krazul, Liche King: ?
Undead Immune to Fire: Ritual Effect 29 Raise an undead creature and bind a fire elemental to it, immune to fire damage.

Undead: All of the original inhabitants are undead, walking the halls because of botched funeral rites long ago.
Any who fall within will rise to be added to the tomb’s selection of undead patrolmen.
Betrayed by someone loyal.
Bitten by a vampire.
Buried in desecrated grave.
Completed complex ritual to become undead.
Cursed.
Dead body was never found.
Died in honor-bound service to a king.
Died under intense circumstances.
Drained by a mummy or wraith.
Drowned.
Hell doesn't want you.
Left behind something of value.
Magic.
Murdered in particular violent fashion.
Oath to serve forever.
Returned to protect wards left behind.
Ritual sacrifice or murder.
Terrified (to dead) by a ghost.
Unavenged death.
Unfinished task or unfulfilled oath.
Ghost: The victims of a ghastly massacre.
Ghoul: ?
Ghast: ?
Lich: ?
Mummy: ?
Shadow: ?
Skeleton: ?
Spectre: The victims of a ghastly massacre.
Vampire: ?
Wight: ?
Wraith: ?
Zombie: ?

Vikings - Midgard:

Spoiler

Gunnar Gunnarson, undead Fighter 6/Northern Navigator 8: According to the legend, Gunnarson became some kind of sea zombie and still commands his ship, attacking other Vikings’ ships in his eternal search for the lost sword.

Undead: ?
Ghost: ?
Wraith: ?
Ghoul: ?
Skeleton: ?
Spectre: ?
Mohrg: ?
Zombie: ?
Shadow: ?
Allip: ?
Ghast: ?
Bodak: ?
Vampire Spawn: ?
Mummy: ?
Vampire: ?

Warlords of the Accordlands Monsters and Lairs:

Spoiler

Gravel Spawn: Gravel spawn are an abomination -- undead gargoyles formed from the hacked bits and pieces of slain gargoyles.
Gaunt Crypt: A Crypt gaunt is created through ritual.
Gaunt Swamp: Most swamp gaunts were men and women killed deep in the marshes of the Accordlands. Marsh hags are notoriously careless with their refuse, and discard failed experiments into the swamps, where it suffuses the corpses. The potions' magical energy grants the swamp gaunts unholy animation.
Ghost Bog: Ghost bogs are the animated corpses of the fallen whose bodies are so saturated with magic that they are reanimated in death.
Hag Undead: Certain powerful hags have used their potions to give themselves the immortality of the undead.
Nekrast: Occasionally, a necromancer of insufficient power to become a lich spontaneously arises after death as a nekrast. Those with a penchant for fire magic have the best chance at returning as one of these creatures. Rumors say that books of lost lore can guide a necromancer along the path to becoming a nekrast; these have yet to be verified.
Skeleton: ?
Unclean Spirit: Unclean spirits are the undead remnants of dead elves, fueled by intense hatred.
Woundwraith: Popular belief (to the extent that anyone is willing to think at much length about woundwraiths) holds that they are the restless spirits of those lost to madness.
Zombie: ?
Purgatoire: Those who are bound to serve a king or great lord and who die in some grand quest or fundamental duty may rise as a purgatoire. Bodyguards who fail to protect their charges and questing knights who die in pursuit of their goal are the most common purgatoires.
"Purgatoire" is a template that can be added to any humanoid or monstrous humanoids creature.
Severed: The Severed are undead elves who have willingly given their own lives in order to trade mortality for the everlasting youth of undeath.
To become Severed undead requires a great sacrifice to one of the Elements, the elven pseudo-gods, with each Element demanding a different type of sacrifice and offering a different form of immortality: Blood (ritual murder of a blood relation, to become a Severed vampire), Bone (24 hour rite in which the would-be Severed's every bone is broken, to become a Severed revenant), Flesh (a simple mass slaughter of a dozen people to become a Severed ghoul), and Spirit (ritually removing and rebinding the would-be Severed's soul to his own body, to become a Severed wraith).
"Severed" is a template that can be added to any elven or half-elven creature.

Wildwood:

Spoiler

Arboreal Defender: Once powerful warriors or leaders, arboreal defenders are hopelessly cursed beings. Trapped inside their decaying carcasses, they are forced to do Haiel’s bidding as punishment for the atrocities they committed against the forest during their lives.
Arboreal defender is an acquired template that can be added to any humanoid or monstrous humanoid creature.

World's Largest City:

Spoiler

Skeletal Undead: ?
Sir Milton Derek, Vampire Paladin 20: ?
Cyric, Mohrg: In fact, he takes great pride in his most audacious experiment to date, even as his fellow aristocrats murmur in revulsion at it. Working in cooperation with an evil cleric of his acquaintance, he has created an intelligent (more or less) undead servant for his household- a mohrg, whom he calls Cyric, and who now serves as his valet. Together, Sir Geraint and his associate cast create undead on the body of his former valet, just deceased, with the cleric compelling the creature to obey Sir Geraint during the process of creation.
Sir Reinholt Snowheart, Ghost Aristocrat 12: Sir Reinholt Snowheart was a wicked, debauched noble who delved deeply into the occult. When old age rendered him infirm, he attempted to bond his soul to a portrait in order to gain immortality. The spell failed and he was left trapped in the painting. His terrified family sealed the hideous thing into the elaborate crypt prepared for his corpse, where it has remained ever since.
Undead Whale: ?
Lord Admiral Kordanus: They also find an immortal sorcerer who turned Kordanus and his crew into mindless undead.

Skeleton: ?
Zombie: ?
Ghoul: The bodies out back of the Reaper, have started to animate spontaneously. Jiggs has only just realized this, and on his order fighters killed in action are now dumped out decapitated.
Undead: An evil cleric raises some or all of the cemetery's residents as undead.
The cemetery can also serve as the nexus for a villain thought slain and who, through the dark magicks coursing through this district, rises from the grave as a wight or similar undead.
The bodies out back of the Reaper, have started to animate spontaneously. Jiggs has only just realized this, and on his order fighters killed in action are now dumped out decapitated.
They also find an immortal sorcerer who turned Kordanus and his crew into mindless undead.
Wight: It's entirely possible that the crypts could house one or more undead, like the ghouls in location H7. A wight, a ghost, or even a lich could have been entombed here, either rising after its mortal body was laid to rest or sealed in by whatever cult or sinister family created it.
The cemetery can also serve as the nexus for a villain thought slain and who, through the dark magicks coursing through this district, rises from the grave as a wight or similar undead.
Ghost: It's entirely possible that the crypts could house one or more undead, like the ghouls in location H7. A wight, a ghost, or even a lich could have been entombed here, either rising after its mortal body was laid to rest or sealed in by whatever cult or sinister family created it.
Lich: It's entirely possible that the crypts could house one or more undead, like the ghouls in location H7. A wight, a ghost, or even a lich could have been entombed here, either rising after its mortal body was laid to rest or sealed in by whatever cult or sinister family created it.
Vampire Spawn: Sir Milton funds Fellnacht's experiments through several layers of unscrupulous moneylenders, keeping his personal involvement to a minimum. He does, however, provide one key function for his very own mad scientist: producing vampire spawn as experimental fodder. H'kuk will kidnap a subject and place him or her in the cage, whereupon Sir Milton will drain the subject's blood and transform him or her into a vampire spawn.
Mohrg: ?

 

[Voadam]

3.0

3.0 Compilation

Spoiler

Undead: Undead: Undead are once-living creatures animated by spiritual or supernatural forces. (SRD 3.0)
Undead are once-living creatures animated by spiritual or supernatural forces. (Monster Compendium: Monsters of Faerun)
Even a short act of violence or a minor act of evil can have lingering effects after the event has passed. This type of evil can mentally scar a person who experiences or watches a horrible event. It can leave a sinister mark in a location where some act of evil once occurred. These events can also cause undead to rise of their own volition: A ghost might haunt the place of its murder, or a mohrg could linger in the spot where it was wronged. Acts that can cause this degree of lingering evil include the following. (Book of Vile Darkness)
• A gruesome, bloodthirsty murder. (Book of Vile Darkness)
• The proclamation of a foul edict, such as one that mandates the murder of infants to keep a new king from being born. (Book of Vile Darkness)
• A single sacrifice to an evil god or fiend. (Book of Vile Darkness)
• The animation of dozens of undead creatures. (Book of Vile Darkness)
• Abuse, starvation, and mistreatment of captives. (Book of Vile Darkness)
• Casting a permanent or long-lasting spell with the evil descriptor. (Book of Vile Darkness)
A bad feeling shows its effects in the following ways. (Book of Vile Darkness)
Creatures: People can have nightmares after exposure to this degree of evil, but there are usually no lasting physical effects. Certain types of undead can rise after even a single act of wrongdoing. The spectre of a murder victim might linger where he was slain, for example. (Book of Vile Darkness)
A flaw in a true resurrection spell leaves one player character undead by night and alive by day. (Epic Level Handbook)
Devoted clerics of Beltar rise from the grave as undead within a year of their deaths, usually returning to aid their original tribe and show proof of the goddess' power. (Living Greyhawk Gazetteer)
On another alternate Material Plane, a magical experiment gone awry released a massive surge of negative energy, transforming everyone on the plane into undead. (Manual of the Planes)
Regardless of your choice, some spirits lose their way in transit, others suffer violent deaths, and some victims die at the hands of the undead. These souls become undead monsters such as ghosts, wraiths, or vampires. (Manual of the Planes)
Voonlarrans believe that the massive altar can be shoved aside to reveal a treasure pit heaped with the bones of all temple priests who’ve died in town, who are customarily interred therein to yield undead guardians for the temple. (Forgotten Realms Elminster Speaks)
Avolakias are Underdark dwellers with a morbid preference for undead as servants, soldiers, and food. They keep themselves supplied with these grisly servitors by capturing and slaying humanoids, whom they then turn into undead creatures. (Monster Manual II Web Enhancement Six New Monstrous Characters)
Animate Dead epic spell seed. (Epic Level Handbook)
Allip: ?
Bodak: Humanoids who die from a bodak's death gaze are transformed into bodaks in one day.
For example, a bodak’s victims rise the next day as new bodaks. (Book of Vile Darkness)
Bodak Birth spell. (Book of Vile Darkness)
Devourer: ?
Ghoul: In most cases, ghouls devour those they kill. From time to time, however, the bodies of their humanoid victims lie where they fell, to rise as ghouls themselves in 1d4 days. Casting protection from evil on a body before the end of that time averts the transformation. (SRD 3.0)
In most cases, the King of Ghouls devours his victims. From time to time, however, the bodies of his humanoid victims lie where they fell, to rise as ghouls in 1d4 days. Casting protection from evil on a body before the end of that time averts the transformation. (Book of Vile Darkness)
Create Undead spell. (SRD 3.0)
Demise Unseen epic spell. (Epic Level Handbook)
Animate Dead epic spell seed. (Epic Level Handbook)
Ghast: Humanoid victims of a spellstitched ghast that are not devoured by the creature rise as ghasts (not spellstiched ghasts) in 1d4 days. (Monster Manual II)
Create Undead spell. (SRD 3.0)
Animate Dead epic spell seed. (Epic Level Handbook)
Mohrg: These events can also cause undead to rise of their own volition: A ghost might haunt the place of its murder, or a mohrg could linger in the spot where it was wronged. (Book of Vile Darkness)
Animate Dead epic spell seed. (Epic Level Handbook)
Mummy: Create Greater Undead spell. (SRD 3.0)
Animate Dead epic spell seed. (Epic Level Handbook)
Nightshade: ?
Nightwing: ?
Nightwalker: ?
Nightcrawler: ?
Shadow: Any humanoid reduced to Strength 0 by a shadow becomes a shadow under the control of its killer within 1d4 rounds. (SRD 3.0)
Graz’zt enjoys blood sacrifices made in his name, and sexual rites are important in services dedicated to him as well. His temples are dark, secluded places where orgies are common. Some section of the temple is often shrouded in magical darkness. From there, clerics use create undead on sacrificial victims to bring forth shadows that guard the temple. (Book of Vile Darkness)
Shadowspawn supernatural contact poison. (Forgotten Realms Faiths and Pantheons Web Enhancement Leaves of Learning)
Create Undead spell. (SRD 3.0)
Animate Dead epic spell seed. (Epic Level Handbook)
Skeleton: Someone swallowed by an ulgurstasta is in deep trouble—the creature feeds on raw life and transforms its victims into animated skeletons that the ulgurstasta can later regurgitate. A swallowed victim takes 1d8 points of Constitution drain each round from the necromantic acid inside the creature. Upon death, the victim’s remains are infused with the acid and transformed into an animated skeleton. (Fiend Folio)
Animate Dead spell. (SRD 3.0)
Zone of Animation feat. (Epic Level Handbook)
Animus Blast epic spell. (Epic Level Handbook)
Animate Dead epic spell seed. (Epic Level Handbook)
Spectre: Any humanoid slain by a spectre becomes a spectre in 1d4 rounds.
Certain types of undead can rise after even a single act of wrongdoing. The spectre of a murder victim might linger where he was slain, for example. (Book of Vile Darkness)
Create Greater Undead spell. (SRD 3.0)
Animate Dead epic spell seed. (Epic Level Handbook)
Vampire Spawn: A humanoid or monstrous humanoid slain by a vampire’s energy drain attack rises as a vampire spawn 1d4 days after burial. If the vampire instead drains the victim’s Constitution to 0 or less, the victim returns as a spawn if it had 4 or fewer HD. (SRD 3.0)
A humanoid or monstrous humanoid slain by Kauvra’s energy drain attack rises as a vampire spawn (see Vampire Spawn in the Monster Manual) 1d4 days after burial. (Book of Vile Darkness)
If Kauvra instead brings the victim’s Constitution to 0 or lower by means of her blood drain, the victim returns as a spawn if it had 4 or fewer HD and as a vampire if it had 5 or more HD. (Book of Vile Darkness)
A humanoid or monstrous humanoid killed by the energy drain attack of a bloodfiend locust swarm rises 2d6 hours later as a fiendish vampire spawn. (Fiend Folio)
Wight: Any humanoid slain by a wight becomes a wight in 1d4 rounds. (SRD 3.0)
Any humanoid slain by a zovvut demon’s gaze attack (negative levels equal to current Hit Dice, or drained below 1st level) becomes a wight in 1d4 rounds. (Monster Manual II)
Any humanoid slain by a vilewight becomes a wight in 1d4 rounds. (Book of Vile Darkness)
If a 9th-level soul eater completely drains a creature of energy, the victim becomes a wight under the command of the soul eater. (Book of Vile Darkness)
Any humanoid slain by a shadow wight becomes a wight in 1d4 rounds. (Manual of the Planes)
Create Undead spell. (SRD 3.0)
Animus Blizzard epic spell. (Epic Level Handbook)
Animate Dead epic spell seed. (Epic Level Handbook)
Wraith: Any humanoid slain by a wraith becomes a wraith in 1d4 rounds. (SRD 3.0)
Major negative-dominant planes are even more severe. Each round, those within must make a Fortitude save (DC 25) or gain a negative level. A creature whose negative levels equal its current levels or Hit Dice is slain, becoming a wraith. (Manual of the Planes)
Regardless of your choice, some spirits lose their way in transit, others suffer violent deaths, and some victims die at the hands of the undead. These souls become undead monsters such as ghosts, wraiths, or vampires. (Manual of the Planes)
Create Undead spell. (SRD 3.0)
Animate Dead epic spell seed. (Epic Level Handbook)
Zombie: Creatures killed by a mohrg rise after 1d4 days as zombies. (SRD 3.0)
Upon reaching 0 hit points, the corpse gatherer falls apart into its component corpses. The creature’s animating force remains among the corpses that formerly composed its body, converting them into zombies. Upon its death, a corpse gatherer generates as many zombies as it has Hit Dice (that is, a 30-HD corpse-gatherer becomes thirty zombies). Unless circumstances dictate otherwise, these are all Medium-size zombies. (Monster Manual II)
Once per round as a free action, a spawn of Kyuss can transfer a worm from its own body to that of an opponent. It can do this whenever it hits with a slam attack, but it can also make the transfer by means of a successful melee touch attack or a ranged touch attack, hurling a worm at a foe from a distance of up to 10 feet. (Monster Manual II)
Each worm is a Fine vermin with AC 10 and 1 hit point. It can be killed with normal damage or by the touch of silver. On the spawn’s next action, the worm burrows into its host’s flesh. (A creature with a natural armor bonus of +5 or higher is immune to this burrowing effect.) The worm makes its way toward the host’s brain, dealing 1 point of damage per round for 1d4+1 rounds. At the end of that period, it reaches the brain. While the worm is inside a victim, a remove curse or remove disease effect destroys it, and a dispel evil or neutralize poison effect delays its progress for 10d6 minutes. A successful Heal check (DC 20) extracts the worm and kills it. (Monster Manual II)
Once the worm reaches the brain, it deals 1d2 points of Intelligence damage per round until it either is killed (by remove curse or remove disease) or slays its host (death occurs at 0 Intelligence). A Huge or larger creature becomes a normal zombie of the appropriate size. (Monster Manual II)
Animate Dead spell. (SRD 3.0)
Cauldron of Zombie Spewing Diabolic Engine. (Book of Vile Darkness)
Death Rock major artifact. (Book of Vile Darkness)
Zone of Animation feat. (Epic Level Handbook)
Animate Dead epic spell seed. (Epic Level Handbook)
Ghost: "Ghost" is a template that can be added to any aberration, animal, beast, dragon, giant, humanoid, magical beast, monstrous humanoid, or shapechanger. The creature must have a Charisma score of at least 8. (SRD 3.0)
These events can also cause undead to rise of their own volition: A ghost might haunt the place of its murder, or a mohrg could linger in the spot where it was wronged. (Book of Vile Darkness)
Regardless of your choice, some spirits lose their way in transit, others suffer violent deaths, and some victims die at the hands of the undead. These souls become undead monsters such as ghosts, wraiths, or vampires. (Manual of the Planes)
Petitioners in Hades are mostly grayish ghosts, spirits so depleted by the Waste that they lack solidity. (Manual of the Planes)
Create Greater Undead spell. (SRD 3.0)
Animate Dead epic spell seed. (Epic Level Handbook)
Lich: "Lich" is a template that can be added to any humanoid creature, provided it can create the required phylactery. (SRD 3.0)
An integral part of becoming a lich is creating a magic phylactery in which to store its life force. Unless the phylactery is located and destroyed, the lich reappears 1d10 days after its apparent death. (SRD 3.0)
Each lich must make its own phylactery, which requires the Craft Wondrous Item feat. The character must be a sorcerer, wizard, or cleric of at least 11th level. The phylactery costs 120,000 gp and 4,800 XP to create and has a caster level equal to that of its creator at the time of creation. (SRD 3.0)
Any who use unnatural means to extend their life span (such as a lich) could be targeted by a marut. (Manual of the Planes)
Vampire: "Vampire" is a template that can be added to any humanoid or monstrous humanoid creature. (SRD 3.0)
If a vampire drains a victim’s Constitution to 0 or less, the victim returns as a vampire if it had 5 or more HD. (SRD 3.0)
If Kauvra instead brings the victim’s Constitution to 0 or lower by means of her blood drain, the victim returns as a spawn if it had 4 or fewer HD and as a vampire if it had 5 or more HD. (Book of Vile Darkness)
Regardless of your choice, some spirits lose their way in transit, others suffer violent deaths, and some victims die at the hands of the undead. These souls become undead monsters such as ghosts, wraiths, or vampires. (Manual of the Planes)
Create Greater Undead spell. (SRD 3.0)
Animate Dead epic spell seed. (Epic Level Handbook)

3.0 WotC

Spoiler

SRDs

Spoiler

SRD 3.0

Spoiler

Undead: Undead: Undead are once-living creatures animated by spiritual or supernatural forces.
Allip: ?
Bodak: ?
Devourer: ?
Ghoul: In most cases, ghouls devour those they kill. From time to time, however, the bodies of their humanoid victims lie where they fell, to rise as ghouls themselves in 1d4 days. Casting protection from evil on a body before the end of that time averts the transformation.
Create Undead spell.
Ghast: ?
Create Undead spell.
Mohrg: ?
Mummy: Create Greater Undead spell.
Nightshade: ?
Nightwing: ?
Nightwalker: ?
Nightcrawler: ?
Shadow: Any humanoid reduced to Strength 0 by a shadow becomes a shadow under the control of its killer within 1d4 rounds.
Create Undead spell.
Skeleton: Animate Dead spell.
Spectre: Any humanoid slain by a spectre becomes a spectre in 1d4 rounds.
Create Greater Undead spell.
Vampire Spawn: A humanoid or monstrous humanoid slain by a vampire’s energy drain attack rises as a vampire spawn 1d4 days after burial. If the vampire instead drains the victim’s Constitution to 0 or less, the victim returns as a spawn if it had 4 or fewer HD.
Wight: Any humanoid slain by a wight becomes a wight in 1d4 rounds.
Create Undead spell.
Wraith: Any humanoid slain by a wraith becomes a wraith in 1d4 rounds.
Create Undead spell.
Zombie: Animate Dead spell.
Ghost: "Ghost" is a template that can be added to any aberration, animal, beast, dragon, giant, humanoid, magical beast, monstrous humanoid, or shapechanger. The creature must have a Charisma score of at least 8.
Create Greater Undead spell.
Lich: "Lich" is a template that can be added to any humanoid creature, provided it can create the required phylactery.
An integral part of becoming a lich is creating a magic phylactery in which to store its life force. Unless the phylactery is located and destroyed, the lich reappears 1d10 days after its apparent death.
Each lich must make its own phylactery, which requires the Craft Wondrous Item feat. The character must be a sorcerer, wizard, or cleric of at least 11th level. The phylactery costs 120,000 gp and 4,800 XP to create and has a caster level equal to that of its creator at the time of creation.
Vampire: "Vampire" is a template that can be added to any humanoid or monstrous humanoid creature.
If a vampire drains a victim’s Constitution to 0 or less, the victim returns as a vampire if it had 5 or more HD.
Create Greater Undead spell.

Animate Dead
Necromancy [Evil]
Level: Clr 3, Death 3, Sor/Wiz 5
Components: V, S, M
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: Touch
Targets: One or more corpses touched
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: No
This spell turns the bones or bodies of dead creatures into undead skeletons or zombies that follow the character's spoken commands. The skeletons or zombies can follow the character, or can remain in an area and attack any creature (or just a specific type of creature) entering the place. The undead remain animated until they are destroyed. (A destroyed skeleton or zombie can't be animated again.)
Regardless of the type of undead, the character can't create more HD of undead than the character has caster levels with a single casting of animate dead.
The undead the character creates remain under the character's control indefinitely. No matter how many times the character uses this spell, however, the character can control only 2 HD worth of undead creatures per caster level. If the character exceeds this number, all the newly created creatures fall under the character's control, and any excess undead from previous castings become uncontrolled (the character chooses which creatures are released). If the character is a cleric, any undead the character might command by virtue of the character's power to command or rebuke undead do not count toward the limit.
Skeletons: A skeleton can be created only from a mostly intact corpse or skeleton. The corpse must have bones. If a skeleton is made from a corpse, the flesh falls off the bones. The statistics for a skeleton depend on its size; they do not depend on what abilities the creature may have had while alive.
Zombies: A zombie can be created only from a mostly intact corpse. The creature must have a true anatomy. The statistics for a zombie depend on its size, not on what abilities the creature may have had while alive.
Material Component: The material component must be worth at least 50 gp.

Create Undead
Necromancy [Evil]
Level: Clr 6, Death 6, Evil 6
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
This evil spell allows the character to create powerful kinds of undead: ghasts, ghouls, shadow, wights, and wraiths. The following types of undead can be created by casters of the specified levels:
Cleric Level Undead Created
------------ --------------
11 or lower Ghoul
12–13 Shadow
14–15 Ghast
16–19 Wight
20 Wraith
The character may create less powerful undead than the character's level would indicate if the character chooses.
Created undead are not automatically under the control of their animator. The character may attempt to command the undead as it forms with a turning check.
This spell must be cast at night.
Material Components: The spell must be cast on a dead body and uses a material component worth 50gp per corpse.

Create Greater Undead
Necromancy [Evil]
Level: Clr 8, Death 8
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
This spell allows the character to create powerful and intelligent sorts of undead. The type of undead created is based on the character's level. The following types of undead can be created by casters of the specified levels:
Cleric Level Undead Created
------------ --------------
15 or lower Mummy
16–17 Spectre
18–19 Vampire
20 Ghost*
*Ghosts created by this spell have three ghostly powers in addition to manifestation: malevolence, horrific appearance, and corrupting gaze.
Certain types of undead, such as liches, cannot be created by this spell.
The character may create less powerful undead than the character's level would indicate if the character chooses.
Created undead are not automatically under the control of their animator. The character may attempt to command the undead as it forms with a turning check.
This spell must be cast at night.
Material Components: The spell must be cast on a dead body and uses a material component worth 50gp per corpse.

SRD 3.0 Psionics

Spoiler

Caller in Darkness: ?

WotC Books

Spoiler

Monster Manual II:

Spoiler

Banshee: A banshee is the spirit of a strong-willed, selfish individual of a humanoid race.
Bone Naga: A bone naga was once a living dark naga. After its death, it was transformed into a skeletal undead creature by another dark naga through a horrific ritual.
Dark nagas know of a ritual to create a bone naga using animate dead. The ritual requires numerous components, including the ocular fluids of a divine caster and a sentient reptile. These can come from the same creature, if appropriate. Only taught to dark nagas, this rite contains a number of special somatic components that humanoids cannot emulate. (Dragon 336)
It is rumored that some free-willed bone nagas also possess the ability to perform the creation ritual and actively seek out their living brethren, enslaving them in undeath. (Dragon 336)
Corpse Gatherer: These creatures are thought to spawn from the burial of a sentient undead creature (such as a vampire) in unconsecrated ground. The lingering taint of undeath somehow permeates the earth, causing the entire graveyard—corpses, tombstones, and all—to coalesce into a ravening undead monster.
Mass graves and charnel pits sometimes give rise to large undead formed from multiple corpses, such as corpse gatherers. (Heroes of Horror)
Crimson Death: ?
Legends tell that a crimson death is born from the destruction of a strong-willed vampire. This is not, in fact, the case. Crimson deaths might form from anyone who dies via exsanguination and whose body is then consumed or destroyed. A traveler in a marsh sucked dry by leeches and then consumed by other swamp creatures might rise as a crimson death. Similarly, a vampire who drains a victim and then cremates the body to prevent it from rising as another vampire might provoke the manifestation of a crimson death. The same hatred and iron will required to create ghosts or wraiths is necessary for the formation of a crimson death. (Dragon 336)
Deathbringer: ?
Effigy: ?
Like so many undead, effigies form from the hate and rage of a dying individual. Such people must die under circumstances wherein they believe they have been deprived of their rightful due by the actions of others. For example, someone murdered on the verge of completing a major ambition or gaining a windfall might become an effigy. In addition, an effigy can only form if the individual died by fire, such as a fireball or flame strike spell, or a dragon’s breath. (Dragon 336)
Famine Spirit: A famine spirit rarely leaves corpses in its wake, but sometimes it is forced to flee and leave slain opponents behind. Each of these corpses rises in 1d3 days as a famine spirit, unless a protection from evil spell is cast upon it before that time.
Not everyone who dies of hunger becomes a famine spirit. Specifically, someone must spend much of his life hungry or otherwise wanting for basic necessities. (Dragon 336)
Potential sources include people living in poverty or who dwell in famine-prone areas. The individual must, near the end of his life, have had the opportunity to raise himself from his current state, perhaps to acquire riches or move to more fertile lands. This chance must be snatched away by the actions of another person or sentient being, thus causing the individual to perish not only of starvation but also of frustration and cruelly shattered hopes. Only when all these conditions are met, a truly strong-willed individual becomes a famine spirit. (Dragon 336)
Gravecaller: ?
Jahi: The jahi is an incorporeal undead made of unfulfilled desires.
Ragewind: Also called sword spirits, ragewinds are the embodied wrath of dead warriors who perished in useless battles.
Spawn of Kyuss: Spawn of Kyuss are disgusting undead creatures created by Kyuss, a powerful evil cleric turned demigod.
A cleric of 16th level or higher may use a create greater undead spell to create new spawn of Kyuss. This process requires maggots from the corpse of a diseased creature in addition to the normal material components.
Once per round as a free action, a spawn of Kyuss can transfer a worm from its own body to that of an opponent. It can do this whenever it hits with a slam attack, but it can also make the transfer by means of a successful melee touch attack or a ranged touch attack, hurling a worm at a foe from a distance of up to 10 feet.
Each worm is a Fine vermin with AC 10 and 1 hit point. It can be killed with normal damage or by the touch of silver. On the spawn’s next action, the worm burrows into its host’s flesh. (A creature with a natural armor bonus of +5 or higher is immune to this burrowing effect.) The worm makes its way toward the host’s brain, dealing 1 point of damage per round for 1d4+1 rounds. At the end of that period, it reaches the brain. While the worm is inside a victim, a remove curse or remove disease effect destroys it, and a dispel evil or neutralize poison effect delays its progress for 10d6 minutes. A successful Heal check (DC 20) extracts the worm and kills it.
Once the worm reaches the brain, it deals 1d2 points of Intelligence damage per round until it either is killed (by remove curse or remove disease) or slays its host (death occurs at 0 Intelligence). A Small, Medium-size, or Large creature slain by a worm rises as a new spawn of Kyuss 1d6+4 rounds later.
The spawn began with Kyuss, an ancient priest of a forgotten deity who ruled an empire before the advent of modern civilization. (Dragon 336)
Any evil cleric can create a spawn of Kyuss by casting create undead as long as he is at least 15th level. The material component for creating a spawn of Kyuss, however, is slightly different than normal. This version of the spell must be cast over the grave of a killer who was buried without a coffin in unhallowed ground (a DC 25 Knowledge [local] check can usually determine if such a body lies near a specific settlement). If the caster has a preserved or live Kyuss worm he may substitute that for the 250 gp black onyx gem that is otherwise required to animate the body. As the spell is cast, the grave blooms with worms and maggots as the newly created spawn of Kyuss rises from within. (Dragon 336)
A Small, Medium, or Large creature slain by a worm from a favored spawn of Kyuss rises as a new spawn of Kyuss (not a favored spawn) 1d6+4 rounds later. (Dragon 336)
The nigh-indestructible sons of Kyuss were created by the then priest Kyuss for his own dark purposes. (Dragon 336)
Death Knight: Gods of death create death knights.
“Death knight” is a template that can be added to any evil humanoid creature of 6th level or higher.
The demon prince Demogorgon is credited with creating the first such horror. Some warriors seek out the undead existence of the death knight, but a mortal cannot perform the ritual without assistance. The transformation requires the active assistance of a powerful fiend. On rare occasions, death knights occur spontaneously upon the death of a favored servant of an archfiend or evil deity. Finally, and even less frequently, death knights might arise as the result of a curse. If an innocent dies due to a fallen paladin’s actions, that individual might pronounce a dying curse that results in eternal unlife for the former champion of light. (Dragon 336)
Sample Death Knight: ?
Spellstitched: Spellstitched creatures are undead creatures that have been powerfully enhanced and fortified by arcane means.
Spellstitched creatures can be created only by a wizard or sorcerer of sufficient level to cast the spells to be imbued in the undead’s body. The process for creating a spellstitched creature requires the expenditure of 1,000 gp for carving or tattooing materials as well as 500 XP for every point of Wisdom that the undead creature possesses. Undead that are spellcasters can spellstitch themselves.
“Spellstitched” is a template that can be added to any corporeal undead.
Spellstitched Ghast: ?

Ghast: Humanoid victims of a spellstitched ghast that are not devoured by the creature rise as ghasts (not spellstiched ghasts) in 1d4 days.
Wight: Any humanoid slain by a zovvut demon’s gaze attack (negative levels equal to current Hit Dice, or drained below 1st level) becomes a wight in 1d4 rounds.
Zombie: Upon reaching 0 hit points, the corpse gatherer falls apart into its component corpses. The creature’s animating force remains among the corpses that formerly composed its body, converting them into zombies. Upon its death, a corpse gatherer generates as many zombies as it has Hit Dice (that is, a 30-HD corpse-gatherer becomes thirty zombies). Unless circumstances dictate otherwise, these are all Medium-size zombies.
Once per round as a free action, a spawn of Kyuss can transfer a worm from its own body to that of an opponent. It can do this whenever it hits with a slam attack, but it can also make the transfer by means of a successful melee touch attack or a ranged touch attack, hurling a worm at a foe from a distance of up to 10 feet.
Each worm is a Fine vermin with AC 10 and 1 hit point. It can be killed with normal damage or by the touch of silver. On the spawn’s next action, the worm burrows into its host’s flesh. (A creature with a natural armor bonus of +5 or higher is immune to this burrowing effect.) The worm makes its way toward the host’s brain, dealing 1 point of damage per round for 1d4+1 rounds. At the end of that period, it reaches the brain. While the worm is inside a victim, a remove curse or remove disease effect destroys it, and a dispel evil or neutralize poison effect delays its progress for 10d6 minutes. A successful Heal check (DC 20) extracts the worm and kills it.
Once the worm reaches the brain, it deals 1d2 points of Intelligence damage per round until it either is killed (by remove curse or remove disease) or slays its host (death occurs at 0 Intelligence). A Huge or larger creature becomes a normal zombie of the appropriate size.

Fiend Folio:

Spoiler

Abyssal Ghoul: ?
Bhut: A bhut comes into being when a humanoid dies a sudden, violent death in a remote region.
Crawling Head: The crawling head is a horrifying undead monstrosity spawned from the severed head of a giant.
An overconfident necromancer who was quickly slain by his own creation created the original crawling head ages ago. Since then, crawling heads have been slowly increasing in number in areas frequented by giants and their ilk.
The first crawling head was created deliberately years ago, constructed from the severed head of a hill giant by a necromancer later slain by his own creation. (Dragon 336)
The rite requires create undead and the sacrifice of a giant who just fed on at least three sentient beings. (Dragon 336)
Crypt Thing: A crypt thing is a kind of undead guardian that is built to watch over a particular site or object and deal with intruders in a nonlethal manner.
A cleric of 14th level or higher can use the create undead spell to create a crypt thing.
Blood Fiend: Blood fiends create more blood fiends from other demons in a manner similar to the way vampires create more vampires from humanoids.
An outsider of the evil subtype slain by a blood fiend’s energy drain attack (negative levels equal to current Hit Dice, or drained below 1st level) rises as a blood fiend 1d4 days after death.
Sample Huecuva Sample: ?
Huecuva: Huecuvas are undead creatures created from clerics, druids, paladins, or monks who have failed in their vows. As punishment for their heresies, they are doomed to undeath. Huecuvas are sometimes created when a good or neutral cleric changes his alignment to evil and dies without seeking atonement for his wrongs, or when an evil priest is subjected to a particularly powerful curse by her patron deity.
“Huecuva” is an acquired template that can be added to any humanoid with at least one level in the cleric, druid, paladin, or monk class.
Legend tells that a huecuva results from a curse levied on fallen clerics, druids, monks, and paladins. As punishment for their heresies, their patron deities condemn them to a state of eternal undeath. (Dragon 336)
In truth, this is only partially correct. Most deities who count paladins and druids among their servants are unlikely to inflict such an undead horror upon the world. Indeed these fallen souls are cursed by their patron—but that curse is simply the complete abandonment of the former servant’s soul, leaving him open to whatever evils might lurk in the depths of his spirit. Eventually, these evils consume him, leaving little but resentment and loathing for the deity that once favored him. Only then, when such powerful hate mingles with lingering divine energy does the fallen faithful become a huecuva. (Dragon 336)
Hullathoin: ?
Quth-Maren: A quth-maren is a revolting undead creature created by clerics of Kiaransalee. These clerics are fond of flaying their enemies—removing every scrap of skin—and then animating them in this hideous form.
Sample Swordwraith: ?
Swordwraith: Some mercenaries are so dedicated to a life of war that they rise from death to continue the battle, prowling the site of their deaths or the places of their burial, looking for foes to put to the sword.
“Swordwraith” is a template that can be added to any humanoid or monstrous humanoid creature with levels in fighter.
Like a ghost, a sword wraith is driven by a single-minded ambition that lingers after death—in this case, the desire to continue battle, to shed more blood. Unlike the ghost, however, the sword wraith’s purpose might not actually be his own. The bloodlust and dark desires of his fellow soldiers often mixes with the sword wraith’s own. Thus, the purpose that drives a sword wraith might belong to any one of the soldiers lying dead on the field, or might even be an entire platoon’s combined discipline and love of carnage. This can sometimes create sword wraiths from the noblest commanders and the lowliest scouts. (Dragon 336)
Ulgurstasta: The first ulgurstasta was created ages ago by Kyuss, a powerful evil cleric turned demigod.
Vague notes surviving from Kyuss’s time indicate that the process of creating an ulgurstasta is long and dangerous.
Since they were created through powerful necromantic magic, these creatures cannot reproduce, nor do they need to breathe or eat.
The result of this was the bloody Battle of Gorna, which saw the defeat of the Keoish force. Some claim that powerful magic employed on behalf of the duke by the archmage Vargalian had a dire origin; many of the slain Keoish warriors remain in the Stark Mounds as undead swordwraiths to this day. (Living Greyhawk Gazetteer)
Symbiont Ghostly Visage: ?

Skeleton: Someone swallowed by an ulgurstasta is in deep trouble—the creature feeds on raw life and transforms its victims into animated skeletons that the ulgurstasta can later regurgitate. A swallowed victim takes 1d8 points of Constitution drain each round from the necromantic acid inside the creature. Upon death, the victim’s remains are infused with the acid and transformed into an animated skeleton.
Vampire Spawn: A humanoid or monstrous humanoid killed by the energy drain attack of a bloodfiend locust swarm rises 2d6 hours later as a fiendish vampire spawn.

Monster Compendium: Monsters of Faerun:

Spoiler

Banedead: Banedead are a form of undead created from the fanatical worshipers of an evil deity.
An evil cleric who is 12th level or higher can create banedead in a special ritual that requires at least twelve willing worshipers (to be transformed into banedead) and an additional twenty-four living worshipers. The ritual must be held in a place that is consecrated to the cleric’s evil deity. The newly created banedead are under the control of the presiding cleric. This control can only be broken if another cleric successfully turns the banedead. The original master must then make a successful turning check to regain his lost control.
Banedead in the Realms are created only from worshipers of the dead god Bane or his son and successor, Iyachtu Xvim. They can only be created by clerics of Xvim.
Baneguard: Baneguards are animated skeletons created by evil clerics to serve as guardian creatures.
A cleric of at least 14th level can create a baneguard using the create undead spell.
The creation of baneguards was originally a secret developed by clerics of Bane, but the technique has long since spread to other evil faiths. The Thayan branch of Iyachtu Xvim’s church is especially fond of creating baneguards, and these creatures are often found serving as temple guards in Thayan trading enclaves throughout Faerûn. They are also quite popular among the followers of Velsharoon, demigod of liches, and are found in great numbers in Skull Gorge and the Battle of Bones, at the southwestern tip of Anauroch.
Direguard: A cleric of at least 16th level can create a direguard using the create undead spell.
Bat Deep Bonebat: ?
Dread Warrior: Dread warriors are enhanced undead created immediately after a warrior’s death so that they retain at least minimal intelligence. They must be created from the bodies of fighters of at least 4th level who have been dead for less than a day
Szass Tam, Zulkir of Necromancy for the Red Wizards of Thay, created them over twenty years ago, intending them for an invasion of Rashemen.
Zombie Tyrantfog: These wretched undead are the remains of the priests and worshipers of evil deities who have been struck down by the raw power of another evil deity.
During Fzoul Chembryl’s rise to power in 1370 DR, Iyachtu Xvim caused a foul gray fog to spread through the Heartlands, extending south to Starmantle, north to the Sunrise Mountains, and east to Tsurlagol. Another fog erupted around Mintar, gradually spreading as far west and north as Saradush. Within the fog, worshipers of Cyric were stricken with terrible diseases. Those who died of their illness—rather than being consumed in the green flame that filled the fog after nine days—were animated by the divine power within the fog, and many still wander the region as Tyrantfog zombies.
Curst: Cursts are unfortunate undead humanoids, trapped under a curse that will not let them die.
Cursts are created when an evil spellcaster touches a victim while casting bestow curse, then within 4 rounds adding a properly worded wish or miracle spell.
“Curst” is a template that can be added to any humanoid creature.
During the Time of Troubles, many folk slain within wild magic zones became cursts, and many members of Waterdeep’s guard and watch spontaneously transformed into cursts while battling the minions of Myrkul.
Curst Human Fighter 5: ?
Ghost Doomsphere: ?
Ghost Ghost Dragon: Created when an ancient dragon is slain and its hoard looted.
Ghost Spectral Harpist: These ghosts are the spirits of Master Harpers who died while engaged in Harper service that is left unfinished.
Ghost Watchghost, Unsleeping Guardian: These undead, sometimes called “unsleeping guardians,” are created by a powerful (8th-level) necromantic spell to serve as guardians.
Ghost Zhentarim Spirit: These ghosts are the essences of Zhentarim wizards who met with a horrible death at the hands of their enemies or treacherous comrades. They remain on this plane seeking vengeance, and their worst attacks are reserved for those they hold responsible for their deaths.
Lich Alhoon, Illithilich: All alhoons were once wizards or sorcerers (usually at least 9th level), so they possess a deadly mixture of psionic and magical ability.
Lich Banelich: When Bane, the deity of strife, was first establishing his church long ago, those who worshiped him were hounded to their deaths by the forces of good unless they gathered in significant numbers. Tired of his faithful becoming victims, every 50 or 60 years Bane chose the most powerful priest within the ranks of his clerics and revealed to him or her a foul rite that would transform the caster into a powerful, immortal form—a lich of Bane, or banelich.
A banelich was an evil cleric of at least 17th level before becoming undead, and these liches retain all of their class abilities.
Lich Good: ?
Lich Good Archlich: Archliches are transformed human spellcasters—as often clerics or bards as wizards—who have deliberately and carefully accomplished their own transformation into liches.
Lich Good Baelnorn: Baelnorns are elven liches who have sought undeath to become the backbones of their families, seldom-seen sources of magic, wise counsel, and guardianship.
Revenant: Revenants are undead avengers, returned from the grave to track down and kill their murderers.
Revenants are sometimes created even when a body had been completely destroyed by its killers, indicating that the magic that brings revenants to life can also reform their bodies.
“Revenant” is a template that can be added to any humanoid creature type.
For reasons the gnomes do not want to talk about, gnomish murderers seem more likely to be hunted by revenants than murderers from other races.
Revenant Elf Sorcerer 7: ?

Undead: Undead are once-living creatures animated by spiritual or supernatural forces.
Ghost: ?
Lich: ?

Book of Vile Darkness:

Spoiler

Eye of Fear and Flame: The eye of fear and flame is an undead creature created by the gods of chaos and evil to spread destruction and darkness. Through their malevolent divine power, they take the dead soul of a chaotic evil madman and give him an animated skeletal form with which to roam and do their will.
Vilewight: Vilewights are undead creatures, the remains of those that delved too far and too long into the black arts.
Bone Creature: Sometimes creatures that rise as undead skeletons retain their intellect and abilities.
Bone creatures cannot be the result of a simple animate dead spell, but could arise from a create undead or create greater undead spell, as undead of their equivalent Hit Dice.
“Bone” is a template that can be added to any nonundead, corporeal creature that has a skeletal system.
Bone Creature Bugbear Rogue 5: ?
Corpse Creature: Not all corpses risen as undead are shambling, slow-moving zombies. Some retain their intellect and abilities.
They cannot be the result of a simple animate dead spell, but could arise from a create undead or create greater undead spell, as undead of their equivalent Hit Dice.
“Corpse” is a template that can be added to any nonundead, nonconstruct, nonplant corporeal creature.
Corpse Creature Human Barbarian 3: ?
Vecna: After he died and rose as a lich, Vecna transcribed the scrolls into a bound book, creating its cover from the flesh of a human face and the bones of a demon, magically transformed into a dull metal binding.
Reynod, Human Vampire Rogue 6/Assassin 4: ?
Orcus, Tenebrous: After becoming complacent with his wars against Demogorgon and Graz’zt waning, Orcus was murdered and deposed. But then, Orcus rose from the dead—an undead demon—and took the name Tenebrous for a time, hiding in the shadows and waiting to take his revenge.
Kauvra, Half-Orc Vampire Barbarian 16: ?
Hartoon, Human Lich Sorcerer 19: ?
The King of Ghouls, Unique Fiendish Ghoul: ?
Hand: Grim Revenge spell.

Wight: Any humanoid slain by a vilewight becomes a wight in 1d4 rounds.
If a 9th-level soul eater completely drains a creature of energy, the victim becomes a wight under the command of the soul eater.
Undead: Even a short act of violence or a minor act of evil can have lingering effects after the event has passed. This type of evil can mentally scar a person who experiences or watches a horrible event. It can leave a sinister mark in a location where some act of evil once occurred. These events can also cause undead to rise of their own volition: A ghost might haunt the place of its murder, or a mohrg could linger in the spot where it was wronged. Acts that can cause this degree of lingering evil include the following.
• A gruesome, bloodthirsty murder.
• The proclamation of a foul edict, such as one that mandates the murder of infants to keep a new king from being born.
• A single sacrifice to an evil god or fiend.
• The animation of dozens of undead creatures.
• Abuse, starvation, and mistreatment of captives.
• Casting a permanent or long-lasting spell with the evil descriptor.
A bad feeling shows its effects in the following ways.
Creatures: People can have nightmares after exposure to this degree of evil, but there are usually no lasting physical effects. Certain types of undead can rise after even a single act of wrongdoing. The spectre of a murder victim might linger where he was slain, for example.
Bodak: For example, a bodak’s victims rise the next day as new bodaks.
Bodak Birth spell.
Spectre: Certain types of undead can rise after even a single act of wrongdoing. The spectre of a murder victim might linger where he was slain, for example.
Incorporeal Undead: ?
Corporeal Undead: ?
Ghost: These events can also cause undead to rise of their own volition: A ghost might haunt the place of its murder, or a mohrg could linger in the spot where it was wronged.
Mohrg: These events can also cause undead to rise of their own volition: A ghost might haunt the place of its murder, or a mohrg could linger in the spot where it was wronged.
Lich: ?
Nightshade: ?
Vampire: If Kauvra instead brings the victim’s Constitution to 0 or lower by means of her blood drain, the victim returns as a spawn if it had 4 or fewer HD and as a vampire if it had 5 or more HD.
Vampire Spawn: A humanoid or monstrous humanoid slain by Kauvra’s energy drain attack rises as a vampire spawn (see Vampire Spawn in the Monster Manual) 1d4 days after burial.
If Kauvra instead brings the victim’s Constitution to 0 or lower by means of her blood drain, the victim returns as a spawn if it had 4 or fewer HD and as a vampire if it had 5 or more HD.
Ghoul: In most cases, the King of Ghouls devours his victims. From time to time, however, the bodies of his humanoid victims lie where they fell, to rise as ghouls in 1d4 days. Casting protection from evil on a body before the end of that time averts the transformation.
Shadow: Graz’zt enjoys blood sacrifices made in his name, and sexual rites are important in services dedicated to him as well. His temples are dark, secluded places where orgies are common. Some section of the temple is often shrouded in magical darkness. From there, clerics use create undead on sacrificial victims to bring forth shadows that guard the temple.
Wraith: ?
Mummy: ?
Nightwing: ?
Skeleton: ?
Zombie: Cauldron of Zombie Spewing Diabolic Engine.
Death Rock major artifact.

Bodak Birth
Transmutation [Evil]
Level: Clr 8
Components: V, S, F, Drug
Casting Time: 1 minute
Range: Touch
Target: Caster or one creature touched
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: None (see text)
Spell Resistance: No
The caster transforms one willing subject (which can be the caster) into a bodak. Ignore all of the subject’s old characteristics, using the bodak description in the Monster Manual instead.
Before casting the spell, the caster must make a miniature figurine that represents the subject, then bathe it in the blood of at least three Small or larger animals. Once the spell is cast, anyone that holds the figurine can attempt to mentally communicate and control the bodak, but the creature resists such control with a successful Will saving throw. If the bodak fails, it must obey the holder of the figurine, but it gains a new saving throw every day to break the control. If the figurine is destroyed, the bodak disintegrates.
Focus: Figurine of subject, bathed in animal blood.
Drug Component: Agony.

Grim Revenge
Necromancy [Evil]
Level: Sor/Wiz 4
Components: V, S, Undead
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: Medium (100 ft. + 10 ft./level)
Target: One living humanoid
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: Fortitude negates
Spell Resistance: Yes
The hand of the subject tears itself away from one of his arms, leaving a bloody stump. This trauma deals 6d6 points of damage. Then the hand, animated and floating in the air, begins to attack the subject. The hand attacks as if it were a wight (see the Monster Manual) in terms of its statistics, special attacks, and special qualities, except that it is considered Tiny and gains a +4 bonus to AC and a +4 bonus on attack rolls. The hand can be turned or rebuked as a wight. If the hand is defeated, only a regenerate spell can restore the victim to normal.

Cauldron of Zombie Spewing: The devils that created this device wanted to mass-produce undead. This artifact is a mass of strange tubes, bubbling glass containers, and liquid-filled troughs all focused around a gigantic black cauldron 13 feet in diameter. When fifty Medium-size corpses are thrown into the device and mixed with strange chemicals and a single dose of liquid pain, the contents of the cauldron stew and boil for 24 hours. Then, great horizontally pivoting levers spew forth onto the ground 4d12 Medium-size zombies. Not every corpse becomes a zombie because some are liquefied and mulched as a part of the process. The zombies obey the commands of any devil present within the first 3 rounds of their creation.
The cauldron has hardness 10, 250 hp, and a break DC of 35. However, the glass portions and tubing can be destroyed much more easily (hardness 1, 20 hp, break DC 12).
Caster Level: 16th;Weight: 5,000 lb.

Death Rock: This object is said to be the heart of an evil demon lord or evil demigod, cut from his chest in a terrible battle with a woman invested with celestial powers who sought vengeance for the wrongs of the evil being and its cult. The Death Rock is a crude black stone the size of a fist that pulses like a beating heart.
Anyone possessing the Death Rock gains the spellcasting abilities of a sorcerer of a level equal to his own. The character knows only spells of the Necromancy school. If the character is already a sorcerer, the new spells known and extra spells per day are in addition to his own.
The Death Rock has a drawback. Once per week, the closest companion or dearest loved one of the Death Rock’s owner is automatically slain and turned into a zombie that serves the owner. The owner may forsake the Death Rock to prevent this (or he might run out of companions or loved ones), but then the Death Rock immediately fades away.

Epic Level Handbook:

Spoiler

Mummy Advanced: Mummy Dust epic spell.
Hunefer Rot disease.
Atropal: Atropals are stillborn godlings who spontaneously rise as undead.
Demilich: Particularly powerful liches sometimes learn the secret of fashioning soul gems, and so evolve to demilichdom.
“Demilich” is a template that can be added to any lich.
The process of becoming a demilich can be undertaken only by a lich acting of its own free will.
Each demilich must make its own soul gems, which requires the Craft Wondrous Item feat. The lich must be a sorcerer, wizard, or cleric of at least 21st level. Each soul gem costs 120,000 gp and 4,800 XP to create and has a caster level equal to that of its creator at the time of creation.
Soul gems appear as egg-shaped gems of wondrous quality. They are always incorporated directly into the concentrated form of the demilich. For instance, a demilich skull might place the gems in the eye and tooth sockets of the skull, while a demilich hand might integrate the gems as faux joints.
Hunefer: Hunefers are the mummies of demigods whose power has not utterly departed to astral realms.
Lavawight: Lavawights are created from the remains of victims slain by shapes of fire.
Any humanoid slain by a shape of fire becomes a lavawight in 1d4 rounds.
Shadow of the Void: A shadow of the void is a manifestation of cold malevolence, the spirit of one condemned in the afterlife to an eternity of frosty conflagration.
Shape of Fire: A shape of fire is a manifestation of white-hot malice, the spirit of one condemned in the afterlife to an eternity of scorching damnation.
Winterwight: The creatures known as winterwights were originally created by shadows of the void, though winterwights have also been created artificially by powerful demiliches.
Any humanoid slain by a shadow of the void becomes a winterwight in 1d4 rounds.
Winterwights are the creation of a legendary demilich who sought the limits of necromantic power.
Sirrush Ghost: The dusty remains inside the cage are of a sirrush that Kerleth used to keep as a pet. If the remains of the sirrush are disturbed, its ghost rises and attacks.
Szass Tam: ?

Undead: Animate Dead epic spell seed.
A flaw in a true resurrection spell leaves one player character undead by night and alive by day.
Ghast: Animate Dead epic spell seed.
Ghoul: Demise Unseen epic spell.
Animate Dead epic spell seed.
Ghost: Animate Dead epic spell seed.
Mohrg: Animate Dead epic spell seed.
[Mummy: Animate Dead epic spell seed.
b]Shadow:[/b] Animate Dead epic spell seed.
Spectre: Animate Dead epic spell seed.
Wraith: Animate Dead epic spell seed.
Vampire: Animate Dead epic spell seed.
Skeleton: Zone of Animation feat.
Animus Blast epic spell.
Animate Dead epic spell seed.
Zombie: Zone of Animation feat.
Animate Dead epic spell seed.
Wight: Animus Blizzard epic spell.
Animate Dead epic spell seed.

Animus Blast
Evocation [Cold]
Spellcraft DC: 50
Components: V, S
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: 300 ft.
Area: 20-ft.-radius hemisphere burst
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: Reflex half
Spell Resistance: Yes
To Develop: 450,000 gp; 9 days; 18,000 XP. Seeds: energy (DC 19), animate dead (DC 23). Factors: set undead type to skeleton (–12 DC), 1-action casting time (+20 DC).
When this spell is cast, you can engulf your enemies in a coldball that deals 10d6 points of cold damage. However, up to twenty of those victims that perish as a result of this blast are then instantly animated as Medium-size skeletons. These skeletons serve you indefinitely. You cannot exceed the normal limit for controlling undead through use of this spell, but other means that allow you to exceed the normal limit for controlled undead work just as well with undead created with animus blast.

Animus Blizzard
Evocation [Cold]
Spellcraft DC: 78
Components: V, S
Casting Time: 1 minute
Range: 300 ft.
Area: 20-ft.-radius hemisphere burst
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: Reflex half
Spell Resistance: Yes
To Develop: 702,000 gp; 15 days; 28,080 XP. Seeds: energy (DC 19), animate dead (DC 23). Factors: increase damage to 30d6 (+40 DC), set undead type to wight (–4 DC).
When this spell is cast, you can engulf your enemies in an unusually powerful burst of cold that deals 30d6 points of damage. However, up to five victims that perish as a result of this blast are then instantly animated as wights. These five wights serve you indefinitely. You cannot exceed the normal limit for controlling undead through use of this spell, but other means that allow you to exceed the normal limit for controlled undead work just as well with undead created with animus blizzard.

Demise Unseen
Necromancy (Death, Evil), Illusion (Figment)
Spellcraft DC: 82
Components: V, S
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: 300 ft.
Target: One creature of up to 80 HD
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: Fort negates
Spell Resistance: Yes
To Develop: 738,000 gp; 15 days; 29,520 XP. Seeds: slay (DC 25), animate dead (DC 23), delude (DC 14). Factors: change undead type to ghoul (–10 DC), apply figment elements to all 5 senses (+10 DC), 1-action casting time (+20 DC).
You instantly slay a single target and at the same moment animate the body so that it appears that nothing has happened to the creature. The target’s companions (if any) do not immediately realize what has transpired. The target receives a Fortitude saving throw to survive the attack. If the save fails, the target remains in its exact position with no apparent ill effects.
In reality, it is now a ghoul under your control. The target’s companions notice nothing unusual about the state of the target until they interact with it, at which time each companion receives a Will saving throw to notice discrepancies (“By Moradin’s beard, you move slowly today!”). The ghoul serves you indefinitely. You cannot exceed the normal limit for controlling undead through use of this spell, but other means that allow you to exceed the normal limit for controlled undead work just as well with undead created with demise unseen.

Mummy Dust
Necromancy [Evil]
Spellcraft DC: 35
Components: V, S, M, XP
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: Touch
Effect: Two 18-HD mummies
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: No
To Develop: 315,000 gp; 7 days; 12,600 XP. Seed: animate dead (DC 23). Factors: 16-HD undead (+16 DC), 1-action casting time (+20 DC). Mitigating factors: burn 2,000 XP (–20 DC), expensive material component (ad hoc –4 DC).
When you sprinkle the dust of ground mummies in conjunction with casting mummy dust, two Large 18-HD mummies (see below) spring up from the dust in an area adjacent to you. The mummies follow your every command according to their abilities, until they are destroyed or you lose control of them by attempting to control more Hit Dice of undead than you have caster levels.
Material Component: Specially prepared mummy dust (10,000 gp).
XP Cost: 2,000 XP.

SEED: ANIMATE DEAD
Necromancy [Evil]
Spellcraft DC: 23
Components: V, S
Casting Time: 1 minute
Range: Touch
Target: One or more corpses touched
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: No
You can turn the bones or bodies of dead creatures into undead that follow your spoken commands. The undead can follow you, or they can remain in an area and attack any creature (or a specific type of creature) entering the place. The undead remain animated until they are destroyed. (A destroyed undead can’t be animated again.) Intelligent undead can follow more sophisticated commands.
The animate dead seed allows you to create 20 HD of undead. Statistics for undead of all types are found in the Monster Manual. For each additional 1 HD of undead created, increase the Spellcraft DC by +1.
The undead you create remain under your control indefinitely. You can naturally control 1 HD per caster level of undead creatures you’ve personally created, regardless of the method you used. If you exceed this number, newly created creatures fall under your control, and excess undead from previous castings become uncontrolled (youchoose which creatures are released). If you are a cleric, any undead you command through your ability to command or rebuke undead do not count toward the limit.
For each additional 2 HD of undead to be controlled, increase the Spellcraft DC by +1. Only undead in excess of 20 HD created with this seed can be controlled using this DC adjustment. If you want to both create and control more than 20 HD of undead, increase the Spellcraft DC by +3 per additional 2 HD of undead.
Type of Undead: All types of undead can be created with the animate dead seed, although creating more powerful undead increases the Spellcraft DC of the epic spell, according to the table below. The DM must set the Spellcraft DC for undead not included on the table, using similar undead as a basis for comparison.
Spellcraft
Undead DC Modifier
Skeleton –12
Zombie –12
Ghoul –10
Shadow –8
Ghast –6
Wight –4
Spellcraft
Undead DC Modifier
Wraith –2
Mummy +0
Spectre +2
Morhg +4
Vampire +6
Ghost +8

Zone of Animation [Divine] [Epic]
You can channel negative energy to animate undead.
Prerequisite: Cha 25, Undead Mastery, ability to rebuke or command undead.
Benefit: You can use a rebuke or command undead attempt to animate corpses within range of your rebuke or command attempt. You animate a total number of HD of undead equal to the number of undead that would be commanded by your result (though you can’t animate more undead than there are available corpses within range). You can’t animate more undead with any single attempt than the maximum number you can command (including any undead already under your command). These undead are automatically under your command, though your normal limit of commanded undead still applies.
If the corpses are relatively fresh, the animated undead are zombies. Otherwise, they are skeletons.

Hunefer Rot (Su): Supernatural disease—slam, Fort save (DC 35), incubation period instantaneous; damage 1d6 temporary Con. Unlike normal diseases, hunefer rot requires a victim to make a successful saving throw every round or take another 1d6 points of temporary Constitution damage. The rot continues until the victim reaches Constitution 0 (and dies) or receives a remove disease spell or similar magic.
An afflicted creature that dies shrivels away into sand unless both remove disease and raise dead (or better) are cast on the remains within 2 rounds. If the remains are not so treated, on the third round the dust swirls and forms an 18 HD mummy with the dead foe’s equipment under the hunefer’s command.

Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting:

Spoiler

Shemnaer, Shadowdancer Shadow Companion: ?
Szass Tam, Lich Wizard 10 Red Wizard 10 Archmage 2 Epic 7: ?
Azurphax Adult Green Dracolich: Eight years ago, the green dragon Azurphax was attacked in her
lair by a group of powerful dragonslayers. They drove her off and stole a large portion of her loot. When they returned for more, she was better prepared and succeeded in slaying them, although greatly wounded. The Cult of the Dragon heard of the attacks and offered her immortality and treasure. In her weakened state, she accepted and was transformed into a dracolich.
Death Tyrant: The death tyrant is an undead form of beholder akin to a zombie, though it retains some of the beholder’s innate magical abilities.
One of the most powerful and totally subservient allies a beholder can have is a death tyrant beholder. These creatures are usually created with the help of a powerful cleric or mage, except in the rare cases where the live beholder is actually a mage itself. Quite often the potential death tyrant is a slain rival or one of the beholder’s own mutant offspring. (Forgotten Realms Lords of Darkness)
Dracolich: The dracolich is an undead creature resulting from the transformation of an evil dragon. The archmage Sammaster, founder of the Cult of the Dragon, discovered the process for creating these creatures.
A dracolich can be created from any of the evil dragon subspecies.
“Dracolich” is a template that can be added to any evil dragon.
Dracolich Creation
Sammaster recorded the secrets of dracolich creation in copies of his masterwork, the Tome of the Dragon, now passed down among Cult members. The process usually involves a cooperative effort between the evil dragon and the Cult’s wizards, but especially powerful Cult wizards have been known to coerce an evil dragon to undergo the transformation against its will.
Any evil dragon is a possible candidate for transformation, although dragons of old age or older, with spellcasting abilities, are preferred.
Once a candidate is secured, the Cult wizards first prepare the phylactery, an inanimate object that will hold the dragon’s life force. The phylactery must be a solid item of not less than 2,000 gp value and resistant to decay. Gemstones, particularly ruby, pearl, carbuncle, and jet, are commonly used for phylacteries. A phylactery is prepared using the Craft Wondrous Item feat. The effective cost is 50,000 gp, so the wizard preparing the phylactery must spend 2,000 XP and 25,000 gp in materials. The caster level of the dracolich phylactery is 13th, and the caster must be able to cast control undead.
Next, a special brew is prepared for the evil dragon to consume (Cost: 2,500 gp and 200 XP, Brew Potion, caster level 11th; the secret of creating dracolich brew is known only to those who have read the Tome of the Dragon). The potion is a lethal poison and slays the dragon for whom it was prepared without fail. (If any other creature drinks the brew, the save DC is 25, and the initial and secondary damage are 2d6 Constitution.)
Upon the death of the imbibing dragon, its spirit transfers to the phylactery, regardless of the distance between that and the dragon’s body.
a Dracolich’s Phylactery
When the dracolich first dies, and any time its physical form is destroyed thereafter, its spirit instantly retreats to its phylactery regardless of the distance between that and its body. A dim light within the phylactery indicates the presence of the spirit. While so contained, the spirit cannot take any actions except to possess a suitable corpse; it cannot be contacted nor attacked by magic. The spirit can remain in the phylactery indefinitely.
A spirit contained in a phylactery can sense any reptilian or dragon corpse of Medium-size or larger within 90 feet and attempt to possess it. Under no circumstances can the spirit possess a living body. The spirit’s original body is ideal, and any attempt to possess it is automatically successful. To possess a suitable corpse other than its own, the dracolich must make a successful Charisma check (DC 10 for a dragon, DC 15 for any dragon-type creature that is not a true dragon, such as an ibrandlin or wyvern, or DC 20 for any other kind of reptilian creature). If the check fails, the dracolich can never possess that particular corpse.
If the corpse accepts the spirit, it becomes animated. If the animated corpse is the spirit’s former body, it immediately becomes a dracolich. Otherwise, it becomes a proto-dracolich (see below).
Proto-Dracoliches
A proto-dracolich has the mind and memories of its original form but the hit points and spell immunities of a dracolich. A proto-dracolich can neither speak nor cast spells. Further, it cannot cause chilling damage, use a breath weapon, or cause fear as a dracolich. Its Strength, speed, and AC are those of the possessed body.
The proto-dracolich can transform immediately to its full dracolich form by devouring at least 10% of its original body. Failing that, it transforms into its full form over the course of 2d4 days.
When the transformation is complete, the dracolich resembles its original body. It can now speak, cast spells, and employ the breath weapon it originally had, in addition to gaining all the abilities of a dracolich. A dracolich typically keeps a few “spare” bodies of a suitable size near the hiding place of its phylactery, so that if its current form is destroyed, it can possess and transform a new body within a few days.
From somewhere within the folds of his ceremonial garb, the officiating cultist withdrew two objects: a clay flask and an enormous ruby. Unstoppering the flask, the cultist proffered it to the dragon. Gracefully, the blue wyrm opened its huge maw. The cultist obliged, pouring the contents of the flask onto its tongue. A collective “ahhh” went through the watching cultists, and Harnath thought that he could catch a hint of a strange scent in the air. Sulfur? (Forgotten Realms Lords of Darkness)
Suddenly the dragon’s jaws clenched tightly together, and the Wearer of Purple snatched his hand away barely in time. A spasm wracked the great creature’s body, and then it slumped forward on the platform and lay still. A brilliant light filled the ruby, spilling over into the hand of the Wearer of Purple. The light flared once, and then receded until it became a muted but constant glow. It was done. The first part of the transformation was complete. By the time the sun set this evening, Faerûn would know a new terror. (Forgotten Realms Lords of Darkness)
In 902 DR the “Cult of the Dragon” created its first dracolich, using necromantic formulas that Sammaster inscribed in his magnum opus, Tome of the Dragon. (Forgotten Realms Lords of Darkness)
More than a few Wearers of Purple are necromancers who seek out Cult of the Dragon cells for the specific purpose of joining their ranks. These necromancers oversee the complex process by which a living dragon is transformed into a dracolich. (Forgotten Realms Lords of Darkness)
The Cult of the Dragon possesses a sacred book, written by Sammaster First-Speaker himself, entitled Tome of the Dragon. The tome is a thick stack of vellum pages bound together inside a cover made of cured red dragon hide. The Cult symbol appears in gilt on the front cover. The original copy contains details on all the insane archmage’s research in creating dracoliches. It also holds the complete text of his prophecies regarding the fate of Toril, the reign of the undead dragons, and the role of the Cult in administering the new world order. Moreover, it holds all the Player’s Handbook spells from the school of Necromancy, and details the process that must be followed to turn a dragon into a dracolich. (Forgotten Realms Lords of Darkness)

Forgotten Realms Lords of Darkness:

Spoiler

Larloch, The Shadow King, Human Lich Wizard 20, Epic Wizard 12: ?
Mind Flayer Lich: ?
Sammaster Lich: Sammaster eventually died—or, as some Cult members believe, became a lich and disappeared.
The Night King, Faceless, Orbakh, Vampire Wizard 16, Archmage 1: He was also one of the few surviving stasis clones of the infamous Manshoon, erstwhile leader of the Zhentarim. He had awakened in the catacombs beneath the city just as the Manshoon Wars began, only to discover that prior to his revival he had been abducted and drained by the vampire Orlak, the self-proclaimed Night King who laired beneath Westgate.
Orlack, The Night King, Vampire: ?
Darklady Dahlia Vhammos, The Duchess of Venom, Vampire Cleric 15, Div 2: Orbakh observed the temple’s high priestess, Darklady Dahlia Vhammos, for several weeks, admiring her ambition, intellect, and capacity for cruelty. Because of these qualities plus her noble blood (Dahlia’s mortal family is one of the ruling merchant noble houses of Westgate), Orbakh brought her forcibly into the world of the undead, making her the first member of his Court of Night Masters.
Phultan Hammerwand, The Duke of Whispers, Vampire Wizard 16: During one of Phultan’s many excursions to Westgate, he came into possession of information damaging to one of the lieutenants of the Night Masks. He was marked for death as a result, and he would have perished at the hands of Lady Dahlia’s assassins had he not first demonstrated his skills by divining the correct means of contacting the Faceless himself. Impressed, the Night King realized that Phultan was worth far more to him alive, or rather, undead. The gossipmonger became the second inductee into the Court of Night Masters as Orbakh’s personal spymaster and information broker.
Tebryn “Shadowstalker” Dhialael, The Duke of Shadows, Half-Elf Vampire Wizard 3, Rogue 8, Guild Thief 5: Tebryn was the third and final victim of Orbakh’s desire for servitors, and the last victim to fall beneath the Night King’s Flying Fangs before that magic weapon was destroyed.
Twilight Knight, The Duke of Twilight, Vampire Paladin 9, Blackguard 5: ?
Sorenth “Happy” Gorender, The Count of Coins, Vampire Rogue 8, Guild Thief 5: ?
Sir Draegan Guldar, The Count of Storms, Vampire Rogue 9, Guild Thief 3: Draegan made the mistake of flirting outrageously with his fellow aristocrat when they met at a noble’s ball; amused, Dahlia allowed the young man to believe she was ensnared by his charms. By the end of the evening, he was ensnared by hers, and by her bite as well.
Servitor Vampire, Vampire Fighter 6: Servitor vampires, each formerly a warrior in the employ of the Night Masks and created by one of the dukes specifically to serve as guardians for their masters’ lair.
Szass Tam, Lich: ?
Arklem Greeth, Lich Wizard 16, Archmage 2: Distracted by his search for a means to prolong his life, Arklem Greeth didn’t see last year’s coup attempt coming until it was almost too late. As it was, he barely escaped with his life and was forced to flee Luskan for Mirabar, where he has remained for the better part of the last year. It was in that city, during his convalescence, that he made a new friend in Nyphithys, an erinyes who offered to grant the frail, wounded archwizard what he had so desperately sought. In return, Arklem need only allow Nyphithys and her associates to help the Brotherhood win the North. Greeth quickly accepted the bargain, and while his would-be successors squabbled among themselves for the spoils of their victory, Arklem underwent the transformation from human to lich.
The two killers then set their sights on the Archmage himself, catching him unaware in his bedchamber on the night of 14 Eleint last year (1371 DR). Thanks to the magical protections he always kept in place, Arklem fled the Host Tower with his life, but he was sorely injured. Making use of a preplanned escape route, he traveled to Mirabar. There he went to ground in a bolthole he’d prepared years ago against just such an emergency, and contemplated his fate while he recovered, slowly, from his wounds.
It was in this state that Nyphithys first visited him. The devil played to her strengths, taking advantage of the wizard’s frailty of body and spirit to overwhelm him with her charms. By the time she offered to share the secret of lichdom, Arklem was only too ready to become her willing partner. The devil helped her victim gather the necessary knowledge and ingredients for his transformation into a lich, and then accompanied him back to the Host Tower so that she (and a few summoned baatezu) could aid in the defeat of his enemies.
Jymahna, Human Lich Wizard 19: Jymahna was once a concubine and was made into a lich by Shangalar.
Kartak Spellseer, Human Lich Wizard 20, Archmage 5, Epic Wizard 6: Kartak Spellseer was destroyed more than 200 years ago but was restored this century by many carefully worded wish spells.
Priamon “Frostrune” Rakesk, Human Lich Wizard 20, Archmage 4, Epic Wizard 3: ?
Rhangaun, Human Lich Wizard 20, Archmage 5, Epic Wizard 8: ?
Sapphiraktar the Blue, Ancient Blue Dracolich: ?
Shangalar the Black, Tiefling Wizard 20, Archmage 5, Epic Wizard 2: ?
Shyressa, Human Vampire, Wizard 20, Archmage 3: ?

Alhoon: ?
Banedead: ?
Ghast: ?
Bonebat: ?
Dread Warrior: ?
Revenant: ?
Vampire Spawn: ?
Skeleton: ?
Zombie: ?
Dracolich: From somewhere within the folds of his ceremonial garb, the officiating cultist withdrew two objects: a clay flask and an enormous ruby. Unstoppering the flask, the cultist proffered it to the dragon. Gracefully, the blue wyrm opened its huge maw. The cultist obliged, pouring the contents of the flask onto its tongue. A collective “ahhh” went through the watching cultists, and Harnath thought that he could catch a hint of a strange scent in the air. Sulfur?
Suddenly the dragon’s jaws clenched tightly together, and the Wearer of Purple snatched his hand away barely in time. A spasm wracked the great creature’s body, and then it slumped forward on the platform and lay still. A brilliant light filled the ruby, spilling over into the hand of the Wearer of Purple. The light flared once, and then receded until it became a muted but constant glow. It was done. The first part of the transformation was complete. By the time the sun set this evening, Faerûn would know a new terror.
In 902 DR the “Cult of the Dragon” created its first dracolich, using necromantic formulas that Sammaster inscribed in his magnum opus, Tome of the Dragon.
More than a few Wearers of Purple are necromancers who seek out Cult of the Dragon cells for the specific purpose of joining their ranks. These necromancers oversee the complex process by which a living dragon is transformed into a dracolich.
The Cult of the Dragon possesses a sacred book, written by Sammaster First-Speaker himself, entitled Tome of the Dragon. The tome is a thick stack of vellum pages bound together inside a cover made of cured red dragon hide. The Cult symbol appears in gilt on the front cover. The original copy contains details on all the insane archmage’s research in creating dracoliches. It also holds the complete text of his prophecies regarding the fate of Toril, the reign of the undead dragons, and the role of the Cult in administering the new world order. Moreover, it holds all the Player’s Handbook spells from the school of Necromancy, and details the process that must be followed to turn a dragon into a dracolich.
Vampire: ?
Death Tyrant Beholder: One of the most powerful and totally subservient allies a beholder can have is a death tyrant beholder. These creatures are usually created with the help of a powerful cleric or mage, except in the rare cases where the live beholder is actually a mage itself. Quite often the potential death tyrant is a slain rival or one of the beholder’s own mutant offspring.
Wight: ?

Living Greyhawk Gazetteer:

Spoiler

Animus: Ivid attempted to ensure loyalty by having his generals and nobles assassinated and reanimated as intelligent undead (animuses), with all the abilities they possessed in life. He in turn was also assassinated, though the church of Hextor restored him to undead "life," after which he became a true monster known as Ivid the Undying.
The most serious internal threat to this realm (aside from the risk of a chaotic orc uprising) is a civil war centered around Rinloru, now devastated after a four-year siege. Ivid V had a noble, a minor priest, turned into an animus during the Greyhawk Wars to govern this city and surrounding lands.
During the Greyhawk Wars, in which Rel Astra defended itself against renegade Aerdy troops bent on looting it, Drax was forced to receive the "gift of undying" given to so many of Overking Ivid's subjects, and he became an animus.
Dahlvier, Lich Human Wizard 18: ?
Delgath the Undying, Animus Cleric 17: The most serious internal threat to this realm (aside from the risk of a chaotic orc uprising) is a civil war centered around Rinloru, now devastated after a four-year siege. Ivid V had a noble, a minor priest, turned into an animus during the Greyhawk Wars to govern this city and surrounding lands.
His Most Lordly Nobility, Eternal Custodian and Lord Protector of Rel Astra, Drax the Invulnerable, Animus Wizard 11/Fighter 3: During the Greyhawk Wars, in which Rel Astra defended itself against renegade Aerdy troops bent on looting it, Drax was forced to receive the "gift of undying" given to so many of Overking Ivid's subjects, and he became an animus.
Lich-Lord Ranial the Gaunt: ?
Demilich, Acererak: ?
Vecna: ?
Maskaleyne, Vampire Wizard 12: ?
Sea Zombie: ?

Undead: Devoted clerics of Beltar rise from the grave as undead within a year of their deaths, usually returning to aid their original tribe and show proof of the goddess' power.
Ghoul: ?
Wight: ?
Zombie: ?
Swordwraith: The result of this was the bloody Battle of Gorna, which saw the defeat of the Keoish force. Some claim that powerful magic employed on behalf of the duke by the archmage Vargalian had a dire origin; many of the slain Keoish warriors remain in the Stark Mounds as undead swordwraiths to this day.

Manual of the Planes:

Spoiler

Shadow Wight: ?
Vlaakith The Lich-Queen: ?
Vampiric Minotaur: ?
Vampiric Giant: ?
Melif the Lich-Lord: It is rumored that Melif was once a yugoloth himself, before he steeped himself in the eldritch arts and eventually lichdom.
Ghost Wizard 6: ?
Ghost Rogue 7: ?
Ghost Minotaur: ?
Ghost Troll: ?
Far Realm Wight: ?

Shadow: ?
Wight: Any humanoid slain by a shadow wight becomes a wight in 1d4 rounds.
Undead: On another alternate Material Plane, a magical experiment gone awry released a massive surge of negative energy, transforming everyone on the plane into undead.
Regardless of your choice, some spirits lose their way in transit, others suffer violent deaths, and some victims die at the hands of the undead. These souls become undead monsters such as ghosts, wraiths, or vampires.
Lich: Any who use unnatural means to extend their life span (such as a lich) could be targeted by a marut.
Vampire: Regardless of your choice, some spirits lose their way in transit, others suffer violent deaths, and some victims die at the hands of the undead. These souls become undead monsters such as ghosts, wraiths, or vampires.
Skeleton: ?
Zombie: ?
Ghoul: ?
Spectre: ?
Ghost: Regardless of your choice, some spirits lose their way in transit, others suffer violent deaths, and some victims die at the hands of the undead. These souls become undead monsters such as ghosts, wraiths, or vampires.
Petitioners in Hades are mostly grayish ghosts, spirits so depleted by the Waste that they lack solidity.
Bodak: ?
Nightcrawler: ?
Nightwalker: ?
Nightwing: ?
Wraith: Major negative-dominant planes are even more severe. Each round, those within must make a Fortitude save (DC 25) or gain a negative level. A creature whose negative levels equal its current levels or Hit Dice is slain, becoming a wraith.
Regardless of your choice, some spirits lose their way in transit, others suffer violent deaths, and some victims die at the hands of the undead. These souls become undead monsters such as ghosts, wraiths, or vampires.
Mummy: ?
Vampire Spawn: ?
Devourer: ?
Ghost Fighter 5: ?

Web Articles

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Book of Vile Darkness Web Enhancement Yet More Archfiends

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Shadow: ?

Defenders of the Faith Web Enhancement Called to Serve

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Lich: ?
Ghost: ?
Vampire: ?

Forgotten Realms Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting Web Enhancement Deities

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Undead: ?
Lich: ?

Forgotten Realms City of the Spider Queen Web Enhancement

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Kiaransalee, Drow Lich: ?
Kiaransalee, Lesser Goddess, Wizard 20, Cleric 20: ?

Forgotten Realms Elminster Speaks

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Undead: Voonlarrans believe that the massive altar can be shoved aside to reveal a treasure pit heaped with the bones of all temple priests who’ve died in town, who are customarily interred therein to yield undead guardians for the temple.
Death Tyrant: ?

Forgotten Realms Faiths and Pantheons Web Enhancement Leaves of Learning

Spoiler

Dracolich: ?
Shadow: Shadowspawn supernatural contact poison.

Shadowspawn affects only warm-blooded creatures, disjoining their shadows from them as they sleep. Each night at dusk the victim falls into a tortured slumber, temporarily losing 1d6 points of Strength. They cannot be awakened until dawn. During this time their shadow transforms into the undead creature of the same name and stalks the surrounding area. All successful attacks against the shadow are reflected as bloody wounds upon the victim’s body an inflict like amounts of damage. If the shadow is destroyed by any means, the victim is dead. If the victim is ever reduced to 0 Strength, they are dead and their shadow becomes a free-willed undead creature. Daily application of spells such as lesser restoration and restoration can keep the victim alive by restoring lost Strength, but do not end the ravages of shadowspawn. Only by casting negative energy protection and neutralize poison on the victim can the supernatural poison’s ravages be ended, a cure known only to certain followers of Shar.

Mahasarpa

Spoiler

Acheri: Acheri are the spirits of girls who died as a result of murder, accident, or plague.
Bhut: Bhuts are vicious, flesh-eating ghosts most commonly formed from the spirits of those who are executed, commit suicide, or die accidentally, and do not receive proper funeral rites.

Ghost: ?

Monster Manual II Web Enhancement Six New Monstrous Characters

Spoiler

Undead: Avolakias are Underdark dwellers with a morbid preference for undead as servants, soldiers, and food. They keep themselves supplied with these grisly servitors by capturing and slaying humanoids, whom they then turn into undead creatures.

3.0 2nd Party

Spoiler

Creatures of Rokugan:

Spoiler

Gaki: Gaki are often called the “hungry dead,” the spirits of evil individuals whose spirits passed into the realm of Gaki-do as punishment.
Skull Tide Gaki: Any humanoid victim who dies to the skull tide gaki’s Constitution drain is completely consumed by the swarm, except for his skull, which becomes a gaki and joins the tide.
Shikko-Gaki: Shikko-gaki are the spirits of those who defiled the graves of the dead.
Kwaku-Shin-Gaki: Kwaku-shin-gaki, or “cauldron bodies,” are the spirits of wicked men who allowed others to die in the cold rather than share their warmth.
Gakimushi: Only those whose lives were consumed with mindless, violent evil become gakimushi. These creatures are created close to Jigoku's dark reaches, and thus can draw upon the power of the Shadowlands.
Hyakuhei: The name hyakuhei means “all evils,” a name which these creatures have earned; they are believed to be animated by a combination of all the vices known to man.
Ikiryo: Ikiryo are the spirits of failed guardians, doomed to spend eternity making up for their failure.
The Lost: Samurai born beyond Rokugan who willingly serve the Shadowlands.
Mokumokuren: The story of Mokumokuren (“the ghost of a thousand hungry eyes”) and the tablet of Hagakure, which the ghost protects, is shrouded in mystery. Over a hundred and fifty years ago, Hagakure was a minor diplomat and shugenja of the Isawa on a diplomatic mission in the Imperial Palace.
One night he was murdered as he slept, his throat slit from ear to ear. The kder was never found, nor was any motive uncovered.
News of an assassination within the Imperial Palace was kept secret to preserve the honor of the Hantei. No one was allowed to speak of it, except the Asako and Ikoma families, who could only argue about how it was to be recorded in the histories. The emperor finally commanded them to cease arguing, and to record only this: “Hagakure has passed in his sleep. The Empire shall miss his watchful eye.”
Two months after the murder, two assassins stole into the emperor’s chambers - and were never seen again. The next morning, the emperor discovered a black stone funeral tablet with the name “Hagakure” engraved on one side and the word “Guardian” on the other. Every Emperor since then has kept the tablet beside his bed, and has been protected by Mokumokuren.
Plague Zombie: Plague zombies are the corpses of those who died from exposure to disease, particularly magical diseases spread by foul maho.
Anyone touching or attacked by a plague zombie is exposed to the disease it carries. This disease typically inflicts 1d8 permanent Constitution damage, with an incubation period of one day. The Fortitude DC to resist the effects is 20. Anyone who dies from this disease rises as a plague zombie within minutes.
Shiyokai: They are spirits who entered Yume-do, the Realm of Dreams, through the dark realm of Jigoku. Before their deaths, shiyokai were humans who died bitterly, their dreams unfulfilled.
Creatures reduced to zero or fewer experience levels as a result of having their dreams stolen die, and their souls return the next evening as shiyokai.
Shuten Doji: The shuten doji are the most seductive and corrupting of the evil spirits spawned by the Shadowlands.
Shuten doji first came into being during the first war with Fu Leng during the dawn of the Empire. Three immensely powerful spirits, the first shuten doji, were sent from Jigoku to aid Fu Leng in his war. These spirits, known as Fear, Desire, and Regret, wrought havoc through the Empire until the conclusion of the war, at which time they returned to Jigoku. Their spawn, however, remained in the mortal realm and have spread corruption throughout mankind ever since.
Toshigoku: The faceless spirits of Toshigoku are the final remnants of those who died thirsting for blood, revenge, and death.
Ubume: Ubume are the spirits of women who have become lost on their journey to Meido and returned to mourn the tragedies of their life. Sometimes they are widows, sometimes mothers of sons lost in war, sometimes the mothers of unborn or kidnapped children.
Uragiri: Once, Kitsu Uragiri was an honorable shugenja serving the great general Akodo Godaigo as hatamoto. Sadly, Uragiri had the misfortune of stumbling over Kenshin’s Helm, a cursed artifact that twisted the shugenja’s mind. Uragiri led Godaigo to ruin and became a raving madman. After Godaigo’s downfall, uragiri ran into the Shadowlands where the power of Fu Leng transformed him into a hideous abomination, an enormous undead creature covered with twisting, writhing tentacles.
Uragiri is a unique creature, the demented undead remains of Kitsu Uragiri himself.
Uragirimono: The Uragirimono are the tentacle extensions of Uragiri.
Yokai: Yokai are among the strangest ghosts in Rokugan. They are spirits of anger and fury, lingering traces of unfulfilled emotion. The most peculiar thing about yokai is that they are not the ghosts of the dead, but the ghosts of the living. A person who is overly frustrated or occupied with hatred might unconsciously create a yokai. This wandering spirit rises while its host sleeps, inflicting pain and misery as it seeks vengeance in the waking world.
Yorei: ?
Zashiki Warashi: They are the spirits of dead children, wandering the mortal realm because they do not know where else to go. Usually, this is due to improper burial or desecration of their grave.
Any opponent reduced to 0 Wisdom by the zahiki warashi's wisdom drain attacks immediately becomes a zashiki warashi.
Goryo: Goryo are the spiritual remnants of humans who have been murdered.
The goryo is a template that can be added to any human individual who has been murdered.
If the goryo slays its killer, and its killer is truly guilty of murder, the killer then becomes a goryo.
Sample Goryo: ?
Shadow Samurai: Occasionally, when a samurai dies in the Shadowlands, his soul does not pass peacefully to Meido. Some spirits become trapped in Jigoku and are forced to fight their way out of the hellish darkness. Unfortunately, this leads many of these lost souls through Gaki-do, the Realm of Hungry Ghosts. The journey transforms these poor spirits into a unique creature with many powers in common with shiryo, gaki, and oni. Most are driven mad and return to Ningen-do seeking vengeance against the living. These creatures are called kagemusha, or shadow samurai.
“Shadow samurai” is a template that can be added to any humanoid creature provided it has at least one level of the samurai character class
Sample Shadow Samurai: ?
Shiryo: Not all visitors from the Spirit Realms are capricious or malevolent. Many, in fact, are extremely beneficial. Primary among these are the shiryo, the spirits of blessed ancestors who have earned the right to eternal bliss in Yomi, the Realm of the Blessed Ancestors.
“Shiryo” is a template that can be added to any non-dishonorable human character.
In rare cases, a shadow samurai is able to return to the mortal world unscathed by its journey through the darkness. Most of these individuals continue on their journey, enter Yomi, and become powerful shiryo.
Sample Shiryo: ?

Skeleton: Any creature killed by the kansen’s Constitution drain will rise as undead (a skeleton or zombie) within 2d20 hours after death unless the head is removed from the body.
Zombie: Any creature killed by the kansen’s Constitution drain will rise as undead (a skeleton or zombie) within 2d20 hours after death unless the head is removed from the body.
A uragirimono can burrow into a corpse as a standard action, animating it as a zombie while it inhabits the body.

Denizens of Darkness:

Spoiler

Akikage: Akikage (ah-ki-ka-gee) are dreaded undead creatures spawned from ninjas and assassins who died while trying to destroy a specially assigned victim. Restless spirits who failed in their tasks, they rise from their graves, obsessed with fulfilling their uncompleted missions.
Animator: Animators are malevolent spirits that can infuse objects with their dark life-essence and cause them to move about like puppets.
“Animator” is a template that can be added to any non-magic object. An animator is unlikely to merge with an object that lacks a potential for violence, however.
Sample Animator: ?
Arayashka, Snow Wraith: These creatures are the souls of people who were killed by an arayashka.
Any humanoid slain by an arayashka and buried in an area where snow may fall rises as an arayashka during the next snowstorm.
Bastellus, Dream Stalker: Victims who die due to the bastellus’s dream invasion become a bastellus in 1d4 days.
Skeletal Bat: ?
Bowlyn: The bowlyn (also called the “sailor’s demise”), is a vengeful spirit set on destroying those it blames for its death. Without exception, the bowlyn were sailors on ocean-going vessels who died from an accident at sea. A twisted incorporeal vision of a bloated, fish-eaten corpse, it sets its misfortune on the members of the unfortunate crew who knew it in life.
Crypt Cat: ?
Cloaker Dread Undead: Rumored to be the tragic remnant of a resplendent cloaker drained by an undead.
Corpse Candle: Corpse candles are incorporeal spirits of murdered individuals that attempt to coerce the living into gaining revenge upon their killers. The spirit’s will remains within its corpse until an instrument of revenge can be found.
Crimson Bones: Crimson bones are gruesome undead created when a humanoid is flayed alive in a sacrificial ritual.
Crimson bones are not created purposely; they rise spontaneously from the dead, driven by hatred of the living and lust for vengeance.
Geist: Geists are the undead spirits of creatures that died a traumatic death with either a task uncompleted or an evil deed unpunished.
“Geist” is a template that can be added to any aberration, animal, beast, dragon, giant, humanoid, magical beast, monstrous humanoid, or shapechanger. The creature must have a Charisma score of at least 6.
Sample Geist Human Commoner 2: ?
Bussengeist: Bussengeists are the spirits of people whose actions or inaction caused a great tragedy in which they were killed.
Poltergeist: A poltergeist is a special form of bound geist. Poltergeists often die in scenes of great violence and emotional turmoil.
Ghoul Lord: Ghoul lords are the cursed souls of humanoids who dared to taste the flesh of their own race. These individuals gain the dire attention of the Dark Powers and are corrupted by their cannibalistic sins. They become twisted creatures, eventually dying and rising again in the form of ghoul lords, masters of the ravenous dead.
“Ghoul lord” is a template that can be added to any humanoid or monstrous humanoid creature.
A humanoid or monstrous humanoid reduced to 0 Constitution or less by a ghoul lord’s ravenous fever die and rise as ghoul lords in 24 hours if the body is not destroyed.
Sample Ghoul Lord Human Fighter 6: ?
Hound Dread Phantom: Phantom hounds are the restless spirits of loyal dogs who failed in their duty to their master.
Hound Dread Carcass: Carcass hounds are zombie-like, mindless animated corpses.
Jolly Roger: A jolly roger is the restless corpse of a pirate or ship’s captain that died at sea.
Lebentod: Lebendtod are a dangerous form of undead first created by the necromancer Meredoth.
“Lebendtod” is a template that can be added to any humanoid creature.
Sample Lebentod Human Commoner 2: ?
Mist Ferryman: A few sages hold that they are manifestations of the Mists themselves, but most believe that they represent the fate of those who die in the Misty Border, doomed to wander forever.
Odem: Odems are remnants of the spirits of evil humanoids that did not have the force of will to become ghosts. All that remains of their personality is the sadistic delight they take from spreading suffering.
Plant Dread Death's Head: When the heads of a death's head fully ripen, they break off from the tree and float away. When this happens, the heads’ type becomes “undead.”
Plant Dread Undead Treant: Thoroughly corrupted by evil in life, many dread treants assumed a vampiric existence in death.
Radiant Spirit: Radiant spirits manifest when a powerful paladin or lawful good cleric is killed before she can complete an important and spiritual quest. These tortured spirits exist in constant agony, reliving their failure over and over. A combination of anger, remorse and pride keeps their souls trapped in the Land of Mists and twists their souls to evil.
The ghostly remains of a skilled paladin or cleric.
Remnant Aquatic: Remnants are the spirits of humanoids whose bodies were thrown into a watery, unconsecrated grave after they had been worked to death.
Rushlight: The superstitious folk who inhabit the Land of Mists value fire for its cleansing properties. In some lands, like Tepest, evildoers are burned alive to purge them of their evil. However, this sometimes leads to an even greater evil. The rushlight is created from the spirit of an evil creature who has been burned alive.
Skeleton Pyroskeleton: Created from the skeletons of murdered humanoids, the pyroskeleton boasts a ribcage that continually burns with an infernal blue fire, reflecting the hopeless rage of the slain victims.
Pyroskeletons are always at least twice the height that the murdered humanoid was in life and never less than 10 feet tall, since a smaller frame cannot contain the infernal fire.
The undead priestess Radaga of Kartakass was the first to create pyroskeletons. On a night when the Mists were thick, Radaga and her minions took the corpses of six murdered soldiers and cast enlarge, produce flame, protection from elements and animate dead on them. As the skeletons began to stir, enlarge was cast on each a second time. The Mists fused with the newly created undead to allow enlarge to increase the skeletons a second time. Others have since learned the methods, and each creator often experiments with the process until they create a distinct variant. All attempts to create similar undead outside Ravenloft have failed.
Skeleton Strahd's Skeletal Steed: Strahd’s skeletal steeds are the animated remains of heavy warhorses whose riders have fallen in battle against the lord of Barovia.
Spirit Waif: A spirit waif is the restless soul of a murdered child. Having become the victim of some nefarious beast, the child’s soul remains trapped on this plane.
Valpurleiche, Hanged Man: The valpurleiche, or hanged man, is the tortured form of a hanged humanoid filled with a tremendous amount of spite and hate during his execution. Some valpurleiches are created from the souls of those who were wrongly executed. Others are simply enraged criminals who want revenge despite their just sentence.
Most valpurleiches are human, though they may rise from the bodies of any humanoid. All of them bear the grisly markings of a death by hanging. Their necks are broken, so their heads loll loosely from side to side. Some have eyeballs that bulge from their sockets, and others have swollen tongues jutting from their lips.
Vampire Strain Chiang-Shi: The “chiang-shi,” “nosferatu” and “vrykolaka” strains can be added to any humanoid or monstrous humanoid.
The chiang-shi (or “oriental vampire”) originated in lands with Eastern cultures, such as the domain of Rokushima Táiyoo. It is the strain of vampirism that is oriental, not necessarily the base creature.
If the chiang-shi drains the victim’s Constitution to 0 or less, the victim returns as a spawn if it had 4 or fewer HD and as a chiang-shi if it had 5 or more HD.
Vampire Strain Nosferatu: The “chiang-shi,” “nosferatu” and “vrykolaka” strains can be added to any humanoid or monstrous humanoid.
If a nosferatu drains a humanoid or monstrous humanoid’s Constitution to 0 or less, the victim returns as a vampire spawn if it had 4 or fewer HD and as a nosferatu if it had 5 or more HD.
Vampire Strain Cerebral Vampire: Victims reduced to 0 Intelligence or below by a cerebral vampire's intelligence drain fall into a catatonic stupor. If they die while their Intelligence is still at 0 or below, they may return as cerebral vampires or spawn, depending on their Hit Dice.
Vampire Strain Vyrkolaka: The “chiang-shi,” “nosferatu” and “vrykolaka” strains can be added to any humanoid or monstrous humanoid.
If the vrykolaka drains the victim’s Constitution to 0 or less, the victim returns as a spawn if it had 4 or fewer HD and as a vampire if it had 5 or more HD.
Vampire Strain Dwarven Vampire: The “dwarven,” “elven,” “gnomish” and “halfling” strains of vampirism can only be added to a base creature of the appropriate race.
If a dwarven vampire drains a dwarven victim’s Constitution to 0 or less, the victim returns as a vampire spawn if it had 4 or fewer HD and as a dwarven vampire if it had 5 or more HD. For this to happen, however, the victim’s body must be placed in a stone sarcophagus and placed underground. Next, the master vampire must visit the corpse and sprinkle it with powdered metals. If all of this occurs, the new vampire or spawn rises 1d4 days after the vampire’s visit and is under the command of the dwarven vampire that created it, remaining enslaved until its master’s death.
Vampire Strain Elven Vampire: The “dwarven,” “elven,” “gnomish” and “halfling” strains of vampirism can only be added to a base creature of the appropriate race.
If the vampire instead drains the victim’s Charisma to 0 or less, causing the victim to die, the victim returns as a spawn if it had 4 or fewer HD and as an elven vampire if it had 5 or more HD.
Vampire Strain Gnomish Vampire: The “dwarven,” “elven,” “gnomish” and “halfling” strains of vampirism can only be added to a base creature of the appropriate race.
To create a new minion, a gnomish vampire must drains a gnome victim’s Constitution to 0 or less, then place the corpse in the same sarcophagus in which the vampire itself sleeps. The gnomish vampire must then lie atop its victim for three full days, not even leaving to feed, allowing its negative energy to seep into the victim. At the end of this period, the victim returns as a gnomish vampire if it had 5 or more HD.
Vampire Strain Halfling Vampire: The “dwarven,” “elven,” “gnomish” and “halfling” strains of vampirism can only be added to a base creature of the appropriate race.
A halfling victim slain by a halfling vampire’s Constitution drain returns as a vampire spawn if it had 4 or fewer HD and as a halfling vampire if it had 5 or more HD.
Sample Chiang-Shi Human Monk 5: ?
Sample Nosferatu Human Aristocrat 5: ?
Sample Vyrkolaka Human Warrior 5: ?
Sample Dwarven Vampire Dwarf Fighter 5: ?
Sample Elven Vampire Elf Ranger 5: ?
Sample Gnome Vampire Gnome Illusionist 5: ?
Sample Halfling Vampire Halfling Rogue 5: ?
Vampire Companion: Sometimes, whether from the loneliness of eternity or the vampire’s twisted idea of love, a vampire may become enamored of a mortal. Very often, however, the mortal is not strong enough to cross over to undeath without becoming a stagnant, menial vampire spawn. If a mortal has less than 5 HD, a vampire can still turn its companion into a true vampire through prolonged process called the Dark Kiss. Vampires can also use the Dark Kiss on victims of 5 or more HD if they wish to grant their companion free will. Male vampire companions are typically called “grooms” and females “brides.”
To create a companion through the Dark Kiss, a vampire must slowly drain the mortal of blood, taking no more than 1 point of Constitution per round. When the companion has just 1 point left, the vampire opens its own veins and allows (or compels) the companion to drink its blood even as it slowly drains its beloved’s last point of Constitution. The vampire suffers 2 negative levels for each level the companion needs to reach 5 HD. (Thus, a 2nd-level companion would inflict 6 negative levels.) If the vampire is reduced to 0 HD or less by these negative levels, both the vampire and its companion are destroyed. If the vampire survives, it removes one negative level every 10 minutes, and lies spent and helpless until all negative levels are lost. If the vampire is slain by other means before it recovers, the companion becomes a vorlog.
The companion gains enough “vampire” levels (advancing as an undead creature) to bring it to 5 HD.
Wight Dread Common: Any humanoid slain by a dread wight becomes a dread wight in 1d4 rounds.
Any humanoid slain by a greater dread wight becomes a dread wight in 1d4 rounds.
Wight Dread Greater: Any giant slain by a greater dread wight becomes a greater dread wight.
Zombie Fog: ?
Fog Cadaver: The zombie fog can animate any humanoid corpse within its mist-filled area. It can animate corpses that are buried in the ground unless they were blessed at the time of burial or are buried in sanctified ground. The fog can animate up to 10 dead bodies each round. A zombie fog can animate a total number of cadavers at any one time equal to its current hit points.
Zombie Lord: Zombie lords are created only through a rather unlikely set of circumstances. A humanoid of evil alignment must first be slain by an undead creature, without joining the ranks of the undead himself. Then, an attempt to restore the dead individual to life, such as through a raise dead spell, must go awry, with the deceased individual failing the necessary Fortitude save. If that happens, the deceased may enter undeath as a decayed, corpse-like zombie lord.
“Zombie lord” is a template that can be added to any humanoid or monstrous humanoid.
Sample Zombie Lord Human Adept 6: ?

Zombie: Any humanoid slain by an undead cloaker’s energy drain (including the host) rises as a zombie 24 hours later.
A pyre elemental can touch the corpse of any once-living corporeal creature within its reach as a free action, animating it as a zombie or skeleton (depending on the condition of the corpse).
Humanoids slain by a jolly roger’s cackling touch rise as waterlogged zombies in 24 hours unless the body is blessed and given a traditional burial at sea.
Those who fail their save by more than 10 when exposed to a zombie lord's aura of death die instantly and become zombies under the zombie lord’s control.
Once per day, by making a successful touch attack, the zombie lord can attempt to turn a living creature into a zombie under his command. The target must make a Fortitude save. Those who fail are instantly slain, and rise in 1d4 rounds as a zombie under the zombie lord’s command.
Skeleton: A pyre elemental can touch the corpse of any once-living corporeal creature within its reach as a free action, animating it as a zombie or skeleton (depending on the condition of the corpse).
Ghast: If a ghoul lord slays its victim with its claws or bite, the victim returns as a ghast in 1d4 days.
Vampire Spawn: A humanoid or monstrous humanoid slain by a chiang-shi’s energy drain attack rises as a vampire spawn 1d4 days after burial.
If the chiang-shi drains the victim’s Constitution to 0 or less, the victim returns as a spawn if it had 4 or fewer HD and as a chiang-shi if it had 5 or more HD.
If a nosferatu drains a humanoid or monstrous humanoid’s Constitution to 0 or less, the victim returns as a vampire spawn if it had 4 or fewer HD and as a nosferatu if it had 5 or more HD.
Victims reduced to 0 Intelligence or below by a cerebral vampire's intelligence drain fall into a catatonic stupor. If they die while their Intelligence is still at 0 or below, they may return as cerebral vampires or spawn, depending on their Hit Dice.
A humanoid or monstrous humanoid slain by the diseases spread by a vrykolaka rises as a vampire spawn 1d4 days after burial.
If the vrykolaka drains the victim’s Constitution to 0 or less, the victim returns as a spawn if it had 4 or fewer HD and as a vampire if it had 5 or more HD.
If a dwarven vampire drains a dwarven victim’s Constitution to 0 or less, the victim returns as a vampire spawn if it had 4 or fewer HD and as a dwarven vampire if it had 5 or more HD. For this to happen, however, the victim’s body must be placed in a stone sarcophagus and placed underground. Next, the master vampire must visit the corpse and sprinkle it with powdered metals. If all of this occurs, the new vampire or spawn rises 1d4 days after the vampire’s visit and is under the command of the dwarven vampire that created it, remaining enslaved until its master’s death.
An elf or half-elf that commits suicide due to the effects of an elven vampire’s Charisma drain rises as a vampire spawn 1d4 days after burial.
If the vampire instead drains the victim’s Charisma to 0 or less, causing the victim to die, the victim returns as a spawn if it had 4 or fewer HD and as an elven vampire if it had 5 or more HD.
A halfling victim slain by a halfling vampire’s Constitution drain returns as a vampire spawn if it had 4 or fewer HD and as a halfling vampire if it had 5 or more HD.

Champions of Darkness:

Spoiler

Skeletal Dread Companion: “Skeletal dread companion” is a template that can be added to any familiar or mount.
Although all dread companions are evil, the Dark Powers reserve skeletal dread companions for individuals who seem truly bent on continuing on the path of corruption and moral decay.
Skeletal Dread Companion feat.
Jander Sunstar Elven Eminent Vampire Fighter 16: ?
Sample Skeletal Dread Companion: ?

Secrets of the Dread Realms:

Spoiler

Count Strahd von Zarovich, Darklord of Barovia, Human Ancient Vampire Fighter 4/Wizard 16: ?
Azalin Rex, Darklord of Darkon, Human Lich Wizard 18: Firan tried to raise Irik in his own image, grooming him for the throne, but the boy had his mother’s kind heart, which Firan interpreted as weakness. When Irik was caught helping Firan’s political foes escape, Firan personally and publicly executed his son. That night, as Firan blamed himself for his failures as a father, a dark, nameless force visited the Azal’Lan and offered him the secrets of becoming a lich. It took him two years to complete the rites and shed his mortality.
Tristessa, Darklord of Keening, Sith Rank Five Ghost Cleric 6: Following the malevolent dictates of its goddess, the spider cult became decadent and depraved and grew increasingly brazen in its disregard of the Law of Arak. Over time, the spider cultists’ bodies slowly transformed to resemble those of drow. Threatened by the cult’s increasing power, Loht, the Prince of Shadows and leader of the Unseelie Court, took steps to stop the religion. Tristessa led her followers in a lengthy and bitter power struggle. For all the destruction caused and all the lesser creatures killed, not one drop of shadow fey blood was spilled in the conflict. Above all else, the millennia-old Law of Arak strictly forbade the killing of one shadow elf by another.
Tristessa’s child, a twisted little creature resembling a drider, was born shortly before the Unseelie Court finally defeated her cult. To mark his victory, Loht and his warriors dragged the captive Tristessa to the surface and, in violation of
the sacrosanct Law of Arak, staked her and her deformed child to the slopes of Mount Lament, leaving them to boil away under the light of the sun.
When the sun rose, Tristessa and her child were consumed by the daylight. A sandstorm twisted to life fromTristessa’s dying scream. It swept through the mountain valleys, wiping out all surface life. History would record the storm as the Scourge of Arak. When the dust settled, Mount Lament had been shifted to anew domain. The Mists had given Tristessa’s spirit the small domain of Keening.
Lord Wilfred Godefroy, Darklord of Mordent, Human Rank Four Ghost Aristocrat 12: In the four centuries that the house had stood on Gryphon Hill, no inhabitant had ever actually taken a life. Godefroy’s murders woke something in the house that has never returned to its slumber. Godefroy escaped mortal justice, even shooting his best stallion to provide a scapegoat, but the house knew what he had done. The night after Estelle and Lilia were buried in the cemetery on the Gryphon Hill grounds, their spirits returned to haunt their killer. The ghosts returned to torment Godefroy every night for the rest of the year. Finally, facing another year of nightly torture, Godefroy committed suicide on New Year’s Day in 579 BC. In accordance with his will, Godefroy was interred in the Weathermay mausoleum near Heather House, far from his wife and child.
Baron Urik von Kharkov, Darklord of Valachan, Human Mature Nosferatu Vampire Fighter 11: When Morphayas felt his creation was properly “finished,” he arranged for Urik and Selena to have frequent chance encounters, Morphayas had designed Urik to both appeal and be attracted to Selena, and the pair soon became lovers, just as the wizard had planned. Morphayas waited until the two were locked in a lover’s embrace, then dispelled the magic that maintained Urik's humanity. The savage panther tore Selena to shreds.
Morphayas recovered Urik and bestowed human form upon him again, planning to use his assassin again. He did not, however, expect Urik to remember his prior human incarnation. Having never known of his true nature Urik was horrified by the uncontrollable beast within him. He escaped from the wizard and fled the country, burning with hatred and humiliation. In this state, he stumbled into a bank of fog and emerged in Darkon, where an impoverished bard told him legends of Azalin’s vampiric secret police. Urik sought out a vampire to induct him into the ranks. In undeath, Urik sought not just power and immortality, but control over the panther. What he received was 20 years of slavery to a Kargat master.

3.0 3rd Party

Spoiler

City of Secrets: The Adventurer's Guide to Nishanpur

Spoiler

Cold Infant: Cold Infants are the risen remains of infants or toddlers that have passed away. They are almost all naturally occurring, as necromancers would rarely create something with so little in the way of practical use.
Delusion Witch: The Delusion Witch is a form of undead that is said to appear in cases where a deceased person feels that they have been robbed of their life through no fault of their own. This cannot be proven, however, as the being itself does not have the awareness of its own condition necessary for self-examination.
Deathgleaner: Deathgleaners are a form of Infernal-based undead, first created by a collaboration of the priesthood of Neroth with the Seekers of the Hidden Master in the catacombs under Nishanpur. As they are created using a variety of devils, roughly 50% of them are winged, and capable of flight. In constant pain due to the process of their creation, they often attack anything they encounter in a blind rage.
Deathgleaners are made from a melding of energies and intents.
Shadow Fetch: Shadow fetches are the shadows of mortal men, which have been twisted and given a life of their own.
These undead are formed of the darkest parts of the human spirit.
Living creatures successfully touched by a Shadow Fetch suffer 1d4 points of temporary Charisma damage. If the victim’s Charisma reaches 0, he falls comatose until healed. The victim’s shadow is forever altered, showing infernal traits. The victim will suffer a –2 penalty to all Charisma-based checks, except Intimidate, which instead receives a +2 bonus. When the subject dies (whenever that may occur) his shadow rises one day later as a Shadow Fetch, unless a Sarishan temple “exorcises” the incubating undead before the subject’s death.
Skeletal Beast: Create Skeletal Beast spell.
Skeletal beasts are the result of magical experimentation by Nerothian clerics and magic-users. They do not occur on their own; they must be created.
Skeletal beasts are created by combining the skeletal remains of several mindless animated creatures (skeletons or zombies); they do not have to be complete or of the same type.
Failed Deathgleaner: This one did not complete the transformation successfully.

Zombie: Killed by Dagger of Mahememnun.
Ungent of Animation.
Wight: Killed by Dagger of Mahememnun.
Ghoul: Killed by Dagger of Mahememnun.
Ghast: Killed by Dagger of Mahememnun.
Vampire: Killed by Dagger of Mahememnun.
Skeleton: Ungent of Animation

Create Skeletal Beast
Necromancy
Level: Clr 2, Death 2, Sor/Wiz 4
Components: V, S
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: Close (25ft. + 5ft. / 2 levels)
Target: One or more animated corpses
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: No
This spell takes one or more animated corpses (skeletons or zombies) and combines them into one large skeletal beast. The number of Hit Dice of undead that can be affected is equal to the caster’s level. The available undead may be combined into one large skeletal beast or several smaller beasts. At least 6 Hit Dice of undead are required to create a single skeletal beast, though larger and more powerful beasts may be created if more undead are used (up to a maximum of 12 Hit Dice for any single skeletal beast).
See Chapter 5: Natives of Nishanpur: for details on Skeletal Beast for the statistics of the monsters created by this spell. If more than 6 Hit Dice worth of undead are used in the creation of a single skeletal beast, then the standard advancement rules should be used to determine the resulting creature’s statistics.
The spell must be cast upon undead controlled by the caster, and the resulting skeletal beast is also controlled by the caster. The caster is still subject to the normal limitations regarding the total number of Hit Dice of undead creatures that he can control at any given time.

Dagger of Mahememnûn
This bronze ritual dagger was created by Myrantian priests of Neroth long ago. Used in rituals of mummification, the dagger served the dark priests for centuries. After the fall of the Myrantian Hegemony, the dagger fell into obscurity, entombed with the last priest who used it. About 20 years ago, the dagger was rediscovered by a band of adventurers. When the Nerothian priesthood that remained in former Myrantian lands heard of its discovery, they set out to retrieve it, by any means necessary.
The pommel of this dagger is shaped as a skull, and the hilt resembles an ancient column, inscribed with holy supplications to Mahememnûn. The crossguard is a great winged scarab, beautifully enameled. The blade is unadorned bronze.
The dagger is enchanted such that it will cut through the toughest hides, and any creature killed with the dagger is 75% likely to rise as one of the undead, without any spells or prayers being invoked for this effect. (01-24% does not rise, 25-76% Zombie, 77-88% Wight, 89-95% Ghoul, 96-99% Ghast, 00 Vampire) Furthermore, if the dagger is used in the preparation of a body for mummification, the resultant mummy will gain a 5-point increase to its inherent Damage Reduction.
Those wishing to use this dagger in the creation of undead should note that this dagger does not impart any ability to control undead upon the user. The undead created by this dagger are uncontrolled, and divine casters may attempt to turn, rebuke, or command these undead normally. The dagger provides no bonuses or penalties in this regard.
Caster Level: Unknown; Prerequisites: Unknown; Market Value: Priceless (the Myrantians would pay at least 50,000 gp to recover it, though they are far more likely to kill its possessor instead of negotiating); Weight: 1 lb.

Unguent of Animation
When used to anoint a dead body, this oil causes the corpse to animate into a skeleton or zombie. The undead creatures created by this unguent remain animated until they are destroyed. Unlike the animate dead spell, these undead are not automatically controlled by the user of the unguent, however. If the user is a cleric, she may attempt to turn, command, or rebuke the undead as normal. If they become uncontrolled, the undead will attack the nearest living beings. Each vial of unguent of animation contains enough oil to animate up to 10 Hit Dice worth of skeletons or zombies, all of which must be created from Medium-size or smaller corpses.
Caster Level: 5th; Prerequisites: Brew Potion, animate dead; Market Value: 1,000gp; Weight: 2 lbs.

Creature Collection II Dark Menagerie:

Spoiler

Acid Shambler: The acid shambler is one of many horrors that spawned in the aftermath of the Divine War, wild energies released by the titans’ defeat and imprisonment warped living -and unliving -matter The shamblers are corpses brought back to horrific, agonizing life by a strange transformation of their blood. The thick reddish-black ichor that surges through their dead veins both animates and deteriorates them, eating them from the inside out due to its highly acidic properties. Since adventurers often encounter shamblers in the vicinity of a bane cloud (q.v.), some scholars believe that shamblers are the unfortunate victims of the deadly elemental’s poisonous vapors. No one can say for certain, however, if shamblers are animated intentionally or as a terrible side effect of the cloud’s powers.
Since scholars have begun recording instances of bane cloud sightings, a connection has been made to attacks by a new form of undead known as the acid shambler. It is now believed that the shamblers are victims of the bane cloud that are somehow brought back as undead monsters, though no one is certain how or why this occurs.
Blood Zombie: These are the undead spirits of sailors who died on the Blood Sea, especially those who died violently on a vessel overcome with blood barnacles.
Bonewing: Scholars speculate that they were once normal raptors or other predatory birds, changed by contact with a titan, or changed by the fearful magic unleashed during the Divine War or the Dead Tide of Agavir.
Burned Ones: Those who have used Vangal's priesthood as a means to power and then commit an act of betrayal against the Ravager find themselves stripped of their powers and hunted by their former brethren. If captured, these ex-priests are subjected to a ritual which leaves them nothing but a burned husk, destined to roam the earth tormented in an agony of eternal flames.
When burned ones attack, they often try to grab a cleric and Immolate her. If such an Immolation attack succeeds and reduces the cleric to -10 hp, the cleric bums up to a withered husk. Unless the remains are consecrated or a protectionfrom evil spell is cast on the remains, the cleric rises up in 24 hours to stalk the nights as a burned one herself.
Kadum's Leviathan: A creature that becomes one of Kedum's Leviathans might once have been a majestic whale, but the blood of the sunken titan transforms it into a vast undead colossus.
Many consider it to he a myth, or an extinct form of undead created when the corpse of an ordinary whale comes in contact with Kadum’s blood.
Mist Reaper: In one particular case, a councilor of Shelzar was kidnaped and held ransom. When his family refused to pay the asking price, the kidnapers drowned the man in the sea and prayed to Enkili that his body be washed far out, never to be found again. Outraged, Belsameth cursed the killers and the corpse to suffer the exact opposite fate. The next night, when a thick fog rolled over the city, a vengeful spirit roiled in with it. To Belsameth's delight, the councilor's ghost visited himself upon each of his killers in turn, murdering them in various gruesome manners. To Belsameth's surprise, the spirit continued its rampage by killing the family members who refused to pay its ransom. It seemed the spirit's thirst for revenge exceeded even the goddess' expectations. Indeed, so fiery was the world's desire for revenge that she didn't create a single angry ghost, but inadvertently awoke the spirits of many people killed by drowning, people who never received proper burials or whose essence was never shepherded to the gods.
Night-Touched: The night-touched are one of the many varieties of creatures that were created by Hrinruuk to amuse himself on his hunts. The night-touched were an experiment that combined the essence of outsiders with that of the undead.
Hrinruuk created several breeds of night-touched, each of which was granted different powers to make the chase more interesting.
Night-Touched Controller: ?
Night-Touched Hound: Alternately called the Little Garabrud or even
Hrinruuk's Hounds, these canines are actually night-touched created ages ago by Hrinruuk. Stories still told by those titanspawn who still worship Hrinruuk, claim that the titan created these hounds as competition for himself.
Sand Mummy: Visitors to the desert who anger the Ubantu tribesmen are left to the mercies of the Onn wasteland. Those who survive are deemed to have been spared by the gods and usually earn the respect of the Ubantu, while others die a terrible death for want of water. Sometimes a spirit feels so strongly that it was wronged in its banishment that it rises from the sands and stalks the living, possessed of an eternal thirst it can never slake. Or so the Ubantu believe, and their understanding of the fearsome sand mummies may be correct for the Desert of Onn. But little do the tribesmen understand that the same mummies also appear in Ghelspad’s Ukrudan Desert, far from Ubantu territory and experience.
Deprived of life by relentless sun and unforgiving sand, these naturally mummified corpses crawl from the dunes, granted an eerie unity with the elements. Wasteland dwellers have yet to determine if sand mummies are granted unlife by one of the evil gods or by a vengeful titan.
Sand Mummy Unholy On: The Ubantu say truly old or ancient corpses still walk the desert, and that these spirits have developed further unholy powers, granted to them as they continue to seek revenge upon the living and serve whatever dark force has given them unlife.
Seeker's Bane: For every adventurous soul who finds his way into a ruined tower and returns laden with riches, there are an unknown number who suffer a terrible fate, slain by lurking monsters or caught in lethal traps. A seeker’s bane is the spirit of one of these lost adventurers, twisted and embittered by its lonely death.
Shadow Lord: The origins of shadow lords are uncertain. A variety ofexPlanations are suggested by sages, necromancers and others interested in such things - or who even know that these beings exist. Some claim they are the spirits of members of the infamous Cult of Ancients. These assassins made a pact with Belsameth in life to continue to serve her in death. Others suggest, though discreetly, that a terrible accident at Hollowfaust (or an intentional event at Glivid Autel) allowed the release of particularly malicious ghosts. Finally, it’s believed that once in the Scarred Lands’ two full moons, someone is born whose hatred is so great that he makes it his life’s work to snuff out the lives of others - and continues to do so from beyond the grave.
Siege Undead: “Siege undead” is a collective term for three different types of undead creatures that may be crafted from a single corpse. The formulae for creating these creatures was supposedly developed by Yrgdryth, a priest of Belsameth, during a particularly long and protracted siege.
In order to maximize the value of each dead soldier who was raised to fight again for the Divine Army, Yrgdryth devised this unique methodology for fashioning three undead soldiers from a single cadaver, all three of which are raised with a single casting.
Siege Undead Boneman: To create a boneman, a cadaver's entire skeleton must be very carefully removed from the body with the least possible damage to the skin and musculature. any cartilaginous or soft-tissue attachments must be strengthened or replaced, usually with wire or nails.
Siege Undead Meatman: The creation of a meatman requires a cadaver’s skin to be peeled off and then the entire skeleton to be very carefully removed from the body with the least damage to the musculature. The bones are then replaced, either with wooden rods or metal bars (the latter being the more common) and the muscles sewn back up. The whole body is then tightly bound up with wire or rope to keep the sutures from splitting as the thing exerts itself. To avoid the complications of trying to replace the delicate bone structure of the hands, they are instead replaced with rough iron blades, which are attached directly to the artificial skeletal structure to enhance their durability.
Siege Undead Sandman: To create a sandman, an entire skeleton must be very carefully removed from a cadaver with the least damage to the skin. The skin is then carefully sewn back up, including all orifices save for the mouth, and the seams are vigilantly sealed with tar or wax. The whole thing is then filled with a mixture of wet sand and small stones and the mouth is sewn shut and sealed. The small stones mixed in with the sand tend to jam up around lacerations, helping to seal the wound and preventing the escape of too much sand.
Skull Kings: Skull kings are believed to be the lingering remains of court executioners and assassins who, in life, performed their duties with either extreme remorse or extreme satisfaction. The debate continues as to which is more likely. The former are thought to remain in this world after death because they lost their souls long ago, regretting the murders they had to perform, yet still following orders. The latter brought such enthusiasm to the murders they committed that their fouled spirits kept their bodies animate after death.
Spectral Plant: Certain foul perversions of life and nature, such as the seed of a locust demon, can corrupt a plant with the negative energy of death. The result is a spectral plant.
While very small plants such as grasses wither and die when subjected to such negative energy, any kind of flora from small bushes to gargantuan trees might be infected with the blight that turns them into spectral plants.
Once per month, the locust demon may use its stinger to plant a seed of blight in the earth. Once planted, the seed spreads a supernatural sickness to all plants within a radius of 100 feet per hit die of the locust demon. The sickness (called demon blight) alters the plant life growing in the region so that instead of being infused with positive life energy, it becomes infused with the negative energy of death. Within a day of being infected, a plant will begin to turn gray and brittle. Within three days, it will have turned entirely gray, and it will crumble to dust at the touch, leaving behind a black and white spectral image of itself as it was in life. The plant is now a spectral plant.
Tattooed Corpse: The sorceresses of Albadia are acknowledged as experts in the arcane practice of tattoo magic. What is less known is the darker side of this skill, in which the sorceresses combine forces with necromancers or tribal shamans to inscribe enchanted tattoos upon reanimated corpses.
Belsameth Spider: The process of becoming a Belsameth spider is gruesome. A victim bitten by a Belsameth spider has a chance of becoming one himself. If this happens, the poor victim’s head severs at the neck and sprouts its eight legs.
“Belsameth spider” is a template that can be applied to any living creature expect for oozes and plants.
Sample Belsameth Spider: He paid tribute to Belsameth that she might grant him power, and the goddess of nightmares and death answered his prayers.

Shadow: A humanoid reduced to zero strength by a shadow lord rises as a shadow in the next round.
A shadow lord can awaken another creature’s mundane shadow, turning it into an undead shadow under the lord’s control. This power has a range of 30 feet and can be used once per hour as a free action. The living target must succeed at a Fortitude save (DC 13) to resist, whether he knows that his shadow is endangered or not.
Spectre: If the body of a victim who was slain by a spectral plant's energy drain is left in contact with spectral plants for the 24 hours immediately following their death, the woeful soul returns as a spectre.
Wight: Any humanoid slain by the Kadum leviathan’s Constitution drain becomes a wight in 1d4 rounds.
Zombie: As a standard action, a corpse whisperer can revive the recently dead by speaking directly into their ears, creating a new follower that immediately joins the creature’s minions against its former friends. The effect is similar to animate dead, except the undead are always zombies, the corpse must be no more than one hour old for the whisperer to animate it, and there is no limit to the number of undead the corpse whisperer may control.
Any non-humanoid living creature slain by the Kadum leviathan’s Constitution drain becomes a zombie in 1d4 rounds.
If a stone to flesh spell is cast on a stone zombie it reverts into a normal zombie, the necromantic construct ritual’s magic disrupted.

d20 Zelda

Spoiler

Bubble: Bubbles are the spirits of those who died violent deaths. They haunt the places where they died, blindly lashing out at anyone that gets near.
Gibdos: Ancient Hylians used to mummify their dead and inter them in large catacombs. When Ganondorf Dragmire obtained the Triforce of Power, his incredible evil energies flowed through those catacombs and infused the dead with pure evil.
Poe: Most spirits go to the afterlife, but a few lose their way. Poes are those spirits, using their lanterns to try and find the path to the great beyond.
ReDead: After sacking Hyrule Castle, Ganondorf used evil magic to reanimate the dead as guardians in Hyrule Town Market. The results of that magic are ReDeads: tall, twisted corpses that moan in endless agony.
Any living creature killed by a ReDead’s constriction rises as a ReDead in 1d4 hours.
Stalfos: Ganondorf reanimated legions of skilled warriors after his rise to power, and they are the stalfos.

Darwins World Preview Terrors of the Twisted Earth:

Spoiler

Screamer: Screamers were once human beings, horribly mutated and impregnated with massive doses of radiation. Through some unknown process, screamers arise after death to shamble about in the night, in search of living flesh to consume or ravage with their burning, radiated touch.

Deadlands d20

Spoiler

Harrowed: In Deadlands, death isn’t always the last stop on the line. Strong-willed hombres occasionally claw their way back from the grave. As the Agency and Texas Rangers have learned, these individuals are actually possessed by manitous—the same evil spirits that hucksters manipulate to work their hexes.
When your character dies in Deadlands, roll 1d20. Add +1 to the result if your hero is 5th level, +2 if he’s 10th level, or +3 if he’s 15th level or higher. (Those bonuses don’t stack, by the way.) If the total result is 20 or higher, a manitou has latched onto his spirit and forces it back into his body—with an unwanted roommate. The cowpoke’s coming back from the grave.
Most Harrowed stay in the grave 1d6 days. It takes a while to fight for the hero’s soul and then another 10-12 hours for the stubborn cuss to dig himself out—assuming the body was properly buried six feet under in the first place. Some Harrowed come back quicker and some take longer—especially if the body was badly mangled or otherwise in bad shape. The manitou needs the human’s psyche, so the victim’s head must be intact. Most major head wounds that kill a person render the body unusable, but that’s not always the case. It’s up to the Marshal if a special effect of some sort has ruined the hero’s brain and made him ineligible to come back Harrowed.
Abraham Lincoln: After his assassination in 1865, Lincoln returned from the dead Harrowed.
Bill Quantrill Harrowed Gunslinger 8: Bill Quantrill returned from the dead Harrowed.
Xitlan Lich Sorcerer 3:
Hangin' Judge: From 1863–69, five Confederate circuit judges formed a secret alliance to steal land, ruin their rivals, and eliminate anyone who stood in the way of their wealth and fame. Those who opposed them were framed for “hangin’ offenses” and hauled to the nearest tree for a lynching.
But after six years of tyranny, the locals, mostly hot-blooded Texans, fought back. They rounded up each of the judges and hung them from trees all along the Chisholm Trail as a warning to other authorities who would abuse their power.
The Reckoners seized the opportunity to infuse their spirits with unholy energy and send them back to earth as abominations.
Walkin' Dead: Walking dead are clever killers, raised by the Reckoners (or evil humans) to wreak havoc and destruction. The manitous which animate these dead shells have their own personalities.
Walkin' Dead Veteran: Bill Quantrill's unholy host power.
Brought back to unlife by Xitlan.
A few days before Halloween, a Bayou Vermillion train sped through Texas carrying vats of a special brew. This experimental formula was devised by Baron Simone LaCroix to create the walking dead. Unfortunately, the bridge over the Angelina River near Nacogdoches was out, and the train plummeted into the water. The formula eventually made its way down to the Nacogdoches cemetery.
Veteran walking dead are raised from better stock than the average undead creep. Most often, these are soldiers raised straight from the battlefield on which they fell.
Any Black Magician with animate dead and the proper…inventory…can raise half as many veteran walking dead instead of regular walking dead.

Deadlands D20 Horrors of the Weird West

Spoiler

Black Regiment: The Black Regiment consists of reanimated soldiers slain on both sides of the War Between the States, whose uniforms have turned black by their own shed blood.
Bone Fiend: Bone fiends are created when a manitou finds a human skull with at least a little bit of brain matter left and sets up shop. It starts in whatever bits of gray matter are still left, then the creature spreads its essence throughout the skull itself. (This is what turns the skull black.) It then sets about assembling a bony body for itself and waits for its first hapless victims to arrive
Dracula: Dracula, the most powerful vampire in existence, was once known as Vlad Drakul, ruler of a small country in what is now Romania. Vlad, while a military genius, had a few unsavory practices—among them a habit for sticking folks on huge sharpened posts, which gained him the nickname “the Impaler.” So brutal was he that his actions resulted in his curse of vampirism back in the 15th century— when the manitous were still chained in the Hunting Grounds. That’s a powerful lot of evil!
Flesh Jacket: Flesh jackets are fashioned by certain very powerful, very evil cults around the world. To create one, a black magician with the proper knowledge removes the skin from a willing cultist, and imbues the shorn hide with a weird sort of life. The spell also gives the flesh jacket limited mobility, and it can attempt to assume control of any victim it can envelop.
Frankenstein's Monster: Victor is a Swiss-born mad scientist specializing in the study of life and death. He’s one of the few researchers to successfully bring a corpse back to life, although, as most everyone nowadays knows, not with the results he’d hoped for. Using parts purloined from local graveyards, Victor fulfilled his scientific dream. He created a man and gave his creation life.
But something went wrong. Rather than the perfect specimen he had aimed for, his creation was twisted and freakish, a parody of humanity.
Frankenstein chose the “best” parts for his creation, hoping to build a beautiful artificial specimen.
Unfortunately, the sum of the parts turned out to be greater than the whole. Stitching scars mar much of the creature’s body. Its eyes are glazed and yellowish, while its skin has a pasty pallor. Once beautiful features are contorted into a rictus of death by faulty facial muscles.
The monster itself is an odd amalgam of mad science and undeath. Although Victor’s experiments brought the creature to life, it is sustained by an unholy tie to its maker.
Ghost: Haunts, spectres, phantasms, poltergeists—all of these are disembodied souls that haven’t moved on to the afterlife and remain to plague the folks of the Weird West.
Banshee: Banshees are the restless spirits of folks who died as a result of non-requited love. Often, they committed suicide after realizing their heart’s desire was denied them. Occasionally, the banshee was actually murdered by the object of its affection. In either case, the banshee’s death occurred in a remote spot and the body was unburied.
Haunt: Haunts are the most common form of ghost. They are created when a person died while experiencing an extreme—usually unpleasant—emotion and is doomed to relive it or inflict it on others. The most common motivator for a haunt is revenge for a violent or treacherous death.
Phantom: Phantoms—also called spooks, wraiths and phantasms—are merely spirits who’ve yet to realize their time has come. They remain tied to the site of their death until someone releases them from the limbo of undeath they are trapped in.
Poltergeist: Like simple phantasms, poltergeists result from a soul’s refusal to accept the death of its corporeal body. However, poltergeists are fully aware they’re undead—they’re just mean-spirited about it!
Shade: A shades is an apparition that maintains some tie to a living person—or group of people—responsible for the shade’s death.
Spectre: Most apparitions are linked to the material world by the nature or cause of their death—not so spectres. These abominations are the black hats of the ghostly dimension. Spectres are the spirits of particularly evil people who’ve been cursed to continue their existence in a state of undeath. The Reckoners aren’t about to let a little thing like death cut short a good (if unwitting) servant’s service.
Hangin' Judge: As you no doubt remember, the hangin’ judges started out as five corrupt Confederate judges who hatched a scheme to make a land grab and ruin their enemies along the Chisolm Trail back in the 1860s. The judges’ schemes were uncovered and they were each hunted down and lynched by angry mobs of Texans. They rose as horrific abominations.
Once a month, Hiram Jackson can create a lesser hangin’ judge if he gets his hands on a dishonest (Marshal’s call) attorney, judge or lawman. This takes a night—and a hanging—to accomplish, but not consent.
Hiram Jackson: ?
Cyrus Call: ?
Walkin' Dead: Cyrus Call can also raise those killed by himself or his “mob” as walkin’ dead, although this takes one round per zombie raised.
Luther Kirby: ?
Moses Moore: ?
Marcus Lafeyette: ?
Headless Horseman: This creature is an abomination created when someone dies from decapitation. Chances are increased if the person was riding at the time of death or was a professional rider such as a Pony Express rider or a cavalry soldier.
Joaquin Murieta: Captain Harry Love led a band of California lawmen against Joaquin and his band. They surprised the bandit leader away from camp one day with only a few men and quickly dispatched the group. To prove he’d bagged Joaquin—and to claim the $1000 reward offered by the California governor—Love chopped off the bandit’s head and returned it to the governor.
Unfortunately for folks in the Maze and the rest of the Southwest, Joaquin’s come back looking for his missing head.
Mummy: Many cultures treated their dead with great respect and prepared their bodies so they would better serve their owners in the afterworld. Unfortunately, upon the Reckoners’ escape, some of these began to serve again in the world of the living.
Although mummification can result from climatic conditions, reanimation of those corpses only produces desiccated dead. Also, lesser mummies—those of servants and the like—are treated as desiccated dead as well. Only a rare few powerful individuals arise as true mummies.
Aztec Mummy: The Aztec culture relied on two methods to prepare their dead for the afterworld. The first, cremation, left little to later reanimate and plague ancestors. However, during certain periods of their history, the Aztecs practiced a form of mummification, particularly for those who were consider specially blessed or important.
Occasionally, one of these mummies—usually that of a mighty king or priest—returns to the world of the living.
Egyptian Mummy: This undead horror only arises from the embalmed corpse of an ancient Egyptian high priest or sorcerer.
Patchwork Men: Most mad scientists drawn to this unsavory practice focus their endeavors on the human body. Patchwork men are largely human in design and function, with a few “extras” thrown in every now and then to make them interesting.
Patchwork Wasp: Although it uses mostly human parts for its construction, this little horror is about as alien as you can get. The core of the body is a human head and torso. Attached to the torso like an insect’s legs are six arms, complete with hands. A small, hollowed-out cow’s horn on the backside is the stinger, with extra, external human stomachs serving as poison sacs. The wings are a disgusting marvel of bio-construction, made from hollow human forearm bones and thinly stretched human skin.
Poison Woman: An old Sioux legend claims that once upon a time, women could pull their brains out of their heads and use the old gray matter to brew poisons. While some might simply dismiss this as a misogynistic tale, there is a bit of truth to it—at least since the Reckoning.
Whenever a woman kills a man with poison within the borders of the Sioux Nations (including Deadwood), there is a chance she becomes a poison woman. (Any female guilty of such a deed returns to life as a poison woman rather than becoming Harrowed.) If she does in fact attract the attention of the Reckoners, they imbue her corpse with a seed of supernatural energy, blowing the top of her head off. Men, by the way, are not subject to this particular curse.
Pox Walker: When a particularly angry brave or shaman dies of smallpox or some other disease brought by the white man, there is a chance the Reckoners take notice of this fact and give the body new life as an abomination so it can spread the pestilence.
Ultimately, a victim killed by the pox walker's disease is wracked by a final, great spasm as they die. After death, instead of potentially becoming Harrowed, the victim must check to see if they become a pox walker.
Tarnished Phantasy: This abomination is created when a woman of questionable virtue (like your typical saloon gal) dies while trying to save a man she truly loves. While a noble death such as this would hardly seem likely to generate an abomination, the powers of the Reckoners can twist good deeds to evil ends.
If the conditions are right, such a fallen woman returns to the world of the living as a tarnished phantasy.
Union Pride Ghost Train & Ornery Will: The origin of the Ghost Train goes back to the early days of the Great Rail Wars, when a band of Confederate guerillas led by one “Ornery” Will Jenkins found a line of track laid by the Union Blue railroad across his native Missouri. Angered, Jenkins followed the track until he and his men came upon a train led by the ghost-rock powered Union Pride locomotive.
Jenkins and his men boarded the moving train, and in their rage killed everyone aboard, including all but one of the engineers. The lone survivor refused to obey Jenkins’ orders, and threw the throttle wide upon, knowing in advance he’d likely die as a result.
As the train hit the end of the tracks, it smacked the dirt so hard Jenkins was thrown against the boiler, which burst from the impact. The ghost rock inside exploded, immolating Jenkins.
Vampire: Vampires of all sorts are a form of undead pestilence. After all, vampirism itself is a contagious, fatal disease that spreads even after death!
Cinematic Vampire: ?
Lesser Vampire: Anyone slain by a vampire’s bite rises as a lesser vampire (use the statistics for a nosferatu).
Nachtzehrer: A person killed by a nachtzehrer rises again as one of the abominations herself after three days, unless they’re removed from their funeral clothing before burial.
Nosferatu: ?
Penanggalen: ?
Upir: An upir usually begins as a restless spirit or ghost, similar to a poltergeist, except that it attempts to smother folks or even domesticated animals. After a short period of plaguing the area, the spirit returns to its dead body and animates it as an undead vampire.
Ustrel: These foul little monsters rise from the corpses of very young children (two years or younger) that have died due to abandonment or neglect.
Wampyr: Wampyrs are actually little more than undead plague carriers, spreading the disease of their form of vampirism among their former loved ones.
Due to the highly infectious nature of the wampyr’s bite, this sort of vampirism often spreads very quickly through a community.
Walkin' Fossil: Whether animated by determined manitous that manage to find a trace of brain matter, or simply created as entirely new beings by the Reckoners, walkin’ fossils are extremely dangerous predators. Fortunately, these creatures seem pretty difficult for the dark forces to animate. While other forms of fossilized dinosaurs may be animated, the Reckoners and their agents typically prefer large predators.
Weeping Widow: This abomination is the grief-stricken spirit of a woman who has witnessed the violent death of at least one member of her immediate family, and then died herself soon after. These women never had time to mourn their loss, so the unfinished business of their grief and rage binds them to the physical world.
Zombie: ?
Bloat: To become a bloat, a zombie has to have been submerged at the time it was reanimated and remained submerged for at least a few months.
Desiccated Dead: Usually manitous try to pick corpses that are fairly fresh. They pack a better punch and tend to hold up a little better in a fight. However, evil spirits from another dimension can’t always be choosers, so sometimes they have to make due with bodies that have been out in the sun a while.
Desiccated dead are created from bodies that have dried up and decomposed to the point there is little left to them but a leathery skin over a skeleton. Cowpokes who’ve been bleaching in the desert and bodies from Indian above ground burial sites all fall into this category when reanimated by a manitou.
Feel free to use this type of walkin’ dead for mummies from Southwestern or Mexican Indian tombs. The desiccated dead are also representative of lesser mummies from Egyptian tombs—servants buried with the head honcho.
Many cultures treated their dead with great respect and prepared their bodies so they would better serve their owners in the afterworld. Unfortunately, upon the Reckoners’ escape, some of these began to serve again in the world of the living.
Although mummification can result from climatic conditions, reanimation of those corpses only produces desiccated dead. Also, lesser mummies—those of servants and the like—are treated as desiccated dead as well. Only a rare few powerful individuals arise as true mummies.
Feral Walkin' Dead: These zombies are created by a weak or watered-down version of Baron LaCroix’s reanimation fluid. These are similar to the abominations spawned in Nacogdoches, Texas, after one of LaCroix’s trains derailed nearby.
Frozen Dead: Sometimes the temperature in the northern plains or high mountain passes drops low enough to freeze a body solid. When a manitou decides to wreak a little havoc with a corpse that’s been out in freezing weather like that, the end result is a walkin’ dead with ice in its veins—literally.
The frozen dead are reanimated corpsicles—bodies frozen solid by incredible cold. They’re only created when the air temperature is below –30° Fahrenheit.
Note that it’s not necessary for the original body to have actually frozen to death to make one of these icy revenants. Any sort of corpse can become a frozen dead under the right circumstances.
Glom: A ’glom (short for conglomerate) is a group of corpses joined together into a horrifying mass and animated by an especially strong manitou.
Most manitous are strong enough to animate only a single corpse, creating a Harrowed or walkin’ dead. Some manitous, though, have grown strong enough to animate several bodies at once.
The creation of a ’glom requires a very high Fear Level, and vast quantities of corpses; at least two. One corpse, in which the manitou houses its primary essence, must be relatively intact, but the others need not be so tidy. Most ’gloms are formed from considerably more than two corpses, and are commonly found arisen from the piles of dead on battlefields.
Glom Colony: While regular ‘gloms are inhabited by a single, very powerful manitou, colony ‘gloms are host to a horde of lesser, but closely allied, manitous—a group sometimes called a “Legion.”
Like regular ‘gloms, colony ‘gloms are usually only found in areas where a large number of fresh corpses are available and the Fear Level is fairly high. A bad train wreck could spawn one if it occurred in an area with a Fear Level 5 or greater.
Orphaned Head: Occasionally, a manitou gets a stubborn streak and refuses to let go of a ruined walkin’ dead. As long as the original head remains intact, the spirit continues to keep house in it—even when it’s nothing but a severed head. Usually, the noggin was removed by an edged weapon, but a rare few are chewed loose by the head itself.
Headless Dead: An orphaned head can animate and control any corpse to which it has previously been grafted.
Severed Hand: This abomination comes into existence after a hand has been severed by some means, preferably one that makes it worthwhile for the hand to seek vengeance. The Reckoners then provide it a disgusting life of its own.
Skeleton: On very rare occasions, manitous may choose to reanimate bodies so old that nothing remains of them except bones. Evil black magicians also sometimes create these abominations as special servants.
Undead Animal: What kind of twisted creature brings good old Spot back from the pet cemetery to hound his beloved master? Some abominations may reanimate animal corpse, particularly ones closely associated with the wilderness or nature. Occasionally a human cultist may do so as well, just to unnerve an interloper. This sort of tactic is perfect for Appalachian witches.

Deadlands D20 Way of the Dead

Spoiler

Walkin' Dead: The Harrowed can add one member to his host for every two character levels he possesses. These zombies don’t just appear, they have to be raised. Just how most Harrowed raise their host seems to vary. Some give them a kiss of life. Others simply open a coffin and say “get up.” Regardless, it takes about 5 minutes to get the corpse up and moving.
Hell Beast power.
Unholy Host power.
Possessed Undead: Possessed undead are created in many ways. Maybe a voodoo shaman poured some magical elixir in a cemetery, or an evil cultist said a dark prayer over a graveyard. The Reckoners hear the request, and if they feel it suits their purpose, sends a number of damned souls down to inhabit the corpses.
There doesn’t have to be a summoner involved. Sometimes the Reckoners just create a horde of walkin’ dead for their own reasons.
Guardians of the Pool: These are the animated corpses of hundreds who were sacrificed to this tainted cenote in ages past.

Deadlands D20 Way of the Huckster

Spoiler

Walkin' Dead: Zharkov’s Saw

Zharkov's Saw
This large saw once belonged to Zharkov the Magnificent, a Russian-born magician of some repute. He used it nightly in his act. Each night he would “saw” his lovely assistant—who also happened to be his wife—completely in half with it.
One night, the trick went tragically wrong. Instead of cutting through an empty box, the saw’s razor sharp teeth cut into flesh and blood. Zharkov, believing his wife’s screams were part of the act, continued cutting. It wasn’t until her screams stopped that he realized his mistake.
Overcome with grief, the magician—who in addition to his sleight of hand skills possessed some true occult knowledge—made a pact with a manitou to restore his wife to him. That very night, his wife’s hastily stitched body rose as one of the living dead.
His joy at her resurrection blinded him at first to the differences between this walking corpse and his wife. Once he admitted to himself that the thing he lived with was not his beloved Antonia, he destroyed her body and took his own life.
Since that time, the saw has belonged to a number of lesser magicians—many of whom have met tragic ends.
Power: This saw’s bloody past gives its wielder the power to create living dead. To do this, the zombie-to-be must be killed with the saw. Once the victim’s death wounds have been stitched closed, the corpse arises as a walkin’ dead completely under the sadistic saw owner’s control.
The undead created by this saw are pure evil and always interpret their master’s command literally in a way most likely to cause problems. The Marshal’s sure to have fun with this.
The walkin’ dead created by the saw can be killed by a headshot, but the saw can also destroy them. However, walkin’ dead killed by the saw can be “revived” by stitching the wound which “killed” them.
A revived zombie may rebel if pushed to do something that it would have refused to do in life. If it wins an opposed Wisdom check against its master, it becomes free of his control. Its first action is usually to dispose of its former master in some grisly fashion.
Taint: The saw’s owner develops a yearnin’ to be recognized as the best at what he does. Gunslingers and hexslingers continually challenge others of their type to duels, magicians constantly try riskier and more spectacular tricks, and so on.

Draconic Lore:

Spoiler

Revenant Dragon: Sometimes a dragon is killed in cold blood while defending her eggs, or in some other unnecessary or unjust fashion. When this happens, the result is often the creation of a revenant dragon.
“Revenant” is a template that may be added to any dragon. The creature must have a Charisma score of at least 12.
Rot Dragon: According to draconic legend, the first of these undead monstrosities was created countless millennia ago, when an ancient dragon spellcaster attempted to transform itself into an undead creature not unlike a lich. The ritual failed. Rather than grant the dragon a measure of immortality, the magic called into being a mass of writhing, spectral parasites that burrowed into the old wyrm’s flesh and made his will their own. The plague has slowly spread from dragon to dragon since that day.
The corpse of any true dragon slain by a rot dragon’s breath weapon shrivels and warps as the spectral worms spread throughout their new host. The corpse rises as a new rot dragon after 1d4 days unless dispel evil is cast on the corpse before the transformation is complete.

Dragons

Spoiler

Undead Dragon: All things are subject to the terrible fate of lingering between being and non-being. Even beasts as powerful as dragons cannot escape it. Dragon undead are rare, for the circumstances that create them are too maddening to ponder, but it may be that few who encounter them live to tell about it.
Skeletal Dragon: Even if one has the uncommon luck of finding enough dragon bones to make a skeleton, it takes rare and powerful magic to animate them. An evil spellcaster of exceptional ability may, however, use the equivalent of a mostly-complete skeleton of dragon bones to create an undead servant of exceptional ferocity.
A spellcaster of 18th level or higher may create an undead dragon by assembling a proper assortment of dragon bones (all must be of the same size) and casting the spell create greater undead.
Skeletal Dragon Tiny: ?
Skeletal Dragon Small: ?
Skeletal Dragon Medium: ?
Skeletal Dragon Large: ?
Skeletal Dragon Huge: ?
Skeletal Dragon Gargantuan: ?
Skeletal Dragon Colossal: ?
Skeletal Dragon Different Dragons: Formed from the bones of different dragons, whether they be of the same or various species.
Skeletal Dragon Single Dragon: Was formed exclusively from the bones of a single dragon.
Ghoul Dragon: As with other ghouls, the origin of ghoul dragons is subject to conjecture, some more reasonable than others. The popular notion that the condition of ghoulishness is punishment for committing unusual wickedness in life, such as cannibalism, may not apply to dragonkind, as dragons themselves are so much elevated above other creatures that human standards of ethics and morality seem to scarcely touch them. Furthermore, scholars find the notion that the noble dragon would ever savor the taste of another dragon’s flesh so absurd that they believe it to be unworthy of consideration.
Dragon Ghost: It may happen to any intelligent being for any of a number of reasons. Whatever the cause, it cannot rest easily in its grave, so it takes on the form of a ghost. Dragons are no exception.
Mummified Dragon: Mummified dragons are monstrous creations developed by ultra-secretive dragon cults. These cults worship evil colored dragons in general and the great Chromatic Mother foremost. They almost exclusively use mature adult or old dragons in the creation process. Younger dragons are not powerful enough to survive the process, and older wyrms are much too rare for this guardian task.
Dragon cults always investigate the deaths of evil dragons, searching out the remains whenever possible. If the body is salvageable, the cult moves it to a hidden temple or dungeon that they want to protect. The High Priests of the cult then take years to prepare the body of the deceased dragon for the ordeal. The body is drained of all fluids, and the vital organs are removed and stored in huge canopic jars as large as wine barrels. Long, elaborate cleansing rituals are required and the final ceremonies take weeks. If the Great Mother is pleased, the dragon returns from the grave to protect unholy temples or ancient dragon lairs that hold some special significance to the cult or it’s Queen.
Vampiric Dragon: As unlikely as it may seem, it does happen that a creature afflicted with vampirism occasionally gets the better of a member of dragonkind and transmit its curse to this most magnificent of creatures.

Ghoul: ?
Ghost: It may happen to any intelligent being for any of a number of reasons. Whatever the cause, it cannot rest easily in its grave, so it takes on the form of a ghost.
Vampire: ?
Vampire Spawn: ?
Undead: Once the alarm has been triggered, the dragon can cast arcane eye or clairvoyance to spot the adventurers and then raise the corpses of previous intruders with animate dead or its more powerful variants, create undead and create greater undead.
Dracolich: Dragon egg yolks can also be used for various unpleasant necromantic rituals, such as the creation of a dracolich, but this will gain the attention of every dragon with any sorcery levels for dozens of miles around.
Nightshade: ?
Wraith: ?
Zombie: ?

Dry Land: Empire of the Dragon Sands:

Spoiler

Messehn Hessalihn, Dragori-Sah True Mummy Cleric 14/Sorcerer 4: Messehn is an ancient greater mummy, created by masters within the cult of eternal life hundreds of years ago.
He benefited from the full rite, rather than the abortive rite that results in mindless mummies.
True Mummy: Created through complicated rituals and alchemical processes, the true mummy is much more than the non-intelligent, clumsy, cursed tomb resident normally depicted. Long ago, before the dawn of the dragori, the gods held the secret of immortality. When the Age of Ice came and threatened to bury all dragori in its white shroud, the Great Dragon decided to save what he could, and taught the secrets of immortality and preservation to his favored children. Alas, their mortal minds could not master the processes required for these gifts, and so their creations were as flawed as their understanding. The true mummies are created through Craft (Embalming) and Alchemy.
A true mummy is a preserved corpse animated by divine necromancies.
“True mummy” is a template that can be added to any sentient living creature with a solid physical form as well as the necessary organs (tongue, heart and brain). The creature must have been a divine spellcaster capable of casting resurrection in order to create the sacred vessels for his own transformation.
The core element of becoming a true mummy is removing three organs during the embalming process and placing them into specially prepared sacred vessels, which in turn store the true mummy’s essential soul and persona. Unless the true mummy is separated from these Sacred Vessels, no physical attacks can ever slay him due to his fast healing. Each true mummy must make his own three sacred vessels, which requires the Craft Wondrous Item feat. The character must be a divine spellcaster able to cast resurrection. Sacred vessels cost 100,000 gp and 4,000 XP to create and have a caster level equal to that of their creator at the time of their creation. The sacred vessels are most often small stone or clay jars (sometimes metal) just large enough to contain the desiccated organs placed within.
Once the sacred vessels are crafted, the person to become a true mummy must die, allowing his body to be embalmed and the necessary organs removed to be placed in the sacred vessels. The act of embalming the corpse requires a DC 25 Craft (Embalming) check under the supervision of an overseer with at least 10 ranks of Knowledge (Religion) (this second requirement can be fulfilled by one of the embalmers). Up to three embalmers may work on a single corpse, with each helper giving a +2 bonus to the skill check of the master embalmer as long as the helper makes a successful DC 10 Craft (Embalming) check. The master embalmer or the overseer must cast death ward and dimensional anchor during this time, and must also expend 1,000 XP in the sacred ritual of embalming. If the Craft (Embalming) roll fails or the XP cost is not paid, the ritual fails and the corpse rises in one week as a normal mummy. If the ritual is a success, the corpse rises in one week as a true mummy (or as a desecrated mummy if he has already lost the sacred vessels).
Desecrated Mummy: A true mummy becomes a desecrated mummy if it loses any of its sacred vessels.

Mummy: If the Craft (Embalming) roll fails or the XP cost is not paid, the ritual to create a true mummy fails and the corpse rises in one week as a normal mummy.
Shadow: Any humanoid reduced to Strength 0 by a shadow becomes a shadow under the control of its killer within 1d4 rounds.

Sacred Vessels
The core element of becoming a true mummy is the removal of three organs during the embalming process and their placement into specially prepared sacred vessels, which in turn store the true mummy’s essential soul and persona. Unless the true mummy is separated from these sacred vessels, no physical attacks can ever slay him due to his Fast Healing.
Each true mummy must make his own sacred vessels. This requires the Craft Wondrous Item feat. The character must be a divine spellcaster able to cast resurrection. Sacred vessels cost 100,000 gp and 4,000 XP to create and have a caster level equal to that of their creator at the time of creation. Sacred vessels are most often small stone or clay jars (sometimes metal), just large enough to contain the desiccated organs placed within.
Magically enchanted, a sacred vessel has a hardness of 20 and 20 hit points. It cannot be struck while being worn, even by a sunder attack.
The sacred vessels contain some of the essential energies of the true mummy. Each jar contains one organ—each linked to a different ability. The brain is linked to Intelligence, the heart to Wisdom and the tongue to Charisma. If the true mummy loses possession of one of these jars, the corresponding ability drops to that of a desecrated mummy. If two or three jars are taken, the true mummy becomes a desecrated mummy.
For creatures other than the mummy, the sacred vessels can provide great enhancements. A creature in possession of one or two vessels gains a sacred bonus to the corresponding ability scores equal to one half of the original true mummy’s ability bonus. For example, the heart of a mummified cleric with a Wisdom of 22 (+6 bonus) would provide a +3 sacred bonus to Wisdom.
With all three sacred vessels from the same true mummy, the bearer has the option of taking the original mummy’s ability scores in all three abilities, replacing his own. Great though this boon is, the risk is greater. Regardless of whether the bearer of the sacred vessels accepts the original ability scores, once he is in possession of all three vessels he begins making an opposed Will save against the original mummy’s scores. If the mummy wins, his lifeforce transfers to the body of the creature, permanently destroying the current soul, and the body begins the metamorphosis into a true mummy once again. The true mummy template is applied to that creature (except for the Wisdom bonus normally inherent in that template).
Caster Level: see above; Prerequisites: Craft Wondrous Item, resurrection, soul bind; Market Price: 50,000 gp per jar minimum (depending on the embalmed mummy).

Dungeons

Spoiler

Lich, Undead Sorcerer: ?
Achilara, Lich Wizard: ?
Hungry Waters: Hungry waters may come into being wherever someone has drowned; in certain cases, the spirit of the dead may infest the area, causing the water to become a deathtrap for the unwary swimmer. The very waters become the new body of the angry spirit, which is continually seeking to bring new souls to share its eternal torment. With each drowning victim, the area grows more deadly.
Ulri Halforcsson, Vampire Fighter 10: The preparation of the tomb wasn’t entirely motivated by love for Lord Haforcsson. The Trygvi knew that Ulri had made unholy pacts during his lifetime, trading his life after death for power in this world.

Undead: Natural hazards, of course, can easily be replaced by some very unnatural ones. Hexes, curses and unholy ground are examples of dark magic which may plague a dungeon, adding a whole new level of danger to an already challenging environment. Imagine a labyrinth where all monsters (or PCs) that are slain rise immediately as undead.
Banshee: ?
Zombie: Zombies don’t just pop up and start munching brains whenever somebody gets buried: otherwise cremation would be universal. They need a reason to rise from the grave.
Skeleton: ?
Spectre: Occasionally, one of the spirits of the failed adventurers would return as a spectre or ghost, tied to the arena in which they died.
Ghost: Occasionally, one of the spirits of the failed adventurers would return as a spectre or ghost, tied to the arena in which they died.
Wight: The four thanes have been transformed into wights by the dark energy of Ulri.
Vampire Spawn: ?
Ghoul: ?
Ghast: ?
Lich: ?
Vampire: ?

Empire

Spoiler

Ghoul Pack: ?
Skeleton Legion: ?
Zombie Soldier: ?

Zombie: Greater Animate Dead spell.
Skeleton: Greater Animate Dead spell.
Ghoul: ?
Mummy: ?
Lich: ?

GREATER ANIMATE DEAD
Necromancy [Evil]
Level: Clr 5, Sor/Wiz 7
Components: V, S, M
Casting Time: 1 Action
Range: Touch
Targets: One or more corpses touched
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: No
As per animate dead, except with the following restrictions and expansion. You may not animate corpses larger than Medium-size with this spell. Each casting of greater animate dead can produce up to twice your caster level in HD worth of undead. There is no limit on the number of undead you may control, allowing you to raise entire armies of the walking dead.
Material Component: You must place a gem worth 100 gp in the mouth or eye socket of a corpse to be animated with this spell. The gem is rendered into worthless ash once the spell is complete.

Encyclopedia Arcane Necromancy:

Spoiler

Bone Delver: Bone delvers are a form of undead who were once grave robbers and died whilst performing their nefarious tasks. Some may have inadvertently awoken undead creatures in the grave, others are outwitted by cunning traps placed in well protected mausoleums.
Burning Ghat: The burning ghat is a rare form of undead, created in areas of unusually high negative energy saturation when a sentient creature is put to death by fire for a crime it was innocent of.
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.
Glacial Haunt: In the icy wastes of the north can sometimes be found the undead spirits of those who froze to death in the snows.
Grave Mount: The grave mount is the insult to all that is good and holy when a paladin’s steed is returned from the dead to wreak havoc upon the world. These undead creatures are rare and usually created when a death knight arises from the grave to ride the steed he owned in his former life, though a few necromancers are also able to raise a grave mount given time and study.
Skull Child: If a skull child manages to slay a juvenile humanoid by draining its Constitution to 0, the unlucky victim will rise in 1d4 days as a freewilled skull child. A bless cast on the body before that time will cease the transformation.
Slaugh: Negative energy is present in all things, even far out into the open sea. Thus, when a humanoid of particularly evil disposition is drowned, their will may be such that it is just possible that negative energies fuse in the water around them, reanimating their spirit as a slaugh.
Slaugh-Spawn: The slaugh-spawn is a grotesque form of undead formed when a slaugh merges with a slain victim.
A slaugh can merge with any humanoid it slays. The entire process takes four hours, after which the slaugh and victim both rise together as a slaugh-spawn.

Fading Suns d20

Spoiler

Husks: Husks are clinically dead but animated creatures who quickly become host to all manner of carrion.
A “zombie plague” first erupts among those on the verge of death — soldiers dying of sword wounds, terminally ill patients in Church hospices, or peasants dying of malnutrition. These near-dead suddenly discover a new hunger for life. Possessed by an unnatural strength and bloodlust, they can carve their way through a rural population in no time. Each person they kill also becomes a husk.

Fading Suns d20 Lord Erbian's Stellar Bestiary

Spoiler

Malignatian Husk: Reanimated cadavers have been recorded on all worlds throughout history; the most virulent plague of shambling husks is presently occurring on the Decados planet Malignatius, where Church legions have been attempting to besiege the stronghold of a known necromancer. This sorceror has been calling up local corpses to serve in the ranks of his defending forces, deploying them on the vast blizzard-swept arctic plains that surround his fortress. The husks created in this freezing environment can be especially tough, one Kalinthi officer reports, because even heavily deteriorated tissue is highly resistant to damage when it is frozen hard as ice.

Giant Lore:

Spoiler

Envy Giant: Giants believe that, when they die, their spirits return to the earth and the base elements from which they came, there to wait for the awakening of their gods. Some refuse to be conscripted into that long sleep and eventual war, however, and the power of their defiance animates their bodies.
Some say undeath can only lead to insanity. For giants, insanity can lead to undeath. These giants are so obsessed with their own mortality and with the supposed freedom of others, specifically humanoids, to escape this world after they die, that they let their bodies waste away in dark solitude. They never fully realize that they have died, however, and continue to exist in a vague haze of unreality.
“Envy” is a template that may be applied to any giant.
Sample Envy Giant: ?

Gods

Spoiler

Bonidin the Mournbearer: Another ancestor, Bonidin, has recently earned a large following for himself. Bonidin was the whelp of his litter, and his tribe abandoned him at birth to die. In the coming decade, each member of the tribe fell to an unusual madness, losing first their will to fight, then their hatred, and finally their will to live. At last, the cleric of the tribe, Ular, sought out the cause of the malady and encountered the vengeful spirit of the child Bonidin in his dreams.

Undead: Bonidin’s cult has presented those rare religious gnolls with a puzzle; until his return, gnollish undead were rare, and none were ever intelligent. The gnolls know of undead, and have fought against or along side them, the latter occurring in the rare instances of gnollish mercenaries working for necromancers. Historically, however, they have always equated undead as ancestors whose kin have all died.
Ghost: It is said these are the ghosts of those slain by wearers of the The Black Armor, somehow bound to the armor for eternity.
Lich: ?

The Black Armor
This ogre-sized suit of full plate is said to be the armor worn by Zohl'Nahk himself during the great ogre wars of antiquity. The shoulders and arm pieces of this full plate bristle with 8-inch spikes. The entire suit is coal black, with a strange, dull luster. Anyone who looks closely at the breastplate sees shapes and movement within the steel, like shifting howling faces and drifting hands. It is said these are the ghosts of those slain by wearers of the armor, somehow bound to the armor for eternity. The style of the armor is rough and primitive and exudes an air of antiquity. Hundreds of battle-scars crisscross the black, lustrous surface, but the armor’s integrity is undiminished.
This armor can only be worn by ogres with a Strength of 23 or higher, since it is proportioned to fit only a large ogre’s physique. The armor acts as +5 ghost touch full plate, granting the wearer a total +13 armor bonus. The armor also has a strong anti-magic aura that provides a spell resistance of 20. Zohl’Nahk's own power courses through the steel and rivets, giving the wearer a +6 enhancement bonus to Strength. Three times per day, the wearer can order the spirits of the armor to shriek their agony, creating a sound burst, as per the spell. So renowned is this armor among evil races, that any individual wearing it gains +3 to their Leadership score. If they do not have the Leadership feat, they gain it for as long as they wear the armor.
The armor is intelligent, and allows itself to be used only by the most depraved and ambitious individuals. The armor's purpose is to subjugate all lesser races for the glory of Zohl'Nahk. It speaks Giant, Orc, Goblin, and Common, and grants the wearer the ability to speak those languages as well. It can communicate telepathically with its wearer. Its abilities are Intelligence 16, Wisdom 20, Charisma 14, and Ego 32. This armor is pure lawful evil; any creature that dons the armor and is not lawful evil loses four levels until the armor is removed, at which time he suffers 4d6 damage.
Weight: 150 lb.

Guilds and Adventurers

Spoiler

Mossborn: While slowly escalating their subversive efforts against the Arrowhead Order and its allies, the Polyp sought a weapon that would turn the tide of battle. As a fusion of flesh and fiber, the mossborn is both plant and undead, making it extremely difficult to be turned by either druid or cleric.

Undead: ?
Ghost: These beings remain in the material plane by force of personality, hatred, revenge or sorrow.
Specter: These beings remain in the material plane by force of personality, hatred, revenge or sorrow.

Hallows Eve:

Spoiler

Manumit: these spirits are the remains of petty, worthless men. The tattered souls go abandoned and unwanted, languishing in their graves as they lament their wasted lives. On the night of Hallows Eve however, the barrier between the physical world and the spirit world is at its weakest; and the spirits of the dead are freed to roam the earth.

Hallows Eve Demo:

Spoiler

Haunted Casket: Animated randomly by rich sources of negative energy and errant corruptions.

Hell on Earth d20

Spoiler

Harrowed: Strong-willed brainers still occasionally claw their way back from the grave possessed by manitous—the same evil spirits that hucksters manipulated to work their hexes.
Being Harrowed isn’t actually a prestige class—you can’t just decide to be one of these creepy creatures. It’s just something that might happen to particularly lucky characters when they catch a bullet with their name on it.
When your character dies in Hell on Earth, roll 1d20. Add +1 to the result if your hero is 5th level, +2 if he’s 10th level, or +3 if he’s 15th level or higher. (Those bonuses don’t stack, by the way.) If the total result is 20 or higher, a manitou has latched onto his spirit and forces it back into his body—with an unwanted roommate. The brainer’s coming back from the grave.
Most Deaders stay in the grave 1d6 days. It takes a while to fight for the hero’s soul and then another 10-12 hours for the stubborn cuss to dig himself out—assuming the body was properly buried six feet under in the first place. Some Deaders come back quicker and some take longer—especially if the body was badly mangled or otherwise in bad shape.
The manitou needs the human’s psyche, so the victim’s head must be intact. Most major head wounds that kill a person render the body unusable, but that’s not always the case. It’s up to the Marshal if a special effect of some sort has ruined the hero’s brain and made him ineligible to come back as a Deader.
One side effect of all this Reckoning crap is that folks don’t always stay dead. I’m not talking about plain, old zombies. I’m talking about the Harrowed. We Templars call ’em “deaders.” See, when really tough hombres die, they are occasionally brought back to life by those same manitous I’ve been yapping about.
Automaton: Dr. Darius Hellstromme created the first automatons way back in 1870 or so. Most believed they were “clockwork” men, propelled by an extremely complex
combination of steam and gears. What no one could figure out was how the automatons could think.
It took Hellstromme’s rivals many years to finally crack the “secret of the automatons.” It was actually dirt simple: the body was made of steam and gears, but the brain was that of the walkin’ dead.
Where Hellstromme might be now is a mystery to all, but his automated factories in Denver continue to churn out automatons.
They have the brain of a zombie, wired straight into a high-tech, heavily armed and armored chassis.
Hellstromme seems to have made most of his money back during the Great Rail Wars. That was definitely when he created the automatons: robots with human brains wired up inside, controlling the whole works.
Doombringer: The Doombringers, ugly, mutated creatures more monster than human. They retain a feral human intelligence but are twisted and consumed by their hatred for norms, disloyal mutants, and especially heretics.
Even Silas doesn’t want many of these wackos around, so he sends the worst of them off into the wastes to hunt down heretics. Even he doesn’t know that the Doombringers have transcended their humanity and become undead abominations.
Toxic Zombie: It’s amazing how much illegal dumping took place in the years before the Last War. After the Apocalypse, with no one around to put fresh loads of earth over the megacorporations’ dirty secrets, many of these toxic dumps leaked into nearby ponds or created their own cesspools of deadly ooze.
Sometimes, desperate travelers in need of water give these ponds a try. Most of them drop dead within minutes of inhaling, touching, or drinking the sludge. Occasionally, they actually fall into the stuff and become toxic zombies.
Walkin' Dead: Walkin’ dead are animated corpses temporarily inhabited by manitous. They’re very common in ruined cities, creepy old graveyards, mausoleums, battlefields, or any other large concentration of bodies.
The first listing is for “civilian” undead.
What Jo doesn’t know is that anyone killed by a walkin’ dead, who doesn’t come back a Deader, has a 1 in 10 chance of coming back as a walkin’ dead herself.
If a hero is killed by a walkin’s dead and does not come back Harrowed, secretly roll 1d10. If you roll a 1, the poor brainer rises as one of Death’s walkin’ dead.
Death’s passage through Phoenix marked it in a way that even the Last War couldn’t. Anyone killed by walkin’ dead in the area of the city rises from the grave on a result 1–5 on a d10.
Walkin' Dead Veteran: This one here is for better stock, such as zombies raised from a battlefield, a military cemetery, or the like.
War rode about the war-torn state on his red charger, and every battlefield he crossed gave up its dead to join his merciless army. Thousands of dead soldiers most still with their arms and armor, spread out from Kansas to devastate the West in their master’s name.
Faminite: Famine rode her black steed right on top of the waters of Prosperity Bay. An army of those cursed by her touch followed behind, walking out of Purgatory, the part of the Maze set on fire by the ghost-rock bombs.
Famine’s most common troops are called “faminites.” I understand these things were encountered many years ago, but they weren’t undead. I don’t know what changed, or if the old legends were just wrong. The way it works—and I’ve seen it plenty now—is that these unfortunate souls get infected with a disease that literally starves them to death. As they’re dying, they become wild and ravenous, but don’t usually try to eat their friends if they can get other food instead. Once they come back as undead, it’s a different story. They aren’t satisfied by anything but human flesh.
Unfortunately, faminite outbreaks still occur from time to time. Sometimes you can save those infected before it’s too late, but most times the victims die less than a week after being infected, then come back as little more than a voracious monster that only looks like your Aunt Minnie.
Famine’s undead are hideous faminites. A human infected by their touch wastes slowly, maddeningly, away. He is not under any other creature’s control, nor is he undead, but he is ravenously hungry, and no amount of food can sate him. If no other food presents itself, the victim turns to living flesh.
When the person eventually dies (about 24 hours later), he rises again as a faminite. Note that these are different from the ones that appear in Deadlands: The Weird West. Those didn’t automatically arise as undead. In Hell on Earth, they do.
Plague Zombie: It took a few weeks for anyone to figure out where Pestilence was. (He’s sometimes called the “Conqueror” in the Bible.) I guess “he” had to let some folks waste away before he could raise them as his new army. The bastard finally appeared in Texas on a stark-white horse. I’m told his first “harvest” of dead came from a cemetery outside of Houston, where they’d buried the victims of a recent “tummy twister” outbreak.
The Horseman known as Pestilence raises those who died from horrid diseases into horrors
Warbot: Warbots are a lot like automatons. The factory techs take an undead brain and wire it into the go-box of some massive vehicle or gun.
Cyborg: Remember I told you about deaders earlier? Good. Some of them, those who got snagged by the military, became something even more than Harrowed.
One of the last things to come out of the Last War were cyborgs. Both of the NA and SA had them at about the same time, so the militaries must have been working on them for a while. I don’t know exactly what happens, but they implant bionic parts into the deader’s corpse to make some sort of cross between a Harrowed and an automaton.

Hell on Earth d20 Horrors of the Wasted West

Spoiler

Alexander 9000: Originally, this vehicle was a one-of-a-kind prototype built as part of the US Army’s cyborg program. The Army had been experimenting with using the same technology used to make cyborgs to make cyborg combat vehicles.
Most of these attempts failed because the Harrowed human brains implanted in the vehicles simply couldn’t adjust to their new “bodies,” quickly went insane, and were destroyed. The brain of Samuel Wilkins, however, was another matter; his grey matter took to the tank like a duck to water.
Wilkins was a college professor of Greek history at the University of Pennsylvania who had checked the organ donor box on his driver’s license. When he was killed in a car accident his internal organs went to waiting patients; his brain went to the US Army’s testing facility in Montana.
Wilkin’s brain was able to adapt to its alien body and he found that he rather liked being a nearly unstoppable killing machine.
Battle Hound: Some experimentation showed that the same technology that was used to make Harrowed cyborgs could be used in animals. This led to the development of a new line of cybernetic patrol animals.
Fate Eater: Fate Eaters are ghosts of people who died on Judgment Day with unfinished business to complete.
Ghostrock Wraith: Ghost rock consists of damned souls, trapped and sentenced to eternal agony within the mineral they inhabit. When the bombs fell, they unleashed millions of such tortured beings, scattered in radioactive ash. Sometimes, however, a condemned soul has enough will, enough strength, or just enough plumb meanness to escape its material prison. It coalesces from nearby ghost-rock dust, and stalks the night, seeking to share the pain of their existence.
Any being slain by a ghostrock wraith becomes a wraith in 1d4 rounds.
Hands of Hell: Some research lab somewhere in the northwest cooked up this unholy contraption. A hands of Hell is basically a Harrowed human brain in an enclosed protective shell with ten mechanical arms jutting out from all angles. Since the construct frame is very inhuman shaped, all hands of Hell are quite insane.
Head Case: Contrary to legend, head cases are not the monstrous revenants of people who think too much; they weren’t created by demons either.
In the second half of the 20th century, a subculture sprang up around cryogenic freezing technology, which offered its mostly tech-head clients the promise of second life. The clients’ dead body would be frozen and kept on ice in anticipation of a utopian future where benevolent future scientists would cure the victim’s original cause of death. Cryo-enthusiasts on a budget could pay to have only their heads frozen, in hopes that future medical technology could also cure the lack of a body.
Surprise! When the ghost bombs fell, those cryogenic facilities that survived (mostly in strip malls, oddly enough) became cradles of undead. The frozen bodies got up and walked off—without paying their bill!
The frozen heads came to life, too, but couldn’t leave. Their intense frustration combined with the supernatural to give them brain-popping psi powers. When adventurers tried to loot the cryo-labs, the heads used these powers to cow them into servitude. They ordered captive junkers to build them armored helmets with built-in jet-packs for mobility.
Last Man Standing: At abandoned fuel stations along broken stretches of the western highways, or in desolate towns destroyed by Rad Storms and Muties, there was always one man or woman who hunkered down, and refused to give up their land. He or she fought to the last bullet, screaming bloody curses all the way. Eventually they all went down. Some, a rare few, got back up.
Angry spirits of vengeance merged with the last echoes of defiance and created the last man standing; a creature that still defends these way stations and dead towns from anything and everything.
Mojave Hunter Mark 7 King Slayer: That agency was really only one man with a monstrous budget whose mission was to kill off a species of monster. Professor Nathaniel Daniels was contracted by the South to create the last, best hope against the Rattlers. Professor Daniels ran twin experiments to find a solution. Genetically altered snakes to track the beasts were grown to monstrous sizes. DNA was enhanced to increase the snake’s brainpower as well; the goal was canine-like intelligence. Experiment number two was a giant tunnel tank that could carry the firepower to take on the Rattlers on their turf. Each plan had its success and failures, but true success seemed decades away.
That’s when Nathaniel received manitou-influenced inspiration to combine the projects. The biological brains were accustomed to enormous bodies, and the muscle that could be put on a construct’s body could handle the experimental Ghostrock plasma guns needed to blast through miles of granite. Also, a deader brain could heal itself and refuel the gun by devouring Rattler corpses, iron ore, and Ghost-rock deposits, effectively never having to stop. The frame was built to take on the new “King” Mojave Rattlers that had been sighted in the badlands.
Tin Man: Professor Hellstromme created many cyborgs, using corpses for raw materials and brains. Many of his creations became exactly what he had planned, mindless zombie-cyborgs at his complete command. But some of his soldiers regained a shred of sentience over time as bits of memory and consciousness surfaced and formed a loose personality.
Toymaker: Rosanna Marie Wulfe was a mad scientist before the manitou stopped talking. She was a member of the Sons of Sitgreaves (the SOS), one of the few who continued to invent her own ideas and plans without any help. When Velmer developed his G-ray collector, Wulfe already had several devices she wanted to build, and used that to power them. Then the bombs dropped. Wulfe died and came back Harrowed.

Walkin' Dead: A willow wight can animate any corpses buried within reach of its roots. These creatures are considered walking dead.

Into the Green:

Spoiler

Arborgeist: When a treant meets a gruesome end at the hands of fire and great evil, the pain and horror of this fate sometimes proves too intense for the benign spirit to find rest even in death.
Autmunal Mourner: As the lingering spirits of the neglected dead, autumnal
mourners appear during the gray mists of autumn. Deprived of a proper funeral, burial, or even commemoration, they now mourn the summer’s annual passing and the subsequent death of the trees’ falling leaves.
Autumnal mourners arise from the bodies of the unburied and forgotten dead.
Bracken Corpse: Bracken corpses are the reanimated remains of murder victims hidden or dumped in the wilderness by their killer. Whether their creation results from arcane power or the whim of a vengeful deity, bracken corpses are fearsome shambling abominations.
On very rare occasions, the victims of a mass murderer arise as bracken corpses all searching for the same killer.
Lostling: Lostlings are the pitiful souls of creatures or lost individuals who died in the wilderness from starvation or madness.
Creatures dying from starvation or thirst after being turned catatonic from a lostling's wisdom drain transform into lostlings within 1d3 days.
A solitary lostling is usually the sole survivor ofsome catastrophe, while larger gatherings of these creatures consist of entire parties that lost their way in the woods or a lostling’s transformed victims.
Uragh Dhu: Some scholars insist these creatures are the remains of dead treants reanimated by a dark and forbidden evil ritual.
Blightsower: During trying times when drought plagues the land and the hot, oppressive sun bakes the dry earth into infertile clay, long forgotten legends recall the sudden appearance of a mysterious stranger swathed in a dark, hooded cloak. Amidst the inescapable blight surrounding him, the enigmatic, otherworldly charlatan peddles his far-fetched promise of seven years of prosperity and bountiful harvests throughout the desperate farming communities. Most scoff at the outlandish boast, but some downtrodden farmers eagerly and rashly seize the crumb of hope offered by the shameless huckster. The fast-talking, charismatic swindler easily convinces them to sign his voluminous contract to receive their reward. Without hesitation and forethought, most succumb to temptation and agree to his terms.
Within hours of reaching their agreement, the drought lifts, and the soil once again yields plentiful crops. For seven years afterwards, the cycle of prosperity continues, as the formerly destitute farmer now reaps abundant wealth and riches. Finally, seven years later to the day, the farmer’s soul suddenly departs from this world, fulfilling the terms of the contract signed with the malevolent confidence man. While the farmer’s spirit suffers endless torment in the realm of the dark forces, his body rises from death and assumes its new undead existence as a blightsower.

Legacy of Damnation:

Spoiler

Corrupted Undead: Special rules apply when a creature with the Undead type gains the Corrupted template. The template can never be applied to an existing Undead creature; it can only be applied to a new Undead creature that is specifically animated using Infernal energies.
If a Corrupted Undead has the ability to create other undead as a result of slaying them or draining their abilities, then any undead created in that fashion arise with the Corrupted template themselves.
Some of the Devil-Kings have found a way to fuse the essence of Infernal energy with the energies that are used to animate the dead; Corrupted Undead are a particularly terrifying sight.
Corrupted Ghoul: An afflicted humanoid who dies of a corrupted ghoul's ghoul fever rises as a ghoul with the Corrupted template at the next midnight. A humanoid of 4 or more Hit Dice rises as a Corrupted ghast, not a ghoul.
Corrupted Ghast: An afflicted humanoid who dies of a corrupted ghoul's ghoul fever rises as a ghoul with the Corrupted template at the next midnight. A humanoid of 4 or more Hit Dice rises as a Corrupted ghast, not a ghoul.

Magic

Spoiler

Spelcius, Lich: ?
Ulis Reprand, Lich: ?

Vampire: ?
Ghoul: ?
Ghast: ?
Ghost: Should a soul-infused magical item be destroyed before its last use, the soul is freed. The soul is fully aware the entire time (albeit powerless) and simply freeing it may unleash a ghost, spectre, or wraith, as the lengthy imprisonment may drive the soul to madness.
Spectre: Should a soul-infused magical item be destroyed before its last use, the soul is freed. The soul is fully aware the entire time (albeit powerless) and simply freeing it may unleash a ghost, spectre, or wraith, as the lengthy imprisonment may drive the soul to madness.
Wraith: Should a soul-infused magical item be destroyed before its last use, the soul is freed. The soul is fully aware the entire time (albeit powerless) and simply freeing it may unleash a ghost, spectre, or wraith, as the lengthy imprisonment may drive the soul to madness.
Lich: At the GM’s discretion, individual copies of Spirit Made Flesh may also have detailed texts including both common and new necromantic spells, the ritual for becoming a lich or other assorted surprises.
Ultimately, each copy of Spirit Made Flesh strives to escape the confines of its pages. Should a single copy ever laid claim to 101 living souls at a single time, the book immediately takes all the souls, consuming them in the process. The souls are lost forever, even to a miracle or wish, as they are now utterly indistinguishable from the spirit of the book. The book itself is transformed, gaining either the lich (if a spellcaster) or vampire (if not) template as characters of their original level.
Vampire: Ultimately, each copy of Spirit Made Flesh strives to escape the confines of its pages. Should a single copy ever lay claim to 101 living souls at a single time, the book immediately takes all the souls, consuming them in the process. The souls are lost forever, even to a miracle or wish, as they are now utterly indistinguishable from the spirit of the book. The book itself is transformed, gaining either the lich (if a spellcaster) or vampire (if not) template as characters of their original level.
Wight: ?

Mercenaries

Spoiler

Uzuzar Acarra the Emperor Lich: ?

Zombie: ?
Skeleton: ?
Spectre: ?
Ghost: ?
Ghoul: There is also a 1 in 10 chance that a character who dies while suffering from ghoul paste paralysis rises as a ghoul in 1d4 days unless someone casts a protection from evil spell on his body.
Lich: ?
Vampire: ?

Ghoul Paste: A foul concoction of Alchemy (DC 25) and the undead, this thick paste activates when smeared into an open wound (such as when cutting with a blade covered in the paste). On a successful delivery, the victim must succeed at a Fortitude save (DC 14) or be paralyzed for ld6+2 minutes. There is also a 1 in 10 chance that a character who dies while suffering from this paralysis
rises as a ghoul in ld4 days unless someone casts a protection from evil spell on his body.
Smeared on a blade, ghoul paste lasts for 1d3 attacks or 1d10 minutes (whichever comes first) before becoming useless. Blades used in such a manner become yellow and tarnished, and easily recognized by alchemists (DC 20, -1 for every paste applied).

Monsters Handbook:

Spoiler

Undead Dragon: Called forth from beyond the mortal realm to once again fly through the night, undead dragons are amongst the most powerful creatures a necromancer or evil high priest can bring to unlife.
“Undead” is a template that may be added to any evil dragon.
Any wyrms killed by an undead dragon's breath weapon arise in 2d6 minutes as undead dragons
Bloated: “Bloated” is a template that may be added to any undead creature that has a corporeal form. Undead creatures that do not have fleshy bodies, such as skeletons, may not receive this template.
Cloaked: Some necromancers are capable of preserving their subject’s body, granting the undead creature they create a seemingly normal outward appearance.
“Cloaked” is a template that may be added to any Medium-size undead creature with a physical body. At the DM’s option, certain creatures that rely on a strange or alien appearance may not receive this template.
Relentless: “Relentless” is a template that can be added to any corporeal undead. A spellcaster who uses magic to produce undead creatures may grant them the relentless template by spending eight times the listed gp value for his spell’s material components.
Bone Guardian: The necromancer Rethoir Greybeard researched methods for enhancing the combat abilities of his undead minions. The bone guardian is his specially crafted skeleton designed for sentry duty at his castle.
The bone guardian is a Medium-size skeleton modified to serve as a sentry. A second skull is fused into its chest and its lower arms are replaced with two short swords. Normally, these creatures are designed by necromancers and set to watch over portals, gates, and other sensitive areas within their lairs.

Wight: Any creature killed by an undead dragon's breath weapon arises as an undead creature in 2d6 minutes. Humanoids and other non-wyrm living creatures arise as wights.

Mystic Warriors:

Spoiler

Undead: Revenant Guard Bleak Path ability.

Necromantic Lore:

Spoiler

Atrocity Wight: A collection of rotting corpses merged to form an enormous body, atrocity wights rise from mass graves and other sites where great atrocities have taken the lives of hundreds of innocent people.
Bloodpool: A bloodpool is created when innocents are killed en masse and their blood is allowed to collect and merge.
Bloodseeker: Originally created by druids who dabbled in necromancy, the formula for the creation of bloodseekers has since become more common.
Bonecast: Bonecast creatures are undead or constructcreatures that have been imbued with luck energy.
Some bonecast creatures are formed spontaneously from the bodies of those who dabbled in the arts of luck, such as risk takers, gamblers, and thieves. Indeed, a creature cannot partake in such activities without at least some luck rubbing off on them. If sufficient luck energy is pent up within a creature’s body, it continues to animate the creature long after death.
Some have learned how to harness this luck energy and instill it within their own creations. The process of creating a bonecast creature requires 1,000 gp, which includes 250 gp for items imbued with chaotic luck energies, such as used decks of cards, casino fixtures, or the remains of small-time risk takers. Completing
the process takes one day and drains 1d10 × 100 XP (an average of 500 XP per bonecast creature) from the creator, making the creation process itself a gambling proposition.
“Bonecast” is a template that can be added to any corporeal undead or construct.
Sample Bonecast: ?
Dancing Bones: Dancing bones are a type of animated skeleton created by a virulent plague that can affect both the living and the dead.
Some time ago, a small village was ravaged by a plague carried to the village by a pestilent demon. Most of the village died; the few survivors buried the corpses of their families and moved on. Decades later, a necromancer looking for raw materials animated the plague-slain bodies for use as his servants and inadvertantly created the dancing bones.
Anyone who takes damage from the claw attack of a dancing bones has a chance of contracting the plague that animates them. Each time a damaging hit is scored, the target must make a Fort save (DC 11) or become infected. This will not become apparent for 1d4 hours; if a cure disease is cast during that time, the curse is lifted. If the curse begins to take effect, only a heal, limited wish, miracle, or similar spell will cure it.
At the end of the onset time, the victim begins to sweat profusely and twitch oddly. This becomes progressively worse—every 10 minutes the character’s Dexterity drops by 1 and the character suffers a cumulative –1 on all rolls due to the increasing pain and difficulty of controlling their own movement. When the character’s Dexterity has dropped to 0, the character’s skeleton rips itself out of his or her body, leaving the rest of the character’s body behind to become a new dancing bones. The new undead attacks anyone nearby. If there is no one to attack, it begins wandering—looking for potential victims to infect or other dancing bones to accompany.
Anyone slain by a dancing bones whose body is not blessed will suffer the same fate, the skeleton of the corpse ripping itself out within 1d4 hours.
Dream Phantoms: Dream phantoms are the souls of creatures who died in their sleep.
Those unfamiliar with the nature of dreams often say that they wish to pass away in their sleep. However, the truth is that such deaths are quite traumatic to the dying souls. A soul that wanders from the body while dreaming suddenly finds itself lost and adrift when the body dies. Further, such deaths often result in words left unspoken or tasks left incomplete. Many poor spirits are driven insane while trying to navigate through dream images and nightmares. Others gain some sense of their new nature. Often they grow to despise the living whose dreams they are doomed to wander. These malignant souls become dream phantoms.
Any humanoid slain by a dream phantom becomes a dream phantom in 1d8 hours.
Eternal Confessor: An eternal confessor is an undead cleric kept in a state of undeath by its god to finish the holy work it began while alive.
“Eternal confessor” is a template that can be applied to 10th-level or higher cleric with the death, destruction, or war domains.
A cleric can become an eternal confessor as a reward from his or her god.
Sample Eternal Confessor: ?
Fade: Fades are the fragmented spirits of those who took their own lives out of despair or cowardice.
Famine Haunt: These creatures are created by the passing of those who have died of starvation, often due to another’s neglect or cruelty.
Any humanoid slain by a famine haunt becomes a famine haunt in 1d4 rounds.
Fever Gaunt: ?
Fever Gaunt Gaunt King: ?
Foreverjack: A foreverjack is a thief who has cheated Death.
“Foreverjack” is a template that can be applied to any non-undead, non-outsider, provided it meets the requirements.
Unlike the process by which a wizard or sorcerer becomes a lich, no one plans or plots to be a foreverjack. Many foreverjacks had never even heard of such beings until they became one. To become a foreverjack, a character must meet the following criteria:
Alignment: Any chaotic.
Abilities: Charisma 15+, Intelligence 15+.
Class: At least 1 rogue level.
Special: When a particularly clever and charismatic rogue dies, there is a very slim chance that he or she may return to life as a foreverjack. This is a two part process.
First of all, not all rogues are given this opportunity. To determine if a rogue is eligible to become a foreverjack, roll d% three times. If the result is equal to or less than the rogue’s class levels, then there is a chance that the rogue will return to life as a foreverjack.
The second part of the process requires the rogue to perform some task that allows the character to escape the afterlife. This task varies from rogue to rogue, but must involve confronting the god of the dead for the pantheon that the rogue worships. Worst yet, while in the afterlife, the rogue is stripped of any magical items that he or she possessed while alive. Fortunately for the character, most gods of the dead enjoy gambling, and most of them are scrupulously honest in their terms. The task presented to the character is always incredible difficult, but never impossible.
A rogue can become a foreverjack through luck and skill upon dying.
Sample Foreverjack: ?
Gravestone Guardian: A gravestone guardian is a statue animated by the will of the deceased, and it has only one purpose—to guard the tomb from desecration.
A gravestone guardian is the result of a strong-willed person being buried beneath an ornately decorated gravestone, one that prominently features one or more carved statues of winged creatures. The exact form does not matter—they can be gargoyles, demons, angels, or anything of a similar nature. Over time, the grave absorbs the will of the person and the stone responds. A small portion of the soul of the grave’s inhabitant gradually begins to animate the statues, using them as a weapon against those who would disturb its rest.
Grim Stalker: The exact origins of these creatures are unknown. Some claim that they are the souls of those whose prayers for curative magic went ignored by the gods and their followers. Others claim these creatures are a product of death itself, sent to claim the souls of those who have cheated it for too long.
Hecatombes: Hecatombes are undead creatures that were used as living sacrifices in rituals to gods that either never existed, or to deities that declared the offered soul to be unworthy of acceptance. Hecatombes were not willing sacrifices when they lived, and this uncooperative nature followed them in death, only to be amplified to majestic levels of hatred in undeath. Only one goal drives the hecatombe: The complete death and destruction of all the clergy and any others responsible for its sacrifice as well as anything dedicated to the god that felt the hecatombe’s soul unworthy (holy symbols, clerics, temples), thus binding it to this undead state.
“Hecatombe” is a template that can be added to any humanoid or monstrous humanoid creature.
Sample Hecatombe: ?
Heirloom Wraith: In life, the heirloom wraith was usually an individual who committed an act of evil in order to keep or obtain some item. In death, the individual’s spirit was unable to leave that item behind and became trapped in it, growing even more bitter and hateful.
Horrid Murder: Horrid murders are formed from gatherings of crows dominated by a malevolent intelligence.
Beings that have been brutally slain, especially those killed in the isolation of the wilderness, develop an immense hatred for the living and reach out to those that will aid them in their schemes. Crows, black by nature, are particularly receptive to domination by these souls. The result is a horrid murder.
Necrocorn: The origin of the necrocorn is a tale out of myth. Centuries ago, it is said, there was a ranger whose deeds on behalf of the people and the land had earned her widespread acclaim, and attracted to her service Niathallis, a unicorn druid. Together, they traveled the world and the outer planes, and legends grew in their wake.
Then, something—each bard has his own version of the tale—happened. The ranger turned to darkness, and Niathallis, unwilling to abandon her longtime companion, did something no unicorn before had ever done—she joined her companion in evil. The two traveled on, giving birth now to nightmares, not legends.
Ultimately, they were confronted and slain, but evil of such intensity and passion is not easily killed. Niathallis rose as the first necrocorn.
It was only when Niathallis killed another unicorn that the true nature of the curse became apparent, for that unicorn arose as a necrocorn as well. Since then, the number of necrocorns has grown somewhat, but there have never been very many, as true unicorns and those allied with them devote tremendous effort to slaying them. This is another reason many necrocorns choose to associate themselves with powerful evil beings—protection.
At most, a few dozen necrocorns roam the world at any one time. During some eras, this number has been as low as three or four.
Any unicorn slain by a necrocorn will rise as a necrocorn within 24 hours.
Necromental: ?
Azure Phoenix: ?
Fiery Zombies: Fiery zombies are created when a humanoid is raised by an azure phoenix using its fiery animation ability.
The azure phoenix may reanimate humanoids and monstrous humanoids that it or its fiery zombies have slain as fiery zombies if using the animate dead spell.
Blackheart: ?
Stone Zombies: Stone zombies are created when a humanoid is raised by a blackheart using its stony animation ability.
The blackheart may reanimate humanoids and monstrous humanoids that it has slain as stone zombies as if using the animate dead spell.
Red Tide: ?
Watery Zombie: Watery zombies are created when a humanoid is raised by a red tide using its watery animation ability.
The red tide may reanimate humanoids and monstrous humanoids that it has slain as watery zombies as if using the animate dead spell.
Sunkiller: ?
Storm Zombie: Storm zombies are created when a humanoid is raised by a sunkiller using its stormy animation ability.
The sunkiller may reanimate humanoids and monstrous humanoids that it has slain as storm zombies as if using the animate dead spell.
Pale Masker: ?
Pestilent Bat: whenever an intruder draws near, pestilent queens immediately spawn a number of pestilent bats.
Whenever a pestilent queen senses another creature within the range of its blindsight, it quickly spawns tiny flying creatures composed of the same fleshy material as itself to dispatch the intruder and feed from it. Each spawn created drains 2 hp from the queen. A pestilent queen can form up to 6 pestilent bats each round.
Shadow Parasite: ?
Guiding Spirit: It is generally believed that guiding spirits are formed from beings that had a heightened sense of duty to family, friends, or lovers while alive. Likewise, those that were focused upon completing a particular task or achieving a certain goal may also become guiding spirits in order to ensure that the living are able to complete that which the guiding spirit was unable to do. It is this sense of dedication that drives guiding spirits to seek out living creatures and to offer them protection. Yet, there are some who believe that guiding spirits are instead manifestations sent by the gods or other powerful beings. They say the guiding spirits assume a form that is comforting to potential wards in order to convince the ward to accept their assistance. Followers of this theory see guiding spirits as creatures who seek to manipulate mortals through deception in order to convince the living to embark on a mission that they would not otherwise undertake.
Spirit Legion of the Dead: The spirits of fallen heroes are sometimes bound to the defense of a sacred charge.
“Legion member” is a template that can be applied to any good aligned humanoid who has died defending a sacred charge or sacrificed him or herself to become a legion member. The base creature must also have a Charisma of 10 or higher at the time of death.
Sample Legion Member:
Spirit Steed: Spirit steeds were once living horses with a bond to their riders so strong that even death couldn’t separate them.
A loyal riding horse may have become a spirit steed after its death in a number of ways: Its rider could have perished in battle and the will of the beast was so strong that it rose again to become the steed of its deceased rider’s family or companions; the animal itself could have died in a conflict and it awakened as a spirit steed to reunite with its rider; or a spirit steed might have found itself lost in the world, devoid of a rider and in search of a new master.
Warning Spirit: The foreboding, insubstantial remains of deceased heroes and relatives, warning spirits lay legendary tasks upon the shoulders of their chosen champions.
Tomb Guardians: Tomb guardians are corporeal undead that willingly chose undeath to watch over and safeguard the tombs of royal families, heroes, etc.
“Tomb guardian” is a template that can be added to any humanoid creature, provided that the create tomb guardian spell can be cast on it.
A fighter can become a tomb guardian by volunteering to watch over a holy tomb or locale.
Sample Tomb Guardian: ?
Unvanquished: Unvanquished are beings that have never been defeated in their chosen form of competition in life.
“Unvanquished” is a template that can be added to any living humanoid or monstrous humanoid creature with either the Skill Focus or Weapon Focus feat.
Sample Unvanquished: ?

Undead: Undead are once-living creatures animated by spiritual or supernatural forces.
Zombie: A humanoid or monstrous humanoid that a grave leech feeds upon becomes infected with negative energy and will rise as a zombie within 24 hours of its death.
By digging its hand into the earth, the grave master worms its fingers to the remains of all dead with five miles and brings their soulless bodies to life.
The most potent of all the grave master’s considerable powers is its ability to return the dead to life. But a grave master’s power does not end there. It may heal destroyed zombies and increase their strength in combat, and fill them with purpose and intelligence.
The grave master’s power to summon undead is different from the spell animate dead in many ways.
First, the grave master summons all corpses within 5 miles to become part of his army. There is no limit to the number of HD worth of undead that a grave master can summon in this manner and all of them serve the grave master loyally.
Second, skeletons under the earth are raised as well, but the grave master’s powers over rotting flesh allow them to grow back skin and tissue where it has decayed. Because of this, all undead summoned by the grave master are considered zombies.

Create Tomb Guardian
Necromancy
Level: Clr 8, Death 8
Components: V, S, DF, XP
Casting Time: 1 hour
Range: Close (25 ft. + 5ft./2 levels)
Target: One humanoid corpse
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: No
This spell allows you to transform a willing humanoid into a tomb guardian to safeguard and protect a family grave, royal tomb, or other resting place of the dead.
Any humanoid creature that desires to become a tomb guardian must first gain the permission of its religious order. Once accepted, these petitioners peacefully ingest a painless poison that robs their body of life. Within 24 hours after their passing, the newly formed tomb guardians quickly rise and assume their eternal vigil.
XP Cost: 2,000 XP plus 100 XP per every HD above 10 of the tomb guardian to be created.

Nightmares and Dreams:

Spoiler

Bloated: Any character that dies as a result of bloat fever will become a bloated in 1d3 days, unless measures are taken to prevent the character's return.
To create a bloated requires the body of someone who died as a result of a festering disease. The creator must then harvest some bloat fly maggots and let them burrow into the body's flesh. The body must then be allowed to sit for several days to allow the maggots to spread the bloat fever contagion around. The creator must then cast a contagion spell followed by a permanency spell upon the body to keep it in a festering state. Once that is done, the body can be raised as normal by the spell animate dead.
Grimguard: Grimguards are created when a lawful good entity dies suddenly while combating evil. If his deeds were worthy, he was well liked by his comrades, and the conditions are just right, he may come back as a grimguard to continue his quest.
Grimguard Human Fighter 5: ?
Incinerated: The incinerated are a special type of zombie created from the bodies of people who have died as a result of fire.
To create an incinerated requires the body of a person that has died as a result of fire. The body must then be soaked in oil for three days and then set on fire. Once the body is completely engulfed in flames it can be animated using the animate dead spell. Once animated, most of the flames will extinguish themselves leaving behind seared flesh that will burn anything it touches. Only one incinerated can be created per casting of animate dead, regardless of the caster's level.
Lost One: Any humanoid reduced to 0 or less Wisdom by the lost one's poison becomes a lost one in the following round.
Physiquer: The physiquer is a dream of a guilt-ridden guard who was present when an innocent man was executed by the state. He cannot forget the event or forgive himself, or the others who were present at the execution.
Silent Horror: ?
Mirror Creep: ?
Undead Visceral Mass: ?

Nightmares & Dreams II

Spoiler

Assembled: An Assembled is a zombie that was constructed by sewing the parts of several different bodies together to form one large, misshapened creature. They are grossly disfigured and, oftentimes, have two heads or three arms, a sight that chills most unprepared souls.
The coroner looked at the body parts that lay upon his table. The parts belonged to three different people and had been found in several trash bags along the side of the interstate. It was his job to make sure he correctly identified what parts belonged to the same person. He adjusted his gloves, grabbed the closest one, which happened to be an arm, and began his grisly task. After nine hours of mixing and matching, he was able to separate the parts, or at least he thought so. He went home, took a shower, and went to bed. Several hours of tossing and turning finally gave way to a restless sleep filled with horrible dreams. In the dreams he was trying to separate the parts, but couldn't tell where they belonged. As far as his training told him, all the parts came from the same body. He assembled the horrid figure then stepped back to look at it. It had three legs, four arms, and two heads. The dream didn't stop there. As the coroner turned his back to remove his gloves and wash his hands, the gruesome creature rose from the table, its parts now fully attached.
Undead Assemblage spell.
Breas: When a fey warrior binds itself to an area, it becomes an undead guardian known as a Breas. Breas undergo the change to undeath willingly, forsaking all others and their natural ways of life in the woods to become an eternal guardian of nature's law and forbidden places.
Carrion Bird: Carrion birds are unique types of undead that are created out of the lifeless bodies of crows, ravens, or other similar black birds. It has been heard of for other small birds to be turned into carrion birds, but that is an extremely rare occurrence. They appear as they did in life, except when they are created their eyes rapidly decay into dust leaving two, empty sockets.
Create Carrion Bird spell.
Chupacabra: "Chupacabra" is a template that can be added to any animal or beast-type creature.
Pony Chupacabra: ?
Dire Wolf Chupacabra: ?
Deadwood Tree: Deadwoods are the animated remains of large, dried out trees.
Create Deadwood spell.
Exoskeleton: Exoskeletons are the animated remains of various insect-like creatures. These creatures lack an internal skeleton; their skeleton instead lies on the outside of their body.
Exoskeleton is a template that can be added to any corporeal creature that has an exoskeleton. Examples of creatures that can be animated as exoskeletons are: ankhegs, beetles, chuul, lobsters, spiders, and umberhulks.
Animate Exoskeleton spell.
Ankheg Exoskeleton: ?
Frostbitten: Frostbitten are zombies that were created using the bodies of people that died as a result of exposure to cold weather.
The creation of a Frostbitten requires the body of someone who has died as a result of exposure to some form of freezing weather or cold-based attack. The spellcaster wanting to create the zombie must then cast a permanency spell upon the body, so that it will retain its frigid nature. The zombie can then be raised as normal by an animate dead spell. The body must be kept in a semi-frozen state until the time it is going to be animated.
Grave Born: In several Eastern European cultures, it was taboo for a pregnant woman to step over a grave. It was believed that the unborn child was particularly vulnerable to possession by the restless spirits of the dead, beings driven mad from being trapped in the darkness of coffins. Many myths and legends contain more than a fragment of truth in them. In this case, the superstitious belief was well founded, because the grave born are very real.
A grave born is created exactly as the myth suggests. The crazed spirit of the deceased partially possesses the unborn child, creating an unstable mind and corrupting it with evil. The child can live out a relatively normal life at first, but schizophrenia and other mental illnesses begin to emerge as it develops. As well, a lust for blood and dark fascinations emerge early, often as early as infancy. The sole purpose of the grave born is to never return to the cold, dark, nothingness of death and to live a life of unrelenting and debased pleasure (this includes drink, dark carnal pleasures, thievery, torture, and other unholy delights). One would be hard pressed to find a more reprehensible fiend. Since the possession is only partial, a grave born does not remember the entirety of its past life. Mere fragments of memories and skills remain. In fact, the possession is more of a corruption than a complete domination. It mutates the child into an entity of evil, but the spirit of the deceased is not in control. Rather, the spirit acts as an impulse that drives the child on, prompting him or her to rapacious and callous behavior.
Dracul Lord of Vampires: ?
Grotesque Devourer: This is a "naturally" occurring undead, a severe punishment for the greedy and gluttonous after they die. If one's vices eventually lead to death, there is a good chance that one night, not long after burial, the gravesite will explode revealing a very hungry monster.
Mossborn: It requires a couple of days of preparation to create a mossborn. The spellcaster must first go out and collect seeds from the proper plants. These plants can only be found in the darkest of swamps. In order to properly collect and identify the plants, the spellcaster must make a Profession: Herbalist skill check (DC 20). These seeds must then be planted in the bodies of the dead and allowed to grow for several days. Once the moss and vines have completely covered the bodies, they may be raised as normal by the spell animate dead to become a mossborn. It is important to note that while the spellcaster may have control of the mossborn itself, he does not have control of the plants.
Putredryad: A putredryad is created when the oak tree that a dryad is connected to is destroyed by an unnatural event. When this occurs, the dryad's body begins to decay and it enters a state of undeath.
Rusalka: Rusalka haunt bodies of water and forests near where they met their demise, which is always of a violent nature. Many (50%) were slain or sacrificed to some unknown evil. Others died by mishap and are restless in death.
Spectral Boarder: The pained spirits of the past victims of the squall.
Spectral Boarder Zombie: The pained spirits of the past victims of the squall.
Spectral Boarder Drowned: The pained spirits of the past victims of the squall.
Zombie: Zombies are shambling corpses animated through dark magic to perform some task for their creator. Most are created out of the bodies of humanoid creatures, but sometimes other creatures are animated.
"Zombie" is a template that can be added to any living non-ooze, non-plant creature.
Arcane Zombie: These zombies are created out of the bodies of wizards and sorcerers.
Assembled Zombie: These zombies are created by sewing the parts of several similar creatures together to form one large, misshapen zombie. At least five separate bodies of the same type of creature must be used. They are grossly disfigured and often have two heads or four arms.
Burned Zombie: These zombies are created out of the corpses of creatures that died as a result of fire-based attacks.
Diseased Zombie: These zombies are created out of the infected corpses of creatures that died as a result of a disease.
Divine Zombie: These zombies are created out of the bodies of priests and paladins.
Drowned Zombie: These zombies are created out of the corpses of creatures that drowned.
Frost Zombie: These zombies are created out of the bodies of creatures that died as a result of cold-based attacks.
Diseased Zombie Dog: ?

Zombie: ?
Skeleton: ?

Animate Exoskeleton
Necromancy [Evil]
Level: Cir 5, Death 5, Sor/Wiz 7
Components: V, S, M
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: Touch
Targets: One or more corpses touched
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: No
This spell allows the caster to animate the remains of a creature that lacks a true skeleton, and instead, possesses an exoskeleton. When this spell ls cast upon the creature, all of its fleshy tissue dries up into a fine powder and Is usually expelled from the creature's body when it moves around. All that remains of the creature is a hard chitinous exoskeleton. Exoskeletons created this way will follow basic commands given by the caster such as follow, attack, or guard. Exoskeletons will stay animated until destroyed, and are considered to be undead. The caster cannot create more exoskeletons than he has levels with a single casting of animate exoskeleton. The caster can only control 2HD worth of exoskeletons per level; any he cannot control become uncontrolled. See the template above for stats on exoskeletons. Some examples of creatures that can be animated with this spell are: ankhegs, chuul, formian, spiders, and any other types of arthropods.
Material Components: Powdered bone must be sprinkled over the corpse, and a black onyx gem worth at least 50 gp must be placed In the mouth of each corpse. The magic of the spell turns these gems Into worthless, burnt out shells.

Create Carrion Bird
Necromancy [Evil]
Level: Sor/Wiz 7
Components: V, S, M
casting Time: 1 action
Range: Touch
Target: One corpse
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: No
This spell allows the caster to create a carrion crow. The spell requires the body of a crow or some other similar black bird that has died, without receiving any physical) trauma. The most common way that this is achieved is usually by feeding the bird poisoned meat. Only one carrion crow can be created with this spell. Statistics for carrion crows can be found in the monster section of this book.
Material Components: This spell requires the tongue of an evil spellcaster and a black onyx gem worth at least 1000 gp. Both the tongue and gem must be placed inside the bird's beak. The magic of this spell destroys both tongue and gem.

Create Deadwood
Necromancy [Evil]
Level: Cleric 6, Death 6, Sor/Wiz 8
Components: V, S, M
Casting Time: 1 Action
Range: Touch
Targets: One tree
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: No
The caster can animate the remains of a dead tree. Once animated, the tree becomes a deadwood and follows all rules pertaining to them. All deadwoods start with 10 HD and gain 1 HD per five caster levels. For example, a deadwood created by a 10th-level wizard will have 12 HD, 10 base then 2 because the caster is 10th level. A deadwood can be given simple commands, such as those given to skeletons and zombies. The spellcaster can control one deadwood for every 5 caster levels.
Material Components: This spell requires the ashes of any undead-type creature and an emerald worth at least 500 gp. The ashes must be sprinkled around the base of the tree, and the emerald must be placed inside the center of the tree's trunk. Once this spell is cast, the tree absorbs the ashes and the emerald becomes a worthless shell.

Undead Assemblage
Necromancy [Evil]
Level: Clr 5, Death 5, Sor/Wiz 7
Components: V, S, M
casting Time: 1 action
Range: Touch
Targets: One corpse touched
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: No
This spell allows a spellcaster to create an Assembled. Before this spell can be cast, the body must be prepared as follows. First, the spellcaster must have at least five bodies from which to harvest parts from. Second, the spellcaster must stitch together all of the different parts he wishes to use. To successfully stitch an Assembled's corpse together requires a Craft: (Leatherworking) or Heal skill check (DC 13). Once the Assembled has been put together, it may be animated with this spell. Only one Assembled is created per casting. The newly animated Assembled has all of the stats and abilities, as the one described above, with the exception of hit dice. An Assembled gets 1 hit die per level of the spellcaster up to a maximum of 15. The caster can control one Assembled for every full 5 levels he has attained as a spellcaster.
The material component for this spell is an onyx gem worth at least 1,000 gp. The gem must be placed in the chest cavity of the Assembled. Once this spell is cast, the gem becomes a worthless shell.

Penumbra Fantasy Bestiary:

Spoiler

Akyanzi: They are the damned remains of those souls who faked bravery in life and ruined the dignity represented by the sword.
Bloodwraith: The bloodwraith is an undead creature originally created by the Longfoot shamans. The minions of the old empire tyrannically dominated the Longfoots, and so the shamans gathered to pool their knowledge of necromancy and the spirit world to create a creature to avenge themselves. They used spells to capture the spirit of a just-slain victim and give it the mission of destroying a particular target.
Bog Slain: The peat bogs of the colder climes have claimed many travelers, dragging them down into murky waters and death. The corpses float in these mires, slowly decomposing, and sometimes they claw their way back out again, seeking to destroy all life in their rage.
Not all victims of bog drowning become bog slain. In many cases, those who return are travelers who were looking forward to arriving at their destination, and died angry at the unfairness of not achieving it. Another primary cause is the remnants of evil magic within the peat bog itself, seeping into the corpses and bringing them to an unholy mockery of life.
Dark Voyeur: ?
Dreadwraith: Legends tell of unfaithful priests who betrayed not only their people, but also their gods. These treacherous souls were condemned by the gods they served, cursed to never again be trusted or welcomed anywhere.
Jikininki: These demons are often the spirits of dead men or women whose greed prevented their souls from entering a more peaceful existence after death.
Limbo Infant: Into every age a collection of heroes is born to battle evil, to enforce the will of the gods, and to inspire the common people with their deeds and words. Some call them “god-born”; others call them the “fated.” Regardless of appellation, these heroes are the stuff of legend. Unfortunately, the world is a cruel place and not every destiny goes according to plan, even if it is a divine one. When the forces of evil gain the upper hand the world suffers for it. War rages, countless thousands die, and among the casualties lay the corpses of these would-be heroes, struck down in their most vulnerable hour — during their infancy. While the souls of most children transcend the world of the living, the souls of these slain young fated are trapped between life and death. Called “limbo infants” by the ecclesiastics, these ghost children are all that remain of the legendary heroes they would have one day become.
Orphan of the Night: The murder of a child is no small crime. When the soul of a young one slain before her time cries out, sometimes that cry is answered. When this occurs, it creates an entity known as an orphan of the night.
Swordtree: When a creature is cut by a swordpod, a tiny seed is left behind in the wound. If the creature dies while a swordseed remains within it, it becomes a zombie that wanders to an area rich in iron at least one mile from the nearest swordtree and buries itself; a sapling swordtree soon rises from this site.
On a successful swordpod attack, the swordtree’s victim is implanted with a swordseed. Swordseeds can be dug out of injuries for the first three days, which costs 1 hp per day the seed has been burrowing, or can be washed out with holy water, which does no additional damage. Swordseeds can also be removed with a remove disease or heal spell, even after the first three days. The seed itself does no damage to its host. However, when the creature dies, it rises after three days as a zombie of the same size as the original creature; use the standard SRD stats for zombies. This zombie is drawn to the nearest iron-rich location at least one mile from another swordtree, where it buries itself; a sapling swordtree springs from the earth within one month.
Abyssal Plague Host: An abyssal plague host is an undead creature created by an abyssal worm plague’s corrupting attack.
“Abyssal plague host” is a template that can be added to any living creature
affected by an abyssal worm plague’s Corruption attack.
The most dreaded power of the abyssal worm plague is its ability to turn a creature into an abyssal plague host, and use it as food to create a new abyssal worm plague. To do this, the worm plague must draw a creature into its space and hold it using its Improved Grab ability (simply entering another creature’s range will not work). The round after the abyssal worm plague puts the creature in a hold, it may attempt to Corrupt the creature as a full-round action. A creature being corrupted makes a Fortitude save (DC 19). It is easier for the abyssal worm plague to Corrupt creatures who are of the same alignment it is, and harder to Corrupt those of a diametrically opposed alignment. Creatures gain a morale bonus or penalty to their save based on their alignment: +4 lawful good, +2 chaotic or neutral good, –2 lawful or neutral evil, –4 chaotic evil. Chaotic, lawful, and true neutral creatures receive no bonus or penalty. If the save fails, the abyssal worm plague has “seeded” the creature with its larvae; these will eventually grow into a new worm plague. The creature is automatically slain, and the abyssal plague host template is applied to him; 1d4 rounds later, the creature becomes an abyssal plague host.
Sample Abyssal Worm Host: ?
Barrow Wight: The gods have many terrible penalties for breaking holy prohibitions, but the curse of undeath is one of the most dire. The punishment for breaching the vaults of the dead and plundering their riches is to exist as a barrow wight, an undead creature that burns with hate for all intruders in its realm.
There are many ways such wights can be created: the gods can touch an area so that its dead will rise up if disturbed; priests can recite the prayers to invoke such a guardian of the grave; and it is also said that men of power and will can rise by their own accord to avenge themselves. In addition, when a wight’s victim is drained of its life, the creature will rise as a wight the next night.
“Barrow wight” is a template that can be added to any sentient creature with an organic body and a soul who comes from a culture with death rituals and has recently died either by a barrow wight’s Energy Drain ability or naturally; if naturally, the creature must be raised as a barrow wight by some magical force. The creature’s possession of a soul is a determination for the game master to make, but in most campaigns it will include any dragon, giant, humanoid, monstrous humanoid, or shapechanger. Fey, elementals, and other such creatures will depend on the campaign’s cosmology; creatures that are a type of spirit are not subject to being raised as a barrow wight.
Any sentient creature with a soul and death rituals that is slain by a barrow wight’s Energy Drain rises as a barrow wight the next night.
Sample Barrow Wight: ?
Blackbones: Blackbones are undead spellcasters, usually fanatic clerics devoted to a deity of fire, who have used fell magical rites to become undead.
“Blackbones” is a template that can be added to any humanoid creature with an affinity for fire magic who completes the transformation ritual.
Sample Blackbones: ?
Fossegrim: They are typically the spirits of dead bards, who in life enjoyed the presence of the waterfall they now guard. When they died their spirits sought out the waterfall and became one with it.
“Fossegrim” is a template that can be added to any good-aligned giant, humanoid, monstrous humanoid, or shapechanger who has recently died. The base creature must have a Charisma score of at least 10, and a love for the waterfall to which he is to be joined.
Sample Fossegrim: ?
Ghoul: There are some universal percepts, the philosophers say, that apply to every culture of sentient beings. Among these is a prohibition against cannibalism. To consume one’s own kind goes against the natural order and is a desecration that shocks the conscience of both gods and men. Such degeneracy can call down a foul curse that clings to the cannibal’s soul, preventing it from passing on to an afterlife upon its death. Instead, it is condemned to an unlife in which its corruption is reflected in body and mind as it rises as a ghoul.
“Ghoul” is a template that can be added to any sentient creature with an organic body and a soul who was killed by a ghoul and affected by its Create Spawn ability, or who ate the flesh of creatures of its type in life and recently died.
In most cases, ghouls devour those they kill. From time to time, however, the bodies of their victims lie where they fell, to rise as ghouls themselves in 1d4 days. Casting protection from evil on a body before the end of that time averts the transformation. The Create Spawn ability can only apply to sentient creatures with an organic body and a soul, as required for the template.
Sample Ghoul: ?
Plaugueling: Plaguelings are the wretched victims of a magical disease called plague rot.
“Plagueling” is a template that can be applied to any living creature with a functioning anatomy and a Wisdom of 6 or higher who has been killed by plague rot.
If the victim’s Constitution is reduced to 0 or less from plague rot, the victim dies and becomes a plagueling.
Sample Plagueling: ?
Shadow Lich: Shadow liches are undead spellcasters who have used their magical powers to seal their souls into their own shadows, which they then solidify and separate from their bodies.
The first step in becoming a shadow lich involves removing the spellcaster’s soul and sealing it in its solidified shadow. This is a task equivalent to that of crafting a normal lich’s phylactery, requiring the use of the Craft Wondrous Item feat by a sorcerer, wizard, or cleric of at least 11th level. At least 120,000 gp and 4,800 XP must be invested in the removal process, and the solidified soul shadow becomes an item with a caster level equal to that of the creator at the time of creation.
“Shadow lich” is a template that is added to a spellcasting humanoid creature who has undergone the above process of removing his soul and transforming it into a soul shadow.
Sample Shadow Lich: ?
Thrall of the Pale King: When a pale king — the servant of the fey god Arawn — finds a useful living creature, he tries to claim it as a thrall; see the court of the pale king entry in the Creatures section. This process has two stages. First, the pale king must kill the creature using his Death Gaze ability. Once the creature is dead, the pale king may then call back the spirit and bind it into servitude within the body it originally inhabited. The process for calling the spirit back takes five full minutes, and requires that the pale king be touching the body of the prospective thrall. At the end of this time, the creature returns to life as a thrall of the pale king.
“Thrall of the pale king” is a template that can be added to any humanoid, monstrous humanoid, or animal slain by a pale king’s Death Gaze.
Any creature slain by the pale king’s Death Gaze may be called back and forced to serve as the pale king’s thrall. Calling back a slain creature takes five full minutes of the pale king touching the corpse.
Sample Thrall of the Pale King: ?
Unknowing One: Unknowing ones are a strange type of undead created by the death of someone who doesn’t quite notice for some reason. This usually happens when a person of great will is killed very quickly and unexpectedly, and just doesn’t get the message. He continues on with his life, not aware of the fact that he is now dead. He will go to great lengths to deny that he is now undead, and rationalize any indications of his demise away. It is only the unknowing one’s denial to accept that he is dead that keeps him from passing completely from the realm of the living.
“Unknowing one” is a template that can be added to any humanoid or monstrous humanoid creature who has recently died a sudden, unexpected death.
Sample Unknowing One: ?

Shadow: Any humanoid reduced to 0 Strength by a shadow lich’s Incorporeal Touch becomes an undead shadow within 1d4 rounds.
Zombie: When a creature is cut by a swordpod, a tiny seed is left behind in the wound. If the creature dies while a swordseed remains within it, it becomes a zombie that wanders to an area rich in iron at least one mile from the nearest swordtree and buries itself; a sapling swordtree soon rises from this site.
On a successful swordpod attack, the swordtree’s victim is implanted with a swordseed. Swordseeds can be dug out of injuries for the first three days, which costs 1 hp per day the seed has been burrowing, or can be washed out with holy water, which does no additional damage. Swordseeds can also be removed with a remove disease or heal spell, even after the first three days. The seed itself does no damage to its host. However, when the creature dies, it rises after three days as a zombie of the same size as the original creature; use the standard SRD stats for zombies. This zombie is drawn to the nearest iron-rich location at least one mile from another swordtree, where it buries itself; a sapling swordtree springs from the earth within one month.

Relics

Spoiler

Undead Assassin Vine: The heart of darkness animates all corpses in a 100-foot radius. Everything that was once living is animated, depending on the dead material available, including earthworms, sentient plants, birds, and insects. The wielder can animate humanoid corpses as skeletons, zombies, ghouls, or ghasts. Dead plants are animated as undead assassin vines and trees as undead treants. Creatures without bones are animated as zombies. Apply an appropriate undead template to creatures, or simply use their standard game statistics but replace their creature types with undead.
Undead Treant: The heart of darkness animates all corpses in a 100-foot radius. Everything that was once living is animated, depending on the dead material available, including earthworms, sentient plants, birds, and insects. The wielder can animate humanoid corpses as skeletons, zombies, ghouls, or ghasts. Dead plants are animated as undead assassin vines and trees as undead treants. Creatures without bones are animated as zombies. Apply an appropriate undead template to creatures, or simply use their standard game statistics but replace their creature types with undead.
Eskil: The nightmare catcher is the creation of the skald Eskil, whom history remembers as the Betrayer of Antlon. On that bloody battlefield, while his family and friends lay dying, Eskil was cursed by his fiancee. with her last breath, she called upon the gods to deliver great vengeance upon him.
They stripped Eskil of his soul and cursed him to wear an undead shell until the end of time. Worse, his passion and talent were shorn away, his capacity to feel love and sadness, pain and pleasure burned out in an instant. Bereft of everything save bitterness, Eskil retreated to the underearth catacombs to plot vengeance.
Hrunting, Ghost Cleric 12: All summer long, the sun god and Hrunting toiled, slowly grinding stars into a single, flawless lens. When winter came, Hrunting returned to his people and used the light of a single candle to burn away dozens of ghouls. When a chieftain demanded ownership of the lens, Hrunting murdered him. In the scuffle, Hrunting dropped and shattered the lens, and subsequently walked into a blizzard rather than live with the shame.

Vampire: Any who die while wielding one of the devil’s teeth rises as a vampire (or ghost, if the body was absolutely destroyed) in 1d4 rounds.
Ghost: Any who die while wielding one of the devil’s teeth rises as a vampire (or ghost, if the body was absolutely destroyed) in 1d4 rounds.
Skeleton: The heart of darkness animates all corpses in a 100-foot radius. Everything that was once living is animated, depending on the dead material available, including earthworms, sentient plants, birds, and insects. The wielder can animate humanoid corpses as skeletons, zombies, ghouls, or ghasts. Dead plants are animated as undead assassin vines and trees as undead treants. Creatures without bones are animated as zombies. Apply an appropriate undead template to creatures, or simply use their standard game statistics but replace their creature types with undead.
Zombie: The heart of darkness animates all corpses in a 100-foot radius. Everything that was once living is animated, depending on the dead material available, including earthworms, sentient plants, birds, and insects. The wielder can animate humanoid corpses as skeletons, zombies, ghouls, or ghasts. Dead plants are animated as undead assassin vines and trees as undead treants. Creatures without bones are animated as zombies. Apply an appropriate undead template to creatures, or simply use their standard game statistics but replace their creature types with undead.
Ghoul: The heart of darkness animates all corpses in a 100-foot radius. Everything that was once living is animated, depending on the dead material available, including earthworms, sentient plants, birds, and insects. The wielder can animate humanoid corpses as skeletons, zombies, ghouls, or ghasts. Dead plants are animated as undead assassin vines and trees as undead treants. Creatures without bones are animated as zombies. Apply an appropriate undead template to creatures, or simply use their standard game statistics but replace their creature types with undead.
Ghast: The heart of darkness animates all corpses in a 100-foot radius. Everything that was once living is animated, depending on the dead material available, including earthworms, sentient plants, birds, and insects. The wielder can animate humanoid corpses as skeletons, zombies, ghouls, or ghasts. Dead plants are animated as undead assassin vines and trees as undead treants. Creatures without bones are animated as zombies. Apply an appropriate undead template to creatures, or simply use their standard game statistics but replace their creature types with undead.
Undead: The heart of darkness animates all corpses in a 100-foot radius. Everything that was once living is animated, depending on the dead material available, including earthworms, sentient plants, birds, and insects. The wielder can animate humanoid corpses as skeletons, zombies, ghouls, or ghasts. Dead plants are animated as undead assassin vines and trees as undead treants. Creatures without bones are animated as zombies. Apply an appropriate undead template to creatures, or simply use their standard game statistics but replace their creature types with undead.

THE HEART OF DARKNESS
The Heart of Darkness is the actual stone heart of the long-dead god Igtharka. Igtharka was an insane god of chaos, committed to nothing less than the complete destruction of the universe. The leader of his pantheon, Igtharka inevitably caused a conflict with the collective gods of light.
A mighty battle raged. When the seven great deities of sacred light defeated Igtharka, his followers retrieved his corpse before it could be destroyed. They carefully mummified and preserved Igtharka’s corporeal remains and sealed them into a huge sarcophagus with their most powerful spells. Then they transported it to the Astral.
Igtharka’s corpse is entombed in a gigantic sarcophagus. His mummy lays within, arms folded across his chest, with a massive gold mask covering his face.
The Heart of Darkness looks like a black pearl the size of a human head. Strange vein-like filaments hang from it. If placed on a surface, it levitates one foot above it and slowly rotates. To activate the Heart of Darkness, the wielder must grip it tightly and squeeze. When its powers are in effect, it feels warm to the touch and pulses to a slow beat.
The heart of darkness animates all corpses in a 100-foot radius. Everything that was once living is animated, depending on the dead material available, including earthworms, sentient plants, birds, and insects. The wielder can animate humanoid corpses as skeletons, zombies, ghouls, or ghasts. Dead plants are animated as undead assassin vines and trees as undead treants. Creatures without bones are animated as zombies. Apply an appropriate undead template to creatures, or simply use their standard game statistics but replace their creature types with undead.
All living creatures except the wielder in the radius of the heart of darkness have their life force drained. Creatures of lower level than the wielder must make a Fortitude save (DC 30) or lose Id6 Con per round. Should a creature die, subsequent use of the heart of darkness will animate the corpse.
All undead within a 100-foot radius of the heart receive fast healing 3 so long as their hit point total is 1 point or more. At will, the wielder can command them as an evil cleric of equivalent level.
The life draining power of the heart of darkness is so powerful that it negates all healing in its area of effect. All cure spells, heal, healing circle, mass heal, regenerate, resurrection, and true resurrection automatically fail. The caster loses the spell slot as if the spell has been cast.
If the wielder spins the heart in a counter-clockwise direction, it can call undead to it. All undead within 10 miles must make a will save (DC 30) or come shambling to its call.
If the wielder spins the heart in a clockwise direction, it repulses all undead away from it, creating a barrier 500 feet in radius around the wielder. Undead are not allowed a save against this effect. They cannot enter the area and, if within it, must immediately move to escape it. If confronted with an impassable obstacle as they move to escape the area, the undead may stand in place. Treat these creatures as if they were successfully turned.
Caster Level: 20th; Weight: 5 lb.

Talislanta Menagerie:

Spoiler

Black Savant: Alien in appearance and outward demeanor, the true nature of the Black Savants remain, in large part, a mystery.
Disembodied Spirit: These spectral entities are the spiritforms of deceased creatures and beings who, for one reason or another, have become lost or stranded en route to their next incarnation. Some, having met a particularly violent or unjust end, refuse to move on to their next life until they have been avenged. Others were the victims of miscast spells, abortive attempts at astral travel, or other unfortunate circumstances.
Ebonite: Like shadowights and other spiritforms, Ebonites were once living beings. Once passing from the lands of the living, their spirits made the long voyage to the Underworld. However, something about them drew the attention of Death. Great infamy or acts of heroism, no one can say for sure what will draw Death’s baleful eye. Some sorcerers petition for this state in order to continue their magical studies beyond death, while some heroes offer themselves to Death’s service in exchange for a loved one being returned to life. However it happens, those taken by Death are consigned to spend eternity as spectres, and to dwell in the ancient city of Ebon.
Fetch Juju: Another type of fetch is the juju, a mindless servant made from a reanimated corpse. In this case the fetch is imprisoned within a body,
Mirajan: A mirajan is a type of spiritform found only among the arid lands of Raj, Djaffa, and Carantheum. The Djaffir tribes refer to these specters as “Phantoms of the Desert” and believe that they are the spirits of Rajan necromancers who have come back to torment the living. Others attribute sightings of mirajans to hallucination, heat exhaustion, or the malevolent pranks of sand demons.
Necrophage: Necrophages are humanoid entities that hail from the darkest depths of the Underworld.
Reincarnator: Reincarnators are the spiritforms of Torquaran wizards, members of a cabal of black magicians who once ruled a dark empire that spanned much of the continent of Talislanta.
The Torquarans struck an unholy pact with the arch-devil Zahur, who used an ancient incantation to turn them into reincarnators: malign spirits cloaked in an aura that renders them untouchable by Death.
Shadowform: A creature whose Constitution score has been reduced to 0 by a shadowcat’s energy drain attack rises as a shadowform in 1d4 rounds.
Victims who have been drained of all their physical substance by a shadowcat become shadowforms.
A creature whose Constitution score has been reduced to 0 by a shadowight’s energy drain attack rises as a shadowform in 1d4 rounds.
A creature whose Constitution score has been reduced to 0 by a shadow wizard’s energy drain attack rises as a shadowform in 1d4 rounds.
Shadowcat: These shadowy creatures are believed to be the spectral forms of an extinct species of felines once native to the Talislantan continent.
Shadow Dragon: Shadow dragons are the spirits of ancient dragons that chose or were chosen to serve Death.
Shadowight: Shadowights are the spiritforms of deceased persons sentenced to spend eternity as specters.
Shadow Wizard: Shadow wizards are the spiritforms of deceased magicians from various dimensions, worlds, and eras.

Terrors of the Twisted Earth 1e:

Spoiler

Screamer: Apparently these are long-dead corpses animated by some unknown phenomenon of radiation.
Screamers were once human beings, horribly mutated and impregnated with massive doses of radiation. Through some unknown process, screamers arise after death to shamble about in the night, in search of living flesh to consume or ravage with their burning, radiated touch.
Zombie Plague: Plague zombies are horrific undead creatures, re-animated with a shadowy semblance of life by the bizarre and unexplainable effects of a virulent super-disease, the cure for which has long been lost.
The “plague” that causes the animation of plague zombies was originally engineered by the Ancients just prior to the Fall. Though little is known of what the original strain was meant to do on unsuspecting civilian populaces, the effects of radiation apparently mutated the disease so that the scientists who originally developed it were helpless to stop its spontaneous spread. Within weeks, the test population (comprised of urban homeless from the escalating world war) first subjected to the disease had spread the plague to others, and an epidemic of ghastly proportions swept across the country.
The “plague” that causes the animation of plague zombies was originally engineered by the Ancients just prior to the Fall. Though little is known of what the original strain was meant to do on unsuspecting civilian populaces, the effects of radiation apparently mutated the disease so that the scientists who originally developed it were helpless to stop its spontaneous spread. Within weeks, the test population (comprised of urban homeless from the escalating world war) first subjected to the disease had spread the plague to others, and an epidemic of ghastly proportions swept across the country.
As if their appearance alone were not horror enough, plague zombies bear one final and chilling curse – the disease itself. A creature badly injured by a plague zombie inevitably contracts the plague, slowly turning him into a mindless, flesh-eating plague zombie in a matter of days...
An opponent struck by a plague zombie bite must succeed at a Fortitude check (DC 20) or contract the plague. The plague remains dormant for 2d6 hours, but after that the victim becomes weak and delirious (and must remain bedridden). After an additional period of 2d6 hours, he becomes a zombie.
Unlike other diseases, the contagion of the plague zombie cannot be cured by any known drug or device of the Ancients or their survivors. Once infected, there is no cure.

Testament: Roleplaying in the Biblical Era:

Spoiler

Rephaim: Rephaim are the shades of those nephilim who drowned in the Flood. Because of their semi-divine heritage, death transformed them into terrifying spirits.
Accursed Ka-Spirit: When one seeks divine knowledge forbidden to mortal man, such as the secret of life that belongs to Amun-Ra alone, he runs the risk of being transformed into a ka-spirit, a ghost that cannot pass beyond the grave into the next life.
Accursed ka-spirits typically serve as tomb guardians, such as those who protect the books of Thoth (see p. 114), most of whom were mages who failed in attempts to wrest divine secrets from the texts themselves.
“Accursed ka-spirit” is a template that can be added to any humanoid.

The Council's Encyclopedia of Lifeforms Mundane and Magical Version 004 A-G

Spoiler

Agarat: Because they lack the ability to create spawn, it is thought that agarats exist only as deliberately created creatures (by high-level necromancers or priests, or perhaps cursed by the gods themselves). Their origin is as yet unknown.
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.
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: A character slain by the Great Swamp Bog Rot disease rises as a Great Swamp bog mummy.
Chimera Undead: ?
Coffer Corpse: The coffer corpse is an undead creature seeking its final rest. They are most often found in stranded funeral barges and the like.
Crypt Guardian: Animate Crypt Guardian spell.
Crypt Thing: Create Crypt Thing spell.
Variant Crypt Thing: ?
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.
Grey Philosopher: A grey philosopher is the manifestation of an evil cleric who died with important philosophical deliberations unresolved in his mind. Unlike allips (q.v.), they have not been driven insane; instead, they spend their entire unlife endlessly pondering these weighty matters, so involved that they ignore everything around them.

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.
Skeleton: ?
Zombie: ?
Ghoul: ?
Ghast: ?
Shadow: ?
Wight: ?
Spectre: ?
Wraith: ?
Allip: ?

Animate Crypt Guardian
Necromancy
Level: Clr 4, Death 4, Sor/Wiz 5
Components: V, S, M
Casting time: 5 minutes/HD of undead created
Range: Touch
Targets: One giant sized corpse
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: No
This spell turns the corpses of giants into undead crypt guardians that will guard one tomb, grave, crypt or other structure indefinitely. While a crypt guardian can be commanded to guard any area 10-foot radius per caster level, a grave-like settings is often most appropriate. Once created, a crypt guardian will do everything within its power to prevent the passage of living creatures into the area the guardian was created to guard; only the guardian’s creator can enter the area in question without provoking the undead warrior. As the crypt guardian is not under direct control of its creator, it does not count against the total number of undead the creator can control. Further, the HD of the crypt guardian created cannot exceed that of the caster’s level.
A crypt guardian can be created only from a mostly intact corpse or skeleton of a giant. If a crypt guardian is made from a corpse, the flesh rots from the bones over the next 2d6 weeks. A crypt guardian remembers nothing from its life including skills and abilities and depends solely on those granted during its creation. The creator of the crypt guardian must also be able to cast or read from a scroll the spells faerie fire, blind, invisibility, see invisibility, and wall of force at the time the crypt guardian is created The great scythe (or other weapon) the crypt guardian wields must be present at the time the guardian is created or it will always prefer to attack with its claws. A great scythe costs 50gp to have crafted. Material Component (for Crypt Guardian): Black pearl gems worth at least 100gp/HD of undead created and 2 rubies worth 500gp each. The gems are placed inside the mouth of the corpse and the rubies in its eye sockets. Once animated into a crypt thing, the pearls are destroyed but the rubies remain in its eye sockets and become the focus of the crypt guardian’s undeath.

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.

Bog Rot (Su): Supernatural disease—slam, Fortitude save (DC 20), incubation period 1 day; damage 1d6 temporary from Strength, Dexterity, Constitution, or Charisma (determine randomly using 1d4), secondary damage 1d6 temporary from the same ability score. Creatures afflicted with bog rot do not heal naturally and gain one-half benefit from magical healing until the disease is cured. Unlike normal diseases, bog rot continues until the victim reaches Constitution 0 (and dies) or receives a remove disease spell or similar magic.

Great Swamp Bog Rot (Su): Supernatural disease—slam, Fortitude save (DC 20), incubation period 1 hour; damage 1d2 temporary from Strength, Dexterity, Constitution, or Charisma (determine randomly using 1d4), secondary damage 1d2 temporary from the same ability score. Creatures afflicted with Great Swamp bog rot do not heal naturally and gain one-half benefit from magical healing. Unlike normal diseases, Great Swamp bog rot continues until the victim reaches Constitution 0 (and dies) or receives a remove disease spell or similar magic.

The Council's Encyclopedia of Lifeforms Mundane and Magical Version 004 H-Z

Spoiler

Huecuva: Huecuva are the remains of clerics who were unfaithful to their vows and turned to evil. As such they are condemned to eternal unlife.
Hungry Waters: Hungry waters may come into being wherever someone has drowned; in certain cases, the spirit of the dead may infest the area, causing the water to become a deathtrap for the unwary swimmer. The very waters become the new body of the angry spirit, which is continually seeking to bring new souls to share its eternal torment. With each such drowning victim, the area grows more deadly.
Ixitxachitl Vampiric: ?
Ixitxachitl Greater Vampiric: They can only achieve this status by being bitten by an existing greater vampiric ixitxachitl.
Jalie Squarefoot, The Lich Fiend: ?
Malice: A malice is an incarnation of pure spite and wickedness, created by a Grey Philosopher.
During their centuries of pondering, a grey philosopher's evil thoughts take on a partly real form, creating "malices," small incarnations of pure spite and wickedness.
Odic: An odic is an evil, undead spirit inhabiting the body of a plant.
Telekon: The Telekon is a type of wraith-like guardian undead created centuries or even millennia ago. The identity of the creators is unknown, and the process is long lost. However, it is known that they were created from human slaves with psychic ability, through a cruel and torturous procedure of enchantment and magical binding
Thoul: Thouls are a fascinating artificial crossbreed of ghoul, hobgoblin, and troll.
It is not known where thouls were first created, though they now seem to be fairly well spread throughout the world. Fortunately, their peculiar spawning methods make them a menace that does not grow in numbers rapidly.
Wyrd: It is rumored that Wyrds are a plague sent among the elves by their gods. Legends disagree on the purpose of this plague - some say it is to punish them for ancient treachery, others say it is to teach them humility, and still others proclaim that is the elvish destiny to slay (or be slain by) all Wyrds in order to prove themselves worthy of the blessing of the gods.
Since groups of elves slain by a wyrd rise as wyrds themselves, the failure of an elven group makes the problem much worse.
Any creature with elven blood slain by a wyrd rises in 1d4 days as an independent wyrd. Casting a dispel evil or remove curse spell on the body within this time period prevents this transformation. Creatures lacking elven blood killed by a wyrd do not rise as spawn.
Death Knight: A death knight is a horrific form of a lich created by a demon prince (it is thought Demogorgon) from a fallen paladin or favored blackguard.
“Death Knight” is a template that can be added to any humanoid paladin (fallen) or blackguard of at least 9th level.
Death Knight Paladin 9: ?
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.
Penanggalan: Penanggalan is a template that can be added to any female humanoid creature.
A female victim 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.
Penanggalan Human Fighter 4: ?
Skeleton Warrior: The skeleton warrior is a lich-like undead lord that was once a powerful fighter of at least 10th-level. Legends tell that the skeleton warriors were forced into their undead lich-like stat many ages ago by a powerful demi-god who 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: ?
Zombie Template: Zombies are corpses reanimated through dark and sinister magic.
"Zombie" is a template that can be added to any non-undead corporeal creature that has a skeletal system.
Zombie Wolf: ?

Lich: ?

The Planes Feuerring Gateway to Hell:

Spoiler

Lake Hag: Any humanoid slain by the devils and cast into Lethe emerges a week later as a lake hag.
Devils cast the mutilated corpses of all slain humanoids into Lethe’s murky depths. Regardless of its original gender, prolonged exposure to the tainted waters transforms the cadaver into a lake hag.

The Quintessential Druid:

Spoiler

Seneschal Spirit: Seneschal spirit is a template that can be applied to any grove seneschal that dies while retaining his connection to his grove.

The Quintessential Witch

Spoiler

Improved Zombie: Created by witch doctors of foul purpose, improved zombies are constructed out of the corpses of the innocent and pure. The witch doctor binds a wicked spirit into the husk of the former person which then animates it to commit unthinkable atrocities.
Witch Doctor prestige class Improved Zombie power.

Improved Zombie (Sp): Zombies created by the animate zombie ability or the animate dead spell are improved due to the close connection to the spirit world had by the witch doctor. Only medium zombies can be created. Furthermore, each zombie requires 500XP to create, as the binding of the evil spirit into a corpse is draining. Otherwise, zombies created thusly suffer all of the same restrictions defined by the aforementioned spell and ability.

Unveiled Masters: The Essential Guide to Mind Flayers

Spoiler

Lich Mindflayer: Only the most dedicated and powerful illeth sorcerers and wizards have the capabilities to become liches, and the willingness to consider such a plan. Generally, the preparations for the transition to lichdom are conducted in secret, lest others in the illeth community attempt to put a stop to them. While crafting its phylactery, the would-be lich remains isolated (which in itself may raise suspicions).
Technically, mind flayers cannot become liches or vampires, since those templates can only be applied to humanoid or monstrous humanoid creatures, whereas mind flayers are aberrations. The material in this book assumes that mind flayers are close enough to humanoid that they can become intelligent undead like liches or vampires. If the GM prefers that this is not the case, ignore the material about undead mind flayers and assume that they cannot become undead. Alternately, it may be that mind flayers don't normally become undead, but that they can through mysterious and arcane rituals, requiring considerable research and difficult to find material components (some of which may require the cooperation of pawns on the surface world).
Vampire Mind Flayer: All it takes is for one vampire to slay a mind flayer for an illeth vampire to rise up and begin stalking its own kind.
Technically, mind flayers cannot become liches or vampires, since those templates can only be applied to humanoid or monstrous humanoid creatures, whereas mind flayers are aberrations. The material in this book assumes that mind flayers are close enough to humanoid that they can become intelligent undead like liches or vampires. If the GM prefers that this is not the case, ignore the material about undead mind flayers and assume that they cannot become undead. Alternately, it may be that mind flayers don't normally become undead, but that they can through mysterious and arcane rituals, requiring considerable research and difficult to find material components (some of which may require the cooperation of pawns on the surface world).

Shadow: Umbraleth are often found in the company of other creatures of shadow, such as undead shadows and nightshades, which they can create and command using their magical arts.
Nightshade: Umbraleth are often found in the company of other creatures of shadow, such as undead shadows and nightshades, which they can create and command using their magical arts.
Incorporeal Undead: Incorporeal undead (such as ghosts, spectres, and wraiths) are less common, since the forsaken rarely seek that state. They do arise spontaneously at times, particularly when a strong-willed forsaken is killed unexpectedly or violently.
Ghost: Incorporeal undead (such as ghosts, spectres, and wraiths) are less common, since the forsaken rarely seek that state. They do arise spontaneously at times, particularly when a strong-willed forsaken is killed unexpectedly or violently.
Spectre: Incorporeal undead (such as ghosts, spectres, and wraiths) are less common, since the forsaken rarely seek that state. They do arise spontaneously at times, particularly when a strong-willed forsaken is killed unexpectedly or violently.
Wraith: Incorporeal undead (such as ghosts, spectres, and wraiths) are less common, since the forsaken rarely seek that state. They do arise spontaneously at times, particularly when a strong-willed forsaken is killed unexpectedly or violently.

War

Spoiler

Skeleton: ?
Zombie: ?
Ghoul: ?

Weird War Two d20: Afrika Korpse

Spoiler

Corpse Mine: Blood mages reanimate the dead—particularly those with their legs blown off—strap salvaged helmets, metal plates, even cookware to their bodies, and bury them just beneath the desert floor. The corpses become aware when they sense a life-force nearby, burrow up through the sand, and attack.
They were Himmler’s people, dabbling in the occult, indeed doing unspeakable things with corpses. They used arcane ceremonies to turn the dead into mindless zombies, living land mines, and other horrors. He’d seen it only because he had to, and so he’d know what to steer his regular troops away from. Rommel knew they’d turn these bodies into undead abominations: things that shambled across battlefields, absorbing machinegun fire as they advanced unfeelingly toward the enemy, or buried corpses packed with explosives, clawing up through the sand when they sensed a British patrol above.
Ghul: Various legends claim they rise from the unburied bodies of murderers, torturers, and the perpetrators of unspeakable crimes.
Sand-Rot Mummy: Sand-rot mummies rise from dunes where the blood of the slain and the hot desert transform corpses into shambling bodies filled with rage against the living.
For centuries the cultures inhabiting the arid desert preserved their dead by removing the moisture and decomposing elements of the body. The Saharan sands naturally desiccate anything containing moisture left buried there for any length of time. For those killed in the dunes or buried in great sandy patches their anger and fear at their death imbues their blood with energy that transforms the sand and later empowers their broken bodies.
The sand absorbs the blood, bodily fluids, and spiritual energy, desiccating the body and mutating it into a ghastly shadow of the human it used to be. The sand not only dries out the corpse but crystallizes parts of their bodies into a hardy, leathery substance, making them more resistant to damage from all types of weapons. Their hardened skins tend to slow them down, however.

Undead: They were Himmler’s people, dabbling in the occult, indeed doing unspeakable things with corpses. They used arcane ceremonies to turn the dead into mindless zombies, living land mines, and other horrors. He’d seen it only because he had to, and so he’d know what to steer his regular troops away from. Rommel knew they’d turn these bodies into undead abominations: things that shambled across battlefields, absorbing machinegun fire as they advanced unfeelingly toward the enemy, or buried corpses packed with explosives, clawing up through the sand when they sensed a British patrol above.
Zombie: They were Himmler’s people, dabbling in the occult, indeed doing unspeakable things with corpses. They used arcane ceremonies to turn the dead into mindless zombies, living land mines, and other horrors.

Weird War Two d20 Blood on the Rhine

Spoiler

Reanimant:Reanimants are the dead brought back to a semblance of life through alchemy and harmonic magic.

REVIVIFICATION
This is the ultimate power available to a haunted vehicle—it can bring the dead back to life (or at least a semblance thereof). Because this ability is so powerful, the WM may ban it if he doesn’t want to see characters coming back from the dead in his campaign.
A spirit with this power can hunt down the deceased’s soul and force it back into his body. There’s a catch, though. Unless the vehicle also has Regeneration at level 3, the revived person is going to die again—but this time his soul is trapped in the corpse. Characters revived in this way return as reanimants—a form of undead—and are NPCs under the WM’s control. Sometimes dead is better.
Reviving a character requires the corpse to be left in the vehicle alone overnight. The character remains dead throughout the night as the spirit hunts for his soul and revives with the first light of dawn.
Even if the vehicle has Regeneration at level 3, a revivification attempt is never a sure thing. The character being revived must make a Will save (DC25). If the save is successful, the hero is returned to life as good as new. If the save is failed, he takes 1d4 points of permanent ability damage. This damage is distributed at random, 1 point at a time, among his attributes. A roll of a natural 1 means something went wrong. The exact nature of this is up to the WM. The hero may be a reanimant, he may have someone else’s soul, or anything else the WM wants to have fun with.
The maximum length of time a character can be dead and still be revived depends on the level of Revivification possessed by the vehicle. As long as the corpse is placed in the vehicle within this time frame, it is preserved until the revivification attempt takes place that night.
REVIVIFICATION
Level Revival Limit
1 1 minute per vehicle level
2 1 hour per vehicle level
3 1 day per vehicle level

Weird War Two d20: Dead From Above

Spoiler

Fliegerkopf: In the final years of the war, Germany was desperately short of trained pilots. Pilots with only rudimentary training were rushed into combat and quickly shot down by experienced Allied pilots. Perfectly good aircraft sat idle while Allied bombers flew overhead because there was no one to fly them.
Hitler has placed his blood mages on the problem and in characteristic fashion they have come up with an arcane solution. They have had limited success in reviving the dead, and they have used this knowledge to reanimate the heads of experienced pilots recovered from the wreckage of their aircraft. These heads are wired into small, nimble jet fighters and sent aloft once more to do battle with the streams of Allied bombers and their escorts. The pilot heads used in this program are culled from the ranks of the party faithful. They press home their attacks on Allied aircraft with a fanatical devotion bolstered by their feelings of invulnerability.

Weird War Two d20: Hell Freezes Over

Spoiler

Vampire: According to Russian and Romanian folklore, a vampire could be created by way of improper burial, unnatural death, being a seventh son, being bitten by a vampire, excommunication, suicide, witchcraft, immorality, being conceived on certain days, birth curses or defects (tail), and leaving a corpse unburied on the windy Steppes.
Johannes Fluckinger, an Austrian medical officer in 1732 investigated a “vampirism epidemic” in the Siberian village of Medvegia. According to his report, Arnod Paole died in 1727 after falling off a hay wagon. Soon four villagers felt ill and died after Arnod Paole supposedly visited them in the night. Cattle’s blood had also been sucked. According to Fluckinger:
“They dug up this Arnod Paole…and they found that…fresh blood had flowed from eyes, nose, mouth, and ears. The shirt, the covering, and the coffin were completely bloody. The old nails on his hands and feet, along with his skin, had fallen off, and new ones had grown. And since they saw from this that he was a true vampire, they drove a stake through his heart… whereby he gave an audible groan and bled copiously. Thereupon they burned the body the same day to ashes and threw these into the grave.”
In 1731, 17 villagers died within weeks of each after having eaten the meat of the cattle attacked by Paole back in 1727. They were suspected of being vampires. All their graves were dug up and 12 of the 17 looked like Paole’s grave back in 1727. Their heads were cut off, bodies burned, and ashes thrown into a river.
Vampire, Dracula: ?
Vampire, Erzbet Bathory: ?
Vampire, Peter Plogojowitz: ?
Vampire, Arnod Paole: ?
Nachzehrer: ?
Strigoi, Dead Vampire: ?
Vrykolakas: ?
Corpse Mine, Exploding Corpse: Blood mages in Africa have passed on their techniques of making corpse mines to the blood mages assigned to the Eastern Front. Some of these same blood mages who survived the May 1943 defeat in Africa may be reassigned to the Eastern Front.
Blood mages who served in North Africa have passed on their techniques of creating corpse mines to blood mages assigned to the Eastern Front. These blood mages, working out of concentration camps, leading an Einsatzgruppen patrol or assigned to a front line combat situation, have advanced the research to create flesh hungry corpses that explode once their chemically and magically enhanced bodies absorb a certain amount of small arms fire.
Only corpses that have not lost body parts or suffered massive damage are used.
Drained of all blood and pressurized, exploding corpses are obviously bloated in appearance, pale yellow, and stink more of formaldehyde, gasoline, and glue than of rotting flesh.
Grave Bane: The Nazis often lined up undesirables (Jews, Slavs, and Gypsies for example) facing the edges of open pits and trenches and shot them in the back or head. From 1939 to 1943, efforts were often made to hide evidence of these atrocities by covering the open pits and trenches with dirt. However, during the last two years of the war, in efforts to hastily implement the Final Solution, the Nazis, in their withdrawal back to Berlin, often left mass executions unburied and exposed to the elements. A grave bane is one such open pit or trench filled and stacked with up to 100 decomposing victims that cannot achieve peace in death until justice is carried out.
Sand-Rot Mummy: ?
Ghul: ?

Weird War Two d20: Hell in the Hedgerows

Spoiler

Hedge Fiend: The “blood hedge” has also become animate, and has already entangled several citizens of La Boulage—and soldiers of the Reich—in its thorny embrace. Once slain, these decimated corpses are infected with the hedge’s own sentience and rise to serve it as gruesome undead.
Air Wraith: Air wraiths are the undead spirits of pilots who have been damned to hell, and resurrected by means of dark magic.

Zombie: Hapless victims of the SS Blood Mage’s negative energy.
These zombies are the results of dark experiments performed by the SS Blood Mages of Schloss Fenris. They were looking into the possibilities of extracting a longevity elixir (a formula provided to Hitler by Dr. Fu Manchu, his ally in Southern China) from the bodies of local peasants. Unfortunately the process kills the donor—and turned out to be worthless as well. The result were these zombies, who the Nazis simply cast out into the woods.

Weird War Two d20 Horrors of Weird War Two

Spoiler

Acheri: The acheri is the undead form of a young girl in India who died from disease or illness.
Youngsters killed by acheri-induced disease may rise after 1d4 days as acheri, but they are not under the sire’s control. The acheri makes a Charisma roll (DC 17); on a success, the victim becomes undead itself.
Alraune: Two decades ago, Professor Ten Brinken created her in a foul experiment that even he now freely admits was both repulsive and misguided. Guided by medieval German folklore, Brinken scraped the ground beneath a freshly hanged convict and used his “seed” to impregnate a prostitute. Nine months later, Alraune, named for the mythic mandrake root that grows where a hanged man’s “seed” falls, was born into an unsuspecting world.
Animated Dead: Appearing as strange clockwork and flesh composites, the animated dead represent a high point of Nazi biomechanical engineering. Inspired by run-ins with zombies across the globe, Nazi scientists realized that the human body could be reanimated to function at a basic level. Through electrical and mechanical means, these scientists sought to create a similar creation to what magic had accomplished. The animated dead are the result.
Animated dead are simply human remains that have been filled with a wide assortment of mechanical and hydraulic equipment that allow the body to move as if it were alive. The bodily fluids have been replaced by a bright blue, ionized fluid that pumps though the body via a set of two pumps encased in steel in the abdomen. This fluid is then supercharged with electrical currents that allow the decaying brain matter to operate the embedded machinery.
Asphyxiation Zombie: These unfortunate souls had the non-privilege of participating in one of the Nazi’s most horrific and diabolical experiments. In lesser known concentration camps, the people exterminated by gas were not only killed, but also used as guinea pigs for Hitler’s occult research. Psychoactive gasses were poured in with the normal doses of Zyklon-B to see the results on the human mind. The recipients went rabidly mad shortly before asphyxiating to death in the massive chambers. For fear of the odd mix of chemicals doing damage to other Nazi soldiers and citizens, these corpses were not burned, but buried in mass graves under the former barracks and living spaces that the corpses once occupied. After death, the psychoactive gasses continued to stimulate the muscles in the corpses’ bodies and give them basic drives such as hunger. Their minds are completely wiped of all memory. They only live to satiate their horrendous hunger.
Battle Spirit: The battle spirit is a collection of the restless spirits of those slain on the battlefield, reborn as a giant poltergeist that attacks anyone involved in combat on the battlefield of its birth.
Comprised of the restless spirits of soldiers on both sides of the war, the battle spirit remains dormant until fighting starts nearby and attacks both sides equally.
Carrion Vulture: ?
Dead Man's Helmet: Dead man’s helmets are invisible spirits that occasionally form in helmets worn by soldiers who died traumatically. The dead soldier’s spirit manifests in the helmet, although it fades over time (generally within 4 to 6 weeks after death).
Deserter: Shame and dishonor bind the spirits of deserters who died in the act of running away to the earth. They are forever doomed to flee in fear from both friends and enemies alike.
Der Einzelgaenger The Lone Wolf: The U-90 was one of eight U-boats assigned in 1942 from the 9th Unterseebootsflottille to the Rudeltaktik (better know by the British term “wolf pack”) designated “Wolf.” On July 24, 1942, during an attack on convoy ON-113, the U-90 was destroyed off the coast of Newfoundland. Four solo depth charges from an old four-stacker Canadian destroyer, the HMCS St Croix, ignominiously ended the U-90’s first and only patrol. Those crew members who escaped the initial explosion and the ensuing hull implosions drowned in icy water scant minutes later. All of U-90’s 44 hands were lost. The U-90 had been in active duty on the Atlantic front for only 24 days…and 24 days later the submarine once known as U-90 returned to the service of the Third Reich. Enraged by the prospect of early and inglorious death, Kapitaenleutnant Hans-Juergen Oldoerp and his crew wished for more time in their dying moments. More time in battle. More time to prove themselves. More time for success and the glory of the Fatherland—something, somewhere, heard them.
Explosive Zombie: Explosive zombies are corpses reanimated through dark and sinister magic. Their twisted creator has taken this a step further and filled them with explosives, turning them into mindless walking time bombs.
Finn Haunt: During the dark ages, a race of people, actually small giants called Greater Frisians, inhabited much of present day Holland. In the 5th century, one of the Frisian chieftains, Finn, established a coastal village named Finnsburgh, but was betrayed by the Angle warlord Hengist. Hengist and his retinue were enjoying Finn’s hospitality when they barred the door to the great hall and set fire to it, murdering the entire population of Finnsburgh.
The spirits of Finn and his people have not found rest in the 15 centuries that have since passed since the act of treachery.
Flagellant: Flagellants are a type of reanimant raised by blood mages through dark magic. Far more powerful and intelligent than most zombies, flagellants are created with a single purpose in mind—to drive the German soldier to perform his duty, regardless of the obstacles before him and heedless of the personal cost. In many respects, they are akin to Russian Commissars in the duties they perform. Flagellants have all perished from grievous wounds to their stomachs, the type of wound that left the medic nothing to do but hold the entrails in until the soldier succumbed to loss of blood. Reanimated from their graves, the flagellants now make no attempt to hold back their entrails, allowing them to spew out and trail behind, almost proud that they had suffered such grievous wounds in service of the Reich.
Gangrene: One of the most disgusting and putrid forms of undead in existence; gangrenes are the evil animated remains of those who died from infection. Like a virus themselves, their only purpose is to spread and propagate by attacking the living and infecting them with their disease.
Any humanoid
killed by a gangrene rises as one itself in 1d4 days. The only way to prevent the transformation is to cast protection from evil followed by remove disease on the corpse before the end of that time.
Ghost of the Red Baron: As the war progressed, it became clear that the newly-trained German pilots did not have the same dogfighting capabilities as the Allied pilots. This inability allow the Allied bombers to penetrate farther and farther into Nazi territory. The blood mages had an idea that they believed would “enhance” the air combat abilities of the German pilots. They located the body of Manfred von Richthofen, the late Red Baron. The blood mages sought to create talismans from the Baron’s bones that would transfer some of his piloting skill to the bearer of the talisman. Almost every pilot who bore a talisman was shot down and killed. The project was a complete failure.
Or was it? One pilot, Gregor Itlistien, still possessed his talisman. Itlistien was transferred back to German soil and was promptly shot down by a daring Allied raid. As his FW 190A-8 burned, the distinctive red and black plane of the Red Baron emerged and eradicated the all the Allied planes remaining. The Germans were ecstatic. They had a devastating new weapon.
H.M.S. Sapphire The Dreadnaught: In 1909, an arms race on the ocean led the world’s greatest sea powers to mindlessly produce the immense Dreadnoughts. England secretly sought to advance in the race by covertly producing several ships outside her ports. While the ports of Bristol and Newcastle-on-Tyne were setting the HMS Hercules, Orion, and the Princess Royal to sea, a secret port in South Africa was home to the HMS Sapphire. Her maiden voyage was to England itself so that she and her crew of 160 could join with the rest of the Royal fleet, but her voyage was cut short. On her way to a scheduled stopover in Gibraltar, the hull began to mysteriously creak and buckle. Within seconds, the steam engines that powered the ship shrieked and exploded sending her crew into the dark waters wounded, burned, and near death. As the steam cloud built up around the wailing sailors, the ship and her crew vanished into the Atlantic. Because of her secret nature, the Sapphire and her crew were left to rot in the sea by her nation.
With the Atlantic now saturated with the dead of war, the Sapphire has returned to the waves to claim the lost souls of her countrymen.
Kamikaze Spirit: The ghostly kamikaze spirit has been created by the Kuromaku quite by accident. In the rituals of preparing a living soul of a kamikaze pilot for one final dark-magic enhanced battle against the United States’ fleets, sometimes the soul desires to remain.
The Japanese kamikaze spirit rises from the burning sinking wreckage of the now-deceased kamikaze’s aircraft to seek another plane to crash into those who oppose the Empire of the Sun.
Kill-Roy: Kill-Roy began its existence when Private Roy Sharpes was killed at Pearl Harbor. His spirit longed for vengeance no matter what the cost, and he got it.
Kon-Nichiwa Samurai: The Kuromaku has committed its greatest perversion with the creation of the kon-nichiwa samurai. To prepare for the creation, the Onmyaji take dead bodies and place them in samurai armor. Calling on dark arcane powers and using the mystic Books of Shan, the Onmyaji bring forth spirits of fallen samurai. They then bind these spirits to the empty armored vessels.
Pak Mule: As the war drags on, Germany finds itself faced with a number of challenges as its armed forces are ground down by years of total warfare. The PaK mule is an effort by the Nazi blood mages to address two of these concerns: attrition in the technical combat arms, especially tank and artillery gunners, and the gross obsolescence of the PaK 35/36 antitank gun, a weapon still in widespread use throughout the army.
The PaK 35/36 is an easy to operate and easily transportable gun (so light, in fact, most vehicles could pull it) that has seen wide use in the Spanish Civil War and throughout World War Two. It was originally designed for use against light armor, but even as early as 1940, tank technology was moving forward at such a pace that it was outstripping the capabilities of the gun. There was never enough of the newer antitank weapons, so the Pak 35/36 soldiered on in vast numbers; by 1942, it was derisively known as the “door knocker,” since all it could do was knock on the sides of the Russian tanks it faced.
An attempt to improve effectiveness saw a hollow charge stick bomb (known as HEAT by the US Army) developed specifically for the gun. This new round could penetrate 6 inches of armor, but could only be used at a suicidally short range of 150 meters because it is propelled by what amounts to a blank charge—giving it a low velocity.
Not wishing to see this promising technology wasted, but equally unwilling to risk valuable trained gun crews to operate such a suicidal weapon, Hitler ordered his blood mages to find a solution. Reanimates proved unsatisfactory in the role of gunners, so the PaK Mule was devised.
Essentially, the blood mages married the heads and nervous systems of dead and crippled gun crews recovered from the battlefield, with body parts from other deceased soldiers. The result is an automaton with a gunners’ eye, intuition, and training in a powerfully built and nigh unstoppable package designed to manhandle the PaK 35/36 as a personal weapon into combat.
Panzerschrek: Panzerschrek’s (literally “tank fear”) are spirits of deceased tank crews conjured by blood mages to serve as expendable antitank killers.
The spirits have no ability to speak and no personality to speak off; they are simply tools to be manipulated by blood mages for the sole purpose of stopping enemy tanks. A temporary expedient that was never envisioned for greater utility, the blood mages put little effort into their creation; they are therefore inherently unstable.
To provide a modicum of stability and material cohesion, the blood mages have etched runes into the antitank weapons the panzerschreks have been conjured to wield, effectively binding them to the weapon. Should they become separated from their weapon, the spirit’s material form harmlessly disperses, to reform several days later.
Russian Risers: In Russian graveyards and battlefields sleep its undead protectors. Drawing upon supernatural energy and fierce patriotism, these restless spirits of fallen soldiers wait to again defend the Motherland. Areas where a desperate defense has been erected against an invading force draw the spirits.
The spirits seek out these places and then inhabit the dead husks of former heroes and protectors that have been buried. The spirits usually inhabit the bodies of soldiers who have died on the current front but some have whispered that they have seen rotted corpses in tattered, rotting uniforms used by Russia soldiers who fought against Napoleon Bonaparte.
Upturned: The activity on the Western Front has awakened more than just hatred and monsters. The restless souls of the battlefield dead from prior wars have also taken to the earth so they may quiet it again and regain their eternal slumber.
In areas where shelling and entrenching has been prevalent, soldiers from all sides have upturned bodies from the unmarked graves of the First World War. In most instances these areas have been long abandoned out of respect or fear. However, in cases where the battle now rages on, the dead have awakened. Clawing their way though the thin earth, the mangled, burned, and decayed bodies of the upturned seek to kill the living that disturb their resting ground with the plagues that defeated them.
The upturned are always historically recent dead, as they need their bodies to carry out vengeance on the living for disturbing their sleep. Strung together with rotten sinews and still wearing the uniforms, weapons, and gas masks of their German, French, English, and Russian countrymen, they shamble in small hordes toward their victims, breathing out mustard gas through the holes in their own protective gear and prodding the living with rusted and dulled bayonets atop outdated carbines.
War Geist: War geists are manifestations of spiritual energy that take the form of battlefield noises and visions. In certain cases those who die on the battlefield, paralyzed by extreme shell shock, have never let go of their fear. These formless spirits now wander the earth in search of fear to quench their thirst.
Reanimant: ?

Weird War Two d20: Land of the Rising Dead

Spoiler

3.0
Hako-Iri: Hako-iri (which literally means “In a box,”) is perhaps the most advanced and hideous of the Kuromaku’s Special Projects. With their curiosity not limited by anything resembling morality, and aided by occult magic, the Kuromaku have succeeded at removing human brains and spinal columns—the unfortunate victims are vivisected while still fully conscious—and wiring them into special “braincases”: an armored box filled with preservative fluids and inscribed with forbidden runes.
These braincases are then installed in specially modified vehicles, mainly tanks, occasionally aircraft, and near the end of the war, experimental humanoid machines called tetsujin (iron men). Crewed vehicles such as tanks are fitted with autoloading cannon and other mechanical equipment that allows the hako-iri to control all of the vehicle’s functions.
The unfortunate brains that become hako-iri are all driven mad by their experience. Most become either suicidal or homicidal (if they could speak they would either only scream incessantly or beg for death), and when unleashed in battle, they either charge straight ahead seeking destruction, or simply begin to lash out at everything around them.
Shironingyo: For quite some time, the Kuromaku had been experimenting with ways to chemically enhance human beings, hoping to create a super-soldier. They hit upon a formula that caused a subject’s muscle and bone mass to increase at a fantastic rate. The process however, turned out to be so tortuously painful that the victims were driven insane before their systems gave out and they died. But this was not a failure for the Kuromaku. They found that using certain magic rituals at the moment of death kept the body alive (though the soul was gone).

 

[Voadam]

Other d20 Systems

Other d20 Systems

Spoiler

d20 Modern

Spoiler

d20 Modern SRD

Spoiler

Undead: An undead is a once-living creature animated by spiritual or supernatural forces.
An undead is a once-living creature animated by spiritual or supernatural forces. (d20 Modern)
Sample incantations include ones that allow one to control the weather, create powerful undead creatures, animate golems, subjugate powerful fiends, and cure supposedly incurable diseases. (d20 Dark Matter)
The undead are powered by the unending, baleful influence of necromantic magic. A severed limb may kill a man due to shock and blood loss. A zombie or skeleton merely shrugs off such a blow and continues fighting until it is hacked to pieces. The undead are, in essence, spirits or bundles of magical energy that use a physical body as a vessel or container. Despite massive damage to an undead creature’s physical body, it can continue to pursue its goals so long as its body is relatively intact and the malign influence that powers it is undisturbed. (13 Occult Templates)
If you are undead and kill a living creature with the energy drain power the slain creature rises instead as the same type of undead as you. (Four Color to Fantasy Revised)
If you are undead and kill a living creature with the life drain power the slain creature rises instead as the same type of undead as you. (Four Color to Fantasy Revised)
Legend holds that the first undead creatures came into being when Set tried to make amends with Isis by combining forces with her to restore Osiris to life, using her magic and his knowledge of the forces that dwell in the chaotic outer reaches of existence. The dead husk rampaged across the world for days, before the Lord of Water and Fire grew angry at the noise and shattered it, causing it to break into the first liches, vampires, ghouls, and the other kinds of undead. (The Three Lives of Fantomah: Daughter of the Pharaohs)
Mummy: ?
Mummies are preserved corpses animated through rituals best forgotten. (d20 Modern)
These undead creatures are preserved through ancient rituals. Some claim that the kinori taught humans the art of mummification more than 5,000 years ago. (d20 Dark Matter)
Create Undead spell. (Imperial Age Grimoire)
Create Undead incantation. (Urban Arcana SRD)
Animate Dead incantation seed. (Urban Arcana SRD)
Create Undead incantation. (d20 Urban Arcana)
Animate Dead incantation seed. (d20 Urban Arcana)
Mummy Dedicated Hero 3: ?
Skeleton: “Skeleton” is an acquired template that can be added to any living corporeal creature that has a skeletal structure.
A skeleton can be created only from a mostly intact corpse or skeleton; the corpse must have bones. If a skeleton is made from a corpse, the flesh falls off the bones.
Skeletons are the animated bones of the dead, mindless automatons that obey the orders of their evil masters. (d20 Modern)
“Skeleton” is an acquired template that can be added to any living corporeal creature that has a skeletal structure. (d20 Modern)
A skeleton can be created only from a mostly intact corpse or skeleton. The corpse must have bones (so purple worm skeletons are not allowed). (d20 Modern)
A skeleton can be created only from a mostly intact corpse or skeleton. The corpse must have bones. If a skeleton is made from a corpse, the flesh falls off the bones. (Gaslight Victorian Fantasy 1e)
A skeleton can be created only from a mostly intact corpse or skeleton; the corpse must have bones. (Imperial Age Grimoire)
Animate Dead spell.
Animate Dead spell. (d20 Modern)
Animate Dead spell. (Gaslight Victorian Fantasy 1e)
Animate Dead spell. (Imperial Age Grimoire)
Animate Dead incantation seed. (Urban Arcana SRD)
Animate Dead incantation seed. (d20 Urban Arcana)
Awaken the Dead power. (Blood and Brains: The Zombie Hunters Guide)
Human Skeleton: ?
Ogre Skeleton: ?
Vampire: “Vampire” is an acquired template that can be added to any humanoid, or monstrous humanoid.
A humanoid or monstrous humanoid slain by a vampire’s energy drain attack rises as a vampire.
“Vampire” is an acquired template that can be added to any humanoid, or monstrous humanoid. (d20 Modern)
A humanoid or monstrous humanoid slain by a vampire’s energy drain attack rises as a vampire. (d20 Modern)
New vampires are born when an original vampire kills a victim in the usual manner, but the victim’s desire to live is so overpowering that it returns a few nights later. (Gaslight Victorian Fantasy 1e)
Legend holds that the first undead creatures came into being when Set tried to make amends with Isis by combining forces with her to restore Osiris to life, using her magic and his knowledge of the forces that dwell in the chaotic outer reaches of existence. The dead husk rampaged across the world for days, before the Lord of Water and Fire grew angry at the noise and shattered it, causing it to break into the first liches, vampires, ghouls, and the other kinds of undead. (The Three Lives of Fantomah: Daughter of the Pharaohs)
Create Undead spell. (Imperial Age Grimoire)
Create Undead incantation. (Urban Arcana SRD)
Animate Dead incantation seed. (Urban Arcana SRD)
Create Undead incantation. (d20 Urban Arcana)
Animate Dead incantation seed. (d20 Urban Arcana)
Vampire Human Fast Hero 2/Charismatic Hero 3: ?
Zombie: “Zombie” is a template that can be added to any corporeal creature other than an undead.
A zombie can be created only from a mostly intact corpse; the creature must have a true anatomy.
Zombies are corpses animated by some sinister power or magic. (d20 Modern)
“Zombie” is a template that can be added to any corporeal creature other than an undead. (d20 Modern)
A zombie can be created only from a mostly intact corpse. The creature must have a true anatomy (so gelatinous cube zombies are not allowed). (d20 Modern)
Once per round as a free action, a spawn of Kyuss can transfer a worm from its own body to that of an opponent. It can do this whenever it hits with a slam attack, but it can also make the transfer by means of a successful melee touch attack or a ranged touch attack, hurling a worm at a foe from a distance of up to 10 feet. (d20 Urban Arcana)
Each worm is a Fine vermin with AC 10 and 1 hit point. On the spawn’s next action, the worm burrows into its host’s flesh. (A creature with a natural armor bonus of +5 or higher is immune to this burrowing effect.) The worm makes its way toward the host’s brain, dealing 1 point of damage per round for 1d4+1 rounds. At the end of that period, it reaches the brain. While the worm is inside a victim, a remove curse or remove disease effect destroys it, and a neutralize poison effect delays its progress for 10d6 minutes. A successful Treat Injury check (DC 20) extracts the worm and kills it. (d20 Urban Arcana)
Once the worm reaches the brain, it deals 1d2 points of Intelligence damage per round until it either is killed (by remove curse or remove disease) or slays the host (death occurs at 0 Intelligence). A Small, Medium, or Large creature slain by a worm rises as a new spawn of Kyuss 1d6+4 rounds later; a Tiny or smaller creature quickly putrefies; and a Huge of larger creature becomes a normal zombie of the appropriate size. Newly created spawn do not have allegiance to their parent, but they usually follow whatever spawn of Kyuss created them. (d20 Urban Arcana)
A supernatural power or spell that according to voodoo belief can enter into and reanimate a corpse. (Blood and Brains: The Zombie Hunters Guide)
Recently discovered nuclear technology became the new excuse for zombies. Zombies were not contagious, but they were powered by strange and unique power sources: atomic energy, mad scientists, and aliens. (Blood and Brains: The Zombie Hunters Guide)
If the subject dies of zombie fever, it rises as a zombie at the next midnight. (Blood and Brains: The Zombie Hunters Guide)
An afflicted humanoid that dies of rat-monkey fever rises as a zombie in 1d6 rounds. (Blood and Brains: The Zombie Hunters Guide)
“Zombie” is a template that can be added to any corporeal creature other than an undead. (Blood and Brains: The Zombie Hunters Guide)
Aliens decide that rather than put themselves at risk, they’ll just use the human leftovers (read: corpses) and take over the Earth that way instead. A few rays of extraplanar energy later and VOILA! Instant zombies.
An ancient curse causes all those on a particular spot of ground to turn into zombies. (Blood and Brains: The Zombie Hunters Guide)
For one reason or another, demonic forces decide to escape hell and prance around on earth in the form of bodies nobody’s using… the dead. (Blood and Brains: The Zombie Hunters Guide)
Lightning hits at just the right time, inexplicably reanimating the zombie. Nobody knows why this happens.
The zombie comes back because he’s really in love with somebody still alive. (Blood and Brains: The Zombie Hunters Guide)
A meteor crashes into the Earth, irradiating the surrounding corpses with strange energy that causes them to rise up as zombies. (Blood and Brains: The Zombie Hunters Guide)
An insane necromancer (is there any other kind?) decides to use the undead as cheap labor and begins reanimating people he didn’t like in life to do his bidding. (Blood and Brains: The Zombie Hunters Guide)
A strange parasite reanimates corpses as vehicles to find and infect more hosts. (Blood and Brains: The Zombie Hunters Guide)
Some kind of plague converts living humans into zombies—it might be spread by food, in the water, or even in the air itself. (Blood and Brains: The Zombie Hunters Guide)
Through mental willpower alone, the dead are dragged back into life. (Blood and Brains: The Zombie Hunters Guide)
The zombie in question gets really mad and comes back to avenge its killer(s). (Blood and Brains: The Zombie Hunters Guide)
Whether it’s experiments gone awry or the creation of a super soldier-program, the zombies are created through man-made science. Nazis are fond of creating undead super-soldiers. (Blood and Brains: The Zombie Hunters Guide)
Toxic chemicals dumped into a river overflow into the nearest graveyard, animating the dead. (Blood and Brains: The Zombie Hunters Guide)
Too much TV and videogames turns kids into zombies. No really. (Blood and Brains: The Zombie Hunters Guide)
A malicious bokor reanimates the dead for his own purposes. (Blood and Brains: The Zombie Hunters Guide)
Zombie Fever Contagion: Disease—bite, Fortitude DC 12, incubation period 1 day, damage 1d3 Con and 1d3 Dex. The save DC is Constitution-based. An afflicted humanoid that dies of zombie fever rises as a zombie at the next midnight. (Blood and Brains: The Zombie Hunters Guide)
Blood Contagion: A Successful hit on the zombie with a slashing or piercing weapon requires all creatures within a 10-foot radius to succeed at Reflex save (DC 13) or be sprayed with the zombie’s infectious blood. Disease Blood, Fortitude DC 12, incubation period 1 round, damage 1d3 Con and 1d3 Dex. The save DC is Constitution based. An afflicted humanoid that dies of zombie fever rises as a zombie at the next midnight. (Blood and Brains: The Zombie Hunters Guide)
Radiation Contagion: zombie gives off radiation in a 30-foot radius. Anyone within range must make a Fortitude save (DC 18), incubation period 1 day, damage 1d6 Con. The save DC is Constitution-based. An afflicted humanoid that dies of radiation rises as a zombie at the next midnight. (Blood and Brains: The Zombie Hunters Guide)
Awaken the Dead power. (Blood and Brains: The Zombie Hunters Guide)
Zombie Fever disease. (Blood and Brains: The Zombie Hunters Guide)
A zombie can be created only from a mostly intact corpse. The creature must have a true anatomy (so gelatinous cube zombies are not allowed). (Gaslight Victorian Fantasy 1e)
A zombie can be created only from a mostly intact corpse; the creature must have a true anatomy. (Imperial Age Grimoire)
Animate Dead spell.
Animate Dead spell. (d20 Modern)
Animate Dead spell. (Gaslight Victorian Fantasy 1e)
Animate Dead spell. (Imperial Age Grimoire)
Animate Dead incantation seed. (Urban Arcana SRD)
Animate Dead incantation seed. (d20 Urban Arcana)
Dagger of Eternal Rest artifact. (Urban Arcana SRD)
Dagger of Eternal Rest artifact. (d20 Urban Arcana)
Human Zombie: ?
Huge Crocodile Zombie: ?

Animate Dead
Necromancy [Evil]
Level: Acolyte 3, Mage 4; Components: V, S, M; Casting Time: Attack action; Range: Touch; Targets: One or more corpses touched; Duration: Instantaneous; Saving Throw: None; Spell Resistance: No
This spell turns the bones or bodies of dead creatures into undead skeletons or zombies that follow the caster’s spoken commands. The skeletons or zombies can follow the caster, or can remain in an area and attack any creature (or just a specific type of creature) entering the place. The undead remain animated until they are destroyed. (A destroyed skeleton or zombie can’t be animated again.)
Regardless of the type of undead, a caster can’t create more HD of undead than twice his or her caster level with a single casting of animate dead.
The undead created remain under caster’s control indefinitely. No matter how many times the caster uses this spell, however, he or she can control only 4 HD worth of undead creatures per caster level. If the caster exceeds this number, all the newly created creatures fall under his or her control, and any excess undead from previous castings become uncontrolled (the caster chooses which creatures are released). Any undead the character commands (if the character has the ability to command or rebuke undead) do not count toward the limit.
Skeletons: A skeleton can be created only from a mostly intact corpse or skeleton; the corpse must have bones. If a skeleton is made from a corpse, the flesh falls off the bones. The statistics for a skeleton depend on its size; they do not depend on what abilities the creature may have had while alive.
Zombies: A zombie can be created only from a mostly intact corpse; the creature must have a true anatomy. The statistics for a zombie depend on its size, not on what abilities the creature may have had while alive.
Material Component: Purchase DC 15 + 1 per 2 HD of the undead.

Urban Arcana SRD

Spoiler

Ash Wraith: Any humanoid slain by an ash wraith’s burning touch is immolated and reduced to a pile of ash that rises as an ash wraith in 1d4 rounds.
Vengeful undead whose bodies were cremated against their wishes, ash wraiths despise the living and seek to immolate those who wronged them. (d20 Urban Arcana)
Any humanoid slain by an ash wraith’s burning touch is immolated and reduced to a pile of ash that rises as an ash wraith in 1d4 rounds. (d20 Urban Arcana)
Create Undead spell. (Imperial Age Grimoire)
Create Undead incantation.
Animate Dead incantation seed.
Create Undead incantation. (d20 Urban Arcana)
Animate Dead incantation seed. (d20 Urban Arcana)
Spirit: ?
These beings are the essences of once-living creatures cursed to remain on Earth for any of a variety of reasons. (d20 Dark Matter)
Spirits are incorporeal undead creatures, the essences of once-living beings prevented from achieving a greater reward, heavenly justice, or blissful oblivion because of some unfinished business, magical effect, or their own cussedness. Spirits are usually confined to a particular location following their deaths. (d20 Urban Arcana)
Create Undead spell. (Imperial Age Grimoire)
Create Undead incantation.
Create Undead incantation. (d20 Urban Arcana)
Animating Spirit Poltergeist: Animate Dead incantation seed.
Animate Dead incantation seed. (d20 Urban Arcana)
Frightful Spirit Apparition: ?
A murder victim has been stuffed into the building’s incinerator and has come back as a frightful spirit. (d20 Urban Arcana)
Animate Dead incantation seed.
Animate Dead incantation seed. (d20 Urban Arcana)
Groaning Spirit Banshee: Animate Dead incantation seed.
Animate Dead incantation seed. (d20 Urban Arcana)
Possessing Spirit Haunt: Animate Dead incantation seed.
Animate Dead incantation seed. (d20 Urban Arcana)
Weakening Spirit Fetch: A creature reduced to 0 Strength by a weakening spirit’s draining touch dies and rises as a free-willed weakening spirit 24 hours later.
A creature reduced to 0 Strength by a weakening spirit’s draining touch dies and rises as a free-willed weakening spirit 24 hours later. (d20 Urban Arcana)
Animate Dead incantation seed.
Animate Dead incantation seed. (d20 Urban Arcana)
Skeletal Rat Swarm: ?
Zombie Liquefied: “Liquefied zombie” is an acquired template that can be added to any corporeal creature other than a construct, elemental, ooze, plant, or undead.
The product of necromantic experiments performed on corpses in an advanced state of decay, the liquefied zombie is a revolting mass of decaying flesh. (d20 Urban Arcana)
Liquefied zombies differ from the zombies described in the d20 Modern Roleplaying Game because they’ve decayed further prior to rising from the dead. Their muscles and internal organs have decomposed into foul-smelling liquid with the consistency of pudding. (d20 Urban Arcana)
“Liquefied zombie” is an acquired template that can be added to any corporeal creature other than a construct, elemental, ooze, plant, or undead. The creature must be in an advanced state of decay, but not yet reduced to a skeletal corpse. (d20 Urban Arcana)
The Heirs of Kyuss (see Chapter Six: Organizations) have been stealing corpses from a local cemetery and bringing them to a sewer cesspool where prolonged immersion in a magical effluvium transforms the cadavers into liquefied zombies under their control. (d20 Urban Arcana)
Create Undead spell. (Imperial Age Grimoire)
Create Undead incantation.
Animate Dead incantation seed.
Create Undead incantation. (d20 Urban Arcana)
Animate Dead incantation seed. (d20 Urban Arcana)
Human Liquefied Zombie: ?
Otyugh Liquefied Zombie: ?

Undead: ?
Mummy: Create Undead incantation.
Animate Dead incantation seed.
Skeleton: Animate Dead incantation seed.
Vampire: Create Undead incantation.
Animate Dead incantation seed.
Zombie: Animate Dead incantation seed.
Dagger of Eternal Rest artifact.


Create Undead
Necromancy [Evil]
Skill Check: Knowledge (arcane lore) DC 31, 7 successes; Failure: Two consecutive failed skill checks; Components: V, S, M, XP; Casting Time: 7 hours (minimum); Range: Touch; Target: One corpse or skeleton; Duration: Instantaneous; Saving Throw: None; Spell Resistance: No
Much more potent than the animate dead spell, this evil incantation allows you to create a powerful undead creature from the creature’s dead remains. The incantation raises a corpse as a liquefied zombie, mummy, or vampire. It turns a skeleton into an ash wraith or spirit, and the bones turn to dust upon completion of the incantation.
You can create an undead creature up to 20 Hit Dice, and you may control up to 20 Hit Dice of undead at a time. If you create new undead in excess of this amount, older undead slip from your control.
This incantation must be cast at night.
Options: The type of undead you’re creating has a great influence on the Knowledge (arcane lore) check DC. Apply the following modifiers: animating spirit –10, frightful spirit –8, groaning spirit –6, Small or smaller liquefied zombie –4, Medium liquefied zombie –2, weakening spirit +0, mummy +0, Large liquefied zombie +0, possessing spirit +2, Huge liquefied zombie +2, ash wraith +4, Gargantuan liquefied zombie +8, Colossal liquefied zombie +10. If you’re creating a vampire, increase the DC of the Knowledge (arcane lore) check by the vampire’s Hit Dice + 4.
Material Components: A clay pot filled with grave dirt and another filled with brackish water. The spell requires a creature’s corpse or complete skeletal remains. You must place a black onyx gem (purchase DC 20) into the mouth of the corpse or skeleton. The magic of the spell turns the gem into a worthless shell.
Experience Point Cost: 100 XP.
Failure: Betrayal and attack. The undead creature rises and attacks the caster immediately, fighting until slain.

Seed: Animate Dead
Necromancy
Knowledge (arcane lore) DC: 34; Range: Touch; Targets: One or more corpses touched; Duration: Instantaneous; Saving Throw: None; Spell Resistance: No
You can turn the bones or bodies of dead creatures into undead that follow your spoken commands. The undead can follow you, or they can remain in an area and attack any creature (or a specific type of creature) entering the place. The undead remain animated until they are destroyed. (A destroyed undead can’t be animated again.) Intelligent undead can follow more sophisticated commands.
The animate dead seed (which is more potent than the animate dead spell) allows you create 20 HD of undead. For each additional 1 HD of undead created, increase the Knowledge (arcane lore) check DC by +1. The undead you create remain under your control indefinitely.
You can naturally control 20 HD of undead creatures you’ve personally created, regardless of the method you used. If you exceed this number, newly created creatures fall under your control, and excess undead from previous castings become uncontrolled (you choose which creatures are released). Any undead you command through a class-based ability to command or rebuke undead do not count toward the limit.
For each additional 2 HD of undead to be controlled, increase the Knowledge (arcane lore) check DC by +1. Only undead in excess of 20 HD created with this seed can be controlled using this DC adjustment. If you want to both create and control more than 20 HD of undead, increase the Knowledge (arcane lore) DC by +3 per additional 2 HD of undead.
Type of Undead: All types of undead can be created with the animate dead seed, although creating more powerful undead increases the Knowledge (arcane lore) check DC, according to the chart below. The GM must set the Knowledge (arcane lore) check DC for undead not included on the chart, using similar undead as a basis for comparison.

Undead
Knowledge (arcane lore) DC Modifier
Medium or smaller skeleton
–12
Medium or smaller zombie
–12
Animating spirit
–10
Frightful spirit
–8
Large skeleton
–8
Large zombie
–6
Groaning spirit
–6
Small or smaller liquefied zombie
–4
Medium liquefied zombie
–2
Weakening spirit
+0
Mummy
+0
Large liquefied zombie
+0
Possessing spirit
+2
Huge skeleton
+2
Huge liquefied zombie
+2
Ash wraith
+4
Huge zombie
+4
Gargantuan or Colossal skeleton
+6
Gargantuan or Colossal zombie
+8
Gargantuan liquefied zombie
+8
Colossal liquefied zombie
+10
Vampire
Hit Dice +4

Dagger of Eternal Unrest
The curved, black blade of this dagger leads into a hilt inlaid with human bones ending in a large black onyx gem. It is a relic formerly used by a cult that performed ritual sacrifices then brought their victims back from the grave as the walking undead. The dagger has a +3 enhancement bonus plus a secondary enchantment.
Three times per day, if the dagger is used in a successful coup de grace, the wielder may choose to have the blade cast animate dead on the victim. This creates a zombie under the control of the dagger’s wielder. If the dagger changes hands, so too does the zombie’s loyalty.
Type: Artifact (magic); Caster Level: —; Purchase DC: 47; Weight: 1 lb.

Menace Manual SRD

Spoiler

Bodak: ?
Bodak Advanced: ?
Charred One: ?
Charred One Advanced: ?
Doom Hag: ?
Ghoul: “Ghoul” is an acquired template that can be added to any living corporeal creature that has flesh.
If a ghoul’s prey contracts advanced necrotizing faciitis from the wounds it has sustained and dies from the disease, it rises 1d3 days later as a ghoul. A remove disease spell cast on the corpse can prevent it from rising.
Victims of a horrible strain of virus, ghouls are human beings transformed into disease-ravaged corpses. (d20 Dark Matter)
If you kill a living creature with the energy drain power, it rises as a ghoul in 1d4 days. (Four Color to Fantasy Revised)
If you kill a living creature with the life drain power, it rises as a ghoul in 1d4 days. (Four Color to Fantasy Revised)
Necrotizing fasciitis can also lead to the ‘natural’ formation of undead creatures known as ghouls. (Modern Maladies)
“Ghoul” is an acquired template that can be added to any living corporeal creature that has flesh. (Modern Maladies)
If a ghoul’s prey contracts advanced necrotizing faciitis from the wounds it has sustained and dies from the disease, it rises 1d3 days later as a ghoul. A remove disease spell cast on the corpse can prevent it from rising. (Modern Maladies)
Legend holds that the first undead creatures came into being when Set tried to make amends with Isis by combining forces with her to restore Osiris to life, using her magic and his knowledge of the forces that dwell in the chaotic outer reaches of existence. The dead husk rampaged across the world for days, before the Lord of Water and Fire grew angry at the noise and shattered it, causing it to break into the first liches, vampires, ghouls, and the other kinds of undead. (The Three Lives of Fantomah: Daughter of the Pharaohs)
Ghoul Human Strong Ordinary 1/Tough Ordinary 1: ?
Revenant: “Revenant” is an acquired template that can be added to any corporeal living creature that has both an Intelligence score and a Charisma score greater than 6.
Like a spirit, a revenant is a once-living person returned from the grave. Unlike the spirit, the revenant exists for only one reason—to seek vengeance upon those still alive. (d20 Dark Matter)
The culprit is a revenant, sentenced to death 7 years earlier after his public defender (now a very dead judge) intentionally allowed him to be framed in exchange for political favors that led to his election. (d20 Dark Matter)
Revenant Police Officer Human Strong Ordinary 1/Dedicated Ordinary 1: ?
Skin Feaster: ?
Skin Feaster Advanced: ?
Whisperer in the Dark: ?

D20 Modern

Spoiler

Undead: An undead is a once-living creature animated by spiritual or supernatural forces.
Mummy: Mummies are preserved corpses animated through rituals best forgotten.
Mummy Dedicated Hero 3: ?
Skeleton: Skeletons are the animated bones of the dead, mindless automatons that obey the orders of their evil masters.
“Skeleton” is an acquired template that can be added to any living corporeal creature that has a skeletal structure.
A skeleton can be created only from a mostly intact corpse or skeleton. The corpse must have bones (so purple worm skeletons are not allowed).
Human Skeleton: ?
Ogre Skeleton: ?
Vampire: “Vampire” is an acquired template that can be added to any humanoid, or monstrous humanoid.
A humanoid or monstrous humanoid slain by a vampire’s energy drain attack rises as a vampire.
Vampire Human Fast Hero 2/Charismatic Hero 3: ?
Zombie: Zombies are corpses animated by some sinister power or magic.
“Zombie” is a template that can be added to any corporeal creature other than an undead.
A zombie can be created only from a mostly intact corpse. The creature must have a true anatomy (so gelatinous cube zombies are not allowed).
Human Zombie: ?
Huge Crocodile Zombie: ?

Animate Dead
Necromancy [Evil]
Level: Acolyte 3, Mage 4; Components: V, S, M; Casting Time: Attack action; Range: Touch; Targets: One or more corpses touched; Duration: Instantaneous; Saving Throw: None; Spell Resistance: No
This spell turns the bones or bodies of dead creatures into undead skeletons or zombies that follow your spoken commands. The skeletons or zombies can follow you, or can remain in an area and attack any creature (or just a specific type of creature) entering the place. The undead remain animated until they are destroyed. (A destroyed skeleton or zombie can’t be animated again.)
Regardless of the type of undead, you can’t create more HD of undead than twice your caster level with a single casting of animate dead.
The undead you create remain under your control indefinitely. No matter how many times you use this spell, however, you can control only 4 HD worth of undead creatures per caster level. If you exceed this number, all the newly created creatures fall under your control, and any excess undead from previous castings become uncontrolled (you choose which creatures are released). If you are an Acolyte, any undead you might command by virtue of your power to command or rebuke undead do not count toward the limit.
Skeleton: A skeleton can be created only from a mostly intact corpse or skeleton. The corpse must have bones (so purple worm skeletons are not allowed). If a skeleton is made from a corpse, the flesh falls off the bones. The statistics for a skeleton depend on its size; they do not depend on what abilities the creature may have had while alive.
Zombie: A zombie can be created only from a mostly intact corpse. The creature must have a true anatomy (so gelatinous cube zombies are not allowed). The statistics for a zombie depend on its size, not on what abilities the creature may have had while alive.
Material Component: You must place a black onyx gem (purchase DC 15 + 1 per 2 HD of the undead) into the mouth or eye socket of each corpse. The magic of the spell turns these gems into worthless, burned-out shells.

d20 Dark Matter

Spoiler

Undead: Sample incantations include ones that allow one to control the weather, create powerful undead creatures, animate golems, subjugate powerful fiends, and cure supposedly incurable diseases.
Ghoul: Victims of a horrible strain of virus, ghouls are human beings transformed into disease-ravaged corpses.
Mummy: These undead creatures are preserved through ancient rituals. Some claim that the kinori taught humans the art of mummification more than 5,000 years ago.
Revenant: Like a spirit, a revenant is a once-living person returned from the grave. Unlike the spirit, the revenant exists for only one reason—to seek vengeance upon those still alive.
The culprit is a revenant, sentenced to death 7 years earlier after his public defender (now a very dead judge) intentionally allowed him to be framed in exchange for political favors that led to his election.
Spirit: These beings are the essences of once-living creatures cursed to remain on Earth for any of a variety of reasons.

d20 Urban Arcana

Spoiler

Ash Wraith: Vengeful undead whose bodies were cremated against their wishes, ash wraiths despise the living and seek to immolate those who wronged them.
Any humanoid slain by an ash wraith’s burning touch is immolated and reduced to a pile of ash that rises as an ash wraith in 1d4 rounds.
Create Undead incantation.
Animate Dead incantation seed.
Spirit: Spirits are incorporeal undead creatures, the essences of once-living beings prevented from achieving a greater reward, heavenly justice, or blissful oblivion because of some unfinished business, magical effect, or their own cussedness. Spirits are usually confined to a particular location following their deaths.
Create Undead incantation.
Animating Spirit, Poltergeist: Animate Dead incantation seed.
Frightful Spirit, Apparition: Animate Dead incantation seed.
A murder victim has been stuffed into the building’s incinerator and has come back as a frightful spirit.
Groaning Spirit, Banshee: Animate Dead incantation seed.
Possessing Spirit, Haunt: Animate Dead incantation seed.
Weakening Spirit, Fetch: A creature reduced to 0 Strength by a weakening spirit’s draining touch dies and rises as a free-willed weakening spirit 24 hours later.
Animate Dead incantation seed.
Skeletal Rat Swarm: ?
Liquefied Zombie: The product of necromantic experiments performed on corpses in an advanced state of decay, the liquefied zombie is a revolting mass of decaying flesh.
Liquefied zombies differ from the zombies described in the d20 Modern Roleplaying Game because they’ve decayed further prior to rising from the dead. Their muscles and internal organs have decomposed into foul-smelling liquid with the consistency of pudding.
“Liquefied zombie” is an acquired template that can be added to any corporeal creature other than a construct, elemental, ooze, plant, or undead. The creature must be in an advanced state of decay, but not yet reduced to a skeletal corpse.
The Heirs of Kyuss (see Chapter Six: Organizations) have been stealing corpses from a local cemetery and bringing them to a sewer cesspool where prolonged immersion in a magical effluvium transforms the cadavers into liquefied zombies under their control.
Create Undead incantation.
Animate Dead incantation seed.
Human Liquefied Zombie: ?
Otyugh Liquefied Zombie: ?
Ghost: ?
Vualek, Vampire: ?
Spawn of Kyuss: The Heirs of Kyuss have made what they call “great leaps in zombie technology.” They have created a more powerful monster that they call a spawn of Kyuss, which looks like an ordinary zombie with writhing green worms crawling in and out of its skull orifices.
Once per round as a free action, a spawn of Kyuss can transfer a worm from its own body to that of an opponent. It can do this whenever it hits with a slam attack, but it can also make the transfer by means of a successful melee touch attack or a ranged touch attack, hurling a worm at a foe from a distance of up to 10 feet.
Each worm is a Fine vermin with AC 10 and 1 hit point. On the spawn’s next action, the worm burrows into its host’s flesh. (A creature with a natural armor bonus of +5 or higher is immune to this burrowing effect.) The worm makes its way toward the host’s brain, dealing 1 point of damage per round for 1d4+1 rounds. At the end of that period, it reaches the brain. While the worm is inside a victim, a remove curse or remove disease effect destroys it, and a neutralize poison effect delays its progress for 10d6 minutes. A successful Treat Injury check (DC 20) extracts the worm and kills it.
Once the worm reaches the brain, it deals 1d2 points of Intelligence damage per round until it either is killed (by remove curse or remove disease) or slays the host (death occurs at 0 Intelligence). A Small, Medium, or Large creature slain by a worm rises as a new spawn of Kyuss 1d6+4 rounds later; a Tiny or smaller creature quickly putrefies; and a Huge of larger creature becomes a normal zombie of the appropriate size. Newly created spawn do not have allegiance to their parent, but they usually follow whatever spawn of Kyuss created them.
Drow Vampire: ?
Jack, Animating Spirit: A maintenance engineer has recently died in the bowels of the building that he worked at for the past thirty years. Jack continues to haunt the area as an animating spirit.

Undead: ?
Mummy: Create Undead incantation.
Animate Dead incantation seed.
Skeleton: Animate Dead incantation seed.
Vampire: Create Undead incantation.
Animate Dead incantation seed.
Zombie: Once per round as a free action, a spawn of Kyuss can transfer a worm from its own body to that of an opponent. It can do this whenever it hits with a slam attack, but it can also make the transfer by means of a successful melee touch attack or a ranged touch attack, hurling a worm at a foe from a distance of up to 10 feet.
Each worm is a Fine vermin with AC 10 and 1 hit point. On the spawn’s next action, the worm burrows into its host’s flesh. (A creature with a natural armor bonus of +5 or higher is immune to this burrowing effect.) The worm makes its way toward the host’s brain, dealing 1 point of damage per round for 1d4+1 rounds. At the end of that period, it reaches the brain. While the worm is inside a victim, a remove curse or remove disease effect destroys it, and a neutralize poison effect delays its progress for 10d6 minutes. A successful Treat Injury check (DC 20) extracts the worm and kills it.
Once the worm reaches the brain, it deals 1d2 points of Intelligence damage per round until it either is killed (by remove curse or remove disease) or slays the host (death occurs at 0 Intelligence). A Small, Medium, or Large creature slain by a worm rises as a new spawn of Kyuss 1d6+4 rounds later; a Tiny or smaller creature quickly putrefies; and a Huge of larger creature becomes a normal zombie of the appropriate size. Newly created spawn do not have allegiance to their parent, but they usually follow whatever spawn of Kyuss created them.
Animate Dead incantation seed.
Dagger of Eternal Rest artifact.

Create Undead
Necromancy [Evil]
Skill Check: Knowledge (arcane lore) DC 31, 7 successes; Failure: Two consecutive failed skill checks; Components: V, S, M, XP; Casting Time: 7 hours (minimum); Range: Touch; Target: One corpse or skeleton; Duration: Instantaneous; Saving Throw: None; Spell Resistance: No
Much more potent than the animate dead spell, this evil incantation allows you to create a powerful undead creature from the creature’s dead remains. The incantation raises a corpse as a liquefied zombie, mummy, or vampire. It turns a skeleton into an ash wraith or spirit, and the bones turn to dust upon completion of the incantation.
You can create an undead creature up to 20 Hit Dice, and you may control up to 20 Hit Dice of undead at a time. If you create new undead in excess of this amount, older undead slip from your control.
This incantation must be cast at night.
Options: The type of undead you’re creating has a great influence on the Knowledge (arcane lore) check DC. Apply the following modifiers: animating spirit –10, frightful spirit –8, groaning spirit –6, Small or smaller liquefied zombie –4, Medium liquefied zombie –2, weakening spirit +0, mummy +0, Large liquefied zombie +0, possessing spirit +2, Huge liquefied zombie +2, ash wraith +4, Gargantuan liquefied zombie +8, Colossal liquefied zombie +10. If you’re creating a vampire, increase the DC of the Knowledge (arcane lore) check by the vampire’s Hit Dice + 4.
Material Components: A clay pot filled with grave dirt and another filled with brackish water. The spell requires a creature’s corpse or complete skeletal remains. You must place a black onyx gem (purchase DC 20) into the mouth of the corpse or skeleton. The magic of the spell turns the gem into a worthless shell.
Experience Point Cost: 100 XP.
Failure: Betrayal and attack. The undead creature rises and attacks the caster immediately, fighting until slain.

Seed: Animate Dead
Necromancy
Knowledge (arcane lore) DC: 34; Range: Touch; Targets: One or more corpses touched; Duration: Instantaneous; Saving Throw: None; Spell Resistance: No
You can turn the bones or bodies of dead creatures into undead that follow your spoken commands. The undead can follow you, or they can remain in an area and attack any creature (or a specific type of creature) entering the place. The undead remain animated until they are destroyed. (A destroyed undead can’t be animated again.) Intelligent undead can follow more sophisticated commands. The animate dead seed (which is more potent than the animate dead spell presented in the d20 Modern Roleplaying Game) allows you to create 20 HD of undead. For each additional 1 HD of undead created, increase the Knowledge (arcane lore) check DC by +1.
The undead you create remain under your control indefinitely. You can naturally control 20 HD of undead creatures you’ve personally created, regardless of the method you used. If you exceed this number, newly created creatures fall under your control, and excess undead from previous castings become uncontrolled (you choose which creatures are released). Any undead you command through a class-based ability to command or rebuke undead do not count toward the limit.
For each additional 2 HD of undead to be controlled, increase the Knowledge (arcane lore) check DC by +1. Only undead in excess of 20 HD created with this seed can be controlled using this DC adjustment. If you want to both create and control more than 20 HD of undead, increase the Knowledge (arcane lore) DC by +3 per additional 2 HD of undead.
Type of Undead: All types of undead can be created with the animate dead seed, although creating more powerful undead increases the Knowledge (arcane lore) check DC, according to the chart below. The GM must set the Knowledge (arcane lore) check DC for undead not included on the chart, using similar undead as a basis for comparison.
Undead Knowledge (arcane lore) DC Modifier
Medium or smaller skeleton –12
Medium or smaller zombie –12
Animating spirit –10
Frightful spirit –8
Large skeleton –8
Large zombie –6
Groaning spirit –6
Small or smaller liquefied zombie –4
Medium liquefied zombie –2
Weakening spirit +0
Mummy +0
Large liquefied zombie +0
Possessing spirit +2
Huge skeleton +2
Huge liquefied zombie +2
Ash wraith +4
Huge zombie +4
Gargantuan or Colossal skeleton +6
Gargantuan or Colossal zombie +8
Gargantuan liquefied zombie +8
Colossal liquefied zombie +10
Vampire Hit Dice + 4

Dagger of Eternal Unrest
The curved, black blade of this dagger leads into a hilt inlaid with human bones ending in a large black onyx gem. It is a relic formerly used by a cult that performed ritual sacrifices then brought their victims back from the grave as the walking undead. The dagger has a +3 enhancement bonus plus a secondary enchantment.
Three times per day, if the dagger is used in a successful coup de grace, the wielder may choose to have the blade cast animate dead on the victim. This creates a zombie (see Chapter Eight: Friends and Foes of the d20 Modern Roleplaying Game) under the control of the dagger’s wielder. If the dagger changes hands, so too does the zombie’s loyalty.
Type: Artifact (magic); Caster Level: —; Purchase DC: 47; Weight: 1 lb.

Gamma World Game Master's Guide (GW6e)

Spoiler

Vampire: But the worst power of the vampire is that it makes others like itself, usually from among dear friends and family, who must likewise be destroyed by the ones who love them.
Emperor's Tower: ?
Wraith: ?
Zombie: ?

Machines and Mutants (GW 6e)

Spoiler

Necrophage: Immortality, eternal life and the conquering of death: There are no greater aims for science, and the genetic researchers of the pre-War era devoted fortunes to finding a “cure” for death. The necrophage virus is not that cure. It is a terrible, hideous mistake, the end result of a very wrong turn in someone’s research. And it has the potential to turn Earth into a charnel house.
The necrophage virus does not reawaken a body to full life. It stirs the body into a bizarre half-life, and the brain into an insane frenzy of hunger and rage.
Creatures killed by the necrophage’s bite will become necrophages themselves, and the cycle of infection and reanimation will continue until no life exists for the undead beasts to prey upon. Unfortunately, the virus remains in the tissues of the corpses and twice-dead necrophages, and can remain quiescent in living tissue for some time (such as the bodies of carrion-eaters). An outbreak of the necrophage virus can happen at any time, and an unlucky community might become a zombie-ridden slaughterhouse overnight — and a mausoleum of rotting meat a week later.
The saliva of the necrophage carries the necrophage virus; while the virus cannot turn a still-living creature into a necrophage, it can cause extensive cellular damage. Anyone bitten by a necrophage must make a Fortitude save (DC = 10 + 1/2 the necrophage’s Hit Dice) or take 1d6 points of temporary Constitution damage; a second Fortitude save must be made 1 minute later to avoid another 1d6 points of temporary Constitution damage. Creatures killed by this bite will rise as necrophages 2d6 hours later.

Elite Opponents Creatures That Cannot Be

Spoiler

Demon Vampire, Vampiric Dog-Demon, Glabrezu Vampire: ?

13 Occult Templates

Spoiler

Bloated Undead: Their bodies swollen with disease, rot, and the fell influence of necromantic magic, the bloated are undead, walking time bombs.
“Bloated” is a template that may be added to any undead creature that has a corporeal form. Undead creatures that do not have fleshy bodies, such as skeletons, may not receive this template.
Bloated Skinfeaster: ?
Cloaked Undead: Some necromancers are capable of preserving their subject’s body, granting the undead creature they create a seemingly normal outward appearance.
“Cloaked” is a template that may be added to any Medium-size undead creature with a physical body.
Cloaked Ghoul Human Strong Ordinary 1/Tough Ordinary 1: ?
Relentless Dead: The undead are powered by the unending, baleful influence of necromantic magic. A severed limb may kill a man due to shock and blood loss. A zombie or skeleton merely shrugs off such a blow and continues fighting until it is hacked to pieces. The undead are, in essence, spirits or bundles of magical energy that use a physical body as a vessel or container. Despite massive damage to an undead creature’s physical body, it can continue to pursue its goals so long as its body is relatively intact and the malign influence that powers it is undisturbed. The relentless undead are the embodiment of this principle. Whether through the influence of dark magic or some other process, their bodies continue to fight on after they have been hacked to pieces.
“Relentless” is a template that can be added to any corporeal undead.
A spellcaster who uses magic to produce undead may grant them the relentless template by increasing the purchase DC of his spell’s material components by 10 per undead.
Relentless Human Zombie: ?
Spirit Doom Hag: ?
Undying Creature: The alchemical undeath discovered by the Illuminati is perhaps the premier example of this. Imbibing a potent elixir of rare ingredients and receiving a dose of high-voltage electricity, death can be abated for extended periods of time, provided that additional doses are received on a regular basis.
“Undying” is an acquired template that can be added to any humanoid creature, provided it can employ the required alchemical process described above.
Undying Mothfolk Dedicated Hero 3/Acolyte 3: ?

Undead: The undead are powered by the unending, baleful influence of necromantic magic. A severed limb may kill a man due to shock and blood loss. A zombie or skeleton merely shrugs off such a blow and continues fighting until it is hacked to pieces. The undead are, in essence, spirits or bundles of magical energy that use a physical body as a vessel or container. Despite massive damage to an undead creature’s physical body, it can continue to pursue its goals so long as its body is relatively intact and the malign influence that powers it is undisturbed.

After Sunset: Vampires

Spoiler

Vampire: Characters that are transformed into vampires during the campaign rise from the dead three days after their death, transformed body and soul by the experience.

All Flesh Must be Eaten Revised

Spoiler

Zombie: There were many early successes for our group. We determined the source of the infected cadaver outbreak was not the result of the wrath of a vengeful God, witchcraft, voodoo or something equally ludicrous. The source of the outbreak was radiation -- radiation carried on the back of a comet like rats carried plague-riddled vermin on their backs centuries ago.
A Zombie or Jumbie (the name given to them in the Virgin Islands) is described by the Island experts as “a soulless human corpse, still dead, but taken from the grave and endowed by sorcery with a mechanical semblance of life.” These creatures are brought to life by sorcerers called “Houngans” who bring the dead back to work as their eternal slaves.
Legend and folklore have long held that sometimes, when a person dies with unfinished business, he may rise from the dead to finish it, or to seek revenge for some evil doing.
Voodoo priests that turn the dead, and sometimes the living, into Zombies.
The creatures are created to work in the harsh conditions of outer space.
Angry prisoners inhale formaldehyde to get high, die and return.
Entomologists create a machine that only affects the underdeveloped nervous systems of insects. This machine causes the insects to attack and devour themselves leaving our farms and gardens insect free without harmful poisons. Perfect, except for one thing we didn’t count on. The nervous systems of the dead have decomposed to the level of insects. They are affected by the machine and begin eating human flesh.
The germ warfare scientists in the military develop a means to create an army of the dead. These soldiers cannot be killed except by a shot to the head. The problem is that they also spread the germ through biting and scratching. Once the living are infected, they too become zombies.
A dangerous germ warfare chemical.
I don't know what the zombies house for saliva but within thirty-six hours of being bit most people turn into zombies themselves.
The life forms controlling the corpses were arthropod-like in composition.
I still can’t believe it, AIDS would have been enough but when I think of what PHADE will do to me . . . my body rotting from the inside out, my skin peeling like old wallpaper, and when my heart finally gives in to the virus, the real fun starts. Somehow PHADE will jump start my nervous system and make me into something not quite alive and not quite dead.
The zombie has to actually kill its victims in order for them to come back as a member of the club. Anyone killed by a zombie rises again within a few hours.
The zombie need only bite a living being and the chain reaction begins. The process usually takes a day or so to finally set in, during which time it might be possible to reverse the effects if a skilled research doctor treats the victim. Otherwise, the bitten goes straight from living to undead without ever really passing out and dying.
Sometimes its not the zombie that reanimates the corpse but rather something in the very soil or air. In order to rise again, a body has to be buried under the ground or stored in some container, or coated with some chemical. Zombies created this way have a natural instinct to bury their victims, or otherwise prepare the body, and thus enlarge the undead community every step of the way. Rising from the shallow grave, or awakening after embalment usually takes between six and twelve hours, but sometimes occurs much more quickly.
Thirty years ago, the government decided these caves were the perfect place to store containers of spent uranium and other nuclear waste. They bought the land, buried tons of radioactive sludge deep in the cave system and, once they thought it full, sealed the whole thing off. They didn’t plan on the containers leaking and getting into the local soil and water table. And no one could have imagined the effect this radiation would have on the local population, particularly the local dead population.
Some said the radiation became a tool of the spirits or demonic forces, particularly those who remembered that the native Americans who once lived in the region held the caves as sacred. Others maintained that it was the radiation itself, somehow jump-starting the dead nervous system, creating brain-dead beasts who could only act on the most basic instinct: find food. Whatever the cause, it didn’t discriminate about who it raised from the dead. Every deceased creature, animal or human, within fifty miles of those caves became one of the walking dead.
The PHADE virus is more than just another sexually transmitted disease. It is in fact a recipe for zombification. Zombies have always been with us in one form or another. Many cultures, including modern voodoo practitioners, have theories about the process of animating the dead through magical potions, elixirs, and rituals. In the modern information age, the details of such practices are more accessible to the common man, or in this case, the common high school student.
Distraught and disbelieving, Philip sought to conquer death, and after months of cruising the internet and frequenting voodoo chat rooms, he learned all he needed to know to raise lovely Jenna from the grave. Quite mad by this time, Philip raised the decaying girl and consummated his love with her. When he woke up the next morning, the handsome young man came to his senses and decided that the Jenna corpse wasn’t nearly as desirable as the living thing. He disposed of the hapless zombie and got on with his life. By then, it was too late. He had contracted PHADE, a zombie STD that Jenna’s body created when her AIDS-infected corpse rose from the dead.
Those who died at the zombies' hands rose hours or days later to join the undead hordes.
Millions of years ago and hundreds of light years from our own world, an ancient civilization toyed with forces better left undisturbed. Their own dead rose up against them as the result of a series of diabolic necromantic experiments. The only way they could save themselves was to literally blow a chunk of their world off into space, ridding the planet of any trace of the zombie taint. Ever since then the zombie planetoid has traveled through space, unbeknownst to anyone, on a direct collision course with Earth.
American scientists detected the incoming chunk of rock, although they had no clue as to its true origins or deadly purpose. Fearing the end of life on Earth, the nuclear powers of the world combined their arsenals, modified their missiles, and sent millions of megatons flying into space. Already eroded by millions of other impacts in its long history, the zombie planet burst apart under the nuclear onslaught. The Earth thought itself safe.
Then the irradiated pieces of the planet came hurtling down to Earth, burning up and dissolving into the atmosphere. As a result of prevailing winds and the widespread dispersal pattern of the dust, hardly a corner of the planet escaped exposure. As the dust settled to the ground it began immediately to seep into the soil, water, and even the air. The result was all too horrible and predictable -- the ancient powers awoke the dead from their eternal rest.
Anyone who dies anywhere on the planet that has been exposed to the planetoid dust (meaning anywhere but sealed rooms) rises from the dead within ten minutes to an hour of their passing on. Those who actually die from a zombie attack turn into one of the undead almost immediately. Those who somehow survive an attack continue on as normal (although other diseases might infect them).
OrganoCore’s fertilizers and pesticides met with all my demands for an environmentally safe product. I used the stuff for two years and my crop yields increased by forty percent. I was happy as a clam. Then two weeks ago, I started using the new and improved formula and that’s when it happened.
I had a dog, a big ole’ German shepherd named Shep. When he got hit by a car three weeks ago, I buried him out by the lettuce fields. One night, I hear a scratching at the front door, just like Shep used to do when he wanted in. I open the door and there he is -- his rotting corpse stinking to high heaven. I thought it was some sick joke but then the corpse moved. It lunged at me, biting for my leg. I screamed and kicked him away but the damned thing kept coming. I finally made it to the kitchen and, well, I defended myself with a butcher’s knife. It wasn’t pretty, and worst of all, the damn dog bled everywhere. The blood wasn’t what bothered me, though. What bothered me was that he bled green.
Funded in part by various environmental groups, the company embarked on a groundbreaking research project which ultimately yielded them some amazing results. Combining a number of tribal and ancient folk remedies with newly found ingredients imported from the jungles of the Carribean and Indonesia, the researchers managed to create some astounding products. Their new fertilizers and pesticides worked just as well or better than the artificial varieties and they were entirely harmless to the environment.
Once the OrganoCore products hit the market, they were a smash success, and farms across the country and around the world began using them. When OrganoCore recently announced its new line of improved products, it was estimated that fully three quarters of America’s farm acreage planned on using them. That’s exactly what happened. OrganoCore became a Fortune 500 company, but the results were more disastrous than anyone could imagine.
The new products, again using formulas derived from ancient Caribbean and Indonesian rituals, were more effective than the original formula and seemed just as safe. Indeed, by themselves they were safe, but when combined with the older formula, they awakened a previously untapped potential within the soil. Some say they awakened the vengeful soul of mother Earth herself and now she has chosen to strike down the animals that have oppressed her for so long. Others say that the chemicals spurred some speedy and powerful mutation in plant life, effectively jumping it ahead millions of evolutionary years.
Whatever the true cause, the result was obvious: the dead were coming back to life all across the country, wherever corpses and OrganoCore products mixed. The alchemical mixture gave the world’s plants a new life and new purpose. Growing with incredible speed, the vegetation sent tendrils into the bodies of the dead humans and animals buried beneath the ground. These plant tendrils replaced the veins and nervous system of the dead bodies but kept the bones and muscles strong. Thus, vegetatively animated, the dead began to rise and do the deadly work of their plant overlords.
The zombies buried their dead victims in the foul soil that had spawned them, creating more plant-infested cadavers.
The drones in their natural state look like foot-long centipedes with four pairs of two-foot tentacles running down the sides of their bodies. By themselves, the creatures seem harmless enough -- certainly not capable of bringing death and destruction down upon countless different worlds. In fact, the Race cannot conquer anything without a little help; namely, the recently dead bodies of the Others. The drones can insert themselves into any dead body and fully reanimate it.
As the Allies prepared for D-Day, Hitler’s top-secret Occult Corps got ready to repulse the invasion. The researchers had, in a matter of speaking, conquered death. Although the secret to immortally still eluded them, they had achieved the next best thing: the living dead. Based on ancient formulae and magic rituals, the Nazis developed a serum that would raise their soldiers from the dead once they had fallen in battle.
What no one suspected was that Chinese scientists had managed to make their own variations on the nuclear payload. It was a highly radioactive, low destructive yield device that would kill millions but leave the buildings intact.
The specially designed Chinese radiation bombs had their desired effect, killing millions of Americans and European civilians but leaving the cities mostly intact for those few survivors who could take advantage of them. Now, thirty years later, the world is beginning to see that the bombs had another, rather interesting effect: they mutated the living and the unborn in strange and unpredictable ways. Some were born with missing or extra limbs and other malformations, but a few came into this world with radiation literally flowing through their veins. Some have theorized that this was an evolutionary solution to the new hostile world environment.
The result: a race of humans that can survive radiation just fine, live, grow old, and die in it. The problem is, once they die, they don’t stay dead. The dead rise again, stronger, meaner, and more deadly than they ever were in life.
An ancient Sanskrit manuscript had outlined for him a ritual that he had not previously dared to attempt. Now, in anger and desperation, he turned to it and made the necessary preparations.
Mordecai chose the city of Paris as the site of his ritual. On a moonless night, he gathered his coven in the city cemetery, along with thirteen sacrificial virgins The neighbors huddled in their beds in terror as lighting flashed, thunder roared, and the smell of brimstone filled the air. The blood of innocents spilled to the ground and awakened the bodies of those who lay at rest. At the command of the Italian magician, the dead clawed their way from their graves, hungering for the flesh of the living.
When these zombies kill a person, the victim’s soul is immediately judged and sent on to the appropriate afterlife. The body then rises up and joins the ranks of the undead.
We learned that when someone dies, you decapitate them and then burn the body or else you’re gonna have one flesh-eating corpse on your hands before too long.
So the gods went to war in earnest and left humanity in the lurch. This might not have been a problem except that the gods left in place their rather arcane system of judging and assigning new bodies to old souls. Now that process has broken down and no one is doing anything to fix it, at least for the moment. As a result, the unthinkable is happening: souls are being reborn into bodies that are already dead.
Vampire: if a vampire bites you and doesn’t rip you apart, you become a vampire.
Man created these Vam-pyres. They were mistakenly risen by science.
Base Zombie: ?
Sample Zombie: ?

American Paranormal Research 3

Spoiler

Fungi Zombie: Fungi Zombies are normal people that have been infected with fungal spores.

Blood and Brains: The Zombie Hunters Guide

Spoiler

Zombie Bloodsucking: Created by the bloodsucking wind.
A humanoid or monstrous humanoid slain by a bloodsucking wind’s energy drain rises as a bloodsucking zombie 1d4 days after burial.
Zombie Blue: Usually, it’s a weird military gas that makes blue zombies.
Mad Scientist Mad Science ability DC 31 1-6 Days
Zombie Brainless: Brainless zombies act at the behest of the hsing-sing that created them, and thus only attack enemies of their master.
Zombie Creep: Creeps immediately head for the brain of any victim and attempt to inhabit it so they can breed. They are also capable of animating corpses in this fashion.
A creep infests its victims in one of two ways: it either attacks and burrows into a target, or is spit into a victim’s mouth by a creep zombie. Regardless of the infestation method, once inside, it begins to burrow. A burrowing creep deals 2d6 points of temporary Constitution damage each round. At Constitution 0, the victim dies and becomes a creep zombie.
Other creeps create creep zombies, which accounts for more kissing than takes place at most make-out sessions in parents’ basements.
Death Kiss Contagion: A zombie that that makes a successful grapple check can attempt to spit a worm into its victim’s mouth. The victim can evade this attempt with a successful Reflex save (DC 15) or have a worm spit into the victim’s mouth. It can spit once per round so long as the grapple is maintained. The zombie has 2d4 worms in it. See the “creep” entry for an example of this contagion.
Explode Contagion: The zombie can cause itself to explode, usually in a populated area. This attack spews worms at every living being within 30 feet. A living target caught within this radius must make a Reflex save (DC 10) to avoid having a particularly well-aimed worm enter an orifice. See the “creep” entry for an example of this contagion.
Zombie Cryonoid: These zombies are the result of cryogenics gone wrong. When lightning strikes, the zombies are animated.
The circumstances required to create cryonoid zombies are rare—the subject must be dead, cryogenically preserved, and then electrocuted with the strength of a lightning bolt.
Zombie Demonic: Zombie Fever Contagion
Zombie Fog: Fog zombies are the victims of a curse. They return to wreak havoc on the ancestors of those who wronged them.
Create Greater Zombie spell, caster level 12th to 14th.
Zombie Formaldehyde: Formaldehyde zombies are the result of patients who died in clinical facilities and were reanimated through a twisted embalming process.
Mad Scientist Mad Science ability DC 32 1-6 Days
Zombie Kyoshi Spawn: An afflicted humanoid that dies of kyoshi fever rises as a kyoshi spawn at the next midnight.
Any living being that is killed by a kyoshi becomes a kyoshi spawn.
Zombie Lord: The zombie lord is a living creature that has taken on the foul powers and abilities of the undead.
Create Greater Zombie spell, caster level 18th or higher.
Zombie Nazi: Mad scientists—mad Nazi scientists, to be precise—created Nazi zombies to be the ultimate soldiers, capable of surviving in any environment (especially U-boats). Unfortunately, they are also all quite psychotic, as only the most violent psychopaths were selected for the experiment.
Nazi zombies were (and are) created using “Gamma Gas.”
Mad Scientist Mad Science ability DC 36 1-6 DaysZombie Okokiyat: Okokiyat zombies are created through voodoo magic by sculpting an effigy (an ouanga) out of wax or some other substance. The ouanga is then placed in a coffin or some other place of confinement, where the bokor uses it to control the okokiyat zombie.
Create Okokiyat Zombie spell.
Bokor's Create Zombi power.
Zombie Radiation: Radiation zombies are a modern phenomenon that is spawned by large doses of radiation. This radiation can spring from government experiments, a meteor, a nuclear meltdown, or eating too many Twinkies.
Zombie Revenant: Revenant zombies reanimated themselves through sheer force of will. They have but one goal: the death of their murderers.
Create Greater Zombie spell, caster level 15th to 17th.
Zombie Templar: The Templars that returned from the Crusades turned out to be as every bit as heretical as the Inquisition accused them of being. They forsook the cross for the ankh and sacrificed victims to a malignant deity. The local villagers eventually retaliated by stringing them up. Crows plucked out their eyes, leaving them blind even in death.
Create Greater Zombie spell, caster level 11th or lower.
Zombie Toxic: Toxic zombies are fond of tossing opponents into the same toxic goo that created them.
Zombie Ultrasonic: Ultrasonic zombies are raised from the dead through… well, ultrasonics
Any victim killed by a Trillian’s gas ray can be animated by the Trillian at will as an ultrasonic zombie.
Mad Scientist Mad Science ability DC 29 1-10 Hours
Zombie Video: Video zombies manifest from televisions that play far too many crappy horror movies.

Zombie: A supernatural power or spell that according to voodoo belief can enter into and reanimate a corpse.
Recently discovered nuclear technology became the new excuse for zombies. Zombies were not contagious, but they were powered by strange and unique power sources: atomic energy, mad scientists, and aliens.
If the subject dies of zombie fever, it rises as a zombie at the next midnight.
An afflicted humanoid that dies of rat-monkey fever rises as a zombie in 1d6 rounds.
“Zombie” is a template that can be added to any corporeal creature other than an undead.
Aliens decide that rather than put themselves at risk, they’ll just use the human leftovers (read: corpses) and take over the Earth that way instead. A few rays of extraplanar energy later and VOILA! Instant zombies.
An ancient curse causes all those on a particular spot of ground to turn into zombies.
For one reason or another, demonic forces decide to escape hell and prance around on earth in the form of bodies nobody’s using… the dead.
Lightning hits at just the right time, inexplicably reanimating the zombie. Nobody knows why this happens.
The zombie comes back because he’s really in love with somebody still alive.
A meteor crashes into the Earth, irradiating the surrounding corpses with strange energy that causes them to rise up as zombies.
An insane necromancer (is there any other kind?) decides to use the undead as cheap labor and begins reanimating people he didn’t like in life to do his bidding.
A strange parasite reanimates corpses as vehicles to find and infect more hosts.
Some kind of plague converts living humans into zombies—it might be spread by food, in the water, or even in the air itself.
Through mental willpower alone, the dead are dragged back into life.
The zombie in question gets really mad and comes back to avenge its killer(s).
Whether it’s experiments gone awry or the creation of a super soldier-program, the zombies are created through man-made science. Nazis are fond of creating undead super-soldiers.
Toxic chemicals dumped into a river overflow into the nearest graveyard, animating the dead.
Too much TV and videogames turns kids into zombies. No really.
A malicious bokor reanimates the dead for his own purposes.
Zombie Fever Contagion: Disease—bite, Fortitude DC 12, incubation period 1 day, damage 1d3 Con and 1d3 Dex. The save DC is Constitution-based. An afflicted humanoid that dies of zombie fever rises as a zombie at the next midnight.
Blood Contagion: A Successful hit on the zombie with a slashing or piercing weapon requires all creatures within a 10-foot radius to succeed at Reflex save (DC 13) or be sprayed with the zombie’s infectious blood. Disease Blood, Fortitude DC 12, incubation period 1 round, damage 1d3 Con and 1d3 Dex. The save DC is Constitution based. An afflicted humanoid that dies of zombie fever rises as a zombie at the next midnight.
Radiation Contagion: zombie gives off radiation in a 30-foot radius. Anyone within range must make a Fortitude save (DC 18), incubation period 1 day, damage 1d6 Con. The save DC is Constitution-based. An afflicted humanoid that dies of radiation rises as a zombie at the next midnight.
Awaken the Dead power.
Zombie Fever disease.
Ghost: Awaken the Dead power.
Skeleton: Awaken the Dead power.
Human Zombie: ?
Huge Crocodile Zombie: ?

AWAKEN THE DEAD
Psychokinesis (Con)
Level: Psychokinetic 5
Display: Visual
Manifestation Time: 1 action
Range: Medium (100 ft. + 10 ft./level)
Target: One dead creature
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: None
Power Resistance: No
Power Points: 7
This power allows the manifester to animate the dead. The manifester can animate one HD of an undead
corpse per manifester level. If the targeted being has no body, it reanimates as a ghost. If it has only bones, it reanimates as a skeleton. If it has flesh, it reanimates as a zombie.
If an undead being was killed but its corpse is still intact, this power reanimates the undead being and restores it to full strength. Created undead are not automatically under the control of their animator. If the manifester is capable of commanding undead, the manifester may attempt to command the undead creature as it forms.
Using this power requires a Madness Check on the part of the manifester.

CREATE GREATER ZOMBIE
Necromancy [Evil]
Level: Arcane 5, Divine 5
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
Much more potent than animate dead, this evil spell allows you to create more powerful sorts of zombies. The type (or types) of undead you can create is based on your caster level, as shown on the table below.
Caster Level
Zombie Created
11th or lower
Templar Zombie
12th–14th
Fog Zombie
15th–17th
Revenant Zombie
18th or higher
Zombie Lord

CREATE OKOKIYAT
Necromancy [Evil]
Level: Divine 2
Components: V, S, M
Casting Time: Attack action
Range: Touch
Target: One or more corpses touched
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: No
This spell turns the bodies of dead creatures into okokiyat zombies that follow the caster’s spoken commands. The okokiyat zombies can follow the caster, or can remain in a specified area and attack any creature (or just a specific type of creature) entering the place. The okokiyat zombies remain animated until they are destroyed. (A destroyed okokiyat zombie can’t be animated again.)
A single casting of create okokiyat can’t create more HD of okokiyat zombies than twice the caster’s level.
The okokiyat zombies created by this spell remain under caster’s control indefinitely. No matter how many times the caster uses this spell, however, he or she can control only 4 HD worth of okokiyat zombies per caster level. If the caster exceeds this number, all the newly created okokiyat zombies fall under his or her control, and any excess okokiyat zombies from previous castings become uncontrolled (the caster chooses which okokiyat zombies are released). Okokiyat zombies the character commands through other means (if the character has the ability to command or rebuke undead) do not count toward the limit.
Casting this spell requires a Madness Check on the part of the caster.
Material Component: Purchase DC 15 + 1 per 2 HD of the undead. This item manifests itself as an ouanga—if it is destroyed, the zombie is destroyed.

ZOMBIE FEVER
Necromancy [Evil]
Level: Arcane 4
Components: V, S
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Touch
Target: Living creature touched
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: Fortitude negates
Spell Resistance: Yes
The subject contracts zombie fever, which strikes immediately (no incubation period). The DC noted is for the subsequent saves (use zombie fever’s normal save DC for the initial saving throw).
An afflicted humanoid must make subsequent Fortitude saves (DC 12) to resist further damage (secondary damage 1d3 Con and 1d3 Dex) per the normal disease rules. If the subject dies of zombie fever, it rises as a zombie at the next midnight. It is not under the control of the caster (unless controlled with a spell or other ability), but it hungers for the brains of the living.

Book of Unremitting Horror

Spoiler

Blood Corpse: When a person dies in the grip of an addiction or need so strong that it overwhelms their thoughts and blots out their personality, the craving can sometimes hold the diseased spirit bound to the body.
The first recorded blood corpses were dead Roman aristocrats, who perished weeping because they would never see the games, or watch slaves butcher an actor in a degenerate performance of The Bacchae. Blood corpses in the Middle Ages were often starving peasants, who died whining for a moldy crust of bread, or flagellant monks addicted to prayer and the pursuit of God. In later years, they arose when men and women addicted to drink or vice died in bedlam, their minds rotted by their insatiable desires. The blood corpses of the modern era (and there are many more than there used to be) are most likely to be the result of death through drug overdose, when an addict just could not cram enough sweet satisfaction into his veins.
A blood corpse can result from any fatally compulsive behavior. There is even one straggle-haired horror, stalking the streets after dark and preying on happy women. Her bulimia killed her, and she now binges on hot blood instead of on chocolate bars.
Blossomer: For this, the demon needs a host, usually a high-ranking male member of the cult who is willing to die for the cause. The ritual only succeeds if the volunteer stays alive until he expires from blood loss; he must thus prepare himself thoroughly, whether by meditation, contemplation and privation, or with self-debasing excesses – drugs, drink, certain sex acts, and violence (traditions vary). Then, when his cult decides that it is time, he gives his life to his patron. The group places him on an altar and begins to eat his body, from the waist down, using only their teeth and fingernails. If the volunteer can survive the pain and shock to stay conscious and willing, his patron sends a demonic agent into the sacrifice’s body at the moment he is exsanguinated. The cult continues its feast until they have gobbled up everything below the ribcage, at which point, the corpse comes to life as a blossomer.
Strap Throat: Mary Beth, who spent her last years locked in a room, sympathizes with the lonely, the awkward and the isolated, and hates bullies so much that she came back from the grave to kill her own father.

Dawning Star: Helios Rising

Spoiler

Information Ghost: Information ghosts are created when individuals with some connection to Red Truth have their minds destroyed by uncontrolled exposure to Red Truth. This can only happen under unusual circumstances, such as extended visits to Green Reach facility or other places where Red Truth bleeds over into our reality. It is almost impossible for yaom or psionicists to become information ghosts through their normal interactions with Red Truth. In areas where Red Truth is accessed repeatedly the barrier between it and this dimension sometimes weakens, allowing Red Truth to spill into our world and cause damage to those whose minds are unprepared.
An information ghost is made up of the whole of the information stored within the brain of a psionicist who suffered terminal exposure to Red Truth. The victim's consciousness leaves their body as pure information which continues to exist in Red Truth, but cannot leave Red Truth or areas where it has invaded our reality without great difficulty.
Information ghost is an inherited template that can be gained by any character who is a yaom, a dosai, or a psionicist and whose Wisdom is reduced to 0 through uncontrolled exposure to Red Truth. This can happen in areas where Red Truth bleeds over into our dimension, such as Green Reach. Under extremely trying conditions yaom looking into Red Truth can become information ghosts. This normally only occurs to yaom if their Wisdom is reduced to 0, they have no power points left, and are disabled or suffering from a fear condition. In such a situation the yaom must make a Will save (DC 15) to avoid becoming an information ghost. Some powerful yaom can will their minds into the form of an information ghost using advanced psionic abilities, but this power is extremely rare and only the most powerful yaom masters can do so.
Dosai Information Ghost Charismatic Hero 3/Smart Hero 2/Telepath 2 Green Reach Researcher Turned Information Ghost: ?
Kurlis Inromation Ghost Esoan Smart 3/Field Scientist 10/Telepath 2: When the final malfunction of the brainshock cannon occurred Kurlis was in the process of trying to physically restrain the vaasi-infected scientist who sabotaged the brainshock cannon and was attempting to fire it. Kurlis failed, and thus Green Reach was doomed.
Sheargus Information Ghost Dosai Charismatic Hero 5/Telepath 10: A dosai researcher at Green Reach, Sheargus ignored the warnings of his fellow researchers and probed the far reaches of Red Truth. What he found there no one is sure, but in the days before the vaasi fleet enter the Helios system Sheargus had a psychotic break during which killed several other researchers. Sheargus was incarcerated and awaiting psychological evaluation when the brainshock cannon malfunctioned. A powerful psionicist, Sheargus survived the transformation into an information ghost.

d20 Evil Dead

Spoiler

Deadite: ?
Deadite Guardian: ?
Deadite Harpy: ?
Kandarian: "Kandarian" is a template that can be added to any object or creature.
Deadite Legless: ?
Deadite Nether-Beast Familiar: ?
Deadite Pig: ?
Deadite Possessed Limb: If someone possessed by a Kandarian demon gets a good bite or claw off on you, chances are you might become possessed. If you're lucky, that doesn't happen. If you're unlucky, you turn into a deadite zombie. If you're really unlucky, you only become partially possessed and the location that was damaged takes on a mind of its own. As in, your body part does its best to kill you even while still attached.
So your hand has become possessed. Or maybe it's your whole arm. Or maybe it's your leg. And we hope to God it's not…well, down there. But in any case, it's obvious the only logical thing to do is chop it off. Right?
That's how it starts.
Deadite Queen: ?
Deadite Skeleton: ?
Deadite Skullbat: ?
Deadite Slavelord: Stuff the fat, oozing flesh of a deadite guardian into S&M gear, chop off its fingers and replace them with really long claws, and you've got yourself a deadite slavelord.
Deadite Tree: Stick a Kandarian demon in a deadite tree and you get one pissed off demon. Kandarians seriously enjoy possessing things that can scream, shout, dance, and giggle incoherently.
Trees. Just. Sit. There.
Deadite Warrior: ?
Deadite Zombie: Any living humanoid that accumulates enough damage to reduce his hit points by one-quarter must succeed on a Fortitude save (DC 15) or become a deadite zombie in 1d10 rounds. He must make another save for each additional quarter of hit points lost to deadite melee attacks.
If someone possessed by a Kandarian demon gets a good bite or claw off on you, chances are you might become possessed. If you're lucky, that doesn't happen. If you're unlucky, you turn into a deadite zombie. If you're really unlucky, you only become partially possessed and the location that was damaged takes on a mind of its own.

D20 Ghostbusters

Spoiler

Ghost: Ghosts are the spectral remnants of intelligent beings that, for one reason or another, cannot rest easily in their graves.
“Ghost” is an acquired template that can be added to any aberration, animal, dragon, giant, humanoid, magical beast, monstrous humanoid, or plant. The creature must have a Charisma score of at least 6.

d20 Paranoia

Spoiler

Living Dead: “Living Dead” is a catch-all term used to describe clones that, although deceased, refuse to shuffle off this mortal coil. Thus, it can be just as easily applied to Pre-Cat rad ghouls as to the unspeakable creatures that infest DND sector’s sewage system.
Living Dead Spawn: Any clone killed by a Master of the Living Dead has a 75% chance of becoming a new Living Dead Spawn. This transformation takes D4+1 rounds to complete
Master of the Living Dead: ?

d20 Shadowrun Core

Spoiler

Ghost: ?
Ghost Apparition: ?
Ghost Specter: ?

Four Color to Fantasy Revised

Spoiler

Dark Decade Vampire: ?
The Vampire Prime: He claims to be the very first vampire.
There is evidence to state that he has his origins in Asia, and was once a monk of some kind, already immortal through enlightenment before succumbing to the Dark Powers and becoming an undead monster.

Undead: If you are undead and kill a living creature with the energy drain power the slain creature rises instead as the same type of undead as you.
If you are undead and kill a living creature with the life drain power the slain creature rises instead as the same type of undead as you.
Ghoul: If you kill a living creature with the energy drain power, it rises as a ghoul in 1d4 days.
If you kill a living creature with the life drain power, it rises as a ghoul in 1d4 days.

Gaslight Victorian Fantasy 1e

Spoiler

Vampire: new vampires are born when an original vampire kills a victim in the usual manner, but the victim’s desire to live is so overpowering that it returns a few nights later.
Skeleton: A skeleton can be created only from a mostly intact corpse or skeleton. The corpse must have bones. If a skeleton is made from a corpse, the flesh falls off the bones.
Animate Dead spell.
Zombie: A zombie can be created only from a mostly intact corpse. The creature must have a true anatomy (so gelatinous cube zombies are not allowed).
Animate Dead spell.

Animate Dead
Necromancy [Evil]
Level: Divine 3, Arcane 4; Components: V, S, M; Casting Time: 1 action; Range: Touch; Targets: One or more corpses touched; Duration: Instantaneous; Saving Throw: None; Spell Resistance: No
This spell turns the bones or bodies of dead creatures into undead skeletons or zombies that follow your spoken commands. The skeletons or zombies can follow you, or can remain in an area and attack any creature (or just a specific type of creature) entering the place. The undead remain animated until they are destroyed. (A destroyed skeleton or zombie can’t be animated again.)
Regardless of the type of undead, you can’t create more HD of undead than twice your caster level with a single casting of animate dead.
The undead you create remain under your control indefinitely. No matter how many times you use this spell, however, you can control only 4 HD worth of undead creatures per caster level. If you exceed this number, all the newly created creatures fall under your control, and any excess undead from previous castings become uncontrolled (you choose which creatures are released). If you are an Acolyte, any undead you might command by virtue of your power to command or rebuke undead do not count toward the limit.
Skeletons: A skeleton can be created only from a mostly intact corpse or skeleton. The corpse must have bones. If a skeleton is made from a corpse, the flesh falls off the bones. The statistics for a skeleton depend on its size; they do not depend on what abilities the creature may have had while alive.
Zombies: A zombie can be created only from a mostly intact corpse. The creature must have a true anatomy (so gelatinous cube zombies are not allowed). The statistics for a zombie depend on its size, not on what abilities the creature may have had while alive.
Material Component: You must place a black onyx gem (purchase DC 15 + 1 per 2 HD of the undead) into the mouth or eye socket of each corpse. The magic of the spell turns these gems into worthless, burned-out shells.

Godsend Agenda

Spoiler

Undead: Animate Dead power.

Animate Dead
Charisma
8 Per Rank
You can animate the dead and make them do your bidding! You can actively control a number of undead up to your Animate Dead levels plus Charisma modifier. The duration of this effect is equal to 1 hour per Animate Dead rank. A control roll must be made every round, or the undead may turn on you! Roll your Charisma versus a DC 12. The undead will obey orders to the letter (think carefully) and fight to the death (or, rather, destruction). This Power can be focused into a single corpse instead of many, and you may add one point to any Attribute, Wounds, Skill or Power for every Animate Dead rank plus Charisma modifier. The statistics for a typical undead are below.
Undead
Undead; Init –2 (Dex), Defense 8, (-2 Dex); Spd 10m; VP 0/10; Atk +0 melee (Claws 1D6+1), -2 ranges; SQ never takes stun; SV Fort +0, Ref –2, Will +5; SZ M; Str 10, Dex 7, Con 10, Wis 8, Cha 8.
Skills: Climb +2, Listen +2, Move Silently +7, Search +4, Spot +7

Green's Guide to Ghosts

Spoiler

Ghosts: The word “ghost” is actually a catchall term for many different types of supernatural manifestations. Clouding the waters even further, many ghost hunters and theologians have differing opinions on the nature of ghosts. Some believe that they are the souls of those who are somehow trapped here on earth and have yet to “cross over.” Others believe that ghosts are demons that appear to the living to sow confusion and religious doubt. Yet others believe that ghosts are naturally occurring ripples of strong emotions echoing from dimensions that intersect our own.
One theory—the one I believe to be true—is that these locations or objects absorbed the psychic impressions of a person in the same way a room absorbs strong odors such as cigarette smoke. Those impressions linger long after the person has passed away, but are really nothing more than an echo of a strong emotional imprint.
The other type of ghost—lost souls—are spirits whose mortal remains have expired but whose immortal souls have not passed on to the “undiscovered country”, the “next life”, “heaven”, or whatever you prefer to call it. Usually, they stay behind because of unfinished business.
Commonly believed to be the disembodied spirit of a dead person or animal.
Some assert that they are the lost souls of those who are somehow trapped here on Earth and have yet to “cross over” because they have not realized they are dead or due to an untimely death. Some religious experts believe that ghosts are demons that appear to the living in an effort to confuse and create doubt in an individual’s faith. Yet others believe that ghosts are naturally occurring echoes of strong emotions “recorded” in another dimension that intersects with our own.
Ghost Lost Soul: Lost souls are the spirits of those who die but are unable or unwilling to leave our plane of existence—usually because of some unfinished business, but in rare instances because of outside intervention.
“Lost soul” is an inherited template that can be added to any recently deceased creature with Intelligence of 3 or greater. Lost souls manifest themselves in one of
four classifications depending on the amount of their spiritual energy (as determined by hit dice, below) at the time of death. Manifestation of the last category, dominating spirit, requires additional circumstances as noted in the description.
Manifestation (species) Initial HD
Lesser manifestation 1-2
Poltergeist 3-4
ABE 5-6
Phantom 7+
Dominating Spirit* 7+
Ghost Lost Soul Lesser Manifestation: ?
Ghost Lost Soul Poltergeist: ?
Ghost Lost Soul Atmospheric Balls of Energy: ?
Ghost Lost Soul Phantom: ?
Ghost Lost Soul Dominating Spirit: A dominating spirit is the lost soul of someone corrupted by great and infernal powers. In life, the person may have wielded forbidden arcane powers or committed vile, evil acts.

Love Witch

Spoiler

Skeleton: Necromancy feat.
Zombie: Necromancy feat.

Necromancy
[Atlantean Magic]
You have mastered the art of bringing life
to dead matter.
Prerequisite: Int 13
Benefit: You may roll a successful Concentration skill check (DC12) to animate a number of skeletons equal to your caster level, or a number of zombies equal to one-half your caster level, or an earth elemental with a number of hit dice equal to your level.

Modern Maladies

Spoiler

Necroambulant Zombie: Anyone slain by the necroambulism affliction eventually rises again as a zombie.
“Necroambulant Zombie” is a template that can be added to any corporeal creature other than an undead.
Necroambulism disease.

Ghoul: Necrotizing fasciitis can also lead to the ‘natural’ formation of undead creatures known as ghouls.
“Ghoul” is an acquired template that can be added to any living corporeal creature that has flesh.
If a ghoul’s prey contracts advanced necrotizing faciitis from the wounds it has sustained and dies from the disease, it rises 1d3 days later as a ghoul. A remove disease spell cast on the corpse can prevent it from rising.

Necroambulism
Necroambulism refers to the more appropriately named Walking-Dead Disease, since anyone slain by the affliction eventually rises again as a zombie. Early symptoms of necroambulism include a loss of coordination, fatigue, and the slow degradation of physical health. The viral strain that causes necroambulism spreads through direct contact with infected creatures or other objects such as clothing. No known cure exists.
Incubation Period: 1d8 days
Initial Damage: Ability Damage (1d2 Dex), Fatigue
Secondary Damage: Ability Damage (1d2 Con, 1 Dex)
Recovery: 2 (once/day)

Psi Watch

Spoiler

Gravedigger: Project Gravedigger began in the late sixties, using the remains of American soldiers killed in Vietnam and Cambodia as ‘test-beds’ for cybernetics experimentation and surgical re-animation trials. Within a few months, government medics were able to successfully “reactivate” a human corpse, replacing damaged and decayed tissue with cybernetic analogues, producing a humanoid fighting machine for a fraction of the cost of producing a combat android and writing a working AI source code.

Imperial Age British India

Spoiler

Bhuta: Bhutas are evil ghosts, the restless soul of someone who died for his crimes or was killed in a way abhorrent to his religion (such as suicide).
Pishacha: ?
Pishacha Human Strong Ordinary 1/Tough Ordinary 1: ?
Vetala: Vetalas are vampiric wraiths created when the body of a Hindu is not given a proper burial (cremation).

Terrors of the Twisted Earth 2e

Spoiler

Screamer: Screamers are said to be the long-dead corpses of the Ancients, animated by some unknown phenomenon of radiation.
Screamers were once people, horribly mutated and impregnated with massive doses of radiation. Through some unknown process, screamers arise after death to shamble about in the night, in search of living flesh to consume or ravage with their burning, radiated touch.
Zombie Plague: Plague zombies are horrific undead creatures, reanimated with a shadowy semblance of life by the bizarre and unexplainable effects of a virulent super-disease, the cure for which has long been lost.
The “plague” that causes the animation of plague zombies was originally engineered by the Ancients just prior to the Fall. Though little is known of what the original strain was meant to do on unsuspecting civilian populaces, the effects of radiation apparently mutated the disease so that the scientists who originally developed it were helpless to stop its spontaneous spread. Within weeks, the test population (comprised of urban homeless from the escalating world war) first subjected to the disease had spread the plague to others, and an epidemic of ghastly proportions swept across the country.
As if their appearance alone were not horror enough, plague zombies bear one final and chilling curse – the disease itself. A creature badly injured by a plague zombie inevitably contracts the plague, slowly turning him into a mindless, flesh-eating plague zombie in a matter of days...
An opponent struck by a plague zombie bite must succeed at a Fortitude check (DC 20) or contract the plague. The plague remains dormant for 2d6 hours, but after that the victim becomes weak and delirious (and must remain bedridden). After an additional period of 2d6 hours, he becomes a zombie.
Unlike other diseases, the contagion of the plague zombie cannot be cured by any known drug or device of the Ancients or their survivors. Once infected, there is no cure.

Imperial Age Grimoire

Spoiler

Skeleton: Animate Dead spell.
A skeleton can be created only from a mostly intact corpse or skeleton; the corpse must have bones.
Zombie: Animate Dead spell.
A zombie can be created only from a mostly intact corpse; the creature must have a true anatomy.
Zombie Liquefied: Create Undead spell.
Mummy: Create Undead spell.
Vampire: Create Undead spell.
Ash Wraith: Create Undead spell.
Spirit: Create Undead spell.

Animate Dead
Necromancy [Evil]
Level: Divine 3, Arcane 4; Components: V, S, M; Casting Time: Attack action; Range: Touch; Targets: One or more corpses touched; Duration: Instantaneous; Saving Throw: None; Spell Resistance: No
This spell turns the bones or bodies of dead creatures into undead skeletons or zombies that follow the caster’s spoken commands. The skeletons or zombies can follow the caster, or can remain in an area and attack any creature (or just a specific type of creature) entering the place. The undead remain animated until they are destroyed. (A destroyed skeleton or zombie can’t be animated again.)
Regardless of the type of undead, a caster can’t create more HD of undead than twice his or her caster level with a single casting of animate dead.
The undead created remain under caster’s control indefinitely. No matter how many times the caster uses this spell, however, he or she can control only 4 HD worth of undead creatures per caster level. If the caster exceeds this number, all the newly created creatures fall under his or her control, and any excess undead from previous castings become uncontrolled (the caster chooses which creatures are released). Any undead the character commands (if the character has the ability to command or rebuke undead) do not count toward the limit.
Skeletons: A skeleton can be created only from a mostly intact corpse or skeleton; the corpse must have bones. If a skeleton is made from a corpse, the flesh falls off the bones. The statistics for a skeleton depend on its size; they do not depend on what abilities the creature may have had while alive.
Zombies: A zombie can be created only from a mostly intact corpse; the creature must have a true anatomy. The statistics for a zombie depend on its size, not on what abilities the creature may have had while alive.
Material Component: Purchase DC 15 + 1 per 2 HD of the undead.

Create Undead
Necromancy [Evil]
Skill Check: Knowledge (arcane lore) DC 31, 7 successes; Failure: Two consecutive failed skill checks; Components: V, S, M, XP; Casting Time: 7 hours (minimum); Range: Touch; Target: One corpse or skeleton; Duration: Instantaneous; Saving Throw: None; Spell Resistance: No
Much more potent than the animate dead spell, this evil incantation allows you to create a powerful undead creature from the creature’s dead remains. The incantation raises a corpse as a liquefied zombie, mummy, or vampire. It turns a skeleton into an ash wraith or spirit, and the bones turn to dust upon completion of the incantation.
You can create an undead creature up to 20 Hit Dice, and you may control up to 20 Hit Dice of undead at a time. If you create new undead in excess of this amount, older undead slip from your control.
This incantation must be cast at night.
Options: The type of undead you’re creating has a great influence on the Knowledge (arcane lore) check DC. Apply the following modifiers: animating spirit –10, frightful spirit –8, groaning spirit –6, Small or smaller liquefied zombie –4, Medium liquefied zombie –2, weakening spirit +0, mummy +0, Large liquefied zombie +0, possessing spirit +2, Huge liquefied zombie +2, ash wraith +4, Gargantuan liquefied zombie +8, Colossal liquefied zombie +10. If you’re creating a vampire, increase the DC of the Knowledge (arcane lore) check by the vampire’s Hit Dice + 4.
Material Components: A clay pot filled with grave dirt and another filled with brackish water. The spell requires a creature’s corpse or complete skeletal remains. You must place a black onyx gem (purchase DC 20) into the mouth of the corpse or skeleton. The magick of the spell turns the gem into a worthless shell.
Experience Point Cost: 100 XP.
Failure: Betrayal and attack. The undead creature rises and attacks the caster immediately, fighting until slain.

Imperial Age Victorian Monstrosities

Spoiler

The Beggarwoman: An elderly disabled woman begs for a night’s rest at a castle. Although the Marquise accommodates her, the Marquis comes home and makes her move behind a stove. The woman accidentally slips and fatally injures herself. Years later, the spirit of the Beggarwoman returns to haunt the castle.
One of the most disturbing elements of this story is the excessive nature of the vengeance for the harm caused. While the Marquis was a bit inhospitable, he did allow a stranger to stay in his house. His insistence on her moving caused her to fall, but it was an accident. He did not realise the extent of her injury and he certainly didn’t intend for her to die. In return, the Beggarwoman’s spirit returns several years later.
The Scorned Woman: Reginald Hempworth was a young gentleman that fell in love with a country girl while keeping an eye on his investments in the wool industry. Although of a different class and station, Reginald assured the young Clarissa that they would be together. He planned on moving to France or possibly America, where only their money, not their breeding would matter.
Unfortunately, Reginald was not very good at management and he incurred a large gambling debt. Fortunately, he was offered another woman’s hand in marriage, one with a dowry large enough to pay off Reginald’s debt and get his investments back on their feet. While he loved Clarissa dearly, he could not afford to pass up this opportunity. With a heavy heart, he told Clarissa of his engagement while they were in his carriage.
Clarissa did not take well to the news. Angry and hysterical, she flung open the carriage door and fled into the rain. Reginald tried to stop her, but to his horror she had flung herself over a cliff. Luckily for Reginald, a passerby saw Clarissa leap over the edge unaided which kept Reginald out of official trouble.
Reginald married and enjoyed two decades with his wife and their children before the Scorned Woman first appeared. She was the spitting image of Clarissa, although in ghostly form.
Brunhilda Vampiric Charismatic Ordinary 4: Brunhilda dies at an early age. Her husband, Lord Walter, never gets over her death, even though he remarried and had two children with his new wife. Walter spends a lot of time at her gravesite and one day encounters a sorcerer (more likely a necromancer) while grieving there. The sorcerer hears his wish for her to return, but although he warns Walter that Brunhilda would not be happy he consents to resurrect her.
The Black Widow Vampire Dedicated Ordinary 4: Unfortunately, Viola had another suitor, Arturo, a local man that had just returned from army service. Arturo demanded that Vittorio annul the marriage. When Vittorio refused, Arturo drew his revolver and demanded satisfaction. Viola tried to intervene and Arturo’s revolver fired, killing Viola on the spot. Arturo fled while Vittorio grieved for his dead bride.
Vittorio was inconsolable and refused to sculpt. His patron, upset that Vittorio was leaving much of his promised work unfinished, employed a sorcerer for assistance. The sorcerer confronted Vittorio and told him that he could raise Viola from the dead and that she would remain beautiful forever. She would also remain very much in love with Vittorio. In disbelief, Vittorio agreed to allow the sorcerer to summon her. To his delightful surprise, Vittorio was reunited with his beloved Viola.
Demon of the Night Lich Smart Hero 3/Mage 6: While considered a lich, the Demon of the Night was cursed into its current form rather than achieved it through study.
The story contains a strange character, Canon Alberic, who lived in the late seventeenth century. He seems to be an astrologist (or hermetic disciple) and he apparently tore up Church books in order to make a scrapbook. The Demon of the Night appeared at this time and Canon Alberic died in his bed under mysterious circumstances. The Demon is interested in keeping the scrapbook and haunts the current owner of the tome (one can surmise that the church guardian took the book from the church, which caused the Demon to come after him).
The statistics below presume that Canon Alberic has been transformed into the Demon of the Night. He is cursed to watch over his scrapbook and ensure that it never leaves the shadow of the old church for long.
The Tattered Storyteller Revenant Charismatic Ordinary 8: ?
Human Zombie: A night mail coach accident nine years previous that ended with the death of all passengers.
Carmilla Vampire Charismatic Hero 6: She died at a young age, herself the victim of an unidentified vampire.
Vampire: While most women she feeds on die within a week, Carmilla is also known to fall in love with some of her prey and keeps them around much longer. They will eventually succumb, however, and turn into a vampire like Carmilla (the novella insinuates that those killed quickly do not raise as vampires, but this is never explicitly stated).
Sir Nicolas Rathbane Vampire Smart Hero 3/Charismatic Hero 3: ?
Dracula Vampire Charismatic Hero 8/Strong Hero 4/Dedicated Hero 4: The Transylvanian Count was a sorcerer that used black magick to become a vampire.
Katerina The Baroness Vampire Charismatic Hero 10/Personality 10: The Baroness’ origins are shrouded in mystery.
Lord Ruthven Vampire Charismatic Hero 8: ?
Varney Vampire Fast Hero 3/Swashbuckler 5/Charismatic Hero 2: Sir Francis Varney began life as Mr. Mortimer, a Crown supporter that helped members of English royalty escape to Holland during the English Civil War. He was shot and killed by one of Cromwell’s soldiers just after he’d accidentally killed his own son in a fit of rage. As he was dying, he heard a voice that told him he would be cursed for killing his son. Two years later, Mr. Mortimer rose from his grave as a vampire.
Lich: A lich is an undead magickal practitioner (such as a Hermetic Disciple or Medium) that has used magick to unnaturally extend its life. The process of becoming a lich is unspeakably evil and can be undertaken only by a willing character.
“Lich” is an acquired template that can be added to any humanoid creature, provided it can create the required phylactery; see The Lich’s Phylactery, below.
The Lich's Phylactery
An integral part of becoming a lich is creating a magic phylactery in which the character stores its life force. As a rule, the only way to get rid of a lich for sure is to destroy its phylactery. Unless its phylactery is located and destroyed, a lich reappears 1d10 days after its apparent death.
Each lich must make its own phylactery, normally through a powerful, secret Incantation. The most common form of phylactery is a sealed metal box containing strips of parchment on which magical phrases have been transcribed. The box is Tiny and has 40 hit points, hardness 20, and a break DC of 40. Other forms of phylacteries can exist, such as rings, amulets, or similar items.

The Three Lives of Fantomah: Daughter of the Pharaohs

Spoiler

Lich: Legend holds that the first undead creatures came into being when Set tried to make amends with Isis by combining forces with her to restore Osiris to life, using her magic and his knowledge of the forces that dwell in the chaotic outer reaches of existence. The dead husk rampaged across the world for days, before the Lord of Water and Fire grew angry at the noise and shattered it, causing it to break into the first liches, vampires, ghouls, and the other kinds of undead.

Undead: Legend holds that the first undead creatures came into being when Set tried to make amends with Isis by combining forces with her to restore Osiris to life, using her magic and his knowledge of the forces that dwell in the chaotic outer reaches of existence. The dead husk rampaged across the world for days, before the Lord of Water and Fire grew angry at the noise and shattered it, causing it to break into the first liches, vampires, ghouls, and the other kinds of undead.
Vampire: Legend holds that the first undead creatures came into being when Set tried to make amends with Isis by combining forces with her to restore Osiris to life, using her magic and his knowledge of the forces that dwell in the chaotic outer reaches of existence. The dead husk rampaged across the world for days, before the Lord of Water and Fire grew angry at the noise and shattered it, causing it to break into the first liches, vampires, ghouls, and the other kinds of undead.
Ghoul: Legend holds that the first undead creatures came into being when Set tried to make amends with Isis by combining forces with her to restore Osiris to life, using her magic and his knowledge of the forces that dwell in the chaotic outer reaches of existence. The dead husk rampaged across the world for days, before the Lord of Water and Fire grew angry at the noise and shattered it, causing it to break into the first liches, vampires, ghouls, and the other kinds of undead.

Thrilling Tales Omnibus Edition

Spoiler

Vampire Smart Villain 7 Otto Von Ubel: Von Übel was a Prussian noble who was wounded during the Napoleonic Wars, as he lay dying on the battlefield, he fell victim to the predations of a vampire. The vampire, whose name Von Übel never learned, was a weak creature, more content with scavenging battlefields than in hunting his own prey -- Von Übel used his dying effort to kill the creature, but not before it had worked its terrible magic. Otto Von Übel rose again as a creature of the night.
Vampire Strong Ordinary 2: Von Übel is served by a group of lesser vampires that he has created.

Year of the Zombie

Spoiler

Classic Zombie: The Classic Zombie template is applied to any human who dies with an intact brain during the Rising.
Common Zombie Strong Ordinary 1/Tough Ordinary 1: ?
Sprinter Zombie: The Sprinter Zombie template is applied to any human who dies with an intact brain during the Rising.
Sprinter Zombie Fast Ordinary 2: ?
Child Zombie: The Child Zombie template is applied to any human with the child template who dies with an intact brain during the Rising.
Frenzied Zombie: The Frenzied Zombie template is applied to any human who dies with an intact brain during the Rising.
Frenzied Zombie Tough Ordinary 4: ?
Enhanced Memory Zombie: These are the ones who have regained some knowledge of their former selves, either because of extensive training, repeated actions, or something that was very important to the person before they Rose again. Most Enhanced Memory Zombies are former military, remembering the basics of weapon use. Some have been policemen or others who died with a vitally important task undone (not something simple, such as getting the cat out of the garage).
Enhanced Memory Zombie Fast Hero 1/Smart Hero 4: ?
Trained Zombie: Some zombies are “trained,” by the immoral or the insane, to perform certain tasks.
Training is most often done through repeated moves, with negative reinforcement delivered via electroshock and positive reinforcement being rewarded with a live victim. Though zombies do not appear to feel pain from injuries, electrical shocks delivered to the spine or brain appear to hurt them. Eyelids are commonly cut away, and often an implant is placed into the skull to deliver an electric shock that will temporarily overload the zombie’s motor control center.
The Trained Zombie template may be applied to any existing zombie.
Trained Zombie Classic Zombie Strong Hero 1/Tough Hero 1: ?

Year of the Zombie Marauders

Spoiler

Zombie Mob: ?

13th Age

Spoiler

13th Age Cumulative

Spoiler

Undead: White dragons are a debased and even cowardly lot, cut off from the power of their slain icon. They still hold a grudge against the Lich King but don’t dare do anything about it because he knows how to transform them into undead servants. (13th Age Core Book)
The wizards of Horizon say that the Lich King’s magic brought the formerly loyal subjects of his kingdom back to unlife. (13th Age Core Book)
When the spinneret doxy drops an enemy to 0 hit points or lower, she will move next to that creature and attempt to remove the target’s heart. The creature must begin making last gasp saves as she cuts their chest open. On the fourth failure, the doxy takes the heart and the target dies and becomes undead under her control. (13th Age Bestiary)
When the lethal lothario drops an enemy to 0 hit points or lower, he will move next to that creature and attempt to remove the target’s heart. The creature must begin making last gasp saves as he cuts their chest open. On the fourth failure, the lothario takes the heart and the target dies and becomes undead under her control. (13th Age Bestiary)
When the binding bride drops an enemy to 0 hit points or lower, she will move next to that creature as a free action and attempt to remove the target’s heart. The creature must begin making last gasp saves as she cuts its chest open. On the fourth failed save, the bride takes the heart and the target dies and becomes undead under her control. (13th Age Bestiary)
When the swarm prince drops an enemy to 0 hit points or lower, he will move next to that creature and attempt to remove the target’s heart. The creature must begin making last gasp saves as he cuts their chest open. On the fourth failure, the prince takes the heart and the target dies and becomes undead under his control. (13th Age Bestiary)
Before he was the Lich King, the living Wizard King made a pact with the devil lords. In exchange for his immortal soul, they revealed to him the most occulted arcane secrets and aided his ascension to the high seats of power. Because he also offered up the souls of his minion legion, the devils granted him more earthly reward than they had ever arranged for any mortal. It cost them dearly, sapping their otherworldly energies for generations. (13 True Ways)
Only when they’d ebbed to their weakest state, and could do nothing about it, did they tumble to his scheme. He betrayed them by making a new pact with another dark force, stepping beyond the bounds between life and death. He died, yet remained in the world in undead form. He ensured the same for his army, too. His soul, and theirs, remained anchored in bodies that no longer lived, but those bodies still provided the spark of animation necessary to maintain their undead forms. (13 True Ways)
If you die while animated by the armor of animation, it’s a dead cert (ahem) that you’re coming back as some sort of undead. (Book of Loot)
The Necromancers of the Fangs, that famous cabal of wizards who raised vast armies of the dead. (The Book of Ages)
They were loyal beyond death to the Tyrant Lizard, reincarnating alongside her when they fell in battle. When she vanished, so did they. A few might survive as bodyguards sworn to the Black Dragon. Equally, the Lich King could raise some as undead, or the Diabolist draw some of their souls back from the dead. (The Book of Ages)
Necroblast Sorcerer or Wizard talent. (The Book of Ages)
Undead: Bar-en-Huil is long buried, so no-one knows if it’s a city or a town or some other structure. It’s a ruin, many Ages old, that covers the lower western slopes of Claw Peak. The bizarre landslides caused by the hellhole sometimes lift away the rubble that entombs the ruined city, making it possible to explore the ruins of Bar-en-Huil for brief periods until the rocks fall on it again. Undead—perhaps awoken by the proximity of the hellhole—drift through the streets, mourning their lost city. (The Book of Demons)
Flesh-carver demons hang around with a variety of low-lives, including greater claw demons, despoiler mages who help trick creatures into signing consent forms, and undead like zombies that didn’t quite survive the surgical process. (The Book of Demons)
Like other people, they’re mainly farmers and hunters, but life in the shadow of the Upland Marsh forces them to confront the undead horrors created by Delecti the Necromancer. (13th Age Glorantha)
If the PCs earn the trust of the ducks, the ducks favor them with a special blessing. It will strengthen them for the coming apocalypse, when the universe turns upside down and the dead attack the living.
Most undead are created by ? Chaos, especially by the minions of the gods Thanatar and Vivamort. (13th Age Glorantha)
The only oddity in the rune column is that undead have three different rune possibilities. In Glorantha, undead creatures come in many sorts. Regardless of their source, undead creatures earn the undying enmity of Humakt and his devotees. (13th Age Glorantha)
Trolls, especially trolls connected to Zorak Zoran, create undead associated with o Darkness. These are reanimated, spiritless corpses, not ghouls or vampires. They are neither Chaotic nor, arguably, truly undead. They’re a bit more like constructs, since the soul of the dead creature is not trapped in the skeletal or zombie body. Troll-created undead appear with the o Darkness rune. (13th Age Glorantha)
Finally, the Upland Marsh is haunted by bizarre undead constructs, stitched together and powered by the undying sorcerer Delecti. They are the products of blasphemy, not Chaos. Undead associated with Delecti have the u Unlife/ Undead rune. It’s possible that there might also be Chaotic versions of those undead, but not if they belong to Delecti. (13th Age Glorantha)
Undead generally don’t have homelands. They can be found wherever Chaos violates the boundaries between Life and Death. And in Upland Marsh. (13th Age Glorantha)
Deathless Champion power of the Heart of Death artifact. (Loot Harder: A Book of Treasures)
Peer of the Realm of Death Epic power of the Heart of Death artifact. (Loot Harder: A Book of Treasures)
Argir the Undead: The Withered Root worships Argir the Undead. They contend that since Argir died but did not die in the creation of the World Tree, he was the first undead being. (Gods and Icons)
Bat Wraith Bat: ?
Bone Dervish: ?
Bone Dervish Puppet: Bone Dervish's Raise Minion power. (The Book of Ages)
Breathstealer Cat: ?
Breathstealer Thrall: If a humanoid creature dies near the breathstealer cat, it returns next round as a breathstealer thrall.
Breathstealer cats are spies and saboteurs sent by the Lich King. They sneak into hospitals and the homes of the dying, so they can steal the last breath from a victim. Consuming the last breath allows the cat to animate the deceased as an undead thrall, though a cat can only have one or two thralls at a time. (The Book of Ages)
Dybbuk: Dybbuks are the souls of the dead who wish to continue living in warm bodies. (13th Age Bestiary)
Evil Overlord Undead Horror: ?
Flower of Unlife Death Blossom: When the blood rose drops to 0 hit points, it is destroyed until the start of its next turn. At the start of its next turn, it returns to life as a death blossom or lich flower that lacks the red-yellow resurrection ability but is otherwise undamaged and whole. (13 True Ways)
When the poison dandelion drops to 0 hit points, it’s destroyed until the start of its next turn. At the start of its next turn, it returns to life as a death blossom or lich flower that lacks the red-yellow resurrection ability but is otherwise undamaged and whole. (13 True Ways)
Flower of Unlife Lich Flower: When the blood rose drops to 0 hit points, it is destroyed until the start of its next turn. At the start of its next turn, it returns to life as a death blossom or lich flower that lacks the red-yellow resurrection ability but is otherwise undamaged and whole. (13 True Ways)
When the poison dandelion drops to 0 hit points, it’s destroyed until the start of its next turn. At the start of its next turn, it returns to life as a death blossom or lich flower that lacks the red-yellow resurrection ability but is otherwise undamaged and whole. (13 True Ways)
Ghiama: Ghiama: She still hasn’t forgiven the vampires for making her white head undead. (Gods and Icons)
Ghost: Somebody once died while riding on a friend’s shoulders, and their ghost haunts the saddleback pauldrons. The phantom seeks to complete unfinished business, and that means joining up with the Crusader’s forces on a foolhardy mission. (Loot Harder: A Book of Treasures)
Ghost of Moth: ?
Ghost Paladin's Ghost: ?
Ghoul: Any creature that is slain by a ghoul and not consumed will rise as a ghoul the next night. (13th Age Core Book)
Once regular people, there are two causes that are widely held to cause ghoul outbreaks. Being killed by a ghoul causes the victim to rise up as one. Eating the flesh of the dead is the other cause. (13th Age Bestiary)
Any creature that is slain by a ghoul and not consumed will rise as a ghoul the next night. (13th Age Bestiary)
Each time a ghoul bites a character, that PC immediately loses a recovery. If they run out of recoveries before their next full heal-up, that character must start making last gasp saves at the start of each battle. If the character fails their fourth last gasp save this way, they turn into a ghoul. (13th Age Bestiary)
Ghouls don’t make other ghouls: The only way for someone to turn into a ghoul is cannibalism. They must willingly eat the flesh of a living, intelligent being. It may have to be the raw flesh of someone not yet buried. It may be flesh specially prepared in a half-ritual, half-recipe and served to a cult. Perhaps ghouls are consciously created by choice. It may be a desperate choice between starving on a drifting ship or dying, but it’s still a choice. Once that choice is made, the hunger sets in and doesn’t stop until the ghoul is killed or it becomes a ghast. (13th Age Bestiary)
Ghoul bites can’t turn creatures, but ghast bites can: This process is slow. A single bite won’t do it. The only way to survive the process is to make it to a full heal-up. During the full heal-up, any character with medical knowledge or healing hands can take the necessary precautions to deal with the infection. Should a character die before they take a full heal-up, however, the infection takes over. (13th Age Bestiary)
The members of a noble family are ending up as ghouls and ghasts. Someone has an artifact that curses the living with the form of the hungry dead. (13th Age Bestiary)
Ghoul Fleshripper: ?
Ghoul Ghast: Ghasts are born from ghouls who, desperate from hunger, attack and eat other ghouls.
An army or raiding party uses potions to enhance its soldiers. The potions increase stamina and speed. One of the main ingredients is ghoul ichor. Unfortunately, a soldier overdoses and turns himself into a ghast. (13th Age Bestiary)
The members of a noble family are ending up as ghouls and ghasts. Someone has an artifact that curses the living with the form of the hungry dead. (13th Age Bestiary)
Ghoul Giant: ?
Ghoul Gravemeat: ?
Ghoul Great Ghoul's Maw: ?
Ghoul Great Ghoul's Shadow: If the Great Ghoul’s Maw is slain, the GM secretly rolls a normal save (11+) at the end of each session, including this one. If the save succeeds, the Great Ghoul regains a semblance of life: the Great Ghoul’s Shadow. (Lions & Tigers & Owlbears: The 13th Age Bestiary 2 Preview)
Ghoul Greater Summoned Ghoul: ?
Ghoul Hog-Ghoul: Not all ghouls descend from human stock. The Ghoul King’s scavenger host bred these ghastly, carnivorous boars who snuffled out buried corpses in graveyards like truffles in a forest. (The Book of Ages)
Ghoul Licklash: ?
Ghoul Newly-Risen Ghoul: ?
Ghoul Pusbuster: ?
Ghoul Starving Ghoul: ?
Ghoul Summoned Ghoul: Summon Horror 3rd level spell. (13 True Ways)
Gold King: The wars between elf and dwarf that began the age were soon eclipsed by other perils. The sheer slaughter birthed a terrible lord of the undead. (The Book of Ages)
The Gold King was a corrupt dwarf who, by some accounts, refused the command of the Dwarf King to leave Underhome. Some tales claim that the Gold King died of poison and rose again as an undead monster; other stories insist that the Gold King deliberately transformed himself into an undead horror to survive in the poisoned reaches. Some even say that the Gold King was actually the true Dwarf King, and that the King who ordered the dwarves to abandon Underhome was a facsimile conjured by the treacherous illusions of the dark elves. (The Book of Ages)
Great Ghoul, Ghoul King: The Great Ghoul was presented in Lions & Tigers & Owlbears: 13th Age Bestiary 2 as a fallen icon. Perhaps one of the Great Ghoul’s secrets is that it was a god before it was an icon? When the other gods retreated, the Great Ghoul remained to decay as part of the mortal world. (The Book of Ages)
Haunted Skull: ?
Haunted Skull Watch Skull: Glittering glass in the eye sockets and runes carved on the brow show that somebody went to a great deal of effort ensure that a ghost would haunt this undead guardian. One wonders if the runes were carved before, after, or during death. (13th Age Bestiary)
Haunted Skull Slime-Skull: The slime killed the creature, the creature’s ghost killed the slime, and now the two are trapped together—bound to the skull. (13th Age Bestiary)
If the slime-skull kills a creature, it takes that creature’s head as a standard action and attempts to escape (it can squeeze through gaps as small as the skull). The slain creature can’t be resurrected until its skull is recovered because its spirit is now trapped within the skull. If the PCs don’t track down the slime-skull before their next full heal-up (or within a day), the stolen skull will transform into another slime-skull. (13th Age Bestiary)
Haunted Skull Jest Bones: Some spirits don’t get to rest easy, curses are never pretty things, and dread necromancers like a good laugh as much as the next person. Some might say they enjoy laughing more than normal people, and at the darkest possible jokes. (13th Age Bestiary)
Haunted Skull Screaming Skull: ?
Haunted Skull Flaming Skull: Beings whose great passions anchor them to their mortal remains can become flaming skulls. (13th Age Bestiary)
Haunted Skull Black Skull: Before becoming undead the black skulls were the generals of the Wizard King’s armies and the members of his court. (13th Age Bestiary)
Haunted Skull Skull of the Beast: ?
Headless Archer: Weaker skeletons are given enchanted bows that grant the skeletons skill with it, even without eyes. (13th Age Glorantha)
Headless Battered Headless Skeleton: Thanatari priests press fallen enemies into unholy service after they’re decapitated. These victims have been in a number of hard battles, and it shows. (13th Age Glorantha)
Headless Destroyer: ?
Headless Ghost: This powerful spirit is created out of betrayal. The priest who creates the headless ghost does so after decapitating an initiate, so either the initiate was a traitor or they’re the one being betrayed. (13th Age Glorantha)
Headless Great Headless Ghost: A priest or doom master provides the spirit for this cursed guardian, the perpetrator or victim of betrayal. (13th Age Glorantha)
Headless Harrier: Created from the corpses of mighty foes and reanimated in a ghastly ritual, these undead are the scariest headless skeletons that the party has ever seen. So far. (13th Age Glorantha)
Headless Skeleton: Acolyte of Than Compel the Dead ability. (13th Age Glorantha)
Headless Superior Temple Guardian: Priests live on in this form, retaining little humanity other than bloodthirstiness.
Headless Temple Guardian: An acolyte continues to protect their temple in this perverted form of “afterlife.” (13th Age Glorantha)
Headless Warrior: Stronger skeletons are armed for close combat, although sometimes it seems like the enchanted spear is doing the fighting. (13th Age Glorantha)
Headless Zombie: Acolyte of Than Compel the Dead ability. (13th Age Glorantha)
Headless Zombie Initiate: ?
Lich: As the Wizard King, the Lich King killed the White, and he takes inordinate pleasure in turning evil dragons into liches. (13th Age Core Book)
When a creature uses magic, particularly arcane magic, to extend their life unnaturally, they often become a lich. Most liches are former wizards who turn themselves into undead creatures to continue their pursuits after a lifelong study of magic. The new lich creates a phylactery—a relic imbued with its essential life force. (13th Age Bestiary)
The Fine Art of Phylactery (13th Age Bestiary)
The most common phylactery is an item that was important to the lich in life. Many phylacteries are small and fragile. The advantage of such items is their ease of concealment. If it’s a small charm given by the lich’s first true love, it can be hidden inside a trap-laden sarcophagus. If the phylactery is larger, such as a painting, the lich will likely have an art gallery where the phylactery hides in plain sight. Or perhaps the stone statue of the lich’s mother is more than just a memento among a gallery of similar stonework. (13th Age Bestiary)
Physical locations are also possible choices for a phylactery. An ancestral castle, a wrecked pirate ship, or a stone tower covered in runes could all serve as the home to a lich’s essence. Often, liches that choose a location are bound within its borders, or the borders of the land within its influence. These locations are stocked with plenty of guardians for protection as well as minions that handle the lich’s business outside the walls. The destruction of the building or structure is the only way to be sure the lich will never return. Killing a lich is hard enough, but also destroying its entire lair is definitely a job for heroes. (13th Age Bestiary)
Living creatures might also be used as phylacteries. The lich kills off all of its blood relatives and performs a ritual on the last member of its bloodline, who becomes the phylactery. Or perhaps it chooses a bride or a groom and installs a part of itself inside its chosen victim. This option does have one drawback, however, because it forces the lich to perform the ritual every few decades as the living vessel dies. But it also poses a challenge for those looking to slay the lich beyond finding the phylactery. Is destroying the lich worth the murder of an innocent teenage girl, or a young child? Perhaps the living phylactery is completely unaware of its link to the lich. What if that link was to one of the heroes? (13th Age Bestiary)
Wealthy lords would hire the best alchemists and necromancers to turn them into liches. (The Book of Ages)
Those previous Diabolists in their tombs in the Cairnwood? Ever hear of better candidates for retroactive lichdom? (The Book of Demons)
Lich, The Alchemist: Other tales say that the Alchemist was resurrected as a lich, and is now a vassal of the Lich King. (The Book of Ages)
Lich Count: Counts and countesses gain their title by acting in the interests of the Lich King. It may be by accident, or it may be a deliberate move to curry favor with the icon. (13th Age Bestiary)
Lich Dragon-Lich, The White: If, in fact, the Wizard King that slew the White went ahead and reanimated its corpse as a dragon-lich, shouldn’t that have been a clue to the transformation that was to come, Wizard King into Lich King? (The Book of Ages)
Lich King: Before he was the Lich King, the living Wizard King made a pact with the devil lords. In exchange for his immortal soul, they revealed to him the most occulted arcane secrets and aided his ascension to the high seats of power. Because he also offered up the souls of his minion legion, the devils granted him more earthly reward than they had ever arranged for any mortal. It cost them dearly, sapping their otherworldly energies for generations. (13 True Ways)
Only when they’d ebbed to their weakest state, and could do nothing about it, did they tumble to his scheme. He betrayed them by making a new pact with another dark force, stepping beyond the bounds between life and death. He died, yet remained in the world in undead form. He ensured the same for his army, too. His soul, and theirs, remained anchored in bodies that no longer lived, but those bodies still provided the spark of animation necessary to maintain their undead forms. (13 True Ways)
If, in fact, the Wizard King that slew the White went ahead and reanimated its corpse as a dragon-lich, shouldn’t that have been a clue to the transformation that was to come, Wizard King into Lich King? (The Book of Ages)
Now, the tales differ on certain specifics. For example, it’s not known why the Lich King rose in this age after spending so many centuries safely dead. Some tales sympathetic to the old master insist that the Empire was under the control of a cruel and brutish Emperor, a man so vile that the peasants prayed for the Wizard King to return and retake his domain. The sages in Horizon speculate that this was the culmination of some long-planned ritual or contingency, and that it look the Lich King many ages to gather the necromantic power he needed to become a demilich. In certain secret councils of the wise, they fear that the disappearance of the Hooded Woman must be connected to the rise of the Lich King. (The Book of Ages)
Others, reasonably, blame tomb-robbing adventurers for awakening an ancient evil. (The Book of Ages)
Lich Lord: ?
Lich Prince: To become a prince or princess of the Peerage, the lich pledges unflappable loyalty to the Lich King. Part of the pledge includes either disclosing the location of their phylactery to the Lich King or delivering it to the icon personally. (13th Age Bestiary)
Mummy: Down through the ages, powerful magicians have endeavored to preserve their own lives, escaping both the mystery of death and the horror of undeath. The secrets by which they preserve themselves at the end of their mortal lives are lost, but someone always finds or recreates those secrets. Ideally, these carefully preserved mummies live on in a sort of passive false life of the mind, dreaming endlessly in their sarcophagi but never passing on into death itself. It’s good work if you can get it. The problem is that the Lich King is dead set against letting anyone enjoy such a happy ending. When his servitors discover mummies, they invariably animate them and turn them into proper undead minions. (13 True Ways)
Necromage: Only the Lich King would create undead capable of drawing on the powers of the dead to crowdsource their spell casting. Absolutely. No other icon would ever experiment with such things. And no other icon would ever, ever be the effective ruler of a highly populous Imperial city with lots of graveyards. Nope. (The Book of Ages)
Primordial Giant Skeleton: Ages later, the Lich King, out of some perverse whimsical revenge, created titanic horrors from the long-buried corpses of the giants who sacked Axis in the First Age. The necromantic spells that animate them take years to seep through the soil, so it’s not uncommon for giant skeletons to suddenly rise from their First Age barrows and stumble off in the direction of Axis. (The Book of Ages)
Primordial Giant Skeleton Snapping Skull: Primordial Giant Skeleton's Skull Bowling power. (The Book of Ages)
Ratbone Twist: Ratfolk Bone Shaman Bone-Curse power. (The Book of Ages)
Rootwight: ?
Skeleton: ?
Skeleton Blackamber Legionnaire: ?
Skeleton Blackamber Skeletal Captain: ?
Skeleton Blackamber Skeletal Champion: ?
Skeleton Blackamber Skeletal Legionnaire: The most dangerous skeleton warriors are those of the Blackamber Legion. Before the first age they swore to serve their master, the Wizard King, forever. Whoops. (13th Age Core Book)
Skeleton Blackamber Skeletal Warrior: ?
Skeleton Blackamber Skeleton: ?
Skeleton Crumbling Skeleton: ?
Skeleton Decrepit Skeleton: Boneservant wondrous item. (Book of Loot)
Skeleton Just-Ripped-Free Skeletal Mook: The Bones Beneath spell. (13 True Ways)
Skeleton Skeletal Doorman: ?
Skeleton Skeletal Hound: ?
Skeleton Skeletal Minion: ?
Skeleton Skeleton Archer: ?
Skeleton Troll Skeleton: ?
Skeleton Warrior: ?
Specter: A specter could be the guardian of a dark gate, the ghost of an ancient icon, a viceroy under the Lich King, the spawn of a unholy ritual, a necromantic mastermind, the ghost of the infernal machine that the PCs just wrecked, a hero’s undead twin, or your own better idea. (13 True Ways)
Each specter has a terrible tale behind its creation. (13 True Ways)
Specter Dread Specter: ?
Undead Arm: ?
Undead Celestial: The last of the hellhole’s flying realms was shattered by a test firing of Azgarrak’s death ray. Now, it’s a burning ring of smaller flying rocks, where the scorched undead remains of celestials battle with both their surviving former compatriots, and the demonic hordes from the Fortress of the Balor who press on towards the edge of the overworld. (The Book of Demons)
Undead Corsair: These stats reflect the few remaining living corsairs of the south coast. If you want to turn them into undead corsairs, then either murder them and raise them with dreadful necromantic incantations, or: (The Book of Ages)
• Add vulnerability: holy (The Book of Ages)
• Replace cowardly with: won’t stay dead: If at the start of the Corsair Crewman’s turn, there are more enemies on the battlefield than allies, the corsair crewman gains another use of more of ye! (The Book of Ages)
Undead Corsair Marine: ?
Undead Dragon: Baron Von Vorlatch: A blight on the Espairian Empire. His shadow grows ever longer. He has created undead dragons from the ranks of fallen chromatic dragons. (Gods and Icons)
Ghiama: She still hasn’t forgiven the vampires for making her white head undead. Or using her fallen children as undead steeds for the Baron’s nobles. (Gods and Icons)
Undead Dragon-Golem Justicar: Using magic taken from the Necromancers of the Fangs. (The Book of Ages)
Undead Elf: ?
Undead Giant: ?
Undead Head: Acolyte of Thanatari Create Magic Head ability. (13th Age Glorantha)
Undead Killer Whale: ?
Underhome Shade: Many dwarves perished in the destruction of Underhome. Some were taken unawares by the poisonous gases, but others lingered too long, trying to gather up their treasure before fleeing. They linger still. (The Book of Ages)
Vampire: Necromages are adept at drawing on the dead to fuel their rituals. A necromage with access to a great many corpses can cast epic-level rituals on its own (like, say, opening teleportation gates to the Necropolis, creating champion-tier zombie plagues, or raising a vampire or three). (The Book of Ages)
Vampire, Baron Von Vorlatch: ?
Vampire, Count Hans d'Orlac: ?
Vampire, Dancer in the Dark: ?
Vampire, Vivamort, Chaos God of Vampires: ?
Vampire Drow Vampire: ?
Vampire Feral Vampire: ?
Vampire Ichor Vampire: Ichor vampires once fed on the blood or congealed ichor of a divine entity—a terrible mistake. The vampires are unable to wholly digest the divine essence, nor can they ever be satisfied with weak, thin mortal blood. (The Book of Ages)
Vampire Masterless Vampire Spawn: ?
Vampire Spawn: ?
Vampire Spawn of the Master: ?
Wendigo: Wendigo are disembodied spirits torn away from the Lich King by some form of connection with the High Druid. (13th Age Bestiary)
These strange monsters represent a conflict between the powers of the Lich King, High Druid, and Diabolist. Depending on how you interpret the oracles, any one of the three icons could be to blame for the creatures. But it seems likely that none of the icons are served by the wendigo’s existence. Wendigo represent some sort of failure of control or authority or loyalty no matter which icon’s perspective you’re trying to apply. (13th Age Bestiary)
Wendigo seem to be the result of a battle between the Lich King and the High Druid for specific souls. The High Druid certainly claims some souls as ancestor spirits and in other odd portions of the natural cycles of the world. The Lich King obviously wants to claim as many of the dead as possible. (13th Age Bestiary)
The fact that wendigo start as undead indicates that these are spirits formerly under the Lich King’s control that the High Druid or one of her ancient incarnations tried to retrieve. Perhaps they were loyal to the High Druid in life. Perhaps the wendigo initiated the transformation themselves, seeking to escape from the Lich King via the power of the High Druid. (13th Age Bestiary)
Wendigo Spirit: ?
Wight: ?
Wight Summoned Wight: Summon Horror 5th level spell. (13 True Ways)
Wight Summoned Barrow Wight: Summon Horror 7th level spell. (13 True Ways)
Wight Summoned Greater Wight: Summon Horror 9th level spell. (13 True Ways)
Wraith: ?
Wraith Mind-Eater Wraith: Mind-Eater Wraiths made from broken rings. (The Book of Ages)
Wraith Summoned Greater Wraith: Summon Wraith 9th level spell. (13 True Ways)
Wraith Summoned Wraith: Summon Wraith 5th level spell. (13 True Ways)
Zombie: Near the end of a past age, a Diabolist released a disease on the world that turned people into contagious zombies. (13th Age Core Book)
There are many sorts of living things. Some of them create zombies, which means there are also many sorts of zombified things. (13 True Ways)
Necromages are adept at drawing on the dead to fuel their rituals. A necromage with access to a great many corpses can cast epic-level rituals on its own (like, say, opening teleportation gates to the Necropolis, creating champion-tier zombie plagues, or raising a vampire or three). (The Book of Ages)
Flesh-carver demons hang around with a variety of low-lives, including greater claw demons, despoiler mages who help trick creatures into signing consent forms, and undead like zombies that didn’t quite survive the surgical process. (The Book of Demons)
Zombie Beast: ?
Zombie Big Zombie: ?
Zombie Cultist: By becoming zombies (heads intact), cultists achieve a sort of immortality and glory, or at least the total cessation of pain. (13th Age Glorantha)
Acolyte of Than Compel the Dead ability. (13th Age Glorantha)
Zombie Dark Troll Zombie: Zorak Zoran, the troll war god of Disorder and Death, raises dead trolls as powerful undead warriors. Unlike Chaotic undead, the spirits aren’t trapped in these creatures. The souls have moved on. (13th Age Glorantha)
Zombie Dark Troll Zombie Crisscrossed with Runes and Magical Symbols: ?
Zombie Giant: ?
Zombie Giant Zombie: ?
Zombie Headless Zombie: The Forbidden Incantation of Eternal Hunger turns the bodies of mighty warriors into ravening, headless monstrosities. Not only do these poor creatures have the semblance of life, they also suffer the semblance of insatiable hunger. With no mouths, they cannot eat, but they are driven to destroy living creatures in a vain attempt to sate their hunger. What exactly happens to the corpse’s head during the ritual remains obscure, and really, you don’t want to know. (13 True Ways)
Zombie Human Zombie: ?
Zombie Hybrid Zombie: These zombies are creations of Delecti. His sorcery creates abominations without invoking Chaos. (13th Age Glorantha)
Zombie Ice Zombie: The past victims of frost giants sometimes attain a sort of half-life. Frozen rock-solid by the cold, ice zombies are found in glacier walls near ice giant palaces or stumbling away from bergships as they defrost. (13th Age Bestiary)
Zombie Minion: ?
Zombie of the Silver Rose: They are the only “survivors” of a lost cult that once battled the undead. The Lich King somehow brought them down, and these warriors now serve their erstwhile enemy. (13 True Ways)
Zombie Pathetic Zombie Goblin: ?
Zombie Pirate Captain: Many corsairs perished in the deep waters, but later returned as undead horrors. In the Midland Sea, such undead revenants are in the service of the Lich King, while those who died in the Iron Sea and weren’t eaten by sea monsters are free-willed independent undead without a liege. (The Book of Ages)
Zombie Putrid Zombie: ?
Zombie Shuffler: ?
Zombie Swine Monster: ?

13th Age Core Book

Spoiler

Undead: White dragons are a debased and even cowardly lot, cut off from the power of their slain icon. They still hold a grudge against the Lich King but don’t dare do anything about it because he knows how to transform them into undead servants.
The wizards of Horizon say that the Lich King’s magic brought the formerly loyal subjects of his kingdom back to unlife.
Ghoul: Any creature that is slain by a ghoul and not consumed will rise as a ghoul the next night.
Lich: As the Wizard King, the Lich King killed the White, and he takes inordinate pleasure in turning evil dragons into liches.
Lich King: ?
Newly-Risen Ghoul: ?
Skeleton: ?
Decrepit Skeleton: ?
Skeletal Hound: ?
Skeleton Archer: ?
Skeleton Warrior: ?
Blackamber Skeletal Legionnaire: The most dangerous skeleton warriors are those of the Blackamber Legion. Before the first age they swore to serve their master, the Wizard King, forever. Whoops.
Vampire: ?
Vampire Spawn: ?
Spawn of the Master: ?
Wight: ?
Wraith: ?
Zombie: Near the end of a past age, a Diabolist released a disease on the world that turned people into contagious zombies
Zombie Shuffler: ?
Human Zombie: ?
Big Zombie: ?
Giant Zombie: ?
Pathetic Zombie Goblin: ?

13th Age Bestiary

Spoiler

Wraith Bat: ?
Dybbuk: Dybbuks are the souls of the dead who wish to continue living in warm bodies.
Ice Zombie: The past victims of frost giants sometimes attain a sort of half-life. Frozen rock-solid by the cold, ice zombies are found in glacier walls near ice giant palaces or stumbling away from bergships as they defrost.
Ghoul: Once regular people, there are two causes that are widely held to cause ghoul outbreaks. Being killed by a ghoul causes the victim to rise up as one. Eating the flesh of the dead is the other cause.
Any creature that is slain by a ghoul and not consumed will rise as a ghoul the next night.
Each time a ghoul bites a character, that PC immediately loses a recovery. If they run out of recoveries before their next full heal-up, that character must start making last gasp saves at the start of each battle. If the character fails their fourth last gasp save this way, they turn into a ghoul.
Ghouls don’t make other ghouls: The only way for someone to turn into a ghoul is cannibalism. They must willingly eat the flesh of a living, intelligent being. It may have to be the raw flesh of someone not yet buried. It may be flesh specially prepared in a half-ritual, half-recipe and served to a cult. Perhaps ghouls are consciously created by choice. It may be a desperate choice between starving on a drifting ship or dying, but it’s still a choice. Once that choice is made, the hunger sets in and doesn’t stop until the ghoul is killed or it becomes a ghast.
Ghoul bites can’t turn creatures, but ghast bites can: This process is slow. A single bite won’t do it. The only way to survive the process is to make it to a full heal-up. During the full heal-up, any character with medical knowledge or healing hands can take the necessary precautions to deal with the infection. Should a character die before they take a full heal-up, however, the infection takes over.
The members of a noble family are ending up as ghouls and ghasts. Someone has an artifact that curses the living with the form of the hungry dead.
Ghast: Ghasts are born from ghouls who, desperate from hunger, attack and eat other ghouls.
An army or raiding party uses potions to enhance its soldiers. The potions increase stamina and speed. One of the main ingredients is ghoul ichor. Unfortunately, a soldier overdoses and turns himself into a ghast.
The members of a noble family are ending up as ghouls and ghasts. Someone has an artifact that curses the living with the form of the hungry dead.
Gravemeat: ?
Ghoul Fleshripper: ?
Ghoul Licklash: ?
Ghoul Pusbuster: ?
Haunted Skull: ?
Watch Skull: Glittering glass in the eye sockets and runes carved on the brow show that somebody went to a great deal of effort ensure that a ghost would haunt this undead guardian. One wonders if the runes were carved before, after, or during death.
Slime-Skull: The slime killed the creature, the creature’s ghost killed the slime, and now the two are trapped together—bound to the skull.
If the slime-skull kills a creature, it takes that creature’s head as a standard action and attempts to escape (it can squeeze through gaps as small as the skull). The slain creature can’t be resurrected until its skull is recovered because its spirit is now trapped within the skull. If the PCs don’t track down the slime-skull before their next full heal-up (or within a day), the stolen skull will transform into another slime-skull.
Jest Bones: Some spirits don’t get to rest easy, curses are never pretty things, and dread necromancers like a good laugh as much as the next person. Some might say they enjoy laughing more than normal people, and at the darkest possible jokes.
Screaming Skull: ?
Flaming Skull: Beings whose great passions anchor them to their mortal remains can become flaming skulls.
Black Skull: Before becoming undead the black skulls were the generals of the Wizard King’s armies and the members of his court.
Skull of the Beast: ?
Undead: When the spinneret doxy drops an enemy to 0 hit points or lower, she will move next to that creature and attempt to remove the target’s heart. The creature must begin making last gasp saves as she cuts their chest open. On the fourth failure, the doxy takes the heart and the target dies and becomes undead under her control.
When the lethal lothario drops an enemy to 0 hit points or lower, he will move next to that creature and attempt to remove the target’s heart. The creature must begin making last gasp saves as he cuts their chest open. On the fourth failure, the lothario takes the heart and the target dies and becomes undead under her control.
When the binding bride drops an enemy to 0 hit points or lower, she will move next to that creature as a free action and attempt to remove the target’s heart. The creature must begin making last gasp saves as she cuts its chest open. On the fourth failed save, the bride takes the heart and the target dies and becomes undead under her control.
When the swarm prince drops an enemy to 0 hit points or lower, he will move next to that creature and attempt to remove the target’s heart. The creature must begin making last gasp saves as he cuts their chest open. On the fourth failure, the prince takes the heart and the target dies and becomes undead under his control.
Lich: When a creature uses magic, particularly arcane magic, to extend their life unnaturally, they often become a lich. Most liches are former wizards who turn themselves into undead creatures to continue their pursuits after a lifelong study of magic. The new lich creates a phylactery—a relic imbued with its essential life force.
The Fine Art of Phylactery
The most common phylactery is an item that was important to the lich in life. Many phylacteries are small and fragile. The advantage of such items is their ease of concealment. If it’s a small charm given by the lich’s first true love, it can be hidden inside a trap-laden sarcophagus. If the phylactery is larger, such as a painting, the lich will likely have an art gallery where the phylactery hides in plain sight. Or perhaps the stone statue of the lich’s mother is more than just a memento among a gallery of similar stonework.
Physical locations are also possible choices for a phylactery. An ancestral castle, a wrecked pirate ship, or a stone tower covered in runes could all serve as the home to a lich’s essence. Often, liches that choose a location are bound within its borders, or the borders of the land within its influence. These locations are stocked with plenty of guardians for protection as well as minions that handle the lich’s business outside the walls. The destruction of the building or structure is the only way to be sure the lich will never return. Killing a lich is hard enough, but also destroying its entire lair is definitely a job for heroes.
Living creatures might also be used as phylacteries. The lich kills off all of its blood relatives and performs a ritual on the last member of its bloodline, who becomes the phylactery. Or perhaps it chooses a bride or a groom and installs a part of itself inside its chosen victim. This option does have one drawback, however, because it forces the lich to perform the ritual every few decades as the living vessel dies. But it also poses a challenge for those looking to slay the lich beyond finding the phylactery. Is destroying the lich worth the murder of an innocent teenage girl, or a young child? Perhaps the living phylactery is completely unaware of its link to the lich. What if that link was to one of the heroes?
Lich Count: Counts and countesses gain their title by acting in the interests of the Lich King. It may be by accident, or it may be a deliberate move to curry favor with the icon.
Lich Prince: To become a prince or princess of the Peerage, the lich pledges unflappable loyalty to the Lich King. Part of the pledge includes either disclosing the location of their phylactery to the Lich King or delivering it to the icon personally.
Wendigo: Wendigo are disembodied spirits torn away from the Lich King by some form of connection with the High Druid.
These strange monsters represent a conflict between the powers of the Lich King, High Druid, and Diabolist. Depending on how you interpret the oracles, any one of the three icons could be to blame for the creatures. But it seems likely that none of the icons are served by the wendigo’s existence. Wendigo represent some sort of failure of control or authority or loyalty no matter which icon’s perspective you’re trying to apply.
Wendigo seem to be the result of a battle between the Lich King and the High Druid for specific souls. The High Druid certainly claims some souls as ancestor spirits and in other odd portions of the natural cycles of the world. The Lich King obviously wants to claim as many of the dead as possible.
The fact that wendigo start as undead indicates that these are spirits formerly under the Lich King’s control that the High Druid or one of her ancient incarnations tried to retrieve. Perhaps they were loyal to the High Druid in life. Perhaps the wendigo initiated the transformation themselves, seeking to escape from the Lich King via the power of the High Druid.
Wendigo Spirit: ?

13 True Ways

Spoiler

Skeletal Minion: ?
Crumbling Skeleton: ?
Putrid Zombie: ?
Starving Ghoul: ?
Masterless Vampire Spawn: ?
Blackamber Skeletal Warrior: ?
Just-Ripped-Free Skeletal Mook: The Bones Beneath spell.
Summoned Ghoul: Summon Horror 3rd level spell.
Summoned Wight: Summon Horror 5th level spell.
Summoned Barrow Wight: Summon Horror 7th level spell.
Summoned Greater Wight: Summon Horror 9th level spell.
Summoned Wraith: Summon Wraith 5th level spell.
Summoned Greater Wraith: Summon Wraith 9th level spell.
Death Blossom: When the blood rose drops to 0 hit points, it is destroyed until the start of its next turn. At the start of its next turn, it returns to life as a death blossom or lich flower that lacks the red-yellow resurrection ability but is otherwise undamaged and whole.
When the poison dandelion drops to 0 hit points, it’s destroyed until the start of its next turn. At the start of its next turn, it returns to life as a death blossom or lich flower that lacks the red-yellow resurrection ability but is otherwise undamaged and whole.
Lich Flower: When the blood rose drops to 0 hit points, it is destroyed until the start of its next turn. At the start of its next turn, it returns to life as a death blossom or lich flower that lacks the red-yellow resurrection ability but is otherwise undamaged and whole.
When the poison dandelion drops to 0 hit points, it’s destroyed until the start of its next turn. At the start of its next turn, it returns to life as a death blossom or lich flower that lacks the red-yellow resurrection ability but is otherwise undamaged and whole.
Mummy: Down through the ages, powerful magicians have endeavored to preserve their own lives, escaping both the mystery of death and the horror of undeath. The secrets by which they preserve themselves at the end of their mortal lives are lost, but someone always finds or recreates those secrets. Ideally, these carefully preserved mummies live on in a sort of passive false life of the mind, dreaming endlessly in their sarcophagi but never passing on into death itself. It’s good work if you can get it. The problem is that the Lich King is dead set against letting anyone enjoy such a happy ending. When his servitors discover mummies, they invariably animate them and turn them into proper undead minions.
Specter: A specter could be the guardian of a dark gate, the ghost of an ancient icon, a viceroy under the Lich King, the spawn of a unholy ritual, a necromantic mastermind, the ghost of the infernal machine that the PCs just wrecked, a hero’s undead twin, or your own better idea.
Each specter has a terrible tale behind its creation.
Dread Specter: ?
Zombie: There are many sorts of living things. Some of them create zombies, which means there are also many sorts of zombified things.
Zombie Beast: ?
Zombie of the Silver Rose: They are the only “survivors” of a lost cult that once battled the undead. The Lich King somehow brought them down, and these warriors now serve their erstwhile enemy.
Headless Zombie: The Forbidden Incantation of Eternal Hunger turns the bodies of mighty warriors into ravening, headless monstrosities. Not only do these poor creatures have the semblance of life, they also suffer the semblance of insatiable hunger. With no mouths, they cannot eat, but they are driven to destroy living creatures in a vain attempt to sate their hunger. What exactly happens to the corpse’s head during the ritual remains obscure, and really, you don’t want to know.
Undead: Before he was the Lich King, the living Wizard King made a pact with the devil lords. In exchange for his immortal soul, they revealed to him the most occulted arcane secrets and aided his ascension to the high seats of power. Because he also offered up the souls of his minion legion, the devils granted him more earthly reward than they had ever arranged for any mortal. It cost them dearly, sapping their otherworldly energies for generations.
Only when they’d ebbed to their weakest state, and could do nothing about it, did they tumble to his scheme. He betrayed them by making a new pact with another dark force, stepping beyond the bounds between life and death. He died, yet remained in the world in undead form. He ensured the same for his army, too. His soul, and theirs, remained anchored in bodies that no longer lived, but those bodies still provided the spark of animation necessary to maintain their undead forms.
Lich King: Before he was the Lich King, the living Wizard King made a pact with the devil lords. In exchange for his immortal soul, they revealed to him the most occulted arcane secrets and aided his ascension to the high seats of power. Because he also offered up the souls of his minion legion, the devils granted him more earthly reward than they had ever arranged for any mortal. It cost them dearly, sapping their otherworldly energies for generations.
Only when they’d ebbed to their weakest state, and could do nothing about it, did they tumble to his scheme. He betrayed them by making a new pact with another dark force, stepping beyond the bounds between life and death. He died, yet remained in the world in undead form. He ensured the same for his army, too. His soul, and theirs, remained anchored in bodies that no longer lived, but those bodies still provided the spark of animation necessary to maintain their undead forms.

3rd Level Spells
The Bones Beneath
Ranged spell Daily
Target: One nearby mook (and hence, its mob)
Attack: Intelligence + Level vs. PD
Hit: 4d12 + Intelligence negative energy damage, and each mook in the mob that drops becomes a skeleton mook under your control until the end of the battle.
Miss: Half damage, and each mook in the mob that drops becomes a skeleton mook under your control until the end of the battle.
5th level spell
7d12 damage.
7th level spell
2d6 x 10 damage.
9th level spell
2d10 x 10 damage.
Special: The stats for the mooks created by each level of the bones beneath appear below. The level or physical nature of the mooks is irrelevant; the magic of the spell turns whatever creatures it’s forced to work with into skeletal mook allies with the stats below.
The new mooks take their turn immediately after your turn.
It’s worth mentioning that the mooks created by this spell don’t count as summoned mooks. This isn’t a summoning spell.

Summon Horror (3rd level+)
Ranged spell Daily
Effect: You summon a ghoul, as per the summoning rules on page 11. The summoned ghoul fights for you until the end of the battle or until it drops to 0 hp, whichever comes first.
As you cast the spell at higher levels, the creature you summon varies, as shown below. The stats for each creature are shown below.
5th level spell
You can now summon a wight.
7th level spell
You can now summon a barrow wight.
9th level spell
You can now summon a greater wight.

Summon Wraith (5th level+)
Ranged spell Daily
Effect: You summon a wraith, as per the summoning rules on page 11. This wraith fights for you until the end of the battle or until it drops to 0 hp, whichever comes first.
As you cast the spell at higher levels, you summon multiple wraiths. Stats for the two versions of the wraith summoned by the spell are listed below.
7th level spell
You can now summon two wraiths.
9th level spell
You can now summon two greater wraiths.

Book of Loot

Spoiler

Undead: If you die while animated by the armor of animation, it’s a dead cert (ahem) that you’re coming back as some sort of undead.
Decrepit Skeleton: Boneservant wondrous item.

Lions & Tigers & Owlbears: The 13th Age Bestiary 2 Preview

Spoiler

Summoned Ghoul: ?
Great Ghoul's Maw: ?
Greater Summoned Ghoul: ?
Great Ghoul's Shadow: If the Great Ghoul’s Maw is slain, the GM secretly rolls a normal save (11+) at the end of each session, including this one. If the save succeeds, the Great Ghoul regains a semblance of life: the Great Ghoul’s Shadow.

Loot Harder: A Book of Treasures

Spoiler

13th Age
Undead: Deathless Champion power of the Heart of Death artifact.
Peer of the Realm of Death Epic power of the Heart of Death artifact.
Undead Elf: ?
Ghost of Moth: ?
Paladin's Ghost: ?
Ghost: Somebody once died while riding on a friend’s shoulders, and their ghost haunts the saddleback pauldrons. The phantom seeks to complete unfinished business, and that means joining up with the Crusader’s forces on a foolhardy mission.
Skeletal Doorman: ?
Vampire, Count Hans d'Orlac: ?

Lich King: ?
Lich: ?
Vampire: ?
Wight: ?
Zombie: ?

THE HEART OF DEATH
A black pendant made from an organ taken from a corpse, what could go wrong?
Artifact description: This black wrinkled leathery lump is the mummified remains of somebody’s heart.
History: The heart wants to end the world (what were you expecting?). It has been tied to disasters, plagues, the unleashing of monsters, and acts of magic that have threatened reality itself. Every time an age comes to a catastrophic end, the heart always seems to be at least tangentially involved. Legend says that it was the Lich King’s, but how can that be true?
Icon relationships: Lich King (positive), Emperor (negative), Orc Lord (negative), the Three (negative).
Adventurer
Fearless: You are immune to the fear condition. Quirk: Not disgusted by dead things.
Undying: (quick action – recharge 6+ after use): Gain temporary hit points equal to the level of the highest-level undead in the battle (the last mook of a mob doesn’t count; double strength or large counts as double its level; huge, triple-strength, or stronger counts as triple its level). Quirk: Aware of the fragility of life, and the strength of the undead.
Champion
Deathless: The next time you die (only), immediately regain full hit points, and your creature type become undead. Quirk: ‘Dead’ and ‘alive’ are just labels, ones that no longer concern you.
Life-drinker (1/day): When a nearby creature (including you) takes negative energy damage, heal using a free recovery.
Quirk: Helps others understand that death can sometimes be welcome.
Epic
Peer of the Realm of Death (1/level): When an ally dies, activate this power. During your next rest, permanently reduce your maximum recoveries by 1 to return that ally to “life,” if they are willing. Their creature type becomes undead and they gain vulnerability: holy. They must also change one of their icon relationships to be with the Lich King, if one wasn’t already.
Quirk: Keeps their friends close.

The Book of Ages

Spoiler

Undead: The Necromancers of the Fangs, that famous cabal of wizards who raised vast armies of the dead.
They were loyal beyond death to the Tyrant Lizard, reincarnating alongside her when they fell in battle. When she vanished, so did they. A few might survive as bodyguards sworn to the Black Dragon. Equally, the Lich King could raise some as undead, or the Diabolist draw some of their souls back from the dead.
Necroblast Sorcerer or Wizard talent.
Lich King: If, in fact, the Wizard King that slew the White went ahead and reanimated its corpse as a dragon-lich, shouldn’t that have been a clue to the transformation that was to come, Wizard King into Lich King?
Now, the tales differ on certain specifics. For example, it’s not known why the Lich King rose in this age after spending so many centuries safely dead. Some tales sympathetic to the old master insist that the Empire was under the control of a cruel and brutish Emperor, a man so vile that the peasants prayed for the Wizard King to return and retake his domain. The sages in Horizon speculate that this was the culmination of some long-planned ritual or contingency, and that it look the Lich King many ages to gather the necromantic power he needed to become a demilich. In certain secret councils of the wise, they fear that the disappearance of the Hooded Woman must be connected to the rise of the Lich King.
Others, reasonably, blame tomb-robbing adventurers for awakening an ancient evil.
Dragon-Lich, The White: If, in fact, the Wizard King that slew the White went ahead and reanimated its corpse as a dragon-lich, shouldn’t that have been a clue to the transformation that was to come, Wizard King into Lich King?
Evil Overlord Undead Horror: ?
Undead Dragon-Golem Justicar: Using magic taken from the Necromancers of the Fangs.
Primordial Giant Skeleton: Ages later, the Lich King, out of some perverse whimsical revenge, created titanic horrors from the long-buried corpses of the giants who sacked Axis in the First Age. The necromantic spells that animate them take years to seep through the soil, so it’s not uncommon for giant skeletons to suddenly rise from their First Age barrows and stumble off in the direction of Axis.
Snapping Skull: Primordial Giant Skeleton's Skull Bowling power.
Undead Giant: ?
Underhome Shade: Many dwarves perished in the destruction of Underhome. Some were taken unawares by the poisonous gases, but others lingered too long, trying to gather up their treasure before fleeing. They linger still.
Ichor Vampire: Ichor vampires once fed on the blood or congealed ichor of a divine entity—a terrible mistake. The vampires are unable to wholly digest the divine essence, nor can they ever be satisfied with weak, thin mortal blood.
Feral Vampire: ?
Breathstealer Cat: ?
Breathstealer Thrall: If a humanoid creature dies near the breathstealer cat, it returns next round as a breathstealer thrall.
Breathstealer cats are spies and saboteurs sent by the Lich King. They sneak into hospitals and the homes of the dying, so they can steal the last breath from a victim. Consuming the last breath allows the cat to animate the deceased as an undead thrall, though a cat can only have one or two thralls at a time.
Blackamber Skeletal Captain: ?
Blackamber Skeletal Champion: ?
Blackamber Skeleton: ?
Bone Dervish:
Dervish Puppet: Bone Dervish's Raise Minion power.
Necromage: Only the Lich King would create undead capable of drawing on the powers of the dead to crowdsource their spell casting. Absolutely. No other icon would ever experiment with such things. And no other icon would ever, ever be the effective ruler of a highly populous Imperial city with lots of graveyards. Nope.
Ratbone Twist: Ratfolk Bone Shaman Bone-Curse power.
Hog-Ghoul: Not all ghouls descend from human stock. The Ghoul King’s scavenger host bred these ghastly, carnivorous boars who snuffled out buried corpses in graveyards like truffles in a forest.
Ghoul Giant: ?
Rootwight: ?
Undead Corsair: These stats reflect the few remaining living corsairs of the south coast. If you want to turn them into undead corsairs, then either murder them and raise them with dreadful necromantic incantations, or:
• Add vulnerability: holy
• Replace cowardly with: won’t stay dead: If at the start of the Corsair Crewman’s turn, there are more enemies on the battlefield than allies, the corsair crewman gains another use of more of ye!
Undead Corsair Marine: ?
Zombie Pirate Captain: Many corsairs perished in the deep waters, but later returned as undead horrors. In the Midland Sea, such undead revenants are in the service of the Lich King, while those who died in the Iron Sea and weren’t eaten by sea monsters are free-willed independent undead without a liege.
The Alchemist, Lich: Other tales say that the Alchemist was resurrected as a lich, and is now a vassal of the Lich King.
Mind-Eater Wraith: Mind-Eater Wraiths made from broken rings.

Ghoul: ?
Blackamber Legionnaire: ?
Vampire: Necromages are adept at drawing on the dead to fuel their rituals. A necromage with access to a great many corpses can cast epic-level rituals on its own (like, say, opening teleportation gates to the Necropolis, creating champion-tier zombie plagues, or raising a vampire or three).
Zombie: Necromages are adept at drawing on the dead to fuel their rituals. A necromage with access to a great many corpses can cast epic-level rituals on its own (like, say, opening teleportation gates to the Necropolis, creating champion-tier zombie plagues, or raising a vampire or three).
Lich: Wealthy lords would hire the best alchemists and necromancers to turn them into liches.
Headless Zombie: ?
Skull of the Beast: ?
The Gold King: The wars between elf and dwarf that began the age were soon eclipsed by other perils. The sheer slaughter birthed a terrible lord of the undead.
The Gold King was a corrupt dwarf who, by some accounts, refused the command of the Dwarf King to leave Underhome. Some tales claim that the Gold King died of poison and rose again as an undead monster; other stories insist that the Gold King deliberately transformed himself into an undead horror to survive in the poisoned reaches. Some even say that the Gold King was actually the true Dwarf King, and that the King who ordered the dwarves to abandon Underhome was a facsimile conjured by the treacherous illusions of the dark elves.
Great Ghoul, Ghoul King: The Great Ghoul was presented in Lions & Tigers & Owlbears: 13th Age Bestiary 2 as a fallen icon. Perhaps one of the Great Ghoul’s secrets is that it was a god before it was an icon? When the other gods retreated, the Great Ghoul remained to decay as part of the mortal world.

Necroblast
Once per day, before you cast a spell, you may declare it to be a necroblast. The spell’s damage type becomes negative energy damage in addition to its usual type. If any non-undead nonmooks are destroyed by the spell, they become undead under your control.
In battle, these undead creatures crumble at the end of their next turn, or if they are hit by any other attack, but may make a move and a basic attack under your control. The creatures are considered weakened (–4 to attacks and defenses).
Alternatively, if you do not wish to force the creatures to fight for you, the undead creature will perform one brief service for you after the battle before crumbling, like answering a question, guiding you a short distance, carrying you across some obstacle, or a brief improvised entertainment.
If no creatures are destroyed by the necroblast, you gain no added benefit.
Adventurer Feat: If you don’t kill any non-mooks with the spell, your necroblast ability isn’t expended.
Champion Feat: Reanimated creatures aren’t weakened.
Epic Feat: The service you demand out of battle doesn’t have to be a brief one. Instead, they serve you at least until your next full heal-up, and possibly longer. Creatures who are forced to serve still won’t fight for you.

R: Skull Bowling +13 vs PD (1d3+1 nearby or far away enemies)—The giant removes its skull, creating a Snapping Skull and rolls it over an unpredictable set of foes. Any foes hit with this attack take 50 damage. The Snapping Skull ends up engaged with one of the foes targeted with skull bowling.
Natural 16+: The snapping skull may make a free skull snap attack on this enemy as it passes, or as it ends the attack engaged with the enemy.
Limited use: 1/battle.
Where’s my head: If a snapping skull is nearby (even if it originally belonged to a different giant!), the Primordial Giant Skeleton may pick it up instead of attacking, giving it another use of skull bowling.
Separate elements: The primordial giant skeleton doesn’t lose any hit points or abilities by detaching its skull from its body, but you’ll track damage dealt to the snapping skull as a separate creature throughout the battle, and if the snapping skull is destroyed while separated from the body, the primordial giant skeleton is weakened (–4 to all attacks and defenses) unless it’s temporarily wearing a different giant’s skull!

C: Raise minion +12 vs. PD (1d4 nearby enemies who are not engaged by a dervish puppet)—10 damage, and add a dervish puppet to the battlefield that’s engaged with that target. (The dervish puppets all act immediately after the bone dervish.)

R: Bone-curse +9 vs. MD (1d4 nearby or far-away enemies)—5 damage, and each foe is engaged with a ratbone twist, a swirling swarm of dead rats bones and filth. While engaged by a ratbone twist, the target is considered vulnerable to the attacks of ratfolk. The ratbone twist can be targeted as a nonmook undead enemy, and destroyed by any attack (assume it’s got an AC, PD and MD of 5 and 5 hit points). Ratbone twists are also destroyed if an enemy successfully pops free from them (they stay engaged on a failed attempt to disengage, and move with their foe.)
If the target is already engaged by a ratbone twist when targeted by this attack, then the target takes 2d6 damage for every existing ratbone twist engaging them.

The Book of Demons

Spoiler

Undead Celestial: The last of the hellhole’s flying realms was shattered by a test firing of Azgarrak’s death ray. Now, it’s a burning ring of smaller flying rocks, where the scorched undead remains of celestials battle with both their surviving former compatriots, and the demonic hordes from the Fortress of the Balor who press on towards the edge of the overworld.
Undead: Bar-en-Huil is long buried, so no-one knows if it’s a city or a town or some other structure. It’s a ruin, many Ages old, that covers the lower western slopes of Claw Peak. The bizarre landslides caused by the hellhole sometimes lift away the rubble that entombs the ruined city, making it possible to explore the ruins of Bar-en-Huil for brief periods until the rocks fall on it again. Undead—perhaps awoken by the proximity of the hellhole—drift through the streets, mourning their lost city.
Flesh-carver demons hang around with a variety of low-lives, including greater claw demons, despoiler mages who help trick creatures into signing consent forms, and undead like zombies that didn’t quite survive the surgical process.
Lich Lord: ?
Lich: Those previous Diabolists in their tombs in the Cairnwood? Ever hear of better candidates for retroactive lichdom?
Ghoul: ?
Vampire: ?
Zombie: Flesh-carver demons hang around with a variety of low-lives, including greater claw demons (page 45), despoiler mages who help trick creatures into signing consent forms, and undead like zombies that didn’t quite survive the surgical process.

13th Age Glorantha

Spoiler

Undead: Like other people, they’re mainly farmers and hunters, but life in the shadow of the Upland Marsh forces them to confront the undead horrors created by Delecti the Necromancer.
If the PCs earn the trust of the ducks, the ducks favor them with a special blessing. It will strengthen them for the coming apocalypse, when the universe turns upside down and the dead attack the living.
Most undead are created by ? Chaos, especially by the minions of the gods Thanatar and Vivamort.
The only oddity in the rune column is that undead have three different rune possibilities. In Glorantha, undead creatures come in many sorts. Regardless of their source, undead creatures earn the undying enmity of Humakt and his devotees.
Trolls, especially trolls connected to Zorak Zoran, create undead associated with o Darkness. These are reanimated, spiritless corpses, not ghouls or vampires. They are neither Chaotic nor, arguably, truly undead. They’re a bit more like constructs, since the soul of the dead creature is not trapped in the skeletal or zombie body. Troll-created undead appear with the o Darkness rune.
Finally, the Upland Marsh is haunted by bizarre undead constructs, stitched together and powered by the undying sorcerer Delecti. They are the products of blasphemy, not Chaos. Undead associated with Delecti have the u Unlife/ Undead rune. It’s possible that there might also be Chaotic versions of those undead, but not if they belong to Delecti.
Undead generally don’t have homelands. They can be found wherever Chaos violates the boundaries between Life and Death. And in Upland Marsh.
Zombie Minion: ?
Troll Skeleton: ?
Vampire: ?
Headless Skeleton: Acolyte of Than Compel the Dead ability.
Headless Zombie: Acolyte of Than Compel the Dead ability.
Zombie Cultist: By becoming zombies (heads intact), cultists achieve a sort of immortality and glory, or at least the total cessation of pain.
Acolyte of Than Compel the Dead ability.
Undead Head: Acolyte of Thanatari Create Magic Head ability.
Battered Headless Skeleton: Thanatari priests press fallen enemies into unholy service after they’re decapitated. These victims have been in a number of hard battles, and it shows.
Headless Archer: Weaker skeletons are given enchanted bows that grant the skeletons skill with it, even without eyes.
Headless Warrior: Stronger skeletons are armed for close combat, although sometimes it seems like the enchanted spear is doing the fighting.
Temple Guardian: An acolyte continues to protect their temple in this perverted form of “afterlife.”
Headless Harrier: Created from the corpses of mighty foes and reanimated in a ghastly ritual, these undead are the scariest headless skeletons that the party has ever seen. So far.
Headless Ghost: This powerful spirit is created out of betrayal. The priest who creates the headless ghost does so after decapitating an initiate, so either the initiate was a traitor or they’re the one being betrayed.
Zombie Initiate: ?
Superior Temple Guardian: Priests live on in this form, retaining little humanity other than bloodthirstiness.
Headless Destroyer: ?
Great Headless Ghost: A priest or doom master provides the spirit for this cursed guardian, the perpetrator or victim of betrayal.
Dark Troll Zombie: Zorak Zoran, the troll war god of Disorder and Death, raises dead trolls as powerful undead warriors. Unlike Chaotic undead, the spirits aren’t trapped in these creatures. The souls have moved on.
Vivamort: ?
Vampire Spawn: ?
Ghost: ?
Dark Troll Zombie Crisscrossed with Runes and Magical Symbols: ?
Dancer in the Dark, Vampire: ?
Zombie Giant: ?
Undead Killer Whale: ?
Hybrid Zombie: These zombies are creations of Delecti. His sorcery creates abominations without invoking Chaos.
Swine Monster: ?
Undead Arm: ?

Acolyte of Than t? Free-form ability—Compel the dead: With the right rituals and the right sacrifices, the acolyte can turn living people into headless skeletons, headless zombies, and zombie cultists. The rituals are elaborate, often including the sacrifice of animals. The chief sacrifice is always the victim that becomes undead. In practice, this means the acolyte of Than is almost always going to be accompanied by undead minions, unless it’s on a covert mission requiring finesse. In a battle in which an acolyte of Than is accompanied by undead, add another zombie or skeleton to the battle whenever Chaos steals the escalation die. The newly arrived undead could be a straggler, reinforcements, or a revivification of a previously dropped combatant.

Acolyte of Thanatari yt? Free-form ability—Create magic heads: Given a severed head, the acolyte can turn it into an undead head that grants certain knowledge to a Thanatari who attunes their spirit to it. The best heads are those harvested when creating headless undead.

Gods and Icons

Spoiler

Argir the Undead: The Withered Root worships Argir the Undead. They contend that since Argir died but did not die in the creation of the World Tree, he was the first undead being.
Undead Dragon: Baron Von Vorlatch: A blight on the Espairian Empire. His shadow grows ever longer. He has created undead dragons from the ranks of fallen chromatic dragons.
Ghiama: She still hasn’t forgiven the vampires for making her white head undead. Or using her fallen children as undead steeds for the Baron’s nobles.
Baron Von Vorlatch: ?
Ghiama: Ghiama: She still hasn’t forgiven the vampires for making her white head undead.Vampire: ?
Drow Vampire: ?
Skeleton: ?
Zombie: ?
Ghoul: ?
Ghast: ?
Wight: ?
Lich: ?

Arcana Evolved

Spoiler

Arcana Evolved

Spoiler

Corporeal Undead: Corporeal undead are animated corpses. The spirit of the original creature inhabits the corpse once again, powered by negative energy (see animate the dead spells).
“Corporeal undead” is a template you can add to any nonundead, corporeal creature.
Rumors coming out of the Bitter Peaks tell of a horrible malady that strikes at living creatures for reasons unknown. Those affected by this magical plague, known as the “rot from within,” suddenly become undead creatures while their body still lives. Their skeletons tear away their own flesh and consume it. The resulting monsters carry the undead template and roam the night, hunting for more living flesh to rend.
No one knows what causes this plague or how it can be stopped.
Animate the Dead Lesser spell.
Animate the Dead Greater spell.
Animate Undead Legion spell.
Kallethan: ?
Corporeal Undead Human Warmain 3: ?
Incorporeal Undead: Incorporeal undead are bodiless spirits that remain in the corporeal world through the power of negative energy. Their existence, brought about through the rouse undead spirit spell, is a corruption and an abomination upon the natural order of the world.
“Incorporeal undead” is a template you can add to any nonundead, corporeal creature.
Anyone slain by the energy drain ability of an incorporeal undead creature becomes an incorporeal undead creature in 24 hours.
Rouse Ghostly Army spell.
Rouse Undead Spirit spell.
Incorporeal Undead Verrik Witch 4:

Undead: When they were finished with these lands, the dramojh loosed necromantic energies into Verdune. This evil magic animated many of the dead there into marauding undead who wandered the ruined cities and towns.
Ghoul: Ghouls are undead that are not animated by spells but instead rise from death under a curse called “grave hunger.” Ghouls that paralyze foes also automatically infect them with grave hunger, making them want to feed on long-dead corpses (Will save [DC 20] each day to resist). When such infected victims die, they become ghouls, unless a mage successfully uses a remove curse spell before their death.
Vampire: Although undead created by animate the dead spells often resemble vampires, true vampires arise only from other vampires spreading the ancient curse/disease.

Animate the Dead (Lesser)
Necromancy [Negative Energy]
Level: 4 (Simple)
Casting Time: One minute
Range: Touch
Targets: The corpse of one creature with fewer Hit Dice than you
Duration: Instantaneous (self-sustaining magic)
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: No
This spell turns the bones or body of a dead creature into an abominable, walking undead. Enough of the corpse must be present to make for a passable undead creature—a skeletal structure, a great deal of flesh from one creature, etc. Sickly greenish light flows over these remains, and the soul of the creature is restored into a rotting but now-animate corpse.
Immediately, the creature must make a Will saving throw. If the save fails, the undead must obey your verbal commands. If successful, the creature remains in control of its own will. It can then attempt a second saving throw (if the DM deems that it would wish to). If the second save succeeds, the soul returns to its normal afterlife, and the corpse crumbles to dust.
The soul of a creature trapped in an undead body, if it was not twisted before, quickly becomes corrupt, bloodthirsty, and malevolent. An undead and uncontrolled creature attempts to slay its creator as quickly as it can. An undead creature has all the abilities it possessed in life, modified by the corporeal undead template (see Chapter Twelve: Creatures).
You can control only one undead creature at a time. Any attempt to animate a second undead while you have one under your control always frees the first one. The only exception to this are creatures whose truenames you knew when they were alive (they do not count against your total of one controllable undead at a time) or undead under the effects of a control undead spell.
Creatures whose souls are not available cannot be animated as undead. Thus, even if a large portion of the body of a still-living (or once again living) creature is available, it cannot be animated. Likewise, those creatures with trapped or protected souls cannot be animated.
This spell requires 500 gp worth of special oils to be sprinkled on the corpse.
Diminished Effects: The undead moves at only half its normal speed, gains no Dexterity bonus (see creature template), and can take only one action per round, either move-equivalent or standard, but not both.
Heightened Effects: The undead gains +1 hp per Hit Die, a +1 natural armor bonus to Armor Class, and a +1 enhancement bonus to attack rolls. Casting time becomes 1 round.
Magic Item Creation Modifier: Constant ×1.5

Animate the Dead (Greater)
Necromancy [Negative Energy]
Level: 6 (Complex)
Casting Time: One hour
Range: Close (25 feet + 5 feet/two levels)
Target: The corpse of one creature with fewer Hit Dice than you
Duration: Instantaneous (self-sustaining magic)
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: No
This spell allows you to create more powerful undead than lesser animate the dead. Greater undead gain a +3 natural armor bonus, an additional +4 bonus to Strength, and two of the following special abilities:
• Blood Drain (Ex): The undead has fangs to suck blood from a living victim by making a successful grapple check. If it pins the foe, it drains blood, inflicting 1d4 points of permanent Constitution drain each round that it maintains the pin.
• Create Spawn (Su): A creature slain by the undead creature’s energy drain attack rises as an undead 1d4 days after burial. (This ability only works if the undead has energy drain, below.)
• Resistance (Ex): Cold and electricity resistance 20.
• Damage Reduction (Su): The undead body is tough, giving the creature damage reduction 15/+1 (or 15/magic).
• Energy Drain (Su): Living creatures hit by the undead creature’s claw attack suffer one negative level.
• Fast Healing (Ex): The undead heals 3 points of damage each round as long as it has at least 1 hit point.
Greater undead have a Challenge Rating equal to that of the base creature +3.
This spell requires 800 gp worth of special oils as a material component to be sprinkled over the corpse.
Diminished Effects: The undead moves at only half its normal speed, gains no Dexterity bonus (see creature template), and can take only one action per round, either a move-equivalent or a standard action, but not both.
Heightened Effects: The undead gains all of the stated bonuses as well as +1 hp per Hit Die, an additional +2 natural armor bonus to Armor Class, and an additional special ability.
Magic Item Creation Modifier: Constant ×1.5

Animate Undead Legion
Necromancy [Negative Energy]
Level: 8 (Exotic)
Casting Time: 24 hours
Range: Close (25 feet + 5 feet/two levels)
Target: One corpse/level
Duration: Instantaneous (self-sustaining magic)
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: No
This spell allows you to create and control one undead creature per caster level exactly as described in lesser animate the dead.
This spell requires 100 gp worth of special oils per corpse as a material component to be sprinkled over each undead created.
Diminished Effects: The undead move at only half their normal move rate, gain no Dexterity bonus (see creature template), and can take only one action per round, either a move-equivalent or a standard action, but not both.
Heightened Effects: The undead gain +1 hp per Hit Die, +1 natural armor bonus to Armor Class, and a +1 enhancement bonus to attack rolls.
Magic Item Creation Modifiers: Constant ×3, single-use ×3, spell-completion ×1.5

Rouse Ghostly Army
Necromancy [Negative Energy]
Level: 10 (Complex)
Casting Time: One entire night
Range: Medium (100 feet + 10 feet/level)
Target: One corpse/level
Duration: Instantaneous (self-sustaining magic)
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: No
This spell allows you to create and control one incorporeal undead creature per caster level exactly as described in rouse undead spirit. This spell requires 1,000 gp in special oils per corpse as a material component to be sprinkled over each body.
Diminished Effects: The undead move at only half their normal move rate, gain no Dexterity bonus (see creature template in Chapter Twelve), and can take only one action per round, either a move-equivalent or a standard action, but not both.
Magic Item Creation Modifiers:Constant ×3, single-use ×3, spell-completion×1.5

Rouse Undead Spirit
Necromancy [Negative Energy]
Level: 6 (Complex)
Casting Time: One hour
Range: Close (25 feet + 5 feet/two levels)
Target: The corpse of one creature with fewer Hit Dice than you
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: No
You must cast this spell at night. Rouse undead spirit calls the soul of a dead creature and makes it into an undead spirit. Only a small part of the dead creature’s body need be present for the casting, but multiple parts of a single dead creature cannot rouse more than one undead spirit. Black energy flows over the remains, and the spirit of the creature rises up out of the corpse. Immediately, the spirit must make a Will saving throw. If the save fails, the undead must obey your verbal commands. If it succeeds, the creature remains in control of its own will. It can attempt a second saving throw (if the DM deems that it would wish to). If the second save succeeds, the creature’s soul returns to its normal afterlife, and the corpse crumbles to dust.
If it was not twisted before, the bodiless soul of the creature, now cursed to roam the physical world again, quickly becomes corrupt, vengeful, and malevolent. An uncontrolled undead spirit attempts to slay its creator as quickly as it can. An undead created by this spell enjoys all the abilities it possessed in life, modified by the incorporeal undead template (see Chapter Twelve).
You can control only one undead at a time. Any attempt to create a second undead or rouse a second undead spirit while you already control one always frees the first undead created or roused. The only exceptions to this are undead whose truenames you know (these do not count against your total of one controllable undead at a time) or undead under the effects of a control undead spell.
Creatures whose souls are not available cannot be made into undead. Thus, even if a large portion of the body of a still-living (or once again living) creature is available, it cannot be roused as an undead spirit. Likewise, creatures with trapped or protected souls cannot be roused.
Casting this spell requires 1,000 gp worth of special oils to sprinkle over the corpse.
Diminished Effects: The undead spirit moves only at half its normal move rate and can take only one action per round, either a move-equivalent or a standard action, but not both.
Heightened Effects: The undead spirit gains +1 hp per Hit Die, and the create spawn special ability described in Chapter Twelve.
Magic Item Creation Modifier: Constant ×2

Arcana Unearthed

Spoiler

Undead Creature: Undead are animated corpses. The spirit of the original creature inhabits the corpse once again, powered by negative energy.
“Undead” is a template you can add to any nonundead, corporeal creature.
A creature slain by the undead creature’s energy drain attack rises as an undead 1d4 days after burial.
Animate the Dead spell.
Animate the Dead Greater spell.
Animate Undead Legion spell.
Incorporeal Undead: Incorporeal undead are bodiless spirits that remain in the corporeal world through the power of negative energy.
“Incorporeal undead” is a template you can add to any non-undead, corporeal creature.
Rouse Undead Spirit spell.

Animate the Dead (Lesser)
Necromancy [Negative Energy]
Level: 4 (Simple)
Casting Time: One minute
Range: Touch
Targets: The corpse of one creature with fewer Hit Dice than the caster
Duration: Instantaneous (self-sustaining magic)
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: No
This spell turns the bones or body of a dead creature into an abominable, walking undead. Enough of the corpse must be present to make for a passable undead creature—a skeletal structure, a great deal of flesh from one creature, etc. Sickly greenish light flows over these remains, and the soul of the creature is restored into a rotting but now-animate corpse. Immediately, the creature must make a Will saving throw. If the save fails, the undead must obey your verbal commands. If successful, the creature remains in control of its own will. It can then attempt a second saving throw (if the DM deems that it would wish to). If the second save succeeds, the soul returns to its normal afterlife, and the corpse crumbles to dust. The soul of a creature trapped in an undead body, if it was not twisted before, quickly becomes corrupt, bloodthirsty, and malevolent. An undead creature not controlled attempts to slay its creator as quickly as it can. An undead creature has all the abilities it possessed in life, modified by the undead template (see sidebar, next page).
You can control only one undead creature at a time. Any attempt to animate a second undead while you have one under your control always frees the first one. The only exception to this are creatures whose truenames you knew when they were alive (they do not count against your total of one controllable undead at a time) or undead under the effects of a control undead spell.
Creatures whose souls are not available cannot be animated as undead. Thus, even if a large portion of the body of a still-living (or once again living) creature is available, it cannot be animated. Likewise, those creatures with trapped or protected souls cannot be animated.
This spell requires 500 gp worth of special oils to be sprinkled on the corpse.
Diminished Effects: The undead moves only half its normal move rate, gains no Dexterity bonus (see creature template), and can take only one action per round, either move-equivalent or standard, but not both.
Heightened Effects: The undead gains +1 hp per Hit Die, a +1 natural armor bonus to Armor Class, and a +1 enhancement bonus to attack rolls. Casting time becomes 1 round.
Magic Item Creation Modifier: Constant ×1.5

Animate the Dead (Greater)
Necromancy [Negative Energy]
Level: 6 (Complex)
Casting Time: One hour
Range: Close (25 feet + 5 feet/two levels)
Target: The corpse of one creature with fewer Hit Dice than the caster
Duration: Instantaneous (self-sustaining magic)
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: No
This spell allows you to create more powerful undead than lesser animate the dead. Greater undead gain a +3 natural armor bonus, an additional +4 bonus to Strength, and two of the following special abilities:
• Blood Drain (Ex): The undead has fangs to suck blood from a living victim by making a successful grapple check. If it pins the foe, it drains blood, inflicting 1d4 points of permanent Constitution drain each round that it maintains the pin.
• Create Spawn (Su): A creature slain by the undead creature’s energy drain attack rises as an undead 1d4 days after burial. (This ability only works if the undead has the energy drain ability at right.)
• Resistance (Ex): Cold and electricity resistance 20.
• Damage Reduction (Su): The undead body is tough, giving the creature damage reduction 15/+1.
• Energy Drain (Su): Living creatures hit by the undead creature’s claw attack suffer one negative level.
• Fast Healing (Ex): The undead heals 3 points of damage each round as long as it has at least 1 hit point.
Greater undead have a Challenge Rating equal to that of the base creature +3.
This spell requires 800 gp worth of special oils as a material component to be sprinkled over the corpse.
Diminished Effects: The undead moves only half its normal move rate, gains no Dexterity bonus (see creature template), and can take only one action per round either a move-equivalent or a standard action, but not both.
Heightened Effects: The undead gains all of the stated bonuses as well as +1 hp per Hit Die, an additional +2 natural armor bonus to Armor Class, and an additional special ability.
Magic Item Creation Modifier: Constant ×1.5

Animate Undead Legion
Necromancy [Negative Energy]
Level: 8 (Exotic)
Casting Time: One day
Range: Close (25 feet + 5 feet/two levels)
Target: One corpse/level
Duration: Instantaneous (self-sustaining magic)
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: No
This spell allows you to create and control one undead creature per caster level exactly as described in lesser animate the dead.
This spell requires 100 gp worth of special oils per corpse as a material component to be sprinkled over each undead created.
Diminished Effects: The undead move at only half their normal move rate, gain no Dexterity bonus (see creature template), and can take only one action per round, either a move-equivalent or a standard action, but not both.
Heightened Effects: The undead gain +1 hp per Hit Die, +1 natural armor bonus to Armor Class, and a +1 enhancement bonus to attack rolls.
Magic Item Creation Modifiers: Constant ×3, single-use ×3, spell-completion ×1.5

Rouse Undead Spirit
Necromancy [Negative Energy]
Level: 6 (Complex)
Casting Time: One hour
Range: Close (25 feet + 5 feet/two levels)
Target: The corpse of one creature with fewer Hit Dice than you
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: No
You must cast this spell at night. Rouse undead spirit calls the soul of a dead creature and makes it into an undead spirit. Only a small part of the dead creature’s body need be present for the casting, but multiple parts of a single dead creature cannot rouse more than one undead spirit. Black energy flows over the remains, and the spirit of the creature rises up out of the corpse. Immediately, the spirit must make a Will saving throw. If the save fails, the undead must obey your verbal commands. If it succeeds, the creature remains in control of its own will. It can attempt a second saving throw (if the DM deems that it would wish to). If the second save succeeds, the creature’s soul returns to its normal afterlife, and the corpse crumbles to dust.
If it was not twisted before, the bodiless soul of the creature, now cursed to roam the physical world again, quickly becomes corrupt, vengeful, and malevolent. An uncontrolled undead spirit attempts to slay its creator as quickly as it can. An undead created by this spell enjoys all the abilities it possessed in life, modified by the incorporeal undead template (see sidebar).
You can control only one undead at a time. Any attempt to create a second undead or rouse a second undead spirit while you already control one always frees the first undead created or roused. The only exceptions to this are undead whose truenames you know (these do not count against your total of one controllable undead at a time) or undead under the effects of a control undead spell.
Creatures whose souls are not available cannot be made into undead. Thus, even if a large portion of the body of a still-living (or once again living) creature is available, it cannot be roused as an undead spirit. Likewise, creatures with trapped or protected souls cannot be roused.
Casting this spell requires 1,000 gp worth of special oils to sprinkle over the corpse.
Diminished Effects: The undead spirit moves only at half its normal move rate and can take only one action per round, either a move-equivalent or a standard action, but not both.
Heightened Effects: The undead spirit gains +1 hp per Hit Die, and the create spawn special ability (see sidebar).
Magic Item Creation Modifier: Constant ×2

Arcana Unearthed Grimoire

Spoiler

Undead Creature: Undead are animated corpses. The spirit of the original creature inhabits the corpse once
again, powered by negative energy.
A creature slain by the undead creature’s energy drain attack rises as an undead 1d4 days after burial.
“Undead” is a template you can add to any nonundead, corporeal creature.
Animate the Dead Lesser spell.
Animate the Dead Greater spell.
Animate Undead Legion spell.
Incorporeal Undead: Incorporeal undead are bodiless spirits that remain in the corporeal world through the power of
negative energy.
“Incorporeal undead” is a template you can add to any non-undead, corporeal creature.
Rouse Undead Spirit spell.

Animate the Dead (Lesser)
Necromancy [Negative Energy]
Level: 4 (Simple)
Casting Time: One minute
Range: Touch
Targets: The corpse of one creature with fewer Hit Dice than the caster
Duration: Instantaneous (self-sustaining magic)
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: No
This spell turns the bones or body of a dead creature into an abominable, walking undead. Enough of the corpse must be present to make for a passable undead creature—a skeletal structure, a great deal of flesh from one creature, etc. Sickly greenish light flows over these remains, and the soul of the creature is restored into a rotting but now-animate corpse. Immediately, the creature must make a Will saving throw. If the save fails, the undead must obey your verbal commands. If successful, the creature remains in control of its own will. It can then attempt a second saving throw (if the DM deems that it would wish to). If the second save succeeds, the soul returns to its normal afterlife, and the corpse crumbles to dust. The soul of a creature trapped in an undead body, if it was not twisted before, quickly becomes corrupt, bloodthirsty, and malevolent. An undead creature not controlled attempts to slay its creator as quickly as it can. An undead creature has all the abilities it possessed in life, modified by the undead template (see sidebar, next page).
You can control only one undead creature at a time. Any attempt to animate a second undead while you have one under your control always frees the first one. The only exception to this are creatures whose truenames you knew when they were alive (they do not count against your total of one controllable undead at a time) or undead under the effects of a control undead spell.
Creatures whose souls are not available cannot be animated as undead. Thus, even if a large portion of the body of a still-living (or once again living) creature is available, it cannot be animated. Likewise, those creatures with trapped or protected souls cannot be animated.
This spell requires 500 gp worth of special oils to be sprinkled on the corpse.
Diminished Effects: The undead moves only half its normal move rate, gains no Dexterity bonus (see creature template), and can take only one action per round, either move-equivalent or standard, but not both.
Heightened Effects: The undead gains +1 hp per Hit Die, a +1 natural armor bonus to Armor Class, and a +1 enhancement bonus to attack rolls. Casting time becomes 1 round.
Magic Item Creation Modifier: Constant ×1.5

Animate the Dead (Greater)
Necromancy [Negative Energy]
Level: 6 (Complex)
Casting Time: One hour
Range: Close (25 feet + 5 feet/two levels)
Target: The corpse of one creature with fewer Hit Dice than the caster
Duration: Instantaneous (self-sustaining magic)
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: No
This spell allows you to create more powerful undead than lesser animate the dead. Greater undead gain a +3 natural armor bonus, an additional +4 bonus to Strength, and two of the following special abilities:
• Blood Drain (Ex): The undead has fangs to suck blood from a living victim by making a successful grapple check. If it pins the foe, it drains blood, inflicting 1d4 points of permanent Constitution drain each round that it maintains the pin.
• Create Spawn (Su): A creature slain by the undead creature’s energy drain attack rises as an undead 1d4 days after burial. (This ability only works if the undead has the energy drain ability at right.)
• Resistance (Ex): Cold and electricity resistance 20.
• Damage Reduction (Su): The undead body is tough, giving the creature damage reduction 15/+1.
• Energy Drain (Su): Living creatures hit by the undead creature’s claw attack suffer one negative level.
• Fast Healing (Ex): The undead heals 3 points of damage each round as long as it has at least 1 hit point.
Greater undead have a Challenge Rating equal to that of the base creature +3.
This spell requires 800 gp worth of special oils as a material component to be sprinkled over the corpse.
Diminished Effects: The undead moves only half its normal move rate, gains no Dexterity bonus (see creature template), and can take only one action per round, either a move-equivalent or a standard action, but not both.
Heightened Effects: The undead gains all of the stated bonuses as well as +1 hp per Hit Die, an additional +2 natural armor bonus to Armor Class, and an additional special ability.
Magic Item Creation Modifier: Constant ×1.5

Animate Undead Legion
Necromancy [Negative Energy]
Level: 8 (Exotic)
Casting Time: One day
Range: Close (25 feet + 5 feet/two levels)
Target: One corpse/level
Duration: Instantaneous (self-sustaining magic)
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: No
This spell allows you to create and control one undead creature per caster level exactly as described in lesser animate the dead.
This spell requires 100 gp worth of special oils per corpse as a material component to be sprinkled over each undead created.
Diminished Effects: The undead move at only half their normal move rate, gain no Dexterity bonus (see creature template), and can take only one action per round, either a move-equivalent or a standard action, but not both.
Heightened Effects: The undead gain +1 hp per Hit Die, +1 natural armor bonus to Armor Class, and a +1 enhancement bonus to attack rolls.
Magic Item Creation Modifiers: Constant ×3, single-use ×3, spell-completion ×1.5

Rouse Undead Spirit
Necromancy [Negative Energy]
Level: 6 (Complex)
Casting Time: One hour
Range: Close (25 feet + 5 feet/two levels)
Target: The corpse of one creature with fewer Hit Dice than you
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: No
You must cast this spell at night. Rouse undead spirit calls the soul of a dead creature and makes it into an undead spirit. Only a small part of the dead creature’s body need be present for the casting, but multiple parts of a single dead creature cannot rouse more than one undead spirit. Black energy flows over the remains, and the spirit of the creature rises up out of the corpse. Immediately, the spirit must make a Will saving throw. If the save fails, the undead must obey your verbal commands. If it succeeds, the creature remains in control of its own will. It can attempt a second saving throw (if the DM deems that it would wish to). If the second save succeeds, the creature’s soul returns to its normal afterlife, and the corpse crumbles to dust.
If it was not twisted before, the bodiless soul of the creature, now cursed to roam the physical world again, quickly becomes corrupt, vengeful, and malevolent. An uncontrolled undead spirit attempts to slay its creator as quickly as it can. An undead created by this spell enjoys all the abilities it possessed in life, modified by the incorporeal undead template (see sidebar).
You can control only one undead at a time. Any attempt to create a second undead or rouse a second undead spirit while you already control one always frees the first undead created or roused. The only exceptions to this are undead whose truenames you know (these do not count against your total of one controllable undead at a time) or undead under the effects of a control undead spell. Creatures whose souls are not available cannot be made into undead. Thus, even if a large portion of the body of a still-living (or once again living) creature is available, it cannot be roused as an undead spirit. Likewise, creatures with trapped or protected souls cannot be roused.
Casting this spell requires 1,000 gp worth of special oils to sprinkle over the corpse.
Diminished Effects: The undead spirit moves only at half its normal move rate and can take only one action per round, either a move-equivalent or a standard action, but not both.
Heightened Effects: The undead spirit gains +1 hp per Hit Die, and the create spawn special ability (see sidebar).
Magic Item Creation Modifier: Constant ×2

Legacy of the Dragons

Spoiler

Night Beast: Beings of pure, liquid shadow, night beasts are said to be intelligent shards of the raw stuff of the Dark.
A night beast is called into the world by a power-mad undead creature or an ambitious living creature that seeks to expand its might. By conducting a blasphemous ritual known as the Song of Infinite Dark, an undead creature unleashes its inner soul and binds it with the raw substance of the Dark. With the ritual complete, the creature transforms into a night beast.
Spirit of Sorrow: Very rarely, when a giant dies an ignoble death, or when a giant does a disservice to that which it has sworn to serve as steward and dies before righting its wrong, its despair is so great that the afterlife rejects its spirit. That giant is cursed to roam the world of the living as a spirit of sorrow.
Totem Spectre: Totem spectres are hateful, murderous reflections of the animals they once represented.
“Totem spectre” is a template that one can add to any animal, although it is usually applied only to typical totem animals.
Totem Bear Spectre:
Denassa the Midnight Vesper Undead Verrik Akashic 8/Verrik 3: Born a verrik of moderate station but unique intellect, Denassa grew to adulthood within the confines of an akashic guild that many believed to be only rumor—an order that commanded the utmost zealotry to protect a powerful coven of witches. This coven pushed the strains of morality to pursue perfection in its guardian-assassins, who were raised from birth to die for them in the greatest test of fealty. In fact, they hand-selected the most loyal and accomplished of the guild, grooming them to die and be raised again in undeath as members of the Haunt.

The Diamond Throne

Spoiler

Undead: When the dramojh were finished with these lands, they loosed necromantic energies into Verdune. This evil magic animated many of the dead there into marauding undead who wandered the ruined cities and towns.
Undead Creature: Rot From Within disease
Rumors coming out of the Bitter Peaks tell of a horrible malady that strikes at living creatures for reasons unknown. Those affected by this magical plague, known as the “rot from within,” suddenly become undead creatures while their body still lives. Their skeleton tears away their own flesh and consumes it.
Kallethan: ?

Ghoul: Ghouls are undead that are not animated by spells but instead rise from death under a curse called “grave hunger.” Ghouls that paralyze foes also automatically infect them with grave hunger, making them want to feed on long-dead corpses (Will save [DC 20] each day to resist). When such infected victims die, they become ghouls, unless a mage successfully uses a remove curse spell before their death.
Vampire: Although undead created by animate the dead spells often resemble vampires, true vampires arise only from other vampires spreading the ancient curse/disease.

Mystic Secrets

Spoiler

Corporeal Undead: A herald of annihilation with 20 HD or more gains the corporeal undead template.

Ruins of Intrigue

Spoiler

Xarthran Undead Mojh Magister 12: ?
The Ghost Human Incorporeal Undead Warmain 5: ?
Grothnak Blooddrinker Littorian Vampire unfettered 7: The Master of Black Rock Tower, a ruined castle in the Barrens, placed the curse of vampirism upon Grothnak,
The Master Human Vampire Akashic 25: Obsessed from a young age with learning the fundamental workings of the world, he embraced vampirism as a sure path to immortality and won his independence by destroying the monster that created him.

Transcendence

Spoiler

Undead Creature: Third style ability of the negative casting style of an evolved caster.
At the third style ability of the negative casting style of an evolved caster, the death mage has fully surrendered her body and soul to the Dark. She gains the corporeal undead template from Arcana Evolved.

Monsters of Verdune

Spoiler

Kavilljor Ur-Rathi Knight of the First Wrath Dame Drustiya Hayarn Human Champion 11: ?
Konj-Sumpor Brimstone Steed Twilight: ?
Kavilljor Ur-Rathi: Kavilljor Ur-rathi” is a template that can be added to any giant, humanoid, or monstrous humanoid that meets the following prerequisites.
Ride 13 ranks, Handle Animal 5 ranks, Knowledge (religion) 5 ranks, Knowledge (nobility and royalty) (5 ranks), Mounted Combat, Weapon Focus (any melee weapon), proficient with all martial weapons and heavy armor
Special: Knighted by The Kallethan/Kallethan or a Kavilljor Ur-rathi.
Konj-Sumpor Brimstone Steed: Konj-sumpor are the smoky remnants of intelligent steeds that, for one reason or another, are bound to a kavilljor ur-rathi.
“Konj-sumpor” is an acquired template that can be added to any mount.

Chimera

Spoiler

Chimera Roleplaying Game Core Rules
Undead: Undead are once-living creatures animated by spiritual or supernatural forces.
Ghast: Like ghouls, ghasts possess a paralysing touch (treat as 2nd-level Divine power, hold person), and their filthy claws can inflict disease (STR 18 or Dmg 2d6/day). Those who die of such illness rise as a ghast within 24 hours and are under the control of the ghast who created them.
Create Undead power wield rank 4.
Ghoul: The filth and offal of their claws are injected into victims, who risk contracting fever (STR 17 or Dmg 1d6/day). Those who die of fever rise as a ghoul within 24 hours, though they are not under the control of the ghoul that created them.
Create Undead power wield rank 1.
Mummy: Mummies are preserved corpses animated via the create undead power.
Create Undead power wield rank 9.
Skeleton: Skeletons are the animated bones of dead, mindless automatons created with the animate dead power.
Animate Dead power.
Wight: Characters slain by a wight become wights themselves in 1d4 rounds; such unfortunates are under the control of the wight who created them and remain enslaved until its death.
Create Undead power wield rank 7.
Wraith: The touch of a wraith drains 1 point of STR from its victim, who dies if his STR drops below –6. Those slain in this manner rise as a wraith within 24 hours, under the control of the wraith that created them.
Create Undead power wield rank 11.
Zombie: Zombies are undead, mindless automatons created with the animate dead power.
Animate Dead power.

Animate Dead (Necromantic)
Range: Touch Save: None
Duration: Instantaneous
Effect: Creates undead skeletons and zombies
This power turns the bones or bodies of dead creatures into undead that follow your spoken commands. You are limited to animating skeletons and zombies with this power, and the total hit dice animated cannot exceed twice your Wield rank. Undead that you animate are under your control indefinitely, but you can never control more than 4HD per Wield rank at any one time. If you animate more undead than you can control, only new skeletons and zombies obey your commands; excess undead previously animated become uncontrolled. Undead you animate are limited to simple commands: follow, guard a specific area, attack, etc. Slain skeletons and zombies cannot be re-animated.

Create Undead (Necromantic)
Range: 5”+1”/Wr
Save: None
Duration: Instantaneous
Effect: Create undead creatures
This power allows you to create undead beings. One undead is created per corpse touched, and the type is based on your Wield rank:
Table 5.7: Create Undead
Wield rank Undead Created
1–3 Ghoul
4–6 Ghast
7–8 Wight
9–10 Mummy
11+ Wraith
You may create less powerful undead than your Wield rank allows. Created undead are not automatically under your control, but can be be influenced with the 2nd-level Divine power command undead.

Conan

Spoiler

Conan RPG 2e

Spoiler

Risen Dead: Raise Corpse spell.
Risen Wolf: Occasionally necromancers desperate for material will animate corpses of things other than human. The most common creatures brought to a shambling semblance of life are large dogs or wolves, or occasionally jaguars or panthers if the terrain is right.
Risen Grey Ape: Very rarely a necromancer will find the corpse of a great grey ape or other large creature and animate that, creating a mighty – if odorous – ally.
Vampire: Vampires are created when scholars elect to undergo certain transformations hinted at in the fabled Book of Skelos by courting darkness in the shadowy places beneath the Earth and seeking death willingly so as to find eternal life.
‘Vampire’ is an acquired template that can be added to any humanoid creature.

Raise Corpse
(Basic Necromancy)
Power Point Cost: 1/corpse
Components: V, S
Casting Time: One standard action
Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft. per two levels)
Target: Up to one corpse/level
Duration: Concentration + 1d6 rounds
Saving Throw: See below
Prerequisite: Magic attack bonus +2.
This spell turns the bodies of dead creatures into undead zombies that follow the sorcerer’s spoken commands. The zombies can follow the sorcerer, remain in an area and attack any creature (or just a specific type of creature) that enters the place or perform simple actions according to the sorcerer’s commands. The zombies remain animated until they are destroyed. A destroyed zombie may not be animated again.
The zombies the sorcerer creates remain under his control for the duration of the spell. At the expiry of the spell, they become simple corpses once more, falling in lifeless heaps wherever they stand.
A zombie can be created only from the mostly intact corpse of a humanoid or animal and its statistics depend more upon the corpse it was created from than any abilities it had in life. See page 387 for details on the risen dead.

Bestiary of the Hyborian Age

Spoiler

Undead: Undead are creatures which are neither alive nor dead. Generally, a living creature which has died but is still animate – usually through sorcery of the blackest sort – is considered undead.
Ghost Haunting: Some sentient beings that are killed in times of duress or great emotional pain will cling to the last fragments of life they have in order to become a spiritual anchor to the earthly plane.
‘Haunting Ghost’ is an acquired template that can be added to any humanoid creature if the Games Master feels the situation could create a ghost.
Ghost Spontaneous: A spontaneous ghost is formed when a human or other intelligent creature dies with a task unfinished, with the knowledge that a loved one is about to die, or another extremely emotional and traumatic desire in their hearts. At the moment of his death, the being may attempt a Will saving throw (DC 25, with various circumstance modifiers depending on the level of the creature’s commitment to the task or loved one) to return as a ghost.
Ghost Whale: ?
Mummy: Traditional mummies, also known as the taneheh, are reanimated embalmed corpses wrapped in specially prepared funerary materials brought back to protect the tombs of their superiors. They are granted undeath through the leaves of the dark ta-neheh plant, which are turned into a powerful elixir that must be poured into the mouth of the mummy monthly. If the mummy cannot get these leaves before the month is out, it will revert back to its inanimate state until the ritual can be fully performed again.
The ritual must be performed under the light of the full moon, and requires a Perform (ritual) check. The ta-neheh elixir requires 200 silver pieces’ worth of the plant and must be completed before the moon leaves the sky. This produces enough elixir to last 1d6 months and sustain a mummy of (the check result minus 10) Hit Dice. The ritualist does not know if his ritual has succeeded or not (Games Master makes the roll) until it comes time to animate the mummy; if the Perform check created elixir insufficient to sustain the mummy, the ta-neheh becomes uncontrolled and will relentlessly seek out more of the plant, killing any and all who stand in its way.
Mummy Living Ka Noble 5: ?
Mummy Living Ka: The ka is the part of the spirit where personality is housed and given form, sometimes leaving the dying body of a person in order to find a more suitable host of flesh. Any separated ka can find the mummified remains of a vessel and possess it if the proper rituals and conduits are performed. This requires Knowledge (arcana) and Knowledge (religion) skill checks at DC 25 to perform successfully with all the required funerary trappings necessary.
‘Living ka mummy’ is an acquired template that can be added to any humanoid or animal creature.
Risen Dead: Sorcerers and demons have been calling the recently dead to walk again and fight on their behalf for centuries, leaving teeming masses of the risen dead in temples, caverns and grave sites all over Hyboria.
Starved One: The starved ones are an ancient type of demonic spirit that can be summoned forth into a husk made from a mostly whole corpse by removing the corpse’s spirit and trapping it in its liver. The summoner can then control the actions of the starved one to a great degree. To do this, a sorcerer must have a fresh corpse at hand while casting the summon demon spell and make a successful DC 15 Heal check as part of the ritual. If the check fails the starved one is created but is fully in control of its own actions. If the check succeeds, anyone holding the creature’s removed liver can issue it verbal commands that it must obey.
Vampire Scholar 7: ?
Vampire: Vampires are created when the foolish elect to undergo certain transformations hinted at in the fabled Book of Skelos, courting darkness in the shadowy places beneath the Earth, seeking death willingly in order to find eternal life.
‘Vampire’ is an acquired template that can be added to any humanoid creature.

Adventures in the Hyborian Age

Spoiler

Head Tree: A Head Tree is created when a person falls asleep under a particularly ancient tree and never wakes up, the poor traveller’s soul is trapped inside the tree’s branches and can not escape, giving the tree a cruel sentience and an unnatural mockery of life.

Risen Dead: A curse was placed upon the Khajah’s remains when he was buried, stating any who disturbed the sleep of Khajah Al’Amar would be consumed by death and then forced to serve him. Prince Asram and his followers fell to an ancient spell which released a black cloud of death, which killed them, and transforming them into Risen Dead.

Betrayer of Asgard

Spoiler

Lesser Walking Dead: The undead servants of Logri the Binder were raised up with powerful, unholy necromancy.
Make Greater Undead spell.
Walking Dead: The undead servants of Logri the Binder were raised up with powerful, unholy necromancy.
The walking dead carry death with them – anyone slain by one of these walking dead becomes a zombie themselves. Fortunately for Asgard, only the older undead created in the swamp have this power.
Make Greater Undead spell.
Greater Walking Dead: The undead servants of Logri the Binder were raised up with powerful, unholy necromancy.
Make Greater Undead spell.
Undead Rorik Hodderson: The zombies will try to drag his body into the mud, so he can come back as a powerful undead monster later in this adventure.
Ghost Bear: These are the trapped spirits of bears, bound by Mimir’s magic.
Ghost Nymph: This watery apparition is the ghost of a drowned woman.
Skull-Faces of the Air: The Skull-Faces are made by binding an evil spirit to a framework of bone and cloth.
Make Greater Undead spell.
Ashen Ghosts: They are ghosts who have formed bodies from the ashes of those sacrificed by Logri.
Tentacled Thing: ?
Undead Manticore: ?
Undead Dog: ?

Make Greater Undead
Necromancy
PP Cost: Varies
Components: V, S, M, F
Casting Time: Varies
Range: Touch
Effect: Creates an undead monster
Duration: Concentration +1d6 rounds or permanent
Saving Throw: None
Prerequisites: Raise Corpse, Knowledge (arcana) 6 ranks, Heal 6 ranks, Magic Attack Bonus +3
This spell is a more powerful and complex form of the raise corpse spell. It can be used to create ordinary zombies or more powerful undead creatures. Each form of undead requires its own particular magical incantations and spell components and each recipe must be researched or discovered individually.
If the sorcerer spends the listed experience cost, the undead creature is animated permanently, lasting as long as the sorcerer’s magic endures. Otherwise, the creature lasts for as long as the sorcerer concentrates +1d6 rounds. The casting time for the spell varies depending on the type of creature being created.
The table below is not an exhaustive list of the monsters that can be created with this spell but it covers all the undead monsters conjured up by Logri.
Undead Notes Power Point Cost Experience Point Cost Component Cost Creation Time
Lesser Walking Dead Creates a 1HD Zombie 1 per 5 corpses 10 XP per corpse 0 1 standard action
Walking Dead Creates a 3HD Zombie 1 per corpse 50 XP per corpse 0 1 standard action
Greater Walking Dead Creates a Zombie with HD equal to its HD in life 3 per corpse 100 XP per corpse 50 silver 1 standard action
Skull-Face Conjures a Skull-Face 4 50 XP 100 silver 10 minutes

Catacombs of Hyboria

Spoiler

Risen Dead: A central hub at the bottom of the cavern has a strange stone or crystal that emanates a force that reanimates dead creatures and sends them outward to devour the flesh of the living.
Ras Pre-Atlantean Scholar 17/Noble 6: Bartering life eternal for endless servitude to the dark god Apophis, Ras had been transformed into an eternal being; a creature of darkness and undeath that cannot permanently be destroyed by mortal means.
Apophal Mummy: Atlanteans and the blossoming Stygians all fell to his supernatural powers, all rising to become his Apophal legion. Through the immortal actions of Ras, Apophis was creating an undead army in the world of men.
Apophal mummies are the ritually reanimated and embalmed corpses that serve the will of Ras, the eternal mummy of Apophis. They are gifted with undeath by the unearthly darkness that permeates Ras or his minions, their life force replaced with Apophal darkness. Ras also removes the heart of his mummifi ed servants, placing them in special canoptic jars that make them completely and unquestioningly loyal to him alone.
Soonai Hynang The Ghost of Tai Paun Li: The reason why so many miners were drowned or trampled to death decades ago in the mines of Tai Paun Li, Soonai was thrust into the realm of the undead to forever haunt the dark and watery graves of the employees and servants that he condemned.
Oni-Miho Demon Miner: The Oni-Miho of Tai Paun Li are hellish bound spirits created from those among the miners who were drowned that exchanged their eternal rest for vengeance upon the living.

Conan RPG Pocket Edition

Spoiler

Zombie: Raise Corpse spell.
Raise Corpse
(Basic Necromancy)
PP Cost: 1 point/corpse
Components: V, S
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft. per scholar level)
Effect: Up to one corpse/scholar level
Duration: Concentration + 1d6 rounds
Saving Throw: See below
Prerequisites: Scholar level 4
This spell turns the bodies of dead creatures into undead zombies that follow the sorcerer’s spoken commands. The zombies can follow the sorcerer, or can remain in an area and attack any creature (or just a specific type of creature) entering the place, or can perform simple actions according to the sorcerer’s commands. The zombies remain animated until they are destroyed. A destroyed zombie may not be animated again.
The zombies the sorcerer creates remain under his control for the duration of the spell. At the expiry of the spell, they become simple corpses once more, falling in lifeless heaps wherever they stand.
A zombie can be created only from the mostly intact corpse of a humanoid or animal. The statistics for a zombie depend on its size, not on what abilities the creature may have had while alive.

Secrets of Skelos

Spoiler

Risen Dead: Legions of the Dead spell.
Vampire: Vampire Transformation spell.
Sorcerous Mummy: ‘Sorcerous Mummy’ is an acquired template that can be applied to any humanoid creature.
Often, the price of a demonic pact with one of the lords of Hell is the sorcerer’s own corrupt soul. Those wishing to stave off this hideous doom sometimes give up their very humanity by transforming themselves into undead horrors. The prospective Master of Death’s body must be ritually mummified (see page 96), and then the sorcerer’s soul must be placed in this preserved vessel. A sorcerer’s soul can be drawn back using the heart of Ahriman, or by the blessing of the demon who possesses the soul. Other rituals are said to have similar effects.
If the Master of Death is successful in his necromantic endeavours, then he has managed to lock his soul into a prison of eternally rotting flesh. He is a walking mummy, a withered horror that provokes revulsion and fear in all who look upon him.
Mummy of Ahriman: ‘Mummies of Ahriman’ are especially powerful sorcerous mummies, created using the Heart of Ahriman.
Xaltotun Mummy of Ahriman Acheronian Scholar 20: He knows he has been restored to life by the magic of Orastes and the heart of Ahriman; but he does not seem to have realised yet that he is no longer even faintly human.

Legions of the Dead
Power Point Cost: 2 per 5 Corpses
Components: V, S, F
Casting Time: 1 full round
Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft. per level)
Targets: Up to five corpses/level
Duration: Concentration + 1d6 Hours
Saving Throw: None
Prerequisites: Magic attack bonus +4, raise corpse. This spell works as a more powerful version of raise corpse, allowing a veritable army of the undead to rise and work for the sorcerer. The undead follow the sorcerer’s verbal commands until the spell expires, when the undead become lifeless corpses again.
Focus: The focus for this spell is a ceremonial tool of command worth at least 200 silver pieces – a crown, a whip of golden thread, a bejewelled sceptre or some other item.

Vampire Transformation
Power Point Cost: 20
Components: V, S, M, XP
Casting Time: 1 day
Range: Personal
Target: Self
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: None
Prerequisites: Ritual Sacrifice, Tortured Sacrifice, Permanent Sorcery, magic attack bonus +7, witch’s vigour, demonic pact.
Perform (ritual) check: DC 30.
This spell transforms the sorcerer into a vampire (see Conan the Roleplaying Game, page 389) if he makes a successful Perform (ritual) check at DC 30. If the check fails, so does the spell; the sacrifice is wasted. If the check succeeds he must immediately make a Corruption save (DC 30) or gain 1 point of Corruption. A sorcerer transformed into a vampire by this spell must drink human blood at least once per week, or become fatigued (-2 to Strength and Dexterity, may not run) and unable to be healed by any means (including the use of his fast healing special quality) until he drinks human blood once more.
Material Components: One human, who is sacrificed by being tortured to death during the casting of the spell. The sorcerer drinks the human’s blood. Also, various incenses, oils, and candles to a total value of 6,000 silver pieces are consumed when casting the spell.
Experience Point Cost: 75,000 XP. For the purpose of vampire transformation a sorcerer can sacrifice enough XP to lose levels. The transition to undead status will strip him of a lot of the power he is used to.

Stygia Serpent of the South

Spoiler

Yinepu: Yinepu is the son of Nephthys and Usir. The product of a barren goddess and the epitome of fertility he was still-born, but Set, angry as he was, gave Yinepu ‘life’ as an undead thing, giving Yinepu power over mummies and those who live again after death.
Risen Dead: Ta Neheh Leaf Elixir.
Mummy: Ta Neheh Leaf Elixir.

Ghost: The Ka is a person’s Charisma, often talked about as an invisible double of a person. Certain dark spells have resurrected the Ka as an undead spirit bound to obey the sorcerer. The living Ka can function as a disembodied spirit or it can possess its mummy. A Ka functioning as a spirit is like a ghost as described in Conan the Roleplaying Game. A living Ka that has possessed a mummy functions as a Ka-possessed mummy as described here.
Ka-Possessed Mummy: The Ka is a person’s Charisma, often talked about as an invisible double of a person. Certain dark spells have resurrected the Ka as an undead spirit bound to obey the sorcerer. The living Ka can function as a disembodied spirit or it can possess its mummy. A Ka functioning as a spirit is like a ghost as described in Conan the Roleplaying Game. A living Ka that has possessed a mummy functions as a Ka-possessed mummy as described here.
‘Ka-Possessed Mummy’ is a template added to any dead humanoid or animal creature.
Ta-Neheh Mummy: Mummies are preserved corpses animated through the auspices of dark desert gods best forgotten and the forbidden leaves of the ta-neheh plant.
Ta-neheh mummies are created by administering a certain number of boiled ta-neheh leaves each night of the full moon to a newly created mummy, usually by the mummy’s cult.
Princess Akivasha The Queen of Eternal Life Undead Stygian Noble 8/Scholar 12: Using dark rites, she ‘wooed Darkness like a lover’ and his gift was eternal life.

Ta Neheh Leaf Elixir.
The elixir can also be administered to the dead. Three leaves can keep the heart of a dead man beating. If given to a corpse, it moves its hit points to –9 until the next full moon. To maintain a dead man indefinitely at –9 hit points, the three leaves must be boiled each night of the full moon and administered to the corpse. The corpse can neither move nor speak. If the corpse is intact, it can be healed regularly. Otherwise, the corpse is simply maintained as an undead monster. If a person brews nine leaves each night of the full moon, the undead corpse is given full unlife with full hit points and a full movement rate, but the risen dead or mummy will be under the command of the sorcerer. More than nine ta neheh leaves will make the risen dead or mummy into an uncontrollable monster.
Cost: 2,000 sp. Requirements: Craft (alchemy) 4 ranks (DC 15 to create), plus a supply of the rare ta neheh leaves.

Tales of the Black Kingdoms

Spoiler

Risen Dead: Any victim slain by the Manifestation of Eshu will arise in exactly one hour as a member of the risen dead.

Contagion

Spoiler

Contagion Revised Edition

Spoiler

Undead: A creature that loses all of its levels or Hit Dice dies and, depending on the source of the energy drain, might rise as an undead creature of some kind.
Skeleton: A Skeleton is simply the animated bones of a creature, usually powered via necromancy, or infernal influence.
“Skeleton” is an acquired template that can be added to any living corporeal creature that has a skeletal structure.
Human Skeleton: ?
Skin Feaster: Skin feasters tend to be created from those who were prideful and vain in life. As punishment, they walk the earth hideous and skinless, forced to indulge in cannibalism to try to regain their former beauty. Many skin feasters were actors, models, and Casanovas in life.

Hell's Henchmen Chammadi

Spoiler

Undead: Given charge over death, the Gregori spent much of their time on Earth, among humanity. Many of the angels of death grew to love mankind. The Gregori who fell, becoming Chammadi, were torn and overwhelmed by the horror of bringing an end to the humans they so loved. In failing to alter the curse, the Chammadi, now free of God’s will, began seeking ways to circumvent death itself.
Given their control over the very energies of death itself, the Chammadi soon discovered that with proper application of their knowledge, they could twist death to their own ends. Though the Chammadi were nearly powerless to extend true life, they were able to forge a new state. Humanity could once again experience eternity, though in a different fashion. This state of being was named undeath.
Vampire: In seeking the perfect undead creature (and aspiring to defeat God’s empowerment of the Clergy), Archduke Azmodeus created the vampire. Six men were chosen for their cruelty and malice. Each of them was granted immortality, with the price that they must steal the very life and blood of humans.
Anubian: Annubians are humans who have been mummified. The Chammadi consumes most of the Annubian’s Contagion Points, using those points to fuel the reanimation of the hapless, bandaged corpse.
The Annubian is a template that can be added to a human, dhampir, sub-elven, or werewolf character. The creature must be killed before this template may be applied.
Anubian Bystander 1: ?
Bilious Shambler: As Chammadi are masters of death, it comes as little surprise that they have learned to harness the process of decay to create a dangerous undead creature. Bilious Shamblers are walking corpses who have been mystically altered to take full advantage of their own rotting, using the bacteria that breaks down their own flesh as a weapon.
Carrion Hound: A truly nightmarish creation, the Carrion Hound is made to track and hunt down the enemies of the infernal host.
Forgotten: The Forgotten is the embodiment of the frustration and rage of those that have been left behind - the lost people of the world, such as abandoned children, homeless people, prostitutes, prisoners of war, and anyone else whose life has been marginalized and written off by society
Hybrid Zombie: Hybrid Zombies are often created by bored Chammadi looking to gain prestige and test the boundaries of what they are allowed to create.
Tomb Guardian 4-Armed Human Zombie: ?
Patchwork Ghoul: Created from stitched together pieces of dozens of corpses, the Patchwork Ghoul is created as a mindless engine of destruction.
Skeletal Plate: Skeletal Plate is created by taking the entire skeleton of a human who reveled in battle during life and forging a suit of unliving armor from the bones.
Soul-Eater: Most Soul- Eaters are crafted from the souls of men and women who compromised their moral integrity and damned themselves in the pursuit of knowledge during life.
Vengeful Zombie: This template represents a creature who has returned from the grave on a mission of vengeance.
The Vengeful Zombie is a template that can be added to a human, dhampir, sub-elven, or werewolf character. The creature must be killed before this template may be applied.
Donald Crichton Vengeful Zombie Dhampir Casanova 1/Pagan 1: ?
Zombie: Zombie is a template that can be added to any humanoid or monstrous humanoid creature other than an undead.
An afflicted humanoid that dies of fever rises as a Zombie 1d6 rounds after death.

Fever (Su)
Disease—bite, Fortitude DC 12, incubation period 1 hour, damage 1d3 CON and 1d3 DEX per hour.
An afflicted humanoid that dies of fever rises as a Zombie 1d6 rounds after death.

Inferno

Spoiler

Undead: The Pit of Wasted Years is a place of bittersweet illusions.
Souls sent to this Pit find themselves waking up in their beds, as if their death and subsequent damnation was simply a nightmare. As far as these damned souls are concerned they are still alive, waking up the morning after their death. At first, life seems normal. Those who died suddenly return immediately to previous routines. Those who died of sickness or old age find themselves back in the hospital facing a miraculous recovery. In every case, the first few days in the Pit seem to be a blessing.
As soon as the soul relaxes back into a routine, things begin to turn strange. Reality takes a turn for the dark and creepy, with subtle manifestations at first (inexplicable sounds, flittering movement in the corner of one’s eyes) slowly working toward a full blown tortuous hellscape where the soul watches their loved ones tortured and killed, the dead walk and hunt them, monsters attack from the shadows and every horror imaginable takes its turn tormenting the soul, driving the damned one into madness.
Those few souls who embrace the madness are elevated to some form of undead Hellspawn and sent back to Earth on behalf of the Chammadi.

Purgatorio

Spoiler

Ghost: Despite this grand design, this road map of the soul’s journey, some mortals deviate from the plan. Through force of will, or by decree of a higher being, these souls linger on beyond death itself. Shunning (or shunned by) Heaven and Hell, these ghosts continue their existence in a mockery of their former lives.
Ghosts are those spirits who refused true death.
Lich: A lich is a violation of all accepted rules of magical theory. Magic is channeled through life force. The living essence of a Magus commands mystical energy to create spells. Foolish or greedy Magi who do not show this energy the respect it deserves suffer from Burn.
Because of the nature of magic, undead creatures are typically unable to harness its power. There simply isn’t any life essence to guide the mystical energy into spell form. Vampires, ghosts, and zombies are all incapable of harnessing the tools of the Magus.
It is rumored among some scholars that the Council of Tears has discovered a means of circumventing this magical truth, a way to cheat death by bestowing undeath and immortality onto a Magus without sacrificing access to his power and spells. Ancient and forbidden rituals are rumored to grant the ability to become an unholy and foul creature, known to the scholarly as a lich.
“Lich” is an acquired template that can be added to any humanoid creature, provided it can create the required phylactery; see the lich’s phylactery, below.
Trappings of unholy transformation
The following rituals and conditions are required for the transformation into a lich. Failure to meet any of the following conditions before attempting the change results in the slow, incredibly painful, and entirely irreversible death of the Magus. No magic can prevent the death from a botched ritual on the path to becoming a lich. It is also important to note that nothing short of the direct intervention of God can reverse a lich’s condition.
Requisite knowledge
The quest to become a lich is not undertaken lightly. To even begin the proper research and rituals a character must meet the following prerequisites:
Class levels: Arcane spellcaster level 18
Ability scores: Intelligence 20
Skills: Concentration: 20 ranks, Knowledge (Arcana) 20 ranks, Research 20 ranks, Spellcraft 20 ranks
Feats: craft wondrous item, empower spell
Spells: animate dead, magic jar, permanency, Persephone’s voyage, prepare spell trigger, and steal contagion.
The First Step: Research
Becoming a lich requires access to hidden and forbidden knowledge. The necessary rituals are not a common part of any magical teachings, and are quite difficult to acquire. To learn the secrets of unholy transformation, the Archmage must do a massive amount of legwork. The first trick is to locate a library that might contain a glimpse of the rituals. This can take years to accomplish. It is suggested that the Gamemaster simply resolves this through roleplaying, but if a random system is required, the search should take a minimum of 10d10 months. A knowledge (arcana) check at DC 45 can cut this time in half (as the Archmage has a good idea of where to start looking.) Travel expenses mount up as the quest for information likely takes the character across the globe. Assume a minimum of $6000 dollars in travel expenses per month of research. Of course, the Archmage may reduce or negate this cost through means magical and mundane at gm discretion.
As this jet-setting info chasing proceeds, the Archmage must make monthly rolls to keep on the proper trail. Each month the Archmage must make a research check at DC 45. Success allows the character to move forward with his studies, having gained some new piece of the puzzle. Failure means that the Archmage has made no progress that month and must try again in a month.
Once the allotted time (and research checks) has been completed, the Archmage must compile his data and attempt to combine his gathered components into a working series of rituals. This is an extremely difficult process, requiring a Spellcraft check at dc 50 and 1d6 months of steady (six hours a day) work. Failing this roll indicates that the Archmage made a miscalculation somewhere and (unbeknownst to the Archmage) is doomed to a grisly demise upon attempting the final ritual. To avoid this fate, an Archmage may ask another character to double check his notes (effectively giving the assistant a chance to make the same Spellcraft check. If the assistant fails, the notes are simply beyond the assistant’s grasp and he can offer no insight. If the assistant succeeds, he can catch any mistakes in the research.) The Archmage (and the assistant) may also take 10 or 20 on this roll, adjusting the work time accordingly. The Archmage may also double check his own notes before finalizing the ritual formulas by adding 1d4 months to the work time. This extra step grants the Archmage a +10 bonus on the Spellcraft check to devise the rituals.
If this process is interrupted at any point, it freezes, with no progress made or lost while the Archmage attends to other affairs. At his convenience the Archmage may pick up where he left off.
The Archmage may skip this research if he can find a lich to instruct him, which is incredibly unlikely. Most liches are not the least bit interested in sharing their secrets, and would likely feel that anyone looking for a handout of such metaphysical magnitude scarcely deserves to be a lich. Liches have been known to kill Archmages foolish enough to make such requests.
In either case, the Archmage learns the rituals necessary for unholy transformation (the Ritual of Harvest, Trial by Fire, and the Ritual of Unholy Transformation)
The Second Step: The Ritual of Harvest.
Once the rituals have been discovered, the prospective lich needs to gather a whole lot of Contagion energy. The best and fastest method for doing so is through mass ritual sacrifice. Once the Archmage has learned the ritual of harvest, he must anoint himself in the lifeblood of a human newborn. The child must be less than twenty-eight days old. Once the Archmage has bathed in the infant’s blood, he may begin the harvest.
The harvest is the process of gathering energy to fuel the unholy transformation. This requires one hundred Contagion Points. Once the ritual of harvest has been performed, the Archmage must then acquire Contagion Points through the steal contagion spell. These Contagion Points are not added to the Archmage’s Contagion Point total, but tracked separately. It is important to note that every point of Contagion used to fuel the harvest must be stolen. The Archmage may not contribute any of his personal Contagion Points to this pool.
The Archmage may elect to take Contagion Points gained through steal contagion into his own pool, or to contribute them to the harvest at the time they are taken. Once this decision has been made, it cannot be changed. An Archmage may not tap into the reserve of Contagion Points dedicated to the harvest under any circumstances.
The Third Step: Trial by Fire
After the harvest is complete, the Archmage must begin preparations of the phylactery that shall hold his soul and enable the unholy transformation.
The first step of the Trial by Fire is to prepare an object using the spell magic jar, fortified with permanency. This allows the character to have an item designed to hold his soul indefinitely. The Archmage must then travel to Purgatory using the spell Persephone’s voyage. Carrying the magic jar, the Archmage must seek out a Rueda del Fuego and engage the creature in combat.
An Archmage carrying a magic jar through Purgatory is a beacon to the servants of the divine. While a Rueda del Fuego (or two) is very likely to find the character almost immediately, it is also quite likely that the Archmage will have to fight his way trough Soulflayers, Confessors and Lashers as well. Keep in mind that the Archmage will have no access to his magic while in Purgatory, so planning ahead is vital.
Once the Archmage is able to locate a Rueda del Fuego, he must find a way to wound the creature (likely through the use of other remnant weaponry or the like). Even a single hit point of damage will suffice. At the time of wounding, the Archmage may then spend his harvested Contagion to bind the Rueda del Fuego into the magic jar. The Rueda del Fuego may resist the attempt by making a will save (DC= the Archmages arcane caster level + Spellcraft ranks). If the Rueda del Fuego succeeds in resisting the attempt, the Contagion Points are held in reserve, and the Archmage may try again upon inflicting a new wound to the Rueda del Fuego.
Once the Rueda del Fuego is captured, the Archmage may exit Purgatory with his magic jar, now one step closer to completing the unholy transformation.
The Fourth Step: Unholy Transformation
Once the phylactery has been prepared, the Archmage must perform the ritual of unholy transformation. This ritual requires the use of prepare spell trigger in conjunction with animate dead and permanency. The Archmage then commits suicide while in physical contact with his phylactery. At the last possible moment, the Archmage releases the animate dead (with permanency) spell trigger as well as bonding his soul into the magic jar with the same trigger word. As the magic jar is also host to a Rueda del Fuego, the Archmage must succeed at a will save (DC 35) in order to force his soul to co-habitate with the entity. It is this co-habitation that allows the Archmage to continue existence as a lich. Should the will save fail, the Archmage dies slowly and painfully, his soul consumed by the Rueda del Fuego. In this case the phylactery is destroyed.
If the will save succeeds, the Archmage rises as a lich. He is now static and immortal. He is in constant pain from the perpetual torture of his soul by the Rueda del Fuego, a small price to pay for immortality and unspeakable power.
The Lich’s Phylactery
An integral part of becoming a lich is creating a magic phylactery in which the character stores his life force. As a rule, the only way to get rid of a lich for sure is to destroy its phylactery. Unless its phylactery is located and destroyed, a lich reforms 1d10 days after its apparent death.
Each lich must make its own phylactery, as detailed above.
The most common form of phylactery is a sealed metal box containing strips of parchment on which magical phrases have been transcribed. The box is tiny and has 40 hit points, hardness 20, and a break DC of 40. Other forms of phylacteries can exist, such as rings, amulets, PDAs or similar items. A phylactery typically has the same stats as its mundane counterpart unless augmented magically by the lich.
Undead: Saddened by the curse laid upon mankind, the Chammadi sought a way to reverse mortality no matter the cost. It was this defiance that birthed the many species of undead.
Confessor: Confessors are ghosts who have abandoned their own personal goals and aspirations in favor of assisting other ghosts in their chosen quests.
Confessor is an acquired template that can be added to any ghost.
Confessor Rake 3 Spook 3: ?
Ingrid Voshevik Orc Lich Arcane Student 5/Archmage 3/Infernalist 5/Magus 10: ?

Die Screaming

Spoiler

Die Screaming Directors Guide

Spoiler

Undead: Cultists, led by Crnoval priests, complete a complex and dread ritual in the city to blot out the sun, operating from several secret and well-defended points forming a pentagram. Crnobog is summoned from the void, and he takes roost at the city’s highest point, weaving his spells of destruction to consume the world in darkness and transform unfaithful mortals into his undead slaves.
Unless reduced to -11 hit points or fewer when killed, at the beginning of its next turn, the cultist returns to life once per scene as an undead creature.
Unless reduced to -30 hit points or fewer when killed, at the beginning of its next turn, the elite returns to life once per scene as an undead creature.
Unless reduced to -83 hit points or fewer when killed, at the beginning of its next turn, the warlock returns to life once per scene as an undead creature.
Unless reduced to -25 hit points or fewer when killed, at the beginning of its next turn, the hybrid child returns to life once per scene as an undead creature.
Unless reduced to -84 hit points or fewer when killed, at the beginning of its next turn, the hybrid ogre returns to life once per scene as an undead creature.
Unless reduced to -48 hit points or fewer when killed, at the beginning of its next turn, the hybrid soldier returns to life once per scene as an undead creature.
Ghost: Ghosts are spirits that live on after death, either because they were wronged in life or are too evil to die. They are almost impossible to permanently destroy.
Ghosts are undead spirits that wander the world on unfinished business, or haunt locations because they were too evil in life to truly die. The different varieties of ghost are beyond count.
Fourth, the world has become full of supernatural beings, and this includes ghosts. Murdering survivors—who were of no threat and were the closest thing the party has to allies—has consequences. A haunting may be in order for characters who especially deserve it, as the restless dead seek to avenge their deaths.
Meanwhile, ghostly undead roam the streets, increasing in strength and number as Crnobog continues his work.
Inhuman Anomaly Infection Vector (Die Screaming Player's Guide)
Zombie: Zombies are undead creatures that spread through a contagious virus.
Zombies are humans infected by the Contagion. They are bloodthirsty, mindless cannibals, neither living nor dead. Their bodily fluids are infectious, allowing them to spread the Contagion to others.
Creatures reduced to 0 hit points by a zombie become zombies at the end of their next turn. This can be reversed if the character is healed before then.
Any creature reduced to 0 hit points by a black dread instantly becomes a zombie of a level equal to its level in life.
As a standard action, the corruption demon can transform an adjacent corpse into a zombie or zombie raptor under its control. This zombie has the demon’s intelligence and shares its goals.
Plague wasps are winged pseudo-arachnids that can use their maggots to create special zombies.
What happens next is unclear, but the energy controlled by the aliens escapes unrestrained into Earth’s atmosphere, exposing the entire planet to its effects. The results on humans are various:
▪ Some are unaffected.
▪ Some are mutated and enhanced in unpredictable and catastrophic ways. Their powers are far stranger and more terrible than those of the few ascended humans.
▪ Some contact other, more evil aliens, and pledge fealty to them in exchange for power. These are the first sorcerers.
▪ The energy kills many outright, and in ghastly ways.
▪ Many more are transformed into mindless, violent zombies who can spread their condition as a viral infection, the so-called Contagion.
The solar eclipse occurs shortly thereafter. The shadow created by this event occurs in a different area, but the events are far more catastrophic. Most of the humans in the area immediately become zombies.
The Contagion is a viral infection that transforms its host into a bloodthirsty, undead horror—a zombie. It spreads mainly through zombies biting other humans, as zombie saliva and other fluids are contagious.
The source of the Contagion is a mystery that is left to you to answer with your story. It could be scientific, magical, or both. The zombies can remain mundane zombies, or be a device of some greater power that can directly control their actions. Zombies can eventually increase in strength and intelligence, or mutate into entirely new monsters.
Camp Kindred was a vibrant summer camp at the height of tourist season when the zombie apocalypse began, with a large class of third-graders from a nearby elementary also using the site. The infection spread quickly, and many dozens of zombies now infest the area.
Exohorror Third Secret Trauma Harness (Die Screaming Making Science Fun)
Apparition: If the apparition reduces an enemy to 0 hit points, an apparition immediately appears above the victim’s body
under the ghost’s control. Until that apparition is reduced to 0 hit points, the victim cannot be resurrected.
4d4 apparitions always accompany the archwizard. If any apparition dies, the archwizard can respawn it in an adjacent square as an instant action.
If the archwizard reduces an enemy to 0 hit points, an apparition immediately appears above the victim’s body under the archwizard’s control. Until that apparition is reduced to 0 hit points, the victim cannot be resurrected.
Two apparitions always accompany the ghost. If either apparition dies, the ghost can respawn it in an adjacent square as an instant action.
If the ghost reduces an enemy to 0 hit points, an apparition immediately appears above the victim’s body under the ghost’s control. Until that apparition is reduced to 0 hit points, the victim cannot be resurrected.
Six apparitions always accompany the mummy. If any apparition dies, the mummy can respawn it in an adjacent square as an instant action. When the mummy is reduced to 0 hit points, the apparitions disappear.
Two apparitions always accompany the mystic. If either apparition dies, the mystic can respawn it in an adjacent square as an instant action.
If the mystic reduces an enemy to 0 hit points, an apparition immediately appears above the victim’s body under the mystic’s control. Until that apparition is reduced to 0 hit points, the victim cannot be resurrected.
Six apparitions always accompany the phantom. If any apparition dies, the phantom can respawn it in an adjacent square as an
instant action. When the phantom is reduced to 0 hit points, the apparitions disappear.
If the phantom reduces an enemy to 0 hit points, an apparition immediately appears above the victim’s body under the phantom’s control. Until that apparition is reduced to 0 hit points, the victim cannot be resurrected.
Four apparitions always accompany the wraith. If any apparition dies, the wraith can respawn it in an adjacent square as an instant action.
If the wraith reduces an enemy to 0 hit points, an apparition immediately appears above the victim’s body under the wraith’s control. Until that apparition is reduced to 0 hit points, the victim cannot be resurrected.
Befouled: Befouled are undead made of animated oil. They often appear as small children, but can take any small form they choose. They tend to congregate around playgrounds and homes, guided by psychic memories. They leave oily footprints wherever they go. The befouled are powered by the lost souls of murdered innocents.
Black Dread: ?
Flayer: Flayers are re-animated corpses covered in hooked chains.
Fleshwarped: The fleshwarped are corpses that have been blown inside out by some hideous spell. Puppeteered by some outside influence, they are in eternal agony and wail piteously as they attack, hoping aloud that they can soon die.
Frankencat: Frankencats are stitched together from multiple dead cats to create a loathsome familiar for an evil sorcerer.
Killcrow: Killcrows are animated scarecrows with razor-sharp talons.
Midnight Horror: They often claw their way out of their graves when a powerful evil draws them back to the world of the living, and many hundreds accompany the dark god Crnobog.
Mummy: Mummies are the animated remains of once-powerful sorcerers, returned to a semblance of life as their dark patron’s slaves.
Mummies can come from any number of backgrounds, possessing a wide array of dark powers.
Nightmare Made Flesh: The entity is a psychic echo made of the collective fear that multiple creatures felt before dying terrible deaths.
Phantom: Phantoms are the most powerful and evil ghosts, the very memory of their lives filling those who knew them with dread.
In life your tyranny was so vile that your enemies burned your broken corpse and scattered the ashes to the wind in a vain attempt to prevent your return. Robbed of your physical form, you are forced to possess the bodies of others, or else reveal yourself as the shade you are. (Die Screaming Lords of Darkness)
Rat King: The rat king is a mass of thousands of undead rats mashed together by the tail via their own saliva, vomit, and excrement.
Reaper: In life, reapers were unspeakably vile and faithless, and their evil now permeates eternity.
Slaymate: The slaymate is a doll created from a combination of clay and wood, given life in an evil ritual that involves stuffing the hollow body with shredded body parts and crushed bone.
Stitch Spider: Stitch spiders are created by sorcerers and evil deities from corpses and bones, stitched together to resemble perverse spiders. Their eight legs, made of human leg bones, end in three-foot razors. Their bodies are covered in stitched human faces, all of which still have a horrid semblance of life.
Toxic Dead: ?
Tree of the Damned: The tree of the damned is a tree composed of hundreds of wailing corpses in various states of mutilation. It is the work of particularly foolish sorcerers, who soon join its roots after creating it. It is a thing so evil that it overwhelms reality.
Utburd: Utburds are the vengeful spirits of abandoned infants. Once named, an infant has a soul; and once abandoned by its parents and left to die, that soul is set adrift, unable to leave the mortal plane.
Vampire Elder: Vampire elders are hundreds of years old, and command a great deal more power than freshly-created vampires.
Vampire Lord: Vampire lords are thousands of years old, and some lived at the dawn of human civilization.
Vampire Spawn: Vampire spawn were only recently transformed (at least by human standards of time) and are less potent than their elders.
If the vampire reduces an enemy to 0 hit points, the creature becomes a vampire spawn under its creator’s control at the beginning of its next turn.
Visceroid: A visceroid is an undead entity made from shards of crushed bone and the combined entrails of many victims.
Worming Dead: A creature that begins its turn grabbed by a worming dead takes 7 ongoing necrotic damage. This damage cannot be saved against until the worming dead is no longer grappling the creature. A creature reduced to 0 hit points is infested by a tentacle and becomes a new worming dead immediately. A Might save (DC 22) negates the damage.
Ancient Zombie: Zombie ancients are zombies created ages ago by sorcery or magical curses. A zombie ancient is so old and preserved by its evil will that its body is almost fossilized, its internal organs turned to stone.
Zombie Bear: Bears have close contact with civilization, which means they have close contact with zombies.
Zombie Child: ?
Zombie Dog: The Contagion can spread to animals.
Enchanted Zombie: Some zombies fall under the influence of sorcerers or various evil powers. These zombies are given a foul semblance of intellect and magical power.
Zombie Experiment: Zombie experiments are the result of ill-advised testing on zombies in an attempt to weaponize them. The zombies are bio-engineered, trained in some fashion, and fitted with some sort of control device that will supposedly ensure their cooperation. These experiments inevitably result in the zombies escaping their confines, throwing off any attempts to control them, and killing their former captors.
Zombie Fungoid: Zombie fungoids are bloated zombies that have become extremely infectious with the Contagion.
Zombie Ghoul: A zombie that survives for some time has a chance to become a ghoul. For these zombies, the infection has advanced to the point that it more significantly alters their body, making them superhumanly powerful. They are also possessed of a low animal cunning.
As a standard action once per scene, the magus calls forth 2d4 zombie ghouls to serve it. These zombie ghouls act on the magus’ initiative. They appear in any chosen squares within a close burst 6.
Zombie Glutton: Zombie gluttons are morbidly obese zombies who have become blubbering monstrosities.
Zombie Monkey: Zombie monkeys—typically macaques—are the result of deeply unethical experiments.
Zombie Polyp: Some zombies—often severely injured ones—degenerate into groups of small, living polyps after a certain amount of time. This process takes only a few minutes and typically produces 1d4+1 polyps. These polyps are disgusting, starfish-like parasites made up of once-human tissue.
Zombie Raptor: Infected carrion birds are profoundly dangerous zombies.
As a standard action, the corruption demon can transform an adjacent corpse into a zombie or zombie raptor under its control. This zombie has the demon’s intelligence and shares its goals.
Zombie Screamer: Zombie screamers are consumed with blind fury. They possess enough mental ability to realize their condition, which fills them with an impotent, all-consuming rage. They feel nothing but hatred and hunger.
As a standard action once per scene, the mystic calls forth 2d4 zombie screamers to serve it. These zombie screamers act on the mystic’s initiative. They appear in any chosen squares within a close burst 6.
When the tree of the damned begins its turn, any enemy within 6 squares must make a Wit save or suffer 12 points of necrotic damage. Creatures reduced to 0 hit points immediately become zombie screamers.
The tree of the damned always has at least eight zombie screamers serving it. If zombies die such that it has less than eight, it can spawn one zombie on its turn as a move action. Creatures killed by the tree of the damned immediately become zombie screamers.
Zombie Soldier: Zombie soldiers are well-armored soldiers and police forces infected by the Contagion.
Zombie Wailer: Zombie wailers are the zombified remains of people who were infected by the Contagion and then imprisoned by their loved ones, who were too distraught to do what was necessary and perform a mercy killing. This was a more terrible mistake than they knew. Warped by its last piteous moments of life, the now-free zombie wailer constantly relives these last moments, whimpering in solitude until it finds victims.

Die Screaming Player's Guide

Spoiler

Graveling: Call the Graveling spell.
Death Tyrant: Death tyrants are beings who have surrendered themselves to the powers of entropy, death, and immortality. They believe that immortality is worth any price, and that life is wasted on the living. To these ends, there is no limit to their grotesque behavior.
Death Tyrant Third Secret: Fell Purpose.
Lost Soul: Fallen Angel First Secret: Lost Soul.
As an instant action, whenever a human dies within 6 squares of a fallen angel and it does not already possess a lost soul, the angel can claim it as its own, unnaturally interrupting its passage to death.
Shade: The shade pledges itself to the eternal servitude of an unspeakable darkness in exchange for fleeting mortal power. The shade is an agent of doom, despair, and elemental malevolence. Over time, the shade’s entire being is drained away into the clutches of its dread master, leaving nothing but a ghostly, immortal horror that has forgotten the concepts of warmth, hope, and pity.
Shade First Secret: Dread Pact.
Irradiated Zombie: Radiation Zombie Magical Anomaly

Undead: ?
Ghost: ?
Zombie: Inhuman Anomaly Infection Vector
Zombie Children: ?
Flesh Polyp: ?
Frankencat: ?
Zombie Monkey: ?

Call the Graveling
Sorcery
Your powerful will calls forth a wretched, vaguely humanoid horror made from mutilated flesh. It is an evil soul that you have bound to you forever, and it hates you most of all—screeching dreadful epithets and threats at you even as it does your bidding.
1/DAY
Action: Standard
Range/Area: Close Burst 1
Duration: Scene
Anomaly Chance: 20% [Magical]
You bind a corpse or numerous incomplete corpses together to summon a graveling—at least one corpse is required in the area of effect. The creature follows your commands with animal ferocity. Every graveling you create is the same hateful entity occupying new corpse parts.
Summoning a graveling is an arduous and dangerous task. When you activate the power, you must make a Wit save (DC 15 + your own level). If you fail, you lose control of the graveling, the duration of the power is permanent, and the graveling is hostile to all creatures. It attacks the closest creature, preferring you or your allies if there are several equidistant targets.
If you succeed at the Wit save, you have control of the graveling. The graveling acts on its own initiative. To continuously command the graveling after the first round of its existence, controlling its actions with your mind, you must either spend a standard action on each of your turns or take 10 piercing damage. Otherwise, the graveling falls out of your control as if you failed the original Wit save. If you become stunned, overwhelmed, or fall to 0 hit points or below, you also lose control of the graveling.
When the graveling is reduced to 0 hit points, it melts into smoking necrotic slime, and cannot be resurrected.
Sanity Damage: You and your allies take 3d6 sanity damage from the energies you summon when you activate this power.

FIRST SECRET: DREAD PACT
You make a pact with a nameless elemental evil that dwells forever in a void of utter entropy. You give up your humanity and everything you will ever be to share in its power and become a part of it. After the ritual is complete, you become pallid, and your physical substance appears to endlessly steam off you at all times, drawn away in a breeze that isn’t there.
▪ You are undead and do not need to breathe or eat. When you rest, you regain hit points as if you ate rations.
▪ You gain soak equal to your level to cold, necrotic, and poison damage. You take double damage from all other energy damage.

Infection Vector
If you are reduced to 0 hit points, dazed, overwhelmed, or stunned during the scene, you lose control and become a zombie with statistics equivalent to your level. You attack anything and everything, starting with the closest target. You return to normal, but sustain any hit point damage, if the zombie is reduced to half its maximum hit points.

Radiation Zombie
Dead creatures within a close burst 24 become irradiated zombies at the end of your turn.

Die Screaming Eldritch Armies

Spoiler

Draugr: The draugr (plural; singular draugar) are restless dead so miserly and evil in life that their malice binds them to the mortal plane until such time as a hero can grant them a second death.
Undead tyrants who refuse to die out of sheer avarice and cruelty.
Barrow Slave: Barrow slaves are the slain victims of the draugar, condemned to serve it for all eternity.
Creatures killed by the barrow slave become barrow slaves at the end of the barrow slave’s next turn.
Creatures killed by the draugar wight become barrow slaves at the end of the draugar’s next turn.
Creatures killed by the draugar wraith become barrow slaves at the end of the draugar’s next turn.
Draugar Wight: In life, the draugar wight was a great warrior or petty chieftain of men.
If the draugar wraith begins its turn at full hit points, it can spend a standard action to transform back into a draugar wight with 12 hit points.
Draugar Wraith: At 0 hit points, the draugar wight becomes a draugar wraith.
Ebon Renegade: Ebon renegades are former religious leaders who turned their backs on their worship and congregation, leading the innocent astray with fear and lies. The gods condemn these traitors to living death as animate bones and dust.
Radioactive Zombie: Radioactive zombies are so irradiated with nuclear waste or forbidden magic that they forever burn with deadly energy. Inside the flesh of every radioactive zombie is the exposed reactor core that was once its heart, serving now as a font of endless power and horror.
Unfleshed: The unfleshed are recently turned radioactive zombies, the upper layers of their skin melted away by the radiation damage that killed them, leaving a glistening red monster.
Blackened Colossus: The blackened colossus is a hideously warped and stretched radioactive zombie, far larger than any human.
Cosmic Corpse: The cosmic corpse is a radiation zombie that has become a being of pure energy, making it highly resistant to attack—but no more intelligent than any other zombie.
Grand Master Shinobi: ?

Die Screaming Lords of Darkness

Spoiler

Lich: Liches are forgotten tyrants who have risen again as ghosts, mummies, or vampires.
At level 3, you can choose to become a lich.
You were once a powerful tyrant. In your final years, you spent your ill-gotten riches and the lives of your slaves to conquer your only fear—death. At the pinnacle of your depravity, you performed a series of dread incantations, culminating in a magical atrocity for which the gods condemned you. This doomed your soul to remain forever on the mortal plane—as you intended.
Yet death claimed you despite all your precautions. To prevent your return or the rise of anyone like you, all records of your deeds were destroyed, and you were buried in an unmarked tomb.
But the horror isn’t over. Perhaps your tomb was unearthed by archaeologists too clever not to notice the gaps in the ancient historical record, and too foolish to heed cryptic warnings. Perhaps tidal upheavals exposed your tomb to the elements and
awakened you. Or perhaps powers too terrible for mortals to know called you forth once more at the appointed hour.
With the opening of your forlorn grave, your evil spirit fled its confines to take shape again, or rose from its grave as an ancient moldering corpse, or inhabited the body of a miserable mortal. Whatever the condition of your return, you are cursed to a half-life that can only be sustained by preying on the living.
Vampire: In life you made an unholy vow to transcend death and take revenge on your enemies with all the powers of darkness.
Dessicator: As terrible as your reign was, its ending was more terrible yet. At the hour of your defeat, your enemies pronounced a series of curses meant to bind you to your forgotten tomb, and ritually removed your organs while you still lived so that you would be deprived of your powers and unable to rest.
By some unfortunate chance, the seals were broken, and you returned as a dry, desiccated husk, taking revenge and restoring your crumbling body by stealing the skin of your foes.

Ghost: ?
Mummy: ?
Phantom: In life your tyranny was so vile that your enemies burned your broken corpse and scattered the ashes to the wind in a vain attempt to prevent your return. Robbed of your physical form, you are forced to possess the bodies of others, or else reveal yourself as the shade you are.

Die Screaming Making Science Fun

Spoiler

Zombie Drudge: Its Alive Mad Scientist power.
Zombie Drudge Mad Scientist power.

Zombie: Exohorror Third Secret Trauma Harness

Its Alive
Promethean
You restore the dead to life.
1/DAY
Action: Standard
Range/Area: Melee 1
Duration: Instantaneous
MALFUNCTION
You fail to resurrect the target creature from the dead.
The target “returns to life” as a hostile zombie drudge, per the Zombie Drudge power (Normal Parameters). The drudge never attacks you, but is hostile to every other creature, and does not relent until it is destroyed. It attacks the closest target.
You can’t attempt to raise the intended creature with this power again.
Sanity Damage: Your allies suffer 4d6 sanity damage from this horror.
ACCEPTABLE LOSSES
You fail to resurrect the target creature from the dead.
The recipient’s body erupts into a gibbering mass of constantly mutating flesh that screams from every orifice before exploding into noxious giblets at the end of your turn. Any creature adjacent to this revolting atrocity takes 10 lightning damage, with no save.
Sanity Damage: Your allies suffer 4d6 sanity damage from this horror.
NORMAL PARAMETERS
You resurrect the creature, so long as its body is mostly intact. Creatures reduced to a negative hit point count equal to their normal maximum hit points are too badly maimed to properly resurrect with this result. If the recipient is missing too many organs, its head, or too much of its body has been ruined, the “resurrected” creature reacts poorly and expires after several moments of indescribable agony.
A successful resurrection returns the creature to physical wholeness; lacerations seal, nearby dismembered limbs link back together, and broken bones fuse back. The creature returns to life at 1 hit point.
The resurrected character awakens in the throes of a psychotic episode and returns with a random insanity. The resurrected creature is forever warped by the experience and does not return as it was before.
Sanity Damage: Your allies (besides the resurrected creature) suffer 3d6 sanity damage from this horror.
MAD SCIENCE!
“Now I know what it feels like to be God!”
- Frankenstein (1931)
The creature returns to life even if its body was destroyed. The creature returns to life at 1 hit point.
The resurrected character awakens in the throes of a psychotic episode and returns with a random insanity. The resurrected creature is forever warped by the experience and does not return as it was before.
Sanity Damage: Your allies (besides the resurrected creature) suffer 3d6 sanity damage from this horror.

Zombie Drudge
Promethean
You raise a zombie from the dead.
1/DAY
Action: Standard
Range/Area: Close Burst 12
Duration: Permanent
MALFUNCTION
As normal parameters, except the zombie is automatically out of your control as described.
ACCEPTABLE LOSSES
As normal parameters, except the zombie has 3 hp/level and gains a -2 penalty to damage.
NORMAL PARAMETERS
A dead creature is required to activate this power. A zombie rises in its place in an open square in the area.
Summoning a zombie drudge is an arduous and dangerous task. When you activate the power, you must make a Wit save (DC 15 + your own level).
If you fail, you lose control of the drudge, the duration of the power is permanent, and the drudge is hostile to all creatures. It attacks the closest creature, preferring you or your allies if there are several equidistant targets.

THIRD SECRET: TRAUMA HARNESS
You merge your brain with A.I. subroutines that allow you to function even when you are unconscious.
▪ When you are reduced to 0 hit points or below, until you take fatal damage, you can spend a stunt to make yourself merely dazed and overwhelmed until you take fatal damage.
▪ If you die, you become a zombie of your level that is hostile to all creatures.
▪ You gain a warlord power.
▪ You lose 1 sanity soak.

Fantasy Craft

Spoiler

Fantasy Craft Second Printing

Spoiler

Ghoul: Ghouls are said to be folk cursed for great transgressions against life — massacre of the innocent, cannibalism, murdering the holy and benign, and worse. Their acts have damned them with endless, unnatural hunger for decaying flesh.
Mummy: Sometimes the dead can’t let go of life. Case in point: mummies, which are the remains of powerful mortals — emperors, high priests, nobles and others of station — risen to reclaim what they possessed before the grave. Mummies retain their former bodies, rotted or desiccated by time or the unholy ceremonies that allowed for their return.
Wight: Wights are age-old victims of pagan sacrifices, animated by the bitter spirits still trapped in their flesh. Their flesh is stretched taut by peat and time, and they return imbued with the chill of death itself. Their mere touch fills a man with bone-chilling dead, enough to bring a stout warrior to his knees or kill a lesser man outright. Victims of this grisly assault become the wight’s eternal companions, driven by the same dark impulses.
A character killed by a wight rises again 1d6 rounds later as a wight.
Ancient Ghoul: An ancient ghoul is a corpulent, withered king, bloated by great feasts on the dead and many years of relative comfort.
Ghostly: Some who die linger, unable or willing to embrace their afterlife. They remain fettered to the physical realm as terrifying apparitions, manifesting to destroy the spirits from unsuspecting adventurers…
Ghostly Hell Hound: ?
Ghostly Goblin Strumpet: A lonesome victim of a horrible hate crime, this angry ghost jerks through the air like a deranged mutant rag doll.
Lich: Liches are the immortal remains of sorcerers or magical creatures that have traded their souls for eternal “life,” and like most unholy bargainers they’ve paid a terrible price.
Lich Necromancer: ?
Lich Royal Dragon: As if dragons weren’t greedy enough, some focus their natural magic ability toward living forever.
Risen: As if dragons weren’t greedy enough, some focus their natural magic ability toward living forever.
Risen Peasant: The walking dead are a common sight in lands infested with necromancers and dread lords, usually as the unfortunate victims of a biological or magical plague.
Risen Watcher in the Dark: Evil overlords must sometimes hunt Watchers when conquering dungeons. The savvy ones reanimate them, gaining access to their mighty abilities without the pesky independence.
Skeletal: Magically animated skeletons are comprised solely of bone with no connecting tissue.
Animate Dead I spell.
Skeletal Man-at-Arms: ?
Skeletal Triceratops: Magically animated skeletons are comprised solely of bone with no connecting tissue.
Vampiric: A character killed by a vampiric creature rises again 1d6 rounds later as a vampiric creature.
A character killed by a vampiric elf nobleman rises again 1d6 rounds later as a vampiric creature.
A character killed by a vampiric chaos beast rises again 1d6 rounds later as a vampiric creature.
Vampiric Elf Nobleman: Centuries ago, this nobleman blasphemed against the gods. They damned him to a life of animalistic bloodlust, which he sates on the front lines of wars he arranges.
Vampiric Chaos Beast: ?
Skeleton I: Animate Dead I spell.
Animate Dead II spell.
Animate Dead III spell.
Animate Dead IV spell.
Animate Dead V spell.
Zombie I: Animate Dead I spell.
Animate Dead II spell.
Animate Dead III spell.
Animate Dead IV spell.
Animate Dead V spell.
Skeleton II: Animate Dead II spell.
Animate Dead III spell.
Animate Dead IV spell.
Animate Dead V spell.
Zombie II: Animate Dead II spell.
Animate Dead III spell.
Animate Dead IV spell.
Animate Dead V spell.
Skeleton III: Animate Dead III spell.
Animate Dead IV spell.
Animate Dead V spell.
Zombie III: Animate Dead III spell.
Animate Dead IV spell.
Animate Dead V spell.
Skeleton IV: Animate Dead IV spell.
Animate Dead V spell.
Zombie IV: Animate Dead IV spell.
Animate Dead V spell.
Skeleton V: Animate Dead V spell.
Zombie V: Animate Dead V spell.
A character killed by a zombie V rises again 1d6 rounds later as a zombie V.
Undead: A supernatural force clothed in the physical or spiritual remains of a once-living creature.

ANIMATE DEAD I
Level: 1 Necromancy
Casting Time: 1 round
Distance: Close
Duration: 1 minute per Casting Level (dismissible, enduring)
Effect: You animate the remains of 1 dead character as a standard NPC with a Threat Level equal to your Casting Level.
• Skeleton: A skeleton may be created from mostly intact bones, whether flesh remains or not.
• Zombie: A zombie may only be created from a mostly intact corpse (including muscle).
With GM approval, you may modify your choice, apply the Skeletal or Risen template template to an NPC from the Rogues Gallery (see page 244), or build a new NPC, so long as it has the Undead Type and a maximum XP value of 40.
An animated skeleton or zombie cannot animate or summon other characters and becomes inert when killed or when this spell ends (whichever comes first). Certain spells and other effects can render animated dead inert earlier.
The skeleton or zombie may not act during the round it appears. Thereafter it follows your commands to the best of its ability. In the absence of instructions the skeleton or zombie falls under the GM’s control, though it continues to serve you as best it perceives it can (e.g. attacking whatever seems to be your enemy, bringing you things it thinks will help you, etc.).
Skeleton I (Medium Undead Walker — 36 XP): Str 10, Dex 10, Con 10, Int 10, Wis 10, Cha 10; SZ M (Reach 1); Spd 30 ft. ground; Init II; Atk II; Def III; Res IV; Health II; Comp I; Skills: Acrobatics II, Notice III; Qualities: Damage defiance (edged), damage immunity (bows), ferocity
Attacks/Weapons: Claw I (dmg 1d6 lethal; threat 20) or Bite I (dmg 1d8 lethal; threat 18–20), as appropriate to the remains + any weapons carried in life (so long as they don’t increase the skeleton’s XP value above 40)
Zombie I (Medium Undead Walker — 36 XP): Str 10, Dex 10, Con 10, Int 10, Wis 10, Cha 10; SZ M (Reach 1); Spd 30 ft. ground; Init II; Atk III; Def III; Res IV; Health II; Comp I; Skills: Athletics IV, Blend III, Notice IV, Survival III; Qualities: Devour, lumbering, monstrous defense I, shambling
Attacks/Weapons: Claw I (dmg 1d6 lethal; threat 20; qualities: grab) or Bite I (dmg 1d8 lethal; threat 18–20; qualities: grab), as appropriate to the remains + any weapons carried in life (so long as they don’t increase the zombie’s XP value above 40)

ANIMATE DEAD II
Level: 3 Necromancy
Effect: As Animate Dead I, except that you gain 1 skeleton or zombie (max. 60 XP) or 2 skeletons or zombies (max. 40 XP each).
Skeleton II (Medium Undead Walker — 56 XP): Str 10, Dex 12, Con 12, Int 10, Wis 10, Cha 10; SZ M (Reach 1); Spd 30 ft. ground; Init IV; Atk III; Def IV; Res VI; Health IV; Comp I; Skills: Acrobatics II, Notice IV; Qualities: Damage defiance (edged), damage immunity (bows), ferocity, rend
Attacks/Weapons: Claw II (dmg 1d6+1 lethal; threat 19–20; qualities: finesse) or Bite II (dmg 1d8+1 lethal; threat 17–20; qualities: finesse), as appropriate to the remains + any weapons carried in life (so long as they don’t increase the skeleton’s XP value above 60)
Zombie II (Medium Undead Walker — 56 XP): Str 12, Dex 10, Con 12, Int 10, Wis 10, Cha 10; SZ M (Reach 1); Spd 30 ft. ground; Init III; Atk IV; Def IV; Res VI; Health IV; Comp I; Skills: Athletics V, Blend IV, Notice IV, Survival IV; Qualities: Devour, monstrous defense I, shambling
Attacks/Weapons: Claw II (dmg 1d6+1 lethal + debilitating poison; threat 19–20; qualities: grab) or Bite II (dmg 1d8+1 lethal + debilitating poison; threat 17–20; qualities: grab), as appropriate to the remains + any weapons carried in life (so long as they don’t increase the zombie’s XP value above 60)

ANIMATE DEAD III
Level: 5 Necromancy
Effect: As Animate Dead I, except that you gain 1 skeleton or zombie (max. 80 XP), 2 skeletons or zombies (max. 60 XP each), or 4 skeletons or zombies (max. 40 XP each).
Skeleton III (Medium Undead Walker — 76 XP): Str 10, Dex 14, Con 14, Int 10, Wis 10, Cha 10; SZ M (Reach 1); Spd 30 ft. ground; Init V; Atk IV; Def V; Res VII; Health VI; Comp II; Skills: Acrobatics IV, Notice IV; Qualities: Damage defiance (edged), damage immunity (bows), ferocity, rend, tough I
Attacks/Weapons: Claw III (dmg 2d6+2 lethal; threat 19–20; qualities: finesse) or Bite III (dmg 2d8+2 lethal; threat 17–20; qualities: finesse), as appropriate to the remains + any weapons carried in life (so long as they don’t increase the skeleton’s XP value above 80)
Zombie III (Medium Undead Walker — 76 XP): Str 14, Dex 10, Con 14, Int 10, Wis 10, Cha 10; SZ M (Reach 1); Spd 30 ft. ground; Init IV; Atk V; Def V; Res VII; Health VI; Comp II; Skills: Athletics VI, Blend IV, Notice V, Survival IV; Qualities: Devour, monstrous defense I, shambling, tough I
Attacks/Weapons: Claw III (dmg 2d6+2 lethal + debilitating poison; threat 19–20; qualities: grab) or Bite III (dmg 2d8+2 lethal + debilitating poison; threat 17–20; qualities: grab), as appropriate to the remains + any weapons carried in life (so long as they don’t increase the zombie’s XP value above 80)

ANIMATE DEAD IV
Level: 7 Necromancy
Effect: As Animate Dead I, except that you gain 1 skeleton or zombie (max. 100 XP), 2 skeletons or zombies (max. 80 XP each), 4 skeletons or zombies (max. 60 XP each), or 8 skeletons or zombies (max. 40 XP each).
Skeleton IV (Medium Undead Walker — 96 XP): Str 10, Dex 16, Con 16, Int 10, Wis 10, Cha 10; SZ M (Reach 1); Spd 30 ft. ground; Init VI; Atk V; Def VI; Res VIII; Health VII; Comp III; Skills: Acrobatics IV, Notice IV; Qualities: Class ability (Sage: assistance I), damage defiance (edged), damage immunity (bows), ferocity, rend, tough I
Attacks/Weapons: Claw III (dmg 2d6+3 lethal; threat 19–20; qualities: finesse) and Bite III (dmg 2d8+3 lethal; threat 17–20; qualities: finesse), as appropriate to the remains + any weapons carried in life (so long as they don’t increase the skeleton’s XP value above 100)
Zombie IV (Medium Undead Walker — 96 XP): Str 16, Dex 10, Con 16, Int 10, Wis 10, Cha 10; SZ M (Reach 1); Spd 30 ft. ground; Init V; Atk V; Def V; Res VIII; Health VII; Comp III; Skills: Athletics VI, Blend IV, Notice V, Survival IV; Qualities: Class ability (Sage: assistance I), devour, monstrous defense I, shambling, tough I
Attacks/Weapons: Claw III (dmg 2d6+3 lethal + debilitating poison; threat 19–20; qualities: grab) and Bite III (dmg 2d8+3 lethal + debilitating poison; threat 17–20; qualities: grab), as appropriate to the remains + any weapons carried in life (so long as they don’t increase the zombie’s XP value above 100)

ANIMATE DEAD V
Level: 9 Necromancy
Effect: As Animate Dead I, except that you gain 1 skeleton or zombie (max. 120 XP), 2 skeletons or zombies (max. 100 XP each), 4 skeletons or zombies (max. 80 XP each), 8 skeletons or zombies (max. 60 XP each), or 16 skeletons or zombies (max. 40 XP each).
Skeleton V (Medium Undead Walker — 116 XP): Str 10, Dex 18, Con 18, Int 10, Wis 10, Cha 10; SZ M (Reach 1); Spd 30 ft. ground; Init VII; Atk VI; Def VII; Res VIII; Health VIII; Comp IV; Skills: Acrobatics V, Notice V; Qualities: Class ability (Sage: assistance I), damage defiance (edged), damage immunity (bows), ferocity, rend, tough I, treacherous
Attacks/Weapons: Claw IV (dmg 2d6+4 lethal; threat 19–20; qualities: finesse) and Bite IV (dmg 2d8+4 lethal; threat 17–20; qualities: finesse), as appropriate to the remains + any weapons carried in life (so long as they don’t increase the skeleton’s XP value above 120)
Zombie V (Medium Undead Walker — 116 XP): Str 18, Dex 10, Con 18, Int 10, Wis 10, Cha 10; SZ M (Reach 1); Spd 30 ft. ground; Init VI; Atk VI; Def VI; Res VIII; Health VIII; Comp IV; Skills: Athletics VI, Blend V, Notice V, Survival V; Qualities: Class ability (Sage: assistance I), devour, killing conversion, monstrous defense I, shambling, tough I
Attacks/Weapons: Claw IV (dmg 2d6+4 lethal + debilitating poison; threat 19–20; qualities: grab) and Bite IV (dmg 2d8+4 lethal + debilitating poison; threat 17–20; qualities: grab), as appropriate to the remains + any weapons carried in life (so long as they don’t increase the zombie’s XP value above 120)

Laboratory of the Forsaken

Spoiler

Lunalia's Ghost: Lunalia’s horror at these affairs led Magnus to once again confine her, vowing to brew a potion that would “make her love him again.” Unable to escape and unwilling to face whatever Magnus had in store for her, she drew a bath, slid into the warm water, and slit her wrists. She expected this would finally put an end to her suffering, but once again Magnus had other ideas. Upon discovering her still-warm corpse, the doctor extracted her brain and reanimated her as a flesh golem. This final outrage was enough to anchor her soul to the manor as a ghost, with a lone driving need to destroy the abomination made from her remains.

Heroes Against Darkness

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Heroes Against Darkness
Ghoul: ?
Death Claw Ghoul: ?
Shrieking Ghoul: ?
Lich: Lich-dom is the final goal of necromancers who seek to defy the gods of death to live forever.
As they prepare for their rebirth, necromancers create a safe location for their soul, called a phylactery. If their lich-body is destroyed, then the soul returns to the container and a new body forms in one to two weeks.
Skeleton: Skeletons are the undying vestiges of ancient warriors. These undead creatures have been imbued with necrotic magic to animate their bones and then they have been given simple directions from their master, such as to guard a location or to attack intruders.
Animate Skeleton spell.
Dry Bone Skeleton: ?
Skeleton Archer: ?
Skeleton Warrior: Skeleton warriors are long-dead warriors who've been bought back from the afterlife to fight again.
Skeleton Lord: ?
Zombie: Zombies are human corpses that have been given a second shot at life by a necromancer or whose endless sleep has been interrupted by remnants of ancient magic.
Animate Zombie spell.
Dirt-Born Zombie: These newly-risen zombies are relatively weak, but in numbers they can overwhelm foolhardy adventurers.
Zombie Shambler: Shamblers are zombies whose reanimated bodies have strengthened and hardened as they've matured.
Zombie Flesh-Thrower: ?
Zombie Corruptor: ?
Ghost: Animate Ghost spell.

Animate Zombie (2 Anima) Spell Effect
You animate a zombie, creating an undead creature. You control the zombie's actions (major, move, minor). Zombie's level equal to your ½ Level bonus. Zombie can use Simple Weapons and Armor. You can release your animated undead as move action.
Target
Single dead body
Duration
1 rnd + 1 rnd per level
Range
Touch

Animate Skeleton (4 Anima) Spell Effect
You animate a skeleton, creating an undead creature. You control the skeleton's actions (major, move, minor). Skeleton's level equal to your ½ Level bonus. Skeleton can use simple weapons and armor. You can release your animated undead as move action.
Target
Single set of bones
Duration
1 rnd + 1 rnd per level
Range
Touch

Animate Ghost (6 Anima) Spell Effect
You animate a ghost, creating an undead creature. You control the ghost's actions (major, move, minor). Ghost's level equal to your ½ Level bonus. The ghost is insubstantial (damage taken from attacks against target's AD and ED is halved, can move through solid objects at half speed). You can release your animated undead as move action.

Iron Heroes

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Iron Heroes

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Skeleton: Necromancy Method Animate Dead.
Zombie: Necromancy Method Animate Dead.

NECROMANCY METHOD: ANIMATE DEAD
Mastery: 1–10
Descriptor: Negative energy
Mana: 4 mana/undead HD
Casting Time: One minute
Range: Medium (100 feet + 10 feet/necromancy mastery level)
Target: One or more dead creatures
Duration: Permanent
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: No
You reach into a corpse and find the failed flame of life within it. Using your necromantic magic, you reignite that fire with negative energy, allowing the dead to walk once more—as your servant. Using this method, you can animate a creature with Hit Dice equal to up to twice your mastery rating. At any given time you can control a number of undead with total Hit Dice equal to five times your necromancy mastery rating. If you attempt to control more than that, the undead you control with the most Hit Dice becomes independent. It might flee or attack you and your allies, based on the DM’s judgment.
The undead obey your mental commands to the best of their ability. If you lose line of effect to an undead servant, it obeys your last commands as well as it can. Commanding an undead servant is a free action.
When you animate a corpse, it becomes either a skeleton or a zombie. Use the monster templates given below in the “Creating a Skeleton” and “Creating a Zombie” sections for your newly animated undead. Either apply the template to the existing stats of a creature you wish to animate or use the generic creature statistics in the table above for each size creature from Small to Huge—you don’t need many stats, such as base attack or Intelligence, because the templates determine them. You can select almost any creature type to become undead, as animating a creature makes it lose most of its type-specific abilities.
Moderate Disaster: The mote of energy you create to sustain the creature runs rampant and drains your life force. You suffer damage equal to the mana spent to cast animate dead.
Major Disaster: The undead creature animates as normal, but a minor error introduced into the process causes it to attack you immediately and in preference to all other creatures. It tracks you unerringly.

Iron Heroes Bestiary

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Dire Gloom: The dire gloom arises in areas where the stuff of the Negative Energy Plane spills over into the mortal realm. Intelligent creatures slain by the influx of energy become dire glooms, chunks of negative energy given intelligence as the dying creature’s soul becomes enmeshed within the stuff of the negative plane.
Hunting Spirit: A hunting spirit is a relentless hunter, the undead essence of a creature that died while pursuing a victim. Even as the creature’s body dies, its spirit continues onward in search of its prey. The hatred, anger, or hunger that drove it forward pushes its spirit on after death.
Necrophage: Necrophages spawn in areas with a high concentration of necromantic energy. They arise spontaneously, the raw energy of death given physical form, in areas such as morgues, the site of an executioner’s block or a gallows pole, and so forth.
Plague Giant: A plague giant is the decaying husk of a monstrously large humanoid creature animated as an undead being.

Iron Heroes Player's Companion

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Skeleton: Rite of the Grave spell.
Zombie: Rite of the Grave spell.

RITE OF THE GRAVE
School: Necromancy
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: No
EFFECT TYPES
Contacting the spirits with this ritual allows the Spiritualist to control undead creatures she encounters and to animate the corpses of deceased creatures as her minions.
Command Undead: The magical power of the spirits gives the Spiritualist the ability to command undead creatures she encounters.
Animate Dead: The Spiritualist can create undead minions, either as skeletons or zombies. Refer to pages 242–43 of the Iron Heroes rulebook for details of these creature types. These undead are completely under the control of the Spiritualist. The creatures rise to their feet as part of the spell, but get no other action in the round they are created.
EFFECT SEVERITY
The more tokens spent on Command Undead, the greater the chance of successfully controlling the creatures encountered.
The more tokens spent on Animate Dead, the more Hit Dice of undead that can be created.
RITE OF THE GRAVE EFFECT SEVERITY
Tokens Spent Command Undead Animate Dead
0 Command check +0 2 HD
1 Command check +2 4 HD
2 Command check +4 6 HD
3 Command check +6 8 HD
4 Command check +8 10 HD
5 Command check +10 12 HD
6 Command check +15 16 HD
7 Command check +20 20 HD
Command Check: The Spiritualist makes a single command check against each undead creature to be affected. The DC of the check is 10 + the target’s Hit Dice + the target’s turn resistance (if any).
The formula for the command check is 1d20 + the modifier listed on the table + the Spiritualist‘s Charisma modifier. Compare the results of the check to the table below:
COMMAND UNDEAD CHECK RESULTS
Check vs. DC Result
Check fails Creature is unaffected.
Check succeeds by 0-9 points Creature takes no action for duration of spell.
Check succeeds by 10 or more Creature is under complete control of Spiritualist for duration of spell.

There is no limit to the number or Hit Dice of undead creatures the Spiritualist can control through this effect, other than the Spiritualist‘s ability to keep restoring her contro
by casting this spell.
Hit Dice: This is the maximum number of Hit Dice of creatures that the Spiritualist can animate as part of this spell. The listed Hit Die value applies to the creatures’ Hit Dice after they become undead. These Hit Dice can be spread over as many or as few creatures as the Spiritualist wishes to animate. The maximum value of animated minions the Spiritualist can have at any one time is 5 Hit Dice per Spiritualist class level. This limit applies without regard to the duration for which the undead creatures have been created.
RANGE
The Rite of the Grave uses the standard attack spell ranges.
AREA OF EFFECT
Both Rite of the Grave effect type uses the following areas.
RITE OF THE GRAVE AREAS OF EFFECT
Tokens Spent Area of Effect
0 –
1 1 creature
2 2 creatures
3 3 creatures
4 4 creatures
5 5 creatures
6 6 creatures
7 10 creatures
DURATION
The duration of Command Undead and Animate Dead effects vary as listed below:
RITE OF THE GRAVE DURATION
Tokens Spent Command Undead Animate Dead
0 Concentration (max. 5 rounds) Concentration
1 Concentration 10 rounds
2 Concentration + 5 rounds –
3 10 minutes Permanent
4 30 minutes –
5 1 day Instantaneous
6 1 week –
7 – –
RITE OF THE GRAVE EXAMPLE
Ashandra and her companions are engaged in a pitched battle with a large number of enemy soldiers. Wanting to sow some confusion in the enemy ranks, she conducts a pact with a 3rd-Order spirit. A full-round action and a lucky roll allow her to gather 10 tokens.
• Effect Type: Ashandra chooses Animate Dead as her effect type (there are several enemy corpses nearby that she can use). This costs 3 tokens.
• Effect Severity: Animating the human bodies as skeletons will only require 1 Hit Die per body. That’s probably best, especially as her enemies are mainly using slashing weapons. She spends 1 token to get a limit of 4 HD.
• Range: Two tokens are enough to get a 30-foot range, which is plenty to cover the three bodies she can animate.
• Area of Effect: This was Ashandra’s biggest limiting factor: A 3rd-Order pact limits her to three skeletons, at a cost of 3 tokens.
• Duration: Ashandra spends her last token on duration: The skeletons will remain animated for 10 rounds.
Summary of Effects: Three skeletons rise to their feet. In the next round, they will attack Ashandra’s enemies.
CHOOSING THE RIGHT RITE
Using Rite of the Grave in the manner described in the example on this page is not the most effective use of that ritual. Had Ashandra been casting the spell in a non-combat situation, she could have stood next to the bodies she wished to animate. This would have saved the 2 tokens she spent on extending the spell’s range, allowing her to increase her expenditure on duration to 3 tokens. As a result, the skeletons would have been permanently animated (until dispelled or destroyed) rather than merely lasting 10 rounds. The Rite of Summoning would be a better choice in a combat situation, assuming Ashandra could use it. See page 89 for an example of what Ashandra could have done if she had used that ritual in this situation.

Judge Dredd d20

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The Rookie's Guide to Psi-Talent

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Zombie: These creatures can be created by psykers using the undeath power, or may arise naturally in areas of great psychic disturbance.

Undeath
Level: 1
Manifestation Time: 1 action
Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)
Target: One corpse/level
Duration: 1 hour/level
Saving Throw: None
Power Resistance: No
Power Points: 1
This power allows a character to imbue a corpse with a shadow of its former soul, allowing it to once more walk the Earth as a zombie, a shambling creature utterly under the control of the manifester’s will. Up to one corpse per level of the manifester may be turned into a zombie with each use of this power, though the manifester may never have a total of more zombies under his control than his level, regardless of how many times undeath is used. The zombies will follow the manifester or follow simple orders, as is desired. The corpse must be mostly intact for a zombie to be created and must be of medium size or smaller.

The Rookie's Guide to the Undercity

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Arlington Zombie: The world almost ended in 2114, when the time-travelling Necromagus Sabbat arrived in the Radlands of Ji, the psi-saturated radioactive wasteland near to Hondo City. A powerful sorcerer of unprecedented proportions, Sabbat made use of a psi-enhancing lodestone and raised untold millions of corpses from their graves to serve as his personal army of zombies.
for some unknown reason the undead that clawed their way out of their graves in the enormous Arlington National Cemetery in the Washington Undercity remained animated after Sabbat’s defeat.
Thinking Dead: Rare variations of the Arlington zombie, the beings known as ‘thinking dead’ are sentient undead creatures created during the Zombie War. Most of Sabbat’s zombie hordes were mindless automata, but it has since been found that some of the animated cadavers - about one in every ten thousand - had somehow retained fragments of their original personalities. Usually, the individual had been particularly forceful or single-minded while alive, or had died without fulfilling some important obligation. Others had been ghosts or discarnate spirits who took the opportunity to re-inhabit their former bodies.

Modern20

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Soldiers and Spellfighters20

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Skeleton Soldier Speedfreak 4: These stats represent a skeleton warrior that might be created and controlled with necromancy.
Necromancy Spellbinding
Ye Fashan's Necromantic Spellbinding.
Zombie Soldier Tank 1: These stats represent a sample zombie that could be created an controlled with Necromancy.
Necromancy Spellbinding.
Ye Fashan's Necromantic Spellbinding.
Restore to Life incantation failure.
Revenant: Restore to Life incantation.

Restore to Life
Conjuration (Healing)
Magic Ranks Required: 14; Components: V, S, F; Casting Time: 120 minutes (minimum); Range: Touch.; Target: Dead creature touched; Duration: Instantaneous; Saving Throw: None
The restore to life incantation was purchased by members the German Imperial Army’s Sorcery Corps (Zaubereikorps) at the Bavarian Forest portal in 1918. It was hoped that the incantation could be used to resurrect particularly competent and experienced officers and thus negate somewhat the devastating effects of trench warfare on the quality of the army – especially in the infantry branch.
This incantation was purported to restore life to any deceased creature. The condition of the remains is not a factor. So long as some small portion of the creature’s body still exists, it can be returned to life, but the portion receiving the incantation must have been part of the creature’s body at the time of death.
Unfortunately, the best wizards in the Kaiser’s Sorcery Corps (Zaubereikorps) could never successfully perform this incantation. This led to much speculation that the incantation was a either a deliberate fraud or that this particular magic could not work properly in our world.
Unlike zombies or skeletons, the creature is restored to full hit points and retains its personality, allegiances and all skills and abilities it had before death - but it is undeniably undead (it has the Undead Physiology feat).
The deployment of revenant soldiers to the front had a disastrous effect on the morale of living troops but it helped prolong the battles of Verdun and Somme and thus forestalled the invasion of Germany.
Note: In game terms – revenants are the same characters they were before death – except they have gained the Undead Physiology feat. (See Appendix III for full details on this feat.) In a nutshell, their Constitution is reduced to 0 but they suffer no penalty to hit points from this. They do not heal naturally except through the use of spells or special abilities. They gain 2 Damage Reduction per level but this damage reduction has a weakness to a certain substance – in this case - silver.
Secondary Casters: Two required (not including primary caster).
Failure: The target is returned to life as a zombie and immediately attacks the casters. The target loses all skills and abilities and uses the zombie stats from the Creature section.

Mutants and Masterminds

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Mutants and Masterminds 3e

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Mutants & Masterminds Third Edition Hero's Handbook

Spoiler

Construct Undead Revenant: ?
Zombie: ?

Atlas of Earth Prime

Spoiler

Zombie: Duval is not averse to creating zombies, but he finds them distasteful. Baron Samedi also has various magical powers. He can animate the dead, exert some control over the minds of the living, command reptiles, and create clouds of smoke or pitch darkness. These are innate abilities for him, not just mortal sorcery. He’s never without some zombie henchmen at hand, and is always creating more.
La Cathédrale de la Douleur, The Cathedral of Pain: Throughout Quebec, particularly in times of struggle and strife, a ghostly cathedral has appeared on a hill outside various communities. Its melancholy bell strikes a note of doom, drawing visitors against their better judgment, and many who enter its beautiful stained glass doors do not return. This is la Cathédrale de la Douleur, “the Cathedral of Pain”, built in the 18th century in Quebec City. Originally just a beautiful church, it became infamous as a center of cruelty by the infamous Soeur Madeleine in the early 19th century, who used it as the center of a brutal cult. Destroyed by champions in the service of the Church in 1808, Soeur Madeleine vowed that even death would not halt her campaign to purify Upper Canada (the former name for the southern portion of what is now Ontario) of its sins, and she’s made good on that vow ever since.
La Llorona: The legend of the Weeping Woman has many versions throughout Mexico and even extending into the Latino communities in the United States. The basics of the legend speak of a woman who killed her own children, sometimes to protect them, other times out of jealousy, eventually killing herself to then haunt the streets of whatever city the tale is told, crying out for her dead children.
In Ciudad Juarez, the urban legend came true. One week after the body of Lydia Vasquez, a local factory worker, was found next to the bodies of her two young daughters, an American tourist was also found dead together with a couple of local thugs. The coroner declared that the three of them had died of cardiac arrest and severe tissue damage resembling frostbite. The rumors of La Llorona’s return spread quickly, as well as sightings and the terrifying echoes of her cry of “Ay, mis hijos!”(translation, “Oh, my children!”)
La Llorona is the ghost of Lydia Vasquez and is a very, very angry spirit. She is attracted to sites where innocents have been murdered and seeks retribution.
Count Karol Duval, Vampire: ?
Vampire Thrall: ?
Tepalcatli: A few years ago, an aging shaman went to the ruins, seeking a way to protect Palo Santo from the encroaching forces that threatened to engulf it. The rite he enacted was supposed to bring forth a champion, but he made a mistake during the ritual, and instead what he brought was a new age of darkness.
The shaman brought back from death a lowly member of one of the warring cartels as an undead creature. With one foot in the land of the living and the other on the road to Mictlan, the Nahua underworld, this man had an uncanny understanding of the power of Death.
Once named Mauricio Villa, this small time crook was accidentally brought back to life with the knowledge and power of Death magic.
Undead: It is very possible the Santa Muerte cult could create powerful undead minions or sorcerers at some point.
Chiloé seems to also be the focal point of the Caleuche, a ghost ship who sails the nearby waters and is crewed by the souls of the drowned.
Captain Blood: Jonathan “Bloody Jack” Carter was one of the most infamous pirates of the 17th century Caribbean, crossing swords with the legendary Crimson Corsair himself. The success of “Captain Blood” came to an end when he crossed a Voodoo priestess, who cursed him to know darkness, death, servitude, and to never know rest. It wasn’t long thereafter that the Black Plunder went down with all hands on board to a dark and watery grave.
It didn’t remain so, however. Baron Samedi, seeking to plague his foe Siren, used the power of the curse upon Captain Blood and his ship to raise both the vessel and its crew from the briny depths. Now a ghost ship with a ghostly crew, the Plunder was initially bound to Baron Samedi’s service, but Captain Blood eventually wormed his way free with Siren’s less-than-willing aid.
Zombie Master: Unlike his immortal foe, however, Maitre Carrefour has begun to feel the effects of his age. Although he remains healthy, time has taken its toll: his hair has gone white, his once-tall form bent. Some of the sorcerer’s more recent schemes have concerned ways to restore his lost youth or, perhaps, if left with no other means to stave off death, how to become a true “zombie master” by joining the ranks of the undead.
Ghost Pirate: Jonathan “Bloody Jack” Carter was one of the most infamous pirates of the 17th century Caribbean, crossing swords with the legendary Crimson Corsair himself. The success of “Captain Blood” came to an end when he crossed a Voodoo priestess, who cursed him to know darkness, death, servitude, and to never know rest. It wasn’t long thereafter that the Black Plunder went down with all hands on board to a dark and watery grave.
It didn’t remain so, however. Baron Samedi, seeking to plague his foe Siren, used the power of the curse upon Captain Blood and his ship to raise both the vessel and its crew from the briny depths. Now a ghost ship with a ghostly crew, the Plunder was initially bound to Baron Samedi’s service, but Captain Blood eventually wormed his way free with Siren’s less-than-willing aid.
Ernesto Che Guevara, Ghost: Three years later, Ernesto “Che” Guevara, one of the two major figures in the Cuban revolution, who had gone to Bolivia to mount a guerrilla movement, was killed with help from America’s C.I.A. It’s said his ghost still wanders the place where he was executed, and time-traveling heroes identify his death as a focal point in history from which many alternate timelines branch away.
Ghost: In the windswept wastes of Iceland stands the Helka Volcano, active since the 1100s and even as recently as 2000, it is again on the verge of eruption. If the fear of this imminent disaster wasn’t already enough for the people of Iceland to contemplate, folklore has long said that the volcano is guarded by a coven of witches and somewhere in its fiery depths lies a gateway to hell. The tales refer to an original group of witches, long since dead, that guarded the volcano and its gateway for fear of what was on the other side. All of them had been brought to the volcano by visions that had plagued their dreams for years before. They lived in that desolate wasteland until old age and illness took them. With every eruption, they feared the arrival of something dark and evil, but it never came to pass while they lived.
After they passed, the site lay unguarded for centuries, it’s hidden dangers long forgotten, but recently the secret of the volcano was finally rediscovered by cultists of the Eightfold Web and they’ve moved to Helka. The portal wasn’t a gateway to hell, it took travellers anywhere they wished if they knew the way. The cultists used it to open a way to Verecia, the parallel Earth containing Freedoms Reach so they could unite two aspects of the spider god, Raknis, from Earth, and Rakna, from Verecia). With its mind on both sides of the dimensional divide working towards the same goal it was easy for spider god to send agents to Helka volcano and Hell’s Forge in anticipation of the next eruption—which is when the link between the two worlds was weakest. That time is imminent and Raknis’ scheme to swarm first Earth-prime with his monstrous followers, and then Freedom Reach with technologically superior ones is on the verge of fruition. Unfortunately for Raknis, something it didn’t prepare for may disrupt the plan. Ghostly apparitions have been spotted in the area, described by all who have seen them to be the witches of legend, each one calling for help to combat a foe they can no longer overcome in their weakened state.
Near the meeting of the Tsavo and Athi Rivers in western Kenya, there is a site in the Tsavo region the history of which is drenched in blood. Once along the old slave trade pathways, it eventually became the site of British efforts to build a railroad across Africa. In 1898, a pair of man-eating lions attacked and killed over a hundred workers and other victims in the region before they were killed by Col. John Paterson, the Irish engineer tasked with building a bridge for the railroad. Some locals believed these two lions, unmated males who hunted in pairs and often didn’t even bother to eat their kills, were evil spirits or demons. Paterson and his fellow Europeans laughed off these claims. They really should have listened too the legends.
The Tsavo man-eaters were physically lions, but the beasts were spirits driven to madness and murder. They were instilled with a love of endless slaughter by the violence and suffering of the people suffering due to slavery, imperialism, inter-tribal conflicts, and other tragedies. Whether the spirits were once ghosts of mortals, animal, nature spirits, or something else entirely, is unknown. However, by the time they began their reign of terror in 19th century Kenya, they were powerful and relentlessly malevolent ghosts.
New Knight of Malta: In truth, the Knight is not any one person, but a kind of supernatural energy or presence that occupies different Maltese citizens as hosts, granting them particular powers and an innate sense of what needs to be done with them. Thus far, the Knight has always chosen well (assuming it is a choice at all): Everyone who has wielded its power has proven worthy, and it has been a lifechanging experience for many of them.
Esmeralda: An intelligent robot created by Lemurian science and powered by alchemical magic,
Crimson Mask, Vampire: Eventually Báthory was betrayed and killed by Alexandru Movila, a minor sorcerer who served Báthory. Dracula rewarded Movila as a traitor deserves, but using his mystical powers and sheer willpower, Movila managed to stave off death, and now roams the world as a vile magician called Crimson Mask.
Dracula, Vampire Lord: Dracula was transformed not by a mere Romani, but by an Urma (a “gypsy fairy,” one obsessed with power and night). Vlad, betrayed by his own brother and corrupt Hungarians, willingly rejected all that is good and holy for dominion over blood and darkness. He became not just a vampire, but a vampire lord.
Nosferatu: ?
Hansel, Hannes Hendrik, Vampire: In retaliation, the vampire turned Hendrik’s young siblings Hannes and Gerda into the undead monsters later known as Hansel and Gretel of the Fable Gang.
Gretel, Gerda Hendrik, Vampire: In retaliation, the vampire turned Hendrik’s young siblings Hannes and Gerda into the undead monsters later known as Hansel and Gretel of the Fable Gang.
Erszebet Báthory: Dracula was later impressed by the sadism and cruelty of young Erszebet Báthory, eventually transforming her into a vampiric queen.
Lenore, Raven's Flame, Vampire: ?
Aswang: ?
Tlaciques: ?
Upir: An upir is a regular person who wasn’t properly buried (or couldn’t have been—suicides, heretics, murderers, unbaptized children, for example), and as such was a good target for demonic possession. A dark spirit replaced the weak and frayed soul of the possessed, and it came back to life hungering for blood.
Nosferatu, literally “plague carrier,” are creepy, deformed monstrosities. They retain most of their human intellect, but few ambitions beside survival. Apart from a Weakening attack they have also an Affliction that spreads contagious disease. Some of a nosferatu’s victims might become upirs or nosferatu even without being bitten.
Ghul: An upir is a regular person who wasn’t properly buried (or couldn’t have been—suicides, heretics, murderers, unbaptized children, for example), and as such was a good target for demonic possession. A dark spirit replaced the weak and frayed soul of the possessed, and it came back to life hungering for blood. In the Middle East they’re called ghuls.
Lilim: Lilims are supposedly descendants of Lilith, the queen of demons.
Nosferatu: Nosferatu, literally “plague carrier,” are creepy, deformed monstrosities. They retain most of their human intellect, but few ambitions beside survival. Apart from a Weakening attack they have also an Affliction that spreads contagious disease. Some of a nosferatu’s victims might become upirs or nosferatu even without being bitten.
Vampire: A mortal infused with vampiric blood or a dark curse can also become a dhampir—or even a full-fledged vampire!
Hellscreamer: Murdered by a rival, death-metal musician Kgosi “King Screamer” Bamalete was offered a second chance at life by agreeing to become an agent of supernatural retribution, punishing the wicked for their crimes.
The identity of the entity that resurrected Hellscreamer and gave him superhuman abilities is currently a mystery. It could be a demon, forgotten god, or powerful mystical hero or villain.
Light Ghost: One of the mystics that owed their knowledge to Emperor Rudolf’s curiosity was Honza (John) Krisov, professor at the University of Prague, student of the occult, one of the last members of ancient Order of Light, and a minor talent in his own right. When the Nazis rose to power in Germany, Honza was visiting his close friend Helmut Shaal to inquire about the unusual talents of his children. And on the fateful Kristallnacht, the Nazi’s attacked him and his family. Their powers weren’t enough to protect them, but he gave his life in a ritual that awakened the powers of the Light-bearers within his family. Krisov still exists… in a way. Sophie sometimes claimed that she heard his wise advice. In fact, Krisov was transformed into some kind of “light ghost.” He still exists, but he needs a strong purpose to latch onto in order to grant his host powers.
Tsavo: Near the meeting of the Tsavo and Athi Rivers in western Kenya, there is a site in the Tsavo region the history of which is drenched in blood. Once along the old slave trade pathways, it eventually became the site of British efforts to build a railroad across Africa. In 1898, a pair of man-eating lions attacked and killed over a hundred workers and other victims in the region before they were killed by Col. John Paterson, the Irish engineer tasked with building a bridge for the railroad. Some locals believed these two lions, unmated males who hunted in pairs and often didn’t even bother to eat their kills, were evil spirits or demons. Paterson and his fellow Europeans laughed off these claims. They really should have listened too the legends.
The Tsavo man-eaters were physically lions, but the beasts were spirits driven to madness and murder. They were instilled with a love of endless slaughter by the violence and suffering of the people suffering due to slavery, imperialism, inter-tribal conflicts, and other tragedies. Whether the spirits were once ghosts of mortals, animal, nature spirits, or something else entirely, is unknown. However, by the time they began their reign of terror in 19th century Kenya, they were powerful and relentlessly malevolent ghosts.
When Paterson killed the lions the spirits bound to them were dispersed, but not destroyed. At times over the next century, the spirits returned to possess the living in various places, each time taking over humans whose souls were weakened by madness, greed, sin, or evil. The spirits grow in power with each possession; all the blood they spill on their rampages makes them ever stronger and shortens the time needed before they can once again possess the living. As they’ve become more powerful, they’ve learned to twist, warp, and transform their hosts into a terrifying mix of man and beast. These monsters are now known simply as the Tsavo, which means “slaughter” in the Kamba language. They don’t always appear in Kenya, or even Africa, but they are tied to the place of their “birth,” and it is likely they cannot be truly destroyed unless someone can discover a way to purify the part of the region where they first began their murderous existence.
Pizrak Smekh: ?
Maemd Hiw: The spirit known as Maemd Hiw used to live life as a teenaged girl, but she was murdered by human traffickers and her soul remained on Earth–Prime.
Aquatic Skeleton: ?
Aquatic Zombie: ?

DC Adventures Hero's Handbook

Spoiler

Construct Undead Revenant: ?
Zombie: ?
Solomon Grundy: Many years ago, vain and wealthy merchant Cyrus Gold was murdered, his body dumped into Slaughter Swamp near Go-tham City. Mystical forces in the swamp attempted to trans-form Gold into a new incarnation of Earth’s plant elemental, but because Gold did not die by fire as required, the process was only partially successful. Decades later, a massive, shambling figure rose from the swamp, killing a pair of escaped convicts and stealing their clothes. He adopted the name Solomon Grundy from the children’s rhyme (“Solomon Grundy, born on a Monday...”) and embarked on a series of crimes in Gotham.

DC Adventures Heros and Villains II

Spoiler

Looker: Emily “Lia” Briggs was a timid librarian who was, unbeknownst to her, the last royal descendant of Abyssia, an underground kingdom that her ancestor founded after he gained mental powers from a crashed meteor in 2000 b.c.e. The Abyssians kidnapped and exposed Lia to the meteor fragment, which gave her incredible beauty and mental powers. Katana, a bookseller who happened to know Lia, got the Outsiders to rescue her. Lia, as Looker, joins the team.
Looker’s powers and association with the Outsiders unfortunately puts a strain on her marriage and she separates from, and eventually divorces, her husband. Looker pursues a modeling career when the Outsiders move to Los Angeles and has a brief affair with Geo-Force.
The opposition leader in Abyssia, Tamira, returns to power and engages Looker in a Rite of Challenge during which Looker loses most of her powers. Lia retires and leaves the Outsiders but later returns to Markovia. She regains her powers during a battle with the vampire Roderick but is also transformed into a vampire.
Zombie: Zombies are typically animated human corpses given a semblance of life through magic or scientific means (exposure to a disease or toxic waste, for example).
Zombie Flesh Eater: ?
Zombie Contagious: Their condition is contagious, either to anyone killed by them, or even anyone scratched or bitten (suffering at least an injured result from damage).
Skeleton: Skeletons are essentially fleshless zombies, faster and more agile because of it, and even more resistant to various forms of harm. The kind of skeletons that show up to fight heroes are often those of ancient warriors, and so may be equipped with appropriate armor and weapons, improving their damage and Toughness by +2 each and increasing their power level by 1 (although minion rank remains the same).

DC Adventures Universe

Spoiler

Undead: Lady Styx can raise all intelligent living beings slain by her followers as undead worshippers.
Darkstar Envoy: Once the hope for peace and justice in the universe, the Darkstars are now undead agents of Lady Styx, raised to pseudo-life in her service.
Earth 43 Batman: This is a world with a higher quotient of supernatural involvement than normal, where Batman was ultimately turned into a vampire and must control his own darker urges in order to continue his war on darkness.

Freedom City (Third Edition)

Spoiler

Lantern Jack: There were tales of Lantern Jack, who haunted the nighttime streets of Lantern Hill carrying a ghostly, glowing lamp with him. The stories said he was the ghost of a patriot hanged by the British, his lantern shining with the light of vengeance and liberty. Others claimed he was a traitor to the Revolution, cursed to wander the Earth.
Fortunately, Lantern Hill also has a guardian in the form of the ghostly avenger known as Lantern Jack, who has haunted its streets for more than two centuries, paying for his sins by serving as an instrument of justice and, on occasion, righteous vengeance.
The ghostly guardian of Lantern Hill dates back to the Revolutionary War in Freedom City. Stories claim Lantern Jack is the restless spirit of a colonial patriot slain by a British officer when he attempted to warn the people of the city of an attack.
The truth is John Halloran betrayed the rebels secretly meeting in the Emerald Dragon tavern to the British. He regretted his actions when he found they planned to murder, not imprison, the rebels and anyone else in the tavern. John tried to warn them and stop the redcoats, but was killed for his trouble. The fate of his soul hanging in the balance, John Halloran’s final good deed did not outweigh his sins. Given a chance to redeem himself and prove himself worthy, John accepted the charge of meting out vengeance, justice, and truth against the evils of the world.
Jack-a-Knives: The being known as Jack-a-Knives is a Murder Spirit, the soul of a vicious killer from the ancient world pledged to Hades, Lord of the Underworld. Upon the killer’s death, Hades stripped the spirit of its memories and personality, leaving behind nothing except the desire to kill and the knowledge of how to do it. Some believe Jack is actually an amalgamation or distillation of such dark spirits, gathered over the centuries and fused together in the fires of Tartarus into a single malevolent entity.
Dracula, Vampire Lord: ?
Zombie: Dark magic threats on Lantern Hill can include raising the kinds of ghosts talked about in Ghosts of the Past or bringing skeletons or zombies forth from Colonial-era graveyards to run rampant through the streets.
The morgue increased on-site security after an incident in which followers of Baron Samedi caused a series of deaths using “zombie powder,” which caused the victims to rise as walking corpses three days later.
Anyone who dies on zombie powder rises that night as a zombie under Baron Samedi’s control.
Siren didn’t have long to wait before the Baron struck with his first ploy, transforming the criminals she captured into his zombie minions and sending them against her.
Ghost: Dark magic threats on Lantern Hill can include raising the kinds of ghosts talked about in Ghosts of the Past or bringing skeletons or zombies forth from Colonial-era graveyards to run rampant through the streets.
Potential adventures include vengeful ghosts of Happanuk natives; executed witches or suspected witches; or British or Colonial soldiers or sympathizers from the Revolutionary War; any of which might be disturbed by things like archeological digs, reenactments, or just the right conjunction of mystical forces at a particular time—say, Halloween or All Souls’ Day, for example.
Malador: ?
Vampire: ?
Burning Ghost: ?
Ghost of Mary James: ?
Skeleton: Dark magic threats on Lantern Hill can include raising the kinds of ghosts talked about in Ghosts of the Past or bringing skeletons or zombies forth from Colonial-era graveyards to run rampant through the streets.
Ghost of Wilhelmina Phillips: Mina can be an active presence in stories set in and around the asylum, as well. Unable to rest, her spirit may have become a ghost. Depending on the circumstances of her demise, she may be vengeful, or still filled with despair and inflicting it upon anyone sensitive to her presence—including some patients of the asylum!
Undead: ?
Conqueror Worm, Michael Reeves: Stunned by the revelation the homicidal Reeves knew of his secret love for Jasmine Sin, Duncan Summers unintentionally caused the Conqueror Worm to fall to his death. Reeves’ soul remained in well-earned torment for 40 earthly years.
Then, as part of a malefic scheme, Malador the Mystic sought a spirit as evil and corrupting as his own, and Michael Reeves’ shone out even in the darkest realms. Using his great and ancient sorcery, Malador restored Reeves to undead life and imbued him with power over the mystic forces of death itself.
Knightfire: As an adult, Dan ended up working in Freedom City as a security guard for a department store until his boss fired him for rousting and threatening a black patron. Dan proceeded to go out and get drunk, ignorant of what was going on around him. It was clear to him that Freedom City was just like everywhere else—run by the mongrel races and with no place for a real man. That’s when the stranger approached Dan and offered him his card. He had an offer, one Dan didn’t believe, so why refuse? He said Daniel Foreman could become the true hero he’d always wanted, if he really wanted it. Dan isn’t sure what happened, only that he found his way home and passed out.
He woke up to find his bedroom in flames! He panicked for a moment, but realized the fire didn’t hurt him or the new clothes he was wearing; in fact, the flames made him feel stronger—purer—than ever. He realized the vision he had was real. He had the power, and then he knew: the purifying fire of God had touched him, and made him into the hero the world needed. He was the chosen one who would purify the Earth with fire—the White Knight!
The White Knight became infamous in Freedom City as a hate-monger and a vicious terrorist, unswayable from his mission to purify the world. The more he fought—and lost—the hotter the flames of his hatred grew, until, one day, they consumed him. While fighting members of the Freedom League, White Knight set an office building in Southside ablaze. The heroes managed to save the innocent people trapped inside, but couldn’t get White Knight out before the entire building caved in on him. His body was later recovered from the burned-out rubble. But that was not the end of him. Daniel Foreman made a deal, and the terms of that deal delivered his soul into realms beyond mortal ken. Torment distilled his essence—until only the purest hate remained— before the spirit that was once Daniel Foreman was dispatched back into the world, no longer the White Knight, but the infernal being calling itself “Knightfire”.
Ghost of Stefan Bathory: Fifteenth Century Eastern European occultist Alexandru Movilâ made many enemies in his day, not the least of whom was Stefan Báthory, the lord of Transylvania, whom Alexandru betrayed to the Turks. For his treachery, he was cursed, haunted by Stefan’s ghost and unable to die, but most certainly able to suffer.
The Silver Scream, Lauren Hammond: Faced with the end of her career and obscurity, Lauren gave what she considered her final performance when she overdosed on medication. Her landlady found her body, and the curtain fell on Hammond’s life.
She would have been relegated to historical retrospectives on the horror film industry and “Whatever happened to...?” documentaries, but Lauren Hammond’s spirit would not rest. The despair that claimed her life also gnawed at her soul, keeping her from whatever afterlife awaited. Instead, Lauren Hammond returned as a vengeful ghost in the 1950s to haunt the theatres she associated with her downfall, striking back against the producers, directors, and actors who spurned her.
The Silver Scream is a ghost, the spiritual and emotional essence of the woman who was once Lauren Hammond, if not her actual soul.

ZOMBIE POWDER
Enhanced Fortitude 5 (Limited to Resisting Fatigue and Pain), Enhanced Will 5.
While the drug’s effects last, users have Will 0 against magical forms of mind control. Make a Fortitude check (DC 10) when a character ingests zombie powder. Failure means the user falls into a coma and must make another Fortitude check (DC 15) to avoid immediate death. The DC increases by +1 with each additional dose (+4 with each additional dose in the same 24 hour period), ensuring the eventual death of an addict. Anyone who dies on zombie powder rises that night as a zombie under Baron Samedi’s control. Use the Zombie stat block in Chapter 7 of the Hero’s Handbook.

Hero High (Revised Edition)

Spoiler

Jack-a-Knives: ?
Ghost Pirate: ?
Undead Pimp: ?
Ghost of Murdered Camper: ?
Ghost of the Bard: ?
Ghost: ?
Burning Ghost: The Burning Ghost is the soul of someone whose thirst for vengeance twisted and completely blinded them. The vengeance spirit gave this power to Strype and, later, to William Warner.
Governor Strype's Ghost: ?

Mutants & Masterminds The Super Villain Handbook Deluxe Edition Conversion Pack

Spoiler

Dracula: ?

Rogues Gallery

Spoiler

Lantern Jack: ?
Mummy: ?
Kathryn the Red, Kathryn van Houten, Dullahan: Kathryn van Houten lived in Mystery, New Hampshire (see The United States of America in Atlas of Earth-Prime) in the days leading up to the American Revolution. Her husband, Rudolf van Houten, was a tax collector for King George III. Rudolf’s job afforded a life of domestic bliss for the pair. They moved into a large manor house in the hills overlooking Mystery, threw lavish parties, and mingled with local high society. Their wealth only grew as the English crown tightened its grip on the colonies.
Rudolf’s work kept him away from home for months at a time, leaving Kathryn to entertain herself. She was fascinated with her German heritage, particularly the stories of Hessian mercenaries. Kathryn used her considerable leisure time to practice swordplay, horseback riding, and marksmanship. Her interest even led her to have a specially-fitted suit of armor made. She was a popular woman about town and hosted banquets whenever she could. She would demonstrate her martial prowess to the delight of her guests, and word of her peculiar interests spread across the New Hampshire colony.
Unfortunately, Kathryn’s world came crashing down as the New World buckled beneath the weight of the Old. When war broke out between England and the colonies, an angry mob of revolutionaries attacked her husband. They tarred and feathered Rudolf, before parading him through the streets of Mystery and hanging him as a traitor. The trauma broke Kathryn and she abandoned the manor, taking only her equipment and horse with her. She met a group of Hessian mercenaries and demanded to join their company. The men were skeptical at first, but agreed to let her fight with them after hearing of her husband’s fate.
Kathryn earned the nickname “the Red” during the opening battles of the war due to her savagery. She led cavalry charges on the ranks of rebel riflemen, scattering her enemies before her. Her ferocity became a thing of legend and minutemen huddled around their fires prayed not to run into Kathryn the Red and her screaming Hessian butchers. Kathryn’s luck eventually ran out; before the close of the war she was captured and beheaded by rebels.
That wasn’t the end of Kathryn’s story, however. In the moments before her death, she vowed revenge on all who had wronged her. A crack of thunder split the
air as her head left her shoulders and Kathryn’s spirit departed this realm, her soul taken before the court of the Unseelie Fey. Kathryn’s shade was given a choice: bury her rage and pass on in peace, or haunt the Earth as a dullahan, collecting spirits for the Unseelie and punishing those who’d wronged her. Kathryn chose the latter and returned to the land of the living as one of the Unseelie’s headless riders. Kathryn the Red has plagued Mystery ever since.
Indomitable: Indomitable was Kathryn van Houten’s mount during the Revolutionary War, and even then he was a massive, ill-tempered beast. Now Indomitable is a terrifying spectral horse that serves as Kathryn’s loyal steed
Kid Grimm, Bo Carlson: Bo Carlson was never a particularly successful outlaw. His crimes never made the newspapers, and his profits were barely enough to keep him in whiskey. As the Civil War raged across the States, Carlson began to make his way north in an attempt to avoid the conflict. He began to hear tales about Fort Emerald, a burgeoning town where he decided he may be able to make a name for himself.
A new start needed a new name, and after half a bottle mulling it over, he finally settled on Kid Grimm.
For days he travelled across the wilderness before stopping off at White Peaks, a small town on the other side of the Atlas Mountains from Fort Emerald. As he slowly rode towards town, a small wagon with a man and woman huddled against the cold passed by. Initially, he dismissed them as just another poor family making their way west, but for some reason he glanced back as it rolled by. Through the open back he saw two children playing with what appeared to be gold coins—more money than Grimm had seen in a long while. Grimm knew he couldn’t pass up such easy pickings.
He drew a pistol from his belt, pulled his scarf across his face, rode up, and threatened the weather-worn, elderly driver. Grimm demanded he turn over the coins the children were playing with in the back. Frightened, the driver pulled back on the reins and the wagon slowed. Then Grimm noticed the woman sitting next to the driver had pulled a shotgun from beneath her blankets and pointed it towards him. She fired the gun, narrowly missing Grimm, and he responded with a blast from his own pistol, which caught the woman in the chest. Screams came from inside the wagon, but Grimm wasn’t done. He sent a second shot into the man and then three more through the covering of the wagon until everything was quiet. Then he reached into the wagon and gathered his spoils, thirteen gold coins larger and brighter than any he had seen before. As he admired them in the morning light, he heard a murmur from the driver’s seat. The woman was still alive and her eyes were fixed upon him as she said something in a language Grimm couldn’t understand. As she finished, the winds kicked up and he felt ... something become part of him—almost like it had invaded his soul. Then the woman was dead, so Grimm shrugged, and rode off.
He continued on to White Peaks, the strange words echoing in his mind. Little did he know that a marshal heading to White Peaks stumbled across the wagon and discovered the children inside were still alive. With their description, the marshal found and arrested Grimm as he sat, drunk, in a White Peaks bar. Shortly thereafter, he was sentenced to die by hanging. As the trapdoor opened beneath his feet, the words of the woman thundered through his mind, and this time he understood their meaning. “The cost of our lives was thirteen coins; you shall not rest until the coins are returned.”
Grimm’s body was buried unmarked outside of town, but thirteen nights later his spirit returned, his black heart reforged into two obsidian black six-guns.
Brimstone, Ghostly Steed: ?
Mother Moonlight, Anna-Marie Delgado: Her children’s deaths finally opened Anna-Marie’s eyes to the truth: that the so-called superheroes had once again killed those most important to her, stealing her hope and joy for their moment of careless glory. Consumed with anger and despair, she wandered into the Chihuahua desert alone on a moonless night and screamed to the old gods she had abandoned so long ago, cursing them for their powerlessness and begging them for her children’s souls. Anna-Marie opened her veins while chanting to Cihuacoatl, begging the fertility goddess to take her as a cihuateto—a sacred spirit-mother, pledging eternal service in return.
But she had been faithless for too long, and not died honorably in birth as was Cihuacoatl’s will. Only Coatlicue—the ancient, two-headed mother of the gods, insatiable mistress of death and rebirth—answered Anna’s bloody call. The Devouring Mother again wanted a presence in the world, challenging Anna-Marie that if she felt the gods of old were so useless, then it would be her burden to make them relevant once more. And so rose up an unliving servant: Mother Moonlight. Anna-Marie returned not as an elegant night-warrior but an abomination, with serpents and mud in her veins and a cold, reptilian hunger to remake the world, beginning with the “children” of those who had wronged her.
Mother Moonlight is maternal grief twisted into hatred, self-loathing, and gross purpose. She blames all costumed champions for her children’s deaths, and by extension the wrongs of society, and they are the lens through which she will remake a just world for the old gods of Central America to rule once more.
Vampire: ?
Spirit of Achilles, Ghost: ?
Zombie: The Orphean’s newfound knowledge of black magic also allows his songs to raise scores of mindless undead minions.
Pandemic, Dr. Josh Harrington, Plague-Ridden Zombie: Dr. Josh Harrington was an Emerald City research pathologist tasked with eliminating the threat posed to humanity by super bugs. Dr. Harrington believed that a disease-free future could be found by studying extraterrestrial DNA harvested from super-powered volunteers. Confident that he was on the verge of a breakthrough and threatened with the closure of his project, he injected an array of dangerous bacteria into alien cells and the results were catastrophic. The bacteria absorbed the alien DNA and began to replicate itself at an astonishing rate. Dr. Harrington’s protective gear was overwhelmed by the microbes, and before he could decontaminate himself, he succumbed to the disease. Unfortunately, that wasn’t the end for Dr. Harrington. The alien DNA granted a malevolent sentience to the bacteria; the augmented cells latched onto his nervous system, reanimating the doctor’s body and dragging it out of the research facility.
Using the doctor’s corpse, the bacteria escaped into the city and entered the sewers where it explored and learned about its environment and existence. It warped Dr. Harrington’s body, bloating and scarring it beyond recognition to create a home for itself. The bacteria reproduced at an unprecedented rate, filling its new home to the brim with all manner of contaminants. In a matter of days, the creature that would become known as Pandemic was ready to spread its pathogens.
Lodi Hare-Foot, Ghost: ?

Super Powered Bestiary

Spoiler

Devourer: The origins of the devourers are shrouded in mystery. Some claim that devourers are the undead forms of fiendish creatures, such as demons and devils. Others say they are the result of ancient, giant necromancers from a bygone era; or perhaps even another dimension.
Allip: Allips are terrifying undead creatures that come into existence when a living creature dies while suffering a terrible form of insanity.
Bodak: This foul creature is the result of a humanoid being utterly destroyed by necromantic energy. The surge of negative energy combined with the pain and anguish of the victim sometimes reform into a fearsome undead monstrosity.
Anyone slain by a bodak’s Death Gaze is doomed to return as a bodak themselves.
Bodak's Create Spawn ability.
Ghost Banshee: A banshee is the ghost of an evil fey creature.
Ghoul: People rightfully fear ghouls and their corpse-eating ways. The bite of a ghoul inflicts a terrible disease. Any who die from the illness arises as a ghoul soon afterward.
Diseased Bite power.
Ghost: Ghosts are the undead spirits of creatures that cannot pass on into the afterlife. Their malevolence keeps them attached to the mortal world until some deed is done; this often results in the ghost returning into existence even if it has been destroyed over and over again.
Ghast: ?
Lacedon: ?
Lich: Liches are spellcasters that use their magical ability to extend their existence after they should have naturally died. This results in a powerful necromantic transformation that turns the once-living mage into a monstrous undead creature. The process allows that spellcaster to retain his intelligence and magical powers, while gaining a large number of new necromantic powers.
To become a lich, the spellcaster must place a portion of their life force into a specially-prepared object – a phylactery.
The Broken King: ?
Mohrg: Mohrgs are undead that are the risen forms of mass-murderers that died before they could atone for their crimes.
Mummy: The creation of a mummy is a long and gruesome process, involving separating the internal organs of the prepared body. The body is then wrapped in expensive linens and anointed with sacred oils. When the tomb is finally sealed, the mummy awakens in an undead state.
Shadow: Any living creature slain by a shadow rises as a shadow soon afterwards.
Skeleton: Skeletons are the animated bones of once-living creatures. Their forms are kept together and ambulatory by means of necromantic energy – often a spell or some other outside magical source.
Vampire: ?
Vampire Spawn: ?
Fast Vampire: ?
Flying Vampire: ?
Wight: The wight is kept in its undead state through sheer willpower driven by violence and hatred. The decaying soul of the creature remains within its body, seeking to sustain its existence by feeding off the life force of living creatures. Those slain by a wight will soon afterwards arise as a wight themselves.
Wraith: This monstrosity feeds on the life force of living creatures, draining their very souls and transforming those slain by its touch into other hate-filled wraiths.
Zombie: A zombie is a mindless animated corpse that continues to move through necromantic energy. Most zombies are animated constructs created by a necromancer to serve as basic guards or soldiers.
Those slain by a Mohrg arise soon afterwards as a zombie.
Mohrg's Zombie Plague power.
Plague Zombie: These creatures, like normal zombies, travel in large packs and seek to eat the flesh of living creatures. Worse yet, their bite transfers a deadly necromantic infection that transforms anyone affected into a plague zombie when they die.
Plague Zombie's Necromantic Infection power.

Create Spawn: Burst Area Affliction 5 (Dazed, Compelled, Transformed [corpse into bodak]); Resisted by Fortitude; Affects Objects (corpses only), Linked to Death Gaze, Reaction (when living being is slain by Death Gaze) – 25 points

Diseased Bite: Strength-Based Damage 1; Linked to Weaken Abilities 2 (Resisted by Fortitude; Broad, Limited to Stamina and Agility, Limited to one check per day, Progressive, Simultaneous); Linked Affliction 2 (Fatigued, Exhausted, Transformed [corpse slain by ghoul bite into ghoul]); Resisted and Overcome by Fortitude; Affects Objects Only, Progressive – 13 points

Create Spawn: Burst Area Affliction 5 (Dazed, Compelled, Transformed [corpse into bodak]); Resisted by Fortitude; Affects Objects (corpses only), Linked to Death Gaze, Reaction (when living being is slain by Death Gaze) – 25 points

Diseased Bite: Strength-Based Damage 1; Linked to Weaken Abilities 2 (Resisted by Fortitude; Broad, Limited to Stamina and Agility, Limited to one check per day, Progressive, Simultaneous); Linked Affliction 2 (Fatigued, Exhausted, Transformed [corpse slain by ghoul bite into ghoul]); Resisted and Overcome by Fortitude; Affects Objects Only, Progressive – 13 points

Zombie Plague: Transform Humanoid Corpse into Zombie 8 (Affects Objects Only, Limited to those slain by the mohrg, Permanent, Uncontrolled) – 4 points

Necromantic Infection: Affliction 5 (Fatigued, Exhausted, Transformed [into plague zombie]); Resisted and Overcome by Fortitude; Grab-Based, Incurable, Limited to one check per day, Progressive – 6 points

Super Powered Bestiary Aboleth to Cyclops

Spoiler

Allip: Allips are terrifying undead creatures that come into existence when a living creature dies while suffering a terrible form of insanity.
Bodak: This foul creature is the result of a humanoid being utterly destroyed by necromantic energy. The surge of negative energy combined with the pain and anguish of the victim sometimes reform into a fearsome undead monstrosity.
Anyone who locks eyes with a bodak will die instantly and himself return as a bodak within one day.
Anyone slain by a bodak’s Death Gaze is doomed to return as a bodak themselves. Normally this does not require game mechanics, as it is not a fate that should befall any Player Character; only NPCs should suffer from such a horrifying end. However, should a GM want to simulate this ability, they may use the following Power:
Create Spawn: Burst Area Affliction 5 (Dazed / Compelled / Transformed [corpse into bodak]; Resisted by Fortitude; Affects Objects [corpses only], Linked to Death Gaze, Reaction [when living being is slain by Death Gaze]) – 25 points

Super Powered Bestiary Eagle to Invisible Stalker

Spoiler

Ghost: Ghosts are the undead spirits that cannot pass on into the afterlife. Their malevolence keeps them attached to the mortal world until some deed is done.
Ghost Banshee: A banshee is the ghost of an evil fey creature.
Ghoul: The bite of a ghoul inflicts a terrible disease. Any who die from the illness arises as a ghoul soon afterward.
Diseased Bite: Strength-Based Damage 1; Linked to Weaken Abilities 2 (Resisted by Fortitude; Broad, Limited to Stamina and Agility, Limited to one check per day, Progressive, Simultaneous); Linked Affliction 2 (Fatigued / Exhausted / Transformed [corpse slain by ghoul bite into ghoul]; Resisted by Fortitude; Affects Objects Only, Progressive) – 13 points
Ghast: ?
Lacedon: ?

Super Powered Bestiary Kraken to Rust Monster

Spoiler

Lich: Liches are spellcasters that use their magical ability to extend their existence after they should have naturally died. This results in a powerful necromantic transformation that turns the once-living mage into a monstrous undead creature.
To become a lich, the spellcaster must place a portion of their life force into a specially-prepared object – a phylactery.
The Broken King: ?
Mohrg: Mohrgs are undead that are the risen forms of mass-murderers that died before they could atone for their crimes.
Zombie: Those slain by a Mohrg arise soon afterwards as a zombie.
Mohrg's zombie plague power.
Zombie Plague: Transform Humanoid Corpse into Zombie 8 (Affects Objects Only, Continuous, Limited to those slain by the mohrg, Uncontrolled) – 8 points
Mummy: The creation of a mummy is a long and gruesome process, involving separating the internal organs of the prepared body. The body is then wrapped in expensive linens and anointed with sacred oils. When the tomb is finally sealed, the mummy awakens in an undead state.

Super Powered Bestiary Sahuagin to Zombie

Spoiler

Shadow: Any living creature slain by a shadow rises as a shadow soon afterwards.
Skeleton: Skeletons are the animated bones of once-living creatures. Their forms are kept together and ambulatory by means of necromantic energy – often a spell or some other outside magical source.
Vampire: ?
Fast Vampire: ?
Flying Vampire: ?
Vampire Spawn: ?
Wight: The wight is kept in its undead state through sheer willpower driven by violence and hatred. The decaying soul of the creature remains within its body, seeking to sustain its existence by feeding off the life force of living creatures. Those slain by a wight will soon afterwards arise as a wight themselves.
Wraith: This monstrosity feeds on the life force of living creatures, draining their very souls and transforming those slain by its touch into other hate-filled wraiths.
Zombie: A zombie is a mindless animated corpse that continues to move through necromantic energy. Most zombies are animated constructs created by a necromancer to serve as basic guards or soldiers.
Plague Zombie: These creatures, like normal zombies, travel in large packs and seek to eat the flesh of living creatures. Worse yet, their bite transfers a deadly necromantic infection that transforms anyone affected into a plague zombie when they die.
Plague Zombie's necromantic infection power.

Necromantic Infection: Affliction 5 (Fatigued / Exhausted / Transformed [into plague zombie]; Resisted by Fortitude; Grab-Based, Incurable, Limited to one check per day, Progressive) – 6 points

Super Powered Legends Sourcebook

Spoiler

Dracula: 1460: After being wounded in battle with the Turks, Vlad is transformed into a vampire by Count Orlok.
The center of the dark storm is Castle Dracula. Once the home of Vlad Tepes – who was transformed into the vampire Dracula by Orlok – this castle is the seat of power of the King of Vampires.
In the year 1460, Vlad Tepes was fatally wounded in battle with the Turkish army. He fled from the battle, hiding in the Carpathian Mountains from Turkish patrols. Here, the Transylvanian nobleman encountered Orlok. At first, the monstrous vampire saw only a quick meal. But looking at Vlad, Orlok saw a younger version of himself. Orlok used his blood to transform Vlad into a vampire; renaming him “Dracula.”
Nachtoter, Jonathan Howlett, Vampire: 1913 Following clues from the Bram Stoker novel, British nobleman Jonathan Howlett travels to Romania in search of Castle Dracula. He discovers the vampire Count Orlok and Jonathan is transformed into a vampire.
1933, July: Lord Jonathan Howlett offers his services as a vampire to the Germans. He is magically altered by the Thule Society, given the code name “Nachtoter,” and tasked as a saboteur and assassin.
Orlok railed against the walls of Castle Dracula, once again thwarted by mere mortals. He sulked in the dungeons of the castle for several decades, until another British nobleman – Jonathan Howlett – came in search of clues left behind by Bram Stoker’s novel for Dracula’s hidden treasure. What Howlett found was Orlok! The vampire set upon Howlett and transformed him into a vampire.
Russian Ghost: 1969, April: Vladimir Ivanishin leads a team of trained chimpanzees to land on the moon. During the landing, the spacecraft’s radio and rockets are destroyed and the Soviet government believes Vladimir to be dead. In truth, Vladimir discovers the lunar city-state of the Ancient Thirteen. He uses Lunarian Blue to transform his chimpanzees into intelligent super-apes with powers. Before he can augment himself, succumbs to starvation and exposure. However, he returns as an undead wraith that will later come to be known as the Russian Ghost.
Vampire, Alexander Dodge: 1974, October: Alexander Dodge is transformed into a vampire.
Vampire, Sarra Matsoukas: 2001, October: After being transformed into a vampire, geneticist Sarra Matsoukas consumes an experimental formula, transforming into Daywalker.
Vampire, Glamour: 2012, April: Count Orlok attempts to transform the Royal Lions and the Vindicators into super-powered vampires. Glamour and Tempest are transformed into Orlok’s “brides.”
Vampire, Tempest: 2012, April: Count Orlok attempts to transform the Royal Lions and the Vindicators into super-powered vampires. Glamour and Tempest are transformed into Orlok’s “brides.”
In 2012, the vampire master, Count Orlock attempted to bring all of the scattered vampire clans under his rule. Through them, he sought to gain control of the Vindicators and their allies in Great Britain: the Royal Lions. Count Orlock himself transformed Tempest into his vampire bride.
Vampire: It is said that when a werewolf is slain, it transforms into a vampire. Whether this is true or not has never been officially tested by any modern occultists.
Both vampires and werewolves propagate their kind by biting; infecting mortals with their supernatural virus that transforms the mortal into a monster. Any bite from a werewolf can infect a human with lycanthropy. However, vampires must undergo a longer process. A simple bite or random feeding will not create a new vampire. To create a new vampire, a vampire must drink the blood of a human while exposed to the light of the moon over the course of three nights in a row.
Ghost: ?
Count Orlok: ?
Vampire Average: This build for an “average” vampire is a newly-created undead spawn.
Vampire Strigoi: ?
Vampire, Milady Pierce: When Dracula scoured the streets of London, he created a number of undead servants to do his bidding. Many of them were destroyed, but several remained hidden to grow in power and influence. One such vampire was Milady Pierce.
Skeleton: ?
Zombie: ?
Atmet: In Ancient Egypt, tomb robbers were the bane of the royalty who sought everlasting life in the comfort of their majestic tombs. Besides deadly traps and magical curses, these tombs were also guarded by living defenders who swore to protect their charges with their lives. Atmet was one such tomb guardian, protecting the tomb of Pharaoh Seti I.
On the night of the birth of his son, Atmet left his post to go to the side of his pregnant wife. While he was away, the tomb of Seti was infiltrated by robbers, and several sacred artifacts stolen. When Atmet returned to his post, he was arrested by the priests of Anubis and shown the damage done by the thieves. For his transgressions, Atmet was cursed and mummified; forced to serve as an undead tomb guardian for the rest of eternity.

Vicious Villains II Mystical Monsters

Spoiler

Count Erich Grey: ?
Ghost Serpent: The assassin known throughout the criminal underworld as the Ghost Serpent was once a humble Palestinian housewife. Her home was hit by a stray rocket during one of the many border skirmishes in her homeland. She died covered in the blood of her two children. Her rage was so strong that her spirit remained behind, making her a ghost.

Mutants and Masterminds 2e

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Mutants and Masterminds 2e

Spoiler

Vampire Lord: ?

The Book of Magic

Spoiler

Denizen of the Dead: ?
The Hungry Dead: ?
Shade: ?
Malador the Mystic: Malador is no longer a living being, having become more of an undead creature sustained by his powerful magic.

Misfits & Menaces Tricks & Treats

Spoiler

Dracula: Fatally wounded in battle against the Ottomans near Bucharest in 1476, Vlad’s dark soul cried out into the cosmic void and there its call was heard by an incomprehensible power of deepest evil. Perhaps seeing an opportunity or merely looking for a way to amuse itself, this power infused Vlad with some of its dark essence, transforming the warrior prince into one of the undead.
Graveside: A former Mafia foot soldier during Las Vegas’ heyday, Samuel was left out in the desert and buried alive after turning over information to the FBI. Unknown to the toughs that buried him, Sam’s grave was dug in a lost Paiute Native American burial ground and its spirits did not welcome the intruder. After he died of asphyxiation, Samuel’s body rotted rapidly due to the spirits’ anger while his own spirit was cast out to wander the Earth.
The Horseman: A Hessian hussar paid by the British to fight the rebels of the American Civil War, Reichart Hümmel was an especially brutal warrior who made a reputation amongst his enemies for taking the heads of his slain opponents as a means to spread terror amongst the revolutionaries. Ironically, he was slain at the battle of Chatterton Hill in 1776 when an American cannonball skipped across the field and decapitated him while still mounted upon his massive black charger.
Pumpkin Jack: Unfortunately for the serial killer, his first victim in New Orleans was actually a Creole voodoo priestess in the wrong place at the wrong time. With her last breath and using the only thing she had at hand, a straw voodoo doll, the priestess cursed Jack by dispossessing his spirit and casting it into the spiritual ether. Because of the curse’s connection to the voodoo doll catalyst the priestess used, Jack’s soul settled in the first similar straw icon it came across: a straw scarecrow.

Wild Cards

Spoiler

Crypt Keeper: He drifts through the 1980s, getting in trouble for more small-time stuff, but in 1987 kills a clerk in a liquor store robbery gone wrong. He snaps and takes a deer rifle and a .45 magnum to the top of a tower at the University of Texas in Austin, and spends an afternoon sniping at passers-by. He kills 26—27 if you count himself, as to avoid capture he blows away the side of his head and half his face with the pistol. But his career is only beginning.
Puckett wakes up in the potters’ field where he was buried, which had also been used as a toxic waste dump, and he realizes the Lord has given him a second chance to do right with his life.

The 6th Seal

Spoiler

Thomas Amber Elder Vampire: In his life, he was a wealthy and cultured Englishman who had the bad fortune to get bitten by a vampire while abroad in the miserable and backwards American colonies.

Godsend Agenda Superlink Conversion

Spoiler

Undead: Dr. Necropolis' animate undead power.

Another 13 Shades of Darkness

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Mary Blood: The New York Chapter used Mary as bait, knowing that her youth and good looks would make her irresistible to their quarry. They sent her into a private club owned by an ancient Hungarian vampire named Count Zoltan, and used her to lure him to his doom. Mary was bitten during the course of the adventure, so her new friends in the Society prepared to have her killed. She had never trusted them, however, and ran away before they had a chance to pound a stake through her heart. By the time she arrived in the PCs’ campaign city, she could no longer walk by day.
Voracious Legion: Shortly before the cataclysm, M’aal’iss’ha–the Legion’s matriarch-priestess, slut-bride of the Eternal Eater–had a premonition of the impending disaster. She gathered the fiercest, most merciless warriors of the Legion to her side, bidding them to capture as many captives as they could along their journey and bring these unfortunates to her. She especially encouraged the Legionnaires to secure pregnant females and newly-hatched offspring. She then led them into the deep caverns that extended for miles under the surface of H’raath. There they performed an obscene ritual where that culminated in the sacrifice of their captives and their undying pledge to serve S’aar’ah’man beyond the end of their world, beyond death or damnation.
Longing Dead: Not all the soldiers, scientists, and technicians who succumbed to the unleashed Delirium were lucky enough to die. Some of the stronger-willed ones suffered a far worse fate; unwilling to relinquish the rage they felt at having their lives stolen away from them by the obscene entity that had crept out of the crawlspace between worlds, their hatred prevented their souls from wholly moving on from this plane of existence. Instead some remnant of them remained in their hollowed-out shells, seething with anger over all that had been stripped away from them.
Despite the fact that they gnash at their victims with their broken, jagged teeth, they do not consume flesh. Instead they try to grapple their targets and drag them to the ground, where they then try to steal away their essence, causing the poor unfortunates to rapidly weaken and age, while the Longing Dead gain strength. Those who survive this process regain their youth within a few minutes rest (though other injuries they sustained must heal normally) but any who perish join the Longing Dead.
:The Maiden She discovered the whereabouts of Soviet Science City Six and came here alone, looking for occult secrets. In Test Chamber Five, she found out more than she wanted. Now her angry ghost stalks the halls of Soviet Science City Six, something more and less than human.

Qalidar

Spoiler

Qalidar Supplement 2: Qritters
Tethered: The tethered are vectors that have been bound to a physical form of some sort. Humanoid corpses serve this purpose readily, but more ambitious karcists have been known to use the remains of other creatures or construct entirely artificial bodies.
The tethered, on the other hand, are vectors bound, possibly against their will, to a material form. This form is often, but not necessarily, a dead human body.
Coal Mite: These vicious little creatures are made entirely of smoldering char animated by destructive vectors.
Dross: Dross are vaguely humanoid lumps of shifting flesh, all that remains of the victims of corrosively alien vector.
Ghoul: Ghouls are human or humanoid creatures that have been twisted into cannibalistic parodies of their former selves.
Homunculus: The homunculus is a miniature servant created by binding a vector to an artificial body.
A homunculus is shaped from a mixture of clay, ashes, mandrake root, spring water, and one pint of the creator's own blood. The materials cost $500. The work must be performed by a karcist, although the karcist can bond the homunculus to a client rather than himself. Creating the body requires a DC 12 Intelligence check. After the body is sculpted, it is animated through an extended ritual that requires a specially prepared laboratory or workroom, costing $5,000 to establish. If the master is personally constructing the creature's body, the building and ritual can be performed together. Cost to construct is at least $10,500. A homunculus with more than 2 Hit Dice can be created, but each additional Hit Die adds $20,000 to the cost to create.
Mummy: Mummies are well-preserved corpses animated by particularly ambitious and devious vectors.
Skeleton: Skeletons are the animated bones of the dead, known primarily as the mindless pawns of karcists.
Wight: A wight is a shriveled corpse animated by hate and bitterness.
Zombie: Zombies are corpses reanimated by bound vectors.

Silver Age Sentinels d20

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Silver Age Sentinels: d20 Edition

Spoiler

Undead: ?
Zombie: ?
Vampire: ?
Ghost: ?
Dracula: ?
Mummy: ?
Doc Cimitiere, Zombie: Doc Cimitière returned from dead as zombie.
The battle was furious, each hougan calling upon the loa for his own ends, but in the end the Baron triumphed. Duvalier was killed, and Marie-Michelle saved when the Baron asked loa Ghede to bring her back from death’s door. The Baron refused to release Duvalier’s spirit, however, animating Duvalier as a zombi in punishment.
Duvalier writhed in agony, yet his proximity to the spirit world taught him much. He learned to force certain loa to his will ... and broke his spiritual shackles. He escaped the Baron, plotting vengeance. Duvalier’s body was still dead, however, frozen in a permanent state of decay. Now known as Doc Cimitière, he continues to seek dominion over the spirit and physical world, and to take revenge on all who have opposed him.
Zombi: The Tonton Macoute had killed a guerilla during interrogation, and at a midnight mass, Papa Doc animated the corpse, turning him into a zombi in front of an astonished Duvalier.
The people feared “the White Doctor,” so called for his foreign education; it was said those who refused him in life were killed, and raised as subservient zombis.

Roll Call #1

Spoiler

Century, Dr. Zebediah Potter, Dr. Z, Vampire: His contempt for common morality and predatory attitude drew the attention of an ancient vampire, Zu Hsien-ku. She transformed him into a creature of power, but Dr. Z turned on Zu at his first opportunity; he extracted centuries of knowledge from her through deprivation and torture.
Zu Hsien-ku, Vampire: ?

Slaine d20

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Slaine the Roleplaying Game of Celtic Heroes

Spoiler

Ghoul: ?
Half-Dead: ?

The Invulnerable King

Spoiler

Sokkvabek Folk: These people all gain their undead existences because they desperately want to be alive, and the stone is still trying to give them what they desire, using Earth Power from the island and surrounding area to augment its own.
Every one of the crewmen died in battle, hoping for Valhalla. The stone could not send them there, because it had lost a huge amount of magic in turning Anders into a kelpie. But it could grant them life in undeath, and the dream, the illusion, of Valhalla. The undead warriors came back in revenge and slaughtered the entire village, the members of which desperately wanted to cling to life. Again, this was beyond the stone’s power; but it could bring them back as undead, to live their lives over and over again. The raiders of Valhalla and the villagers live on because the stone has given their dreams power. Should they ever admit to themselves that they are, in fact, utterly dead, they would become so, and fall to the ground, inert.

The Ragnarok Book

Spoiler

Ghoul: ?
Ghost: ?
Shadow: ?
Wraith Sorcerer: ?
Naescu Shadow Druid 9: ?

Spellchrome

Spoiler

Spellchrome Core Rulebook

Spoiler

Undead: ?
Lumbering Dead: When barrier spirits cross over into Eldlandria, some are not strong enough to feed off or control a living creature. The barrier spirit is forced to inhabit and use a human corpse, creating what is commonly called the lumbering dead.
Stories persist of humans working in coordination with spirit forces to cobble together even more powerful lumbering dead from the components of several corpses.
In order for a victim to become a lumbering dead, they have to die first (even then, it’s rare).
Zombie: ?

True20

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True20 Adventure Roleplaying Revised Edition

Spoiler

Undead: Undead are once-living creatures animated by spiritual or supernatural forces, such as the Imbue Unlife power.
Crypt Wight: Crypt wights are corpses of the ancient dead animated by malevolent spirits from another plane.
Ghost: Ghosts are the undead spirits of intelligent beings who, for one reason or another, cannot move on from their living existence to their next life.
Imbue Unlife spell.
Skeleton: Skeletons are the bones of the dead turned into supernaturally animated, mindless automatons obeying the commands of their creators.
Imbue Unlife spell.
Vampire:
If a vampire kills a victim with blood drain, the victim returns as a vampire in three days.
Imbue Unlife spell.
Zombie: Zombies are corpses animated by supernatural forces.
Imbue Unlife spell.

Imbue Unlife
Fatiguing
You can lend animation to the dead, creating a mockery of life. Imbue Unlife may create two kinds of undead: mindless or intelligent.
Mindless: You turn the bones or bodies of dead creatures into undead skeletons or zombies, which obey your spoken commands (see Chapter Eight). They remain animated until destroyed. A destroyed undead creature can’t be imbued with unlife again.
A skeleton can be created only from a mostly intact corpse or skeleton. The corpse must have bones. If a skeleton is made from a corpse, the flesh falls from the bones when it is created. A zombie can be created only from a mostly intact corpse. The corpse must be that of a creature with a true anatomy.
Regardless of the type you create, you can’t make more mindless undead than twice your adept level with a single use of Imbue Unlife.
The skeletons or zombies you create remain under your control indefinitely. No matter how many times you use this power, however, you can control only four times your adept level in levels of mindless undead. If you exceed this, all newly created creatures fall under your control, and any excess from previous castings become uncontrolled. You choose which creatures are released from your control.
Intelligent: You transform a corpse into an intelligent undead creature. Unlike the mindless undead, this creature is not under your control; although, you can use other means, including other powers, to command it. You can create a ghost or vampire using this power (see Chapter Eight). Creating an intelligent undead creature has a Difficulty of 18.

Imperial Age True20

Spoiler

Mummy: Mummies are preserved corpses animated through the auspices of forgotten Egyptian gods.
Apparition: Apparitions are the spectral remnants of intelligent beings that, for one reason or another, cannot remain at rest.
Ghost Apparition: ?

Two Worlds Tabletop RPG

Spoiler

Two Worlds Tabletop RPG
Ghoul: ?
Skeleton: ?
Skeleton Archer: ?

 

[Voadam]

AD&D

2e

Spoiler

2e Compilation

Spoiler

Undead: If the character is energy drained to less than 0 levels by an undead's energy drain (thereby slain by the undead), he returns as an undead of the same type as his slayer in 2d4 days. The newly risen undead has the same character class abilities it had in normal life, but with only half the experience it had at the beginning of its encounter with the undead who slew it. (Player's Handbook)
The type of undead a creature becomes upon death is based upon the motivation or event that caused the undead to resist death. While certain races are more likely to become certain types of undead, this is because members of that particular race often share similar motivations. (Monstrous Compendium Dark Sun Appendix II Terrors Beyond Tyr)
The DM could rule that the normal undead-creation process (in which a being killed by certain undead beings becomes an undead creature, too) is magical. (Dragon 156)
Sometimes, however, when a powerfully motivated person dies, his spirit does not perish. Instead, it either continues to reside in the dead body (most necromancers classify such as “corporeal”), or it separates from the body and does not fade away (in which case it is classified as “incorporeal”). (Dragon 173)
This spirit refuses to accept its destruction. The body dies, but the spirit continues to strive after what it pursued in life. In essence, by an act of willpower, it defies death and enters a state that is neither life nor death. (Dragon 173)
From my experiences on Athas, the type of undead that a person becomes upon his demise depends upon the nature of the compulsion that prevented his spirit from “going to the gray,” not upon what race he is. Of course, it cannot be denied that certain races have tendencies to fall into certain categories of undead, but this is a reflection of normal racial proclivities toward common types of motivations and behaviors. No force, natural or supernatural, determines whether a member of a given race will become a certain type of undead. (Dragon 173)
Sucking the life from a humanoid creature, like marrow from the bone, from using the Death Field psychometabolic discipline in Ravenloft, may allow it to return from the grave to haunt the character. The type of undead created is usually whatever undead creature most closely matches the hit dice or level of the creature killed. Regardless of the creature's original hit dice, there is a 20% chance that the dead being will walk again as a revenant. (Dragon 174)
Like the death field power, creatures killed by the life draining psychometabolic discipline in Ravenloft can become undead and seek revenge. (Dragon 174)
If a negative energy weapon is used against energy-draining undead, the wielder loses 1-4 of his own hit points, as the weapon's dweomer interacts with the “energy vacuum” inside wights, wraiths, etc. A character who uses this weapon against undead can turn himself into an undead monster, even if the monster doesn't fight back! (Dragon 194)
The curse of refusal. Death has refused to allow the Bokor entry to the realm of the dead, so all Bokor become undead upon their deaths. The exact form that an undead Bokor assumes depends on the level that the Bokor attained in life. Convert the character's level to hit dice and consult the table for turning undead for the appropriate form. For example, a 6th-level Bokor would become a ghast or wraith when he dies. If the Bokor is 12th level or higher when he dies (the “Special” category on the table), the character becomes an Orish-Nla (an African demon resembling a shadow fiend). The Bokor loses his spell-casting abilities upon death, unless the undead form taken is normally capable of casting spells. (Dragon 200)
A few undead dragons possess the power to create half-strength undead under their control. (Dragon 234)
The process of creating specialized undead is basically the same as the process for creating a magic item. The best materials must be used. Bodies to be animated have to be in almost perfect condition, as well as tougher and more resilient then the average corpse found moldering in a graveyard. Preparation is lengthy and complex, creating additional strains on the raw material. (Dragon 234)
Most aquatic undead are from drowned sailors and pirates. (Dragon 250)
The treasures of the ruins are guarded by hostile sea creatures and the undead forms of some of the people caught in the cities when they were sunk by the Cataclysm, cursed by the gods to guard their treasures forever. (Dragon 250)
5th Lawkeeper of Bodach: See Meorty Human Fighter 15, Ordela, 5th Lawkeeper of Bodach.
Alhoon, Illithilich: Their bodies adapt only imperfectly to lich state; many magical steps of most lichdom processes used by others fail on a strongly-magic resistant mind flayer body. (Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume Three)
Amiq Rasol, Deep Man, Dark Man: Amiq Rasol, also called Deep Men or Dark Men, are undead corsairs who were lost at sea, murdered, or marooned. Corsairs who refused to acknowledge or turned away from the gods may also become amiq rasol. (Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume Two)
Ancestral Crypt Thing: See Crypt Thing Ancestral.
Ancient Mariner: An ancient mariner is the undead spirit of a member of a long-lost evil race that once sailed the phlogiston seas. (MC7 Monstrous Compenium Spelljammer Appendix)
Andres Duvall: See Lich Bardic Lich, Andres Duvall.
Anhkolox: See Undead Beast Anhkolox.
Anhktepot: See Lord of Har'akir, Anhktepot.
Anhktepot's Children: See Mummy Greater Mummy, Anhktepot's Children.
Animal Mummy: See Mummy Creature Animal.
Apparition: If an apparition's slain victim is not restored to life within 24 hours, he/she will rise as an apparition 2-8 hours later. (MC14 Monstrous Compendium Fiend Folio Appendix)
Arch-Shadow: As evil wizards and priests grow older and see their deaths before them, some decide to take their chances with becoming a lich. Most fail and die. The unlucky few who survive the process but fail to achieve lichdom become arch-shadows. (Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume Two)
There are no recorded instances of a high-level priest or wizard striving to become an arch-shadow – misfortune leads to their existence. (Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume Two)
During the process of achieving lichdom, the wizard or priest creates a special phylactery in which to store his or her life force. If this item fails during the process, there is a tremendous explosion and a 5% chance that the wizard or priest becomes an arch-shadow instead of being utterly destroyed. More often than not, faulty construction or some slight error in an incantation causes the delicate process to break down. (Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume Two)
Once the lich-creation process has failed and the caster has successfully made the crossover to arch-shadow status, survival is not guaranteed. A system shock roll must be made, with failure indicating that the arch-shadow is drawn into the Plane of Negative Energy. If the roll is successful the arch-shadow is teleported to the location of an item of moderate to great power (a staff of curing, a +3 or better weapon, a ring of wizardry, or another item with an experience point value greater than 1,500), into which it can place its life force. An artifact is unsuitable, nor can the item be one owned by the arch-shadow or any former henchman; no item that was within 10 miles at the time of the failed attempt to become a lich is suitable. (Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume Two)
The decision of which magical item to use is not made by the arch-shadow. The arch-shadow is teleported to a location where a suitable item exists. (Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume Two)
Arch-Shadow Demi-Shade: To become a demi-shade, the arch-shadow must drain life energy from creatures that have touched its receptacle within the last 24 hours. It usually takes eight life levels gathered within two hours for the change to occur, but an arch-shadow can gamble in order to gain more Hit Dice in the process of transforming. It typically accomplishes this by draining high level characters or powerful creatures. For each additional level over eight that the arch shadow drains, one extra Hit Die is gained. If the draining takes place in a particularly unhallowed place, the arch-shadow gains an additional Hit Die. The arch-shadow cannot exceed a total of 30 Hit Dice. (Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume Two)
Archlich: See Lich Archlich.
Athaekeetha: See Vampire Illithid Vampire, Athaekeetha.
Athasian Wraith: See Wraith Athasian Wraith.
Awnsheghlien Spectral: See Spectral Awnsheghlien.
Azalin: See Lich Lord of Darkon, Azalin.
Baelnorn: Baelnorn are elves who have sought undeath to serve their families, communities, or other purposes (usually to see a wrong righted, or to achieve a certain magical discovery or deed). (Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume One)
The process by which elves become baelnorn is old, secret, and complicated. (Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume One)
Banedead: Created from fanatical human worshipers. (Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume Three)
Banedead derive their power from the Negative Energy Plane and from the clerical power of the ritual that created them. (Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume Three)
Banedead are created by a special ritual that requires at least 12 worshipers (to be turned into Banedead), at least 24 living additional worshipers (to offer prayers), and a priest of Bane or Xvim of at least 12th level (to preside over the ritual). The ritual must be held in a place that is consecrated to either Bane or Xvim. People who are to become Banedead (also called the Promised Ones) must come forward voluntarily. Rumors of innocent folks captured by cultists and forcibly transformed into Banedead are patently false. At the end of the ritual, the new Banedead are placed under the control of their new master, the presiding priest. (Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume Three)
Some scholars are still trying to discern how a new breed of undead could be formed by a deity who is supposed to have been destroyed. A few sages believe that it is not Bane at all, but rather Xvim, who has introduced this new horror to the Realms. These sages speculate that the spirits of the Promised Ones are in fact shunted into Xvim somehow to nourish him, building his power so that he can eventually fill the void left by his father’s death. (Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume Three)
Baneguard: Baneguards are skeletons, usually but not always human, which are animated by clerical spells to serve as guardian creatures. The create baneguard spell was originally researched by priests of Bane (of the Forgotten Realms setting), but in the years since the demise of that deity, the secret of the spell has been spread such that many other evil (and not-so-evil) deities allow their priests to use it. (Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume One)
Create Baneguard spell. (Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume One)
Baneguard Direguard: The create direguard spell is as the create baneguard, but is a 7th-level spell and has a casting time of one round. (Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume One)
Create Direguard spell. (Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume One)
Banelich: See Lich of Bane, Banelich, Mouth of Bane.
Banshee, Groaning Spirit: The groaning spirit, or banshee, is the spirit of an evil female elf—a very rare thing indeed. (MC2 Monstrous Compendium Volume Two)
Banshee Dwarf: See Racked Spirit Dwarven Banshee.
Bardic Lich, Andres Duvall: See Lich Bardic Lich.
Bastellus: Any being reduced to below level 0 by the preying of a bastellus will die in its sleep, seemingly of a heart attack. If the body is not destroyed (via cremation, immersion in acid, or similar means), its spirit will rise in a number of days equal to the number of levels it lost to the bastellus. Thus, a 14th level wizard would rise up in two weeks. The new spirit is also a bastellus, but it has no connection with the monster that created it. (MC10 Monstrous Compendium Ravenloft Appendix)
There are those who would argue that the bastellus is a creature from beyond the grave and, therefore, has no place in the biology of the natural world. In fact, there is a great deal of speculation that this is not the case. Numerous scholars have put forth the theory that the bastellus is actually a product of the unrecognized hopes and aspirations of living creatures. If this is true, then the bastellus is very much a by-product of the living world and at least nominally important to it. This debate has raged for countless centuries, however, and it seems that the scholars who put forth both arguments are no closer to a resolution of the issue than they were when the debate began. (MC10 Monstrous Compendium Ravenloft Appendix)
Bat Bonebat: Bonebats are not thought to occur naturally, but the secrets of their making have been known in the Realms for a very long time, and many have gone feral. (Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume Three)
Bonebats are usually constructed by evil priests and wizards working together. An intact giant bat skeleton, or a skeleton assembled from the bones of several bats, is required. A spell known as Nulathoe’s ninemen is cast on the skeleton. In the case of a bonebat, this spell links the skeletal wing bones with an invisible membrane of force to allow flight. Fly, detect invisibility, infravision, and animate dead spells complete the process. Further spells may be necessary to train the bonebat to serve as an obedient aide, but the spells listed here must be cast within two rounds of each other, and in the order given, or the process will fail. (Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume Three)
Bat Bonebat Battlebat: ?
Bat Skeletal: See Skeleton Skeletal Bat.
Battlebat: See Bat Bonebat Battlebat.
Blackbones: See Shadowrath Lesser, Blackbones.
Blazing Bones: Blazing bones are undead accidentally created when a priest or wizard who has prepared or partially prepared contingency magic to prevent death is killed by fiery damage. The casted magic twists the contingency provisions so the unfortunate victim passes into undeath in the heart of a roaring column of flame. Tormented by the endless agony of fire, the priest’s or wizard’s nature (including alignment, Hit Dice, and thoughts) changes. (Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume One)
There have been cases where evil archmages or high priests have deliberately created blazing bones as guardians, by slaying underling wizards or priests after laying control magic on them. (Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume One)
Bloodfist, Claktor: See Zombie Thinking Mul Gladiator 4, Claktor Bloodfist.
Bone Naga: See Naga Bone Naga.
Bonebat: See Bat Bonebat.
Bowlyn, Sailor's Demise: Bowlyn are undead spirits who, like the poltergeist, do not rest easily in their graves. Without exception, they were sailors on ocean-going vessels who died due to an accident at sea. In life, they were cruel or selfish persons; in death they blame their shipmates for the mishap that took their lives. Thus, they return from their watery graves to force others beneath the icy waves. (MC10 Monstrous Compendium Ravenloft Appendix)
Typical hauntings do not occur immediately after the death of the sailor fated to become a bowlyn. It takes the spirit of the seaman from 1-10 years to return from the grave. The first appearance of a bowlyn always takes place on the anniversary of its death and the haunting lasts for 1-6 weeks. (MC10 Monstrous Compendium Ravenloft Appendix)
Bussengeist: A bussengeist is the spectral form of someone who died in a great calamity brought on by their own action or inaction. (MC10 Monstrous Compendium Ravenloft Appendix)
As a rule, only those persons who feel remorse for their actions will become bussengeists. For example, a traitor who allowed an invading force to gain access to a walled city and was himself slain in the ensuing battle might become a bussengeist. If he was killed without warning and felt no pity for those his actions had brought misery to, he would not be transformed. If, on the other hand, he knew that he was about to die and had reason to feel that he had acted in error, he might well become a bussengeist. In his afterlife, he would visit cities in the process of being raided by barbarians, castles being overrun by monsters, and similar scenes. (MC10 Monstrous Compendium Ravenloft Appendix)
Carnivore Spirit Warrior: See Spirit Warrior Carnivore.
Casurua: See Ghost Casurua.
Chu-U, Legless Ghost: If travelers agree to listen, the chu-u relates the story of its life as a human. The story is always sad and is told in great detail, beginning with the bad decisions the chu-u made as a child, continuing through its sorrowful experiences as an adult, and ending with the circumstances of its death, usually the result of cowardice or ineptitude. (MC6 Monstrous Compendium Kara-Tur Appendix)
They were neither virtuous enough to pass the judges' examinations nor malevolent enough to merit additional sentencing. (MC6 Monstrous Compendium Kara-Tur Appendix)
Claktor Bloodfist: See Zombie Thinking Mul Gladiator 4, Claktor Bloodfist.
Coffer Corpse: The coffer corpse is an undead creature seeking its final rest. It will always be encountered on a stranded funeral barge, unburnt pyre, or the scene of some other incomplete death ritual. (MC14 Monstrous Compendium Fiend Folio Appendix)
The coffer corpse is an undead creature seeking its final rest. It is always encountered on the scene of an incomplete death ritual: a stranded funeral barge, unburnt pyre, or so on. (Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume Three)
Con-Tinh: The malicious con-tinh is a lesser spirit believed to be the spirit of a maiden who died before her time. (MC6 Monstrous Compendium Kara-Tur Appendix)
According to legend, the Celestial Bureaucracy creates a con-tinh from the spirit of a young maiden who has died before her time, usually as a result of a misdeed. The most common misdeed is an illicit love affair, which ends when the maiden is murdered by a rival or jealous spouse. On rare occasions, sisters who conspired in the same misdeed both become con-tinh, their lifeforces tied to identical, adjacent trees. (MC6 Monstrous Compendium Kara-Tur Appendix)
Controlled Undead, Walking Dead: Controlled undead are animated corpses such as skeletons and zombies that may not belong to an intelligent species. (Monstrous Compendium Dark Sun Appendix II Terrors Beyond Tyr)
Count Dracula: See Vampire, Count Dracula.
Crawling Claw: Since claws are the animated remains of hands or paws of living creatures, they are apt to be found in a wide variety of shapes and sizes. (MC3 Monstrous Compendium Forgotten Realms Appendix)
Crawling claws are nothing more than the animated hands and paws of once-living creatures. (MC3 Monstrous Compendium Forgotten Realms Appendix)
Crawling claws can be created by any mage or priest who has knowledge of the techniques required to do so. To begin with, the creator must assemble the severed limbs that are to animated. The maximum number of claws that can be created at any one time is equal to the level of the person enchanting them. The hands (or paws) can be either fresh, skeletal, or at any stage of decomposition in between. (MC3 Monstrous Compendium Forgotten Realms Appendix)
Creature Mummy: See Mummy Creature. (Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume Two)
Crypt Cat: Crypt cats are domestic cats that have been mummified. (Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume Two)
Crypt cats are created by coating the corpse of a cat with a thin layer of clay that contains magical salves and oils. When dry, it is painted with brilliant colors in the pattern of the cat’s fur. Often, copious amounts of gilt paint are used. (Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume Two)
The composition of the clay that animates a crypt cat is unknown, although it is assumed that high level necromantic spells are involved. (Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume Two)
Crypt Cat Large: Sometimes the bodies of larger felines are made into crypt cats.
Crypt Servant: Though it is possible to create a crypt servant from any dead body, volunteers are usually preferred. Many ancient crypt servants actually volunteered for their posts, wishing to serve their masters in death as in life. (Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume One)
Because of their similar purpose and method of creation, crypt servants are sometimes associated with the crypt thing. The spells to create each are similar and probably have the same roots. (Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume One)
Create Crypt Servant spell. (Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume One)
Crypt Thing: ?
Crypt Thing Ancestral: Ancestral crypt things are the raised spirits of the dead that have returned to guard the tombs of their descendants. This happens only in rare cases (determined by the DM). (MC5 Monstrous Compendium Greyhawk Adventures Appendix)
Crypt Thing Summoned: Called into existence by a wizard or priest of at least 14th level. (MC5 Monstrous Compendium Greyhawk Adventures Appendix)
Create Crypt Thing spell. (MC5 Monstrous Compendium Greyhawk Adventures Appendix)
Curst: Curst are undead humans, trapped by an evil curse that will not let them die. They are created by a rare process: The victim’s skin pales to an unearthly white pallor, and his or her eyes turn black while the iris color deepens, becoming small pools of glinting dark color. Curst lose their sense of smell, often lose Intelligence, and develop erratic behaviour as their alignment changes to chaotic neutral. (Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume Two)
In the process of becoming curst, humans lose their sense of smell, any magical abilities, and often their minds (but not their cunning); only 11% of the curst retain their full, former ability score, while most have a lowered Intelligence of 8. (Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume Two)
Curst are created by the bestow curse spell (the reverse of the remove curse spell), and within four rounds adding a properly worded wish spell. Creating them is an evil act.
About 2% of curst are humanoid. (Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume Two)
Dark Man: See Amiq Rasol, Deep Man, Dark Man.
Dead Lord: See Kaisharga, Dead Lord.
Death Knight: A death knight is the horrifying corruption of a Knight of Solamnia, cursed by the gods to its terrible form as punishment for betraying the code of honor it held in its former life. (MC4 Monstrous Compendium Dragonlance Appendix)
The death knights of Krynn are former Knights of Solamnia who were judged by the gods to be guilty of unforgivable crimes, such as murder or treason. (For instance, Lord Soth, the most famous of all death knights, murdered his wife so that he could continue an affair with an elf maid.) Death knights are cursed to remain in their former domains, usually castles or other strongholds. They are further condemned to remember their crime in song on any night when one of Krynn's three moons is full; few sounds are as terrifying as a death knight's chilling melody echoing through the moonlit countryside. (MC4 Monstrous Compendium Dragonlance Appendix)
Death Knight, Lord Soth: The death knights of Krynn are former Knights of Solamnia who were judged by the gods to be guilty of unforgivable crimes, such as murder or treason. (For instance, Lord Soth, the most famous of all death knights, murdered his wife so that he could continue an affair with an elf maid.) (MC4 Monstrous Compendium Dragonlance Appendix)
Death Knight Lord of Sithicus, Lord Soth: ?
Deep Man: See Amiq Rasol, Deep Man, Dark Man.
Demi-Shade: See Arch-Shadow Demi-Shade.
Desert Zombie: See Zombie Desert Zombie.
Dhaot: Dhaots are incorporeal undead that are sometimes created when people die far away from their homes. The spirits of the deceased feel an overwhelming compulsion to return to their homes they had in life. (Monstrous Compendium Dark Sun Appendix II Terrors Beyond Tyr)
Many dhaots are halflings who died outside their forests. (Monstrous Compendium Dark Sun Appendix II Terrors Beyond Tyr)
Direguard: See Baneguard Direguard.
Djim: See Memedi Djim.
Dracolich: The dracolich is an undead creature resulting from the unnatural transformation of an evil dragon. The mysterious Cult of the Dragon practices the powerful magic necessary for the creation of the dracolich, though other practitioners are also rumored to exist. (MC3 Monstrous Compendium Forgotten Realms Appendix)
A dracolich can be created from any of the evil dragon subspecies. (MC3 Monstrous Compendium Forgotten Realms Appendix)
The creation of a dracolich is a complex process involving the transformation of an evil dragon by arcane magical forces, the most notorious practitioners of which are members of the Cult of the Dragon. The process is usually a cooperative effort between the evil dragon and the wizards, but especially powerful wizards have been known to coerce an evil dragon to undergo the transformation against its will. (MC3 Monstrous Compendium Forgotten Realms Appendix)
Any evil dragon is a possible candidate for transformation, although old dragons or older with spell-casting abilities are preferred. Once a candidate is secured, the wizards first prepare the dragon's host, an inanimate object that will hold the dragon's life force. The host must be a solid item of not less than 2,000 gp value resistant to decay (wood, for instance, is unsuitable). A gemstone is commonly used for a host, particularly ruby, pearl, carbuncle, and jet, and is often set in the hilt of a sword or other weapon. The host is prepared by casting enchant an item upon it and speaking the name of the evil dragon; the item may resist the spell by successfully saving vs. spell as an llth-level wizard. If the spell is resisted, another item must be used for the host. If the spell is not resisted, the item can then function as a host. If desired, glassteel can be cast upon the host to protect it. (MC3 Monstrous Compendium Forgotten Realms Appendix)
Next, a special potion is prepared for the evil dragon to consume. The exact composition of the potion varies according to the age and type of the dragon, but it must contain precisely seven ingredients, among them a potion of evil dragon control, a potion of invulnerability, and the blood of a vampire. When the evil dragon consumes the potion, the results are determined as follows (roll percentile dice): (MC3 Monstrous Compendium Forgotten Realms Appendix)
Roll Result
01-10 No effect. (MC3 Monstrous Compendium Forgotten Realms Appendix)
11-40 Potion does not work. The dragon suffers 2d12 points of damage and is helpless with convulsions for 1-2 rounds. (MC3 Monstrous Compendium Forgotten Realms Appendix)
41-50 Potion does not work. The dragon dies. A full wish or similar spell is needed to restore the dragon to life; a wish to transform the dragon into a dracolich results in another roll on this table. (MC3 Monstrous Compendium Forgotten Realms Appendix)
51-00 Potion works. (MC3 Monstrous Compendium Forgotten Realms Appendix)
If the potion works, the dragon's spirit transfers to the host, regardless of the distance between the dragon's body and the host. A dim light within the host indicates the presence of the spirit. While contained in the host, the spirit cannot take any actions; it cannot be contacted nor attacked by magic. The spirit can remain in the host indefinitely. (MC3 Monstrous Compendium Forgotten Realms Appendix)
Once the spirit is contained in the host, the host must be brought within 90 feet of a reptilian corpse; under no circumstances can the spirit possess a living body. The spirit's original body is ideal, but the corpse of any reptilian creature that died or was killed within the previous 30 days is suitable. (MC3 Monstrous Compendium Forgotten Realms Appendix)
The wizard who originally prepared the host must touch the host, cast a mag/c/ar spell while speaking the name of the dragon, then touch the corpse. The corpse must fail a saving throw vs. spell for the spirit to successfully possess it; if it saves, it will never accept the spirit. The following modifiers apply to the roll: (MC3 Monstrous Compendium Forgotten Realms Appendix)

• 10 if the corpse is the spirit's own former body (which can be dead for any length of time).
• 4 if the corpse is of the same alignment as the dragon.
• 4 if the corpse is that of a true dragon (any type).
• 3 if the corpse is that of a firedrake, ice lizard, wyvern, or fire lizard.
• 1 if the corpse is that of a dracolisk, dragonne, dinosaur, snake, or other reptile.

If the corpse accepts the spirit, it becomes animated by the spirit. If the animated corpse is the spirit's former body, it immediately becomes a dracolich; however, it will not regain the use of its voice and breath weapon for another seven days (note that it will not be able to cast spells with verbal components during this time). At the end of seven days, the dracolich regains the use of its voice and breath weapon. (MC3 Monstrous Compendium Forgotten Realms Appendix)
If the animated corpse is not the spirit's former body, it immediately becomes a proto-dracolich. A proto-dracolich has the mind and memories of its original form, but has the hit points and immunities to spells and priestly turning of a dracolich. A protodracolich can neither speak nor cast spells; further, it cannot cause chilling damage, use a breath weapon, or cause fear as a dracolich. Its strength, movement, and Armor Class are those of the possessed body. (MC3 Monstrous Compendium Forgotten Realms Appendix)
To become a full dracolich, a proto-dracolich must devour at least 10% of its original body. Unless the body has been dispatched to another plane of existence, a proto-dracolich can always sense the presence of its original body, regardless of the distance. A proto-dracolich will tirelessly seek out its original body to the exclusion of all other activities. If its original body has been burned, dismembered, or otherwise destroyed, the proto-dracolich need only devour the ashes or pieces equal to or exceeding 10% of its original body mass (total destruction of the original body is possible only through use of a disintegrate or similar spell; the body could be reconstructed with a wish or similar spell, so long as the spell is cast in the same plane as the disintegration). If a proto-dracolich is unable to devour its original body, it is trapped in its current form until slain. (MC3 Monstrous Compendium Forgotten Realms Appendix)
A proto-dracolich transforms into a full dracolich within seven days after it devours its original body. When the transformation is complete, the dracolich resembles its original body; it can now speak, cast spells, and employ the breath weapon of its original body, in addition to having all of the abilities of a dracolich. (MC3 Monstrous Compendium Forgotten Realms Appendix)
Dracula: See Vampire, Count Dracula.
Dragon Ghost Dragon: A ghost dragon is created when an ancient dragon is slain and its hoard looted. (Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume Three)
Only ancient dragons can become ghost dragons. (Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume Three)
Dragon Slayer Undead: See Undead Dragon Slayer.
Dread: These undead are created by wizards and priests to serve as guardians. The enchantment involves a set of instructions (similar to the specific triggering conditions for a magic mouth spell), in which the creator of the dread specifies where they are to operate; and under what circumstances they will and won’t attack. The spells also allow the bone to regenerate damage done to it, and to resist aging effects. (Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume One)
Dread Vampiric Dread: ?
Dread Warrior: Dread warriors are enhanced undead created by Szass Tam, Zulkir of Necromancy for the Red Wizards of Thay. Dread warriors are created immediately after a warrior’s death so that they retain at least minimal intelligence. They must be created from the bodies of fighters of at least 4th level who have been dead for less than a day. (Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume Three)
Zulkir Szass Tam created the dread warriors over 20 years ago, intending them for an invasion of Rashemen. (Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume Three)
Dread Wolf: See Wolf Dread Wolf.
Dregoth: See Kaisharga, Dregoth.
Drelto: See Meorty Human Fighter 20, Proctor Drelto of Antalus.
Drowned One: See Zombie Sea Zombie, Drowned One.
Dune Runner: Dune runners are elves who died running to complete a quest or deliver an important message. (MC 12 Monstrous Compendium Dark Sun Appendix Terrors of the Desert)
Dust Skeleton: See Skeleton Dust Skeleton.
Duvall, Andres: See Lich Bardic Lich, Andres Duvall.
Dwarf Banshee: See Racked Spirit Dwarven Banshee.
Dwarf Undead: See Undead Dwarf.
Dwarf Vampire: See Vampire Dwarf, Dwarven Vampire.
Dwarven Banshee: See Racked Spirit Dwarven Banshee.
Dwarven Vampire: See Vampire Dwarf, Dwarven Vampire.
Ekimmu: An ekimmu is an angry undead spirit that was once human. It is created when a human dies far from home and is not given proper burial rites. (Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume Two)
Eldena: See Raaig Elf Cleric 14, Eldena, Guardian of the Mountain Temple.
Elf Vampire: See Vampire Elf, Elvish Vampire.
Elvish Vampire: See Vampire Elf, Elvish Vampire.
Evil Phantom: See Phantom Evil Phantom.
Evirdel Ironhand: See Zombie Thinking Human Templar 6, Evirdel Ironhand.
Fael: Faels are ravenous undead beings who never quenched their need for material consumption during life. (Monstrous Compendium Dark Sun Appendix II Terrors Beyond Tyr)
Rich humans and demihumans are often subject to this form of undeath. (Monstrous Compendium Dark Sun Appendix II Terrors Beyond Tyr)
Most faels are from the upper echelons of society and most are elves or humans. (Monstrous Compendium Dark Sun Appendix II Terrors Beyond Tyr)
Faerie Unseelie Undead: 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. (Blood Spawn)
Firelich: Firelichs are high-level evil mages whose bodies were prepared for lichdom upon their death. Such mages, either through ignorance (such as in casting fire spells) or spell failure, exploded in the phlogiston. The lich-preparation spells in their bodies turned them into living fireballs of undeath, racing through wildspace, screaming in eternal pain and looking for something to collide with, as a way to extinguish the flames. (MC9 Monstrous Compendium Spelljammer Appendix II)
It is unknown how the wizard gets from the phlogiston to wildspace. Since the only wizards that can become fireliches are the ones that had made previous preparations for lichdom, some guess that the arcane lich ceremonies tear a temporary hole into wildspace. The energy to create this tear may come from the explosion that created the firelich. If this is true, the hole certainly closes immediately after the firelich enters wildspace. (MC9 Monstrous Compendium Spelljammer Appendix II)
Flameskull: These magically powered flying skulls are fashioned from human heads soon after their owners’ deaths. (Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume One)
They are studied by alchemists, priests, and wizards whenever possible in an effort to duplicate their powers or the means of their making (so far without reported success), or to find special properties that their flames might possess. (Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume One)
Freewilled Undead: Freewilled undead once belonged to an intelligent species and in undeath continue to think for themselves. (Monstrous Compendium Dark Sun Appendix II Terrors Beyond Tyr)
Gaki, Nin-Chu-Jugaki: Gaki are lesser spirits derived from the wicked, who have returned to the Prime Material Plane in the form of horrible monsters as punishment for their sins. The name "gaki" refers to a variety of such spirits. They are also known as the "nin-chu-jugaki." (MC6 Monstrous Compendium Kara-Tur Appendix)
The type of gaki depends on the nature of the crimes committed in the spirit's former life. (MC6 Monstrous Compendium Kara-Tur Appendix)
Gaki Jiki-Ketsu-Gaki: Jiki-ketsu-gaki are corrupted spirits of priests or other holy men who were guilty of heresy in their former lives. (MC6 Monstrous Compendium Kara-Tur Appendix)
Gaki Jiki-Niku-Gaki: Jiki-niku-gaki are corrupted spirits of humans or humanoids who were guilty of excessive avarice in their former lives. Greedy merchants and miserly moneylenders often become these ghoulish, repulsive monsters. (MC6 Monstrous Compendium Kara-Tur Appendix)
Gaki Shikki-Gaki: Most shikki-gaki are the corrupted spirits of irresponsible medical personnel or negligent servants. But about 15% once were lesser nature spirits that inhabited mushrooms or other fungi sprouting from the trunks of decaying trees. These nature spirits completely succumbed to their evil aspect. Usually, they developed a taste for bluebirds, butterflies, or similarly docile creatures. The Celestial Bureaucracy warned them to stop, but they persisted. As a result, they were destroyed and reborn as a mushroom shikki-gaki. (MC6 Monstrous Compendium Kara-Tur Appendix)
Gaki Shinen-Gaki: Shinen-gaki may originate from the spirit of any wicked human, but often they're created from the spirit of a traitorous or cowardly soldier. (MC6 Monstrous Compendium Kara-Tur Appendix)
Gholor: See Undead Beast Gholor.
Ghost: Ghosts are the spirits of humans who were either so greatly evil in life or whose deaths were so unusually emotional they have been cursed with the gift of undead status. (MCI Monstrous Compendium Volume One)
Ghost mounts are undead creatures which can help desperate or foolish travelers cover vast distances, but at a price. These beasts are aptly named, not only for their appearance, but also because those who ride a ghost mount may themselves become ghosts, doomed to wandering the deserts by night. (MC13 Monstrous Compendium Al-Qadim Appendix)
When clueless primes of great evil perish or when poor sods die a particularly traumatic or untimely death, their spirits sometimes linger to haunt the site of their passing. (A Guide to the Ethereal Plane)
If the Waldershen have died and the heroes have not managed to banish Vlana from the manor grounds with her ashes, she takes control of the manor house and attempts to rule the lands around it. She begins terrorizing the village and turns her victims into ghosts bent-on serving her needs. (Children of the Night Ghosts)
Ghosts are the souls of creatures who were either so evil or so emotional during life that, upon death, they were cursed with undead status. (Dragon 162)
Take the case of a person hopelessly in love with another (in literature, this is often a young girl who's fallen for a heartless cad). When the girl realizes that her love is unrequited, she falls into despair and kills herself. Her passion is so strong, even in death, that her soul remains bound to the Prime Material and Ethereal planes as a ghost. (Dragon 162)
The ghost's suicide might not be an attempt to escape from pain, but rather an act of anger, a spiteful “grand gesture.” (Dragon 162)
As with haunts (Monster Manual II, page 74), people who die leaving a vital task unfinished might remain bound to the world by their own indomitable will or sense of duty. (Dragon 162)
A ghost might be bound to the world not by its own will, but by the existence of a particular object. In literature, this “spiritual anchor” is sometimes an item that was of great emotional importance to the ghost while alive, hut more often it is a piece of the ghost's mortal body. (Dragon 162)
A spirit will rise to the heavens only if the corpse is given a proper burial by his fellow tribesmen. A man who was scalped, strangled, or not given the proper burial has a 10% chance to arise as a type of undead spirit; roll 1d6 to see what he becomes: 1-3 shadow; 4 wraith; 5 ghost; 6 spectre. (Dragon 205)
Ghost Casurua: The casurua is an undead manifestation that results from a group suffering traumatic death. It is most likely to form where a massacre has taken place, but could be found anywhere a group has suffered violent death, such as a burned-out building. (Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume Two)
A casurua can form anywhere violent death occurs, especially unexpected or wrongful death. It is rarely found on a battlefield, because violent death there is expected and accepted. A casurua most often forms on a battlefield when the slain died by treachery. Casurua are most likely found on the sites of disaster, natural or otherwise. Ruins are prime habitats for casurua, especially places that were razed and looted. (Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume Two)
Ghost Dragon: See Dragon Ghost Dragon.
Ghost Ker: Popular tradition identifies keres with evil spirits of the dead. (Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume Two)
Ghost Legless: See Chu-U, Legless Ghost.
Ghost Mount: Ghost mounts are formed from the spirits of mistreated animals, creatures so brutally handled in life that they survive after death to take vengeance on all creatures who ride them. (MC13 Monstrous Compendium Al-Qadim Appendix)
Ghost of Obsession: See Lhiannan Shee, The Ghosts of Obsession.
Ghoul: Any human or demi-human (except elves) killed by a ghoulish attack will become a ghoul unless blessed (or blessed and then resurrected). (MCI Monstrous Compendium Volume One)
A Nabassu's death gaze causes anyone they look at to save vs. spells or become a ghast (or ghoul if the victim is a demihuman). (MC8 Monstrous Compendium Outer Planes Appendix)
The death of a darkling usually (90%) draws the attention of the nearest Vistani group. Within a week, they arrive at the location of the demise, bury the body (if such is still available), and perform an ancient rite designed to soothe the spirit of their tortured brother and allow him to rest in eternal peace. If this ritual is not completed, there is a 90% chance that the darkling will return in 1-6 weeks as a ghast (if the body is intact) or as a wraith (if the body has been destroyed). This undead creature will then hunt down those men who served it in life and kill them, transforming them into ghouls (if the darkling returns as a ghast) or wights (if it is a wraith). (MC10 Monstrous Compendium Ravenloft Appendix)
Any human or demihuman slain by Hesketh will become a ghoul; only if the body is blessed is this horrible fate averted. If the victim is raised or resurrected without being blessed, he or she will rise at once as a ravening ghoul. Of course, if the body is destroyed—for example, if Hesketh and his associates eat their victim—it cannot become a ghoul. (MC15 Monstrous Compendium Ravenloft Appendix II: Children of the Night)
A human or humanoid creature whose Intelligence or Wisdom is reduced to 0 by a cerebral vampire becomes a ghoul under its complete control. (Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume Four)
The death of a darkling usually (90%) draws the attention of the nearest Vistani group. Within a week, they arrive at the location of the demise, bury the body (if such is still available), and perform an ancient rite designed to soothe the spirit of their tortured brother and allow him to rest in eternal peace. If this ritual is not completed, there is a 90% chance that the darkling will return in 1 to 6 weeks as a ghast (if the body is intact) or as a wraith (if the body has been destroyed). This undead creature then hunts down those men who served it in life and kills them, transforming them into ghouls (if the darkling returns as a ghast) or wights (if it is a wraith). Thus, its evil band will again plague the lands. (Monstrous Compendium Ravenloft Appendices I & II)
Any human or demihuman slain by Hesketh will become a ghoul; only if the body is blessed is this horrible fate averted. If the victim is raised or resurrected without being blessed, he or she will rise at once as a ravening ghoul. Of course, if the body is destroyed – for example, if Hesketh and his associates eat their victim – it cannot become a ghoul. (Monstrous Compendium Ravenloft Appendices I & II)
If the mage is slain by his undead familiar he will rise again as a ghoul. (Monstrous Compendium Ravenloft Appendix III)
Jean Tarascon's servants have all become ghouls, turned into the foul creatures by eating carrion at the madman's insistence. (RQ1 Night of the Walking Dead)
To fully participate in Marcel's new state of existence, Jean has ordered the family servants to feast on dead human flesh as well. This has turned his servants into ghouls. (RQ1 Night of the Walking Dead)
Unlife spell. (Spellbound)
Unlife spell. (Villain's Lorebook)
Undeath After Death spell. (Faiths and Avatars)
Create Undead Minion spell. (Prayers from the Faithful)
Ghoul Ghast: A Nabassu's death gaze causes anyone they look at to save vs. spells or become a ghast (or ghoul if the victim is a demihuman). (MC8 Monstrous Compendium Outer Planes Appendix)
The death of a darkling usually (90%) draws the attention of the nearest Vistani group. Within a week, they arrive at the location of the demise, bury the body (if such is still available), and perform an ancient rite designed to soothe the spirit of their tortured brother and allow him to rest in eternal peace. If this ritual is not completed, there is a 90% chance that the darkling will return in 1-6 weeks as a ghast (if the body is intact) or as a wraith (if the body has been destroyed). (MC10 Monstrous Compendium Ravenloft Appendix)
The bite of a ghoul lord causes the victim to contract a horrible rotting disease unless a saving throw vs. poison is made. Those afflicted with this illness will lose 1d10 hit points and 1 point from their Constitution and Charisma scores each day. If either ability score or their hit point totals reach 0, the person dies. If the body is not destroyed, they will rise as a ghast on the third night after their death. In such a state, they are wholly under the command of the creature that made them until such time as that horror is destroyed. At that point, they become free-willed creatures. (MC10 Monstrous Compendium Ravenloft Appendix)
The rotting disease can be cured by nothing less than a heal spell. Once the progression of the disease is halted, the victim's Constitution score will return to its original value at the rate of 1 point per week. Their Charisma, however, will remain at its reduced level because of the horrible scars this ailment leaves on both body and soul. (MC10 Monstrous Compendium Ravenloft Appendix)
The death of a darkling usually (90%) draws the attention of the nearest Vistani group. Within a week, they arrive at the location of the demise, bury the body (if such is still available), and perform an ancient rite designed to soothe the spirit of their tortured brother and allow him to rest in eternal peace. If this ritual is not completed, there is a 90% chance that the darkling will return in 1 to 6 weeks as a ghast (if the body is intact) or as a wraith (if the body has been destroyed). (Monstrous Compendium Ravenloft Appendices I & II)
If the body of a ghoul lord's rotting disease victim is not destroyed, they will rise as a ghast on the third night after their death. (Monstrous Compendium Ravenloft Appendices I & II)
If the body of a lebentod's victim is disturbed before 72 hours have elapsed, the victim awakens as a ghast. (RA2 Ship of Horror)
If the body of a lebentod's victim is disturbed before 72 hours have elapsed, the victim awakens as a ghast. (RA2 Ship of Horror)
“He forced me to carry the corpse he had selected to the site of the massacre of the farm's inhabitants and, as I followed him, I was followed by his trio of ghouls, all hoping to somehow get a taste of the body. I was ordered to place the corpse next to the remains of the newly dead. All-Fear-His-Howl then began to perform some ritual over the bodies. (Dragon 173)
“After an interminable period, the exhumed body began to twitch and rock, while the recent kills became flaccid and empty of all contents, now little more than a collection of bones and skin. And then, suddenly, the jerking corpse's eyes opened, and it stood up, the horrible stench of the dead assaulting my senses like never before. The witch doctor had created a more powerful undead servant in the form of a ghast. (Dragon 173)
Some 20% of flind shamans of 4th or higher level know of a special ritual to create a ghast. (Dragon 173)
Undeath After Death spell. (Faiths and Avatars)
Create Undead Minion spell. (Prayers from the Faithful)
Ghoul Ghast, Jugo Hesketh: Long ago, Hesketh was a senior priest in the cult of the false god Zhakata led by Yagno Petrovna, the lord of G'henna. As Petrovna's chief Inquisitor, among his horrid duties were dreadful acts of torture and sacrifice; secretly, he practiced cannibalism on the corpses of his hapless victims. Over the years, these unholy practices warped his soul and, upon his death, transformed him into an undead fiend. (MC15 Monstrous Compendium Ravenloft Appendix II: Children of the Night)
When Hesketh died, a terrible curse fell upon him. The origins of this curse may lie in his own taste for human flesh or in the dying oaths of his countless victims. Whatever the source, this curse saw him transformed into a foul thing of the night. (MC15 Monstrous Compendium Ravenloft Appendix II: Children of the Night)
Long ago, Hesketh was a senior priest in the cult of the false god Zhakata led by Yagno Petrovna, the lord of G’henna. As Petrovna’s chief Inquisitor, among his horrid duties were dreadful arts of torture and sacrifice; secretly, he practiced cannibalism on the corpses of his hapless victims. Over the years, these unholy practices warped his soul and, upon his death, transformed him into an undead fiend. (Monstrous Compendium Ravenloft Appendices I & II)
When Hesketh died, a terrible curse fell upon him. The origins of this curse may lie in his own taste for human flesh or in the dying oaths of his countless victims. Whatever the source, this curse saw him transformed into a foul thing of the night. (Monstrous Compendium Ravenloft Appendices I & II)
Ghoul Lacedon: ?
Ghoul Lord: Ghoul lords are unique to the demiplane of Ravenloft. It is rumored that they were first created at the hands of an insane necromancer in some other dimension, but that they were so evil as to instantly draw the attention of the Dark Powers. The Mists of Ravenloft absorbed all of the existing ghoul lords and scattered them across the domains. (MC10 Monstrous Compendium Ravenloft Appendix)
Ghul: Only jann slain by great ghuls become ghuls themselves; all other races are simply slain and devoured. (MC13 Monstrous Compendium Al-Qadim Appendix)
Ghul Great Ghul: The great ghuls are undead elemental cousins of the genies, the most wicked members of an inferior order of jann. (MC13 Monstrous Compendium Al-Qadim Appendix)
The great ghuls are undead elemental cousins of the genies, the most wicked members of an inferior order of jann. (Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume Two)
Ghul Great Ghul Desert: ?
Ghul Great Ghul Mage: ?
Ghul Great Ghul Mountain: ?
Ghul Great Ghul Sha'ir: ?
Ghul-Kin The ghul-kin are related to the great ghuls, and like them are undead jann. (Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume Two)
Ghul-Kin Soultaker: ?
Ghul-Kin Witherer: ?
Giant Skeleton: See Skeleton Giant Skeleton.
Giorggio Wagner: ?
Githyanki Lich-Queen: See Lich Githyanki Lich-Queen.
Gnome Vampire: See Vampire Gnome, Gnomish Vampire.
Gnomish Vampire: See Vampire Gnome, Gnomish Vampire.
Great Ghul: See Ghul Great Ghul.
Greater Kragling: See Kragling Greater.
Greater Mummy, Anhktepot's Children: See Mummy Greater Mummy, Anhktepot's Children.
Greater Shadowrath: See Shadowrath Greater.
Groaning Spirit: See Banshee, Groaning Spirit.
Guardian of the Mountain Temple: See Raaig Elf Cleric 14, Eldena, Guardian of the Mountain Temple.
Halfling Vampire: See Vampire Halfling.
Hanged Man: See Valpurgeist, Hanged Man.
Harrla: The harrla seems to be a natural creature. While some speculate that it is undead or of extraplanar origin, there seems to be little proof of this. Most sages agree that the harrla is not a product of the negative material plane, as most undead are. (MC11 Monstrous Compendium Forgotten Realms Appendix)
Haunt: A haunt is the restless spirit of a person who died leaving some vital task unfinished. (MC2 Monstrous Compendium Volume Two)
The exact task to be accomplished varies, but the motives are always powerful (revenge, unfulfilled greed, love, and so forth). Often great distances need to be traveled before the task can be completed and a haunt will drive its host mercilessly toward the goal, ignoring all needs for food or sleep. (MC2 Monstrous Compendium Volume Two)
Herbivore Spirit Warrior: See Spirit Warrior Herbivore.
Hesketh, Jugo: See Ghoul Ghast, Jugo Hesketh.
Heucuva: Legends tell that heucuva are the restless spirits of monastic priests who were less than faithful to their holy vows. In punishment for their heresies, they are forced to roam the dark. (MC2 Monstrous Compendium Volume Two)
Hrutghel: See Kaisharga, Hrutghel.
Ice Queen: See Spectre, Jezra Wagner, The Ice Queen.
Illithid Vampire: See Vampire Illithid Vampire.
Illithilich: See Alhoon, Illithilich.
Inquisitor: Created by evil wizards centuries ago, inquisitors are a shambling, rotting, undead abomination, living on sheer terror. (MC11 Monstrous Compendium Forgotten Realms Appendix)
Inquisitors are biologically immortal, cursed hundreds or thousands of years ago to forever cause pain and extract information. They cannot reproduce. (MC11 Monstrous Compendium Forgotten Realms Appendix)
Created by evil wizards centuries ago, inquisitors are a shambling, rotting, undead abominations. (Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume Four)
Inquisitors were cursed hundreds of years ago to forever cause pain and extract information. (Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume Four)
Ironhand, Evirdel: See Zombie Thinking Human Templar 6, Evirdel Ironhand.
Isu Rehkotep, Priest 9: If she perished, she might still be encountered in undead form. (MC15 Monstrous Compendium Ravenloft Appendix II: Children of the Night)
Jagmargal: See Kaisharga Human Cleric 19, Jagmargal.
Jezra Wagner: See Spectre, Jezra Wagner, The Ice Queen.
Jiki-Ketsu-Gaki: See Gaki Jiki-Ketsu-Gaki.
Jiki-Niku-Gaki: See Gaki Jiki-Niku-Gaki.
Jugo Hesketh: See Ghoul Ghast, Jugo Hesketh.
Kagonesti Witchlin: See Witchlin Kagonesti Witchlin.
Kaisharga, Dead Lord: They have sought undeath, unnaturally extending their lives past the endurance of their mortal frames. (Monstrous Compendium Dark Sun Appendix II Terrors Beyond Tyr)
The kaisharga is a dreadful creature that has turned its back on the rightful order of things, trading life for power. (Monstrous Compendium Dark Sun Appendix II Terrors Beyond Tyr)
The Dragon confers undeath on any of its servants who prove exceptionally capable, loyal, and efficient. (Monstrous Compendium Dark Sun Appendix II Terrors Beyond Tyr)
They voluntarily sought undeath, believing it to be a form of immortality. (Monstrous Compendium Dark Sun Appendix II Terrors Beyond Tyr)
Kaisharga, Dregoth: Xontra was once a servant of Dregoth, the sorcerer-king. The powerful dragon kaisharga transformed her into a kaisharga using the same secret methods he had used upon himself. (Monstrous Compendium Dark Sun Appendix II Terrors Beyond Tyr)
Kaisharga, Hrutghel: ?
Kaisharga Dray Defiler 21, Xontra: Xontra was once a servant of Dregoth, the sorcerer-king. The powerful dragon kaisharga transformed her into a kaisharga using the same secret methods he had used upon himself. (Monstrous Compendium Dark Sun Appendix II Terrors Beyond Tyr)
Kaisharga Human Cleric 19, Jagmargal: Jagmargal was a great hero of ages past. While he was a great priest, he was better known as an explorer. He was captured by Hrutghel, a powerful kaisharga who was Jagmargal's greatest enemy, and was transformed into a kaisharga himself. (Monstrous Compendium Dark Sun Appendix II Terrors Beyond Tyr)
Kaisharga Human Gladiator 23, Neltor: Neltor was a former gladiator who was a little past his prime. He was recently transformed into a kaisharga by the Dragon, Lord of the Ring of Fire. (Monstrous Compendium Dark Sun Appendix II Terrors Beyond Tyr)
Kedomir: See T'Liz Human Defiler 23, Kedomir.
Kender Vampire: See Vampire Kender.
Ker: See Ghost Ker.
Knight Haunt: A knight haunt is a floating suit of Solamnic armor, always accompanied by some sort of weapon. If the battle where the knight fell was one where more than 100 Solamnic knights died then it is always riding a suit of floating horse barding.
A knight haunt is sometimes (5% chance) created when an especially lawful good Knight with a Wisdom of 17 or higher dies in battle. The haunt rises with the next full moon phase of Solinari. If its armor has been taken away, the power of the spirit can magically teleport the armor back to the site of the battlefield. If its armor has been destroyed, the power that creates the haunt can create an exact duplicate of the armor it wore. (MC4 Monstrous Compendium Dragonlance Appendix)
Krag: Krags are undead created when a cleric aligned to an element or para-element dies in the medium diametrically opposed to his own. The anguish and trauma of dying to the very force he devoted his life to opposing is sometimes enough to transform a cleric into a wicked and bitter undead. (Monstrous Compendium Dark Sun Appendix II Terrors Beyond Tyr)
Kragling: Kraglings are creatures who have perished from the elemental transfusion attack of a krag. Anything that dies in this manner has a 45% chance of coming back as a kragling in 1-4 days. (Monstrous Compendium Dark Sun Appendix II Terrors Beyond Tyr)
Any creature can become a kragling if it was killed by the elemental transfusion of a krag. Silt spawn, humanoids, demihumans, humans, and even nonhumanoid monsters are all subject to the transfusion attack and thus can become kraglings. What type of kragling and how powerful it is depends on the creature’s Hit Dice. (Monstrous Compendium Dark Sun Appendix II Terrors Beyond Tyr)
A character bitten by a krag must make a saving throw versus death, or his blood will slowly turn into the krag’s element. As the blood changes, the victim suffers 1d4 additional points of damage per round. If death results, there is a 45% chance that the victim will become a kragling in 1d4 days. This infection counts as a poison or a disease for purposes of countering, so sweet water or even a cure disease spell will halt the process instantly. (Monstrous Compendium Dark Sun Appendix II Terrors Beyond Tyr)
Kragling Greater: Greater kraglings are created when creatures with more than 4 Hit Dice are killed by a krag’s elemental transfusion. (Monstrous Compendium Dark Sun Appendix II Terrors Beyond Tyr)
Kragling Lesser: Lesser kraglings are created when creatures with less than 4 Hit Dice are killed by a krag’s elemental transfusion. (Monstrous Compendium Dark Sun Appendix II Terrors Beyond Tyr)
Kuei: A lesser spirit of the dead, the kuei is a manifestation of a human or humanoid who died by violence unavenged or with a purpose unfulfilled. The spirit's former body was not buried. (MC6 Monstrous Compendium Kara-Tur Appendix)
Lake Monster Undead: See Undead Lake Monster.
Large Crypt Cat: See Crypt Cat Large.
Legless Ghost: See Chu-U, Legless Ghost.
Lesser Kragling: See Kragling Lesser.
Lesser Shadowrath, Blackbones: See Shadowrath Lesser.
Lesser Slow Shadow: See Slow Shadow Lesser.
Lesser Spirit: See Racked Spirit Lesser Spirit.
Lhiannan Shee, The Ghosts of Obsession: It is thought to be the undead spirit of a woman who killed herself for the unrequited love of a bard or other artistically talented and desirable, but unobtainable or callous man. (MC11 Monstrous Compendium Forgotten Realms Appendix)
Lich: In order to become a lich, the wizard must prepare its phylactery by the use of the enchant an item, magic jar, permanency and reincarnation spells. The phylactery, which can be almost any manner of object, must be of the finest craftsmanship and materials with a value of not less than 1,500 gold pieces per level of the wizard. Once this object is created, the would-be lich must craft a potion of extreme toxicity, which is then enchanted with the following spells: wraithform, permanency, cone of cold, feign death, and animate dead. When next the moon is full, the potion is imbibed. Rather than death, the potion causes the wizard to undergo a transformation into its new state. A system shock survival throw is required, with failure indicating an error in the creation of the potion which kills the wizard and renders him forever dead. (MCI Monstrous Compendium Volume One)
Often in attempts to attain divine status through powerful rituals or the use of artifacts, failure (in the form of a tacit “no” from Ao) results in the mortal becoming a lich, being transformed into some other form of odd undead creature, or being totally destroyed. (Faiths and Avatars)
In centuries past, the Black Lord had transformed over 35 living High Imperceptors at the end of their tenure into undead “Mouths of Bane”— Baneliches. (Faiths and Avatars)
Throughout the domains of Ravenloft and in countless other worlds, there are few creatures more terrible than the lich. In most cases, these diabolical creatures seek out the means by which they attain unread status, willingly sacrificing their humanity in the quest for forbidden knowledge and unchecked power. In rare cases, the curse of eternal life has been thrust upon somone quite accidentally. Such tragedies are few and far between, but sadly they do occur. (Monstrous Compendium Ravenloft Appendices I & II)
Horror literature contains many tales of people who were too involved in their pursuits, often magical research, to even notice their own deaths. Their concentration is intense enough to bind their spirits to their bodies, and to the Prime Material plane. (Dragon 162)
Perhaps at the time of their physical death, their concentration and willpower was intense enough to bind them to the material world, or perhaps the transition was the whim of a deity. (Dragon 162)
Throughout the domains of Ravenloft and in countless other worlds, there are few creatures more terrible than the lich. In most cases, these diabolical creatures seek out the means by which they attain undead status, willingly sacrificing their humanity in the quest for forbidden knowledge and unchecked power. In rare cases, the curse of eternal life has been thrust upon someone quite accidentally. Such tragedies are few and far between, but sadly they do occur. (MC15 Monstrous Compendium Ravenloft Appendix II: Children of the Night)
Lich Archlich: ?
Lich Bardic Lich, Andres Duvall: Because of the unusual way in which Andres Duvall became undead, he does not have a phylactery or similar vessel containing his life force. (MC15 Monstrous Compendium Ravenloft Appendix II: Children of the Night)
As he explored this terrible place, Azalin discovered his trespasses and confronted him. Enraged at this violation of his hospitality, the lich unleashed a stroke of magical lightning at the bard. Reacting quickly, Duvall attempted to shield himself with the great book he had been about to examine. The lightning struck the tome, which happened to be one of Azalin's most potent books of spells, and a terrible explosion shook the castle. Showers of blazing fragments ignited fires around the room and thick, acrid smoke boiled into the air. (MC15 Monstrous Compendium Ravenloft Appendix II: Children of the Night)
Lich Demilich: The demilich is not, as the name implies, a weaker form of the lich. Rather, it is the stage into which a lich will eventually evolve as the power which has sustained its physical form gradually begins to fail. (MCI Monstrous Compendium Volume One)
Lich Githyanki Lich-Queen: ?
Lich-Queen: See Lich Githyanki Lich-Queen.
Lich Lord of Darkon, Azalin: While visiting the elves of Neblus, he came upon the fragments of an ancient tome. This mysterious document told the tale of a young wizard who sought greater and greater power. At first, he found the story distracting. As he read more, he found it engrossing, though horrifying. In the end, he knew that he had found an account detailing the process by which Azalin, the Lord of Darkon, had become a lich. (MC15 Monstrous Compendium Ravenloft Appendix II: Children of the Night)
Lich of Bane, Banelich, Mouth of Bane: Tired of his faithful becoming victims, every 50-60 years Bane chose the most powerful priest within the ranks of his clerics and revealed to him or her a foul rite that would transform the caster, through force of faith, strength of will, and Bane’s divine hand, into a powerful, immortal form – a lich of Bane, or Banelich. (Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume Three)
Baneliches were at least 17th-level clerics before they were transformed, and several were 20th level or higher. (Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume Three)
Lich Psionic Lich: Psionic liches are powerful espers who have left behind the physical demands of life in pursuit of ultimate mental powers. (Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume One)
Although the power that transformed them is natural (not supernatural, as it is with other liches), the extent to which psionic liches have pursued their goals is not natural. (Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume One)
By far the most important aspect of the existence of the psionic lich is the creation of its phylactery. To understand this mystical device, it is important to understand the process by which a psionicist becomes a lich. Before a psionicist can cross over into the darkness that is undeath, he must attain at least 18th level. In addition, he must be possessed of a great array of powers that can be bent and focused in ways new to the character.The first step in the creation of a phylactery is the crafting of the physical object that will become the creature’s spiritual resting place. Phylacteries come in all shapes, from rings to crowns, and from swords to idols. They are made from only the finest materials and must be fashioned by master craftsmen. Generally, a phylactery is fashioned in a shape that reflects the personality of the psionicist. The cost of creating a phylactery is 5,000 gp per level of the character. Thus, a 20th level psionicist must spend 100,000 gp on his artifact. (Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume One)
Once the phylactery is fashioned, it must be readied to receive the psionicist’s life force. This is generally done by means of the metapsionic empower ability, with some subtle changes in the way the psionicist uses the power that alters its outcome. In order to complete the phylactery, the psionicist must empower it with each and every psionic ability that he possesses. (Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume One)
Although an object cannot normally be empowered with psychic abilities in more than one discipline, the unusual nature of the phylactery allows this rule to be broken. However, before “opening” a new discipline within the object, the would-be lich must transfer all of his powers from the first discipline into it. For example, if a character has telepathic and metapsionic abilities, he must complete the empowering of all of his telepathic powers before he begins to infuse the object with his metapsionic ones. Once a discipline is closed it cannot be reopened. (Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume One)
During the creation of the phylactery, the psionicist is very vulnerable to attack. Each time that he gives his phylactery a new power, he loses it himself. Thus, the process strips away the powers of the psionicist as it continues. Obviously, the last power that is transferred into the phylactery is the empower ability. The effort of placing this ability within the phylactery drains the last essences of the psionicist’s life from him and completes his transformation into a psionic lich. At the moment that the transformation takes place the character must make a system shock survival roll. Failure indicates that his willpower was not strong enough to survive the trauma of becoming undead; his spirit breaks up and dissipates, making him forever dead. Only the powers of a deity are strong enough to revive a character who has died in this way; even a wish will not suffice. (Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume One)
Before a psionicist can cross over into the darkness that is undeath, he must attain at least 18th level. In addition, he must be possessed of a great array of powers that can be bent and focused in ways new to the character. (Dragon 174)
The first step in the creation of a phylactery is the crafting of the physical object that will become the creature's spiritual resting place. Phylacteries come in all shapes, from rings to crowns and from swords to idols. They are made from only the finest materials and must be fashioned by master craftsmen. Generally, a phylactery is fashioned in a shape that reflects the personality of the psionicist. The cost of creating a phylactery is 5,000 gp per level of the character. Thus, a 20th-level psionicist must spend 100,000 gp on his artifact. (Dragon 174)
Once the phylactery is fashioned, it must be readied to receive the psionicist's life force. This is generally done by means of the metapsionic empower ability, with some subtle changes in the way that the psionicist uses the power that alters its outcome. In order to complete a phylactery, the psionicist must empower it with each and every psionic ability that he possesses. Although an object cannot normally be empowered with psychic abilities in more than one discipline, the unusual nature of the phylactery allows this rule to be broken. However, before “opening” a new discipline within the object, the would-be lich must transfer all of his powers from the first discipline into it. For example, if a character has telepathic and metapsionic abilities, he must complete the empowering of all of his telepathic powers before he begins to infuse the object with his metapsionic ones. Once a discipline is “closed,” it cannot be reopened. (Dragon 174)
During the creation of the phylactery, the psionicist is very vulnerable to attack. Each time that he gives his phylactery a new power, he loses it himself. Thus, the process strips away the powers of the psionicist as it continues. Obviously, the last power that is transferred into the phylactery is the empower ability. The effort of placing this ability within the phylactery drains the last essences of the psionicist's life from him and completes his transformation into a psionic lich. At the moment that the transformation takes place, the character must make a system-shock survival roll. Failure indicates that his willpower was not strong enough to survive the trauma of become undead; his spirit breaks up and dissipates, making him forever dead. (Dragon 174)
Lich Suel Lich: These powerful wizards endure the centuries by transferring their life forces from one human host to the next. (Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume Two)
The Suel lich is an unholy amalgamation of the human body and energ from the Negative Material Plane. Upon transformation into a Suel lich, the essence of the wizard is converted to negative energy that needs a human body to inhabit. (Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume Two)
Lord of Barovia: See Vampire Lord of Barovia, Master Vampire, Strahd Von Zarovich.
Lord of Darkon: See Lich Lord of Darkon, Azalin.
Lord of Har'akir, Anhktepot: ?
Lord of Sithicus: See Death Knight Lord of Sithicus, Lord Soth.
Lord Soth: See Death Knight, Lord Soth.
Lord Soth: See Death Knight Lord of Sithicus, Lord Soth.
Lyssa Von Zarovich: See Vampire, Lyssa Von Zarovich.
Magian: See The Magian.
Mariner Shadow: Any creature killed by the energy drain of an ancient mariner becomes an mariner shadow with most of the abilities of a normal shadow. (MC7 Monstrous Compenium Spelljammer Appendix)
Master Vampire: See Vampire.
Mayonaka: See Vampire Eastern Vampire, Mayonaka.
Memedi Djim: Djim are spirits of deceased priests, typically appearing as elderly, bald men wearing long prayer robes. (MC6 Monstrous Compendium Kara-Tur Appendix)
Memedi Uwil: Uwil are derived from the spirit of dead sohei. (MC6 Monstrous Compendium Kara-Tur Appendix)
Meorty: Meorties were created long ago through the necromancies of high priests and through the use of long-lost psionic abilities for the purpose of serving as the protectors of various Green-Age domains. (Monstrous Compendium Dark Sun Appendix II Terrors Beyond Tyr)
Meorties are undead who were once protectors of domains that vanished more than 2,000 years ago. They were placed in crypts with large amounts of treasure, so they might continue to look after their realms in death. (Monstrous Compendium Dark Sun Appendix II Terrors Beyond Tyr)
All meorties are of the old races (human, elf, dwarf, giant, and halfling). (Monstrous Compendium Dark Sun Appendix II Terrors Beyond Tyr)
Meorty Human Fighter 15, Ordela, 5th Lawkeeper of Bodach: Odrela was one of the most respected law-keepers in the history of ancient Bodach. When the time came to select a new meorty to administer to the domain, she accepted her fate and joined the ranks of the undead protectors. (Monstrous Compendium Dark Sun Appendix II Terrors Beyond Tyr)
Meorty Human Fighter 20, Proctor Drelto of Antalus: Proctor Drelto was once a feared and powerful law-keeper in the long-forgotten province of Antalus. He was voluntarily transformed into a meorty so that he could continue to defend Antalus for eternity. (Monstrous Compendium Dark Sun Appendix II Terrors Beyond Tyr)
Mist Horror: Mist horrors are the spirits of evil beings who, while not foul enough to receive their own domain, attracted the attention of the Dark Powers with their diabolical acts during life. Upon their deaths, their spirits leave their bodies to enter the mists. Throughout Ravenloft, there is a superstition that anyone buried on a foggy day will become a mist horror. This may or may not be true, but the Vistani themselves seem to take this belief very seriously and that lends great credence to it in the eyes of many. (MC10 Monstrous Compendium Ravenloft Appendix)
As mentioned above, mist horrors are the spirits of evil beings who did not merit a place as lord of their own domain. (MC10 Monstrous Compendium Ravenloft Appendix)
In essence, a mist horror is the evil soul of a being foul enough to draw the attention of the Dark Powers, but not so evil as to be rewarded/cursed with their own domain. (MC10 Monstrous Compendium Ravenloft Appendix)
Mist Horror Wandering Horror: Wandering horrors appear as dark shapes that can be seen as they move through the mists. Unlike mist horrors, they are locked into a single shape—one that is based on the evil deed they did in life. For example, a cruel baron who ordered those he considered disloyal beheaded might well appear as a wandering figure without a head while a woman who murdered her lover with a poisonous spider might appear as a giant black widow. (MC10 Monstrous Compendium Ravenloft Appendix)
The wandering horror is an evolutionary step above the mist horror. In essence, a mist horror is the evil soul of a being foul enough to draw the attention of the Dark Powers, but not so evil as to be rewarded/cursed with their own domain. After a period of time as a mist horror, however, this spirit may have caused enough fear and suffering (in short, done enough evil) to be elevated to the status of wandering horror. (MC10 Monstrous Compendium Ravenloft Appendix)
Monster Mummy: See Mummy Creature Monster.
Mouth of Bane: See Lich of Bane, Banelich, Mouth of Bane.
Mud Zombie: See Zombie Mud Zombie.
Mummy: Mummies are corpses native to dry desert areas, where the dead are entombed by a process known as mummification. When their tombs are disturbed, the corpses become animated into a weird unlife state, whose unholy hatred of life causes them to attack living things without mercy. (MCI Monstrous Compendium Volume One)
Mummies are the product of an embalming process used on wealthy and important personages. Most mummies are corpses without magical properties. On occasion, perhaps due to powerful evil magic or perhaps because the individual was so greedy in life that he refuses to give up his treasure, the spirit of the mummified person will not die, but taps into energy from the Positive Material plane and is transformed into an undead horror. (MCI Monstrous Compendium Volume One)
To create a mummy, a corpse should be soaked in a preserving solution (typically carbonate of soda) for several weeks and covered with spices and resins. Body organs, such as the heart, brain, and liver, are typically removed and sealed in jars. Sometimes gems are wrapped in the cloth. (MCI Monstrous Compendium Volume One)
When a greater mummy wishes to create normal mummies as servants, it does so by mummifying persons infected with its rotting disease. This magical process requires 12-18 hours (10+2d4) and cannot be disturbed without ruining the enchantment. Persons to be mummified are normally held or charmed so that they cannot resist the mummification process. Once the process is completed, victims are helpless to escape the bandages that bind them. If nothing happens to free them, they will die of the mummy rot just as they would have elsewhere. Upon their death, however, a strange transformation takes place. Rather than crumbling away into dust, these poor souls rise again as normal mummies. (MCI Monstrous Compendium Volume One)
When a greater mummy wishes to create normal mummies as servants, it does so by mummifying persons infected with its rotting disease. This magical process requires 12-18 hours (10 + 2d4) and cannot be disturbed without ruining the enchantment. Persons to be mummified are normally held or charmed so that they cannot resist the mummification process. Once the process is completed, victims are helpless to escape the bandages that bind them. If nothing happens to free them, they will die of the mummy rot just as they would have elsewhere. Upon their death, however, a strange transformation takes place. Rather than crumbling away into dust, these poor souls rise again as normal mummies. (MC10 Monstrous Compendium Ravenloft Appendix)
In most cases, a diseased person crumbles into dust when he or she dies. If Senmet chooses, however, he can convert someone infected with his rotting disease into a unique breed of zombie or an actual mummy. In either case, the newly created horror is completely under Senmet's control. (MC15 Monstrous Compendium Ravenloft Appendix II: Children of the Night)
In order to create a mummy, Senmet captures someone infected with his disease and takes his victim to his hidden temple. Here, he mummifies the person alive (a terrible and gruesome fate, to be certain). When the process is completed, the victim dies and promptly rises again as a mummy. (MC15 Monstrous Compendium Ravenloft Appendix II: Children of the Night)
Characters infected by Senmet that are mummified alive (a gruesome process), become mummies under the control of Senmet. (RA3 Touch of Death)
Undeath After Death spell. (Faiths and Avatars)
Mummy Bog Mummy: Bog mummies are formed when a corpse comes to rest in a marsh or swamp and is naturally mummified by being coated in a layer of mud. Eventually the body takes on the dark coloration of the earth and becomes as tough as tanned leather. The clothing is partially preserved and sticks to the corpse in patches, as does hair. The facial features are distorted in a permanent grimace and the hands are stiffened into clawlike hooks. When the corpse at last rises as an undead creature, it walks with an uneven gait, due to the stiffness of its limbs. (Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume Four)
A bog mummy rises as an undead creature when a powerful burst of positive energy causes the dead person’s spirit to rejoin with a body preserved by the bog. Bog mummies might be created by a priest or another bog mummy from a fresh corpse taken into the bog. They might also be the result of the interplay of a powerful positive energy source and latent traumatic emotional forces. (Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume Four)
Mummy Creature: Creature mummies are undead whose bodies are preserved, then animated by their restless spirits. (Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume Two)
Creature mummies may be created in a variety of ways. Their reanimation may result from intense death throes coupled by a will to live, invocation from dark priestly rituals, or creation by a necromancer or some powerful undead creature. (Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume Two)
Mummy Creature Animal: ?
Mummy Creature Monster: ?
Mummy Greater Mummy, Anhktepot's Children: Also known as Anhktepot's Children, greater mummies are a powerful form of undead created when a high-level lawful evil priest of certain religions is mummified and charged with the guarding of a burial place. (MC10 Monstrous Compendium Ravenloft Appendix)
Greater mummies look just like their more common cousins save that they are almost always adorned with (un)holy symbols and wear the vestments of their religious order. They give off an odor that is said to be reminiscent of a spice cupboard because of the herbs used in the embalming process that created them. (MC10 Monstrous Compendium Ravenloft Appendix)
Greater mummies are powerful undead creatures that are usually created from the mummified remains of powerful, evil priests. This being the case, the greater mummy now draws its mystical abilities from evil powers and darkness. In rare cases, however, the mummified priests served non-evil god in life and are still granted the powers they had in life from those gods. (MC10 Monstrous Compendium Ravenloft Appendix)
The first of these creatures is known to have been produced by Anhktepot, the Lord of Har'akir, in the years before he became undead himself. (MC10 Monstrous Compendium Ravenloft Appendix)
The process by which a greater mummy is created remains a mystery to all but Anhktepot. It is rumored that this process involves a great sacrifice to gain the favor of the gods and an oath of eternal loyalty to the Lord of Har'akir. (MC10 Monstrous Compendium Ravenloft Appendix)
The so-called Children of Anhktepot are a horrible and sinister lot. Most were created by the dread lord of Har'Akir himself and are wholly loyal to that vile creature. (MC15 Monstrous Compendium Ravenloft Appendix II: Children of the Night)
Unlike all of the other greater mummies that guard Har'Akir's temples and tombs, Senmet was not created by Anhktepot. (MC15 Monstrous Compendium Ravenloft Appendix II: Children of the Night)
Mummy Greater Mummy, Senmet: The so-called Children of Anhktepot are a horrible and sinister lot. Most were created by the dread lord of Har'Akir himself and are wholly loyal to that vile creature. Senmet, however, was given his power and undead stature by Isu Rehkotep, a priestess who stumbled upon a magical scroll. (MC15 Monstrous Compendium Ravenloft Appendix II: Children of the Night)
Unlike all of the other greater mummies that guard Har'Akir's temples and tombs, Senmet was not created by Anhktepot. (MC15 Monstrous Compendium Ravenloft Appendix II: Children of the Night)
Mummy Greater Mummy 99 Years Old or Less: ?
Mummy Greater Mummy 100-199 Years Old: Greater mummies, like vampires, become more powerful with the passing of time in Ravenloft. (MC10 Monstrous Compendium Ravenloft Appendix)
Mummy Greater Mummy 200-299 Years Old: Greater mummies, like vampires, become more powerful with the passing of time in Ravenloft. (MC10 Monstrous Compendium Ravenloft Appendix)
Mummy Greater Mummy 300-199 Years Old: Greater mummies, like vampires, become more powerful with the passing of time in Ravenloft. (MC10 Monstrous Compendium Ravenloft Appendix)
Mummy Greater Mummy 400-199 Years Old: Greater mummies, like vampires, become more powerful with the passing of time in Ravenloft. (MC10 Monstrous Compendium Ravenloft Appendix)
Mummy Greater Mummy 500 or More Years Old: Greater mummies, like vampires, become more powerful with the passing of time in Ravenloft. (MC10 Monstrous Compendium Ravenloft Appendix)
Naga Bone Naga: Bone nagas are created undead. (Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume One)
Created by dark nagas and a few evil mages to serve as guardians, these spellcasting worms serve their master with absolute loyalty. Their creation is an exacting process, hence their rarity. (Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume One)
Bone nagas are usually created by the nagara (evil nagakind, or dark nagas) to be guardians, especially of young nagas and nonmagical treasure. (Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume One)
Nameless Sentinel of the Forbidden Caverns: See Raaig Human Fighter 9, Nameless Sentinel of the Forbidden Caverns.
Nektar Spirit Warrior: See Spirit Warrior Nektar.
Neltor: See Kaisharga Human Gladiator 23, Neltor.
Nevarli: See T'Liz Human Defiler 19, Nevarli.
Nikolos: See Wraith Athasian Human Fighter 11, Nikolos.
Nin-Chu-Jugaki: See Gaki, Nin-Chu-Jugaki.
Nonstandard Phantom Sight: See Phantom Nonstandard Phantom Sight.
Nonstandard Phantom Smell: See Phantom Nonstandard Phantom Smell.
Nonstandard Phantom Sound: See Phantom Nonstandard Phantom Sound.
Obsidian Skeleton: See Skeleton Obsidian Skeleton.
Ordela: See Meorty Human Fighter 15, Ordela, 5th Lawkeeper of Bodach.
Penanggalan: A female victim of a penanggalan will rise from the grave in three days as a penanggalan, as a free-willed undead. If an attempt is made to raise her within that three day period, the chances of resurrection survival are halved. 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. (MC14 Monstrous Compendium Fiend Folio Appendix)
Phantom: Phantoms are images left behind by a particularly strong death trauma. A phantom is like a three-dimensional motion picture image filmed at the time of a character's death, in the area where he died. (MC11 Monstrous Compendium Forgotten Realms Appendix)
Phantom Evil Phantom: Of greater concern, there are some phantoms that are actually evil, created when powerful evil creatures from other planes are "slain" (forced to return to their home planes) in the Prime Material plane. These phantoms appear as per the evil creature's will 35% of the time, and can seriously misinform or endanger those it meets. (MC11 Monstrous Compendium Forgotten Realms Appendix)
Phantom Nonstandard Phantom Sight: ?
Phantom Nonstandard Phantom Smell: ?
Phantom Nonstandard Phantom Sound: ?
Poltergeist: Poltergeists are the spirits of restless dead. (MC2 Monstrous Compendium Volume Two)
Some say that poltergeists are the spirits of those who committed heinous crimes that went unpunished in life. (MC2 Monstrous Compendium Volume Two)
Priestess Undead: See Undead Priestess.
Proctor Drelto of Antalus: See Meorty Human Fighter 20, Proctor Drelto of Antalus.
Psionic Lich: See Lich Psionic Lich.
Raaig: Raaigs are incorporeal spirits sustained by their unwavering belief and sense of duty to ancient gods that no longer exist on Athas. (Monstrous Compendium Dark Sun Appendix II Terrors Beyond Tyr)
Eldena longs for companionship with others, but finds that she cannot be with the living for long periods of time without becoming depressed completely. She does have the power to turn a dead spirit into a Raaig, but only at the moment of the person's death, and only if the spirit is truly willing to become one. The new Raaig must always remain within 500 feet of Eldena, or fade away to nothing. She longs to be able to create such a companion for herself someday. (Monstrous Compendium Dark Sun Appendix II Terrors Beyond Tyr)
All raaigs are at least 2,000 years old and all are of the old races (human, elf, dwarf, giant, and halfling).
Raaig Elf Cleric 14, Eldena, Guardian of the Mountain Temple: Millennia ago, Eldena was the last high priestess of the mountain
temple before the great wars started that would destroy the world as she knew it. In hopes of protecting her temple, she called upon her god to transform her into one of the undead so she could always watch over the sacred place and protect it from the evils of the world.
The dieties do not recognize Athas. so their was nothing resulted from her plea. Despairing, she poisoned herself. However, Eldena's belief was so strong, that upon her death she was transformed into a raaig and remains bound to the temple. (Monstrous Compendium Dark Sun Appendix II Terrors Beyond Tyr)
Raaig Human Cleric 10, Varoxil Rante, Sentinel of the Forbidden Caverns: ?
Raaig Human Fighter 9, Nameless Sentinel of the Forbidden Caverns: ?
Racked Spirit: Racked spirits are the evil remnants of persons who committed acts during their lives that violated the very nature of their being. (Monstrous Compendium Dark Sun Appendix II Terrors Beyond Tyr)
Racked spirits single out happy individuals, attempting to ruin their lives through “bad luck”. They appear to those they have ruined to offer their help in exchange for services. The services they require always conflict with the strongest beliefs of the victims. If the victims refuse to do what the spirit requests, the spirit descends on them and drains their life energy. Those who agree and go against their own beliefs become full-strength racked spirits upon their deaths. (Monstrous Compendium Dark Sun Appendix II Terrors Beyond Tyr)
Thinking zombies might return as racked spirits because they were unable to complete their tasks as thinking zombies. (Monstrous Compendium Dark Sun Appendix II Terrors Beyond Tyr)
Racked spirits are incorporeal undead animated by their own guilt over committing some act that violated their basic nature. (Monstrous Compendium Dark Sun Appendix II Terrors Beyond Tyr)
Racked Spirit Dwarven Banshee: Dwarves who die before completing a major focus are often condemned to live out their afterlives as banshees. In unlife they haunt their unfinished work or quest, unable to bear the fact that someone else may complete what they could not. (MC 12 Monstrous Compendium Dark Sun Appendix Terrors of the Desert)
Racked spirits vary in race, but dwarven banshees are the most common. Dwarven banshees are created whenever dwarves forsake their life purpose. (Monstrous Compendium Dark Sun Appendix II Terrors Beyond Tyr)
Racked spirits are incorporeal undead animated by their own guilt over committing some act that violated their basic nature. The dwarven banshee, created when a dwarf forsakes his life purpose, is the most common. (Monstrous Compendium Dark Sun Appendix II Terrors Beyond Tyr)
Racked Spirit Lesser Spirit: A being drained of all its life energy by a racked spirit becomes a lesser spirit. (Monstrous Compendium Dark Sun Appendix II Terrors Beyond Tyr)
Radaga: See Undead Priestess, Radaga.
Rante, Varoxil: See Raaig Human Cleric 10, Varoxil Rante, Sentinel of the Forbidden Caverns.
Ravenloft Siren: See Siren Ravenloft Siren.
Rehkotep, Isu: See Isu Rehkotep, Priest 9.
Revenant: Revenants are vengeful spirits that have risen from the grave to destroy their killers. (MC3 Monstrous Compendium Forgotten Realms Appendix)
Under exceptional circumstances, a character who has died a violent death may rise as a revenant from the grave to wreak vengeance on his killer(s). In order to make this transition, two requirements must be met. The dead character's Constitution must be 18 and either his Wisdom or Intelligence must be greater than 16. Also, the total of his six ability scores must be 90 or more. Even if these conditions are met, there is only a 5% chance that the dead character becomes a revenant. (MC3 Monstrous Compendium Forgotten Realms Appendix)
If both Intelligence and Wisdom are over 16, the chance increases to 10%. If Intelligence, Wisdom, and Constitution are all 18, the creature can shift at will into any freshly killed humanoid, if the revenant rolls a successful saving throw vs. death. (MC3 Monstrous Compendium Forgotten Realms Appendix)
A character who is murdered and generates a phantom may also return as a revenant. (MC11 Monstrous Compendium Forgotten Realms Appendix)
Rider: ?
Rom: Rom are thought to be all that remains of an ancient race of giant herdsmen. They lived in the hills and on the plains where their giant cows could graze, some practicing a limited form of agriculture. They were a quiet, peace-loving people whose end came when their wives produced only male children; there were no further generations. Shaking their fists at the sad destiny Fate had passed upon them, they built enormous stone cairns for themselves, fashioned out of monolithic granite slabs. Entire clans of rom descended into their self-made tombs, burying themselves alive. However, so great was their collective self-pity and anger at Fate, that their existence persisted beyond death. (MC13 Monstrous Compendium Al-Qadim Appendix)
Sailor's Demise: See Bowlyn, Sailor's Demise.
Sea Zombie: See Zombie Sea Zombie, Drowned One.
Senmet: See Mummy Greater Mummy, Senmet.
Shadow: If a human or demihuman opponent is reduced to zero Strength or zero hit points by a shadow, the shadow has drained the life force and the opponent becomes a shadow as well. (MCI Monstrous Compendium Volume One)
According to most knowledgeable sages, shadows appear to have been magically created, perhaps as part of some ancient curse laid upon some long-dead enemy. The curse affects only humans and demihumans so it would seem that it affects the soul or spirit. When victims no longer can resist, either through loss of consciousness (hit points) or physical prowess (Strength points), the curse is activated and the majority of the character's essence is shifted to the Negative Material plane. Only a shadow of their former self remains on the Prime Material plane, and the transformation always renders the victim both terribly insane and undeniably evil. (MCI Monstrous Compendium Volume One)
Slow shadows, like shadows, are believed to be a race of long-dead people cursed to madness and a split existence on the Prime and Negative Material planes. This curse drives slow shadows to hunt and transform living humanoids and demihumans into slow shadows like themselves. (MC5 Monstrous Compendium Greyhawk Adventures Appendix)
Sages speculate that shadows and slow shadows, when they lived, were bitter enemies. Their cruel, wicked ways and constant warfare brought down a terrible curse upon both races. Now the two people continue their ancient battle, never dying, cursed to insanity, recruiting new shadows and slow shadows from the living. On rare occasions, battles between shadows and slow shadows have been witnessed and it seems that vanquished slow shadows become shadows and vanquished shadows become slow shadows. (MC5 Monstrous Compendium Greyhawk Adventures Appendix)
Shadows “appear to have been magically created, perhaps as part of some ancient curse.” (Dragon 162)
If the character rolls a 20 while using the Shadow Form psychometabolic discipline in Ravenloft, the dark side of his nature is freed and he becomes a shadow, as per the monster, under the control of the DM for 1-4 turns. (Dragon 174)
A spirit will rise to the heavens only if the corpse is given a proper burial by his fellow tribesmen. A man who was scalped, strangled, or not given the proper burial has a 10% chance to arise as a type of undead spirit; roll 1d6 to see what he becomes: 1-3 shadow; 4 wraith; 5 ghost; 6 spectre. (Dragon 205)
Shadowrath: Shadowraths are created by a fell artifact, the Crown of Horns. (Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume Four)
Shadowrath Greater: These powerful undead are also created by the Crown of Horns. Those slain by Myrkul’s hand, the other major power of the artifact, arise as greater shadowraths. (Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume Four)
Shadowrath Lesser, Blackbones: They are created by the ray of undeath power of the artifact, Crown of Horns. Those killed by this ray arise as lesser shadowraths, also known as blackbones. (Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume Four)
Lesser shadowraths are created by the Crown of Horns. (Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume Four)
Sheet Ghoul: Sheet ghouls are created when sheet phantoms kill their victims. (MC14 Monstrous Compendium Fiend Folio Appendix)
If the victim dies enveloped within the sheet phantom, the sheet phantom merges with the body, creating a sheet ghoul. This process takes 12 hours to complete. (MC14 Monstrous Compendium Fiend Folio Appendix)
Sheet Phantom: There are sufficient similarities between the sheet phantom and the lurker above for some scholars to speculate that the former is an undead form of the latter. However, other sages and scholars claim that sheet phantoms are actual sheets that have absorbed the life-essence of an evil person who died in their bed. The evil soul is trapped in the sheet, and forced to wander about as a sheet phantom. (MC14 Monstrous Compendium Fiend Folio Appendix)
Shikki-Gaki: See Gaki Shikki-Gaki.
Siren Ravenloft Siren: It is thought that the sirens are merfolk transformed by a cataclysmic burst of negative energy. (Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume Four)
Skeletal Bat: See Skeleton Skeletal Bat.
Skeleton: All skeletons are magically animated undead monsters, created as guardians or warriors by powerful evil wizards and priests. (MCI Monstrous Compendium Volume One)
Skeletons appear to have no ligaments or musculature which would allow movement. Instead, the bones are magically joined together during the casting of an animate dead spell. Skeletons have no eyes or internal organs. (MCI Monstrous Compendium Volume One)
Skeletons can be made from the bones of humans and demihumans, animals of human size or smaller, or giant humanoids like bugbears and giants. (MCI Monstrous Compendium Volume One)
Most skeletons and zombies are man-sized or smaller, but larger corpses such as mekillot skeletons and zombie giants are often animated by more powerful necromancers. (Monstrous Compendium Dark Sun Appendix II Terrors Beyond Tyr)
Produce Undead undead power. (Monstrous Compendium Dark Sun Appendix II Terrors Beyond Tyr)
While some may be guardians of some site left by wizards, they are more often simply the still animated skeleton of a drowned one whose flesh became too rotted and putrid to remain attached to the bones. (Sea of Fallen Stars)
The only undead that are magically created are skeletons and zombies, which are created with the animate dead spell. (Dragon 156)
Skeletons and zombies are what I call “walking dead” rather than true undead. They have no intelligence and no independent will; they are always the servants of some other being and have simply been animated to serve his purposes. (Dragon 173)
Animate Dead spell. (Player's Handbook)
Double Spell spell. (Dragon 188)
Kolin's Undead Legion spell. (DM's Option High Level Campaigns)
Undead Familiar spell. (Pages from the Mages)
Undead Plague spell. (Tome of Magic)
Unlife spell. (Spellbound)
Unlife spell. (Villain's Lorebook)
Skeleton Animal: ?
Skeleton Dust Skeleton: Bones used to create dust skeletons must be specially dried to the point of crumbling, then coated with a special resin containing a paralyzing venom. Tansmute water to dust is used in conjunction with animate dead to complete the process. (Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume Four)
Skeleton Giant Skeleton: Giant skeletons are similar to the more common undead skeleton, but they have been created with a combination of spells and are, thus, far more deadly than their lesser counterparts. (MC10 Monstrous Compendium Ravenloft Appendix)
In actuality, they are simply human skeletons that have been magically enlarged. (MC10 Monstrous Compendium Ravenloft Appendix)
The first giant skeletons to appear in Ravenloft were created by the undead priestess Radaga in her lair within the domain of Kartakass. Others have since mastered the spells and techniques required to create these monsters; thus, giant skeletons are gradually beginning to appear in other realms where the dead and undead lurk. (MC10 Monstrous Compendium Ravenloft Appendix)
They are created from the bones of those who have died and are abominations in the eyes of all who belief in the sanctity of life and goodness. (MC10 Monstrous Compendium Ravenloft Appendix)
The process by which giant skeletons are created is dark and evil. Attempts to manufacture them outside of Ravenloft have failed, so it is clear that they are in some way linked to the Dark Powers themselves. In order to create a giant skeleton, a spell caster must have the intact skeleton of a normal human or demihuman. (MC10 Monstrous Compendium Ravenloft Appendix)
On a night when the land is draped in fog, they must cast an animate dead, produce fire, enlarge, and a resist fire spell over the bones. When the last spell is cast, the bones lengthen and thicken and the creatures rises up. The the creator must make a Ravenloft Powers check for his part in this evil undertaking. (MC10 Monstrous Compendium Ravenloft Appendix)
Skeleton Monster: ?
Skeleton Obsidian Skeleton: An obsidian jewel, inscribed with a special glyph, must be implanted in the skeleton’s forehead. A second animate dead spell must be cast in conjunction with the first, along with vampiric touch. (Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume Four)
Skeleton Skeletal Bat: Skeletal bats are created by the use of an animate dead spell and are often associated with necromancers or evil priests. They are to bats what traditional skeletons are to humans — mindless animated remains. (MC10 Monstrous Compendium Ravenloft Appendix)
Skeleton Spike Skeleton: Each spike must be specially carved from bones taken from the same type of creature that is to be animated (for example, human bones for a human skeleton). A glyph is carved into each spike before it is attached to the skeleton. During animation, a shatter spell is cast in conjunction with the animate dead spell. After animation, the 6th-level necromancy spell imbue undead with spell ability is cast, along with Beltyn’s burning blood; these spells are also used to recharge a spike skeleton with this ability. (Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume Four)
Skeleton Strahd's Skeletal Steed: Strahd's skeletal steeds are magically animated undead horses, created as guardians and warriors by the master vampire Strahd Von Zarovich. (MC10 Monstrous Compendium Ravenloft Appendix)
Completely stripped of flesh, skeletal steeds are held together by magic. (MC10 Monstrous Compendium Ravenloft Appendix)
Only Strahd Von Zarovich knows the arcane ritual necessary to make them. He can make them only from horse skeletons where 90% of the bones and the skull are present. It is not know if other animals can be animated from the same spell, but given the power of the Lord of Barovia, and his ties to the evil forces of necromancy, this seems probable. (MC10 Monstrous Compendium Ravenloft Appendix)
Skeleton Warrior: Formerly powerful fighters, skeleton warriors are undead lords forced into their nightmarish states by powerful wizards or evil demigods who trapped their souls in golden circlets. (MC4 Monstrous Compendium Dragonlance Appendix)
Skuz: Skuz attack by forming pseudo-arms from their slimy mass. In addition to causing physical damage, each touch of a skuz drains one life level from its victim. When a humanoid victim is weakened, the skuz pulls it beneath the water to drown it. When dead, the victim becomes a skuz. Humanoids who are killed by a skuz, but not drowned, do not become one of the unread. (MC11 Monstrous Compendium Forgotten Realms Appendix)
Slow Shadow: Slow shadows, like shadows, are believed to be a race of long-dead people cursed to madness and a split existence on the Prime and Negative Material planes. This curse drives slow shadows to hunt and transform living humanoids and demihumans into slow shadows like themselves. (MC5 Monstrous Compendium Greyhawk Adventures Appendix)
Sages speculate that shadows and slow shadows, when they lived, were bitter enemies. Their cruel, wicked ways and constant warfare brought down a terrible curse upon both races. Now the two people continue their ancient battle, never dying, cursed to insanity, recruiting new shadows and slow shadows from the living. On rare occasions, battles between shadows and slow shadows have been witnessed and it seems that vanquished slow shadows become shadows and vanquished shadows become slow shadows. (MC5 Monstrous Compendium Greyhawk Adventures Appendix)
Slow Shadow Lesser: Humanoids killed by slow shadows become lesser slow shadows within one turn.
The change can be prevented by casting remove curse on the body. (MC5 Monstrous Compendium Greyhawk Adventures Appendix)
Son of Kyuss: Sons of Kyuss are horrible undead beings that convert living humans and demihumans into cursed undead like themselves. (MC5 Monstrous Compendium Greyhawk Adventures Appendix)
In addition to flailing fists, one worm per round attempts to jump from a son of Kyuss's head to a character the son is meleeing. The worm needs only to roll a successful attack roll (same THACO as the son) to land on the victim. The worm burrows into the victim on the next round unless killed by the touch of cold iron, holy water, or a blessed object. After penetrating the victim's skin, the worm burrows toward the victim's brain, taking 1d4 rounds to reach it. During this time a remove curse or cure disease spell will kill the worm, and neutralize poison or dispel evil will delay the worm for 1d6 turns. If the worm reaches the brain, the victim dies immediately and becomes a son of Kyuss. Decay and putrification set in without further delay. (MC5 Monstrous Compendium Greyhawk Adventures Appendix)
Kyuss was an evil high priest who created the first of these creatures, via a special curse, under instruction from an evil deity. (MC5 Monstrous Compendium Greyhawk Adventures Appendix)
The worms are tied to the curse of the sons but exactly how remains a mystery. It is known that the worms cannot survive apart from a victim or on a son. Worms that fail to burrow into a victim die as soon as they touch the ground. Any worm removed from a son dies within one round of separation from the son who carried it. When a son is killed permanently, the worms die with him. Some sages have proposed that the worms might not be living creatures per se, but incarnations of the curse. (MC5 Monstrous Compendium Greyhawk Adventures Appendix)
Sons of Kyuss are horrible undead beings that convert living humans and demihumans into cursed undead like themselves. (Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume Three)
In addition to flailing fists, one worm per round attempts to jump from a son’s head to a character the son is meleeing. The worm needs only to roll a successful attack roll (same THAC0 as the son) to land on the victim. The worm burrows into the victim on the next round unless killed by the touch of cold iron, holy water, or a blessed object. After penetrating the victim's skin, the worm burrows toward the victim’s brain, taking 1d4 rounds to reach it. During this time a remove curse or cure disease spell will kill the worm, and neutralize poison or dispel evil will delay the worm for 1d6 turns. If the worm reaches the brain, the victim dies immediately and becomes a son of Kyuss. (Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume Three)
Kyuss was an evil high priest who created the first of these creatures, via a special curse, under instruction from an evil deity. (Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume Three)
The worms are tied to the curse of the sons but exactly how remains a mystery. It is known that the worms cannot survive apart from a victim or on a son. Worms that fail to burrow into a victim die as soon as they touch the ground. Any worm removed from a son dies within one round of separation from the son who carried it. When a son is killed permanently, the worms die with him. Some sages have proposed that the worms might not be living creatures per se, but incarnations of the curse. (Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume Three)
Soth: See Death Knight, Lord Soth.
Soth: See Death Knight Lord of Sithicus, Lord Soth.
Soul Beckoner: See Wraith Soul Beckoner.
Spectral Awnsheghlien: Summoned by the Cold Rider to serve his dark bidding in undeath, spectral awnsheghlien are the spirits of slain Abominations from the waking world. At their moments of death, the Cold Rider trapped their essences in the Shadow World—it would be a shame, after all, to let such pure, unmitigated evil merely scatter to the winds. (Blood Spawn)
When a Cerilian awnshegh dies, the bloodline of Azrai that it carried in its veins dissipates and travels to the Shadow World. This holds true even for awnshegh victims of bloodtheft. (Recall that even with a tighmaevril weapon, the attacker receives only 5 bloodline strength points; the rest dissipate.) Only an awnshegh who invests its bloodline before death is immune to the possibility of becoming a specter. (Blood Spawn)
Spectral Scion: A spectral scion is the spirit of a bloodtheft victim who was killed with a tighmaevril weapon (which allows the slayer to steal powers associated with the victim’s bloodline). Not all those with a special bloodline killed in this way become spectral scions, but those who do daily relive the horror of losing their bloodlines, and are doomed to spend eternity seeking peace. (Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume Four)
Spectral Minion: Spectral minions are the spirits of humans or demihumans who died before they could fulfill their vows. Even in death, spectral minions are bound to the vows or quests placed upon them while they were alive. (MC4 Monstrous Compendium Dragonlance Appendix)
Spectral minions are cursed to relive the events leading to their death, endlessly trying to fulfill their vows. Outdoors, they must stay within 1,000 yards of where they died. Indoors, they must stay in the corridor or room where they lost their lives. On very rare occasions where a quest required them to perform an act over a wide area, they are free to roam within that area. (MC4 Monstrous Compendium Dragonlance Appendix)
Spectral Minion Berserker: Some spectral minions become overwhelmed by despair. Losing all hope of ever being freed from their charge, these minions are eventually driven into a berkserking frenzy. Others become mindless killers as soon as they become minions because of an unresolved obsession in their former lives; for instance, a spectral minion cook might become a berserker because someone in the past criticized his cooking and was no longer around to apologize for the remark. (MC4 Monstrous Compendium Dragonlance Appendix)
In all cases, berserker spectral minions have rebelled against their quests and have no hope of ever being freed from their charges. (MC4 Monstrous Compendium Dragonlance Appendix)
Spectral Minion Guardian: These spectral minions were quested to defend a room, a passage, or an object. In most cases, they served as guards for some important location and died at their posts. (MC4 Monstrous Compendium Dragonlance Appendix)
Spectral Minion Philosopher: It is their curse to endlessly discuss philosophic issues left unresolved in their former lives. (MC4 Monstrous Compendium Dragonlance Appendix)
Spectral Minion Reveler: These minions are cursed to celebrate madly for all eternity. (MC4 Monstrous Compendium Dragonlance Appendix)
Spectral Minion Searcher: Searchers are spectral minions that stalk endlessly through their territory, searching for a particular object to fulfill their quest. These creatures were questing when they died in their original forms, and usually the object of the quest is not to be found within the searcher's range. (MC4 Monstrous Compendium Dragonlance Appendix)
Spectral Minion Warrior: These minions are the spirits of mortals who were locked in combat at the time of death, usually soldiers who died in bloody battles. Groups of 100 or more warrior spectral minions are typically encountered on a battlefield, including fighters of differing alignments from both sides of a battle. (MC4 Monstrous Compendium Dragonlance Appendix)
Spectral Wizard: They are created by a unique spell that functions on human and elf wizards and gnome illusionists, taking hold only on those whose bodies once channeled wizard magic. (Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume One)
Spectral wizards are created artificially and have no ecological niche. (Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume One)
Create Spectral Wizard spell. (Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume One)
Spectre: Any being totally drained of life energy by a spectre becomes a full-strength spectre.
No one knows who the first spectre was or how it came to be. (MCI Monstrous Compendium Volume One)
Each time a spectral awnshegh touches an opponent, it transforms some of the victim’s life essence to shadow and drains 1 Constitution point. Should a character’s Constitution drop to 0, the victim turns into a spectre. (Blood Spawn)
Lemures are occasionally chosen to form wraiths or spectres, as well. (MC8 Monstrous Compendium Outer Planes Appendix)
If a character is killed by a spectre, wight, or wraith using its energy drain, then he is doomed to become one of the creatures that killed him. (Dragon 159)
A spirit will rise to the heavens only if the corpse is given a proper burial by his fellow tribesmen. A man who was scalped, strangled, or not given the proper burial has a 10% chance to arise as a type of undead spirit; roll 1d6 to see what he becomes: 1-3 shadow; 4 wraith; 5 ghost; 6 spectre. (Dragon 205)
Intelligent living creatures slain by a spectre dragon’s breath weapon arise as normal half-strength spectres upon the following sunset. (Dragon 234)
Create Undead Minion spell. (Prayers from the Faithful)
Spectre, Jezra Wagner, The Ice Queen: Jezra's end came as the winter solstice drew near one year. She and several of her friends were climbing the slopes of Mount Baratok, hoping to reach its summit and look out across the grandeur of the Balinoks. It was their hope to see the distant spire of Mount Nyid, which was said to be visible from the highest reaches of Baratok. Their expedition was ill-fated, however, and doom claimed it before they reached the mountain's crest. (MC15 Monstrous Compendium Ravenloft Appendix II: Children of the Night)
Jezra was the first to hear the rumbling. Indeed, this is probably what saved her from the sudden death that claimed her companions. Shouting a cry of alarm, she forced her body into a narrow fissure as the avalanche swept past her, ripping her companions from their ropes and sending them down to their deaths. Those who were not slain by the long fall were crushed to death by the weight of the snow that fell upon them. (MC15 Monstrous Compendium Ravenloft Appendix II: Children of the Night)
Jezra, perched in a narrow cleft, was unhurt. She found that the crack she had taken shelter in was in fact a small cave that ran some twenty or thirty feet back into the cliff. The avalanche, however, had sealed the entrance behind her. With horror, she realized that she had been entombed alive. (MC15 Monstrous Compendium Ravenloft Appendix II: Children of the Night)
Several time she tried to dig her way out of the dark cave. Each time, she gave up the futile effort as more snow fell to seal the entrance. It was not long before her small stock of provisions ran low. The candles she had stored in her pack were all used up, the air in the cave was becoming sour, and her food was gone. Soon, she knew, she would die. Cold fear began to grip her heart as she grew drowsy with the approach of death. (MC15 Monstrous Compendium Ravenloft Appendix II: Children of the Night)
What happened next might be accredited to many things. Perhaps the air was growing thin and she was beginning to hallucinate as her brain slowly starved for oxygen. Perhaps the forces of evil saw their chance to claim this young innocent for their own and sent some dreadful agent to treat with her. (MC15 Monstrous Compendium Ravenloft Appendix II: Children of the Night)
Whatever the truth, Jezra found herself bathed in a ghostly light. Her arms and legs had grown numb and frozen, the first victims of her frosty prison, and she sadly noted that this light brought no warmth with it. If anything, the temperature in the cave fell even lower. (MC15 Monstrous Compendium Ravenloft Appendix II: Children of the Night)
Her interest aroused, she tried to draw herself back from the brink of death. Whatever this mysterious phenomenon was, she longed to know its cause before she died. Her eye focused on the source of the glow and delight welled up inside her. Giorggio, so long presumed dead, stood before her. (MC15 Monstrous Compendium Ravenloft Appendix II: Children of the Night)
The vision moved forward. Short and stocky, with the same charismatic smile that she herself had, this was indeed the exact image of her brother. He wore the travelling clothes that she had last seen him in, but they were tattered and torn. (MC15 Monstrous Compendium Ravenloft Appendix II: Children of the Night)
She reached out her hand to the shimmering vision, grimacing at the frigid fire in her lungs and hardly able to move her arm. The image of Giorggio knelt before her and looked at her with curious, almost unrecognizing eyes. (MC15 Monstrous Compendium Ravenloft Appendix II: Children of the Night)
"Save me," was all she could manage to whisper. (MC15 Monstrous Compendium Ravenloft Appendix II: Children of the Night)
"I cannot," came the reply. (MC15 Monstrous Compendium Ravenloft Appendix II: Children of the Night)
Jezra began to cry, the tears freezing before they could fall from her face. The spirit faded away, leaving her alone and isolated in the darkness of her icy tomb. With her last breath, she cried out for someone, anyone, to save her from death, swearing that she would do anything to keep her existence from ending like this. Then
she closed her eyes and felt the bitter cold around her steal the pitiful remains of her body's warmth. (MC15 Monstrous Compendium Ravenloft Appendix II: Children of the Night)
Somewhere in the darkness of Ravenloft, her pleas were heard. A strange darkness, deeper than the blackness of the cave, seeped out of the soul of the mountain. It coiled around the young woman's body like an ebony snake. Two pinpoints of red light like eyes smoldered to life, yet drove away none of the darkness. Then, like a cobra striking, the blackness plunged into Jezra's body. (MC15 Monstrous Compendium Ravenloft Appendix II: Children of the Night)
As the last traces of the shade vanished into the corporeal flesh of the woman, Jezra twitched and her face contorted in agony. Unseen in her tomb, her body thrashed about violently for several seconds and then was forever still. (MC15 Monstrous Compendium Ravenloft Appendix II: Children of the Night)
Gradually, a cold glow filled the cave. Jezra blinked and opened her eyes. She could feel her hands and her feet again. The air no longer choked her. The cold, however, was redoubled. Her flesh seemed to tremble endlessly, and her bones pounded with an arthritic ache. She cried out in agony and rose to her feet. (MC15 Monstrous Compendium Ravenloft Appendix II: Children of the Night)
Her only thought was to somehow escape from this icy darkness; had she looked down, she might have seen her own body, unmoving in death. Instead, she plunged desperately into the rocks and ice blocking her escape, passing through them as if they were but fog to her. (MC15 Monstrous Compendium Ravenloft Appendix II: Children of the Night)
Not realizing that she had died in the frozen cave, Jezra spent the next several days wandering the slopes of Mount Baratok. Although her heart longed to return to her family estate, she delayed while she searched for her brother, not realizing that she had now become an undead creature, as had he. (MC15 Monstrous Compendium Ravenloft Appendix II: Children of the Night)
Spike Skeleton: See Skeleton Spike Skeleton.
Spirit Warrior: Spirit warriors are weapons from the Unhuman Wars. There are three ways to acquire one: find one that has been abandoned, wrest one from its owner in combat, or grow one from an egg and perform the appropriate spells. Since the Wars ranged over a great area, the chance of finding an abandoned warrior is small. Also, those still piloted have most likely been around since the time of the Wars, so wresting one from its master in combat is also unlikely. This leaves the method of growing one from an egg, as follows: (MC9 Monstrous Compendium Spelljammer Appendix II)
The would-be spirit warrior receives an egg. The fighter must incubate the pinhead-sized egg in a warm and secure environment, preferably next to the fighter's body. When the egg hatches, the warrior must nurture and protect the fragile larva from six months to a year, until it is mature. This nurturing involves close emotional contact with the insect (stroking, petting, cuddling, thinking pleasant thoughts) to develop a strong emotional bond as one would with a pet or familiar. After a year the insect is mature, and the spells of modification begin; however, for the strongest bond, this final process is delayed until after the insect has died of old age. If the spells are performed on a living insect, it dies during the ceremony. (MC9 Monstrous Compendium Spelljammer Appendix II)
The insect becomes a spirit warrior via spells that enlarge, animate, strengthen, and physically modify the insect's remains. These spells also link the minds of warrior and insect in an unbreakable bond, unaffected by magic, disease, physical attack, or mental control. The final stage of the process installs a special minor helm in the hollow chest cavity of the insect warrior.
During the Unhuman Wars, elvish mages created the warriors as armored, super-strong weapons to counter orcish monsters being released on various worlds. At first their years of research only worked up to a point: the giant undead insects ran amok, killing researchers and damaging Armada Noble itself. (MC9 Monstrous Compendium Spelljammer Appendix II)
An assistant, Rowan Starblade by name, discovered that the ceremonies failed because the researchers and the insects shared no emotional bond. When one of Rowan's "pet" research insects rampaged after the ill-fated ceremony, she threw herself in front of the beast, begging it to stop. To her surprise, the giant insect obeyed her command! (MC9 Monstrous Compendium Spelljammer Appendix II)
Further experimentation with Rowan's pet zombie revealed that when she welded a modified minor helm in the insect's hollow chest cavity with gold and platinum wire, she could sit in the helm and pilot the insect with her speed and agility, and with the insect's strength. (MC9 Monstrous Compendium Spelljammer Appendix II)
Spirit Warrior Carnivore: Carnivores descend from the praying mantis. (MC9 Monstrous Compendium Spelljammer Appendix II)
Spirit Warrior Herbivore: Herbivores are based on the katydid. (MC9 Monstrous Compendium Spelljammer Appendix II)
Spirit Warrior Nektar: Nektars descend from an insect similar to both a butterfly and a wasp. (MC9 Monstrous Compendium Spelljammer Appendix II)
Spirit Warrior Zwarth: Zwarth construction resembles that of a spirit warrior. Growth and bonding processes are the same. (Yes, an entire party must undergo this process!) (MC9 Monstrous Compendium Spelljammer Appendix II)
Spiritjam: A spiritjam is the soul of an evil cleric or wizard who died while spelljamming. The spirit of the cleric or wizard remained behind when the physical body perished. (MC7 Monstrous Compenium Spelljammer Appendix)
Summoned Crypt Thing: See Crypt Thing Summoned.
Stahnk: See Undead Beast Stahnk.
Stellar Undead: Stellar undead are the corpses of spelljamming sailors returned to a semblance of life. The corpses are animated by raw energy from the Negative Material Plane. This energy warps the dying sailor's brains, twisting their final thoughts of home, safety, and friends into an unholy desire to walk again among the living, and to be warm again by drinking their blood. (MC9 Monstrous Compendium Spelljammer Appendix II)
Due to the vacuum of wildspace, most bodies decompose very slowly. When viewed from more than 3' away, stellar undead do not look dead, but much as they did in life. (MC9 Monstrous Compendium Spelljammer Appendix II)
Strahd Von Zarovich: See Vampire Lord of Barovia, Master Vampire, Strahd Von Zarovich.
Strahd's Skeletal Steed: See Skeleton Strahd's Skeletal Steed.
Suel Lich: See Lich Suel Lich.
Swordwraith: See Wraith Swordwraith.
T'Liz: T’lizes are undead defilers whose spirits have outlived their bodies. (Monstrous Compendium Dark Sun Appendix II Terrors Beyond Tyr)
All t'lizes were defilers in life and retain all their spell casting abilities. (Monstrous Compendium Dark Sun Appendix II Terrors Beyond Tyr)
T’lizes are powerful defilers who died before completing their magical studies. (Monstrous Compendium Dark Sun Appendix II Terrors Beyond Tyr)
T'Liz Human Defiler 19, Nevarli: Nevarli's love of magic was so powerful that when she found the spells and anointments that would sustain her in undeath so she could continue her magical studies, she used them. (Monstrous Compendium Dark Sun Appendix II Terrors Beyond Tyr)
T'Liz Human Defiler 23, Kedomir: ?
The Ghosts of Obsession: See Lhiannan Shee, The Ghosts of Obsession.
The Ice Queen: See Spectre, Jezra Wagner, The Ice Queen.
The Magian: The Magian is a powerful being, but he has not been alive for nearly 200 years. Sheer willpower and magic sustained it for much of that time. Now, he is immortal, as the blood of Azrai removed the frailties of his undead state. (Blood Enemies: Abominations of Cerilia)
Thinking Zombie: See Zombie Thinking Zombie.
Treant Undead: See Undead Treant.
Tuyewera: The tuyewera is a horrible type of undead monster created by evil clerics in remote jungle villages. The cleric takes the corpse of a man slain by death magic spells and ritually removes the legs at the knees. The tongue is also severed. The cleric then enchants the corpse, bringing the ancestral spirit of a wizard or priest into it, which gives the corpse a horrid animation. (Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume One)
The spells and counterspells used for creating tuyeweras are granted only by the deities of evil witch doctors in tropical lands. (Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume One)
As created undead, tuyewera have nothing to contribute to the ecology. (Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume One)
Undead Beast: The undead beast is a mindless killer of unknown origin, compelled to destroy the living. (MC4 Monstrous Compendium Dragonlance Appendix)
Undead Beast Anhkolox: ?
Undead Beast Gholor: ?
Undead Beast Stahnk: ?
Undead Controlled: See Controlled Undead, Walking Dead.
Undead Dragon Slayer: An undead dragon slayer is a horrifying creature returned from death to destroy dragons. (Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume Three)
Most undead dragon slayers are called back from the grave by necromantic magic. Though it retains its own mind and agenda, it must obey the commands of the summoner – at least until its task is complete or it somehow wins its freedom. A small number of dragon slayers actually will themselves back from the dead. These individuals have the utmost faith in their cause, an undying hatred of dragons, and a supernatural strength of will. (Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume Three)
In the Council of Wyrms setting, undead dragon slayers were members of the vast army of human warriors who invaded the Io’s Blood isles in ages past. Any slayer of 9th level or greater who died before his holy task was finished can rise as an undead warrior. (Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume Three)
Undead Dwarf: Undead dwarves are created by residual essence on the part of dwarves who are concerned, just before they die, that their final resting places will in some way be disturbed. It is this essence that allows the bodies of the dwarves to transform into protectors. (Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume One)
There is no known understanding of how undead dwarves are formed or why they exist except to protect their sacred tombs. (Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume One)
Undead Faerie: See Faerie Unseelie Undead.
Undead Freewilled: See Freewilled Undead.
Undead Lake Monster: ?
Undead Priestess, Radaga: ?
Undead Treant: When an evil treant sees that its many years are soon to come to an end, it seldom accepts this fate quietly. For most, this means a final, wild orgy of violence and death. For a few, however, it means death and resurrection as a thing so dark and evil that even the Vistani will not speak of it. (MC10 Monstrous Compendium Ravenloft Appendix)
Undead treants seem to be a natural stage in the life cycle of some evil treants. No doubt this is given as a "reward" for their evil lives by the Dark Powers. (MC10 Monstrous Compendium Ravenloft Appendix)
Undead Unseelie: See Faerie Unseelie Undead.
Uwil: See Memedi Uwil.
Valpurgeist, Hanged Man: The valpurgeist, or hanged man, is an undead creature that is sometimes manifested when an innocent man or woman is wrongly hanged for a crime. Unable to prove its innocence in life, the spirit returns after death to claim the lives of those who sent it to the gallows. (MC10 Monstrous Compendium Ravenloft Appendix)
Valpurgeists are lonely souls who have felt the cold injustice of a world that would not believe their pleas of innocence. Because of this, they will have no kinship with any living thing in their afterlife. (MC10 Monstrous Compendium Ravenloft Appendix)
They are simply products of evil and darkness. (MC10 Monstrous Compendium Ravenloft Appendix)
Vampire: As described in the RAVENLOFT Boxed Set, there are three ways to become a vampire. Each of these paths to darkness has its own unique character, but the end result is always a creature of unsurpassed evil and power. (MC10 Monstrous Compendium Ravenloft Appendix)
The first path, generally known as that of deadly desire, is perhaps the most awful. In this case, the individual who is destined to become a vampire actually wishes to cross over and become undead. While it has been said that they must sacrifice their lives to attain this goal, a greater cost is often paid. Those who desire to live eternally and feed on the life essences of their fellow men must give up a portion of their spirits to the Dark Powers themselves. In this way, they are granted the powers of the undead, but also stripped of the last vestiges of their humanity. In the centuries to come, many find this loss too great to bear and seek out their own destruction. (MC10 Monstrous Compendium Ravenloft Appendix)
The second path, that of the curse, is often the most insidious of the three. In this case, the individual is often unaware that he or she is destined to become a thing of the night. The transformation into "unlife" might occur because of a potent curse laid down by someone who has been wronged by the victim. Occasionally, an individual might find that he or she has inherited (or found) a beautiful and alluring magical ring—only to find that it cannot be removed and that the character is slowly . . . changing. There are those who accept this curse and embrace their new existence as a vampire, while others despise the things they have become. In nearly every case, these are the most passionate and "alive" examples of this evil race. (MC10 Monstrous Compendium Ravenloft Appendix)
The final, and surely most tragic, path to vampirism is that of the victim. This is the route most commonly taken to vampirism, for it is the way in which those slain by a vampire become vampires themselves. (MC10 Monstrous Compendium Ravenloft Appendix)
When a vampire decides to create new slaves, it does so by taking their lives in some special way. For most, it is simply the draining of their life energies or the drinking of their blood. Whatever the end result, if the victim dies from the feeding of the beast, he or she rises again as a vampire. (MC10 Monstrous Compendium Ravenloft Appendix)
At their deaths, dhampir rise as vampires and irredeemable servants of evil. (A Guide to Transylvania)
Any human or humanoid creature slain by the life energy drain of a vampire is doomed to become a vampire himself. Thus, those who would hunt these lords of the undead must be very careful lest they find themselves condemned to a fate far worse than death. The transformation takes place one day after the burial of the creature. Those who are not actually buried, however, do not become undead and it is thus traditional that the bodies of a vampire's victims be burned or similarly destroyed. (Dragon 150)
Create Undead Minion spell. (Prayers from the Faithful)
Undeath After Death spell. (Faiths and Avatars)
Vampire, Count Dracula: ?
Vampire, Lyssa Von Zarovich: ?
Vampire Cerebral: ?
Vampire Companion: The process of vampiric bonding is as murky as the fog that often shrouds the vampire's movement. When the vampire decides to take a companion, it generally (although not always) seeks out an individual of the opposite sex that reminds them of someone they loved in life. The vampire repeatedly visits the victim, feeding on them until they are at the point of death. At the last, when all hope seems lost, the vampire draws away the last vestiges of the companion's life and infuses them with its own energies. The process is both traumatic and passionate, for this mingling of essences is far more intimate than any purely physical act of love. (MC10 Monstrous Compendium Ravenloft Appendix)
When the bonding is completed, both the vampire and its victim are exhausted and all but helpless for upwards of an hour. At the end of that time, the victim has become a vampire. (MC10 Monstrous Compendium Ravenloft Appendix)
Vampire Dwarf, Dwarven Vampire: Any character reduced to a Constitution score of 0 by a dwarven vampire's vitality drain is instantly slain and will rise again as a vampire (of the appropriate type) in 3 days. (MC10 Monstrous Compendium Ravenloft Appendix)
Those dwarves that fall prey to the undead will often become themselves undead. Three days after any character dies from the vampire's vitality draining, they will rise again if certain conditions are met. First, and most importantly, the victim must have been a dwarf. Vampire dwarves who kill elves or humans will not create new vampires, for only their own kind can be brought back to unlife by them. Further, the body must be intact. Second, the body must be placed in a stone coffin or sarcophagus and then entombed in some subterranean place. A typical burial service will meet this requirement, while placement in a crypt on the surface will not. Finally, the dwarven vampire must visit the body of its victim on the third night after burial and sprinkle the body with powdered metals. As soon as this is done, the new vampire is born. (MC10 Monstrous Compendium Ravenloft Appendix)
Vampire Dwarf 0-99 Years Old: ?
Vampire Dwarf 100-199 Years Old: ?
Vampire Dwarf 200-299 Years Old: ?
Vampire Dwarf 300-399 Years Old: ?
Vampire Dwarf 400-499 Years Old: ?
Vampire Dwarf 500+ Years Old: ?
Vampire Eastern: Any human slain by Mayonaka's life-energy drain will become a vampire in turn. The transformation into unlife occurs one day after burial. Those who are not buried will not rise as vampires; thus, tradition dictates that all who die at the hands of these undead be cremated. (MC15 Monstrous Compendium Ravenloft Appendix II: Children of the Night)
Vampire Eastern Vampire, Mayonaka: Hours later, Mayonaka awoke on a ledge that protruded from the walls of the endless shaft. With much effort, he climbed the rough stone face and reached the vampire's lair. Much to his horror he found that the creature was fully recovered from its earlier wounds. Delighted to discover that it might still have a prisoner to torture, the vampire attacked. The battle was long and terrible. In the end, the samurai was triumphant. Sadly, he too was dying. The vampire had tasted his life essence and left his soul drained and tainted. With a final prayer to his ancestors, he died. (MC15 Monstrous Compendium Ravenloft Appendix II: Children of the Night)
To his surprise, he awoke a day or so later. His wounds, it seemed, were completely healed. Indeed, he felt better than he ever had before. He left the vampire's lair and headed out of the cave. With luck, he hoped to rejoin his sisters before they left the island. As he reached the cave's mouth and stepped out into the sunlight, he found himself wracked with horrible pain. He turned and tossed himself back into the cool darkness of the cavern just in time. With horror, he realized that he himself had become undead. (MC15 Monstrous Compendium Ravenloft Appendix II: Children of the Night)
Vampire Elf, Elvish Vampire: Any elf or half-elf who dies from the elvish vampire's essence draining attack will become a vampire. (MC10 Monstrous Compendium Ravenloft Appendix)
Any elf or half-elf who falls to the essence draining attack of an elven vampire will rise again as an elven vampire so long as the body is intact after three days. If the body has been destroyed or mutilated, the transformation is averted, and the dead character may rest in peace. However, any attempt to revive the slain character (with a resurrection spell, for example) has a flat 50% chance of transforming the character into a vampire once the spell is cast. (MC10 Monstrous Compendium Ravenloft Appendix)
Vampire Elf 0-99 Years Old: ?
Vampire Elf 100-199 Years Old: As time goes by, elvish vampires can become even more powerful than they are initially. (MC10 Monstrous Compendium Ravenloft Appendix)
Vampire Elf 200-299 Years Old: As time goes by, elvish vampires can become even more powerful than they are initially. (MC10 Monstrous Compendium Ravenloft Appendix)
Vampire Elf 300-399 Years Old: As time goes by, elvish vampires can become even more powerful than they are initially. (MC10 Monstrous Compendium Ravenloft Appendix)
Vampire Elf 400-499 Years Old: As time goes by, elvish vampires can become even more powerful than they are initially. (MC10 Monstrous Compendium Ravenloft Appendix)
Vampire Elf 500+ Years Old: As time goes by, elvish vampires can become even more powerful than they are initially. (MC10 Monstrous Compendium Ravenloft Appendix)
Vampire Gnome, Gnomish Vampire: While the hand-to-hand blows of gnomish vampires are weak, however, they are not without a powerful debilitating affect. Those struck by such attacks will begin to feel the painful arthritic attack of the creature instantly, for each successful attack drains 2 points of Dexterity from the victim. The result is a painful stiffness in the joints and muscles that can, if the victim suffers several attacks, be crippling or even fatal. Those reduced to a Dexterity score of 0 will be slain as the creeping paralysis spreads through their lungs and heart, making it impossible for them to survive. Gnomes who die in this fashion may themselves become undead if steps are not taken to prevent this foul transformation. (MC10 Monstrous Compendium Ravenloft Appendix)
Gnomish vampires seldom create others of their kind. When they opt to do so, however, the process is not without risk. The vampire must first slay a victim with its debilitating touch and then move the body to the sarcophagus in which the vampire itself sleeps. For the next three days, the body must lie in the coffin while the vampire rests atop it, allowing its essences to seep slowly into the evolving vampire. At the end of this time, the slain gnome rises as a fully functioning vampire, completely under the control of its creator. While the gnome vampire rests atop its coffin, it is unable to regenerate any lost hit points or employ any of its spell-like abilities. Thus, the creature is far more vulnerable to attack at this time than it normally might be. In addition, it cannot interrupt the creation process once it has begun or both the would-be vampire and its creator will die. (MC10 Monstrous Compendium Ravenloft Appendix)
Vampire Gnome 0-99 Years Old: ?
Vampire Gnome 100-199 Years Old: As gnomish vampires age, they become more dangerous and more powerful. (MC10 Monstrous Compendium Ravenloft Appendix)
Vampire Gnome 200-299 Years Old: As gnomish vampires age, they become more dangerous and more powerful. (MC10 Monstrous Compendium Ravenloft Appendix)
Vampire Gnome 300-399 Years Old: As gnomish vampires age, they become more dangerous and more powerful. (MC10 Monstrous Compendium Ravenloft Appendix)
Vampire Gnome 400-499 Years Old: As gnomish vampires age, they become more dangerous and more powerful. (MC10 Monstrous Compendium Ravenloft Appendix)
Vampire Gnome 500+ Years Old: As gnomish vampires age, they become more dangerous and more powerful. (MC10 Monstrous Compendium Ravenloft Appendix)
Vampire Halfling: Those halflings who die from a halfling vampire's life draining attack will become vampires themselves. (MC10 Monstrous Compendium Ravenloft Appendix)
The vampire can make more of its kind only by slaying other halflings with its energy-sapping attack. In order to create a new vampire, the halfling need do nothing more than keep the body of its victim intact for 7 days after death and a new vampire will be created. (MC10 Monstrous Compendium Ravenloft Appendix)
Vampire Halfling 0-99 Years Old: ?
Vampire Halfling 100-199 Years Old: As with other demihuman vampires, halfling vampires become more powerful with age. (MC10 Monstrous Compendium Ravenloft Appendix)
Vampire Halfling 200-299 Years Old: As with other demihuman vampires, halfling vampires become more powerful with age. (MC10 Monstrous Compendium Ravenloft Appendix)
Vampire Halfling 300-399 Years Old: As with other demihuman vampires, halfling vampires become more powerful with age. (MC10 Monstrous Compendium Ravenloft Appendix)
Vampire Halfling 400-499 Years Old: As with other demihuman vampires, halfling vampires become more powerful with age. (MC10 Monstrous Compendium Ravenloft Appendix)
Vampire Halfling 500+ Years Old: As with other demihuman vampires, halfling vampires become more powerful with age. (MC10 Monstrous Compendium Ravenloft Appendix)
Vampire Illithid Vampire: Athaekeetha, like all of the vampire illithids, was created in a foul experiment conducted by the vampire Lyssa Von Zarovich and the High Master of the mind flayers. The experiment was part of an ultimately successful attempt to transform the latter into a vampire. The "prototype" vampire illithids created by these experiments were believed to have been destroyed, but their regenerative powers enabled them to survive and escape into the wild, where they have flourished. (MC15 Monstrous Compendium Ravenloft Appendix II: Children of the Night)
Vampire Illithid Vampire, Athaekeetha: Athaekeetha, like all of the vampire illithids, was created in a foul experiment conducted by the vampire Lyssa Von Zarovich and the High Master of the mind flayers. The experiment was part of an ultimately successful attempt to transform the latter into a vampire. The "prototype" vampire illithids created by these experiments were believed to have been destroyed, but their regenerative powers enabled them to survive and escape into the wild, where they have flourished. (MC15 Monstrous Compendium Ravenloft Appendix II: Children of the Night)
Athaekeetha was the last vampire illithid created by Lyssa Von Zarovich and the High Master before they gave up on the experiment; its higher intelligence is proof that at least some progress was being made in the project. (MC15 Monstrous Compendium Ravenloft Appendix II: Children of the Night)
Vampire Kender: Those kender who die from the spirit-rending attack of the kender vampire are in no danger of becoming vampires themselves, however, for these foul creatures are the product of dark sciences and magical experimentation that can only be duplicated with the direct intervention of Lord Soth of Sithicus. (MC10 Monstrous Compendium Ravenloft Appendix)
The kender vampire is a solitary creature that exists only to do the bidding of Lord Soth of Sithicus. He is the father of their race, and, although they despise him for what he has done to them, they are unable to turn against him or act in any way contrary to his interests. (MC10 Monstrous Compendium Ravenloft Appendix)
Knowing the revulsion that the elves who live in his domain feel for all manner of unnatural things, Soth felt that he could find no better slaves than a band of undead. Aware that undead elves might pose a threat to his own power, Soth set about the creation of a new breed of undead. Drawing a small kender village through the misty veils of Ravenloft and into his domain, he had them killed one by one so that he could study their sufferings and invoke carefully designed magical rituals over their bodies in attempts to make them rise as undead. By the time he had finished with these sad kender, fully half of them had died horrible deaths and suffered unspeakable torment at the hand of the dreaded deathknight. The results of his experiments were, however, satisfactory to Soth, for he discovered a formula that would create a race of vampires utterly loyal to him. It is believed that Soth has created no fewer than 10 such monsters and no more than 30, although hard evidence to support any given estimate is hard to come by. (MC10 Monstrous Compendium Ravenloft Appendix)
Kender vampires can exist only within the confines of Lord Soth's domain of Sithicus. They are tied to that dark land in some mystical way that, no doubt, relates to the evil magic used in their creation. It is possible that Lord Soth was required to invoke the favor of the Dark Powers in his creation of these dreaded monsters and, thus, that he has paid some horrible price for their loyalty to him. (MC10 Monstrous Compendium Ravenloft Appendix)
Vampire Lord of Barovia, Master Vampire, Strahd Von Zarovich: ?
Vampire Lord of Gundarak, Vampire Lord, Duke Gundar: ?
Vampire Wizard: ?
Vampiric Dread: See Dread Vampiric Dread.
Vampiric Wolf: See Wolf Vampiric Wolf.
Varoxil Rante: See Raaig Human Cleric 10, Varoxil Rante, Sentinel of the Forbidden Caverns.
Von Zarovich, Lyssa: See Vampire, Lyssa Von Zarovich.
Von Zarovich, Strahd: See Vampire Lord of Barovia, Master Vampire, Strahd Von Zarovich.
Wagner, Giorggio: See Giorggio Wagner.
Wagner, Jezra: See Spectre, Jezra Wagner, The Ice Queen.
Walking Dead: See Controlled Undead, Walking Dead.
Wandering Horror: See Mist Horror Wandering Horror.
Wight: Persons who are slain by the energy draining powers of a wight are doomed to rise again as wights under the direct control of their slayer. In their new form, they have all the powers and abilities of a normal wight but half their Hit Dice. If the wight who "created" them is slain, they will instantly be freed of its control and gain a portion of its power, acquiring the normal 4+3 Hit Dice of their kind. (MCI Monstrous Compendium Volume One)
The death of a darkling usually (90%) draws the attention of the nearest Vistani group. Within a week, they arrive at the location of the demise, bury the body (if such is still available), and perform an ancient rite designed to soothe the spirit of their tortured brother and allow him to rest in eternal peace. If this ritual is not completed, there is a 90% chance that the darkling will return in 1-6 weeks as a ghast (if the body is intact) or as a wraith (if the body has been destroyed). This undead creature will then hunt down those men who served it in life and kill them, transforming them into ghouls (if the darkling returns as a ghast) or wights (if it is a wraith). (MC10 Monstrous Compendium Ravenloft Appendix)
Characters slain by a velya return from death after three days and become wights. (Monstrous Compendium Mystara Appendix)
The death of a darkling usually (90%) draws the attention of the nearest Vistani group. Within a week, they arrive at the location of the demise, bury the body (if such is still available), and perform an ancient rite designed to soothe the spirit of their tortured brother and allow him to rest in eternal peace. If this ritual is not completed, there is a 90% chance that the darkling will return in 1 to 6 weeks as a ghast (if the body is intact) or as a wraith (if the body has been destroyed). This undead creature then hunts down those men who served it in life and kills them, transforming them into ghouls (if the darkling returns as a ghast) or wights (if it is a wraith). Thus, its evil band will again plague the lands. (Monstrous Compendium Ravenloft Appendices I & II)
If a character is killed by a spectre, wight, or wraith using its energy drain, then he is doomed to become one of the creatures that killed him. (Dragon 159)
Any victim completely drained of life points by the king-wight becomes a full-strength wight. (Dragon 198)
The wights are the animated remains of the common excavators who were slain and dropped into the Undertomb. (Dragon 249)
Create Undead Minion spell. (Prayers from the Faithful)
Undeath After Death spell. (Faiths and Avatars)
Unlife spell. (Spellbound)
Unlife spell. (Villain's Lorebook)
Wight Half Hit Dice Wight: Persons who are slain by the energy draining powers of a wight are doomed to rise again as wights under the direct control of their slayer. In their new form, they have all the powers and abilities of a normal wight but half their Hit Dice. (MCI Monstrous Compendium Volume One)
An intelligent living creature completely drained of life levels by a wight dragon becomes a normal half-strength wight under the control of the wight dragon. (Dragon 234)
Witchlin: Wichtlin are a result of an ancient curse on the court of Queen Sylvyana, a Silvanesti elf also known as the Ghoul Queen. All known records of her reign were destroyed by the Silvanesti, and only fragments of rumors remain. When an elf of evil alignment dies violently, there is a 1 % chance that Chemosh, the Lord of the Undead, in conjunction with the spirit of Queen Sylvyana, claims his spirit and resurrects him as a wichtlin. (MC4 Monstrous Compendium Dragonlance Appendix)
Witchlin Kagonesti Witchlin: If an evil Kagonesti elf meets a violent death while riding a wild stag mount, the spirit of the wild stag may also be claimed by Chemosh and resurrected along with the elf. (MC4 Monstrous Compendium Dragonlance Appendix)
Witchlin Wild Stag: If an evil Kagonesti elf meets a violent death while riding a wild stag mount, the spirit of the wild stag may also be claimed by Chemosh and resurrected along with the elf. (MC4 Monstrous Compendium Dragonlance Appendix)
Wolf Dread Wolf: These creatures were originally created by a renegade mage, but word of how to create these horrid creatures seems to have spread across the Prime Material Plane. (Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume One)
As magically animated undead, dread wolves have no natural place in any ecosystem. To create these servants, a mage must be evil and at least 9th level, and he must have 3d4 wolves that have been dead for no more than a day. The spellcaster begins an incantation over the dead wolves that combines modified versions of animate dead, summon shadow, and dismissal. By doing this, the mage summons a shadow from the Negative Energy Plane and breaks it into parts which are infused into the wolves, creating the dread wolves. (Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume One)
The spellcasting takes an hour. If the spell is interrupted, the energies of the shadow’s separate parts are unleashed. When this happens, the mage suffers 3d10 points of damage (no save) from the other-worldly energy blast. (Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume One)
At the end of the hour, the mage will have 3d4 servants that can travel up to 50 miles away and enable him to see and hear everything they see and hear. The wolves are directly under the control of the mage’s mind within this distance. (Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume One)
The wolves can venture outside the 50-mile limit, but they lose contact with the controlling mage. Unless previous commands prevent this, the wolves will immediately try to get back within the limit to regain contact. The dread wolves can be given a command of up to three short sentences (a total of 30 words), which they will cover any distance to fulfill. This command will always be fulfilled unless the dread wolves are destroyed first. (Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume One)
For some unknown reason, the spell that makes dread wolves will not work on dogs. A mage who attempts this on dogs suffers 3d10 points of damage as described earlier. (Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume One)
These creatures were originally created by a renegade mage, Galen Dracos of Krynn. (Dragon 174)
To create these servants, a mage must be evil and at least ninth level, and must have 3-12 wolves that have been dead for no more than a day. The spell-caster then begins a long incantation over the dead wolves that combines modified versions of animate dead, summon shadow, and dismissal. By doing this, the mage summons a shadow from the Negative Material plane and breaks it into parts. These parts are infused into the wolves as they animate, creating the dread wolves. (Dragon 174)
The spell-casting takes an hour. If the spell is interrupted, the energies of the shadow's separate parts are unleashed. When this happens, the mage takes 3d10 points of physical damage (no save) from the otherworldly energy blast, just as if he had been caught in an ice storm spell. (Dragon 174)
For some unknown reason, the spell that makes dread wolves will not work on dogs. If the mage tries to cast the spell on dogs, he will take 3d10 points of damage as described earlier. (Dragon 174)
Wolf Vampiric Wolf: These foul undead creatures are the result of corrupting ceremonies used on normal wolf pups by evil clerics. (Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume One)
In order to create these foul corruptions, a cleric must be evil and at least 9th level. He can use 3d6 pups from one or more wolf dens. The pups must be very close to being weaned, but cannot have tasted meat or they will be useless. (Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume One)
The cleric first performs a ceremony using what amounts to the opposite of an atonement spell. Then, every day he must hand-feed the pups. The food can be no more than one day old and it must be infused with one or two drops of blood from a living human, or dust from a vampire and cursed using a reversed bless spell. This must continue every day for three months or the pups die. At the end of the three-month period, the pups are fully grown and must then be slain by poisoning; they then arise as vampiric wolves. If they are not slain at this time, the wolves must each make a saving throw vs. death magic or become greatly weakened (1 hp per Hit Die), living on as bloodthirsty but otherwise normal wolves. (Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume One)
It is impossible to create vampiric dogs. (Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume One)
These foul undead creatures are the result of corrupting ceremonies used on normal wolf pups by certain evil clerics. (Dragon 174)
In order to create these foul corruptions of nature, a cleric must be evil and at least ninth level. He can use 3-18 pups from one or more wolf dens. The pups must be very close to being weaned away from their mother, but cannot have tasted meat or they will be useless. (Dragon 174)
The evil cleric first performs a ceremony using what amounts to the opposite of an atonement spell. Then, every day he must hand feed the pups. The food can be no more than one day old; it must also be infused with one or two drops of blood from a living human or dust from a vampire and cursed using a reversed bless spell. This must continue every day for three months or the pups die. At the end of the three-month period, the pups are fully grown and must then be slain by poisoning; they then arise as vampiric wolves. (Dragon 174)
It should be noted that it is impossible to create vampiric dogs. Man's long partnership with dogs seems to have robbed them of some essential characteristic needed to make the change work. (Dragon 174)
Wolf Zombie Wolf: Zombie wolves are not created by a wizard or a priest, but rise when wolves starve or freeze to death near areas frequented by undead such as graveyards and necroplises. (Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume One)
It is generally thought that the creatures gain this strange form of existence from incidental contact with the Negative Material Plane. Some sages speculate that the anguish of starvation and freezing provides just enough impetus to animate the simple animals when negative energy touches them. Others figure that another undead creature must consciously seek the dead wolves and give them unlife. (Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume One)
Wraith: The wraith is an evil undead spirit of a powerful human that seeks to absorb human life energy. (MCI Monstrous Compendium Volume One)
Any human killed by a wraith becomes a half-strength wraith under its control (e.g., a 10th-level fighter will become a 5 Hit Die wraith under the control of the wraith that slew him). (MCI Monstrous Compendium Volume One)
A wraith is an undead spirit of a powerful, evil human. (MCI Monstrous Compendium Volume One)
Lemures are occasionally chosen to form wraiths or spectres, as well. (MC8 Monstrous Compendium Outer Planes Appendix)
The death of a darkling usually (90%) draws the attention of the nearest Vistani group. Within a week, they arrive at the location of the demise, bury the body (if such is still available), and perform an ancient rite designed to soothe the spirit of their tortured brother and allow him to rest in eternal peace. If this ritual is not completed, there is a 90% chance that the darkling will return in 1-6 weeks as a ghast (if the body is intact) or as a wraith (if the body has been destroyed). (MC10 Monstrous Compendium Ravenloft Appendix)
Amiq rasol that do not feed for several years will fade away until they become wraiths. (Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume Two)
Any creature that rides a ghost mount must make an ability check using Wisdom (at a -2 penalty) when the journey begins. If the check is failed, the mount refuses to obey the rider's instructions and instead takes him deep into the nearest wilderness at full speed. Leaping from the mount when it is traveling at a gallop causes 3d6 points of damage, and items falling with the rider must make a saving throw against crushing blows. If the rider stays with the ghost mount, it will throw him after traveling at least 75 miles into the wilderness. Being thrown causes1d6 damage; a saving throw against falling for items carried by the thrown rider must also be made. (MC13 Monstrous Compendium Al-Qadim Appendix)
If the initial Wisdom ability check is successful, the ghost mount obeys, but the rider must then make a saving throw versus death magic when the journey has reached a middle point. Failure indicates that the ghost mount's life energy drain has transformed the rider into a wraith. (MC13 Monstrous Compendium Al-Qadim Appendix)
Amiq rasol that do not feed for several years will fade away until they become wraiths. (Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume Two)
The death of a darkling usually (90%) draws the attention of the nearest Vistani group. Within a week, they arrive at the location of the demise, bury the body (if such is still available), and perform an ancient rite designed to soothe the spirit of their tortured brother and allow him to rest in eternal peace. If this ritual is not completed, there is a 90% chance that the darkling will return in 1 to 6 weeks as a ghast (if the body is intact) or as a wraith (if the body has been destroyed). (Monstrous Compendium Ravenloft Appendices I & II)
If a character is killed by a spectre, wight, or wraith using its energy drain, then he is doomed to become one of the creatures that killed him. (Dragon 159)
When powerful evil people or creatures are slain, there is a chance that they will return to plague the living as undead, such as wights, spectres, and ghosts. Weaker and less evil creatures usually do not suffer this fate. (Dragon 186)
A wraith-king can drain life levels by gaze alone at the rate of one level per round for any one victim within clear view in a 30. range (the victim must save vs. death ray each round to avoid this effect). Any victim completely drained of life levels becomes a full-strength wraith under the control of the wraith-king. (Dragon 198)
A spirit will rise to the heavens only if the corpse is given a proper burial by his fellow tribesmen. A man who was scalped, strangled, or not given the proper burial has a 10% chance to arise as a type of undead spirit; roll 1d6 to see what he becomes: 1-3 shadow; 4 wraith; 5 ghost; 6 spectre. (Dragon 205)
Wraith dragons may employ their level-draining breath weapon every other round, three times per day. An intelligent living creature completely drained of life levels in this manner becomes a normal half-strength wraith under the control of the wraith dragon. (Dragon 234)
Create Undead Minion spell. (Prayers from the Faithful)
Unlife spell. (Spellbound)
Unlife spell. (Villain's Lorebook)
Wraith Soul Beckoner: ?
Wraith Swordwraith: Swordwraiths are the spirits of warriors cut down during battle and kept from the dissolution of death by their indomitable wills. (MC5 Monstrous Compendium Greyhawk Adventures Appendix)
Swordwraiths were once professional soldiers for whom fighting was all there was in life. In many cases, they are too stubborn to even admit that they are dead. (MC5 Monstrous Compendium Greyhawk Adventures Appendix)
Wraith-Spider: Victims drained of all Constitution points by a wraith-spider die and have a 25% chance of becoming wraith-spiders themselves. (Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume Two)
Wraith-spiders were originally created as guardians of treasure or as guards for a particular area of a drow stronghold. (Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume Two)
It is rumored that a wizard named Muiral created them; however, it is more likely that the wraith-spiders were created years before by the drow for their wars against the duergar. (Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume Two)
Wraith Athasian Wraith: In the Gray, the spirits of the dead slowly dissolve and are absorbed. Some spirits, like wraiths, don’t suffer this fate. They are sustained by a force even more powerful than the Gray – their everlasting faith in a cause greater than themselves. (Monstrous Compendium Dark Sun Appendix II Terrors Beyond Tyr)
All wraiths need something important from their lives to serve as magnets for their spirits. These items can be candles of faith, like in the Crimson shrine, or brilliant gems full of life force, such as the gems used by the Dragon’s wraith knights. (Monstrous Compendium Dark Sun Appendix II Terrors Beyond Tyr)
Athasian wraiths differ from other wraiths in that they voluntarily embraced undeath as a form of existence. (Monstrous Compendium Dark Sun Appendix II Terrors Beyond Tyr)
A character slain by a t'liz through its life energy drain becomes an Athasian wraith under direct command of the t'liz. (Monstrous Compendium Dark Sun Appendix II Terrors Beyond Tyr)
Wraith Athasian Human Fighter 11, Nikolos: Nikolos was one of Borys the Thirteenth Champion's select knights during the Cleansing Wars of ages past. Like the other select knights, Nikolos continued to serve Borys after his death by becoming a wraith. (Monstrous Compendium Dark Sun Appendix II Terrors Beyond Tyr)
Zarovich, Lyssa: See Vampire, Lyssa Von Zarovich.
Zarovich, Strahd: See Vampire Lord of Barovia, Master Vampire, Strahd Von Zarovich.
Zhentarim Spirit: A Zhentarim spirit is the essence of a Zhentarim wizard who met with a horrible death at the hands of his or her enemies or treacherous comrades. The spirit of the wizard is extremely vengeful, and by sheer force of will is remaining on the Prime Material Plane until a task is complete or until it takes revenge on those who slew it. Zhentarim spirits are extremely rare, and only the death of a wizard who is greater than 14th level can bring about the creation of one of these spiteful spirits. (Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume Three)
The determination of Zhentarim spirits to annihilate their killers is exceptional, and these creatures defy final judgment for indefinite and extended periods to exact their revenge. This is done through these spirits’ force of will (minimum Wisdom of 16), aided by their connection with the magical arts (minimum of 14th-level wizard). (Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume Three)
These spirits have so far only been linked with wizards of the Zhentarim, and many think the tendency of Zhentarim wizards to form these spirits is attributable to magical means that they use to extend their lives. A vengeful Zhentarim spirit is formed one to two days after the death of an appropriate Zhentarim wizard, and it immediately sets about planning its revenge. (Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume Three)
Zombie: Zombies are mindless, animated corpses controlled by their creator, usually an evil wizard or priest. (MCI Monstrous Compendium Volume One)
The dead body of any humanoid creature can be made into a zombie. (MCI Monstrous Compendium Volume One)
A cure disease or remove curse spell will transform a son of Kyuss into a zombie, but both spells require that the priest touch the son. (MC5 Monstrous Compendium Greyhawk Adventures Appendix)
The odor of death that surrounds the zombie lord is so potent that it can cause horrible effects in those who breath it. On the first round that a character comes within 30 yards of the monster, he must save vs. poison or be affected in some way. The following results are possible: (MC10 Monstrous Compendium Ravenloft Appendix)
1d6 Roll Effect
1 Weakness (as the spell)
2 Cause disease (as the spell)
3 -1 point of Constitution
4 Contagion (as the spell)
5 Character unable to act for 1d4 rounds due to nausea and vomiting
6 Character dies instantly and becomes a zombie under control of the zombie lord (MC10 Monstrous Compendium Ravenloft Appendix)
A cure disease or remove curse spell will transform a son of Kyuss into a zombie, but both spells require that the priest touch the son. (Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume Three)
Most skeletons and zombies are man-sized or smaller, but larger corpses such as mekillot skeletons and zombie giants are often animated by more powerful necromancers. (Monstrous Compendium Dark Sun Appendix II Terrors Beyond Tyr)
Produce Undead undead power. (Monstrous Compendium Dark Sun Appendix II Terrors Beyond Tyr)
Zombie Lord odor of death ability. (Monstrous Compendium Ravenloft Appendices I & II)
Any creature that is drained to zero level by an undead cloaker or its host will return from the grave in 1d4 days as a common zombie. (Monstrous Compendium Ravenloft Appendix III)
Creatures brought to 0 life levels by a desert wraith are transformed into zombies within 48 hours, even if raised, unless their bodies are washed in holy water. (FR 10 Old Empires)
With the coming of the next full moon, Coetlicrota performed a dark and evil magic ritual in which he vowed that he would gladly trade all of his magical powers for the chance to avenge his people. The Red Death, or some element of it, heard his pleas and acted upon them. As the ceremony was completed, Coetlicrota and all his followers fell dead, only to rise again at the next full moon as a pack of zombies under the absolute control of the zombie master Coetlicrota. (Masque of the Red Death)
Marcel Tarascon's odor of death. (RQ1 Night of the Walking Dead)
Marcel Tarascon's animate dead. (RQ1 Night of the Walking Dead)
The only undead that are magically created are skeletons and zombies, which are created with the animate dead spell. (Dragon 156)
Skeletons and zombies are what I call “walking dead” rather than true undead. They have no intelligence and no independent will; they are always the servants of some other being and have simply been animated to serve his purposes. (Dragon 173)
Elder bainligor can transform other creatures into undead. This requires a successful attack roll, and entitles the victim to a saving throw against death magic at +1/level or HD of the target (bainligor are not entitled to a saving throw). The creature becomes a zombie unless it is a bainligor, which becomes a Revered One with the HD it had in life. (Dragon 227)
Animate Dead spell. (Player's Handbook)
Double Spell spell. (Dragon 188)
Kolin's Undead Legion spell. (DM's Option High Level Campaigns)
Undeath After Death spell. (Faiths and Avatars)
Undead Familiar spell. (Pages From the Mages)
Unlife spell. (Spellbound)
Unlife spell. (Villain's Lorebook)
Dead Zone trap. (Dragon 249)
Zombie Common: ?
Zombie Desert Zombie: In most cases, a diseased person crumbles into dust when he or she dies. If Senmet chooses, however, he can convert someone infected with his rotting disease into a unique breed of zombie or an actual mummy. In either case, the newly created horror is completely under Senmet's control. (MC15 Monstrous Compendium Ravenloft Appendix II: Children of the Night)
Zombie Juju: These foul creatures are made when a wizard drains the life force from a man-sized humanoid creature with an energy drain spell. (MCI Monstrous Compendium Volume One)
Humans or humanoids slain by negative energy weapons can be animated as juju zombies, but unless the spell-caster is also the one who wielded the killing weapon, they will be free-willed. (Dragon 194)
Energy Drain spell. (Player's Handbook)
Create Undead Minion spell. (Prayers from the Faithful)
Undeath After Death spell. (Faiths and Avatars)
Zombie Lord: The zombie lord is a living creature that has taken on the foul powers and abilities of the undead. They are formed on rare occasions as the result of a raise dead spell cast while in the demiplane of Ravenloft. (MC10 Monstrous Compendium Ravenloft Appendix)
The zombie lord comes into being by chance, and only under certain conditions. First, an evil human being (the soon-to-be zombie lord) must die at the hands of an undead creature. Second, an attempt to raise the slain character must be made. Third, and last, the character must fail his resurrection survival roll. It is believed that the zombie lord can be created only in Ravenloft, but this is not proven absolutely for they have been encountered in other lands from time to time. (MC10 Monstrous Compendium Ravenloft Appendix)
Zombie Monster: ?
Zombie Mud Zombie: Mud zombies are mindless, animated corpses that consist of a thick layer of slimy mud over a framework of bones. When the appropriate condition arises, they animate. (Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume Four)
Mud zombies are made from whole or partial skeletons, usually human. (Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume Four)
Mud zombies can be created wherever the raw materials to make them (bones and mud) are found. They are usually encountered on battlefields and in graveyards situated near a source of water (a river, bog, or lake). Climatic conditions must be just right at the time they are created or summoned forth. For example, if there has been a prolonged drought and the earth is dry and hard-packed, then a mud zombie cannot rise from its resting place. (Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume Four)
Zombie Sea Zombie, Drowned One: Sea zombies (also known as drowned ones) are the animated corpses of humans who died at sea. Although similar to land-dwelling zombies, they are free-willed and are rumored to be animated by the will of the god Nerull the Reaper. (MC5 Monstrous Compendium Greyhawk Adventures Appendix)
Many of the humans who become drowned ones were priests while alive, and they retain their powers as undead. (MC5 Monstrous Compendium Greyhawk Adventures Appendix)
Zombie Thinking Zombie: A thinking zombie is a creature who has died and its spirit cannot rest until it has completed the task. (Monstrous Compendium Dark Sun Appendix II Terrors Beyond Tyr)
Creatures who die before completing an important task (often under the compulsion of a geas or quest spell) often become thinking zombies. (Monstrous Compendium Dark Sun Appendix II Terrors Beyond Tyr)
Many thinking zombies are giants and half-giants, as they are often selected for quests because of their size and strength. (Monstrous Compendium Dark Sun Appendix II Terrors Beyond Tyr)
Zombie Thinking Human Templar 6, Evirdel Ironhand: Evirdel served as a loyal templar in the service of Dictator Andropinis, sorcerer-king of Balic, until she was falsely accused and condemned as a traitor. She was tortured into a false confession before her peers, as an example, and then slain and revived as a thinking zombie. (Monstrous Compendium Dark Sun Appendix II Terrors Beyond Tyr)
Zombie Thinking Mul Gladiator 4, Claktor Bloodfist: Claktor was making a living as a burglar, working with a thief. The pair accidentally chose the wrong home to burglarize and were killed by the powerful defiler who lived there. The thieves were raised from the dead by the defiler almost as a joke. (Monstrous Compendium Dark Sun Appendix II Terrors Beyond Tyr)
Zombie Wolf: See Wolf Zombie Wolf.
Zwarth Spirit Warrior: See Spirit Warrior Zwarth.

MCI Monstrous Compendium Volume One

Spoiler

Ghost: Ghosts are the spirits of humans who were either so greatly evil in life or whose deaths were so unusually emotional they have been cursed with the gift of undead status.
Ghoul: Any human or demi-human (except elves) killed by a ghoulish attack will become a ghoul unless blessed (or blessed and then resurrected).
Ghoul Lacedon: ?
Ghoul Ghast: ?
Lich: In order to become a lich, the wizard must prepare its phylactery by the use of the enchant an item, magic jar, permanency and reincarnation spells. The phylactery, which can be almost any manner of object, must be of the finest craftsmanship and materials with a value of not less than 1,500 gold pieces per level of the wizard. Once this object is created, the would-be lich must craft a potion of extreme toxicity, which is then enchanted with the following spells: wraithform, permanency, cone of cold, feign death, and animate dead. When next the moon is full, the potion is imbibed. Rather than death, the potion causes the wizard to undergo a transformation into its new state. A system shock survival throw is required, with failure indicating an error in the creation of the potion which kills the wizard and renders him forever dead.
Lich Demilich: The demilich is not, as the name implies, a weaker form of the lich. Rather, it is the stage into which a lich will eventually evolve as the power which has sustained its physical form gradually begins to fail.
Mummy: Mummies are corpses native to dry desert areas, where the dead are entombed by a process known as mummification. When their tombs are disturbed, the corpses become animated into a weird unlife state, whose unholy hatred of life causes them to attack living things without mercy.
Mummies are the product of an embalming process used on wealthy and important personages. Most mummies are corpses without magical properties. On occasion, perhaps due to powerful evil magic or perhaps because the individual was so greedy in life that he refuses to give up his treasure, the spirit of the mummified person will not die, but taps into energy from the Positive Material plane and is transformed into an undead horror.
To create a mummy, a corpse should be soaked in a preserving solution (typically carbonate of soda) for several weeks and covered with spices and resins. Body organs, such as the heart, brain, and liver, are typically removed and sealed in jars. Sometimes gems are wrapped in the cloth.
When a greater mummy wishes to create normal mummies as servants, it does so by mummifying persons infected with its rotting disease. This magical process requires 12-18 hours (10+2d4) and cannot be disturbed without ruining the enchantment. Persons to be mummified are normally held or charmed so that they cannot resist the mummification process. Once the process is completed, victims are helpless to escape the bandages that bind them. If nothing happens to free them, they will die of the mummy rot just as they would have elsewhere. Upon their death, however, a strange transformation takes place. Rather than crumbling away into dust, these poor souls rise again as normal mummies.
Shadow: If a human or demihuman opponent is reduced to zero Strength or zero hit points by a shadow, the shadow has drained the life force and the opponent becomes a shadow as well.
According to most knowledgeable sages, shadows appear to have been magically created, perhaps as part of some ancient curse laid upon some long-dead enemy. The curse affects only humans and demihumans so it would seem that it affects the soul or spirit. When victims no longer can resist, either through loss of consciousness (hit points) or physical prowess (Strength points), the curse is activated and the majority of the character's essence is shifted to the Negative Material plane. Only a shadow of their former self remains on the Prime Material plane, and the transformation always renders the victim both terribly insane and undeniably evil.
Skeleton: All skeletons are magically animated undead monsters, created as guardians or warriors by powerful evil wizards and priests.
Skeletons appear to have no ligaments or musculature which would allow movement. Instead, the bones are magically joined together during the casting of an animate dead spell. Skeletons have no eyes or internal organs.
Skeletons can be made from the bones of humans and demihumans, animals of human size or smaller, or giant humanoids like bugbears and giants.
Skeleton Skeleton: ?
Skeleton Animal: ?
Skeleton Monster: ?
Spectre: Any being totally drained of life energy by a spectre becomes a full-strength spectre.
No one knows who the first spectre was or how it came to be.
Vampire: ?
Wight: Persons who are slain by the energy draining powers of a wight are doomed to rise again as wights under the direct control of their slayer. In their new form, they have all the powers and abilities of a normal wight but half their Hit Dice. If the wight who "created" them is slain, they will instantly be freed of its control and gain a portion of its power, acquiring the normal 4+3 Hit Dice of their kind.
Half Hit Dice Wight: Persons who are slain by the energy draining powers of a wight are doomed to rise again as wights under the direct control of their slayer. In their new form, they have all the powers and abilities of a normal wight but half their Hit Dice.
Wraith: The wraith is an evil undead spirit of a powerful human that seeks to absorb human life energy.
Any human killed by a wraith becomes a half-strength wraith under its control (e.g., a 10th-level fighter will become a 5 Hit Die wraith under the control of the wraith that slew him).
A wraith is an undead spirit of a powerful, evil human.
Zombie: Zombies are mindless, animated corpses controlled by their creator, usually an evil wizard or priest.
The dead body of any humanoid creature can be made into a zombie.
Zombie Common: ?
Zombie Monster: ?
Zombie Juju: These foul creatures are made when a wizard drains the life force from a man-sized humanoid creature with an energy drain spell.

Blood Enemies: Abominations of Cerilia

Spoiler

The Magian: The Magian is a powerful being, but he has not been alive for nearly 200 years. Sheer willpower and magic sustained it for much of that time. Now, he is immortal, as the blood of Azrai removed the frailties of his undead state.
Rider: ?

Blood Spawn

Spoiler

Faerie Unseelie Undead: 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.
Spectral Awnsheghlien: Summoned by the Cold Rider to serve his dark bidding in undeath, spectral awnsheghlien are the spirits of slain Abominations from the waking world. At their moments of death, the Cold Rider trapped their essences in the Shadow World—it would be a shame, after all, to let such pure, unmitigated evil merely scatter to the winds.
When a Cerilian awnshegh dies, the bloodline of Azrai that it carried in its veins dissipates and travels to the Shadow World. This holds true even for awnshegh victims of bloodtheft. (Recall that even with a tighmaevril weapon, the attacker receives only 5 bloodline strength points; the rest dissipate.) Only an awnshegh who invests its bloodline before death is immune to the possibility of becoming a specter.

Spectre: Each time a spectral awnshegh touches an opponent, it transforms some of the victim’s life essence to shadow and drains 1 Constitution point. Should a character’s Constitution drop to 0, the victim turns into a spectre.

MC2 Monstrous Compendium Volume Two

Spoiler

Banshee, Groaning Spirit: The groaning spirit, or banshee, is the spirit of an evil female elf—a very rare thing indeed.
Haunt: A haunt is the restless spirit of a person who died leaving some vital task unfinished.
The exact task to be accomplished varies, but the motives are always powerful (revenge, unfulfilled greed, love, and so forth). Often great distances need to be traveled before the task can be completed and a haunt will drive its host mercilessly toward the goal, ignoring all needs for food or sleep.
Heucuva: Legends tell that heucuva are the restless spirits of monastic priests who were less than faithful to their holy vows. In punishment for their heresies, they are forced to roam the dark.
Poltergeist: Poltergeists are the spirits of restless dead.
Some say that poltergeists are the spirits of those who committed heinous crimes that went unpunished in life.

Spectre: ?
Ghost: ?

MC3 Monstrous Compendium Forgotten Realms Appendix

Spoiler

Crawling Claw: Since claws are the animated remains of hands or paws of living creatures, they are apt to be found in a wide variety of shapes and sizes.
Crawling claws are nothing more than the animated hands and paws of once-living creatures.
Crawling claws can be created by any mage or priest who has knowledge of the techniques required to do so. To begin with, the creator must assemble the severed limbs that are to animated. The maximum number of claws that can be created at any one time is equal to the level of the person enchanting them. The hands (or paws) can be either fresh, skeletal, or at any stage of decomposition in between.
Dracolich: The dracolich is an undead creature resulting from the unnatural transformation of an evil dragon. The mysterious Cult of the Dragon practices the powerful magic necessary for the creation of the dracolich, though other practitioners are also rumored to exist.
A dracolich can be created from any of the evil dragon subspecies.
The c r e atio n of a dracolich is a complex process involving the transformation of an evil dragon by arcane magical forces, the most notorious practitioners of which are members of the Cult of the Dragon. The process is usually a cooperative effort between the evil dragon and the wizards, but especially powerful wizards have been known to coerce an evil dragon to undergo the transformation against its will.
Any evil dragon is a possible candidate for transformation, although old dragons or older with spell-casting abilities are preferred. Once a candidate is secured, the wizards first prepare the dragon's host, an inanimate object that will hold the dragon's life force. The host must be a solid item of not less than 2,000 gp value resistant to decay (wood, for instance, is unsuitable). A gemstone is commonly used for a host, particularly ruby, pearl, carbuncle, and jet, and is often set in the hilt of a sword or other weapon. The host is prepared by casting enchant an item upon it and speaking the name of the evil dragon; the item may resist the spell by successfully saving vs. spell as an llth-level wizard. If the spell is resisted, another item must be used for the host. If the spell is not resisted, the item can then function as a host. If desired, glassteel can be cast upon the host to protect it.
Next, a special potion is prepared for the evil dragon to consume. The exact composition of the potion varies according to the age and type of the dragon, but it must contain precisely seven ingredients, among them a potion of evil dragon control, a potion of invulnerability, and the blood of a vampire. When the evil dragon consumes the potion, the results are determined as follows (roll percentile dice):
Roll Result
01-10 No effect.
11-40 Potion does not work. The dragon suffers 2d12 points of damage and is helpless with convulsions for 1-2 rounds.
41-50 Potion does not work. The dragon dies. A full wish or similar spell is needed to restore the dragon to life; a wish to transform the dragon into a dracolich results in another roll on this table.
51-00 Potion works.
If the potion works, the dragon's spirit transfers to the host, regardless of the distance between the dragon's body and the host. A dim light within the host indicates the presence of the spirit. While contained in the host, the spirit cannot take any actions; it cannot be contacted nor attacked by magic. The spirit can remain in the host indefinitely.
Once the spirit is contained in the host, the host must be brought within 90 feet of a reptilian corpse; under no circumstances can the spirit possess a living body. The spirit's original body is ideal, but the corpse of any reptilian creature that died or was killed within the previous 30 days is suitable.
The wizard who originally prepared the host must touch the host, cast a mag/c/ar spell while speaking the name of the dragon, then touch the corpse. The corpse must fail a saving throw vs. spell for the spirit to successfully possess it; if it saves, it will never accept the spirit. The following modifiers apply to the roll:

• 10 if the corpse is the spirit's own former body (which can be dead for any length of time).
• 4 if the corpse is of the same alignment as the dragon.
• 4 if the corpse is that of a true dragon (any type).
• 3 if the corpse is that of a firedrake, ice lizard, wyvern, or fire lizard.
• 1 if the corpse is that of a dracolisk, dragonne, dinosaur, snake, or other reptile.

If the corpse accepts the spirit, it becomes animated by the spirit. If the animated corpse is the spirit's former body, it immediately becomes a dracolich; however, it will not regain the use of its voice and breath weapon for another seven days (note that it will not be able to cast spells with verbal components during this time). At the end of seven days, the dracolich regains the use of its voice and breath weapon.
If the animated corpse is not the spirit's former body, it immediately becomes a proto-dracolich. A proto-dracolich has the mind and memories of its original form, but has the hit points and immunities to spells and priestly turning of a dracolich. A protodracolich can neither speak nor cast spells; further, it cannot cause chilling damage, use a breath weapon, or cause fear as a dracolich. Its strength, movement, and Armor Class are those of the possessed body.
To become a full dracolich, a proto-dracolich must devour at least 10% of its original body. Unless the body has been dispatched to another plane of existence, a proto-dracolich can always sense the presence of its original body, regardless of the distance. A proto-dracolich will tirelessly seek out its original body to the exclusion of all other activities. If its original body has been burned, dismembered, or otherwise destroyed, the proto-dracolich need only devour the ashes or pieces equal to or exceeding 10% of its original body mass (total destruction of the original body is possible only through use of a disintegrate or similar spell; the body could be reconstructed with a wish or similar spell, so long as the spell is cast in the same plane as the disintegration). If a proto-dracolich is unable to devour its original body, it is trapped in its current form until slain.
A proto-dracolich transforms into a full dracolich within seven days after it devours its original body. When the transformation is complete, the dracolich resembles its original body; it can now speak, cast spells, and employ the breath weapon of its original body, in addition to having all of the abilities of a dracolich.
Revenant: Revenants are vengeful spirits that have risen from the grave to destroy their killers.
Under exceptional circumstances, a character who has died a violent death may rise as a revenant from the grave to wreak vengeance on his killer(s). In order to make this transition, two requirements must be met. The dead character's Constitution must be 18 and either his Wisdom or Intelligence must be greater than 16. Also, the total of his six ability scores must be 90 or more. Even if these conditions are met, there is only a 5% chance that the dead character becomes a revenant.
If both Intelligence and Wisdom are over 16, the chance increases to 10%. If Intelligence, Wisdom, and Constitution are all 18, the creature can shift at will into any freshly killed humanoid, if the revenant rolls a successful saving throw vs. death.

Vampire: ?

MC4 Monstrous Compendium Dragonlance Appendix

Spoiler

Undead Beast: The undead beast is a mindless killer of unknown origin, compelled to destroy the living.
Stahnk: ?
Gholor: ?
Anhkolox: ?
Knight Haunt: A knight haunt is a floating suit of Solamnic armor, always accompanied by some sort of weapon. If the battle where the knight fell was one where more than 100 Solamnic knights died then it is always riding a suit of floating horse barding.
A knight haunt is sometimes (5% chance) created when an especially lawful good Knight with a Wisdom of 17 or higher dies in battle. The haunt rises with the next full moon phase of Solinari. If its armor has been taken away, the power of the spirit can magically teleport the armor back to the site of the battlefield. If its armor has been destroyed, the power that creates the haunt can create an exact duplicate of the armor it wore.
Death Knight: A death knight is the horrifying corruption of a Knight of Solamnia, cursed by the gods to its terrible form as punishment for betraying the code of honor it held in its former life.
The death knights of Krynn are former Knights of Solamnia who were judged by the gods to be guilty of unforgivable crimes, such as murder or treason. (For instance, Lord Soth, the most famous of all death knights, murdered his wife so that he could continue an affair with an elf maid.) Death knights are cursed to remain in their former domains, usually castles or other strongholds. They are further condemned to remember their crime in song on any night when one of Krynn's three moons is full; few sounds are as terrifying as a death knight's chilling melody echoing through the moonlit countryside.
Lord Soth, Death Knight: The death knights of Krynn are former Knights of Solamnia who were judged by the gods to be guilty of unforgivable crimes, such as murder or treason. (For instance, Lord Soth, the most famous of all death knights, murdered his wife so that he could continue an affair with an elf maid.)
Spectral Minion: Spectral minions are the spirits of humans or demihumans who died before they could fulfill their vows. Even in death, spectral minions are bound to the vows or quests placed upon them while they were alive.
Spectral minions are cursed to relive the events leading to their death, endlessly trying to fulfill their vows. Outdoors, they must stay within 1,000 yards of where they died. Indoors, they must stay in the corridor or room where they lost their lives. On very rare occasions where a quest required them to perform an act over a wide area, they are free to roam within that area.
Spectral Minion Berserker: Some spectral minions become overwhelmed by despair. Losing all hope of ever being freed from their charge, these minions are eventually driven into a berkserking frenzy. Others become mindless killers as soon as they become minions because of an unresolved obsession in their former lives; for instance, a spectral minion cook might become a berserker because someone in the past criticized his cooking and was no longer around to apologize for the remark.
In all cases, berserker spectral minions have rebelled against their quests and have no hope of ever being freed from their charges.
Spectral Minion Guardian: These spectral minions were quested to defend a room, a passage, or an object. In most cases, they served as guards for some important location and died at their posts.
Spectral Minion Philosopher: It is their curse to endlessly discuss philosophic issues left unresolved in their former lives.
Spectral Minion Reveler: These minions are cursed to celebrate madly for all eternity.
Spectral Minion Searcher: Searchers are spectral minions that stalk endlessly through their territory, searching for a particular object to fulfill their quest. These creatures were questing when they died in their original forms, and usually the object of the quest is not to be found within the searcher's range.
Spectral Minion Warrior: These minions are the spirits of mortals who were locked in combat at the time of death, usually soldiers who died in bloody battles. Groups of 100 or more warrior spectral minions are typically encountered on a battlefield, including fighters of differing alignments from both sides of a battle.
Skeleton Warrior: Formerly powerful fighters, skeleton warriors are undead lords forced into their nightmarish states by powerful wizards or evil demigods who trapped their souls in golden circlets.
Witchlin: Wichtlin are a result of an ancient curse on the court of Queen Sylvyana, a Silvanesti elf also known as the Ghoul Queen. All known records of her reign were destroyed by the Silvanesti, and only fragments of rumors remain. When an elf of evil alignment dies violently, there is a 1 % chance that Chemosh, the Lord of the Undead, in conjunction with the spirit of Queen Sylvyana, claims his spirit and resurrects him as a wichtlin.
Kagonesti Witchlin: If an evil Kagonesti elf meets a violent death while riding a wild stag mount, the spirit of the wild stag may also be claimed by Chemosh and resurrected along with the elf.
Witchlin Wild Stag: If an evil Kagonesti elf meets a violent death while riding a wild stag mount, the spirit of the wild stag may also be claimed by Chemosh and resurrected along with the elf.

Skeleton: ?
Zombie: ?
Ghoul: ?
Shadow: ?
Wight: ?
Ghast: ?
Wraith: ?
Mummy: ?
Spectre: ?
Vampire: ?
Ghost: ?
Lich: ?
Groaning Spirit: ?
Juju Zombie: ?
Lacedon: ?
Poltergeist: ?
Revenant: ?

MC5 Monstrous Compendium Greyhawk Adventures Appendix

Spoiler

Crypt Thing: ?
Crypt Thing Ancestral: Ancestral crypt things are the raised spirits of the dead that have returned to guard the tombs of their descendants. This happens only in rare cases (determined by the DM).
Crypt Thing Summoned: Called into existence by a wizard or priest of at least 14th level.
Create Crypt Thing spell.
Son of Kyuss: Sons of Kyuss are horrible undead beings that convert living humans and demihumans into cursed undead like themselves.
In addition to flailing fists, one worm per round attempts to jump from a son of Kyuss's head to a character the son is meleeing. The worm needs only to roll a successful attack roll (same THACO as the son) to land on the victim. The worm burrows into the victim on the next round unless killed by the touch of cold iron, holy water, or a blessed object. After penetrating the victim's skin, the worm burrows toward the victim's brain, taking 1d4 rounds to reach it. During this time a remove curse or cure disease spell will kill the worm, and neutralize poison or dispel evil will delay the worm for 1d6 turns. If the worm reaches the brain, the victim dies immediately and becomes a son of Kyuss. Decay and putrification set in without further delay.
Kyuss was an evil high priest who created the first of these creatures, via a special curse, under instruction from an evil deity.
The worms are tied to the curse of the sons but exactly how remains a mystery. It is known that the worms cannot survive apart from a victim or on a son. Worms that fail to burrow into a victim die as soon as they touch the ground. Any worm removed from a son dies within one round of separation from the son who carried it. When a son is killed permanently, the worms die with him. Some sages have proposed that the worms might not be living creatures per se, but incarnations of the curse.
Vampire Wizard: ?
Slow Shadow: Slow shadows, like shadows, are believed to be a race of long-dead people cursed to madness and a split existence on the Prime and Negative Material planes. This curse drives slow shadows to hunt and transform living humanoids and demihumans into slow shadows like themselves.
Sages speculate that shadows and slow shadows, when they lived, were bitter enemies. Their cruel, wicked ways and constant warfare brought down a terrible curse upon both races. Now the two people continue their ancient battle, never dying, cursed to insanity, recruiting new shadows and slow shadows from the living. On rare occasions, battles between shadows and slow shadows have been witnessed and it seems that vanquished slow shadows become shadows and vanquished shadows become slow shadows.
Lesser Slow Shadow: Humanoids killed by slow shadows become lesser slow shadows within one turn.
The change can be prevented by casting remove curse on the body.
Shadow: Slow shadows, like shadows, are believed to be a race of long-dead people cursed to madness and a split existence on the Prime and Negative Material planes. This curse drives slow shadows to hunt and transform living humanoids and demihumans into slow shadows like themselves.
Sages speculate that shadows and slow shadows, when they lived, were bitter enemies. Their cruel, wicked ways and constant warfare brought down a terrible curse upon both races. Now the two people continue their ancient battle, never dying, cursed to insanity, recruiting new shadows and slow shadows from the living. On rare occasions, battles between shadows and slow shadows have been witnessed and it seems that vanquished slow shadows become shadows and vanquished shadows become slow shadows.
Swordwraith: Swordwraiths are the spirits of warriors cut down during battle and kept from the dissolution of death by their indomitable wills.
Swordwraiths were once professional soldiers for whom fighting was all there was in life. In many cases, they are too stubborn to even admit that they are dead.
Soul Beckoner: ?
Sea Zombie, Drowned One: Sea zombies (also known as drowned ones) are the animated corpses of humans who died at sea. Although similar to land-dwelling zombies, they are free-willed and are rumored to be animated by the will of the god Nerull the Reaper.
Many of the humans who become drowned ones were priests while alive, and they retain their powers as undead.

Zombie: A cure disease or remove curse spell will transform a son of Kyuss into a zombie, but both spells require that the priest touch the son.
Ghoul: ?
Ghast: ?
Wight: ?
Juju Zombie: ?
Lacedon: ?
Skeleton: ?
Wraith: ?
Spectre: ?
Ghost: ?
Lich: ?

Create Crypt Thing
7th-level Wizard or Priest spell (necromantic)
(Reversible)
Range: Touch Casting Time: 1 round
Components: V,S Area of Effect: 1 corpse
Duration: Permanent Saving Throw: None
This spell enables the caster to cause a single dead body to animate and assume the status of a crypt thing. This spell can be cast only in the tomb or grave area the crypt thing is to protect; the spell requires that the caster touch the skull of the subject body. Once animated, the crypt thing remains until destroyed. Only one crypt thing may guard a given tomb.
A successful dispel magic spell returns the crypt thing to its original unanimated state. Attempts to restore the crypt thing before this is done fail for any magic short of a wish.
The reverse of this spell, destroy crypt thing, utterly annihilates any one such being as soon as it is touched by the caster. The target is allowed a saving throw vs. death magic to avoid destruction.

MC6 Monstrous Compendium Kara-Tur Appendix

Spoiler

Chu-U, Legless Ghost: If travelers agree to listen, the chu-u relates the story of its life as a human. The story is always sad and is told in great detail, beginning with the bad decisions the chu-u made as a child, continuing through its sorrowful experiences as an adult, and ending with the circumstances of its death, usually the result of cowardice or ineptitude.
They were neither virtuous enough to pass the judges' examinations nor malevolent enough to merit additional sentencing.
Con-Tinh: The malicious con-tinh is a lesser spirit believed to be the spirit of a maiden who died before her time.
According to legend, the Celestial Bureaucracy creates a con-tinh from the spirit of a young maiden who has died before her time, usually as a result of a misdeed. The most common misdeed is an illicit love affair, which ends when the maiden is murdered by a rival or jealous spouse. On rare occasions, sisters who conspired in the same misdeed both become con-tinh, their lifeforces tied to identical, adjacent trees.
Gaki, Nin-Chu-Jugaki: Gaki are lesser spirits derived from the wicked, who have returned to the Prime Material Plane in the form of horrible monsters as punishment for their sins. The name "gaki" refers to a variety of such spirits. They are also known as the "nin-chu-jugaki."
The type of gaki depends on the nature of the crimes committed in the spirit's former life.
Jiki-Ketsu-Gaki: Jiki-ketsu-gaki are corrupted spirits of priests or other holy men who were guilty of heresy in their former lives.
Jiki-Niku-Gaki: Jiki-niku-gaki are corrupted spirits of humans or humanoids who were guilty of excessive avarice in their former lives. Greedy merchants and miserly moneylenders often become these ghoulish, repulsive monsters.
Shikki-Gaki: Most shikki-gaki are the corrupted spirits of irresponsible medical personnel or negligent servants. But about 15% once were lesser nature spirits that inhabited mushrooms or other fungi sprouting from the trunks of decaying trees. These nature spirits completely succumbed to their evil aspect. Usually, they developed a taste for bluebirds, butterflies, or similarly docile creatures. The Celestial Bureaucracy warned them to stop, but they persisted. As a result, they were destroyed and reborn as a mushroom shikki-gaki.
Shinen-Gaki: Shinen-gaki may originate from the spirit of any wicked human, but often they're created from the spirit of a traitorous or cowardly soldier.
Kuei: A lesser spirit of the dead, the kuei is a manifestation of a human or humanoid who died by violence unavenged or with a purpose unfulfilled. The spirit's former body was not buried.
Memedi Djim: Djim are spirits of deceased priests, typically appearing as elderly, bald men wearing long prayer robes.
Memedi Uwil: Uwil are derived from the spirit of dead sohei.

Ghoul: ?
Groaning Spirit: ?
Skeleton: ?
Zombie: ?
Shadow: ?
Mummy: ?
Spectre: ?
Eastern Vampire: ?

MC7 Monstrous Compenium Spelljammer Appendix

Spoiler

Ancient Mariner: An ancient mariner is the undead spirit of a member of a long-lost evil race that once sailed the phlogiston seas.
Mariner Shadow: Any creature killed by the energy drain of an ancient mariner becomes an mariner shadow with most of the abilities of a normal shadow.
Spiritjam: A spiritjam is the soul of an evil cleric or wizard who died while spelljamming. The spirit of the cleric or wizard remained behind when the physical body perished.

MC8 Monstrous Compendium Outer Planes Appendix

Spoiler

Githyanki Lich-Queen: ?

Undead:
Ghasts: A Nabassu's death gaze causes anyone they look at to save vs. spells or become a ghast (or ghoul if the victim is a demihuman).
Ghouls: A Nabassu's death gaze causes anyone they look at to save vs. spells or become a ghast (or ghoul if the victim is a demihuman).
Lich: ?
Mummy: ?
Spectre: Lemures are occasionally chosen to form wraiths or spectres, as well.
Wraith: Lemures are occasionally chosen to form wraiths or spectres, as well.

MC9 Monstrous Compendium Spelljammer Appendix II (2e)

Spoiler

Firelich: Firelichs are high-level evil mages whose bodies were prepared for lichdom upon their death. Such mages, either through ignorance (such as in casting fire spells) or spell failure, exploded in the phlogiston. The lich-preparation spells in their bodies turned them into living fireballs of undeath, racing through wildspace, screaming in eternal pain and looking for something to collide with, as a way to extinguish the flames.
It is unknown how the wizard gets from the phlogiston to wildspace. Since the only wizards that can become fireliches are the ones that had made previous preparations for lichdom, some guess that the arcane lich ceremonies tear a temporary hole into wildspace. The energy to create this tear may come from the explosion that created the firelich. If this is true, the hole certainly closes immediately after the firelich enters wildspace.
Spirit Warrior: Spirit warriors are weapons from the Unhuman Wars. There are three ways to acquire one: find one that has been abandoned, wrest one from its owner in combat, or grow one from an egg and perform the appropriate spells. Since the Wars ranged over a great area, the chance of finding an abandoned warrior is small. Also, those still piloted have most likely been around since the time of the Wars, so wresting one from its master in combat is also unlikely. This leaves the method of growing one from an egg, as follows:
The would-be spirit warrior receives an egg. The fighter must incubate the pinhead-sized egg in a warm and secure environment, preferably next to the fighter's body. When the egg hatches, the warrior must nurture and protect the fragile larva from six months to a year, until it is mature. This nurturing involves close emotional contact with the insect (stroking, petting, cuddling, thinking pleasant thoughts) to develop a strong emotional bond as one would with a pet or familiar. After a year the insect is mature, and the spells of modification begin; however, for the strongest bond, this final process is delayed until after the insect has died of old age. If the spells are performed on a living insect, it dies during the ceremony.
The insect becomes a spirit warrior via spells that enlarge, animate, strengthen, and physically modify the insect's remains. These spells also link the minds of warrior and insect in an unbreakable bond, unaffected by magic, disease, physical attack, or mental control. The final stage of the process installs a special minor helm in the hollow chest cavity of the insect warrior.
During the Unhuman Wars, elvish mages created the warriors as armored, super-strong weapons to counter orcish monsters being released on various worlds. At first their years of research only worked up to a point: the giant undead insects ran amok, killing researchers and damaging Armada Noble itself.
An assistant, Rowan Starblade by name, discovered that the ceremonies failed because the researchers and the insects shared no emotional bond. When one of Rowan's "pet" research insects rampaged after the ill-fated ceremony, she threw herself in front of the beast, begging it to stop. To her surprise, the giant insect obeyed her command!
Further experimentation with Rowan's pet zombie revealed that when she welded a modified minor helm in the insect's hollow chest cavity with gold and platinum wire, she could sit in the helm and pilot the insect with her speed and agility, and with the insect's strength.
Spirit Warrior Carnivore: Carnivores descend from the praying mantis.
Spirit Warrior Herbivore: Herbivores are based on the katydid.
Spirit Warrior Nektar: Nektars descend from an insect similar to both a butterfly and a wasp.
Spirit Warrior Zwarth: Zwarth construction resembles that of a spirit warrior. Growth and bonding processes are the same. (Yes, an entire party must undergo this process!)
Stellar Undead: Stellar undead are the corpses of spelljamming sailors returned to a semblance of life. The corpses are animated by raw energy from the Negative Material Plane. This energy warps the dying sailor's brains, twisting their final thoughts of home, safety, and friends into an unholy desire to walk again among the living, and to be warm again by drinking their blood.
Due to the vacuum of wildspace, most bodies decompose very slowly. When viewed from more than 3' away, stellar undead do not look dead, but much as they did in life.

MC10 Monstrous Compendium Ravenloft Appendix

Spoiler

Bastellus: Any being reduced to below level 0 by the preying of a bastellus will die in its sleep, seemingly of a heart attack. If the body is not destroyed (via cremation, immersion in acid, or similar means), its spirit will rise in a number of days equal to the number of levels it lost to the bastellus. Thus, a 14th level wizard would rise up in two weeks. The new spirit is also a bastellus, but it has no connection with the monster that created it.
There are those who would argue that the bastellus is a creature from beyond the grave and, therefore, has no place in the biology of the natural world. In fact, there is a great deal of speculation that this is not the case. Numerous scholars have put forth the theory that the bastellus is actually a product of the unrecognized hopes and aspirations of living creatures. If this is true, then the bastellus is very much a by-product of the living world and at least nominally important to it. This debate has raged for countless centuries, however, and it seems that the scholars who put forth both arguments are no closer to a resolution of the issue than they were when the debate began.
Skeletal Bat: Skeletal bats are created by the use of an animate dead spell and are often associated with necromancers or evil priests. They are to bats what traditional skeletons are to humans — mindless animated remains.
Bowlyn, Sailor's Demise: Bowlyn are undead spirits who, like the poltergeist, do not rest easily in their graves. Without exception, they were sailors on ocean-going vessels who died due to an accident at sea. In life, they were cruel or selfish persons; in death they blame their shipmates for the mishap that took their lives. Thus, they return from their watery graves to force others beneath the icy waves.
Typical hauntings do not occur immediately after the death of the sailor fated to become a bowlyn. It takes the spirit of the seaman from 1-10 years to return from the grave. The first appearance of a bowlyn always takes place on the anniversary of its death and the haunting lasts for 1-6 weeks.
Bussengeist: A bussengeist is the spectral form of someone who died in a great calamity brought on by their own action or inaction.
As a rule, only those persons who feel remorse for their actions will become bussengeists. For example, a traitor who allowed an invading force to gain access to a walled city and was himself slain in the ensuing battle might become a bussengeist. If he was killed without warning and felt no pity for those his actions had brought misery to, he would not be transformed. If, on the other hand, he knew that he was about to die and had reason to feel that he had acted in error, he might well become a bussengeist. In his afterlife, he would visit cities in the process of being raided by barbarians, castles being overrun by monsters, and similar scenes.
Ghoul Lord: Ghoul lords are unique to the demiplane of Ravenloft. It is rumored that they were first created at the hands of an insane necromancer in some other dimension, but that they were so evil as to instantly draw the attention of the Dark Powers. The Mists of Ravenloft absorbed all of the existing ghoul lords and scattered them across the domains.
Azalin, Lich, Lord of Darkon: ?
Strahd Von Zarovich, Master Vampire, Lord of Barovia: ?
Mist Horror: Mist horrors are the spirits of evil beings who, while not foul enough to receive their own domain, attracted the attention of the Dark Powers with their diabolical acts during life. Upon their deaths, their spirits leave their bodies to enter the mists. Throughout Ravenloft, there is a superstition that anyone buried on a foggy day will become a mist horror. This may or may not be true, but the Vistani themselves seem to take this belief very seriously and that lends great credence to it in the eyes of many.
As mentioned above, mist horrors are the spirits of evil beings who did not merit a place as lord of their own domain.
In essence, a mist horror is the evil soul of a being foul enough to draw the attention of the Dark Powers, but not so evil as to be rewarded/cursed with their own domain.
Wandering Horror: Wandering horrors appear as dark shapes that can be seen as they move through the mists. Unlike mist horrors, they are locked into a single shape—one that is based on the evil deed they did in life. For example, a cruel baron who ordered those he considered disloyal beheaded might well appear as a wandering figure without a head while a woman who murdered her lover with a poisonous spider might appear as a giant black widow.
The wandering horror is an evolutionary step above the mist horror. In essence, a mist horror is the evil soul of a being foul enough to draw the attention of the Dark Powers, but not so evil as to be rewarded/cursed with their own domain. After a period of time as a mist horror, however, this spirit may have caused enough fear and suffering (in short, done enough evil) to be elevated to the status of wandering horror.
Greater Mummy, Anhktepot's Children: Also known as Anhktepot's Children, greater mummies are a powerful form of undead created when a high-level lawful evil priest of certain religions is mummified and charged with the guarding of a burial place.
Greater mummies look just like their more common cousins save that they are almost always adorned with (un)holy symbols and wear the vestments of their religious order. They give off an odor that is said to be reminiscent of a spice cupboard because of the herbs used in the embalming process that created them.
Greater mummies are powerful undead creatures that are usually created from the mummified remains of powerful, evil priests. This being the case, the greater mummy now draws its mystical abilities from evil powers and darkness. In rare cases, however, the mummified priests served non-evil god in life and are still granted the powers they had in life from those gods.
The first of these creatures is known to have been produced by Anhktepot, the Lord of Har'akir, in the years before he became undead himself.
The process by which a greater mummy is created remains a mystery to all but Anhktepot. It is rumored that this process involves a great sacrifice to gain the favor of the gods and an oath of eternal loyalty to the Lord of Har'akir.
Greater Mummy 99 Years Old or Less: ?
Greater Mummy 100-199 Years Old: Greater mummies, like vampires, become more powerful with the passing of time in Ravenloft.
Greater Mummy 200-299 Years Old: Greater mummies, like vampires, become more powerful with the passing of time in Ravenloft.
Greater Mummy 300-199 Years Old: Greater mummies, like vampires, become more powerful with the passing of time in Ravenloft.
Greater Mummy 400-199 Years Old: Greater mummies, like vampires, become more powerful with the passing of time in Ravenloft.
Greater Mummy 500 or More Years Old: Greater mummies, like vampires, become more powerful with the passing of time in Ravenloft.
Anhktepot, Lord of Har'akir: ?
Giant Skeleton: Giant skeletons are similar to the more common undead skeleton, but they have been created with a combination of spells and are, thus, far more deadly than their lesser counterparts.
In actuality, they are simply human skeletons that have been magically enlarged.
The first giant skeletons to appear in Ravenloft were created by the undead priestess Radaga in her lair within the domain of Kartakass. Others have since mastered the spells and techniques required to create these monsters; thus, giant skeletons are gradually beginning to appear in other realms where the dead and undead lurk.
They are created from the bones of those who have died and are abominations in the eyes of all who belief in the sanctity of life and goodness.
The process by which giant skeletons are created is dark and evil. Attempts to manufacture them outside of Ravenloft have failed, so it is clear that they are in some way linked to the Dark Powers themselves. In order to create a giant skeleton, a spell caster must have the intact skeleton of a normal human or demihuman.
On a night when the land is draped in fog, they must cast an animate dead, produce fire, enlarge, and a resist fire spell over the bones. When the last spell is cast, the bones lengthen and thicken and the creatures rises up. The the creator must make a Ravenloft Powers check for his part in this evil undertaking.
Undead Priestess, Radaga: ?
Strahd's Skeletal Steed: Strahd's skeletal steeds are magically animated undead horses, created as guardians and warriors by the master vampire Strahd Von Zarovich.
Completely stripped of flesh, skeletal steeds are held together by magic.
Only Strahd Von Zarovich knows the arcane ritual necessary to make them. He can make them only from horse skeletons where 90% of the bones and the skull are present. It is not know if other animals can be animated from the same spell, but given the power of the Lord of Barovia, and his ties to the evil forces of necromancy, this seems probable.
Undead Treant: When an evil treant sees that its many years are soon to come to an end, it seldom accepts this fate quietly. For most, this means a final, wild orgy of violence and death. For a few, however, it means death and resurrection as a thing so dark and evil that even the Vistani will not speak of it.
Undead treants seem to be a natural stage in the life cycle of some evil treants. No doubt this is given as a "reward" for their evil lives by the Dark Powers.
Valpurgeist, Hanged Man: The valpurgeist, or hanged man, is an undead creature that is sometimes manifested when an innocent man or woman is wrongly hanged for a crime. Unable to prove its innocence in life, the spirit returns after death to claim the lives of those who sent it to the gallows.
Valpurgeists are lonely souls who have felt the cold injustice of a world that would not believe their pleas of innocence. Because of this, they will have no kinship with any living thing in their afterlife.
They are simply products of evil and darkness.
Duke Gundar, Lord of Gundarak, Vampire Lord: ?
Vampire Companion: The process of vampiric bonding is as murky as the fog that often shrouds the vampire's movement. When the vampire decides to take a companion, it generally (although not always) seeks out an individual of the opposite sex that reminds them of someone they loved in life. The vampire repeatedly visits the victim, feeding on them until they are at the point of death. At the last, when all hope seems lost, the vampire draws away the last vestiges of the companion's life and infuses them with its own energies. The process is both traumatic and passionate, for this mingling of essences is far more intimate than any purely physical act of love.
When the bonding is completed, both the vampire and its victim are exhausted and all but helpless for upwards of an hour. At the end of that time, the victim has become a vampire.
Vampire Dwarf, Dwarven Vampire: Any character reduced to a Constitution score of 0 by a dwarven vampire's vitality drain is instantly slain and will rise again as a vampire (of the appropriate type) in 3 days.
Those dwarves that fall prey to the undead will often become themselves undead. Three days after any character dies from the vampire's vitality draining, they will rise again if certain conditions are met. First, and most importantly, the victim must have been a dwarf. Vampire dwarves who kill elves or humans will not create new vampires, for only their own kind can be brought back to unlife by them. Further, the body must be intact. Second, the body must be placed in a stone coffin or sarcophagus and then entombed in some subterranean place. A typical burial service will meet this requirement, while placement in a crypt on the surface will not. Finally, the dwarven vampire must visit the body of its victim on the third night after burial and sprinkle the body with powdered metals. As soon as this is done, the new vampire is born.
Dwarven Vampire 0-99 Years Old: ?
Dwarven Vampire 100-199 Years Old: ?
Dwarven Vampire 200-299 Years Old: ?
Dwarven Vampire 300-399 Years Old: ?
Dwarven Vampire 400-499 Years Old: ?
Dwarven Vampire 500+ Years Old: ?
Vampire Elf, Elvish Vampire: Any elf or half-elf who dies from the elvish vampire's essence draining attack will become a vampire.
Any elf or half-elf who falls to the essence draining attack of an elven vampire will rise again as an elven vampire so long as the body is intact after three days. If the body has been destroyed or mutilated, the transformation is averted, and the dead character may rest in peace. However, any attempt to revive the slain character (with a resurrection spell, for example) has a flat 50% chance of transforming the character into a vampire once the spell is cast.
Elvish Vampire 0-99 Years Old: ?
Elvish Vampire 100-199 Years Old: As time goes by, elvish vampires can become even more powerful than they are initially.
Elvish Vampire 200-299 Years Old: As time goes by, elvish vampires can become even more powerful than they are initially.
Elvish Vampire 300-399 Years Old: As time goes by, elvish vampires can become even more powerful than they are initially.
Elvish Vampire 400-499 Years Old: As time goes by, elvish vampires can become even more powerful than they are initially.
Elvish Vampire 500+ Years Old: As time goes by, elvish vampires can become even more powerful than they are initially.
Vampire Gnome, Gnomish Vampire: While the hand-to-hand blows of gnomish vampires are weak, however, they are not without a powerful debilitating affect. Those struck by such attacks will begin to feel the painful arthritic attack of the creature instantly, for each successful attack drains 2 points of Dexterity from the victim. The result is a painful stiffness in the joints and muscles that can, if the victim suffers several attacks, be crippling or even fatal. Those reduced to a Dexterity score of 0 will be slain as the creeping paralysis spreads through their lungs and heart, making it impossible for them to survive. Gnomes who die in this fashion may themselves become undead if steps are not taken to prevent this foul transformation.
Gnomish vampires seldom create others of their kind. When they opt to do so, however, the process is not without risk. The vampire must first slay a victim with its debilitating touch and then move the body to the sarcophagus in which the vampire itself sleeps. For the next three days, the body must lie in the coffin while the vampire rests atop it, allowing its essences to seep slowly into the evolving vampire. At the end of this time, the slain gnome rises as a fully functioning vampire, completely under the control of its creator. While the gnome vampire rests atop its coffin, it is unable to regenerate any lost hit points or employ any of its spell-like abilities. Thus, the creature is far more vulnerable to attack at this time than it normally might be. In addition, it cannot interrupt the creation process once it has begun or both the would-be vampire and its creator will die.
Gnomish Vampire 0-99 Years Old: ?
Gnomish Vampire 100-199 Years Old: As gnomish vampires age, they become more dangerous and more powerful.
Gnomish Vampire 200-299 Years Old: As gnomish vampires age, they become more dangerous and more powerful.
Gnomish Vampire 300-399 Years Old: As gnomish vampires age, they become more dangerous and more powerful.
Gnomish Vampire 400-499 Years Old: As gnomish vampires age, they become more dangerous and more powerful.
Gnomish Vampire 500+ Years Old: As gnomish vampires age, they become more dangerous and more powerful.
Vampire Halfling: Those halflings who die from a halfling vampire's life draining attack will become vampires themselves.
The vampire can make more of its kind only by slaying other halflings with its energy-sapping attack. In order to create a new vampire, the halfling need do nothing more than keep the body of its victim intact for 7 days after death and a new vampire will be created.
Halfling Vampire 0-99 Years Old: ?
Halfling Vampire 100-199 Years Old: As with other demihuman vampires, halfling vampires become more powerful with age.
Halfling Vampire 200-299 Years Old: As with other demihuman vampires, halfling vampires become more powerful with age.
Halfling Vampire 300-399 Years Old: As with other demihuman vampires, halfling vampires become more powerful with age.
Halfling Vampire 400-499 Years Old: As with other demihuman vampires, halfling vampires become more powerful with age.
Halfling Vampire 500+ Years Old: As with other demihuman vampires, halfling vampires become more powerful with age.
Vampire Kender: Those kender who die from the spirit-rending attack of the kender vampire are in no danger of becoming vampires themselves, however, for these foul creatures are the product of dark sciences and magical experimentation that can only be duplicated with the direct intervention of Lord Soth of Sithicus.
The kender vampire is a solitary creature that exists only to do the bidding of Lord Soth of Sithicus. He is the father of their race, and, although they despise him for what he has done to them, they are unable to turn against him or act in any way contrary to his interests.
Knowing the revulsion that the elves who live in his domain feel for all manner of unnatural things, Soth felt that he could find no better slaves than a band of undead. Aware that undead elves might pose a threat to his own power, Soth set about the creation of a new breed of undead. Drawing a small kender village through the misty veils of Ravenloft and into his domain, he had them killed one by one so that he could study their sufferings and invoke carefully designed magical rituals over their bodies in attempts to make them rise as undead. By the time he had finished with these sad kender, fully half of them had died horrible deaths and suffered unspeakable torment at the hand of the dreaded deathknight. The results of his experiments were, however, satisfactory to Soth, for he discovered a formula that would create a race of vampires utterly loyal to him. It is believed that Soth has created no fewer than 10 such monsters and no more than 30, although hard evidence to support any given estimate is hard to come by.
Kender vampires can exist only within the confines of Lord Soth's domain of Sithicus. They are tied to that dark land in some mystical way that, no doubt, relates to the evil magic used in their creation. It is possible that Lord Soth was required to invoke the favor of the Dark Powers in his creation of these dreaded monsters and, thus, that he has paid some horrible price for their loyalty to him.
Lord Soth, Lord of Sithicus, Death Knight: ?
Zombie Lord: The zombie lord is a living creature that has taken on the foul powers and abilities of the undead. They are formed on rare occasions as the result of a raise dead spell cast while in the demiplane of Ravenloft.
The zombie lord comes into being by chance, and only under certain conditions. First, an evil human being (the soon-to-be zombie lord) must die at the hands of an undead creature. Second, an attempt to raise the slain character must be made. Third, and last, the character must fail his resurrection survival roll. It is believed that the zombie lord can be created only in Ravenloft, but this is not proven absolutely for they have been encountered in other lands from time to time.

Ghost: ?
Ghoul: The death of a darkling usually (90%) draws the attention of the nearest Vistani group. Within a week, they arrive at the location of the demise, bury the body (if such is still available), and perform an ancient rite designed to soothe the spirit of their tortured brother and allow him to rest in eternal peace. If this ritual is not completed, there is a 90% chance that the darkling will return in 1-6 weeks as a ghast (if the body is intact) or as a wraith (if the body has been destroyed). This undead creature will then hunt down those men who served it in life and kill them, transforming them into ghouls (if the darkling returns as a ghast) or wights (if it is a wraith).
Ghoul Ghast: The death of a darkling usually (90%) draws the attention of the nearest Vistani group. Within a week, they arrive at the location of the demise, bury the body (if such is still available), and perform an ancient rite designed to soothe the spirit of their tortured brother and allow him to rest in eternal peace. If this ritual is not completed, there is a 90% chance that the darkling will return in 1-6 weeks as a ghast (if the body is intact) or as a wraith (if the body has been destroyed).
The bite of a ghoul lord causes the victim to contract a horrible rotting disease unless a saving throw vs. poison is made. Those afflicted with this illness will lose 1d10 hit points and 1 point from their Constitution and Charisma scores each day. If either ability score or their hit point totals reach 0, the person dies. If the body is not destroyed, they will rise as a ghast on the third night after their death. In such a state, they are wholly under the command of the creature that made them until such time as that horror is destroyed. At that point, they become free-willed creatures.
The rotting disease can be cured by nothing less than a heal spell. Once the progression of the disease is halted, the victim's Constitution score will return to its original value at the rate of 1 point per week. Their Charisma, however, will remain at its reduced level because of the horrible scars this ailment leaves on both body and soul.
Ghoul Lacedon: ?
Groaning Spirit, Banshee: ?
Haunt:
Heucuva:
Lich: ?
Lich Demilich: ?
Mummy: When a greater mummy wishes to create normal mummies as servants, it does so by mummifying persons infected with its rotting disease. This magical process requires 12-18 hours (10 + 2d4) and cannot be disturbed without ruining the enchantment. Persons to be mummified are normally held or charmed so that they cannot resist the mummification process. Once the process is completed, victims are helpless to escape the bandages that bind them. If nothing happens to free them, they will die of the mummy rot just as they would have elsewhere. Upon their death, however, a strange transformation takes place. Rather than crumbling away into dust, these poor souls rise again as normal mummies.
Poltergeist: ?
Shadow: ?
Skeleton: ?
Skeleton Animal: ?
Skeleton Monster: ?
Spectre: ?
Vampire: As described in the RAVENLOFT Boxed Set, there are three ways to become a vampire. Each of these paths to darkness has its own unique character, but the end result is always a creature of unsurpassed evil and power.
The first path, generally known as that of deadly desire, is perhaps the most awful. In this case, the individual who is destined to become a vampire actually wishes to cross over and become undead. While it has been said that they must sacrifice their lives to attain this goal, a greater cost is often paid. Those who desire to live eternally and feed on the life essences of their fellow men must give up a portion of their spirits to the Dark Powers themselves. In this way, they are granted the powers of the undead, but also stripped of the last vestiges of their humanity. In the centuries to come, many find this loss too great to bear and seek out their own destruction.
The second path, that of the curse, is often the most insidious of the three. In this case, the individual is often unaware that he or she is destined to become a thing of the night. The transformation into "unlife" might occur because of a potent curse laid down by someone who has been wronged by the victim. Occasionally, an individual might find that he or she has inherited (or found) a beautiful and alluring magical ring—only to find that it cannot be removed and that the character is slowly . . . changing. There are those who accept this curse and embrace their new existence as a vampire, while others despise the things they have become. In nearly every case, these are the most passionate and "alive" examples of this evil race.
The final, and surely most tragic, path to vampirism is that of the victim. This is the route most commonly taken to vampirism, for it is the way in which those slain by a vampire become vampires themselves.
When a vampire decides to create new slaves, it does so by taking their lives in some special way. For most, it is simply the draining of their life energies or the drinking of their blood. Whatever the end result, if the victim dies from the feeding of the beast, he or she rises again as a vampire.
Vampire Oriental: ?
Wight: The death of a darkling usually (90%) draws the attention of the nearest Vistani group. Within a week, they arrive at the location of the demise, bury the body (if such is still available), and perform an ancient rite designed to soothe the spirit of their tortured brother and allow him to rest in eternal peace. If this ritual is not completed, there is a 90% chance that the darkling will return in 1-6 weeks as a ghast (if the body is intact) or as a wraith (if the body has been destroyed). This undead creature will then hunt down those men who served it in life and kill them, transforming them into ghouls (if the darkling returns as a ghast) or wights (if it is a wraith).
Wraith: The death of a darkling usually (90%) draws the attention of the nearest Vistani group. Within a week, they arrive at the location of the demise, bury the body (if such is still available), and perform an ancient rite designed to soothe the spirit of their tortured brother and allow him to rest in eternal peace. If this ritual is not completed, there is a 90% chance that the darkling will return in 1-6 weeks as a ghast (if the body is intact) or as a wraith (if the body has been destroyed).
Zombie: The odor of death that surrounds the zombie lord is so potent that it can cause horrible effects in those who breath it. On the first round that a character comes within 30 yards of the monster, he must save vs. poison or be affected in some way. The following results are possible:
1d6 Roll Effect
1 Weakness (as the spell)
2 Cause disease (as the spell)
3 -1 point of Constitution
4 Contagion (as the spell)
5 Character unable to act for 1d4 rounds due to nausea and vomiting
6 Character dies instantly and becomes a zombie under control of the zombie lord
Zombie Monster: ?
Zombie Ju-ju: ?
Crawling Claw: ?
Revenant: ?
Undead Beast Stahnk: ?
Undead Beast Gholor: ?
Knight Haunt: ?
Death Knight: ?
Spectral Minion: ?
Skeleton Warrior: ?
Witchlin: ?
Crypt Thing: ?
Son of Kyuss: ?
Slow Shadow: ?
Wraith Swordwraith: ?
Wraith Soul Beckoner: ?
Sea Zombie: ?
Chu-U: ?
Con-Tinh:
Gaki Jiki-Tetsu-Gaki: ?
Gaki Jiki-Niku-Gaki:
Gaki Shikki-Gaki:
Gaki Shinen-Gaki:
Kuei: ?
Memedi: ?
Ancient Mariner: ?
Spirit Jam: ?
Firelich: ?
Spirit Warrior: ?
Stellar Undead: ?

MC11 Monstrous Compendium Forgotten Realms Appendix (2e)

Spoiler

Harrla: The harrla seems to be a natural creature. While some speculate that it is undead or of extraplanar origin, there seems to be little proof of this. Most sages agree that the harrla is not a product of the negative material plane, as most undead are.
Inquisitor: Created by evil wizards centuries ago, inquisitors are a shambling, rotting, undead abomination, living on sheer terror.
Inquisitors are biologically immortal, cursed hundreds or thousands of years ago to forever cause pain and extract information. They cannot reproduce.
Lhiannan Shee, The Ghosts of Obsession: It is thought to be the undead spirit of a woman who killed herself for the unrequited love of a bard or other artistically talented and desirable, but unobtainable or callous man.
Phantom: Phantoms are images left behind by a particularly strong death trauma. A phantom is like a three-dimensional motion picture image filmed at the time of a character's death, in the area where he died.
Nonstandard Phantom Sight: ?
Nonstandard Phantom Sound: ?
Nonstandard Phantom Smell: ?
Evil Phantom: Of greater concern, there are some phantoms that are actually evil, created when powerful evil creatures from other planes are "slain" (forced to return to their home planes) in the Prime Material plane. These phantoms appear as per the evil creature's will 35% of the time, and can seriously misinform or endanger those it meets.
Skuz: Skuz attack by forming pseudo-arms from their slimy mass. In addition to causing physical damage, each touch of a skuz drains one life level from its victim. When a humanoid victim is weakened, the skuz pulls it beneath the water to drown it. When dead, the victim becomes a skuz. Humanoids who are killed by a skuz, but not drowned, do not become one of the unread.

Ghast: ?
Ghost: ?
Groaning Spirit: ?
Haunt: ?
Zombie: ?
Revenant: A character who is murdered and generates a phantom may also return as a revenant.

MC 12 Monstrous Compendium Dark Sun Appendix Terrors of the Desert

Spoiler

Banshee Dwarf, Dwarven Banshee: Dwarves who die before completing a major focus are often condemned to live out their afterlives as banshees. In unlife they haunt their unfinished work or quest, unable to bear the fact that someone else may complete what they could not.
Dune Runner: Dune runners are elves who died running to complete a quest or deliver an important message.

MC13 Monstrous Compendium Al-Qadim Appendix

Spoiler

Ghost Mount: Ghost mounts are formed from the spirits of mistreated animals, creatures so brutally handled in life that they survive after death to take vengeance on all creatures who ride them.
Great Ghul: The great ghuls are undead elemental cousins of the genies, the most wicked members of an inferior order of jann.
Ghul: Only jann slain by great ghuls become ghuls themselves; all other races are simply slain and devoured.
Great Ghul Mage: ?
Great Ghul Sha'ir: ?
Great Ghul Desert: ?
Great Ghul Mountain: ?
Rom: Rom are thought to be all that remains of an ancient race of giant herdsmen. They lived in the hills and on the plains where their giant cows could graze, some practicing a limited form of agriculture. They were a quiet, peace-loving people whose end came when their wives produced only male children; there were no further generations. Shaking their fists at the sad destiny Fate had passed upon them, they built enormous stone cairns for themselves, fashioned out of monolithic granite slabs. Entire clans of rom descended into their self-made tombs, burying themselves alive. However, so great was their collective self-pity and anger at Fate, that their existence persisted beyond death.

Ghost: Ghost mounts are undead creatures which can help desperate or foolish travelers cover vast distances, but at a price. These beasts are aptly named, not only for their appearance, but also because those who ride a ghost mount may themselves become ghosts, doomed to wandering the deserts by night
Wraith: Any creature that rides a ghost mount must make an ability check using Wisdom (at a -2 penalty) when the journey begins. If the check is failed, the mount refuses to obey the rider's instructions and instead takes him deep into the nearest wilderness at full speed. Leaping from the mount when it is traveling at a gallop causes 3d6 points of damage, and items falling with the rider must make a saving throw against crushing blows. If the rider stays with the ghost mount, it will throw him after traveling at least 75 miles into the wilderness. Being thrown causes1d6 damage; a saving throw against falling for items carried by the thrown rider must also be made.
If the initial Wisdom ability check is successful, the ghost mount obeys, but the rider must then make a saving throw versus death magic when the journey has reached a middle point. Failure indicates that the ghost mount's life energy drain has transformed the rider into a wraith.
Ghoul: ?
Ghost: ?
Lacedon: ?
Ghast: ?
Haunt: ?
Lich: ?
Mummy: ?
Shadow: ?
Skeleton: ?
Monster Skeleton: ?
Spectre: ?
Vampire: ?
Zombie: ?

MC14 Monstrous Compendium Fiend Folio Appendix (2e)

Spoiler

Apparition: If an apparition's slain victim is not restored to life within 24 hours, he/she will rise as an apparition 2-8 hours later.
Coffer Corpse: The coffer corpse is an undead creature seeking its final rest. It will always be encountered on a stranded funeral barge, unburnt pyre, or the scene of some other incomplete death ritual.
Penanggalan: A female victim of a penanggalan will rise from the grave in three days as a penanggalan, as a free-willed undead. If an attempt is made to raise her within that three day period, the chances of resurrection survival are halved. 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.
Sheet Ghoul: Sheet ghouls are created when sheet phantoms kill their victims.
If the victim dies enveloped within the sheet phantom, the sheet phantom merges with the body, creating a sheet ghoul. This process takes 12 hours to complete.
Sheet Phantom: There are sufficient similarities between the sheet phantom and the lurker above for some scholars to speculate that the former is an undead form of the latter. However, other sages and scholars claim that sheet phantoms are actual sheets that have absorbed the life-essence of an evil person who died in their bed. The evil soul is trapped in the sheet, and forced to wander about as a sheet phantom.

Mummy: ?
Spectre: ?
Wraith: ?
Zombie: ?
Ghoul: ?
Ghast: ?
Vampire: ?

MC15 Monstrous Compendium Ravenloft Appendix II: Children of the Night (2e)

Spoiler

Strahd Von Zarovich, Vampire: ?
Count Dracula: ?
Jugo Hesketh, Ghoul Ghast: Long ago, Hesketh was a senior priest in the cult of the false god Zhakata led by Yagno Petrovna, the lord of G'henna. As Petrovna's chief Inquisitor, among his horrid duties were dreadful acts of torture and sacrifice; secretly, he practiced cannibalism on the corpses of his hapless victims. Over the years, these unholy practices warped his soul and, upon his death, transformed him into an undead fiend.
When Hesketh died, a terrible curse fell upon him. The origins of this curse may lie in his own taste for human flesh or in the dying oaths of his countless victims. Whatever the source, this curse saw him transformed into a foul thing of the night.
Azalin, Lord of Darkon, Lich: While visiting the elves of Neblus, he came upon the fragments of an ancient tome. This mysterious document told the tale of a young wizard who sought greater and greater power. At first, he found the story distracting. As he read more, he found it engrossing, though horrifying. In the end, he knew that he had found an account detailing the process by which Azalin, the Lord of Darkon, had become a lich.
Andres Duvall, Bardic Lich: Because of the unusual way in which Andres Duvall became undead, he does not have a phylactery or similar vessel containing his life force.
As he explored this terrible place, Azalin discovered his trespasses and confronted him. Enraged at this violation of his hospitality, the lich unleashed a stroke of magical lightning at the bard. Reacting quickly, Duvall attempted to shield himself with the great book he had been about to examine. The lightning struck the tome, which happened to be one of Azalin's most potent books of spells, and a terrible explosion shook the castle. Showers of blazing fragments ignited fires around the room and thick, acrid smoke boiled into the air.
Senmet, Greater Mummy: The so-called Children of Anhktepot are a horrible and sinister lot. Most were created by the dread lord of Har'Akir himself and are wholly loyal to that vile creature. Senmet, however, was given his power and undead stature by Isu Rehkotep, a priestess who stumbled upon a magical scroll.
Unlike all of the other greater mummies that guard Har'Akir's temples and tombs, Senmet was not created by Anhktepot.
Greater Mummy, Children of Anhktepot: The so-called Children of Anhktepot are a horrible and sinister lot. Most were created by the dread lord of Har'Akir himself and are wholly loyal to that vile creature.
Unlike all of the other greater mummies that guard Har'Akir's temples and tombs, Senmet was not created by Anhktepot.
Desert Zombie: In most cases, a diseased person crumbles into dust when he or she dies. If Senmet chooses, however, he can convert someone infected with his rotting disease into a unique breed of zombie or an actual mummy. In either case, the newly created horror is completely under Senmet's control.
Isu Rehkotep, Priest 9: If she perished, she might still be encountered in undead form.
Jezra Wagner, The Ice Queen, Spectre: Jezra's end came as the winter solstice drew near one year. She and several of her friends were climbing the slopes of Mount Baratok, hoping to reach its summit and look out across the grandeur of the Balinoks. It was their hope to see the distant spire of Mount Nyid, which was said to be visible from the highest reaches of Baratok. Their expedition was ill-fated, however, and doom claimed it before they reached the mountain's crest.
Jezra was the first to hear the rumbling. Indeed, this is probably what saved her from the sudden death that claimed her companions. Shouting a cry of alarm, she forced her body into a narrow fissure as the avalanche swept past her, ripping her companions from their ropes and sending them down to their deaths. Those who were not slain by the long fall were crushed to death by the weight of the snow that fell upon them.
Jezra, perched in a narrow cleft, was unhurt. She found that the crack she had taken shelter in was in fact a small cave that ran some twenty or thirty feet back into the cliff. The avalanche, however, had sealed the entrance behind her. With horror, she realized that she had been entombed alive.
Several time she tried to dig her way out of the dark cave. Each time, she gave up the futile effort as more snow fell to seal the entrance. It was not long before her small stock of provisions ran low. The candles she had stored in her pack were all used up, the air in the cave was becoming sour, and her food was gone. Soon, she knew, she would die. Cold fear began to grip her heart as she grew drowsy with the approach of death.
What happened next might be accredited to many things. Perhaps the air was growing thin and she was beginning to hallucinate as her brain slowly starved for oxygen. Perhaps the forces of evil saw their chance to claim this young innocent for their own and sent some dreadful agent to treat with her.
Whatever the truth, Jezra found herself bathed in a ghostly light. Her arms and legs had grown numb and frozen, the first victims of her frosty prison, and she sadly noted that this light brought no warmth with it. If anything, the temperature in the cave fell even lower.
Her interest aroused, she tried to draw herself back from the brink of death. Whatever this mysterious phenomenon was, she longed to know its cause before she died. Her eye focused on the source of the glow and delight welled up inside her. Giorggio, so long presumed dead, stood before her.
The vision moved forward. Short and stocky, with the same charismatic smile that she herself had, this was indeed the exact image of her brother. He wore the travelling clothes that she had last seen him in, but they were tattered and torn.
She reached out her hand to the shimmering vision, grimacing at the frigid fire in her lungs and hardly able to move her arm. The image of Giorggio knelt before her and looked at her with curious, almost unrecognizing eyes.
"Save me," was all she could manage to whisper.
"I cannot," came the reply.
Jezra began to cry, the tears freezing before they could fall from her face. The spirit faded away, leaving her alone and isolated in the darkness of her icy tomb. With her last breath, she cried out for someone, anyone, to save her from death, swearing that she would do anything to keep her existence from ending like this. Then
she closed her eyes and felt the bitter cold around her steal the pitiful remains of her body's warmth.
Somewhere in the darkness of Ravenloft, her pleas were heard. A strange darkness, deeper than the blackness of the cave, seeped out of the soul of the mountain. It coiled around the young woman's body like an ebony snake. Two pinpoints of red light like eyes smoldered to life, yet drove away none of the darkness. Then, like a cobra striking, the blackness plunged into Jezra's body.
As the last traces of the shade vanished into the corporeal flesh of the woman, Jezra twitched and her face contorted in agony. Unseen in her tomb, her body thrashed about violently for several seconds and then was forever still.
Gradually, a cold glow filled the cave. Jezra blinked and opened her eyes. She could feel her hands and her feet again. The air no longer choked her. The cold, however, was redoubled. Her flesh seemed to tremble endlessly, and her bones pounded with an arthritic ache. She cried out in agony and rose to her feet.
Her only thought was to somehow escape from this icy darkness; had she looked down, she might have seen her own body, unmoving in death. Instead, she plunged desperately into the rocks and ice blocking her escape, passing through them as if they were but fog to her.
Not realizing that she had died in the frozen cave, Jezra spent the next several days wandering the slopes of Mount Baratok. Although her heart longed to return to her family estate, she delayed while she searched for her brother, not realizing that she had now become an undead creature, as had he.
Giorggio Wagner: ?
Athaekeetha, Illithid Vampire: Athaekeetha, like all of the vampire illithids, was created in a foul experiment conducted by the vampire Lyssa Von Zarovich and the High Master of the mind flayers. The experiment was part of an ultimately successful attempt to transform the latter into a vampire. The "prototype" vampire illithids created by these experiments were believed to have been destroyed, but their regenerative powers enabled them to survive and escape into the wild, where they have flourished.
Athaekeetha was the last vampire illithid created by Lyssa Von Zarovich and the High Master before they gave up on the experiment; its higher intelligence is proof that at least some progress was being made in the project.
Illithid Vampire: Athaekeetha, like all of the vampire illithids, was created in a foul experiment conducted by the vampire Lyssa Von Zarovich and the High Master of the mind flayers. The experiment was part of an ultimately successful attempt to transform the latter into a vampire. The "prototype" vampire illithids created by these experiments were believed to have been destroyed, but their regenerative powers enabled them to survive and escape into the wild, where they have flourished.
Lyssa Von Zarovich, Vampire: ?
Mayonaka, Eastern Vampire: Hours later, Mayonaka awoke on a ledge that protruded from the walls of the endless shaft. With much effort, he climbed the rough stone face and reached the vampire's lair. Much to his horror he found that the creature was fully recovered from its earlier wounds. Delighted to discover that it might still have a prisoner to torture, the vampire attacked. The battle was long and terrible. In the end, the samurai was triumphant. Sadly, he too was dying. The vampire had tasted his life essence and left his soul drained and tainted. With a final prayer to his ancestors, he died.
To his surprise, he awoke a day or so later. His wounds, it seemed, were completely healed. Indeed, he felt better than he ever had before. He left the vampire's lair and headed out of the cave. With luck, he hoped to rejoin his sisters before they left the island. As he reached the cave's mouth and stepped out into the sunlight, he found himself wracked with horrible pain. He turned and tossed himself back into the cool darkness of the cavern just in time. With horror, he realized that he himself had become undead.

Harrla: ?
Inquisitor: ?
Lhiannon Shee: ?
Phantom: ?
Skuz: ?
Banshee Dwarf: ?
Dune Runner: ?
Ghost Mount: ?
Great Ghul: ?
Rom: ?
Apparition: ?
Coffer Corpse: ?
Penanggalan:
Sheet Ghoul: ?
Sheet Phantom: ?
Ghoul: Any human or demihuman slain by Hesketh will become a ghoul; only if the body is blessed is this horrible fate averted. If the victim is raised or resurrected without being blessed, he or she will rise at once as a ravening ghoul. Of course, if the body is destroyed—for example, if Hesketh and his associates eat their victim—it cannot become a ghoul.
Lich: Throughout the domains of Ravenloft and in countless other worlds, there are few creatures more terrible than the lich. In most cases, these diabolical creatures seek out the means by which they attain undead status, willingly sacrificing their humanity in the quest for forbidden knowledge and unchecked power. In rare cases, the curse of eternal life has been thrust upon someone quite accidentally. Such tragedies are few and far between, but sadly they do occur.
Mummy: In most cases, a diseased person crumbles into dust when he or she dies. If Senmet chooses, however, he can convert someone infected with his rotting disease into a unique breed of zombie or an actual mummy. In either case, the newly created horror is completely under Senmet's control.
In order to create a mummy, Senmet captures someone infected with his disease and takes his victim to his hidden temple. Here, he mummifies the person alive (a terrible and gruesome fate, to be certain). When the process is completed, the victim dies and promptly rises again as a mummy.
Vampire: ?
Vampire Eastern: Any human slain by Mayonaka's life-energy drain will become a vampire in turn. The transformation into unlife occurs one day after burial. Those who are not buried will not rise as vampires; thus, tradition dictates that all who die at the hands of these undead be cremated.

Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume One

Spoiler

Baelnorn: Baelnorn are elves who have sought undeath to serve their families, communities, or other purposes (usually to see a wrong righted, or to achieve a certain magical discovery or deed).
The process by which elves become baelnorn is old, secret, and complicated.
Baneguard: Baneguards are skeletons, usually but not always human, which are animated by clerical spells to serve as guardian creatures. The create baneguard spell was originally researched by priests of Bane (of the Forgotten Realms setting), but in the years since the demise of that deity, the secret of the spell has been spread such that many other evil (and not-so-evil) deities allow their priests to use it.
Create Baneguard spell.
Direguard: The create direguard spell is as the create baneguard, but is a 7th-level spell and has a casting time of one round.
Create Direguard spell.
Blazing Bones: Blazing bones are undead accidentally created when a priest or wizard who has prepared or partially prepared contingency magic to prevent death is killed by fiery damage. The casted magic twists the contingency provisions so the unfortunate victim passes into undeath in the heart of a roaring column of flame. Tormented by the endless agony of fire, the priest’s or wizard’s nature (including alignment, Hit Dice, and thoughts) changes.
There have been cases where evil archmages or high priests have deliberately created blazing bones as guardians, by slaying underling wizards or priests after laying control magic on them.
Crypt Servant: Though it is possible to create a crypt servant from any dead body, volunteers are usually preferred. Many ancient crypt servants actually volunteered for their posts, wishing to serve their masters in death as in life.
Because of their similar purpose and method of creation, crypt servants are sometimes associated with the crypt thing. The spells to create each are similar and probably have the same roots.
Create Crypt Servant spell.
Dread: These undead are created by wizards and priests to serve as guardians. The enchantment involves a set of instructions (similar to the specific triggering conditions for a magic mouth spell), in which the creator of the dread specifies where they are to operate; and under what circumstances they will and won’t attack. The spells also allow the bone to regenerate damage done to it, and to resist aging effects.
Vampiric Dread: ?
Flameskull: These magically powered flying skulls are fashioned from human heads soon after their owners’ deaths.
They are studied by alchemists, priests, and wizards whenever possible in an effort to duplicate their powers or the means of their making (so far without reported success), or to find special properties that their flames might possess.
Lich Psionic: Psionic liches are powerful espers who have left behind the physical demands of life in pursuit of ultimate mental powers.
Although the power that transformed them is natural (not supernatural, as it is with other liches), the extent to which psionic liches have pursued their goals is not natural.
By far the most important aspect of the existence of the psionic lich is the creation of its phylactery. To understand this mystical device, it is important to understand the process by which a psionicist becomes a lich. Before a psionicist can cross over into the darkness that is undeath, he must attain at least 18th level. In addition, he must be possessed of a great array of powers that can be bent and focused in ways new to the character.The first step in the creation of a phylactery is the crafting of the physical object that will become the creature’s spiritual resting place. Phylacteries come in all shapes, from rings to crowns, and from swords to idols. They are made from only the finest materials and must be fashioned by master craftsmen. Generally, a phylactery is fashioned in a shape that reflects the personality of the psionicist. The cost of creating a phylactery is 5,000 gp per level of the character. Thus, a 20th level psionicist must spend 100,000 gp on his artifact.
Once the phylactery is fashioned, it must be readied to receive the psionicist’s life force. This is generally done by means of the metapsionic empower ability, with some subtle changes in the way the psionicist uses the power that alters its outcome. In order to complete the phylactery, the psionicist must empower it with each and every psionic ability that he possesses.
Although an object cannot normally be empowered with psychic abilities in more than one discipline, the unusual nature of the phylactery allows this rule to be broken. However, before “opening” a new discipline within the object, the would-be lich must transfer all of his powers from the first discipline into it. For example, if a character has telepathic and metapsionic abilities, he must complete the empowering of all of his telepathic powers before he begins to infuse the object with his metapsionic ones. Once a discipline is closed it cannot be reopened.
During the creation of the phylactery, the psionicist is very vulnerable to attack. Each time that he gives his phylactery a new power, he loses it himself. Thus, the process strips away the powers of the psionicist as it continues. Obviously, the last power that is transferred into the phylactery is the empower ability. The effort of placing this ability within the phylactery drains the last essences of the psionicist’s life from him and completes his transformation into a psionic lich. At the moment that the transformation takes place the character must make a system shock survival roll. Failure indicates that his willpower was not strong enough to survive the trauma of becoming undead; his spirit breaks up and dissipates, making him forever dead. Only the powers of a deity are strong enough to revive a character who has died in this way; even a wish will not suffice.
Naga Bone: Bone nagas are created undead.
Created by dark nagas and a few evil mages to serve as guardians, these spellcasting worms serve their master with absolute loyalty. Their creation is an exacting process, hence their rarity.
Bone nagas are usually created by the nagara (evil nagakind, or dark nagas) to be guardians, especially of young nagas and nonmagical treasure.
Spectral Wizard: They are created by a unique spell that functions on human and elf wizards and gnome illusionists, taking hold only on those whose bodies once channeled wizard magic.
Spectral wizards are created artificially and have no ecological niche.
Create Spectral Wizard spell.
Tuyewera: The tuyewera is a horrible type of undead monster created by evil clerics in remote jungle villages. The cleric takes the corpse of a man slain by death magic spells and ritually removes the legs at the knees. The tongue is also severed. The cleric then enchants the corpse, bringing the ancestral spirit of a wizard or priest into it, which gives the corpse a horrid animation.
The spells and counterspells used for creating tuyeweras are granted only by the deities of evil witch doctors in tropical lands.
As created undead, tuyewera have nothing to contribute to the ecology.
Undead Dwarf: Undead dwarves are created by residual essence on the part of dwarves who are concerned, just before they die, that their final resting places will in some way be disturbed. It is this essence that allows the bodies of the dwarves to transform into protectors.
There is no known understanding of how undead dwarves are formed or why they exist except to protect their sacred tombs.
Undead Lake Monster: ?
Wolf Dread: These creatures were originally created by a renegade mage, but word of how to create these horrid creatures seems to have spread across the Prime Material Plane.
As magically animated undead, dread wolves have no natural place in any ecosystem. To create these servants, a mage must be evil and at least 9th level, and he must have 3d4 wolves that have been dead for no more than a day. The spellcaster begins an incantation over the dead wolves that combines modified versions of animate dead, summon shadow, and dismissal. By doing this, the mage summons a shadow from the Negative Energy Plane and breaks it into parts which are infused into the wolves, creating the dread wolves.
The spellcasting takes an hour. If the spell is interrupted, the energies of the shadow’s separate parts are unleashed. When this happens, the mage suffers 3d10 points of damage (no save) from the other-worldly energy blast.
At the end of the hour, the mage will have 3d4 servants that can travel up to 50 miles away and enable him to see and hear everything they see and hear. The wolves are directly under the control of the mage’s mind within this distance.
The wolves can venture outside the 50-mile limit, but they lose contact with the controlling mage. Unless previous commands prevent this, the wolves will immediately try to get back within the limit to regain contact. The dread wolves can be given a command of up to three short sentences (a total of 30 words), which they will cover any distance to fulfill. This command will always be fulfilled unless the dread wolves are destroyed first.
For some unknown reason, the spell that makes dread wolves will not work on dogs. A mage who attempts this on dogs suffers 3d10 points of damage as described earlier.
Wolf Vampiric: These foul undead creatures are the result of corrupting ceremonies used on normal wolf pups by evil clerics.
In order to create these foul corruptions, a cleric must be evil and at least 9th level. He can use 3d6 pups from one or more wolf dens. The pups must be very close to being weaned, but cannot have tasted meat or they will be useless.
The cleric first performs a ceremony using what amounts to the opposite of an atonement spell. Then, every day he must hand-feed the pups. The food can be no more than one day old and it must be infused with one or two drops of blood from a living human, or dust from a vampire and cursed using a reversed bless spell. This must continue every day for three months or the pups die. At the end of the three-month period, the pups are fully grown and must then be slain by poisoning; they then arise as vampiric wolves. If they are not slain at this time, the wolves must each make a saving throw vs. death magic or become greatly weakened (1 hp per Hit Die), living on as bloodthirsty but otherwise normal wolves.
It is impossible to create vampiric dogs.
Wolf Zombie: Zombie wolves are not created by a wizard or a priest, but rise when wolves starve or freeze to death near areas frequented by undead such as graveyards and necroplises.
It is generally thought that the creatures gain this strange form of existence from incidental contact with the Negative Material Plane. Some sages speculate that the anguish of starvation and freezing provides just enough impetus to animate the simple animals when negative energy touches them. Others figure that another undead creature must consciously seek the dead wolves and give them unlife.

Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume Two

Spoiler

Amiq Rasol, Deep Man, Dark Man: Amiq Rasol, also called Deep Men or Dark Men, are undead corsairs who were lost at sea, murdered, or marooned. Corsairs who refused to acknowledge or turned away from the gods may also become amiq rasol.
Arch-Shadow: As evil wizards and priests grow older and see their deaths before them, some decide to take their chances with becoming a lich. Most fail and die. The unlucky few who survive the process but fail to achieve lichdom become arch-shadows.
There are no recorded instances of a high-level priest or wizard striving to become an arch-shadow – misfortune leads to their existence.
During the process of achieving lichdom, the wizard or priest creates a special phylactery in which to store his or her life force. If this item fails during the process, there is a tremendous explosion and a 5% chance that the wizard or priest becomes an arch-shadow instead of being utterly destroyed. More often than not, faulty construction or some slight error in an incantation causes the delicate process to break down.
Once the lich-creation process has failed and the caster has successfully made the crossover to arch-shadow status, survival is not guaranteed. A system shock roll must be made, with failure indicating that the arch-shadow is drawn into the Plane of Negative Energy. If the roll is successful the arch-shadow is teleported to the location of an item of moderate to great power (a staff of curing, a +3 or better weapon, a ring of wizardry, or another item with an experience point value greater than 1,500), into which it can place its life force. An artifact is unsuitable, nor can the item be one owned by the arch-shadow or any former henchman; no item that was within 10 miles at the time of the failed attempt to become a lich is suitable.
The decision of which magical item to use is not made by the arch-shadow. The arch-shadow is teleported to a location where a suitable item exists.
Arch-Shadow Demi-Shade: To become a demi-shade, the arch-shadow must drain life energy from creatures that have touched its receptacle within the last 24 hours. It usually takes eight life levels gathered within two hours for the change to occur, but an arch-shadow can gamble in order to gain more Hit Dice in the process of transforming. It typically accomplishes this by draining high level characters or powerful creatures. For each additional level over eight that the arch shadow drains, one extra Hit Die is gained. If the draining takes place in a particularly unhallowed place, the arch-shadow gains an additional Hit Die. The arch-shadow cannot exceed a total of 30 Hit Dice.
Crypt Cat: Crypt cats are domestic cats that have been mummified.
Crypt cats are created by coating the corpse of a cat with a thin layer of clay that contains magical salves and oils. When dry, it is painted with brilliant colors in the pattern of the cat’s fur. Often, copious amounts of gilt paint are used.
The composition of the clay that animates a crypt cat is unknown, although it is assumed that high level necromantic spells are involved.
Crypt Cat Large: Sometimes the bodies of larger felines are made into crypt cats.
Curst: Curst are undead humans, trapped by an evil curse that will not let them die. They are created by a rare process: The victim’s skin pales to an unearthly white pallor, and his or her eyes turn black while the iris color deepens, becoming small pools of glinting dark color. Curst lose their sense of smell, often lose Intelligence, and develop erratic behaviour as their alignment changes to chaotic neutral.
In the process of becoming curst, humans lose their sense of smell, any magical abilities, and often their minds (but not their cunning); only 11% of the curst retain their full, former ability score, while most have a lowered Intelligence of 8.
Curst are created by the bestow curse spell (the reverse of the remove curse spell), and within four rounds adding a properly worded wish spell. Creating them is an evil act.
About 2% of curst are humanoid.
Ekimmu: An ekimmu is an angry undead spirit that was once human. It is created when a human dies far from home and is not given proper burial rites.
Ghost Casurua: The casurua is an undead manifestation that results from a group suffering traumatic death. It is most likely to form where a massacre has taken place, but could be found anywhere a group has suffered violent death, such as a burned-out building.
A casurua can form anywhere violent death occurs, especially unexpected or wrongful death. It is rarely found on a battlefield, because violent death there is expected and accepted. A casurua most often forms on a battlefield when the slain died by treachery. Casurua are most likely found on the sites of disaster, natural or otherwise. Ruins are prime habitats for casurua, especially places that were razed and looted.
Ghost Ker: Popular tradition identifies keres with evil spirits of the dead.
Ghul Great Ghul: The great ghuls are undead elemental cousins of the genies, the most wicked members of an inferior order of jann.
Ghul Great Ghul Desert: ?
Ghul Great Ghul Mage: ?
Ghul Great Ghul Mountain: ?
Ghul Great Ghul Sha'ir: ?
Ghul-Kin The ghul-kin are related to the great ghuls, and like them are undead jann.
Ghul-Kin Soultaker: ?
Ghul-Kin Witherer: ?
Lich Suel: These powerful wizards endure the centuries by transferring their life forces from one human host to the next.
The Suel lich is an unholy amalgamation of the human body and energ from the Negative Material Plane. Upon transformation into a Suel lich, the essence of the wizard is converted to negative energy that needs a human body to inhabit.
Mummy Creature: Creature mummies are undead whose bodies are preserved, then animated by their restless spirits.
Creature mummies may be created in a variety of ways. Their reanimation may result from intense death throes coupled by a will to live, invocation from dark priestly rituals, or creation by a necromancer or some powerful undead creature.
Mummy Creature Animal: ?
Mummy Creature Monster: ?
Wraith-Spider: Victims drained of all Constitution points by a wraith-spider die and have a 25% chance of becoming wraith-spiders themselves.
Wraith-spiders were originally created as guardians of treasure or as guards for a particular area of a drow stronghold.
It is rumored that a wizard named Muiral created them; however, it is more likely that the wraith-spiders were created years before by the drow for their wars against the duergar.

Ghoul: ?
Lich: ?
Spectre: ?
Vampire: ?
Wraith: Amiq rasol that do not feed for several years will fade away until they become wraiths.

Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume Three

Spoiler

Alhoon, Illithilich: Their bodies adapt only imperfectly to lich state; many magical steps of most lichdom processes used by others fail on a strongly-magic resistant mind flayer body.
Banedead: Created from fanatical human worshipers.
Banedead derive their power from the Negative Energy Plane and from the clerical power of the ritual that created them.
Banedead are created by a special ritual that requires at least 12 worshipers (to be turned into Banedead), at least 24 living additional worshipers (to offer prayers), and a priest of Bane or Xvim of at least 12th level (to preside over the ritual). The ritual must be held in a place that is consecrated to either Bane or Xvim. People who are to become Banedead (also called the Promised Ones) must come forward voluntarily. Rumors of innocent folks captured by cultists and forcibly transformed into Banedead are patently false. At the end of the ritual, the new Banedead are placed under the control of their new master, the presiding priest.
Some scholars are still trying to discern how a new breed of undead could be formed by a deity who is supposed to have been destroyed. A few sages believe that it is not Bane at all, but rather Xvim, who has introduced this new horror to the Realms. These sages speculate that the spirits of the Promised Ones are in fact shunted into Xvim somehow to nourish him, building his power so that he can eventually fill the void left by his father’s death.
Lich of Bane, Banelich: Tired of his faithful becoming victims, every 50-60 years Bane chose the most powerful priest within the ranks of his clerics and revealed to him or her a foul rite that would transform the caster, through force of faith, strength of will, and Bane’s divine hand, into a powerful, immortal form – a lich of Bane, or Banelich.
Baneliches were at least 17th-level clerics before they were transformed, and several were 20th level or higher.
Bat Bonebat: Bonebats are not thought to occur naturally, but the secrets of their making have been known in the Realms for a very long time, and many have gone feral.
Bonebats are usually constructed by evil priests and wizards working together. An intact giant bat skeleton, or a skeleton assembled from the bones of several bats, is required. A spell known as Nulathoe’s ninemen is cast on the skeleton. In the case of a bonebat, this spell links the skeletal wing bones with an invisible membrane of force to allow flight. Fly, detect invisibility, infravision, and animate dead spells complete the process. Further spells may be necessary to train the bonebat to serve as an obedient aide, but the spells listed here must be cast within two rounds of each other, and in the order given, or the process will fail.
Lich Archlich: ?
Bat Bonebat Battlebat: ?
Coffer Corpse: The coffer corpse is an undead creature seeking its final rest. It is always encountered on the scene of an incomplete death ritual: a stranded funeral barge, unburnt pyre, or so on.
Dragon Ghost Dragon: A ghost dragon is created when an ancient dragon is slain and its hoard looted.
Only ancient dragons can become ghost dragons.
Dread Warrior: Dread warriors are enhanced undead created by Szass Tam, Zulkir of Necromancy for the Red Wizards of Thay. Dread warriors are created immediately after a warrior’s death so that they retain at least minimal intelligence. They must be created from the bodies of fighters of at least 4th level who have been dead for less than a day.
Zulkir Szass Tam created the dread warriors over 20 years ago, intending them for an invasion of Rashemen.
Son of Kyuss: Sons of Kyuss are horrible undead beings that convert living humans and demihumans into cursed undead like themselves.
In addition to flailing fists, one worm per round attempts to jump from a son’s head to a character the son is meleeing. The worm needs only to roll a successful attack roll (same THAC0 as the son) to land on the victim. The worm burrows into the victim on the next round unless killed by the touch of cold iron, holy water, or a blessed object. After penetrating the victim's skin, the worm burrows toward the victim’s brain, taking 1d4 rounds to reach it. During this time a remove curse or cure disease spell will kill the worm, and neutralize poison or dispel evil will delay the worm for 1d6 turns. If the worm reaches the brain, the victim dies immediately and becomes a son of Kyuss.
Kyuss was an evil high priest who created the first of these creatures, via a special curse, under instruction from an evil deity.
The worms are tied to the curse of the sons but exactly how remains a mystery. It is known that the worms cannot survive apart from a victim or on a son. Worms that fail to burrow into a victim die as soon as they touch the ground. Any worm removed from a son dies within one round of separation from the son who carried it. When a son is killed permanently, the worms die with him. Some sages have proposed that the worms might not be living creatures per se, but incarnations of the curse.
Undead Dragon Slayer: An undead dragon slayer is a horrifying creature returned from death to destroy dragons.
Most undead dragon slayers are called back from the grave by necromantic magic. Though it retains its own mind and agenda, it must obey the commands of the summoner – at least until its task is complete or it somehow wins its freedom. A small number of dragon slayers actually will themselves back from the dead. These individuals have the utmost faith in their cause, an undying hatred of dragons, and a supernatural strength of will.
In the Council of Wyrms setting, undead dragon slayers were members of the vast army of human warriors who invaded the Io’s Blood isles in ages past. Any slayer of 9th level or greater who died before his holy task was finished can rise as an undead warrior.
Zhentarim Spirit: A Zhentarim spirit is the essence of a Zhentarim wizard who met with a horrible death at the hands of his or her enemies or treacherous comrades. The spirit of the wizard is extremely vengeful, and by sheer force of will is remaining on the Prime Material Plane until a task is complete or until it takes revenge on those who slew it. Zhentarim spirits are extremely rare, and only the death of a wizard who is greater than 14th level can bring about the creation of one of these spiteful spirits.
The determination of Zhentarim spirits to annihilate their killers is exceptional, and these creatures defy final judgment for indefinite and extended periods to exact their revenge. This is done through these spirits’ force of will (minimum Wisdom of 16), aided by their connection with the magical arts (minimum of 14th-level wizard).
These spirits have so far only been linked with wizards of the Zhentarim, and many think the tendency of Zhentarim wizards to form these spirits is attributable to magical means that they use to extend their lives. A vengeful Zhentarim spirit is formed one to two days after the death of an appropriate Zhentarim wizard, and it immediately sets about planning its revenge.

Lich: ?
Vampire: ?
Zombie: A cure disease or remove curse spell will transform a son of Kyuss into a zombie, but both spells require that the priest touch the son.

Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume Four

Spoiler

Inquisitor: Created by evil wizards centuries ago, inquisitors are a shambling, rotting, undead abominations.
Inquisitors were cursed hundreds of years ago to forever cause pain and extract information.
Mummy Bog: Bog mummies are formed when a corpse comes to rest in a marsh or swamp and is naturally mummified by being coated in a layer of mud. Eventually the body takes on the dark coloration of the earth and becomes as tough as tanned leather. The clothing is partially preserved and sticks to the corpse in patches, as does hair. The facial features are distorted in a permanent grimace and the hands are stiffened into clawlike hooks. When the corpse at last rises as an undead creature, it walks with an uneven gait, due to the stiffness of its limbs.
A bog mummy rises as an undead creature when a powerful burst of positive energy causes the dead person’s spirit to rejoin with a body preserved by the bog. Bog mummies might be created by a priest or another bog mummy from a fresh corpse taken into the bog. They might also be the result of the interplay of a powerful positive energy source and latent traumatic emotional forces.
Shadowrath: Shadowraths are created by a fell artifact, the Crown of Horns.
Shadowrath Lesser, Blackbones: They are created by the ray of undeath power of the artifact, Crown of Horns. Those killed by this ray arise as lesser shadowraths, also known as blackbones.
Lesser shadowraths are created by the Crown of Horns.
Shadowrath Greater: These powerful undead are also created by the Crown of Horns. Those slain by Myrkul’s hand, the other major power of the artifact, arise as greater shadowraths.
Siren Ravenloft: It is thought that the sirens are merfolk transformed by a cataclysmic burst of negative energy.
Skeleton Dust: Bones used to create dust skeletons must be specially dried to the point of crumbling, then coated with a special resin containing a paralyzing venom. Tansmute water to dust is used in conjunction with animate dead to complete the process.
Skeleton Spike: Each spike must be specially carved from bones taken from the same type of creature that is to be animated (for example, human bones for a human skeleton). A glyph is carved into each spike before it is attached to the skeleton. During animation, a shatter spell is cast in conjunction with the animate dead spell. After animation, the 6th-level necromancy spell imbue undead with spell ability is cast, along with Beltyn’s burning blood; these spells are also used to recharge a spike skeleton with this ability.
Skeleton Obsidian: An obsidian jewel, inscribed with a special glyph, must be implanted in the skeleton’s forehead. A second animate dead spell must be cast in conjunction with the first, along with vampiric touch.
Spectral Scion: A spectral scion is the spirit of a bloodtheft victim who was killed with a tighmaevril weapon (which allows the slayer to steal powers associated with the victim’s bloodline). Not all those with a special bloodline killed in this way become spectral scions, but those who do daily relive the horror of losing their bloodlines, and are doomed to spend eternity seeking peace.
Vampire Cerebral: ?
Zombie Mud: Zombie Mud Zombie:[/b] Mud zombies are mindless, animated corpses that consist of a thick layer of slimy mud over a framework of bones. When the appropriate condition arises, they animate.
Mud zombies are made from whole or partial skeletons, usually human.
Mud zombies can be created wherever the raw materials to make them (bones and mud) are found. They are usually encountered on battlefields and in graveyards situated near a source of water (a river, bog, or lake). Climatic conditions must be just right at the time they are created or summoned forth. For example, if there has been a prolonged drought and the earth is dry and hard-packed, then a mud zombie cannot rise from its resting place.

Ghost: ?
Ghoul: A human or humanoid creature whose Intelligence or Wisdom is reduced to 0 by a cerebral vampire becomes a ghoul under its complete control.
Ghast: ?
Mummy: ?
Shadow: ?
Spectre: ?
Vampire: ?
Wight: ?
Zombie: ?

Monstrous Compendium Dark Sun Appendix II Terrors Beyond Tyr

Spoiler

Dhaot: Dhaots are incorporeal undead that are sometimes created when people die far away from their homes. The spirits of the deceased feel an overwhelming compulsion to return to their homes they had in life.
Many dhaots are halflings who died outside their forests.
Fael: Faels are ravenous undead beings who never quenched their need for material consumption during life.
Rich humans and demihumans are often subject to this form of undeath.
Most faels are from the upper echelons of society and most are elves or humans.
Kaisharga, Dead Lord: They have sought undeath, unnaturally extending their lives past the endurance of their mortal frames.
The kaisharga is a dreadful creature that has turned its back on the rightful order of things, trading life for power.
The Dragon confers undeath on any of its servants who prove exceptionally capable, loyal, and efficient.
They voluntarily sought undeath, believing it to be a form of immortality.
Kaisharga, Dregoth: Xontra was once a servant of Dregoth, the sorcerer-king. The powerful dragon kaisharga transformed her into a kaisharga using the same secret methods he had used upon himself.
Kaisharga, Hrutghel: ?
Kaisharga Cleric 19, Jagmargal: Jagmargal was a great hero of ages past. While he was a great priest, he was better known as an explorer. He was captured by Hrutghel, a powerful kaisharga who was Jagmargal's greatest enemy, and was transformed into a kaisharga himself.
Kaisharga Dray Defiler 21, Xontra: Xontra was once a servant of Dregoth, the sorcerer-king. The powerful dragon kaisharga transformed her into a kaisharga using the same secret methods he had used upon himself.
Kaisharga Gladiator 23, Neltor: Neltor was a former gladiator who was a little past his prime. He was recently transformed into a kaisharga by the Dragon, Lord of the Ring of Fire.
Krag: Krags are undead created when a cleric aligned to an element or para-element dies in the medium diametrically opposed to his own. The anguish and trauma of dying to the very force he devoted his life to opposing is sometimes enough to transform a cleric into a wicked and bitter undead.
Kragling: Kraglings are creatures who have perished from the elemental transfusion attack of a krag. Anything that dies in this manner has a 45% chance of coming back as a kragling in 1-4 days.
Any creature can become a kragling if it was killed by the elemental transfusion of a krag. Silt spawn, humanoids, demihumans, humans, and even nonhumanoid monsters are all subject to the transfusion attack and thus can become kraglings. What type of kragling and how powerful it is depends on the creature’s Hit Dice.
A character bitten by a krag must make a saving throw versus death, or his blood will slowly turn into the krag’s element. As the blood changes, the victim suffers 1d4 additional points of damage per round. If death results, there is a 45% chance that the victim will become a kragling in 1d4 days. This infection counts as a poison or a disease for purposes of countering, so sweet water or even a cure disease spell will halt the process instantly.
Kragling Lesser: Lesser kraglings are created when creatures with less than 4 Hit Dice are killed by a krag’s elemental transfusion.
Kragling Greater: Greater kraglings are created when creatures with more than 4 Hit Dice are killed by a krag’s elemental transfusion.
Meorty: Meorties were created long ago through the necromancies of high priests and through the use of long-lost psionic abilities for the purpose of serving as the protectors of various Green-Age domains.
Meorties are undead who were once protectors of domains that vanished more than 2,000 years ago. They were placed in crypts with large amounts of treasure, so they might continue to look after their realms in death.
All meorties are of the old races (human, elf, dwarf, giant, and halfling).
Meorty Human Fighter 15, Ordela, 5th Lawkeeper of Bodach: Odrela was one of the most respected law-keepers in the history of ancient Bodach. When the time came to select a new meorty to administer to the domain, she accepted her fate and joined the ranks of the undead protectors.
Meorty Human Fighter 20, Proctor Drelto of Antalus: Proctor Drelto was once a feared and powerful law-keeper in the long-forgotten province of Antalus. He was voluntarily transformed into a meorty so that he could continue to defend Antalus for eternity.
Raaig: Raaigs are incorporeal spirits sustained by their unwavering belief and sense of duty to ancient gods that no longer exist on Athas.
Eldena longs for companionship with others, but finds that she cannot be with the living for long periods of time without becoming depressed completely. She does have the power to turn a dead spirit into a Raaig, but only at the moment of the person's death, and only if the spirit is truly willing to become one. The new Raaig must always remain within 500 feet of Eldena, or fade away to nothing. She longs to be able to create such a companion for herself someday.
All raaigs are at least 2,000 years old and all are of the old races (human, elf, dwarf, giant, and halfling).
Raaig Elf Cleric 14, Eldena, Guardian of the Mountain Temple: Millennia ago, Eldena was the last high priestess of the mountain
temple before the great wars started that would destroy the world as she knew it. In hopes of protecting her temple, she called upon her god to transform her into one of the undead so she could always watch over the sacred place and protect it from the evils of the world.
The dieties do not recognize Athas. so their was nothing resulted from her plea. Despairing, she poisoned herself. However, Eldena's belief was so strong, that upon her death she was transformed into a raaig and remains bound to the temple.
Raaig Human Fighter 9, Nameless Sentinel of the Forbidden Caverns: ?
Raaig Human Cleric 10, Varoxil Rante, Sentinel of the Forbidden Caverns: ?
Racked Spirit: Racked spirits are the evil remnants of persons who committed acts during their lives that violated the very nature of their being.
Racked spirits vary in race, but dwarven banshees are the most common. Dwarven banshees are created whenever dwarves forsake their life purpose.
Racked spirits single out happy individuals, attempting to ruin their lives through “bad luck”. They appear to those they have ruined to offer their help in exchange for services. The services they require always conflict with the strongest beliefs of the victims. If the victims refuse to do what the spirit requests, the spirit descends on them and drains their life energy. Those who agree and go against their own beliefs become full-strength racked spirits upon their deaths.
Thinking zombies might return as racked spirits because they were unable to complete their tasks as thinking zombies.
Racked spirits are incorporeal undead animated by their own guilt over committing some act that violated their basic nature. The dwarven banshee, created when a dwarf forsakes his life purpose, is the most common.
Dwarven Banshee: Racked spirits vary in race, but dwarven banshees are the most common. Dwarven banshees are created whenever dwarves forsake their life purpose.
Racked spirits are incorporeal undead animated by their own guilt over committing some act that violated their basic nature. The dwarven banshee, created when a dwarf forsakes his life purpose, is the most common.
Lesser Spirit: A being drained of all its life energy by a racked spirit becomes a lesser spirit.
T'Liz: T’lizes are undead defilers whose spirits have outlived their bodies.
All t'lizes were defilers in life and retain all their spell casting abilities.
T’lizes are powerful defilers who died before completing their magical studies.
T'Liz Human Defiler 19, Nevarli: Nevarli's love of magic was so powerful that when she found the spells and anointments that would sustain her in undeath so she could continue her magical studies, she used them.
T'Liz Human Defiler 23, Kedomir: ?
Freewilled Undead: Freewilled undead once belonged to an intelligent species and in undeath continue to think for themselves.
Controlled Undead, Walking Dead: Controlled undead are animated corpses such as skeletons and zombies that may not belong to an intelligent species.
Wraith Athasian: In the Gray, the spirits of the dead slowly dissolve and are absorbed. Some spirits, like wraiths, don’t suffer this fate. They are sustained by a force even more powerful than the Gray – their everlasting faith in a cause greater than themselves.
All wraiths need something important from their lives to serve as magnets for their spirits. These items can be candles of faith, like in the Crimson shrine, or brilliant gems full of life force, such as the gems used by the Dragon’s wraith knights.
Athasian wraiths differ from other wraiths in that they voluntarily embraced undeath as a form of existence.
A character slain by a t'liz through its life energy drain becomes an Athasian wraith under direct command of the t'liz.
Wraith Athasian Human Fighter 11, Nikolos: Nikolos was one of Borys the Thirteenth Champion's select knights during the Cleansing Wars of ages past. Like the other select knights, Nikolos continued to serve Borys after his death by becoming a wraith.
Zombie Thinking: A thinking zombie is a creature who has died and its spirit cannot rest until it has completed the task.
Creatures who die before completing an important task (often under the compulsion of a geas or quest spell) often become thinking zombies.
Many thinking zombies are giants and half-giants, as they are often selected for quests because of their size and strength.
Zombie Thinking Human Templar 6, Evirdel Ironhand: Evirdel served as a loyal templar in the service of Dictator Andropinis, sorcerer-king of Balic, until she was falsely accused and condemned as a traitor. She was tortured into a false confession before her peers, as an example, and then slain and revived as a thinking zombie.
Zombie Thinking Mul Gladiator 4, Claktor Bloodfist: Claktor was making a living as a burglar, working with a thief. The pair accidentally chose the wrong home to burglarize and were killed by the powerful defiler who lived there. The thieves were raised from the dead by the defiler almost as a joke.

Undead: The type of undead a creature becomes upon death is based upon the motivation or event that caused the undead to resist death. While certain races are more likely to become certain types of undead, this is because members of that particular race often share similar motivations.
Lich: ?
Skeleton: Most skeletons and zombies are man-sized or smaller, but larger corpses such as mekillot skeletons and zombie giants are often animated by more powerful necromancers.
Produce Undead undead power.
Wraith: ?
Zombie: Most skeletons and zombies are man-sized or smaller, but larger corpses such as mekillot skeletons and zombie giants are often animated by more powerful necromancers.
Produce Undead undead power.
Racked Spirit Dwarven Banshee: Racked spirits vary in race, but dwarven banshees are the most common. Dwarven banshees are created whenever dwarves forsake their life purpose.
Racked spirits are incorporeal undead animated by their own guilt over committing some act that violated their basic nature. The dwarven banshee, created when a dwarf forsakes his life purpose, is the most common.

Produce Undead: The undead can produce one lesser controlled undead (animated skeletons or zombies) for each HD they have. This may be used once per day and there must be skeletons or corpses present.

Monstrous Compendium Mystara Appendix

Spoiler

Agarat: No one knows how these creatures came into being.
Agarat Greater: ?
Darkhood: Legends say that darkhoods are the restless life forces of those who died in a state of extreme terror, especially terror of death itself. To maintain its connection to its territory, the darkhood feeds on the terror of other sapient beings, thus replenishing its own energies. No one has yet found a way to communicate with or adequately study a darkhood, and so the truth behind the legends remains unsubstantiated.
Gray Philosopher: A gray philosopher is the undead spirit of an evil cleric who died with some important philosophical deliberation yet unresolved in his or her mind.
Gray Philosopher Malice: These vindictive creatures are actually the gray philosopher’s evil thoughts, which have taken on substance and a will of their own.
Certain clerics and academicians speculate that any powerful evil cleric who, at death becomes a gray philosopher may have been attempting to become one of the Immortals.
Sacrol: They are spawned in sites of great death.
Sacrols are the collected angry spirits of the dead.
Sacrols arise in places of mass death, such as battlefields, sacked temples, and plague-ridden cities or countrysides.
Spirit: Spirits are powerful undead beings which inhabit the bodies, or body parts, of others.
Spirit Druj: Druj appear as body parts – a hand, an eye, or a skull – floating or crawling around in a horrible way.
Spirit Odic: Odics are formless creatures that take possession of normal plants, usually shrubs or small trees.
Topi: Topis are tiny undead humanoid creatures similar to zombies. Before these creatures are animated, however, the corpses are shrunk until they are only 2 feet tall. The process gives them dark, wrinkled, leathery skin Their eves are wide and bulging, and their lips are usually curled back, freezing their faces into permanent toothy grimaces (occasionally, however, the lips are sewn shut).
Unlike zombies, topis do not have a rotting stench, as the shrinking process also preserves their flesh.
The dead body of any humanoid creature can be made into a topi. Only a few tribal spell casters know bow to shrink the corpses, however. The few travelers who have observed the process and have been lucky enough to return to tell the tale report that the corpse is boiled for several days in a mixture of water, herbs, and animal organs, then dried in the sun and animated, presumably with a variant animate dead spell.
Vampire Velya: They were once surface dwellers who became undead through an ancient curse.
Only a transfusion of the velya’s blood or the original curse, now forgotten, can make a velya.
Vampire Velya Swamp: Swamp Velyas origins are identical to ocean velya.
Wyrd: They are created when an evil spirit inhabits the dead body of an elf.
The process that creates wyrds is a mystery. It seems to be clear, however, that the spirit that animates a wyrd prefers to occupy elves who have died violently and been left unburied. Elves who have been abandoned by their fellow elves and left to die alone seem to be the most likely to become wyrds. Certain locales near places of ancient evil, such as ruined temples, battlefields where evil forces were once victorious, and scenes of great treachery also seem to be prone to produce wyrds.
Wyrd Greater: This more hideous variety of wyrd is created when an undead spirit occupies the body of an exceptionally high-level elf.
Zombie Lightning: Lightning zombies are undead creatures created when the bodies of dead humans, demihumans, or humanoids are bathed in exceptionally strong magical auras.
Zombie Lightning Greater: These creatures are created when a powerful character or leader dies and the body is exposed to awesome magical energies.

Wight: Characters slain by a velya return from death after three days and become wights.

Monstrous Compendium Planescape Appendix II

Spoiler

Sword Spirit: Sword spirits are the undead spirits of powerful warriors who perished in useless battles.

Monstrous Compendium Ravenloft Appendices I & II

Spoiler

Bastellus: Any being reduced to below level 0 by the preying of a bastellus will die in its sleep, seemingly of a heart attack. If the body is not destroyed (via cremation, immersion in acid, or similar means), its spirit will rise in a number of days equal to the number of levels it lost to the bastellus. Thus, a 14th level wizard would rise up in two weeks. The new spirit is also a bastellus, but it has no connection with the monster that created it.
Bat Skeletal: keletal bats are created by the use of an animate dead spell and are often associated with necromancers or evil priests.
Bowlyn: Bowlyn are undead spirits who, like the poltergeist, do not rest easily in their graves. Without exception, they were sailors on ocean-going vessels who died due to an accident at sea. In life, they were cruel or selfish persons; in death they blame their shipmates for the mishap that took their lives. Thus, they return from their watery grave to force others beneath the icy waves.
Bussengeist: A bussengeist is the spectral form of someone who died in a great calamity brought on by their own action or inaction.
As a rule, only those persons who feel remorse for their actions will become bussengeists. For example, a traitor who allowed an invading force to gain access to a walled city and was himself slain in the ensuing battle might become a bussengeist. If he was killed without warning and felt no pity for those his actions had brought misery to, he would not be transformed. If, on the other hand, he knew that he was about to die and had reason to feel that he had acted in error, he might well become a bussengeist.
Ghoul Lord: It is rumored that they were first created at the hands of an insane necromancer in some other dimension, but that they were so evil as to instantly draw the attention of the Dark Powers.
Mummy Greater: Also known as Anhktepot’s Children, greater ,mummies are a powerful form of undead created when a high-level lawful evil priest of certain religions is mummified and charged with the guarding of a burial place.
The first of these creatures is known to have been produced by Anhktepot, the Lord of Har’akir, in the years before he became undead himself.
he process by which a greater mummy is created remains a mystery to all but Anhktepot. It is rumored that this process involves a great sacrifice to gain the favor of the gods and an oath of eternal loyalty to the Lord of Har’akir.
Skeleton Giant: Giant skeletons are similar to the more common undead skeleton, but they have been created with a combination of spells and are, thus, far more deadly than their lesser counterparts.
In actuality, they are simply human skeletons that have been magically enlarged.
The first giant skeletons to appear in Ravenloft were created by the undead priestess Radaga in her lair within the domain of Kartakass. Others have since mastered the spells and techniques required to create these monsters; thus, giant skeletons are gradually beginning to appear in other realms where the dead and undead lurk.
The process by which giant skeletons are created is dark and evil. Attempts to manufacture them outside of Ravenloft have failed, so it is clear that they are in some way linked to the Dark Powers themselves. In order to create a giant skeleton, a spell caster must have the intact skeleton of a normal human or demihuman. On a night when the land is draped in fog, they must cast an animate dead, produce fire, enlarge, and a resist fire spell over the bones. When the last spell is cast, the bones lengthen and thicken and the creatures rises up. The the creator must make a Ravenloft Powers check for his part in this evil undertaking.
Strahd's Skeletal Steeds: Strahd’s skeletal steeds are magically animated undead horses, created as guardians and warriors by the master vampire Strahd Von Zarovich.
Further, only Strahd Von Zarovich knows the arcane ritual necessary to make them. He can make them only from horse skeletons where 90% of the bones and the skull are present. It is not known if other animals can be animated from the same spell, but given the power of the Lord of Barovia, and his ties to the evil forces of necromancy, this seems probable.
Treant Undead: When an evil treant sees that its many years are soon to come to an end, it seldom accepts this fate quietly. For most, this means a final, wild orgy of violence and death. For a few, however, it means death and resurrection as a thing so dark and evil that even the Vistani will not speak of it.
Undead treants seem to be a natural stage in the life cycle of some evil treants. No doubt this is given as a “reward” for their evil lives by the Dark Powers.
Valpurgeist: The valpurgeist, or hanged man, is an undead creature that is sometimes manifested when an innocent man or woman is wrongly hanged for a crime. Unable to prove its innocence in life, it returns after death to claim the lives of those who sent it to the gallows.
Vampire Dwarf: Those dwarves that fall prey to the undead will often become themselves undead. Three days after any character dies from the vampire’s vitality draining, they will rise again if certain conditions are met. First, and most importantly, the victim must have been a dwarf. Vampire dwarves who kill elves or humans will not create new vampires, for only their own kind can be brought back to unlife by them. Further, the body must be intact. Second, the body must be placed in a stone coffin or sarcophagus and then entombed in some subterranean place. A typical burial service will meet this requirement, while placement in a crypt on the surface will not. Finally, the dwarven vampire must visit the body of its victim on the third night after burial and sprinkle the body with powdered metals. As soon as this is done, the new vampire is born.
Vampire Elf: Any elf or half-elf who falls to the essence draining attack of an elven vampire will rise again as an elven vampire so long as the body is intact after three days. If the body has been destroyed or mutilated, the transformation is averted, and the dead character may rest in peace. However, any attempt to revive the slain character (with a resurrection spell, for example) has a flat 50% chance of transforming the character into a vampire once the spell is cast.
Vampire Gnome: Gnomish vampires seldom create others of their kind. When they opt to do so, however, the process is not without risk. The vampire must first slay a victim with its debilitating touch and then move the body to the sarcophagus in which the vampire itself sleeps. For the next three days, the body must lie in the coffin while the vampire rests atop it, allowing its essences to seep slowly into the evolving vampire. At the end of this time, the slain gnome rises as a fully functioning vampire, completely under the control of its creator. While the gnome vampire rests atop its coffin, it is unable to regenerate any lost hit points or employ any of its spell-like abilities. Thus, the creature is far more vulnerable to attack at this time than it normally might be. In addition, it cannot interrupt the creation process once it has begun or both the would-be vampire and its creator will die.
Vampire Halfling: The vampire can make more of its kind only by slaying other halflings with its energy-sapping attack. In order to create a new vampire, the halfling need do nothing more than keep the body of its victim intact for 7 days after death and a new vampire will be created.
Vampire Kender: The strange and foul magics that created them have forged an unbreakable bond between them and the realm of Lord Soth.
Knowing the revulsion that the elves who live in his domain feel for all manner of unnatural things, Soth felt that he could find no better slaves than a band of undead. Aware that undead elves might pose a threat to his own power, Soth set about the creation of a new breed of undead. Drawing a small kender village through the misty veils of Ravenloft and into his domain, he had them killed one by one so that he could study their sufferings and invoke carefully designed magical rituals over their bodies in attempts to make them rise as undead. By the time he had finished with these sad kender, fully half of them had died horrible deaths and suffered unspeakable torment at the hand of the dreaded deathknight. The results of his experiments were, however, satisfactory to Soth, for he discovered a formula that would create a race of vampires utterly loyal to him. It is believed that Soth has created no fewer than 10 such monsters and no more than 30, although hard evidence to support any given estimate is hard to come by.
Kender vampires can exist only within the confines of Lord Soth’s domain of Sithicus. They are tied to that dark land in some mystical way that, no doubt, relates to the evil magic used in their creation. It is possible that Lord Soth was required to invoke the favor of the Dark Powers in his creation of these dreaded monsters and, thus, that he has paid some horrible price for their loyalty to him.
Zombie Lord: The zombie lord is a living creature that has taken on the foul powers and abilities of the undead. They are formed on rare occasions as the result of a raise dead spell cast while in the demiplane of Ravenloft.
The zombie lord comes into being by chance, and only under certain conditions. First, an evil human being (the soon-to-be zombie lord) must die at the hands of an unread creature. Second, an attempt to raise the slain character must be made. Third, and last, the character must fail his resurrection survival roll.

Ghoul: The death of a darkling usually (90%) draws the attention of the nearest Vistani group. Within a week, they arrive at the location of the demise, bury the body (if such is still available), and perform an ancient rite designed to soothe the spirit of their tortured brother and allow him to rest in eternal peace. If this ritual is not completed, there is a 90% chance that the darkling will return in 1 to 6 weeks as a ghast (if the body is intact) or as a wraith (if the body has been destroyed). This undead creature then hunts down those men who served it in life and kills them, transforming them into ghouls (if the darkling returns as a ghast) or wights (if it is a wraith). Thus, its evil band will again plague the lands.
Any human or demihuman slain by Hesketh will become a ghoul; only if the body is blessed is this horrible fate averted. If the victim is raised or resurrected without being blessed, he or she will rise at once as a ravening ghoul. Of course, if the body is destroyed – for example, if Hesketh and his associates eat their victim – it cannot become a ghoul.
Ghoul Ghast: The death of a darkling usually (90%) draws the attention of the nearest Vistani group. Within a week, they arrive at the location of the demise, bury the body (if such is still available), and perform an ancient rite designed to soothe the spirit of their tortured brother and allow him to rest in eternal peace. If this ritual is not completed, there is a 90% chance that the darkling will return in 1 to 6 weeks as a ghast (if the body is intact) or as a wraith (if the body has been destroyed).
If the body of a ghoul lord's rotting disease victim is not destroyed, they will rise as a ghast on the third night after their death.
Long ago, Hesketh was a senior priest in the cult of the false god Zhakata led by Yagno Petrovna, the lord of G’henna. As Petrovna’s chief Inquisitor, among his horrid duties were dreadful arts of torture and sacrifice; secretly, he practiced cannibalism on the corpses of his hapless victims. Over the years, these unholy practices warped his soul and, upon his death, transformed him into an undead fiend.
When Hesketh died, a terrible curse fell upon him. The origins of this curse may lie in his own taste for human flesh or in the dying oaths of his countless victims. Whatever the source, this curse saw him transformed into a foul thing of the night.
Lich Bardic: Throughout the domains of Ravenloft and in countless other worlds, there are few creatures more terrible than the lich. In most cases, these diabolical creatures seek out the means by which they attain unread status, willingly sacrificing their humanity in the quest for forbidden knowledge and unchecked power. In rare cases, the curse of eternal life has been thrust upon somone quite accidentally. Such tragedies are few and far between, but sadly they do occur.
As Andre Duvall explored this terrible place, Azalin discovered his trespasses and confronted him. Enraged at this violation of his hospitality, the lich unleashed a stroke of magical lightning at the bard. Reacting quickly, Duvall attempted to shield himself with the great book he had been about to examine. The lightning struck the tome, which happened to be one of Azalin’s most potent books of spells, and a terrible explosion shook the castle. Showers of blazing fragments ignited fires around the room and thick, acrid smoke boiled into the air.
Dazed, but amazed that he had survived at all, Duvall fled. Azalin, intent on saving his magical laboratory, did not pursue. Thus, Duvall escaped and went into hiding.
As the days passed, it became more and more clear to Duvall that the accident in the laboratory had made some great change in his body. To his horror, he found that his heart no longer beat and that he did not breathe. He had not survived the attack, after all.
Mummy Greater: Most greater mummies were created by the dread lord of Har’Akir himself and are wholly loyal to that vile creature. Senmet, however, was given his power and undead stature by Isu Rehkotep, a priestess who stumbled upon a magical scroll.
A young priestess named Isu Rehkotep discovered a magical scroll. She saw at once that it was the process by which Anhktepot created his dreadful greater mummies.
Now a minion of evil, Rehkotep recovered the mysterious scroll that she had hidden away so long ago. She began to study it and to make plans for its use. What Rehkotep did not fully understand at the time was that her scroll fragments were incomplete. She was able to awaken Senmet, but not to exercise complete control over his actions as she had expected.
Spectre: With her last breath, she cried out for someone, anyone, to save her from death, swearing that she would do anything to keep her existence from ending like this. Then she closed her eyes and felt the bitter cold around her steal the pitiful remains of her body’s warmth.
Somewhere in the darkness of Ravenloft, her pleas were heard. A strange darkness, deeper than the blackness of the cave, seeped out of the soul of the mountain. It coiled around the young woman’s body like an ebony snake. Two pinpoints of red light like eyes smoldered to life, yet drove away none of the darkness. Then, like a cobra striking, the blackness plunged into Jezra’s body.
As the last traces of the shade vanished into the corporeal flesh of the woman, Jezra twitched and her face contorted in agony. Unseen in her tomb, her body thrashed about violently for several seconds and then was forever still.
Gradually, a cold glow filled the cave. Jezra blinked and opened her eyes. She could feel her hands and her feet again. The air no longer choked her. The cold, however, was redoubled. Her flesh seemed to tremble endlessly, and her bones pounded with an arthritic ache. She cried out in agony and rose to her feet.
Her only thought was to somehow escape from this icy darkness; had she looked down, she might have seen her own body, unmoving in death. Instead, she plunged desperately into the rocks and ice blocking her escape, passing through them as if they were but fog to her.
Vampire Illithid: Athaekeetha, like all of the vampire illithids, was created in a foul experiment conducted by the vampire Lyssa Von Zarovich and the High Master of the mind flayers.
Vampire Eastern: In the end, the samurai was triumphant. Sadly, he too was dying. The vampire had tasted his life essence and left his soul drained and tainted. With a final prayer to his ancestors, he died.
To his surprise, he awoke a day or so later. His wounds, it seemed, were completely healed. Indeed, he felt better than he ever had before. He left the vampire’s lair and headed out of the cave. With luck, he hoped to rejoin his sisters before they left the island. As he reached the cave’s mouth and stepped out into the sunlight, he found himself wracked with horrible pain. He turned and tossed himself back into the cool darkness of the cavern just in time. With horror, he realized that he himself had become undead.
Wight: The death of a darkling usually (90%) draws the attention of the nearest Vistani group. Within a week, they arrive at the location of the demise, bury the body (if such is still available), and perform an ancient rite designed to soothe the spirit of their tortured brother and allow him to rest in eternal peace. If this ritual is not completed, there is a 90% chance that the darkling will return in 1 to 6 weeks as a ghast (if the body is intact) or as a wraith (if the body has been destroyed). This undead creature then hunts down those men who served it in life and kills them, transforming them into ghouls (if the darkling returns as a ghast) or wights (if it is a wraith). Thus, its evil band will again plague the lands.
Wraith: The death of a darkling usually (90%) draws the attention of the nearest Vistani group. Within a week, they arrive at the location of the demise, bury the body (if such is still available), and perform an ancient rite designed to soothe the spirit of their tortured brother and allow him to rest in eternal peace. If this ritual is not completed, there is a 90% chance that the darkling will return in 1 to 6 weeks as a ghast (if the body is intact) or as a wraith (if the body has been destroyed).
Zombie: Zombie Lord odor of death ability.

Monstrous Compendium Ravenloft Appendix III

Spoiler

Akikage: The akikage (ah-ki-ka-gee), or shadow ninja, is the spirit of an oriental assassin who died while stalking an important victim. In life, the akikage was obsessed with duty and discipline.
Boneless: Boneless are without doubt the most foul result of all dark inquiries into necromancy. Created out of corpses from which the bones have been stripped, these mindless creatures exist only to execute the commands of their creator.
These creatures are the result of dark experiments conducted by the wizard Faylorn while staying as a guest of the lich lord Azalin at his keep in Darkon. He found that, under the right conditions, he could animate the bones and body of a corpse quite independently. Since that time, Faylorn’s methodology has spread and others have learned how to create these foul things.
Boneless have no role in nature and are purely the result of dark magic. It is said that the magic by which they are created is similar in many ways to the well-known animate dead spell, but that its material components are somewhat different. There is much evidence to support the belief that this spell functions only within on the Demiplane of Dread.
Cat Skeletal: Skeletal cats are the ambulatory remains of pets who have clawed their way back from the grave to avenge themselves upon masters who treated them poorly or ended their lives.
It can scarce be argued that cats are the most noble and majestic of household pets. When one of these stately creatures suffers and dies from the abuse of a cruel master, it sometimes returns in the form of a skeletal cat.
Cloaker Undead: The undead cloaker is a foul and dangerous creature that is believed to be the earthly remains of a resplendent cloaker that has had its life drained away by the living dead.
Corpse Candle: The corpse candle is the undead spirit of a murdered man or woman that coerces the living into bringing its killer to justice.
Familiar Undead: An undead familiar is a sinister being that is created whenever a wizard is directly responsible for the death of his own familiar. By betraying the mystical bonds that link the spellcaster to his companion, the wizard brings into existence a vile creature that seeks only to destroy him.
Geist: A geist is created when a person dies traumatically. Usually there is some deed left undone or some penance to be paid. The spirit of the person refuses to leave the plane (or demiplane) on which he died, becoming a geist instead.
Geist Greater: ?
Ghost Animal: Animal ghosts are the spirits of woodland creatures that died under some unusual circumstance. In the case of pets, they may have been killed while attempting to serve their masters. For wild beasts, it may be that they died while in a panic or other emotionally charged state.
Ghost Animal Bear: ?
Ghost Animal Boar Wild: ?
Ghost Animal Horse Wild: ?
Ghost Animal Lion Mountain: ?
Ghost Animal Stag: ?
Ghost Animal Wolf: ?
Hag Spectral: A spectral hag is the undead spirit of a hag who died during an evil ceremony.
Hag Spectral Annis: ?
Hag Spectral : ?
Hag Spectral : ?
Hound Phantom: A phantom hound is a dog so devoted to its former master that it returns after its death to guard that master’s property or final resting place.
First noted in Sanguinia, a phantom hound is always some very large dog such as a mastiff, wolfhound, or Great Dane. Due to the corrupting influences of the Demiplane of Dread, the faithful canine is transformed into a terrifying, coal black creature with spectral eyes that glow a deep green.
Hound Skeletal: Skeletal hounds are the magically animated skeletons of dogs created as guardians by evil wizards or priests. Originally created by Spelaka of Mordent, a reclusive necromancer, the creatures appear to have no ligaments, muscles, or joinings that would hold their bones together and allow movement, They lack internal organs, flesh, and eyes. They are given the semblance of life and held together by the magic of an animate dead spell.
Animate Dead spell.
Jolly Roger: A jolly roger is the undead spirit of a pirate or buccaneer who died at sea. These foul creatures were usually captains or officers while living, and retain their taste for command after death.
Jolly rogers are evil, undead creatures native to the demiplane of Ravenloft. For some reason, they are tied to that region and are never encountered elsewhere.
Lich Defiler: In life, defiler liches were spellcasters of great power who learned to garner their magical energies from the very land around them.
No one seems to know where the first defiler lich came from. With the many gapes and portals existing in the demiplane, it is most likely that the foul things came from some other place far removed from Ravenloft. Rumors abound that the world of their origin was blasted into desert by their ilk, but thus far no proof has been offered of this theory.
Defiler liches gain their status in the same way that other liches do. This includes the construction of a phylactery and its enchantment.
Demi-Defiler: ?
Lich Drow: Both drow and drider liches are created in the same manner as their human cousins, including the creation and enchantment of a phylactery.
Lich Drow Drider: A very few driders have escaped to continue their studies, and perhaps even to seek revenge on those who twisted their bodies into their present state. Of these, a few have eventually pursued their black arts into the realm of lichdom.
Driders are the forlorn of Lolth. Years ago these pathetic wretches failed the cruel tests of their spider goddess and were sentenced to a lifetime of suffering in the miserable half-form of spider and drow. A few of these creature’s fates were tragic enough to attract the attentions of the Demiplane of Dread, and there the pitiful driders found a home. A very few of these continued in their magical research and eventually mastered the magics that made them liches.
Lich Drow Wizard: ?
Lich Drow Priestess: Devout followers of the drow spider-goddess, Lolth, are sometimes rewarded with immortality through the transformation into lichdom.
Demilich Drow: Wizard and priest drow may become demiliches in the usual manner.
Lich Elemental: Elemental liches are diabolical wizards who studied and mastered the use of Ravenloft’s strange elements before or during their undeath.
An elemental lich’s phylactery must first be buried in a nearby grave. Then a great fire of burning bones is ignited on that spot. Blood is then poured over the ashes and allowed to soak into the ground. If the elemental powers decide to grant the lich its powers, the mists of the demiplane will roll in and obscure the site from prying eyes.
Demi-Elemental Lich: ?
Lich Psionic: There are few who dare to argue that the power of a master psionicist is any less than that of an archmage. Proof of this can be found in the fact that the most powerful psionicists are actually able to extend their lives beyond the spans granted them by nature, just as powerful wizards are known to do.
Psionic liches are powerful espers who have left behind the physical demands of life in pursuit of ultimate mental powers.
Although the power that transformed them is natural (not supernatural, as it is with other liches), the extent to which psionic liches have pursued their goals is not natural. By twisting the powers of their minds to extend their existence beyond the bounds of mortal life, psionic liches become exiles. Cast out from the land of the living, these creatures sometimes lament the foolishness that led them down the dark path of the undead.
By far the most important aspect of the existence of the psionic lich is the creation of its phylactery. To understand this mystical device, it is important to understand the process by which a psionicist becomes a lich. Before a psionicist can cross over into the darkness that is undeath, he must attain at least 18th level. In addition, he must be possessed of a great array of powers that can be bent and focused in ways new to the character.The first step in the creation of a phylactery is the crafting of the physical object that will become the creature’s spiritual resting place. Phylacteries come in all shapes, from rings to crowns, and from swords to idols. They are made from only the finest materials and must be fashioned by master craftsmen. Generally, a phylactery is fashioned in a shape that reflects the personality of the psionicist. The cost of creating a phylactery is 5,000 gp per level of the character. Thus, a 20th level psionicist must spend 100,000 gp on his artifact.
Once the phylactery is fashioned, it must be readied to receive the psionicist’s life force. This is generally done by means of the metapsionic empower ability, with some subtle changes in the way the psionicist uses the power that alters its outcome. In order to complete the phylactery, the psionicist must empower it with each and every psionic ability that he possesses.
Although an object cannot normally be empowered with psychic abilities in more than one discipline, the unusual nature of the phylactery allows this rule to be broken. However, before “opening” a new discipline within the object, the would-be lich must transfer all of his powers from the first discipline into it. For example, if a character has telepathic and metapsionic abilities, he must complete the empowering of all of his telepathic powers before he begins to infuse the object with his metapsionic ones. Once a discipline is closed it cannot be reopened.
During the creation of the phylactery, the psionicist is very vulnerable to attack. Each time that he gives his phylactery a new power, he loses it himself. Thus, the process strips away the powers of the psionicist as it continues. Obviously, the last power that is transferred into the phylactery is the empower ability. The effort of placing this ability within the phylactery drains the last essences of the psionicist’s life from him and completes his transformation into a psionic lich. At the moment that the transformation takes place the character must make a system shock survival roll. Failure indicates that his willpower was not strong enough to survive the trauma of becoming undead; his spirit breaks up and dissipates, making him forever dead. Only the powers of a deity are strong enough to revive a character who has died in this way; even a wish will not suffice.
Odem: Vicious or murderous characters of great willpower may become odems when they die.
Radiant Spirit: A radiant spirit is the ghost of a powerful paladin or lawful good cleric killed while pursuing a holy cause. The anguish that fills his heart traps his spirit on the demiplane and taunts him with the failure of his quest.
A priest or paladin who dies while pursuing a just cause may rise as a radiant spirit 2-8 (2d4) months after his death. In order for a radiant spirit to be formed, however, the quest that the character was on must be one of extreme importance. As a rule, the failure of this mission must result in something as terrible as the utter collapse of the character’s church.
Remnant Aquatic: Remnants are the spirits of humans and humanoids whose former bodies have been thrown into an unconsecrated, watery grave after they have died of acute stress and exhaustion. The callous way in which they have been disposed of after a torturous and miserable life leaves them in a state of such sorrow that they cannot completely leave the material world behind, and they lurk in the pools and rivers where their bodies were abandoned.
Rushlight: Rushlights are formed when an evil being is burned alive on a funeral pyre. The soul flees the smoldering shell and attempts to escape into the night. Before the spirit can break free of its earthly bonds, it merges with the all-consuming fires and acquires their power.
Skeleton Archer: Archer skeletons are magically animated humanoid undead monsters created as guardians or warriors by powerful evil wizards and priests. Such creatures are crafted from the bones of dead archers using an animate dead spell. The creator must also bond a blooded arrowhead to the skull of each skeleton. During the animation process the arrowhead fuses with the skeleton’s skull.
Archer skeletons are said to have first been created by a zealous necromancer named Karakin. Karakin wished to murder all the people of his land so that he would be the only human living there. Once this was accomplished, Karakin would surround himself with undead courtiers far more loyal than any living vassals. Creating a vast army of archer skeletons and other undead, Karakin prepared to march, but the sheer force of his malice proved virulent enough to carry him instead through the mists and into Ravenloft.
Where Karakin resides now is unknown, but his skeletal archers and the secret of their construction have come into the hands of a growing number of nefarious individuals.
Skeleton Insectiod: These nightmarish automatons are the animated exoskeletons of dead insects. Evil priests and wizards, bent on manipulating nature for their own nefarious purposes, create these chitinous monstrosities with animate dead spells in a process almost identical to that used in the creation of normal skeletons.
Insectoid skeletons are created with the use of a special version of the animate dead spell. It is believed that this spell was created by a drow necromancer, but the truth of that supposition is unknown.
Skeleton Insectiod Giant Ant: ?
Skeleton Insectiod Giant Tick: ?
Skeleton Insectiod Stag Beetle: ?
Skeleton Strahd: Strahd skeletons are magically animated undead monsters, created as guardians or warriors by Count Strahd Von Zarovich, the vampire lord of Barovia.
Only Strahd Von Zarovich knows the arcane ritual that brings about their creation. For raw material, he requires human skeletons that still include the skull and 90% of the bones. What other foul components might be required are known only to the dread master of Ravenloft.
Spirit Psionic: Two theories exist as to the origin of psionic spirits. The first states that such monsters are actually psionicists who somehow become trapped within their shadow form. Eventually the torment of their hideous half-existence drives such individuals into madness, evil, and at the last into the arms of the Dark Powers, who grant the psionicist its ghostly form. 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.
Vampire Drow: ?
Vampire Nosferatu: Those who die from the nosferatu’s bloody kiss rise again as half-strength creatures subject to the will of their creator.
Vampire Oriental: Any human slain by the life draining attack of an oriental vampire is doomed to become such a creature himself. The victim rises the night after burial, a powerful pawn to its evil creator. If the victim is never buried, he will not become a vampire. This is the reason it is traditional to cremate the bodies of those suspected to have lost their lives to a vampire.
Zombie Cannibal: Anyone bitten by a cannibal zombie must make a saving throw vs. poison. Success indicates that the creature’s poisonous saliva has had no effect. Failure means that the victim will soon become a new cannibal zombie himself unless a cure disease spell is cast upon him quickly. Within 2-8 (2d4) rounds after failing the saving throw the victim begins to feel a gnawing hunger. Every other round thereafter the victim must make a Constitution check. When this check fails, the victim is killed by the fast-acting poison in his veins and moves to join his new brethren in attacking the fully living. Once this happens, a cure disease spell will have no effect on the new zombie. A slow poison spell will retard the poison’s onset, but this only delays the inevitable.
It is not known how cannibal zombies first came into existence.
Zombie Desert: Desert zombies are animated corpses controlled by their creator, the evil mummy Senment. In recent years, rumors have arisen that other powerful spellcasters in the domain of Har’Akir have begun to create these things, but this has yet to be proven.
The greater mummy, Senmet, created the first desert zombies. He sacrificed all of his spell casting power to be able to create and control an army of these nightmares, as well as to take limited control over the domain of Har’Akir.
Any character who dies from the disease transmitted by the touch of the greater mummy becomes a desert zombie. It takes a full day after death for the corpse to animate. If the body is destroyed during that time, it will not be animated.
Zombie Strahd: Strahd zombies are a unique form of undead created only by Count Strahd Von Zarovich, the vampire lord of Barovia.
They are created with an arcane formula known only to Strahd Von Zarovich. He can create them only from the dead bodies of humans.
Zombie Wolf: Zombie Wolves are not created by a wizard or a priest, but are a creation of the domain of Forlorn itself.
Zombie wolves rise from the dead when the body of any regular wolf in the domain of Forlorn is not decapitated after it is killed. If this gruesome task is not carried out, the corpse of the wolf rises as a zombie 2d8 days after it has died.
It is generally thought that the creatures gain this strange form of existence from contact with the land itself, which channels energy from the Negative Material Plane. Some sages speculate that simply preventing the wolf carcass from having any contact with the ground for a full eight days will prevent it from rising as a zombie, but in the absence of any practical application of this theory, it remains unproven.

Ghoul: If the mage is slain by his undead familiar he will rise again as a ghoul.
Skeleton: Whenever an archer skeleton's arrow fails to hit its target, the DM should make a saving throw vs. crushing blow for the arrow. If the saving throw fails the shaft simply breaks and becomes useless. If it is successful, however, the arrow remains intact and rapidly (1 round) grows into a skeleton with all the normal abilities of those undead.
Zombie: Any creature that is drained to zero level by an undead cloaker or its host will return from the grave in 1d4 days as a common zombie.
Zombie Sea: Those slain by a jolly roger’s touch will rise as sea zombies in 24 hours unless their bodies are blessed and then committed to the deep in a traditional burial at sea. Raise dead, resurrection, or wish will also counter this if used carefully and promptly.
Anyone living who attempts to board the jolly roger’s ship must save vs. death magic or be transformed into a sea zombie.

Monstrous Compendium Savage Coast

Spoiler

Arasheem: These undead araneas retain the High Intelligence of the spider-humanoid race and still possess superior magical ability. Though they are rumored to be failed liches, no proof of this fact has been discovered.
Cursed One: The onset of the Red Curse always causes the loss of ability score points, and in some cases, cinnabryl cannot be found in time to stop this loss after the first point. When any of a person's ability scores is lowered to 0, that person dies. If special measures are not taken, that person will rise again as a cursed one.
To prevent the rise of a cursed one, one ounce of cinnabryl must be buried with the remains of anyone who dies from the attribute point loss brought on by the Red Curse.
Cursed ones are also sometimes created by the touch of an Inheritor lich.
The touch of an inheritor lich automatically kills any individual who has one or more attribute scores (with the exception of Charisma) reduced to 0 or less. The next night, however, that victim will rise as a cursed one.
Deathmare: A deathmares is the spirit of a horse that was abused and killed by an evil, sadistic owner. They return from the dead to exact revenge on all horsemen, regardless of alignment, feeding on the life forces of the riders they kill.
Lich Inheritor: These vile undead creatures are the remnants of high-level Inheritors who sought to increase their power. Through arcane, alchemical processes, they transform from living beings into powerful undead creatures.
Inheritor liches were once 15th-level Inheritors, possessing seven Legacies before transformation. No Inheritor lich of greater or lesser power has been reported. Some sages speculate that such a creature's power is limited by the transformation process, but others claim that the reason a more powerful Inheritor lich has not been encountered is because no Inheritor of greater power has attempted the transformation-yet.
To become an Inheritor lich, an Inheritor must first construct the item that will hold his life essence. This must be done by the prospective lich-never by a second party. Ideally, the red steel used in the creation of the item was worn as cinnabryl by the Inheritor. The Inheritor must also personally create a difficult alchemical preparation. This potion is something like crimson essence, but also contains steel seed, finely ground red steel, herbs, blood, and miscellaneous arcane and costly items. The exact formula is known only to a few, but it might be found in the journals of those who have attempted the process. Like crimson essence, the potion must be bathed in the magic of depleting cinnabryl for several weeks. When ready to become a lich, the Inheritor imbibes the potion; he must then make a successful system shock roll or die. If the roll is successful, the Inheritor becomes an Inheritor lich and immediately enters the Time of Change, transforming according to the Legacies possessed. However, no points are lost from ability scores during this process, and any that were subtracted previously are gained back.
Nosferatu: Human or humanoid victims of a nosferatu may later become a nosferatu only if the original undead wishes it. If so, the victim rises from the dead three days after being drained of blood, unless its body was burned or totally destroyed.
Spawn of Nimmur: When a powerful (11 or more Hit Die) Nimmurian manscorpion dies from exposure to sunlight, it has a 1% chance per Hit Die of becoming undead, rising as an avenging spawn of Nimmur when the sun sets.
If the ashes of a sun-burned manscorpion are sprinkled with holy water from a temple dedicated to the Immortal Idu (Ixion), blessed, and scattered to the four winds, the manscorpion cannot rise as a spawn of Nimmur.
Only very powerful manscorpions can "survive" the burning process to become true Spawn of Nimmur.
Ziggurat Horror: Ziggurat horrors are intentionally made by Nimmurian priests, under carefully controlled conditions.
Sprit Heroic: The heroic spirit is an undead entity who died while attempting to perform some especially heroic deed or defeat some dastardly villain.
Yeshom: Yeshoms are the undead remnants of aranean mages who sought power, got it, and paid too high a price.
Yeshoms came into being about 1,500 years ago, when a group of Herathian mages cooperated in an effort to gain immortality, augment the natural shapechanging abilities of the aranean race, and gain additional spellcasting power.
Their research effort succeeded in all three of these goals, discovering a method by which a powerful aranea could be transformed into a new form with vastly greater power. A number of Herath's best and finest mages volunteered for the treatment and were transformed into yeshoms, before the process's horrible side effects were discovered.
Zombie Red: Red zombies are usually formed when a wicked mage or priest uses the spell animate dead to enchant the corpse of an Afflicted person. A red zombie will sometimes spontaneously form when somebody dies from the "red blight," a form of illness that causes non-Legacy using creatures, or those beyond the limits of the Haze, who wear cinnabryl to lose 1 point of Constitution per day until dead. A person who dies from the red blight and is not blessed during the burial has a 10% chance of rising one day later as a red zombie.

Monstrous Manual

Spoiler

Banshee, Groaning Spirit: The banshee or groaning spirit, is the spirit of an evil female elf -- a very rare thing indeed.
Beholder Undead: Death tyrants occur spontaneously in very rare instances. In most cases, they are created through the magic of evil beings -- from human mages to illithid villains. Some outcast, magic-using beholders have even been known to create death tyrants from their own unfortunate brethren.
Death tyrants are created from dying beholders. A spell, thought to have been developed by human mages in the remote past, forces a beholder from a living to an undead state, and imprints its brain with instructions.
Doomsphere: This ghost-like undead beholder is created by magical explosions.
Kasharin: An undead beholder, it passes on the rotting disease which killed it.
Crawling Claw: The much feared crawling claw is frequently employed as a guardian by those mages and priests who have learned the secret of its creation.
Claws are the animated remains of hands or paws of living creatures.
Crawling claws are nothing more than the animated hands and paws of once-living creatures.
Crawling claws can be created by any mage or priest who has knowledge of the techniques required to do so. To begin with, the creator must assemble the severed limbs that are to animated. The maximum number of claws that can be created at any one time is equal to the level of the person enchanting them. The hands (or paws) can be either fresh, skeletal, or at any stage of decomposition in between.
Crypt Thing: There are two types of crypt things -- ancestral and summoned. The former type are “natural” creatures, while the others are called into existence by a wizard or priest of at least 14th level.
The most common crypt thing is the summoned variety. By use of a 7th-level spell, any caster capable of employing necromantic spells can create a crypt thing.
Ancestral crypt things are the raised spirits of the dead that have returned to guard the tombs of their descendants. This happens only in rare cases (determined by the DM).
Death Knight: death knight is the horrifying corruption of a paladin or lawful good warrior cursed by the gods to its terrible form as punishment for betraying the code of honor it held in life.
Death knights are former good warriors who were judged by the gods to be guilty of unforgivable crimes, such as murder or treason.
Dracolich: The dracolich is an undead creature resulting from the unnatural transformation of an evil dragon. The mysterious Cult of the Dragon practices the powerful magic necessary for the creation of the dracolich, though other practitioners are also rumored to exist.
A dracolich can be created from any of the evil dragon subspecies.
The creation of a dracolich is a complex process involving the transformation of an evil dragon by arcane magical forces, the most notorious practitioners of which are members of the Cult of the Dragon. The process is usually a cooperative effort between the evil dragon and the wizards, but especially powerful wizards have been known to coerce an evil dragon to undergo the transformation against its will.
Any evil dragon is a possible candidate for transformation, although old dragons or older with spell-casting abilities are preferred. Once a candidate is secured, the wizards first prepare the dragon's host, an inanimate object that will hold the dragon's life force. The host must be a solid item of not less than 2,000 gp value resistant to decay (wood, for instance, is unsuitable). A gemstone is commonly used for a host, particularly ruby, pearl, carbuncle, and jet, and is often set in the hilt of a sword or other weapon. The host is prepared by casting enchant an item upon it and speaking the name of the evil dragon; the item may resist the spell by successfully saving vs. spell as an 11th-level wizard. If the spell is resisted, another item must be used for the host. If the spell is not resisted, the item can then function as a host. If desired, glassteel can be cast upon the host to protect it.
Next, a special potion is prepared for the evil dragon to consume. The exact composition of the potion varies according to the age and type of the dragon, but it must contain precisely seven ingredients, among them a potion of evil dragon control, a potion of invulnerability, and the blood of a vampire. When the evil dragon consumes the potion, the results are determined as follows (roll percentile dice):
Roll Result
01-10 No effect.
11-40 Potion does not work. The dragon suffers 2d12 points of damage and is helpless
with convulsions for 1-2 rounds.
41-50 Potion does not work. The dragon dies. A full wish or similar spell is needed to
restore the dragon to life; a wish to transform the dragon into a dracolich results
in another roll on this table.
51-00 Potion works.
If the potion works, the dragon's spirit transfers to the host, regardless of the distance between the dragon's body and the host. A dim light within the host indicates the presence of the spirit. While contained in the host, the spirit cannot take any actions; it cannot be contacted nor attacked by magic. The spirit can remain in the host indefinitely.
Once the spirit is contained in the host, the host must be brought within 90 feet of a reptilian corpse; under no circumstances can the spirit possess a living body. The spirit's original body is ideal, but the corpse of any reptilian creature that died or was killed within the previous 30 days is suitable.
The wizard who originally prepared the host must touch the host, cast a magic jar spell while speaking the name of the dragon, then touch the corpse. The corpse must fail a saving throw vs. spell for the spirit to successfully possess it; if it saves, it will never accept the spirit. The following modifiers apply to the roll:
-10 if the corpse is the spirit's own former body (which can be dead for any length of time).
-4 if the corpse is of the same alignment as the dragon.
-4 if the corpse is that of a true dragon (any type).
-3 if the corpse is that of a firedrake, ice lizard, wyvern, or fire lizard.
-1 if the corpse is that of a dracolisk, dragonne, dinosaur, snake, or other reptile.
If the corpse accepts the spirit, it becomes animated by the spirit. If the animated corpse is the spirit's former body, it immediately becomes a dracolich; however, it will not regain the use of its voice and breath weapon for another seven days (note that it will not be able to cast spells with verbal components during this time). At the end of seven days, the dracolich regains the use of its voice and breath weapon.
If the animated corpse is not the spirit's former body, it immediately becomes a proto-dracolich. A proto-dracolich has the mind and memories of its original form, but has the hit points and immunities to spells and priestly turning of a dracolich. A proto-dracolich can neither speak nor cast spells; further, it cannot cause chilling damage, use a breath weapon, or cause fear as a dracolich. Its strength, movement, and Armor Class are those of the possessed body.
To become a full dracolich, a proto-dracolich must devour at least 10% of its original body. Unless the body has been dispatched to another plane of existence, a proto-dracolich can always sense the presence of its original body, regardless of the distance. A proto-dracolich will tirelessly seek out its original body to the exclusion of all other activities. If its original body has been burned, dismembered, or otherwise destroyed, the proto-dracolich need only devour the ashes or pieces equal to or exceeding 10% of its original body mass (total destruction of the original body is possible only through use of a disintegrate or similar spell; the body could be reconstructed with a wish or similar spell, so long as the spell is cast in the same plane as the disintegration). If a proto-dracolich is unable to devour its original body, it is trapped in its current form until slain.
A proto-dracolich transforms into a full dracolich within seven days after it devours its original body. When the transformation is complete, the dracolich resembles its original body; it can now speak, cast spells, and employ the breath weapon of its original body, in addition to having all of the abilities of a dracolich.
Ghost: Ghosts are the spirits of humans who were either so greatly evil in life or whose deaths were so unusually emotional they have been cursed with the gift of undead status.
Another common reason for an individual to become a ghost is the denial of a proper burial.
Ghoul: Any human or demi-human (except elves) killed by a ghoulish attack will become a ghoul unless blessed (or blessed and then resurrected).
Ghoul Lacedon: ?
Ghoul Ghast: ?
Heucuva: Legends tell that heucuva are the restless spirits of monastic priests who were less than faithful to their holy vows.
Lich: In order to become a lich, the wizard must prepare its phylactery by the use of the enchant an item, magic jar, permanency and reincarnation spells. The phylactery, which can be almost any manner of object, must be of the finest craftsmanship and materials with a value of not less than 1,500 gold pieces per level of the wizard. Once this object is created, the would-be lich must craft a potion of extreme toxicity, which is then enchanted with the following spells: wraithform, permanency, cone of cold, feign death, and animate dead. When next the moon is full, the potion is imbibed. Rather than death, the potion causes the wizard to undergo a transformation into its new state. A system shock survival throw is required, with failure indicating an error in the creation of the potion which kills the wizard and renders him forever dead.
Lich Demilich: It is the stage into which a lich will eventually evolve as the power which has sustained its physical form gradually begins to fail.
Lich Archlich: ?
Mummy: Mummies are corpses native to dry desert areas, where the dead are entombed by a process known as mummification. When their tombs are disturbed, the corpses become animated into a weird unlife state, whose unholy hatred of life causes them to attack living things without mercy.
Mummies are the product of an embalming process used on wealthy and important personages. Most mummies are corpses without magical properties. On occasion, perhaps due to powerful evil magic or perhaps because the individual was so greedy in life that he refuses to give up his treasure, the spirit of the mummified person will not die, but taps into energy from the Positive Material plane and is transformed into an undead horror.
To create a mummy, a corpse should be soaked in a preserving solution (typically carbonate of soda) for several weeks and covered with spices and resins. Body organs, such as the heart, brain, and liver, are typically removed and sealed in jars.
When a greater mummy wishes to create normal mummies as servants, it does so by mummifying persons infected with its rotting disease. This magical process requires 12-18 hours (10+2d4) and cannot be disturbed without ruining the enchantment. Persons to be mummified are normally held or charmed so that they cannot resist the mummification process. Once the process is completed, victims are helpless to escape the bandages that bind them. If nothing happens to free them, they will die of the mummy rot just as they would have elsewhere. Upon their death, however, a strange transformation takes place. Rather than crumbling away into dust, these poor souls rise again as normal mummies.
Mummy Greater: Also known as Anhktepot's Children, greater mummies are a powerful form of undead created when a high-level lawful evil priest of certain religions is mummified and charged with the guarding of a burial place.
Greater mummies are powerful undead creatures that are usually created from the mummified remains of powerful, evil priests. This being the case, the greater mummy now draws its mystical abilities from evil powers and darkness. In rare cases, however, the mummified priests served non-evil god in life and are still granted the powers they had in life from those gods.
The first of these creatures is known to have been produced by Anhktepot, the Lord of Har'akir, in the years before he became undead himself.
The process by which a greater mummy is created remains a mystery to all but Anhktepot. It is rumored that this process involves a great sacrifice to gain the favor of the gods and an oath of eternal loyalty to the Lord of Har'akir.
Poltergeist: Some say that poltergeists are the spirits of those who committed heinous crimes that went unpunished in life.
Revenant: Revenants are vengeful spirits that have risen from the grave to destroy their killers.
Under exceptional circumstances, a character who has died a violent death may rise as a revenant from the grave to wreak vengeance on his killer(s). In order to make this transition, two requirements must be met. The dead character's Constitution must be 18 and either his Wisdom or Intelligence must be greater than 16. Also, the total of his six ability scores must be 90 or more. Even if these conditions are met, there is only a 5% chance that the dead character becomes a revenant.
If both Intelligence and Wisdom are over 16, the chance increases to 10%.
Shadow: If a human or demihuman opponent is reduced to zero Strength or zero hit points by a shadow, the shadow has drained the life force and the opponent becomes a shadow as well.
According to most knowledgeable sages, shadows appear to have been magically created, perhaps as part of some ancient curse laid upon some long-dead enemy. The curse affects only humans and demihumans, so it would seem that it affects the soul or spirit. When victims no longer can resist, either through loss of consciousness (hit points) or physical prowess (Strength points), the curse is activated and the majority of the character's essence is shifted to the Negative Material Plane.
Skeleton: All skeletons are magically animated undead monsters, created as guardians or warriors by powerful evil wizards and priests.
Skeletons can be made from the bones of humans and demihumans, animals of human size or smaller, or giant humanoids like bugbears and giants.
Skeleton Animal: All skeletons are magically animated undead monsters, created as guardians or warriors by powerful evil wizards and priests.
Skeletons can be made from the bones of humans and demihumans, animals of human size or smaller, or giant humanoids like bugbears and giants.
Skeleton Monster: All skeletons are magically animated undead monsters, created as guardians or warriors by powerful evil wizards and priests.
Skeletons can be made from the bones of humans and demihumans, animals of human size or smaller, or giant humanoids like bugbears and giants.
Skeleton Giant: Giant skeletons are similar to the more common undead skeleton, but they have been created with a combination of spells and are, thus, far more deadly than their lesser counterparts.
In actuality, they are simply human skeletons that have been magically enlarged.
The first giant skeletons to appear in Ravenloft were created by the undead priestess Radaga in her lair within the domain of Kartakass. Others have since mastered the spells and techniques required to create these monsters; thus, giant skeletons are gradually beginning to appear in other realms where the dead and undead lurk.
They are created from the bones of those who have died and are abominations in the eyes of all who believe in the sanctity of life and goodness.
The process by which giant skeletons are created is dark and evil. Attempts to manufacture them outside of Ravenloft have failed, so it is clear that they are in some way linked to the Dark Powers themselves. In order to create a giant skeleton, a spell caster must have the intact skeleton of a normal human or demihuman. On a night when the land is draped in fog, they must cast an animate dead, produce fire, enlarge, and a resist fire spell over the bones. When the last spell is cast, the bones lengthen and thicken and the creatures rises up. The the creator must make a Ravenloft Powers check for his part in this evil undertaking.
Skeleton Warrior: Formerly powerful fighters, skeleton warriors are undead lords forced into their nightmarish states by powerful wizards or evil demigods who trapped their souls in golden circlets.
Spectre: Any being totally drained of life energy by a spectre becomes a full-strength spectre under the control of the spectre which drained him.
No one knows who the first spectre was or how it came to be.
Troll Spectral: It is noted that a humanoid slain by a spectral troll becomes one itself in three days, unless a proper burial ceremony is performed by a priest of the victim's religion.
Vampire: Any human or humanoid creature slain by the life energy drain of a vampire is doomed to become a vampire himself. The transformation takes place one day after the burial of the creature. Those who are not actually buried, however, do not become undead and it is thus traditional that the bodies of a vampire's victims be burned or similarly destroyed.
Vampire Eastern: ?
Wight: Persons who are slain by the energy draining powers of a wight are doomed to rise again as wights under the direct control of their slayer.
Wraith: The wraith is an evil undead spirit of a powerful human.
Any human killed by a wraith becomes a half-strength wraith under its control (e.g., a 10th-level fighter will become a 5 Hit Die wraith under the control of the wraith that slew him).
A wraith is an undead spirit of a powerful, evil human.
Zombie: Zombies are mindless, animated corpses controlled by their creators, usually evil wizards or priests.
The dead body of any humanoid creature can be made into a zombie.
Zombie lord odor of death power.
Zombie Ju-Ju: These creatures are made when a wizard drains the life force from a man-sized humanoid creature with an energy drain spell.
Humans or humanoids slain by negative energy weapons can be animated as juju zombies, but unless the spell-caster is also the one who wielded the killing weapon, they will be free-willed. (Dragon 194)
Undeath After Death spell. (Faiths and Avatars)
Create Undead Minion spell. (Prayers from the Faithful)
Zombie Lord: The zombie lord is a living creature that has taken on the foul powers and abilities of the undead. They are formed on rare occasions as the result of a raise dead spell gone awry.
The zombie lord comes into being by chance, and only under certain conditions. First, an evil human must die at the hand of an undead creatures. Second, an attempt to raise the character must be made. Third, the corpse must fail its resurrection survival roll. Fourth and last, a deity of evil must show “favor'” to the deceased, and curse him or her with the “gift of eternal life.” Within one week of the raise attempt, the corpse awakens as a zombie lord.
Zombie Sea: Sea zombies (also known as drowned ones) are the animated corpses of humans who died at sea. Although similar to land-dwelling zombies, they are free-willed and are rumored to be animated by the will of the god Nerull the Reaper (or another similar evil deity).

A Guide to the Ethereal Plane

Spoiler

Apparition: Sometimes when a poor sod is slain, his spirit lingers on the Border Ethereal in the form of an apparition: a skeletal being loosely wrapped in ethereal tatters that resemble cloth bandages.

Ghost: When clueless primes of great evil perish or when poor sods die a particularly traumatic or untimely death, their spirits sometimes linger to haunt the site of their passing.

A Guide to Transylvania

Spoiler

Vampire: At their deaths, dhampir rise as vampires and irredeemable servants of evil.

A Light in the Belfry

Spoiler

Lambert, Phantom: ?
Morgoroth, Geist: Even if Morgoroth has been killed through the destruction of the mirror in the parlor, his spirit lives on as a geist—trapped in Avonleigh by the dark powers—and he is enraged beyond mortal bounds at the heroes' actions.

Banshee: ?
Geist: ?
Ghost: ?
Ghoul: Morgoroth animates the 33 rotted bodies that lie in here, who attack as ghouls.
Haunt: ?
Shadow: ?
Phantom: ?
Skeleton Armored: ?
Spectre: ?
Wraith: ?

Birthright: Cities of the Sun

Spoiler

El-Sheighul, Lord of Ghouls, Wizard 19, Lost: ?
The Magian, Awnshegh, Wizard 20 Lich: ?
The Rider: Folks think them undead lords, called back to life by the awnshegh the Magian's foul sorcery.
Spectre: Five skeletons lie moldering before the altar—the remains of some who once served here, killed by the Masetian troops. The spirits of these priests now guard this place.
Iagostes, Ghost: The Masetian soldiers cornered the high priest in Area 5b and slew him, after he'd already taken magical steps to conceal the existence of the temple's undercrypt. His mortal remains—a few blackened pieces of bone—are burned into the center of a charred circle on the west wall.

Bleak House (2e)

Spoiler

Vampire Cerebral: Only the lord of Dominia, Daclaud Heinfroth, knows the secret behind their creation.
The secret of creating cerebral vampires is known only to Daclaud Heinfroth himself.
To this day, Heinfroth is the only person who knows how to create cerebral vampires.
Dr. Dominiani, Daclaud Heinfroth, Lord of Dominia, Cerebral Vampire: When he began to feel the first pangs of madness, panic overcame Heinfroth. Trying to ignore the haunting voices that filled his head and the nightmarish visions that seemed to lurk just beyond the corners of his eyesight, he set about a series of radical procedures involving direct transfusion of spinal and cerebral fluid from healthy donors to madmen. The fact that these donors had been taken against their will and were left either dead or hopelessly insane by the process did not matter to Heinfroth. After some refinement, the process seemed to be a great success. Although he knew that more work should be done before any definitive conclusions could be drawn, Heinfroth pushed ahead. At last, unwilling to wait any longer for fear that the growing madness would consume him, Heinfroth kidnapped a young woman, drained her of her cerebral fluid, and injected into himself.
What Heinfroth did not realize was that the donor for his operation had recently been visited by Duke Gundar, the vampire lord of Gundarak. Indeed, this woman was of more than just passing interest to the Duke, for she was on the verge of becoming one of his vampire "brides."
While the tainted fluids of this donor did indeed halt Heinfroth's growing madness, they also transformed him into a unique vampire.
Duke Gundar, Vampire Lord of Gundarak: ?
Captain Ridg Baykur, Cerebral Vampire: Baykur is a loyal minion of Heinfroth, who rescued the seaman from the brink of death and showed him a new existence beyond life itself.
Shortly after Dominia joined the Core, Baykur was a common seaman who served as a hand aboard the Wailing Spectre, a merchant ship that plied the waters of the Sea of Sorrows. When his ship was attacked by pirates, Baykur and a half-dozen companions were set adrift in a life raft.
With no supplies, Baykur was forced to kill and devour his companions to survive. Even that, however, barely kept him alive. By the time his raft fetched up on the shores of Dominia, he was little more than a skeleton. Further, his wounds had become infected, and both his arms were gangrenous. Still, Baykur clung to life.
Daclaud Heinfroth respected the spirit of this man who seemingly refused to die. He saved him by turning him into a cerebral vampire.
Dr. Piotr Rehner, Cerebral Vampire: A professional acquaintance of Daclaud Heinfroth, Dr. Piotr Rehner has accepted a position on the asylum staff in order to conduct his own twisted experiments. Rehner's expertise is in pain and its effects, both physical and mental, on the human body. Proof of Rehner's dedication (or madness) may be found in the fact that he agreed to be transformed into a cerebral vampire in order to continue his work.
In short, the diary tells the heroes that Rehner was contacted by a man who expressed great interest in his work. Exactly what that work might be is unstated, but the nature of the other books in the chest offers some indication of its nature. This unidentified person offered Rehner the chance to continue his work for all time in the service of Daclaud Heinfroth on the island of Dominia. After serious consideration of the proposal, Rehner agreed and was transformed into a cerebral vampire.
Young Colin, Cerebral Vampire: He was in his early teens when he was transformed into a cerebral vampire, and now he eternally wears the smile of an excitable lad.
Young Colin was a wide-eyed, 13 year old boy who thought that a life on the sea would be exciting and glamorous. He decided to start his career by stowing away on a merchant ship and then revealing himself once they had cleared port. Unfortunately, he picked the wrong ship to sneak aboard. After being beat within an inch of his life, as well as having been fed upon by Captain Baykur, Colin was brought before Heinfroth. The master of Dominia saw the use for evil wearing a mask of innocence and turned the boy into a cerebral vampire.
Baron Metus, Mature Vampire: As he fled from Vistani retribution, Metus came under the protection of a member of the Kargat, the secret police force of Darkon. He also soon found himself transformed into a vampire by his supposed protector.
Recognizing that she needed the aid of a powerful corporeal ally if her plans were to see fruition, Radanavich arranged for the ashes of Baron Metus to be recovered and reanimated.
Madame Radanavich, Lord of Bleak House, 4th Magnitude Ghost: An enraged Van Richten descended upon the tribe, supported by a ravenous horde of undead creatures that were led by the reanimated corpse of her own son. As Madame Radanavich fell beneath Radovan's claws, she uttered the curse that would fulfill the prophesy made at her birth: "Live you always among monsters, and see everyone you love fall beneath their claws, starting with your son!"
By kidnapping his son and then cursing him to live among monsters, Madame Radanavich had set Van Richten firmly on the path he would follow for 30 years, and had thus affected countless residents of the Mists, for good and ill. Also, in the moment of her death, Madame Radanavich was so filled with hate for Van Richten that she lived on.
Although she died that night, Madame Radanavich's hate sustained both her and her tribe. The vengeful spirit lingered among the reanimated remains of her relatives, and she took charge of them in death as she had in life.
Dr. Black, Cerebral Vampire: ?
Dr. White, Cerebral Vampire: ?
Lord Azalin: ?
Tavelia, Mature Vampire: ?
Vampire Kargat Agent: ?
Heinfroth's Shadow: ?
Undead Treant: ?
Erasmus van Richten, Vampire: I learned that they had sold my beloved child to Baron Metus, a vampire. By the time I reached the Baron's tower, he had already transformed Erasmus into a foul creature of the night.
Animal Ghost: ?
Ghost Bear: ?
Sobbing Spirit, Banshee: Not long ago, Baron Metus murdered a young woman in this room. At the time, he was new to the city and had not yet established the subtle feeding patterns that he now employs. So terrified was the innocent lass that her ghost still haunts this room, attacking any male heroes who enter.
Daylight Ghosts: The daylight ghosts of Bleak House are corporeal spirits who endlessly repeat the day of their demise. They are the servants who worked in the house during Van Richten's childhood, and they died during a night of passion, madness, and terror. They are not controlled by Madame Radanavich but have been given existence by the spirit of the house which, recognizing that its true master has come home, is attempting to help Van Richten.
Josef Bierce, Daylight Ghost, Human 0: ?
Elise Bierce, Daylight Ghost, Human 0: When the fateful day came, Karl presented himself to Elise and was dumfounded when she rejected him. He forced his way into her room to argue with her, but when she tried to scream he clapped a heavy hand over her mouth. He squeezed her throat so tightly and for so long that she never made another sound.
Casimir, Daylight Ghost, Fighter 1: Casimir's steadfast companion in life was his hound, Thane, who watched the gate at night while his master slept. Karl poisoned the dog a few hours before he planned to "elope" with Elise. Casimir spent his last living hours searching for his canine friend. Instead, he found death at the hands of Josef.
Unfortunately for Josef, his own guilt over his crimes made him increasingly paranoid. He suspected everyone of watching him, especially the half-breed Vistani. When Josef found his ledger missing on his last day of life, he was certain Casimir had stolen it to blackmail him. He sought out Casimir and murdered him.
Karl Mueller, Daylight Ghost, Fighter 3: ?
Gretta Bierce, Daylight Ghost, Human 0: ?
Spirits of the Night: Madame Radanavich has captured the spirits of nine people who were close to Van Richten's heart.
Alannthir, 3rd Magnitude Ghost, Spirit of the Night: With other brave heroes, this half-elven druid aided Van Richten in tracking the lich known as Bloody Hand. Before the band ever reached the monster's lair, Alannthir was slain during a struggle with Bloody Hand's familiar, an undead redtailed hawk.
Bloody Hand Lich: ?
Undead Red Tailed Hawk Familiar: ?
Davvyd, 2nd Magnitude Ghost, Spirit of the Night: The only time Van Richten was utterly and totally defeated was when he faced the fiend known as Drigor. Davvyd, a devout young priest of Tyr, a god of justice, was among those who fell. Drigor took particular delight in killing Davvyd, taunting him with the fact that his god was doing nothing to save him.
Dr. Harmon Ruscheider, 2nd Magnitude Ghost, Spirit of the Night: Once a brilliant scientific mind, Harmon Ruscheider was corrupted by the influences of a lich and died in Van Richten's arms.
Erasmus van Richten, 4th Magnitude Ghost, Spirit of the Night: ?
Geddar, 3rd Magnitude Ghost, Spirit of the Night: Geddar the Dwarf was a retired watchman who ran an inn in Mordentshire. When a scoundrel died with stolen burial goods in his common room, Geddar joined Van Richten in a quest to return the items to their rightful place and mollify the angry spirits. The mission was successful, but not without the cost of Geddar's life.
Ingrid van Richten, 2nd Magnitude Ghost, Spirit of the Night: Ingrid, Rudolph's wife and mother to his son, Erasmus, was murdered in a most brutal fashion by Baron Metus as a retaliatory gesture.
Ottelie Farringer, 3rd Magnitude Ghost, Spirit of the Night: After the death of his wife, Rudolph van Richten lived for many years without any thought of love or companionship—until he met the brilliant and enchanting Ottelie Farringer. A scholar rivaling Van Richten's own skill and experience, Ottelie stood with him in the fateful confrontation with Drigor. Had she lived, Van Richten may have led a far different life.
Samuel, 2nd Magnitude Ghost, Spirit of the Night: A young man from Mordentshire, Samuel generally tended Van Richten's herb shop when the doctor was on the road. In the end, he took up arms and stood at the Doctor's side against Drigor.
Claudia DeShanes: Before she met Van Richten, Claudia looked forward to being happily married and bearing healthy children some day. When her powerful psychic abilities were awakened by Van Richten and his comrades during a ghost hunt, she joined his crusade, but fell victim to the child vampire Merilee.
Merilee, Child Vampire: ?
Spirit of Bleak House: ?
Cannibal Zombie: ?
Thane, Phantom Hound: Casimir's steadfast companion in life was his hound, Thane, who watched the gate at night while his master slept. Karl poisoned the dog a few hours before he planned to "elope" with Elise. Casimir spent his last living hours searching for his canine friend. Instead, he found death at the hands of Josef.
Radovan Radanavich, Fourth Magnitude Ghost: Radovan was the son of Madame Radanavich. In life, Radovan was not an evil man. Had events been different, he would never have hated Dr. Van Richten for failing to save his life. The corrupting influence of his transformation into an undead creature forced to lead an enemy to his own tribe broke Radovan's undead mind.
Tasha, Animal Ghost: Like most animal ghosts who died serving their masters, Tasha is restless because she did not manage to carry Van Richten all the way to his destination.
Ghostly Boar: ?

Vampire: ?
Ghoul: Any human or humanoid creature whose Intelligence or Wisdom score is reduced to 0 by the drain of cerebral vampires is doomed to become an undead creature himself. Unlike other vampires, however, these creatures do not breed true. The secret of creating cerebral vampires is known only to Daclaud Heinfroth himself.
Instead, the victims of a cerebral vampire rise as ghouls.
As mentioned in the general description of these monsters, victims slain by other cerebral vampires rise as ghouls.
Even in death the Corvara tribe followed Madame Radanavich, their shattered bodies rising as ghouls and zombies to walk with her as she entered the Mists in search of Van Richten.
Zombie: Even in death the Corvara tribe followed Madame Radanavich, their shattered bodies rising as ghouls and zombies to walk with her as she entered the Mists in search of Van Richten.
While the children do indeed learn how to weave rugs, they are kept prisoners in the mills and are fed only enough to keep them alive. Dyreth, however, need not even do that. He is a necromancer who slays the children he "apprentices" and animates them as zombies.

Caravan

Spoiler

Skurra: So where are the ghosts? They are the ghosts! Oh, sure, some might disagree with me, but I know it's true. After all, at least one of their women came here after "escaping" the death squads in Invidia. Not likely is it? She made it out, all right, but I doubt she escaped those squads alive.
Try looking at the faces under those painted masks. It's not easy. That's because there are no faces, George! The Skurra, our faithful drivers, those harmless entertainers strolling through the Carnival while juggling knives and balls, are the restless spirits of Vistani who were murdered while apart from their tribes, and now they're unable to find their way home. Like so many other lost souls, they have come to lsolde and the Carnival to find peace. And the wagons they bring and drive for us? Obviously, they are the very vardos these Vistani once lived in.
Tindal has filled your head with nonsense, telling you that the Skurra are ghosts of Vistani who failed their tribes in life. Telling you that Isolde brought the Skurra back from the land of death to protect the Carnival in its travels. No doubt some Trouper will also tell you that the Skurra conceal themselves behind false faces to hide from Death, not from the Twisting.
Vistani blood flow through the veins of the Skurra, but they are mortu, as am I. Some Skurra have lost their tribes, others were cast out. In this way we are no longer truly Vistani. For our kind, to be mortu is to exist in a cold half-life, cut off from all that fuels our passions. The Troupers do not understand our ways. They have learned that mortu can mean “undead” in your tongue. This confuses them, and the constraints of the Skurra mask have led them to see us as ghosts. Are we simply mortu, or are we undead? Pah. The difference is in the truth you choose to believe.

Caravans

Spoiler

Ghul Greater: While most great ghuls are former jann, lesser ghuls are former humans. A human slain by a mage ghul may become a lesser ghul if the mage ghul sits with the human corpse for an entire night, its hands on the corpse's head. At dawn, the corpse rises as a lesser ghul. Some entities, such as noble efreeti, can transform humans to lesser ghuls, lesser ghuls to great ghuls.
Ghul Lesser: While most great ghuls are former jann, lesser ghuls are former humans. A human slain by a mage ghul may become a lesser ghul if the mage ghul sits with the human corpse for an entire night, its hands on the corpse's head. At dawn, the corpse rises as a lesser ghul. Some entities, such as noble efreeti, can transform humans to lesser ghuls, lesser ghuls to great ghuls.

Castle Spulzeer

Spoiler

Kartak Spellseer, Lich Wizard 20 (31): Meanwhile, in the Year of the Thorns (856 DR), Kartak died by his own hand, drinking a potion that would turn him into a lich.
Marble, Unique Ghost: On that horrible night years ago, when Marble's life blood spewed onto Kartak's reconstructed corpse, she willed herself to avenger her murder. So strong was her hatred of the lich and her brother Chardath, so powerful was her will, that she actually recreated herself into a unique ghost of tremendous power.
Sharill Beaufort, “Selune's Daughter”, Eastern Vampire: She was made an eastern vampire when a man claiming to be an itinerant Moonbathed Priest of Selune attacked her in her own quarters in the cellar under the temple.
Ghostly Apparition: ?
Weeping Spirit: ?

Undead: These restless spirits are mostly victims of atrocities committed in the castle by Kartak and the Spellseer/Spulzeer family over the centuries (some may even be the spirits of evil ancestors).
Geist: A geist is the relatively harmless undead spirit of a person who died traumatically, a transparent image of the victim at the moment of death.
Skeleton: These skeletons are the result of Chardath's experimentation with his newfound magical powers.
Wraith: ?
Crypt Thing: ?
Banshee: ?
Ghost: ?

Castles Forlorn

Spoiler

Rivalin ApTosh: Rivalin had lain in the mud of the battlefield that day, hovering on the brink of death, until dusk descended. Hidden as he was by the muck of blood and rain, the warrior was overlooked by soldiers who came to collect the bodies of fallen comrades. Then, with the close of day came those that feed upon the dead—and upon those about to die. Thus the last of Rivalin's life force was drained away by a vampire. Two nights later, Rivalin arose with his own, aching thirst for blood. . . .
Tristen ApBlanc: One dark night in the year 1609, when Tristen had reached his midteens, Rual's fears were realized. By the light of a baleful moon, she spied him in the woods, bent over the corpse of a young doe. She thought at first that he had been hunting, but when the boy arose from the body of the animal with a crimson-smeared face, Rual knew the boy's paternity was at last telling true. The toxins in Tristen's body were finally changing him into a vampire.
Ironically, the draining of Tristen's blood while he simultaneously assimilated Rual's, infused with holy water, amounted to a transfusion that washed away the tainted poison which would have eventually turned him into a full vampire. The process was excruciatingly painful to Tristen, leading him to believe he was dying, but it was actually affecting a cure.
Nevertheless, Rual set in motion the blurring of planar borders that would eventually draw Tristen and the surrounding lands into the demiplane of dread. Covered with unholy blood and outraged to the point of insanity by the murderous betrayal of her adopted child, the druid deprived Tristen of his cure and poisoned him again, this time with her deadly curse. As Rual laid her malediction upon Tristen, the sun sank below the horizon and her blood began to boil within his body. He fell to the ground and thrashed convulsively, screaming until his veins burst within him, and then he died.
But death is a relative term among the cursed, and it was certainly not the end of Tristen. He arose as a ghost that same night, and he discovered that he could not leave the sacred grove where Rual's body and his own lay.
Flora ApBlanc: Flora became a ghost because of the anguish she suffered wondering if her child would survive the mob that lynched her.
Rual: Flora became a ghost because of the anguish she suffered wondering if her child would survive the mob that lynched her.
Isolt ApBlanc: The anguish and grief that Isolt felt as she died turned her into a ghost of the third magnitude.
Gilan ApBlanc: Gilan saw the whole thing as he was getting dressed that morning. Racing across the courtyard, he threw himself upon the wolves in an effort to save his beloved pet. The wolves turned on the boy, instead.
Startled, Tristen called off the wolves, but it was too late. They had already torn the boy to pieces. Furious, he drew his sword and attacked them without quarter, but this only succeeded in sending a number of the beasts scuttling away from the keep. Some of them still carried pieces of the boy in their slavering jaws as they ran. As a result, there was little of Gilan left to bury.
The savage attack that took Gilan's life drove him mad. His ghost has blocked out all memory of the events of his death and he believes the dog in his arms to be alive.
Morholt ApBlanc: He was 18 when he was killed, in Forfar year 1833. Doomed by the sudden nature of his death to become a spirit, the second son of Tristen and Isolt ApBlanc believes he is still alive. (Murdered in his sleep, Morholt never knew who his attacker was.)
Aggie: ?
Zombie Wolf: Zombie wolves are not created by a wizard or a priest, but are a creation of the domain of Forlorn itself.
Zombie wolves rise from the dead when the body of any regular wolf in the domain of Forlorn is not decapitated after it is killed. If this gruesome task is not carried out, the corpse of the wolf rises as a zombie 2d8 days after it has died.
It is generally thought that the creatures gain this strange form of existence from contact with the land itself, which channels energy from the Negative Material Plane. Some sages speculate that simply preventing the wolf carcass from having any contact with the ground for a full eight days will prevent it from rising as a zombie, but in the absence of any practical application of this theory, it remains unproven.
Treant Undead: ?
Geist: The spirit is the geist of Gregory, the druid who hid the horn of the sacred grove and later was torn to shreds by goblyns.
Generally speaking, geists are relatively harmless spirits that are undead manifestations of a person caught between mortality and immortality at the moment of death.
Haunt: ?

Children of the Night Ghosts

Spoiler

Mae Upton, First-Magnitude Ghost: Mae Upton passed away on the very morning that the heroes entered Stangengrad. In a cruel twist of fate, her spirit did not go on to whatever final rest awaited it. Instead, Mae found herself still attached to this world, retaining all her memories but also awash in a dreadful epiphany; she was given complete understanding of exactly what had happened to Jimmy and exactly how it was all her fault. Another flash of inspiration told her that in order to escape the same fate she had unwittingly inflicted on her son, she would have to find a cure for his condition. To this end, she walks again in the world of the living for the sole purpose of securing the heroes’ aid. If they save Jimmy, they also save her.
On the day of Jimmy’s encounter with Fennelstock, Mae heard several neighbors tell tales of what happened. She became convinced that her son had been killed. The guilt she felt was overwhelming; she had lied to her only child and used his love for her to send him into a confrontation from which he never returned. She devoted the rest of her life to helping the poor, caring for the debilitated, and preaching the ways of honesty to her former partners in crime. She did all this in the hopes of regaining enough of her honor to be able to look her son in the face when they meet in the afterlife.
Ghost Cat, Unfamiliar, Minor Fury: ?
Wilhelm Pellman, First-Magnitude Ghost: Wilhelm had been trying to find Mark, to warn him about Kole’s particularly angry mood that day. He caught up with his friend just in time to see the final blow. When he saw Mark’s body go limp and fall to the ground, Wilhelm screamed, turned, and fled into the street, where he was struck by an out-of-control cart carrying vegetables to the market.
Wilhelm lay where he fell, bleeding from a massive head wound. A local innkeeper known as Mother Ladria held him and tried to make sense of his last words as he died. Because of the violent scene that he witnessed just before his death, Wilhelm became a ghost.
Susannah Joson, Third-Magnitude Geist: At last, Rafe convinced Susannah to go with him for a romantic boat ride on the pond, promising it would help “put to rest her torturous fears over what had happened to her family.” He pinned a red rose to her dress to win her over, and the tactic worked to his ends once more. Then, he rowed to the center of the pond and absently asked what she would give to learn her family’s fate, to which she responded “my life!”
“Fair enough,” said Rafe with a cruel chuckle. He plucked the rose from her shoulder and threw it into the water, where Susannah slowly focused upon her brothers and parents, just barely visible in the depths. As she screamed in horror, Rafe seized her from behind and held her head under the water so she could look into the vacant eyes of her dead family while she, herself, drowned. When she stopped struggling, he took a knife and cut her ring finger off, claiming the family heirloom of her grandmother’s wedding ring.
Susannah is a third-magnitude geist, owing to the fact that she died traumatically.
Jediah Joson, Second-Magnitude Ghost: Susannah’s parents and two brothers are all second-magnitude ghosts. Their ghostly origin is due to sudden death, strengthened by the betrayal of Rafe.
Meriam Joson, Second-Magnitude Ghost: Susannah’s parents and two brothers are all second-magnitude ghosts. Their ghostly origin is due to sudden death, strengthened by the betrayal of Rafe.
Aldan Joson, Second-Magnitude Ghost: Susannah’s parents and two brothers are all second-magnitude ghosts. Their ghostly origin is due to sudden death, strengthened by the betrayal of Rafe.
Tomon Joson, Second-Magnitude Ghost: Susannah’s parents and two brothers are all second-magnitude ghosts. Their ghostly origin is due to sudden death, strengthened by the betrayal of Rafe.
Pond Zombie: The ghost Susannah’s passion and beauty have made quick work of many men, so lots of bodies lie in the pond. They rise much like the Josons do, as a variety of the common zombie.
Theona Helsvar, Third-Magnitude Ghost: Finally realizing what was happening as her sentence was read aloud by the mayor, Theona started invoking her spell. Unfortunately, she was tied to a stake before she could finish the spell. Searching out the figure of Monica, Theona stared at the girl as her body began to bum. As pain swept over her, Theona continued to stare at Monica until a wave of disorientation hit her. She blinked and found herself standing among the townspeople, watching as her dead former body was burned to ashes. Looking down at herself, she realized that she was in Monica’s body.
Monica Ferrier, Second-Magnitude Ghost: Instead of departing, Monica’s spirit managed to remain nearby, intent on regaining her stolen body.
Lord Alexander von Lupinoff, Third-Magnitude Ghost: Just as the moon reached its zenith, Alexander appeared at the edge of the clearing in wolf form. After the wolf killed the goat and settled down to its meal, the villagers opened fire with their bows and mortally wounded it. As the wolf lay dying, its form shifted into that of Alexander von Lupinoff. The villagers backed away in awe and terror. Fearful that Alexander might live long enough to understand what his former friend had done to him, Claude stepped up and delivered the final, killing blow with the same silver dagger he had used to kill the sorcerer. As Claude struck, Alexander fully realized his former friend’s part in the whole situation. While part of Alexander was saddened by his friends betrayal, another part of him, the aspect of Alexander that had been attracted to the wolf form, cursed his former friend and killer. He wished Claude to suffer the rage and despair that filled the final moments of his own life until such time as Claude confessed his crime.
Lord Claude Hornberg, Second-Magnitude Ghost, Mutable Ghoul-Ghost Hybrid: ?
Sir Marcus Malvoy, Third-Magnitude Ghost: The beast found Marcus and tormented him. Sir Marcus cried for mercy and, finally, for death. The undead creature surrounded Sir Marcus with the bodies of his allies and animated them. They all cursed him with dead tongues, and Sir Marcus cried out, beseeching the monster for release.
Finally, the undead beast put Sir Marcus to death. Even then, Sir Marcus’s story did not end. Sir Marcus can no longer escape his torment, any more than he can escape his world.
Hurrek the Giant, Fourth Magnitude Ghost Stone Giant: The temple remained hidden for about thirty years, but then a truly cruel warlord found it, and Hurrek died by torture. As he had tortured people in the past himself, his new nature made the experience even more unbearable as he realized the pain he had caused others. The agony brought him back from death as a very powerful but very sad ghost.
Accalus, First-Magnitude Ghost: Acchalus’s violent death and, more importantly, his failure to defend the temple, caused him to return as a ghost.
Marta, Geist: This is Marta, a warrior who fell in the battle and arose as a geist, a harmless restless spirit.
Lord Bryg Colvin, Wight: ?
Nicholai Melantha, Third-Magnitude Ghost: Enraged by this “back-talk,” the father proceeded to beat Nikolai harder and more violently than ever before. Nikolai died to the screams of his mother and sister. As life left him, his final words were: “Don’t you ever touch my sister again, you monster.”
Intelligent Zombie: If a wizard or priest spends 1d4 minutes flipping through the pages of the book, the hero realizes that the text covers the creation of zombies through the use of a magic powder rather than the casting of actual spells. A pinch of the powder must be thrown into the face of the victim, and if he breathes any of it, or gets any in his eyes, he dies within a minute. After ten minutes, he reanimates as an intelligent zombie who is unwaveringly loyal to his creator. Only a dispel magic or neutralize poison spell will stop the process. (Slow poison delays the inevitable.)
Additionally, Nanette has one use of the magical powder that creates zombies. During the first round of combat, she throws it into the face of an attacking hero (with only a -1 penalty to her attack roll, due to the called-shot penalty being offset by her high Dexterity). The hero must then make a successful saving throw vs. death magic, or die within 1d4 rounds-only to rise again as a zombie under Nanette’s complete control (but with all his skills intact).
Rhianna, Third-Magnitude Ghost: Rhianna’s guilt at being involved in so many horrible deaths overpowered her so much that she has become a restless ghost.
Duncan MacFarn, Fourth-Magnitude Ghost: When the door closed, Duncan barred it from the outside with a four-inch beam of solid oak that dropped into iron receivers two inches thick. His archers on the vented roof drew their ashen bows and rained death on Donal and his men from the murder holes Duncan had carved.
When the last man (Donal himself) twitched a final spasm, Duncan’s men opened the door, reentered the hall, and knifed any who showed brief signs of life. They removed the tables and the remains of the feast, and then returned with the paving blocks. Donal and his men were interred on the bare soil, and Duncan’s varlets laid the dressed floor stones atop their bleeding corpses. The hall they reset for dining, and the victors sat to drink and feast.
One year later, on the anniversary of that bloody, tragic night, Duncan MacFarn of MacFarn, Chief of Clan MacFarn, came home to celebrate his wedding in the ancient keep. The chief, his blushingly beautiful new bride, and the entire bridal party gathered in the feast hall. Just as the last guest entered, the oak door slammed shut. The four-inch beam, without human agency, fell into its thick receivers, and the stones of the floor began to fly. In their hundreds they flew, whirling and smashing about the room, striking and bashing and hammering; death rode bloody wings that night. Everyone was slain. Duncan lay smashed and broken, penetrated by granite shards.
Ghost of Hospitality, Third Magnitude Ghost: When the door closed, Duncan barred it from the outside with a four-inch beam of solid oak that dropped into iron receivers two inches thick. His archers on the vented roof drew their ashen bows and rained death on Donal and his men from the murder holes Duncan had carved.
When the last man (Donal himself) twitched a final spasm, Duncan’s men opened the door, reentered the hall, and knifed any who showed brief signs of life. They removed the tables and the remains of the feast, and then returned with the paving blocks. Donal and his men were interred on the bare soil, and Duncan’s varlets laid the dressed floor stones atop their bleeding corpses. The hall they reset for dining, and the victors sat to drink and feast.
One year later, on the anniversary of that bloody, tragic night, Duncan MacFarn of MacFarn, Chief of Clan MacFarn, came home to celebrate his wedding in the ancient keep. The chief, his blushingly beautiful new bride, and the entire bridal party gathered in the feast hall. Just as the last guest entered, the oak door slammed shut. The four-inch beam, without human agency, fell into its thick receivers, and the stones of the floor began to fly. In their hundreds they flew, whirling and smashing about the room, striking and bashing and hammering; death rode bloody wings that night. Everyone was slain. Duncan lay smashed and broken, penetrated by granite shards.
Vlana Waldershen, Fourth-Magnitude Ghost: Two days after Vlana locked herself in the tower, the annual harvest festival took place in the village. As Thaeos reigned over the festivities, young Drugen enjoyed watching the jugglers and listening to the music of the minstrels. At the festival’s climax, Vlana appeared suddenly in her old Vistani garb and made long accusations about Thaeos’s treachery and deceitfulness. Just when her vituperative cries seemed to reach the pinnacle of ferocity and hatred, Vlana invoked a terrible curse, condemning the entire Waldershen line for Thaeos’s crimes against her. After her vile declaration, she leaped at him, but Thaeos was quicker. He ducked her charge and, grabbing a sword from his chief advisor, Bracy, struck the baroness through the heart. Vlana writhed in agony as the cold steel bit her flesh, and she died within moments. At her death, her shade caressed Drugen (using her cause wound ability) and then fled to the manor and took up residence in the mausoleum, where she has rested undisturbed ever since.
Josephine de Monceau, Third-Magnitude Ghost: ?
Ezekiel Preston, Fourth-Magnitude Ghost: One winter’s day, while trying to find a good spot to beg for more coins, he stumbled over a frozen corpse. Instead of seeing the corpse’s face, however, he saw his own. Fear settled deep into Preston’s bones. That night, while lying shivering in the poorhouse and brooding over Amalia’s love for another man, he vowed that death would never hold him. The next morning, his corpse was thrown onto a heap with several others while his ghost watched gleefully.
Amalia Preston, Second-Magnitude Ghost: On a gloomy winter day precisely six months after Willem’s demise, Amalia sat straight up in her bed and spoke to her maid. Her figure was bony and her hair matted, but in her eyes danced the old sparkle of life. “I’ll soon see Willem!” she announced. “Help me get ready!” Then her voice dropped to a whisper. “Make sure that we are together in this world for all eternity.” Then Amalia fell back into her pillows and died.
Preston, despite her deathbed request, buried Amalia on the edge of the woods behind his home, with a white marble stone marking her grave.
When Willem turned thirteen, he and Amalia (who was eleven) stood under a spreading oak tree and promised themselves to each other forever, sealing their pact with a kiss. When Amalia turned fourteen and finished school, they planned to marry.
In the meantime, Amalia’s parents promised her hand to Ezekiel Preston. The young couple pleaded with Amalia’s father and mother to cancel the wedding, but the Wrights would not hear of it. Amalia cried every day as the wedding approached. Her parents realized that a bride who cried through her wedding day would be quite a spectacle and would not reflect favorably on anyone. They postponed the wedding until they could ensure that their daughter was restored to physical and mental health.
Overjoyed at her temporary freedom, Amalia ran from the house, saddled her horse, and set off to find Willem. At his home, however, she learned from a neighbor that he had left the house in a rage, carrying a sword and cursing Preston under his breath. Amalia rode swiftly to Preston’s home, hoping to prevent Willem from committing an act he would regret.
Upon reaching Preston Hill, she could hear angry shouts so she spurred her horse up the slope. As she crested the hill, she caught sight of Preston and Willem sparring with each other, but a sudden flash of steel in the moonlight told her she was too late. Willem staggered and crumpled to the ground, a victim of Preston’s quick dagger. The following day, Willem was laid to rest in the graveyard adjoining the school where he and Amalia played as children.
Willem Tyson, Third-Magnitude Ghost: When Willem turned thirteen, he and Amalia (who was eleven) stood under a spreading oak tree and promised themselves to each other forever, sealing their pact with a kiss. When Amalia turned fourteen and finished school, they planned to marry.
In the meantime, Amalia’s parents promised her hand to Ezekiel Preston. The young couple pleaded with Amalia’s father and mother to cancel the wedding, but the Wrights would not hear of it. Amalia cried every day as the wedding approached. Her parents realized that a bride who cried through her wedding day would be quite a spectacle and would not reflect favorably on anyone. They postponed the wedding until they could ensure that their daughter was restored to physical and mental health.
Overjoyed at her temporary freedom, Amalia ran from the house, saddled her horse, and set off to find Willem. At his home, however, she learned from a neighbor that he had left the house in a rage, carrying a sword and cursing Preston under his breath. Amalia rode swiftly to Preston’s home, hoping to prevent Willem from committing an act he would regret.
Upon reaching Preston Hill, she could hear angry shouts so she spurred her horse up the slope. As she crested the hill, she caught sight of Preston and Willem sparring with each other, but a sudden flash of steel in the moonlight told her she was too late. Willem staggered and crumpled to the ground, a victim of Preston’s quick dagger. The following day, Willem was laid to rest in the graveyard adjoining the school where he and Amalia played as children.

Lich: ?
Wight: ?
Bastellus: Rhianna’s mother discovered her limp body the next morning. In an effort to prevent further night terrors from springing from Rhianna’s death, her family cremated the body (which prevented her from becoming a bastellus like the one that killed her).
Ghost: If the Waldershen have died and the heroes have not managed to banish Vlana from the manor grounds with her ashes, she takes control of the manor house and attempts to rule the lands around it. She begins terrorizing the village and turns her victims into ghosts bent-on serving her needs.

City by the Silt Sea

Spoiler

Dwarf Cursed Dead: Dregoth personally helped defeat the dwarves of Giustenal, and he watched as each of them was hanged from the trees in front of the place they sought to defend. When his troops set fire to the remains of the settlement, Dregoth cursed the dwarves for defying Kim. On that day the cursed dead were born.
Krag: Krags are undead created when a cleric aligned to an element or para-element dies in the medium diametrically opposed to his own. The anguish and trauma of dying to the very force he devoted his life to opposing is sometimes enough to transform a cleric into a wicked and bitter undead.
Kragling: Kraglings are creatures who have perished from the elemental transfusion attack of a krag. Anything that dies in this manner has a 45% chance of coming back as a kragling in 1-4 days.
If death results from a Krag's elemental transfusion, there is a 45% chance that the victim will become a kragling in 1d4 days.
Any creature can become a kragling if it was killed by the elemental transfusion of a krag. Silt spawn, humanoids, demihumans, humans, and even nonhumanoid monsters are all subject to the transfusion attack and thus can become kraglings. What type of kragling and how powerful it is depends on the creature's Hit Dice.
Greater kraglings are created when creatures with more than 4 Hit Dice are killed by a krag's elemental transfusion. Lesser kraglings are created via the same process, though the creatures must have less than 4 Hit Dice to fall into this weaker category.
Venger: A venger is the animated remains of some strong-willed being who suffered a great wrong in life. The wrong must have been committed by an intelligent creature who survives beyond the death of the being who will become the venger. At the moment of death, the consciousness of the wronged person is trapped by its rage and frustration within its corpse, and it rises as an undead venger 2d6 days later.

Corsairs of the Great Sea

Spoiler

Amiq Rasol: Amiq Rasol, also called Deep Men or Dark Men, are undead corsairs who were lost at sea, murdered, or marooned. Corsairs who refused to acknowledge or turned away from the Enlightened gods may also become amiq rasol.
Ghul-Kin Soultaker: ?
Ghul-Kin Witherer: ?

Dark of the Moon

Spoiler

Arayaska, Snow Wraith, Snow-People: Arayashka are the undead spirits of travelers killed by cold and exposure in some arctic lands. A person must possess an intense strength of will and a purpose that is left unfulfilled by death in order to become an arayashka.
Any character killed by an arayashka and interred anywhere near the location of death must be cremated while a bless spell is cast, or the PC rises as an arayashka the next time a winter storm rages. A character that is killed by an arayashka but is then interred in some warmer clime does not return as one.
Antonina, Ghost: On the day of Alexei's 18th birthday, Gregor decided that he would bring his son into the ranks of the boyarsky. Mikhail was in Torgov, visiting his mother's kin. While Gregor and Alexei were away, Antonina came to see Sasha. "It is time you knew Gregor's secret and what he plans for Alexei," the old woman spitefully told her. "Tonight, you and I shall follow Gregor into the forest, and I will show you where he has been going all these years."
Sasha agreed, and as night fell the two women trailed stealthily after Alexei, Gregor, and his boyarsky. The boyar led his son and his warriors to a clearing in the woods, and there he gave a wolf skin to Alexei. Together, father and son donned the skins and transformed into great black wolves. The boyarsky changed as well, and the night was full of the howling of the pack.
Sasha was horrified and fled into the woods. The keen ears of the pack caught the sounds of her flight, and in a moment the wolves were bounding after their prey. The wolves chased Sasha to a steep ravine, and there she slipped and fell to her death in her attempt to escape.
Coming up behind the boyarsky, Gregor and Alexei in their wolf-shapes beheld the broken form of Sasha, lying in the snow-covered rocks. Gregor smelled the scent of Antonina on his dead wife, and in a moment of terrible understanding he knew that Sasha had been encouraged to spy on him. He raced off to track down his mother, his rage unspeakable, Alexei a step behind him. The boyar found Antonina near the clearing, and unable to contain his anger, he tore Antonina's throat out with his terrible fangs while Alexei howled in grief and rage.

Undead: Undead can be found in various places, the restless spirits of those killed by Gregor and his pack or frozen as they traveled in the woods.

Die Vecna Die

Spoiler

Skeleton Elite: Elite skeletons in Cavitus are created by a lich from the bodies of common soldiers using the animate dead spell in a special ceremony.
Krakkat the Observant created the elite skeletons that populate Cavitius.
True Ghoul: ?
Wight Wizard: These corporeal undead share the same background as other wights here, but they were wizards, not warriors.
Innova, Meekali, Lich possessing human body Wizard 19: The lich who has stolen Innova's body was in life an evil human mage named Meekali, from the realm of Sunndi. When the natural end of her life was only a few years away, she made plans to prevent it from arriving. Her first attempt involved casting magic jar on an elf maiden, but elven adventurers foiled her scheme. She then went through the steps to become a lich. During this process, she came to the attention of Vecna, who recruited her as one of his servants. Now, she occasionally uses magic jar to steal the body of a young human female from the unfortunate citizens of Citadel Cavitius.
Krakkat the Observant, Lich Mage 18: ?
Kyrie, Vampire Mage 2: Kyrie was turned into an undead by a vampire that was ultimately slain by a vengeful Xaven.
Lord Haroln, The Arm of Vecna, Vampire Wizard 3 Priest 10: ?
Nine, Lich Mage 20: ?
Sir Loran of Trollpyre Keep, Death Knight: Sir Loran was the final master of Trollpyre Keep, a minor estate bordering the Vast Swamp on Oerth. Unlike his noble ancestors in Sunndi, he was an evil and twisted man who hid his true nature behind a veneer of stoicism and honor. He took a beautiful dancer as his wife, but when she bore him a daughter instead of a son, he slew them and their midwife moments after the birth with Trollpyre’s Defender, his magic sword. The dancer’s mother, a priestess, cursed Sir Loran to die painfully in battle, then rise as an undead, with the spirits of his slain family haunting him for eternity.
Xaven, Vampire Mage 3: Kyrie was turned into an undead by a vampire that was ultimately slain by a vengeful Xaven. However, his love for Kyrie was such that he could not bring himself to kill her, so he joined her undeath.
Vecna the Maimed God, Lord of Cavitus, Demigod, Lich: Once upon a time lost to history, there lived a mortal man called Vecna. Vecna plumbed the arts of magecraft, eventually becoming the most accomplished and powerful wizard of all times and spaces. When a betrayer’s blade maimed and cut him down, Vecna rose again, infused with secrets of magic no mortal was ever meant to know. He was now a true demigod, while the relics of his former body gained fame in their own right. His power magnified many times over, Vecna schemed, laying audacious plans designed to transform himself into a true god, possibly even a supreme god. Just when all portents aligned with Vecna’s will, the demigod was snatched from his former abode and forcibly caged in a misty realm.
Ilya Noma, Vampire: ?
Animate Greatcoat Minor: This item is sewn from integument harvested from powerful undead.
Carrion Shambler: Taking their form from the piles of fleshy remains, carrion shamblers are undead agglomerates of undead tissue, first animated by cultist wizards, but now capable of reproducing on their own.
Slave Vampire: ?
Kaleb Hoddypeak, Mummy Priest 6: In life, Kaleb Hoddypeak was a half-elf from the Duchy of Geoff. He devoted a great deal of time secretly sabotaging the heroic undertakings of his famed half-brother Fonkin Hoddypeak, a full-blooded elf adventurer. Eventually, Kaleb discovered the Cult of Vecna and joined up, hoping the dark god would grant him secret knowledge to use in slandering Fonkin’s name. Before Kaleb could deal a crippling blow to Fonkin, villagers lynched him for his evil ways and threw his body into a bog. Vecna was impressed with Kaleb’s efforts and caused him to rise as a mummy.
New Vampire: ?
Ylan Tomas, Vampire Necromancer 5: ?
Crassius, Lich Mage 18: Crassius and Vellan were twin brothers and archmages who worked for Vecna at the height of his empire, but were cast into Citadel Cavitius for various perceived deficiencies. They changed into liches in time and still serve Vecna as mage teachers.
Vellan, Lich Mage 18: Crassius and Vellan were twin brothers and archmages who worked for Vecna at the height of his empire, but were cast into Citadel Cavitius for various perceived deficiencies. They changed into liches in time and still serve Vecna as mage teachers.
Wight Mage Advanced Mage 5: This twisted soul has devoted himself to carrying out Vecna’s will for all eternity.
Gundarc the Bald, Lich Mage 18: ?
Wight Mage: ?
Stigel, Vampire Mage 10: ?
Undead Scribe: In life, these scribes served Vecna’s church on Oerth copying fragments of texts relating to his life and deeds. Once they passed from life, their bodies were drawn to Vecna's palace where they could continue the work they had started in life.
The Unnamed, Lich Mage 20: ?
Vampire Mage 12: ?
Vampire Pilgrim Wizard 2 Priest 5: ?
Kas the Bloody-Handed Death Knight: He is actually a warrior who came into possession of a false “Sword of Kas,” which corrupted his mind and body.
Lyra, Third-Magnitude Ghost: Sir Loran was the final master of Trollpyre Keep, a minor estate bordering the Vast Swamp on Oerth. Unlike his noble ancestors in Sunndi, he was an evil and twisted man who hid his true nature behind a veneer of stoicism and honor. He took a beautiful dancer as his wife, but when she bore him a daughter instead of a son, he slew them and their midwife moments after the birth with Trollpyre’s Defender, his magic sword. The dancer’s mother, a priestess, cursed Sir Loran to die painfully in battle, then rise as an undead, with the spirits of his slain family haunting him for eternity.
Lich Templar: ?

Death Knight: Nearly all death knights in Vecna’s domain were once lawful good warriors, generals, and knights who fought against Vecna in life. However, they were corrupted by a constant and devastating campaign in which Vecna offered them a variety of dreadful secrets, with a promise of more knowledge and power if they would cease to resist his empire or even join his forces. Their reward was to be cast into Citadel Cavitius when it was a prison on the quasi-elemental plane of Ash, where they eventually became death knights.
Lich: Some liches in this domain were once live mages in Vecna's ancient empire on Oerth, but were cast into the prison of Citadel Cavitius when they failed their master. They were changed into liches over time by the prison’s magical nature. Most, however, deliberately turned themselves into liches to become immortal and gain additional magical knowledge
Minor Death: ?
Reaver: ?
Skeletal Steed: ?
Shadow: For every successful attack by a shadow, the target loses 1 point of Strength. Lost Strength points return 2d4 turns later. If a human or demihuman is reduced to 0 points of Strength, the victim’s body dissolves into shadow-stuff and the victim is immediately ”reborn” as a shadow, attacking all former comrades.
Slow Shadow: Only a remove curse cast upon a slow shadow's victim at the time of death prevents the victim from arising as a slow shadow later on; otherwise, there is no recovery.
Skeleton: Animated skeletons are created from the bodies of dead human citizens of Cavitius, as well as executed criminals or unwanted prisoners.
Skeleton Warrior: In life, the skeleton warriors of Citadel Cavitius were great fighters in Vecna’s ancient armies who were punished for failing their leader in any number of critical ways, from losing major battles to committing high treason.
Spectre: Spectre-slain victims turn into spectres.
This accessway is haunted by two spectres of those slain here in the battle.
The two secret alcoves still contain a remnant of the force that once staffed them, in the form of haunted spectres, one to each alcove.
Vampire: The oldest vampires in this ghastly domain were once powerful adventurers who ran afoul of Vecna at some point in his career, then were cast into Citadel Cavitius when it was an extraplanar prison. There they were attacked and slain by the sole vampire in that prison, Kas the Destroyer himself.
Because Vecna is less fond of vampires than more lawful sorts of undead, he has standing orders to have the victims of vampires destroyed completely whenever possible, to prevent having his domain be overrun with them. Vampires go along with these orders, though once in a while they will bring a new member into their family by accident or design (in the latter case, the usually unwilling recruit is someone much favored by a particular vampire). The victim is given a quick burial, and one day later arises as a full-strength vampire enslaved to its creator.
The character was recently kidnapped (however long it was since the heroes had their first run-in with either the supporters of Iuz or Vecna). After being delivered to this terrible place, the character was subjected to mental and physical tortures, then turned into a vampire by two other vampires, male and female, covered in elaborate tattoos,
Wight: Wight-slain victims turn into wights.
A half-strength wight becomes the servant of its creator wight until its master is destroyed, at which time the minor wight gains full strength and free will.
The wights of Citadel Cavitius were formerly warriors or minor adventurers who were imprisoned within the Citadel when it was an extraplanar jail. These experienced prisoners, having run afoul of Vecna at some point, gradually turned into wights from the effects of the Negative Material Plane in their environment.
Wight Half-Strength, Minor Wight: Half-strength wight-slain victims turn into wights.
All heroes and NPCs slain by a wight fall into this category. The transition to unlife takes place quickly, in only 2d8 rounds.
Wraith: Wraith-slain victims turn into wraiths.
A half-strength wraith becomes the servant of its creator wraith until its master is destroyed, at which time the minor wraith gains full strength and free will.
The wraiths of Cavitius have origins much like the wights, but their corporeal forms were destroyed, leaving only their corrupted spirits.
Wraith Half-Strength, Minor Wraith: Half-strength wraith-slain victims turn into wraiths.
All heroes and NPCs slain by a wraith fall into this category. The transition to unlife takes place quickly, in only 2d6 rounds.
Zombie: Like skeletons, zombies of Citadel Cavitius were created from dead human citizens, criminals, and prisoners of little worth to the rulers of the city
Zombie Ju-Ju: In life, they were prisoners or criminals of exceptional note, hideously executed by energy drain spells cast by an archmage lich, or by finger of death spells after prolonged torture.
Ghoul Lord: ?
Ghast: Anyone bitten by a ghoul lord contracts a horrible rotting disease unless a successful save vs. poison is rolled. An infected victim loses ld10 hit points and 1 point each from Constitution and Charisma scores each day until cured with a heal spell. Death occurs if any affected score is reduced to zero. About 60+4d6 hours after death, the victim rises again as a ghast controlled by the ghoul lord.
Ghoul: ?
Gigantic Skeleton: ?
Crawling Claw: ?
Inquisitor: Known as inquisitors, these horrid servants of Vecna are horrid, rotting terrors whose clawed hands are charred from decades of handling red-hot torture implements.
Crypt Thing: ?
Radiant Spirit: This is the restless spirit of a paladin, now transformed by his guilt over having failed in his quest into a type of incorporeal undead known as a radiant spirit.
Poltergeist: This undead being was an unwise thief slain here less than a year ago, on a failed mission to steal from Vecna’s hoard.

Dragon Fist

Spoiler

Ghost: Most commonly, ghosts are the po souls of those buried improperly who return to Earth.
Vampire Hopping: When a body is buried improperly or in an inauspicious location, the po soul returns to the body and animates it; however, the hun soul has already moved on to Heaven. The po soul, already suffering after death, reverts to animalistic behavior and hungers to kill mortals. Without the heavenly spark of the hun soul, the body is not truly alive, so it retains the rigidity of death. The result is a hopping vampire.
Anyone who suffers more than 15 points of damage from a hopping vampire runs the risk of becoming a vampire in turn. Exactly how this occurs is a mystery, but most shamans agree it is a form of curse. After combat is over, the injured character must roll percentile dice. The chance of turning into a vampire is equal to the amount of damage he or she sustained (so if the vampire inflicted 20 points of damage, the chance would be 20%). Those who succumb to the curse slowly turn into vampires themselves, growing fangs and long fingernails and becoming more bestial as their po soul takes over. This process takes 1 day, plus an additional number of days equal to a Fortitude stunt roll. To stop the transformation, a shaman must cast the remove curse spell on the victim before the process is complete.
Skeleton: Skeletons are magically animated undead monsters, usually the work of evil shamans with no respect for the dead.
Zombie: Zombies are mindless, animated corpses serving the evil shamans that create them.

Dungeon Master's Options: High-Level Campaigns

Spoiler

Skeleton: Kolin's Undead Legion spell.
Zombie: Kolin's Undead Legion spell.

Kolin’s Undead Legion
True Dweomer (Necromancy)
Type: Animate
Range: Plane
Duration: Instantaneous
Difficulty: 325
Final Difficulty: 45
Preparation Time: 1 Month
Casting Time: 1 Hour
Area of Effect: 5,000-foot square, 5 feet high
Saving Throw: None
This spell animates 200 Hit Dice of skeletons or zombies from intact remains in an area up to 5,000 feet square anywhere on the same plane as the caster. The caster can give the legion one brief, simple command when the spell is cast, but he must be present to give detailed orders. The wizard Kolin typically dispatched an undead lieutenant to the scene to take command of the troops.
The material components are an unbroken bone (common), dust from an undead spellcaster’s lair, a horn that has been played over a warrior’s grave, a copper dagger that has been bloodied in battle (rare), mold from a general’s shroud, and a battle standard carried into an ambush (exotic).

Faiths and Avatars

Spoiler

Baneguard: Create Baneguard spell.
Skuz: There was a 1% chance that any high priest of Moander would be transformed into a skuz upon death. Such undead were known as Undying Minions.

Undead: Often in attempts to attain divine status through powerful rituals or the use of artifacts, failure (in the form of a tacit “no” from Ao) results in the mortal becoming a lich, being transformed into some other form of odd undead creature, or being totally destroyed.
Devotees of Beshaba hold special ceremonies upon the deaths of important clergy. The funeral ceremony is known as the Passing. It is a rare time of dignity and tender piety among the clergy. The body of the departed is floated down a river amid floating candles in a spell ceremony designed to make the corpse into an undead creature and teleport it to a random location elsewhere in the Realms to wreak immediate havoc. Senior clergy use spells or magical items to scry from afar to see what damage is then done by the creature’s sudden appearance.
Bhaal could animate or create any type of undead creature indefinitely by touch.
Myrkul, the Lord of Bones could animate or create any type of undead creature indefinitely by touch.
Beholder Undead: Those beholders that were slain while resisting possession by Moander the Darkbringer are transformed into rotting death tyrants (undead beholders) upon their demises.
Ghast: Undeath After Death spell.
Ghoul: Undeath After Death spell.
Lich: Often in attempts to attain divine status through powerful rituals or the use of artifacts, failure (in the form of a tacit “no” from Ao) results in the mortal becoming a lich, being transformed into some other form of odd undead creature, or being totally destroyed.
In centuries past, the Black Lord had transformed over 35 living High Imperceptors at the end of their tenure into undead “Mouths of Bane”— Baneliches.
Mummy: Undeath After Death spell.
Vampire: Undeath After Death spell.
Wight: Undeath After Death spell.
Zombie: Undeath After Death spell.
Zombie Ju-Ju: Undeath After Death spell.

6th Level
Create Baneguard (Necromancy)
Sphere: Necromantic
Range: Touch
Components: V, S, M
Duration: Special
Casting Time : 9
Area of Effect: 1 skeletal body
Saving Throw: None
The casting of this spell transforms one inanimate skeleton of size M or smaller into a Baneguard, a skeletal undead creature gifted with a degree of malicious intelligence. (For information on Baneguards, see the MONSTROUS COMPENDIUM sheets included in the revised FORGOTTEN REALMS Campaign Setting or the MONSTROUS COMPENDIUM Annual, Volume One.) The Baneguard is capable of using its abilities the round following creation and needs no special commands to attack.
The material components of this spell are the holy symbol of the priest and at least 20 drops of the blood of any sort of true dragon.

Undeath After Death (Alteration, Necromancy)
Sphere: Necromantic
Range: Touch
Components: V, S, M
Duration: Permanent
Casting Time: 1 turn
Area of Effect: One Banite
Saving Throw: None
This spell is a closely guarded secret within the upper ranks of the church of Bane, and its use disappeared with the death of Bane. Undeath after death is cast on worshipers of Bane upon the moments of their deaths, transforming them into different forms of undead. Which form of undead a Banite becomes depends on his or her level of experience in life. The more powerful the Banite was in life, the stronger the type of undead. Vampires created by this spell retain character abilities. (If the DM chooses to use the optional rules presented for mummies in Van Richten’s Guide to the Ancient Dead, mummies created by this spell retain character abilities, also.) The level of the caster must be higher than the level of the spell’s recipient, or the caster must make a saving throw vs. death magic or perish in the casting. In such a case, however, the spell still acts normally on the recipient.
This spell is used only on Banite victims who are about to die (0 hp) or who have died (below 0 hp, or below -10 hp if that optional rule is in use). If the spell is cast upon a Banite after his or her death, it must be cast within one round per level of the caster after death occurs; otherwise, the spirit of the Banite is too far from the body to return and take control. If the caster waits too long, the spell works as an animate dead spell, creating a mundane, mindless zombie.
Level Type of Undead
1st-3rd Ghoul
4th-6th Ghast
7th-9th Ju-Ju zombie
10th-13th Wight
14th-17th Mummy
18th+ Vampire
The material component for this spell is a black obsidian heart into which is carved the recipient’s name and the symbol of Bane. This heart is shattered during the ceremony.

FOR2 The Drow of the Underdark

Spoiler

Spirit-Wraith: Zin-Carla spell.

Zombie: ?
Lich: ?
Skeleton: ?
Animal Zombie: ?
Shadow: ?
Vampire: ?
Revenant: If control over a spirit-wraith is lost, the wraith becomes a revenant, driven by hatred and the memory of its violation at the hands of the spellcaster.

Seventh-Level Spell
Zin-Carla (Necromancy)
Sphere: Necromantic
Range: Touch
Components: V.S.M.
Duration: Varies
Casting Time: 4 rounds
Area of Effect: One creature
Saving Throw: Special
This spell is "the highest gift of Lolth," granted rarely even to favored drow. It is a special form of animate dead, that enables the caster to create a special sort of zombie known as a spirit-wraith. Imbued with the skills (hit points, armor class, and THACO) it had in life, this creation is telepathically linked to —and controlled by—the caster of this spell, usually a drow matron mother.
This spell may not be instantaneously granted, or may be denied entirely, at Lolth's will. It is granted only for the completion of specific tasks, and these may never be purely to work revenge or bring harm on other drow. Failure in the task brings on the disfavor of Lolth.
Zin-carla involves the forcible return of a departed soul or spirit to its body. Only through the willpower and exacting, sleepless control of the caster are the undead being's desired skills kept separate from unwanted memories and emotions. The duration of the spell is limited by the needs of the task, the patience of Lolth, and the mental limits of the caster—for a total loss of control usually means failure.
So long as that control is maintained, the spirit-wraith cannot tire or be distracted from its task. It does not feel pain or disability, and will continue to function as long as it remains mobile.
A spirit-wraith cannot be made to cast spells without losing control over its mind entirely, but can fully use combat and craft-skills possessed in life. If control is lost, the wraith becomes a revenant, driven by hatred and the memory of its violation at the hands of the spellcaster. Uncontrolled spirit-wraiths do not stop until the zin-carla caster is destroyed.
A spirit-wraith driven to do something against its old nature has a chance of breaking free of its control (treat as a charm spell, with the same saving throw as in life). For example, one cannot successfully use this undead to destroy a being that it loved in life.
Spell-like natural powers (such as the levitation ability of drow) are retained and can be used by the undead. The spirit-wraith can use its former experience and memories, as much as allowed by the linked caster. Both the zombie and the caster are immune to the effects of spells that attack the mind, and similar spell-like powers (such as the mental blast of a mind flayer). It knows wariness, anger, glee, hatred, frustration, and triumph, but not fear. It cannot be controlled by the spells and priestly powers normally used to command encountered undead—and control of it cannot thereby be wrested away from the caster of the zin-carla.
Spirit-wraiths do not breathe, but can speak (if allowed to do so by their controller). They can utter command and activation words, and the controlling caster can speak through them directly, but spell incantations will have no effect if uttered by the undead.
To stop a spirit-wraith, it must be physically destroyed—if it is still able to even crawl, it will do so, tirelessly, searching for a way to complete its task.
The material components of this spell are the corpse to be animated, and a treasured object that belonged to the person to be controlled. If the corpse is badly decomposed or not whole, other spells (such as Nulathoe's ninemen) and magical unguents will also be required, to restore it to whole, supple condition.
Wizards and other powerful creatures (such as mind flayers, aboleth, or cloakers) who raid or despoil drow cities can expect to face either a full-scale attack—or a spirit-wraith or two.

FOR7 Giantcraft (2e)

Spoiler

Undead Giant: ?
Veltig, High Knight of the Blood Riders: Their theories range from the benevolent (the spirit of the Blood Rider leapt from his own grave to continue his war against the Jotunbrud) to the unthinkable (even in death, the Blood Rider's spirit was defending the valley against the undead souls of the giants he slew in life; the angry spirits finally defeated the Rider and escaped through his tomb to haunt the whole valley).
Counselor Trevon, Wraith: Fardo is a covetous, ambitious man. Before he was appointed to his position, he was a close aide to Counselor Trevon, his predecessor. Like Fardo, Trevon was a greedy and manipulative bureaucrat who was more than willing to take advantage of his authority for personal gain. In fact, it was these very traits that Fardo used to destroy his mentor, clearing the way for his own ascension. With the help of a couple of crooked merchants, Fardo led Trevon to believe that a bloc of local traders had discovered the ruins of an ancient temple in the fen located just east of Hartwick. Believing the ruins to be the source of the enormously valuable platinum artifacts that suddenly came to market in Hartsvale (actually, Fardo and his conspirators secretly imported these items and planted them on the market), the usually careful Trevon ventured into the fen without his bodyguards in order to loot the ruins himself. There, he found not an ancient temple filled with valuable artifacts, but Fardo and a band of cutthroats waiting to kill him. So great was Trevon's greed and hatred for his betrayer, however, that upon death he metamorphosed into a wraith. Though unable to leave the fens unassisted, Trevon vows that he will one day have his revenge upon his killers.

Undead: ?
Ghast: ?

FR 10 Old Empires

Spoiler

Wraith Desert: Creatures killed by skriaxits are animated three days later as desert wraiths, malevolent spirits of the sands.

Zombie: Creatures brought to 0 life levels by a desert wraith are transformed into zombies within 48 hours, even if raised, unless their bodies are washed in holy water.

From the Ashes

Spoiler

Animus: The animus is a unique undead creature created by priests of the evil Power Hextor with the help of infernal, fiendish aid.
The exact processes by which animuses have been brought into being are unknown. What is known is that priests of Hextor, using a form of resurrection spell, together with fiends, work on the corpse and spirit of a slain human to create the animus, working its special defenses into its body and affecting its spirit. Ivid wanted single-minded, utterly loyal servants. What the priests and fiends created was a creature with the capacity to be ferociously single-minded and cold in its motivations and utterly implacable in its pursuit of what it wanted. How they did that, and whether the result was exactly what they wanted, is not clear.

Greyhawk Adventures

Spoiler

Swordwraith: Swordwraiths are the spirits of warriors cut down at the height of battle, and kept from the dissolution of death by their own indomitable will.
Swordwraiths were once professional soldiers: officers and mercenaries, or others for whom fighting was all there was in life. Though slain on the field of battle, their will was such that they were unable to leave behind the trade of violent death.
Zombie Sea: Drowned ones (also known as sea zombies) are the animated corpses of humans who died at sea. Although similar to land-dwelling zombies, they are free-willed, and are rumored to be animated by the will of the god Nerull the Reaper.

Guide to Hell

Spoiler

Undead: Undead are animated with energy from the Negative Material Plane, while fiends are simply creatures from one of the Lower Planes.

Howls in the Night

Spoiler

Lord Godefroy, Ghost: ?
Ann Campbell, Ghost: ?

Zombie: The zombies are the remnants of a hunting party. Trapped in the shack by the hounds, they eventually died of fear and horror. When their spirits left their bodies, the curse reanimated them and left them here for to attack any intruders.

Masque of the Red Death

Spoiler

Tanner Jacobbi, Heucuva: In the late 1700's, a lighthouse and monastery were built on the largest of the fragmentary Gull Islands. Construction was difficult due to bad weather and the uneven terrain of these rocky outcroppings, but the workers were indefatigable. Shortly thereafter, 25 members of the Order of the Flame of Saint Nicholas took up residence on the island.
One of the monks was a young man named Tanner Jacobbi, new to both the order and the strict devotions of the monastic life. Despite this, he found himself charged with manning the lighthouse one stormy night in January of 1775. The winds of a great nor'easter ripped at the dark sea, and an endless blanket of rain and snow made it all but impossible to see. Jacobbi sat at his post, watching the sea and maintaining the beacon of the lighthouse. It was not long, however, before the monotony of his duty and the almost hypnotic gale outside caused him to drift into a deep sleep.
Within an hour, the beacon of the lighthouse failed. Not far away, the British frigate Resplendent fought to keep afloat in the mighty storm. Bound for New England, she was destined to end her journey that night on the rocky coasts of the Gull Islands. When the frigate ran aground and shattered, her cargo of black powder ignited and exploded. Fire swept across the island, destroying the monastery and killing its inhabitants.
For Jacobbi, who died in the disaster, this was, the beginning of an endless torment.
Dracula, Vampire: With his dying breath, he vowed that he would trade all that he held sacred for the chance to avenge himself. The Red Death heard his plea and responded. Dracula become one of the most dangerous and devoted servants of evil on the face of Gothic Earth.
Coetlicrota, Zombie Lord: With the coming of the next full moon, Coetlicrota performed a dark and evil magic ritual in which he vowed that he would gladly trade all of his magical powers for the chance to avenge his people. The Red Death, or some element of it, heard his pleas and acted upon them. As the ceremony was completed, Coetlicrota and all his followers fell dead, only to rise again at the next full moon as a pack of zombies under the absolute control of the zombie master Coetlicrota.Coetlicrota, Zombie Lord: With the coming of the next full moon, Coetlicrota performed a dark and evil magic ritual in which he vowed that he would gladly trade all of his magical powers for the chance to avenge his people. The Red Death, or some element of it, heard his pleas and acted upon them. As the ceremony was completed, Coetlicrota and all his followers fell dead, only to rise again at the next full moon as a pack of zombies under the absolute control of the zombie master Coetlicrota.

Zombie: With the coming of the next full moon, Coetlicrota performed a dark and evil magic ritual in which he vowed that he would gladly trade all of his magical powers for the chance to avenge his people. The Red Death, or some element of it, heard his pleas and acted upon them. As the ceremony was completed, Coetlicrota and all his followers fell dead, only to rise again at the next full moon as a pack of zombies under the absolute control of the zombie master Coetlicrota.

Menzoberranzan

Spoiler

Alhoon: ?

Monstrous Arcana I Tyrant

Spoiler

Undead Beholder: Most undead beholders come into existence through the evil work of mages, beholder mages, elder orbs, or priests. Some of these undead, however, form as a result of magical accidents.
Death tyrants are created through the use of a magical spell cast upon the bodies of slain beholders.
A rogue death tyrant usually forms as a result of a magical accident.
Doomsphere: It usually forms when a beholder dies in a magical explosion.
Kasharin: Kasharin usually form when a wizard or priest transforms a malohurr infected beholder into a death tyrant. Sometimes, however, death tyrants spontaneously transform into kasharin.

Create Death Tryant
Eighth Level Wizard Spell
(Necromancy)
Range: 20 Ft
Components: v
Duration: Instantaneous
Area Of Effect: 1 beholder/Hit Die
Saving Throw: None
This spell allows an elder orb or beholder mage to create death tyrants from the shells or corpses of dead beholders. The spell does not allow the permanent control of the undead beholders. The caster controls the death tyrants created by this spell for Idl2 rounds, plus 1 round per caster level. Thereafter, the caster must use a control death tyrant spell to maintain control.

Ninth-Level Spells
Create Death Tyrant (Necromancy)
Range: 2 Yards
Components: v, s, M
Duration: Special
Casting Time: 3 Turns
Area Of Effect: Special (1 dead beholder)
Saving Throw: None
This spell imbues a dead beholder with energy from the negative material plane, transforming it into a death tyrant. In addition, the spell allows the wizard to instruct the death tyrant as to how it will receive orders in the future. The death tyrant will obey the spellcaster for Id6 rounds plus 1 round for every level of the caster. After that amount of time, the spellcaster must use the control death tyrant spell in order to maintain control of the undead creature.
Most wizards eschew the use of this spell, as creating a death tyrant is a purely evil action. Good aligned wizards who cast this spell should be severely punished.
A 7th level clerical version of this spell exists. The spell falls under the necromantic sphere and is identical to the wizard spell. Again, creation of a death tyrant is an offensive and evil action. Good aligned priests should suffer great punishment for using this spell. At the very least, the cleric's deity will withold all spells and granted abilities until the cleric atones for his actions.
The creation of a death tyrant requires an elaborate ritual. The cost of the material components of this ritual averages about 3,000 gp.

Night of the Vampire (2e)

Spoiler

Lord Andru Vandevic, Vampire: ?
Lady Natasha Troublicja, Vampire: ?
Lady Laina Vandevic, Minion Vampire: Andru attacks Laina again with the intention of turning her into a vampire bride, and is revealed as the vampire.
Unless the PCs are very lucky, Laina is transformed into a vampire.
Andru returns to Laina's room and transforms her into a minion vampire under his control.

Vampire: Any creature killed by a vampire's energy drain is doomed to rise as a vampire itself 1 day after burial. This can be prevented by burning or destroying the body.

Pages From the Mages

Spoiler

Spectral Wizard: Create Spectral Wizard spell.

Skeleton: Undead Familiar spell.
Zombie: Undead Familiar spell.

Undead Familiar
(Necromancy)
Level: 5
Range: Touch
Components: V, S, M
Duration: Permanent
Casting Time: 1 turn
Area of Effect: 1 corpse or skeleton
Saving Throw: None
Using this spell, an evil wizard animates a corpse to act as his familiar. The .subject. can be in any stage of decay to the point of being nothing more than a skeleton. Any human, demihuman, or humanoid corpse can be animated. The resulting zombie or skeleton has the same abilities and immunities as a normal undead creature of its type, but has 1d3 points of Intelligence. The wizard has an empathic link with the familiar and can issue mental commands at a distance of up to one mile. Empathic responses from the familiar are basic and unemotional, and such a familiar is unlikely to be distracted from its task.
If separated from the caster, the familiar loses 1 hit point each day, and is destroyed when reduced to 0 hit points. When the familiar is in physical contact with the wizard, it gains the wizard's saving throw against special attacks; it suffers damage as normal, according to whether or not it makes its saving throw. If the familiar is destroyed, the caster must immediately make a successful system shock check or die. Even if he survives this check, the wizard loses 1 point from his Constitution when the familiar is destroyed.
An undead familiar can be turned normally, but cannot be destroyed by turning. If within sight of its master, it is turned as a wight.
A wizard can have only one familiar of any type at any time. An undead familiar accepts more abuse than a normal familiar would.
The spell requires a corpse or skeleton and a silver ring that is placed on one of the familiar's fingers.

Create Spectral Wizard
(Necromancy)
Level: 8
Range: Touch
Components: V, S, M
Duration: Permanent
Casting Time: 1 turn
Area of Effect: 1 wizard
Saving Throw: Special
This spell allows the caster to cause a human or elf wizard or a gnome illusionist to die and become a spectral wizard. If the spell is cast on an unwilling recipient, the victim is allowed a saving throw vs. death magic to negate the spell.
In the process of dying and becoming undead, the spell's recipient is drained of 1d4 levels. Once animated, the spectral wizard is free-willed, but any utterance from its creator acts as a suggestion spell upon it. Only a wish spell can free a spectral wizard of its undead state. A spectral wizard is restored to life has a 50% chance to be restored with his original levels intact. It is possible that another undiscovered process may restore the spectral wizard entirely.

PHBR1 The Complete Fighter's Handbook

Spoiler

Ghost Horse: A horse dies while attuned to a Saddle of the Spirit-Horse magic item.
Ghost Donkey: A horse dies while attuned to a variant Saddle of the Spirit-Horse magic item.
Ghost Camel: A horse dies while attuned to a variant Saddle of the Spirit-Horse magic item.
Ghost Ground Animal: A horse dies while attuned to a variant Saddle of the Spirit-Horse magic item.
Frozen Lich: ?

Undead: ?
Mummy: ?
Vampire: ?

Saddle of the Spirit-Horse: This is a very strange magical item which may only be used by warriors (either single-, multi-, or dual-class).
To all appearances, it is an ordinary, worn leather saddle of good quality. However, it is a magical item. If worn by a single horse, it attunes itself to that horse when worn for three days. (It doesn't have to be worn continuously for 72 hours—just worn as an ordinary saddle is.)
Once it is attuned to the horse, nothing remarkable happens . . . unless the horse dies while wearing the saddle. If it does, the spirit of the horse stays with the saddle for another 24 hours. Half an hour after the horse died, the spirit of the horse will "awaken," and climb to its unseen feet, and prepare to carry its master wherever he wants to go. The ghost-horse continues to wear the saddle and to carry it around . . . and the horse's master or other favorite riders may ride it during that time.
For the next 24 hours, the horse-ghost will tirelessly carry its rider wherever he wants to go, at the full running speed the horse could manage when it was alive. But it's a spooky sight: The saddle floats in the air, four or five feet up (at the height the living horse carried it); the rider must mount normally, treat the horse as he did normally, and pretend all is as it ever was.
Other than running, the horse-spirit has no unusual abilities. It cannot be seen or touched. It can whinny and neigh, and it can buck . . . though only the saddle is seen to buck in the air. It cannot truly fly; when it comes to a ravine, for instance, it must descend to the bottom and climb the other slope as it would have had to do if it were alive.
This frightens living horses. No normal horse will approach the animated saddle within a hundred feet. For this reason, it is best used when the character is alone and, has his horse killed out from under him.
If a character kills his horse to get this 24 hours of fast, tireless service, the ghost-horse will remember this and be offended by it . . . even if the character did it secretly, by poison or long-distance magic, the horse will know it. It will allow him to mount the floating saddle, and behave normally for a while, but at some catastrophic time it will try to kill the character. It may jump off a cliff, or ride him straight back at the enemy he's trying to elude, or buck him off into a pit of snakes.
These saddles may also be made for donkeys, camels, or any other ground animals. They don't work with pegasi, griffons, or other flying beasts.

PHBR2 Complete Thief's Handbook

Spoiler

Undead: ?
Shadow: Shadowcloak magic item.
Vampire: ?

Shadowcloak: This large, cowled cloak is made from pure black velvet. When worn by a thief it improves hide in shadows chances by 25% and makes a thief 50% likely to be invisible in near-darkness (even to infravision, ultravision, etc.). It can also be used to cast darkness, darkness 15' radius, and continual darkness once each per day (at 12th level of magic use). Finally, once per day the wearer can actually transform into a shadow (cf. Monstrous Compendium I) for up to 12 turns, becoming a shadow in all respects save for mental ones (thus, the wearer cannot be damaged by nonmagical weapons, undead take the wearer for a shadow and ignore him, etc.). Saves against light-based attacks (e.g., a light spell cast into the eyes) are always made at -2 by the wearer of a shadowcloak.
If a cleric successfully makes a turning attempt against the wearer in shadowform, the cloak wearer is permitted a saving throw (this is at -4 if the cleric is actually able to damn/destroy shadows). If the save fails, the wearer suffers 1d6 points of damage per level of the cleric and the shadowcloak is destroyed. If the save is made, the character takes half damage and must flee in fear from the cleric at maximum rate for one turn.

PHBR3 The Complete Priest's Handbook

Spoiler

Night-Spirit: ?

Undead: Because undead beings have been removed or removed themselves from this natural cycle, the priests of the life-death-rebirth cycle force are their sworn enemies.
Ghost: ?
Ghoul: ?
Vampire: ?

PHBR4 The Complete Wizard's Handbook

Spoiler

Undead: ?
Ghost: ?
Ghoul: ?
Mummy: ?
Shadow: If a human or demihuman victim is reduced to 0 hit points or 0 Strength by the caster in shadow form from the shadow form spell, the victim has lost all of his life force and is immediately drawn into the Negative Material Plane where he will forever after exist as a shadow.
Shadow Form spell.
Spectre: ?
Zombie: ?
Ju-ju Zombie: Zombie Double spell.

Shadow Form (Necromancy)
Eighth-Level Spell
Range: 0
Components: V, S, M
Duration: 1 round/level
Casting Time: 1 round
Area of Effect: The caster
Saving Throw: None
By means of this spell, the caster temporarily changes himself into a shadow. The caster gains the movement rate, Armor Class, hit dice, and all abilities of a shadow. His chilling touch (requiring a normal attack roll) inflicts 2-5 (1d4+1) hit points of damage on his victims as well as draining one point of Strength. Lost Strength returns in 2-8 (2d4) turns after being touched. If a human or demihuman victim is reduced to 0 hit points or 0 Strength by the caster in shadow form, the victim has lost all of his life force and is immediately drawn into the Negative Material Plane where he will forever after exist as a shadow.
All of the caster's weapons and equipment stay with him, but he is unable to use them while in shadow form. He is also unable to cast spells while in shadow form, but he is immune to sleep, charm, and hold spells, and is unaffected by cold-based attacks. He is 90 percent undetectable in all but the brightest of surroundings. Unlike normal shadows, a wizard in shadow form cannot be turned by priests. At the end of the spell's duration, there is a 5% chance that the caster will permanently remain as a shadow. Nothing short of a wish can return the caster to his normal form.
The material components for this spell are the shroud from a corpse at least 100 years old and a black glass marble.

Zombie Double (Necromancy)
Seventh-Level Spell
Range: 0
Components: V, S, M
Duration: 1 turn/level
Casting Time: 1 turn
Area of Effect: Special
Saving Throw: None
This spell creates a ju-ju zombie duplicate of the caster. The zombie double has the same memories, consciousness, and alignment as the caster; essentially, the caster now exists in two bodies simultaneously. In all other respects, the zombie double is the same as a normal ju-ju zombie (AC 6; MV 9; HD 3+12; #AT 1; Dmg 3-12; SA strike as a 6 HD monster; SD immune to all mind-affecting spells, including illusions; immune to sleep, charm, hold, death magic, magic missiles, electricity, poisons, and cold-based spells; edged and cleaving weapons inflict normal damage while blunt and piercing weapons inflict half- damage; magical and normal fire inflicts half-damage); THAC0 16.
The zombie double cannot cast spells, but it can use any weapons that the caster can use. It is also able to climb walls as a thief (92 percent). The zombie double can be turned as a spectre. If it strays more than 30 yards from the caster, the zombie double becomes inactive and collapses to the ground; it becomes active again the instant the caster moves within 30 yards.
The material components for this spell are a bit of wax from a black candle and a lock of hair from the caster.

Player's Handbook

Spoiler

Undead: If the character is energy drained to less than 0 levels by an undead's energy drain (thereby slain by the undead), he returns as an undead of the same type as his slayer in 2d4 days. The newly risen undead has the same character class abilities it had in normal life, but with only half the experience it had at the beginning of its encounter with the undead who slew it.
Skeleton: Animate Dead spell.
Zombie: Animate Dead spell.
Gnoll Zombie: Animate Dead spell.
Fire Giant Zombie: Animate Dead spell.
Dwarven Zombie: Animate Dead spell.
Juju Zombie: Finger of Death spell.
Energy Drain spell.
Spectre: ?
Vampire: ?
Ghost: ?
Ghoul: ?
Mummy: ?
Lich: ?
Shadow: ?
Wight: ?
Ghast: ?
Wraith: ?

Animate Dead
Fifth-Level Wizard (Necromancy)
Range: 10 yds. Components: V, S, M
Duration: Permanent Casting Time: 5 rds.
Area of Effect: Special Saving Throw: None
This spell creates the lowest of the undead monsters--skeletons or zombies--usually from the bones or bodies of dead humans, demihumans, or humanoids. The spell causes existing remains to become animated and obey the simple verbal commands of the caster. The skeletons or zombies can follow the caster, remain in an area and attack any creature (or just a specific type of creature) entering the place, etc. The undead remain animated until they are destroyed in combat or are turned; the magic cannot be dispelled. The following types of dead creatures can be animated:
A) Humans, demihumans, and humanoids with 1 Hit Die. The wizard can animate one skeleton for each experience level he has attained, or one zombie for every two levels. The experience levels, if any, of the slain are ignored; the body of a newly dead 9th-level fighter is animated as a zombie with 2 Hit Dice, without special class or racial abilities.
B) Creatures with more than 1 Hit Die. The number of undead animated is determined by the monster Hit Dice (the total Hit Dice cannot exceed the wizard's level). Skeletal forms have the Hit Dice of the original creature, while zombie forms have one more Hit Die. Thus, a 12th-level wizard could animate four zombie gnolls (4 x [2+1 Hit Dice] = 12), or a single fire giant skeleton. Such undead have none of the special abilities they had in life.
C) Creatures with less than 1 Hit Die. The caster can animate two skeletons per level or one zombie per level. The creatures have their normal Hit Dice as skeletons and an additional Hit Die as zombies. Clerics receive a +1 bonus when trying to turn these.
This spell assumes that the bodies or bones are available and are reasonably intact (those of skeletons or zombies destroyed in combat won't be!).
It requires a drop of blood and a pinch of bone powder or a bone shard to complete the spell. The casting of this spell is not a good act, and only evil wizards use it frequently.

Animate Dead
Third-Level Priest (Necromancy)
Sphere: Necromantic
Range: 10 yds. Components: V, S, M
Duration: Permanent Casting Time: 1 rd.
Area of Effect: Special Saving Throw: None
This spell creates the lowest of the undead monsters, skeletons or zombies, usually from the bones or bodies of dead humans, demihumans, or humanoids. The spell causes these remains to become animated and obey the simple verbal commands of the caster, regardless of how they communicated in life. The skeletons or zombies can follow the caster, remain in an area and attack any creature (or just a specific type of creature) entering the place, etc. The undead remain animated until they are destroyed in combat or are turned; the magic cannot be dispelled.
The priest can animate one skeleton or one zombie for each experience level he has attained. If creatures with more than 1+ Hit Dice are animated, the number is determined by the monster Hit Dice. Skeletal forms have the Hit Dice of the original creature, while zombie forms have 1 more Hit Die. Thus, a 12th-level priest could animate 12 dwarven skeletons (or six zombies), four zombie gnolls, or a single zombie fire giant. Note that this is based on the standard racial Hit Die norm; thus, a high-level adventurer would be animated as a skeleton or zombie of 1 or 2 Hit Dice, and without special class or racial abilities. The caster can, alternatively, animate two small animal skeletons (1-1 Hit Die or less) for every level of experience he has achieved.
The spell requires a drop of blood, a piece of flesh of the type of creature being animated, and a pinch of bone powder or a bone shard to complete the spell. Casting this spell is not a good act, and only evil priests use it frequently.

Finger of Death
Seventh-Level Wizard (Necromancy)
Range: 60 yds. Components: V, S
Duration: Permanent Casting Time: 5
Area of Effect: 1 creature Saving Throw: Neg.
The finger of death spell snuffs out the victim's life force. If successful, the victim can be neither raised nor resurrected. In addition, in human subjects the spell initiates changes to the body such that after three days the caster can, by means of a special ceremony costing not less than 1,000 gp plus 500 gp per body, animate the corpse as a juju zombie under the control of the caster. The changes can be reversed before animation by a limited wish or similar spell cast directly upon the body, and a full wish restores the subject to life.
The caster utters the finger of death spell incantation, points his index finger at the creature to be slain, and unless the victim succeeds in a saving throw vs. spell, death occurs. A creature successfully saving still receives 2d8+1 points of damage. If the subject dies of damage, no internal changes occur and the victim can then be revived normally.

Energy Drain
Ninth-Level Wizard (Evocation, Necromancy)
Range: Touch Components: V, S, M
Duration: Permanent Casting Time: 3
Area of Effect: 1 creature Saving Throw: None
By casting this spell, the wizard opens a channel between the plane he is in and the Negative Energy plane, becoming the conductor between the two planes. As soon as he touches (equal to a hit if melee is involved) any living creature, the victim loses two levels (as if struck by a spectre). A monster loses 2 Hit Dice permanently, both for hit points and attack ability. A character loses levels, Hit Dice, hit points, and abilities permanently (until regained through adventuring, if applicable).
The material component of this spell is essence of spectre or vampire dust. Preparation requires mere moments; the material component is then cast forth, and, upon touching the victim, the wizard speaks the triggering word, causing the spell to take effect instantly.
The spell remains effective for only a single round. Humans or humanoids brought below zero energy levels by this spell can be animated as juju zombies under the control of the caster.
The caster always has a 5% (1 in 20) chance to be affected by the dust, losing one point of Constitution at the same time as the victim is drained. When the number of Constitution points lost equals the caster's original Constitution ability score, the caster dies and becomes a shade.

Prayers From the Faithful

Spoiler

Ghoul: Create Undead Minion spell.
Ghast: Create Undead Minion spell.
Spectre: Create Undead Minion spell.
Vampire: Create Undead Minion spell.
Wight: Create Undead Minion spell.
Wraith: Create Undead Minion spell.
Zombie Ju-Ju: Create Undead Minion spell.

Create Undead Minion
(Alteration, Necromancy)
Level: 7
Sphere: Necromantic
Range: Touch
Components: V, S, M
Duration: Permanent
Casting Time: 1 turn
Area of Effect: One living sentient being or the corpse of one
Saving Throw: Neg.
This spell is available only to faiths headed by deities of evil alignments. The caster of this spell creates the form of an undead creature. The type of undead creature created depends upon the level of the caster and the condition of the victim.
The spell may be cast on a living or a dead subject. Dead subjects must have died within the previous 24 hours, and their bodies must be in good shape. If dead subjects fail their saving throws vs. spell, they transform into ghouls, the only type of undead that can be created from a dead subject with this spell.
Subjects who are still alive when this spell is cast become more powerful undead minions. If such subjects fail their saving throws vs. spell, they transform into the type of undead indicated below, depending on the casting priest’s level. Casters can create any type of undead listed on the table up to their level limit. Thus, an 18th-level priest can create a ghoul or a ghast as easily as a vampire. Undead creatures of any sort created by this spell never retain character abilities.
Cleric Level Type of Undead
14th Ghoul
15th Ghast
16th Ju-ju zombie
17th Wight
18th Wraith
19th Spectre
20th+ Vampire
The transformation into an undead creature takes the full turn of the casting time to be completed. If the spell is interrupted (or dispelled) before the turn is complete, the subject is rendered unconscious for a turn and returns to normal at the end of that turn.
The undead creature created by this spell is under the complete control of the caster. If the controlling priest is later killed, the undead minion must make a successful saving throw vs. death magic or perish as well. Surviving undead creatures become free-willed.
The components of this spell are the holy symbol of the caster, dirt from a graveyard, and the fingernail of one of the forms of corporeal undead listed on the table above.

RA2 Ship of Horror

Spoiler

Lebentod: The first lebendtod were created by a powerful necromancer. Thrilled with his new servants, he gave his creations the ability to turn their victims into lebendtod in order to propagate the “species”. Any lebendtod can create another lebendtod by killing a victim and breathing into its mouth as the victim breathes its last breath. The victim must then by isolated and left undisturbed for 72 hours. If these conditions are met, the victim awakens as a lebendtod.
Lebendtod can be created by high-level wizards or by the lebendtod themselves.
The Graben’s condition is the result of Meredoth’s necromancy. When the domain formed, Meredoth realized that he needed a way to maintain the supply of bodies required for his research. In time, he developed the necessary magic, poisoned the entire family, then converted their bodies to their current state.
Jacob, Ghost: Jacob and Charlotte are likewise victims of Garvyn’s greed. He was paid to deliver their bodies to a mausoleum, but he took the money and dumped the bodies overboard.
Charlotte, Ghost: Jacob and Charlotte are likewise victims of Garvyn’s greed. He was paid to deliver their bodies to a mausoleum, but he took the money and dumped the bodies overboard.
Madeline Stern, Ghost: Garvyn was hired by a wealthy family to transport Madeline’s body to the family mausoleum on a small island. He was paid for the job, but instead of completing his mission, he dumped her body overboard rather than make the three-day journey to the island.
Skeletal Shark: ?
Squirrel Skeleton: ?
Rabbit Skeleton: ?
Ferret Skeleton: ?
Chipmunk Skeleton: ?
Cat Skeleton: ?
Opossum Skeleton: ?
Bird Skeleton: ?
Monkey Skeleton: ?
Small Dog Skeleton: ?
Sheep Skeleton: ?
Pig Skeleton: ?
Goat Skeleton: ?
Large Bird Skeleton: ?
Panther Skeleton: ?
Cheetah Skeleton: ?
Wolf Skeleton: ?
Coyote Skeleton: ?
Large Dog Skeleton: ?
Mule Skeleton: ?
Boar Skeleton: ?
Badger Skeleton: ?
Kangaroo Skeleton: ?
Bear Skeleton: ?
Moose Skeleton: ?
Horse Skeleton: ?
Lion Skeleton: ?
Elephant Skeleton: ?

Ghast: If the body of a lebentod's victim is disturbed before 72 hours have elapsed, the victim awakens as a ghast.
Skeleton: ?

RA3 Touch of Death

Spoiler

Zombie Desert:Anyone struck by the mummies' attack becomes infected with a horrible rotting disease that kills in 1d12 days. On the day after the infection, the character loses 1 point of Strength and Constitution. Their skin begins to wither and flake like old parchment. They get shakes and convulsions making it impossible to cast spells. The only hope is a series of cure disease spells, all cast on the same day, one for each day that the disease has progressed.
Normally the person affected crumbles into dust when they die. However, Senmet has the ability to make the dead body retain its dried out shape and can transform the hapless victim into a desert zombie. He does this by strangling an infected character. Within 8 hours, the dead body withers and reanimates as a desert zombie.
The greater mummy, Senmet, created the first desert zombies. He sacrificed all of his spell casting power to be able to create and control an army of these zombies, as well as take limited control over the domain of Har'Akir.
Any character who dies from the disease transmitted by the touch of the greater mummy becomes a desert zombie. It takes a full day after the death to animate the corpse. If the body is destroyed during that time, then it cannot be animated as a desert zombie.

Mummy: Characters infected by Senmet that are mummified alive (a gruesome process), become mummies under the control of Senmet.
Mummy Greater: Centuries later, Isu read from a magical scroll a fragment of the ceremony used by Anhktepot to create greater mummies. Senmet returned to control his undead body.

Requiem: The Grim Harvest

Spoiler

Mummy Bog: The wave from the Negative Energy Plane that swept across the domain when the doomsday device was activated, and the lesser wave of positive energy it pushed before it, had their effects upon the Boglands. The latter gave rise to a new form of mummy, while the former tainted what little arable soil existed in this region.
Bog mummies are formed when a corpse comes to rest in a marsh or swamp and is naturally mummified by being coated in a layer of mud. Eventually the body takes on the dark coloration of the earth and becomes as tough as tanned leather. The clothing is partially preserved and sticks to the corpse in patches, as does hair. The facial features are distorted in a permanent grimace and the hands are stiffened into clawlike hooks. When the corpse at last rises as an undead creature, it walks with an uneven gait, due to the stiffness of its limbs.
A bog mummy rises as an undead creature when a powerful burst of positive energy causes the dead person's spirit to rejoin with the preserved body. Bog mummies may be created by a priest or another mummy from the raw material of a corpse or may be the result of powerful emotional forces. In the domain of Necropolis, however, bog mummies are an accidental creation. It is theorized that, when the doomsday device was activated, the resulting shock wave of negative energy that it sent out pushed before it a wave of positive energy. When this wave struck Stagnus Lake and the Great Salt Swamp, it also sent a positive wave through the large number of bodies that lay beneath the mud. The swamps were, after all, a favorite place to dispose of murder victims and contained a great many corpses that were already charged with strong emotional energy. Bog mummies began to climb out of the mud and stalk the living of Necropolis.
Trillen Mistwalker 3rd Magnitude Ghost: Trillen's obsession with finding the ruin and his grief over - his brother's death eventually drove him to madness. He died, destitute and raving, a few years later. Such was his force of will, however, that his spirit remained behind.
Zombie Rats: The wave of negative energy thrown out by the doomsday device has infused Galf with a special power. By laying hands on a dead rodent, he can animate its corpse.
Galf recently "cleaned up" his house by voluntarily killing all of his pet rats. The council does not realize that he has raised his beloved rodents as zombies.
Beryl Silvertress Dwarf Vampire: Beryl does not remember the name of the vampire who cursed her with the "gift" of unlife—a dwarf with a midnight-black beard who fled into the Ravenloft Mists. Her only clue as to his identity is that he has a palm-sized patch over his heart that is icy cold to the touch, a stigmata left by a stalagmite that once impaled him.
Beryl has no idea why this man kidnapped her from her carriage and turned her into a vampire. But she is vain enough to think that it was due to her beauty.
Yako Vormoff Vassalich: Sensing the lad's intelligence and his talent at manipulating others, Azalin trained Yako in the arts of dark magic. He eventually "promoted" his young pupil above others of greater age and talent, performing the dread ritual that turned Yako into a vassalich.
Damon Skragg Ghoul Lord: None know what happened on that evil isle, but it is thought that Damon fell victim to a necromancer's experiments. He returned to his ship a ghoul lord with a crew composed of ghasts, hollow shells of the sailors whose lives he had taken.
Siren Ravenloft: It is thought that the sirens are merfolk who were transformed by the burst of negative energy that was released when the doomsday device was activated.
Kristobal del Diego Mature Vampire: Originally a horticulturalist, he was accosted by a female vampire in the public rose garden late one night.
Crow Skeleton: ?
Death: Azalin instead used Lowellyn to build and test the infernal machine, a prototype for the doomsday device. As a result of this experiment, Lowellyn was transformed into the creature known as Death.

Undead: Darkon is transformed by a wave of negative energy that is thrown out when the doomsday device is activated. The capital of the domain, Il Aluk, is swept clean of living things. Every living creature in the city (including the heroes) is transformed into an undead caricature of itself.
In fact, the wave of blackness that the heroes saw coming out of the exploding doomsday device was a shock wave from the Negative Energy Plane. Even as the heroes were killed, this energy washed over their bodies, infusing them with unlife and transforming them into undead creatures. At the same time, it transformed all of Il Aluk into a city of the dead and forever changed the domain of Darkon (henceforth known as Necropolis).
Every living thing in the city, from the lowliest rat to the highest Eternal Order priest, has been transformed into an undead creature by the doomsday device.
When the doomsday device was activated, it threw out a shock wave of negative energy so powerful that every living thing in Il Aluk was instantly slain. At the same time, the streets and buildings of the city were permeated with this force, which began to pulse within the city like a corrupted heartbeat. As a result of this powerful energy, the people and animals of Il Aluk were infused with unlife and rose as undead creatures on the morning that followed Darkest Night.
Il Aluk, the capital of Necropolis, has been swept clean of living things. There are no plants, no insects, no bacteria, nothing. So infused with the power of the Negative Energy Plane is this place that only the ranks of the living dead may come and go freely in this region. Any living creature who tries to enter the city is drained of life and becomes an undead thing.
Not every undead creature has the ability to create others of its kind. Only those with some manner of energy draining attack (whether it affects life energy, ability scores, or some other aspect of living characters) have the potential to create more undead. If a player wishes his character to have this ability, he must allocate an extra slot to the attack type that will be used to create new undead. In addition, the DM and player should specify some means by which the raising of the newly slain victim can be prevented.
Ghost: Ghosts are the ethereal remnants of those who died an emotional and traumatic death.
Ghoul: The lower ranking Kargat of Il Aluk have been transformed into ghouls.
Ghoul Ghast: None know what happened on that evil isle, but it is thought that Damon fell victim to a necromancer's experiments. He returned to his ship a ghoul lord with a crew composed of ghasts, hollow shells of the sailors whose lives he had taken.
A successful bite by Damon inflicts 1d10 points of damage. Victims who do not make a successful saving throw vs. poison succumb to a horrid rotting disease that inflicts 1d10 points of damage per day. In addition, the disease reduces both Constitution and Charisma by 1 point per day. This affliction may only be cured by a heal spell; all other curative spells are ineffective in treating it. Once halted, the victim's Constitution score returns to its original value at a rate of 1 point per week. Charisma, however, is permanently reduced, due to the terrible scars left by the disease. Should the victim's hit points or one of his ability scores reach zero, he dies. Unless the body is destroyed, it will rise as a ghast three nights later and will join the Bountiful crew as an undead sailor wholly under Damon's command.
Any of the four Kargat officers who served in the Grim Fastness, and who were not killed by the heroes, have been transformed into ghasts by the doomsday device explosion.
Lich: The emaciated figure is Grandmother Nichia, who was transformed into a lich by the shock wave of negative energy that swept through Il Aluk.
Born from a determination to resist death at all costs, these magicians are natural schemers whose subtle machinations often span decades or even centuries.
Mummy: Those priests of the Eternal Order who were not inside the Grim Fastness (who were not transformed into zombie priests) are transformed into mummies.
For the purposes of these rules, a mummy is akin to a lich, save that it is the undead form of a Priest. Such a character need not have worshiped one of the gods of ancient Egypt.
Shadow: The average citizens of Il Aluk have been transformed into zombies or skeletons. A handful were also turned into shadows.
Shadows are beings of darkness, created when a human or demihuman has his essence drained away and replaced with energy from the Negative Energy Plane. This process destroys the creature's physical form, leaving behind nothing but an incorporeal, undead silhouette.
Skeleton: The average citizens of Il Aluk have been transformed into zombies or skeletons.
A skeleton is the reanimated corpse of a human, demihuman, or humanoid which has been stripped of flesh.
Spectre: The apparition is an undead creature, a noblewoman by the name of Chauncy Hopcott who was transformed into a spectre by the wave of negative energy thrown out by the doomsday device.
Spectres are a terrible form of incorporeal creature created when a living person is either killed by an existing spectre or, in rare cases, frightened to death.
Vampire: When using her biting attack, Beryl can drain vitality; each successful attack permanently lowers her victim's Constitution by 2 points. Victims reduced to a Constitution of 0 are slain and rise as vampires in three days.
Zombie: The average citizens of Il Aluk have been transformed into zombies or skeletons.
Zombies are among the easiest of the undead to create and, conversely, to destroy. They are almost always created by means of an animate dead spell.

Return to the Tomb of Horrors

Spoiler

Bone Weird: It is doubtful that bone weirds are called into existence by mere chance; a wizard or necromancer of powerful ability is most commonly the cause for their appearance.
A strange essence inhabits the cast-off bony dross of this mom, drawn here and shaped by Acererak's ever-busy hands. In his efforts to understand and fully grasp the true nature of the Negative Energy Plane, Acererak's paradigm shifted enough so that he was able to think of the plane as just another elemental plane, albeit an anomalous one. Following this line of reasoning, he was able to coerce the nihilistic essences of the plane into the dead bones within this chamber (with the help of his former servant Deverus). In effect, he brought into being bone weirds-the first of their kind to exist.
Moilian Heart: A moilian heart is an example of a previously undiscovered class of undead creatures created by the dissolution of the lost city of Moil.
The moilian heart is an entirely artificial monster, created by dark necromancy.
The artificial animation of moilian creatures involves a very rare spell researched and codified by the necromancer Drake of the Black Academy, who has discovered the unique undead creatures of Moil, the City That Waits. The moilian heart represents the necromancer’s first essay into this new avenue of the Dark Arts, but certainly not his last.
Drake is investigating many lines of research, but one of his most promising has produced the creature that he keeps safely locked away in this lead-lined vault. This line of research (among others) was actually illuminated to him when he encountered some of the denizens of The City That Waits (of all the necromancers in Skull City, only Drake has secretly penetrated thus far into Acererak's realm).
Animate Moilian spell.
Moilian Zombie: They lie as dead, although they are not marked by violence, as their deaths came to them in dark slumber. Neither is there any rot apparent, due to the supernatural cold which permeates the air in the city of their origin, Moil.
There was once a city called Moil that daily saw the light of the sun. The inhabitants of Moil were a foul people, as evidenced by their worship of the powerful tanar'ri lord called Orcus. With the passage of time the Moilians’ faith in their deity slipped. The tanar’ri lord sought vengeance, and placed a curse upon Moil; its inhabitants fell into an enchanted slumber which would lift only with the dawn. Orcus then removed the city from its natural site and transformed it into a nightmarish demiplane with ties to the Negative Energy Plane, assuring that the sun would never again shine upon Moil. Over time, the slumbering moilians all perished in their dark sleep. Because of their proximity to the Negative Energy Plane, the frozen forms of the inhabitants became undead moilian zombies.
Any character reduced to 0 hit points through a Moilian heart's draining dies and has a 13% chance of spontaneously animating as a Moilian zombie.
Predictably, Orcus was wroth. In horrible but unlooked-for vengeance, the entity cast what initially seemed a mild curse over Moil: its inhabitants fell into an enchanted sleep that could only be broken by the dawning of the sun. Orcus then physically removed the city from its natural site and transformed it into a nightmarish, lightless demiplane of its own, assuring that the sun would never shine upon its tall towers. Having completed this deed, Orcus dubbed the demiplane anew as The City That Waits.
Over time, the slumbering Moilians all perished in their dark sleep, leaving the place strewn with unquiet dead and dangerous dreams.
Animate Moilian spell.
Vestige, Undead Dream: The Vestige is a creature born from the nightmares of every citizen of the city of Moil as they died in cursed sleep.
With the advent of Orcus’s curse of sleep, the strengthened dream consciousness of the city’s citizenry survived beyond the death of their corporeal bodies; thus was born the Vestige.
Predictably, Orcus was wroth. In horrible but unlooked-for vengeance, the entity cast what initially seemed a mild curse over Moil: its inhabitants fell into an enchanted sleep that could only be broken by the dawning of the sun. Orcus then physically removed the city from its natural site and transformed it into a nightmarish, lightless demiplane of its own, assuring that the sun would never shine upon its tall towers. Having completed this deed, Orcus dubbed the demiplane anew as The City That Waits.
Over time, the slumbering Moilians all perished in their dark sleep, leaving the place strewn with unquiet dead and dangerous dreams.
Winter-Wight: Acererak created winter-wights in his quest for knowledge and power.
Acererak creates winter-wights from lower forms of undead in a special process. This process involves the immersion of the undead in a bath of amplified radiation from the Negative Energy Plane, in conjunction with powerful rites of binding and animation.
The blank canister in the chamber is part and parcel of Acererak's researches. Acererak calls the device a Dim Forge, and with it he is able to enervate immensely powerful undead beings such as his most recent invention, the winter-wight (although a specific spell exists to create winter-wights, one of the material components of the spell is a negative-energy focusing device, such as the Dim Forge). While the Dim Forge is a potent tool for undead creation, it is prone to spawn failed experiments. Hundreds of unfavored beings have left the black canister of the forge only to be relegated to the Theater of the Dead.
Although not apparent to the observer, the crystal dome located above the Forge represents the endpoint of an array of magically protected antennas that reach into the Negative Energy Material Plane. The antennas are over a mile long and branch many times. Through a series of complex enchantments, Acererak has created a means of collecting, concentrating, and amplifying negative energy down the length of the antennas so that the crystal blister in the room acts to focus negative energy into the canister.
If the characters inspect the canister, they find only a latch and a pair of heavy-duty hinges that allow the weighty lid to be thrown back. Within the canister, there is a chill space large enough to contain One human-sized creature. Activation of the Dim Forge is automatically accomplished merely by closing the lid, as the PCs may discover-possibly to their dismay-with a minimum of experimentation.
Upon activation of the Dim Forge, the large unseen antennas draw in the essence of the Void. A thrum of magic vibrates through its mile-long length. The characters hear a gonglike thrum. The noise has no more volume than normal conversation during the first round, but quickly builds, reaching a thunderous crescendo three rounds later. At the end of the third round, the blister on the ceiling releases a single bolt of negative energy, so black that it appears to be a rip in the fabric of reality itself. The energy discharges from the ceiling pod into the black canister below. All is silent after the discharge, and nothing moves save for a bit of residual blackfire (as the spell; stand back!) upon the surface of the canister. The flames dissipate in the space of a round.
If a body of any size that can fit (living, dead, or undead) is within the closed Forge at the time of
discharge, consult the table below to determine the result of the concentrated annihilating energy. Even fully empowered undead (such as a winter-wight) can be destroyed by a second exposure to the Forge's energies. If the canister contains an inanimate object or is empty, a negative energy elemental is always generated. If the spell create winter-wight is cast in conjunction with the activation of the Dim Forge, add +2 to the die roll.
If the canister is open when the energy discharge strikes, the bolt fragments and showers the room with sparks of negative energy. Objects in the chamber suffer no ill effects, but creatures must attempt saving throws vs. breath weapon. All who fail suffer the effect noted on the table.
Dim Forge Activation Results (1d8)
1. Not even dust remains within the canister.
2. The object is destroyed and small carbon fragments burn fitfully with blackfire for ld6+6 rounds.
3. Body is burnt almost past recognizability; the smell is truly ghastly.
4. Burnt body animates as a standard zombie; no remnant of personality remains.
5. Body internalizes energy and animates as a standard spectre; no personality remains.
6. Body completely internalizes energy and is destroyed; negative energy elemental is generated and personality is lost.
7. Body internalizes energy and animates as a half-strength winter-wight (8 Hit Dice); original personality is destroyed.
8. Body internalizes energy and animates as a winter-wight; original personality, if any, survives with a successful Wisdom check.
Create Winter-Wight spell.
Acererak Lich: The balor (a true tanar’ri) called Tarnhem is held imprisoned in this chamber through powerful dweomers and Acererak’s knowledge of its truename: Maasgheldur. Acererak discovered the name because it was a requirement of his particular ritual of transformation from cambion to lich-he needed to know his supernatural father. Tarnhem’s ravishment of a human female engendered the half-tanar’ri child whom his mother named Acererak (see Desatysso’s Journal for details).
Acererak Demilich: ?
Blaesing, Vampire: ?
Absalom, Vampire: ?
Harrow, Vampire: ?
Minor Death: ?
Mistress Ferranifer, Vampire Scion Necromancer 18: ?
Gustaeth: Of all the trophies mounted in the Tower of Test, three were infused with the energy of unlife by the Dark Intrusion.
Tyr's Undead Hand: Those who believe the hand to truly be that of Tyr are not disappointed to discover that the hand truly does possess power from beyond the grave-it is animated. Unfortunately, it is animated by the Dark Intrusion.
Faericles, Lord High Exultant, Moilian Zombie: Faericles was the last of the Lord High Exaltants, and his fate was the same as most of the rest of the populace of Moil: he perished in his sleep and became a Moilian zombie. However, Acererak found that he had use for such martial prowess and rejuvenated Faericles to the point where he now remains constantly animated. In the process, Faericles became empowered far beyond “normal” Moilian zombies.
He appears as a leathery-skinned human who is illuminated with an eerie violet glow; this is a side effect of the necromantic energization that allows him permanent animation.
Faericles spends at least 12 hours out of 24 on this mat in contemplation of the mysteries of his art. At the same time, the enchanted stones energize his body so that he can remain animate even without the nourishing presence of living beings. These stones (created by Acererak) emit a necromantic radiation capable of saturating living or once-living objects. This radiation has the effect of linking the saturated being with the Negative Energy Plane. For Faericles, an undead Moilian zombie, it means he can operate indefinitely as long as he gets his regular “fix.”
Acererak Demilich Form: ?
Acererak Skeleton Form: ?
Acererak Winter Wight Form: ?
Undead Statue: The statue in the corner was a human captured and brought to the Fortress of Conclusion by one of the resident tanar’ri. Isafel turned her stony gaze upon the poor fellow, turning him to stone, after which she subjected her new sculpture to the negative energies of the Dim Forge. In this one instant, Isafel knew success; in effect she had created an undead statue.
Winter-Wight Giant Toad: Acererak experimented with nonhumanold forms during his research into the creation of the winter-wight. After some limited success, the spirit of the demilich abandoned these efforts due to his inability to graft sufficient intelligence into the creations for his purposes. Acererak destroyed every one of his mentally dim formulations save for the One that lingers yet in this chamber. In the mood for a bit of novelty, Acererak invested the skeletal structure of a giant toad with a blackfire link to the Negative Energy Plane after the manner of a true winter-wight.

Wight: These wights were spontaneously animated by an outlying finger of the Dark Intrusion. They have been lying dead at the bottom of the river for a week and have only now gained the impetus to rise again.
They took the crew of Payvin’s Pearl with stealth and magic, drained their blood, then dropped the corpses into the concealing waters of the Thelly River. Payvin is alive only because they were just leaving as he came aboard, and it amused them to terrorize him. The bodies of the crew remained beneath the river for a week (a vampire's victims must be buried to become vampires themselves) before another surge of Negative Energy spontaneously animated them into evil wights.
Again, it is the Dim Triad who has been causing the deaths and disappearances in Pitchfield. The vampires do not return for many nights. However, on the second night after the PCs' arrival, a strange fog flows in from the river and the buried dead of the town's cemetery begin to animate in the night. Since the Dim Triad extracted blood for Mistress Ferranifer's necromantic experiments rather than merely drinking it themselves, their victims do not become vampires in turn but merely wights.
Vampire: A vampire's victims must be buried to become vampires themselves.
Ghast: ?
Skeleton: The skeletal remains here have been infused with unlife by seepage from the Negative Energy Plane that surrounds the Fortress of Conclusion.
Zombie: Any living creature of rat size or larger that is slain in the Tomb of Horrors has a 60% chance of spontaneously animating within 1d6 rounds as an undead zombie with the same Hit Dice as the original creature.
Any living creature of rat size or larger that is slain in The City That Waits has an 80% chance of spontaneously animating within 1d3 rounds as an undead zombie with the same Hit Dice as the original creature.
Any freshly slain living creature of rat size or larger that is slain in The Fortress of Conclusion has a 95% chance of spontaneously animating as a zombie of the same HD as the original creature. Naturally this applies to PCs who perish in combat or any of Acererak's fiendish traps. The animation takes 1 round.
The blank canister in the chamber is part and parcel of Acererak's researches. Acererak calls the device a Dim Forge, and with it he is able to enervate immensely powerful undead beings such as his most recent invention, the winter-wight (although a specific spell exists to create winter-wights, one of the material components of the spell is a negative-energy focusing device, such as the Dim Forge). While the Dim Forge is a potent tool for undead creation, it is prone to spawn failed experiments. Hundreds of unfavored beings have left the black canister of the forge only to be relegated to the Theater of the Dead.
Although not apparent to the observer, the crystal dome located above the Forge represents the endpoint of an array of magically protected antennas that reach into the Negative Energy Material Plane. The antennas are over a mile long and branch many times. Through a series of complex enchantments, Acererak has created a means of collecting, concentrating, and amplifying negative energy down the length of the antennas so that the crystal blister in the room acts to focus negative energy into the canister.
If the characters inspect the canister, they find only a latch and a pair of heavy-duty hinges that allow the weighty lid to be thrown back. Within the canister, there is a chill space large enough to contain One human-sized creature. Activation of the Dim Forge is automatically accomplished merely by closing the lid, as the PCs may discover-possibly to their dismay-with a minimum of experimentation.
Upon activation of the Dim Forge, the large unseen antennas draw in the essence of the Void. A thrum of magic vibrates through its mile-long length. The characters hear a gonglike thrum. The noise has no more volume than normal conversation during the first round, but quickly builds, reaching a thunderous crescendo three rounds later. At the end of the third round, the blister on the ceiling releases a single bolt of negative energy, so black that it appears to be a rip in the fabric of reality itself. The energy discharges from the ceiling pod into the black canister below. All is silent after the discharge, and nothing moves save for a bit of residual blackfire (as the spell; stand back!) upon the surface of the canister. The flames dissipate in the space of a round.
If a body of any size that can fit (living, dead, or undead) is within the closed Forge at the time of
discharge, consult the table below to determine the result of the concentrated annihilating energy. Even fully empowered undead (such as a winter-wight) can be destroyed by a second exposure to the Forge's energies. If the canister contains an inanimate object or is empty, a negative energy elemental is always generated. If the spell create winter-wight is cast in conjunction with the activation of the Dim Forge, add +2 to the die roll.
If the canister is open when the energy discharge strikes, the bolt fragments and showers the room with sparks of negative energy. Objects in the chamber suffer no ill effects, but creatures must attempt saving throws vs. breath weapon. All who fail suffer the effect noted on the table.
Dim Forge Activation Results (1d8)
1. Not even dust remains within the canister.
2. The object is destroyed and small carbon fragments burn fitfully with blackfire for ld6+6 rounds.
3. Body is burnt almost past recognizability; the smell is truly ghastly.
4. Burnt body animates as a standard zombie; no remnant of personality remains.
5. Body internalizes energy and animates as a standard spectre; no personality remains.
6. Body completely internalizes energy and is destroyed; negative energy elemental is generated and personality is lost.
7. Body internalizes energy and animates as a half-strength winter-wight (8 Hit Dice); original personality is destroyed.
8. Body internalizes energy and animates as a winter-wight; original personality, if any, survives with a successful Wisdom check.
Bone Naga: ?
Undead: “As part of the enchantment of their creation, undead 'siphon' a bit of the energy flowing toward the Negative Energy Plane. This 'stolen' energy serves as their energy of animation. More powerful types of undead have a stronger connection to the Negative Energy Plane and are therefore able to siphon even more energy for their own purposes before it is forever lost in the Final Void. This type of animation is known as "necromancy," but it could also be called Entropic Animancy. Other forms of enchantments exist that can link objects or corpses to the Positive Energy Plane; in this case the flow of energy is reversed. Undead linked to the Positive Energy Plane continually radiate energy and are able to siphon a bit of that energy for purposes of animation. Undead of this type often are associated with the control over living tissue, such as mummies. More powerful undead linked with the Positive Energy Plane are able to manipulate these energies with specific purposes and effects. This type of enchantment is sometimes known as Positive Animancy.”
Predictably, Orcus was wroth. In horrible but unlooked-for vengeance, the entity cast what initially seemed a mild curse over Moil: its inhabitants fell into an enchanted sleep that could only be broken by the dawning of the sun. Orcus then physically removed the city from its natural site and transformed it into a nightmarish, lightless demiplane of its own, assuring that the sun would never shine upon its tall towers. Having completed this deed, Orcus dubbed the demiplane anew as The City That Waits.
Over time, the slumbering Moilians all perished in their dark sleep, leaving the place strewn with unquiet dead and dangerous dreams.
These stones (created by Acererak) emit a necromantic radiation capable of saturating living or once-living objects. This radiation has the effect of linking the saturated being with the Negative Energy Plane. For Faericles, an undead Moilian zombie, it means he can operate indefinitely as long as he gets his regular “fix.”
For a living being the radiation from the stones causes a sharp pain after one round’ s exposure. An unaccountable feeling of dread also surfaces, along with a desire to move out of the glow of the stones.
An actual link to the Negative Energy Plane is forged at the end of the second round. At this point, the life force of the affected being is drawn forth in one continuous discharge, killing the being and transforming him or her into a free-willed undead in one turn. The newly formed undead retains the Hit Dice and hit points that he or she had upon “death,” as well as skills, proficiencies, spells, and class abilities (except for paladins, who lose all associated class abilities and become undead fighters).
Flameskull: ?
Wraith-Spider: Victims drained of all Constitution from a wraith-spider's venom die and have a 100% chance (here in the City) of coming back within 24 hours as wraith-spiders with humanoid heads.
Nightwalker: These creatures seem to embody the principle of destructive entropy inherent in the Negative Energy Plane.
Spectre: The blank canister in the chamber is part and parcel of Acererak's researches. Acererak calls the device a Dim Forge, and with it he is able to enervate immensely powerful undead beings such as his most recent invention, the winter-wight (although a specific spell exists to create winter-wights, one of the material components of the spell is a negative-energy focusing device, such as the Dim Forge). While the Dim Forge is a potent tool for undead creation, it is prone to spawn failed experiments. Hundreds of unfavored beings have left the black canister of the forge only to be relegated to the Theater of the Dead.
Although not apparent to the observer, the crystal dome located above the Forge represents the endpoint of an array of magically protected antennas that reach into the Negative Energy Material Plane. The antennas are over a mile long and branch many times. Through a series of complex enchantments, Acererak has created a means of collecting, concentrating, and amplifying negative energy down the length of the antennas so that the crystal blister in the room acts to focus negative energy into the canister.
If the characters inspect the canister, they find only a latch and a pair of heavy-duty hinges that allow the weighty lid to be thrown back. Within the canister, there is a chill space large enough to contain One human-sized creature. Activation of the Dim Forge is automatically accomplished merely by closing the lid, as the PCs may discover-possibly to their dismay-with a minimum of experimentation.
Upon activation of the Dim Forge, the large unseen antennas draw in the essence of the Void. A thrum of magic vibrates through its mile-long length. The characters hear a gonglike thrum. The noise has no more volume than normal conversation during the first round, but quickly builds, reaching a thunderous crescendo three rounds later. At the end of the third round, the blister on the ceiling releases a single bolt of negative energy, so black that it appears to be a rip in the fabric of reality itself. The energy discharges from the ceiling pod into the black canister below. All is silent after the discharge, and nothing moves save for a bit of residual blackfire (as the spell; stand back!) upon the surface of the canister. The flames dissipate in the space of a round.
If a body of any size that can fit (living, dead, or undead) is within the closed Forge at the time of
discharge, consult the table below to determine the result of the concentrated annihilating energy. Even fully empowered undead (such as a winter-wight) can be destroyed by a second exposure to the Forge's energies. If the canister contains an inanimate object or is empty, a negative energy elemental is always generated. If the spell create winter-wight is cast in conjunction with the activation of the Dim Forge, add +2 to the die roll.
If the canister is open when the energy discharge strikes, the bolt fragments and showers the room with sparks of negative energy. Objects in the chamber suffer no ill effects, but creatures must attempt saving throws vs. breath weapon. All who fail suffer the effect noted on the table.
Dim Forge Activation Results (1d8)
1. Not even dust remains within the canister.
2. The object is destroyed and small carbon fragments burn fitfully with blackfire for ld6+6 rounds.
3. Body is burnt almost past recognizability; the smell is truly ghastly.
4. Burnt body animates as a standard zombie; no remnant of personality remains.
5. Body internalizes energy and animates as a standard spectre; no personality remains.
6. Body completely internalizes energy and is destroyed; negative energy elemental is generated and personality is lost.
7. Body internalizes energy and animates as a half-strength winter-wight (8 Hit Dice); original personality is destroyed.
8. Body internalizes energy and animates as a winter-wight; original personality, if any, survives with a successful Wisdom check.

Animate Moilian
(Necromancy)
Level: 8
Range: 10 yds. Components V, S, M Duration: Pemranent Casting Time: 8 rounds
Area of Efffect 1 body or body part Saving Throw: None
This incantation allow the caster to animate bones, body fragments, or complete bodies of dead
humanoids of up to human size. Creature created in this way are referred to as Moilian (after Moil, the city because of their origin), rather than simply undead. This is because their energy of animation does not come from the Negative Energy Plane but rather from the life energies of living creatures nearby. Examples of creatures created by this spell include the Moilian heart and the Moilian zombie.
Moilians created by this spell obey simple verbal commands from the caster. Mobile Moilians can follow the caster, remain in an area to attack any intruders, and perform other uncomplicated tasks.
This spell only animates a single corpse or body part with each casting. Regardless of the caster’s level, the Moilian created has 3 Hit Dice if a body part or 6 Hit Dice if it is a full body. The magic cannot be dispelled, but creatures created can be turned at the appropriate Hit Dice.
The material components required are the body or body part, a drop of blood, a pinch of bone powder, and the perspiration of fear. Only evil beings would consider using this spell.

Create Winter-wight
(Necromancy) (Reversible)
Level 9 Range 10 yds. Components V, S, M
Duration: Permanent Casting Time: 1 round
Area of Effect: 1 body Saving Throw: None
This spell turns a properly prepared body into a winter-wight. Preparation of the body requires many days, though the spell itself can be cast on the prepared body in only a single round. Create
winter-wight can only be cast in conjunction with unique devices (such as the Dim Forge) capable of focusing and concentrating Negative Energy into a skeleton as part of the preparation step. Even with the use of this spell with the proper Negative Energy focusing devices, the spell is only effective 1% to 10% (1d10) of the time. Failures range between mere dust to warped, fragmented undead of little mobility and wit.
Once properly animated, the winter-wight obeys the commands of its creator. The personality of the
created creature may vary widely but is certain to combine calculating intelligence with cold cruelty, unless animal bones are used in the process (in which case little intelligence can be found in the final deadly undead construct).
Once animated, the winter-wight remains active until physically destroyed. Destruction is also possible if the undead creature is subject to the reverse of this spell, destroy winter-wight, that utterly annihilates any single winter-wight that fails its saving throw vs. death magic.

RM4 House of Strahd

Spoiler

Count Strahd Von Zarovich Vampire Necromancer 16: I made a pact with death, a pact of blood. On the day of the wedding, I killed Sergei, my brother. My pact was sealed with his blood.
I found Tatyana weeping in the garden east of the Chapel. She fled from me. She would not let me explain, and a great anger swelled within me. She had to understand the pact I made for her. I pursued her. Finally, in despair, she flung herself from the walls of Ravenloft and I watched everything I ever wanted fall from my grasp forever.
It was a thousand feet through the mists. No trace of her was ever found. Mot even I know her final fate.
Arrows from the castle guards pierced me to my soul, but 1 did not die. Nor did I live. I became undead, forever.
Count Strahd Von Zarovich Vampire Necromancer 10: I made a pact with death, a pact of blood. On the day of the wedding, I killed Sergei, my brother. My pact was sealed with his blood.
I found Tatyana weeping in the garden east of the Chapel. She fled from me. She would not let me explain, and a great anger swelled within me. She had to understand the pact I made for her. I pursued her. Finally, in despair, she flung herself from the walls of Ravenloft and I watched everything I ever wanted fall from my grasp forever.
It was a thousand feet through the mists. No trace of her was ever found. Mot even I know her final fate.
Arrows from the castle guards pierced me to my soul, but 1 did not die. Nor did I live. I became undead, forever.
Zombie: ?
Ghoul: ?
Wight: ?
Wraith: This man loved Marya and found that she loved someone else in his court. As Marya and her lover were dining, Endorovich put poison into the man's wine glass. The glasses were mixed up and the girl drank it instead. The lover was hanged for the deed and buried in the cemetery behind the church in Barovia township. Endorovich never got over his guilt and, in his madness, killed many in his lifetime.
Vampire Maiden: ?
Strahd Zombie: ?
Strahd Skeleton: ?
Spectre: This man loved Marya and found that she loved someone else in his court. As Marya and her lover were dining, Endorovich put poison into the man's wine glass. The glasses were mixed up and the girl drank it instead. The lover was hanged for the deed and buried in the cemetery behind the church in Barovia township. Endorovich never got over his guilt and, in his madness, killed many in his lifetime.
Patrina was an elf maiden who, having learned early in life a great deal of the black arts, was nearly a match for Strahd's powers. She felt a great bond with Strahd and desired to become one of his wives. Strahd, ever willing, agreed, but before the final draining of spirit from her soul could take place, her own people stoned her to death in mercy. Strahd demanded, and got, the body. She then became the banshee spirit found here.
Meld Monster: This foul creature is the result of Strahd's experimentation with necromantic spells. The Count invented a spell which he calls Strahd's malefic meld. A full description of the spell is found in the Forbidden Lore boxed set. In brief, it merges the dead bodies of up to three monsters to create one horrid undead creature.
Vampire: ?
Groaning Spirit, Banshee: Patrina was an elf maiden who, having learned early in life a great deal of the black arts, was nearly a match for Strahd's powers. She felt a great bond with Strahd and desired to become one of his wives. Strahd, ever willing, agreed, but before the final draining of spirit from her soul could take place, her own people stoned her to death in mercy. Strahd demanded, and got, the body. She then became the banshee spirit found here.
Meld Monster: This foul creature is the result of Strahd's experimentation with necromantic spells. The Count invented a spell which he calls Strahd's malefic meld. A full description of the spell is found in the Forbidden Lore boxed set. In brief, it merges the dead bodies of up to three monsters to create one horrid undead creature.
Ghost: Ariel was a terrible man who sacrificed more than himself in his quest for wings.
Spider-Hound: Using the spell Strahd's malefic meld, (detailed in the Forbidden Lore boxed set) the count has created an undead hybrid of hell hound and huge spider. The process of creating it removes the hell hound's ability to breath fire.

RQ1 Night of the Walking Dead

Spoiler

Marcel Tarascon, Zombie Lord: Jean took Marcel straight to the village shaman, who attempted to raise Marcel, but failed. Jean cried out in pain and left with his brother’s body. The shaman did not understand the true outcome of his failure, but Jean did, for his bond with his twin was strong. Instead of regaining life, Marcel had become an undead creature of the foulest sort. Marcel Tarascon had become a zombie lord!
He describes the stormy night on which Jean brought Marcel to him about a month ago. Marcel was quite dead, torn apart by undead hands. “I retrieved a scroll from my small collection and attempted to raise poor Marcel,” Brucian continues, “but something went wrong. Marcel remained dead, and Jean cried out in anguish. He spirited away the corpse of his brother. That was the last I saw of Marcel, and the last time I saw Jean alive.”
Jeremiah d'Gris, Zombie: ?
Duncan d'Lute, Zombie: ?
Jordi, Ghoul: Jean Tarascon's servants have all become ghouls, turned into the foul creatures by eating carrion at the madman's insistence.
To fully participate in Marcel's new state of existence, Jean has ordered the family servants to feast on dead human flesh as well. This has turned his servants into ghouls.
Teresa, Ghoul: Jean Tarascon's servants have all become ghouls, turned into the foul creatures by eating carrion at the madman's insistence.
To fully participate in Marcel's new state of existence, Jean has ordered the family servants to feast on dead human flesh as well. This has turned his servants into ghouls.
Luc the Ghost: If Luc is killed anytime during the adventure, his ghost returns to haunt the PCs.

Zombie: Marcel Tarascon's odor of death.
Marcel Tarascon's animate dead.
Skeleton: ?
Ghoul: Jean Tarascon's servants have all become ghouls, turned into the foul creatures by eating carrion at the madman's insistence.
To fully participate in Marcel's new state of existence, Jean has ordered the family servants to feast on dead human flesh as well. This has turned his servants into ghouls.
Ju-Ju Zombie: ?
Monster Zombie: ?

In addition, the odor of death that surrounds Marcel affects all living beings who come within 30 yards of him. Characters must save vs. poison or suffer one of the following effects:
1d6 Roll Effect
1 Weakness (as the spell)
2 Cause Disease (as the spell)
3 –1 Point of Constitution
4 Contagion (as the spell)
5 Character unable to act for 1d4 rounds due to nausea and vomiting
6 Character dies instantly and becomes a zombie under zombie lord's control

Three times per day, Marcel can cast animate dead to create zombies. By using this power on living beings, he can also turn them into zombies. In either case, the range of this innate power is 100 yards. If a living target fails a saving throw vs. death, he is instantly slain and rises in 1d4 rounds as a zombie under Marcel's control. (Marcel's ability to create zombies has been enhanced.)

RQ2 Thoughts of Darkness

Spoiler

Lyssa Von Zarovich: Ironically, Lyssa shares some of Strahd's own fate: In order to better oppose him, she struck her own dark pact and murdered her fiance to honor it.
Vampire Mind Flayer: “Those monsters are the spawn of Von Zarovich.”
Vampire illithids are the result of evil experiments that were meant to be terminated. They were first created by Lyssa Von Zarovich and the High Master Illithid of Bluetspur in an attempt to create a creature that could successfully convert the High Master into a vampire (conventional methods were not viable). When the hatchlings proved insane and completely uncontrollable, they were destroyed and thrown into the common water dump, where all victims of mind flayers are thrown after they expire. The vampire illithids regenerated, however, and were washed out of the mind flayer complex. Now they run free across the surface of the realm.
Remnant: The mind flayers throw the remains of their slaves into a watery pit when they die of exhaustion and abuse. The lack of a proper burial traps the remnants in these waters.
Remnants are the spirits of humans and humanoids whose former bodies have been thrown into an unconsecrated, watery grave after they have died of acute stress and exhaustion. The callous way in which they have been disposed of after a torturous and miserable life leaves them in a state of such sorrow that they cannot completely leave the Prime Material plane behind, and they lurk in the pools and rivers where their bodies were abandoned.
Vampire: ?
Strahd Von Zarovich: ?

RR1 Darklords

Spoiler

Anhktepot, Lord of Har'Akir, Greater Mummy: Pharaoh Anhktepot ruled centuries ago in the great desert land of Har'Akir. The pharaoh, like most of his culture, was obsessed with death. The religion of the people revolved around death, and the pharaoh was the link between men and the gods. Anhktepot himself was a priest of Ra, the sun god.
Anhktepot commanded his priests to find a way for him to live forever. Many slaves and prisoners died horribly as subjects in Anhktepot's gruesome experiments. Totally frustrated with the lack of success, the pharaoh had several temples burned and razed. He stalked into the Kharn temple, greatest of all in Har'Akir, and cursed the gods for not granting him his heart's desire. Ra, sun god and patron of the pharaohs, answered Anhktepot. He told the pharaoh that he would live even after death, though he might wish otherwise. Ra did not elaborate.
Anhktepot left the temple elated but confused. He still did not know how to cheat death. That night, everyone he touched died. His wife, several servants, and his eldest child—all were dead. According to custom, they were mummified and entombed in great buildings in the desert.
One day the priests rebelled against the pharaoh and murdered him in his sleep. The funeral lasted for a month. During it, Anhktepot was awake and helpless, trapped inside his own corpse. His mind screamed as they mummified his body. He was nearly insane when they entombed him.
As the sun set, and Ra's power waned, the borders of Ravenloft seeped into the desert kingdom to steal away the tomb of Anhktepot and the nearby small village of Mudar.
Strahd: ?
Nephyr, Greater Mummy: Pharaoh Anhktepot ruled centuries ago in the great desert land of Har'Akir. The pharaoh, like most of his culture, was obsessed with death. The religion of the people revolved around death, and the pharaoh was the link between men and the gods. Anhktepot himself was a priest of Ra, the sun god.
Anhktepot commanded his priests to find a way for him to live forever. Many slaves and prisoners died horribly as subjects in Anhktepot's gruesome experiments. Totally frustrated with the lack of success, the pharaoh had several temples burned and razed. He stalked into the Kharn temple, greatest of all in Har'Akir, and cursed the gods for not granting him his heart's desire. Ra, sun god and patron of the pharaohs, answered Anhktepot. He told the pharaoh that he would live even after death, though he might wish otherwise. Ra did not elaborate.
Anhktepot left the temple elated but confused. He still did not know how to cheat death. That night, everyone he touched died. His wife, several servants, and his eldest child—all were dead. According to custom, they were mummified and entombed in great buildings in the desert.
Soon the great pharaoh came to understand his curse. So long as Ra shone upon him, he was safe. But once he was no longer under the sun's watchful eye, whomever he touched died horribly.
Shortly after the final ceremony of his wife's funeral, Anhktepot was visited in the night. A mummy wrapped in funeral linens entered his chambers. By the vestments he knew it was Nephyr.
The Banshee, Tristessa, Lord of Keening: Nearly all banshees were evil elves in life, but Tristessa was not born of an ordinary clan. She was a drow—a dark elf who lived underground with the rest of her black-hearted kind.
Sages in Darkon say that a party of Arak's drow arose from the dark kingdom one night, dragging Tristessa and her child along with them. Arak's surface was then lush and green. That night, the sky was cold and clear, and the blades of grass shone like silver in the moon's light. Tristessa's captors staked her to the ground, and laid her child beside her. Then they abandoned the pair.
Morning broke. As the sun climbed high in the sky, screams echoed across the landscape—screams so shrill that even the drow below could hear them. Tristessa and her infant could not survive the harsh rays. Mother and child dissolved into the wind, which rose, howling fiercely, and destroyed all life upon Arak's soil. The storm moved west, enveloping a nearby town with its fury. Then the town and storm disappeared, and Keening was formed.
The Beggar Woman, Unique Wight: She is undead, held here only by the strange bonds of Ravenloft.
The Beekeeper, Zombie: ?
Keening Crawling Claw: ?
Skeletal Rat: ?
Rotting Rat: ?
Lady Kateri Shadowborn, Geist: ?
Headless Horseman: Nearly every domain haunted by the Headless Horseman knows a different tale of his origin. In Falkovnia, some say the spirit was a victim of Drakov's men, wrongfully beheaded. In Barovia, they say he sliced off his own head rather than fall prey to one of Strahd's minions, who later gave the head to Strahd.
In Borca, folk have the most specific tale, which they are sure is most true. Borcans say the Horseman was once a bard who had the misfortune of meeting Ivana Boritsi, the lord of Borca. Ivana invited him to her private baths (an offer he could not refuse). Unfortunately, she was in a fickle mood, and he was unable to entertain her. Inspired by the sickle shape of the moon, she had him beheaded, continuing her bath in his blood.
The headless body, as the story continues, was cast into the river near Levkarest. (As to what Ivana did with the head, no one is sure.) The corpse floated downstream until it neared the road to Sturben, where it became lodged beneath a bridge. On the night of the next sickle moon, the body arose.
Heads: They are what became of the horseman's victims.
Medusa Head: ?
Maedar Head: ?
House of Lament: Perhaps Mara's spirit became one with the house, evolving from the tormented to the tormenter, until every timber and stone in the structure was the embodiment of evil. Or perhaps Mara still exists in the walls, alone and full of sorrow, and the house, wanting to comfort her, encourages the living to join her.
For in many lands it is understood that only the warm blood and flesh of the living can ease the cold misery of the dead.
The House of Lament is an entity of evil, of which the spirit that was Mara is only a part. How this came to be is not fully understood, yet some sages would say that the site was always a gathering point of malignancy and evil, even when Dranzorg first built his castle there. Then the malignancy only served to influence the mood of those within it. Mara's absorption was the catalyst that enabled it to grow.
Mara: When dawn's first light was on the horizon, Dranzorg released Mara from her prison. His men brought her to his chambers. "Did you know," he asked, "that an offering must be made to the gods to fortify a keep?" It was a custom in those lands to entomb a cat or a stag in the walls of a castle as it was built, in order to strengthen it and bring good fortune. Mara knew well of this custom. She did not answer, suspecting what Lord Dranzorg had in mind.
As Dranzorg watched, his henchmen dragged Mara to the base of the tower, where the wall had been thickened on the inside. A small alcove with a bench lay open, cut back into the old wall, the opening flush with the new.
Bravely, Mara cursed Dranzorg and his men, and proclaimed that her father would see her death avenged. Dranzorg was amused. He ordered that her finger be pricked with a sedative, so that she would not disturb the work to come. When she collapsed, his men placed her limp body on the bench in the alcove, and proceeded to seal the wall. Mara was entombed alive.
By nightfall, her screams sounded throughout the castle. They continued through the night, and on through the days and nights to come. Each day, the men of the castle complained to Dranzorg, saying they could not
bear the unholy noise, for surely the woman should have died in less than a day. Finally Dranzorg agreed. He personally opened the tomb. The screams subsided. No one lay within.
Baron Urik Von Kharkov, Nosferatu Vampire: Ulrik burned with hatred over the humiliation of being turned into an animal by Morphayus. It was in this frame of mind that he entered Darkon. There, an impoverished bard told Ulrik tales of the Kargat vampires. Lured by thoughts of immortality and dark power, Ulrik traveled to the city of Karg and sought out a vampire. Ulrik's dream of untold power and eternal life soon turned to ashes in his mouth. True, he became a vampire, but as an undead slave to his vampire master. Ulrik won immortality at the expense of his precious humanity.
Merilee Markuza: As the brigands were about to depart, one of them spotted the young girl. In terror, she turned and fled. Her tiny feet had not carried her a dozen yards before a pair of crossbow bolts brought her down. Certain that she was dead, the criminals collected the last of their spoils and rode off.
Some time later, as the last of the child's vital energies were draining away, a dark figure came upon the wounded girl. The mysterious shadow seemed to move quickly over the scene of the murders, taking care to note something here or there. Merilee was too weak to call out for help, but managed a moan of pain. The stranger flashed to the side of the girl with supernatural speed.
Over the course of the next few days, Merilee was to learn much about her "rescuer." The mysterious figure was a tall, slender woman named Keesla. Many years before, Keesla had become a vampire. When she found Merilee, the woman knew that there was no earthly way to save the girl's life. Seeing in the innocent child a striking resemblance to her own daughter who had died decades earlier, she decided that Merilee would not die. Bending over the wounded girl, Keesla began the process that would eventually transform Merilee into a vampire.
Keesla, Vampire: ?
Tiyet, Mummy, Lord of Sebua: People of the Black Land believed that death was only a journey to another existence. In the afterlife, all would remain essentially as it had been before, provided one had been good and kind, provided one's heart had been true.
This is the story of a woman for whom that cycle held no comfort. Because her heart had been fouled with misdeeds, she knew that only horrors would await her. Terrified of judgment, she sacrificed life and spirit to avoid it. In the end, she only condemned herself to a fate that was far worse. She became one of the living dead, a mummy whose beauty is everlasting, but whose heart and hope are lost forever.
Tiyet returned to the temple and sought out Zordenahkt. She begged him to kill her, and perform the ceremony that would save her from terror in the Hall of Judgment. When Zordenahkt refused, she drew a dagger from her gown. Begging for the mercy of the god Apophis, she plunged the dagger into her chest.
Deep within the temple, Zordenahkt performed the ceremony that she had desired. He bathed Tiyet's body in the precious oils of a nobleman's embalmer, reciting a common spell to preserve her beauty. Then he made an incision in her chest, and removed her heart.
The idol of Apophis looked on, as it had looked on each day Tiyet and Zordenahkt met in his temple. It was a great, black serpent, made from cedarwood. Inlaid jewels and black glass served as its scales. Two rubies set in onyx were its eyes.
Zordenahkt placed Tiyet's heart in a stone jar filled with oils. He placed the jar before his serpent god. The words he spoke offered Tiyet's heart in return for her safety from torment in the Underworld. Then he wrapped Tiyet's body in linen, and carried it to his own family tomb. There he poisoned himself with the venom of an asp, and laid down beside her to die.
Tiyet rose the next night. She pulled the strips from her eyes, and saw the body of Zordenahkt beside her. Still wrapped in the linen swaddling of the dead, she crossed the desert and went to the estate of Khamose. Each heart within the house was audible to her, beating with a maddening pace. Loudest was the heart of Khamose, sounding like a drum, compelling her to seek it out.
Tiyet stole into his room, silent as a shadow. She placed her hand upon his chest, and found that the heartbeat slowed. Khamose stirred, and his eyes opened wide. His mouth gaped, but before he could scream, Tiyet paralyzed him with her gaze. Then, even as he lived, she reached through his chest and drew out his heart. Tiyet placed the bloody mass to her red lips and swallowed it. The audible beating of the other hearts in the household stopped; satiated, she could hear them no longer.
Tiyet returned to the tomb and lay down beside the still body of Zordenahkt. When she awoke, she was alone. She had become the lord of Sebua, a domain in Ravenloft.

Banshee: Nearly all banshees were evil elves in life.
Ghost: Ghosts of others the banshee has met on the mountain haunt the places of their demise.
Undead: ?
Greater Mummy: Pharaoh Anhktepot ruled centuries ago in the great desert land of Har'Akir. The pharaoh, like most of his culture, was obsessed with death. The religion of the people revolved around death, and the pharaoh was the link between men and the gods. Anhktepot himself was a priest of Ra, the sun god.
Anhktepot commanded his priests to find a way for him to live forever. Many slaves and prisoners died horribly as subjects in Anhktepot's gruesome experiments. Totally frustrated with the lack of success, the pharaoh had several temples burned and razed. He stalked into the Kharn temple, greatest of all in Har'Akir, and cursed the gods for not granting him his heart's desire. Ra, sun god and patron of the pharaohs, answered Anhktepot. He told the pharaoh that he would live even after death, though he might wish otherwise. Ra did not elaborate.
Anhktepot left the temple elated but confused. He still did not know how to cheat death. That night, everyone he touched died. His wife, several servants, and his eldest child—all were dead. According to custom, they were mummified and entombed in great buildings in the desert.
Soon the great pharaoh came to understand his curse. So long as Ra shone upon him, he was safe. But once he was no longer under the sun's watchful eye, whomever he touched died horribly.
Shortly after the final ceremony of his wife's funeral, Anhktepot was visited in the night. A mummy wrapped in funeral linens entered his chambers. By the vestments he knew it was Nephyr. He fled from her down the long halls of the palace. Finally she cornered him. Unable to talk, the mummy Nephyr tried to embrace Anhktepot. Horrified, he screamed for her to leave him forever. She turned and left. Nephyr walked into the desert and was never seen again. Her tomb remained open and empty.
Anhktepot was also visited by the mummified bodies of the others whom he had killed. He came to understand that he controlled them utterly. They did his every bidding. He used their strength and his own touch of death to tighten the reigns of his evil power over Har'Akir.
He killed many of the kingdom's priests, making them his undead slaves.
Any character who is mummified alive while infected by Anhktepot's rotting disease becomes a greater mummy under the control of Anhktepot.
Mummy: Any character who is mummified alive while infected by Anhktepot's rotting disease becomes a greater mummy under the control of Anhktepot. If you don't have the RAVENLOFT Monstrous Compendium appendix, just make his minions regular mummies.
Tiyet sometimes creates new mummies, using the bodies of her victims. Death alone does not create them; she must mummify them in the common manner. At her disposal are the vats and supplies in an embalmer's house, which lies on the outskirts of Anhalla.
Zombie: The phantom can also animate the dead, who will claw their way out of the earth to grasp the ankles of passersby, and then slowly rise up to attack, like common zombies.
Wight: ?
Spectre: ?
Nosferatu Vampire: Anyone who dies from being drained by Baron von Kharkov becomes a nosferatu vampire.

RR2 Book of Crypts

Spoiler

Vampire Nosferatu Fighter 6, Dante Lysin: During one midnight battle, a nosferatu drained Dante dry and he died. Shortly after, Dante’s slayer was killed, but not before Dante fell under the vampiric curse.
Dara, Ghost: One year ago, Baggs decided to grow alfalfa on several acres of unused land to compete with the farm at Location 8. The girl was hired to tend the alfalfa and chase away birds in the fields. As harvest time approached, she was killed when the Malar worshiper set the field on fire. Her charred body lies in the prairie grasses, and her ghost now haunts the field.
“I am Dara, and I was killed,” the ghost wails in hauntingly beautiful tones that waft over the barren field. “I was killed by an evil man who sought to ruin this field. Alfalfa and a dark god filled his life, and for that I was killed. I now search for my murderer so that I can rest.”
Nightblood, Kael Norbin of Thay, Lich 20: When the local villagers began to hunt him down, Kael decided to become a lich and join his love in death.
The night that he carried out this plan, the mists rolled in.

Zombie Common: ?

RR4 Islands of Terror

Spoiler

Torrence Bleysmith: Count Rupert Bleysmith declared war on the neighboring duchy of Avergne, a land of infidels and heathens. He called upon his children and his retainers to gather together the army. He traveled the country searching for support among the other nobles. He left Sir August in charge of affairs while he was away.
Torrence, enraged at this perceived slight to himself, cast about wrathfully for some means of exacting revenge on his father and his elder brother. At last, he settled on a plan that would allow him to soothe his wounded pride. He began to sell the secrets of Staunton Bluffs to Commander Pierre Willis of the Avergnites in the hope that they would slay August during a raid.
August, however, was as adept at evading the traps as Torrence was, and it soon became clear to Torrence that he would have to personally oversee the murder of August. Even when he passed along the castle plans for the Avergnite assassins, they blundered and failed miserably.
Meanwhile, Torrence hid his feelings about August's superiority remarkably well and acted as August's chief advisor. August came to trust his brother in all things, seeing that Torrence had matured far more fully than he believed possible.
Eventually, Torrence arranged for the Avergnites to raid along the Staunton border, knowing that August had no choice but to personally repel the marauders. He suggested the best battle plans to his older brother, who agreed to follow them faithfully. That night, Torrence sent a dispatch to Willis telling him of his brother's location and how the Avergnites could best remove him from this position.
That next morning, August and some of Staunton's finest men rode straight into the Avergnite ambush. They hardly had a chance to draw their swords before they went down under a hail of arrows. Their blood spilled into the earth, turning it into a pasty, red mud. The Avergnites were heady with their victory over the hated Sir August Bleysmith. They rode even farther into Staunton, burning and pillaging everything in sight, contrary to the agreement with Torrence.
Torrence, aghast at their duplicity, attempted to turn back the tide of invaders, but it was too late. The Avergnites overran all the Stauntonian positions, slaughtering all the citizens they came upon. Willis and his men eventually arrived at the Bleysmith Estate and laid siege to Castle Stonecrest. Since Torrence had stupidly provided the maps of the castle, it fell easily to the invaders. So did the Bleysmith family, nearly alone in their estate, abandoned by most of their retainers.
Only Torrence escaped, hiding in the privy until the besiegers had gone. When he emerged, smeared with filth, he discovered the looted house in ruins around him. The defiled bodies of his family lay strewn about the estate like broken dolls. At the sight of his ancestral home violated like some commoner's house, Torrence broke down in a fit of grief, rage, and guilt. Had August survived the attack, the Avergnites would never have been able to advance this far. Torrence knew he would have to live with the knowledge that he had caused the downfall of Staunton Bluffs and the death of his family.
He retreated to the forests of Staunton to plot his revenge and vent his grief. He hoped to atone for his mistake by avenging the destruction of his family. Since he had studied some magic when he was younger, he was familiar with certain blasphemous rituals that would enable him to channel his anger. In his pride and wrath, he did not pause to consider the implications of his intended course.
At midnight of the fall equinox, the last Bleysmith began his sacrilege. With great workings of magic and dark promises, Torrence laid a massive spell on the surviving inhabitants of Staunton.
When the citizens arose the next misty morning, they felt compelled to take up whatever weapons they had available. En masse, they marched on the army of Avergne. Bleysmith, full of vanity, watched his makeshift army surprise the force of Avergnites. Torrence had been sure that his people could crush the army, since there were so many more of them and they had the advantage of surprise.
However, the Avergnites recovered from their initial shock much more quickly than anyone could have suspected. They slaughtered the subservient Stauntonians. The earth ran with the blood of guiltless citizens, the cries of the innocents echoing weirdly through the fog.
By now, half-crazed with shame and remorse, Sir Torrence Bleysmith hanged himself in the burnt shell of Castle Stonecrest. His dying thoughts were of revenge, hatred, and guilt. As his life faded from existence, so did the surrounding area.
The restfulness of natural death did not claim Torrence Bleysmith, however, for Ravenloft had other plans for him. His past, tainted as it was with pride, treachery, and disregard for human life, earned him a place in the demiplane.
Weeks after he hanged himself, flashes of reality and memory interrupted the utter blackness of oblivion in which Torrence dwelt. These glimmers grew longer and longer until at last they melded completely into a gray-washed, horrifying reality. His worst nightmares became his reality.
Sir Torrence Bleysmith had become a ghost, doomed to wander the halls of his castle and the woodlands of his domain. His rage and treachery combined with other darker forces to bring him back to a terrible unlife. He would see all that he once held sacred torn away and destroyed.

Skeleton: This was the main forge for the county of Staunton, the finest for miles. It contains those things common to a smithy including two anvils, hammers, trenches, and a good supply of iron. There are some finely crafted blades lying in the soot, held firm in the death grasp of the smith and his apprentices. If anyone tries to take the swords, the smith and his helpers return from the peace of the grave to defend their best work.
Ghast: The guards are the incorporeal forms of the few soldiers who remained loyal to him after his treacherous betrayal of his own countrymen.
Ghoul: ?
Zombie: The most dangerous prisoners were housed in these cells where the jailers could catch their mischief more quickly. Each of these cells contains a zombie wandering about constantly.
Spectre: The spirits of the Bleysmith family float through this room in a stately, eternal dance.
Skeleton Horse: ?
Zombie Sea: Sea zombies, also known as drowned ones, are the animated corpses of humans who died at sea. Although similar to land-dwelling zombies, they are free-willed and are rumored to be animated by the very forces that hold Ravenloft together.

Ruined Kingdoms

Spoiler

Raja al-Sadiq Abdul-Tisan, The Audacious Thunderer, Breaker of the Forbidden Seal, The First to be Summoned, Lich 15th Level Human Wizard Sha'ir: Months later, her task complete, Tisan was glad she had expended the effort to experiment with Raja. Of course, Tisan had made some minor mistakes and the sha'ir had to be slain a few more times than strictly necessary, but in the end Tisan still considered her research a complete success.
Adil, Revenant: The unfortunate bearer of the seal is seemingly cursed. He cannot lose the seal or give it away, for it magically returns to his person the moment he ceases to concentrate upon it. Furthermore, if at any time Adil is slain, the seal resurrects him as many times as he has points of Constitution. Thereafter, Adil becomes a revenant or any other form of undead the DM finds appropriate.
Adil, Undead: The unfortunate bearer of the seal is seemingly cursed. He cannot lose the seal or give it away, for it magically returns to his person the moment he ceases to concentrate upon it. Furthermore, if at any time Adil is slain, the seal resurrects him as many times as he has points of Constitution. Thereafter, Adil becomes a revenant or any other form of undead the DM finds appropriate.

Zombie: Not to be left shorthanded, after the battle was over and the flesh of vanquished enemies devoured, Anaiz animated the human forms of the slain segarrans, turning them into guardians of the main entrance and outer temple ward.

Sea of Blood

Spoiler

Ghost: ?
Velya, Marine Vampire: ?

Sea of Fallen Stars

Spoiler

Zombie Sea: Drowned ones, or sea zombies as they are sometimes better known, are the wretched remains of some few of those ill-fated men lost at sea or drowned in a storm or other mishap. Unlike “normal” undead, drowned ones need not be animated by a spellcaster; some unknown force brings them to unlife.
Skeleton: While some may be guardians of some site left by wizards, they are more often simply the still animated skeleton of a drowned one whose flesh became too rotted and putrid to remain attached to the bones.

Spellbound

Spoiler

Dread Warrior: Dread warriors are enhanced undead created by the Thayan Zulkir of Necromancy, Szass Tam. Similar to zombies, dread warriors must be created immediately after death so that they retain at least minimal intelligence. They must be created from the body of a fighter of at least 4th level, dead for less than a day.
Animate Dread Warrior spell.

Ghoul: Unlife spell.
Skeleton: Unlife spell.
Wight: Unlife spell.
Wraith: Unlife spell.
Zombie: Unlife spell.

Animate Dread Warrior
(Necromancy)
Range: Touch
Components: V,S,M
Duration: Permanent
Casting Time: 1 turn
Area of Effect: One creature
Saving Throw: None
This spell creates an undead creature known as a dread warrior.
The spell requires the corpse of a fighter of at least 4th level who has been dead for less than one full day. After casting, the corpse rises as a dread warrior under the control of the spell's caster.

Unlife
(Necromancy)
Range: Touch
Components: V,S,M
Duration: Permanent
Casting Time: 8
Area of Effect: One creature
Saving Throw: Negates
Used only by evil wizards, this spell enables the caster to transform a single victim into an undead creature under his or her control. The caster touches the subject, who must then save vs. death magic. If the save fails, the subject instantly dies and is transformed into an undead creature under the control of the caster.
The exact type of undead depends upon the level of the victim. Individuals of levels 1-3 become skeletons (50%) or zombies (50%). Those of levels 4-6 become ghouls, those of levels 7-8 become wights, and those of level 9 or higher become wraiths.
Using this spell, the caster can control a number of undead creatures equal to his or her level.
The material component of this spell is dirt from a freshly dug grave.

Slavers

Spoiler

Bone Colossus: Once per month, if the caster has access to twenty skeletons that he or she animated. the Bone Wheel of Nebirkors can cause the skeletons to fuse together into a larger undead entity called a bone colossus.

The Evil Eye

Spoiler

Leyla 2nd Magnitude Ghost: When she was alive, Leyla was a nurturing wife, but death robbed her of a chance to be a mother. The karmic resonance of her dying, augmented by Raul's violin of passion, brought some part of her back as a ghost. The ghost is more a twisted embodiment of Raul's grief, memory, and passion than an accurate representation of Leyla when she was alive. She is a pale echo of her former self.

Tome of Magic

Spoiler

Skeleton: Undead Plague spell.

Undead Plague (Necromancy)
Quest Spell
Sphere: Necromantic
Range: 1 mile
Duration: Special
Casting Time: 2 rounds
Area of Effect: 100-yard square/level
Saving Throw: None
By means of this potent spell, the priest summons many ranks of skeletons to do his bidding. The skeletons are formed from any and all humanoid bones within the area of effect. The number of skeletons depends on the terrain in the area of effect; a battlesite or graveyard will yield 10 skeletons per 100 square yards; a long-inhabited area will yield three skeletons per 100 square yards; and wilderness will yield one skeleton per 100 square yards.
The spell's maximum area of effect is 10,000 square yards. Thus, no more than 1,000 skeletons can be summoned by this spell.
The skeletons created by this spell are turned as zombies and remain in existence until destroyed or willed out of existence by the priest who created them.

Vecna Lives

Spoiler

Kas the Terrible, Vampire: As he lived out the remainder of his years, Kas was steeped in the energies of the Negative Material plane. Slowly these accumulated and transformed him. The energy ate out his body from the inside. Finally, it seized his heart and soul, but Kas did not die. Instead, Kas the Terrible was transformed into one of the most fearsome of undead, a vampire.

Villain's Lorebook

Spoiler

Dread Warrior: Dread Warriors are a form of undead created by SZASS TAM. They can be produced from any warrior of at least 4th level who's been dead less than 24 hours.
Animate Dread Warrior spell.
Blood Warriors: The Blood Warriors are a type of undead soldier created by Kazgaroth. The Beast used his corrupting mass charm ability to transform a troop of normal living beings into his fanatically loyal, undead servants.
Kazgaroth's final offensive power is perhaps its most insidious. A corrupted form of the mass charm spell, this ability transforms a troop (up to 500 persons) of living beings into the undead minions of Bhaal known as the Blood Warriors.
Spirit Wraith: Zin-Carla spell.

Ghoul: Unlife spell.
Skeleton: Unlife spell.
Wight: Unlife spell.
Wraith: Unlife spell.
Zombie: Unlife spell.

Animate Dread Warrior
(Necromancy)
Level: 6
Range: Touch
Components: V,S,M
Duration: Permanent
Casting Time: 1 turn
Area of Effect: One creature
Saving Throw: None
This spell creates an undead creature known as a dread warrior. The spell requires the corpse of a fighter of at least 4th level who has been dead for less than 24 hours. After casting, the corpse rises in 1-4 rounds as a dread warrior under the control of the spell's caster.

Unlife
(Necromancy)
Level: 8
Range: Touch
Components: V,S,M
Duration: Permanent
Casting Time: 8
Area of Effect: One creature
Saving Throw: Neg.
Used only by evil wizards, this spell enables the caster to transform a single victim into an undead creature under his control. The caster touches the subject, who must then save vs. death magic. If the save fails, the subject instantly dies and is transformed into an undead creature under the control of the caster.
The exact type of undead depends upon the level of the victim. Individuals of 1st-3rd level become skeletons (50%) or zombies (50%). Those of 4th-6th level become ghouls, those of 7th-8th level become wights, and those of 9th level or higher become wraiths.
Using this spell, the caster can control a number of undead creatures equal to his level.
The material component of this spell is dirt from a freshly dug grave.

Zin-Carla
(Necromancy)
Level: 7
Sphere: Necromantic (Lolth)
Range: Touch
Components: V,S,M
Duration: Varies
Casting Time: 4 rounds
Area of Effect: One creature
Saving Throw: Special
This spell is “the highest gift of Lolth,” granted rarely even to favored drow priestesses. It is a special form of animate dead, which creates a special sort of zombie known as a spirit-wraith. Imbued with skills, hit points, armor class, and THAC0 it have in life, this creation is telepathically linked to and controlled by the caster of this spell, usually a drow matron mother.
This spell may not be instantaneously granted, or may be denied entirely, at Lolth's (as in the DM's) will. It is granted only for the completion of specific tasks, and these may never be purely to work revenge or bring harm on other drow. Failure in the task brings on the disfavor of Lolth.
Zin-carla involves the forcible return of a departed soul or spirit to its body. Only through the willpower and exacting, sleepless control of the caster are the undead being's desired skills kept separate from unwanted memories and emotions. The duration of the spell is limited by the needs of the task, the patience of Lolth, and the mental limits of the caster, for a total loss of control usually means failure.
So long as that control is maintained, the spiritwraith cannot tire or be distracted from its task. It does not feel pain or disability, and will continue to function as long as it remains mobile.
A spirit-wraith cannot be made to cast spells without losing control over its mind entirely, but can fully use combat and craft-skills possessed in life. If control is lost, the wraith becomes a revenant, driven by hatred and the memory of its violation at the hands of the zin-carla caster. Uncontrolled spiritwraiths do not stop until the zin-carla caster is destroyed.
A spirit-wraith driven to do something against its old nature has a chance of breaking free of its control (treat as a charm spell, with the same saving throw as in life). For example, one cannot successfully use this undead to destroy a being that it loved in life. (A fact that Matron Malice Do'Urden learned to her chagrin.)
Spell-like natural powers (such as the levitation ability of drow) are retained and can be used by the undead. The spirit-wraith can use its former experience and memories, as much as allowed by the spellcaster. Both the spirit-wraith and the caster are immune to the effects of spells that attack the mind, and similar spell-like powers (such as the mental blast of a mind flayer). It knows wariness, anger, glee, hatred, frustration, and triumph, but not fear. It cannot be controlled by the spells and priestly powers normally used to command encountered undead, and control of it cannot thereby be wrested away from the caster of the zin-carla.
Spirit-wraiths do not breathe, but can speak (if allowed to do so by their controller). They can utter command and activation words, and the controlling caster can speak through them directly, but spell incantations will take effect if uttered by the undead.
To stop a spirit-wraith it must be physically destroyed; if it is still able to even crawl, it will do so, tirelessly, searching for a way to complete its task.
The material components of this spell are the corpse to be re-animated, and a treasured object that belonged to the person to be controlled. If the corpse is badly decomposed or not whole, other spells (such as Nulathoe.s ninemen) and magical unguents also will be required, to restore it to a whole condition.
Wizards and other powerful creatures (such as mind flayers, aboleth, or cloakers) who raid and despoil drow cities can expect to face either a full-scale attack-or a spirit-wraith or two.

WGR1 Greyhawk Ruins

Spoiler

Troll Spectral: It has recently been noted that humans slain by a spectral troll become spectral trolls themselves in three days, unless a proper burial ceremony is performed (by a priest of the victim’s own religion, of course).
There has been much speculation about the origin of spectral trolls. Some sages maintain that the spectral troll is simply a magical variant of normal troll, and they point to its lack of a negative material bond (i.e., no energy drain) as proof of their position.
However, others maintain that the lack of an energy drain is no proof that the troll wraith is not undead, as many admittedly undead creatures possess no such attack. They point to the skeleton, zombie, and even the lich as prime examples of their position.
Few believe that the troll wraith is a magical cross-breed, created by some mad wizard for his evil pleasure, as it is obvious to all that the solitary and belligerent nature of the creature makes it useless as a guardian or even as an assassin. If it was an experiment, they agree, it was certainly a failed one.
There is new speculation that the troll wraith is not undead at all, but is in fact the product of some powerful curse gone awry. New information from dubious sources also seems to link the fate of the troll wraith to that of the mysterious shades, rumored to dwell on the plane of Shadow.
In any case, the ecology and nature of the spectral troll, or troll wraith, is an active topic for debate among the many retired adventurers and sages-for-hire dwelling throughout Greyhawk. The actual truth behind the suspicions, allegations, and suppositions may never be known.

Dragon Magazine

Spoiler

Dragon 150

Spoiler

Vampire: Any human or humanoid creature slain by the life energy drain of a vampire is doomed to become a vampire himself. Thus, those who would hunt these lords of the undead must be very careful lest they find themselves condemned to a fate far worse than death. The transformation takes place one day after the burial of the creature. Those who are not actually buried, however, do not become undead and it is thus traditional that the bodies of a vampire's victims be burned or similarly destroyed.
Vampire Eastern: ?

Dragon 156

Spoiler

Undead: The DM could rule that the normal undead-creation process (in which a being killed by certain undead beings becomes an undead creature, too) is magical.
Skeleton: The only undead that are magically created are skeletons and zombies, which are created with the animate dead spell.
Zombie: The only undead that are magically created are skeletons and zombies, which are created with the animate dead spell.

Dragon 158

Spoiler

Prikolic: The prikolics are dead werewolves that have been animated as zombies.

Dragon 159

Spoiler

Spectre: If a character is killed by a spectre, wight, or wraith using its energy drain, then he is doomed to become one of the creatures that killed him.
Wight: If a character is killed by a spectre, wight, or wraith using its energy drain, then he is doomed to become one of the creatures that killed him.
Wraith: If a character is killed by a spectre, wight, or wraith using its energy drain, then he is doomed to become one of the creatures that killed him.

Dragon 162

Spoiler

Archlich: Archliches are caring individuals who've deliberately become undead so they can better serve a cause or protect a beloved being or place.
Skotos: Skotos are spirits that have broken free of the netherworld and now roam the world of the living as undead.
Sluagh: The unforgiven dead.
The spirits of dead mortals.
The undead forms of warlike elves who turned on their fellow elves and were slain in battle.
Ghost-Stone: Ghost-stones are just that: stones inhabited by ghosts. A powerful, evil individual may choose to send his malicious spirit into a specially prepared stone upon his death.
Spiritus Animae: A spiritus anime is a type of undead created only when a human, demi-human or humanoid creature is buried alive, either intentionally (as a torture or sacrifice) or by accident (such as a landslide or the result of a tragedy involving a disease, a feign death spell, etc.). Many (40%) of those so buried become spiritus animes, desperate to escape burial and return to the surface.
Ankou: The ankou is an undead creature who was a miserly farmer or peasant in life, a person 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. When death claims such a person, his soul sometimes returns as an ankou.

Ghost: ghosts are the souls of creatures who were either so evil or so emotional during life that, upon death, they were cursed with undead status.
Take the case of a person hopelessly in love with another (in literature, this is often a young girl who's fallen for a heartless cad). When the girl realizes that her love is unrequited, she falls into despair and kills herself. Her passion is so strong, even in death, that her soul remains bound to the Prime Material and Ethereal planes as a ghost.
The ghost's suicide might not be an attempt to escape from pain, but rather an act of anger, a spiteful “grand gesture.”
As with haunts (Monster Manual II, page 74), people who die leaving a vital task unfinished might remain bound to the world by their own indomitable will or sense of duty.
A ghost might be bound to the world not by its own will, but by the existence of a particular object. In literature, this “spiritual anchor” is sometimes an item that was of great emotional importance to the ghost while alive, hut more often it is a piece of the ghost's mortal body.
Lich: Horror literature contains many tales of people who were too involved in their pursuits, often magical research, to even notice their own deaths. Their concentration is intense enough to bind their spirits to their bodies, and to the Prime Material plane.
Perhaps at the time of their physical death, their concentration and willpower was intense enough to bind them to the material world, or perhaps the transition was the whim of a deity.
Shadow: Shadows “appear to have been magically created, perhaps as part of some ancient curse.”

Dragon 167

Spoiler

Animal Skeleton: Animate Dead Animals spell.
Animal Zombie: Animate Dead Animals spell.

Animate Dead Animals (Necromantic)
Level: 1 Components: V,S,M
Range: 10 yards CT: 2 rounds
Duration: Perm. Save: None
AE: Special
The use of this spell is often a necromancer's first experience with the animation of corpses. This spell creates undead skeletons and zombies from the bones and bodies of dead animals, specifically vertebrates (fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals). The animated remains will obey simple verbal commands given by the caster. The caster need not use other magicks to communicate with these undead, as they will understand his commands no matter what language he uses. Only naturally occurring animals of semi-intelligence or less can be animated with this spell (e.g., lizards, cats, frogs, weasels, tigers, etc.), including minimals (see “Mammal, Minimal,” in the Monstrous Compendium) and nonmagical giant-sized animals. These undead remain animated until they are destroyed in combat or are turned; the animating magic cannot be dispelled.
The number of animal undead that a wizard can animate is determined by the animal's original number of hit dice, the caster's level, and the type of undead being created. The caster can create the following number of animal skeletons:
– Animals of ¼ HD or less: four skeletons per level of experience.
– Animals of ½ to 1 HD: two skeletons per level of experience.
– Animals of 1+ to 3 HD: one skeleton per level of experience.
– Animals of 3 + to 6 HD: one skeleton per two levels of experience.
– Animals of over 6 HD: one skeleton for every four levels of experience.
The caster is also able to create the following number of animal zombies:
– Animals of ¼ HD or less: two zombies per level of experience.
– Animals of ½ to 1- 1 HD: one zombie per level of experience.
– Animals of 1 to 3 HD: one zombie for every two levels of experience.
– Animals of over 3 HD: one zombie for every four levels of experience.
The animated skeletons of animals that had ¼ to 1 HD conform to the statistics of animal skeletons as given in the Monstrous Compendium (see .Skeleton.). Skeletons of animals that had less than ¼ HD conform to those statistics, with the following changes: AC 9; HD ¼; hp 1; #AT 1; Dmg 1. Skeletons of animals of over 1 HD conform to the statistics for the animal as given in the Monstrous Compendium, with the following changes: armor class is worsened by two (maximum of AC 10), damage per attack is reduced by two (minimum of 1 hp), and movement is reduced to half normal. Animal zombies conform to the statistics for the particular animal that has been animated, with the following changes: the animal's number of hit dice is increased by one, the armor class is worsened by three (to a maximum of AC 8), and movement is reduced by half.
Undead animals have special defenses only of the appropriate type of undead (e.g., immunity to cold-based, sleep, charm, and hold spells), with none of the special defenses that the natural animal might have had. Special physical attacks are those of the living animal only (e.g., raking of rear claws, swallowing whole, etc.). These undead cannot inject poison or emit, fluids such as musk or saliva. Swallowing does no further damage to the creature swallowed, except to trap it within the swallower's rib cage. Priests receive a +1 bonus on all attempts to turn these undead.
For this spell to work, the animal bodies or skeletons must be intact. The material components for this spell are a drop of blood and a bone chip from the type of animal that is to be animated (only one animal type may be animated per spell).

Dragon 173

Spoiler

Thinking Zombie: Thinking zombies are formed when a creature dies while under some powerful compulsion to perform a given task (such as when under the influence of a geas or quest spell). Such a creature's spirit continues striving to complete the task assigned to it.
Fael: Faels are formed when a gluttonous person dies and his spirit still hungers for the excesses he knew during life.
Raaigs: They are incorporeal spirits sustained by an unwavering and unshakable faith in their ancient gods.
Meorty: When a great king of the ancients died, his body was specially preserved with salts and limes; it may or may not have been swathed in cloth. It was then laid to rest in a secret crypt with vast amounts of treasure, so that the king might continue to watch over the welfare of his realm.
The spirits of such rulers continue to abide with their bodies, sustained by the duty with which they were charged upon death.
Racked Spirit: Racked spirits are the incorporeal, tortured remnants of persons who committed an act that violated the basic nature of their character. Their guilty spirits cannot rest even after death.
The most common type of racked spirit, of course, is the dwarven banshee, created when a dwarf forsakes his life purpose.
Dhaot: Dhaots are incorporeal undead created when an individual with a powerful love of home or some other special place dies far away. When the body dies, the spirit is overwhelmed by a desire to return home.
T'liz: A t'liz is created when an extremely powerful defiler dies before completing his magical studies.

Lich: After Darklight had used the wand (and the kender band had “found” all of the things there were to “find”), Waldorf was resurrected. But Waldorf had become a lich! The wand had malfunctioned and just happened to cast a spell that transformed the nuclear man into a mean and nasty undead.
Undead: Sometimes, however, when a powerfully motivated person dies, his spirit does not perish. Instead, it either continues to reside in the dead body (most necromancers classify such as “corporeal”), or it separates from the body and does not fade away (in which case it is classified as “incorporeal“).
This spirit refuses to accept its destruction. The body dies, but the spirit continues to strive after what it pursued in life. In essence, by an act of willpower, it defies death and enters a state that is neither life nor death.
From my experiences on Athas, the type of undead that a person becomes upon his demise depends upon the nature of the compulsion that prevented his spirit from “going to the gray,” not upon what race he is. Of course, it cannot be denied that certain races have tendencies to fall into certain categories of undead, but this is a reflection of normal racial proclivities toward common types of motivations and behaviors. No force, natural or supernatural, determines whether a member of a given race will become a certain type of undead.
Skeleton: Skeletons and zombies are what I call “walking dead” rather than true undead. They have no intelligence and no independent will; they are always the servants of some other being and have simply been animated to serve his purposes.
Zombie: Skeletons and zombies are what I call “walking dead” rather than true undead. They have no intelligence and no independent will; they are always the servants of some other being and have simply been animated to serve his purposes.
Ghast: “He forced me to carry the corpse he had selected to the site of the massacre of the farm's inhabitants and, as I followed him, I was followed by his trio of ghouls, all hoping to somehow get a taste of the body. I was ordered to place the corpse next to the remains of the newly dead. All-Fear-His-Howl then began to perform some ritual over the bodies.
“After an interminable period, the exhumed body began to twitch and rock, while the recent kills became flaccid and empty of all contents, now little more than a collection of bones and skin. And then, suddenly, the jerking corpse's eyes opened, and it stood up, the horrible stench of the dead assaulting my senses like never before. The witch doctor had created a more powerful undead servant in the form of a ghast.
Some 20% of flind shamans of 4th or higher level know of a special ritual to create a ghast.

Dragon 174

Spoiler

Undead: Sucking the life from a humanoid creature, like marrow from the bone, from using the Death Field psychometabolic discipline in Ravenloft, may allow it to return from the grave to haunt the character. The type of undead created is usually whatever undead creature most closely matches the hit dice or level of the creature killed. Regardless of the creature's original hit dice, there is a 20% chance that the dead being will walk again as a revenant.
Like the death field power, creatures killed by the life draining psychometabolic discipline in Ravenloft can become undead and seek revenge.
Revenant: Sucking the life from a humanoid creature, like marrow from the bone, from using the Death Field psychometabolic discipline in Ravenloft, may allow it to return from the grave to haunt the character. The type of undead created is usually whatever undead creature most closely matches the hit dice or level of the creature killed. Regardless of the creature's original hit dice, there is a 20% chance that the dead being will walk again as a revenant.
Shadow: If the character rolls a 20 while using the Shadow Form psychometabolic discipline in Ravenloft, the dark side of his nature is freed and he becomes a shadow, as per the monster, under the control of the DM for 1-4 turns.
Lich Psionic: Before a psionicist can cross over into the darkness that is undeath, he must attain at least 18th level. In addition, he must be possessed of a great array of powers that can be bent and focused in ways new to the character.
The first step in the creation of a phylactery is the crafting of the physical object that will become the creature's spiritual resting place. Phylacteries come in all shapes, from rings to crowns and from swords to idols. They are made from only the finest materials and must be fashioned by master craftsmen. Generally, a phylactery is fashioned in a shape that reflects the personality of the psionicist. The cost of creating a phylactery is 5,000 gp per level of the character. Thus, a 20th-level psionicist must spend 100,000 gp on his artifact.
Once the phylactery is fashioned, it must be readied to receive the psionicist's life force. This is generally done by means of the metapsionic empower ability, with some subtle changes in the way that the psionicist uses the power that alters its outcome. In order to complete a phylactery, the psionicist must empower it with each and every psionic ability that he possesses. Although an object cannot normally be empowered with psychic abilities in more than one discipline, the unusual nature of the phylactery allows this rule to be broken. However, before “opening” a new discipline within the object, the would-be lich must transfer all of his powers from the first discipline into it. For example, if a character has telepathic and metapsionic abilities, he must complete the empowering of all of his telepathic powers before he begins to infuse the object with his metapsionic ones. Once a discipline is “closed,” it cannot be reopened.
During the creation of the phylactery, the psionicist is very vulnerable to attack. Each time that he gives his phylactery a new power, he loses it himself. Thus, the process strips away the powers of the psionicist as it continues. Obviously, the last power that is transferred into the phylactery is the empower ability. The effort of placing this ability within the phylactery drains the last essences of the psionicist's life from him and completes his transformation into a psionic lich. At the moment that the transformation takes place, the character must make a system-shock survival roll. Failure indicates that his willpower was not strong enough to survive the trauma of become undead; his spirit breaks up and dissipates, making him forever dead.
Dread Wolf: These creatures were originally created by a renegade mage, Galen Dracos of Krynn.
To create these servants, a mage must be evil and at least ninth level, and must have 3-12 wolves that have been dead for no more than a day. The spell-caster then begins a long incantation over the dead wolves that combines modified versions of animate dead, summon shadow, and dismissal. By doing this, the mage summons a shadow from the Negative Material plane and breaks it into parts. These parts are infused into the wolves as they animate, creating the dread wolves.
The spell-casting takes an hour. If the spell is interrupted, the energies of the shadow's separate parts are unleashed. When this happens, the mage takes 3d10 points of physical damage (no save) from the otherworldly energy blast, just as if he had been caught in an ice storm spell.
For some unknown reason, the spell that makes dread wolves will not work on dogs. If the mage tries to cast the spell on dogs, he will take 3d10 points of damage as described earlier.
Vampiric Wolf: These foul undead creatures are the result of corrupting ceremonies used on normal wolf pups by certain evil clerics.
In order to create these foul corruptions of nature, a cleric must be evil and at least ninth level. He can use 3-18 pups from one or more wolf dens. The pups must be very close to being weaned away from their mother, but cannot have tasted meat or they will be useless.
The evil cleric first performs a ceremony using what amounts to the opposite of an atonement spell. Then, every day he must hand feed the pups. The food can be no more than one day old; it must also be infused with one or two drops of blood from a living human or dust from a vampire and cursed using a reversed bless spell. This must continue every day for three months or the pups die. At the end of the three-month period, the pups are fully grown and must then be slain by poisoning; they then arise as vampiric wolves.
It should be noted that it is impossible to create vampiric dogs. Man's long partnership with dogs seems to have robbed them of some essential characteristic needed to make the change work.

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Undead Hulk: The undead hulk is a magical construction created through the use of special enhancements developed by the neogi. The creature is formed from the remains of dead umber hulks.
Undead hulks are created through a bizarre magical ritual developed by the neogi (the details of which are left up to the DM) and the magical joining of dead umber hulk parts. Each part (head, right arm, right leg, etc.) must come from a different umber hulk.

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Undead Watroach: Typically, an adult watroach is sought out in the desert, surrounded, and killed. A psionic kill is preferred, leaving the corpse unmarred for future construction. Once taken back to a city (usually on a large wagon behind two or more mekillots or driks), the watroach's carcass is prepared. The brain and guts are removed, as is much of the honeycombed hive material. The drones are smoked out over large fires, and the dormant proto-adult is discarded. Usually, the top of the hive chamber is then opened and a platform installed, and a variety of other individual weapons positions are cut into all of the three body sections. Once finished, the beast is raised from the dead by templar magic.
Alhoon, Illithilich: Alhoon are very rare, magic-using outcasts from mind-flayer society who have defied elder-brains to achieve lichdom, becoming “illithiliches.”

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Cariad Ysbryd: A cariad ysbryd, or “ghost lover,” is the spirit of a decidedly good female (usually sylvan) elf who has chosen to remain among the living after death so that she may continue to perform good deeds.
Memento Mori: A memento mori is created by a priest's spell (see below) to serve as an everlasting remembrance of a dead person, and as an evervigilant guardian over its body.
Tymher-Hyaid: When powerful evil people or creatures are slain, there is a chance that they will return to plague the living as undead, such as wights, spectres, and ghosts. Weaker and less evil creatures usually do not suffer this fate, but if a large number of them are killed at one time and place, and if they don't receive proper funerary rites, they may return as an exceedingly minor form of undead, called collectively a tymher-haid, or “ghost-swarm.”


Wight: When powerful evil people or creatures are slain, there is a chance that they will return to plague the living as undead, such as wights, spectres, and ghosts. Weaker and less evil creatures usually do not suffer this fate.
Spectre: When powerful evil people or creatures are slain, there is a chance that they will return to plague the living as undead, such as wights, spectres, and ghosts. Weaker and less evil creatures usually do not suffer this fate.
Ghost: When powerful evil people or creatures are slain, there is a chance that they will return to plague the living as undead, such as wights, spectres, and ghosts. Weaker and less evil creatures usually do not suffer this fate.

Create memento mori (Necromantic)
Priest 3
Sphere: Necromantic
Range: Touch
Components: V, S, M
Duration: Permanent
Casting Time: 2 hours, plus 1 hour for
every die of energy imparted
Area of Effect: Body touched
Saving Throw: See below
The casting of this spell on a dead body causes a sliver of the soul that once inhabited the body to return to the Prime Material plane and become a memento mori, standing guard over its body. Only one memento mori can be made from each person's soul, as a loss of a greater number of soul-slivers would be detrimental to the soul wherever it now rests. In addition, a memento mori cannot be created if the body of the deceased is not present, nor if the body or soul of the deceased has already been turned into some other form of undead. Unlike other spells that create undead, this use of create memento mori is not considered evil if, when he was alive, the person who becomes the memento mori was part of a culture believing in this practice as an accepted custom.
Each memento mori is able to cause a mild, static-electric effect that they use to defend their bodies against cowardly pests, and most are also imbued with electrical energy they can use in combat.
The material component for this spell is a collection of herbs, spices, oils, and precious substances that are placed in or about the body as it is prepared for internment. The cost of these stuffs is 500 gp, with an additional 25 gp worth of these things being required for every hit die of electrical energy the memento mori is to be imbued with (e.g., a memento mori to be imbued with two hit dice worth of energy would cost 550 gp, while 1,000 gp would produce a memento mori with 20 hit dice available to it). These oils and such are all incorporated into the body when the spell is cast and are not recoverable.

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Flying Fingers: These flying hands are specially enchanted crawling claws (from MC3, the first FORGOTTEN REALMS supplement to the Monstrous Compendium) that have been imbued with the power of flight.
Skeleton Champion: These rare undead are simply normal undead skeletons treated with secret necromantic spells so as to have extra powers.

Skeleton: Double Spell spell.
Zombie: Double Spell spell.

Double spell
(Necromancy)
Level: 3
Comp.: V,S,M
CT: 1 rnd.
AE: Special
Range: Touch
Dur.: Special
ST None
This rare spell affects only simple undead (basic zombies and skeletons from humans, demihumans, humanoids, and animals, but not the variants based on these body forms, such as crawling claws, ju-ju zombies, and baneguards). To take effect, this spell must be cast on newly created undead or remains that are to be immediately animated, within three rounds before or after the casting of the animate dead spell that creates the undead. It operates only if triggered, and the triggering can be one of two sorts, of which one must be chosen during casting.
The most commonly chosen trigger is magic. If any magic (including a dispel magic spell!) is cast on the undead or cast to include the undead in its area of effect, the undead vanishes, and two full-hit-point replacements appear in its place. Replacements appear at the beginning of the round after the one in which the original vanished. This is a one-time-only occurrence; multiple double spells won't work on the same undead, so “doubling” can't be made an ongoing process.
A separate double spell is required for each undead to be affected. This spell only creates duplicates of the targeted undead, not other sorts of undead. Any equipment carried by the original undead vanishes, consumed by the activated spell, and is not duplicated for either of the replacements (magical items are teleported away to a random location, not destroyed).
The second trigger is clerical turning or disruption. When these are used against the guarded undead, it vanishes and is replaced by two full-hit-point, identical replacements that are immune to turning or disruption! (The same restrictions on undead type, occurrence, and equipment apply as for the spell's other triggering.) The material components of this spell are a drop of blood, a small glass prism, two hairs (from any source) and the undead or remains to be affected.

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Animus: Slaughtered by the Overking and resurrected by Hextor's priests as undead monstrosities.

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Zombie Juju: Humans or humanoids slain by negative energy weapons can be animated as juju zombies, but unless the spell-caster is also the one who wielded the killing weapon, they will be free-willed.
Undead: If a negative energy weapon is used against energy-draining undead, the wielder loses 1-4 of his own hit points, as the weapon's dweomer interacts with the “energy vacuum” inside wights, wraiths, etc. A character who uses this weapon against undead can turn himself into an undead monster, even if the monster doesn't fight back!

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Flameskull: These magically powered flying skulls are fashioned from human heads soon after death, by a magical process first developed in long-lost Netheril and still practiced by a few evil priesthoods (such as that of Bane) and magical societies (such as those based in Zhentil Keep and Thay).

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Ka: Once, the ka was a noble, king, or pharaoh. After death, the mummified body continued to live on in the tomb as an undead monster.
Angreden: An angreden is the walking corpse of an individual who died under a curse, or who was so filled with hatred and anger in life that he refused to lie still in his grave.
King-Wight: A king-wight was once a powerful evil
king. When he died, he became undead, continuing to rule the ranks of the walking dead. His death is often voluntary, a self-sacrifice made to gain a prolonged existence.
Wraith King: Wraith-kings were once powerful individuals who so feared death that they made unholy bargains with an evil god. Each individual believed he was gaining immortality, but was instead turned into an undead monster.
A wraith-king became undead as the act of an evil god.
Vartha: ?

Wight: Any victim completely drained of life points by the king-wight becomes a full-strength wight.
Wraith: A wraith-king can drain life levels by gaze alone at the rate of one level per round for any one victim within clear view in a 30. range (the victim must save vs. death ray each round to avoid this effect). Any victim completely drained of life levels becomes a full-strength wraith under the control of the wraith-king.

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Undead: The curse of refusal. Death has refused to allow the Bokor entry to the realm of the dead, so all Bokor become undead upon their deaths. The exact form that an undead Bokor assumes depends on the level that the Bokor attained in life. Convert the character's level to hit dice and consult the table for turning undead for the appropriate form. For example, a 6th-level Bokor would become a ghast or wraith when he dies. If the Bokor is 12th level or higher when he dies (the “Special” category on the table), the character becomes an Orish-Nla (an African demon resembling a shadow fiend). The Bokor loses his spell-casting abilities upon death, unless the undead form taken is normally capable of casting spells.

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Undead Dragon Slayer: An undead dragon slayer is a horrifying creature who returns from the dead to continue the pursuits it dedicated its former life to–namely, destroying dragons. Some dragon slayers return as the result of necromantic magic, others due to their own indomitable strength of will.
Any slayer of 9th level or greater who died before his holy task was finished can rise as an undead warrior. Most are called back from the grave by necromantic magic.
A small number of dragon slayers will themselves back from the dead. These individuals have the utmost faith in their cause, an undying hatred of dragons, and a supernatural strength of will.

Shadow: A spirit will rise to the heavens only if the corpse is given a proper burial by his fellow tribesmen. A man who was scalped, strangled, or not given the proper burial has a 10% chance to arise as a type of undead spirit; roll 1d6 to see what he becomes: 1-3 shadow; 4 wraith; 5 ghost; 6 spectre.
Wraith: A spirit will rise to the heavens only if the corpse is given a proper burial by his fellow tribesmen. A man who was scalped, strangled, or not given the proper burial has a 10% chance to arise as a type of undead spirit; roll 1d6 to see what he becomes: 1-3 shadow; 4 wraith; 5 ghost; 6 spectre.
Ghost: A spirit will rise to the heavens only if the corpse is given a proper burial by his fellow tribesmen. A man who was scalped, strangled, or not given the proper burial has a 10% chance to arise as a type of undead spirit; roll 1d6 to see what he becomes: 1-3 shadow; 4 wraith; 5 ghost; 6 spectre.
Spectre: A spirit will rise to the heavens only if the corpse is given a proper burial by his fellow tribesmen. A man who was scalped, strangled, or not given the proper burial has a 10% chance to arise as a type of undead spirit; roll 1d6 to see what he becomes: 1-3 shadow; 4 wraith; 5 ghost; 6 spectre.

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Undead Steed: ?
Flying Skull: Tashara was brilliant at magecraft; she had the rare knack of being able to combine the enchantments of others into more powerful spells that hung together by themselves. Her power grew with great dispatch, until she mastered a means (doubtless by practicing on talentless farmers and later minor magelings, who ultimately became servants and guardians of her various abodes--and may survive still, in remote places around Faerun) of creating undead that retained their wits, yet were under her control.
Tashara perfected this undeath in the form of a flying, disembodied skull accompanied by animated skeletal hands--the former able to speak and cast spells, and the latter able to gesture and carry small, light items.

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Ekimmu: The Ekimmu was the departed spirit of a dead person unable to rest.
The ekimmu themselves were once humans. The ekimmu died far from home and were not given proper burial rites.
Casurua: The casurua is an undead phenomenon that results from a group suffering traumatic death. It is most likely to form where a massacre has taken place, but could be found anywhere a group might suffer violent death, such as a battlefield or a burned-out building. It is possible for the actions of the player characters to result in a casurua forming (for example, a high-level fireball exploding in a packed room).
A casurua is partly a ghost, hence its need for ectoplasm. But a casurua also is a kind of bizarre “recording.” The trauma of multiple violent deaths has imprinted itself upon the physical surroundings where the deaths occurred.
A casurua could form any place where violent death is common. Battlefields are usually exempt because a soldier has adjusted to the thought of violent death. If treachery was added, however, a casurua could form on a battlefield. Otherwise, a casurua is most likely to be found on the sites of disasters (natural or otherwise). Ruins, especially places that were looted, are prime habitats for casurua.
Keres: ?
Charuntes: Charuntes were once the priests of some neutral evil death god, goddess, or major fiend.
Dark Lord: A dark lord is an extremely high level, chaotic evil NPC who was slain by a sphere of annihilation and has managed to return to the world as one of the undead. In essence, when the dark lord was killed, it was sucked into another dimension.

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Undead: Dwarven tombs and mausoleums are never placed or marked above ground; such practices are only for elves and humans, and a dwarf buried less than 10' beneath the surface allegedly spends the afterlife in discomfort and might even rise again as undead.

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Bainligor Revered Ones: Eventually, the eldest of the bainligor leave their tribes, compelled by an inner voice to seek out dry, empty caverns where their bodies are transformed for the last time. Once they return from their seclusion, they are undead creatures of 10+9 hit-dice, called Revered Ones.
Elder bainligor can transform other creatures into undead. This requires a successful attack roll, and entitles the victim to a saving throw against death magic at +1/level or HD of the target (bainligor are not entitled to a saving throw). The creature becomes a zombie unless it is a bainligor, which becomes a Revered One with the HD it had in life.

Zombie: Elder bainligor can transform other creatures into undead. This requires a successful attack roll, and entitles the victim to a saving throw against death magic at +1/level or HD of the target (bainligor are not entitled to a saving throw). The creature becomes a zombie unless it is a bainligor, which becomes a Revered One with the HD it had in life.

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Skeleton Warrior: Bestow Major Curse spell.

Bestow Major Curse
(Abjuration/reversible)
Level: W9/P7
Range: Touch
Components: V, S, M
Duration: Permanent
Casting Time: 8
Area of Effect: Special
Saving Throw: Negates
By touching a victim, the caster bestows a major curse upon him. The caster can choose whatever effect or parameters he wishes from the list of major curse effects. The victim is allowed a saving throw vs. spell; if successful, the curse is negated. The material component required is a personal possession of the target, which is not consumed in the casting. Only a wish or the reverse of this spell, remove major curse, eliminates any of the major curse effects.

Undeath: This is believed to be how skeleton warriors originated. This curse transforms the PC instantly into an undead creature. He retains all intelligence and former abilities The accursed is under the caster’s control unless the caster does not specify it as so or the caster dies. A raise dead spell reverses the curse. DMs may choose to make the undead PC unable to function in daylight, or apply other effects, such as having the PC’s body begin to decay or desiccate.

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Undead Dragon: Creation of an undead dragon is a difficult, expensive, and time-consuming task. The necromancer must have access to the animate dead spell as well as a fragment of the appropriate undead creature as an additional material component. The creation of a ghoul dragon, therefore, requires a bit of ghoul flesh, a spectre dragon requires a sample of spectre essence, etc. Finally, the project requires a reasonably intact dragon corpse, the exact condition of which depends upon the type of undead dragon to be created. Any true dragon species may be used, including dragon turtles. Dragonets and other creatures superficially resembling dragons, like wyverns and dragonnes, are unsuitable.
Once the required components are assembled, the necromancer must prepare the corpse so that it may receive the recalled spirit or — in the case of the non-corporeal undead types — serve as a link and guide to the departed spirit upon its return to the Prime Material Plane. The time and cost of this preparation are noted below for each undead type.
The process is not foolproof. As befits their powerful and magical nature, dragon spirits are extremely willful and difficult to control. Animation of the lesser undead types might require only a weak spirit or a small portion of the stronger one, but a necromancer seeking to create any of the intelligent undead types must summon the spirit of a comparatively powerful dragon and bend it to his own will — an arduous task for even an experienced mage. Once he has made his preparations and cast the necessary spells, the necromancer must then make a successful saving throw vs. spell (adjusted for Wisdom only), or the entire attempt has failed with a complete loss of time and money spent. This saving throw may require further adjustment depending upon the alignment, Hit Dice and personality of the original dragon. It is particularly difficult, for example, to force the lawful good spirit of a gold dragon into the form of a chaotic evil vampire dragon; apply a saving throw penalty of -1 for every degree of alignment difference between the undead type being created and the original dragon. Similarly, the intelligent undead tend to have certain personality traits in common (gluttonous ghouls and vengeful ghosts, for example); dragon species with the appropriate nature are noted in the individual descriptions below. Sympathetic traits allow the caster a +4 bonus to his save when attempting to create that type of undead dragon.
Attempts to create one of the more powerful undead dragon types are more likely to result in failure. The necromancer must not only summon and control increasingly powerful spirits but also allow the spirit a fair amount of self-will even as he strives to infuse it with power drawn from the Negative Material Plane. This bit of tricky magecraft incurs a further penalty to the saving throw for success determined by the undead type to be created. These penalties are noted in Table 1: Saving throw modifier summary. Likewise, older dragons possess stronger wills; therefore, a -1 saving throw penalty should be applied for every age category of the dragon beyond the adult stage, to a maximum of -6 in the case of a great wyrm.
By making his saving throw, the necromancer has successfully created an undead dragon under his direct control. Though this control could be temporarily suspended by clerical turning or a control undead spell, it is otherwise permanent.
If the saving throw fails, however, the necromancer has lost the battle of wills and must rest for a number of days equal to the difference between the saving throw rolled and the number required for success. If the saving throw roll would have failed even had no negative modifiers been applied, the dragon spirit has passed beyond reach and can never be recalled from the Outer Planes by that caster or any other. If the failed saving throw would have succeeded in the absence of any negative modifiers, however, the caster may try again at a later date when these modifiers have improved, either by attempting to create a more suitable undead type or when he has gained enough experience levels to improve his saving throw vs. spell.
Table 1: Saving throw modifier summary
Condition Modifier
Wisdom bonus of creator -4 to +4
Dragon species and undead type are different alignment -1 to -4
Dragon species is a “preferred” type +4
Dragon is a mature adult or older -1 to -6
Undead type being created see undead dragon summary
Example: A 9th-level necromancer (Wisdom 15) attempts to create a mummy dragon from an adult brass dragon of chaotic neutral alignment. His unmodified save vs. spell is 10, adjusted by +1 for Wisdom, -3 for three degrees of alignment difference (CN vs. LE), +4 for a preferred type, and -5 for a mummy dragon. A d20 roll of 13 grants success, a roll of 5–12 means failure, and a roll of 4 or lower means total failure and the spirit can never be recalled.
Dragon Zombie: A relatively intact dragon corpse (i.e., one with no missing limbs) is all that is required to create this type of undead dragon. Dragon zombies are often created from young or small dragons — or following a failed attempt to create one of the intelligent undead types. Because a spirit other than that of the actual dragon corpse animates the dragon zombie, modifiers for alignment and species are not necessary, and all saves are made at +4. Repeated attempts at creating a dragon zombie are possible should the necromancer fail on his first attempt, though he must repeat the preparation time and purchase new materials.
Dragon Skeleton: An intact dragon skeleton is not necessary for creation of this undead type; the skull, spine and claws of the dragon are the only pieces that are absolutely required. The bones of some other large creature may be substituted for any other part that is missing from the dragon skeleton. Dragon skeletons may be created ‘from any dragon species but are usually created from young or small dragons that are unsuitable for the creation of a more powerful undead types. As with dragon zombies, any available spirit can serve to animate the skeleton, and modifiers for alignment and species are unnecessary. Repeated attempts at creating a skeleton dragon are possible if the necromancer does not succeed on his first attempt.
Ghoul Dragon: Ghoul and ghast dragons may be created from the intact corpse of any dragon of young age or older. Evil and greedy dragons make the most suitable ghoul and ghast dragons. The preferred types are red, white, black, topaz, deep, shadow, yellow, and brown dragons.
Ghast Dragon: Ghoul and ghast dragons may be created from the intact corpse of any dragon of young age or older. Evil and greedy dragons make the most suitable ghoul and ghast dragons. The preferred types are red, white, black, topaz, deep, shadow, yellow, and brown dragons.
Wight Dragon: A wight dragon spirit must inhabit an intact dragon corpse; however, the time required to prepare the body generally means that the animated body is in a state of advanced decomposition. Most are similar in appearance to a dragon zombie, except that they have glowing eyes (and could be mistaken for dracoliches). The dragon that supplies the corpse must have been at least of young adult age when it died; wight dragons are best created from especially vicious or territorial evil dragons. The black, red, white, topaz, and brown dragon species make excellent candidates.
Wraith Dragon: To create a wraith dragon, a complete adult dragon corpse is necessary, though it may be ‘in any condition, even skeletal. The more cunning and intelligent dragon species are most suitable for the creation of a wraith dragon: blue, green, emerald, sapphire, and cloud dragons.
Mummy Dragon: The method by which the mummy dragon is created is ancient, probably among the first methods known and used by early necromancers and cultists. Desert-dwelling dragons of adult age or older are most commonly made into mummy dragons; this includes blue, yellow, brass, sapphire, and brown dragons.
Creating this type of undead dragon is a long, labor-intensive process. The dragon corpse must be intact and relatively fresh and is prepared for mummification with surgery, wrapping, and treatment with preservatives. The body must then be desiccated, either by entombment in a dry environment (requiring another 3d6 weeks of creation time) or magically (with applications of dust of dryness, destroy water spells, etc.).
Spectre Dragon: Exceptionally evil and cunning dragons of old age or older can become spectre dragons. Preferred species are blue, green, sapphire, deep, and shadow dragons. A spectre dragon appears to be a transparent, non-corporeal image of the dragon as it appeared in life.
Ghost Dragon: Generally created to serve as guardians of powerful magic, only the most powerful and evil dragons can become ghost dragons. Blue, green, and sapphire dragons of adult age or above are usual.
Vampire Dragon: They are best created from the most evil, chaotic, and powerful dragon species available; red, white, deep, shadow, and yellow dragons of old age or older are the most viable stock.
Boneless: Boneless are the animated shells of humanoid creatures that have had their skeletons removed (generally for some nefarious purpose).
Penanggalan: ?
Dracolich Daurgothoth the Creeping Doom: Daurgothoth was transformed into a dracolich by the crazed Cult mage Huulukharn.
Bone Lurker: Created by the Creeping Doom.
Spike Skeleton: A spike skeleton's thorns must be specially carved from bones taken from the same type of creature that is to be animated (i.e. human bones for a human skeleton). A glyph is carved into each thorn before it is attached to the skeleton with a resin made with fresh bone marrow. During animation, a shatter spell is cast in conjunction with animate dead. After animation, the 6th-level necromancy spell imbue undead with spell ability is cast, along with Beltyn’s burning blood.
Acid Zombie: Before animation, each body must be coated in oil of acid resistance. The spell Melf’s acid arrow must be cast in conjunction with animate dead. A mixture of bear’s blood and snake scales must be poured into the body’s mouth before animation to “teach” the creature how to bear hug.
Dust Skeleton: Bones used to create dust skeletons must be specially dried to the point where they are ready to crumble. A special resin containing a paralyzing venom is then used to coat the bones. Transmute water to dust is used in conjunction with animate dead to dry the bones further.
Quick Zombie: A paste made from a potion of speed must be smeared on the bodies before animation. During animation, a haste spell must be cast.
Absorbing Zombie: A protection from magic scroll must be burned and the ashes inserted into the mouth of the body before animation. Shocking grasp must be cast during animation.
Defiling Skeleton: An obsidian jewel must be implanted in the skeleton’s forehead. The jewel is inscribed with a special glyph. A second animate dead spell must be cast in conjunction with the first, along with vampiric touch.

Undead: A few undead dragons possess the power to create half-strength undead under their control.
The process of creating specialized undead is basically the same as the process for creating a magic item. The best materials must be used. Bodies to be animated have to be in almost perfect condition, as well as tougher and more resilient then the average corpse found moldering in a graveyard. Preparation is lengthy and complex, creating additional strains on the raw material.
Crawling Claw: Crawling claws are made from the severed hands or paws of living creatures (although the creatures are killed in the process).
Spectre: Intelligent living creatures slain by a spectre dragon’s breath weapon arise as normal half-strength spectres upon the following sunset.
Wight: An intelligent living creature completely drained of life levels by a wight dragon becomes a normal half-strength wight under the control of the wight dragon.
Wraith: Wraith dragons may employ their level-draining breath weapon every other round, three times per day. An intelligent living creature completely drained of life levels in this manner becomes a normal half-strength wraith under the control of the wraith dragon.

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Hill Giant Vampire Shaman, Morg: As monsters closed in on him, Morg uttered a desperate prayer to his evil deity, Grolantor, and he asked for the strength to survive the battle. He promised to dedicate his life to Grolantor in exchange for a reprieve from certain death. Something dark and foul took interest in the hill giants plight, and a cloud of blackness descended on Morg and his opponents.
When it lifted, Morg discovered that he had no further wounds and that the creatures in the dwarven stronghold served him. He also learned (quickly and painfully) that he could no longer abide sunlight; he had become a vampire. Somehow, a symbol of Grolantor was around his neck, and he was able to receive spells. Morg believed that it was his god who saved him, not knowing that it was really a far darker power that had come to his aid.
Vampire Thief, Saestra Karanok, The Lady of the Night: Another notable family member is Naeros “the Marker” (CE F12), Saestra’s cruel older brother. He was responsible for his sister becoming undead. As a practical joke, Naeros locked her in a crypt for several days, but he did not know that it was the lair of a vampire. The creature took a liking to the attractive Saestra and made her his servant.
Vampire Psionicist, Saed, Beast Chieftain of Veldorn: Saed put out discreet inquiries for potions of longevity to keep himself young and in power forever. A response came one dark night from a mysterious stranger from the north who promised him something better: immortality. All Saed had to do was follow the stranger to an abandoned shrine of the goddess Shar and swear loyalty on her altar. The stranger was a friendly, open fellow, and Saed trusted him, not realizing that he had fallen prey to vampiric charm.
Saed followed his new “friend” to the desolate place in an old city under a large hill, and he swore loyalty to Shar. The ruler of Turelve gained immortality, but he became a slave in the process.

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Bog Mummy: The bog mummy is created through an intricate set of events. The death that causes one is never natural. Bog mummies are the product of a ritual killing. The victim is strangled with a garotte to avoid spilling blood and offending the gods. The body is then cast, while still alive, dying as the leather thong or cord cuts off its breath. Perhaps the victim was a criminal or other evil individual. Perhaps he was some feared enemy captured in battle who was sent back to his gods with all of his possessions. Whatever the circumstances, as life ceases, undeath begins.
Ice Mummy: Ice mummies are the freeze-dried remains of travelers who lost their way in the icy wastes of the mountains. Bitter and afraid, they died alone, hating those who never came to their rescue.

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Tome-Haunt: Darazell met an ironic fate when he himself was assassinated by unknown hands, his body found slumped over his beloved spellbook. It is a puzzle to those who know his tale that such an efficient killer was taken unawares and murdered. It is sometimes said that Darazell knew rare rituals and had made a pact with a dark power, one that would allow him to rise in eternal undeath. Indeed, it is said that Darazell ordered his own assassination as the final stage of the ritual.
A rumor persists that Darazell, cheated by the dark power, lives on within the book as a rare form of undead, a “tome-haunt.”

Dragon 246

Spoiler

Daemon Warrior: Daemon warriors are special undead beings created by Chaos to terrorize and slay his enemies.
Wight Chaos: Chaos wights are the remnants of fallen Knights of Takhisis and Solamnia, as well as other unfortunate wretches, raised from death by Chaos.
Wight Chaos Frost: ?
Wight Chaos Shadow: ?

Dragon 248

Spoiler

Zombie Lord: Faluzure's Curse spell.

Faluzure's Curse
(Necromancy)
Sphere: Necromantic
Level: 4
Range: 0
Components: V, M
Duration: 1 turn/level
Casting Time: 3
Area of Effect: Special
Saving Throw: None
When this nefarious spell is cast, the dragon is surrounded by a layer of necromantic energy. This aura is completely invisible and cannot be detected by any means save for magic specifically designed to detect necromantic energies; a simple detect magic does not suffice.
While the spell lasts, any creature slain by the dragon via tooth and claw (or other body weapon, such as a tail or wing), rises as a zombie lord 24 hours later. These creatures are under the control of the dragon, and their loyalty cannot be swayed by any means, though they can be turned as usual. However, the number of zombie lords that can be animated via this spell cannot exceed the dragon's hit dice. Additional undead simply do not rise. This assumes, of course, that the dragon doesn't eat a slam victim prior to animation; consumed bodies are exempt from the effect. Obviously, this spell is useless against the undead, but creatures without corporeal bodies, other-planar creatures that can be categorized as “immortal” (e.g., fiends, elementals, etc.), and creatures native (or strongly linked) to the Negative Energy plane are immune to the spell as well. Similarly, any creature with a natural or magically-induced immunity to necromantic magic, or one that simply cannot be raised as an undead creature, is not susceptible to this spell.
The material component for this spell is the dragon's holy symbol. The symbol is not consumed by the spell.
This spell is granted only to those dragons who worship Faluzure.* Spell scrolls are safeguarded so that, if used by any other creature, the undead produced by the magic immediately attack the caster and persist until either they or the caster is slam. Should the caster be slain during such a battle, the necromantic energies that sustain the undead creatures ends, allowing their spirits to depart to the appropriate outer plane.
* Faluzure, the dragon god of death and decay, is detailed in Council of Wyrms, book two, page 48.

Dragon 249

Spoiler

Lich Wizard 16 Richelieu: Originally a sorcerer in rural Burgundy in the fourteenth century, Richelieu sought undeath in preference to the Black Death that had infected him.
Wailing Wights: A few priests hired by Acererak to consecrate his new temple also found their unfortunate way into the mass grave of Acererak's treachery. In the fullness of time, two animated to form undead creatures.
Arch-Shadow Moghadam: The most resourceful and dangerous resident of the Undertomb is the undead wizard-architect Moghadam, who was betrayed and slain with all the others by Acererak. The foulness of the deed combined with ambient energies later employed by Acererak himself together served to reanimate poor Moghadam; he became a creature similar to what the Wise might recognize as an arch-shadow [MONSTROUS COMPENDIUM ® Annual Volume 2]. An arch-shadow is a creature of unlife that nearly achieved lichdom but failed, but neither did it die completely. In the case of Moghadam, his essence congealed within the magical matrix of his enchanted weapon Ruinblade, making the weapon a phylactery of sorts. With Ruinblade holding his essence, his former body still functions, allowing Moghadam to wander the Undertomb at will.
Arch-Shadow: An arch-shadow is a creature of unlife that nearly achieved lichdom but failed, but neither did it die completely.

Zombie: Dead Zone trap.
Wight: The wights are the animated remains of the common excavators who were slain and dropped into the Undertomb.

Dead Zone
This trap is actually centered upon one of the many cylindrical columns that appear to support the low ceiling of the Undertomb. Like the other columns, this one depicts stony faces screaming in terror, fangs, and claws; however, this column does indeed have the power to dismay and terrify; the column acts as a negative capacitor and holds a small store of Negative Energy.
Anyone approaching within 10 feet of this column enters into a dead zone where a strange, empty feeling is apparent, as well as a definite chill in the air that is immediately traceable to the column. A closer look at the column reveals that many of the bas relief faces of the pillar hold what appear to be small gems.
The touch of a living being triggers the full lethal effects of the column. The victim must save vs. death magic with a -2 penalty or suffer death by a searing bolt of Negative Energy; an undead zombie is born! The discharge of Negative Energy reduces a living brain to fouled protoplasm 98% of time, but there is a 2% chance that the mind of the new undead remains initially unaffected; however, a strange appetite for brains begins to manifest within the day . . .

Dragon 250

Spoiler

Undead: Most aquatic undead are from drowned sailors and pirates.
The treasures of the ruins are guarded by hostile sea creatures and the undead forms of some of the people caught in the cities when they were sunk by the Cataclysm, cursed by the gods to guard their treasures forever.

1e

Spoiler

Undead:

Spoiler

A death master of 13th level who is killed on the feast day of Orcus (sometimes called Halloween) will become an undead under Orcus. direction. Some death masters will even commit suicide on that date when they are 13th level, so as to better serve the demon prince. Orcus is 45% likely to notice this action and to animate the death master with all of the character's powers intact. (Dragon 76)
Though the undead do not reproduce in the normal way, some are able to propagate themselves by attacking living creatures. (Dragon 89)
The corpse of a mortal creature placed in the cauldron will emerge as a random undead monster, under the control of the cauldron's current owner. The undead type will be one with a corporeal, physical form, and less than 7 HD. A living creature who enters the cauldron must save vs. death magic at -4, or its soul or life force will be devoured and forever gone. Those who make the save will take 2-8 points of damage and lose two life levels. The cauldron has a magical link with the Negative Material Plane. Those who try to possess it will quickly turn evil, if they were not already. Eventually, the possessor of it will, by a DM-arranged “accident” or his own cauldron-influenced desire, become undead himself. The cauldron can only be destroyed by washing it in the Waters of Life. (Dragon 102)
Creatures killed in the otherworld state from a druid's otherworld spell have a 75% chance of rising as undead of random sorts. (Dragon 122)
Areas in a fantasy universe in which huge numbers of people were slain or died all at once might also form breeding grounds for immense numbers of undead. (Dragon 126)
Some DMs rule that only humans become undead, but it is more common to include all the PC races and their NPC subraces. Animals and monsters never become undead unless their remains are magically animated as skeletons or zombies. Such creatures simply die when slain by undead. (Dragon 138)
Undead Production spell. (Dragon 76)

Monster Manual

Spoiler

Ghast: Certain manes will be used to form shadows or ghasts, (qqv), depending upon the greatness of their evil in material life.
A Nabassu's death stealing requires the victim to save vs. death magic or become a ghast (or a ghoul if the victim is demihuman or humanoid). (Monster Manual II)
Ghasts are ghouls who have wandered or been taken into the Abyss and gained superior powers due to exposure to the intense evil there. (Lords of Darkness)
Still, most ghouls and ghasts are the victims of other ghouls and ghasts, folk who died of wounds inflicted by those undead monsters. If victims are not blessed, they rise again in three days as ghouls, under the control of their slayer. Furthermore, unblessed victims may neither be resurrected nor reincarnated. (Lords of Darkness)
A ghast is a ghoul which, through continued exposure to the magical forces of the Abyss, gains superior abilities and powers. (Dragon 126)
A character slain by a ghast later arises as a ghast under the control of its slayer. (Dragon 126)
Perhaps certain unique individuals of this aquatic race (Ixitxachitl) are in fact undead equivalents of ghouls, ghasts, zombies, and liches as well, animated by their own powerful magical spells or their deity, Demogorgon. (Dragon 126)
Ghast Production spell. (Dragon 76)
Ghost: Ghosts are the spirits of evil humans who were so awful in their badness that they have been rewarded (or perhaps cursed) by being given undead status.
Now true ghosts almost always began as powerful humans who during life possessed both an evil disposition and a powerful will. How exactly such a person actually does become a ghost remains a mystery, but one recurrent factor seems to be that their passing from life is marked by great anger or hatred. (Lords of Darkness)
Whether or not this ultimately results in the spirit's being unable to rest, or whether the departed “earns” Its status as a result of its earthly misdeeds isn't really known, and perhaps both likelihoods are possible. (Lords of Darkness)
Ghosts are the spirits of humans whose passing from life was marked by great anger or hatred. Because of this, the spirit of the departed becomes tied to a certain area . usually the place at which it died . bemoaning the fact of its death or inability to seek revenge. (Dragon 126)
The ghost is the sentient soul of a now-dead, evil creature. (Dragon 126)
Eventually, the wraith manifestation of a disturbed demilich gives way to that of a ghost. (Dragon 126)
Ghost Production spell. (Dragon 76)
Ghoul: Any human killed by a ghoulish attack will become a ghoul unless blessed (or blessed and then resurrected).
A Nabassu's death stealing requires the victim to save vs. death magic or become a ghast (or a ghoul if the victim is demihuman or humanoid). (Monster Manual II)
Ghouls were once evil humans who preyed upon others in life and who died unblessed. (Lords of Darkness)
Victims who are killed by ghouls become ghouls themselves if they are not blessed before being buried. (Lords of Darkness)
The ghoul is a human or demi-human who has risen from the grave to feed on human and other corpses. Some ghouls are self-made. In life, they were human predators who fed off the ill fortune of their fellow men. Their lives ended, yet their evil survived. Dying unblessed and buried unsanctified, they are cursed to continue feeding as ghouls. (Lords of Darkness)
Still, most ghouls and ghasts are the victims of other ghouls and ghasts, folk who died of wounds inflicted by those undead monsters. If victims are not blessed, they rise again in three days as ghouls, under the control of their slayer. Furthermore, unblessed victims may neither be resurrected nor reincarnated. (Lords of Darkness)
Viewing Richard Upton Pickman’s painting “The Lesson” (“A circle of nameless dog-like things in a churchyard teach a small child how to feed like themselves.“) Unless a save versus spells is made, the player character is changed into a ghoul. (Dragon 36)
Ghouls are the cursed remains of overwhelmingly evil humans who took advantage of and fed off of mankind during life, and so are bound to feed off humanity (literally) after death. Upon the passing of such an evil person, if proper spells and precautions are not observed (i.e., burial and bless spells), there is a 5% chance such a person will later rise as a ghoul, placing the community at large at great risk. Those among the living who fall prey to ghouls become as these undead – despoilers of the dead. (Dragon 126)
Perhaps certain unique individuals of this aquatic race (Ixitxachitl) are in fact undead equivalents of ghouls, ghasts, zombies, and liches as well, animated by their own powerful magical spells or their deity, Demogorgon. (Dragon 126)
In some myths, ghouls return from the dead and drink blood besides eating flesh. (Dragon 138)
Lacedon: The lacedon is a marine form of the ghoul. It conforms in all other respects to ghouls.
The lacedon, or water ghoul, is the unhappy fate of certain pirates and corsairs. (Dragon 126)
Groaning Spirit: The groaning spirit, or banshee, is the spirit of an evil female elf - a very rare thing indeed.
This creature is the troubled spirit of a female elf of evil disposition – perhaps a drow.
Ixitxachitl Vampiric: ?
Lich: A lich exists because of its own desires and the use of powerful and arcane magic. The lich passes from a state of humanity to a non-human, nonliving existence through force of will. It retains this status by certain conjurations, enchantments, and a phylactery.
Liches were formerly ultra powerful magic-users or magic-user/clerics of not less than 18th level of magic-use.
A lich (q.v.) is a human magic-user and/or cleric of surpassing evil who has taken the steps necessary to preserve its life force after death. (Monster Manual II)
The urge for immortality is so strong in some powerful mages and magic-user/clerics that they aspire to lichdom, despite its horrible physical side effects and the usual loss of friends and living companionship. Lichdom must be prepared for in life; no true lich ever is known to have come about “naturally.” (Lords of Darkness)
To become a lich, a magic-user or magic-user/cleric must attain at least the 18th level of experience as a magic-user. The candidate for lichdom must have access to the spells magic jar, enchant an item, and trap the soul. Nulathoe's Ninemen, a fifth-level magic-user spell (detailed in the FORGOTTEN REALMS boxed set) which serves to preserve corpses against decay, keeping them strong and supple as in life, is also required. (Lords of Darkness)
The process of attaining lichdom is ruined if the candidate dies at any point during it. Even if successful resurrection follows, the process must be started anew. The process involves the preparation of a magical phylactery and a potion. Most candidates prepare the potion first and arrange for an apprentice or ally to raise them if ingestion of the potion proves fatal. Preparation of the phylactery is so expensive that most candidates do not wish to waste all the effort of its preparation by dying after it is completed but before they are prepared for lichdom. (Lords of Darkness)
The nine ingredients of the potion are as follows:
Arsenic (2 drops of the purest distillate)
Belladonna (1 drop of the purest distillate)
Blood (1 quart of blood from a dead virginal human infant killed by wyvern venom)
Blood (1 quart from a dead demihuman slain by a phase spider)
Blood (1 quart from a vampire or a being infected with vampirism)
Heart (the intact heart of a humanoid killed by poisoning; a mixture of arsenic and belladonna must be used)
Reproductive glands (from seven giant moths dead for less than 10 days, ground together)
Venom (1 pint or more, drawn from a phase spider less than 30 days previous)
Venom (1 pint or more, drawn from a wyvern less than 60 days previous)
The ingredients are mixed in the order given by the light of a full moon and must be drunk within seven days after they combine into a bluish-glowing, sparkling black liquid. All of the potion must be drunk by the candidate, and within 6 rounds will produce an effect as follows (roll percentile dice):
01-10 All body hair falls out, but potion is ineffective (the candidate knows this). Another potion must be prepared if lichdom is desired.
11-40 Candidate falls into a coma for 1d6 + 1 days, is physically helpless and immobile, mentally unreachable. Potion works; the candidate knows this.
41-70 Potion works, but candidate is feebleminded, Any failed attempt to cure the candidate's condition is 20% likely to slay the candidate.
71-90 Potion works, but candidate is paralyzed for 2d6 + 2 days (no saving throw, curative magics notwithstanding). There is a 30% chance for permanent loss of 1d6 Dexterity points.
91-96 Potion works, but candidate is permanently deaf (01-33), dumb (34-66), or blind (67-00). The lost sense can only be regained by a full or limited wish.
97-00 Death of the candidate. Potion does not work. (Lords of Darkness)
The successfully prepared candidate for lichdom can exist for an indefinite number of years before becoming a lich. He will not achieve lichdom upon death unless preparation of his or her phylactery is complete. A successfully prepared candidate may appear somewhat paler of skin than before imbibing the potion, but cannot mentally or magically be detected by others as ready for lichdom. The candidate, however, is always aware of readiness for lichdom, even if charmed or insanity or memory loss occurs. (A charmed candidate can never be made to reveal where his phylactery is – although he could be compelled to identify what the phylactery is, if shown it.)
The phylactery may take any form – it may be a pendant, gauntlet, scepter, helm, crown, ring, or even a lump of stone. It must be of inorganic material, must be solid and of high-quality workmanship if man-made, and cannot be an item having other spells or magical properties on or in it. It may be decorated or carved in any way desired for distinction.
Enchant an item is cast upon the phylactery (this is one of the rare cases in which this spell can be cast on unworked material), a process requiring continual handling of the phylactery for a long time, as described in the PLAYER'S HANDBOOK. The phylactery must successfully make its saving throw as noted in the spell description. It must be completely enchanted within nine days (not the 24 hours normally allowed by the spell). Note that the “additional spell” times given in the enchant an item spell description are required.
When the phylactery is thereby made ready for enchantment, the candidate must cast trap the soul on it. Percentile dice are rolled; the spell has a 50% chance or working, plus 6% per level of the candidate (or caster, if it is another being) over 11th level. The phylactery glows with a flickering blue-green faerie fire-like radiance for one round if it is successfully receptive for the candidate's soul.
The candidate then must cast Nulathoe's Ninemen on the phylactery, and within one turn of doing so, cast magic jar on it and enter it with his life force. No victim is required for this use of the magic jar spell.
Upon entering the phylactery, the candidate instantly loses one experience level along with its commensurate spells and hit points. The soul and lost hit points remain in the phylactery, which becomes AC 0 and has those hit points henceforth. The candidate is now a lichnee, and must return to his own body to rest for 1d6 + 1 days. The ordeal of becoming a lichnee is so traumatic that the candidate forgets any memorized spells of the top three levels available to him, and cannot regain any spells of those levels until the rest period is complete. (Candidates usually then resume a life of adventuring to regain the lost level.)
The next time the lichnee candidate dies, regardless of the manner or planar location of death, or barriers of any sort between corpse and phylactery, the candidate's life force will go into the phylactery. For it to emerge again, there must be a recently dead (less than 30 days) corpse within 90 feet of the phylactery. The corpse may be that of any creature, and must fail a saving throw vs. spell to be possessed. If it makes its saving throw, it will never receive the lich.
If the creature had 3 hit dice or fewer in life, it saves as a zero-level fighter. If it had 3 + 1 hit dice or greater in life, it saves as if it were alive, with the following alignment modifiers: LG, CG, NG: + 0; LN, CN, N: - 3; LE, - 4; NE: - 5; CE: -6. The candidate's own corpse, if within range, is at -10, and may have been dead for any length of time. The lichnee may attempt to enter his own corpse once per week until succeeding. (A phylactery too well-hidden might never offer the lichnee a corpse to enter. Many lichnee commit suicide to save themselves such troubles.) When the lichnee enters its own corpse, it rises in 1d4 turns as a full lich. (Lords of Darkness)
Seven days after ingesting any part of the candidate's original body, a wightish lichnee body will metamorphose into a body similar to the candidate's original one, and manifest full lich powers and abilities (re-roll hit points using eight-sided dice). (Lords of Darkness)
Liches are high level clerics or magic users who have become very special undead. Before becoming a Lich, the cleric or magic user must have been at least 14th level in life, although 18th level is most common. Once a lich is created, it might drop in level, but below 10th level, one can not exist. (Dragon 26)
Preparation for Lichdom occurs while the figure is still alive and must be completed before his first “death.” If he dies somewhere along the line and is resurrected, then he must start all over again. The lich needs these spells. Magic Jar, Trap the Soul, and Enchant an Item, plus a special potion and something to “jar” into. (Dragon 26)
The item into which the lich will “jar” is prepared by having Enchant an Item cast upon it. The item cannot be of the common variety, but must be of high quality, solid, and of at least 2,000 g.p. in value. The item must make a saving throw as if it were the person casting the spell. (A cleric would have to have the spell Enchant an Item and Magic Jar thrown for him and it is the contracted magic user’s level that would be used for the saving throw.) The item can contain prior magics, but wooden items are not acceptable. (Dragon 26)
If the item accepts the Enchant an Item spell (this requires 18+ (Z-O) hours), then Trap the Soul is cast on the item. Trap the Soul has a chance to work equal to 50% + 6%/level of the magic user/cleric over 11th level. (A roll of 00 is always failure.) If the item is then soul receptive, the prepared candidate for Lichdom will cast Magic Jar on it and enter the item. As soon as he enters the jar he will lose a level at once and the corresponding hit points. The hit points and his soul are now stored in the jar. He then must return to his own body and must rest for 2-7 days. The ordeal is so demanding that his top three levels of spells are erased and will not come back (through reading/prayer) until the rest period is up. (Dragon 26)
The next time the character dies, regardless of circumstances, he will go into the jar, no matter how far away and no matter what the obstacles (including Cubes of Force, Prismatic Spheres, lead boxes, etc.). To get out again, the MU/Cleric must have his (or another’s) recently dead body within 90 feet of the jar. The body can be that of any recently killed creature, from a mouse to a kirin. The corpse must fail its saving throw versus magic to be possessed. The saving throw is that of a one-half hit die figure for a normal man, animal, small monster, etc., regardless of alignment, if the figure had three or fewer hit dice in life. If it had four or more hit dice, it gains one of the following saving throws, according to alignment: Good Lawful, Good Choatic, Good Neutral — normal saving throw as in life; Neutral Lawful, Neutral Choatic, Pure Neutral — normal saving throw as in life -3; Evil Lawful —saving throw -4; Evil Neutral —saving throw -5; Evil Choatic —saving throw -6. The corpse can be dead no longer than 30 days. If it makes its saving throw, it will never receive the lich. The MU’s/Cleric’s own corpse can be dead any length of time and is at -10 to receive him. He may attempt to enter his own corpse once each week until he succeeds. (Dragon 26)
In the wightish body, the lich will seek his own body and transport it to the location of the jar. Destruction of his own body is possible only via the spell Disintegrate and the body gets a normal saving throw versus the spell. Dismemberment or burning the body will not totally destroy it, as the pieces of the corpse will radiate an unlimited range Locate Object spell, Naturally it may be difficult for the lich to obtain these pieces/ashes, but that is another story. If and when the wightish body finds the remains of the lich’s original body, it will eat them and after one week will metamorphosis into a humanoid body similar to that of the lich’s original body. Once the lich is back in his own body he will have the spell he had in life and never has to read/pray for them again. In fact he can not, except once to “fill up” his spell levels. As a lich, he can never gain levels, use scrolls, or use magic items that require the touch of a living being. (Dragon 26)
If his body is disintegrated then the lich can only be a Wightish body unless he can find someone to cast a WISH for him to get the body back together again. The jar must be on the prime material, the negative material or the positive material plane and of course he must have a means of gaining access to the appropriate plane in the first place. (Dragon 26)
Preparing the body of the living figure is done via a potion. The potion is difficult to make and time consuming. It requires these items;
A. 2 pinches of pure arsenic
B. 1 pinch of belladonna
C. 1 measure of fresh phase spider venom (under 30 days old)
D. 1 measure of fresh wyvern venom (under 60 days old)
E. The blood of a dead humanoid infant killed by a phase spider
F. The blood of a dead humanoid infant killed by a mixture of arsenic and belladonna
G. The heart of a virgin humanoid killed by wyvern venom
H. 1 quart of blood from a vampire or a person infected with vampirism
I. The ground reproductive glands of 7 giant moths (head for less than 60 days)
The items are mixed in the order given by the light of a full moon. When he drinks the potion (all of it) the following will occur:
1-10 No effect whatsoever other than all body hair falling out — start over!
11-40 Coma for 2-7 days —the potion works!
41-70 Feebleminded until dispelled by Dispel Magic. Each attempt to remove the feeblemind has a 10% chance to kill him instead if it fails. The potion works!
71-90 Paralyzed for 4-14 days. 30% chance that permanent loss of 1-6 dexterity points will result. The potion works!
91-96 Permanently deaf, dumb or blind. Only a full wish can regain the sense. The potion works!
97-00 DEAD —start over . . . if you can be resurrected. (Dragon 26)
There is no “ultimate recipe” for becoming a lich, just as there is no universal way of making a chocolate cake. Only those things which are generally true are stated in the AD&D rules-a magic-user or cleric gains undead status through “force of will” (the desire to be a lich, coupled with magical assistance) and thereafter has to maintain that status by special effort, employing “conjurations, enchantments and a phylactery” (from the lich description in the Monster Manual). The essence of larvae, mentioned as one of the ingredients in the process (in the MM description of larvae) might be used as a spell component, or might be an integral part of the phylactery: Exactly what it is, and what it is used for, is left to be defined by characters and the DM, if it becomes necessary to have specific rules for making a lich. (Dragon 54)
Several combinations of spells might trigger or release the energy needed to transform a magic-user or m-u/cleric into a lich; exactly which combination of magic is required or preferred in a certain campaign is entirely up to the participants. The subject has been addressed in an article in DRAGON magazine (“Blueprint for a Lich,” by Len Lakofka, in #26), but that “recipe” was offered only as a suggestion and not as a flat statement of the way it’s supposed to be done. (Dragon 54)
Possibly the most powerful of the undead creatures, liches were formerly magic-users, clerics, or wizard/priests of high level. While the circumstances in which a lich arises are somewhat varied, a lich is most often the result of an evil archmage's or high priest's quest for immortality. The process involved in the creation of the lich remains a mystery to most, although some have suggested that through the assistance of a demon, the knowledge can be fully learned. (Dragon 126)
In even rarer cases, it is rumored that a wizard of extremely high level in fanatical pursuit of the answer to some bit of research may continue his work even beyond the point of death. Perhaps due to the years of exposure to magical powers, some inexplicable force allows the soul to remain with its dead shell until the inhabitant discovers the answer to its research or until the body crumbles to dust. (Dragon 126)
Perhaps certain unique individuals of this aquatic race (Ixitxachitl) are in fact undead equivalents of ghouls, ghasts, zombies, and liches as well, animated by their own powerful magical spells or their deity, Demogorgon. (Dragon 126)
Lichdom spell. (Dragon 76)
Mummy: They retain a semblance of life due to their evil.
The preparers, usually priests, began the mummification process with a live victim, usually a warrior-one of their own people. Their spells kept the poor soul in his body after it died, while they removed and preserved his vital organs, then dried out and preserved his body.
Mummies do not exist of their own accord. Unlike life-draining undead, they do not give birth to their own kind out of the bodies of their victims. Mummies are created by men to act as tomb guardians. The process is similar to that required to create a skeleton or a zombie, but requires long preparation of the body, expensive and rare preservative spices and compounds, and a spell to bring them to “life.” For the mummy creation ritual to be successful, the mummy must be a living being (usually human) when the mummification process begins. The unspeakable horror and agony of the process (the body dies, but the soul and mind remain aware and trapped within) are responsible for the mummy's “unholy hatred of life.” (Lords of Darkness)
The mummification rituals draw upon power from the Negative Material Plane, replacing life energy with death energy. (Lords of Darkness)
The common mummy (as described in the MONSTER MANUAL), has been brought into being by the acts of others. (Lords of Darkness)
As part of the mummification process, the internal organs of the living victim are removed and preserved separately in three canopic jars, immersed in an elixir made from the bodies of larvae. These organ jars must remain within the tomb guarded by the mummy. (Lords of Darkness)
Contrary to popular belief, mummies are not usually the venerated dead found within Egyptian burial chambers. Instead, the mummy is typically some unfortunate warrior who, for some transgression, has been chosen to stand guard over the departed. (Dragon 126)
The means of creating a mummy are said to include a special form of the animate dead spell, along with an elixir made from a rare herb growing only in the wildest parts of deserts. (Dragon 126)
Mummy Production spell. (Dragon 76)
Shadow: In addition to the 2-5 hit points of damage their chill touch causes, each hit also saps 1 point of the victim's strength. If a human opponent reaches 0 strength or hit points, the shadow drains his life force and he becomes a shadow.
Nabassu are able to bestow the stolen death from their death stealing upon anyone who fails to save vs. death magic, killing that individual instantly. The victim so slain becomes a shadow (unless he or she has already been subjected to death stealing) and is doomed to serve the nabassu whenever called. This doom can be avoided through exorcism of the corpse (with or without restoration of life.) (Monster Manual II)
Certain manes will be used to form shadows or ghasts, (qqv), depending upon the greatness of their evil in material life.
Some persons who die are not yet ready to leave life. Others are murdered or killed under traumatic conditions. When that happens, the one who died may leave behind a shadow-that part of a spirit or soul that grasps greedily after life. It is usually tied to a place of emotional significance-the scene of its death, for instance. (Lords of Darkness)
Skeleton: Skeletons are magically animated, undead monsters. They are enchanted by a powerful magic-user or cleric of evil alignment.
When a skeleton is animated, the enchantment accomplishes two things. First, it knits the bones together magically, binding them with force drawn from the Negative Energy Plane. Almost all the bones have to be there-without mostly complete remains, the spell is almost impossible to hold together. (Lords of Darkness)
Second, the spell binds energy called the animus into the skeleton to animate it. That's not the same as the spirit or soul of the deceased. It is only a fragment of soul energy, the portion that helped keep the soul in the living body. In death, the animus lingers around the remains until they turn to dust. This is true no matter what the race of the creature whose bones are animated. (Lords of Darkness)
Burial or cremation of the dead is customary in our campaign. These rites are, in fact, necessary as any character or NPC who dies while adventuring—and remains unburied—will return from the dead to visit his unfeeling comrades with plague, disaster and misfortune until his spirit is put to rest! (Dragon 42)
Even if buried, if his fellow adventurers refuse to pay his Widow’s Share or Weregeld, he will also haunt them until such monies are paid. (Note that lack of burial or refusal to pay Widow’s Share must be deliberate in order to create a restless spirit.) (Dragon 42)
If the body is beyond recovery (swept away by an underground river, devoured by a Green Slime. blasted by a fireball or the like); or would require a suicide mission to recover: or if the party simply lacks the funds to pay, the dead character’s spirit will be satisfied provided (a) some kind of funeral service is observed when time and safety permit and/or (b) an effort is made to pay some—if not all!—of the Widow’s Share or Weregeld. (Dragon 42)
Stealing from a character’s “grave goods” or withholding items from a burial/cremation—even if done without the knowledge or consent of other players—will also bring back a dead character’s spirit as fierce and vengeful as ever! (Dragon 42)
A thief, however, may attempt to steal from the dead. The Dungeon Master should judge the success and the possible repercussions of the attempt on the type and amount of grave goods taken, precautions—magical and otherwise—taken by the thief, methods used and other significant variables. (Dragon 42)
Note that robbing any burial mound of recent manufacture (defined as up to ten centuries old) will bring back the dead spirit 10-100% of the time, depending on the age of the burial mound. The DM rolls a d10 to determine age. then percentile dice to see if the spirit responds. (Dragon 42)
Not all such burials need be of human bodies! (Dragon 42)
Under certain circumstances—as noted above—a dead character may return as a Restless Spirit. Exactly what form that spirit takes depends entirely on the dead character’s alignment in life. (Dragon 42)
All Good types—Lawful. Neutral or Chaotic—will return from the dead as a Haunt. Those of Neutral alignments (again, Lawful, True or Chaotic) will come back as a Zombie/Skeleton, while those of Evil nature (L, N or C) will arise as a Vampire of the AD&D Monster Manual variety. (Dragon 42)
A physical manifestation of the dead in the material world. The Restless Spirit literally animates his lifeless corpse. (Dragon 42)
In the AD&D game, skeletons are magically animated by clerics or magic-users. (Dragon 138)
The corpse used for the animate dead spell has been buried for so long that only bones remain (or perhaps all flesh is destroyed in the process of animation, leaving only bones). (Dragon 138)
Animate Skeletons spell. (Dragon 76)
Spectre: Any human totally drained of life energy by a spectre becomes a half-strength spectre under the control of the spectre which drained him.
After being in hell for a time certain lemures will be chosen to form wraiths or spectres (qqv).
Any human drained completely of life energy by a spectre becomes a half-strength spectre under its control. When a person is drained of life by a spectre, his body does not vanish into thin air. Rather, the corpse remains, the soul leaves, and the negative part of the being that is jealous and hateful of life takes form as a spectre. Only humans can become spectres. Other races drained of life by a spectre simply die. (Lords of Darkness)
This can also occur spontaneously when an evil or hateful NPC of Lawful Evil alignment dies. If that NPC has sufficient motivation (in the DM's judgment), he may return to haunt the living as an undead spectre. The NPC should make a saving throw vs. death magic. If successful, he becomes a spectre. (Lords of Darkness)
Those who die from the blautsauger without eating the earth from its grave become spectres. (Dragon 25)
Spectres are the cursed souls of those who ruthlessly oppressed their fellow men during their lifetime (the character of Jacob Marly from A Christmas Carol provides a good example). Bound to wander the land they ruled, particularly its most desolate and isolated regions, spectres hate the living for the torment of unrest they endure. A fair number of spectres were very powerful and feared as political figures in life, particularly tyrants who were fighters, thieves, or assassins. (Dragon 126)
Vampire Production spell. (Dragon 76)
Vampire: Any human or humanoid drained of all life energy by a vampire becomes an appropriately strengthened vampire under control of its slayer. This transformation takes place 1 day after the creature is buried, but if and only if the creature is buried. Thus it is possible to have a vampiric thief, cleric (chaotic evil in vampire form, of course), etc.
One must also consider the question of origin. If people can only become vampires through the bite of a vampire, where did the first one come from? According to the legends, the means can range from a simple death-bed curse and excommunication, through ancestry (s.g. one type was to be an Albanian of Turkish origin, another was to have red hair), through witchcraft, to violent death. The latter one is the easiest method for D&D. Hence, any body left unguarded without a Bless spell from a cleric will become a vampire within seven days. (Dragon 25)
A Vampire can have its minions buy a figure it has killed so that human can rise as a Vampire on the next night. Note that humanoids and demihumans can NOT become vampires. (Dragon 30)
Inadvertent creation of a Vampire is possible in either case if a body killed by a Vampire is buried and subsequently the body is dug up (assuming that the burying of the Vampire’s kill does not properly prevent the body from rising again as a Vampire). (Dragon 30)
This brings up the point of how a body can be properly “disposed of” after being killed by a Vampire or a “lesser” Vampire. This process should be a simple one and accomplishable in a few ways: 1. The body and head can be separated; 2. The body can be burned; 3. The body can be disposed of just as a Vampire would be disposed of; or 4. The body is drained of blood and either a Bless, Prayer, Chant or Exorcism is said over the corpse. Other reasonable means can be ruled on by the DM. (Dragon 30)
The next big area of argument comes over what type of monster results when a Vampire kills a human, the human is buried, and then is unearthed the next night (or later). How the figure is killed is one major bone of contention: Does the figure die due to damage or due to being drained to zero level? If the figure dies due to damage (not all necessarily from the Vampire), then the figure can retain abilities from his/her former profession. If a 12th-level Wizard, for example, is wounded by some form of attack and is then touched by a Vampire such that he becomes a Necromancer but is also killed due to damage of the Vampire’s touch, the resultant monster will be a “lesser” Vampire who is also a Necromancer! (Dragon 30)
If the figure dies by full draining, then all former profession abilities and levels are lost — the figure is a vampire, nothing more. (Dragon 30)
Burial or cremation of the dead is customary in our campaign. These rites are, in fact, necessary as any character or NPC who dies while adventuring—and remains unburied—will return from the dead to visit his unfeeling comrades with plague, disaster and misfortune until his spirit is put to rest! (Dragon 42)
Even if buried, if his fellow adventurers refuse to pay his Widow’s Share or Weregeld, he will also haunt them until such monies are paid. (Note that lack of burial or refusal to pay Widow’s Share must be deliberate in order to create a restless spirit.) (Dragon 42)
If the body is beyond recovery (swept away by an underground river, devoured by a Green Slime. blasted by a fireball or the like); or would require a suicide mission to recover: or if the party simply lacks the funds to pay, the dead character’s spirit will be satisfied provided (a) some kind of funeral service is observed when time and safety permit and/or (b) an effort is made to pay some—if not all!—of the Widow’s Share or Weregeld. (Dragon 42)
Stealing from a character’s “grave goods” or withholding items from a burial/cremation—even if done without the knowledge or consent of other players—will also bring back a dead character’s spirit as fierce and vengeful as ever! (Dragon 42)
A thief, however, may attempt to steal from the dead. The Dungeon Master should judge the success and the possible repercussions of the attempt on the type and amount of grave goods taken, precautions—magical and otherwise—taken by the thief, methods used and other significant variables. (Dragon 42)
Note that robbing any burial mound of recent manufacture (defined as up to ten centuries old) will bring back the dead spirit 10-100% of the time, depending on the age of the burial mound. The DM rolls a d10 to determine age. then percentile dice to see if the spirit responds. (Dragon 42)
Not all such burials need be of human bodies! (Dragon 42)
Under certain circumstances—as noted above—a dead character may return as a Restless Spirit. Exactly what form that spirit takes depends entirely on the dead character’s alignment in life. (Dragon 42)
All Good types—Lawful. Neutral or Chaotic—will return from the dead as a Haunt. Those of Neutral alignments (again, Lawful, True or Chaotic) will come back as a Zombie/Skeleton, while those of Evil nature (L, N or C) will arise as a Vampire of the AD&D Monster Manual variety. (Dragon 42)
If so desired, a vampire can transform its victims into vampires, thus spreading the curse of the undead. Only a select few of the victims become vampires; most victims merely die as a result of being drained by the bite of a vampire. (Dragon 126)
In Slavic folklore, the vampire and the werewolf are closely related. In fact, the surest way to become a vampire after death is to have been a werewolf in life. Another way to become a vampire is to eat the flesh of an animal that has been killed by a wolf (especially a werewolf in wolf form). The idea is that the wolf's bite has spread the contagion. (Dragon 126)
The actual origins of vampires are lost in time, though they are among the greatest and most evil servants of Orcus. (Dragon 126)
Vampire Production spell. (Dragon 76)
Vampire Eastern: Any human or humanoid drained of all life energy by a vampire becomes an appropriately strengthened vampire under control of its slayer. This transformation takes place 1 day after the creature is buried, but if and only if the creature is buried. Thus it is possible to have a vampiric thief, cleric (chaotic evil in vampire form, of course), etc.
Wight: Any human totally drained of life energy by a wight will become a half-strength wight under control of its slayer.
Wights are formed from the bodies of men and women of noble birth who are buried in earthen tombs. There, their bodies are sought out by an evil spirit of power which has no way of interacting with the Prime Material Plane unless he inhabits such a body.
When the spirit inhabits the body, it halts the normal process of decay and instead works its magic to partially petrify the body. When the body has the right balance of flesh and mineral, it can move again under the spirit's guidance. (Lords of Darkness)
Why the spirit wants to return to a semi-fleshy form is unknown. (Lords of Darkness)
If a lichnee enters another's corpse, he is limited to the corpse's living strength, and will have no more than 4 hit dice. The intelligence and wisdom of the lichnee candidate are preserved, and the corpse will rise after 1d3 turns of apparent continuing death (the lichnee's presence being undetectable during this time) as a wight. (Lords of Darkness)
The true origin of wights remains a mystery. Some sages claim they are the fates of evil humans who, through illness or deliberate design, are buried alive, and through their anger and sheer willpower remain in a state of unlife to seek revenge. Others say wights are evil guardians, the spirits of loyal henchmen who were slain and buried with their lieges to protect their former masters from desecration. (Dragon 126)
The noises are, of course, the mayor – now turned to a wight over the anger of having been buried alive. (Dragon 126)
Wight Production spell. (Dragon 76)
Wraith: If a wraith drains all life energy levels from a human (including dwarves, elves, gnomes, half-elves, or even halflings) the victim becomes a half-strength wraith under the control of the wraith which drained the victim.
After being in hell for a time certain lemures will be chosen to form wraiths or spectres (qqv).
Wraiths are said to be the horrid spirits of dying men who vow to return and wreak havoc upon the living. In such cases where it would be impossible for an individual to become a revenant, there is a 5% chance that a person of great evil can fulfill his curse irrespective of whether or not precautions – including destroying the physical body – are taken. (Dragon 126)
The first manifestation of a disturbed demilich is that of an apparent wraith. (Dragon 126)
Wraith Production spell. (Dragon 76)
Zombie: Zombies are magically animated corpses, undead creatures under the command of the evil magic-users or clerics who animated them.
Zombies that are actually dead often, at least in the Netherese tradition, come from once living zombies. As the body's spirit dies, rebellion goes with it. (Lords of Darkness)
Burial or cremation of the dead is customary in our campaign. These rites are, in fact, necessary as any character or NPC who dies while adventuring—and remains unburied—will return from the dead to visit his unfeeling comrades with plague, disaster and misfortune until his spirit is put to rest! (Dragon 42)
Even if buried, if his fellow adventurers refuse to pay his Widow’s Share or Weregeld, he will also haunt them until such monies are paid. (Note that lack of burial or refusal to pay Widow’s Share must be deliberate in order to create a restless spirit.) (Dragon 42)
If the body is beyond recovery (swept away by an underground river, devoured by a Green Slime. blasted by a fireball or the like); or would require a suicide mission to recover: or if the party simply lacks the funds to pay, the dead character’s spirit will be satisfied provided (a) some kind of funeral service is observed when time and safety permit and/or (b) an effort is made to pay some—if not all!—of the Widow’s Share or Weregeld. (Dragon 42)
Stealing from a character’s “grave goods” or withholding items from a burial/cremation—even if done without the knowledge or consent of other players—will also bring back a dead character’s spirit as fierce and vengeful as ever! (Dragon 42)
A thief, however, may attempt to steal from the dead. The Dungeon Master should judge the success and the possible repercussions of the attempt on the type and amount of grave goods taken, precautions—magical and otherwise—taken by the thief, methods used and other significant variables. (Dragon 42)
Note that robbing any burial mound of recent manufacture (defined as up to ten centuries old) will bring back the dead spirit 10-100% of the time, depending on the age of the burial mound. The DM rolls a d10 to determine age. then percentile dice to see if the spirit responds. (Dragon 42)
Not all such burials need be of human bodies! (Dragon 42)
Under certain circumstances—as noted above—a dead character may return as a Restless Spirit. Exactly what form that spirit takes depends entirely on the dead character’s alignment in life. (Dragon 42)
All Good types—Lawful. Neutral or Chaotic—will return from the dead as a Haunt. Those of Neutral alignments (again, Lawful, True or Chaotic) will come back as a Zombie/Skeleton, while those of Evil nature (L, N or C) will arise as a Vampire of the AD&D Monster Manual variety. (Dragon 42)
A physical manifestation of the dead in the material world. The Restless Spirit literally animates his lifeless corpse.
If the body of a Restless Spirit animated Zombie or Skeleton is destroyed the spirit will return either as a Haunt or a Vampire, depending on the character’s overall actions while alive as determined by the DM. (Dragon 42)
Evil characters always return from the dead with all the capabilities of an AD&D Vampire. (Dragon 42)
Note that a character of any alignment who commits suicide will return as a vampire unless the appropriate steps are taken at his burial: stake through the heart, head cut off, mouth stuffed with garlic and the like. Such suicides must be purposeful—unrequited love or a point of honor, for example—with the DM’s discretion strongly advised. (Dragon 42)
Zombies are the mindless, undead servitors of magic-users or clerics who cast an animate dead on corpses not fully stripped of flesh – a process usually requiring either time or a cash expenditure of one gp per corpse for acid (though certain insects also serve well in this regard). (Dragon 126)
Perhaps certain unique individuals of this aquatic race (Ixitxachitl) are in fact undead equivalents of ghouls, ghasts, zombies, and liches as well, animated by their own powerful magical spells or their deity, Demogorgon. (Dragon 126)
Zombies are dead bodies brought back to a semblance of life by magic. (Dragon 138)
Zombies are created by bokors, evil voodoo sorcerers. A bokor gains control of the gros-bon-ange of a dying person by sucking out the soul magically, trapping it in a magic vessel, or substituting the soul of an insect or small animal for the human soul. At midnight on the day of burial, the bokor goes with his assistants to the grave, opens it, and calls the victim's name. Because the bokor holds his soul, the dead person must lift his head and answer. As he does so, the bokor passes the bottle containing the gros-bon-ange under the victim's nose for a single brief instant. The dead person is then reanimated. (Dragon 138)
Animate Zombies spell. (Dragon 76)

Fiend Folio

Spoiler

Apparition: A victim slain by an apparition may be raised but if the body is left, or no attempt is made within one hour to raise it,it will rise as an apparition in 2-8 hours.
An apparition is the insubstantial remains of a person of authority – sergeant, priest, etc. – charged with overseeing or guarding a specific area, whose death was the result of a shirking of duty. Confined to the area originally to be guarded, the apparition seeks both to protect its "lair" and to gather additional guardians to its service. Thus, a character slain by an apparition who later rises as such will return to the lair of the original creature to take up guardianship alongside it, taking the apparition's place if that creature has been slain. (Dragon 126)
Coffer Corpse: These foul creatures of the undead class are found in stranded funeral barges or in any other situation in which a corpse has failed to return to its maker.
Coffer corpses are the restless remains of those whose last interment wishes were not carried out. Usually, this occurs because expediency dictates the body be abandoned to avoid any unpleasant fate due to the burden (as might often happen during a plague). At other times, church elders may deny the corpse interment in sacred ground. In cases such as these, there is a 5% chance that the restless spirit of the dead person remains tied to the corpse, rising during the hours of darkness to wander the area of its abandonment in a hopeless search for rest, returning to its ”lair” at dawn. (Dragon 126)
Crypt Thing: The crypt thing is a specially created guardian of tombs fashioned from a skeleton inhabited by a creature summoned from the Plane of Limbo by a high-level cleric. (Dragon 126)
Death Knight: The death knight - and there are only twelve of these dreadful creatures known to exist - is a horrifying form of lich created by a demon prince (it is thought Demogorgon) from a fallen human paladin.
Probably the rarest of undead, the death knight is the ultimate fate of a fallen human paladin or cavalier formerly, not less than 10th level. Bound to the demon prince Demogorgon. (Dragon 126)
Eye of Fear and Flame: This odd creature is the corrupt result of a lawful evil cleric who sought (and failed) to achieve immortality or lichdom. Seized by Orcus for its presumption, the accursed creature is bound to seek out lawful characters to corrupt through evil and chaotic deeds. (Dragon 126)
Huecuva: ?
Some sages have postulated that huecuvas are in fact the remains of tomb robbers slain by mummies and cursed to act as guardians for them. (Dragon 126)
Some claim that tomb robbers slain by mummies may later rise as huecuvas, joining their slayers as guardians. (Dragon 126)
Penanggalan: If a penanggalan kills a female victim, she will rise from the grave after three days as a penanggalan (not under the control of the original creature). If an attempt is made to raise her during that three-day period, her chances of surviving the system shock are half normal, and failure of that attempt means that no further attempt can possibly succeed - the process by which she becomes a penanggalan is then inexorable.
Poltergeist: ?
Merely a restless spirit. (Dragon 126)
Revenant: Under exceptional circumstances, those who have died a violent death may return from beyond the grave to wreak vengeance on their killer - as a revenant. There are few who can make this journey - to do so, a dead character must have wisdom or intelligence greater than 16 and a constitution of 18: all their characteristics must sum to 90 or more: and if both these criteria are met, the chance of the character becoming a revenant after death is 5%.
On rare occasions when a powerful human is slain, there is a slight chance (5%) that the slain person (through sheer willpower and anger) arises as a revenant to seek out and slay its killers. (Dragon 126)
Sheet Ghoul: A sheet ghoul is created when a sheet phantom kills a victim.
If the victim of a sheet phantom's enveloping dies from suffocation (or as a result of damage inflicted, unwittingly, by his comrades), the sheet phantom merges with his body and the whole becomes a sheet ghoul.
The sheet phantom's purpose in hiding is to envelop and possess a living being (thereafter known as a sheet ghoul). (Dragon 126)
Sheet Phantom: There are sufficient similarities between this creature and the lurker above to lend credence to the speculation that the one is some kind of undead form of the other.
The sheet phantom is an odd form of undead thought by some to come about as a result of some particularly bizarre circumstance, the nature of which no two sages can agree upon. One popular theory is that it is the spirit of a magic-user who, while under a duo dimension spell, was slain by a ghoul. The idea of it being an undead form of a lurker above is not widely or seriously acknowledged. (Dragon 126)
Skeleton Warrior: It is said that the skeleton warriors were forced into their lich-like state ages ago by a powerful and evil demigod who trapped each of their souls in a golden circlet.
In most cases, skeleton warriors were powerful fighters or cavaliers (possibly paladins) who were seduced to the path of evil. Some claim Orcus or Demogorgon originally bound these warriors to be servants to the 12 death knights. Others claim that even today, powerful wizard/priests may learn the sorcerous methods of creating such monsters. (Dragon 126)
Sons of Kyuss: Kyuss was an evil high priest, creating the first of these creatures under instruction from an evil deity.
If the worm from a son of Kyuss reaches the brain, the victim becomes a son of Kyuss, the process of putrefaction setting in without further delay.
The origin of these horrid creatures dates back to an evil high priest named Kyuss. Originally meant as temple guardians, the “Sons” have, after the passing of Kyuss, continued to be fashioned by certain priests of the Egyptian deity Set, and may be found on many worlds where such worship exists. (Dragon 126)

Monster Manual II

Spoiler

Demilich: Over centuries the lich form decays, and the evil soul roams strange planes unknown to even the wisest of sages. This remaining soul is a demilich.
Demi-lichdom is not a state that can be deliberately chosen or prepared for; why and how it occurs to some liches and not to others remains a mystery, although great strength of will and activity as a lich seems to make demi-lichdom more likely. Perhaps fell Lower Plane or divine powers are involved. Some liches consume larvae (see Monster Manual) on a regular basis rather than employing Nulathoe's Ninemen to maintain bodily vitality; some sages have advanced the hypothesis that a demi-lich's sentience originates with such creatures. (Lords of Darkness)
With the former lich type that pursued immortality the bodily shell eventually becomes dust, leaving only the skull and a few bones intact while the soul wanders forth to other planes. Nevertheless, these remains apparently retain a form of sentience. The source of this sentience is debated. Some sages maintain that it originates with the lingering essences of larvae used to maintain the lich's existence, while others assert a psychic tie to the now-departed wizard or cleric. Whatever the case, the remaining form, referred to as a demilich, is perhaps even more dangerous than the original lich, possessing both energy- and soul-draining capacity along with a keening ability similar to that of a groaning spirit. (Dragon 126)
The first manifestation of a disturbed demilich is that of an apparent wraith, which most often enjoys the energy-draining ability of that creature. A clue to the true nature of the monster can be gained by the fact that this wraith manifestation cannot be turned by a cleric otherwise able to overcome a traditional creature of that sort. This manifestation's sole purpose is to induce melee and spell attack, the latter of which has the effect of strengthening the creature (of course, a successful energy drain upon a character has the same effect). Eventually, the wraith manifestation gives way to that of a ghost – once again affording the same abilities of an actual creature of that sort. (It is said that the preferred mode of attack by this manifestation is to magic jar a group's magic-user, thereby utilizing the target's spells against his own party.) (Dragon 126)
Haunt: A haunt is the restless spirit of a person who died leaving a vital task unfinished.
The restless spirit of a person who died leaving a vital task unfinished. (A1 Secret of the Slavers Stockade)
Burial or cremation of the dead is customary in our campaign. These rites are, in fact, necessary as any character or NPC who dies while adventuring—and remains unburied—will return from the dead to visit his unfeeling comrades with plague, disaster and misfortune until his spirit is put to rest! (Dragon 42)
Even if buried, if his fellow adventurers refuse to pay his Widow’s Share or Weregeld, he will also haunt them until such monies are paid. (Note that lack of burial or refusal to pay Widow’s Share must be deliberate in order to create a restless spirit.) (Dragon 42)
If the body is beyond recovery (swept away by an underground river, devoured by a Green Slime. blasted by a fireball or the like); or would require a suicide mission to recover: or if the party simply lacks the funds to pay, the dead character’s spirit will be satisfied provided (a) some kind of funeral service is observed when time and safety permit and/or (b) an effort is made to pay some-if not all!—of the Widow’s Share or Weregeld. (Dragon 42)
Stealing from a character’s “grave goods” or withholding items from a burial/cremation-even if done without the knowledge or consent of other players-will also bring back a dead character’s spirit as fierce and vengeful as ever! (Dragon 42)
A thief, however, may attempt to steal from the dead. The Dungeon Master should judge the success and the possible repercussions of the attempt on the type and amount of grave goods taken, precautions—magical and otherwise—taken by the thief, methods used and other significant variables. (Dragon 42)
Note that robbing any burial mound of recent manufacture (defined as up to ten centuries old) will bring back the dead spirit 10-100% of the time, depending on the age of the burial mound. The DM rolls a d10 to determine age. then percentile dice to see if the spirit responds. (Dragon 42)
Not all such burials need be of human bodies! (Dragon 42)
Under certain circumstances—as noted above—a dead character may return as a Restless Spirit. Exactly what form that spirit takes depends entirely on the dead character’s alignment in life. (Dragon 42)
All Good types—Lawful. Neutral or Chaotic—will return from the dead as a Haunt. Those of Neutral alignments (again, Lawful, True or Chaotic) will come back as a Zombie/Skeleton, while those of Evil nature (L, N or C) will arise as a Vampire of the AD&D Monster Manual variety. (Dragon 42)
If the body of a Restless Spirit animated Zombie or Skeleton is destroyed the spirit will return either as a Haunt or a Vampire, depending on the character’s overall actions while alive as determined by the DM. (Dragon 42)
The haunt is the restless spark of life of one who has died without completing a vital task. So great was the urgency to complete the deed that the vital life-force of the individual remains tied to the scene of death, there to remain until it can find a living shell to inhabit until the task is completed. The difference between this and its cousin, the ghost, is that the haunt is the mindless life-essence of the departed, while the ghost is the sentient soul of a now-dead, evil creature. (Dragon 126)
Zombie Juju: Juju zombies are created by magic-users who drain all life levels from humans or man-sized humanoids by means of an energy drain spell (q.v.).
This uncommon creature originates with a high-level magic-user's slaying of a creature by way of an energy drain spell. (Dragon 126)
Zombie Monster: Monster zombies are the animated corpses of huge humanoid monsters such as bugbears, giants, etc. They are typically the creatures of evil natured clerics or magic-users who create and control them.
Monster zombies are the result of casting animate dead spells upon the remains of bugbears, giants, etc. (Dragon 126)

Lich: A lich (q.v.) is a human magic-user and/or cleric of surpassing evil who has taken the steps necessary to preserve its life force after death.

Lords of Darkness

Spoiler

Mummy Greater: The greater mummy, the undead remains of a man (or woman) who has chosen to be mummified.
The greater mummy is not just a more deadly version of the creature commonly known as a mummy, it is a mummy who has chosen to undergo the mummification process, in which the victim's body dies, but the soul does not.
Vampire Greater: It is from the life-draining kiss of the succubus that greater vampires are born.
Ghost Lesser: They're merely restless spirits whose passing on to the next world is prevented for a number of reasons: For instance, the person may have died with an urgent need to pass on an important message to someone or accomplish some sort of unfinished task. Thus, it remains on the Prime Material Plane, unable to rest until the message is delivered or the task completed. In another case, the lesser ghost may, as true ghosts, be angered over its betrayal and murder in life, and the creature cannot rest until the one who committed the crime against it is properly punished.
A lesser ghost might also, through its own misbehavior in life, find itself bound to an unhappy existence between worlds until it finds some sort of way to atone for its deeds. Lastly, the relatively weak spirit might remain under the domination of a greater ghost, free from obeying it, but tormented and unable to rest until the creature is destroyed.
Pseudo-Lich: They are created when a very powerful magic-user is fanatically pursuing a certain goal at the time of death. Some inexplicable force, perhaps due to years of exposure to magic, allows the wizard's soul to inhabit the shell of its dead body until the goal is achieved or the body crumbles to dust.
Wight Great: The great wight is a leader of wights, a very rare creature that can only form from the body of a being of consecrated royal blood. The original body must have been of lawful good alignment and been dedicated to the service of a lawful good deity, then fallen from grace and not been reconciled to the religion of his birth before he died.
Despite the statements of Jilda the Sage, great wights come from no more noble a background than their followers. A great wight is simply a wight that has managed to absorb enough life energy to gain in power. This to some extent explains the enthusiasm of wights in attacking their prey. The more successful a wight is at draining energy, the better chance it has of becoming a great wight and getting its chance to rule its kind.

Dreams of the Red Wizards

Spoiler

Dread Warrior: Dread Warriors are like zombies, but they must be created just after death and they still retain some small intelligence-enough to carry out unimaginative orders.
A Dread Warrior must be created from the body of a fighter, who retains some of his fighting skill.
Animate Dread Warrior of Tam spell.

Animate Dread Warrior of Tam
(Necromancy)
Level: 6 Components: V, S, M
Range: Touch Casting Time: 1 turn
Duration: Permanent
Saving Throw: None
Area of Effect: One creature
Explanation/Description: This spell is used on any newly-dead person on whom the preservation spell has been placed. The body becomes a zombie of unusual power and ability. It does not work on skeletons.
The body affected must be a person with good fighting ability, though it need not originally have been a fighter. However, the body loses any skills other than fighting skills it had, so fighters are the best candidates.

I2 Tomb of the Lizard King

Spoiler

Vampiric Lizard Man: The origin of these horrid creatures was the result of the dying wish to Sakatha, the great Lizard King who accidentally wished himself into a vampiric existence.

L1 The Secret of Bone Hill

Spoiler

Animal Skeleton: ?
Ghoulstirge: ?
Zombire: The animated corpse of a low-level magic-user.
Skelter: The skelter, like the zombire, is the animated remains of a once very evil low-level magic-user.

Moonshae

Spoiler

Blood Warrior: The Blood Warriors are a type of undead soldier corrupted from normal human warriors by Kazgoroth's power.
The Beast has a unique ability to perform a corrupted type of mass charm spell, creating for itself a band of fanatically loyal undead troops known as Blood Warriors.
Kazgoroth is aided by its magically created Blood Warriors. (Dragon 140)

Return to the Tomb of Horrors

Spoiler

Demi-Lich, Acererak: Eventually even the undead life force of Acererak began to wane, so for the next 8 decades, the lich's servants labored to create the Tomb of Horrors. Then Acererak destroyed all of his slaves and servitors, magically hid the entrance to his halls, and went to his final haunt, while his soul roamed strange planes unknown to even the wisest of sages.
Animated Skeleton of a Giant: ?
Magically-Prepared Zombie: Magically-prepared zombie with spells upon him.
Lich, Acererak: Ages past, a human magic-user/cleric of surpassing evil took the steps necessary to preserve his life force beyond the centuries he had already lived, and this creature became the lich, Acererak.

Mummy: Inside this sarcophagus are the parts of a mummy (not an undead, exactly, for at this time it is the mummified remains of a human) with wrappings partially undone and tattered, and a huge amethyst just barely visible between the wrappings covering the head. This 5,000 g.p. Gem has an evil magic placed upon it, and if it is removed from the eyesocket the remains become a true mummy.
Ghost: All that remains now of Acererak are the dust of his bones and his skull resting in the far recesses of the vault. This bit is enough! If the treasure in the crypt is touched the dust swirls into the air and forms a man-like shape. If this shape is ignored, it will dissipate in 3 rounds, for it can only advance and threaten, not harm. Any physical attack will give it 1 factor of energy, however, and spell attacks give it 1 energy factor for every level of the spell used, i.e., a 3rd level spell bestows 3 energy factors. Each factor is equal to a hit point, and if 50 energy factors are gained, the dust will form into a ghost controlled by Acererak.

Rogues Gallery

Spoiler

Lich Magic-User 18: ?
Lich Magic-User 19/Cleric 21: ?

Secret of the Slavers Stockade

Spoiler

Haunt: The restless spirit of a person who died leaving a vital task unfinished.

Waterdeep and the North

Spoiler

Darcolich: A dracolich is an undead creature, an unnatural transformation of evil dragonkind by powerful magic known to be practiced only by the mysterious Cult of the Dragon.

Dragon Magazine

Spoiler

Dragon 25

Spoiler

Vampire Asanbosam: ?
Vampire Burcolakas: ?
Vampire Catacano: ?
Vampire Lobishumen: ?
Vampire Ekimmu: ?
Vampire Blautsauger: It can only turn its victims into vampires by forcing them to eat earth from its grave. Those who consume the earth will become vampires when they die, even if not killed by the blautsauger. Only a wish will prevent this.
Vampire Mulo: ?
Vampire Alp: ?
Vampire Anananngel: ?
Vampire Krvopijac: ?
Vampire Ch'ing-Shih: ?
Vampire Vlkodak: ?
Vampire Bruxa: ?
Vampire Nosferat: ?

Vampire: One must also consider the question of origin. If people can only become vampires through the bite of a vampire, where did the first one come from? According to the legends, the means can range from a simple death-bed curse and excommunication, through ancestry (s.g. one type was to be an Albanian of Turkish origin, another was to have red hair), through witchcraft, to violent death. The latter one is the easiest method for D&D. Hence, any body left unguarded without a Bless spell from a cleric will become a vampire within seven days.
Spectre: Those who die from the blautsauger without eating the earth from its grave become spectres.

Dragon 26

Spoiler

Lower Soul P'o: ?
Lost Soul Pr'eta: The Pr’eta is the soul of a suicide.
Vampire-Spectre Ch'ang-Kuei: ?
Sea Bonze: ?
Celestial Stag: ?
Goat Demon: ?

Lich: Liches are high level clerics or magic users who have become very special undead. Before becoming a Lich, the cleric or magic user must have been at least 14th level in life, although 18th level is most common. Once a lich is created, it might drop in level, but below 10th level, one can not exist.
Preparation for Lichdom occurs while the figure is still alive and must be completed before his first “death.” If he dies somewhere along the line and is resurrected, then he must start all over again. The lich needs these spells. Magic Jar, Trap the Soul, and Enchant an Item, plus a special potion and something to “jar” into.
The item into which the lich will “jar” is prepared by having Enchant an Item cast upon it. The item cannot be of the common variety, but must be of high quality, solid, and of at least 2,000 g.p. in value. The item must make a saving throw as if it were the person casting the spell. (A cleric would have to have the spell Enchant an Item and Magic Jar thrown for him and it is the contracted magic user’s level that would be used for the saving throw.) The item can contain prior magics, but wooden items are not acceptable.
If the item accepts the Enchant an Item spell (this requires 18+ (Z-O) hours), then Trap the Soul is cast on the item. Trap the Soul has a chance to work equal to 50% + 6%/level of the magic user/cleric over 11th level. (A roll of 00 is always failure.) If the item is then soul receptive, the prepared candidate for Lichdom will cast Magic Jar on it and enter the item. As soon as he enters the jar he will lose a level at once and the corresponding hit points. The hit points and his soul are now stored in the jar. He then must return to his own body and must rest for 2-7 days. The ordeal is so demanding that his top three levels of spells are erased and will not come back (through reading/prayer) until the rest period is up.
The next time the character dies, regardless of circumstances, he will go into the jar, no matter how far away and no matter what the obstacles (including Cubes of Force, Prismatic Spheres, lead boxes, etc.). To get out again, the MU/Cleric must have his (or another’s) recently dead body within 90 feet of the jar. The body can be that of any recently killed creature, from a mouse to a kirin. The corpse must fail its saving throw versus magic to be possessed. The saving throw is that of a one-half hit die figure for a normal man, animal, small monster, etc., regardless of alignment, if the figure had three or fewer hit dice in life. If it had four or more hit dice, it gains one of the following saving throws, according to alignment: Good Lawful, Good Choatic, Good Neutral — normal saving throw as in life; Neutral Lawful, Neutral Choatic, Pure Neutral — normal saving throw as in life -3; Evil Lawful —saving throw -4; Evil Neutral —saving throw -5; Evil Choatic —saving throw -6. The corpse can be dead no longer than 30 days. If it makes its saving throw, it will never receive the lich. The MU’s/Cleric’s own corpse can be dead any length of time and is at -10 to receive him. He may attempt to enter his own corpse once each week until he succeeds.
In the wightish body, the lich will seek his own body and transport it to the location of the jar. Destruction of his own body is possible only via the spell Disintegrate and the body gets a normal saving throw versus the spell. Dismemberment or burning the body will not totally destroy it, as the pieces of the corpse will radiate an unlimited range Locate Object spell, Naturally it may be difficult for the lich to obtain these pieces/ashes, but that is another story. If and when the wightish body finds the remains of the lich’s original body, it will eat them and after one week will metamorphosis into a humanoid body similar to that of the lich’s original body. Once the lich is back in his own body he will have the spell he had in life and never has to read/pray for them again. In fact he can not, except once to “fill up” his spell levels. As a lich, he can never gain levels, use scrolls, or use magic items that require the touch of a living being.
If his body is disintegrated then the lich can only be a Wightish body unless he can find someone to cast a WISH for him to get the body back together again. The jar must be on the prime material, the negative material or the positive material plane and of course he must have a means of gaining access to the appropriate plane in the first place.
Preparing the body of the living figure is done via a potion. The potion is difficult to make and time consuming. It requires these items;
A. 2 pinches of pure arsenic
B. 1 pinch of belladonna
C. 1 measure of fresh phase spider venom (under 30 days old)
D. 1 measure of fresh wyvern venom (under 60 days old)
E. The blood of a dead humanoid infant killed by a phase spider
F. The blood of a dead humanoid infant killed by a mixture of arsenic and belladonna
G. The heart of a virgin humanoid killed by wyvern venom
H. 1 quart of blood from a vampire or a person infected with vampirism
I. The ground reproductive glands of 7 giant moths (head for less than 60 days)
The items are mixed in the order given by the light of a full moon. When he drinks the potion (all of it) the following will occur:
1-10 No effect whatsoever other than all body hair falling out — start over!
11-40 Coma for 2-7 days —the potion works!
41-70 Feebleminded until dispelled by Dispel Magic. Each attempt to remove the feeblemind has a 10% chance to kill him instead if it fails. The potion works!
71-90 Paralyzed for 4-14 days. 30% chance that permanent loss of 1-6 dexterity points will result. The potion works!
91-96 Permanently deaf, dumb or blind. Only a full wish can regain the sense. The potion works!
97-00 DEAD —start over . . . if you can be resurrected.

Dragon 29

Spoiler

Gesges: Ghosts of unborn children whose mothers die in pregnancy.

Dragon 30

Spoiler

Vampire: A Vampire can have its minions buy a figure it has killed so that human can rise as a Vampire on the next night. Note that humanoids and demihumans can NOT become vampires.
Inadvertent creation of a Vampire is possible in either case if a body killed by a Vampire is buried and subsequently the body is dug up (assuming that the burying of the Vampire’s kill does not properly prevent the body from rising again as a Vampire).
This brings up the point of how a body can be properly “disposed of” after being killed by a Vampire or a “lesser” Vampire. This process should be a simple one and accomplishable in a few ways: 1. The body and head can be separated; 2. The body can be burned; 3. The body can be disposed of just as a Vampire would be disposed of; or 4. The body is drained of blood and either a Bless, Prayer, Chant or Exorcism is said over the corpse. Other reasonable means can be ruled on by the DM.
The next big area of argument comes over what type of monster results when a Vampire kills a human, the human is buried, and then is unearthed the next night (or later). How the figure is killed is one major bone of contention: Does the figure die due to damage or due to being drained to zero level? If the figure dies due to damage (not all necessarily from the Vampire), then the figure can retain abilities from his/her former profession. If a 12th-level Wizard, for example, is wounded by some form of attack and is then touched by a Vampire such that he becomes a Necromancer but is also killed due to damage of the Vampire’s touch, the resultant monster will be a “lesser” Vampire who is also a Necromancer!
If the figure dies by full draining, then all former profession abilities and levels are lost — the figure is a vampire, nothing more.

Dragon 32

Spoiler

Crawling Claw: Crawling Claws are said to have been the invention of the necromancer Nulathoe, who devised a series of spells whereby small parts of once-living bodies could be almost perfectly preserved, and (once animated) controlled. Nulathoe’s arts were too crude to be practical in controlling organs of any complexity, and at his death only their most useful application—the control of hands or paws—survived, through his two apprentices.
Creation of a claw requires an intact human hand, or a claw (which must be from a creature existing entirely upon the Prime Material Plane), either freshly severed or in skeletal form. Creation is usually a cooperative effort, and is begun with application of Nulathoe's Ninemen (a 5th-level Magic-User spell involving the fresh blood of an animal of the same biological class as that of the claw and the destruction of a moonstone of not less than 77 gp value, which is powdered and sprinkled over the claw) or a similar spell researched by the magic user concerned. This serves to preserve the claw, protect it against decay and corrosion, and strengthen its joints with magical bonds. Within four turns after casting the Ninemen, an Animate Dead spell must be cast upon the claw.

Dragon 36

Spoiler

Richard Upton Pickman, King of the Ghouls: When Pickman grew weary of this world, he disappeared through one of the many tunnels the ghouls had dug under New England. Journeying deeper and deeper into the black, dank burrow, Pickman eventually crossed through the Gate of Deeper Slumber, into the Realm of Dream. He joined the ghouls in their lairs, slowly devolving into a ghoul himself, though he retains more human features and mannerisms than is normal among ghouls.

Ghoul: Viewing Richard Upton Pickman’s painting “The Lesson” (“A circle of nameless dog-like things in a churchyard teach a small child how to feed like themselves.“) Unless a save versus spells is made, the player character is changed into a ghoul.

Dragon 42

Spoiler

Skeleton: Burial or cremation of the dead is customary in our campaign. These rites are, in fact, necessary as any character or NPC who dies while adventuring—and remains unburied—will return from the dead to visit his unfeeling comrades with plague, disaster and misfortune until his spirit is put to rest!
Even if buried, if his fellow adventurers refuse to pay his Widow’s Share or Weregeld, he will also haunt them until such monies are paid. (Note that lack of burial or refusal to pay Widow’s Share must be deliberate in order to create a restless spirit.)
If the body is beyond recovery (swept away by an underground river, devoured by a Green Slime. blasted by a fireball or the like); or would require a suicide mission to recover: or if the party simply lacks the funds to pay, the dead character’s spirit will be satisfied provided (a) some kind of funeral service is observed when time and safety permit and/or (b) an effort is made to pay some-if not all!—of the Widow’s Share or Weregeld.
Stealing from a character’s “grave goods” or withholding items from a burial/cremation-even if done without the knowledge or consent of other players-will also bring back a dead character’s spirit as fierce and vengeful as ever!
A thief, however, may attempt to steal from the dead. The Dungeon Master should judge the success and the possible repercussions of the attempt on the type and amount of grave goods taken, precautions-magical and otherwise-taken by the thief, methods used and other significant variables.
Note that robbing any burial mound of recent manufacture (defined as up to ten centuries old) will bring back the dead spirit 10-100% of the time, depending on the age of the burial mound. The DM rolls a d10 to determine age. then percentile dice to see if the spirit responds.
Not all such burials need be of human bodies!
Under certain circumstances—as noted above—a dead character may return as a Restless Spirit. Exactly what form that spirit takes depends entirely on the dead character’s alignment in life.
All Good types—Lawful. Neutral or Chaotic—will return from the dead as a Haunt. Those of Neutral alignments (again, Lawful, True or Chaotic) will come back as a Zombie/Skeleton, while those of Evil nature (L, N or C) will arise as a Vampire of the AD&D Monster Manual variety.
A physical manifestation of the dead in the material world. The Restless Spirit literally animates his lifeless corpse.
Vampire: Burial or cremation of the dead is customary in our campaign. These rites are, in fact, necessary as any character or NPC who dies while adventuring—and remains unburied—will return from the dead to visit his unfeeling comrades with plague, disaster and misfortune until his spirit is put to rest!
Even if buried, if his fellow adventurers refuse to pay his Widow’s Share or Weregeld, he will also haunt them until such monies are paid. (Note that lack of burial or refusal to pay Widow’s Share must be deliberate in order to create a restless spirit.)
If the body is beyond recovery (swept away by an underground river, devoured by a Green Slime. blasted by a fireball or the like); or would require a suicide mission to recover: or if the party simply lacks the funds to pay, the dead character’s spirit will be satisfied provided (a) some kind of funeral service is observed when time and safety permit and/or (b) an effort is made to pay some-if not all!—of the Widow’s Share or Weregeld.
Stealing from a character’s “grave goods” or withholding items from a burial/cremation-even if done without the knowledge or consent of other players-will also bring back a dead character’s spirit as fierce and vengeful as ever!
A thief, however, may attempt to steal from the dead. The Dungeon Master should judge the success and the possible repercussions of the attempt on the type and amount of grave goods taken, precautions-magical and otherwise-taken by the thief, methods used and other significant variables.
Note that robbing any burial mound of recent manufacture (defined as up to ten centuries old) will bring back the dead spirit 10-100% of the time, depending on the age of the burial mound. The DM rolls a d10 to determine age. then percentile dice to see if the spirit responds.
Not all such burials need be of human bodies!
Under certain circumstances—as noted above—a dead character may return as a Restless Spirit. Exactly what form that spirit takes depends entirely on the dead character’s alignment in life.
All Good types—Lawful. Neutral or Chaotic—will return from the dead as a Haunt. Those of Neutral alignments (again, Lawful, True or Chaotic) will come back as a Zombie/Skeleton, while those of Evil nature (L, N or C) will arise as a Vampire of the AD&D Monster Manual variety.
Zombie: Burial or cremation of the dead is customary in our campaign. These rites are, in fact, necessary as any character or NPC who dies while adventuring—and remains unburied—will return from the dead to visit his unfeeling comrades with plague, disaster and misfortune until his spirit is put to rest!
Even if buried, if his fellow adventurers refuse to pay his Widow’s Share or Weregeld, he will also haunt them until such monies are paid. (Note that lack of burial or refusal to pay Widow’s Share must be deliberate in order to create a restless spirit.)
If the body is beyond recovery (swept away by an underground river, devoured by a Green Slime. blasted by a fireball or the like); or would require a suicide mission to recover: or if the party simply lacks the funds to pay, the dead character’s spirit will be satisfied provided (a) some kind of funeral service is observed when time and safety permit and/or (b) an effort is made to pay some-if not all!—of the Widow’s Share or Weregeld.
Stealing from a character’s “grave goods” or withholding items from a burial/cremation-even if done without the knowledge or consent of other players-will also bring back a dead character’s spirit as fierce and vengeful as ever!
A thief, however, may attempt to steal from the dead. The Dungeon Master should judge the success and the possible repercussions of the attempt on the type and amount of grave goods taken, precautions-magical and otherwise-taken by the thief, methods used and other significant variables.
Note that robbing any burial mound of recent manufacture (defined as up to ten centuries old) will bring back the dead spirit 10-100% of the time, depending on the age of the burial mound. The DM rolls a d10 to determine age. then percentile dice to see if the spirit responds.
Not all such burials need be of human bodies!
Under certain circumstances—as noted above—a dead character may return as a Restless Spirit. Exactly what form that spirit takes depends entirely on the dead character’s alignment in life.
All Good types—Lawful. Neutral or Chaotic—will return from the dead as a Haunt. Those of Neutral alignments (again, Lawful, True or Chaotic) will come back as a Zombie/Skeleton, while those of Evil nature (L, N or C) will arise as a Vampire of the AD&D Monster Manual variety.
A physical manifestation of the dead in the material world. The Restless Spirit literally animates his lifeless corpse.
If the body of a Restless Spirit animated Zombie or Skeleton is destroyed the spirit will return either as a Haunt or a Vampire, depending on the character’s overall actions while alive as determined by the DM.
Evil characters always return from the dead with all the capabilities of an AD&D Vampire.
Note that a character of any alignment who commits suicide will return as a vampire unless the appropriate steps are taken at his burial: stake through the heart, head cut off, mouth stuffed with garlic and the like. Such suicides must be purposeful—unrequited love or a point of honor, for example—with the DM’s discretion strongly advised.
Haunt: Burial or cremation of the dead is customary in our campaign. These rites are, in fact, necessary as any character or NPC who dies while adventuring—and remains unburied—will return from the dead to visit his unfeeling comrades with plague, disaster and misfortune until his spirit is put to rest!
Even if buried, if his fellow adventurers refuse to pay his Widow’s Share or Weregeld, he will also haunt them until such monies are paid. (Note that lack of burial or refusal to pay Widow’s Share must be deliberate in order to create a restless spirit.)
If the body is beyond recovery (swept away by an underground river, devoured by a Green Slime. blasted by a fireball or the like); or would require a suicide mission to recover: or if the party simply lacks the funds to pay, the dead character’s spirit will be satisfied provided (a) some kind of funeral service is observed when time and safety permit and/or (b) an effort is made to pay some-if not all!—of the Widow’s Share or Weregeld.
Stealing from a character’s “grave goods” or withholding items from a burial/cremation-even if done without the knowledge or consent of other players-will also bring back a dead character’s spirit as fierce and vengeful as ever!
A thief, however, may attempt to steal from the dead. The Dungeon Master should judge the success and the possible repercussions of the attempt on the type and amount of grave goods taken, precautions-magical and otherwise-taken by the thief, methods used and other significant variables.
Note that robbing any burial mound of recent manufacture (defined as up to ten centuries old) will bring back the dead spirit 10-100% of the time, depending on the age of the burial mound. The DM rolls a d10 to determine age. then percentile dice to see if the spirit responds.
Not all such burials need be of human bodies!
Under certain circumstances—as noted above—a dead character may return as a Restless Spirit. Exactly what form that spirit takes depends entirely on the dead character’s alignment in life.
All Good types—Lawful. Neutral or Chaotic—will return from the dead as a Haunt. Those of Neutral alignments (again, Lawful, True or Chaotic) will come back as a Zombie/Skeleton, while those of Evil nature (L, N or C) will arise as a Vampire of the AD&D Monster Manual variety.
If the body of a Restless Spirit animated Zombie or Skeleton is destroyed the spirit will return either as a Haunt or a Vampire, depending on the character’s overall actions while alive as determined by the DM.

Dragon 54

Spoiler

Lich: There is no “ultimate recipe” for becoming a lich, just as there is no universal way of making a chocolate cake. Only those things which are generally true are stated in the AD&D rules-a magic-user or cleric gains undead status through “force of will” (the desire to be a lich, coupled with magical assistance) and thereafter has to maintain that status by special effort, employing “conjurations, enchantments and a phylactery” (from the lich description in the Monster Manual). The essence of larvae, mentioned as one of the ingredients in the process (in the MM description of larvae) might be used as a spell component, or might be an integral part of the phylactery: Exactly what it is, and what it is used for, is left to be defined by characters and the DM, if it becomes necessary to have specific rules for making a lich.
Several combinations of spells might trigger or release the energy needed to transform a magic-user or m-u/cleric into a lich; exactly which combination of magic is required or preferred in a certain campaign is entirely up to the participants. The subject has been addressed in an article in DRAGON magazine (“Blueprint for a Lich,” by Len Lakofka, in #26), but that “recipe” was offered only as a suggestion and not as a flat statement of the way it’s supposed to be done.

Dragon 58

Spoiler

Rapper: A rapper is the undead form of an evil dwarven thief or assassin who died in an attempt to steal something.

Dragon 63

Spoiler

Shoosuva: Yeenoghu long ago developed a specialized form of demonic undead for use as an intermediary between him and his shaman and witch doctors, and as a guardian for himself and those followers of exceptional merit. The creatures are called shoosuvas; their name means “returners” in the gnoll tongue, a reference to the belief that shoosuvas are the incarnations of the spirits of the greatest of Yeenoghu’s shamans.

Dragon 66

Spoiler

Animal Skeletons: Animal skeletons are created from small vertebrates via the spell animate dead, which produces 1 skeleton per level of the casting cleric or magic-user. Animals smaller than squirrels or larger than hyenas cannot become animated skeletons.

Dragon 76

Spoiler

Undead: A death master of 13th level who is killed on the feast day of Orcus (sometimes called Halloween) will become an undead under Orcus. direction. Some death masters will even commit suicide on that date when they are 13th level, so as to better serve the demon prince. Orcus is 45% likely to notice this action and to animate the death master with all of the character's powers intact.
Undead Production spell.
Ghast: Ghast Production spell.
Ghost: Ghost Production spell.
Lich: Lichdom spell.
Mummy: Mumy Production spell.
Skeleton: Animate Skeletons spell.
Spectre: Vampire Production spell.
Vampire: Vampire Production spell.
Wight: Wight Production spell.
Wraith: Wraith Production spell.
Zombie: Animate Zombies spell.

Animate skeletons is simply an animate dead spell that produces one skeleton for every level of the death master. The death master must prepare a special salve to rub on the bones to make the skeleton receptive. This takes one round per skeleton. The magic to animate them then takes only a segment to cast. The rubbed skeletons can be so animated anytime within 24 hours after their rubdown. The salved costs 10 gp per skeleton. Spell range is 30 feet plus 10 feet per effective level of the death master.
Animate zombies is simply an animate dead spell that produces one zombie for every effective level of the death master. The corpse must be immersed in a bath of special salts for 1 full turn prior to spell casting. Such a bath can soak ten corpses for a cost of 200 gp. The corpses then so soaked can be animated in two segments at a range of 50 feet plus 10 feet per effective level of the death master.
Ghast production requires a ghoul to be at hand. The death master may animate only one ghast per spell. The body must be infused with a special liquid that costs 400 gp to produce. The process takes 1 hour to prepare the body and 1 turn to cast the spell. Such ghasts cannot procreate themselves but are like ghasts in every other way. Someone killed by one of these ghasts has a minus 1% to the chance to be raised from the dead for each hour the figure is dead. Thus, after 70 hours a victim with a constitution of 13 would have only a 20% chance to be successfully raised. If raised, however, subsequent raises would be allowed at the figures full constitution score. Note: Magics like remove curse, limited wish, etc. can remove the onus on such a corpse so that raising is normal.
Mummy production requires an embalming fluid that costs 1,400 gp. The body must be wrapped and prepared, which will require six full hours. The spell then takes but 4 segments to complete by a simple command word issued within 24 hours of the embalming. One mummy is thus produced. It will obey the death master and do his bidding, but is allowed a saving throw of 17 (attempted daily) to become independent of the death master's control.
Wight production requires a corpse and a bone from a wight. If a cubic gate or amulet of the planes (or a similar device) is available, the wight bone is not required, since the death master can then actually touch the Negative Material Plane to gain the necessary power. For every wight so produced, the death master will lose one hit point permanently unless he saves vs. death magic. The wight so produced will always have maximum hit points, and it can “procreate” itself and command those wights to its service. Note that only the common wight produced by the spell is “friendly” to the death master. Lesser wights will attack the death master if they fail the aforementioned saving throw (recall that an undead will not attack a death master unless it fails a saving throw of 8).
One in five wights produced by this spell is atypical. It cannot drain energy levels. Instead, it drains hit points permanently with its touch. This type of wight will cause the living victim to fight at -1 per touch for 1 full hour after each touch. For example, consider a victim of 4th level with 30 hit points. On the first touch, the victim takes 5 points of damage. His new hit-point total is 25, and he will fight as 3rd level for 1 hour. If a second touch occurs (for, say, 2 points of damage), his permanent hit-point total will be 23 and he will fight as 2nd level for 1 hour, then 3rd level the next hour, and then is back to being 4th level. The lost hit points can be gained back by restoration at the rate of 3-12 points per application of the spell, but if the victim gains a level (or levels) of experience prior to such restoration, then the hit points are forever lost, even if the power of a wish is used. A limited wish will restore 2-12 hit points and a full wish 3-18 hit points if the casting is done before the victim gains a level. No other magic will restore lost hit points. This sort of atypical wight can “procreate” to produce lesser undead with the same power.
Wraith production is identical to wight production in all respects. An atypical wraith is produced one time in seven as above.
Ghost production is unlike other death master spells in that the death master will have no control over the ghost once it fully forms 48 hours after the spell is cast. The ghost so produced will not know how it was created and will be fully free-willed. It would attack the death master if it met him again (if it failed the saving throw of 8 allowed to the death master). The victim must have had an intelligence of 14 or more and have been at least 9th level (in any class) prior to death. Hit points for such a ghost are maximum.
Lichdom can be cast on a willing high priest or magic-user of at least 18th level, or a death master of 13th level. The death master must make a potion for the spell caster to consume. Its cost will be 6,000 gp. The spell caster is allowed his normal unadjusted saving throw vs. death magic. If the victim makes the saving throw, he becomes a lich in 24 hours. If he fails the saving throw, then he is merely dead. The spell caster can be raised in the usual manner and the process tried again. However, the spell caster will have lost a level of experience and may have to requalify to become a lich. The death master can cast this spell on himself.
Undead production is designed to produce the vast number of evil (but not neutral) undead listed in the FIEND FOLIO Tome. This spectrum is very diversified. Only one undead, regardless of hit dice, can be so manufactured. That undead cannot procreate itself but will conform to the statistics and abilities given in the FIEND FOLIO book in all other ways. Its hit points will always be maximum. The undead, to rise up from being a corpse, must make its “in-life” Saving throw vs. poison or the spell will fail.
Vampire production will also produce a spectre if the death master so chooses. The corpse must have been killed by a vampire or spectre, but in a way that would not allow the corpse to rise as one of those undead (i.e., killed from damage, not from levels being drained). The corpse is allowed a saving throw vs. spell, and if it fails it becomes a vampire or spectre. The undead so produced is answerable to the death master for one year, but thereafter is free-willed, bearing no animosity toward the death master. The potions required cost 6,000 gp for a vampire and 4,500 gp for a spectre. This undead will have maximum hit points but cannot procreate until it is free-willed.

Dragon 79

Spoiler

St. Kargoth, King of the Death Knights: Kargoth was a great paladin, until he unleashed a demonic terror on the Prime Material Plane in a mad bargain for personal power. The grateful demon prince transformed Kargoth into the first and most powerful Death Knight.

Dragon 89

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Undead: Though the undead do not reproduce in the normal way, some are able to propagate themselves by attacking living creatures.

Dragon 101

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Gu'Armoru: Gu'armori (singular: gu'armoru) are animated suits of armor constructed through the combined efforts of a magic-user of at least 16th level and a cleric of at least 11th level. The creation of a single gu'armoru requires the fabrication of a suit of adamantite-alloyed armor, the life energy of a fallen fighter of at least 12th level, and the casting of the following spells: animate dead, animate object, enchant an item, geas, magic jar, and raise dead. The exact procedure is performed according to a jealously guarded arcane ritual. Only three written copies of the instructions are known to exist. The process takes at least four months to complete, at a cost of 35,000 gp for each gu'armoru.
Lhiannan Shee: A lhiannan shee is thought to be the undead spirit of a woman who killed herself for unrequited love (generally for some particular bard).

Dragon 102

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Semi-Lich: This is all that remains of the high priest, who tried and failed to turn himself into a lich. He was a 12th-level cleric/11th-level magic-user. His soul has gone on to its punishment, but his undead body remains, possessing all the physical characteristics of a lich, but none of the mental ones.
The high priest was not insane; he was a very calculating, determined man who made only one mistake.
Wight Unusually Powerful: It was once the huntsman warlord, who entered the barrows looking for the missing high priest and wound up as an undead; the wight that killed him was slain in the fight, so the warlord is now free-willed.

Undead: The corpse of a mortal creature placed in the cauldron will emerge as a random undead monster, under the control of the cauldron's current owner. The undead type will be one with a corporeal, physical form, and less than 7 HD. A living creature who enters the cauldron must save vs. death magic at -4, or its soul or life force will be devoured and forever gone. Those who make the save will take 2-8 points of damage and lose two life levels. The cauldron has a magical link with the Negative Material Plane. Those who try to possess it will quickly turn evil, if they were not already. Eventually, the possessor of it will, by a DM-arranged “accident” or his own cauldron-influenced desire, become undead himself. The cauldron can only be destroyed by washing it in the Waters of Life.

Dragon 110

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Dracolich: The traditional initial step in preparation for lichdom is the imbibing of a potion. The potion for dragons differs from that used by humans in both ingredients and effects –but, as with the latter, it must all be imbibed in one dose for it to work at all, and it does not always cause the desired effect.
The ingredients are as follows:
Two pinches of pure arsenic
One pinch of belladonna
One measure of fresh (less than 30 nights old) phase-spider venom (at least one pint)
The blood (at least one quart) of a virgin of a demi-human individual, of a long-lived race (or, alternatively, a gallon of treant sap; this ingredient must have been drawn seven or less nights previously)
The blood (at least one quart) of a vampire or a person infected with vampirism (this ingredient must have been drawn seven or less nights previously)
One complete potion of evil dragon
One complete potion of invulnerability
The seven ingredients must be mixed control together in an inert vessel (such as one of stone) by the light of a full moon, adding the ingredients to the vessel in the order listed, stirring all the while with the blade of an undamaged, magically whole sword +2, dragon slayer (which may be of any alignment, and strikes for triple damage against any sort of dragon). It may be imbibed at any time thereafter; the mixture will only lose its efficacy if it is touched by direct sunlight while uncovered, or if it is mixed with other liquids.
When such a potion is drunk by any sort of true dragon, it will have the following effects:
Dice Result
01-46 Potion does not work. The dragon suffers 2-24 hp damage, is helpless with convulsions for 1-2 rounds, and loses any spells memorized.
47-66 Potion works. The dragon lapses into a coma for 1-4 rounds, and when it rouses knows that the potion has worked.
67-96 Dragon slain instantly, but potion works. If the “host” has been prepared, the dragon's spirit will go there and continue the process of becoming a dracolich.
97-00 Dragon slain instantly; potion does not work. A full wish is needed to restore dragon to life. (A wish to transform it to undead, dracolich status will cause another roll on this table, instantly.)
If any creature other than a true dragon imbibes any portion of a dracolich potion, use the following table to determine the potion's effects:
Dice Result
01-44 Painful death in 1-2 rounds. The victim shrieks and has convulsions.
45-67 The imbiber is dealt 3-36 hp damage, as the potion corrodes his internal tissues.
68-72 The imbiber is feebleminded and affected by a withering disease (treat as the “rotting disease” inflicted by a mummy).
73-80 The imbiber goes into a coma for 1-6 turns, and is driven insane (as per the DMG).
81-84 The imbiber goes into a coma for 1-6 turns, and upon awakening can speak all evil dragon tongues.
85-90 The imbiber goes into a coma for 1-6 turns, and thereafter nothing appears to occur. (DM's note: The imbiber has been rendered forever immune to vampirism, the disease. but can still be life-drained and physically damaged by any vampire(s) encountered.)
91-00 The imbiber goes into a coma for 1-6 turns, and nothing more occurs.
No charm, aura reading, or similar spell or mental test will reveal that a dragon has successfully drunk such a potion.
The Cult of the Dragon always prepares the dragon's “spirit-host” before administering the potion, in case the potion slays the dragon instantly. This host must be a solid item of not less than 2000 gp value that will resist decay (wood, for instance, is unsuitable) and was magically prepared. Gems are commonly used, particularly specimens of carbuncle and jet – although peridot, sard, ruby, and sometimes even fragile black pearls or obsidian have been employed. It is desirous that the host item be often close to corpses (as explained below); for this reason, such a gem is often set in a sword-hilt.
The host first has enchant an item cast upon it (and must save vs. spell as though of the caster's level for this to be successful). If desired, glassteel can then be cast upon it, to protect the host, and then trap the soul must be cast upon it. Upon the speaking of the dragon's truename during the casting, the dragon will instantly lose 1 hp per hit die it currently possesses; these pass forever into the host. (The host should not have a maze spell cast on it; it is not a “Soulprison”.) The dragon will fall instantly into a coma for 1-4 days, and during this time its mind cannot be contacted or attacked by magic or psionics. Its mind is unreachable, as it's spirit flits back and forth constantly between the host and its dragon body. (Any spells memorized by the dragon at the time trap the soul was cast are lost.)
If the dragon dies or is slain at any time after this, and it has before death imbibed the aforementioned potion, its spirit will go into the host, regardless of the distance between dragon body and host (which can even be on different planes of existence) or the presence of prismatic spheres, lead boxes, cubes of force, or similar obstacles. At this time, the host will levitate for 1-6 rounds, rising two or three inches upward.
Cult mages (or any other mage wishing to aid a dragon in attaining lichdom) must then provide a reptilian corpse, ideally that of a dragon or related creature. The body of an ice lizard, firedrake, wyvern, or fire lizard is ideal; that of a dragonne, dragon turtle, or dracolisk has only a small chance of successful use by the dragon's spirit. The corpse of a pseudo-dragon, pterandon, or other non-draconian creature is extremely unlikely to work. The body must be freshly killed (or, at least, dead within the period of the current moon, or 30 days), and within 90' of the host. The mage must then touch the host, cast a magic jar spell that includes the true name of the dragon, and then touch the corpse. In effect, the mage carries the dragon's spirit from host to corpse within his or her own body.
The corpse must fail a save vs. spell for the dragon's spirit to successfully possess it; if it saves, it will never accept the spirit. For this saving throw, the corpse is treated as a fighter of the same level as the dragon had hit dice when alive, with the following modifiers (any that apply) to the roll:
-4 if the corpse is of the same alignment as the dragon
-4 if the corpse is that of a true dragon (any type)
-3 if the corpse is that of a firedrake, ice lizard, wyvern, or fire lizard
-1 if the corpse is that of a dracolisk, dragonne, pterandon, or dragon turtle
+3 if the corpse is that of a nonreptile (i.e., not a lizard man, snake, ophidian, or the like)
-10 if the corpse is the dragon's own former body (which can be dead any length of time)
If the dragon's spirit cannot enter the body, it will take over the magic-user's own body, unless the magic-user returns it to the host by touching the host again within 2-12 rounds. It can remain in the host for any length of time without harm – unless the host is itself destroyed.
If the corpse accepts the dragon's spirit, it becomes animated by the spirit, and has the dragon's own mind and its dracolich immunities (see below). It will be telepathic if the dragon could speak in life, but unless it is the dragon's own former body, cannot speak. and therefore cannot cast spells with verbal components. (If your campaign rules dictate that dragons must use their forepaws to manipulate material and somatic components, then the dracolich may meet further difficulties if the corpse has no usable forepaws.) It can learn spells if they are available to be memorized, until its roster is full, whereupon it can never learn spells again. If the Cult of the Dragon is involved, the Cult will see that powerful and useful magics are learned.
The “proto-dracolich” has but one goal: If it is not itself the body of the dragon, it hungers for the original body, and will seek out and devour that corpse. (For this reason, Cult members favor using the dragon's own body – i.e., keeping the host near it – or else providing corpses with wings, to make any journey to the original body as rapid and easy as possible.) The dragon's spirit can sense the direction and distance of its own former body, regardless of distance (although it cannot pass without aid to another plane of existence to reach it), and will tirelessly seek it out, not needing other meals for sustenance, nor rest.
If the dragon's own body has been burned or dismembered, the proto-dracolich need only devour the ashes or pieces. Total destruction of the dragon's body is possible only through use of a disintegrate spell (the body gets a normal save vs. the spell). If a Cult mage or other magic-user casts a limited (or full) wish, the body can be reincorporated if it was disintegrated on the Positive, Negative, or Prime Material Plane, as long as the wish is cast in the same plane as that disintegration occurred. Typically, various teeth and organs of a dragon are carried off by magic-users, alchemists, or adventurers wishing to sell such remains to mages or alchemists, and the proto-dracolich need only wait until such individuals are asleep or engaged in other activity (such as combat or spellcasting) to seize and devour the parts.
Only 10% or so of the body must be so devoured for the proto-dracolich to achieve its aim (it will know when this has occurred). Thereafter, within seven days, the proto-dracolich will metamorphose into a body resembling the dragon's original body in life – able to speak, cast spells, and employ the breath weapon just as the dragon could when it was alive. (If the dracolich possesses its own former body, it regains speech and the use of its breath weapon within seven days of possession.) It is then a dracolich.
A dracolich is an undead creature, an unnatural transformation of evil dragonkind by powerful magic known to be practiced only by the mysterious Cult of the Dragon.

Dragon 119

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Musical Spirit: Musical spirits are believed to be the spirits of bards or druids sent to the Prime Material Plane or who have remained on the Prime Material Plane after their death to protect the forests and forest creatures. Musical spirits do not know their exact origin or anything of their previous life. Both male and female (human, elven, and half-elven) musical spirits have been encountered in sylvan settings.

Dragon 122

Spoiler

Tyerkow: ?

Undead: Creatures killed in the otherworld state from a druid's otherworld spell have a 75% chance of rising as undead of random sorts.

Dragon 126

Spoiler

Dracula (Vlad Tepes): Dracula is assumed to have been reborn as a true vampire after his death.
Vrykolakas: The vrykolakas is not self-animated. Instead, an evil spirit enters the body, causing it to move about. The vrykolakas would thus be the result of a bizarre kind of demonic possession, all the more terrible because the dead person has no mind to actively resist the takeover.
One common practice of the vrykolakas is to seat itself upon a sleeping victim and, by its enormous weight and horrific presence, cause an agonizing sense of oppression. A victim who dies from this oppression will himself become a vrykolakas.
Great Vrykolakas: The vrykolakas monster after 80 days have passed since it came into existence.
After 80 days, the vrykolakas gains enough power to become a great vrykolakas.
Ch'ing Shih: The ch'ing shih is a kind of Chinese vampire. Like the vrykolakas, the corpse is actually animated by a sort of demon who preserves the corpse from decay so that it can prey on the living. Unlike the vrykolakas, however, the demon animating the corpse is not entirely alien.
The Chinese believed that a person has two souls: the Hun, or superior soul which is aligned with the spirits of goodness; and the P'o, or inferior soul, which is aligned with the spirits of evil. If a body is not given the proper funeral rites, the P'o can seize control and animate the corpse. A particularly evil person may become a ch'ing shih by purposely separating the two souls. The superior soul can be stored someplace outside the body (much like in the magic jar spell) while the inferior soul is given free reign. When the person dies, he will return from the grave to work evil.
Evil P'o animating the corpse.
Vampire Greater: A variant form of vampire has been recorded which originates from the life-draining kiss of a succubus; high-level characters actually slain in this manner arise as vampires of exceptional strength and ability within a fortnight.

Undead: Areas in a fantasy universe in which huge numbers of people were slain or died all at once might also form breeding grounds for immense numbers of undead.
Vampire: If so desired, a vampire can transform its victims into vampires, thus spreading the curse of the undead. Only a select few of the victims become vampires; most victims merely die as a result of being drained by the bite of a vampire.
In Slavic folklore, the vampire and the werewolf are closely related. In fact, the surest way to become a vampire after death is to have been a werewolf in life. Another way to become a vampire is to eat the flesh of an animal that has been killed by a wolf (especially a werewolf in wolf form). The idea is that the wolf's bite has spread the contagion.
The actual origins of vampires are lost in time, though they are among the greatest and most evil servants of Orcus.
Apparition: An apparition is the insubstantial remains of a person of authority – sergeant, priest, etc. – charged with overseeing or guarding a specific area, whose death was the result of a shirking of duty. Confined to the area originally to be guarded, the apparition seeks both to protect its .lair. and to gather additional guardians to its service. Thus, a character slain by an apparition who later rises as such will return to the lair of the original creature to take up guardianship alongside it, taking the apparition .s place if that creature has been slain.
Coffer Corpse: Coffer corpses are the restless remains of those whose last interment wishes were not carried out. Usually, this occurs because expediency dictates the body be abandoned to avoid any unpleasant fate due to the burden (as might often happen during a plague). At other times, church elders may deny the corpse interment in sacred ground. In cases such as these, there is a 5% chance that the restless spirit of the dead person remains tied to the corpse, rising during the hours of darkness to wander the area of its abandonment in a hopeless search for rest, returning to its ”air” at dawn.
Crypt Thing: The crypt thing is a specially created guardian of tombs fashioned from a skeleton inhabited by a creature summoned from the Plane of Limbo by a high-level cleric.
Death Knight: Probably the rarest of undead, the death knight is the ultimate fate of a fallen human paladin or cavalier formerly, not less than 10th level. Bound to the demon prince Demogorgon.
Eye of Fear and Flame: This odd creature is the corrupt result of a lawful evil cleric who sought (and failed) to achieve immortality or lichdom. Seized by Orcus for its presumption, the accursed creature is bound to seek out lawful characters to corrupt through evil and chaotic deeds.
Ghast: A ghast is a ghoul which, through continued exposure to the magical forces of the Abyss, gains superior abilities and powers.
A character slain by a ghast later arises as a ghast under the control of its slayer.
Perhaps certain unique individuals of this aquatic race (Ixitxachitl) are in fact undead equivalents of ghouls, ghasts, zombies, and liches as well, animated by their own powerful magical spells or their deity, Demogorgon.
Ghost: Ghosts are the spirits of humans whose passing from life was marked by great anger or hatred. Because of this, the spirit of the departed becomes tied to a certain area . usually the place at which it died . bemoaning the fact of its death or inability to seek revenge.
The ghost is the sentient soul of a now-dead, evil creature.
Eventually, the wraith manifestation of a disturbed demilich gives way to that of a ghost.
Ghoul: Ghouls are the cursed remains of overwhelmingly evil humans who took advantage of and fed off of mankind during life, and so are bound to feed off humanity (literally) after death. Upon the passing of such an evil person, if proper spells and precautions are not observed (i.e., burial and bless spells), there is a 5% chance such a person will later rise as a ghoul, placing the community at large at great risk. Those among the living who fall prey to ghouls become as these undead – despoilers of the dead.
Perhaps certain unique individuals of this aquatic race (Ixitxachitl) are in fact undead equivalents of ghouls, ghasts, zombies, and liches as well, animated by their own powerful magical spells or their deity, Demogorgon.
Ghoul Lacedon: The lacedon, or water ghoul, is the unhappy fate of certain pirates and corsairs.
Groaning Spirit: This creature is the troubled spirit of a female elf of evil disposition – perhaps a drow.
Haunt: The haunt is the restless spark of life of one who has died without completing a vital task. So great was the urgency to complete the deed that the vital life-force of the individual remains tied to the scene of death, there to remain until it can find a living shell to inhabit until the task is completed. The difference
between this and its cousin, the ghost, is that the haunt is the mindless life-essence of the departed, while the ghost is the sentient soul of a now-dead, evil creature.
Huecuva: Some sages have postulated that huecuvas are in fact the remains of tomb robbers slain by mummies and cursed to act as guardians for them.
Some claim that tomb robbers slain by mummies may later rise as huecuvas, joining their slayers as guardians.
Lich: Possibly the most powerful of the undead creatures, liches were formerly magic-users, clerics, or wizard/priests of high level. While the circumstances in which a lich arises are somewhat varied, a lich is most often the result of an evil archmage's or high priest's quest for immortality. The process involved in the creation of the lich remains a mystery to most, although some have suggested that through the assistance of a demon, the knowledge can be fully learned.
In even rarer cases, it is rumored that a wizard of extremely high level in fanatical pursuit of the answer to some bit of research may continue his work even beyond the point of death. Perhaps due to the years of exposure to magical powers, some inexplicable force allows the soul to remain with its dead shell until the inhabitant discovers the answer to its research or until the body crumbles to dust.
Perhaps certain unique individuals of this aquatic race (Ixitxachitl) are in fact undead equivalents of ghouls, ghasts, zombies, and liches as well, animated by their own powerful magical spells or their deity, Demogorgon.
Demilich: With the former lich type that pursued immortality the bodily shell eventually becomes dust, leaving only the skull and a few bones intact while the soul wanders forth to other planes. Nevertheless, these remains apparently retain a form of sentience. The source of this sentience is debated. Some sages maintain that it originates with the lingering essences of larvae used to maintain the lich's existence, while others assert a psychic tie to the now-departed wizard or cleric. Whatever the case, the remaining form, referred to as a demilich, is perhaps even more dangerous than the original lich, possessing both energy- and soul-draining capacity along with a keening ability similar to that of a groaning spirit.
The first manifestation of a disturbed demilich is that of an apparent wraith, which most often enjoys the energy-draining ability of that creature. A clue to the true nature of the monster can be gained by the fact that this wraith manifestation cannot be turned by a cleric otherwise able to overcome a traditional creature of that sort. This manifestation's sole purpose is to induce melee and spell attack, the latter of which has the effect of strengthening the creature (of course, a successful energy drain upon a character has the same effect). Eventually, the wraith manifestation gives way to that of a ghost – once again affording the same abilities of an actual creature of that sort. (It is said that the preferred mode of attack by this manifestation is to magic jar a group's magic-user, thereby utilizing the target's spells against his own party.)
Mummy: Contrary to popular belief, mummies are not usually the venerated dead found within Egyptian burial chambers. Instead, the mummy is typically some unfortunate warrior who, for some transgression, has been chosen to stand guard over the departed.
The means of creating a mummy are said to include a special form of the animate dead spell, along with an elixir made from a rare herb growing only in the wildest parts of deserts.
Poltergeist: Merely a restless spirit.
Revenant: On rare occasions when a powerful human is slain, there is a slight chance (5%) that the slain person (through sheer willpower and anger) arises as a revenant to seek out and slay its killers.
Sheet Phantom: The sheet phantom is an odd form of undead thought by some to come about as a result of some particularly bizarre circumstance, the nature of which no two sages can agree upon. One popular theory is that it is the spirit of a magic-user who, while under a duo dimension spell, was slain by a ghoul. The idea of it being an undead form of a lurker above is not widely or seriously acknowledged.
Sheet Ghoul: The sheet phantom's purpose in hiding is to envelop and possess a living being (thereafter known as a sheet ghoul).
Skeleton Animal: These relatively weak skeletons of normal animals are said to be created mostly by neutral-aligned clerics hesitant to use the animate dead spell on humanoid remains.
Skeleton Warrior: In most cases, skeleton warriors were powerful fighters or cavaliers (possibly paladins) who were seduced to the path of evil. Some claim Orcus or Demogorgon originally bound these warriors to be servants to the 12 death knights. Others claim that even today, powerful wizard/priests may learn the sorcerous methods of creating such monsters.
Son of Kyuss: The origin of these horrid creatures dates back to an evil high priest named Kyuss. Originally meant as temple guardians, the “Sons” have, after the passing of Kyuss, continued to be fashioned by certain priests of the Egyptian deity Set, and may be found on many worlds where such worship exists.
Spectre: Spectres are the cursed souls of those who ruthlessly oppressed their fellow men during their lifetime (the character of Jacob Marly from A Christmas Carol provides a good example). Bound to wander the land they ruled, particularly its most desolate and isolated regions, spectres hate the living for the torment of unrest they endure. A fair number of spectres were very powerful and feared as political figures in life, particularly tyrants who were fighters, thieves, or assassins.
Wight: The true origin of wights remains a mystery. Some sages claim they are the fates of evil humans who, through illness or deliberate design, are buried alive, and through their anger and sheer willpower remain in a state of unlife to seek revenge. Others say wights are evil guardians, the spirits of loyal henchmen who were slain and buried with their lieges to protect their former masters from desecration.
The noises are, of course, the mayor – now turned to a wight over the anger of having been buried alive.
Wraith: Wraiths are said to be the horrid spirits of dying men who vow to return and wreak havoc upon the living. In such cases where it would be impossible for an individual to become a revenant, there is a 5% chance that a person of great evil can fulfill his curse irrespective of whether or not precautions – including destroying the physical body – are taken.
The first manifestation of a disturbed demilich is that of an apparent wraith.
Zombie Human: Zombies are the mindless, undead servitors of magic-users or clerics who cast an animate dead on corpses not fully stripped of flesh – a process usually requiring either time or a cash expenditure of one gp per corpse for acid (though certain insects also serve well in this regard).
Perhaps certain unique individuals of this aquatic race (Ixitxachitl) are in fact undead equivalents of ghouls, ghasts, zombies, and liches as well, animated by their own powerful magical spells or their deity, Demogorgon.
Zombie Juju: This uncommon creature originates with a high-level magic-user's slaying of a creature by way of an energy drain spell.
Zombie Monster: Monster zombies are the result of casting animate dead spells upon the remains of bugbears, giants, etc.

Dragon 134

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Dragotha: Dragotha had made plans before his death to insure that he lived forever. He had contacted an unknown deity of death who, for personal reasons, agreed to restore “life” to Dragotha.s body when Dragotha died. The deity restored Dragotha, but instead of renewed life, Dragotha was placed in an eternal cursed state resembling lichdom.
Drakanman: Sometimes Dragotha wishes to use his opponents to serve his needs. In this case, he uses his most powerful breath weapon: his dreaded death wind. This wind of negative energy causes all beings within range to save vs. breath weapon or die; slain humans, demihumans, humanoids, and giantkind are then transformed into undead warriors who serve their slayer. A person changed by Dragotha into an undead warrior is known in legend as a drakanman.

Dragon 138

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Bloody Bones: Bloody bones are the undead, animated corpses of evil criminals cursed to continue their horrid trade long after they should have died.
Skleros: Skleros are skeletons made from the corpses of highly trained warriors (fighters of 4th level or better) that still magically retain some of their past fighting skills.
Dry Bones: ?
Gem Eyes: Gem eyes are special undead creatures created by powerful magic-users. Each skeleton has a pair of glowing gems for eyes, and each pair of gems holds one magical spell. The power of the eyes is linked to the “unlife” of the creature. Hence, the magical power leaves the gems when the skeleton is reduced to zero or less hit points.
The magic-users who create gem eyes take special care to make the skeletal life force stronger than normal (hence the 4 + 2 hit dice). The magic-user must be at least 11th level. Instead of animating 11 skeletons with an animate dead spell, the magic-user animates one gem-eyes skeleton with more hit dice. Theoretically, any magical spell could be put into the eyes (using enchant an item or permanency), but two factors limit the gems. Magical power. The spells used in the gems are normally fourth level or lower; and spells tied to the “natural” power of the gem types are easier to make permanent.
Shock Bones: Shock bones are skeletons animated by both magic and electricity.
Galley Beggar: ?
Walking Dead: Walking dead are undead animated corpses that keep attacking until completely destroyed.
Hungry Dead: The hungry dead are undead corpses that return from the grave to feed off the living.
The return of the hungry dead is usually triggered by an evil magic-user or cleric. The animating force is always concentrated in one single area of the body.
Colossus: The evil Nathaire created a terrifying giant undead creature.
Nathaire was a powerful alchemist, astrologer, and necromancer. Working with his 10 students, he robbed a graveyard of all its corpses. In a kind of magical assembly-line, the corpses were stripped of all clothing, then the flesh and bones were separated into separate vats and rendered down to a pliable mass. All the bones were then reshaped and rehardened to form a huge skeleton. Finally, the skeleton was once again fleshed out. The separate ingredients were thus used to create a giant zombie.
A colossus is essentially a giant zombie magically made from many corpses.
Colossus Lesser: A colossus is essentially a giant zombie magically made from many corpses. A lesser colossus is about 11' tall (between the size of a hill giant and a stone giant).
Colossus Greater: A colossus is essentially a giant zombie magically made from many corpses. A greater colossus is an amazing 33' tall (larger than the largest titan).
Le Grande Zombi: It has been speculated that Le Grand Zombi is actually a kind of lich, the spirit of an extremely powerful magic-user/cleric who specialized in necromancy (magic dealing with the dead).
Ghula: ?
Baka: The corpse which forms a baka belonged to a member of a secret magical society that practices ritual cannibalism. The cannibalism is believed to give the eaters magical powers and is a form of necromancy.
While a baka has to be animated like a zombie, the baka is no mindless slave. In the realms of death, the dead person has merged with certain evil spirits and now has their powers.
Baka are the animated undead corpses of members of a secret cannibalistic society.
Spirit Ghoul: A spirit-ghoul is a type of ghoul which is actually some poor unfortunate victim possessed by an evil entity. The entity warps the physical appearance of the person so that the individual looks like a ghoul.
Black Annis: ?
Wendigo: These wendigos might be people who entered into a pact with certain evil spirits that lurk in the forest and help these people kill their victims. Perhaps these wendigos were humans gazed upon the mythical being Wendigo, as in the Indian myths.
Callicantzari: ?
Great Callicantzaros: ?

Undead: Some DMs rule that only humans become undead, but it is more common to include all the PC races and their NPC subraces. Animals and monsters never become undead unless their remains are magically animated as skeletons or zombies. Such creatures simply die when slain by undead.
Skeleton: In the AD&D game, skeletons are magically animated by clerics or magic-users.
The corpse used for the animate dead spell has been buried for so long that only bones remain (or perhaps all flesh is destroyed in the process of animation, leaving only bones).
Zombie: Zombies are dead bodies brought back to a semblance of life by magic.
Zombies are created by bokors, evil voodoo sorcerers. A bokor gains control of the gros-bon-ange of a dying person by sucking out the soul magically, trapping it in a magic vessel, or substituting the soul of an insect or small animal for the human soul. At midnight on the day of burial, the bokor goes with his assistants to the grave, opens it, and calls the victim's name. Because the bokor holds his soul, the dead person must lift his head and answer. As he does so, the bokor passes the bottle containing the gros-bon-ange under the victim's nose for a single brief instant. The dead person is then reanimated.
Ghoul: In some myths, ghouls return from the dead and drink blood besides eating flesh.

Dragon 140

Spoiler

Blood Warriors: Kazgoroth is aided by its magically created Blood Warriors.

Dragon 215

Spoiler

Ghost: The monk who lived here was a cruel murderer of slaves. Characters who search this cell find a loose board under the bed. Pulling it up reveals two small vials (each has one dose of potion of human control) and a small, worm-eaten journal. Much of it is unreadable, though a careful study reveals a depraved and diseased mind that took pleasure in making other people suffer. Page after page catalogues real or imagined slights and how the monk took his revenge for each affront.
Ghoul: The well is dangerous. When the monastery was still active, one of the monks had an eye for the young slaves. If they resisted his advances, he would strangle them and toss their bodies down the well. Not all of his victims were dead when he dropped them in, and the few who lived survived by eating the corpses. These unfortunates became ghouls.
Shadow: Anyone who broke the rules or stood up to the overseers faced unspeakable torture in this room. The death toll was high, and not all the spirits of those killed here have moved on.
Son of Kyuss: ?
Coffer Corpse: The last gaoler was so evil and cruel that demons left his soul to rot inside the flesh and spread suffering on the Material Plane.
Spectre: When the mines were played out and the priests prepared to abandon the site for more profitable ventures, some of the slaves organized and forced their way into the monastery. They took down the high priest and the high templar before they were all killed. The spirits of these murdered villains linger here as spectres.

Dungeon Magazine

Spoiler

Dungeon 191

Spoiler

Vlaakith: ?
Tl'a'ikith: ?
Kr'y'izoth: ?

Dungeon 215

Spoiler

Ghost: The monk who lived here was a cruel murderer of slaves. Characters who search this cell find a loose board under the bed. Pulling it up reveals two small vials (each has one dose of potion of human control) and a small, worm-eaten journal. Much of it is unreadable, though a careful study reveals a depraved and diseased mind that took pleasure in making other people suffer. Page after page catalogues real or imagined slights and how the monk took his revenge for each affront.
Ghoul: The well is dangerous. When the monastery was still active, one of the monks had an eye for the young slaves. If they resisted his advances, he would strangle them and toss their bodies down the well. Not all of his victims were dead when he dropped them in, and the few who lived survived by eating the corpses. These unfortunates became ghouls.
Shadow: Anyone who broke the rules or stood up to the overseers faced unspeakable torture in this room. The death toll was high, and not all the spirits of those killed here have moved on.
Son of Kyuss: ?
Coffer Corpse: The last gaoler was so evil and cruel that demons left his soul to rot inside the flesh and spread suffering on the Material Plane.
Spectre: When the mines were played out and the priests prepared to abandon the site for more profitable ventures, some of the slaves organized and forced their way into the monastery. They took down the high priest and the high templar before they were all killed. The spirits of these murdered villains linger here as spectres.

Dungeon 221

Spoiler

Skeleton: The family buried here suffered a curse, and so undead linger in the vault.
Wraith: The family buried here suffered a curse, and so undead linger in the vault.

 

[Voadam]

Basic and 0E

Basic

Spoiler

Basic Set Moldvay

Spoiler

Undead: Any victim who dies from having his or her blood drained by a giant vampire bat must save vs. Spells or become an undead creature 24 hours after death. (If D&D EXPERT rules are used this may be a vampire.)
Ghoul: ?
Skeleton: Animated skeletons are undead creatures often found near graveyards, dungeons, or other deserted places. They are used as guards by the high level magic-user or cleric who animated them.
Thoul: A thoul is a magical combination of a ghoul, a hobgoblin, and a troll.
Wight: Any person totally drained of life energy by a wight will become a wight in 1-4 days.
Any character slain by a velya will return from death in three days as a wight. (DMR2 Creature Catalogue)
Zombie: Zombies are undead humans or demi-humans animated by some evil cleric or magic-user.

Expert Set Cook

Spoiler

Mummy: ?
Spectre: A character slain by a spectre will rise the next night as a spectre.
Undead: Undead are evil creatures whose forms were created through dark magic.
Vampire: A character slain by a vampire will return from death as a vampire in 3 days.
Any victim who dies from having his or her blood drained by a giant vampire bat must save vs. Spells or become an undead creature 24 hours after death. (If D&D EXPERT rules are used this may be a vampire.) (Basic Set Moldvay)
Wraith: Characters slain by a wraith will become wraithes under the control of the one that killed them after one day.

Skeleton: Animate Dead spell.
Zombie: Animate Dead spell.

FIFTH LEVEL MAGIC-USER AND ELF SPELLS
Animate Dead Range: 60'
Duration: indefinite
This spell allows the caster to make animated skeletons or zombies from normal skeletons or dead bodies within the range of the spell. These animated dead will obey the caster until they are destroyed or dispelled by a cleric or dispel magic.
The spell animates 1 hit die of skeletons or zombies for every level the caster has. Thus a 12th level magic-user could animate 12 human skeletons or 6 human zombies. Skeletons have AC 7 and the same hit dice as the original creature. Zombies have AC 8 and one more hit die than the living creature had. Character levels are not counted when a character is animated, thus a first level magic-user animated as a zombie will have 2d8 hit points. Animated creatures do not have any spells or special abilities.

Rules Cyclopedia

Spoiler

Undead: The undead are creatures that were once alive but now owe their existence to powerful supernatural or magical forces upon their spirits or bodies.
A 1st level character hit by an energy drain attack is killed and often returns as an undead under the control of the slayer. If not specified, this occurs 24-72 hours after death.
Any victims who die from having their blood drained by a giant vampire bat must make a saving throw vs. spells or become an undead creature 24 hours after death.
Finally, there are renegades among dragons who deliberately choose to serve one of the Spheres of Power during their existence on the Prime Plane. They can no longer conduct the Ceremony of Sublimation from the moment they become renegades. Spells (possibly clerical) may be granted by their patron Immortal in the chosen sphere. Renegades either become mavericks if they retain followers, undead creatures if followers of Entropy (such as the Night Dragon in the series, "The Voyage of the Princess Ark"), or are destroyed at the end of their lives in the Known World. (Dragon 168)
Undead are abominations that should not normally exist, except that sometimes intense emotions or evil magic interfere with order in the Prime plane. Some undead maintain links with Limbo.
Sentient undead with physical forms (ghouls, wights, mummies, liches) often require souls to be called back to the Prime plane from Limbo and be bound to their corpses. Souls that make it past a gate to eternal rest cannot be called back for the purpose of creating undead. (Dragon 180)
Undead without physical forms (wraiths, spectres, haunts, spirits, etc) are perversions of their original souls. This happens in the cases of great sorrow or ultimate evil. Some souls trapped in Limbo for a very long time may turn into these beings and return to the Prime plane many years after their actual deaths. (Dragon 180)
Create Magical Monsters spell.
Beholder Undead: An undead beholder is similar to a living one, but is a construct created for some specific evil purpose. All undead beholders are constructs; "real" beholders never become undead.
Ghoul: ?
Sentient undead with physical forms (ghouls, wights, mummies, liches) often require souls to be called back to the Prime plane from Limbo and be bound to their corpses. Souls that make it past a gate to eternal rest cannot be called back for the purpose of creating undead. (Dragon 180)
These creatures exist in the Prime plane due to entropic magic. (Dragon 180)
Haunt: A haunt is an undead soul of some creature (usually human) unable to rest.
Undead without physical forms (wraiths, spectres, haunts, spirits, etc) are perversions of their original souls. This happens in the cases of great sorrow or ultimate evil. Some souls trapped in Limbo for a very long time may turn into these beings and return to the Prime plane many years after their actual deaths. (Dragon 180)
Haunt Banshee: It is rumored that a banshee is the soul of an evil female elf, atoning for its misdeeds in life.
Haunt Ghost: A Neutral ghost is a human soul who has become trapped, unable to rest, either because the body remains unburied, or because the being was greatly betrayed, harmed, or cursed.
If the body decayed beyond any possible recovery, was damaged to a point it couldn't conceivably live, or was already disposed of (cremated, buried deep in the ground, etc.), then the soul is in danger of becoming a ghost. Make a Wisdom Check based on the original character's score. If it succeeds, the soul immediately returns to Limbo. If not, it becomes a ghost trapped in the Prime plane. (Dragon 180)
If the mummy is destroyed before it achieves its goal, the curse prevents the soul from then earning eternal rest. It must then attempt to return to the Prime plane, again, and seek revenge on those who destroyed its corpse. It returns as a ghost that can cast curses of insanity. Only a wish or a remove curse spell cast by a 20th-level spell-caster can cure a mummy's curse. (Dragon 180)
Haunt Poltergeist: ?
Although treated as an undead form, the poltergeist is in truth the extension of a Minion of Chaos. (Dragon 180)
A Minion of Chaos can also create poltergeists. Each poltergeist it creates temporarily reduces the Minion's hit points by 10%, rounded up (or by 5 hp, whichever is greater). If the poltergeist is destroyed in the Prime plane, those hit points are recovered. (Dragon 180)
Lich: A lich is a powerful undead monster of magical origin. It looks like a skeleton wearing fine garments, and was once an evil and chaotic magic-user or cleric of level 21 or greater (often 27-36).
Sentient undead with physical forms (ghouls, wights, mummies, liches) often require souls to be called back to the Prime plane from Limbo and be bound to their corpses. Souls that make it past a gate to eternal rest cannot be called back for the purpose of creating undead. (Dragon 180)
Magic is required to create a lich, allowing the soul of the lich-to-be to travel to Limbo where it must accomplish a quest. The object of the quest is usually to gain some form of evil magic or a spell that will bind the soul back to its body and suspend its decay. Depending on the time the lich's soul takes to meet its goals, the body may reach an advanced stage of decay. There have been cases of liches that accomplished their quests quickly enough to prevent major deterioration of their bodies, but as long as a few bones are left, a lich may yet succeed in its scheme. If nothing is left of the body, the lich cannot further its quest and is trapped in Limbo. (Dragon 180)
Mummy: Mummies are undead monsters; the carefully-prepared and bandage-swathed remains of long-dead nobles and guardians—who lurk near deserted ruins and tombs. Mummies are often created as guardians for these tombs; they are charged with the task of killing anyone who breaks into the tomb, even if they must follow the trespassers to the very ends of the earth.
Sentient undead with physical forms (ghouls, wights, mummies, liches) often require souls to be called back to the Prime plane from Limbo and be bound to their corpses. Souls that make it past a gate to eternal rest cannot be called back for the purpose of creating undead. (Dragon 180)
A mummy is the result of a curse cast by someone who is already dead and desires revenge on the mummy-to- be. The caster of the curse refused eternal rest and remained in Limbo in order to take its revenge. (Dragon 180)
The curse has the power to send a soul eater (see AC9 Creature Catalogue) after its victim's soul soon after the latter's arrival in Limbo. The soul eater will stalk the victim until the latter can locate and destroy the caster of the curse. If the soul eater effectively defeats the soul, it will drag it back to the victim's mummified corpse, to which it will be bound. (Dragon 180)
Nightshade: They are all extremely rare, usually created or summoned for a specific purpose by a more powerful being.
Very rare on Mystara, these undead are constructs built by fiends to further some grand, evil scheme. Fiends use the souls of shades as the basic element to build nightshades. (Dragon 180)
Nightshade Nightcrawler: ?
Nightshade Nightwalker: ?
Nightshade Nightwing: ?
Phantom: ?
Phantom Apparition: Any human or demihuman slain by an apparition will become one in one week; the only way to avoid this fate is to cast a dispel evil spell on the body before casting a raise dead (all within the week's time). If a raise dead is cast without the dispel evil, the character will revive, apparently none the worse for the experience—but will begin to fade a week later, turning into an apparition.
Although treated as an undead, the apparition is the reflection in the Prime plane of a Master of Chaos. (Dragon 180)
For the same cost as a making poltergeist, a Master of Chaos can also create an apparition in the Prime plane. (Dragon 180)
Phantom Shade: ?
The shade is the undead servant of a fiend. It is the corrupted soul of someone who was captured in Limbo and taken away to the fiend's plane. (Dragon 180)
Phantom Vision: ?
The vision is an amalgam of the souls of warriors who died on a battlefield and found a way to return to the site. Their emotions were so intense at the time of their death that they couldn't leave the place. (Dragon 180)
Skeleton: Animated skeletons are undead creatures often used as guards by the high level magic-user or cleric who animated them, or by greater undead creatures who command them.
Animate Dead spell.
Spectre: A character slain by a spectre will rise the next night as a spectre.
Spirit: Spirits are powerful evil beings inhabiting the bodies (or body parts) of others; they are among the nastiest of undead monsters.
Spirit Druj: ?
The druj and the revenant are similar to the ghost in that the soul returned to the body sometime after death. The difference is that the original, evil character was 18th level or higher and his soul may reanimate the corpse even though it has reached an advanced state of decay. (Dragon 180)
Spirit Odic: ?
The odic is the soul of an evil monster whose body was totally destroyed before the soul's return to the Prime plane. (Dragon 180)
Spirit Revenant: ?
The druj and the revenant are similar to the ghost in that the soul returned to the body sometime after death. The difference is that the original, evil character was 18th level or higher and his soul may reanimate the corpse even though it has reached an advanced state of decay. (Dragon 180)
Vampire: Any character slain by a vampire will return from death in three days.
Wight: Any
person totally drained of life energy by a wight will become a wight in Id4 days.
Wraith: A victim slain by a wraith will become a wraith in one day.
Zombie: They are empty corpses animated by an evil magic-user or cleric.
Animate Dead spell.

Fourth Level Clerical Spells
Animate Dead
Range: 60'
Duration: Permanent
Effect: Creates zombies or skeletons This spell allows the caster to make animated, enchanted skeletons or zombies from normal skeletons or dead bodies within range. These animated undead creatures will obey the cleric until they are destroyed by another cleric or a dispel magic spell.
For each experience level of the cleric, he may animate one Hit Die of undead. A skeleton has the same Hit Dice as the original creature, but a zombie has one Hit Die more than the original. Note that this doesn't count character experience levels as Hit Dice: For purposes of this spell, all humans and demihumans are 1 HD creatures, so the remains of a 9th level thief would be animated as a zombie with 2 HD.
Animated creatures do not have any spells, but are immune to sleep and charm effects and poison. Lawful clerics must take care to use this spell only for good purpose. Animating the dead is usually a Chaotic act.

Fifth Level Magical Spells
Animate Dead
Range: 60'
Duration: Permanent
Effect: Creates zombies or skeletons This spell allows the spellcaster to make animated, enchanted skeletons or zombies from normal skeletons or dead bodies within range. These animated undead creatures will obey the cleric until they are destroyed by another cleric or a dispel magic spell.
For each experience level of the cleric, he may animate one Hit Die of undead. A skeleton has the same Hit Dice as the original creature, but a zombie has one Hit Die more than the original. Note that this doesn 't count character experience levels as Hit Dice: For purposes of this spell, all humans and demihumans are 1 HD creatures, so the remains of a 9th level thief would be animated as a zombie with 2 HD.
Animated creatures do not have any spells.

Eighth Level Magical Spells
Create Magical Monsters
Range: 60'
Duration: Two turns
Effect: Creates one or more monsters This spell is similar to the 7th level create normal monsters spell, except that it can create monsters with some special abilities (up to two asterisks). The range and duration are double those of the lesser spell. All other details are the same: the creatures are chosen by the caster, appear out of thin air, and vanish at the end of the spell duration.
The total number of Hit Dice of monsters appearing is equal to the level of the magic-user casting the spell (again, dropping fractions if the caster's level is not an exact multiple of the creatures' Hit Dice). The spell does not create humans or demihumans, but can create undead. Creatures of 1-1 Hit Die count as 1 Hit Die; creatures of 1/2 Hit Die or less count as 1/2 Hit Die each.
Special Note: This spell can create a construct (as defined in Chapter 14) if the spellcaster uses the materials normally required for the construct's creation. Only one construct will appear, regardless of the caster's Hit Dice; but it is permanent, and does not vanish at the end of the spell duration—though it still may be dispelled at normal chances of success. This construct may have only two asterisks (special abilities) or less; see Chapter 14 for lists of the known types of constructs and the number of special abilities they have. The cost of materials is a minimum of 5,000 gold pieces per asterisk (or more, depending on your campaign). Chapter 16 contains more rules for enchanting magical items (including constructs), and has suggestions regarding nondispellable constructs.

DMR2 Creature Catalogue

Spoiler

Darkhood: ?
Dragon Undead: An undead dragon is the body of a dead dragon animated by an undead spirit.
Ghoul Elder: ?
Gray Philosopher: A gray philosopher is the undead spirit of a chaotic cleric who died with some important philosophical deliberations unresolved in his or her mind.
Gray Philosopher Malice: Over the centuries, the evil notions of the philosopher take on substance and gain a will of their own. These animated thoughts are known as malices.
Haunt Lesser: Like the greater haunts (banshees, ghosts and poltergeist, described under Haunt in the D&D® Rules Cyclopedia), the lesser haunt is the ghost-like spirit of some dead character or creature which is unable to rest for some reason (the need to pass on some message or to fulfill a broken oath, for example).
Mesmer: ?
Topi: Topis are undead human or humanoid creatures similar to zombies. Before these creatures are animated, however, the corpses are shrunk until they are only two feet tall, giving them dark, wrinkled, leathery skin. This process is long and complex, and is known only to certain primitive tribes.
Vampire Nosferatu: The nosferatu's victims return from the dead three days later only if the nosferatu intended for them to do so.
Velya: A creature can only become a velya through an ancient and forgotten curse.
Velya Swamp: The swamp velya's origin is identical to its ocean cousin.
Wyrd Normal: A wyrd (pronounced weerd) is an undead spirit inhabiting the body of an elf.
Wyrd Greater: It is the result of a powerful undead spirit entering the body of a high-level elf.

Wight: Any character slain by a velya will return from death in three days as a wight.

Gaz1 The Grand Duchy of Karameikos

Spoiler

Nosferatu: ?

GAZ3 The Principalities of Glantri

Spoiler

Vampire: Alone among his kind, prince Morphail can choose whether his victim will be a vampire or a nosferatu.
Nosferatu: A nosferatu has all the abilities of the vampire, but may choose whether its victims come back as nosferatu or not.
Alone among his kind, prince Morphail can choose whether his victim will be a vampire or a nosferatu.
Undead: Third Circle Necromancer power.
Lich: Fifth Circle Necromancer power
Prince Morphail Gorevitch-Woszlany: Prince Morphail's power is due to his obsession with immortality. He managed to gain an Immortal's attention, and promised to serve him for as long as he would live in this world, if the Immortal would reveal him the path to Immortality. The Immortal was Alphaks (see module Ml), a Lord of Entropy. He accepted Morphail's kind offer, and gave him a great quest at the end of which Morphail became a nosferatu.
Lady Natacha Datchenka, Nosferatu M12: ?
Sir Boris Gorevitch-Woszlany, Nosferatu M18: ?
Lady Tatyana Gorevitch-Woszlany, Vampire M12: ?
Sire Claude d'Ambreville, Vampire F10: ?
Sir Mikhail, Vampire T16: ?
Lord Youri Ivanov, Vampire M10: ?
Lady Szasza Markovitch, Nosferatu M12: ?
Lord Piotr-Grygory Timenko, Vampire M9: ?
Lord Laszlo Wutyla, Nosferatu M9: ?
Lady Myra McDuff, Haunt M10: Years ago, a large orcish tribe from the Wendarian Reaches overran her barony. After the orcish king forced her to marry him and bear his child, he assassinated her. After the garrison from Fort Nordling drove the orcs back to the mountains, Myra returned to the tower as a ghost and tricked the Viceroy into believing she was still alive.
Prince Brannart McGregor Lich M33: He attained the status of lichdom years ago when overusing the powers of the Radiance.

Create Undead (Third Circle): Upon completion of studies in the Third Circle, a necromancer may create undead monsters. He must first research the arcane ceremony and components needed to create each type of undead desired and write them down in his Book of Necrology. Finding these dark ceremonies is similar to spell research (see "Creating Spells and Magical Items"); each two HD of undead equals a level of spell research. For example, creating zombies requires first level spell research, wraiths require second level research, fifth level for vampires, ninth level for revenants, etc. Necromancers cannot create liches at any level whatsoever.
Each undead a necromancer creates remains permanently under the necromancer's control; the control undead ability is not needed. The necromancer cannot create more HD of undead during any one ceremony than he has levels of experience. The ceremony takes 1d6 turns for creatures with no special abilities (no asterisk after their HD statistics). Otherwise, the ceremony takes 1d6 hours per asterisk. For example, a ceremony to create skeletons takes 1d6 turns; creating vampires takes Id6 hours; ghosts require 4d6 hours. A body is necessary for each corporeal undead (skeletons, zombies, wights, vampires, etc). Only a portion of a body is required for immaterial undead (wraiths, haunts, phantoms and spirits), although each part must come from a different body. Created undead are permanent and cannot be dispelled, except for skeletons and zombies.
A roll of 01 causes the necromancer's life-force to be partially drained, his attempt failing lamentably. He suffers Id6 points of damage per HD of undead he attempted to create, plus 5 for each asterisk (no save). If the necromancer dies, he immediately becomes an undead of the type he attempted to create.
Attain Lichdom (Fifth Circle): The High Master of Necromancy can become a lich of the appropriate level. The ordeal of becoming a lich takes a day per level of experience. Once a lich, the necromancer remains one forever. He controls undead as per rules on Lieges and Pawns (see DM Masters Book, page 22 for more detail). This power replaces the normal necromancer's control undead ability. The lich otherwise retains all other abilities particular to necromancers.
The prime components of this power are a pint of venom from a nightcrawler's tail stinger and the skull of a red imp (see "Critters from the Cauldron").
There are other liches in the world, but only one at any time can be a necromancer lich (the High Master).
A roll of 01 determines the High Master's ultimate fate. He immediately becomes a true Immortal, a screaming demon (see D&D® Immortal set) under the DM's control. The creature gates to the Sphere of Entropy after totally wrecking the necromancer's tower and ravaging his dominion, if any.

GAZ10 Orcs of Thar

Spoiler

Thar, Nosferatu Orc 29/SH12: The undead's anger was such that the creature reached Thar and caught him off guard and alone. Thar was defeated and shortly after became a nosferatu himself.

Dragon Magazine

Spoiler

Dragon 163

Spoiler

Night Dragon: Night Dragons are particularly chaotic dragons that have become the undead servants of Immortals in the Sphere of Entropy.
Night Dragon Lesser: ?
Night Dragon Greater: ?

Dragon 168

Spoiler

Undead: Finally, there are renegades among dragons who deliberately choose to serve one of the Spheres of Power during their existence on the Prime Plane. They can no longer conduct the Ceremony of Sublimation from the moment they become renegades. Spells (possibly clerical) may be granted by their patron Immortal in the chosen sphere. Renegades either become mavericks if they retain followers, undead creatures if followers of Entropy (such as the Night Dragon in the series, "The Voyage of the Princess Ark"), or are destroyed at the end of their lives in the Known World.

Dragon 174

Spoiler

Errant Soul: It is an undead that rose from the remains of a being who was once powerful through the use of cinnabryl. The original being aged beyond its natural life span, then died when it ran out of cinnabryl or when the cinnabar poison subsided from its body. The chances of an errant soul forming are equal to 1% per century of the being's final age at the time of his death. For example, a 350-year-old creature dying of one of these two causes has a 3% chance of becoming an errant soul. This presumes the original body is intact and left in a crypt or another secure area where it becomes a dry, mummified husk. The errant soul rises on the 10th day after the being's death.

Dragon 180

Spoiler

Undead: Undead are abominations that should not normally exist, except that sometimes intense emotions or evil magic interfere with order in the Prime plane. Some undead maintain links with Limbo.
Sentient undead with physical forms (ghouls, wights, mummies, liches) often require souls to be called back to the Prime plane from Limbo and be bound to their corpses. Souls that make it past a gate to eternal rest cannot be called back for the purpose of creating undead.
Undead without physical forms (wraiths, spectres, haunts, spirits, etc) are perversions of their original souls. This happens in the cases of great sorrow or ultimate evil. Some souls trapped in Limbo for a very long time may turn into these beings and return to the Prime plane many years after their actual deaths.
Ghoul: Sentient undead with physical forms (ghouls, wights, mummies, liches) often require souls to be called back to the Prime plane from Limbo and be bound to their corpses. Souls that make it past a gate to eternal rest cannot be called back for the purpose of creating undead.
These creatures exist in the Prime plane due to entropic magic.
Mummy: Sentient undead with physical forms (ghouls, wights, mummies, liches) often require souls to be called back to the Prime plane from Limbo and be bound to their corpses. Souls that make it past a gate to eternal rest cannot be called back for the purpose of creating undead.
A mummy is the result of a curse cast by someone who is already dead and desires revenge on the mummy-to- be. The caster of the curse refused eternal rest and remained in Limbo in order to take its revenge.
The curse has the power to send a soul eater (see AC9 Creature Catalogue) after its victim's soul soon after the latter's arrival in Limbo. The soul eater will stalk the victim until the latter can locate and destroy the caster of the curse. If the soul eater effectively defeats the soul, it will drag it back to the victim's mummified corpse, to which it will be bound.
Lich: Sentient undead with physical forms (ghouls, wights, mummies, liches) often require souls to be called back to the Prime plane from Limbo and be bound to their corpses. Souls that make it past a gate to eternal rest cannot be called back for the purpose of creating undead.
Magic is required to create a lich, allowing the soul of the lich-to-be to travel to Limbo where it must accomplish a quest. The object of the quest is usually to gain some form of evil magic or a spell that will bind the soul back to its body and suspend its decay. Depending on the time the lich's soul takes to meet its goals, the body may reach an advanced stage of decay. There have been cases of liches that accomplished their quests quickly enough to prevent major deterioration of their bodies, but as long as a few bones are left, a lich may yet succeed in its scheme. If nothing is left of the body, the lich cannot further its quest and is trapped in Limbo.
Wight: Sentient undead with physical forms (ghouls, wights, mummies, liches) often require souls to be called back to the Prime plane from Limbo and be bound to their corpses. Souls that make it past a gate to eternal rest cannot be called back for the purpose of creating undead.
These creatures exist in the Prime plane due to entropic magic.
After being killed by a wight, a victim's soul first goes to Limbo. There, it is stalked by the wight's mind, as the wight enters a catatonic trance that allows it to send its own soul after its victim. A wight's soul looks like a dark, frightening shadow straight from the deceased's worse nightmare.
The wight's soul is more powerful in Limbo than in the Prime plane, and it knows many tricks. It can cast the following spells once per visit in Limbo: hold person, phantasmal force, web, continual darkness, and hallucinatory terrain. It can also enter Limbo within 1d4 miles of its victim. The wight can sense the general direction of its victim. The energy drain ability functions in Limbo. A soul totally drained of its energy is forever destroyed. The wight's soul uses this ability to heal damage on its Prime plane body at the rate of 1d4 hp per hit die drained.
If it catches the hunted soul, the wight can instead bind it to the victim's corpse, thus creating another wight. If the victim's soul can stay clear of the wight for four Prime plane days (almost seven months in Limbo), the undead will give up the hunt. If the soul defeats the wight, the undead awakens from its trance. It may attempt a trance every night for four nights. The trance lasts 1d4 hours in the Prime plane, at which point the wight's intolerable hunger for flesh awakens it. Destroying the body of a ghoul or wight in the Prime plane also destroys its soul.
Spectre: Undead without physical forms (wraiths, spectres, haunts, spirits, etc) are perversions of their original souls. This happens in the cases of great sorrow or ultimate evil. Some souls trapped in Limbo for a very long time may turn into these beings and return to the Prime plane many years after their actual deaths.
These are the corrupted souls of evil beings whose hatreds drove them to return to the Prime plane.
Spectres, however, often are followers of Entropy sent back to the Prime plane by a fiend to complete a quest.
Wraith: Undead without physical forms (wraiths, spectres, haunts, spirits, etc) are perversions of their original souls. This happens in the cases of great sorrow or ultimate evil. Some souls trapped in Limbo for a very long time may turn into these beings and return to the Prime plane many years after their actual deaths.
These are the corrupted souls of evil beings whose hatreds drove them to return to the Prime plane.
Haunt: Undead without physical forms (wraiths, spectres, haunts, spirits, etc) are perversions of their original souls. This happens in the cases of great sorrow or ultimate evil. Some souls trapped in Limbo for a very long time may turn into these beings and return to the Prime plane many years after their actual deaths.
Spirit: Undead without physical forms (wraiths, spectres, haunts, spirits, etc) are perversions of their original souls. This happens in the cases of great sorrow or ultimate evil. Some souls trapped in Limbo for a very long time may turn into these beings and return to the Prime plane many years after their actual deaths.
Skeleton: These are the lowest manifestations of evil magic. Someone in the Prime plane simply animated the remains of dead bodies, which does not affect their souls.
Zombie: These are the lowest manifestations of evil magic. Someone in the Prime plane simply animated the remains of dead bodies, which does not affect their souls.
Ghost: If the body decayed beyond any possible recovery, was damaged to a point it couldn't conceivably live, or was already disposed of (cremated, buried deep in the ground, etc.), then the soul is in danger of becoming a ghost. Make a Wisdom Check based on the original character's score. If it succeeds, the soul immediately returns to Limbo. If not, it becomes a ghost trapped in the Prime plane.
If the mummy is destroyed before it achieves its goal, the curse prevents the soul from then earning eternal rest. It must then attempt to return to the Prime plane, again, and seek revenge on those who destroyed its corpse. It returns as a ghost that can cast curses of insanity. Only a wish or a remove curse spell cast by a 20th-level spell-caster can cure a mummy's curse.
Vampire: The “gift” of vampirism is a magical disease created by an Immortal of Entropy and brought to the Prime plane in an attempt to spread sorrow and destruction. Mortal magic or medicine cannot cure this disease. It prevents the soul of a victim from entering Limbo at the time of death; the soul remains in the corpse to rise again later.
Phantom Apparition: Although treated as an undead, the apparition is the reflection in the Prime plane of a Master of Chaos.
For the same cost as a making poltergeist, a Master of Chaos can also create an apparition in the Prime plane.
Phantom Shade: The shade is the undead servant of a fiend. It is the corrupted soul of someone who was captured in Limbo and taken away to the fiend's plane.
Phantom Vision: The vision is an amalgam of the souls of warriors who died on a battlefield and found a way to return to the site. Their emotions were so intense at the time of their death that they couldn't leave the place.
Haunt Poltergeist: Although treated as an undead form, the poltergeist is in truth the extension of a Minion of Chaos.
A Minion of Chaos can also create poltergeists. Each poltergeist it creates temporarily reduces the Minion's hit points by 10%, rounded up (or by 5 hp, whichever is greater). If the poltergeist is destroyed in the Prime plane, those hit points are recovered.
Spirit Druj: The druj and the revenant are similar to the ghost in that the soul returned to the body sometime after death. The difference is that the original, evil character was 18th level or higher and his soul may reanimate the corpse even though it has reached an advanced state of decay.
Spirit Revenant: The druj and the revenant are similar to the ghost in that the soul returned to the body sometime after death. The difference is that the original, evil character was 18th level or higher and his soul may reanimate the corpse even though it has reached an advanced state of decay.
Spirit Odic: The odic is the soul of an evil monster whose body was totally destroyed before the soul's return to the Prime plane.
Nightshade: Very rare on Mystara, these undead are constructs built by fiends to further some grand, evil scheme. Fiends use the souls of shades as the basic element to build nightshades.
Minion of Chaos: These chaotic denizens of Limbo were lost souls once.
Master of Chaos: A Minion of Chaos may become a Master of Chaos if it destroys a Master in combat.

0D&D

Spoiler

OD&D Dungeons and Dragons

Spoiler

Skeleton: Animate Dead spell.
Zombie: Animate Dead spell.
Ghoul: Any man-type killed by a Ghoul becomes one.
Wight: Men-types killed by Wights become Wights. An opponent who is totally drained of life energy by a Wight becomes a Wight.
Wraith: ?
Mummy: ?
Spectre: Men-types killed by Spectres become Spectres.
Vampire: Men-types killed by Vampires become Vampires.

Animate Dead: The creation of animated skeletons or zombies. It in no way brings a creature back to life. For the number of dead animated simply roll one die for every level above the 8th the Magic-User is, thus a “Sorcerer” gets one die or from 1–6 animated dead. Note that the skeletons or dead bodies must be available in order to animate them. The spell lasts until dispelled or the animated dead are done away with.

Blackmoor

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Ixitxachitl Vampire: ?
Lacedon: ?
Lacedon Leader: ?

 

[Voadam]

OSR

OSR

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Adventurer Conqueror King System

Spoiler

Adventurer Conqueror King System

Spoiler

Undead: These beings were alive at one time, but through foul magic or by dying at the hands of another undead type, have risen again as undead horrors.
Chaotic spellcasters who reach 11th level or higher may transform creatures into intelligent undead through the black arts of necromancy. The undead must not have HD greater than the spellcaster’s class level, and may not have more than one special ability plus one special ability per point of the spellcaster’s ability score bonus from Intelligence. EXAMPLE: Quintus, an 11th level mage with 16 INT, can transform creatures into undead with up to 11 HD with 3 special abilities each.
It requires 2,000gp per Hit Die plus an additional 5,000gp per special ability to grant unlife. The process takes one day per 1,000gp of cost. The creature to be transformed must be dead when the ritual is completed, but it can only have been dead for 1 day per HD, so it is often best if preparations are begun before the creature is killed. A spellcaster may transform himself into an intelligent undead using necromancy if desired, by killing himself at the conclusion of the ritual.
Granting unlife requires a magic research throw. If the creature is willing, the target value for this throw is increased by +1 for every 5,000gp of necromancy costs. If the creature is unwilling, the target value for the throw is increased by +2 for every 5,000gp. Using precious materials can affect chances of success of granting unlife, as above. The success or failure of the necromancy will not be known until the creature is dead.
To perform necromancy, a necromancer must have access to a private mortuary and embalming chamber at least equal in value to the cost of the necromancy. For every 10,000gp of value above the minimum required for the necromancy, the spellcaster receives a +1 bonus on his magic research throw. By using precious materials, the spellcaster can gain a bonus on his magic research throw, as described above.
Transforming a creature into an undead monster also requires special components. Components are usually organs or blood from one or more monsters with a total XP value equal to the cost of the research. If the undead has special abilities the creature providing the components must have at least as many special abilities. The Judge will determine the specific components based on the necromancy involved. If the undead has particular needs (a phylactery, coffin, etc.) these must also be provided. If a character doesn’t know the components at the outset of the necromancy, he learns them when the necromancy is 50% complete.
Corpses in shadowed sinkholes have a 10% chance to return as undead in 1d12 months unless their bodies are burned.
Corpses in blighted sinkholes have a 20% chance to return as undead in 1d4 days unless their bodies are burned.
Corpses in forsaken areas have an 80% chance to return as undead in 1d4 rounds unless their bodies are burned.
Ghoul: Formerly human, but now flesh-eating undead mockeries of their former existence, ghouls are fearsome enemies of all things living.
All humans slain by ghouls rise again in 24 hours as ghouls, unless the spell bless is cast upon their bodies.
Mummy: Mummies are preserved undead corpses animated by the dark arts of Zahar, and commonly guard the old tombs and lost ruins of that fell kingdom.
Skeleton: Mummies are preserved undead corpses animated by the dark arts of Zahar, and commonly guard the old tombs and lost ruins of that fell kingdom.
Animate Dead spell.
Spectre: Should a character be slain by a spectre, he will become a spectre 24 hours after his death.
Vampire: Vampires create others of their kind by draining humans or other humanoids of all life energy. A character slain by a vampire will return from death as a vampire after 3 days.
Wight: Wights are undead creatures who were formerly humans or demi-humans in life.
Any human or demi-human slain by a wight becomes a wight in 1d4 days.
Wraith: Wraiths are incorporeal undead creatures born of evil and darkness.
Characters slain by a wraith become a wraith in 24 hours.
Zombie: Zombies are undead corpses reanimated through dark and sinister magic.
Animate Dead spell.

Animate Dead Range: touch Arcane 5 Duration: special
This spell turns the bones or bodies of dead creatures into undead skeletons or zombies that follow the caster’s spoken commands. The caster may animate a number of Hit Dice of undead equal to twice his caster level each time he casts this spell. Animated skeletons have Hit Dice equal to the number the monster had in life; for skeletons of humans or demi-humans, this means one Hit Die, regardless of the character level of the deceased. Zombies have one more Hit Die than the monster had in life. An animated skeleton can be created only from a mostly intact skeleton; a zombie can be created only from a mostly intact corpse. The caster must touch the remains to be animated. Animate dead normally lasts for just one day, but the spellcaster can make the spell permanent by sprinkling 1 vial of unholy water per Hit Die on each zombie or skeleton. If this is done, the undead remain animated until they are destroyed or dispelled.

Lairs and Encounters

Spoiler

Blood Hound: Created from a lithe human corpse, skin stripped to ease movement and entrails removed to reduce weight, a blood hound is no hound at all, but a necromantic attack beast. The joints of the arms and legs are twisted and re-set, permitting the blood hound to crawl swift and low to the ground. The tongue is set with a hollow tip of sharp bone, and reattached with its base inside the mouth rather than down the throat; this, gives the blood hound a piercing tongue attack that it can use in close quarters. The tongue is also used to drain a victim’s blood, replenishing the blood hound’s necrotic flesh and permitting it to retain its flexibility.
Death Chargers: Undead cavalry, death chargers are created by necromantically bonding and stitching the upper body of a zombie-like humanoid to the back of a re-animated warhorse.
The death chargers were created from the burned corpses of soldiers and mounts that died in the fire, and are truly hideous to behold.
Desert Ghoul: Like other ghouls, desert ghouls attack with claws and bite. Their attacks do not paralyze their victims, but any humanoid creature that suffers the loss of 50% or more of its total hit points to a desert ghoul is infected with ghoul fever and will become a desert ghoul in 2d6 days. This transformation can be prevented with the cleric spell cure disease if cast before the disease has taken full hold.
Draugr: ?
Flay Fiends: Eight diagonal crosses have been erected in a 30' diameter ring. From each of the eight diagonal crosses hangs a corpse, crucified upside down and painstakingly flayed from head to toe, exposing its muscles, ligaments, and blubber. Below each flayed body lies a pile of flesh, the skin of the body, red and sticky with gore. The torturous executions that took place here generated necromantic energies that transformed the ring of crucifixion into a shadowed sinkhole of evil and the skins of the deceased into eight flay fiends.
Haugbui: Risen from those slain by a draugr in its barrow, haugbui are silent, decaying corpses that largely resemble zombies and may be mistaken for them at first glance with disastrous results.
Anyone slain by a draugr within its barrow will rise after 24 hours as a haugbui in thrall to the draugr.
Hoarflesh: The hoarflesh, the frozen dead, are born of those unfortunate souls who perish in the frozen wilds of Jutland and Rorn. Some of those who die as the ice creeps into their bones and veins animate as these frozen undead, perfectly preserved as they were at the moment of death.
Anyone slain by a hoarflesh rises in 24 hours as a hoarflesh themselves.
The frozen dead were once Jutland warriors, slain in battle during a snow storm. Their comrades could neither bury the fallen in the frozen soil, nor burn the corpses in the wintry precipitation, so they commemorated them with a crude runestone and abandoned them to the cold. Now the hoarflesh seek revenge on any who still have warmth.
Mummy Lord: Mummy lords are long-dead kings, high lords and sorcerers transformed by necromantic arts into powerful undead.
The evil rituals used to create mummy lords imbue the monsters with the ability to bestow curse (the reverse of remove curse) and charm person at will.
Nathaghol: A frightful fate awaited those caught trespassing in the tombs of the Zaharans – transformation into a nathaghol.
Necropede: A necropede is a terrible abomination, the necromantic fusion of multiple humanoid torsos, stitched in-line, the creation’s many arms serving as legs, propelling the foul thing swiftly across all manner of terrain, and even up walls and cliffs. Most necropedes are constructed using six torsos, but they may be made with more or less.
Venous Sentinel: The necromantically-animated heart and veins of a humanoid, a venous sentinel is a terrible, alien thing, a pulsing heart set at the center of a mass of writhing, sharp-tipped arteries and veins. Sometimes created during the mummification process when the heart and arteries and carefully removed, venous sentinels can be found set as guardians in Zaharan tombs, as well as secured in canopic jars, ready to attack when inadvertently released.

Undead: The entirety of Nirgal’s temple is a shadowed sinkhole of evil. Corpses in it have a 10% chance to return as undead in 1d12 months unless their bodies are burned.
Due to terrible black magic worked in its creation, the calendar stone is a vortex to the Nether Darkness, and radiates a forsaken sinkhole of evil in a 12' radius from its perimeter. Corpses in the sinkhole have an 80% chance to return as undead in 1d4 rounds unless their bodies are burned.
Ghoul: ?
Mummy: ?
Skeleton: ?
Spectre: ?
Wight: ?
Wraith: ?
Zombie: ?

Player's Companion

Spoiler

Skeleton: Undead Legion spell.
Zombie: Undead Legion spell.

Undead Legion Range: touch
Arcane Ritual 9 Duration: permanent
This ritual can only be cast in a place of death (such as a cemetery, catacomb, or battleground). When it is complete, the spellcaster raises an undead legion under his command from the corpses and skeletons residing therein. The undead legion will include a number of Hit Dice of skeletons or zombies equal to 200 times the caster’s level, subject to the maximum number of dead in his area. Whether the undead legion consists of skeletons or zombies will depend on the state of the corpses in the surrounding area. Animated skeletons have Hit Dice equal to the number the monster had in life, excluding class levels; for skeletons of humans or demi-humans, this means one Hit Die regardless of the class level of the deceased. Zombies have one more Hit Die than the monster had in life. The undead legion normally lasts for just one week, but the spellcaster can make the spell permanent by sprinkling 1 vial of unholy water per Hit Die on each zombie or skeleton. If this is done, the undead remain animated until they are destroyed or dispelled.
EXAMPLE: Sebek, a 14th level mage, travels to the catacombs of Old Zahar, in order to perform the undead legion ritual. After 9 weeks, his Magic Research throw succeeds, so he animates 2,800 Hit Dice of undead. Since the Old Zaharans mummfied the dead, the corpses are relatively intact and become zombies. Sebek’s undead legion consists of 1,400 2 HD human zombies. Sebek then sprinkles his army with unholy water so that it will remain animated indefinitely. The ritual has taken 9 weeks to complete, at a cost of 74,500gp (4,500gp for the ritual and 70,000gp for unholy water). Compared to the cost of training and equipping 1,400 heavy infantry (177,800gp), Sebek considers his ritual a wise investment.
Note that if undead legion is cast in a sinkhole of evil, the spellcaster will calculate the spell effects as if he were one or more class levels higher than his actual level of experience. See Sinkholes of Evil in Chapter 10 of ACKS for more information on sinkholes and places of death.

Dwimmermount

Spoiler

Barrow Wight: Living creatures struck by a barrow wight lose one level or hit die. Should a character lose all levels, he dies and will become a barrow wight himself in 1d4 rounds, under the control of the barrow wight that created him.
Crypt Thing: ?
Ghast: ?
Grave Risen: They arise in places where the blood from slain spellcasters has permeated the ground; the latent arcane energies in the blood seep into the corpses of those who die nearby and animate them as grave risen.
Lich: A lich is a mage of 11th level or higher who has used necromancy to transform himself into a terrible form of undead.
Termaxian Mummy: The Termaxian mummy is a rare form of undead created by the cult of Turms Termax in order to punish a member who betrayed the cult in some fashion. Through a magical ritual, the betrayer is granted imperishable existence dedicated to a singular task, such as the protection of a cult site against interlopers.
Undead Ooze: ?
Zombie Brute: Zombie brutes are large, hulking undead creatures reanimated through dark magical rituals.
Zombie Juju: ?
Zombie Lord: To date only one zombie lord is known to exist,
but other creatures that die with unfulfilled obligations
or duties might, if slain in environments
rich with ambient azoth, rise in a similar manner.

Skeleton: Creatures that die while engulfed by the undead ooze can be re-animated as skeletons under its control one round later.

Arrows of Indra

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Arrows of Indra

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Ghost Aleya: This is the spirit of the dead who died alone and unloved in wild places, and were not given funerary rites. They died terrible deaths, and were full of desire to cling to life; as such they have reincarnated as incorporeal phantoms that feed on the life energy of the living.
Ghost Bhuta: These are incorporeal ghosts, the spirits of the dead who were so attached to something from their life that they reincarnated as a spirit, a hollow imitation of who they were in their previous human incarnation.
Living Dead: The living dead can be created either intentionally by dark magical powers, or due to the failure to perform proper funerary rites; people who were unholy, or died full of great unful+lled desires or desperation can be reborn in the realm of Ghosts. If the proper rites were not performed, these living dead can be reborn in the material world itself, rather than in the underworld.
At any time during the duration of a Siddhi's use of the advanced skill of Infernal Calling of the Yama Kings, the Siddhi may touch the corpse of any once-living creature who has been dead for less than 3 days, and bring the corpse to life as one of the living dead.
Living Dead Preta: The Preta are dangerous living dead, more powerful and slightly more intelligent than the norm, who are trapped in the rotting bodies of their former lives; they were generally people who committed acts of Unholiness in life, and who were not given the proper funerary rites when they died.
Living Dead Skeleton: The lowest form of the living dead, these creatures are
the reincarnation of beings who were not given proper funerary rites, and/or who were filled with extreme and base desires in life (gluttons, misers, addicts, etc).
Living Dead Vetala: Anyone slain by a Vetala will become a Vetala.

Astonishing Swordsmen & Sorcerers of Hyperborea

Spoiler

Astonishing Swordsmen & Sorcerers of Hyperborea
Ghast: Slain victims of ghasts later become ghouls, though with a 2-in-6 chance of becoming ghasts.
Animate Dead II spell, 12th caster level.
Ghost: Cursed with undeath.
Banshee Benevolent: ?
Banshee Malevolent:
Ghoul: Slain victims of ghouls later become ghouls.
Slain victims of ghasts later become ghouls, though with a 2-in-6 chance of becoming ghasts.
Animate Dead II spell.
Ghoul Lacedon: ?
Lich: A lich is the mummy of a powerful sorcerer, knight, overlord, or king who chose a path to (or was made to suffer) unspeakable atrocities.
Mummy: A mummy is an undead monster born of maleficent necromancy using the prepared corpse of a man. In general the corpse is dehydrated and wrapped in resin-coated linen strips that prevent the introduction of moisture. The rites and incantations then performed by the sorcerer are forbidden and rightly damning to one’s soul; these oft require the use of sacred mystery tomes. Some mummies are born of a pact agreed upon by the would-be mummy (whilst mortal) and a dæmon or other netherworldly agent.
Shadow: Any creature drained to 0 str becomes a shadow in thrall to the one that transformed him, and likewise do they become utterly hateful of all corporeal creatures.
Skeleton: Animated and conjured to service by the baleful sorcery of magicians, clerics, and the like, these are the skeletons of men or humanoids.
Animate Dead spell.
Dance Macabre spell.
Skeleton Large: Large skeletons are the animate bones of albino apes, carnivorous apes, mountain apes, and minotaurs.
Animate Dead spell.
Skeleton Giant: Giant skeletons are the animated forms of fomorians and other giant species.
Animate Dead spell.
Skeleton Animal: These are the risen skeletons of carrion, raised to serve the vile purposes of some wicked necromancer.
Skeleton Animal Small: Animate Carrion spell.
Skeleton Animal Medium: Animate Carrion II spell.
Skeleton Animal Large: Animate Carrion III spell.
Spectre: If a man is drained to 0th level, one day later he becomes a spectre serving the one who drained him.
Vampire: Once per victim per day, a vampire can ensorcel a man with its gaze; must make sorcery save at −2 penalty or acquiesce to vampire’s will. Vampire can then bite victim’s neck to drain blood for 1 point of con per round. Those drained to 1 or 2 con become vampire thralls; those drained to 0 con are slain. Survivors regain lost con at 1 point per day of complete bed rest.
Wight: This dreadful creature is formed when a negative energy spirit inhabits a cadaver.
Wraith: A man slain by a wraith will become a wraith in 24 hours, serving the monster that slew him.
Zombie: These undead humanoids, sometimes referred to as the walking dead, are the soulless corpses of men or humanoids animated by witchcraft, necromancy, or a netherworldly curse; in other cases the affliction of zombiism is akin to disease transmission.
A zombie's bite infects victim with the zombiism disease, no saving throw allowed. Infection manifests 1 turn after bite and begins with an intense fever, followed by loss of consciousness 1d6+6 turns later. Within 1d10+2 hours the victim dies; then, 1d6 turns later, he rises as a zombie. Cure disease can disrupt and alleviate this process, if cast before victim’s death.
Animate Dead spell.
Dance Macabre spell.
Skeleton Servant: Skeleton Servant spell.

Animate Carrion
Level: nec 1; Range: 10 feet; Duration: permanent
Skeletons are animated from the bones or carrion of Small animals: amphibians, birds, mammals, and reptiles of natural sort. The animated animals obey the simple instructions of the caster (essentially one-word commands) and follow him unless either slain or turned (see VOL.III, COMBAT ACTIONS, turn undead); the dispel magic spell (q.v.) also nullifies the connexion betwixt the sorcerer and the undead animal. The caster can animate and maintain up to 1 HD of animals per CA level. Even if desiccated flesh remains on their bones, the undead animals have statistics as noted in VOL.IV, BEASTS and MONSTERS: S, skeleton, animal. Animated carrion loses any special abilities possessed in life; e.g., flight, musk, venom. N.B.: For purposes of turning, consider Small undead animals Undead Type 0.

Animate Carrion II
Level: nec 3; Range: 10 feet; Duration: permanent
As animate carrion, but effecting undead animals of up to Medium size. The caster can animate and maintain up to 2 HD of animals per CA level. N.B.: For purposes of turning, consider Medium undead animals Undead Type 1.

Animate Carrion III
Level: nec 5; Range: 10 feet; Duration: permanent
As animate carrion, but effecting undead animals of up to Large size. The caster can animate and maintain up to 3 HD of animals per CA level. N.B.: For purposes of turning, consider Large undead animals Undead Type 2.

Animate Dead
Level: mag 5, clr 3, nec 4, wch 5; Range: 10 feet; Duration: permanent
From the bones or cadavers of dead men or humanoids are the undead animated—skeletons or zombies (Undead Types 1 and 2; see VOL.IV, BEASTS and MONSTERS: S, skeleton; BEASTS and MONSTERS: Z, zombie). The undead will obey without question the commands of the caster, following, attacking, or standing guard as directed. They continue to serve until either slain or turned (see VOL.III, COMBAT ACTIONS, turn undead); the dispel magic spell (q.v.) also nullifies the connexion betwixt the sorcerer and the undead. Through this necromancy the sorcerer can animate and control up to 1 skeleton or zombie per CA level. If suitable remains are at hand, the sorcerer can opt to raise 1 large skeleton per 3 CA levels, or 1 giant skeleton per 6 CA levels (see VOL.IV, BEASTS and MONSTERS: S, skeleton, large and skeleton, giant), though zombies may only be created from the whole corpses of men (or cave-men).

Animate Dead II
Level: nec 6; Range: 10 feet; Duration: permanent
From the fresh graves of men, ghouls (Undead Type 3; see VOL.IV, BEASTS and MONSTERS: G, ghoul) are raised by means of unspeakable rites and forbidden incantations. The selected graves must be no older than one week and dug properly. The ghouls claw out from the earth to obey without question the commands of the sorcerer, following, attacking, or standing guard as directed. They continue to serve until either slain or turned (see VOL.III, COMBAT ACTIONS, turn undead); the dispel magic spell (q.v.) also nullifies the connexion betwixt the sorcerer and the undead. Through this necromancy the sorcerer can animate and control up to 1 ghoul for every two CA levels. If a 12th-level sorcerer raises 5 ghouls and has them in his keeping whilst raising another, the 6th may emerge as a ghast (Undead Type 6; see VOL.IV, BEASTS and MONSTERS: G, ghast) on a 2-in-6 chance.

Danse Macabre
Level: nec 2; Range: 180 feet; Duration: 1 turn per CA level
The corpse of a man or humanoid is animated to undeath and thenceforth controlled like a marionette, the necromancer waving his fingers and dictating the movements of the creature. The danse macabre subject is either a skeleton or zombie (see VOL.IV, BEASTS and MONSTERS: S, skeleton; BEASTS and MONSTERS: Z, zombie). It can be directed to move, pick up objects, or even attack, but requires the constant chanting and gesticulating of the caster. Once the caster ceases to direct, or when the spell’s duration elapses in any event, the creature crumples to the ground. Either form can be turned as Undead Type 1 (see VOL.III, COMBAT ACTIONS, turn undead).

Skeleton Servant
Level: nec 1; Range: 240 feet; Duration: 6 turns (1 hour)
This ritual requires 1 turn to cast, using the complete skeleton of a man or humanoid. The skeleton is animated to an undead creature of limited means. This skeleton servant attends the caster; it can clean, fetch / carry a 10-pound item (or drag a 20-pound item), tie a simple knot, mend a torn cloth or sack, open an unlocked door, or perform other menial tasks throughout the duration of the spell, so long as it remains within 240 feet of the sorcerer. The creature cannot fight. Its relevant statistics are: Undead Type 0; AL CE, MV 30, AC 7, HD ½, #A 0, D —, SV 17, Special: Immune to sleep, charm, and cold magic; edged and piercing weapons inflict ½ damage.

Basic Fantasy

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Basic Fantasy

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Ghast: Humanoids bitten by ghasts may be infected with ghoul fever. Each time a humanoid is bitten, there is a 10% chance of the infection being passed. The afflicted humanoid is allowed to save vs. Death Ray; if the save is failed, the humanoid dies within a day.
An afflicted humanoid who dies of a ghast's ghoul fever rises as a ghast at the next midnight.
Ghost: Ghosts are the spectral remnants of intelligent beings who, for one reason or another, cannot rest easily in their graves.
Ghoul: Humanoids bitten by ghouls may be infected with ghoul fever. Each time a humanoid is bitten, there is a 5% chance of the infection being passed. The afflicted humanoid is allowed to save vs. Death Ray; if the save is failed, the humanoid dies within a day.
An afflicted humanoid who dies of ghoul fever rises as a ghoul at the next midnight.
Mummy: Mummies are undead monsters, linen-wrapped preserved corpses animated through the auspices of dark desert gods best forgotten.
Skeleton: Skeletons are mindless undead created by an evil Magic-User or Cleric, generally to guard a tomb or treasure hoard, or to act as guards for their creator.
Animate Dead spell.
Spectre: ?
Vampire: The vampire's bite inflicts 1d3 damage, then each round thereafter one energy level is drained from the victim. The vampire regenerates a 1d6 hit points (if needed) for each energy level drained. If the victim dies from the energy drain, he or she will arise as a vampire at the next sunset (but not less than 12 hours later). Vampires spawned in this way are under the permanent control of the vampire who created them.
Wight: Any humanoid slain by a wight becomes a wight by the next sunset (but not less than 12 hours later).
Wraith: ?
Zombie: Animate Dead spell.

Animate Dead Range: touch
Cleric 4, Magic-User 5 Duration: special
This spell turns the bones or bodies of dead creatures into undead skeletons or zombies that follow the caster's spoken commands. They remain animated until they are destroyed. The caster may animate a number of hit dice of undead equal to twice his or her caster level, and no more. Animated skeletons have hit dice equal to the number the creature had in life; for skeletons of humans or demi-humans, this means one hit die, regardless of the character level of the deceased. Zombies have one more hit die than the creature had in life. An animated skeleton can be created only from a mostly intact skeleton; a zombie can be created only from a mostly intact corpse. The caster must touch the remains to be animated. No character may normally control more hit dice of undead than 4 times his or her level, regardless of how many times this spell is cast.

The Basic Fantasy Field Guide of Creatures Malevolent and Benign

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Allip: An Allip is the spectral remains of someone driven to suicide by a madness that afflicted it in life.
Banshee: Banshees are to the fey what ghosts, wraiths, and spectres are to humans.
Blade Spirit: Blade Spirits are restless souls of warriors fallen on the battlefield. The body of a blade spirit appears as a rotting or desiccated form or sometimes seems to be assembled from various corpses, always carrying a distinctive melee weapon. The weapon itself is possessed with the undead spirit which animates the form in order to continue its battles.
Greater Blade Spirit: ?
Bone Horror: Bone Horrors are large, vaguely humanoid creatures constructed from bones and parts from a handful of different creatures, animated to serve its master.
Greater Bone Horror: ?
Cadaver: The conditions that create Cadavers are uncertain, but it's rumored they arise in areas of dungeons or ruins that have been rich in undead for long periods of time.
Giant Ghoul Cockroach: Animated through the use of foul magics, Giant Ghoul Cockroaches are ravenous monsters, seeking to devour all flesh.
Crypt Dweller: Crypt Dwellers are undead creatures improperly buried or placed into graves that have been desecrated or defiled.
Death Dragon: Death Dragons are the skeletal remains of magically powerful dragons that have chosen to become undead for reasons inscrutable to mortals.
Draugr: Draugr are the undead remains of ancient kings, generally found only in their ancient crypts.
Headless Horseman: ?
Heucova: Heucova are clerics who have been cursed to undeath for their faithlessness.
Zombie: Those struck by the
heucova's claws must save vs poison or contract a terrible wasting disease. Each day the target takes 1d3 points of Constitution damage. Those reduced to 0 Constitution die and rise as a zombie on the following day under the control of the heucova. A Cure Disease spell must be used to prevent death.
Lich: A Lich is a former magic-user or cleric (of at least 10th level with all spells and powers intact) who used dark magic to prolong their life into a state of undeath.
Mohrg: Mohrgs are the animated corpses of mass murderers or similar heinous villains.
Necrotic Ooze: The GM should keep track of who is struck by a necrotic ooze; after a fight is over, each stricken victim must save versus poison. If failed the victim will suffer a rotting disease that deals 1d4 points of damage per day unless cured by Cure Disease or better (normal healing has no effect). If slain by the rotting disease, the victim will turn into a necrotic ooze.
Odeum: They are formed from the souls of the murderously insane and will force others to perform similarly heinous acts.
Plague Hound: Plague Hounds are undead canines infected with an infliction similar to ghouls or ghasts.
The plague hound's bite also carries the ghoul fever affliction, but is even more virulent. Each bite has a 10% cumulative chance of infecting the victim with ghoul fever. (Roll once per bitten character, after the encounter is over, at 10% per each bite; for example, a character bitten three times has a 30% likelihood of begin infected). If so afflicted, the victim must save versus Death Ray (at a penalty of -4) or die within a day, only to rise at the next sunset as a ghoul. Any dog or wolf will return as a plague hound.
Ghoul: The plague hound's bite also carries the ghoul fever affliction, but is even more virulent. Each bite has a 10% cumulative chance of infecting the victim with ghoul fever. (Roll once per bitten character, after the encounter is over, at 10% per each bite; for example, a character bitten three times has a 30% likelihood of begin infected). If so afflicted, the victim must save versus Death Ray (at a penalty of -4) or die within a day, only to rise at the next sunset as a ghoul.
Rot Vulture: ?
Skeleton Leaded: Leaded Skeletons are an altered form of a standard Skeleton with a coat of lead over their bones, making them slower but much tougher.
Skelton Crimson Bones: Crimson Bones are a special type of undead created through a combination of alchemy and necromancy.
Haunted Bones: Haunted Bones are the undead skeletal remains of fallen warriors possessed by malicious spirits.
Skeleton Pitch: ?
Vampire Spawn: Vampire Spawn are undead creatures that are created when Vampires slay mortals.
Zombie Flesh Eater: Those who are bitten by a flesh eater zombie and survive have a 5% chance per point of damage of contracting a fatal disease, causing death in 2d4 turns. Those who die from this disease rise in 2d4 rounds as flesh eaters. Cure Disease will prevent death, or if cast on the corpse after death will prevent the corpse from rising.
Zombie Leper: Humanoids bitten by leper zombies may be infected with zombie leprosy. Each time a humanoid is bitten or clawed, there is a 10% (cumulative per bite and blow) chance of the infection being passed. The afflicted humanoid is allowed to save vs. Death Ray; if the save is failed, the humanoid dies in 3 days. An afflicted humanoid who dies of zombie leprosy rises as a leper zombie at the next midnight.
Equipment, arms and armor of one slain by a leper zombie (or used to destroy a leper zombie) carries a 5% chance of transmitting the disease each day. The infection can be removed from gear by washing in holy water, heating with fire or casting Bless on each item.
Zombraire: ?
Skeletaire: A Skeletaire is the final form of a zombraire which has rotted away completely.

AA1 Adventure Anthology One

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Insect Zombie: Animate Vermin spell.

Animate Vermin Range: touch
Cleric 1, Magic-User 1 Duration: special This spell turns bodies of dead insects into insect zombies that follow the caster’s spoken commands. They remain animated until they are destroyed. The caster may animate a number of hit dice of undead equal to twice his or her caster level, and no more. The animated vermin have 1 hit dice. An animated vermin can be created only from a mostly intact insect. The caster must touch the remains to be animated. No character may normally control more hit dice of undead than 4 times his or her level, regardless of how many times this spell is cast.

BF1 Morgansfort

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Starisel Zelinth, Zombie Necromancer: Deep inside the dungeon is the Altar of Darkness, a powerful evil magic item. A frustrated low-level necromancer named Starisel Zelinth learned of the Altar, and traveled to the caverns to obtain it.
The Altar has the power to animate the dead as zombies. Unfortunately for Starisel, the Altar is too large to move, so he has had to learn about its powers “on location.”
Starisel was a sickly individual, and staying in the cold, damp dungeon and handling the dead made his condition progressively worse. He finally convinced himself that the Altar could make him a lich (a powerful undead wizard) if he poisoned himself while lying on it.
For several days he gave himself small doses of arsenic, until he felt quite sick. Then he laid down on the Altar and drank a large dose of the same poison mixed with a narcotic, and soon he died. The Altar did its work, animating him as a zombie; but as he was also the person controlling the Altar, he was animated in a self-willed form.

Necromancers

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Skeleton: Animate Dead spell.
Corpse Servant spell.
Zombie: Animate Dead spell.
Corpse Servant spell.
Headless Horseman: Call Horseman spell.
Ghoul: Ghoulish Hands spell.
Undead spell.
Mummy: Mummify spell.
Ghast: Undead spell.
Spectre: Undead spell.
Vampire: Undead spell.
Wight: Undead spell.
Wraith: Undead spell.
Ghost: Undead spell.

Animate Dead Range: touch
Necromancer 4 Duration: special
Virtually identical to the Cleric or standard Magic-User version, this spell turns the bones or bodies of dead creatures into undead skeletons or zombies that follow the caster's spoken commands. They remain animated until they are destroyed. The Necromancer may animate a number of hit dice of undead equal to three times his or her caster level, and no more (other casters can only animate twice their level in hit dice). Animated skeletons have hit dice equal to the number the creature had in life; for skeletons of humans or demi-humans, this means one hit die, regardless of the character level of the deceased. Zombies have one more hit die than the creature had in life. An animated skeleton can be created only from a mostly intact skeleton; a zombie can be created only from a mostly intact corpse. The caster must touch the remains to be animated. Normally, no character may normally control more hit dice of undead than 4 times his or her level, regardless of how many times this spell is cast, but for the Necromancer the limit is 6 times his or her level.

Call Horseman Range: 20'
Necromancer 7 Duration: special
This spell calls forth a Headless Horseman which is subsequently given a task to accomplish such as the slaying of one individual. The skull of an appropriately leveled warrior (of the mounted variety) is required to complete the summoning. The maximum level of the summoned Headless Horseman is equal to the caster's level or the actual level of the horseman at the time of his death (whichever is lowest). Thus the aspiring summoner usually works to get the most powerful warrior available, often by arranging the death of the warrior.
Each Horseman is an individual and usually appears in knightly garb similar to that they wore in life only darker and more grim (albeit all non-magical). Of course, as their name indicates, they are headless, but may appear with jack-o-lanterns in lieu of their actual head, ghost-like vestiges, vacant helmets and hoods, or other variations on this theme. The mount of the horseman is always summoned alongside its master. See the Headless Horseman monster entry for additional details and statistics.
The summoner must have possession of the actual skull of the Horseman in order to maintain control over him. If possession of the skull is lost, the horseman will attempt to gain possession of the skull with all the same fervor of his appointed task. If successful, the Horseman may become free-willed or simply vanish (GM's discretion). The spell can only be cast during the night (even if summoned underground), and the Horseman (and mount) remains until the task is complete or the sun rises. The spell must be recast the following night if the task was left unfinished or the Horseman is slain while on task.
The GM might allow other classes access to this spell. The spell remains seventh level, but the maximum level of the horseman is half the level of the caster (instead of equal to the Necromancer's level).

Corpse Servant Range: touch
Necromancer 1 Duration: one hour/level
This spell allows the caster temporarily animate skeletons or zombies. A number of hit dice equal to the caster's level may be animated for up to one hour per caster level. These non-permanent undead do not count towards the Animate Dead spell limitations, but they otherwise conform to the permanent undead created by that spell. Only one instance of this spell may be active at a time for any particular caster.
Animated skeletons have hit dice equal to the number the creature had in life; for skeletons of humans or demihumans, this means one hit die, regardless of the character level of the deceased. Zombies have one more hit die than the creature had in life. An animated skeleton can be created only from a mostly intact skeleton; a zombie can be created only from a mostly intact corpse. The caster must touch the remains to be animated.

Ghoulish Hands Range: touch or self
Necromancer 2 Duration: one round/level
This spell causes the hands of one living creature to become like the horrible claws of ghouls. The bearer of these ghoulish hands may make two clawing attacks that cause 1d4 points of damage each. If the recipient of this spell already had better claw attacks, then they gain a +2 damage bonus to their damage rolls while this spell is in effect. In addition to the damage, those struck by the hands must Save vs. Paralysis or be paralyzed for 2d8 turns (elves immune), exactly like the attacks of a ghoul.
Recipients of this spell must be true living creatures; other creatures such as undead, constructs, elementals, and the like would only waste the spell and they would not receive the effects. There is a 1% non-cumulative chance that on any particular casting of this spell that the recipient is actually infected with Ghoul Fever (per the monster description), which if proper curative steps are not taken, may ultimately result in the recipient's death and rising as an actual ghoul.

Mummify Range: touch
Necromancer 5 Duration: permanent
After careful ceremonial preparations lasting five days, and the application of many rare and expensive unguents, the caster is able to call back the spirit of the dead to reanimate its corpse as a mummy. Mummies so created are of the standard sort (see monster entry). Mummies do not count against the normal limits of controllable undead (per Animate Dead spell), but the caster can maintain control over as many Hit Dice of Mummies as his own level.
Mummies do not travel well, being slow and quickly wear down taking damage on long journeys. They make better guardians for the animator's lair. Preparations for mummification cost 100gp per hit die (500gp per Mummy). A separate casting of the spell is necessary for each Mummy created. It might be possible to create a mummy from a large humanoid such as a giant, however the costs associated with preparation increase dramatically to 5000gp per Hit Die of the final product. More powerful mummies, such as those with intact class-based powers, are generally created through the use of the Undeath spell.
Mummification is generally in the realm of the Necromancer, but occasionally Clerics of certain cults might have access as well.

Undeath Range: touch
Necromancer 6 Duration: instantaneous
As a vile necromantic alternative to the reincarnation spell, this spell can be used to bring back individuals to the world of the living. Upon casting this spell, the caster brings back a dead character (or creature) in an undead state, whether as some sort of reanimated body or as spiritual or ghost-like form. Wicked, cruel, murderous, or so called evil beings will often want to continue their predations in undeath, but for most beings the subject's soul is not willing to return in such a state. Most normal individuals roll a saving throw vs. magic to avoid coming back (rolled as if they were still alive and well), and if successful the spell fails completely as the soul cannot be compelled to return.
Roll on the following table to determine what sort of undead creature the character becomes. Entries marked with (ms) indicate creatures from the Monster Supplement. If that supplement is not available or another result seems more appropriate then the GM may alter the result accordingly.
d% Undead Form
01-25 Ghoul
26–40 Ghast (ms)
41-50 Mummy
51-55 Spectre
56-60 Vampire
61-75 Wight
81-90 Wraith
85-90 Ghost (ms)
91-00 Other (GM's choice)
Since the dead character is returning in a state of undeath, all physical ills and afflictions are generally irrelevant. The condition of the remains is not really a factor so long as the body is largely intact. The magic of the spell repairs or otherwise accommodates any changes necessary to conform to the new undead state, the process taking one hour to complete. When the spell is finished, the new undead being becomes aware and active. The caster has absolutely no special control over the newly 'risen' being. Of course, subsequent spells may be cast, having completely normal effects upon the new undead.
The newly undead character recalls the majority of its former life and form. Its class is unchanged, as are the character's Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma (but see below). The physical abilities of Strength, Dexterity, and Constitution should be rerolled or determined by the parameters of the new form. The subject’s level (or Hit Dice) is reduced by 1; this is a real reduction, not a negative level, and is not subject to magical restoration. The subject of this spell takes on all the abilities, hindrances, and disadvantages of the new undead state, having either the undead creature's normal hit dice or will have hit points according to the character's reduced level, whichever is higher. In either case, the character's class abilities are available to the newly risen form excepting any obviously contradicting situations. For instance, climbing is probably of little importance to a ghost-like form. The spell can thus create generally superior undead beings who often go on to lead others of their kind. The undead creature gains all abilities associated with its new form, including forms of movement and speeds, natural armor, natural attacks, extraordinary abilities, and the like, but also must confront any special tendencies of the new state. For instance, a newly risen ghoul hungers voraciously for fetid flesh, and a new vampire thirsts for blood. The compulsions of the undead is very strong, and the behaviors will soon overcome any previous relationships with living beings, although it may experience remorse over killing its former friends. For undead such as ghouls, ghasts, wights, and similar beings, the urges to kill and feed are so strong that they can become effectively mindless (-6 to Intelligence and Wisdom scores) until the urges are temporarily satisfied. Vampires have a bit more conscious control over their hunger and they do not have this penalty. For other types of undead not listed here the GM may assign relevant behaviors that must be followed.
Constructs, elementals, and similar creatures cannot become undead. The creature must have originally been a living corporeal being with some semblance of intelligence. The GM has the final say whether a being rises from the use of this spell. Likewise the GM decides any special situations or special manifestations that may occur from the use of this spell. Generally, any character who becomes an undead immediately becomes an npc under the control of the GM unless he has made special accommodations to allow for undead player characters.
Note: this spell is intended only for Necromancers, as the other spell casting classes have access to similar types of spell (reincarnation and raise dead).

Beyond the Wall

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Beyond the Wall

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Banshee: ?
Creature of Fear and Flame: ?
Ghoul: Undead flesh-eaters, ghouls are brought back from the dead by a ghoul fever, which reanimates corpses, filling them with a hunger for the flesh of the living if they can get it, and the flesh of the dead if they must. Ghouls are found in either the halls of the dead, or the lair of a necromancer. Their touch is a great peril, and if their opponent dies from his wounds, he will return as a ghoul himself.
Lich Lord: Once a mighty wizard with a true heart, fear of death drove this ancient creature to seek out dangerous, forbidden magic and twist his own form and soul into a mockery of the living.
Phantom: A phantom is a minor ghost, the spirit of someone who was not ready to depart our world.
Skeleton: Long dead corpses brought to a simulacrum of life by dark magic, skeletons are mindless automata which follow the commands of a necromancer.
Someone in the village has turned to necromancy and committed a grave sin. The village graveyard has been defiled, and the characters’ ancestors now walk as wicked skeletons.
Raise Undead Horde ritual.
Sluagh: ?
Spectre: They are often those who were wrongfully murdered.
Vampire: It is unclear how this wicked noble from a long-forgotten empire became an undead creature. Some stories say that she was cursed by the gods for an unspeakable crime, others that she is but one in a long line of such horrors.
Wight: It is unclear how this wicked noble from a long-forgotten empire became an undead creature. Some stories say that she was cursed by the gods for an unspeakable crime, others that she is but one in a long line of such horrors.
Wraith: ?
Zombie: These pitiful creatures are most often the product of some necromancer’s experimentations, but there are also stories about plagues sent to men which cause them to move after death and seek the flesh of their former neighbors.
Raise Undead Horde ritual.

Level 8 Ritual
Raise Undead Horde (Intelligence)
Range: Near
Duration: Permanent
Save: no
The mightiest necromancers can command whole legions of the dead, and mortals rightly fear such dark magic. This ritual transforms all corpses within range of the caster into appropriate undead creatures, either skeletons or zombies. These creatures are assumed to be under the control of the caster so long as they are animated in this way.
Such dark magic requires the foulest of all components: a human sacrifice. The victim must be bound for the duration of the ritual and then slain with a dagger of iron. Hopefully the heroes can stop the ritual in time!

The Black Hack

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The Black Hack

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Ghoul: ?
Wight: ?
Mummy: ?
Banshee: ?
Spectre: ?
Skeleton: Animate Dead spell.
Zombie: Animate Dead spell.

Animate Dead : Create 2d4 Skeletons/Zombies with HD/level, from nearby bodies.

Bladimir Bartholomew's Binder of Bestial Beasties

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Dark Walker: Dark Walkers are men who have been turned undead by sorcerous means.
Dark Walkers are dark hooded and robed men turned undead by the most vile of wizards.
Doom Singers: Undead Fairies.
Naught: Naughts are undead creatures constructed by a Necromancer out of skin, dust, bone, and other remnants of previously living things. Some naughts have wings and can fly. Others walk around on whatever appendages have been sewn to their bodies. They are usually devoid of faces or hair.
Zuvvembi: Zuvvembi are the result of failed attempts at making Dark Walkers. They are the empty walking husks of what once were men.

Sharp Swords & Sinister Spells

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Fire Skeleton: ?
Rotting Zombie: ?

The Basic Hack

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Ghoul: ?
Skeleton: ?
Zombie: ?

The Beast Hack

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Death Knight: Some who are well on their way to become a Lich take on the role of Death Knights.
Demilon: Appearing like weeping women, often soaking wet, Demilons are the cursed souls of females wrongfully-murdered.
Hollow Reaper: Soulless shells that were once human, Hollow Reapers are Unmade that have been particularly terrible in their past life.
Lich: ?
Skeleton: ?
Tomb Guardian: A particularly powerful skeleton, Tomb Guardians are often blessed by a necromancer to achieve their level of power.
Unmade: Some who do particularly terrible deeds have their souls removed by the gods, making them wandering monsters in search of their essence.
Vampire: ?
Vampire Spawn: When the vampire kills someone, that character can be raised as a Vampire Spawn in one moment if the Vampire so chooses.
Weeping Queen: A ruler over Demilons, Weeping Queens are vengeful females who ultimately want to share their sorrow with others no matter what it takes.
Zombie: ?

The Beast Hack 2: Monster Madness

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Dracolich: A dragon raised from the dead, Dracoliches are horrible monsters given new life.
Wraith: Any creature killed by a Wraith turns into one in 1d6 minutes.

The Beast Hack 3

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Creeping Hand Swarm: ?
Drowned Soldier: These skeletal creatures are the remnants of sailors who have drowned.
Floating Weapon: These possessed swords contain the spirit of a long-dead warrior.
Ghost: The souls of the dead often haunt graves or in some cases, the living. Ghosts are notorious for their corporeal form and many believe that they cannot pass onto the next life because they are bound by a necromancer, or because a problem in their life remains unresolved.
Skeletal Champion: Usually the remains of formidable fighters, Skeletal Champions are a cut above the other undead minions.
Vampire Lord: ?
Zombie Lord: ?

Vampire: When the Vampire Lord kills someone, that character can be raised as a Vampire in one moment if the Vampire Lord so chooses.

The Cthulhu Hack Convicts and Cthulhu

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Viking Zombie: The Vikings did settle the site and in time they buried their dead and pass away, but they were exiles rather than explorers. Ragnvald Oskarsson possessed strong beliefs about the honoured dead and the end of things, and in return his tribe banished him. But with him he took his followers and his previous stores of knowledge gathered from trading trips to the Middle East.
Over time, as his beloved and trusted followers passed on, he prepared their bodies and sealed their ‘essential saltes of humane dust’ in jars. Each jar had its place in the communal burial chamber, alongside the long ship that would transport them to the final battle. And Ragnvald possessed the vital knowledge to secure their return, a ritual to extract a precious drop of the venom of Jörmungandr, the World Serpent itself.
When Mason stumbled upon the entrance to the burial place, he found the words of Ragnvald inscribed upon exquisite sheets of metal, their surface barely dulled with age. He researched and practised the rituals presented, distilling the venom as the long dead Viking had instructed. He gathered samples of the saltes into his private quarters, securing them in a locked chest; but, his other ‘fascinations’ led him astray and he didn’t return for the chest before heading south. He fully intended to return.
The tremor tore a gash in the earth beneath Mason’s quarters, sending shelves and cupboards crashing – and the chest dashed upon the floor. The venom mixed with the saltes… and things stirred in the wake of the destruction.

The Petal Hack

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Mrur: ?
Shedra: A person killed by a Shédra will become one in 2 turns.
Huru'u: ?
Tsoggu: Drowned.
Vorodla: ?
Hra: ?
Hli'ir: ?

The Pulp Hack

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Zombie: ?
Vampire: ?
Skeleton Warrior: ?
Mummy: ?
Banshee: ?
Soul Taker: ?

The Quack Hack

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Count Dukula: ?
Ghost Duck: ?
Waddling Dead: ?

The Zero Edition Hack

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Skeleton: Animate Dead spell.
Zombie: Animate Dead spell.
Ghoul: ?
Wight: ?
Wraith: ?
Mummy: ?
Banshee: ?
Vampire: Human killed by vampire becomes a vampire under master's control.
Spectre: A person killed by a spectre will become a spectre in 1d6 turns.
Lich: ?

Animate Dead: Create 2d4 Skeletons/Zombies with HD/level from nearby bodies.

The Zombie Hack Scratcher Zombies

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Scratcher Zombie: After being scratched, a Survivor makes an Infection (CON) save at Advantage. If a successful save is made, the Survivor takes the initial damage of 1d4 only. On a failed save, the Survivor becomes gradually ill (fever, sweats, cough, etc.) over a period of 1d4 days. At the end of the incubation day, a Death (CON) save is made at Disadvantage. On a failed save, they die and return as a Zombie. On a successful save, the Survivor is able to return to their normal healthy self within 1d8 hours. During this last one to eight-hour recovery stage, all checks and attacks are made at Disadvantage.

Blood & Treasure

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Blood & Treasure 2nd Edtion Monsters

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Undead: The undead category includes corpses re-animated to a semblance of life by magic and the spirits of deceased creatures that still haunt the world.
Allip: Allips are the undead remains of people driven to suicide by madness.
Bodak: Bodaks are the remnants of humanoids that died in the netherworld.
A bodak has a death gaze with a range of 30′. Those who meet the monster’s gaze must pass a saving throw or die. These victims rise as bodaks 24 hours later.
Caller in Darkness: A caller in darkness is composed of the minds of dozens of people that died together in terror.
Crawling Claw: Crawling claws are animated hands created by ancient rituals.
Devourer: ?
Draug: Draugs are the vengeful spirits of sea captains who died at sea.
Ghast: Ghosts are the spectral remnants of intelligent beings that, for one reason or another, cannot rest easily in their graves.
Ghost: Ghosts are the spectral remnants of intelligent beings that, for one reason or another, cannot rest easily in their graves.
Ghoul: ?
Lacedon: ?
Groaning Spirit, Banshee: The groaning spirit, or banshee, is the vengeful spirit of a female elf.
Lich: A lich is an undead magic-user or sorcerer who has used its magical powers to unnaturally extend its life.
Lich Demi: A demilich is the crumbling remains of a lich that has grown so ancient even its foul magic could no longer hold it together.
Mohrg: Mohrgs are the animated corpses of mass murderers who died without atoning for their crimes.
Mummy: Mummies are corpses animated through the auspices of dark desert gods best forgotten.
Mummy Jade: They are mummified humans who are steeped in mercury and clad in suits made of jade (worth 200 gp, but dangerous due to mercury contamination).
Nightshade: Nightshades are powerful undead composed of equal parts darkness and entropy. They are natives of the Negative Energy Plane, perhaps pieces of that plane given sentience and animation, for night-shades, whatever their form, have never known life.
Nightshade: ?
Nightwalker: ?
Nightwing: ?
Shadow: A creature reduced to 0 strength by a shadow dies and rises as a shadow under its killer’s control in 1d4 rounds.
Shadow Greater: ?
Shape of Fire: A shape of fire is the undead remains of a powerful spell caster that was burned at the stake.
Skeleton: Skeletons are the animated bones of animals, humanoids or giants.
Skeleton Warrior: The skeleton warrior is a lich-like undead that was a warlord in life. Legend says that they were forced into their undead state by a demon prince who trapped each of their souls in a golden circlet.
Spectre: Any humanoid slain by a spectre becomes a spectre in 1d4 rounds.
Vampire: A humanoid or monster slain by a vampire’s blood drain or energy drain rises as a vampire 1d4 days after burial.
Wight: Any humanoid slain in this way by a wight becomes a wight in 1d4 rounds.
Wraith: Wraiths are incorporeal creatures born of evil and darkness.
Any humanoid slain by a wraith becomes a wraith in 1d4 rounds. Its body remains intact and inanimate, but its spirit is torn free from its corpse and transformed.
Zombie: Zombies are corpses reanimated with black magic.
Creatures killed by a mohrg rise in 1d4 days as zombies under the mohrg’s control.
Spectral Dragon: ?

Blood & Treasure Complete

Spoiler

Undead: The undead category includes corpses re‐animated by dark magic and the spirits of deceased creatures that still haunt the world.
Allip: Allips are the spectral remains of people driven to suicide by madness.
Bodak: Bodaks are the undead remnants of humanoids that have been destroyed by the touch of absolute evil.
A bodak has a death gaze with a range of 30 feet. Those who meet the monster’s gaze must pass a Fortitude saving throw or die. Such victims rise as bodaks 24 hours later.
Demilich: A demilich is the crumbling remains of a lich that has grown so ancient even its foul magic could no longer hold it together.
Devourer: Create Greater Undead spell, 20th caster level or higher.
Draug: Draugs are the vengeful spirits of sea captains who died at sea.
Ghast: Create Undead spell, 12th to 14th caster level.
Ghost: Ghosts are the spectral remnants of intelligent beings that, for one reason or another, cannot rest easily in their graves.
Ghoul: Create Undead spell, 11th or lower caster level.
Groaning Spirit Banshee: The groaning spirit is the malevolent spirit of a female elf that is found haunting swamps, fens, moors, and other desolate places.
Lich: A lich is an undead magic‐user or sorcerer who has used its magical powers to unnaturally extend its life.
Mohrg: Mohrgs are the animated corpses of mass murderers or similar villains who died without atoning for their crimes.
Create Undead spell, 20th caster level or higher.
Mummy: Mummies are preserved corpses animated through the auspices of dark desert gods best forgotten.
Create Undead spell, 18th to 19th caster level.
Mummy Jade: Jade mummies are found in cultures inspired by China. They are mummified humans who are steeped in mercury and clad in suits made of jade (worth 200 gp, but dangerous due to mercury contamination).
Nightshade: Nightshades are powerful undead composed of equal parts darkness and absolute, palpable evil.
Nightcrawler: ?
Nightwalker: ?
Nightwing: ?
Shadow: Shadows are the animated souls of wicked people.
A creature reduced to strength 0 by a shadow dies and rises as a shadow under its killer’s control within 1d4 rounds.
Create Greater Undead spell, 15th or lower caster level.
Shadow Greater: ?
Shape of Fire: A shape of fire is the undead remains of a powerful spell caster that was burned at the stake.
Skeleton: Skeletons are the animated bones of animals, humanoids or giants.
Almost any creature can be turned into a “skeleton”.
Animate Dead spell.
Skeleton Warrior: The skeleton warrior is a lich‐like undead that was once a powerful warrior of at least 9th level. Legend says that the skeleton warriors were forced into their undead state by a powerful demon prince who trapped each of their souls in a golden circlet.
Spectre: Any humanoid slain by a spectre becomes a spectre in 1d4 rounds.
Create Greater Undead spell, 18th to 19th caster level.
Vampire: A humanoid or monstrous humanoid slain by a vampire’s blood drain or energy drain rises as a vampire 1d4 days after burial.
Wight: Any humanoid slain by a wight becomes a wight in 1d4 rounds.
Wraith: Wraiths are incorporeal creatures born of evil and darkness. Any humanoid slain by a wraith becomes a wraith in 1d4 rounds. Its body remains intact and inanimate, but its spirit is torn free from its corpse and transformed.
Create Greater Undead spell, 16th to 17th caster level.
Zombie: Zombies are corpses reanimated through black magic.
Creatures killed by a mohrg rise in 1d4 days as zombies under the mohrg’s control.
Almost any flesh and blood creature can be turned into a “zombie”.
Animate Dead spell.

ANIMATE DEAD
Level: Cleric 3 (Chaotic), Magic‐User 4
Range: Touch
Duration: Instantaneous
This spell creates 1d6 skeletons (from bones) or zombies (from corpses) under the command of the spell caster. They remain animated until they are destroyed. A destroyed skeleton or zombie can’t be animated again. No matter how many times you use the spell you can control only 4 HD worth of undead per caster level. If you are a cleric, any undead you might command by virtue of your power to command undead do not count toward the limit.

CREATE UNDEAD
Level: Cleric 6 (Chaotic), Magic‐User 6
Range: Close (30 ft.)
Duration: Instantaneous
Material Components: See text
A more potent spell than animate dead, this evil spell allows you to create more powerful undead: Ghouls, ghasts, mummies, and mohrgs. The types of undead you can create is based on your caster level, as shown on the table below.
CASTER LEVEL UNDEAD CREATED
11th or lower Ghoul
12th–14th Ghast
18th–19th Mummy
20th or higher Mohrg
You may create less powerful undead than your level would allow if you choose. Created undead are not automatically under the control of their animator. If you are capable of commanding undead, you may attempt to command the undead creature as it forms.
This spell must be cast at night. It requires a clay pot filled with grave dirt and another filled with brackish water. The spell must be cast on a dead body. You must place a black onyx gem worth at least 50 gp per HD of the undead to be created into the mouth or eye socket of each corpse. The magic of the spell turns these gems into worthless shells.

CREATE GREATER UNDEAD
Level: Cleric 8 (Chaotic), Magic‐User 8
Range: Close (30 ft.)
Duration: Instantaneous
This spell functions like create undead, except that you can create more powerful and intelligent sorts of undead: Shadows, wraiths, spectres and devourers. The type or types of undead you can create is based on your caster level, as shown on the table below.
CASTER LEVEL UNDEAD CREATED
15th or lower Shadow
16th–17th Wraith
18th–19th Spectre
20th or higher Devourer

Castles and Crusades

Spoiler

Monsters & Treasures 4th Printing

Spoiler

Undead: Undead are once-living creatures animated by spiritual or supernatural forces.
Allip: An allip is a magical, echoing remnant of a spirit gripped by madness, generated when a mentally troubled being commits suicide.
Banshee: The banshee, often referred to as a wailing spirit, is a female fey whose undying spirit has lingered in the land of the living. Legends whisper that the maiden must have performed many wicked deeds in her life to be cursed with such a dire form, and this malicious desire to do evil is what allows them to continue their existence in the world of the living.
Bodak: A bodak is the physical manifestation of corruption, a creature condemned by demonic forces to linger forever in the torments of lost, forbidden knowledge. These creatures are forme when an evil individual trades its soul in exchange for some dark secret or hidden knowledge.
Ghast: If a creature dies from wounds sustained by a ghast’s claw and bite damage, and is not eaten by the foul creature, it will rise again as a ghoul or ghast in 2d4 days unless the corpse is blessed before interment. The victim will rise as a ghoul if it has less than 4 levels or hit dice, and as a ghast if it has a 4 or more levels or hit dice.
Ghost: Ghosts are the undead spirits of evil folk. In life, these people were cruel, vindictive, and visited needless suffering upon others. At their deaths, their spirits were forced to remain bound to the physical world in perpetual torment.
Ghoul: If a creature dies from wounds sustained by a ghast’s claw and bite damage, and is not eaten by the foul creature, it will rise again as a ghoul or ghast in 2d4 days unless the corpse is blessed before interment. The victim will rise as a ghoul if it has less than 4 levels or hit dice, and as a ghast if it has a 4 or more levels or hit dice.
Lich: A lich is a powerful undead creature, born from a hideous ritual performed by a wizard that lusts for everlasting life. Becoming a lich is an option for only the most powerful and reckless of magi, as it involves separating the spirit from the body and binding it in a specially prepared phylactery. This very powerful enchanted item can take any form, but it is usually an amulet of the finest quality. After the ritual is complete, the wizard assumes its undead form, and the phylactery thereafter houses the lich’s soul. Few know these arcane rituals, and of those few, even fewer dare test the sorcery. If it fails, the wizard’s soul is lost and forever irretrievable.
Mummy: A mummy is an undead creature wrapped in divine bandages and urged to existence through prayer and ceremony.
Shadow: They are either doomed souls who, in life perpetrated great evil against innocents, or they are thralls, created and bound to darkness by another shadow.
A creature reduced to 0 strength by a shadow’s strength drain attack is slain. The deceased will rise again as a shadow within 1d4 rounds, losing all class abilities, and forever functioning as an ordinary shadow.
Skeleton: Humanoid skeletons are the animated remains of humanoid creatures.
Spectre: Spectres are spiritual echoes; fragments of a learned person that died in the pursuit of knowledge.
Any creature slain by a spectre will become a spectre in 1d4 rounds.
Vampire: If the controlling vampire is destroyed, the spawn becomes a full vampire with the normal statistics.
Vampire Spawn: A human victim killed by the vampire’s blood drain can be brought back to unlife, under the control of the slaying vampire. The slaying vampire must want to use this ability; it is not automatic. A creature affected loses all abilities, and gains the statistics of a spawn.
Wight: They were once human, but are now cursed to haunt the world, living in seclusion, for some foul act of greed.
Wight Spawn: A human victim killed by the wight’s energy drain can be brought back to unlife, as a wight, under the control of the slaying wight. The slaying wight must want to use this ability; it is not automatic. A creature affected loses all abilities, and gains the statistics of a wight spawn.
Wraith: Wraiths are powerful wights who have forged a more powerful bond with the negative material plane.
Wraith Spawn: A human victim killed by the wraith’s energy drain can be brought back to life as a wraith, under the control of the slaying wraith. The slaying wraith must want to use this ability; it is not automatic. A creature affected loses all abilities, and gains the statistics of a wraith spawn.
Zombie: Zombies are undead humanoids, reanimated corpses that stalk the earth with little purpose or reason.

Monsters and Treasures 3rd Printing

Spoiler

Undead: Undead are once–living creatures animated by spiritual or supernatural forces.
Allip: An allip is a magical, echoing remnant of a spirit gripped by madness, generated when a mentally troubled being commits suicide.
Banshee: The banshee, often referred to as a wailing spirit, is a female fey whose undying spirit has lingered in the land of the living. These creatures are destined to haunt swamps and moors with their unholy presence. Legends whisper that the maiden must have performed many wicked deeds in her life to be cursed with such a dire form, and this malicious desire to do evil is what allows them to continue their existence in the world of the living.
Bodak: A bodak is the physical manifestation of corruption, a creature condemned by demonic forces to linger forever in the torments of lost, forbidden knowledge. These creatures are formed when an evil individual trades its soul in exchange for some dark secret or hidden knowledge.
Ghast: If a creature dies from wounds sustained by a ghast’s claw and bite damage, and is not eaten by the foul creature, it will rise again as a ghoul or ghast in 2d4–1 days unless the corpse is blessed before interment. The victim will rise as a ghoul if it has less than 4 levels or hit dice, and as a ghast if it has a 4 or more levels or hit dice.
Ghost: Ghosts are the undead spirits of evil folk. In life, these people were cruel, vindictive, and visited needless suffering upon others. At their deaths, their spirits were forced to remain bound to the physical world in perpetual torment.
Ghoul: If a creature dies from wounds sustained by a ghast’s claw and bite damage, and is not eaten by the foul creature, it will rise again as a ghoul or ghast in 2d4–1 days unless the corpse is blessed before interment. The victim will rise as a ghoul if it has less than 4 levels or hit dice, and as a ghast if it has a 4 or more levels or hit dice.
Lich: A lich is a powerful undead creature, borne from a hideous ritual performed by a wizard that lusts for everlasting life. Becoming a lich is an option for only the most powerful and reckless of magi, as it involves separating the spirit from the body and binding it in a specially prepared phylactery. This very powerful enchanted item can take any form, but it is usually an amulet of the finest quality. After the ritual is complete, the wizard assumes its undead form, and the phylactery thereafter houses the lich’s soul. Few know these arcane rituals, and of those few, even fewer dare test the sorcery. If it fails, the wizard’s soul is lost and forever irretrievable.
Mummy: A mummy is an undead creature wrapped in divine bandages and urged to existence through prayer and ceremony
Shadow: They are either doomed souls who, in life, perpetrated great evil against innocents, or they are thralls, created and bound to darkness by another shadow.
A creature reduced to 0 strength by a shadow’s strength drain attack is slain. The deceased will rise again as a shadow within 1d4 rounds, losing all class abilities, and forever functioning as an ordinary shadow.
Skeleton: Humanoid skeletons are the animated remains of humanoid creatures.
Spectre: Spectres are spiritual echoes; fragments of a learned person that died in the pursuit of knowledge.
Any creature slain by a spectre will become a spectre in 1d4 rounds.
Vampire: If the controlling vampire is destroyed, the spawn becomes a full vampire with the normal statistics.
Vampire Spawn: A human victim killed by the vampire’s blood drain can be brought back to unlife, under the control of the slaying vampire. The slaying vampire must want to use this ability; it is not automatic. A creature affected loses all abilities, and gains the statistics of a spawn.
Wight: They were once human, but are now cursed to haunt the world, living in seclusion, for some foul act of greed.
Wight Spawn: A human victim killed by the wight’s energy drain can be brought back to unlife, as a wight spawn, under the control of the slaying wight. The slaying wight must want to use this ability; it is not automatic.
Wraith: Wraiths are powerful wights (q.v.) who have forged a more powerful bond with the negative material plane.
Wraith Spawn: A human victim killed by the wraith’s energy drain can be brought back to life as a wraith, under the control of the slaying wraith. The slaying wraith must want to use this ability; it is not automatic. A creature affected loses all abilities, and gains the statistics of a wraith spawn.
Zombie: Zombies are undead humanoids, reanimated corpses that stalk the earth with little purpose or reason.

Monsters & Treasures 2nd Printing

Spoiler

Undead: Undead are once-living creatures animated by spiritual or supernatural forces.
Allip: An allip is a magical, echoing remnant of a spirit gripped by madness, generated when a mentally troubled being commits suicide.
Banshee: The banshee, often referred to as a wailing spirit, is a female fey whose undying spirit has lingered in the land of the living. These creatures are destined to haunt swamps and moors with their unholy presence. Legends whisper that the maiden must have performed many wicked deeds in her life to be cursed with such a dire form, and this malicious desire to do evil is what allows them to continue their existence in the world of the living.
Bodak: A bodak is the physical manifestation of corruption, a creature condemned by demonic forces to linger forever in the torments of lost, forbidden knowledge. These creatures are formed when an evil individual trades its soul in exchange for some dark secret or hidden knowledge.
Ghast: If a creature dies from wounds sustained by a ghast’s claw and bite damage, and is not eaten by the foul creature, it will rise again as a ghoul or ghast in 2d4-1 days unless the corpse is blessed before interment. The victim will rise as a ghoul if it has less than 4 levels or hit dice, and as a ghast if it has a 4 or more levels or hit dice.
Ghost: Ghosts are the undead spirits of evil folk. In life, these people were cruel, vindictive, and visited needless suffering upon others. At their deaths, their spirits were forced to remain bound to the physical world in perpetual torment.
Ghoul: If a creature dies from wounds sustained by a ghast’s claw and bite damage, and is not eaten by the foul creature, it will rise again as a ghoul or ghast in 2d4-1 days unless the corpse is blessed before interment. The victim will rise as a ghoul if it has less than 4 levels or hit dice, and as a ghast if it has a 4 or more levels or hit dice.
Lich: A lich is a powerful undead creature, borne from a hideous ritual performed by a wizard that lusts for everlasting life. Becoming a lich is an option for only the most powerful and reckless of magi, as it involves separating the spirit from the body and binding it in a specially prepared phylactery. This very powerful enchanted item can take any form, but it is usually an amulet of the finest quality. After the ritual is complete, the wizard assumes its undead form, and the phylactery thereafter houses the lich’s soul. Few know these arcane rituals, and of those few, even fewer dare test the sorcery. If it fails, the wizard’s soul is lost and forever irretrievable.
Mummy: A mummy is an undead creature wrapped in divine bandages and urged to existence through prayer and ceremony.
Shadow: They are either doomed souls who, in life, perpetrated great evil against innocents, or they are thralls, created and bound to darkness by another shadow.
A creature reduced to 0 strength by a shadow’s strength drain attack is slain. The deceased will rise again as a shadow within 1d4 rounds, losing all class abilities, and forever functioning as an ordinary shadow.
Skeleton: Humanoid skeletons are the animated remains of humanoid creatures.
Spectre: Spectres are spiritual echoes; fragments of a learned person that died in the pursuit of knowledge.
Any creature slain by a spectre will become a spectre in 1d4 rounds.
Vampire: If the controlling vampire is destroyed, the spawn becomes a full vampire with the normal statistics.
Vampire Spawn: A human victim killed by the vampire’s blood drain can be brought back to unlife, under the control of the slaying vampire. The slaying vampire must want to use this ability; it is not automatic. A creature affected loses all abilities, and gains the statistics of a spawn.
Wight: They were once human, but are now cursed to haunt the world, living in seclusion, for some foul act of greed.
Wight Spawn: A human victim killed by the wight’s energy drain can be brought back to unlife, as a wight, under the control of the slaying wight. The slaying wight must want to use this ability; it is not automatic. A creature affected loses all abilities, and gains the statistics of a wight spawn.
Wraith: Wraiths are powerful wights (q.v.) who have forged a more powerful bond with the negative material plane.
Wraith Spawn: A human victim killed by the wraith’s energy drain can be brought back to life as a wraith, under the control of the slaying wraith. The slaying wraith must want to use this ability; it is not automatic. A creature affected loses all abilities, and gains the statistics of a wraith spawn.
Zombie: Zombies are undead humanoids, reanimated corpses that stalk the earth with little purpose or reason.

Classic Monsters & Treasures 2nd Printing

Spoiler

Undead: Undead are once-living creatures animated by spiritual or supernatural forces.
Animal Skeleton: Animal carcasses that are the target of animate dead are raised
as animal skeletons. Anyone casting the spell solely on dead animals can gain up to twice his level in HD, as opposed to his level in HD per the spell animate dead. In other words, a 5th level cleric, while normally only able to raise 5HD worth of undead, may raise 10HD worth of animal skeletons. Only small creatures can be raised as such, no bigger than a large dog.
Apparition: ?
Coffer Corpse: ?
Crypt Thing: Legends abound that crypt things were once great sages, destined to live out eternity in a constant thirst for knowledge.
Death Knight: Once loyal paladins, they were raised back into life by demonic forces to unleash mayhem on an unsuspecting world.
Demilich: Once a lich (Monsters & Treasure) has outlived its physical form (which takes many centuries), its spirit will release from its frail body and enter into the ethereal and astral planes. It will always and forever have a connection with the remains it has left behind and will guard them for eternity.
Draugr: The draugr is a type of undead so malevolent in life that its evil ways still possess it in death. Resembling a zombie in appearance, the draugr is very intelligent, unlike the mindless, plodding zombie. Only humans can be reborn as draugr. The undead can only walk the earth during the night, and must rest during the day. Only corpses that have been housed in tombs or crypts can be draugr, as the creature cannot dig itself out of a grave.
Evil Oculus of Ice and Fire: ?
Haunt: The haunt is an undead tied to the spot of its death.
In its living form, the haunt had some mission or task that needed to be completed. So great was the compulsion to finish this deed that, even in death, the creature seeks to fulfill its final task.
A haunt can be of any alignment and its task can be anything from the mundane (replace the stone in the wall thus covering the secret hiding place) to the extraordinary (travel to a distant land and deliver a message of peace, then return); from the safe (to see my son that was born after I died) to the dangerous (revenge my family by killing the ancient red dragon that murdered them all).
Huecuva: ?
Penanggalan: They are always female, but can appear of any age.
When a penanggalan decides to infect someone and turn them into another of her kind, she will drink only enough blood to cause the victim pain, normally only feeding for 2-3 minutes. When the victim starts waking, the undead will fly away, leaving behind a confused victim. Over the course of successive feedings, the victim will become weaker and weaker, losing a point of strength and constitution each morning. A victim, if fed upon for a full week, will become a penanggalan on the next night.
Poltergist: The poltergeist is an invisible undead spirit that haunts a specific area. Sometimes this area is one that it was close to in life, but more often than not, the area is the place the poltergeist was killed.
Revenant: Any humans (and only humans) that have died an extremely ghastly death can arise as a revenant to exact revenge on its killer. The revenant, in life, must have had a minimum of 15 constitution, intelligence and wisdom to become a revenant. Even at that, the chances are very slim.
Shelt Lu: It is thought to be an undead version of a lurker, but this is debatable since the shelt lu is noticeable smaller, approximately six feet tall and three feet across.
Skeletal Warrior: The skeletal warrior is an undead, created by high level, evil clerics as protection and guards. All were powerful fighters in life, some being enemies of the cleric that created them.
Sons of Rhealth: The Sons of Rhealth were created ages ago, by worshipers of the foul Lord of the Undead.
It will also attack with one of the putrid worms that live within it. Once per round, one of the worms will leap or fall onto the Son’s opponent. The victim is allowed a dexterity check to avoid this. Success means the worm has fallen to the ground, while failure means the worm has landed on the victim. It will do this every round, meaning a victim may have multiple worms on it at any given time.
Those victims that have had a worm land on them may cease any other action to remove the worm from their body. If they do, they will automatically be successful. Starting with round two, the creature will begin to crawl towards the head. It will arrive in 1d3 rounds. Once there, it will begin boring into the ears, or crawling through the nose if the ear is covered When this occurs, the victim may make a dexterity check (CL 3) to dislodge the worm. Failure means it has successfully entered the head of its victim. Once there, it will burst, scattering a foul, green ichor that will leak from the ear (or nose). The victim must make a constitution check (CL 5) or be stricken with a wasting disease. This disease will manifest in 2d12 hours. At first, the victim will be nauseated and will vomit and not be able to eat. After another 1d6 hours, he will begin to lose 1d4 hit points per round, growing weaker and weaker (-x on all dice rolls, with x = number of hours infected). Once dead, the creature will rise as a Son of Rhealth in one day. Only a remove disease spell will negate this horrific disease.
Zombie Monster: As humans can be turned into undead, so can the plethora of monsters that litter the land. Appearing much like their undead cousins, a monster zombie is a decayed living corpse of its past self. Any creature from a goblin to a giant can be transformed into a zombie and the CK must make adjustments to the statistics listed above. (For instance, an ogre zombie would do 1d6 slam + 4 for its strength ).
Hand of Glory: ?

Classic Monsters

Spoiler

Undead: Undead are once–living creatures animated by spiritual or supernatural forces.
Animal Skeleton: Animal carcasses that are the target of Animate Dead are raised as animal skeletons. Anyone casting the spell solely on dead animals can gain up to twice his level in HD, as opposed to his level in HD per the spell Animate Dead. In other words, a 5th level cleric, while normally only able to raise 5HD worth of Undead, may raise 10HD worth of animal skeletons. Only small creatures can be raised as such, no bigger than a large dog.
Apparition: ?
Coffer Corpse: ?
Crypt Thing: Legends abound that crypt things were once great sages, destined to live out eternity in a constant thirst for knowledge.
Death Knight: Once loyal paladins, they were raised back into life by demonic forces to unleash mayhem on an unsuspecting world. Thankfully, very few of these creatures are known to exists
Demilich: Once a Lich (Monsters & Treasure tome, page 54) has outlived its physical form (which is many centuries), its spirit will release from its frail body and enter into the ethereal and astral planes. It will always and forever have a connection with the remains it has left behind and will guard them for eternity.
Draugr: The draugr is a type of undead, so malevolent in life that its evil ways still possess it in death. Resembling a zombie in appearance, the draugr is very intelligent, unlike the mindless, plodding zombie. Only humans can be reborn as draugr.
Only corpses that have been housed in tombs or crypts can be draugr, as the creature cannot dig itself out of a grave.
Evil Oculus of Ice and Fire: ?
Haunt: The haunt is an undead tied to the spot of its death.
In its living form, the haunt had some mission or task that needed to be completed. So great was the compulsion to finish this deed that, even in death, the creature seeks to fulfill its final task.
A haunt can be of any alignment and its task can be anything from the mundane (replace the stone in the wall thus covering the secret hiding place) to the extraordinary (travel to a distant land and deliver a message of peace, then return); from the safe (to see my son that was born after I died) to the dangerous (revenge my family by killing the ancient red dragon that murdered them all).
Huecuva: ?
Penanggalan: When a penanggalan decides to infect someone and turn them into another of her kind, she will drink only enough blood to cause the victim pain, normally only feeding for 2-3 minutes. When the victim starts waking, the undead will fly away, leaving behind a confused victim. Over the course of successive feedings, the victim will become weaker and weaker, losing a point of strength and constitution each morning. A victim, if fed upon for a full week, will become a penanggalan on the next night.
Poltergeist: The poltergeist is an invisible undead spirit that haunts a specific area. Sometimes this area is one that it was close to in life, but more often than not, the area is the place the poltergeist was killed.
Revenant: Any humans (and only humans) that have died an extremely ghastly death can arise as a revenant to exact revenge on its killer. The revenant, in life, must have had a minimum of 15 constituion, intelligence and wisdom to become a revenant. Even at that, the chances are very slim.
Shelt Lu: It is thought to be an undead version of a lurker, but this is debatable since the shelt lu is noticeable smaller, approximately six feet tall and three feet across.
Skeletal Warrior: The skeletal warrior is an undead, created by high level, evil clerics as protection and guards. All were powerful fighters in life, some being enemies of the cleric that created them.
Sons of Rhealth: The sons of rhealth were created ages ago, by worshipers of the foul Lord of the Undead.
It will also ‘attack’ with one of the putrid worms that live within it. Once per round, one of the worms will leap or fall onto the son’s opponent. The victim is allowed a dexterity check to avoid this. Success means the worm has fallen to the ground, while failure means the worm has landed on the victim. It will do this every round, meaning a victim may have multiple worms on it at any given time.
Those victims that have had a worm land on them may cease any other action to remove the worm from their body. If they do, they will automatically be successful. Starting with round two, the creature will begin to crawl towards the head. It will arrive in 1d3 rounds. Once there, it will begin boring into the ears, or crawling through the nose if the ear is covered. When this occurs, the victim may make a dexterity check (CL 3) to dislodge the worm. Failure means it has successfully entered the head of its victim. Once there, it will burst, scattering a foul, green ichor that will leak from the ear (or nose). The victim must make a constitution check (CL 5) or be stricken with a wasting disease. This disease will manifest in 2d12 hours. At first, the victim will be nauseated and will vomit and not be able to eat. After another 1d6 hours, he will begin to lose 1d4 hit points per round, growing weaker and weaker (-x on all dice rolls, with x = number of hours infected). Once dead, the creature will rise as a Son of Rhealth in one day. Only a Cure Disease spell will negate this horrific disease.
Zombie Monster: As humans can be turned into undead, so can the plethora of monsters that litter the land. Appearing much like their undead cousins, a monster zombie is a decayed living corpse of it past self. Any creature from a goblin to a giant can be transformed into a zombie and the CK must make adjustments to the statistics listed above. (For instance, a ogre zombie would do 1d6 slam + 4 for its strength).

Monsters and Treasures of Aihrde

Spoiler

Undead: Undead are once–living creatures animated by spiritual or supernatural forces.
Creatures killed and devoured by naerlulth are often cast into limbo, and their tormented spirits are left to occupy the lands the creature has devoured and laid waste. These spawn are often undead, but have no shape or form until they assume one.
Forsaken: The forsaken are creatures who have survived Klarglich, the Pits of Woe. There, Unklar bound many unfortunate victims of his reign and wreaked havoc upon their minds and bodies. His slave masters tortured them, his wizards experimented upon them, and the darkness fed upon their sanity. Most victims perished in that dark pit in the bowels of Aufstrag, but a few survived and fled the Pits.
Mison Men: Mison men are ancient mountain warriors who have returned to the world by the magic bound in the bones of dead dragons. Mison men rise up from the grave and equip themselves with the skin and bones of the dead dragon, appearing in the guise of men adorned in plates of dragon scale.
In later days, cults of priests learned how to stave off death using the power of the magic born in the dragons, but what they did not account for was the evil bound into the beasts, for as is known, the dragons all came from the goddess Inzae, and her disposition is a malicious one. Bound to the dragon and the mountain where the dragon dwelt, the mison men lingered in the lands between life and death, returned or otherwise.
Naerluthut: The naerlulthut are the spawn of the naerlulth, that dread creature of the darkness whose sole intent is to destroy the world about it. These, its children, are undead spirits whose bodies the beast devoured and whose souls were bound to it.
Soul Thief: These creatures are of the order of the Val-Austlich, created in the Days before Days by Thorax. They were shadows, cast off by the Cloak of Red, and called the rottenshuf.

Of Gods & Monsters

Spoiler

Undead: Creatures killed and devoured by naerlulth are often cast into limbo and their tormented spirits are left to occupy the lands the creature has devoured and laid waste. These spawn are often undead but have no shape or form until they assume one.
Naerluthut: The naerlulthut are the spawn of the naerlulth, that dread creature of the darkness whose sole intent is to destroy the world about it. These, its children, are undead spirits whose bodies were devoured by the beast and whose souls were bound to it.
Civatateo: Civatateo are noble women who have died in childbirth and now roam as undead looking to punish the living
Shadow Rat: When unusually greedy dwarves die from combat, their spirits fly back to their last homes and haunt the edges of whatever metropolis they lived in last.
With every successful attack, the undead creature takes away a point of strength and then heals ten points with the power of the lost strength point. When a victim loses all of their strength, they become a shadow rat and can’t be raised back to life.
Gashadokuro: Gashadokuro are created from gathering bones from people who have died of starvation.

Monstrous Menaces 2 Blade Dancer, Goblin, and Tharghul

Spoiler

Tharghul: Through long experience and terrible rites, a mentally acute ghoul or ghast can rise in power and eventually attain the status of tharghûl; any such creature that retains eight or more levels when it rises again as undead rises as a tharghûl, and cannot be controlled by any master.

Ghast: If a creature dies from wounds sustained by a tharghûl’s claw and bite damage, and is not eaten by the foul creature, it will rise again as a ghoul or ghast in 2d4-1 days unless the corpse is blessed before interment. The victim rises as a ghoul if it has less than four levels or hit dice, and as a ghast if it has a four or more levels or hit dice.
Ghoul: If a creature dies from wounds sustained by a tharghûl’s claw and bite damage, and is not eaten by the foul creature, it will rise again as a ghoul or ghast in 2d4-1 days unless the corpse is blessed before interment. The victim rises as a ghoul if it has less than four levels or hit dice, and as a ghast if it has a four or more levels or hit dice.

Players Handbook 6th Printing

Spoiler

Skeleton: Animate Dead spell.
Zombie: Animate Dead spell.
Ghoul: Create Undead spell caster level 11.
Shadow: Create Undead spell caster level 12.
Ghast: Create Undead spell caster level 13.
Wight: Create Undead spell caster level 14.
Wraith: Create Undead spell caster level 18.
Mummy: Create Greater Undead spell caster level 13.
Spectre: Create Greater Undead spell caster level 15.
Vampire: Create Greater Undead spell caster level 17.
Ghost: Create Greater Undead spell caster level 19.

ANIMATE DEAD*, Level 3 cleric, 5 wizard
CT 1 R 50 ft. D Permanent
SV none SR none Comp V, S, M
This spell turns the bones or bodies of dead creatures in a 25 x 25 feet area into undead skeletons or zombies that follow the caster’s spoken commands. The undead can follow the caster, or can remain in an area and attack any creature or specific type of creature entering the area. The undead remain animated until they are destroyed. Destroyed undead can’t be animated again. Regardless of the type of undead, the caster can’t create more HD of undead than the caster has levels in any single casting of the spell.
The undead remain under the caster’s control indefinitely. No matter how many times the caster uses this spell, however, the character can only control 2 HD worth of undead creatures per caster level. If the caster exceeds this number, all the newly created creatures fall under the caster’s control, and any excess undead from previous castings become uncontrolled (the character chooses which creatures are released). If the caster is a cleric, any undead the character might command by virtue of the caster’s power to command or rebuke undead, do not count toward the spell’s limits.
A skeleton can be created only from a mostly intact corpse or skeleton. The corpse must have bones. If a skeleton is made from a corpse, the flesh falls off the bones. A zombie, however, can be created only from a mostly intact corpse. The statistics for skeletons and zombies are detailed in Monsters & Treasure; undead created with this spell do not retain any abilities the creature may have had while alive.
The material component for this spell is a bag of bones.
Preserve Dead: This reverse version may only be cast by divine spellcasters, and has two effects. First, the caster preserves the remains of the target corpses so that they do not decay, for one day per level of the caster. Doing so extends the time limit on raising that creature from the dead. The spell works on severed body parts and the like. Second, the spell permanently prevents the target corpses from being animated by an animate dead spell. If a target corpse is preserved, and then raised from the dead or resurrected, the spell ends.

CREATE UNDEAD, Level 6 cleric
CT 1 hour R 50 ft. (one) D permanent
SV n/a SR n/a Comp DF, V, S, M
This evil spell allows the caster to create one specimen of the following undead if the cleric is of the appropriate level: ghoul (11), shadow (12), ghast (13), wight (14), or wraith (18). The cleric may create a less powerful undead if desired. For example, a 14th level cleric could, instead of creating a wight, also create a ghast, shadow, or ghoul. Created undead are not automatically under the control of their animator. The caster may gain command of the undead as it forms by making a successful turning check. This spell must be cast at night.
The material component for this spell is a corpse.

CREATE GREATER UNDEAD, Level 8 cleric
CT 1 hour R 50 ft. (one) D permanent
SV n/a SR n/a Comp DF, V, S, M
This evil spell allows the caster to create one specimen of the following undead if the cleric is of the appropriate level: mummy (13), spectre (15), vampire (17), or ghost (19). The cleric may create a less powerful undead if desired. For example, a 17th level cleric could, instead of creating a vampire, also create a spectre or mummy. Created undead are not automatically under the control of their animator. The caster may gain command of the undead as it forms with by making a successful turning check. This spell must be cast at night and the caster must spend 100gp per corpse.
The material component for this spell is a corpse.

Player's Handbook 4th printing

Spoiler

Skeleton: Animate Dead spell.
Zombie: Animate Dead spell.
Ghoul: Create Undead spell caster level 11.
Shadow: Create Undead spell caster level 12.
Ghast: Create Undead spell caster level 13.
Wight: Create Undead spell caster level 14.
Wraith: Create Undead spell caster level 18.
Mummy: Create Greater Undead spell caster level 13.
Spectre: Create Greater Undead spell caster level 15.
Vampire: Create Greater Undead spell caster level 17.
Ghost: Create Greater Undead spell caster level 19.

ANIMATE DEAD*, Level 3 cleric, 5 wizard
CT 1 R 50 ft. D n/a
SV none ST none Comp V, S, M
This spell turns the bones or bodies of dead creatures in a 25 x 25 feet area into undead skeletons or zombies that follow the caster’s spoken commands. The undead can follow the caster, or can remain in an area and attack any creature or specific type of creature entering the area. The undead remain animated until they are destroyed. Destroyed undead can’t be animated again. Regardless of the type of undead, the caster can’t, in any single casting of the spell, create more HD of undead than the caster has levels.
The undead remain under the caster’s control indefinitely. No matter how many times the caster uses this spell, however, the character can only control 2 HD worth of undead creatures per caster level. If the caster exceeds this number, all the newly created creatures fall under the caster’s control, and any excess undead from previous castings become uncontrolled (the character chooses which creatures are released). If the caster is a cleric, any undead the character might command by virtue of the caster’s power to command or rebuke undead do not count toward the spell’s limits.
A skeleton can be created only from a mostly intact corpse or skeleton. The corpse must have bones. If a skeleton is made from a corpse, the flesh falls off the bones. A zombie, however, can be created only from a mostly intact corpse. The statistics for skeletons and zombies are detailed in Monsters & Treasures; undead created with this spell do not return any abilities the creature may have had while alive.
Preserve Dead: This reverse version may only be cast by divine spellcasters, and has two effects. First, the caster preserves the remains of the target corpses so that they do not decay, for one day per level of the caster. Doing so extends the time limit on raising that creature from the dead. The spell works on severed body parts and the like. Second, the spell permanently prevents the target corpses from being animated by an animate dead spell. If a target corpse is preserved, and then raised from the dead or resurrected, the spell ends.

CREATE UNDEAD, Level 6 cleric
CT 1 hour R 50 ft. (one) D permanent
SV n/a SR n/a Comp V, S, M
This evil spell allows the caster to create powerful kind of undead if the cleric is of the appropriate level: ghouls (11), shadow (12), ghasts (13), wights (14) or wraiths (18). The caster may create less powerful undead than the caster’s maximum capability if desired. Created undead are not automatically under the control of their animator. The caster may gain command of the undead as it forms by making a successful turning check. This spell must be cast at night.

CREATE GREATER UNDEAD, Level 8 cleric
CT 1 hour R 50 ft. (one) D permanent
SV n/a SR n/a Comp V, S, M
This evil spell allows the caster to create powerful kinds of undead if the cleric is of the appropriate level: mummy (13), spectre (15), vampire (17) or ghost (19). The caster may create less powerful undead than the caster’s maximum capability if desired. Created undead are not automatically under the control of their animator. The caster may gain command of the undead as it forms with by making a successful turning check. This spell must be cast at night and the caster must spend 100gp per corpse.

Player's Handbook 3rd Printing

Spoiler

Skeleton: Animate Dead spell.
Zombie: Animate Dead spell.
Ghoul: Create Undead spell caster level 11.
Shadow: Create Undead spell caster level 12.
Ghast: Create Undead spell caster level 13.
Wight: Create Undead spell caster level 14.
Wraith: Create Undead spell caster level 18.
Mummy: Create Greater Undead spell caster level 13.
Spectre: Create Greater Undead spell caster level 15.
Vampire: Create Greater Undead spell caster level 17.
Ghost: Create Greater Undead spell caster level 19.

ANIMATE DEAD*, Level 3 cleric, 5 wizard
CT 1 R 50 ft. D n/a
SV none ST none Comp V, S, M
This spell turns the bones or bodies of dead creatures in a 25 x 25 feet area into undead skeletons or zombies that follow the caster’s spoken commands. The undead can follow the caster, or can remain in an area and attack any creature or specific type of creature entering the area. The undead remain animated until they are destroyed. Destroyed undead can’t be animated again.
Regardless of the type of undead, the caster can’t, in any single casting of the spell, create more HD of undead than the caster has levels.
The undead remain under the caster’s control indefinitely. No matter how many times the caster uses this spell, however, the character can only control 2 HD worth of undead creatures per caster level. If the caster exceeds this number, all the newly created creatures fall under the caster’s control, and any excess undead from previous castings become uncontrolled (the character chooses which creatures are released). If the caster is a cleric, any undead the character might command by virtue of the caster’s power to command or rebuke undead do not count toward the spell’s limits.
A skeleton can be created only from a mostly intact corpse or skeleton. The corpse must have bones. If a skeleton is made from a corpse, the flesh falls off the bones. A zombie, however, can be created only from a mostly intact corpse. The statistics for skeletons and zombies are detailed in Monsters & Treasures; undead created with this spell do not return any abilities the creature may have had while alive.
Preserve Dead This reverse version may only be cast by divine spellcasters, and has two effects. First, the caster preserves the remains of the target corpses so that they do not decay, for one day per level of the caster. Doing so extends the time limit on raising that creature from the dead. The spell works on severed body parts and the like. Second, the spell permanently prevents the target corpses from being animated by an animate dead spell. If a target corpse is preserved, and then raised from the dead or resurrected, the spell ends.

CREATE UNDEAD, Level 6 cleric
CT 1 hour R 50 ft. (one) D permanent
SV n/a SR n/a Comp V, S, M
This evil spell allows the caster to create powerful kinds of undead if the cleric is of the appropriate level: ghouls (9), shadow (10), ghasts (12), wights (14) or wraiths (18). The caster may create less powerful undead than the caster’s maximum capability if desired. Created undead are not automatically under the control of their animator. The caster may gain command of the undead as it forms by making a successful turning check. This spell must be cast at night.

CREATE GREATER UNDEAD, Level 8 cleric
CT 1 hour R 50 ft. (one) D permanent
SV n/a SR n/a Comp V, S, M
This evil spell allows the caster to create powerful kinds of undead if the cleric is of the appropriate level: mummy (13), spectre (15), vampire (17) or ghost (19). The caster may create less powerful undead than the caster’s maximum capability if desired. Created undead are not automatically under the control of their animator. The caster may gain command of the undead as it forms with by making a successful turning check. This spell must be cast at night and the caster must spend 100gp per corpse.

Black Libram of Naratus

Spoiler

Barrow Wight: A humanoid slain by a barrow wight becomes a barrow wight in 1d4 rounds.
Bhuta: When a person is murdered, the spirit sometimes clings to the world, refusing to accept its mortal death. This spirit possesses its original body and seeks out those responsible for its murder.
Bogeyman: Bogeymen are the stuff of legends: creatures created in the minds of parents who relayed stories about incorporeal ghosts coming to carry their children off if they didn’t go to bed when they were supposed to, didn’t do their chores when asked, and so on. The spectral bogeyman’s ties to the land of the living are a result of these stories. Often, these stories are based on the exploits of criminals, murderers, and madmen that live or have lived in the local area. By the very nature of their creation, bogeymen are evil. They are creatures born of fear and lies, delighting in the torment their fear harbors.
Brine Zombie: Brine zombies are the remnants of a ship’s crew that has perished at sea.
The spark of evil that brought them back from the ocean depths drives them to seek the living so they may join them in their watery graves.
If an entire ship sinks at sea with the loss of all hands, the ship itself and its entire crew may return as ghostly wanderers. The captain usually rises as a draug and his crew rises as brine zombies.
When a ship sinks beneath the waves, it and its entire crew may return as ghostly wanderers, especially if the captain and crew had a less than scrupulous profession (as pirates, for example). A sunken ship of this nature may undergo a transformation from the negative energy and evil surrounding it. When this happens, the ship rises from the deep, piloted by a draug and manned by skeletons, brine zombies, zombies, and lacedons.
Brykolakas: Their true origin is unknown, although it is thought a recipe in the Black Libram of Nartarus and the bodies of aquatic ghouls are involved.
Cinder Ghoul: A creature that is burned to death by magical fire may rise again as a fiery undead being called a cinder ghoul.
Crypt Thing: Crypt things are undead creatures found guarding tombs, graves, crypts, and other such structures. They are created by spellcasters to guard such areas and they never leave their assigned area.
Crypt Guardian: ?
Demilich: A demilich is an advanced lich of great power. When the animating force of a lich ceases to exist and the material body finally decays (often after centuries of undeath), the soul lingers in the area and slowly over time possesses all that remains of the lich—its skull.
Draug: The draug is the vengeful spirit of a ship’s captain who died at sea, thus being denied a proper burial. If an entire ship sinks at sea with the loss of all hands, the ship itself and its entire crew may return as ghostly wanderers. The captain usually rises as a draug and his crew rises as brine zombies.
When a ship sinks beneath the waves, it and its entire crew may return as ghostly wanderers, especially if the captain and crew had a less than scrupulous profession (as pirates, for example). A sunken ship of this nature may undergo a transformation from the negative energy and evil surrounding it. When this happens, the ship rises from the deep, piloted by a draug and manned by skeletons, brine zombies, zombies, and lacedons.
Dust Ghoul: When a humanoid creature dies on the Parched Expanse on the Plane of Molten Skies, there is a good chance it returns from the afterlife as a dust ghoul—an undead flesh-eating creature composed of dust and earth.
Fear Guard: Any living creature reduced to Wisdom 0 by a fear guard becomes a fear guard under the control of its killer within 2d6 hours. If a bless spell is cast on the corpse before this time, it prevents the transformation.
Fire Phantom: When a humanoid creature dies on the Elemental Plane of Fire, its soul often melds with part of the fiery plane and reforms as a fire phantom; a humanoid creature composed of rotted and burnt flesh swathed in elemental fire.
Hoarfrost Maiden: Believed to be the spirits of humanoid warrior-women that freeze to death either because of their own mistakes or because of some ritualistic exile into the icy wastes by their culture, hoarfrost maidens haunt the icy wastelands of the world seeking warm–blooded living creatures in which to share their icy hell.
Lantern Goat: Lantern goats are undead wanderers thought to be the coalescence of souls of people who died while lost in the wilderness. Just as normal goats sometimes drift from the shepherd’s care and fall prey to the dangers of the wild, so too do humans and demihumans often meet with a dire end while trekking alone in the hills.
Whether they die of exposure or become a predator’s meal, these lost travelers usually journey in spirit form to the afterlife. Some, however, if they perish too close to a lantern goat, find their souls drawn into the fell receptacle the creature wears around its neck. The scarred and battered lantern that descends from the goat’s neck serves to channel souls into the creature itself. As the goat moves through the hills, its lantern casts a sickening yellow glow that attracts the souls of the recently deceased.
Mortuary Cyclone: A mortuary cyclone is an undead creature born when living creatures tamper with or desecrate a mass grave (either magically or naturally).
Spectre: Any living creature slain by a mortuary cyclone’s necrocone attack (see below) or energy drain attack becomes a spectre in 1d4 rounds.
Slain creatures are deposited on the ground where they rise as undead “slaves” in command of the mortuary cyclone.
Mummy of the Deep: It is the result of an evil creature that was buried at sea for its sins in life. The wickedness permeating the former life has managed to cling even into unlife and revive the soul as a mummy of the deep.
Red Jester: Red jesters are thought to be the remains of court jesters put to death for telling bad puns, making fun of the local ruler, or dying in an untimely manner (which could be attributed to one or both of the first two). Another tale speaks of the red jesters as being the court jesters of the Demon Prince of Whimsy and Madness, sent to the Material Plane to “entertain” those whom the prince has taken a special interest in. The actual truth to their origin remains a mystery.
Shadow Lesser: According to ancient texts, masters of the arcane arts created beings of living darkness to aid and protect them. These beings, known now as shadows, were formed through a combination of darkness and evil. Other beings of darkness, lesser beings not quite as powerful as the originals were also created. These creatures became known as lesser shadows.
Shadow Rat: ?
Shadow Rat Swarm: ?
Wolf Ghoul: ?
Wolf Shadow: ?
Wolf Vampiric: ?

Skeleton: When a ship sinks beneath the waves, it and its entire crew may return as ghostly wanderers, especially if the captain and crew had a less than scrupulous profession (as pirates, for example). A sunken ship of this nature may undergo a transformation from the negative energy and evil surrounding it. When this happens, the ship rises from the deep, piloted by a draug and manned by skeletons, brine zombies, zombies, and lacedons.
Skeleton Pull spell.
Vampire: Typically they began their career as thrall or spawn to another vampire of greater power who was somehow destroyed or through great loneliness chose to destroy itself. The spawn of these beings typically turn upon one another like so many rats. The survivor becomes a vampire.
Lacedon: A humanoid or monstrous humanoid killed by a brykolakas rises as an aquatic ghoul in 1d4 days under the control of the brykolakas that created it.
When a ship sinks beneath the waves, it and its entire crew may return as ghostly wanderers, especially if the captain and crew had a less than scrupulous profession (as pirates, for example). A sunken ship of this nature may undergo a transformation from the negative energy and evil surrounding it. When this happens, the ship rises from the deep, piloted by a draug and manned by skeletons, brine zombies, zombies, and lacedons.
Zombie: When a ship sinks beneath the waves, it and its entire crew may return as ghostly wanderers, especially if the captain and crew had a less than scrupulous profession (as pirates, for example). A sunken ship of this nature may undergo a transformation from the negative energy and evil surrounding it. When this happens, the ship rises from the deep, piloted by a draug and manned by skeletons, brine zombies, zombies, and lacedons.
Shadow: According to ancient texts, masters of the arcane arts created beings of living darkness to aid and protect them. These beings, known now as shadows, were formed through a combination of darkness and evil.
A creature reduced to 0 Strength by a shadow wolf’s Drain attack is slain. The deceased rises again as a normal shadow within 1d4 rounds, losing all class abilities, and forever functioning as an ordinary shadow.
Vampire Spawn: If a vampire wolf chooses, it can drain the blood or energy of a human victim in such a way as to bring the deceased into unlife as a vampire spawn. This spawn is under the control of the slaying wolf. This ability is not automatic, but must be consciously used.

SKELETON PULL, Level 6 Necromancer
CT, 1 action R, 30 ft. D, instantaneous
SV, wisdom negates SR, Yes Comp (V, S, M)
A necromancer’s connection to the dark powers of the abyss allows them to simply rip the skeleton from a humanoid body killing them instantly and creating an undead servant. Any humanoid creature within 30 ft. of the caster, and visible, can be affected by this spell. The victim’s allies nearby bear witness to the necromancer’s dark power as the skeleton tears free of its flesh in a cloud of blood and gore. This awe-inspiring power, and the gory scene it creates forces a wisdom save against fear for all enemies that witness it. Those that fail flee for 5 minutes. The skeleton created is a normal 1 HD skeleton under control of the necromancer. The prudent caster uses this spell but once per day for each additional use per day stands a 10% chance (cumulative) of sending the caster’s soul straight to the abyss. A successful wisdom save resists these dark forces. The saving throw receives a bonus for each HD or level above 4. Anyone slain by this spell can only be brought back to life by a true resurrection, or a wish.
The material component of this spell is the powdered bone of a skeleton that is thrown in the direction of the victim.

Tome of the Unclean

Spoiler

Devil Discarnate: The discarnate are the souls and spirits of those who died in hell and were trapped there, their bodies left to rot, unburied.
Those who die in Aufstrag, remain there, their souls trapped until their bodies are laid to rest in hallowed ground. These are the discarnate.
Genitch Beetle: These beetles are found throughout all the lower planes. They spawn on the corpse of very evil creatures, living embodiments of the lingering evil of the creature itself. Usually several dozen to a hundred spawn.

Undead: Undead are once-living creatures animated by spiritual or supernatural forces.
Zombie: If a victim falls to a caraton, either by loss of hit points or loss of levels, they cannot be resurrected or raised by normal methods. Short of a wish spell, they are irrevocably dead. The victim’s soul will be whisked away to the Abyss while their body will be animated as an undead using the chart below:
1-10 Zombie
11-15 Shadow
16-19 Wight
20 Wraith
Shadow: If a victim falls to a caraton, either by loss of hit points or loss of levels, they cannot be resurrected or raised by normal methods. Short of a wish spell, they are irrevocably dead. The victim’s soul will be whisked away to the Abyss while their body will be animated as an undead using the chart below:
1-10 Zombie
11-15 Shadow
16-19 Wight
20 Wraith
Wight: If a victim falls to a caraton, either by loss of hit points or loss of levels, they cannot be resurrected or raised by normal methods. Short of a wish spell, they are irrevocably dead. The victim’s soul will be whisked away to the Abyss while their body will be animated as an undead using the chart below:
1-10 Zombie
11-15 Shadow
16-19 Wight
20 Wraith
Wraith: If a victim falls to a caraton, either by loss of hit points or loss of levels, they cannot be resurrected or raised by normal methods. Short of a wish spell, they are irrevocably dead. The victim’s soul will be whisked away to the Abyss while their body will be animated as an undead using the chart below:
1-10 Zombie
11-15 Shadow
16-19 Wight
20 Wraith

Castle Keeper's Guide to the Haunted Highlands

Spoiler

Barrow Wight: A humanoid slain by a barrow wight becomes a barrow wight in 1d4 rounds.
Bhuta: When a person is murdered, the spirit sometimes clings to the world, refusing to accept its mortal death. This spirit possesses its original body and seeks out those responsible for its murder.
Blood Wight: Blood wights are the bloated, risen corpses of those tortured souls who have bled to death on unholy ground.
Bogeyman: Bogeymen are the stuff of legends: creatures created in the minds of parents who relayed stories about incorporeal ghosts coming to carry their children off if they didn’t go to bed when they were supposed to, didn’t do their chores when asked, and so on. The spectral bogeyman’s ties to the land of the living are a result of these stories. Often, these stories are based on the exploits of criminals, murderers, and madmen that live or have lived in the local area. By the very nature of their creation, bogeymen are evil. They are creatures born of fear and lies, delighting in the torment their fear harbors.
Brine Zombie: Brine zombies are the remnants of a ship’s crew that has perished at sea.
The spark of evil that brought them back from the ocean depths drives them to seek the living so they may join them in their watery graves.
f an entire ship sinks at sea with the loss of all hands, the ship itself and its entire crew may return as ghostly wanderers. The captain usually rises as a draug and his crew rises as brine zombies.
When a ship sinks beneath the waves, it and its entire crew may return as ghostly wanderers, especially if the captain and crew had a less than scrupulous profession (as pirates, for example). A sunken ship of this nature may undergo a transformation from the negative energy and evil surrounding it. When this happens, the ship rises from the deep, piloted by a draug and manned by skeletons, brine zombies, zombies, and lacedons.
Brykolakas: Their true origin is unknown, although it is thought a recipe in the Black Libram of Nartarus and the bodies of aquatic ghouls are involved.
Coffer Corpse: A coffer corpse is formed when a recently deceased humanoid is the victim of an incomplete death ritual.
Cinder Ghoul: A creature that is burned to death by magical fire may rise again as a fiery undead being called a cinder ghoul. The lairs of old red dragons may be haunted by many of these pathetic, angry spirits, and many a wizard that has dispatched a foe with a well-placed fireball has been found mysteriously charred to death many months after they died.
Crypt Thing: Crypt things are undead creatures found guarding tombs, graves, crypts, and other such structures. They are created by spellcasters to guard such areas and they never leave their assigned area.
Crypt Guardian: ?
Eldritch Head: These disembodied heads are the craftsmanship of fell necromancers.
Eldritch Heads have been infused with a portion of the necromancer’s arcane energies, and as such assault those who would interfere with their master’s property with magical assaults.
Demilich: A demilich is an advanced lich of great power. When the animating force of a lich ceases to exist and the material body finally decays (often after centuries of un-death) the soul lingers in the area and slowly over time possesses all that remains of the lich—its skull.
Draug: The draug is the vengeful spirit of a ship’s captain who died at sea, thus being denied a proper burial. If an entire ship sinks at sea with the loss of all hands, the ship itself and its entire crew may return as ghostly wanderers. The captain usually rises as a draug and his crew rises as brine zombies.
When a ship sinks beneath the waves, it and its entire crew may return as ghostly wanderers, especially if the captain and crew had a less than scrupulous profession (as pirates, for example). A sunken ship of this nature may undergo a transformation from the negative energy and evil surrounding it. When this happens, the ship rises from the deep, piloted by a draug and manned by skeletons, brine zombies, zombies, and lacedons.
Dust Ghoul: When a humanoid creature dies on the Parched Expanse on the Plane of Molten Skies, there is a good chance it returns from the afterlife as a dust ghoul—an undead, flesh-eating creature composed of dust and earth.
Fear Guard: Any living creature reduced to wisdom of 0 by a fear guard becomes a fear guard under the control of its killer within 2d6 hours. If a bless spell is cast on the corpse before this time, it prevents the transformation.
Fire Phantom: When a humanoid creature dies on the Elemental Plane of Fire, its soul often melds with part of the fiery plane and reforms as a fire phantom: A humanoid creature composed of rotted and burnt flesh swathed in elemental fire.
Fye: Fye are cursed, solitary, incorporeal spirits whose death took place in the vicinity of a temple of evil, or other such desecrated place.
Hoarfrost Maiden: Believed to be the spirits of humanoid warrior-women that froze to death either because of their own mistakes or because of some ritualistic exile into the icy wastes by their culture, hoarfrost maidens haunt the icy wastelands of the world seeking warm–blooded living creatures in which to share their icy hell.
Lantern Goat: Lantern goats are undead wanderers thought to be the coalescence of souls of people who died while lost in the wilderness. Just as normal goats sometimes drift from the shepherd’s care and fall prey to the dangers of the wild, so too do humans and demi-humans often meet with a dire end while trekking alone in the hills.
Whether they die of exposure or become a predator’s meal, these lost travelers usually journey in spirit form to the afterlife. Some, however, if they perish too close to a lantern goat, find their souls drawn into the fell receptacle the creature wears around its neck. The scarred and battered lantern that descends from the goat’s neck serves to channel souls into the creature itself. As the goat moves through the hills, its lantern casts a sickening yellow glow that attracts the souls of the recently deceased.
Grave Risen: Any creature hit by a claw attack from a grave risen must make a constitution save (Challenge Level 5) or contract a deviant form of blood poisoning. Those who fail, suffer 1 point of constitution damage per minute until they are cured with a neutralize poison spell or ranger special ability. Humanoids who die from this malady rise in 1d4 days as a grave risen.
These undead creatures are the cursed remainder of dwarves who were buried alive after the quake.
Mortuary Cyclone: A mortuary cyclone is an undead creature born when living creatures tamper with or desecrate a mass grave (either magically or naturally).
Mummy of the Deep: It is the result of an evil creature that was buried at sea for its sins in life. The wickedness permeating the former life has managed to cling even into un-life and revive the soul as a mummy of the deep.
Red Jester: Red jesters are thought to be the remains of court jesters put to death for telling bad puns, making fun of the local ruler, or dying in an untimely manner (which could be attributed to one or both of the first two). Another tale speaks of the red jesters as being the court jesters of the Demon Prince of Whimsy and Madness, sent to the Material Plane to “entertain” those whom the prince has taken a special interest in. The actual truth to their origin remains a mystery.
Shadow Lesser: According to ancient texts, masters of the arcane arts created beings of living darkness to aid and protect them. These beings, known now as shadows, were formed through a combination of darkness and evil. Other beings of darkness, lesser beings not quite as powerful as the originals were also created. These creatures became known as lesser shadows.
Shadow Rat: ?
Shadow Rat Swarm: ?
Skeleton Small Beast: These small skeletal creatures are typically raised from the skeletal remains of dogs, cats, wolves, coyotes and the like. Some necromancers prefer raising them up as they can get twice as many smaller minions from a single casting of Animate Dead as they would the larger humanoid skeleton stock.
Soul Reaper: ?
Spectral Hero: Spectral Heroes are the undead spirits of heroes who served well their deity in life.
Wolf Ghoul: ?
Wolf Shadow: ?
Wolf Vampiric: ?
Zombie Hulk: Zombie hulks are zombies raised from the fresh corpses of large beasts such as ogres, bugbears, trolls, and minotaur.
Zombie Plague: Beings bit by plague zombies must make a successful save vs. disease (Challenge Level 2) or lose 1d4 points of Constitution. Each hour thereafter the victim must make an additional save vs. plague or again lose 1d4 Constitution. This continues until the victim is dead.
1d10 rounds after a victim succumbs to the zombie infection, they rise as a plague zombie, intent on attacking any living creature it comes across.
Urthrasta The Greater Mummy: ?
Skeletal Cat: ?
Zombie Bat: ?
Orc Zombie: Skalnoc orders the bodies of any and all fallen orcs taken to this sector for “burial” and using the power of the Demon Eye to animate dead.
Lluvandro the Black: ?
Y'Bras the Drinker Grave Knight Vampire: ?
Lucarne the Wight Knight: ?
Jelaquin: ?
Nulsrad the Mummy: ?
Grave Lords Vampire: ?
Grave Lords Pleasure Slave: ?
Ron Riccio Human Vampire Fighter 10: ?
Miss Charity Lady of Thirst: ?

Lacedon: A humanoid or monstrous humanoid killed by a brykolakas rises as an aquatic ghoul in 1d4 days under the control of the brykolakas that created it.
When a ship sinks beneath the waves, it and its entire crew may return as ghostly wanderers, especially if the captain and crew had a less than scrupulous profession (as pirates, for example). A sunken ship of this nature may undergo a transformation from the negative energy and evil surrounding it. When this happens, the ship rises from the deep, piloted by a draug and manned by skeletons, brine zombies, zombies, and lacedons.
Skeleton: When a ship sinks beneath the waves, it and its entire crew may return as ghostly wanderers, especially if the captain and crew had a less than scrupulous profession (as pirates, for example). A sunken ship of this nature may undergo a transformation from the negative energy and evil surrounding it. When this happens, the ship rises from the deep, piloted by a draug and manned by skeletons, brine zombies, zombies, and lacedons.
Zombie: A creature reduced to 0 strength by a charnel spider’s poison dies and rises as a zombie under the charnel spider’s control in 1d4 rounds.
When a ship sinks beneath the waves, it and its entire crew may return as ghostly wanderers, especially if the captain and crew had a less than scrupulous profession (as pirates, for example). A sunken ship of this nature may undergo a transformation from the negative energy and evil surrounding it. When this happens, the ship rises from the deep, piloted by a draug and manned by skeletons, brine zombies, zombies, and lacedons.
Spectre: Any living creature slain by a mortuary cyclone’s necrocone attack (see below) or energy drain attack becomes a spectre in 1d4 rounds.
Rune of Undeath victim with more than 10 HD.
Shadow: According to ancient texts, masters of the arcane arts created beings of living darkness to aid and protect them. These beings, known now as shadows, were formed through a combination of darkness and evil.
A creature reduced to 0 strength by a shadow wolf’s drain attack is slain. The deceased rises again as a normal shadow within 1d4 rounds, losing all class abilities, and forever functioning as an ordinary shadow.
Rune of Undeath victim with less than 5 HD.
Vampire Spawn: If a vampire wolf chooses, it can drain the blood or energy of a human victim in such a way as to bring the deceased into un-life as a vampire spawn. This spawn is under the control of the slaying wolf. This ability is not automatic, but must be consciously used. An affected humanoid loses all abilities, and gains the statistics of a vampire spawn.
Vampire: Typically, they began their career as thrall or spawn to another vampire of greater power, who was somehow destroyed or through great loneliness chose to destroy itself. The spawn of these beings typically turn upon one another like so many rats. The survivor becomes a vampire as described in Monsters & Treasure.
Any being struck with the Scepter of Death rises in the following round as a vampire, ghost, or in the case of spell casters of sufficient power… a lich cursed to do the bidding of their cruel slayer.
Ghoul: This encounter is with dead huntsmen, adventurers and humanoid monsters who have run afoul of the ghoul bands which hunt the wood and have themselves been turned.
As with wights, the touch of Nartarus is ever reaching. Some of those who were buried alive crossed beyond death and became ghouls.
Ghast: ?
Wight: This burial chamber once housed the remains of four warlords of a dead line of Ugashtan clansmen. The rousing of Urthrasta and the pillaging of their tomb has returned the corpses of the dead lords as wights.
The evil of Nartarus crawls even into the strongest hearts. The gnarled reach of the unholy one’s claw is long and some who died during the quake were transformed by the will of the god of death.
Wraith: Wraiths are the angry spritits of explorers and villains who have died a horrible death within the cursed wood.
Rune of Undeath victim with more than 5 HD.
The wraiths were dwarves killed in the great quake.
Ghost: While the scorched walls of the tavern still teeter, the roof has burned away to collapse on the interior, crushing and burning the inside of the building. Hunter’s Moon was the last hiding place of a few straggling refugees and the elderly bard trying to lead them to safety. The bard’s rage lives on in the form of a ghost whose unearthly howling haunts the decrepit ruin.
Any being struck with the Scepter of Death rises in the following round as a vampire, ghost, or in the case of spell casters of sufficient power… a lich cursed to do the bidding of their cruel slayer.
Lich: Any being struck with the Scepter of Death rises in the following round as a vampire, ghost, or in the case of spell casters of sufficient power… a lich cursed to do the bidding of their cruel slayer.

RUNE OF UNDEATH: This powerful dwarven curse is reserved for only the most notable of dwarven thanes and nobles. By the activation of this rune the target must make a save vs. death (CL 7) or be instantly slain, arising in 1d4 rounds as an undead guardian of the place of defilement. Beings with less than 5 HD rise as a shadow. Beings with over 5 HD rise as a wraith, beings of over 10 HD rise as a specter.

Players Guide to the Haunted Highlands

Spoiler

Ghoul: Rise as the Undead spell.
Ghast: Rise as the Undead spell.
Vampire: Any being struck with the Scepter of Death rises in the following round as a vampire, ghost, or in the case of spell casters of sufficient power, a lich cursed to do the bidding of their cruel slayer.
Rise as the Undead spell.
Skeleton: Skeleton Pull spell.
Ghost: Any being struck with the Scepter of Death rises in the following round as a vampire, ghost, or in the case of spell casters of sufficient power, a lich cursed to do the bidding of their cruel slayer.
Lich: Any being struck with the Scepter of Death rises in the following round as a vampire, ghost, or in the case of spell casters of sufficient power, a lich cursed to do the bidding of their cruel slayer.

RISE AS THE UNDEAD, Level 5 necromancer
CT 1 action R 50 feet+10 feet/level D permanent
SV wisdom negates SR yes Comp V, S, M
This horrible curse has an effect unknown to the victim until he has been slain, at which time he rises as a blood thirsty ghoul (1-4 HD), ghast (4-6 HD), or vampire (7+ HD) under the command of the caster. The spell, if detected, may be removed with a remove curse spell. The material spell component for rise as the undead is a piece of flesh from a destroyed undead being such as a ghast, ghoul, or zombie.

SKELETON PULL, Level 6 necromancer
CT 1 action R 30 feet D instantaneous
SV see text SR yes Comp V, S, M
A necromancer’s connection to the dark powers of the dark lord of the undead allows him simply to rip the skeleton from a humanoid body, killing it instantly and creating an undead servant. Any visible humanoid creature within 30 feet of the caster can be affected by this spell. The victim’s allies nearby bear witness to the necromancer’s dark power as the skeleton tears free of its flesh in a cloud of blood and gore, unless a successful strengthsave is made to avoid its unholy pull. This awe-inspiring power, and the gory scene it creates, forces a wisdom save against fear for all enemies that witness it. Those that fail are terrified and flee as quickly as possible for five minutes. The animated skeleton created is a normal 1 HD skeleton under control of the necromancer.
The prudent caster uses this spell but once per day, for each additional use per day stands a 10% chance (cumulative) of sending the caster’s soul straight to the Rings of Hell. A successful charisma save on behalf of the caster resists these dark forces. The saving throw receives a bonus for each HD or level above 4. Anyone slain by this spell can only be brought back to life by true resurrection, or wish.
The material component of this spell is the powdered bone of a skeleton that is thrown in the direction of the victim.

Codex Celtarum

Spoiler

Gan Ceannan: They are the tortured spirits of dead horsemen who seek the souls of the weak or dying.
Gallytrot: ?

Codex Classicum

Spoiler

Empusai: Ἔμπουσα – Under the command and, by some myths, created by the dark goddess Hecate, these vampiric beings are lethal.
Terrible and insidious, the Empousai are spawned from a union of the goddess Hecate and Mormo.
Empusa Spawn: The Empusa can turn the slain it fed upon back, but it will become a 4 Hit Dice Empusa (Vampire) instead, and have only Physical saves. The abilities are limited as well: Blood Drain, Energy Drain, Regeneration 1, Electrical Resistance (half). If the creating Empusa is slain, so are the spawn.
Mormolyceion: There is nothing good about the Mormo, or could ever be, and many who go to Hades that have led a terrible life towards children are condemned to be one.
The accursed by Hecate are also made to become a Mormo as well, or worse, watch their children fall victim to one.
Lamia: These evil and accursed vampiric women, spawned from the original blood of Lamia herself.
Nekun: The skeleton-like anonymous Dead of those who have passed into Hades, Tartarus and other regions below the Earth.
Taraxippus: This ghost or ghosts are said to haunt the horse tracks of Olympias and make the horse races occasionally difficult to impossible for participants. Many Classical sources say the Taraxippus is but the ghost of heroes past now returned to haunt the Olympic Games for various reasons, while others say differently. Another story says that the strange event is due to a brave individual named Ischenos who sacrificed himself for the better of all in his community during a plague, and his grave is located at Olympia where the games are held.

Codex Germania

Spoiler

Undead: Untotenmeister Dragon Power
UNTOTENMEISTER: The cursed spirit of the dragon can summon from graves up to 2d20 Undead to aid it at any time. The nature of these Undead depends on the Castle Keeper and the scope of the campaign and its experience level. These Untoten serve its needs and move amid the Living to do whatever its tasks might be however mundane or insidious. They also may simply be there for support in times of battle and nothing more and come from the barrows where the dragon now inhabits.
As with many societies, the poor and common classes were placed in shallow graves with limited goods interred. The rich and powerful would construct fairly elaborate barrow mounds. The most extreme burials contained entire ships (goods, captain/king, slaves, etc). These ceremonies are the same as those performed for cremations. These burials are the source of the undead terrors that haunt the moonlit lands of Germania and beyond, if not maintained well or blessed.
Becolaep: A becolaep is a spectral witch that has died or was slain and passed on into the form of a wrath but refuses travel on to Helle or anywhere else in the Seven Worlds. Once a halirūna or wælcyrig, the becolaep is now a vengeful spirit, haunting desolate places (preferably near graves or tombs, or fresh battle-fields).
Dryhtne: The dryhtné are slain warriors who have not passed on to the next world after death for various reasons and now haunt regions where they previously roamed, either on land or sea.
Often, the curse of a wælcyrig could bring these dead warriors up from the earth to haunt or plague an enemy.
Mistflarden: Mistflarden are ‘ghost witches’ that flit about the shadows to cause others spiritual and bodily harm. They are said by many to be evil elves that have rejected the glowing holy light of Ælfhám, while others believe they are the wrathful spirits of drude and halirúna, or even the exiled spirits of the witches of Frau Hölle.
Nachzehrer: Nachzehrer are recently dead, usually fresh from a large sickness related event and usually become one in 1d4 nights after burial. There is no explanation for how a dead person transforms into a nachzehrer, but many think it is the insidious influence of hulda or curses of the halirúna.

Codex Nordica

Spoiler

Draugr: The Draugr are undead warriors who often are cursed into being so by a wizard or god or have made a pact to protect their loot or personal possessions into death itself.
Sometimes, a victim to a Draugr can be made to turn into one as well, taking a full day before it occurs.
Haugbui: The Haugbui are undead that are bound to stay within their own tomb but will guard it with their might from robbers or the daring that wish to enter.
Irrbloss: It is said that the Irrbloss are the lost wandering spirits of those people who have perished in mired and boggy places that now seek to be freed from their prison or wish ill to others out of personal vengeance.
Skromt: How the Skrømt spirit is bound to the stone varies from tribe to tribe, but many were sacrifices and criminals put to death by the tribe for their evil deeds. The Goði and wizards would bind their spirit to the stone to bless and protect the tribe in that direction (east, west, north, south) and react if the marker stone was moved or broken.
Vaettir: ?
Angrboda: Worse, though, is Angrboða’s undead state. She was slain in earlier times and is said by many to haunt the woods and swamps as a spectre.
Undead: As with many societies, the poor and common classes are placed in shallow graves with limited ceremonies and goods interred. The rich and powerful will construct barrow mounds, fairly elaborate, at the minimum but, at the most extreme, entire ships (goods, captain/king, slaves, etc.) will be placed into the ground. These ceremonies are the same as what is performed for cremations. These burials are the source of the undead terrors that haunt the moonlit lands of Scandinavia and beyond if not maintained well or blessed.

Codex Slavorum

Spoiler

Jaud: Infected by the vampire while in the womb, the jaud is a premature baby that has exited from the mother, usually fatally and with a great deal of gore, to feed on others.
Rusalka: Rusalka are the vengeful, undead spirits of women who were either murdered or committed suicide in a body of water.
Topielec: These frightening spirits are the souls of those who have been drowned by various means in bodies of water and are now filled with rage.
Vampir: Usually only the evilest of people can become a vampir, living or dead, and prey on the innocent living.
Ziburinis: Humanoid skeletons are the animated remains of humanoid creatures.

Umbrage Saga

Spoiler

Skeleton: The Dread Mire is an ancient battleground that has now become a swamp. Some millennia past, a local elfin lord aligned himself a human kingdom to battle against the onslaught of the Horned One’s army. In the first clashing of arms, the human king betrayed his ally and fell upon the elfin rearguard as the armies of the Horned One weighed into the vanguard. The humans slaughtered all of the elves in a horrific battle. But Andual, a warrior priest and the last of the kindred to die, laid a curse upon these men: “May your treachery bind you to this earth! May it devour you and spit you back up as a shadow of yourself. Thirst now for a life you cannot have. I curse you and bind you here until the Damnun sakes your agony. Know no peace.”
Zombie: The Dread Mire is an ancient battleground that has now become a swamp. Some millennia past, a local elfin lord aligned himself a human kingdom to battle against the onslaught of the Horned One’s army. In the first clashing of arms, the human king betrayed his ally and fell upon the elfin rearguard as the armies of the Horned One weighed into the vanguard. The humans slaughtered all of the elves in a horrific battle. But Andual, a warrior priest and the last of the kindred to die, laid a curse upon these men: “May your treachery bind you to this earth! May it devour you and spit you back up as a shadow of yourself. Thirst now for a life you cannot have. I curse you and bind you here until the Damnun sakes your agony. Know no peace.”
Ghoul: The Dread Mire is an ancient battleground that has now become a swamp. Some millennia past, a local elfin lord aligned himself a human kingdom to battle against the onslaught of the Horned One’s army. In the first clashing of arms, the human king betrayed his ally and fell upon the elfin rearguard as the armies of the Horned One weighed into the vanguard. The humans slaughtered all of the elves in a horrific battle. But Andual, a warrior priest and the last of the kindred to die, laid a curse upon these men: “May your treachery bind you to this earth! May it devour you and spit you back up as a shadow of yourself. Thirst now for a life you cannot have. I curse you and bind you here until the Damnun sakes your agony. Know no peace.”
The orcs of Seroneous cared little for the dead. They slew the last of the gnomes and fey who held the vale and ransacked the whole place. Much of it collapsed or was pulled down, leaving the whole place in ruins. They piled all the gnome dead in one room, desecrating them and eating what they could. But their violations did not last long, for three of the gnomes rose from the dead and fell upon the orcs.
Ghast: The Dread Mire is an ancient battleground that has now become a swamp. Some millennia past, a local elfin lord aligned himself a human kingdom to battle against the onslaught of the Horned One’s army. In the first clashing of arms, the human king betrayed his ally and fell upon the elfin rearguard as the armies of the Horned One weighed into the vanguard. The humans slaughtered all of the elves in a horrific battle. But Andual, a warrior priest and the last of the kindred to die, laid a curse upon these men: “May your treachery bind you to this earth! May it devour you and spit you back up as a shadow of yourself. Thirst now for a life you cannot have. I curse you and bind you here until the Damnun sakes your agony. Know no peace.”
Greater Shadow: At the moment of Unklar’s banishment from Airhde, the anvil cracked at the same time Deuranimus was transferring the soul of a paladin to a gem. The paladin was caught in the dead zone between the realms of the living and the dead. His body died, but his soul lingered, aware of an aching agony that he could not relieve. He became a shadow of himself and began haunting the room, tethered to the room that played witness to his last waking moment.
Lesser Shadow: ?

A6 Of Banishment and Blight

Spoiler

Skeleton: The knoglen blade weapon is a pole-arm fashioned from the living bones of the Aghul’s victims. Ranging about 8 feet long, it serves as a +3 weapon in both to hit and damage. The blade(s) are razor sharp, self replicating bones. When the wielder scores a successful hit with the blade of at least 19 or 20 (without bonus), flakes of the bone break off into the wound. These flakes are living bone and begin to meld with the victim. In the round following a successful hit, the victim feels an intense pain. The pain lasts for 4 melee rounds at which point the arm becomes numb and useless. If not treated, the wound begins to rot and the surrounding flesh begins to fall off in 1d4 days. There is no saving throw. Treatment can be with cure disease, remove curse, remove disease, heal, restoration or a cleric can attempt to turn the bones. They turn as a skeleton. If untreated, the rot spreads beyond the wound and the victim begins to take 1d10 points damage each day until they die. Unless buried in holy or consecrated ground they reanimate as a zombie or skeleton in 1d8 days.
Zombie: The knoglen blade weapon is a pole-arm fashioned from the living bones of the Aghul’s victims. Ranging about 8 feet long, it serves as a +3 weapon in both to hit and damage. The blade(s) are razor sharp, self replicating bones. When the wielder scores a successful hit with the blade of at least 19 or 20 (without bonus), flakes of the bone break off into the wound. These flakes are living bone and begin to meld with the victim. In the round following a successful hit, the victim feels an intense pain. The pain lasts for 4 melee rounds at which point the arm becomes numb and useless. If not treated, the wound begins to rot and the surrounding flesh begins to fall off in 1d4 days. There is no saving throw. Treatment can be with cure disease, remove curse, remove disease, heal, restoration or a cleric can attempt to turn the bones. They turn as a skeleto1n. If untreated, the rot spreads beyond the wound and the victim begins to take 1d10 points damage each day until they die. Unless buried in holy or consecrated ground they reanimate as a zombie or skeleton in 1d8 days.

A8 Forsaken Mountain

Spoiler

Undead: Creatures killed and devoured by naerlulth are often cast into limbo, and their tormented spirits are left to occupy the lands the creature has devoured and laid waste. These spawn are often undead, but have no shape or form until they assume one.

A9 The Helm of Night

Spoiler

Naerluthut: The naerlulthut are the spawn of the naerlulth, that dread creature of the darkness whose sole intent is to destroy the world about it. These, its children, are undead spirits whose bodies did the beast devour and whose souls were bound to it.
The barrel contains remains of the leavings of the naerlulth, a vile creature that devours all that it touches, animate or inanimate, drawing the essence from it, leaving behind a blackened trail of foul ash. Any living creature so devoured transforms into a naerlulthut, an undead creature. These undead, the naerlulthut, inhabit the ash of the naerlulth; rising only when the living are near, who them haunt with threats of death and damnation.

A10 The Last Respite

Spoiler

Wraith: The Lady of Garun first attempts to charm her victim into being friendly. When she feels the time is ripe, she delivers a long and passionate kiss, drawing out the soul of her victim. Those who lose their souls turn into wraiths.

Beneath the Dome

Spoiler

Green Zombie: ?
Green Zombie Animal: ?
Green Dragon Zombie: ?
Scarlet Zombie: ?
Green Amdromodon Zombie: When any type of Amdromodon touches a dead humanoid, having died in the last 48 hours, the humanoid rises as a Green Amdromodon Zombie and follows its creator. A status symbol in Amdromodon society is how many and how powerful are the follower zombies. Giants are particularly favored because of their toughness to kill. Flying creatures of all types are also especially sought after.
These zombies are not limited to humans as the touch of an Amdromodon can turn any recently dead body into a green zombie.

C2 Shades of Mist

Spoiler

Animated Snake: ?

C3 Upon the Powder River

Spoiler

Allip: The creature is an allip, the undead spirit of the wizard Athul who killed himself by throwing himself into the river after his traveling companion Crel was slain by the Luvandgaurn. The current swept his body into the foundation of the bridge where it remains, crumbled, torn, and wrapped in his magical cloak. Athul’s unburied and unmourned spirit clings to the world of men.
Gaunt: ?

C4 Harvest of Oaths

Spoiler

Wight: If the door is opened by any other than Merovina the bodies of her victims begin to crawl up from their shallow, moss covered graves.

C5 Falls the Divide

Spoiler

Shadow: Shadows are able to create spawn by reducing a creature’s strength to zero.

DA1 Dark Journey

Spoiler

Skeleton: ?
Ghoul: ?
Animal Skeleton: ?
Zombie: While Crisigrin did not like this room, he understood its importance. Any of his enemies, as well as any overtly evil being, was thrown into this room to die. Once dead, the mist acted as an animate dead spell.
Ghast: ?
Shadow: ?

DB1 Haunted Highlands

Spoiler

Undead: Of course age and weathering has cracked many of these cairns open and the presence of a great evil within the canyons has caused many of the dead to stir from their slumber to walk amongst the living once again.
Ghoul: ?
Ghast: ?
Skeleton: This chamber is home to a charnel spider. The foul creature occasionally leaves its lair to crawl forth to animate zombies and skeletons within the canyons and caverns of the Mynthnoc Cairns.
Urthrasta the Mummy: ?
Wight: The rousing of Urthrasta and the pillaging of their tomb has returned the corpses of the dead lords as wights.
Zombie: This chamber is home to a charnel spider. The foul creature occasionally leaves its lair to crawl forth to animate zombies and skeletons within the canyons and caverns of the Mynthnoc Cairns.
A creature reduced to 0 strength by a charnel spider’s poison dies and rises as a zombie under the charnel spider’s control in 1d4 rounds. A charnel spider can control a number of zombies whose total hd are not more than twice the charnel spider’s hd.

DB2 Crater of Umeshti

Spoiler

Skeletal Cat: ?
Zombie Bat: ?
Zombie: ?
Skeleton: ?
Hilde Coffer Corpse Bride of Malash: Following instructions found upon the Scroll of Nartarus, he sacrificed Hilde in the name of the god of the walking dead. She was returned to him a fortnight later as a coffer corpse, and his very own undead bride.
Undead: Malash is a devotee of the teachings of the dark deity Nartarus and as such has been given limited access to cleric spells and special powers dealing with the control and manufacture of the walking dead.
Coffer Corpse: A coffer corpse is formed when a recently deceased humanoid is the victim of an incomplete death ritual.

DB3 Deeper Darkness

Spoiler

Ghoul: ?
Shadow: Rune of Undeath: This powerful dwarven curse is reserved for only the most notable of dwarven thanes and nobles. By the activation of this rune the target must make a save vs. death (CL 7) or be instantly slain, arising in 1d4 rounds as an undead guardian of the place of defilement. Beings with less than 5 HD rise as a shadow. Beings with over 5 HD rise as a wraith, beings of over 10 HD rise as a specter.
Wraith: Rune of Undeath: This powerful dwarven curse is reserved for only the most notable of dwarven thanes and nobles. By the activation of this rune the target must make a save vs. death (CL 7) or be instantly slain, arising in 1d4 rounds as an undead guardian of the place of defilement. Beings with less than 5 HD rise as a shadow. Beings with over 5 HD rise as a wraith, beings of over 10 HD rise as a specter.
Spectre: Rune of Undeath: This powerful dwarven curse is reserved for only the most notable of dwarven thanes and nobles. By the activation of this rune the target must make a save vs. death (CL 7) or be instantly slain, arising in 1d4 rounds as an undead guardian of the place of defilement. Beings with less than 5 HD rise as a shadow. Beings with over 5 HD rise as a wraith, beings of over 10 HD rise as a specter.
The corpses of the Umeshti lord and lady buried here were cursed during the war of the gods and each was buried alive within their own sepulcher. Now their spirits reside here restlessly as specters.

Giant's Rapture

Spoiler

Banshee: ?
Feliul Stone: Feliul stones are magical stones that have been possessed by the spirit of a fallen dwarf, gnome, giant or goblin (far more commonly a dwarf). Usually the victim has died some horrible death, through torture or the like. Some feliul stones are possessed of the spirits of those that have died before some great task was completed. Whatever the case, the spirit lingers in the living world and takes up residence in the stone about it.

Heart of Glass

Spoiler

Soul Thief: He was one of the guards for Unklar’s forces. Accused of treason - treason he never committed - he was tortured for many years before they allowed him to die. Being innocent, his soul attempted to fulfill his duties they accused him of not performing while alive.
These creatures are of the order of the Val-Austlich, created in the Days before Days by Thorax. They were shadows, cast off by the Cloak of Red, and called the rottenshuf.
Marissa Vampire: ?
Malcom of Helliwell Vampire Grave Knight: They watched as he vanished beneath the awnings of the ruined gate. The screams of his pain and horror carried over the barren wastes and into the ice-bound wilds. So Malcom of Helliwell, knight and paladin of the Holy Defenders, sacrificed his place in heaven for the greater good of the world. So Malcom of Helliwell gained immortality and became a vampire, all for the greater good.
A one time paladin of the Holy Defenders of the Flame, Malcom fell victim to Sagramore, the father of all Vampires, and the machinations of the gods during the Winter Dark Wars.
Malcom is an unusually powerful vampire. He is a Living Vampire, a Patriarch. There are few of these creatures in the world. Malcom came to be thus for as a living man he was a good man, a lordly paladin of a noble line and family who willingly submitted to the lusts of the undead Lord Sagramore. In so doing he bound his soul, his very being, to the prospect of being undead, so that his soul lingered in his body.
Sagramore, a one time wizard and tortured victim of the horned god’s came to St. Luther and offered to make Malcom a creature of the undead. “You know my tale, Lord of Dreams, and you know that I must live by the blood of living things. You know that I am a vampire. But Narrheit must be foiled, and the riddles of the Blood Runes understood and only Malcom may do this.” He promised to take the boy in his arms and give him eternal life.
“Such a thing would be damnation for him. But alas, I see no other way. If he agrees, I myself shall slay him when his destiny is fulfilled.” So they took Malcom and after much debate the knight, in great consternation, with curses for his father and St. Luther allowed for the Vampire’s embrace. So it was that the second curse came upon Malcom and he became the undead.
Vampire:But the worst of his powers came when Naarheit, god of Chaos, revealed to Sagramore that he could alleviate his loneliness by spreading his disease to others.
At first he did so reluctantly, for he was ever a good man, and knew in his heart that what he did was an abomination. He felt also that he owed Jaren a debt. But his loneliness overcame his reluctance, and he eventually made others like himself.
Sagramore: Unklar then cursed him, “Ever shall you thirst for the power you cannot have! Ever shall you gain that which you do not seek!” And he marked him with the gift of immortality, bound to a chain in a cave under a mountain in the frozen north.

I2 Under Dark & Misty Ground Dzeebagd

Spoiler

Huge Skeleton: This is the skeleton of an ogre child who starved to death after his parents died. His father is the skeleton found in 8a. If the child’s skeleton is disturbed, the ogre skeleton in 8a animates.

Lost City of Gaxmoor

Spoiler

Ogre-Ghoul: The evil half-orc Lamesh discovered a potent magical item, the Necromantic Crown of Quentis, and has created several of these abominations.
THE NECROMANTIC CROWN OF QUENTIS (EVIL): This simple circlet of golden snakes provides an evil cleric with the ability to create and command twice the normal number of undead. The crown also bestows the ability to create undead as per the spell once per week at 2 times caster’s level. This is how Lamesh has been able to create the dreaded ogre-ghouls. Anyone wearing the Crown for more than an hour must make a weekly wisdom save (CL 15) or lose a point of constitution. Upon reaching zero constitution the character is completely transformed into a ghoul!
Gnoll Zombie: ?
Xerxes, Vampire:
Ghoul: THE NECROMANTIC CROWN OF QUENTIS (EVIL): This simple circlet of golden snakes provides an evil cleric with the ability to create and command twice the normal number of undead. The crown also bestows the ability to create undead as per the spell once per week at 2 times caster’s level. This is how Lamesh has been able to create the dreaded ogre-ghouls. Anyone wearing the Crown for more than an hour must make a weekly wisdom save (CL 15) or lose a point of constitution. Upon reaching zero constitution the character is completely transformed into a ghoul!
Skeleton: ?
Luscious Maximus Mageris, Lich: ?
Daedalus, Antonitus, Advanced Skeletal Warrior: Daedalus Antonitus animates as a special undead creature if anyone violates his seat of honor (i.e. touches or attempts to steal any of his possessions).
Skeletal Warrior: ?

Nine Worlds Saga Volume I Hel Rising

Spoiler

Vaettur: They are the vengeful spirits of those sacrificed to the bogs and they will drag the victims into the waters to their doom.
Haugbui: ?

Nine Worlds Saga Volume II Odin's Fury

Spoiler

Irrbloss: ?
Vaettir: These spectral women float about the swamp waters and remain from what had been left of earlier sacrifices by the dwarfs (of Mortals) to satiate the Ogress.

S2 Dwarven Glory

Spoiler

Feliul Stone: Feliul stones are magical stones that have been possessed by the spirit of a fallen dwarf, gnome, giant or goblin (far more commonly a dwarf). Usually the victim has died some horrible death, through torture or the like. Some feliul stone’s are possessed of the spirits of those that have died before some great task was completed.
Skeleton: Anyone making a successful wisdom check (CL 0) notices a gold chain hanging on one of the chandeliers. Any attempt to retrieve it however animates five skeletons and many of the bones.

S3 Malady of Kings

Spoiler

Vivienne Ghost: But she lingered still, in the world of the living, a haunt barred from the Stone Fields, where the noble dead lie, for a desire so deep death cannot claim her; now, upon the edge of the Wretched Plains, her ghost is fearful and restless.
His one true love, Queen Vivienne, had died long ago; but unbeknownst to him, her spirit did not pass to the Stone Fields where the good rest forever. Instead, it lingered in the world, awaiting his return.
But in truth, she failed to gain the peace the gods promise the dead. Her spirit, sundered from her corporeal form, lived on, seeking the love of her life, Luther.
A powerful, forceful woman, Vivienne ruled the kingdom frequently in her husband’s absence. It is this force which has kept her spirit from passing from the world and made her the ghost of the Frieden Anhohe.

S4 A Lion in the Ropes

Spoiler

Orinsu: This act of consecrating the burial chamber created the orinsu. Left to die in the deep cold pits, unburied and forgotten, the souls of the men hovered in a purgatory between life and death. The spells of the clergy laying their own to rest wrenched the souls back to the world of the living.
These souls, usually spawned from those who suffered a horrible death due to torture, starvation, or other evil circumstances, search for their place in the afterlife. The spirit, wracked by earthly pain, is unsure as to whether it should pass on from the realm of the living. It remains in the foggy middle, tied to its place of death as an undead creature.
The orinsu are common creatures in Aihrde as the long and bitter Winter Dark and the brutal 20 year Winter Dark War left countless dead, whose bodies were never properly laid to rest. And though these all are not subject to becoming the orinsu, enough of them were cursed or placed under some banishment to keep their souls bound to the world where their fallen bodies lay in rot.

Stains Upon the Green

Spoiler

Wight: However, one of the soulless victims of the barghest haunts this room. As noted, Corilyn brought three mercenaries into the Keep with him, and all died at the hands of the barghest. One turned into a wight and haunts the Great Hall and Room S7.
Allip: The room is home to a mindless allip, the hollowed soul of a second one of Corilyn’s men. This unfortunate soul did not die as his companions did, but rather suffered the torment of the barghest, who drew his soul from his living body. So the man fled in torment, bolting himself in the well room. As his body died, it became the hollow form of an allip.
Ghost: Though the body is dead, the spirit of the man remains. It is not attached to the body however, only the detached leg. In death the spirit did not know which way to turn and wandered to the leg, where it has hung ever since, looking down upon it, wondering what happened.

U1 Shadows of Halfling Hall

Spoiler

Halfling Ghoul: ?
Halfling Zombie: ?
Zombie Dog: Unfortunately, after the attack there was no one to let them out and so the poor animals died of thirst and starvation. The Awakener subsequently animated them as zombies to provide a nasty surprise to anyone nosey enough to intrude in here.
Willec the Halfling Zombie: ?
Death Grip: These are the left hands of the zombies within the upper hall, now reanimated by the awakener into death grips.
The death grip is an unusual form of undead created by a high level necromancer or evil cleric. The hand of a corpse and one of the corpses eyeballs are used in the animation rite and it creates a scuttling clawlike hand that will follow simple commands as a skeleton or zombie.
Skeleton: Awakeners also have the ability to animate one of the following groups of undead per week: 6 skeletons or zombies or 2 ghouls or1 ghast or wraith or 1 mummy/month.
Bag O' Bones: Rather than animate all the skeletons here, the awakener decided it would be best to combine the material into a single (and dangerous) opponent.
It is a result of the blending of the necromantic arts of the undead with the alchemical lore of golem creation.
The creation of such a monster requires expensive ingredients (at least 10,000gp) and months of preparation equal to a stone golem and requires the assistance of both a high level cleric and a master wizard coordinating their powers.
Mummy Lesser: The awakener will animate these bodies within 1-3 rounds after the party enters.
These mummies are rather weaker than the usual mummy due to the relative weakness of the awakener and the condition of the bodies.
Awakener: The awakener is a special form of ghost/lich created by the minions of a lord of the undead. This being has its spirit form magic jarred into a piece of jewelry such as a circlet, bracelet, etc. of suitable size. This item is the creature’s focus and is usually of valuable and of exquisite manufacture.
Zombie: Awakeners also have the ability to animate one of the following groups of undead per week: 6 skeletons or zombies or 2 ghouls or1 ghast or wraith or 1 mummy/month.
Ghoul: Awakeners also have the ability to animate one of the following groups of undead per week: 6 skeletons or zombies or 2 ghouls or1 ghast or wraith or 1 mummy/month.
Ghast: Awakeners also have the ability to animate one of the following groups of undead per week: 6 skeletons or zombies or 2 ghouls or1 ghast or wraith or 1 mummy/month.
Mummy: Awakeners also have the ability to animate one of the following groups of undead per week: 6 skeletons or zombies or 2 ghouls or1 ghast or wraith or 1 mummy/month.

U2 Verdant Rage

Spoiler

Ghoul: These figures are ghouls. The burners have been infected with the grave mold so long that the infection has transformed them into the undead: ghouls!
Banshee: The reason for its lack of a resident is that the former occupant was transformed by Argus into a banshee.
Any female wood folk slain as a gaunt has a 5% chance of rising yet again as a banshee in 1d4 days.
Wight: ?
Zombie: These zombies were part of Argus’ first experiments in necromancy with the Liber Mortis.
Skeleton: The bed is infested with rot grubs, and it was this area where the zombies above ground had been infected. Argus simply cast cleave flesh on these four to make them skeletons and thereby salvage something from the bodies.
However, he has a bowl of 24 Hydra’s Teeth that he’s enchanted to transform into undead skeletons (again via the Liber Mortis).
The Liber Mortis gives the alchemical recipe for the creation of Hydra’s Teeth. These items (made from the actual teeth of a hydra and other unguents) when properly created, allow the user to bring forth an equal number of skeletons (max HP) as teeth used to serve the caster.
Gaunt: Gaunts are the results of necromantic experimentations upon the corpses of elves and other woodland beings.
Grave Mold: It is an undead creature, formed by Argus from yellow mold with his residual druidic abilities and the Liber Mortis.
Spectre: Within its pages the liber mortis gives detailed information on the creation of specters and liches.
Lich: Within its pages the liber mortis gives detailed information on the creation of specters and liches.

The Liber Mortis
This book is a collection of some of the greatest spells and treatise on the black art of necromancy in the land. Its black leather cover seems to radiate evil and corruption, even while the book itself is spotless and neat. There is a silver pentagram upon the cover and a book latch along the side keeps the tome closed when not in use.
The book emits a mild aura of evil at a 15 foot radius. This is easily detectible by even beings not sensitive to magic and no attribute check is required. Any non-evil creatures in the vicinity of the work will feel a sense of disquiet and morale checks will suffer a –2 penalty.
The Liber is far more than just a spell book, however. It is actually imbued with negative planar energy to the point that it has a will of its own. It cannot dominate its wielder, though it will use dreams and other lures to encourage a caster to delve into its secrets and begin to cast its spells which will affect the caster as noted below.
Any spellcaster (wizard, cleric, druid, etc.) may use the spells in the book, even if their class normally precludes the use of arcane spells. Furthermore, the spells cannot be memorized from the book but can be cast from the book just like a scroll. However, the spell is re-castable and will not disappear as scrolls do. With each spell cast, the caster will lose one point of wisdom and be unaware of its loss. When the caster reaches –1 wisdom, the book will consume the caster’s soul (no save) and the body will crumble into dust.
Any wizard who reads the tome will gain +1 level in their class. Any other caster will not gain this level advancement but all perusers of the Liber must make a wisdom save or move one rank in alignment towards chaotic evil. For instance, a lawful good wizard who failed his save would become lawful neutral. A neutral evil druid who failed would become chaotic evil, a chaotic good cleric would become chaotic neutral, etc.
The Liber Mortis’s spell abilities are:
1. Allows the user to cast the below spells as noted:
Cleave Flesh @ (4/day)
Detect Undead (3/day)
Invisibility to Undead (3/day)
Speak with Dead (3/day)
Animate/Preserve Dead (2/day)
Magic Circle vs Undead (2/day)
Create Undead (1/day)
Create Greater Undead (1/week)
2. Allows the reader to attempt to control undead as a cleric of a level equal to the user’s level (regardless of class).
3. Gives the alchemical recipe for the creation of Hydra’s Teeth. These items (made from the actual teeth of a hydra and other unguents) when properly created, allow the user to bring forth an equal number of skeletons (max HP) as teeth used to serve the caster.
4. Within its pages gives detailed information on the creation of specters and liches.
Alignment
The alignment of the reader affects its capabilities as noted on the chart below. The damage column indicates how much damage the character with the alignment suffers when first handling the book. This happens only once per reader.
Alignment Damage Use Abilities
Lawful Good 4d4 1
Lawful Neutral 3d4 1, 2
Lawful Evil 1d4 1, 2, 3
Neutral Good 3d4 1
Neutral 2d4 1, 2
Neutral Evil 1d4 1, 2, 3
Chaotic Good 2d4 1
Chaotic Neutral 1d4 1, 2, 3
Chaotic Evil -- All
[MENTION=18269]CL[/MENTION]eave flesh is a 1st level spell that allows the caster to force the flesh of a corpse to drop away from the skeleton, leaving a clean set of bones behind. It will not do the same to living flesh, but will disrupt the flesh and cause 2d4 damage. Note that the use of this spell to create the gibbering mouther in the Great Oak cannot be employed by the player characters. Argus’ necromantic modifications are unique to his situation (as a fallen druid) and are not useable by player characters.

U3 Fingers of the Forsaken Hand

Spoiler

Ghast: ?
Mummy: ?
Wraith: ?
Ghoul: ?
Bodak: Sitting at the desk is the Guardian of the Key, a powerful warrior and mystic transformed into a bodak of unusual power.

U4 Curse of the Khan

Spoiler

Ghoul: They are creations of Falvorn and were once vicious murderers who crossed the Khan.
Ghast: He warns, however, that the place is cursed and anyone who is tainted with the curse who leaves the castle dies within twenty –four hours, only to rise again as a ghast or wight to return to the castle and serve as its guardian. The same is true for anyone slain within the fortress itself. He refers to this as the Curse of the Crawling Queen.
Wight: He warns, however, that the place is cursed and anyone who is tainted with the curse who leaves the castle dies within twenty –four hours, only to rise again as a ghast or wight to return to the castle and serve as its guardian. The same is true for anyone slain within the fortress itself. He refers to this as the Curse of the Crawling Queen.
Skeletal Undead Hunting Dogs: ?
Bulrigi, Mummy: ?
Oyugun, Lesser Lich: His initial oath to remain in service to the Khan for eternity held, for when the Ruby Diadem was placed upon his forehead he was transformed into a lich.
Shabekith, Mummy Lord: Shabekith was the first worshipper of the Khan as a deity after his transformation. She volunteered to guard his tomb and was indeed the first sacrifice given to the new war god. Due to her service, the Khan ordained her with eternal un –life as a mummy lord.
Prince Tamur, Bodak: Prince Tamur was imprisoned alive, the Helm of Strife bolted to his living skull. Once completed, the torture and ritual transformed Prince Tamur for all time into a bodak.
Jarisha, Vampire: ?
Skeleton Small Beast: These small skeletal creatures are typically raised from the skeletal remains of dogs, cats, wolves, coyotes and the like. Some necromancers prefer raising them up as they can get twice as many smaller minions from a single casting of Animate Dead as they would the larger humanoid skeleton stock.

Free City of Eskadia

Spoiler

Plague Zombie: Beings bit by plague zombies must make a successful save vs. disease (Challenge Level 2) or lose 1d4 points of Constitution. Each hour thereafter the victim must make an additional save vs. plague or again lose 1d4 Constitution. This continues until the victim is dead.
1d10 rounds after a victim succumbs to the zombie infection they rise as a plague zombie, intent on attacking any living creature it comes across.
Vampire: Any being struck with the Scepter of Death rises in the following round as a vampire, ghost, or in the case of spell casters of sufficient power… a lich cursed to do the bidding of their cruel slayer.
Ghost: Any being struck with the Scepter of Death rises in the following round as a vampire, ghost, or in the case of spell casters of sufficient power… a lich cursed to do the bidding of their cruel slayer.
Lich: Any being struck with the Scepter of Death rises in the following round as a vampire, ghost, or in the case of spell casters of sufficient power… a lich cursed to do the bidding of their cruel slayer.
Zombie: ?
Bidder Bredderson's Ghost: This dump of a warehouse and brewery was once famous for its quality brews until the brewmeister refused to pay protection to the Order and was never seen again.
Mystical research determined that the Order would be forever cursed by Bowbe for their murder of the brewmeister.
Lecrutia's Spirit: Lecrutia’s spirit has fought its own great battles of will to win its way from the tortured limbo of the murdered.
Ghoul: ?
Skeleton: ?
Spectre: ?
Dr. Orleon the Vampire: ?
Bhuta: There is a 20%* chance that the PCs encounter a victim of one of their encounters with the above opponents. In this event the corpse rises as a Bhuta attacking the character who slew it in life.
Wight: ?
Raj Rhukan, Ancient Mummy: ?

Haunted Highlands Deities

Spoiler

Vampire: Any being struck with the Scepter of Death rises in the following round as a vampire, ghost, or in the case of spell casters of sufficient power… a lich cursed to do the bidding of their cruel slayer.
Ghost: Any being struck with the Scepter of Death rises in the following round as a vampire, ghost, or in the case of spell casters of sufficient power… a lich cursed to do the bidding of their cruel slayer.
Lich: Any being struck with the Scepter of Death rises in the following round as a vampire, ghost, or in the case of spell casters of sufficient power… a lich cursed to do the bidding of their cruel slayer.

Amazing Adventures Manual of Monsters

Spoiler

Undead: Undead are once-living creatures animated by spiritual or supernatural forces.
Animal Skeleton: Animal carcasses that are the target of Animate Dead are risen as animal skeletons. Anyone casting the spell solely on dead animals can gain up to twice his level in HD, as opposed to his level in HD per the spell Animate Dead. In other words, a 5th level Cleric, while normally only able to raise 5HD worth of Undead, may raise 10HD worth of animal skeletons. Only small creatures can be raised as such, no bigger than a large dog.
Apparition: ?
Bhuta: When a person is murdered, the spirit sometimes clings to the world, refusing to accept its mortal death. This spirit possesses its original body and seeks out those responsible for its murder.
Bogeyman: Bogeymen are the stuff of legends: creatures created in the minds of parents who relayed stories about incorporeal ghosts coming to carry their children off if they didn’t go to bed when they were supposed to, didn’t do their chores when asked, and so on. The spectral bogeyman’s ties to the land of the living are a result of these stories. Often, these stories are based on the exploits of criminals, murderers, and madmen that live or have lived in the local area. By
the very nature of their creation, bogeymen are evil. They are creatures born of fear and lies, delighting in the torment their fear harbors.
Ghast: If a creature dies from wounds sustained by a ghast’s claw and bite damage, and is not eaten by the foul creature, it will rise again as a ghoul or ghast in 2d4-1 days unless the corpse is blessed before interment. The victim will rise as a ghoul if it has less than 4 levels or hit dice, and as a ghast if it has a 4 or more levels or hit dice.
Ghost: Ghosts are the restless undead spirits of the tragically or evil deceased. Generally, in life, these people committed some crime or act (or series of acts) that doomed them to forever walk the earth, never finding rest. Many were cruel, vindictive, and visited needless suffering upon others. Others were so consumed with anger, sorrow, or other emotions at the moment of death that their spirits were forced to remain bound to the physical world in perpetual torment.
Ghoul: If a creature dies from wounds sustained by a ghast’s claw and bite damage, and is not eaten by the foul creature, it will rise again as a ghoul or ghast in 2d4-1 days unless the corpse is blessed before interment. The victim will rise as a ghoul if it has less than 4 levels or hit dice, and as a ghast if it has a 4 or more levels or hit dice.
Haunt: In its living form, the haunt had some mission or task that needed to be completed. So great was the compulsion to finish this deed that, even in death, the creature seeks to fulfill its final task.
Huecuva: ?
Lich: A lich is a powerful undead creature, born from a hideous ritual performed by a wizard that lusts for everlasting life. Becoming a lich is an option for only the most powerful and reckless of magi, as it involves separating the spirit from the body and binding it in a specially prepared phylactery. This very powerful enchanted item can take any form, but it is usually an amulet of the finest quality.
Few know these arcane rituals, and of those few, even fewer dare test the sorcery. If it fails, the wizard’s soul is lost and forever irretrievable.
Mummy: A mummy is an undead creature usually wrapped in divine bandages and urged to existence through prayer and ceremony.
Poltergeist: The poltergeist is an invisible undead spirit that haunts a specific area. Sometimes this area is one that it was close to in life, but more often than not, the area is the place the poltergeist was killed when it was alive.
Revenant: Any human (and only humans) that have died an extremely ghastly death can arise as a revenant to exact revenge on its killer. The revenant, in life, must have had a minimum of 15 CON, INT and WIS to become a revenant. Even at that, the chances are very slim.
Shadow: They are either doomed souls who, in life, perpetrated great evil against innocents, or they are thralls, created and bound to darkness by another shadow.
A creature reduced to 0 strength by a shadow’s strength drain attack is slain. The deceased will rise again as a shadow within 1d4 rounds.
A creature reduced to 0 Strength by a shadow wolf’s Drain attack is slain. The deceased rises again as a normal shadow within 1d4 rounds.
Skeleton: Skeletons are the animated remains of dead creatures. Their bodies are little more than bone and sinew held together by vile sorcery.
Spectre: Spectres are spiritual echoes; fragments of a learned person that died in the pursuit of knowledge.
Any creature slain by a spectre will become a spectre in 1d4 rounds.
Vampire: If a Vampire is killed, all of its spawn immediately become full vampires.
Vampire Spawn: Vampire Spawn, or lesser vampires, are those mortals who are turned into a vampire by the kiss of a full vampire.
If a vampire chooses, it can drain the blood or energy of a human victim in such a way as to bring the deceased into unlife as a vampire spawn. This spawn is under the control of the slaying vampire. This ability is not automatic, but must be consciously used.
If a vampire wolf chooses, it can drain the blood or energy of a human victim in such a way as to bring the deceased into unlife as a vampire spawn.
This ability is not automatic, but must be consciously used.
Wight: ?
Wight Spawn: A human victim killed by the wight’s energy drain can be brought back to unlife, as a wight, under the control of the slaying wight. The slaying wight must want to use this ability; it is not automatic.
Wolf Ghoul: ?
Wolf Shadow: ?
Wolf Vampiric: ?
Wraith: Wraiths are powerful wights (q.v.) who have forged a more powerful bond with the negative material plane.
Wraith Spawn: A human victim killed by the wraith’s energy drain can be brought back to life as a wraith, under the control of the slaying wraith. The slaying wraith must want to use this ability; it is not automatic.
Zombie: Zombies are undead humanoids, reanimated corpses that stalk the earth with little purpose or reason.
In some campaigns, zombies may be able to infect others with their bite, slowly turning the infected into zombies. In such a case, the victim bitten must make a constitution save at -2 or be infected. Infected victims will lose 1d4 points of strength and constitution each day until one of the two abilities reaches 0, at which point the victim dies, rising within 1d4 minutes as a new zombie unless the body is destroyed (often through decapitation or other destruction of the head).
Civatateo: Civatateo are noble women who have died in childbirth and now roam as undead looking to punish the living.
Gashadokuro: Gashadokuro are created from gathering bones from people who have died of starvation.

Abbernoth Campaign Setting

Spoiler

Shadow Lesser Abbernothian: They are creatures born of darkness; some say they are the spirits of morgar who have returned from the grave to serve their Queen of Oblivion in death as they did in life. Others believe that shadows are the manifestations of those who perpetuated great evils in life. Perhaps both have a bit of truth to them, regardless lesser shadows come in two forms; they are either the aforementioned spirits, or they are thralls created and bound to darkness by another shadow.
A creature reduced to 0 strength by a shadow’s strength drain attack is slain. The deceased will raise again as a lesser shadow within 1d4 rounds, losing all class abilities, and forever functioning as an ordinary shadow.
A creature reduced to 0 strength by a greater shadow’s strength drain attack is slain. The deceased will raise again as a lesser shadow within 1d4 rounds, losing all class abilities, and forever functioning as an ordinary shadow.
A creature reduced to 0 strength by a shadow worg’s strength drain attack is slain. The deceased will raise again as a lesser shadow within 1d4 rounds, losing all class abilities, and forever functioning as an ordinary shadow.
Shadow Greater Abbernothian: Greater shadows are those shadows that have existed since the terrible years of the Long Twilight. These are ancient spirits of spite and malice who seek to extinguish the flame of life wherever they find it.
Worg Shadow: ?

Critters Vol. 1

Spoiler

Ash Crawler: The ash crawler is partially incorporeal being made of nothing more than the ashes of its former body animated by a terrible evil will that makes it difficult to damage by weapons.
Corpse Ray: The Corpse Ray is the animate amalgam of bones, sundered flesh, and detritus of drowned and devoured sailors that has somehow coalesced into a mass of cursed life with a hatred of all things living.
Dread Knight: The Dread Knight is a powerful undead created from the corpse of a fallen knight or paladin by necromancers.
Dust Wraith: Dust wraiths are formed when powerful corporeal undead such as mummies turn to dust due to time or when an intelligent creature is slain by a dust wraith.
Gossamer Haunt: It is unknown how Gossamer Haunts procreate or even by what process they come into existence, though theory thinks that they are the vengeful spirits of those abandoned by family and friends to die alone and forlorn in some equally forgotten place.
Husk: The Husk is the corporeal remains of a cleric whose faith and devotion to their evil deity was so strong that their deity would not let them truly die.
Zombie: Any creature whose strength has been completely drained away by the Husks withering touch will rise 2d4 rounds after death as a zombie under the full control of the Husk that created it.
Zombie Knight: The Zombie Knight is the unfortunate victim of a Dread Knight that has been reanimated to serve its slayer for eternity.
Any living creature killed by the Dread Knight has a 50% chance of rising as a Zombie Knight within 1d3 rounds after begin slain. The Zombie Knight is a thrall of the Knight and will obey only its creator or the necromancer that created the Knight itself. If those that are slain by the knight are beheaded immediately after death, then they will be unable to rise as undead spawn.

Critters Vol. 2

Spoiler

Ban Yeoja, Half Woman: ?
Crypt Creeper: A Crypt Creeper is the detritus and bones of small animals that have collected within a crypt, tomb, or lair of powerful undead. Over the decades or centuries exposed to the negative energy that permeates these places, this collection of remains gained a un-life of its own.

Critters Vol. 3

Spoiler

Devouring Soul: ?
Skeletal Dragon: Unlike the Dragon Skeleton or Dragon Lich, the Skeletal Dragon is an amalgamation of hundreds of skeletons of all types forced into draconic form by the necromantic magic used to bring it to life. This ritual is so foul that it has been hunted down to the point of non-existence upon the mortal plane. The only way a necromantic cult can obtain knowledge of the ritual is through infernal agents.

Domesday Volume 1 Issue 3

Spoiler

Hor Shaol: Hor Shaol are the undead knights of a usually demonic power.
Blldia: This creature is an undead spirit of rage in corporeal form seeking to destroy everything and everyone in its path. Scholars believe that these manifestations were once the souls of those who poisoned the minds of those around them through deeds and words because of envy and jealousy. These emotions for some became a rage that consumed them resulting in this abomination beyond death.

Undead: The Hor Shaol can create any type of undead except other Hor Shoal.
Wraith: When a victim is dying the Hor Shaol may steal it's soul and use it to create a special type of Wraith that serves only it's creator they may only have 3 wraiths of this type at any time.

Domesday Volume 2 Issue 4

Spoiler

Burning Corpse: The burning corpse is an undead creature cursed by the svery hellfires that spawned it.
Burning corpses are usually spawned from those condemned to hell for horrid crimes.

Domesday 7

Spoiler

Skeleton: The body is merely a shell animated by magic. The nature of this magic is necromantic either directly animating the body or dragging the person’s soul back from the afterlife and both enslaving and imprisoning it to follow the will of the caster.
Orb of the Dead Create Undead power.
Zombie: The body is merely a shell animated by magic. The nature of this magic is necromantic either directly animating the body or dragging the person’s soul back from the afterlife and both enslaving and imprisoning it to follow the will of the caster.
Orb of the Dead Create Undead power.
Ghoul: The body is merely a shell animated by magic. The nature of this magic is necromantic either directly animating the body or dragging the person’s soul back from the afterlife and both enslaving and imprisoning it to follow the will of the caster.
Ghast: Unlike the lesser undead, these more intelligent and powerful sorts are not necessarily created by a necromancer but by their own dark will and corrupted spirit. Given that these undead had a degree of free will it could be assumed that the magic involved in their creation or revival is tainted strongly with unholy powers and/or negative energy. Even if enslaved to a necromancer, the risk of their breaking free of their bonds is high. In a way, it is as if the will of the person in question superimposed itself over reality to a limited extent by refusing to acknowledge their own mortal end.
Wight: Unlike the lesser undead, these more intelligent and powerful sorts are not necessarily created by a necromancer but by their own dark will and corrupted spirit. Given that these undead had a degree of free will it could be assumed that the magic involved in their creation or revival is tainted strongly with unholy powers and/or negative energy. Even if enslaved to a necromancer, the risk of their breaking free of their bonds is high. In a way, it is as if the will of the person in question superimposed itself over reality to a limited extent by refusing to acknowledge their own mortal end.
Mummy: Unlike the lesser undead, these more intelligent and powerful sorts are not necessarily created by a necromancer but by their own dark will and corrupted spirit. Given that these undead had a degree of free will it could be assumed that the magic involved in their creation or revival is tainted strongly with unholy powers and/or negative energy. Even if enslaved to a necromancer, the risk of their breaking free of their bonds is high. In a way, it is as if the will of the person in question superimposed itself over reality to a limited extent by refusing to acknowledge their own mortal end.
Vampire: Unlike the lesser undead, these more intelligent and powerful sorts are not necessarily created by a necromancer but by their own dark will and corrupted spirit. Given that these undead had a degree of free will it could be assumed that the magic involved in their creation or revival is tainted strongly with unholy powers and/or negative energy. Even if enslaved to a necromancer, the risk of their breaking free of their bonds is high. In a way, it is as if the will of the person in question superimposed itself over reality to a limited extent by refusing to acknowledge their own mortal end.
Orb of the Dead Grant Un-Death power.
Lich: Unlike the lesser undead, these more intelligent and powerful sorts are not necessarily created by a necromancer but by their own dark will and corrupted spirit. Given that these undead had a degree of free will it could be assumed that the magic involved in their creation or revival is tainted strongly with unholy powers and/or negative energy. Even if enslaved to a necromancer, the risk of their breaking free of their bonds is high. In a way, it is as if the will of the person in question superimposed itself over reality to a limited extent by refusing to acknowledge their own mortal end.
Orb of the Dead Grant Un-Death power.
Shadow: If anything, they are an even greater example of will interacting with negative/unholy energy to defy death and even more-so than their corporeal counterparts, are stuck between life and death.
Wraith: If anything, they are an even greater example of will interacting with negative/unholy energy to defy death and even more-so than their corporeal counterparts, are stuck between life and death.
Ghost: If anything, they are an even greater example of will interacting with negative/unholy energy to defy death and even more-so than their corporeal counterparts, are stuck between life and death.
Ghost Dragon: A ghost dragon is the undead spirit of an evil dragon, forever haunting the region of its death, or more commonly, guarding its beloved treasure hoard into eternity. In life, the dragon was a paragon of its sub-species; greedy, cruel, vindictive, and generally causing suffering upon those in its domain. Upon the dragon’s death, its spirit was forced to remain bound to the physical world.
Fell Shadow: When a victim is reduced to 0 STR points, 0 hit points, or 0 CON points, the victim is dead and will rise in 1-3 nights as a lesser Fell Shadow under the thrall of the Fell Shadow that slew him or her; if the Fell Shadow in question still exists. If not, the new Fell Shadow will be independent and at full strength.
Fell Shadow Lesser: When a victim is reduced to 0 STR points, 0 hit points, or 0 CON points, the victim is dead and will rise in 1-3 nights as a lesser Fell Shadow under the thrall of the Fell Shadow that slew him or her; if the Fell Shadow in question still exists. If not, the new Fell Shadow will be independent and at full strength.
Death Knight: Orb of the Dead Grant Un-Death power.

ORB OF THE DEAD
This magical item appears as a simple sphere of rough black basalt approximately four inches in diameter. Its magical ability does not appear unless exposed to a ‘detect magic’ spell or until it is picked up by someone capable of using magic.
Should someone pick the sphere up that is of good alignment, they will suffer a terrible burning sensation though no damage. The longer they hold the sphere the worse the burning gets. If someone of neutral alignment picks of the sphere, a battle of wills begins between the spirit of the orb and the person holding it. Should the person lose the battle, they will be possessed by the orb and an agent of death seeking to spread death to all corners of the world. Should the person win the battle, they will be able to utilize only the basic functions of the orb. Should someone of evil alignment pick up the sphere, the sphere will reinforce their desire to kill and destroy unless they are already an agent of death at which point the spirit of the orb may offer a partnership and use of its full abilities.
The orb is only capable of being destroyed by being exposed to pure positive energy, such as being tossed into the positive plane; or struck by the primary weapon of a divine servant of a lawfully good aligned divinity, such as an angel’s spear.
Intelligence: High
Alignment: Neutral Evil
Basic Powers:
Control Undead (common): The possessor may control up to double their level in hit dice worth of common undead. If the possessor is of evil alignment then up to four times their level in hit dice of common undead may be controlled.
Life Leech: Any creature that dies within one hundred yards of the Orb of the Dead has their soul or spirit absorbed by the orb rather than passing on to whatever afterlife they may have been destined for. The Orb may absorb 100 levels worth of life energy before reaching its maximum power. When the Orb of the Dead is fully powered, it will begin to glow crimson from within its depths as if its core was molten.
Create Undead (minor common): The possessor may create two skeletons or one zombie per use at the expense of one life level of energy possessed by the orb. If more undead than what can be controlled are created, they will run amok with the potential of turning on their creator if no other potential victims are nearby.
Major Powers:
Spell Use: The possessor of the Orb gains knowledge and use of all negative energy based spells, be they arcane or divine, known to the world. Each of these spells may be cast at the cost of one life energy level possessed by the orb per level of the spell being cast.
Control Undead Army : The possessor may control up to six hundred and sixty six hit dice worth of undead of any type within one mile of the Orb. This ability overrides the basic Control Undead ability and may not be used in tandem with it.
Immunity to Negative Energy (full): The possessor becomes immune to level draining effects of undead and all spells or magical effects based on negative energy, such as cause wounds spells or slay living.
Grant Un-death: The possessor of the Orb may utilize 50 life levels within the orb with its agreement, to pass into a state of un-death. For spell casters, this means becoming a lich. For non-spell casters, they become vampires, though there is a 5% chance of a warrior type becoming a death knight instead.
Kingdom of the Dead: Usable only when the Orb is fully powered and by a possessor in full partnership with the Orb itself, this ability causes the life energy of those killed by undead within six miles of the Orb to be absorbed by it and to rise themselves as common undead using one of the absorbed levels. Essentially, this creates a self-sustaining reaction of death and un-death within the borders of ‘the Kingdom’. The undead within the kingdom are under no command beyond killing all that lives, the exception being those controlled with other powers of the Orb. This is the ultimate ability of the Orb.

Domesday 8

Spoiler

Wraith of a Necromancer: A necromancer’s wraith is the undead wraith-like spirit of a powerful necromancer, forever lusting to create powerful undead under its control. The wraith of the necromancers employs powerful and unique necromantic spells and undead abilities to make this happen. In life, the necromancer was a high level spell caster specializing in necromantic spheres focused to create a personal domain of negative energy and undead status. Typically a wizard-cleric multi-class character of 15th to 19th level! If the necromancer was a single class spell caster in life then the caster level could be as high as 23rd to 25th level, but decrease the dice type to d6 for wizards and increase the dice type to d10 for clerics. Aside: The clerical masters of a necromancer are typically demons, devils, or gods; Lolth, Kali, Ares, Set, Druaga, Inanna, Hel, Hades, Surma, or Yutrus.
The wraith of a necromancer was a powerful necromancer who has managed to forge a most powerful bond with the negative material plane and shed all connections of the flesh.
Zombie: Any humanoid victim, no racial exceptions, killed by the energy drain of the necromancer’s wraith suffers a fate far worse than death. Their soul is stripped from their body and both are immediately enslaved and corrupted to the will of the wraith of the necromancer. Within d3 rounds the victim’s body raises as a four hit dice zombie and their soul becomes a full strength wraith, both under the control of the wraith of the necromancer.
Deathly Blight spell.
Wraith: Any humanoid victim, no racial exceptions, killed by the energy drain of the necromancer’s wraith suffers a fate far worse than death. Their soul is stripped from their body and both are immediately enslaved and corrupted to the will of the wraith of the necromancer. Within d3 rounds the victim’s body raises as a four hit dice zombie and their soul becomes a full strength wraith, both under the control of the wraith of the necromancer.
Ghoul: Deathly Blight spell.
Ghast: Deathly Blight spell.
Wight: Deathly Blight spell.
Shadow: Deathly Blight spell.
Lich: Deathly Blight spell.
Ghost: Deathly Blight spell.
Morgane Boylin, Shade: ?
Gnoll Ghoul: ?
Bjorn the Old, Ole the Giant Slayer, Human Trollblood Partial Undead Ranger 7: Rather it be Bjorn’s luck or his Norse half-troll soul, his near death at the claws and fangs of a ghast and ghoul pack have left his body and soul straddling two worlds. His normally good aligned soul has been faintly tainted by evil he can feel and innately struggles against (and magic can detect). His body does not take well to healing, be it natural or divine, in many ways it seems to be slowly dying. Food and drink do not slack his ravenous hunger and all things living make his mouth water (further disgusting him). In some ways he is both a mortal human and an undead ghast, in others he is fully neither.

DEATHLY BLIGHT*, Level 9 wizard or 8 cleric
CT 2 R zero D permanent
SV None* SR no Comp V, S, M
This spell is favored by powerful and foul creatures, especially Wraith Necromancers, and is used to spread their foul influence over any territory they wish to claim as their own (area of affect is a sphere with a radius of one mile per level).
Once cast, this spell will cause the land, air, sea, and subterranean domain within the area of affect from the target point, or focus, to begin to decay and wither. Water will become foul, animals will become diseased and begin to die rising later as skeletal or zombie versions of their species, grass will wither and crops will rot. Vermin become more dangerous and larger over time as they feed on the tainted carcasses and rotten produce. *All living creatures will need to make a saving throw versus death daily to avoid becoming tainted themselves before they can escape. Failure means that the very land begins draining one point of CON and WIS from them each day that they dwell within the deathly blight. Once tainted, leaving the area will not save you, a remove disease or remove curse is required. Sentient creatures whose CON and/or WIS are reduced to zero die and rise the next night as mindless zombies, or if of evil alignment to begin with, as ghouls. For dramatic play, PC become ghasts or wights for fighter types, shadows for thieves, liches or ghosts for spell casters.
The nights in such blighted lands are the stuff of nightmares. Thick mist rises from the earth to reduce vision and sound to mere tens of feet and a feeling of constantly being watched prickles the senses. A feeling of being contaminated by something that cannot be washed off no matter how long or hard one scrubs persists for days after leaving such a desecrated area. The material components for this spell are extensive: skull of a lich, blood of a vampire, dust of a mummy, and ichor from an abyssal creature.
Only a wish or the application of the reverse of this spell, heaven's blessing, which has been lost for ages, can cure the deathly blight once it has set into the land and water.

Domesday 9

Spoiler

Cuir-Lijik, Leather Corpse: In this case, the cuir-lijik was the lone survivor of the ambush. As a servant and henchman of the family, he knew generally where the family had a hidden niche in the fire place. However, either he did not know of the pit trap that protected the niche, or in his haste after the ambush, he forgot it was there. As such, he fell into the trap when he tried to open the secret niche. The fall was not great enough to kill him, but with all other family members, servants, henchmen, and smugglers dead, he was left there to die slowly in the dark pit, laying atop the ancient cursed bolder the black druids offered blood sacrifices on many generations ago. As he died slowly, the acid which drips from the walls began to tan his flesh and dark cursed powers filled his body.
Undead Treant: ?
Black Bear Ghoul: ?
Ogre Zombie: ?
Gnoll Ghoul: ?
Human Ghoul: ?

Ilshara Gazetteer

Spoiler

Undead: Undead and demonic minions are created and summoned using Sythgar magic.
The practice of elaborate funerals and burials has led to a strange and troubling increase in undead in some regions.

Phantom Train

Spoiler

Skeleton: The living is not allowed to arrive where the train stops. The PCs have 1 hour to defeat the train. If they do not succeed they all die and become skeletons bound to the train. There is no chance of ressurection even if a wish spell is used.
Ghost: ?
Zombie: ?
Animal Skeleton Dog: ?
Animal Skeleton Rat: ?
Haunt: In its living form, the haunt had some mission or task that needed to be completed. So great was the compulsion to finish this deed that, even in death, the creature seeks to fulfill its final task.
A haunt can be of any alignment and its task can be anything from the mundane (replace the stone in the wall thus covering the secret hiding place) to the extraordinary (travel to a distant land and deliver a message of peace, then return); from the safe (to see my son that was born after I died) to the dangerous (revenge my family by killing the ancient red dragon that murdered them all).
Haunt Poltergeist: The poltergeist is an invisible undead spirit that haunts a specific area. Sometimes this area is one that it was close to in life, but more often than not, the area is the place the poltergeist was killed.
Skeleton Animal: Animal carcasses that are the target of Animate Dead are raised as animal skeletons. Anyone casting the spell solely on dead animals can gain up to twice his level in HD, as opposed to his level in HD per the spell Animate Dead. In other words, a 5th level cleric, while normally only able to raise 5HD worth of Undead, may raise 10HD worth of animal skeletons. Only small creatures can be raised as such, no bigger than a large dog.

The Keeper Issue 1

Spoiler

Revenant: Only an individual who was particularly evil and vengeful in life can made into a revenants through the use of Create Greater Undead by a cleric of level 15 or higher.
Zombie: If the revenants so chooses, those who are killed by strength loss can be brought back to unlife as a zombie under control of the revenants. Victims of 4 HD or greater, have a 25% chance of returning as a wight.
Wight: If the revenants so chooses, those who are killed by strength loss can be brought back to unlife as a zombie under control of the revenants. Victims of 4 HD or greater, have a 25% chance of returning as a wight.
Draug: Draug are the horrid undead creatures of those who have drowned at sea.
Victim ’s drowned to death by a draug have a 25% chance of returning to unlife as a Draug in 3 days time. Removal of the victim ’s body from the water will prevent this from happening.
Mummy Greater: The majority of Greater Mummies were High Level Clerics in life, but sometimes Kings, Archmages or mighty warriors can be turned into a Mummy Lord. The process for creating a Greater Mummy involves a complex series of rituals and clerical magic. This dark necromantic rite can be performed on either a still living being or on one who has died - assuming the body was specially treated, prepared and maintained immediately following their death. Obviously, clerics who perform the ritual on themselves must still be living!
Phantom: Phantoms are the undead spirits of those who still long for the pleasures of mortal life.
Phantoms can be made with the Create Greater Undead spell by a cleric of level 17 or higher provided they meet the personality traits as described above. Of course, some phantoms (like all undead) are created though unfathomable means, simply through their lust for continued life.

The Keepers of Lingusia

Spoiler

Vampire: There are three known ways to become a vampire, according to those specialists who are necromantic students of the undead. First, followers of Set who betray the dictates of their accursed god can be damned with Setitic Vampirism.
Vampirism can be brought down on someone who was so evil and villainous in life that they are grabbed by Devonin and offered a second chance to walk the land of the living, as a stalker in the night.
Finally, a vampire can be created when they bite a mortal and share blood, rendering the blood of the mortal impure. This is not always effective, and the process creates a special master-servant bond between the vampires, which has such psychological ramifications that it is done rarely.
Hagarant Lords: These are the descendants of House Dadera and other evil people who, in their corruption, lost their souls entirely to the temptations of chaos and evil. Now, they are undead husks of the people they once were.
The Hagarant Lords are an ancient evil which some say has its roots beneath the capitol of Octzel. The Hagarant Lords were a coven of nobles and powerful mages who swore fealty to the mad god Slithotep in exchange for immortality. The unexpected result of their immortality was a slow descent in to madness and undeath.
Esidria Elas Phallikoskis, Vampire Wizard 14: ?
Castor Elas Markovin, Vampire Fighter-Wizard 13: ?
Moria, Ahstarth Vampire Ranger-Rogue 9: Her curse is a mystery, for she is not known to have worshipped Set, but some believe that she was bitten by a Setitie Vampire who once served Karukithyak, and for such shame, she was forced to leave her homeland.
Lich Lord Krenkin, Human Wizard 23: Krenkin was eventually able to make his way to Halistrak’s distant stronghold on the seventh planet of the system and broke in to his vault of secrets, where he learned much about magic, and how to prolong his life as a liche.
Aggamite Troll: The magically created children birthed of trolls impregnating undead wombs spawned terrible outcasts.
Barrow Wight: In the ancient history of Hyrkania, many of the old kings of the pre empire days would bury their dead in huge mounds, with rock tombs beneath. Within these catacombs would go the line of their family, and for generations the dead would be buried like so. These ancient mound lands were, alas, ripe for the time of the War of the Gods, and when the power of the Chaos Lords spread through the land, many necromancer kings who rose in the time of conflict saw to it that their tombs were guarded, often by the reanimated remains of these earlier kings.
The lords and kings themselves are said to have arisen, willfully, from the grave to jealously guard the treasure hordes they buried themselves with.
Veregnar Gonn Dalpuris, Hagarant Lord: Veregnar Gonn Dalpuris was a powerful duke seven centuries ago who had an unfortunate habit of taking on mistresses behind his wife’s back. He was seduced by a woman named Melantha, who was in fact a member of the Black Society in Octzel, a vampiress and half-demon who lured him in to the study of the dark arts of chaos and the worship of Slithotep, the mad god. Veregnar was swayed by this cult and joined the movement, becoming a potent wizard. In time, their plot was foiled and he was one of the few survivors, who stole away and hid in a tomb-like secret enclave in the city sewers, where he went undiscovered in an undead slumber.
Knight of Chaos: The Knights of Chaos (also called death knights) are a rare and horrifying form of undead, spawned from the incarnation of a truly evil Black Rider. Usually, the knight was dedicated to a chaotic order, such as the Black Riders of Slithotep, or the Order of Set. It is also known that a knight dedicated to a just or good order who succumbs to supreme corruption might be swayed into the domain of evil.
Such knights are forbidden to walk the path of the Final Night (a euphemism for the journey the dead make to the afterlife), leading them into the Land of the Dead, for their souls have been claimed by Chaos, but in defiance of their true masters in the Abyss, the pure strength of their post mortem incarnations are capable of fending off the petitioners of the Abyss.
Velboshia-Lok Nodivia: Ancient guardians of the Tombs of the Gods, these desiccated corpses were once the proud Temple Guards of the Divine Palaces in the mythic city Corti’Zahn. When the War of the Gods
destroyed the early Fertile Empires of Hyrkania and laid low the mortal forms of the divine lords, the temple guardians who died in the conflict against the demons were mummified and submitted to a terrible necromantic process to revive them as eternal tomb protectors. Something horrible corrupted the spells of reanimation, however, seeping in from the Chaos Energy which permeated the land in the wake of the war, and grew like a fungus in the bodies of these undead guardians.
Vessilante: The Vessilante are a rare sort of entity which is created magically through the bonding of a corrupted Devonin or Seraph in the form of a mortal human. These great monstrosities are usually culled from freshly dead corpses, often pieced together if there was damage to the original body. The process of habitation heals the damage and changes the nature of the body such that it must shun the light or suffer excruciating pain.
Undead: In Lingusia, returning from the dead is not easy. Few local clerics have the ability, and fewer still would use it out of hand or without good cause. Evil clerics are much likelier to use it….but corruption of the risen can happen, and anytime an evil cleric raises someone there is a cumulative 3% chance that person will rise as a powerful undead, instead!
The tales of this victory are not unblemished, however, for the bards of Dra’in say that Erik Kharam earned his victory by making a pact with the Banshee Liawnenshe, a diabolical spirit of the Silver Mountains who knew the secrets to Anharak’s defeat. She offered them to Kharam, for a price. He was to take her as his wife, thus freeing her of her curse.
Kharam agreed, but could not bring himself to marry the hideous spirit, and reneged on his agreement after Anharak was defeated (some say Anharak was defeated by a knight errant of the Yllmar, as well, and that Kharam didn’t even accomplish this much). Liawnenshe was mortified, and cursed Kharam and his kingdom to an eternity of haunted strife. So it is said, the tale goes, that Dra’in became the damnable place it is.
In fact, Dra’in might not seem so terrible to those who have visited some other, harsher realms, but the troubles of living in a domain where all warriors seemed doomed to fall in battle and rise as restless undead seem very much difficult to an everyday peasant. The people of the land are fearful of their very shadows, and take special measures to seal corpses in to coffins, or enact elaborate rituals to put the restless spirits to rest. The dead return to life all too easily in this land.
Lord Sitor, Human Lich Wizard 23: Sitor had long prepared for his death, however, and the Cult of the Undying, a group that had formed over the last century of mages who worshipped him, held the phylactery into which his spirit transferred on death.
Darksed, Death Knight Fighter 10, Rogue 6, Mage 6: ?

Vampires of the Olden Lands

Spoiler

Bhabaphir, Granny Soul-Sucker: Bhabaphirs are horribly twisted old ladies, the corrupted “wise woman” of a village transformed into a vicious and most evil form of undead. The means for such a thing to pass are several. First and foremost, the wise-woman may delve into eldritch things that are beyond her ken and thus be horribly transformed, possessed perhaps, by a demonic spirit. Similarly, she may be corrupted by Chaos through feelings of jealousy, envy, or hatred for those in her community whom she feels may take advantage of her. Too, another bhabaphir may visit the village in disguise and “convert” the local wise-woman. Finally, she may fall in secret to the service of another, more potent vampire, and also be transformed.
Ekimmu, Spirit Vampire, Vampire Lord: They are themselves descended from Chaos cultists of Elder Deshret who ascended to a state of Undeath during the Wars of Chaos.
Strighoiphirs who have ascended beyond their physical bodies.
If the ekimmu slays a human, half-elven, half-ogre, half-orc, goblin-man, or gnole victim with his energy drain ability, he may, if he chooses, cause the victim to rise again as a strighoiphir, mhoroiphir, or other lesser form of vampire. He can also cause it to rise again as a spectre, wraith, wight, ghast, ghoul, or zombie, if he so chooses. Only 13+ HD ekimmu can create other ekimmu; these will be of the 10 HD variety.
Spectre: If the ekimmu slays a human, half-elven, half-ogre, half-orc, goblin-man, or gnole victim with his energy drain ability, he may, if he chooses, cause the victim to rise again as a strighoiphir, mhoroiphir, or other lesser form of vampire. He can also cause it to rise again as a spectre, wraith, wight, ghast, ghoul, or zombie, if he so chooses. Only 13+ HD ekimmu can create other ekimmu; these will be of the 10 HD variety.
Lhamira, Vampire-Witch: A human, half-elven, half-ogre, half-orc, goblin-man, or gnole victim killed by the lhamira’s kiss can be brought back to un-life, under the control of the slaying lhamira. The lhamira usually must want to use this ability; it is not automatic. Males will be brought back as mhoroiphirs, females as lhamiras, and children as szalbaphirs.
Lhamphir, Plague Bearer: The lhamphir arises on rare occasions from those who were
slain through plague; only the first slain in a settlement might arise as a lhamphir, if proper precautions are not taken. If the body is given final rites and a proper burial or cremation according to the Good or Lawful faith to which the victim belonged, then the lhamphir cannot arise. Otherwise, there is a percentage chance equal to the Charisma score plus the level of the victim that he arises as a lhamphir. If the community and his family abandoned him during his illness, this chance doubles that he arises as a lhamphir, eager to avenge himself upon those who turned on him.
If the lhamphir slays a human, half-elven, half-ogre, half-orc, goblin-man, or gnole victim of his disease by use of his drain health ability to drain his last point of Constitution (not merely through loss of Constitution through the disease), he may, if he chooses, cause the victim to rise again the next night as a lhamphir or a ghoul. If he creates a ghoul spawn, the ghoul will not cause paralysis with its bite and claw attacks; instead the attacks might cause the plague, as per the black breath ability of the lhamphir.
Mhoroiphir, Living Vampire: Mhoroiphirs can result from several sources, the most common being created as the spawn of an existing mhoroiphir. They can also be created by lhamiras, strighoiphirs, and ekimmu. Finally, they might arise naturally, or rather, unnaturally, especially in the land of Strigoria. These methods include, among others:
 Dying without being consecrated to the God of Law;
 Committing suicide;
 Practicing sorcery, black witchcraft, or eldritch wizardry in life;
 Having a spell-caster’s familiar jump on your corpse before you are buried;
 Eating the flesh of an animal killed by a vampire;
 Being slain by a lycanthrope;
 Death by murder un-avenged;
 Dying while cursed by a sorcerer or witch.
If the ekimmu slays a human, half-elven, half-ogre, half-orc, goblin-man, or gnole victim with his energy drain ability, he may, if he chooses, cause the victim to rise again as a strighoiphir, mhoroiphir, or other lesser form of vampire. He can also cause it to rise again as a spectre, wraith, wight, ghast, ghoul, or zombie, if he so chooses. Only 13+ HD ekimmu can create other ekimmu; these will be of the 10 HD variety.
A human, half-elven, half-ogre, half-orc, goblin-man, or gnole victim killed by the lhamira’s kiss can be brought back to un-life, under the control of the slaying lhamira. The lhamira usually must want to use this ability; it is not automatic. Males will be brought back as mhoroiphirs, females as lhamiras, and children as szalbaphirs.:
A human, half-elven, half-ogre, half-orc, goblin-man, or gnole victim killed by the mhoroiphir’s energy drain can be brought back to un-life, under the control of the slaying mhoroiphir. The mhoroiphir usually must want to use this ability; it is not automatic. It may still occur unintentionally if the victim meets any of the requirements listed above, or in any case if the victim makes a percentage roll equal to or less than half his level rounded up.
A human, half-elven, half-ogre, half-orc, goblin-man, or gnole victim killed by the strighoiphir’s energy drain can be brought back to un-life, under the control of the slaying strighoiphir. The strighoiphir usually must want to use this ability; it is not automatic. It may still occur unintentionally if the victim meets any of the requirements listed under the mhoroiphir, or in any case if the victim makes a percentage roll equal to or less than half his level rounded up.
A strighoiphir can also choose to create mhoroiphir, ghast, or ghoul spawn instead of strighoiphir spawn, or can choose to simply animate their victim as a zombie.
Strighoiphir, Dead Vampire: A strighoiphir is a “dead vampire,” that is, it is the result of a vampire that has been slain once but risen again, due to the required ritual being incomplete or incorrectly performed. Strighoiphirs can also result from an ekimmu or strighoiphir creating such a beast.
A human, half-elven, half-ogre, half-orc, goblin-man, or gnole victim killed by the strighoiphir’s energy drain can be brought back to un-life, under the control of the slaying strighoiphir. The strighoiphir usually must want to use this ability; it is not automatic. It may still occur unintentionally if the victim meets any of the requirements listed under the mhoroiphir, or in any case if the victim makes a percentage roll equal to or less than half his level rounded up.
If the ekimmu slays a human, half-elven, half-ogre, half-orc, goblin-man, or gnole victim with his energy drain ability, he may, if he chooses, cause the victim to rise again as a strighoiphir, mhoroiphir, or other lesser form of vampire. He can also cause it to rise again as a spectre, wraith, wight, ghast, ghoul, or zombie, if he so chooses. Only 13+ HD ekimmu can create other ekimmu; these will be of the 10 HD variety.
Szalbaphir, Vampire Gamin: Szalbaphirs normally arise when a child is lost in the forest or exposed on a hill and found by vampires. They also result when a vampire seeks revenge against a mortal and drains his children to create a true level of horror.
A human, half-elven, half-ogre, half-orc, goblin-man, or gnole victim killed by the szalbaphir’s blood drain can be brought back to un-life, under the control of the slaying szalbaphir. The szalbaphir usually must want to use this ability; it is not automatic. It may still occur unintentionally if the victim meets any of the requirements listed under mhoroiphir above, or in any case if the victim makes a percentage roll equal to or less than half his level rounded up.
A szalbaphir can create other szalbaphirs if their victim is a child (12 years or younger); adults who rise are ghouls.
Wraith: If the ekimmu slays a human, half-elven, half-ogre, half-orc, goblin-man, or gnole victim with his energy drain ability, he may, if he chooses, cause the victim to rise again as a strighoiphir, mhoroiphir, or other lesser form of vampire. He can also cause it to rise again as a spectre, wraith, wight, ghast, ghoul, or zombie, if he so chooses. Only 13+ HD ekimmu can create other ekimmu; these will be of the 10 HD variety.
Ghast: If the ekimmu slays a human, half-elven, half-ogre, half-orc, goblin-man, or gnole victim with his energy drain ability, he may, if he chooses, cause the victim to rise again as a strighoiphir, mhoroiphir, or other lesser form of vampire. He can also cause it to rise again as a spectre, wraith, wight, ghast, ghoul, or zombie, if he so chooses. Only 13+ HD ekimmu can create other ekimmu; these will be of the 10 HD variety.
A human, half-elven, half-ogre, half-orc, goblin-man, or gnole victim killed by the strighoiphir’s energy drain can be brought back to un-life, under the control of the slaying strighoiphir. The strighoiphir usually must want to use this ability; it is not automatic. It may still occur unintentionally if the victim meets any of the requirements listed under the mhoroiphir, or in any case if the victim makes a percentage roll equal to or less than half his level rounded up.
A strighoiphir can also choose to create mhoroiphir, ghast, or ghoul spawn instead of strighoiphir spawn, or can choose to simply animate their victim as a zombie.
Ghoul: If the ekimmu slays a human, half-elven, half-ogre, half-orc, goblin-man, or gnole victim with his energy drain ability, he may, if he chooses, cause the victim to rise again as a strighoiphir, mhoroiphir, or other lesser form of vampire. He can also cause it to rise again as a spectre, wraith, wight, ghast, ghoul, or zombie, if he so chooses. Only 13+ HD ekimmu can create other ekimmu; these will be of the 10 HD variety.
If the lhamphir slays a human, half-elven, half-ogre, half-orc, goblin-man, or gnole victim of his disease by use of his drain health ability to drain his last point of Constitution (not merely through loss of Constitution through the disease), he may, if he chooses, cause the victim to rise again the next night as a lhamphir or a ghoul. If he creates a ghoul spawn, the ghoul will not cause paralysis with its bite and claw attacks; instead the attacks might cause the plague, as per the black breath ability of the lhamphir.
A human, half-elven, half-ogre, half-orc, goblin-man, or gnole victim killed by the mhoroiphir’s energy drain can be brought back to un-life, under the control of the slaying mhoroiphir. The mhoroiphir usually must want to use this ability; it is not automatic. It may still occur unintentionally if the victim meets any of the requirements listed above, or in any case if the victim makes a percentage roll equal to or less than half his level rounded up. A mhoroiphir can also choose to create ghoul spawn instead of mhoroiphir spawn.
A human, half-elven, half-ogre, half-orc, goblin-man, or gnole victim killed by the strighoiphir’s energy drain can be brought back to un-life, under the control of the slaying strighoiphir. The strighoiphir usually must want to use this ability; it is not automatic. It may still occur unintentionally if the victim meets any of the requirements listed under the mhoroiphir, or in any case if the victim makes a percentage roll equal to or less than half his level rounded up.
A strighoiphir can also choose to create mhoroiphir, ghast, or ghoul spawn instead of strighoiphir spawn, or can choose to simply animate their victim as a zombie.
A human, half-elven, half-ogre, half-orc, goblin-man, or gnole victim killed by the szalbaphir’s blood drain can be brought back to un-life, under the control of the slaying szalbaphir. The szalbaphir usually must want to use this ability; it is not automatic. It may still occur unintentionally if the victim meets any of the requirements listed under mhoroiphir above, or in any case if the victim makes a percentage roll equal to or less than half his level rounded up.
A szalbaphir can create other szalbaphirs if their victim is a child (12 years or younger); adults who rise are ghouls.
Zombie: If the ekimmu slays a human, half-elven, half-ogre, half-orc, goblin-man, or gnole victim with his energy drain ability, he may, if he chooses, cause the victim to rise again as a strighoiphir, mhoroiphir, or other lesser form of vampire. He can also cause it to rise again as a spectre, wraith, wight, ghast, ghoul, or zombie, if he so chooses. Only 13+ HD ekimmu can create other ekimmu; these will be of the 10 HD variety.
A human, half-elven, half-ogre, half-orc, goblin-man, or gnole victim killed by the strighoiphir’s energy drain can be brought back to un-life, under the control of the slaying strighoiphir. The strighoiphir usually must want to use this ability; it is not automatic. It may still occur unintentionally if the victim meets any of the requirements listed under the mhoroiphir, or in any case if the victim makes a percentage roll equal to or less than half his level rounded up.
A strighoiphir can also choose to create mhoroiphir, ghast, or ghoul spawn instead of strighoiphir spawn, or can choose to simply animate their victim as a zombie.

Wraith: If the ekimmu slays a human, half-elven, half-ogre, half-orc, goblin-man, or gnole victim with his energy drain ability, he may, if he chooses, cause the victim to rise again as a strighoiphir, mhoroiphir, or other lesser form of vampire. He can also cause it to rise again as a spectre, wraith, wight, ghast, ghoul, or zombie, if he so chooses. Only 13+ HD ekimmu can create other ekimmu; these will be of the 10 HD variety.
Ghast: If the ekimmu slays a human, half-elven, half-ogre, half-orc, goblin-man, or gnole victim with his energy drain ability, he may, if he chooses, cause the victim to rise again as a strighoiphir, mhoroiphir, or other lesser form of vampire. He can also cause it to rise again as a spectre, wraith, wight, ghast, ghoul, or zombie, if he so chooses. Only 13+ HD ekimmu can create other ekimmu; these will be of the 10 HD variety.
A human, half-elven, half-ogre, half-orc, goblin-man, or gnole victim killed by the strighoiphir’s energy drain can be brought back to un-life, under the control of the slaying strighoiphir. The strighoiphir usually must want to use this ability; it is not automatic. It may still occur unintentionally if the victim meets any of the requirements listed under the mhoroiphir, or in any case if the victim makes a percentage roll equal to or less than half his level rounded up.
A strighoiphir can also choose to create mhoroiphir, ghast, or ghoul spawn instead of strighoiphir spawn, or can choose to simply animate their victim as a zombie.
Ghoul: If the ekimmu slays a human, half-elven, half-ogre, half-orc, goblin-man, or gnole victim with his energy drain ability, he may, if he chooses, cause the victim to rise again as a strighoiphir, mhoroiphir, or other lesser form of vampire. He can also cause it to rise again as a spectre, wraith, wight, ghast, ghoul, or zombie, if he so chooses. Only 13+ HD ekimmu can create other ekimmu; these will be of the 10 HD variety.
If the lhamphir slays a human, half-elven, half-ogre, half-orc, goblin-man, or gnole victim of his disease by use of his drain health ability to drain his last point of Constitution (not merely through loss of Constitution through the disease), he may, if he chooses, cause the victim to rise again the next night as a lhamphir or a ghoul. If he creates a ghoul spawn, the ghoul will not cause paralysis with its bite and claw attacks; instead the attacks might cause the plague, as per the black breath ability of the lhamphir.
A human, half-elven, half-ogre, half-orc, goblin-man, or gnole victim killed by the mhoroiphir’s energy drain can be brought back to un-life, under the control of the slaying mhoroiphir. The mhoroiphir usually must want to use this ability; it is not automatic. It may still occur unintentionally if the victim meets any of the requirements listed above, or in any case if the victim makes a percentage roll equal to or less than half his level rounded up. A mhoroiphir can also choose to create ghoul spawn instead of mhoroiphir spawn.
A human, half-elven, half-ogre, half-orc, goblin-man, or gnole victim killed by the strighoiphir’s energy drain can be brought back to un-life, under the control of the slaying strighoiphir. The strighoiphir usually must want to use this ability; it is not automatic. It may still occur unintentionally if the victim meets any of the requirements listed under the mhoroiphir, or in any case if the victim makes a percentage roll equal to or less than half his level rounded up.
A strighoiphir can also choose to create mhoroiphir, ghast, or ghoul spawn instead of strighoiphir spawn, or can choose to simply animate their victim as a zombie.
A human, half-elven, half-ogre, half-orc, goblin-man, or gnole victim killed by the szalbaphir’s blood drain can be brought back to un-life, under the control of the slaying szalbaphir. The szalbaphir usually must want to use this ability; it is not automatic. It may still occur unintentionally if the victim meets any of the requirements listed under mhoroiphir above, or in any case if the victim makes a percentage roll equal to or less than half his level rounded up.
A szalbaphir can create other szalbaphirs if their victim is a child (12 years or younger); adults who rise are ghouls.
Zombie: If the ekimmu slays a human, half-elven, half-ogre, half-orc, goblin-man, or gnole victim with his energy drain ability, he may, if he chooses, cause the victim to rise again as a strighoiphir, mhoroiphir, or other lesser form of vampire. He can also cause it to rise again as a spectre, wraith, wight, ghast, ghoul, or zombie, if he so chooses. Only 13+ HD ekimmu can create other ekimmu; these will be of the 10 HD variety.
A human, half-elven, half-ogre, half-orc, goblin-man, or gnole victim killed by the strighoiphir’s energy drain can be brought back to un-life, under the control of the slaying strighoiphir. The strighoiphir usually must want to use this ability; it is not automatic. It may still occur unintentionally if the victim meets any of the requirements listed under the mhoroiphir, or in any case if the victim makes a percentage roll equal to or less than half his level rounded up.
A strighoiphir can also choose to create mhoroiphir, ghast, or ghoul spawn instead of strighoiphir spawn, or can choose to simply animate their victim as a zombie.

Crimson Blades

Spoiler

Crimson Blades 2

Spoiler

Undead: Undead are either the dead bodies of people that have been reanimated by evil sorcerers and cultists to serve them as bodyguard or, tormented souls that due to the way they died have been unable to leave the earthly realm.
Crypt Corpse: ?
Ghoul: ?
Lich: Liches are the undead remnants of sorcerers and wizards, either made undead by their own deliberate acts during life, or as the result of other magical forces (possibly including their own magic, gone awry).
Mummy: Mummies are preserved corpses animated through the auspices of dark desert gods best forgotten.
Skeleton: Skeletons are animated bones of the dead, usually under the control of some evil master.
Zombie: Zombies are mindless creatures; created from the more recent dead. The standard zombie is simply a corpse animated to do its creator’s bidding, but the GM can give them extra HD or abilities if required.
Banshee: ?
Ghost: They are usually tied to a specific location, item or creature (their “haunt”). They are often stuck in the material realm because they have unfinished business; which when completed allows them to “die”.
Shadow: Any person reduced to 0 STR becomes a shadow under the control of the shadow that killed him.
Wight: Anyone reduced to 0 DEX by a wight becomes a wight under the control of the wight that killed him.
Wisp: ?
Wraith: ?
Vampire Prince: Vampires are creatures that have been infected by vampirism; a disease that is transmitted from some creature already infected to another, by biting them and draining all their blood.
Lich Lord: ?

Dark Dungeons

Spoiler

Dark Dungeons

Spoiler

Floating Undead Horror: ?
Ghast: ?
ghoul: Creatures slain by a giant vampire bat must make a saving throw vs Spells or return as an undead 24 hours later. The type of undead should be determined by rolling 1d6 and consulting the following list:
1-3 = zombie
4-5 = ghoul
6 = wight
Haunt Banshee: A banshee is an undead spirit that protects an outdoor location that it had a connection to in life from all intruders.
Haunt Ghost: A ghost is an undead spirit that tries to fulfil a task it left unfinished in life.
Haunt Poltergeist: A poltergeist is the undead spirit of a dead child.
Lich: A lich is a human magic-user or cleric who has used a forbidden arcane ritual to turn themselves into an undead creature. Although theoretically a lich can have any personality and alignment, it is normally only the most depraved or desperate individuals who are willing to perform the ritual.
Mummy: Mummies are re-animated corpses that have been specially prepared and wrapped so that they will become undead.
Nightcrawler: ?
Nightwalker: ?
Nightwing: ?
Phantom Apparition: Any human or demi-human killed by an apparition will fade away and become one in a week (even if raised) unless a Dispel Evil is cast on them.
Phantom Shade: ?
Phantom Vision: ?
Skeleton: Animate Dead spell.
Skeleton Dragon: A skeleton dragon is the undead form of a dragon.
Spectre: Anyone slain by a spectre will rise the following night as another spectre unless raised.
:Spirit Druj ?
:Spirit Druj Skeletal Hand ?
:Spirit Druj Eye ?
:Spirit Druj Skull ?
Spirit Odic: ?
Spirit Revenant: ?
Vampire: Any human or demi-human killed by a vampire will rise in three days time as a vampire themselves, unless they have a Dispel Evil cast on them or they are raised.
Wight: The touch of a wight does an Energy Drain to the victim, draining a single level. Any humanoid killed by a wight in this manner will become a wight themselves in 1d4 days unless a Dispel Evil is cast on them or they are raised.
Creatures slain by a giant vampire bat must make a saving throw vs Spells or return as an undead 24 hours later. The type of undead should be determined by rolling 1d6 and consulting the following list:
1-3 = zombie
4-5 = ghoul
6 = wight
Wraith: Anyone killed by a wraith will rise as a wraith themselves the following night unless a Dispel Evil or Raise Dead is cast on them.
Zombie: Zombies are mindless undead created by an Animate Dead spell.
Creatures slain by a giant vampire bat must make a saving throw vs Spells or return as an undead 24 hours later. The type of undead should be determined by rolling 1d6 and consulting the following list:
1-3 = zombie
4-5 = ghoul
6 = wight
Animate Dead spell.

Animate Dead
Cleric 4, Druid 4, Magic-User 5, Elf 5, Sorcerer 5
Target: One or more corpses
Range: 60’
Duration: Permanent
When this spell is cast, a number of dead bodies or skeletons within range will be animated and will become zombies or skeletons respectively.
A created skeleton will have the same number of hit dice as the race of the original creature had (not including extra hit dice gained from class levels). A created zombie will have one more hit dice than the original creature had (not including extra hit dice gained from class levels).
Therefore a human or demi-human skeleton will always have 1 hit die, and a human or demi-human zombie will always have 2 hit dice.
Each casting of the spell will create a total number of hit dice of undead equal to the caster’s level, starting with those nearest the caster.
See Chapter 18: Monsters for more details about skeletons and zombies.
The animated undead will mindlessly obey the commands of the caster, and there is no limit to the total number of undead that the caster can create and control using multiple castings of this spell.
The zombies and skeletons created by this spell can be turned or destroyed normally. Unless the caster of this spell is an Immortal, they are also vulnerable the Dispel Magic spell.

House of Darkness

Spoiler

Owlwitch: When an Owlwitch has drained four levels from victims it splits in two, creating a new Owlwitch through a form of undead asexual reproduction.
Anyone killed by an Owlwitch will if female rise as an Owlwitch themselves the following night unless a Dispel Evil or a Raise Dead is cast upon their corpse or ashes.
Vampire Uvanx: An Uvanx is a subtype of Vampire created on the Elemental Plane of Water or in the coldest regions of the Prime plane.

Delving Deeper

Spoiler

Delving Deeper Ref Rules v2: The Monster & Treasure Reference

Spoiler

Ghoul: A man-type slain by a ghoul will arise again the following night as a ghoul.
Mummy: ?
Skeleton: SKELETONS are mindless undead brought forth by a villainous magic-user or anti-cleric to serve some wicked purpose.
Spectre: A man-type slain by a spectre will arise the following night as a spectre under the control of the monster that destroyed him.
Vampire: Any man-type enduring eye contact with a vampire is subject to a charm spell with a –2 adjustment to the saving throw. Once charmed the vampire can bite at the neck with impunity, draining 2 experience levels per round of gorging. Anyone slain thus by a vampire will arise the next night as a vampire enslaved to the monster who made them.
Wight: Any man-type slain by a wight will arise on the following night as a wight.
Wraith: Any man-type slain by a wraith will arise on the following night as a wraith.
Zombie: ZOMBIES are mindless undead brought forth by a villainous magic-user or anti-cleric to serve some wicked purpose.

Delving Deeper Ref Rules v2: The Adventurer's Handbook

Spoiler

Skeleton: Animate Dead spell.
Zombie: Animate Dead spell.

Enervate Dead (reversible, duration: 7-12 rounds, range: 60ft) Paralyzes skeletons or zombies with no saving throw allowed. Up to 1 hit die of undead can be enervated for each of the cleric’s levels. Thus, a 6th level cleric could enervate up to 12 skeletons (1/2 HD) or 6 zombies (1 HD). The reverse, animate dead, causes the bones or bodies of the slain to rise as undead skeletons or zombies under the cleric’s command. They will obey until destroyed, either in combat or by a dispel magic.

Animate Dead (duration: permanent, range: 60ft) Causes the bones or bodies of the slain to rise as undead skeletons or zombies under the magic-user’s command. Up to 1 hit die of undead can be animated for each of the magic-user’s levels. Thus a 9th level magic-user could animate up to 18 skeletons (½ HD) or 9 zombies (1 HD). They will obey until destroyed, either in combat or by a dispel magic.

Delving Deeper Ref Rules v1: The Monster & Treasure Reference

Spoiler

Ghoul: A man-type slain by a ghoul will arise again the following night as a ghoul.
Mummy: ?
Skeleton: SKELETONS are mindless undead brought forth by a villainous magic-user or anti-cleric to serve some wicked purpose.
Spectre: A man-type slain by a spectre will arise the following night as a spectre under the control of the monster that destroyed him.
Vampire: Any man-type enduring eye contact with a vampire is subject to a charm spell with a -2 adjustment to the saving throw. Once charmed the vampire can bite at the neck with impunity, draining 2 experience levels per round of gorging. Anyone slain thus by a vampire will arise the next night as a vampire enslaved to the monster who made them.
Wight: Any man-type slain by a wight will arise on the following night as a wight.
Wraith: Any man-type slain by a wraith will arise on the following night as a wraith.
Zombie: ZOMBIES are mindless undead brought forth by a villainous magic-user or anti-cleric to serve some wicked purpose.

Delving Deeper Ref Rules v1: The Adventurer's Handbook

Spoiler

Skeleton: Animate Dead spell.
Zombie: Animate Dead spell.

Enervate Dead (reversible, duration: 7-12 rounds, range: 60ft) Paralyzes skeletons or zombies with no saving throw allowed. Up to 1 hit die of undead can be enervated for each of the cleric's levels. Thus, a 6th level cleric could enervate up to 12 skeletons (1/2 HD) or 6 zombies (1 HD). The reverse, animate dead, causes the bones or bodies of the slain to rise as undead skeletons or zombies under the cleric's command. They will obey until destroyed, either in combat or by a dispel magic.

Animate Dead (duration: permanent, range: 60ft) Causes the bones or bodies of the slain to rise as undead skeletons or zombies under the magic-user's command. Up to 1 hit die of undead can be animated for each of the magic-user's levels. Thus a 9th level magic-user could animate up to 18 skeletons (½ HD) or 9 zombies (1 HD). They will obey until destroyed, either in combat or by a dispel magic.

Dungeon Crawl Classics

Spoiler

Dungeon Crawl Classics RPG

Spoiler

Un-Dead: Un-dead can mean “back from the grave,” but it can also mean “without a soul,” “eternal or undying,” and “surviving only by force of will alone.”
A necromancer may ultimately pursue eternal life via his own transformation into an un-dead.
Animate Dead spell 32+.
Un-Dead Crit 15.
Ghost: Ghosts are the spirits of the dead who cannot rest.
Despite their hostility, each ghost has its own reasons for retaining life in un-death, and yearns to be put to rest.
The ghost was murdered violently and yearns to avenge its death.
The ghost was buried apart from its spouse and wishes to be reunited with him or her.
The ghost died searching for its child.
The ghost was killed on a religious pilgrimage to a sacred location.
The ghost died in search of a specific object.
The ghost died on a mission for a superior. The nature of this mission could be military (e.g., to invade a nearby fort), religious (e.g., slay a vampire or convert a certain number of followers), civilian (e.g., carry a signed contract to a neighboring king), or something else.
It died (1d4) (1) naturally of old age, (2) in a terrible accident, (3) bravely in combat, (4) violently and seeks revenge.
Animate Dead spell 32+.
Un-Dead Crit 30+.
Ghoul: A ghoul is a corpse that will not die. Granted eternal locomotion by means of black magic or demoniac compulsion, these un-dead beasts roam in packs, hunting the night for living flesh.
A creature killed by a ghoul is usually eaten.
Those not eaten arise as ghouls on the next full moon unless the corpse is blessed.
Smaller ghouls of 1 HD or less are formed from the corpses of goblins or kobolds, and larger ghouls of up to 8 HD are formed from the corpses of ogres, giants, bugbears, and such.
Animate Dead spell 32+.
Un-Dead Crit 30+.
Lacedon: Animate Dead spell 32+.
Mummy: Draped in funereal wraps with misshapen lumps of preserved flesh shifting within, the mummy is a corpse preserved into un-death by strange oils, dangerous spices, and unknowable chants.
Animate Dead spell 32+.
Shadow: In the hoary depths of the Nine Hells, vengeful lich lords send damnable vassals on mortal errands. Thus born is the shadow: a simple-minded un-dead that materializes in the crepuscular hours lit by neither sun nor moon.
Animate Dead spell 32+.
Skeleton: Brittle bones held together by eldritch energies, skeletons are un-dead creatures raised from the grave to do disservice to the living.
The skeletons of larger or small creatures—from goblins to giants—may have less than 1 HD or up to 12 HD. Skeletons can be animated by many means, and some have special traits.
Animate Dead spell 16+.
Un-Dead Crit 30+.
Zombie: Chill Touch spell misfire.
Animate Dead spell 17+.
Un-Dead Crit 30+.
Lich: Animate Dead spell 36+.
Vampire: Animate Dead spell 36+.
Skeletal Rat Familiar: ?

Chill Touch
Level: 1 Range: Touch Duration: Varies Casting time: 1 action Save: Will vs. check
General This necromantic spell delivers the chill touch of the dead. The caster must spellburn at least 1 point when casting this spell.
Manifestation Roll 1d4: (1) the wizard’s hands glow blue; (2) the wizard’s hands turn black; (3) the wizard emits a strong odor of corruption; (4) the wizard’s hands appear skeletal.
Corruption Roll 1d8: (1) skin on caster’s face withers and dries out to give him a skull-like appearance; (2) skin on caster’s hands falls away to give him skeletal hands; (3) caster permanently glows with a sickly blue aura; (4) un-dead are attracted to caster and flock to him like moths; (5-6) minor corruption; (7) major corruption;
(8) greater corruption.
Misfire Roll 1d3: (1) caster shocks himself with necromantic energy for 1d4 damage; (2) caster shocks one randomly determined nearby ally for 1d4 damage; (3) caster sends a blast of necromantic energy into the
nearest corpse, animating it as an un-dead zombie with 1d6 hit points (if no nearby corpse, no effect).
1 Lost, failure, and worse! Roll 1d6 modified by Luck: (0 or less) corruption + misfire + patron taint; (1-2) corruption; (3) patron taint (or corruption if no patron); (4+) misfire.
2-11 Lost. Failure.
12-13 The caster’s hands are charged with negative energy! On the next round, the next creature the caster attacks takes an additional 1d6 damage. Un-dead creatures take an additional +2 points of damage.
14-17 The caster’s hands are charged with negative energy! On the next round, the caster receives a +2 to attack rolls, and the next creature the caster attacks takes an additional 1d6 damage. Un-dead creatures take an additional +2 points of damage.
18-19 The caster’s hands are charged with negative energy! For the next turn, the caster receives a +2 to attack
rolls, and every creature the caster attacks takes an additional 1d6 damage. Un-dead creatures take an additional +2 points of damage.
20-23 The caster’s hands are charged with negative energy! For the next turn, the caster receives a +2 to attack
rolls, and every creature the caster attacks takes an additional 2d6 damage. Un-dead creatures take an additional +2 points of damage.
24-27 The caster’s hands are charged with negative energy! For the next turn, the caster receives a +4 to attack
rolls, and every creature the caster attacks takes an additional 2d6 damage as well as 1d4 points of Strength loss. Un-dead creatures take an additional +4 points of damage.
28-29 The caster’s hands are charged with negative energy! For the next hour, the caster receives a +4 to attack rolls, and every creature the caster attacks takes an additional 2d6 damage as well as 1d4 points of Strength loss. Un-dead creatures take an additional +4 points of damage.
30-31 The caster’s hands are charged with negative energy! For the next hour, the caster receives a +6 to attack rolls, and every creature the caster attacks takes an additional 3d6 damage as well as 1d4 points of Strength loss. Un-dead creatures take an additional +6 points of damage.
32+ The caster’s body glows a sickly blue light as he crackles with withering necromantic energy. Any creature
within 10’ of the caster takes 1d6 damage each round it stays within the field, and un-dead creatures take 1d6+2 damage. Until the next sunrise, the caster receives a +8 bonus to all attack rolls, and every creature the caster attacks takes an additional 3d6 damage (with un-dead suffering an extra +8).

Animate Dead
Level: 3 Range: Touch Duration: Varies Casting time: 1 action Save: N/A
General The cleric calls upon the power of his deity to animate the rotted flesh and aged bones of slain creatures, creating mindless minions to serve his will and vex his enemies.
The number of un-dead and type created is determined by the spell check and the number and type of dead creatures available; i.e., a cleric can create skeletons from bare bones but needs a complete corpse to create a zombie. He cannot create more of either type than he has “raw materials” available regardless of the spell check (e.g., creating five skeletons when only three sets of bones are present).
The un-dead remain animated and under the cleric’s control for an hour or more, depending on the spell check. When the spell duration ends, the un-dead collapse into the raw materials from which they were created.
No cleric can control more than 4x his CL in Hit Dice of un-dead at any given time, but the cleric can “release” controlled un-dead to command other, possibly more powerful un-dead. Uncontrolled un-dead are likely to turn on their former master, however, so the cleric should be careful when releasing un-dead from his command.
The player should reference the statistics of un-dead given later in this book for a sense of what can be created with this spell, but these should serve as guidelines not limitations. The typical humanoid corpse will produce a 1 HD skeleton or a 3 HD zombie. But there are more powerful skeletons to be created by using the bones of a giant. This work includes stats for the following un-dead, and of course a creative cleric may animate additional types of his own design: ghost (page 413), ghoul (page 416), mummy (page 422), shadow (page 425), skeleton (page 426), and zombie (page 431).
Manifestation The air fills with the stench of corruption as the dead rise at the cleric’s touch.
1-15 Failure.
16 The cleric creates a single skeleton of up to 1 HD, provided the necessary raw materials are present. The skeleton remains animated for a full day.
17 The cleric creates a single zombie or skeleton of up to 3 HD, provided the necessary raw materials are present. The un-dead remains animated for a full day.
18-21 The cleric creates a number of skeletons or zombies (one or the other) equal to his CL in Hit Dice. For example, a level 5 cleric could create five skeletons (5 HD) or a single zombie (3 HD). If multiple corpses are available, the cleric must choose which type of un-dead he is creating; he cannot animate both skeletons and zombies with a single casting of the spell. Excess Hit Dice have no effect if they exceed the number of available corpses. The un-dead remain animated for a full week.
22-23 The cleric creates a number of skeletons or zombies equal to 2x his CL in Hit Dice. For example, a level 5 cleric could create 10 skeletons (10 HD) or 3 zombies (9 HD). If multiple corpses are available, the cleric must choose which type of un-dead he is creating; he cannot animate both skeletons and zombies with a single casting of the spell. Excess Hit Dice have no effect if they exceed the number of available corpses. The un-dead remain animated for a full month.
24-26 The cleric creates a number of skeletons or zombies equal to 2x his CL in Hit Dice. For example, a level 5 cleric could create 10 skeletons (10 HD) or 3 zombies (9 HD). If multiples types are available, the cleric can produce a mixture of un-dead provided their combined Hit Dice do not exceed 2x his CL or the number of available corpses. In the example above, the level 5 cleric could create three zombies (3 HD x 3 = 9 HD) and one skeleton (1 HD), or two zombies (3 HD x 2 = 6 HD) and four skeletons (1 HD x 4 = 4 HD). Excess Hit Dice have no effect if they exceed the number of available corpses. The un-dead remain animated for a full month.
27-31 The cleric creates a number of more formidable skeletons and zombies equal to 3x his CL in Hit Dice. He can choose to animate the mortal remains of larger creatures, creating skeletons and zombies with above-average HD. For example, a 5th level cleric could animate the skeletal remains of a giant lizard (3 HD) to create a 3 HD skeleton, or revivify a dead ogre (4 HD) to make a 4 HD zombie. He cannot animate a single creature with more Hit Dice in life than 2x his CL. If multiple corpses are available, the cleric can produce a mixture of un-dead provided their combined HD do not exceed his CL or the number of available corpses. These advanced un-dead retain none of their special abilities or movement means they possessed in life (no flight, breath weapons, etc.). The judge can rule that certain monster-types (demons, laboratory-born monstrosities, etc.) are exempt from reanimation. The un-dead remain animated for a full year.
32-33 The cleric creates a number of un-dead equal to 3x times his CL in Hit Dice. He may create any sort of unintelligent un-dead, provided the raw materials are available. This includes mummies, ghouls, ghosts, shadows, and other creatures, but excludes liches and vampires. He can also choose to animate the mortal remains of larger creatures, creating skeletons and zombies with above-average HD. For example, a 5th level cleric could animate the skeletal remains of a giant lizard (3 HD) to create a 3 HD skeleton, or revivify a dead ogre (4 HD) to make a 4 HD zombie. He cannot animate a single creature with more Hit Dice in life than 3x the cleric’s CL. If multiple corpses are available, the cleric can produce a mixture of un-dead provided their combined Hit Dice do not exceed three times his CL or the number of available corpses. Excess Hit Dice have no effect if they exceed the number of available corpses. The un-dead remain animated for a full year.
34-35 The cleric creates a number of un-dead equal to 4x times his CL in Hit Dice. He may create any sort of unintelligent un-dead, provided the raw materials are available. This includes mummies, ghouls, ghosts, shadows, and other creatures, but excludes liches and vampires. He can also choose to animate the mortal remains of larger creatures, creating skeletons and zombies with above-average HD. For example, a 5th level cleric could animate the skeletal remains of a troll (8 HD) to create an 8 HD skeleton or revivify a dead dragon (15 HD) to make a 15 HD zombie. He cannot animate a single creature with more Hit Dice in life than 3x the cleric’s CL. These advanced un-dead retain none of their special abilities or movement means they possessed in life (no flight, breath weapons, etc.). The judge can rule that certain monster-types (demons, laboratory-born monstrosities, etc.) are exempt from reanimation. If multiple corpse types are available, the cleric can produce a mixture of un-dead provided their combined Hit Dice do not exceed three times his CL or the number of available corpses. Excess Hit Dice have no effect if they exceed the number of available corpses. The un-dead remain animated permanently until killed or released from control.
36+ The cleric creates terrifying un-dead. He can animate any kind of un-dead, including intelligent undead such as liches and vampires, provided the raw materials are present and the correct rituals are performed. The created undead can be up to 4x his CL in Hit Dice. He can choose to animate the mortal remains of larger creatures, creating skeletons and zombies with above-average HD. If multiple corpse types are available, the cleric can produce a mixture of un-dead provided their combined Hit Dice do not exceed 4x his CL or the number of available corpses. In addition to their normal un-dead abilities and resistances, these animated dead can have strange traits. The character can pre-determine these traits with sufficient research, materials, and preparation, or the judge can roll to determine them randomly (e.g., refer to the table of special properties tables for skeletons on page 427). Animated dead of this type also retain special movement means at the judge’s discretion. For example, a zombie dragon could still fly on rotting wings, but a skeletal one lacking wing membranes could not. The un-dead remain animated permanently until killed or released from control.

Hubris A World of Visceral Adventure

Spoiler

Facious the Lich King: ?
Zombie: People that are captured by the Lich King’s pirates are presented to Facious, where he forces them to breathe in a vile concoction of his own creation, Zombie Powder, causing the victim to become a living zombie, which serves him without question. Eventually the victim will succumb to the toxic effects of the powder and rise as an undead zombie, forever under control of the necromancer.

Zombie Powder
Facious creates this powder from the minced liver of the black-nosed fox, the eyes of a bloated toad, flesh of the rainbow puffer fish, various unsavory plants, and the brains of a recently buried child. The powder must be inhaled by the victim in order to corrupt their mind and rob them of their sense of self. When inhaled the victim must make a Fortitude save: 1 or less HD = no save allowed; 2-4 HD = DC 16; 5+ HD = DC 12. A successful save means the target takes 1d6 damage and suffers from a fit of violent coughs for 2d3 rounds (they cannot take any other action those rounds). Failure means that the victim falls unconscious and is in the grips of a terrible fever. The next day the target loses 1d3 points of Intelligence and will obediently serve the person who used the powder on them. The living zombie can only understand explicit and simple instructions however, such as “guard this door”, “dig a ditch”, “kill your family”, etc. When not ordered to do an activity they stare blankly, drooling slightly. Each day the target must make a successful Willpower save (DC determined by HD as listed above), failure means that the target loses an additional 1d3 points of Intelligence and comes closer to true undeath. If the target reaches zero Intelligence they fall dead from the fever and rise in 1d4 days as a zombie, utterly faithful to the person who poisoned him. If the target makes a successful save they shake off the effects and return to normal and will regain lost Intelligence at a rate of 1 point per full day of bed rest. However they are more susceptible to the powers of Zombie Powder and roll all further saves against it one step lower on the die ladder.
Brew Potion (DCC, pg 223) DC 27 to create this potion.

2015 Gongfarmer's Almanac 1-6

Spoiler

Ghost: You are a tortured soul, cursed to live beyond the grave. You have returned from the next world to seek revenge or atonement for your past life.
Skeletal Warrior: You are a warrior of a bygone age, a casualty of a battle long-forgotten. You have been risen from your grave to fight once more by some foul necromancy, and you march on to battle without fear of death.
Vampire: You are an un-dead being cursed to feed upon the blood of the living. You were human once, but in death you have been changed to something far more dreadful.
Fright of Ghosts: ?
Hungry Dead: ?
Hag of Hecate: ?
Damned Skeletal Army: ?
Damned Banshees: ?
Elahi the War Witch, Mummy: Centuries under the thrall of the jewel after being burned at the stake, has transformed Elahai from a powerful witch into a powerful mummy.
Grey: Agents of the Demi-Lich, these un-living forms comprise that sliver of a soul each has to give up to be able to leave the pass un-cursed.
Greys who gather 5 luck points may duplicate themselves by mitosis as a free action, creating a duplicate Grey at full health.
Rj’Nimajneb~Yor, Demilich:
Juju Zombie: Wand of a Thousand Punishments activation critical success.
Ghast: Wand of a Thousand Punishments activation critical success.
Wight: Wand of a Thousand Punishments activation critical success.
Wraith: Wand of a Thousand Punishments effect.

Wand of a Thousand Punishments: This wand, crafted by Rj’Nimajneb~Yor himself was created from the spine of the offspring of a daemon and a unicorn – an experiment that was disastrous, and successful in its own right. Use of the wand requires a successful classic intelligence check of a 5th level or higher Wizard, or DC15 Thief “Use Scroll” to activate each round. Failure to activate the wand renders it inoperable for 1d9 days, and a critical fumble destroys the wand – causing a phlogiston disturbance (caster is forced to cast a spell vs. a spell on chart below, Judge rolls for wand’s Spell check+CL7+5) then explodes for 5d7 points of damage creating a rip in space time. The wand itself has a Spell check of 19, plus the Caster’s Level, and Int Bonus. If the bearer has a 15 or higher Intelligence, he can choose the spell below, otherwise roll 1d5 per use:
1. Flaming Hands
2. Magic Missile
3. Scorching Ray
4. Fireball
5. Lightning Bolt
A critical success in activating the wand bestows un-dead henchmen permanently loyal to the bearer in addition to the Spellcasting, Roll 1d3:
1. 1d7 Juju Zombies
2. 1d5 Ghast
3. 1d3 Wights
The un-dead are either created from nearby remains, or are the closest convenient creature teleported to the bearers location. They appear and act the next round, surrounding the caster if possible, with elite morale.
While the bearer has the wand in his possession, the un-dead can be psychically commanded as a free action. If the wand is held by another, or is more than 5’ away from the bearer for more than 2 rounds, roll 1d100:
1-20 The un-dead suddenly vanish, leaving behind permanently burned shadows from where they stood.
21-25 The un-dead are destroyed in an explosion of positive energy. Adjacent targets take 3d6 damage: Law characters no damage, Neutral Half, Chaos Full; DC15 Will for half, post alignment determination.
26-37 The un-dead explode, causing 2d6 damage to all adjacent targets. DC10 Sta check for half.
38-40 The un-dead implode, pulling anyone adjacent to each creature into the 9 hells. DC15 Agi check or be pulled in.
41-58 The un-dead remain, unloyal to anyone, acting next round per Judge’s determination.
58-69 The un-dead remain, loyal to the original bearer of the wand at time of bestowment.
70-73 The un-dead remain, loyal to whoever bears the wand.
74-80 The un-dead remain, turned to stone. Bearer gains corruption; roll 1d3: 1. Minor, 2. Major, 3. Greater.
81-84 Arrival. The un-dead remain, and an angel arrives and starts to fight the creatures. Party must choose sides. If the angel wins, it bestows the party boons per Judge’s discretion. If the undead win, they become loyal to the original bearer of the wand and those present at the time of bestowment. A Wraith appears, pledging fealty to the champion of the un-dead.
85-90 Contest. A demon arrives and offers the bearer 50 smoldering gold coins per remaining un-dead. The demon is true to his word and pays if accepted, if denied he fights the bearer and allies for the un-dead disappearing before the final death blow if defeated, cursing the party. The bearer and allies make a mortal enemy.
91-98 If the original bearer of the wand bestowed un-dead is still of mortal life, he must make a DC 15 Will save or be transmogrified into a Wraith. All objects at time of fail turn into ethereal variants and are subject to those effects per Judge’s discretion.
99-100 Special, The Judge’s discretion on the event.

2016 Gongfarmer's Almanac 1-8

Spoiler

Necrosaur: As one of the Oblivion Syndicate’s greatest warriors, this H’Grungthorr was chosen by the evil Perilous Couple to receive the most profane blessings of their death-cult. Now, H’Grungthorr has been transformed into a ferocious, thanatos-powered, life-hating warrior known as THE NECROSAUR.
Skeletal Heap: Skeletal Heap spell.
Mocking Shade: ?

Skeletal Heap (Thief Spell)
Level: 2 Range: 20’ Duration: Varies
Casting Time: 1 round Save: N/A
General Thieves from North Kovacistan have a tendency to steal spell books from their wizard traveling companions. This spell is as much a defense mechanism for the wizard's spell book as it is an actual spell that the wizard can cast. If casting as a wizard, for all results below 12 the spell fails and is lost for the day, but otherwise they suffer none of the listed effects. Thieves may cast this spell using a d16 but must burn 1 point of Luck PERMANENTLY - yes, you may never recover it, ever!
The caster attempts to summon forth a hideous necromantic warrior from the piles of bones of long-dead creatures. Alas, even failure has its price!
Manifestation The bones of long-dead friends, foes or others come together with the screeching sound of unreleased voices silenced in violent combat, knitting themselves together in stop-motion and exhibiting the general shape of the bones' previous form, albeit crudely pasted together (for example, a skeletal heap conjured from ape-man bones might have long arms where its legs should be and short, squat legs growing from it's back or head, while a heap formed from triceratops bones may have one arm with three spikes protruding from it). Judges are encouraged to embellish the attacks listed below as they see fit in regards to the component bones available.
Corruption None. The results of the spell are corruption enough (see below).
Misfire None. Though when cast by a thief, all results produce some form of skeletal heap, most beyond the caster's control.
1 The bones of the fallen fail to achieve the desired state due to a lack of sufficient necromantic energy. The caster's own bones begin to pop from his body to supplement the creature. Suffer 2d4 Luck loss (permanent, cannot be restored, ever - but you won't live long enough to regret it, anyway!) Each round, the caster must pass an incrementally more difficult Fort save, beginning at DC 14, or suffer the ill effects of their own bones being sucked out through their skin as they attempt to join the heap (lose 1d5 points of Strength, Agility, or Stamina). Three successive saves will halt the process and return the dead to their slumber, leaving the caster in awfully bad shape otherwise.
2 - 8 The heap begins to take shape but needs more, more, more! Suffer 1d7 Luck loss (permanent, cannot be restored, ever - stop messing around with the wizard's spell book, thief!) to supplement the creature's growth. The resulting heap has the following stats: Init -4; Atk limb +0 (1d3); AC 10; HD 2d6; MV 20'; Act 1d16; SP un-dead traits; SV Fort +1, Ref +0, Will +0, AL C. Creature only has one usable limb for attacking and will randomly lash out at the nearest target, usually the caster. This heap will continue to attack random targets for 1d3 rounds before falling into a pile of its component bones.
9 - 11 The heap begins to take shape but you can't control it! Suffer 1d3 Luck loss (permanent, cannot be restored, ever - what, you think magic is easy?!) to supplement the creature's growth. Also, make an opposed Personality check (heap gets +4 to this check - leave the dead where they rest, fool!) or the heap will randomly attack the nearest target, usually the caster. If you gain control of the heap this way, it will function for 1d3 rounds at your command before falling apart into its component bones. Init -4; Atk limb +0 (1d3); AC 10; HD 2d6; MV 20'; Act 1d16; SP un-dead traits; SV Fort +1, Ref +0, Will +0, AL C.
12 - 13 It's alive! The heap has formed and will remain under the caster's control for 1d4 rounds or until destroyed. Init -2; Atk limb +0 (1d3); AC 10; HD 2d6; MV 20'; Act 1d16; SP un-dead traits; SV Fort +1, Ref +0, Will +0, AL C.
14 – 17 Getting stronger, now! The heap lasts for 1d4 rounds or until destroyed. Init -2; Atk limb +0 (1d4); AC 12; HD 2d6; MV 20'; Act 1d20; SP un-dead traits; SV Fort +2, Ref +0,Will +0, AL C.
18 - 19 That's better! The Heap lasts for 1d4 rounds or until destroyed. Init -2; Atk limb +0 (1d5); AC 13 + special; HD 2d7; MV 20'; Act 1d20; SP un-dead traits, can block one attack with an extra limb as though carrying a shield (+2 AC), which then splinters; SV Fort +2, Ref +0, Will +0, AL C.
20 - 23 Now we're cooking! The heap lasts for 1d5 rounds or until destroyed. Creature only has one usable limb for attacking but now has a melee weapon in its grip. Init +0; Atk limb +0 (1d5) or melee weapon +0 (1d6); AC 13 + special; HD 2d10; MV 20'; Act 1d20; SP un-dead traits, can block one attack with an extra limb as though carrying a shield (+2 AC), which then splinters; SV Fort +2, Ref +1, Will +0, AL C.
24 - 27 It's getting bigger! The heap lasts for 1d5 rounds and now has two usable limbs for attacking, both of which grip melee weapons. Init +0; Atk limb +0 (1d5) or melee weapon +0 (1d6); AC 14 + special; HD 3d10; MV 20'; Act 2d16; SP undead traits, can block one attack with an extra limb as though carrying a shield (+2 AC), which then splinters; SV Fort +2, Ref +1, Will +0, AL C.
28 - 29 Look at the size of that thing! The heap lasts for 1d5 rounds and has two usable limbs for attacking, both of which grip melee weapons. Init +0; Atk limb +0 (1d6) or melee weapon +0 (1d8); AC 16 + special; HD 3d12; MV 20'; Act 2d20; SP un-dead traits, can block one attack with an extra limb as though carrying a shield (+2 AC), which then splinters; SV Fort +2, Ref +2, Will +0, AL C.
30 - 31 We're gonna need a bigger boat! The heap lasts for 1d6 rounds and now has three usable limbs for attacking, all of which grip melee weapons. Init +1; Atk limb +0 (1d6) or melee weapon +0 (1d10); AC 18 + special; HD 3d16; MV 20'; Act 3d20; SP un-dead traits, can block one attack with an extra limb as though carrying a shield (+2 AC), which then splinters; SV Fort +2, Ref +2, Will +0, AL C.
32+ Over 9000! The heap lasts for 1d6 rounds and has three usable limbs for attacking, all of which grip melee weapons. Init +1; Atk limb +0 (1d8) or melee weapon +0 (1d12); AC 20 + special; HD 3d20; MV 20'; Act 3d20; SP un-dead traits, can block up to two attacks with an extra limbs as though carrying a shield (+2 AC), which then splinters; SV Fort +3, Ref +2, Will +0, AL C.

2017 Gongfarmers Almanac 1

Spoiler

Undead: Few organic beings know this, but sometimes when a mechanical life form “dies,” it is reconstituted in a special kind of afterlife. What happens to the Goody Two Wheels robots is a topic for another day, but the ones who end their functional life with a significant number of wicked acts listed in their behavior log end up in a place of eternal punishment for artificial entities. This place is the Abyss of Automatons.
This is a Hell that is run by robots, for robots. Any kind of robot imaginable can be found here, so the judge should feel free to add others not detailed in the encounter areas below. Note that because these automatons have all been previously destroyed, they are now considered un-dead.
Deceptiguard: ?
Severed Bot Limb: The limbs have all been violently severed from the original robots’ bodies, leaving the limbs with an unstoppable desire to be reattached to anything moving.
Endoskeleton: These are the robotic endoskeletons of former cyborgs who had their skins burned off as punishment for their evil.
Vacbot: ?
Fembot: ?
Zombot: Built to look like humans, the zombots have seen sufficient wear and tear in the Abyss to make them appear un-dead: some have loose skin drooping down from their faces like stroke victims, others leak coolant and other fluids, and most walk with a shuffling limp. Designed to keep going, and going, and going, a zombot only stops if their robobrain is destroyed.
Hari: HARI, an artificial intelligence designed long ago to be a Human And Robot Interface. After HARI went offline in his first life, he found himself here, in charge of punishing wicked robot souls (if asked who assigned him this task, he enigmatically answers, “I did”).
Robodemon: ?
Leaky: After a long life spent as a glorified transport for smarter AIs, Leaky is enjoying letting his new authority in the Abyss go to his head.
Demon-Saur: The desperate demons of Yoz, seeking vengeance against the voidlings (and soon, against each other), inscribed the demon-saur bones with terrible runes and assembled them into creaking, un-dead war-machines.
Demon-Saur Tyrannosaurus: ?
Demon-Saur Stegosaurus: ?
Demon-Saur Triceraptops: ?
Demon-Saur Raptor: ?
Demon-Saur Ankyslosaurus: ?
Demon-Saur Spinosaurus: ?
Demon-Saur Gigantosaur: ?

2017 Gongfarmers Almanac 2

Spoiler

Sugar Zombie: Children make no save against the effects of the pixie’s sticks or tasting any of the sweetness of the Big Rock Candy Mountains. Adults make a DC 12 Will save after consuming them, or they become sugar thralls, refusing to do anything except find the Big Rock Candy Mountains and savor its sweetness. Each day a sugar thrall spends eating the minerals causes a loss of 1 Stamina, resulting from a diet of indigestible rocks and little sleep. When the last point of Stamina is lost, the character rises as a sugar zombie.
Fiend in the Pit: Near the back of this cell is a now-undead serial killer, whose transgressions in life eventually brought him here to wither and die for his heinous crimes.
Enthralled: A shadow land of grey twilight, the Forest of Nedra exists between states of reality, filled with objects both half-formed and those seemingly etched into the fabric of creation itself. The forest does not have a permanent location, but instead slowly resolves throughout time in ancient groves as a spreading blight that acts as a gateway from the mortal world to the demesne of the chaos lords. Evil rumors of shades and fey magic carry into those lands the forest comes to border, and creatures captured and enthralled by its spreading gloom move and act with a dull, lifeless animation.

Gongfarmers Almanac 2017 3

Spoiler

Roaming Spirit: The Living Graveyard: Beneath the mushroom caps and the thick mist lies a ghostly sanctuary for spirits that have been trapped here for millennia. As a result of being in a realm of chaotic magic, anyone who perishes beneath the mist does not die immediately - they are transformed into spirits to roam the area in ghostly form.

Gongfarmers Almanac 2017 6

Spoiler

Halfling Skeleton: ?

2017 Gongfarmers Almanac 7

Spoiler

Eddie: ?
Erasmus Cordwainer Blood: ?
Brides of Blood: ?
Skeleton: Searching the bones discovers a sheathed dagger near one and a silver ring with an onyx stone (15 gp value) on another. If this ring is removed, the skeleton animates and attacks.
Revenant: If a PC is slain while wearing the ring, and it is looted, his body will rise as a zombie-like revenant to recover the ring.
Any character who dies wearing the ring will rise as an un-dead being if the ring is subsequently taken.
Vampire: If Blood is defeated, he wears a silver chain worth 20 gp, a gold signet ring worth 25 gp, and an iron ring with a hematite gem that allows a living wearer to cast the following spells once per week: animal summoning (wolves and dire wolves only), ward portal, and phantasm. The spells are cast using 1d20+3 for the spell check regardless of caster class or level. In addition, the character gains 60’ infravision, and is ignored by un-dead (unless he interacts with them first). A character who dies with this ring on his finger rises as a vampire on the next full moon. The newly risen un-dead’s first goal is to recover the ring if it has been taken.

Crawling Under a Broken Moon 1-4

Spoiler

Mannekill: ?

Hackmaster

Spoiler

Hackmaster 5e

Spoiler

Hacklopedia of Beasts

Spoiler

Animating Spirit: Animating spirits are evil maligned spirits returned from beyond the grave. In life they were betrayed by friends and family members and now most often inhabit an item related to their betrayal and death.
No one knows where the animating spirit originates, for the first documented case has been corrupted by urban legend. Coincidentally (or not), this ‘fabric phantom’ was the spirit of an expert Mendarn tailor, Blesdar Forband, a man with the reputation of making the most magnificent clothing in the kingdom. However, one customer (a noble by the name of Granden) refused payment until he saw perfection. Blesdar locked himself in his shop and worked his hardest, though Granden proved unsatisfied with the first five attempts. Finishing his sixth effort with an unexpected speed, Blesdar presented himself at the noble’s home to show off his latest creation.
It was there, stumbling into Granden’s bedroom, that he accidentally learned the truth — Granden had cruelly kept Blesdar working so he could seduce the tailor’s wife. Collapsing from exhaustion and shock, Blesdar died.
The following week, Granden took the tailor’s last creation from his wardrobe, intending to wear the exquisite ensemble at his next ball. There, he was the talk of the party. When asked where he had commissioned such wonderful clothing, Granden claimed that his consort (Blesdar’s widow) had made them for him. Moments later, Granden fell dead to the floor. The noble’s chest had been crushed inward.
Supposedly, since that event, animating spirits have appeared across the Sovereign Lands. Some say Blesdar’s fabric had been resold and his vengeful spirit cursed any object that touched it. Others say that the story is no more than myth and that some type of unseen demon stalks the land. The Brandobians call this creature a ‘blesdar,’ with no other understanding of what it might be.
Barrow-Wight: This dreadful creature is an animated corpse whose spirit was so evil in life that it continues its existence to wreak vengeance and terror upon the living.
In life, barrow-wights were often of noble birth or held some position of power over others (e.g., a knight, duke or even a wealthy merchant). It is unheard of for a serf, squire or other menial person’s corpse to spawn the evil of a barrow-wight, perhaps because they lacked any feeling of power in life and so their spirit does not strive to hold onto it after death.
It is thought that a barrow-wight cannot arise from a consecrated corpse or a body lacking any limb or digit thereof, though this may be merely an old wives’ tale.
A wight's barrow is not only his tomb but, in large measure, his eternal prison as well. Those immutably bound to this sepulcher have but one one hope of escape, that being the ensnarement of a surrogate guardian. Any sapient human, demi-human or humanoid slain by the wight may serve this purpose. Of course, wights were doubtless haughty and proud in life and carried this trait through to their current existence. It wouldn't suit their legacy to have some orkin graverobber ensconced in their tomb. Thus they are choosy about whom they may grant unlife to even at the cost of their own freedom. Those deemed acceptable will be clad in their funereal garb and likely other objects denoting the wight's former status. The corpse will be laid upon the very same funeral slab once occupied by the current master and permitted to rise from death as a barrow-wight.
Tradition holds that the cairns of individuals who, in life, manifested such evil strength of will that those burying them feared their return were marked with runestones to warn visitors of the possible threat.
Fantom Dog: Parents often tell tales of ‘the awful fantom dog with vacant black eyes’ to frighten children from going outdoors at night. These stories provide a variety of origins for the creature, such as the death of a hanged baliff, the spirit of a huntsman falsely executed for murder, the incarnation of a shape-changing sorcerer, and even the spirit of a funeral bier.
Ghast: Ghasts are rumored to be agents of the Harvester of Souls – sapient beings so wicked in life that they now sustain themselves by literally feasting on death.
Ghoul: ?
Haunt: A haunt is created when a person dies prior to the completion of a significant task that he is unequivocally invested in. When this occurs, the life force becomes so strongly attached to its completion that the soul refuses to pass on into death until the task in question can be completed. This event is typically tied to a singular, and extremely powerful, emotion such as love, hate, greed, lust, revenge, and so forth.
Haunts may be found anywhere on Tellene where someone died before the completion of a significant task.
Mummy: Mummification consists of three separate processes. First comes the removal and separate preservation of major organs, including the liver, heart, stomach and brain. After this initial preparation, there is a ritualized bathing of the body in special liquids that preserve the flesh. The organs are then returned to the host in their proper orientations. Finally the body is bound in fine linen or silk, with each limb and digit wrapped separately, in order that the body might be fully articulated.
Mummification has fallen out of favor as a burial practice and is not currently utilized by any cultural group on Tellene.
As such, knowledge of the actual processes involved to properly mummify a corpse is something of a lost art. It is rumored within certain clerical orders that the Congregation of the Dead has retained this knowledge and some members of this vile sect are capable of returning from death as hideous animated mummies.
Rattlebone Mummy: Often they were members of the royal praetorian bodyguard ritually slaughtered and hastily mummified when their liege died.
Servitor Mummy: When an important noble or royal personage died or was otherwise removed from his position of authority, his personal courtiers were frequently ritually strangled and mummified along with their patron. Interred in his tomb, their symbolic role was to continue their service to their departed master. In truth, this ceremony was often just a ritual veil over the some brutal housecleaning by the new regime eager to ensure that no ties to the former sovereign remained and that the new cadre of attendants was aware in no uncertain terms that their very lives depended upon complete loyalty and devotion to the current ruler.
When their patron was invigorated with malevolent unlife, these jhurijany (or servitor mummies) were similarly animated and now truly fulfill the role they were, in theory, assigned at their death (despite it being mere court theater at the time).
Blood Mummy: ?
Natural Mummy: Not all mummies are the result of deliberate action by mankind. It is possible for exceptional environmental conditions to mummify a corpse as well. Extreme and persistent cold may freeze-dry a body preserving it for millennia while those buried (or perhaps simply perishing) in severely arid regions may desiccate leaving behind remains that persist for centuries. Cold bogs are another source of naturally occurring mummies. The combination of low temperatures, highly acidic water and lack of oxygen serves to preserve cadavers though tanning their skin in the process.
Noble Mummy: ?
Royal Mummy: ?
Rusalka: Rusalka are the undead spirits of women who met an untimely end through drowning, whether by murder or suicide.
Some Kalamaran scholars say that the ancient origins of the rusalka lie in the Ep'Sarab Swampland, where three witches lay buried in three separate, but adjoining mounds. In the year 458 IR, river pirates led by the famous brigand Caran Bluetooth plundered the mounds. When they did so they roused the souls of the three witches. These evil incarnations rose from the dead in raging madness, hounding the greater part of the crew to death. Only a few escaped, fleeing south down the Badato River. One of these, Caran’s brother Malaran, is thought to have escaped with a powerful magic ring. He fled into the swamps and wandered listlessly, without home or any kind of shelter. The witches, not satisfied with destroying the pirates, lay a curse on the swamp and all the water that earned the pirates their livelihood.
The curse had greater impact than the witches ever dared hope and soon the spirits of women tormented in life rose from the surrounding wetlands; the rusalka had come to Kalamar.
Shadow: A darkling’s chilling touch drains its victim’s strength (reducing its Strength score commensurate to the damage inflicted). Creatures sapped of all strength (i.e., their Strength score is reduced to zero) become shadows themselves.
A shadow’s touch drains STR equal to damage (save for half); creatures reduced to zero (0) STR become shadows.
Skeleton: Skeletons are unnatural creatures inspirited by dark energy.
Skeletons may be raised from the bones of any humanoid creature. The source material is irrelevant, for the evil enchantment providing the vigor to these bones supersedes any species differentiation. Thus an animated goblin skeleton is functionally equivalent to that of a human. That being said, the types of beings used as feedstock for this unholy ritual may provide some contextual clues as to the circumstances surrounding their current placement.
Once a zombie's tendons and muscles deteriorate completely, they collapse in a pile of bones, never to rise again (although the proper ritual can be used to raise them as skeletons).
Animal Skeleton: The bones of humanoids are not alone in being subject to reanimation. Animals too, as well as the remains of larger creatures, are not infrequently inspirited as obedient – if expendable – sentinels and warriors.
Unquestioningly easier to commandeer, the bones of animals such as dogs can be animated to serve as tireless guardians. Animal remains of a roughly comparable size (like wolves, boars, mountain lions or small black bears) may be used as analogues. However, like standard skeletons, the creature's capabilities in life do not translate to its revivified form. Rather, these bones are merely a template upon which is layered a standardized set of capabilities.
Monster Skeleton: The bones of larger bipeds such as bugbears and ogres may, via more powerful dark magic, be similarly animated.
Spectre: Spectres are the spirits of wickedly obdurate beings who failed in life to complete to fruition their grand evil schemes. Force of will coupled with supernatural assistance has permitted their continued existence as agents of evil.
It is an accepted belief that binding a corpse with ropes constructed of yarn wrapped in a band of high content silver filé prevents the dead from rising as a spectre.
Slain foes who die from a spectre's touch rise as spectres in service to their killer.
Vampire: ?
Will-o'-the-Wisp: The most common tale of the will-o’-the-wisp concerns a blacksmith in a war-torn, impoverished land. In unthinking desperation, he offers his daughter to any god or being that will bless his skill at the forge and so bring him coin with which he can support the remainder of his large family. The gods did not respond, but a being from the Nine Hells did.
This devil (or demon, depending upon the tale being told) quickly came to collect the girl, but the smith realized his own wickedness and decided not to give away his daughter. Instead, he tricked the devil by bragging about the hotness of his fire and claiming that the devil’s home could surely not be as hot. The devil jumped willingly into the smith’s hottest fire to prove his point, whereupon the smith doused him with a bucket of frigid water. The thermal stress shattered the devil into tiny fragments, which the smith later discarded in a nearby swamp.
Each individual fragment retained a bit of the devil’s mind and eventually became known as a will-o’-the-wisp among the locals – or so the story is often told.
Wraith: Wraiths be spirits of men most powerful and bounteous of ambition bewitched by powers nefarious to lead an eternal existence of malice and hatred.
A wraith is a fearsome undead creature inhabited by the spirit of an incredibly wicked mortal.
Most wraiths were powerful and capable men in life.
It is unknown how an individual becomes a wraith. Some sages postulate that great men who in life exhibited hatred, malice, and depravity of legendary proportions received this fate as punishment for their wickedness while others insist that these same lords bartered their souls for earthly power.
Zombie: Most zombies are mindless human or near-human (e.g.,various man-sized humanoids or demi-humans) corpses stolen or risen from their graves.
The Congregation of the Dead is ultimately responsible for many of the zombies found in the world, frequently employing them to sow terror in locals who would otherwise not countenance their presence. However, it must be noted that spontaneous mass risings of the dead have been recorded by scholars without the seeming intervention of these unholy covens.
It is rumored that zombies abound in the ‘city of the dead,’ a fabled lost ruin deep within the Khydoban Desert. Wilder tales declare that the entire population of the city was cursed and transformed into zombies who survive to this very day in a desiccated but very animated state.
Monster Zombie: Most zombies are mindless human or near-human (e.g.,various man-sized humanoids or demi-humans) corpses stolen or risen from their graves. Some evil priests favor the cadavers of large bipedal monsters (e.g., bugbears, gnoles, and minotaurs), should they have access to them.

Hackmaster Basic

Spoiler

Undead: Any creature whose ability score is reduced to zero from an energy draining attack perishes. Such a victim will rise from the grave the next day, a half-strength undead of the same type and under complete control of the undead that slew him.
Barrow Wight: A dreadful creature, the barrow-wight is an animated corpse whose spirit was so evil in life that it continues its existence to wreak vengeance on the living.
Ghast: ?
Ghoul: ?
Mummy: These undead corpses rise from their sarcophagi to enact vengeance on those who violated their place of rest. Mummies are easily distinguishable from other undead, since their bodies were preserved with various spices and chemicals, with their head, body and limbs wrapped from head to toe in strips of white cloth.
Skeleton: ?
Wraith: A wraith is a fearsome undead creature inhabited by the spirit of an incredibly wicked mortal.
Zombie: ?

Frandor's Keep

Spoiler

Ghoul: Roughly one year ago, a soldier fell off a tower into the courtyard and broke his neck. Although the manner of his death was distinctly unheroic, he was a sycophantic lackey quite popular among many of the officers, and thus buried rather than cremated. Several nights later, however, he was reborn as a flesh-hungry ghoul.
Skeleton: ?

HackMaster GameMaster's Guide

Spoiler

Undead: Any creature whose ability score is reduced to zero from an energy draining attack perishes. Such a victim will rise from the grave the next day, a half-strength undead of the same type and under complete control of the undead that slew him.

HackMaster Player's Handbook

Spoiler

Skeleton: Animate Skeleton spell.
Animate Skeletons spell.
Zombie: Animate Zombie spell.
Animate Zombies spell.

Animate Skeleton
Components: V, S, DI
Casting Time: 2 hours
Range: Touch
Volume of Effect: bones of a single man-sized bipedal creature
Duration: Permanent
Saving Throw: not applicable
This ceremony allows an evil cleric to animate the bones of a human or humanoid creature to serve as an undead minion. Generally any man-sized biped suffices as feedstock for the ritual. The creature's former skills in life are immaterial – once animated they take on the characteristics of Skeletons as defined in the Hacklopedia of Beasts.
Clerics have control of any skeletons they create (e.g. they are not required to make a commanding undead check). This is permanent unless their control is temporarily disrupted by another cleric forcibly commanding the undead in question.
This unholy liturgy permits animating one skeleton.
Only certain religions condone this practice.

Animate Skeletons
Components: V, S, DI
Casting Time: 2 hours
Range: Touch
Volume of Effect: bones of a dozen man-sized bipedal creatures
Duration: Permanent
Saving Throw: not applicable
Except for the increased efficacy in being able to animate 3d4p skeletons, this spell is identical to Animate Skeleton.

Animate Zombie
Components: V, S, DI
Casting Time: 3 hours
Range: Touch
Volume of Effect: corpse of a single man-sized bipedal creature
Duration: Permanent
Saving Throw: not applicable
This ceremony allows an evil cleric to animate the cadaver of a human or humanoid creature to serve as an undead minion. Generally any man-sized biped will suffice as feedstock for the ritual. The creature's former skills in life are immaterial – once animated they take on the characteristics of Zombies as defined in the Hacklopedia of Beasts.
Clerics have control of any zombies they create (e.g. they are not required to make a commanding undead check). This is permanent unless their control is temporarily disrupted by another cleric forcibly commanding the undead in question.
This unholy liturgy permits animating a single zombie.
Only certain religions condone this practice.

Animate Zombies
Components: V, S, DI
Casting Time: 3 hours
Range: Touch
Volume of Effect: corpses of a dozen man-sized bipedal creatures
Duration: Permanent
Saving Throw: not applicable
Except for the increased efficacy in being able to animate 3d4p zombies, this spell is identical to Animate Zombie.

Hackmaster 4e

Spoiler

Trove of Treasure Maps

Spoiler

Huecuva: ?
Lucky Bob, Spectre: Lucky Bob was a well-known pirate who ravaged the sea lanes for many years. While robbing merchant vessels was profitable, Lucky Bob grew weary of the ordinary booty of trade goods available to him on the high seas. He plundered his share of merchant goods, arms and supplies over the years but he longed for that one big haul that would make him rich and let him retire to an easy life.
His greed and rumors of great treasure convinced him to travel inland to the Village of Golain. Golain was home to the Feerino family, who reputedly had a collection of fabulous jewels. Thus, he and his accomplice, Sal "Cutthroat" Sonog set out to Golain to begin their career as burglars. Golain was a tiny but well defended village that had a wooded wall surrounding it with several guard towers overlooking the homes and the surrounding land.
After staying at an inn in Golain for several days while they cased the home of the Feerino family, they concluded that it was too well defended to risk an ordinary break-in – the Feerinos maintained a large number of mercenary guards to man their towers and walls. But Lucky Bob’s partner in crime, Sonog, had an idea: if they could create a diversion, they could distract the family and the guards and he and Bob could sneak in to grab the jewels. This diversion had to be something big; some enormous spectacle that would draw everyone out of the Feerino mansion.
That was when Lucky Bob and Sonog decided to set fire to the farmer’s market on the east side of town. If the fire could be made large and impressive enough, every able-bodied hand in the village would be called into the bucket brigade, leaving the jewels unguarded.
Their plan worked. In fact, it worked so well that they obtained the Feerino jewels without so much as raising a sword. Unfortunately, their fire rampaged out of control. Many lives were lost as the conflagration consumed the entire village and much of the surrounding forest.
The unanticipated mass destruction presented a problem for the thieves. Surely refugees from the village would begin an exodus to neighboring settlements. They would likely seek shelter in the coastal Town of Tairid near where Lucky Bob’s pirate crew lay in wait for the return of their captain. The Golain disaster would bring a significant number of authorities sniffing around and that was the last thing the two men needed. So they decided to head further inland to lay low until the coast was clear. They fled to the tiny village of Terinoot.
What Lucky Bob and Sonog failed to realize was that the Feerino jewels bore a curse. This curse drove many of those who possessed the jewels over the years mad. For Lucky Bob and Sonog, already considered not entirely stable by many, this process progressed very quickly.
On the way to the village of Terinoot, the men passed through a forest of palm trees as the landscape became dryer. There, the strange birds in the trees seemed to heckle them with calls of "Lucky Bob, caw, not so lucky! Caw!" In the men’s minds the bizarre avians repeated this over and over, each time it grew louder and louder. When the men arrived in Terinoot, they could still hear the voices of the birds in their minds. "Lucky Bob, caw, not so lucky! Caw!" It was as if the birds were laughing at them.
They rented a room at an inn called the Sailor’s Last Bunk and nervously made plans to free themselves of their predicament. The men planned to hide the jewels and lay low, hoping that the incessant laughing of the birds in their heads would fade when the birds lost interest. Once free of the avian mockery, they would to return later with a magic-user or cleric who could dispel the supernatural forces that were surely at work here.
The men investigated the cellar of the inn for a good place to hide their booty. There in the cellar they found a stone cover over an old abandoned well. In years past, the inhabitants of the inn used the well for both water and brewing. But over time the well became fouled by excessive iron ore deposits in the surrounding rock and the water (and more importantly the beer) became rust colored and foul to the taste. Thus, the well was abandoned. The pirates climbed into the well and buried Lucky Bob’s prize in the wall of the well behind loose stones.
The ill-fated pair tried to retire for the night but neither of them slept soundly. They continued tossing and turning to the laughing of the birds in their heads and the mantra, "Lucky Bob, caw, not so lucky! Caw". The next morning the men set out to return to their ship.
By the time the men had reached the forest of the birds, Lucky Bob began blaming his companion for the maddening sounds. In a fit of insanity, he struck out at Sonog hoping to make the noises stop. By this time, Sonog too had begun to mistrust Lucky Bob and this attack pushed him over the edge. The two men struggled and Sonog bludgeoned Lucky Bob to death with a stone, shouting out all the while, "Lucky Bob, caw, not so lucky! Caw".
With the voices still in his head and Sonog fully gripped by the insanity of the curse of the Feerino jewels, he saw the blood and gore that spilled out of Lucky Bob’s remains and began to consume his former shipmate. As he tore into the flesh he was overjoyed to find that this grisly act began to quiet the voices in his head. With a renewed vigor he stripped the body to the bone hoping it would quell the voices permanently. Once his mind was quiet, he came to his senses and confronted the ever-growing horror of what he had done.
Animated Skeleton: By day their maker, Holbad the necromancer, has commanded them to conceal themselves in the marshes to avoid the appearance of foul play.
Common Zombie: By day their maker, Holbad the necromancer, has commanded them to conceal themselves in the marshes to avoid the appearance of foul play.

Shadow: ?

Iron Falcon

Spoiler

Iron Falcon

Spoiler

Ghoul: Characters slain by a ghoul will arise at the next nightfall (but not less than 8 hours after dying) as ghouls themselves.
Lich: A lich is an undead spellcaster, usually a wizard or sorcerer but sometimes a cleric or other spellcaster, who has used its magical powers to unnaturally extend its life.
Mummy: Mummies are undead monsters, preserved corpses animated through the auspices of dark desert gods best forgotten.
Skeleton: Skeletons are undead monsters; they are the animated bones of the dead, mindless automatons that obey the orders of their evil masters.
Animate Dead spell.
Spectre: Any character slain by a spectre will arise at the next sunset (but not sooner than 6 hours after death) as a spectre under the control of its killer.
Vampire: Humans and humanoids slain by a vampire will arise at the next sunset (but not sooner than 6 hours after death) as vampires under the control of the one who slew them.
Wight: Wights are undead monsters, corpses of the dead animated by dark magic.
Wraith: Wraiths are undead monsters, spirits of the dead which live on, driven by hatred for the living.
Zombie: Zombies are undead monsters, corpses reanimated through dark and sinister magic.
Animate Dead spell.

Animate Dead
Magic-User 5
This spell turns the bones or bodies of dead creatures into undead skeletons or zombies that follow the caster's spoken commands. Roll 1d6 for the number of hit dice of undead monsters animated, plus an additional 1d6 for each level the caster has above 8th. Excess hit dice which cannot be applied (due to lack of available remains) are lost. Undead creatures animated by this spell persist until destroyed.

Labyrinth Lord

Spoiler

Labyrinth Lord

Spoiler

Undead: These beings were alive at one time, but through foul magic or by dying at the hands of another undead type, these beings rise again as undead horrors.
Ghoul: All humans slain by ghouls rise again in 24 hours as ghouls, unless the spell bless is cast upon their bodies.
Mummy: Mummies are preserved undead corpses animated through the auspices of dark desert gods best forgotten.
Skeleton: Skeletons are the animated bones of the dead, mindless automatons that obey the orders of their evil masters.
Spectre: Should a character reach level 0 from a spectre's energy drain, he dies and will become a spectre in 24 hours.
Vampire: Vampires create others of their kind by draining humans or other humanoids of all life energy (they reach 0 level). The victim must be buried, and after 1 day he will arise as a vampire.
Wight: Wights are undead creatures who were formerly humans or demi-humans in life.
Any human or demi-human reduced to 0 level from a wight's energy drain dies, and becomes a wight in 1d4 days.
Wraith: Wraiths are incorporeal undead creatures born of evil and darkness.
Should a character reach level 0 from a wraith's energy drain, he dies and will become a wraith in 24 hours.
Zombie: Zombies are undead corpses reanimated through dark and sinister magic.
Animate Dead spell.

Animate Dead
Level: 3
Duration: Permanent
Range: 60'
This spell turns the bones or bodies of dead creatures into undead skeletons or zombies that follow the caster's spoken commands. The undead can follow the caster, or they can remain in an area and attack any creature (or just a specific kind of creature) entering the place. They remain animated until they are destroyed or until a dispel magic spell is cast upon them.
The caster may animate a number of hit die worth of zombies or skeletons equal to the caster's level. For example, a 7th level cleric can animate seven skeletons, but only three zombies. These creatures are unintelligent, and do not retain any abilities that they had in life. All skeletons have an AC of 7 and hit dice equal to the creature in life. Zombies have an AC of 8, and the number of hit dice of the living creature +1. It is important to note that if a character is animated in this fashion, he will not have hit dice related to his class level, but instead will have the standard skeleton or zombie hit dice. A lawful character that casts this spell may draw disfavor from his god.

Advanced Edition Companion

Spoiler

Undead: Orcus is the Prince of the Undead, and it is said that he alone created the first undead that walked the worlds.
Ghast: ?
Ghost: These incorporeal, ethereal beings are the animated spirits of horribly evil humans. In life their evil was so great as to attract otherworldly attention, and the powers preserved their being as ghosts after death.
Groaning Spirit, Banshee: The groaning spirit is the malevolent spirit of a female elf that is found haunting swamps, fens, moors, and other desolate places.
Lich: A lich is an undead magic-user of at least 18th level (and possibly multiclassed) who has used its magical powers and a phylactery to unnaturally extend its life.
Being of Death: ?

Skeleton: Animate Dead spell.
Zombie: Animate Dead spell.

Animate Dead
Level: 3
Duration: Permanent
Range: 60'
This spell turns the bones or bodies of dead creatures into undead skeletons or zombies that follow the caster's spoken commands. The undead can follow the caster, or they can remain in an area and attack any creature (or just a specific kind of creature) entering the place. They remain animated until they are destroyed or until a dispel magic spell is cast upon them.
The caster may animate a number of hit die worth of zombies or skeletons equal to the casterEs level. For example, a 7th level cleric can animate seven skeletons, but only three zombies. These creatures are unintelligent, and do not retain any abilities that they had in life. All skeletons have an AC of 7 and hit dice equal to the creature in life. Zombies have an AC of 8, and the number of hit dice of the living creature +1. It is important to note that if a character is animated in this fashion, he will not have hit dice related to his class level, but instead will have the standard skeleton or zombie hit dice. A lawful character that casts this spell may draw disfavor from his god.

Basilisk Goggles & Wishing Wells

Spoiler

Spectre: If killed while wearing the cloak of spectral revenge, a wearer automatically rises as a spectre in 1d4 turns, leaving the cloak with her corpse.
Wraith: Darkshade overuse.
Any characters killed by the wraith helm's negative energy attack (reduced to level 0 or below) become wraiths within 2d4 rounds.
Wight exposure to Hatchery Egg.
Undead: Slab of Redemption.
Non-evil enveloped by Earth's black blood summoned by a variant Rod of Magma.
Zombie: Flesh exposure to Hatchery Egg.
Ghoul: Zombie exposure to Hatchery Egg.
Wight: Ghoul exposure to Hatchery Egg.

Cloak of Spectral Revenge
Although the cloak can be worn by any character, only the truly singleminded, desperate, or fanatical consciously use this item. If killed while wearing the cloak, a wearer automatically rises as a spectre in 1d4 turns, leaving the cloak with her corpse. This undead monster hunts down and slays her killer, then becomes free-willed. The item’s power interferes with protective enchantments, so the owner cannot also wear magical armor/items that improve her armor class.

Darkshade
This small species of nightshade is popular in some circles, because eating the purplish-blue berries allows a person to speak with the dead. There are some restrictions, however: the speaker must remain within five feet of the burial site and a conversation can last no more than an hour. Despite the latter constraint, the speaker can ask as many questions as she wants.
Although very beneficial, the berries must be used sparingly and infrequently. They are relatively toxic, inflicting 2d6 points of damage (save versus poison for half ), but, worse, overuse can be deadly. A single spirit may be woken once per season without danger — if allowed sufficient rest. Waking it more often, or speaking to it for more than an hour… annoys… a spirit. Its features darken and the surrounding air crackles as the spirit transforms into a wraith. This takes one round, after which the undead tries to kill its persecutor before stalking other living creatures.
Those with dark intent can purposely raise wraiths this way, but this is a truly evil act, as the wraith can never turn back into a peaceful spirit. Given the newly-changed wraith’s desire to target its antagonist, the malicious might send dupes to trigger the transformation. In this way, the berries’ effect can also be used as a tool for indirect murder: the wraith hunts the person manipulated into waking it until the intended victim is dead or on another plane.

Slab of Redemption
Found in temples to good gods, this massive stone table converts a 6th level cleric spell into an unusual effect. When a person or creature, dead less than 8 hours, is laid upon the slab, its alignment changes to the god’s and its soul thereafter serves the god. There are several possibilities of how the dead character’s story continues. Depending on the deity’s wishes, the dead may stay dead, with their spirits becoming minor servants on the material plane; or, they might become undead; or, some lucky few might be resurrected. As there are no rules for spirits in Labyrinth Lord, how this concept works in a particular campaign is purely up to the LL. Also note, there are equivalent slabs of corruption in some evil temples.

Wraith Helm
Incorporeal undead such as wraiths cannot touch the world they inhabit, cursed to only watch their surroundings until destroyed. By wearing one of these eerily beautiful, gold-chased silver helms, a bodiless undead can make itself corporeal for five turns. Unlike other focusing items, a wraith helm draws its power not from the wearer, but through it, by taking over the undead’s life-draining attack.
When a monster first dons the helm, a single blast of negative energy rips 2d4 levels from all living things within 100’. Because the blast affects everything nearby, even those creatures just underground, a circle of death forms, and comes to resemble a snowless winter landscape. Those victims who make their saving throw versus death lose only one level. Any characters killed by this attack (reduced to level 0 or below) become wraiths within 2d4 rounds, controlled by the helm-wearer. Destroying or blessing the bodies before the spirits rise prevents this transformation. Should this fail to happen, the created wraiths remain in existence until destroyed; they do not disappear when the original undead returns to its incorporeal state after five turns. If the wearer removes the helm, the wraiths become free-willed, but may ally with their creator if treated well.
Following the initial blast attack, the borderland creature is relatively helpless, aside from any wraiths created: for the five turns of being solid, the creature cannot use its normal draining power. The energy blast from the wraith helm can lay waste to battalions, but the creature itself was so warped mentally by the transformation to un-death, that it lost any ability to use weapons. However, it can touch things and interact with the material world. While solid, the creature keeps the same stats as its incorporeal form, but has an AC of 8 and loses its resistance to normal and silver weapons. Should the creature be “killed” while in this liminal state, it is permanently destroyed.

Hatchery Egg
Long exposure to negative energy corrupted this dragon egg. It will never hatch on its own (unless the LL has something nifty in mind), but the hatchery egg does create “life,” after a fashion. Any nuggets of flesh within 200’ of the egg and larger than 10 pounds — including body parts, animal corpses, a month’s worth of jerked meat provisions, and even the living dead — are slowly transformed. Initially, the bad bits of beef stand up as zombies following a full day spent in the 200’ exposure zone. But, if the zombies hang around long enough, they get “upgraded.” Two weeks after becoming zombies the undead become ghouls; a month after this the ghouls become wights; three months after that the wights become wraiths, the most powerful undead most hatchery eggs can create. The exposure effect can pass through stone and earth, but is blocked by metal.
If the LL wishes, there could a gradual progression to the undead upgrading process: e.g., ghouls could become more powerful over days, or wights slowly less substantial as the weeks go on. This could merely be a pain for some LLs, or it could be an opportunity to try out some “half types” of undead surprise you’ve been thinking about springing on your party.

Magma Rod
An ordinary-looking length of heavy, reddish wood, this rod gives no ready sign of its function. Close magical examination indicates the rod provides mineral wealth when driven into the ground and triggered with a command word. But this is a cruel, perhaps deadly joke: the rod does provide mineral wealth — in the form of a volcano.
Activating the rod releases a geyser of lava, consuming the rod and covering everything in a 50’ radius with liquid rock. Thereafter, the volcano grows by 100’ per month until it reaches a size determined by the Labyrinth Lord. The rod can be activated underground, which may affect the surface. Used underwater, the rod can create a new island.
A very rare version of the rod does not bring magma to the surface, but rather the Earth’s black blood. This evil, gooey substance fills a dome, much like a blood blister, rather than a volcano’s traditional cone shape. Because the black blood is less dense than lava, those enveloped may survive the experience — if they are evil. Those who are not drown in liquid darkness, rising to become undead horrors.

Beast Folio Volume 2

Spoiler

Gula: A Gula is born when someone dies from starvation, from simply being a poor peasant slowly diminishing away to a criminal locked in a dungeon cell.
For reasons unknown the starved return from death seeking everything and anything to consume.
Zombie Radiation: Radiation Zombie are created when a human is exposed to highly radioactive material. Depending on the level of radiation it will either kill them outright or slowly poison them over a period of time. A small number of those slain by radiation will return to life as a Radiation Zombie.

Bestiarum Vocabulum Monstrous Plants

Spoiler

Wraith: Darkshade plant over use.

Darkshade
This small species of nightshade is popular in some circles, because eating the purplish-blue berries allows a person to speak with the dead. There are some restrictions, however: the speaker must remain within five feet of the burial site and a conversation can last no more than an hour. Despite the latter constraint, the speaker can ask as many questions as she wants.
Although very beneficial, the berries must be used sparingly and infrequently. They are relatively toxic, inflicting 2d6 points of damage (save versus poison for half), but, worse, overuse can be deadly. A single spirit may be woken once per season without danger — if allowed sufficient rest. Waking it more often, or speaking to it for more than an hour… annoys… a spirit. Its features darken and the surrounding air crackles as the spirit transforms into a wraith. This takes one round, after which the undead tries to kill its persecutor before stalking other living creatures.

Brave the Labyrinth 4

Spoiler

Undead: Chaotic Raise chaos magic spell.
Zombie: In traditional fantasy role-playing, zombies are shambling undead corpses who have been given life via unholy magic—whether arcane or divine.
Magical Experimentation: In this instance some form of magical incantation or alchemical formula has transformed the victim into a zombie. Maybe a foolish wizard consumed a potion whose reagents had fouled or a mad sorcerer animated a corpse with magical energy
No Room Left in Hell: Worst of all, what if the lower planes where the souls of chaotic creatures and vile things are condemned to go after they die is now brimming with so much evil that there is no more room? With no place for these horrid souls to go, they rise from the grave and carry out their malicious desires in reanimated corpses driven by their own hatred for the forces of law and good.
If the virus does not remain dormant in the target's system until they die then they simply rise as a zombie 1d12 rounds after the victim dies. If the virus is fast acting, the target becomes a zombie within 1d4 rounds after being exposed to the virus. If the virus is degenerative, the target takes 1d6 hit points of damage each day until they are dead. Within 4d6 hours of death via this degeneration they rise again as a zombie.
Generally speaking, regardless of how the virus is passed between victims, the target should be entitled to a saving throw vs. disease to resist the effects. However, particularly potent strains may impose a penalty to this save of up to -4.
It is up to each individual referee whether or not the zombie virus can be cured by a cure disease spell, though it is highly recommended to avoid such an easy fix. Generally speaking, short of a wish, the zombie virus should be incurable.
Bite: In this case, the disease is passed on when the zombie bites an individual and that person is not slain.
Airborne: The plague is spread merely by proximity. Anyone who comes within thirty feet of a zombie must make a saving throw vs. disease or else contract the virus and rise as a zombie after death.
Ingesting: Whether a poison or some kind of fouled food, the virus is passed on when the target consumes something that carries the disease. They must make a saving throw every time they consume an item that is carrying the virus.
Spore: This rare fungus grows in dungeons and when disturbed it releases spoors into the air. Anyone within 30' of the spoors must make a saving throw vs. disease or contract the virus.
Magical: The virus is contracted via arcane (or divine, at the referee's discretion) spellcasting. Any time a character casts a spell, they must make a saving throw or risk contracting the virus.

Chaotic Raise
During combat, the shaman may bring back a fallen comrade. The target rises the round after the spell is cast as an undead version of its previous self (meaning a cleric may attempt to Turn it), with max hit points. The Labyrinth Lord is free to choose the type of undead, depending on the party's level.

Challenge of the Frog Idol

Spoiler

Wolf Ghoul: ?
Giant Catfish Zombie: ?

Wight: ?
Zombie: ?

Class Compendium

Spoiler

Skeleton: When a death knight reaches 9th level he may invade an existing stronghold or castle and seize control of it by force. If successful, the death knight can use dark magic to raise the now-slain former residents of the stronghold to serve him as undead servants. Most will return as skeletons or zombies in the service of the death knight, though at the Labyrinth Lord's discretion particularly powerful foes may rise as a wight or even a vampire. All of these undead creatures will serve the death knight until they are slain.
Animate Dead spell.
Zombie: When a death knight reaches 9th level he may invade an existing stronghold or castle and seize control of it by force. If successful, the death knight can use dark magic to raise the now-slain former residents of the stronghold to serve him as undead servants. Most will return as skeletons or zombies in the service of the death knight, though at the Labyrinth Lord's discretion particularly powerful foes may rise as a wight or even a vampire. All of these undead creatures will serve the death knight until they are slain.
Animate Dead spell.
Wight: When a death knight reaches 9th level he may invade an existing stronghold or castle and seize control of it by force. If successful, the death knight can use dark magic to raise the now-slain former residents of the stronghold to serve him as undead servants. Most will return as skeletons or zombies in the service of the death knight, though at the Labyrinth Lord's discretion particularly powerful foes may rise as a wight or even a vampire. All of these undead creatures will serve the death knight until they are slain.
Vampire: When a death knight reaches 9th level he may invade an existing stronghold or castle and seize control of it by force. If successful, the death knight can use dark magic to raise the now-slain former residents of the stronghold to serve him as undead servants. Most will return as skeletons or zombies in the service of the death knight, though at the Labyrinth Lord's discretion particularly powerful foes may rise as a wight or even a vampire. All of these undead creatures will serve the death knight until they are slain.
Eidolon: Not all who are slain find peace. Many cannot release their hold on the mortal life and linger as spirits with unfinished business. Driven to complete these incomplete obligations, they can find no peace until their business is complete. They are the restless spirits bound to the land of the living by a thread of passion.
All Eidolons are driven to continue their tortured existence by an all consuming passion. This passion must be selected at character creation and cannot be changed. Whether it's a quest for revenge, the desire to recover a long lost artifact or to protect a loved one who still dwells amongst the living – this is the very desire which drives the Eidolon to exist. The exact nature of this passion is up to the player and must be agreed upon by the Labyrinth Lord.
At the Labyrinth Lord's discretion, player characters who are slain may rise again as 1st level Eidolons. These characters lose all of the previous abilities associated with their class. Former thieves cannot pick pockets and former magic-users cannot cast spells, for example.
If the Labyrinth Lord offers the option for a slain character to become an Eidolon, that character must first succeed in a Saving Throw vs. Death based upon the level and class had when they were alive. If successful, they rise in 4d6 hours as a 1st level Eidolon. The player of newly reborn Eidolon and the Labyrinth Lord will need to work together to determine the character's Driving Passion.
Only player characters with a Wisdom of 12 or higher have the option of becoming Eidolons.

Animate Dead
Level: Cultist 3, Metaphysician 3 (Divine) or 5 (Arcane), Thopian Gnome 5, Wild Wizard 5
Duration: Permanent
Range: 60'
This spell turns the bones or bodies of dead creatures into undead skeletons or zombies that follow the caster's spoken commands. The undead can follow the caster, or they can remain in an area and attack any creature (or just a specific kind of creature) entering the place. They remain animated until they are destroyed or until a dispel magic spell is cast upon them. The caster may animate a number of hit die worth of zombies or skeletons equal to the caster's level. For example, a 7th level cleric can animate seven skeletons, but only three zombies. These creatures are unintelligent, and do not retain any abilities that they had in life. All skeletons have an AC of 7 and hit dice equal to the creature in life. Zombies have an AC of 8, and the number of hit dice of the living creature +1. It is important to note that if a character is animated in this fashion, he will not have hit dice related to his class level, but instead will have the standard skeleton or zombie hit dice. A lawful character that casts this spell may draw disfavor from his god.

COA01: The Chronicles of Amherth

Spoiler

Undead: Laelo burial practices include elaborate funerals that end in cremation—if not, Laelo dead always return as undead.
Ashogarr: Ashogarrs are the remains of drowning victims, particularly those killed by murder or neglect.
Matroni: ?
Yukree: ?

COA02: Ghoul Keep and the Ghoul Lands

Spoiler

Lorrgan Makaar: In ages past, when the great Kingdom of Mor fell into ruin, the sorcerer-baron Lorrgan Makaar fled to his ancient palace fortress, but was unable to escape the dark magics unleashed during the destruction of the Great City. Makaar soon succumbed to a strange sickness that left him bedridden for days. Fearing their lord to be cursed, his followers began to desert him, one by one, until at last he was alone. When Makaar awoke from his fever, he found that he was no longer fully human. Lorrgan Makaar had become an unholy ghoulish creature of great power.
Arkaan Makaar: ?
Dala Makaar: ?
Jaheen Makaar: ?
Urgen Makaar: ?
Morrow Makaar: ?
Wukrael Qalor: ?
Bonewraith: A bonewraith is an undead monster formed from the restless spirits of fallen soldiers.
Ghoul: ?
Ghoul Reaver: Humans slain by a warrior ghoul’s claw or bite attack rise again in 24 hours as reaver ghouls, unless the spell bless is cast upon their bodies.
Humans slain by a shadow ghoul’s claw or bite attack rise again in 24 hours as reaver ghouls, unless the spell bless is cast upon their bodies.
Humans slain by a sorcerer ghoul’s claw or bite attack rise again in 24 hours as reaver ghouls, unless the spell bless is cast upon their bodies.
Humans slain by a gahoul’s bite attack rise again in 24 hours as warrior (fighters), shadow (thieves), sorcerer (magic-users), or reaver ghouls (clerics and normal humans), unless the spell bless is cast upon their bodies.
Ghoul Reaver Ghoulaqi: ?
Ghoul Warrior: Humans slain by a gahoul’s bite attack rise again in 24 hours as warrior (fighters), shadow (thieves), sorcerer (magic-users), or reaver ghouls (clerics and normal humans), unless the spell bless is cast upon their bodies.
Ghoul Shadow: Humans slain by a gahoul’s bite attack rise again in 24 hours as warrior (fighters), shadow (thieves), sorcerer (magic-users), or reaver ghouls (clerics and normal humans), unless the spell bless is cast upon their bodies.
Ghoul Sorcerer: Humans slain by a gahoul’s bite attack rise again in 24 hours as warrior (fighters), shadow (thieves), sorcerer (magic-users), or reaver ghouls (clerics and normal humans), unless the spell bless is cast upon their bodies.
Ghast: ?
Gahoul: Once in a great while, one of Lorrgan Makaar’s human wives dies while giving birth to an abominable blend of human and ghoul known as a gahoul.
Traask The King's Steed: Some say the dragon was once Makaar’s archenemy, while others say it was once the mate or child of the great blue dragon A’tan Hellise.
Irik Utal: This sarcophagus is decorated with numerous carvings depicting Ghoul Keep as well as Utal’s numerous victories. The remains of Irik Utal lie within. Unknown to any save the sorcerer ghoul Jexahl Ta, Irik Utal has slowly begun to reanimate, and if he awakens fully, he may become a powerful undead, perhaps even a lich. The effect of his reawakening is left for the Labyrinth Lord to decide.
Mummy: Seven sealed crypts line the walls of this chamber. These are the final resting places of former wardens of Ghoul Keep. Each crypt contains Hoard Class XXI, but each crypt opened causes the remains to animate as a mummy in 1d4 days. The mummy hunts down the character(s) who disturbed its peace and does not rest until it is slain.
Undead Purple Worm: ?
Zombie: The crab’s operator piloted it out of the sinkhole before succumbing to his injuries. He has since reanimated as a zombie and attacks anyone who opens the hatch.
Anyone killed by Raltus rises as a zombie or skeleton in 1d4 rounds.
Cal Waruk: ?
Lek Mercan: ?
Lek Agheer: ?
Aag Aat: ?
Jexahl Ta: ?
Skeleton: Anyone killed by Raltus rises as a zombie or skeleton in 1d4 rounds.
Raltus the Undying: Raltus the Undying is the avatar of the Kalitus Corpi undead cult.

DF To Light the Shadows

Spoiler

Zombie: ?
Skeleton: ?
Ghoul: ?
Undead: Masque of the Tomb King

Masque of the Tomb King – This unholy relic allows creation of and control over the undead.

Divine Test of Hel

Spoiler

Vampire: ?
Draugr: ?

Divinities and Cults

Spoiler

Undead: Cleric of Hel Drain Life Side Effect
3. I Stab at Thee! If slain by the life-draining process, the victim reanimates as an undead creature, of equal HD to the level it had in life, hel(l)-bent on getting its life force back from the recipient! It attacks until destroyed.

Divinities and Cults III

Spoiler

Zombie: Like the original Ammit who still serves at the side of Anubis, ammits in the mortal world can swallow whole any who they bite who are human-sized or smaller (save vs. death negates). Such victims take 10 damage each round unless freed and if slain, are spat out as animated dead to fight for the ammit (as per the spell: caster level 10).
Mummy Egyptian: ?

Dungeon Full of Monsters

Spoiler

Anamhedonic Ghost: ?
Nuns of the Bone Goddess: But even though they were slaughtered and their monastery was destroyed, the nuns remained unvanquished. For they had taken up worship of the Bone Goddess, and she would not let mere death prevent her followers from attending to her sepulchral bidding.
The Abbess: ?
Blackbone Abbess: ?
Blackbone Nun: ?
Flagellant Nuns: ?
Rhinocorn Wraith: When the civilization of Southern unicorns collapsed, it left behind more than just cursed carcasses. Some rhinocorns refused to take their rage and sorrow with them into death, and so that rage and sorrow became their ghosts.
Snake Eyes: Two hundred thousand years ago, a nation of warriors built a city upon a river whose name has long been lost in time. Such is the weight of years that the river itself was gone before recorded time, leaving only a blasted wasteland full of cracks and fissures and the poisonous smoke that seeps forth out of them. No hint of that ancient city or its people is left, save one—their greatest champion, the best of the best, remains. Now he is only a giant flying head, with snakes for eyes, wings that flap behind him, and a pair of dangling, gangrenous arms hanging down below his chin, each one bearing an ancient sword made of bronze.
Burning Zombie: ?
Calcified Zombie: Some zombies have been in the caves beneath Skull Mountain for so long that the limestone has accumulated on them, forming a stony crust over their rotten muscles.
Compound Zombie: ?
Cult Zombie: When death cultists die, their bodies become cult zombies and continue their work.
Exploding Zombie: ?
Fight Zombie: It is hard for dead, rotting fl esh to maintain the alacrity and drive it had in life, but for some corpses, the animating rage inside them burns brighter than it does in others.
Fungated Zombie:
Guardian Zombie: After 6 months, a cult zombie becomes a guardian zombie.
Hydra Zombie: ?
Hydra Zombie Revenger: ?
Hydra Zombie Revenger The Butler: ?
Hydra Zombie Revenger The Critic: ?
Hydra Zombie Revenger The Pastor: ?
Hydra Zombie Revenger The Victim: ?
Mass of Zombie Limbs: An imitation of either the mass of limbs or the tentacle man (or both, perhaps?), these hideous collections of arms and legs sewn together show the death cult has imagination, if not a conscience or any shred of humanity left.
Monastic Zombie: ?
Plague Zombie: ?
Slow Zombie: When lesser necromancers create zombies, the result is too-often a slow, shambling mockery of a true zombie.
Vat Zombie: ?
Harlan Blackhand: Harlan Blackhand used to let the death cultists store bones in these catacombs, and they would practice animating undead here. They still keep the place tidy.
He built his sanctum on the ruins of Drakdagor’s old tower, and took a fateful plunge from which there is no coming back—he became a lich.
The death ritual was performed at midnight, under the full moon. Harlan slaughtered half a village as payment to the gods of death. All that the survivors could remember about Harlan were his hands, dripping black with blood in the moonlight. It was not his first foray into wanton murder and destruction, and it would not be his last.
The Lich Sorceress: ?
The Flowered King: In all his conquests, the Monster King had five rivals he hated more than any other. When he defeated these five kings, he captured them, cursed them to live forever as undead monstrosities, then sealed them in mighty stone sarcophagi to be used as traps for his enemies.
The Jewelled King: In all his conquests, the Monster King had five rivals he hated more than any other. When he defeated these five kings, he captured them, cursed them to live forever as undead monstrosities, then sealed them in mighty stone sarcophagi to be used as traps for his enemies.
The Iron King: In all his conquests, the Monster King had five rivals he hated more than any other. When he defeated these five kings, he captured them, cursed them to live forever as undead monstrosities, then sealed them in mighty stone sarcophagi to be used as traps for his enemies.
The Vampire King: In all his conquests, the Monster King had five rivals he hated more than any other. When he defeated these five kings, he captured them, cursed them to live forever as undead monstrosities, then sealed them in mighty stone sarcophagi to be used as traps for his enemies.
The first of the Monster King’s royal “trophies,” the Vampire King was subjected to a debased form of vampirism before being entombed.
The Wolf King: In all his conquests, the Monster King had five rivals he hated more than any other. When he defeated these five kings, he captured them, cursed them to live forever as undead monstrosities, then sealed them in mighty stone sarcophagi to be used as traps for his enemies.
Skeleton of the Catacombs: The arcades are full of bones, which sometimes spill out into the hall. For each living person that enters the hall, there is a 1 in 6 chance that some of these bones will animate and attack (roll dice equal to the intruders, any 1s indicates an encounter with 1d8 skeletons).
Unruly Skeleton: ?
Ghost: The ghosts of people whose bodies were thrown into the spawning pit congregate here, and some become visible.
These are the souls of people killed by the skinwearers and the iridescent globes.
Zombie: The round after a Bleeding Man has been slain, there is a 1 in 3 chance that he rises again, regaining 1d6 hit points and leaping back into the fight. If he is not killed again, he becomes an undead zombie (but does not gain additional hit points).
In this huge cave is a deep, wide pit, into which the death cultists throw dead things. Inside the pit, they knit themselves together and climb out as zombies, amalgamated from the corpses of myriad beings.
Bone Guardian: ?

Flower Liches of the Dragonboat Festival

Spoiler

Flower Ghoul: ?
Penanggalan: ?
Touhou: ?
Lacedon: ?
Flower Lich: ?
Carnation: ?
Datura: ?
Hyacinth: ?
Japhet: ?
Nightshade: ?
Flaming Zombie: ?
Wraith: ?

Ghosts The Incorporeal Undead

Spoiler

Undead: The undead are a class of monsters that were alive at one time, but through foul magic or by dying at the hands of another undead type, have risen again powered by the unnatural energies of the Negative Energy Plane.
Ghosts: The undead are a class of monsters that were alive at one time, but through foul magic or by dying at the hands of another undead type, have risen again powered by the unnatural energies of the Negative Energy Plane. Incorporeal undead – ghosts – are the souls of the dead animated solely through this energy, having no true physical body present on the Material Plane.
Each ghost is unique or nearly so in its origin; sometimes groups of ghosts, known as scares, arise en masse when there is mass murder, battle, or other wanton and horrific slaughter. These ghosts often have commonalities in abilities, such as the ghosts of a party of adventurers who were all slain by the same dragon; or the ghosts of a family caught in a volcanic explosion; or the ghosts of a band of vikings who all sank with their ship in a storm; and so on.
Ghosts are not real, in either the physical or spiritual sense. They are reflections of tragedy and evil, which occurred on the Material Plane, of such terror and horror that the psychic energies of the deceased blew through the Ethereal Plane into the Negative Energy Plane, and there engendered a node of negative energy. That node of negative energy tethers the soul of the deceased in the Ethereal Plane, keeping the soul from passing on to its final rest, whether that is in the Celestial Realms, the Netherworlds, or the Hells.
Ectoplasm from an ancestral ghost, if consumed, grants the consumer a chance of discovering ancestral secrets and secrets of living relatives of the ghost. The chance of discovering a secret of random sort is 10% per ounce of ectoplasm consumed in one go. The imbiber then falls into a deep sleep for 1d6+6 turns, during which he (potentially) dreams of the secrets of the living and the dead. If the imbiber fails to gain any secrets, he must make a saving throw versus Death; if the save fails he remains stuck in the coma, having horrible nightmares of the ghost’s ancestors and relatives, for a number of days equal to the hit dice of the ghost. At the end of this time another saving throw is required; failure indicates the victim dies, to rise again 24 hours later as a ghost with hit dice equal to half his level, rounded up.
Four ounces of corpse ectoplasm consumed allows the imbiber to cast the animate dead spell at a level equal to that of the hit dice of the ghost that provided the ectoplasm. However, every time this is done, there is a percentage chance equal to the hit points of the newly animated dead that the undead becomes occupied by its own spawned ghost (see the new spawn ghost spell in Spooky Spells), which automatically has the Animate Corpse special ability, among any others. This ghost has an unquenchable hatred of its creator, and seeks to slay him immediately. If the animated being is a zombie, there is a 50% chance that the creature inadvertently spawned is a myrkridder (a form of corporeal undead) rather than a ghost.
Four ounces of child ectoplasm acts as per a potion of longevity when imbibed. Each time child ectoplasm is consumed, however, the imbiber must roll percentile dice against the number of ounces of child ectoplasm he has consumed in his lifetime. If the roll is less than or equal to the total number of ounces consumed, all reversal of aging is undone; additionally, the imbiber must make a saving throw versus Death. If the save fails, the imbiber not only has all the reversal of aging undone, he also ages a like number of years! This reversal of aging happens instantly. If this aging then ages the imbiber to death, he rises again 24 hours later as a ghost with hit dice equal to half his level, rounded up.
Four ounces of damned ectoplasm provide the consumer with a limited form of immortality, should he survive consuming the ectoplasm. First, upon consuming the ectoplasm, the imbiber must make a percentile roll against the total number of ounces of damned ectoplasm he has ever imbibed; if the roll is less than or equal to the number of ounces, he must make a saving throw versus Death. If the save fails, he dies, and rises again 24 hours later as a ghost with hit dice equal to of half his level (rounded up).
If he passes through the percentile check without needing to make a saving throw, or if he succeeds in his saving throw, the next time he is slain, his soul does not go on to its eternal reward or damnation…
First, upon death, his body (not including any equipment) instantly warps itself into the Deep Ethereal, wreathed in a protective cocoon of ectoplasm. There it remains, floating and bobbing, for a number of days and nights equal to the deceased’s maximum hit points, healing 1 hit point per day and night.
Upon the night he reaches full hit points, the deceased bursts forth from the Ethereal Plane into the Material Plane, nude like a newly-born babe and covered in generic ectoplasm. He appears in whatever place he last considered the safest, whether that was his home, a castle, or an inn. He then loses a single life level. If this loss slays him he returns 24 hours later as a ghost with hit dice equal to half his original level (rounded up).
Consuming four ounces of blast ectoplasm enables the imbiber to vomit forth a jet of sticky, slimy ectoplasm, with the same range and effect as per the ghost that provided the ectoplasm. The ectoplasm must be vomited forth within 1d6+6 turns of consuming the ectoplasm. Every time this ectoplasm is consumed, the imbiber must roll percentile dice against the total number of ounces of blast ectoplasm he has ever consumed; if the roll is equal to or less than the number consumed, he must make a saving throw versus Spells. Failure of this saving throw indicates the imbiber suffers a number of points of damage internally equal to the number of rounds the slime would have paralyzed a target (1d6 to 10d6). If the ectoplasm slays the imbiber thusly, he explodes dramatically, showering all within 5’ per hit die of the ghost with slimy, sticky ectoplasm (save versus Breath Attacks to avoid). If he dies thusly, the imbiber rises again 24 hours later as a ghost with a number of hit dice equal to half his level, rounded up; the new ghost possesses the Ectoplasmic Blast special ability.
Consuming four ounces of touch ectoplasm enables the imbiber to make a touch attack of sticky, slimy ectoplasm, with the same effect as per the ghost that provided the ectoplasm. The ectoplasm must be vomited forth within 1d6+6 turns of consuming the ectoplasm. Every time this ectoplasm is consumed, the imbiber must roll percentile dice against the total number of ounces of touch ectoplasm he has ever consumed; if the roll is equal to or less than the number consumed, he must make a saving throw versus Spells. Failure of this saving throw indicates the imbiber suffers a number of points of damage internally equal to the number of rounds the slime would have paralyzed a target (1d6 to 10d6). If the ectoplasm slays the imbiber thusly, he explodes dramatically, showering all within 5’ per hit die of the ghost with slimy, sticky ectoplasm (save versus Breath Attacks to avoid). If he dies thusly, the imbiber rises again 24 hours later as a ghost with a number of hit dice equal to half his level, rounded up; the new ghost possesses the Ectoplasmic Touch special ability.
Four ounces of entropic ectoplasm is equal to a potion of longevity, with the salient differences being that the percentage checked each time entropic ectoplasm is consumed is equal to the number of ounces of entropic ectoplasm the imbiber has consumed in total, and that if the imbiber fails to reverse his aging and instead ages, if he dies he rises again as a ghost with hit dice equal to half his level, rounded up, and possessing the Entropic Attack ability.
An imbiber of magician ectoplasm gains the ability to cast spells that the ghost that provided the ectoplasm could cast. Each ounce of ectoplasm is a spell level; imbibing one ounce grants access to one random 1st level spell; two ounces at once grants access to one random 2nd level spell; and so forth, up to the spell levels that the ghost could cast. The spell remains available to cast for 1d6+6 turns; after that the spell fades. The spell is cast at the level of spellcasting ability possessed by the ghost that provided the ectoplasm. Every time such is imbibed, however, the imbiber must make a percentile roll against the total number of ounces of magician ectoplasm he has ever imbibed; if the roll is less than or equal to the number of ounces, he must make a saving throw versus Spells. If the saving throw fails, the magic of the spell is internalized, and he suffers a number of d6s in damage equal to the level of the spell he sought to cast (no saving throw). If he dies through this damage, he rises again 24 hours later as a ghost with hit dice equal to half his level, rounded up.
An imbiber of priest ectoplasm gains the ability to cast spells that the ghost that provided the ectoplasm could cast. Each ounce of ectoplasm is a spell level; imbibing one ounce grants access to one random 1st level spell; two ounces at once grants access to one random 2nd level spell; and so forth, up to the spell levels that the ghost could cast. The spell remains available to cast for 1d6+6 turns; after that the spell fades. The spell is cast at the level of spell-casting ability possessed by the ghost that provided the ectoplasm.
Every time such is imbibed, however, the imbiber must make a percentile roll against the total number of ounces of priest ectoplasm he has ever imbibed; if the roll is less than or equal to the number of ounces, he must make a saving throw versus Spells. If the saving throw fails, the magic of the spell is internalized, and he suffers a number of d6s in damage equal to the level of the spell he sought to cast (no saving throw). If he dies through this damage, he rises again 24 hours later as a ghost with hit dice equal to half his level, rounded up.
Any being that is slain through the ghost’s keen ability rises again 24 hours later as a ghost of hit dice equal to its level, up to half the hit dice of the ghost who slew it.
Four ounces of lifelike ectoplasm enable the imbiber to polymorph into a ghost of hit dice equal to his own; the effect lasts no longer than 1d6+6 turns. When the imbiber tries to transform back into a living being, however, the imbiber must make a percentile roll against the total number of ounces of lifelike ectoplasm he has ever imbibed; if the roll is less than or equal to the number of ounces, he must make a saving throw versus Death. If the save fails, he is truly dead, and is stuck as a ghost!
Four ounces of negative energy blast ectoplasm enables the imbiber to employ the negative energy blast attack of the ghost that provided the ectoplasm. The imbiber must use the attack within 1d6+6 turns of imbibing the ectoplasm. Every time such is imbibed, the imbiber must make a percentile roll against the total number of ounces of negative energy blast ectoplasm he has ever imbibed; if the roll is less than or equal to the number of ounces, he must make a saving throw versus Spells. If the saving throw fails, the imbiber suffers the damage of the attack.
If he dies through this damage, he rises again 24 hours later as a ghost with the Negative Energy Blast power, with hit dice equal to half his level, rounded up.
Four ounces of possession ectoplasm enables the imbiber to possess a victim much as above, save that the imbiber’s original body falls into a coma-like state while the possession is ongoing. The imbiber’s body, like that of the victim, need not eat, drink, sleep, or breathe while the imbiber continues to possess the victim. Every time such is imbibed, however, the imbiber must make a percentile roll against the total number of ounces of possession ectoplasm he has ever imbibed when ending a possession; if the roll is less than or equal to the number of ounces, he must make a saving throw versus Spells. If the saving throw fails, when the possession ends the imbiber’s soul fails to return to his body, his body dies, and he is trapped bodiless as a ghost with hit dice equal to half his level, rounded up!
Imbibing four ounces of immunity ectoplasm makes the imbiber immune to the energy sources the ghost was immune to for 1d6+6 turns. Every time such is imbibed, however, the imbiber must make a percentile roll against the total number of ounces of immunity ectoplasm he has ever imbibed, of whatever immunity types; if the roll is less than or equal to the number of ounces, he must make a saving throw versus Spells. If the saving throw fails, the ectoplasm has a completely inverted effect, instantaneously and internally causing the type of damage against which the imbiber sought to gain immunity. The imbiber suffers 1d6 points of the appropriate type of damage per hit die of the ghost who provided the ectoplasm. If this damage kills the imbiber, he rises again 24 hours later as a ghost with hit dice equal to half his level, rounded up.
Victims of a Spectral Music Ghost's song’s effects that perish as a direct result of those effects while the song is still playing must make a saving throw versus Death; failure indicates that they rise again 24 hours later as a ghost with hit dice of half their level, under the control of the Spectral Music ghost who killed them with its music.
Four ounces of teleport ectoplasm enable the imbiber to use the teleport spell once within 1d6+6 turns of imbibing the ectoplasm. Upon teleporting, if the imbiber ends up coming in low, he not only dies, he immediately rises again as a ghost of hit dice equal to half his level, rounded up.
Special ectoplasm, from ghosts with ghostly special abilities, can also be consumed as-is to provide the imbiber with special abilities. The use of ectoplasm in this way is often considered foolhardy by clerics and magic-users alike, as it often leads to the death of the user and/or his friends, and often to the creation of more ghosts. This is especially true of ectoplasm from the more powerful ghosts…
Bestow Curse spell.
Spawn Ghosts spell.
Ghost Generator magic item.
Should the wearer of the ring of wraiths ever die while wearing the ring on the Ethereal Plane he rises again instantly as a ghost with hit dice equal to half his level, rounded up.
Improper use of a Robe of Etherealness saving throw failure by 16+.
Lesser Ghost: Lesser ghosts are weaker, only able to generate a fear attack though an enervating touch, and are usually created through tragic violence, by mortals being slain by another more powerful ghost.
Greater Ghost: Greater ghosts are more powerful, able to drain life force through a cold-based touch, and usually result from the soul of an evil being rising again after a violent death; through a tragic death where a major life goal remained unfulfilled; or otherwise through treachery, evil magic, or the worship of dark gods.
Presence: Presences usually arise from weak-willed and petty beings who liked to resolve disputes using physical threats and bullying. Murdered children also often end up as presences, not having the will or resolve to maintain a greater hold on the Material Plane.
If a presence slays a creature while that creature is under the effect of its fear ability, the slain creature must make a saving throw versus Death or rise again 24 hours later as a presence.
If a presence, apparition, or lost soul slays a creature while that creature is under the effect of its fear ability, the slain creature must make a saving throw versus Death or rise again 24 hours later as a ghost of hit dice equal to the level the being possessed when its slayer killed it, up to the same hit dice as its slayer.
When a ghost slays a living being through draining it of levels with its Life Draining Touch attack, the slain being invariably rises again 24 hours later as a ghost of hit dice equal to the level the being possessed when its slayer first drained it, up to half the hit dice of its slayer (rounded up). For example, if a 4 hit die wraith drains a 1st level fighter, the fighter rises again as a 1 hit die presence; if a 6 hit die spectre drains a 6th level fighter unto death, the fighter rises again as a 3 hit die lost soul.
If an apparition slays a creature while that creature is under the effect of its fear ability, the slain creature must make a saving throw versus Death or rise again 24 hours later as a presence (0th or 1st level) or apparition (2nd level or greater).
If a lost soul slays a creature while that creature is under the effect of its fear ability, the slain creature must make a saving throw versus Death or rise again 24 hours later as a presence (0th or 1st level), apparition (2nd level), or lost soul (3rd level or higher).
A creature slain by losing all levels to the life draining touch of a wraith rises again 24 hours later as a presence (0th or 1st level) or apparition (2nd level or higher) under the control of its slayer.
A creature slain by losing all levels to the life draining touch of a haunt rises again 24 hours later as a presence (0th or 1st level), apparition (2nd level), or lost soul (3rd level or greater) under the control of its slayer.
A creature slain by losing all levels to the life draining touch of a spectre rises again 24 hours later as a presence (0th or 1st level), apparition (2nd level), or lost soul (3rd level or greater) under the control of its slayer.
A creature slain by losing all levels to the life draining touch of a spirit rises again 24 hours later as a presence (0th or 1st level), apparition (2nd level), lost soul (3rd level), or wraith (4th level or greater) under the control of its slayer.
A creature slain by losing all levels to the life draining touch of a wyrd rises again 24 hours later as a presence (0th or 1st level), apparition (2nd level), lost soul (3rd level), or wraith (4th level or greater) under the control of its slayer.
A creature slain by losing all levels to the life draining touch of a phantom rises again 24 hours later as a presence (0th or 1st level), apparition (2nd level), lost soul (3rd level), wraith (4th level), or haunt (5th level or greater) under the control of its slayer.
A creature slain by losing all levels to the life draining touch of a geist that does not have its soul destroyed by the Soul Ripper ability rises again 24 hours later as a presence (0th or 1st level), apparition (2nd level), lost soul (3rd level), wraith (4th level), or haunt (5th level or greater) under the control of its slayer.
Apparition: Apparitions are generally more powerful and intelligent than presences, having a stronger will in life or, perhaps, merely a more tragic and thus more powerful death.
If an apparition slays a creature while that creature is under the effect of its fear ability, the slain creature must make a saving throw versus Death or rise again 24 hours later as a presence (0th or 1st level) or apparition (2nd level or greater).
If a presence, apparition, or lost soul slays a creature while that creature is under the effect of its fear ability, the slain creature must make a saving throw versus Death or rise again 24 hours later as a ghost of hit dice equal to the level the being possessed when its slayer killed it, up to the same hit dice as its slayer.
When a ghost slays a living being through draining it of levels with its Life Draining Touch attack, the slain being invariably rises again 24 hours later as a ghost of hit dice equal to the level the being possessed when its slayer first drained it, up to half the hit dice of its slayer (rounded up). For example, if a 4 hit die wraith drains a 1st level fighter, the fighter rises again as a 1 hit die presence; if a 6 hit die spectre drains a 6th level fighter unto death, the fighter rises again as a 3 hit die lost soul.
If a lost soul slays a creature while that creature is under the effect of its fear ability, the slain creature must make a saving throw versus Death or rise again 24 hours later as a presence (0th or 1st level), apparition (2nd level), or lost soul (3rd level or higher).
A creature slain by losing all levels to the life draining touch of a wraith rises again 24 hours later as a presence (0th or 1st level) or apparition (2nd level or higher) under the control of its slayer.
A creature slain by losing all levels to the life draining touch of a haunt rises again 24 hours later as a presence (0th or 1st level), apparition (2nd level), or lost soul (3rd level or greater) under the control of its slayer.
A creature slain by losing all levels to the life draining touch of a spectre rises again 24 hours later as a presence (0th or 1st level), apparition (2nd level), or lost soul (3rd level or greater) under the control of its slayer.
A creature slain by losing all levels to the life draining touch of a spirit rises again 24 hours later as a presence (0th or 1st level), apparition (2nd level), lost soul (3rd level), or wraith (4th level or greater) under the control of its slayer.
A creature slain by losing all levels to the life draining touch of a wyrd rises again 24 hours later as a presence (0th or 1st level), apparition (2nd level), lost soul (3rd level), or wraith (4th level or greater) under the control of its slayer.
A creature slain by losing all levels to the life draining touch of a phantom rises again 24 hours later as a presence (0th or 1st level), apparition (2nd level), lost soul (3rd level), wraith (4th level), or haunt (5th level or greater) under the control of its slayer.
A creature slain by losing all levels to the life draining touch of a geist that does not have its soul destroyed by the Soul Ripper ability rises again 24 hours later as a presence (0th or 1st level), apparition (2nd level), lost soul (3rd level), wraith (4th level), or haunt (5th level or greater) under the control of its slayer.
Lost Soul: If a lost soul slays a creature while that creature is under the effect of its fear ability, the slain creature must make a saving throw versus Death or rise again 24 hours later as a presence (0th or 1st level), apparition (2nd level), or lost soul (3rd level or higher).
If a presence, apparition, or lost soul slays a creature while that creature is under the effect of its fear ability, the slain creature must make a saving throw versus Death or rise again 24 hours later as a ghost of hit dice equal to the level the being possessed when its slayer killed it, up to the same hit dice as its slayer.
When a ghost slays a living being through draining it of levels with its Life Draining Touch attack, the slain being invariably rises again 24 hours later as a ghost of hit dice equal to the level the being possessed when its slayer first drained it, up to half the hit dice of its slayer (rounded up). For example, if a 4 hit die wraith drains a 1st level fighter, the fighter rises again as a 1 hit die presence; if a 6 hit die spectre drains a 6th level fighter unto death, the fighter rises again as a 3 hit die lost soul.
A creature slain by losing all levels to the life draining touch of a haunt rises again 24 hours later as a presence (0th or 1st level), apparition (2nd level), or lost soul (3rd level or greater) under the control of its slayer.
A creature slain by losing all levels to the life draining touch of a spectre rises again 24 hours later as a presence (0th or 1st level), apparition (2nd level), or lost soul (3rd level or greater) under the control of its slayer.
A creature slain by losing all levels to the life draining touch of a spirit rises again 24 hours later as a presence (0th or 1st level), apparition (2nd level), lost soul (3rd level), or wraith (4th level or greater) under the control of its slayer.
A creature slain by losing all levels to the life draining touch of a wyrd rises again 24 hours later as a presence (0th or 1st level), apparition (2nd level), lost soul (3rd level), or wraith (4th level or greater) under the control of its slayer.
A creature slain by losing all levels to the life draining touch of a phantom rises again 24 hours later as a presence (0th or 1st level), apparition (2nd level), lost soul (3rd level), wraith (4th level), or haunt (5th level or greater) under the control of its slayer.
A creature slain by losing all levels to the life draining touch of a geist that does not have its soul destroyed by the Soul Ripper ability rises again 24 hours later as a presence (0th or 1st level), apparition (2nd level), lost soul (3rd level), wraith (4th level), or haunt (5th level or greater) under the control of its slayer.
Wraith: Wraiths are usually born of fear, anger, hatred, and violence. In life they were often warlords, kings, magicians, priests, or other mighty and powerful beings who coveted ever more wealth and power. They made deals with dark forces and, for their efforts, grew great in power, but even greater in evil… and when death came to claim them, they sought even to avoid that great equalizer, and lived on in the form of the dreaded wraith.
When a ghost slays a living being through draining it of levels with its Life Draining Touch attack, the slain being invariably rises again 24 hours later as a ghost of hit dice equal to the level the being possessed when its slayer first drained it, up to half the hit dice of its slayer (rounded up). For example, if a 4 hit die wraith drains a 1st level fighter, the fighter rises again as a 1 hit die presence; if a 6 hit die spectre drains a 6th level fighter unto death, the fighter rises again as a 3 hit die lost soul.
A creature slain by losing all levels to the life draining touch of a spirit rises again 24 hours later as a presence (0th or 1st level), apparition (2nd level), lost soul (3rd level), or wraith (4th level or greater) under the control of its slayer.
A creature slain by losing all levels to the life draining touch of a wyrd rises again 24 hours later as a presence (0th or 1st level), apparition (2nd level), lost soul (3rd level), or wraith (4th level or greater) under the control of its slayer.
A creature slain by losing all levels to the life draining touch of a phantom rises again 24 hours later as a presence (0th or 1st level), apparition (2nd level), lost soul (3rd level), wraith (4th level), or haunt (5th level or greater) under the control of its slayer.
A creature slain by losing all levels to the life draining touch of a geist that does not have its soul destroyed by the Soul Ripper ability rises again 24 hours later as a presence (0th or 1st level), apparition (2nd level), lost soul (3rd level), wraith (4th level), or haunt (5th level or greater) under the control of its slayer.
Haunt: Haunts are born of pain, suffering, loss, and tragedy. Most haunts shuffled off from the mortal coil with some great task or project uncompleted; this might be something as simple as finishing a journey to as complex and grandiose as building an empire.
When a ghost slays a living being through draining it of levels with its Life Draining Touch attack, the slain being invariably rises again 24 hours later as a ghost of hit dice equal to the level the being possessed when its slayer first drained it, up to half the hit dice of its slayer (rounded up). For example, if a 4 hit die wraith drains a 1st level fighter, the fighter rises again as a 1 hit die presence; if a 6 hit die spectre drains a 6th level fighter unto death, the fighter rises again as a 3 hit die lost soul.
A creature slain by losing all levels to the life draining touch of a phantom rises again 24 hours later as a presence (0th or 1st level), apparition (2nd level), lost soul (3rd level), wraith (4th level), or haunt (5th level or greater) under the control of its slayer.
A creature slain by losing all levels to the life draining touch of a geist that does not have its soul destroyed by the Soul Ripper ability rises again 24 hours later as a presence (0th or 1st level), apparition (2nd level), lost soul (3rd level), wraith (4th level), or haunt (5th level or greater) under the control of its slayer.
Spectre: Spectres are essentially more powerful versions of wraiths – usually born out of hatred, anger, lust, or violence begotten of the desire for ever more wealth and power. Most spectres died a violent death – stabbed in the back by daggers, cut to pieces by blades, burned alive by magic, or even drained of life by other undead.
Few if any spectres just happen to rise from the dead – most are made, through the terrible violence and evil of their lives and their deaths.
When a ghost slays a living being through draining it of levels with its Life Draining Touch attack, the slain being invariably rises again 24 hours later as a ghost of hit dice equal to the level the being possessed when its slayer first drained it, up to half the hit dice of its slayer (rounded up). For example, if a 4 hit die wraith drains a 1st level fighter, the fighter rises again as a 1 hit die presence; if a 6 hit die spectre drains a 6th level fighter unto death, the fighter rises again as a 3 hit die lost soul.
Spirit: Spirits are the malevolent ghosts of petty, treacherous, and cruel men and women who were slain through treachery by their allies, slaughtered by those they wronged, or killed themselves out of spite for the world around them.
When a ghost slays a living being through draining it of levels with its Life Draining Touch attack, the slain being invariably rises again 24 hours later as a ghost of hit dice equal to the level the being possessed when its slayer first drained it, up to half the hit dice of its slayer (rounded up). For example, if a 4 hit die wraith drains a 1st level fighter, the fighter rises again as a 1 hit die presence; if a 6 hit die spectre drains a 6th level fighter unto death, the fighter rises again as a 3 hit die lost soul.
Wyrd: Wyrds are to spectres as spectres are to wraiths – even more powerful and potent ghosts of the angry, powerful, unquiet evil dead sort. Wyrds, however, result specifically from powerful persons that enjoyed causing pain, suffering, and death in their lifetime; thus their strong and potent connection to the Negative Energy Plane that allows them to drain life force at a prodigious rate and often en masse.
When a ghost slays a living being through draining it of levels with its Life Draining Touch attack, the slain being invariably rises again 24 hours later as a ghost of hit dice equal to the level the being possessed when its slayer first drained it, up to half the hit dice of its slayer (rounded up). For example, if a 4 hit die wraith drains a 1st level fighter, the fighter rises again as a 1 hit die presence; if a 6 hit die spectre drains a 6th level fighter unto death, the fighter rises again as a 3 hit die lost soul.
Phantom: Phantoms are born of the tragic and violent death of an innocent victim, usually one who was powerful, respected, and often much-loved, but was betrayed by his family, friends, and followers. The horrific experience causes the soul of the deceased to rise again as a phantom, often hateful now of all living things, with a burning desire to wreak vengeance upon those who turned on him. Thus, in many ways, they are more potent versions of haunts.
When a ghost slays a living being through draining it of levels with its Life Draining Touch attack, the slain being invariably rises again 24 hours later as a ghost of hit dice equal to the level the being possessed when its slayer first drained it, up to half the hit dice of its slayer (rounded up). For example, if a 4 hit die wraith drains a 1st level fighter, the fighter rises again as a 1 hit die presence; if a 6 hit die spectre drains a 6th level fighter unto death, the fighter rises again as a 3 hit die lost soul.
Geist: Geists are the most powerful of all the ghosts, and arise only from the most evil, vile, and despicable of men and women – kin-slayers, regicides, mass murderers, grand apostates, and cosmic blasphemers. As every geist has a unique origin, so every geist is unique in appearance and powers.
When a ghost slays a living being through draining it of levels with its Life Draining Touch attack, the slain being invariably rises again 24 hours later as a ghost of hit dice equal to the level the being possessed when its slayer first drained it, up to half the hit dice of its slayer (rounded up). For example, if a 4 hit die wraith drains a 1st level fighter, the fighter rises again as a 1 hit die presence; if a 6 hit die spectre drains a 6th level fighter unto death, the fighter rises again as a 3 hit die lost soul.
Acid Ghost: This ghost met his mortal end through an unpleasant encounter with acid, such the breath of a black dragon, a large vat of acid in a wizard’s laboratory, or some other similar toxic goo that burned and melted its mortal form.
As the ectoplasm of an Acid Ghost is mixed with its acid, if the ectoplasm is imbibed within one turn per hit die of the ghost, the imbiber actually ingests acid; he suffers 1d6 points of acid damage per ounce consumed with no saving throw. If he dies through this damage, he rises again 24 hours later as an Acid Ghost with hit dice equal to half his level, rounded up.
When four ounces of acid ectoplasm are imbibed, the imbiber is able to vomit a line of acid similar to that produced by the ghost who provided the acid. Consumed this way, the ability to vomit the acid lasts for 1d6+6 turns before the ability fades. The imbiber must make a percentile roll against the total number of ounces of acid ectoplasm he has ever imbibed; if the roll is less than or equal to the number of ounces, he must make a saving throw versus Spells. If the saving throw fails, the acid burns the insides the imbiber, who suffers 1d6 points of damage per hit die of the ghost that provided the ectoplasm.
If he dies through this damage, he rises again 24 hours later as an Acid Ghost with hit dice equal to half his level, rounded up.
Alien Ghost: Alien Ghosts, also known as Space Ghosts, are ghosts of beings from worlds beyond the knowledge of mortal men. These are ghosts of beings from other worlds, where the bipedal form is unknown, skies are purple and water mauve, and motile flora harvests sessile fauna.
Alien ectoplasm allows the imbiber to do whatever the Alien Ghost who provided it did, within the Labyrinth Lord’s judgment. However, it is very dangerous to use. Every time it is imbibed, the imbiber must make a saving throw versus Spells; upon failure, he is polymorphed into the original alien species from whence the Alien Ghost arose. This process requires 1d6 turns, during which the victim is in extreme pain and unable to take any actions. If the alien species is unable to survive on this world, then the newly-formed alien dies… and rises again as an Alien Ghost with hit dice equal to half the level of the victim, rounded up.
Ancestral Ghost: ?
Animal Ghost: This ghost is either the ghost of an animal, in which case it can only take on the form of an animal, or a humanoid ghost that can take on animal form, in which case it can take on humanoid, animal, and hybrid form.
Myrkridder: Four ounces of corpse ectoplasm consumed allows the imbiber to cast the animate dead spell at a level equal to that of the hit dice of the ghost that provided the ectoplasm. However, every time this is done, there is a percentage chance equal to the hit points of the newly animated dead that the undead becomes occupied by its own spawned ghost (see the new spawn ghost spell in Spooky Spells), which automatically has the Animate Corpse special ability, among any others. This ghost has an unquenchable hatred of its creator, and seeks to slay him immediately. If the animated being is a zombie, there is a 50% chance that the creature inadvertently spawned is a myrkridder (a form of corporeal undead) rather than a ghost.
Armored Ghost: ?
Blinking Ghost: ?
Bloody Ghost: Victims slain through drowning by a Bloody Ghost, directly or indirectly, even if not slain through life energy loss, rise again 24 hours later as a Bloody Ghost under the control of their slayer.
Chained Ghost Earthly Remains: ?
Chained Ghost Location: ?
Child Ghost: This ghost is the ghost of a child.
Cursed Ghost: This ghost was created through the application of the bestow curse spell, cast upon the body of the deceased within one turn (10 minutes) of death. The ghost is in all respects the same as other ghosts, with the limitation that it cannot attack the caster of the curse that created it. Cursed Ghosts can also be created through the cursed scroll of the unholy spirit.
Daywalker: ?
Demon Ghost: This ghost is the ghost of a demon that delved too deeply into the Negative Energy Plane seeking dreadful power and eldritch wisdom. It was blasted by that power, with the tattered remnants of the demon’s Chaotic soul impressed into the Material Plane as a ghost.
Dream Killer Ghost: Imbibing four ounces of dream ectoplasm enables the imbiber to effectively become a Dream Killer ghost with their normal, everyday abilities, armor, weapons, and so forth. Their soul leaves their body in ethereal form, and the imbiber may then seek out and attack a sleeping target exactly as above. The imbiber gets a number of chances to initiate dream combat equal to the hit dice of the ghost that provide the ectoplasm. Unlike a true Dream Killer ghost, if the imbiber dies in the dream combat, he dies for real. And in such cases, rises again 24 hours later as a Dream Killer ghost with hit dice equal to half their level, rounded up.
Drowned Ghost: This ghost resulted from a violent and horrific drowning, usually as a form of murder, though sometimes by tragic accident.
Victims slain through drowning by a Drowned Ghost, directly or indirectly, even if not slain through life energy loss, rise again 24 hours later as a Drowned Ghost under the control of their slayer.
Imbibing four ounces of drowned ectoplasm enables the imbiber to create and control water as though the imbiber were a Drowned Ghost with the hit dice of the ghost that provided the ectoplasm. The effect lasts for 1d6+6 turns. Every time such is imbibed, however, the imbiber must make a percentile roll against the total number of ounces of drowned ectoplasm he has ever imbibed; if the roll is less than or equal to the number of ounces, he must make a saving throw versus Spells. If the saving throw fails, water begins pouring out of the imbiber’s mouth as his lungs fill. Each round for 1d6+6 rounds the imbiber must make a saving throw versus Death; failure indicates he begins drowning, as above. If he drowns, he rises again 24 hours later as a Drowned Ghost with hit dice equal to half his level, rounded up.
Drunken Ghost: This ghost died due to excessive drinking of alcohol, died while he was drunk, died by drowning in alcohol, or died while wishing he had one more drink of alcohol.
There is no magical benefit to be gained from imbibing Ecto-Nog, the ectoplasm left behind by a Drunken Ghost, beyond the pleasure of drinking the purest form of alcohol known to man (though it still falls short of the nectar of the gods). For that is what the ectoplasm of a Drunken Ghost is, pure, distilled alcohol, otherwise known as “Ghostshine,” or “Haunted Hooch.” A single small shot of one ounce of Ghostshine is as potent as 1d6 mugs of beer, glasses of wine, or shots of other spirits per hit die of the ghost who provided it.
Needless to say, Ecto-Nog can be lethal, if consumed in too great a quantity (or too great a quality). How this works depends on the method you use in your own campaign regarding alcohol. Generally, if more equivalents of mugs/glasses/shots of normal alcohol are consumed than the Constitution score of the imbiber, the imbiber must make a saving throw versus Poison; failure indicates that the imbiber passes out, drunk, instantly. Failure with a Natural 1 indicates that the victim dies of alcohol poisoning 1d6 turns later, and rises again immediately as a Drunken Ghost with hit dice equal to half their level, rounded up.
Embodied Ghost: Embodiment is a curse on ghosts, sometimes enforced by the gods, other times by necromancers, and more rarely by more powerful ghosts.
Bestow Curse spell.
Environmental Ghost: Consuming four ounces of environmental ectoplasm allows the consumer to have the same abilities and powers… and limitations… as the ghost of that environment for 1d6+6 turns. Essentially, it sets up the imbiber as the anti-ghost of that environment. The imbiber is able to see that ghost, even if it is on the Deep Ethereal, and can attack it as though he were also on the Ethereal Plane (as he is, within the limits of the ghost’s environment). If the environment suffers damage, so does the imbiber; however, if the imbiber dies, nothing happens to the environment. If the imbiber dies while under the effect of the ectoplasm, he rises again immediately as an Environmental Ghost tied to the same environment, of hit dice equal to half his level rounded up, and must make a saving throw versus Spells; failure indicates that he is under the control of the original ghost of that environment.
Fast Ghost: ?
Fiery Ghost: This ghost’s mortal form died a fiery death, likely burnt at the stake, fried by a fireball, or charred to ashes by dragon’s breath.
When four ounces of fiery ectoplasm is imbibed the imbiber may cast a fireball equal to that of a magic-user with as many levels equal to the hit dice of the ghost that provided the ectoplasm. Consumed this way, the ability to cast the fireball lasts for 1d6+6 turns before the ability fades. The imbiber must make a percentile roll against the total number of ounces of fiery ectoplasm he has ever imbibed; if the roll is less than or equal to the number of ounces, he must make a saving throw versus Spells. If the saving throw fails, the ectoplasm burns the insides the imbiber, who suffers 1d6 points of damage per hit die of the ghost that provided the ectoplasm. If he dies through this damage, he rises again 24 hours later as a Fiery Ghost with hit dice equal to half his level, rounded up.
Friendly Ghost: Friendly Ghosts died a tragic and sometimes violent death, though during their lifetime they were not Evil, and quite Good, and though empowered by the Negative Energy Plane, have (as yet) resisted the eldritch Evil of that power.
The souls of Friendly Ghosts are, in fact, impressed upon by both the Negative Energy Plane and the Positive Energy Plane, placing their ethereal existence in a state of flux.
Frightening Ghost: ?
Frost Ghost: This ghost died of frostbite, or from an ice storm, or in the chilly stream of the breath of a white dragon. The ghost’s horrific death molds it in undeath, as the ghost is even colder than the typical ghost.
Four ounces of frost ectoplasm enables the imbiber to cast a cone of cold at a level equal to that of a magic-user with as many levels as hit dice o the ghost who provided the ectoplasm. Consumed this way, the ability to cast the cone of cold lasts for 1d6+6 turns before the ability fades. The imbiber must make a percentile roll against the total number of ounces of frost ectoplasm he has ever imbibed; if the roll is less than or equal to the number of ounces, he must make a saving throw versus Spells. If the saving throw fails, the ectoplasm freezes the insides the imbiber, who suffers 1d6 points of damage per hit die of the ghost who provided the ectoplasm. If he dies through this damage, he rises again 24 hours later as a Frost Ghost with hit dice equal to half his level, rounded up.
Ghost Lover: Sometimes also known as a Ghost Bride, Ghost Groom, Ghost Wife, or Ghost Husband, this ghost died as a direct result of a love affair, whether licit or illicit, public or private, mutual or unrequited.
Ghost Magician: This ghost was a magic-user in life, and retains the ability to use magic spells in death.
Ghost Priest: This ghost was a cleric in life, and retains that status after death.
Ghost Ship: ?
Ghost Sovereign: This ghost rules over and commands other ghosts with ease, either through legitimate royalty or nobility that carried over into undeath, or through sheer force of will and power.
Ghostly Head: If the Headless Ghost takes the head of a victim, and that victim rises as a ghost, the victim rises as a Headless Ghost. When the victim’s head rots away completely, the ghost of the head rises as a Ghostly Head.
Guardian Ghost: This ghost is cursed to act as the guardian of a person, place, or thing.
Note that if the Guardian Ghost is also a Friendly Ghost, it might not be cursed, but act as a guardian out of the kindness of its heart. If the ghost is a Ghost Lover, it might not be cursed, but merely guarding the life of its erstwhile lover.
Headless Ghost: This ghost lost his head in the process of dying and becoming a ghost.
If the Headless Ghost takes the head of a victim, and that victim rises as a ghost, the victim rises as a Headless Ghost.
Hungry Ghost: This ghost is the soul of someone who died of hunger; or who was wealthy and caused others to die of hunger through their actions; or ironically, was both wealthy and caused others to suffer hunger, then died of hunger themselves. Other forms of greed and even gluttony might cause a ghost to rise as a Hungry Ghost.
Hypnoghost: ?
Keening Ghost: Four ounce of keening ectoplasm allows the imbiber to perform a keen, as per the ghost who supplied the ectoplasm. The imbiber must keen within 1d6+6 turns of imbibing the ectoplasm. The imbiber has no immunity to the keen, and thus must make a saving throw versus Spell; if the save fails, the imbiber dies. If the imbiber is slain through a keen performed in this manner, he rises again as a free-willed Keening Ghost with hit dice equal to half their level when living, rounded up.
Laser Ghost: This ghost died when it was struck by lasers – including the light of a prismatic spray spell (these ghosts are also known as Prismatic Ghosts).
When imbibed, four ounces of laser ectoplasm enables the imbiber to cast a prismatic spray at a level equal to that of an illusionist with as many levels as the hit dice of the ghost that provided the ectoplasm. The ability to cast the prismatic spray lasts for 1d6+6 turns before the ability fades. Every time such is imbibed, the imbiber must make a percentile roll against the total number of ounces of laser ectoplasm he has ever imbibed; if the roll is less than or equal to the number of ounces, he must make a saving throw versus Spells. If the saving throw fails, the ectoplasm sets off the spray on the insides the imbiber, who suffers the full effects of the prismatic spray with no saving throw. If he dies through this damage, he rises again 24 hours later as a Laser Ghost with hit dice equal to half his level, rounded up.
Lifelike Ghost: ?
Lightning Ghost: This ghost died when it was struck by lightning – natural lightning, the lightning breath of a dragon, the lightning bolt of a wizard, or perhaps the lightning strike of druid.
Four ounces of ectoplasm enables the imbiber to cast a lightning bold at a level equal to that of a magic-user with levels equal to the hit dice of the ghost that provided the ectoplasm. The ability to cast the lightning bolt lasts for 1d6+6 turns before the ability fades. Every time such is imbibed, the imbiber must make a percentile roll against the total number of ounces of lightning ectoplasm he has ever imbibed; if the roll is less than or equal to the number of ounces, he must make a saving throw versus Spells. If the saving throw fails, the ectoplasm shocks the insides the imbiber, who suffers 1d6 points of damage hit die of the ghost who provided the ectoplasm. If he dies through this damage, he rises again 24 hours later as a Lightning Ghost with hit dice equal to half his level, rounded up.
Monster Ghost: This ghost is the ghost of a monstrous creature (not an animal, demon, or humanoid). Dragons, giants, chimeras, lamias, nagas – just about any Chaotic monster is apt to become a ghost, as are a few Lawful or Neutral types who die tragic deaths.
Nanny Ghost: ?
Butler Ghost: ?
Manservant Ghost: ?
Maid Ghost: ?
Servant Ghost: ?
Nightmare Ghost: Imbibing four ounces of nightmare ectoplasm allows the imbiber’s spirit to leave their body and enter the Ethereal Plane; they can then manifest on the Material Plane as a Nightmare Spirit, effectively as a ghost of the same hit dice as the ghost who provided the ectoplasm. The spirit of the imbiber remains a ghost for 1d6+6 turns, and possesses all the basic abilities of the ghost who provided the ectoplasm, plus the Nightmare Ghost special ability. If the spirit of the imbiber does not return to his body by the end of the duration, or if the spirit is slain in ghost form, the imbiber rises again immediately as a Nightmare Ghost, with hit dice equal to half his level, rounded up.
Pipeweed Ghost: This ghost died from smoking too much pipeweed (such as via pipelung), or died from the secondary effects of a magical form of pipeweed, or simply died while smoking pipeweed and his last thoughts were, “I wish I could have smoked more pipeweed…”
This ectoplasm, naturally, invariably takes the form of a pipeweed-like material. Pipeweed ectoplasm must be smoked for it to have any effect. One ounce is enough. When smoked, the smoker must make a saving throw versus Spells; if the save succeeds, the smoker gains the ability to breathe out a cloudkill spell, exactly as per the ghost that provided the ectoplasm.
If the saving throw fails, the smoker must check out the results of the failure on the Pipeweed Ectoplasm Failure Table. This result is modified by a number equal to the hit dice of the ghost that provided the ectoplasm; add the hit dice to the total amount by which the smoker failed his saving throw.
Pipeweed Ectoplasm Failure Table
Failed by Effect
1 to 5
Sleepy: The smoker falls into a deep coma for a number of hours equal to the hit dice of the ghost that provided the ectoplasm.
6 to 10
Freaked: The smoker must make a saving throw versus Spells against fear, using the Fear Effects Table and the hit dice of the ghost that provided the ectoplasm as a penalty to the saving throw. If the saving throw succeeds, the victim suffers effects as per sleepy, above.
11 to 15
Buzzed: The smoker is confused, as per the spell, for 1d6 rounds per hit die of the ghost that provided the ectoplasm.
16-20
Harshed: The smoker goes berserk, attacking anyone he sees with full ability, using all spells and powers to try to kill whatever he can see. This effect lasts for 1d6 rounds per hit die of the ghost that provided the ectoplasm.
21+
Possessed: The ghost that provided the ectoplasm, provided it has not been destroyed, arrives from wherever it might be and instantly possesses the victim, as though with the Possess the Living ability (no saving throw). If that ghost has been destroyed, another Pipeweed Ghost has a chance to pop in and possess the victim immediately, though the victim gets the usual saving throw against this effect, with a penalty equal to half the hit dice of the original ghost, rounded up.
In addition, every time he smokes pipeweed ectoplasm, the smoker must make a percentile roll against the total number of ounces of pipeweed ectoplasm he has ever smoked; if the roll is less than or equal to the number of ounces, he must make a saving throw versus Spells. If the saving throw fails, he has contracted a severe and debilitating form pipelung, a disease that often afflicts pipeweed smokers. This version of the disease causes the victim to be unable to heal naturally or magically, except through the use of the cure disease spell to remove the disease entirely. He suffers one hit point of damage every day. Every week he loses one point of Strength, Constitution, and Dexterity. If the disease is not cured with magic, the victim eventually dies of the effects; 24 hours later he rises again as a Pipeweed Ghost, with hit dice equal to half his level, rounded up.
Plague Ghost: Consuming four ounces of plague ectoplasm allows the imbiber to possess a victim as though he were a Plague Ghost with hit dice equal that of the ghost who provided the ectoplasm. When the ectoplasm is consumed the imbiber’s soul rises from his body like a ghost; the body remains in a coma, much as with the magic jar spell. The imbiber then has one chance to possess a target within 1d6+6 turns; if he fails, his soul is drawn back to his body instantly.
If he succeeds, then he must remain possessing the victim as long as he wishes for the victim to be plagued. If the imbiber remains possessing the victim at the point of death, the imbiber must make a saving throw versus Death; if the save fails, the imbiber also dies, and rises again immediately as a Plague Ghost with hit dice equal to half his level, rounded up. Otherwise he is free to return to his own body.
Poison Ghost: This ghost met his mortal end through poison – perhaps in a wine cup among erstwhile friends, or slain by a poison needle trap, or envenomed by a snake or spider, or through the breath of a sea dragon.
As the ectoplasm of a Poison Ghost is mixed with its poison, if the ectoplasm is imbibed within one turn per hit die of the ghost, the imbiber actually poisons himself as per the contact poison, above, with no saving throw, and suffering 1d6 points of poison damage per ounce consumed. If he dies through this damage, he rises again 24 hours later as a Poison Ghost with hit dice equal to half his level, rounded up.
Four ounces of poison ectoplasm enables the imbiber to spit a ball of poison equal to that of a ghost with as many hit dice as the ounces of ectoplasm the imbiber consumed. Consumed this way, the ability to spit a ball of poison lasts for 1d6+6 turns before the ability fades. Every time such is imbibed, the imbiber must make a percentile roll against the total number of ounces of poison ectoplasm he has ever imbibed; if the roll is less than or equal to the number of ounces, he must make a saving throw versus Spells. If the saving throw fails, the poison ball explodes inside guts of the imbiber, who suffers 1d6 points of damage per hit die of the ghost who provided the ectoplasm.
If he dies through this damage, he rises again 24 hours later as a Poison Ghost with hit dice equal to half his level, rounded up.
Poltergeist: ?
Radioactive Ghost: This ghost died through radioactive mishap, either through exposure to excessive natural radiation; magical radiation attack; radioactive blast from a radiation gun; walking through a radioactive crater; or by being caught directly in a nuclear explosion.
It is a bad idea to imbibe radioactive ectoplasm, as no known magic or science can separate out the radiation from the ectoplasm. Any living being that imbibes radioactive ectoplasm suffers 1d6 points of damage per hit die of the ghost that provided the ectoplasm per ounce, with no saving throw against the damage. If the imbiber dies through this damage, he rises again 24 hours later as a Radioactive Ghost with hit dice equal to half his level, rounded up.
Robotic Ghost: This is the ghost of a robot, android, clockwork being, golem, living statue, or some other mechanical or magical construct that was tragically destroyed through mischance and/or violence. Rarely, such creations develop a mind and soul of their own; often in such cases, when their physical existence ends in horror and tragedy, the soul lives on with no place to go, as there are few gods that would claim such a soul for their own.
Shackled Ghost: ?
Shrouded Ghost: ?
Skull Thrower Ghost: Four ounces of this ectoplasm enables the imbiber to form and throw an ectoplasmic bomb in exactly the same fashion as the ghost that provided the ectoplasm. The bomb must be thrown within 1d6+6 turns of consuming the ectoplasm. Every time such is imbibed, however, the imbiber must make a percentile roll against the total number of ounces of skull thrower ectoplasm he has ever imbibed; if the roll is less than or equal to the number of ounces, he must make a saving throw versus Spells. A failed save indicates that the bomb goes off in the imbiber’s hand, dealing its damage to the imbiber. If the imbiber dies in this fashion, the imbiber rises again immediately as a Skull Thrower Ghost, with hit dice equal to half his level, rounded up.
Spectral Music Ghost: ?
Spectral Steed: ?
Stuck in Time Ghost: If a newly-risen ghost was slain by a ghost that is Stuck in Time, the new ghost must make a saving throw versus Spells; if he fails, he joins his maker in whatever vignette of death and mayhem the creator is stuck.
Tasked Ghost: This ghost died with an unfinished task that now ties it to the mortal plane. This might be something as simple as making a journey from one side of the road to the other; or making a journey home from across town; or seeing their little child one last time. The task might be great and monumental, such as building a great pyramid; seeing that the rightful heir is placed on the throne of a kingdom; or even building an empire.
Thunder Ghost: Also known as a Storm Ghost, this ghost’s mortal form died during a great thunderstorm, as the result of weather magic, or at the hands of a djinn or other creature with the powers of thunder and lightning.
Four ounces of thunder ectoplasm enable the imbiber to emit a thunder strike equal to that of the ghost that provided the ectoplasm. The ability to emit the thunder strike lasts for 1d6+6 turns before the ability fades. The imbiber must make a percentile roll against the total number of ounces of thunder ectoplasm he has ever imbibed; if the roll is less than or equal to the number of ounces, he must make a saving throw versus Spells. If the saving throw fails, the thunder explodes inside the imbiber, who suffers 1d6 points of damage per hit die of the ghost, with no saving throw.
If he dies through this damage, he rises again 24 hours later as a Thunder Ghost with hit dice equal to half his level, rounded up.
Trickster Ghost: Having had a miserable if not outright horrific family life while living, this ghost likes to take on the appearance of the recently deceased and haunt their still-living loved ones in order to cause grief and suffering.
Four ounces of trickster ectoplasm enable the imbiber to polymorph into a specific individual that he has studied or personally known for at least one week. The physical semblance is perfect, down to facial features, mannerisms, and voice, though the imbiber knows no more of the target than he has learned during his study or acquaintance. The effect lasts for one day per hit die of the ghost that provided the ectoplasm.
When the effect ends, the imbiber must make a percentile roll against the total number of ounces of trickster ectoplasm he has ever imbibed; if the roll is less than or equal to the number of ounces, he must make a saving throw versus Spells. If the saving throw fails, the imbiber is permanently stuck in the new form he has taken on; if he dies while in the new form, he rises again 24 hours later as a Trickster Ghost with hit dice equal to half his level, rounded up.
Unwitting Ghost: ?
Vengeful Ghost: ?
Wandering Ghost: This ghost is cursed to wander the Earth, unable to remain in any one place for any length of time.
Warning Ghost, White Lady: Warning Ghosts often arise because of the tragic nature of their deaths, usually involving murder, treachery, deceit, adultery, or treason.
For example, the ghost of a merchant who was slain by bandits along a lonely stretch of road might appear to travelers to warn them when bandits are in the area; or might appear to the bandits, to try to dissuade them from their banditry. The ghost of a noblewoman who was murdered by her husband for her infidelity might appear to a woman who is about to have an adulterous liaison; or might appear to a woman whose husband is about to have an adulterous liaison. The ghost of a woman who died of disease might appear to a person who has contracted a disease, or whose loved ones are diseased. The ghost of a man who was murdered might appear to a person who is about to be murdered, or to the person who is about to commit the murder. The ghost of a sea captain who died setting out to sea in choppy waters might appear to sailors who are about to encounter a storm; and so on.
Wind Ghost: Also known as a Rain Ghost, this ghost’s mortal form died during a great windstorm or rainstorm, as the result of weather magic, or at the hands of a djinn or marid or other creature with the powers of rain and wind.
Four ounces of wind ectoplasm enable the imbiber to emit a gust of wind equal to that of the ghost that provided the ectoplasm. The ability to emit the gust of wind lasts for 1d6+6 turns before the ability fades. The imbiber must make a percentile roll against the total number of ounces of wind ectoplasm he has ever imbibed; if the roll is less than or equal to the number of ounces, he must make a saving throw versus Spells. If the saving throw fails, the wind tears apart the insides the imbiber, who suffers 1d6 points of damage per hit die of the ghost, with no saving throw. If he dies through this damage, he rises again 24 hours later as a Wind Ghost with hit dice equal to half his level, rounded up.

Skeleton: Ghost Generator magic item.
Zombie: Ghost Generator magic item.

Remove Curse: If the ghost is a Cursed Ghost, Embodied Ghost, Guardian Ghost, or other ghost with a cursed limitation, it might remove the cursed limitation, freeing the ghost from its duress vile. Refer to those ghostly special abilities for more details.
The reverse of the spell, bestow curse, can be cast upon the body of a being that died within the last turn (10 minutes); if the body fails a saving throw versus Spells, the soul of the body is dragged back from wherever it was heading and is respawned as a ghost, with hit dice of half its original level, rounded up. Note that the spell provides no control by the caster over the Cursed Ghost, but the spawned ghost can not attack the one who bestowed the curse.
The reverse of this spell can also be cast upon a ghost, in order to force it into an object and thus trap it there as an Embodied Ghost, or to subject the ghost to some other ghostly limitation. If the ghost fails it’s saving throw versus Spells, it is gains the new limitation.

SPAWN GHOSTS (REVERSIBLE) [NEW]
Level: Cleric 4, Magic-user 6
Duration: Permanent
Range: 60’
This spell causes the soul of the recently deceased to rise again as ghosts under the control of the caster. The undead can be ordered to follow the caster or remain in the area and complete such orders as they are given. The unfortunate souls remain ghosts until they are destroyed or until the caster dismisses them, freeing the soul to return to its final resting place. The caster must be within range to dismiss the ghosts.
The caster may spawn a number of hit dice of ghosts equal to his level, though he is also limited by the hit dice/levels of the souls of the corpses he has available. A cleric may call back the soul of a deceased being that has been dead for no longer than one week for a 7th or 8th level caster; one month for a 9th or 10th level caster; one year for an 11th or 12th level caster; 10 years for a 13th or 14th level caster; 100 years for a 16th to 20th level caster; and 1000 years for a caster of 21st level or greater. A magic-user may call back the soul of a deceased being that has been dead for no longer than one week for an 11th or 12th level caster; one month for a 13th or 14th level caster; one year for a 15th or 16th level caster; 10 years for a 17th or 18th level caster; 100 years for a 19th or 20th level caster; and 1000 years for a caster of 21st level or greater.
A prospective ghost’s hit dice is limited to the level the soul possessed in life; if spawning a ghost from an animal or monster corpse, it is limited to the hit dice it possessed in life.
A soul gains a saving throw against being spawned as a ghost only if it was Lawful (Good); if the saving throw succeeds, the spawning fails, and that soul can never be brought back as a ghost. Spawned ghosts have the usual chance of possessing ghostly special abilities.
The reverse of this spell, destroy ghosts, can be cast to instantly destroy one or more ghosts, up to a total hit dice equal to the caster’s level, within range and within a 30’ diameter circle. The lowest hit die ghosts are affected first, then higher hit die ghosts. All ghosts get a saving throw versus Spells; if the save fails, they are instantly and permanently destroyed. If the save succeeds, they cannot be targeted by this spell cast by the same caster until after the next sunset.

Cursed Scroll of the Unholy Spirit: This cursed scroll, when read, requires the reader to make a saving throw versus Spells; failure indicates the reader is immediately slain and rises again one round later as a ghost of hit dice equal to half the deceased’s level, rounded up. The new ghost is a Cursed Ghost (see Ghostly Special Abilities), with the usual chances of having further ghostly special abilities.

Ghost Generator: This large device traps the souls of those who perish near it, ripping apart the souls and combining them with energy from the Negative Energy Plane to create ghosts. A ghost generator has a power rating of 1 to 10; this indicates the largest hit die ghost it can create using soul energy. The power rating is also the range in hundreds of feet of the soul-capturing ability of the ghost generator, i.e., 100 to 1,000 feet. Any intelligent being with a soul that dies within that range must make a saving throw versus Spells; if the saving throw fails, the soul of the being is trapped in the ghost generator. Lawful (Good) beings get a +4 bonus to the saving throw. As long as the ghost generator has souls in it, it is operational and can generate ghosts.
Every round the ghost generator is operational, roll a d6; on a 1-3 nothing happens that round; on 4-6 it creates a Presence (1 HD ghost). If the roll is a 6, roll again; on a 4-6, it creates an Apparition (2 HD ghost) instead of a Presence; as long as you continue to roll a 4-6, increase the hit die of the ghost by one and roll again, and roll again if the roll is a 6, until you do not roll a 4-6, or you reach the power rating of the generator, or you run out of soul levels in the generator. Each ghost generated drains its number of levels or hit dice from the level or hit dice of the soul that has been held the longest by the generator. When that soul has all its levels or hit dice drained, it is destroyed, and that being cannot be raised or resurrected short of the application of a wish.
If the soul currently being drained died in a manner applicable toward the creation of a ghostly special ability, or otherwise possessed its own pertinent abilities (such as the soul of a red dragon and the Fiery Ghost ability) roll normal chances to see if the ghosts generated possess that special ability; otherwise, generated ghosts have no additional ghostly special abilities.
Ghost generators vary greatly in appearance. Some are large gem-encrusted metal spheres glowing with a crackling aura of black energies; others are great towers made of bones and skulls buried in shadow; some are thick stone statues of demonic mien with glittering eyes for gems; and still others appear to be gargantuan writhing masses of flesh and blood (these last can also generate skeletons and zombies). Some are still controlled by their creators, who control the ghosts created by the ghost generator; most are long abandoned by their creators, who are long dead (and perhaps were transformed into ghosts by their creation), and are running on automatic, filling the dungeon with random ghosts…

Ring of Wraiths: This smooth ring appears to be made carved from solid smoky-black obsidian; glittering silver words in an unknown tongue arc like electricity within the torus of the ring. The wearer may use the ring to become ethereal, as per oil of etherealness, at will; the journey there takes one round, and back again takes but one round. Should the wearer of the ring of wraiths ever die while wearing the ring on the Ethereal Plane he rises again instantly as a ghost with hit dice equal to half his level, rounded up.
No wraith can ever attack a wearer of the ring of wraiths; the wearer gains a -2 bonus to Reaction checks with wraiths. The wearer of the ring of wraiths may attempt to take control of any wraith within 60’; the wraith falls under the ring wearer’s complete dominion if it fails a saving throw versus Spells. If the wraith succeeds in his saving throw, the ring can never control that wraith. The wearer of the ring of wraiths can maintain control of one wraith for every hit die (not level) he possesses; if he already controls as many wraiths as possible, he may dismiss one from his service to attain the domination of another.

Robes of Etherealness: These magical hooded robes are designed to be worn by a cleric, druid, magic-user, or elf (of the elf racial class). They operate in everyday fashion as per a cloak of protection, providing the wearer with magical bonuses to Armor Class and saving throws.
The robe also enables to wearer to become ethereal, as per oil of etherealness. The duration is 1d6+6 turns, though the wearer can end the effect earlier simply at will, and the transference from Material Plane to Ethereal Plane takes but one round, not three rounds. Each use of the robe in this manner uses 1 charge.
A robe of etherealness has a number of charges equal to its bonus multiplied by 5. For every 5 charges used the magical bonus of the robe decreases by 1 point. Once the ethereal charges drop to 0, the robe becomes a normal non-magical robe.
These robes often offer superior protection than simple cloaks:
Robe of Etherealness Bonus
D100 Bonus
01-40 +1
41-70 +2
71-90 +3
91-97 +4
98-00 +5
Anyone not of the cleric, druid, magic-user, or elf class who wears the robe gains the normal protection bonuses of the robe; if he learns the ethereal properties of the robe, he may attempt to use them, though proper use is not certain. The wearer must make a saving throw versus Spells each time he uses the robe to go to the Ethereal Plane; if the saving throw succeeds, the transfer is completed normally. If the saving throw fails, something goes wrong… perhaps horribly wrong.
Robe of Etherealness Saving Throw Failure
Failed by What Happens
1 to 3
Nothing; one charge is used and the robe fails to take the wearer to the Ethereal Plane.
4 to 6
Cosmic Backlash; magical energy arcs all around the wearer from the robe, draining 1d6 charges, causing a like number of d6s in damage to the wearer, and blinking the wearer for a like number of rounds to a random nearby location.
7 to 10
Wearer is transported to the Ethereal Plane, but finds out when he attempts to return that it was a one-way trip, as the robe has permanently lost its magic…
11 to 15
Wearer is blasted through the Ethereal Plane into a nearby plane other than the Material Plane.
16+
The wearer dies instantly, horribly, and spectacularly, and rises again immediately as a ghost of hit dice equal to half his original level, rounded up. For the first 2d6 turns of his existence he is in a maddened state, seeking to slay or destroy anything encountered in and on the nearby Material and Ethereal Planes.

Guidebook to the Duchy of Valnwall

Spoiler

Blood Reaper: ?

In the Shadow of Mount Rotten

Spoiler

Goblin Skeleton: ?
Orc Skeleton: ?
Goblin Zomie: ?
Hobgoblin Skeleton: ?
Orc Zombie: ?
Hobgoblin Zombie: ?
Orc Ghoul: ?
Ghoul: Slain victims of an orc ghoul eaten, or rise as ghouls the next night.

Labyrinth Lord Monsters

Spoiler

Ghast: ?
Ghost: ?
Ghoul: ?
Groaning Spirit, Banshee: ?
Lich: ?
Mummy: ?
Skeleton: ?
Spectre: ?
Vampire: ?
Wight: ?
Wraith: ?
Zombie: ?

LL Monster Cards Set 1

Spoiler

Skeleton: ?
Zombie: ?
Ghoul: ?
Wight: Successful hit causes Level Drain 1 level/hit die from victim, no saving throw. If reduced to level 0, victim dies and becomes a wight themselves in 1d4 days.

LL Monster Cards Set 3

Spoiler

Wraith: Successful hit drains 1 levels + damage PCs who reach 0 levels become specters themselves and must obey the master.
Vampire: Hit drains 2 levels + damage. PCs who reach 0 levels become vampires themselves and must obey.
Spectre: Successful hit drains 2 levels + damage. PCs who reach 0 levels become specters themselves and must obey the master.
Mummy: ?

Lesser Gnome's Creature Catalog

Spoiler

Restless: Restless are undead animated corpses of souls trapped in a purgatory. The path to their cursed existence began with the unfortunate circumstances of their death. Their burial preparations were either forgotten or ignored. The rites that prepared their souls for separation from their material bodies were denied them. The failure to find peace in the afterlife has animated their bodies as vessels of mindless rage and aggression toward the living.
Malice: Once the decomposition of the body is complete, the souls of the restless are lost forever. A corporeal energy remains. Such energies coalesce to form the next stage of the undead cycle, the Malice
The Malice is the second stage in the undead cycle.
This entity has shed its weak restless sinews and gained a focused and evil preternatural mind.

Mad Monks of Kwantoom

Spoiler

Spectre: ?
Wight: ?
Vampire Kitsune: ?
Shadow: ?
Skeleton: ?
Undead: Magic Effects 86-90
Ghost: ?
Groaning Spirit: ?
Vampire: ?
Vampire Cleric: ?
Vampire Magic-User: ?
Vampire Monk: ?
Rolong: Rolong are magically constructed undead creatures akin both to golems and to ghosts.
They are constructed by means of a magical tome or a magic-user of 11th level or higher employing the following spells: magic jar, fumble, geas, strength and a cleric of 11th level or higher employing the following spells: animate dead, animate objects, fear. The cost in materials is 500gp per hit point of the rolong, and it requires 15 days' construction time.
They are constructed by means of a magical tome or a magic-user of 11th level or higher employing the following spells: magic jar, fumble, geas, strength and a cleric of 11th level or higher employing the following spells: animate dead, animate objects, fear. The cost in materials is 500gp per hit point of the rolong, and it requires 15 days' construction time. A manual of rolongs is worth 2,000xp and 15,000gp. It requires 20,000gp and 15 days for a rolong with full hit points and can be read both by clerics and magic-users. Characters from other classes touching a manual of rolongs will suffer 5d4 points of damage from opening the work.
Tanwo: Once a victim is paralyzed, the tanwo forfeits its sword attack and begins to chew on them in order to feed itself, causing d4 damage per round of such treatment. When a victim dies because of these bite wounds, it rises from the dead as a tanwo itself d4 rounds later.
Zulang: Zhulang spirits are undead creatures risen from the grave of exceptionally greedy and covetous humanoids.

Myrkridder – The Demonic dead

Spoiler

Myrkridder: Myrkridder are intelligent undead animated through magical means, usually by a necromancer exhuming a corpse or assembling one from other bits of corpses, and either by calling back the spirit that once occupied the corpse or by summoning a different fiendish spirit, devil, or demon to animate the assembled corpse.
The vast majority of myrkridder spirits are summoned from Hell or one of the other Underworlds of the Damned. These Evil souls are usually quite happy to be dragged back to the world of the living, even in service as an undead creature enslaved to their creator, as this means they are no longer being tormented, and can often act in the evil and vile ways that they enjoyed in life. Souls condemned to one of the more neutral afterlives could be called back, but would be more free-willed and more likely to resist the control of their maker. Some necromancers, if they trap the soul of a recently deceased Goodly person ere it goes to its rightful reward, can magically force the Good soul into a corpse and compel it to serve them as a myrkridder; these accursed beings live a virtual hell on earth, forced to do the vile bidding of their unnatural master.
Most myrkridder are created from humans; a few are created from elves, while dwarf and halfling myrkridder are virtually unknown.
Myrkridder Carrion Steed: Hestermorth myrkridder outrider special ability.
Once per night a myrkridder outrider has the ability to kill a horse (or horse-like animal that can be used as a mount) with a mere touch; the horse rises again as a carrion steed 1d3 rounds later. Carrion steeds created this way are destroyed with the light of the next sunrise.
Myrkridder Champion: Myrkridder champions are myrkridder soldiers and sergeants who have risen through the ranks or were prominent villains in their mortal lives; some were created from the body parts of the most despicable villains and animated by the spirit of a potent devil or demon.
Myrkridder Hag: The only common female myrkridder are myrkridder hags, created by necromancers with certain unnatural lusts beyond even those common to their kind. These are usually the animated bodies of once-beautiful women; some were witches or sorceresses in life, returned to serve a new master, others courtesans or noblewomen animated by the spirits of devils or demons.
Myrkridder Minstrel: Myrkridder minstrels are special myrkridder, in their former lives bards, skalds, minstrels, troubadours, or other musically-inclined entertainers of little to great talents.
Myrkridder Myrkulf: Myrkulfs are a horrible form of undead that combines body parts from humans and dire wolves, infused with the magical essence of werewolves and the blood of trolls.
Due to the methods and rituals involved in their creation, myrkulfs can pass on the werewolf lycanthropic disease to those whom they have damage, as per any normal lycanthrope.
Myrkridder Outrider: ?
Myrkridder Sergeant: In life, myrkridder sergeants were warrior noblemen, robber barons, and other mid-level villains of some talent, wealth, and status.
Myrkridder Soldier: They are the animated corpses of common soldiers and rabble, their vile souls summoned back from Hell to do their creator’s bidding.
Most are inhabited by the souls of brigands, thieves, ruffians, and ne’er-do-wells, though a few are of more elevated origins, such as noblemen or infamous outlaws, and like to remind their fellow myrkridder and their victims of their high-society or famous status.
Purple Svein: PURPLE SVEIN was a poisoner in life; he was slain by application of large quantities of the same poison he used to kill his victims.
Finnbogi the Flayed: FINNBOGI THE FLAYED was a cannibal and murder, flayed to death for his crimes.
Janglebones: JANGLEBONES had lost most of his flesh before he was animated.
Arkyn the Ancient: ARKYN THE ANCIENT died of old age and got away with his terrible crimes unpunished during his lifetime.
Garm the Wolf: GARM THE WOLF literally has a wolf’s head; his creator discovered the body of a mighty but headless warrior and his dire wolf companion in a barrow, and decided to have an interesting experiment.
Goldbelly: GOLDBELLY was a greedy glutton in life, and was put to death for embezzling from his chieftain.
Grimhilda: GRIMHILDA was thought to be a witch, but really she was merely an old gossip who used her knowledge to blackmail her neighbors. They had her condemned as a witch and had her body staked in a bog to keep it from rising as a draugr. Some of the magic of other nearby staked witches passed on to her ere she was brought back as a myrkridder.
Crow Killer: CROW KILLER was a wild-man who killed anyone foolish enough to pass through his fells; eventually the local lord and his men caught up with his and hung him for the crows.
Pete o' the Bog: PETE O’ THE BOG is a bog myrkridder; in his case he was a cultist of Loki who stole from his priest and ended up being a sacrifice, tied and drowned in a bog.
Lovely Varskuld: LOVELY VARSKULD was the concubine of a chieftain who sought to rise higher by killing her master’s wife; she failed, was caught, and was punished by being torn apart by oxen. Her necromancer master re-assembled her, hoping to create a paramour, but her damned soul ripped from Hell was too drear and evil even for him.
Garth the Heartless: GARTH THE HEARTLESS was a fallen paladin of Hermod; he was a giant of a man, given to great mirth and kindness, ere he fell to the wiles of an enchantress. He was slain by his paramour’s enemy, the necromancer who now commands him as a myrkridder champion. His master carved out his heart, which still had a glimmer of hope and goodness, and keeps it in a magically locked and trapped box in a hidden crypt. In place of the heart, in the open wound, Garth now carried a jar holding a cackling imp who mocks the former paladin with the recitation of his sins merely for his master’s amusement.
Einar the Angry: EINAR THE ANGRY was a member of a band of outlaws; he rarely followed orders, and ended up getting himself and several of his companions killed when he didn’t retreat when he was ordered to do so.
Eirik the Odious: EIRIK THE ODIOUS was a most unpleasant man in life; he was an inveterate molester, buggerer, and rapist of anyone and anything he could get his hands on. The law finally caught up with him and he was thoroughly broken on a wheel. His shattered body was mostly re-assembled by his master, though the bits he valued most had been cut away and burnt to ashes by his executioner. He makes for a bitter, angry myrkridder; he walks in a disjointed way, with many a creak and clatter, as his bones never really fused together well with the necromantic ritual.
The Spider: THE SPIDER was a strange experiment; his creator thought perhaps he could get more use out of a single myrkridder with a human body, four human legs, four human arms, and the head of a giant spider, and so one was assembled, with a bestial demon summoned to inhabit the corpse.
Audolf: AUDOLF was a noble warrior, part of a warband, though he was craven and cowardly fled from a battle that got his chieftain’s son killed. As punishment he was buried alive in a barrow; too cowardly to kill himself, he drank barrow water and ate rats and the rotting flesh of the barrow’s inhabitants until he slowly died from lack of fresh water and real food.
Big Bruin: BIG BRUIN was a werebear in life; as a myrkridder he is eternally cursed to be caught in the form of a half-man, half-bear, with blood-matted fur, great fangs, and terrible claw-like hands. He betrayed his clan to his necromancer master for gold and power; he just did not understand what the “power” offered by his new master meant.
Jigsaw: JIGSAW is stitched together from dozens of different bodies and is inhabited by a potent demon; he has a few too many fingers, a couple of odd eyeballs in strange places, and a second face in place of his genitals.
Wee Jack: WEE JACK was merely a child of 10 years when he was staked; what crimes he committed none know, not even his master, but the terrible smile that crosses his face when he is asked makes even hardened myrkridder shudder in fear.
Black Andras: BLACK ANDRAS was a midwife who amused herself by ensuring the stillborn-births of women she disliked. She was drowned in a bog for her crimes.
Storr the Mighty: STORR THE MIGHTY was a great outlaw chieftain in life; he now serves his master as a champion.

Petty Gods

Spoiler

Ghoul: Ghouls and ghasts are supposedly creatures of Kypselus' own hideous design and are considered particularly sacred.
Ghast: Ghouls and ghasts are supposedly creatures of Kypselus' own hideous design and are considered particularly sacred.
Kahladaht: Kahladaht the Once Deified was once a great knight in the service of a god of law and virtue. During a crusade in a foreign land Kahladaht was tricked by a necromancer into slaying the avatar of his own god during an execution. Upon realizing what he had done the knight wandered into the desert. There he dwelt for forty days attempting to repent for his sin. In the end his god was unforgiving. Kahladaht, lost, now thought only of revenge. He sought the necromancer out, but in his fragile state of mind was seduced by the necromancer’s honeyed words. Kahladaht served the necromancer until he was slain in battle, after which he was brought back as a powerful undead being to serve his new master for eternity. Kahladaht, however, grew ambitious and struck his master down, claiming his keep and undead legion for himself. The undead knight spent years studying the forces of necromancy and cults related to the dread practice. In doing so he discovered some of the secrets of immortality, and indeed divinity. From a demon prince, he learned a secret which allowed him to siphon some level of power from the goddess of death. He had secretly stolen enough power to nearly become a true god, but the followers who flocked to him upon acquiring such power also attracted the unwanted attention of adventurers and would-be heroes. One of these bands was able to perform a ritual in an ancient palace known as “Where Angels Fear to Tread.” It alerted the goddess of death to Kahladaht’s scheme and he was stopped. Some of his power was taken from him at this time and he was left a broken and petty god, always ambitious and seeking more power.
Nyctalops: ?
Vampire: It is also rumored that it is Nyctalops, not Ambrogio*, who is truly the first vampire.
* According to The Vampire Bible, Ambrogio was the first vampire, cursed jealously by Apollo for Selene’s affection.
All those who find themself lost, both literally and figuratively, are his “children,” and he is their “father.” When the moon is bright, he stalks the fields in search of those who have gone astray and “leads” them (willingly or unwillingly) back to his home Aloas—a grotto set high in a dark cliffside. It is there he forces his children to drink his lunar wine (fermented from the blood of the moon) from a battered chalice forged of alien metal (akin to silver). Any living creature taking a sip of this wine must save vs. death or be turned into a vampire (with an additional save required for each additional sip).
Hedel Man: Those with the wherewithal to resist her gaze will still have to contend with Xinrael’s hedel-men entourage, a motley assortment of humanoid, rotting fruit-folk brought to un-life by the necro-vivimantic properties of her divine sputum.
Bogling, Bog-Standard Bogman: Bog-standard bogmen are the remains of people who died after a long struggle to get unstuck from an ignominious death in swamps or tar pits. Just as the torches of the search parties disappeared into the surrounding mire, they squeaked a last, pathetic plea for salvation and were summarily instilled with a mote of blasphemous quintessence of the god of that bog (known in some locations by the name “The Bogfather”). As years of erosion or human activity sometimes results in a situation in which a bogman becomes uncovered again, it will finally rip itself free of its prison as the first rays of moonlight touch it. A bogman desires to find living souls to take its place beneath the muck; and any humanoids it places there will rise in a similar manner the next night.
Bogling, Hanged Bogman: Criminals in some areas are often hanged and given over to The Bogfather (a dark, petty god of swamps and coal), or to other gods of the bog, as a form of eternal punishment. However, sometimes a soul escapes the cool reach of the bog god’s realm and returns to its body. Preserved in weird ways by the acids of the swamp waters, hanged bogmen resemble soggy mummies.
Gloaming: ?
Heartless Dead: These spirits are the remains of mortals who were subjected to ixiptla or sacrificial heart-extraction whilst alive.
Sepultural Wyrm Captive Spirit: Additionally, each wyrm holds 1d3 captive spirits of warriors still being digested (a process that takes decades) which they can spit forth in ectoplasmic form at will to serve them.
Skeletal Servitor: Skeletal servitors are created from the corpses of dead angelic servitors through a process known only to the inner circles of the gods; what is known is that an animate undead spell alone is not enough to create one.
Skeletal Servitor Dreambringer: ?
Skeletal Servitor Enflamor: ?
Skeletal Servitor Hunter: ?
Skeletal Servitor Messenger: ?
Skeletal Servitor Negator: ?
Skeletal Servitor Temple Guardian: ?
Tetsuizke: As she was the first head priestess chosen by Curdle herself to be the head priestess of the order, Curdle took pity on her in death. Curdle begged her father, Ywehbobbobhewy (Lord of Waters, etc., etc.) to beseech the Jale God to grant Tetskuize’s soul immortality on the godling planes. The Jale God challenged Ywehbobbobhewy to a game of Crown & Anchor, and as the game ended in a draw, the Jale God begrudgingly assented to partially fulfill the request: he made Tetskuize a lich whose phylactery (a small cheese press) is kept locked away somewhere secret on one of the godling planes.
Animated Fallen Warrior: Animate Fallen Warrior spell.

Animate Fallen Warrior
Level : 5 Magic-user
Range: 60'
Duration : 1 turn
Similar to the spell animate dead, this spell animates a number of recently deceased warriors (who died within the last turn). The number of warriors that may be animated is equal to the level of the spellcaster plus 1d6. Each animated warrior fights and saves as a 1 HD monster (with 1d8 hp). Like all undead, animated warriors are immune to sleep, charm, and hold, and they are susceptible to the effects of turning. Animated fallen warriors will remain animated until all their newly required hp are lost, or until 1 turn has passed (whichever comes first). This spell may only be used on any fallen warrior once, after which they will immediately be taken up by The Fallen One.

Red Tide Campaign Sourcebook

Spoiler

Undead: A corpse left without funerary rites leaves its owner’s soul naked to the hunger of the Hell Kings in the afterlife. Good and pious souls can hope for the intercession of the kindly gods and their protection for their wayward soul, but less noble spirits have no such guarantee. Some are too frightened to leave this world, and so linger as fearful ghosts who nurse an unthinking hatred for the living who left them unshriven. It requires either a blessed servant of the gods or a stout weapon to force them onward into the afterlife. Places where great numbers of people died without the care of priests or funerary rites often serve as nests for groups of angry, frightened undead. Due to their lack of souls elves can never become undead, but dwarves and halflings sometimes experience the same terror of the world to come.
Skeleton: ?
Animate Corpse: ?
Hungry Ghoul: ?
Restless Specter: ?

Silent Legions

Spoiler

Undead: The undead have a special place in the shadow world. Some seem to the product of human sins and vices, while others appear to be the consequence of magical contamination or otherworldly incursions. Some occultists theorize that the undead are actually intrusions of a different state of being from some neighboring Kelipah, an infection of a different order of life than this world supports. Others claim that they are actually the product of a parasitical outer entity that infests the corpses and minds of the wretched dead. The types given below are merely the most common varieties. Death blooms in strange abundance in the varieties of undead, and unique monstrosities are common to many investigators’ experience.
Zombie: ?
Ghoul: ?
Vampire: ?
Ghost: ?

Sinister Serpents New Forms of Dragonkind

Spoiler

Skeleton: Creatures slain by the slime dragon's acid are turned into undead skeletons and shadows (so two monsters per slain victim).

Stonehell

Spoiler

Undead: In recent years, the nixthisis‘ ever-waxing power has exerted a new influence on the dungeon. Due to the sheer amount of turbulent emotions that the creature has fed upon over the decades, the nixthisis has become a powerful force of Chaos. Like a massive turbine, the nixthisis constantly generates and expels waves of chaotic energy. This energy is causing the normally immutable forces of Law to degrade within the dungeon. On Stonehell‘s lowest levels, this malignant Chaos has transformed sections of the dungeon into nightmare realms of unpredictability, with the nixthisis as their ruler. Closer to the surface, the influence of Chaos is less visible, manifesting mostly in the form of the spontaneously created undead which prowl the upper levels.
For many decades, these prisoner-slaves worked away at the gold veins under the mountains. It came to pass that, as the miners dug away at a seam of gold, they uncovered a curious stele entombed in the earth. With the discovery of this ancient stone monolith, the miners unleashed a malevolent spirit back into the world, and, in an orgy of violence and blood, the miners turned on one another. Those who died in the mines rose again in new and awful undead forms.
Phantasm: Phantasms are the mindless, ghost-like spirits of those who died from catastrophe and are doomed to continue the actions they performed prior to their deaths.
Ghoul: ?
Skeleton: ?
Zombie: ?
Bone Thing: ?
Crypt Shade: This undead creature is a roughly human-shaped collection of shadows, dust, rotted burial linens, bone fragments, and other sepulcher debris. Spawned from chaos and lingering hate, crypt shades feed on the fear and pain of their victims.
Bone Monkey: Spawned by a mixture of the magical residue in this area and the Chaotic energies of the nixthisis, these creatures are the animated skeletal remains of baboons.
Agony: Agonies are the undead spirits of those who were judged unworthy of receiving the Lady of Whips‘ final reward.
Pitman: ?
Ore Bones: Ore bones are indistinguishable from normal undead skeletons until observed up close. Only then are the mineral deposits that cake their exposed bones discernable. These mineral deposits, similar to those that form stalagmites and other cave formations, have seeped into the marrow of the ore bones‘ skeleton and encrust the exposed bones, making it tougher and more resistant to damage.

Stonehell Buried Secrets

Spoiler

Klydessia: So strong was her devotion and magic that she lingers on long after she should have gone on to her final reward. She has become an abide, a minor form of lich sustained by her power and the nixthisis‘ duplicitous mission.
Klydessia‘s magic and devotion have prolonged her existence long beyond her natural span of years. These forces have transformed her into an abide, a rare type of undead similar to a lich.
A note about Klydessia: She is an unusual abide due to the fact that she wasn‘t a true magic-user or cleric prior to her transformation. Klydessia was a witch-priestess, a special NPC class that will be detailed in a future Stonehell Dungeon Supplement.
Cthonic Hound: Chthonic hounds are the reanimated corpses of dogs that have been sacrificed to Chthonia Trimorphia. Infused with the deity‘s power, these zombie dogs act as guardians of sanctuaries dedicated to the goddess, Unlike most reanimated corpses, Chthonic hounds are in near-perfect condition, their bodies only marred by the sacrificial knife wounds that took their lives.
The most common sacrifices to Chthonia Trimorphia are dogs, some of which the goddess reanimates to serve her devotees.
Abide: When a magic-user or cleric of 8th level or greater achievement possesses an abnormally powerful drive or devotion towards a specific goal, that willpower can be sufficient to overcome Death itself. Sustained by both their sheer will and mystical energies, these atypical mortals linger on past their allotted time to become undead creatures known as abides.

Slumbering Ursine Dunes

Spoiler

Rusalka: ?
Zombastodon: Though colloquially called “zombastodons” by feckless wags who care not for life and limb, the Mammut Morbidium is a reanimated spirit-demon of the more mundane mastodon.
It is said that Kostej the Deathless himself had a hand in the base sorcery that first revivificated the lifeless corpses of the wooly elephantine pack animals so very much beloved by the northern rump-states of the Hyperboreans in the long glacial age that ended their civilization.

The Cursed Chateau

Spoiler

Lord Jordain: Lord Jourdain turned to necromancy, black magic, and eventually demon worship as means to alleviate his world-weariness and boredom. He communed with elemental spirits, slew his servants and raised them from the dead, and even summoned dark beings from the netherworld, but he found no pleasure in any of these activities. Lord Jourdain eventually came to the conclusion that the mortal realm offered him nothing but tedium and so committed ritual suicide in the hope that the next world might prove more interesting than the present one.
Lord Jourdain’s spirit survived his death as he had hoped, but it was bound to his earthly home by a curse he could not explain. "us, he could not move on to whatever reward – or punishment – awaited him in the afterlife. Instead, he remained forever linked to his chateau.
This secret room is also where Lord Jourdain committed ritual suicide, spilling his blood into a large basin that contained numerous magical herbs and chemicals. He hoped that this ritual would not only end his life but allow his spirit to roam freely through the cosmos. Unfortunately, he misunderstood the nature of the ritual he was attempting and so bound himself to the grounds of his chateau.
Skeleton: A result of Lord Jourdain’s intervention.
An undead ooze can also expel skeletons from its body, which fight on its behalf.
Hervisse the Cook, Wight: ?
Landri the Majordomo, Spectre: ?
Rixende the Maid, Wraith: ?
Zombie: ?
Ghoul: Servants of Lord Jourdain whom he tricked into cannibalism and thereby set on the path to becoming ghouls.
Dame Helissente, Spectre: "is locked bedroom is now the haunt of Dame Helissente, a mistress of Lord Jourdain,
who locked herself in this bedroom without either food or water in order to “punish” him for his having taken another lover. Helissente had hoped that Jourdain would express his love for her by saving her from wasting away, but, to her surprise and dismay, he found her actions diverting for a time and ordered the room bolted from the outside as well. He took pleasure in listening to Helissente’s begging for him to release her from the room, as well as her claims to having forgiven him for his “indiscretion.” The jilted mistress eventually died in the bedroom and her vengeful spirit rose as a vengeful spectre.
Undead Ooze: Created by Lord Jourdain through necromantic rituals.
Ghast: ?

The Cursed Chateau

Spoiler

Lord Jordain: Lord Jourdain turned to necromancy, black magic, and eventually demon worship as means to alleviate his world-weariness and boredom. He communed with elemental spirits, slew his servants and raised them from the dead, and even summoned dark beings from the netherworld, but he found no pleasure in any of these activities. Lord Jourdain eventually came to the conclusion that the mortal realm offered him nothing but tedium and so committed ritual suicide in the hope that the next world might prove more interesting than the present one.
Lord Jourdain’s spirit survived his death as he had hoped, but it was bound to his earthly home by a curse he could not explain. Thus, he could not move on to whatever reward – or punishment – awaited him in the afterlife. Instead, he remained forever linked to his chateau.
This secret room is also where Lord Jourdain committed ritual suicide, spilling his blood into a large basin that contained numerous magical herbs and chemicals. He hoped that this ritual would not only end his life but allow his spirit to roam freely through the cosmos. Unfortunately, he misunderstood the nature of the ritual he was attempting and so bound himself to the grounds of his chateau.
Skeleton: A result of Lord Jourdain’s intervention.
An undead ooze can also expel skeletons from its body, which fight on its behalf.
Hervisse the Cook, Wight: ?
Landri the Majordomo, Spectre: ?
Rixende the Maid, Wraith: ?
Zombie: ?
Ghoul: Servants of Lord Jourdain whom he tricked into cannibalism and thereby set on the path to becoming ghouls.
Dame Helissente, Spectre: This locked bedroom is now the haunt of Dame Helissente, a mistress of Lord Jourdain, who locked herself in this bedroom without either food or water in order to “punish” him for his having taken another lover. Helissente had hoped that Jourdain would express his love for her by saving her from wasting away, but, to her surprise and dismay, he found her actions diverting for a time and ordered the room bolted from the outside as well. He took pleasure in listening to Helissente’s begging for him to release her from the room, as well as her claims to having forgiven him for his “indiscretion.” The jilted mistress eventually died in the bedroom and her vengeful spirit rose as a vengeful spectre.
Undead Ooze: Created by Lord Jourdain through necromantic rituals.
Ghast: ?

The Village of Larm

Spoiler

Undead: One day the new Abbot, Erkmar, was given a strange book made of human skin and written in blood, the so-called Dark Book of Grimic.
He knew he had to destroy it, so he initiated a ritual involving every single monk and cleric in the temple. They gathered in the church crypt, began chanting songs and prayers, lit magic candles and a huge fire, then threw the book on top of it.
The complex ritual wasn’t necessary, as this sort of book “wants” to be destroyed (see Appendix 6). Erkmar could have destroyed it with just a candle. Still his quick actions afterwards, and the fact that he immediately sealed the temple, prevented an even greater catastrophe occurring.
At first nothing happened, the book seemed to resist the fire. But suddenly, the Abbot was blinded by a roaring flame and the whole temple was engulfed in heavy black smoke that made it hard to breathe.
When he was able to see and breathe again, he gasped in horror, for what he saw was too terrible for him to behold.
Everyone in the temple, except for himself, had been transformed into a zombie, skeleton or other terrible form of undead. In shock, he stumbled all the way out of the temple and banged the door shut behind him, never to return again.
All the undead in this temple were transformed by The Dark Book of Grimic about 30 years ago.
Skeleton: Like all the monks and clerics in the temple, these acolytes were transformed into undead when the Dark Book of Grimic was destroyed 30 years ago.
Dark Book of Gimric.
Zombie: Dark Book of Gimric.
Ghoul: Dark Book of Gimric.
Wight: Dark Book of Gimric.
Wraith: Dark Book of Gimric.

The Dark Book of Grimic
This strange book, made of human skin and written in blood, is a powerful tool of the chaotic god Grimic, “the Slaughterer”.
It is written in the goblin tongue.
Every worshipper of Grimic who reads this book, which takes 1d4 days, can add 1 point to his strength score and 1 point to his wisdom score.
The true purpose of the book is only fulfilled when lawful beings try to destroy it. The book can only be destroyed by fire, but the moment the pages catch alight, black smoke will erupt from the book, turning every living thing within its cloud into an undead thing of comparable hit points (e.g. level 1 persons are transformed into skeletons, level 2 beings become zombies, those of level 3 will become wights, level 4 – wraiths, level 5 - mummies, level 6 - spectres, and those of level 7 or higher will become vampires).
The sole purpose of these undead beings is to destroy all living things in the immediate surroundings, which gives them a morale of 12.

Theorems & Thaumaturgy Revised Edition

Spoiler

Leprous Dead: In melee, the leprous dead attack with their fists. Each successful hit carries with it the risk of leprosy infection. The target must save versus poison, with a +3 bonus, or contract the disease. Infected victims suffer a loss of 2 points of CHA per month, dying when CHA reaches 0. Those who die from the disease will themselves become leprous dead.

Undead Curse of Undeath spell.
Death Geas spell.
Raise Dead Lesser spell.
Summon Necromantic Familiar spell.
Steal Life Force spell.
Death Ward Ring magic item.
Wraith: Guardian Spirit spell.
Wight: Reinstate Spirit spell.
Skeleton: Skeletal Army spell.
Skeletal Servitor spell.
Skeleton Teeth magic item.
Zombie: Zombie Servitor spell.

Curse of Undeath 6th level [Enchantment, Necromancy]
Duration: Permanent
Range: 30’
The necromancer places a curse on a single target in range, declaring that their fate upon death is to rise again as undead. The target may make a saving throw versus spells to resist. If the save fails, the victim’s soul is forfeit and the doom is inevitable. It may only be dispelled by remove curse or limited wish.
The exact form of undead which the victim becomes depends on the victim’s level or Hit Dice and is determined by the Labyrinth Lord.

Death Geas 7th level [Charm, Necromancy]
Duration: See below
Range: 30’
Similar to the cleric spell quest, this spell compels the target to undertake a quest determined by the caster. The death geas functions identically to the quest spell, save for one addition: if the victim dies while performing the quest, he or she will rise as undead and not rest until the quest is fulfilled. The type of undead the victim rises as depends on the victim’s level or Hit Dice and should be determined by the Labyrinth Lord.

Guardian Spirit 5th level [Necromancy, Summoning]
Duration: 1 day per level
Range: 0
Casting Time: 2 hours
Cost: 250gp (dust of skulls and black opal)
The necromancer summons a lost soul from the underworld and tasks it to guard the location where this spell is cast. Once summoned, the spirit lies dormant and invisible in the locale to be protected, but will manifest when any living being enters the area. When casting the spell, the necromancer must choose from the following options:
• The spirit manifests as a wraith and attempts to fight off intruders.
• The spirit manifests in the necromancer’s current location, warning of the intrusion.
• The spirit manifests as a chilling fog, having the same effects as the fog cloud spell, but additionally causing 1hp of cold damage per round.
The guardian spirit will only manifest once, after which the spirit is released from its task.
The summoning and binding of the guardian spirit takes the form of a two hour ritual and requires three humanoid skulls and a black opal worth 250gp. These components are ground into a fine dust which must be sprinkled throughout the area as the spell is cast.

Raise Dead, Lesser 4th level [Necromancy]
Duration: Permanent
Range: 120’
Similar to the clerical spell raise dead, this spell enables the necromancer to bring the dead back to life. However, unlike the true raise dead, this spell lacks the power to permanently reunite spirit and flesh. The raised creature suffers the fortnight of weakness, as described in raise dead, and may then act as normal for one day per level of the caster. Once this grace period has passed, the resurrected spirit becomes restless and the body begins to weaken, spiralling toward a second, inevitable death. The subject must roll each day on the following table, with a cumulative +3% modifier per day.
Raise dead, lesser, daily effects
d% Result
01–24 Lose 1d4 hit points.
25–34 Lose one point of CON.
35–44 Lose one point of DEX.
45–54 Lose one point of STR.
55–59 Fingers, teeth, or hair start rotting away or falling out. CHA reduced by one.
60–64 A limb dies and drops off.
65–69 Lose one experience level.
70–73 Overcome with murderous lust.
74–78 Overwhelmed with sorrow.
79–83 Lose the will to eat—starvation begins unless force-fed.
84–87 Can only gain sustenance through cannibalism.
88–91 Become semi-corporeal—AC improves by 2 points, but unable to manipulate fine objects.
92–94 Become fully incorporeal—can only be harmed by magical weapons, but cannot affect the physical world in any way.
95–99 Become undead (the Labyrinth Lord decides which type).
00+ Death.

Reinstate Spirit 9th level [Necromancy, Summoning]
Duration: Permanent
Range: Unlimited
Casting Time: 1 hour
With this ritual, the necromancer may summon the spirit of a deceased being whose name is known and to cause it to be reinstated into a corpse which is in the caster’s presence. The spirits of long-deceased beings dwell in the more distant realms of death and are less easily tempted back to life—as the necromancer increases in experience, he may successfully send his summons to spirits of ever more advanced age, as shown in the table below.
Reinstated in the new body, the spirit becomes an undead creature equivalent to a wight. It does, however, retain its personality and all knowledge of its life (and beyond).
The newly undead creature is not necessarily in any way favourably disposed towards the caster and may, indeed, resent being forcibly brought into a state of undeath. Powerful spirits may, at the Labyrinth Lord’s discretion, be allowed a saving throw versus spells to resist being reinstated.
The casting of this spell to revive the spirits of the long-dead is extremely taxing on the necromancer’s sanity. When reinstating a spirit which has been deceased for 70 years or more, the caster must make a saving throw versus spells or permanently lose one point of WIS. For spirits of 140 years or older, the save at a -2 penalty and, for those of 1,000 years or older, a -4 penalty applies.
Reinstate spirit, maximum age of spirit
Caster Level Time Deceased
17 7 years
18 70 years
19 140 years
20 1,000 years
21+ Unlimited

Skeletal Army 8th level [Necromancy]
Duration: 1 hour per level
Range: 120’
Cast in a graveyard or at the site of a battle, this spell causes up to 1d6 HD of skeletons per level of the caster to reanimate and rise up from the earth, ready to do the caster’s bidding. The skeletal legion are equipped with whatever weapons and arms they were buried with. When the duration ends, the raised skeletons and their weaponry crumble to dust.

Skeletal Servitor 1st level [Necromancy]
Duration: 6 turns, +1 turn per level
Range: Touch
A single humanoid skeleton is reanimated under the caster’s control for the duration of this spell. Apart from the short duration and the limitation of a single skeleton, it functions in the same way as animate dead.

Steal Life Force 9th level [Necromancy]
Duration: Permanent
Range: Touch
An energetic conduit is opened between the necromancer and another sentient, living being. The subject must save versus death or be aged 1d10 years. If the subject is aged beyond his natural life-span, it dies.
The energy drained from the victim is channelled into the necromancer, who is rejuvenated by an equal number of years (restoring him to a state of at most young adulthood). Some evil necromancers make use of this spell to indefinitely extend their life-span by stealing the lives of victims.
Each time this spell is used, there is a 1 in 6 chance that the caster will permanently lose one point of CON. When the number of CON points lost equals the necromancer’s original CON ability score, he enters an undead state.

Summon Necromantic Familiar 1st level [Necromancy, Summoning]
Duration: See description of magic-user spell
Range: 10’ per level
Casting Time: 1-24 hours
Cost: 100gp (rare herbs)
This spell works in a similar way to the magic-user spell summon familiar, but with the following differences:
• The reanimated corpse of a creature from the normal familiars list may respond to the spell—an undead cat or raven, for example.
• Necromancers casting this spell may also summon gruesome creatures such as an unnaturally large spider or centipede.
• The probability of a special familiar remains at 5%, but only an imp or quasit will respond to this spell.

Zombie Servitor 2nd level [Necromancy]
Duration: 6 turns, +1 turn per level
Range: Touch
This spell causes a single humanoid corpse to reanimate as a zombie under the necromancer’s control for the duration. Apart from the short duration and the limitation of a single zombie, it functions in the same way as animate dead.

Death Ward Ring
This ring grants the wearer the ability to cheat death a limited number of times—it typically has 1d4 charges when found. When the wearer of the ring reaches 0 or lower hit points, a charge of the ring is automatically expended. Each time a charge is used, the Labyrinth Lord should roll on the following table to determine the effect.
Death ward ring, effects of usage
d10 Effect
1–5 Wearer revived to 1hp.
6 Wearer revived to 1hp but permanently loses 1 point of CON or WIS.
7 Wearer revived to 1hp but becomes resistant to raise dead, which has a 50% chance of failure the next time it is cast.
8 Wearer revived to 1hp but unconscious for 2d4 days.
9 Wearer does not suffer the damage which would have caused death; it is instead reflected to its source.
10 Wearer becomes undead (perhaps a ghoul, wight, or zombie).

Skeleton Teeth
These enchanted teeth are usually found as a set of 2d6, either laced onto a necklace or kept in a pouch. The teeth are typically human, but may be of any species. When a tooth is taken and thrown onto the ground, an animated skeleton bearing a sword springs up immediately. If the person throwing the tooth is a necromancer, he can command the skeleton to do his bidding. Characters of other classes have a 75% chance of being able to command the conjured skeleton; otherwise the creature will turn and attack the one who summoned it. The skeletons and their swords crumble to dust after 6 turns.

Vampires of the Olden Lands

Spoiler

Bhabaphir, Granny Soul-Sucker: Bhabaphirs are horribly twisted old ladies, the corrupted “wise woman” of a village transformed into a vicious and most evil form of undead. The means for such a thing to pass are several. First and foremost, the wise-woman may delve into eldritch things that are beyond her ken and thus be horribly transformed, possessed perhaps, by a demonic spirit. Similarly, she may be corrupted by Chaos through feelings of jealousy, envy, or hatred for those in her community whom she feels may take advantage of her. Too, another bhabaphir may visit the village in disguise and “convert” the local wise-woman. Finally, she may fall in secret to the service of another, more potent vampire, and also be transformed.
Ekimmu, Spirit Vampire, Vampire Lord: They are themselves descended from Chaos cultists of Elder Deshret who ascended to a state of Undeath during the Wars of Chaos.
Strighoiphirs who have ascended beyond their physical bodies.
If the ekimmu slays a human, half-elven, half-ogre, half-orc, goblin-man, or gnole victim with his energy drain ability, he may, if he chooses, cause the victim to rise again as a strighoiphir, mhoroiphir, or other lesser form of vampire. He can also cause it to rise again as a spectre, wraith, wight, ghast, ghoul, or zombie, if he so chooses. Only 13+ HD ekimmu can create other ekimmu; these will be of the 10 HD variety.
Spectre: If the ekimmu slays a human, half-elven, half-ogre, half-orc, goblin-man, or gnole victim with his energy drain ability, he may, if he chooses, cause the victim to rise again as a strighoiphir, mhoroiphir, or other lesser form of vampire. He can also cause it to rise again as a spectre, wraith, wight, ghast, ghoul, or zombie, if he so chooses. Only 13+ HD ekimmu can create other ekimmu; these will be of the 10 HD variety.
Lhamira, Vampire-Witch: A human, half-elven, half-ogre, half-orc, goblin-man, or gnole victim killed by the lhamira’s kiss can be brought back to un-life, under the control of the slaying lhamira. The lhamira usually must want to use this ability; it is not automatic. Males will be brought back as mhoroiphirs, females as lhamiras, and children as szalbaphirs.
Lhamphir, Plague Bearer: The lhamphir arises on rare occasions from those who were slain through plague; only the first slain in a settlement might arise as a lhamphir, if proper precautions are not taken. If the body is given final rites and a proper burial or cremation according to the Good or Lawful faith to which the victim belonged, then the lhamphir cannot arise. Otherwise, there is a percentage chance equal to the Charisma score plus the level of the victim that he arises as a lhamphir. If the community and his family abandoned him during his illness, this chance doubles that he arises as a lhamphir, eager to avenge himself upon those who turned on him.
If the lhamphir slays a human, half-elven, half-ogre, half-orc, goblin-man, or gnole victim of his disease by use of his drain health ability to drain his last point of Constitution (not merely through loss of Constitution through the disease), he may, if he chooses, cause the victim to rise again the next night as a lhamphir or a ghoul. If he creates a ghoul spawn, the ghoul will not cause paralysis with its bite and claw attacks; instead the attacks might cause the plague, as per the black breath ability of the lhamphir.
Mhoroiphir, Living Vampire: Mhoroiphirs can result from several sources, the most common being created as the spawn of an existing mhoroiphir. They can also be created by lhamiras, strighoiphirs, and ekimmu. Finally, they might arise naturally, or rather, unnaturally, especially in the land of Strigoria. These methods include, among others:
 Dying without being consecrated to the God of Law;
 Committing suicide;
 Practicing sorcery, black witchcraft, or eldritch wizardry in life;
 Having a spell-caster’s familiar jump on your corpse before you are buried;
 Eating the flesh of an animal killed by a vampire;
 Being slain by a lycanthrope;
 Death by murder un-avenged;
 Dying while cursed by a sorcerer or witch.
If the ekimmu slays a human, half-elven, half-ogre, half-orc, goblin-man, or gnole victim with his energy drain ability, he may, if he chooses, cause the victim to rise again as a strighoiphir, mhoroiphir, or other lesser form of vampire. He can also cause it to rise again as a spectre, wraith, wight, ghast, ghoul, or zombie, if he so chooses. Only 13+ HD ekimmu can create other ekimmu; these will be of the 10 HD variety.
A human, half-elven, half-ogre, half-orc, goblin-man, or gnole victim killed by the lhamira’s kiss can be brought back to un-life, under the control of the slaying lhamira. The lhamira usually must want to use this ability; it is not automatic. Males will be brought back as mhoroiphirs, females as lhamiras, and children as szalbaphirs.:
A human, half-elven, half-ogre, half-orc, goblin-man, or gnole victim killed by the mhoroiphir’s energy drain can be brought back to un-life, under the control of the slaying mhoroiphir. The mhoroiphir usually must want to use this ability; it is not automatic. It may still occur unintentionally if the victim meets any of the requirements listed above, or in any case if the victim makes a percentage roll equal to or less than half his level rounded up.
A human, half-elven, half-ogre, half-orc, goblin-man, or gnole victim killed by the strighoiphir’s energy drain can be brought back to un-life, under the control of the slaying strighoiphir. The strighoiphir usually must want to use this ability; it is not automatic. It may still occur unintentionally if the victim meets any of the requirements listed under the mhoroiphir, or in any case if the victim makes a percentage roll equal to or less than half his level rounded up.
A strighoiphir can also choose to create mhoroiphir, ghast, or ghoul spawn instead of strighoiphir spawn, or can choose to simply animate their victim as a zombie.
Strighoiphir, Dead Vampire: A strighoiphir is a “dead vampire,” that is, it is the result of a vampire that has been slain once but risen again, due to the required ritual being incomplete or incorrectly performed. Strighoiphirs can also result from an ekimmu or strighoiphir creating such a beast.
A human, half-elven, half-ogre, half-orc, goblin-man, or gnole victim killed by the strighoiphir’s energy drain can be brought back to un-life, under the control of the slaying strighoiphir. The strighoiphir usually must want to use this ability; it is not automatic. It may still occur unintentionally if the victim meets any of the requirements listed under the mhoroiphir, or in any case if the victim makes a percentage roll equal to or less than half his level rounded up.
If the ekimmu slays a human, half-elven, half-ogre, half-orc, goblin-man, or gnole victim with his energy drain ability, he may, if he chooses, cause the victim to rise again as a strighoiphir, mhoroiphir, or other lesser form of vampire. He can also cause it to rise again as a spectre, wraith, wight, ghast, ghoul, or zombie, if he so chooses. Only 13+ HD ekimmu can create other ekimmu; these will be of the 10 HD variety.
Szalbaphir, Vampire Gamin: Szalbaphirs normally arise when a child is lost in the forest or exposed on a hill and found by vampires. They also result when a vampire seeks revenge against a mortal and drains his children to create a true level of horror.
A human, half-elven, half-ogre, half-orc, goblin-man, or gnole victim killed by the szalbaphir’s blood drain can be brought back to un-life, under the control of the slaying szalbaphir. The szalbaphir usually must want to use this ability; it is not automatic. It may still occur unintentionally if the victim meets any of the requirements listed under mhoroiphir above, or in any case if the victim makes a percentage roll equal to or less than half his level rounded up.
A szalbaphir can create other szalbaphirs if their victim is a child (12 years or younger); adults who rise are ghouls.
Wraith: If the ekimmu slays a human, half-elven, half-ogre, half-orc, goblin-man, or gnole victim with his energy drain ability, he may, if he chooses, cause the victim to rise again as a strighoiphir, mhoroiphir, or other lesser form of vampire. He can also cause it to rise again as a spectre, wraith, wight, ghast, ghoul, or zombie, if he so chooses. Only 13+ HD ekimmu can create other ekimmu; these will be of the 10 HD variety.
Ghast: If the ekimmu slays a human, half-elven, half-ogre, half-orc, goblin-man, or gnole victim with his energy drain ability, he may, if he chooses, cause the victim to rise again as a strighoiphir, mhoroiphir, or other lesser form of vampire. He can also cause it to rise again as a spectre, wraith, wight, ghast, ghoul, or zombie, if he so chooses. Only 13+ HD ekimmu can create other ekimmu; these will be of the 10 HD variety.
A human, half-elven, half-ogre, half-orc, goblin-man, or gnole victim killed by the strighoiphir’s energy drain can be brought back to un-life, under the control of the slaying strighoiphir. The strighoiphir usually must want to use this ability; it is not automatic. It may still occur unintentionally if the victim meets any of the requirements listed under the mhoroiphir, or in any case if the victim makes a percentage roll equal to or less than half his level rounded up.
A strighoiphir can also choose to create mhoroiphir, ghast, or ghoul spawn instead of strighoiphir spawn, or can choose to simply animate their victim as a zombie.
Ghoul: If the ekimmu slays a human, half-elven, half-ogre, half-orc, goblin-man, or gnole victim with his energy drain ability, he may, if he chooses, cause the victim to rise again as a strighoiphir, mhoroiphir, or other lesser form of vampire. He can also cause it to rise again as a spectre, wraith, wight, ghast, ghoul, or zombie, if he so chooses. Only 13+ HD ekimmu can create other ekimmu; these will be of the 10 HD variety.
If the lhamphir slays a human, half-elven, half-ogre, half-orc, goblin-man, or gnole victim of his disease by use of his drain health ability to drain his last point of Constitution (not merely through loss of Constitution through the disease), he may, if he chooses, cause the victim to rise again the next night as a lhamphir or a ghoul. If he creates a ghoul spawn, the ghoul will not cause paralysis with its bite and claw attacks; instead the attacks might cause the plague, as per the black breath ability of the lhamphir.
A human, half-elven, half-ogre, half-orc, goblin-man, or gnole victim killed by the mhoroiphir’s energy drain can be brought back to un-life, under the control of the slaying mhoroiphir. The mhoroiphir usually must want to use this ability; it is not automatic. It may still occur unintentionally if the victim meets any of the requirements listed above, or in any case if the victim makes a percentage roll equal to or less than half his level rounded up. A mhoroiphir can also choose to create ghoul spawn instead of mhoroiphir spawn.
A human, half-elven, half-ogre, half-orc, goblin-man, or gnole victim killed by the strighoiphir’s energy drain can be brought back to un-life, under the control of the slaying strighoiphir. The strighoiphir usually must want to use this ability; it is not automatic. It may still occur unintentionally if the victim meets any of the requirements listed under the mhoroiphir, or in any case if the victim makes a percentage roll equal to or less than half his level rounded up.
A strighoiphir can also choose to create mhoroiphir, ghast, or ghoul spawn instead of strighoiphir spawn, or can choose to simply animate their victim as a zombie.
A human, half-elven, half-ogre, half-orc, goblin-man, or gnole victim killed by the szalbaphir’s blood drain can be brought back to un-life, under the control of the slaying szalbaphir. The szalbaphir usually must want to use this ability; it is not automatic. It may still occur unintentionally if the victim meets any of the requirements listed under mhoroiphir above, or in any case if the victim makes a percentage roll equal to or less than half his level rounded up.
A szalbaphir can create other szalbaphirs if their victim is a child (12 years or younger); adults who rise are ghouls.
Zombie: If the ekimmu slays a human, half-elven, half-ogre, half-orc, goblin-man, or gnole victim with his energy drain ability, he may, if he chooses, cause the victim to rise again as a strighoiphir, mhoroiphir, or other lesser form of vampire. He can also cause it to rise again as a spectre, wraith, wight, ghast, ghoul, or zombie, if he so chooses. Only 13+ HD ekimmu can create other ekimmu; these will be of the 10 HD variety.
A human, half-elven, half-ogre, half-orc, goblin-man, or gnole victim killed by the strighoiphir’s energy drain can be brought back to un-life, under the control of the slaying strighoiphir. The strighoiphir usually must want to use this ability; it is not automatic. It may still occur unintentionally if the victim meets any of the requirements listed under the mhoroiphir, or in any case if the victim makes a percentage roll equal to or less than half his level rounded up.
A strighoiphir can also choose to create mhoroiphir, ghast, or ghoul spawn instead of strighoiphir spawn, or can choose to simply animate their victim as a zombie.

Wraith: If the ekimmu slays a human, half-elven, half-ogre, half-orc, goblin-man, or gnole victim with his energy drain ability, he may, if he chooses, cause the victim to rise again as a strighoiphir, mhoroiphir, or other lesser form of vampire. He can also cause it to rise again as a spectre, wraith, wight, ghast, ghoul, or zombie, if he so chooses. Only 13+ HD ekimmu can create other ekimmu; these will be of the 10 HD variety.
Ghast: If the ekimmu slays a human, half-elven, half-ogre, half-orc, goblin-man, or gnole victim with his energy drain ability, he may, if he chooses, cause the victim to rise again as a strighoiphir, mhoroiphir, or other lesser form of vampire. He can also cause it to rise again as a spectre, wraith, wight, ghast, ghoul, or zombie, if he so chooses. Only 13+ HD ekimmu can create other ekimmu; these will be of the 10 HD variety.
A human, half-elven, half-ogre, half-orc, goblin-man, or gnole victim killed by the strighoiphir’s energy drain can be brought back to un-life, under the control of the slaying strighoiphir. The strighoiphir usually must want to use this ability; it is not automatic. It may still occur unintentionally if the victim meets any of the requirements listed under the mhoroiphir, or in any case if the victim makes a percentage roll equal to or less than half his level rounded up.
A strighoiphir can also choose to create mhoroiphir, ghast, or ghoul spawn instead of strighoiphir spawn, or can choose to simply animate their victim as a zombie.
Ghoul: If the ekimmu slays a human, half-elven, half-ogre, half-orc, goblin-man, or gnole victim with his energy drain ability, he may, if he chooses, cause the victim to rise again as a strighoiphir, mhoroiphir, or other lesser form of vampire. He can also cause it to rise again as a spectre, wraith, wight, ghast, ghoul, or zombie, if he so chooses. Only 13+ HD ekimmu can create other ekimmu; these will be of the 10 HD variety.
If the lhamphir slays a human, half-elven, half-ogre, half-orc, goblin-man, or gnole victim of his disease by use of his drain health ability to drain his last point of Constitution (not merely through loss of Constitution through the disease), he may, if he chooses, cause the victim to rise again the next night as a lhamphir or a ghoul. If he creates a ghoul spawn, the ghoul will not cause paralysis with its bite and claw attacks; instead the attacks might cause the plague, as per the black breath ability of the lhamphir.
A human, half-elven, half-ogre, half-orc, goblin-man, or gnole victim killed by the mhoroiphir’s energy drain can be brought back to un-life, under the control of the slaying mhoroiphir. The mhoroiphir usually must want to use this ability; it is not automatic. It may still occur unintentionally if the victim meets any of the requirements listed above, or in any case if the victim makes a percentage roll equal to or less than half his level rounded up. A mhoroiphir can also choose to create ghoul spawn instead of mhoroiphir spawn.
A human, half-elven, half-ogre, half-orc, goblin-man, or gnole victim killed by the strighoiphir’s energy drain can be brought back to un-life, under the control of the slaying strighoiphir. The strighoiphir usually must want to use this ability; it is not automatic. It may still occur unintentionally if the victim meets any of the requirements listed under the mhoroiphir, or in any case if the victim makes a percentage roll equal to or less than half his level rounded up.
A strighoiphir can also choose to create mhoroiphir, ghast, or ghoul spawn instead of strighoiphir spawn, or can choose to simply animate their victim as a zombie.
A human, half-elven, half-ogre, half-orc, goblin-man, or gnole victim killed by the szalbaphir’s blood drain can be brought back to un-life, under the control of the slaying szalbaphir. The szalbaphir usually must want to use this ability; it is not automatic. It may still occur unintentionally if the victim meets any of the requirements listed under mhoroiphir above, or in any case if the victim makes a percentage roll equal to or less than half his level rounded up.
A szalbaphir can create other szalbaphirs if their victim is a child (12 years or younger); adults who rise are ghouls.
Zombie: If the ekimmu slays a human, half-elven, half-ogre, half-orc, goblin-man, or gnole victim with his energy drain ability, he may, if he chooses, cause the victim to rise again as a strighoiphir, mhoroiphir, or other lesser form of vampire. He can also cause it to rise again as a spectre, wraith, wight, ghast, ghoul, or zombie, if he so chooses. Only 13+ HD ekimmu can create other ekimmu; these will be of the 10 HD variety.
A human, half-elven, half-ogre, half-orc, goblin-man, or gnole victim killed by the strighoiphir’s energy drain can be brought back to un-life, under the control of the slaying strighoiphir. The strighoiphir usually must want to use this ability; it is not automatic. It may still occur unintentionally if the victim meets any of the requirements listed under the mhoroiphir, or in any case if the victim makes a percentage roll equal to or less than half his level rounded up.
A strighoiphir can also choose to create mhoroiphir, ghast, or ghoul spawn instead of strighoiphir spawn, or can choose to simply animate their victim as a zombie.

Westwater

Spoiler

Ghoul: ?
Mummy: ?
Skeleton: Skeletons are those animated skeletal remains of humanoid (most often but not always) creatures.
Specter: ?
Vampire: ?
Wraith: Wraiths are undead creatures, spirits of those who have died violently.
Creatures slain by a wraith will raise as a wraith themselves in 1d4 days.
Wight: Any creature drained to level 0 will die and become a wight themselves in 1d4 days.
Zombie: Zombies are mindless undead creatures, being the animated remains of humanoids (mostly).

Wrack & Rune

Spoiler

Ghost: Before Nacor returned to claim the booty, he died at sea.

Yoon-Suin

Spoiler

Undead Amphisbaenid: These amphisbaenids sometimes, for reasons unknown, are able to extend their life beyond death and live an immortal existence in the deep forests of Láhág.
Chokgyur, Who Has Seen the Afterlife:
Chokgyur Worshipper: Undead monks who he drained the life from and took with him when he left the Walung monastery.
Sokushinbutsu: ?

Lamentations of the Flame Princess

Spoiler

Lamentation of the Flame Princess

Spoiler

Undead: Animate Dead spell.
Animate Dead Monsters spell.
Summon spell entity's Victims Rise as Undead power.
Animate Dead
Magic-User Level 5
Duration: Instantaneous
Range: 10'
This spell energizes the faint memories of life that cling to the corpses and skeletons of people, allowing them to move and act in a gross mockery of their former existence. Because the entities inhabiting these bodies are chosen by the caster, these undead are under his total control. However, the faint memories of life retained by the corpse or skeleton constantly struggles with the invader introduced by the caster, a conflict that drives the host corpse or skeleton to destructive urges. The animated dead will always interpret any instructions in the most violent and destructive manner possible. They will also prefer to attack those that they knew in life, no matter their former relationship with the person in question. The bodies remain animated until they are destroyed.
For each level of the caster, he creates 1 Hit Die, the total of which is then used to determine the Hit Dice of the undead and any special abilities. One or two Hit Dice must be assigned to each undead as the caster desires. This is each undead’s Hit Dice for the purposes of its Hit Points, saving throws, and to hit rolls. If the undead is to have special abilities, each increases the Hit Dice “cost” by one (except energy drain, which increases it by two). Adding special abilities does not increase the actual Hit Dice of the undead. Only mindless undead are created by this spell, and they must be commanded verbally.

Animate Dead Monsters
Magic-User Level 6
Duration: Instantaneous
Range: 10'
This spell energizes the faint memories of life that cling to the corpses and skeletons of creatures, animating them to a mocking caricature of their living selves. Each creature’s intellect and willpower is no longer present, allowing these undead to be under the total control of the caster. However, the faint memories of life retained by the corpse or skeleton constantly struggles with the invader introduced by the caster, a conflict that drives the host corpse or skeleton to destructive urges. They will always interpret any instructions in the most violent and destructive manner possible. The bodies remain animated until they are destroyed.
For each level of the caster, he creates 1 Hit Die, the total of which is then used to determine the Hit Dice of the undead and any special abilities. One or two Hit Dice must be assigned to each undead as the caster desires. This is each undead’s Hit Dice for the purposes of its Hit Points, saving throws, and to hit rolls. If the undead is to have special abilities, each increases the Hit Dice “cost” by one (except energy drain, which increases it by two). Adding special abilities does not increase the actual Hit Dice of the undead. Only mindless undead are created by this spell, and they must be commanded verbally.

Summon
Magic-User Level 1
Duration: See Below
Range: 10'
Magic fundamentally works by ripping a hole in the fabric of space and time and pulling out energy that interacts with and warps our reality. Various mages have managed to consistently capture specific energy in exact amounts to produce replicable results: Spells.
The Summon spell opens the rift between the worlds a little bit more and forces an inhabitant From Beyond into our world to do the Magic-User's bidding. What exactly comes through the tear, and whether or not it will do what the summoner wishes, is wholly unpredictable.
Once the Summon spell is cast, there are a number of steps to resolve:
The caster chooses the intended Power of the ¶¶Summoned Entity
The caster makes a saving throw versus Magic ¶¶
Determine the Entity’s Form ¶¶
Determine the Entity’s Powers ¶¶
Resolve the Domination Roll ¶¶
Step One
The caster must decide how powerful a creature— expressed in terms of Hit Dice—he will attempt to summon. This cannot be more than two times the caster's level, but this effective level for this purpose can be modified by Thaumaturgic Circles and Sacrifices—see below.
Step Two
The caster must make a saving throw versus Magic. Failing this saving throw means a more powerful creature than anticipated might come through the tear in the fabric of reality, which can have dire consequences for all present.
Step Three
The creature's form and powers will be randomly determined on the following tables, with different results altering the creature's basic stats.
Those default stats are: AC 12, 1 attack for 1d6 damage, Move 120' (ground), ML 10.
To determine the creature’s basic form, roll 1d12 if the original casting save was made, 1d20 if it was not.
Form
1–2 1 Amoeba
2 Balloon
3 Blood (immune to norm. attacks)
3–4 1 Brain
2 Canine (Move 180')
3 Crab (2 attacks, +2 AC)
5–6 1 Crystal (+4 AC)
2 Excrement
3 Eyeball
7–8 1 Frog (leap 150')
2 Fungus (Move 60')
3 Insectoid (+2 AC)
9–10 1 Organic Rot (causes disease on a hit)
2 Polyhedral
3 Seaweed
11–12 1 Slime (Move 60')
2 Snake (50% poison, 50% constriction)
3 Squid
13–19 1 Anti-Matter (HDd6 explosion on every contact)
2 Dream-Matter (all touched become Confused)
3 Flowing Colors
4 Fog (immune to normal attacks)
5 Lightning (Move 240', immune to normal attacks, 1d8 damage touch, touching it with metal does 1d8 damage)
6 Orb of Light (immune to normal attacks)
7 Pure Energy (immune to normal attacks, touch does 1d8 damage)
8 Shadow
9 Smoke (immune to normal attacks, Move 240', suffocation attack)
10 Wind (immune to normal attacks, Move 240')
20* 1 Collective Unconscious Desire for Suicide
2 Disruption of the Universal Order
3 Fear of a Blackened Planet
4 Imaginary Equation, Incorrect yet True
5 Lament of a Mother for her Dead Child
6 Lust of a Betrayed Lover
7 Memories of Pre-Conception
8 Regret for Unchosen Possibilities
9 Space Between the Ticks of a Clock
10 World Under Water
*If an Abstract Form is rolled, ignore the rest of the steps and go straight to the particular Abstract Form description below.
Each basic form that is not from the Abstract Forms category will have a number of additional features.
The base Hit Dice of the creature that the caster wished to summon determines the die type used to determine additional features as follows: Hit Dice ie Type
0 (1d6 hp) 1d2
1 1d4
2 - 4 1d6
5 - 7 1d8
8 - 10 1d10
11 - 13 1d12
14 + 1d20
Roll the indicated die type… This is the Base Number. Roll that die again. If the new roll is less than the Base Number, then roll an appendage on the following table. Roll again and keep adding appendages until a new roll greater than, or equal to, the previous roll is made.
Appendages Adjective Noun
1 1 Adhesive Antennae
2 Beautiful Arms
3 Bestial Branches
4 Chiming Claws
5 Crystalline Eggs/Seeds
6 Dead Eyes/Great Eye
2 1 Dripping Face
2 Fanged Feathers
3 Flaming Fins
4 Furred Flowers
5 Gigantic Foliage
6 Glowing Fronds
3 1 Gossamer Genitals
2 Gushing Horn
3 Humming Legs
4 Icy Lumps
5 Immaterial Machine
6 Incomplete Maggots
4 1 Malformed Mandibles
2 Necrotic Mouths/Great Maw
3 Negative Oil
4 Neon Proboscis
5 Numerous Pseudopods
6 Petrified Scales
5 1 Prehensile Shell
2 Pungent Sores
3 Reflective Spine
4 Rubbery Stinger
5 Running Stripes
6 Skeletal Suction Pods
6 1 Slimy Tail
2 Smoking Teats
3 Stalked Teeth
4 Thorned Tentacles
5 Throbbing Wings
6 Transparent Wrapping
Step Four
To determine the number of powers that a creature has, use the base Hit Dice of the creature that the caster wished to summon to determine which die type to use according to the following table: Hit Dice ie Type
0 (1d6 hp) 1d2
1 1d4
2–4 1d6
5–7 1d8
8–10 1d10
11–13 1d12
14+ 1d20

Roll the indicated die type… This is the Base Number. Roll that die again. If the initial saving throw in Step Two was successful, the entity has a special power if the second roll is less than the Base Number. Roll again and keep adding special powers until a new roll greater than, or equal to, the previous roll is made.
However, if the initial saving throw was failed, a new power is gained on a roll less than, or equal to, the Base Number, so the creature will have a greater chance to have more powers than if the casting was more controlled. If a 1 is rolled, however, no further rolls can be made.
The possible powers of a summoned entity can be randomly determined on the following table. Reroll any duplicate results.
1. AC +2d6
2. AC +1d10
3. AC +1d12
4. AC +1d12, immune to normal weapons
5. AC +1d20
6. AC +1d4
7. AC +1d6
8. AC +1d6, immune to normal weapons
9. AC +1d8
10. AC +1d8, immune to normal weapons
11. Animate Dead (at will)
12. Blurred (always on, first attack against creature always misses, otherwise +2 AC)
13. Bonus Attack (if initial attack hits, opportunity for another attack)
14. Bonus Damage on Great Hit (does one greater die damage if hits by 5 or more, or rolls a natural 20)
15. Chaos (at will, one at a time)
16. Cloudkill (at will, one at a time)
17. Cold Attack (ranged, HDd6 damage)
18. Confusion (on a successful hit)
19. Continuing Damage (after a hit, victim takes one die less damage each Round until creature leaves or is killed)
20. Damage Sphere (all within 15' take 1d6 damage per Round)
21. Darkness (at will, one at a time)
22. Detect Invisibility (always on)
23. Drain Ability Score (on a successful hit)
24. Duo-Dimension (always on, but does not take extra damage)
25. Electrical Attack (ranged, HDd6 damage)
26. Energy Drain (on a successful hit)
27. ESP (always on)
28. Explosion
29. Feeblemind (on a successful hit)
30. Fire Attack (ranged, HDd6 damage)
31. Gaseous Form (at will)
32. Globe of Invulnerability (always on self)
33. Grapple (+5 to rolls involving grappling)
34. Haste (always on self)
35. Immune to Cold
36. Immune to Electricity
37. Immune to Fire
38. Immune to Magic
39. Immune to Metal
40. Immune to Normal Weapons
41. Immune to Physical Attacks
42. Immune to Wood
43. Impregnates (victims hit must save versus Poison or carry a thing)
44. Incendiary Cloud (at will, one at a time)
45. Lost Dweomer
46. Magic Drain (on a successful hit)
47. Maze (on a successful hit)
48. Memory Wipe (on a successful hit, but no other damage)
49. Mimicry (can duplicate sounds and voices it has heard)
50. Mind Control (at will, one at a time)
51. Mirror Image (always on)
52. Move Earth (at will)
53. Multiple Attacks (additional 1d3 attacks)
54. Paralysis (on a successful hit)
55. Pernicious Wounds (do not naturally heal)
56. Phantasmal Force (at will, one at a time)
57. Phantasmal Psychedelia (at will, one at a time)
58. Phantasmal Supergoria (at will, one at a time)
59. Phasing (can move through solid objects)
60. Plant Death (all vegetation dies within 10' x HD)
61. Poison (on a successful hit)
62. Polymorph Other (on a successful hit)
63. Prismatic Sphere (at will)
64. Prismatic Spray (at will)
65. Prismatic Wall
(at will, one at a time)

66. Psionic Attack (auto-hit, 1d6 damage)
67. Psionic Scream (auto hit in 30' radius area, 1d6 damage + victims must save versus Magic or be Slowed)
68. Radiation Attack
69. Radioactive
70. Ranged Attack
71. Regenerate (regains 1d3 hp a Round)
72. Reverse Gravity (at will, one at a time)
73. Silence (always on in 15' area)
74. Slow (once every ten Rounds)
75. Spell Turning (always on)
76. Spellcasting (as Magic-User of 2d6 levels – random spells)
77. Spore Cloud (all in area must save versus Poison or become infested)
78. Stinking Cloud (continuous around creature)
79. Stone Shape (at will)
80. Summon (as per this spell, no miscast, creatures under control of this creature, not original caster)
81. Swallow Whole (on a natural 20 or hitting by 10 or more)
82. Symbol (one type, randomly determined, at will)
83. Telekinesis (at will)
84. Teleportation (at will)
85. Time Stop
86. Transmute Flesh to Stone (on successful hit)
87. Transmute Rock to Mud (at will)
88. Valuable Innards (worth 500 sp × HD)
89. Ventriloquism (at will)
90. Victims Rise as Undead
91. Vulnerable to Cold (takes +1 damage per die)
92. Vulnerable to Cold Iron (takes +1 damage per die)
93. Vulnerable to Electricity (takes +1 damage per die)
94. Vulnerable to Fire (takes +1 damage per die)
95. Vulnerable to Metal (takes +1 damage per die)
96. Vulnerable to Physical Attacks (takes +1 damage per die)
97. Vulnerable to Silver (takes +1 damage per die)
98. Vulnerable to Wood (takes +1 damage per die)
99. Wall of Fire (at will, one at a time)
100. Web (at will, one at a time)
Step Five
The Domination roll requires two 1d20 rolls, one on behalf of the caster, the other on behalf of the summoned entity.
The caster's level, Thaumaturgic Circle Modifiers, and Sacrifice modifiers are added to his roll.
The creature's Hit Dice is added to its roll, and it also receives +1 to the roll for every Power it has.
Domination Roll Results
If the Magic-User wins, the margin of victory determines how many d10s to roll to determine how many Rounds the creature will be under the caster's control. The caster must concentrate on controlling the creature for this period of time, and if the caster's concentration is broken (by being damaged, or casting another spell, for instance), there must be another Domination roll to determine if the creature will remain under control (this second roll can only confirm the original term of control, not extend it, and at most the creature can only win a basic victory in this second contest). The creature returns to its dimension when this time ends.
If the Magic-User wins by a Great Margin (equal to, or greater than, 5 + creature’s Hit Dice + the number of its Powers), the caster can demand a longer service from the creature without needing to consciously direct it. The details of this service must be communicated in a clear and succinct manner.
If the caster wins by a margin of 19 or more (or double a Great Margin), the creature is bound permanently in our world, and under the complete control of the caster, with no direct concentration required to maintain this control.
If the creature wins the Domination roll, it will simply lash out, attempting to kill and maim all living creatures while it is stable in this reality (a number of Rounds equal to d10 × the margin it won the Domination contest, minimum number of Rounds equal to its Hit Dice).
If the creature wins by a Great Margin (equal to, or greater than, 5 + Magic-User's Hit Dice + Sacrifice + Thaumaturgic Circle modifiers), the caster is completely at the mercy of the creature, mind,
body, and soul. Roll
1d6 and consult the Dominating Creature table below to determine what happens.
If the creature wins the roll by 19 or more (or double a Great Margin), it must make a 1d20 roll. On a 1–19 it is empowered by energy from its own dimension and multiplies its Hit Dice by 1d4+1. Re-roll its powers using its new Hit Dice as a base. It will then go on a killing rampage.
If this extra roll is a 20, the barrier between realities is sundered, and innumerable monstrosities begin dropping through. Hundreds of them will come through in the first hour, then about a hundred a day for the next week, then just a few each day. All will be hostile, as their passage to this world is accidental and our reality will be unfamiliar and unpleasant to their sensibilities.
If the domination roll is a tie, then roll again, but this time, the caster uses a d12 instead of a d20, and Thaumaturgic and Sacrifice modifiers do not apply.
Dominating Creature
1. The creature retreats to its own reality, bringing the caster back with it. The caster's physical body is destroyed, but his mental essence exists forever in misery.
2. The creature's presence in this universe is stable and it will not be drawn back to its world. The caster's will is replaced with that of the creature, and the character becomes an NPC. If the creature and the Magic-User together have the strength to destroy everyone and everything in their immediate surroundings, they will do so. If there is doubt about their ability to accomplish this, the creature and caster will retreat and begin their long-range campaign to bring about Hell on Earth.
3. The creature holds the rift open longer than it was supposed to be; 1d10 more creatures with Hit Dice ranging from 1 to the summoned creature's Hit Dice, flood into the physical world. They will attempt to slay and consume every living thing.
4. The creature and the Magic-User merge to form one being. It can switch between the two physical forms at will, and in either form possesses all the powers of both beings. The creature is in control.
5. The creature explodes on contact with our universe, disrupting all sense of self and identity. All human or human-like characters within 120' are randomly switched into new bodies, with the levels and class abilities of the new body (all bodies must change, even if a random roll puts a character back in their original body). Characters retain their previous Charisma, Intelligence, and Wisdom, and take on the Constitution, Dexterity, Strength, Class, Level, and Hit Points of the new body. All present are now Chaotic in alignment, and any Clerics lose their Cleric spells.
6. The creature is not at all interested in being in “reality,” nor does it care about anyone present. It is however supremely vexed at being called through the veil by a piece of meat. It will take one of the caster's comrades as compensation. The caster must choose one of his fellow player characters, and then that character will simply cease to be. If the caster delays, or chooses anyone else than a player character, then all the player characters in the area will be winked out of existence… and the caster will be left alone.
Thaumaturgic Circles and Sacrifices
Using Thaumaturgic Circles and offering Sacrifice while casting the spell makes the portal between worlds more interesting, attracting greater creatures to the summoning point and so allowing them to be summoned. It also numbs the consciousness of these creatures, such as it is, allowing a Magic-User to more easily control greater creatures.
Each full 2 Hit Dice of sacrifices gives the caster a +1 bonus to the Domination roll, or 1 Hit Die for a +1 bonus if the sacrifice is the same race as the caster. To count as a sacrifice, the victim must be helpless at the time of the slaying and purposefully slain for just this purpose. Combat deaths do not count.
Thaumaturgic Circles are magical diagrams (or mathematical equations which are nonsense in our
world, but important in some other) used to focus magical energy and give the caster greater control over his summoning. The diagrams are not enough, though. The materials used to draw and decorate the circles are crucial to communicating their information to the summoned creatures. 500 sp worth of materials is required to invest in a circle for every +1 bonus to the caster's Domination roll, and this is consumed with every casting.

Lamentations of the Flame Princess Grindhouse Edition Referee Book

Spoiler

Undead: Certain undead are so infested with disease that they slowly kill those they damage. Those damaged by such undead must make a saving throw or turn into the same type of undead within a set period of time.
Vampire: Vampires may create other vampires. Any charachter drained to 0 Constitution by a vampire over multiple sessions – not through a total drain – will rise at sunset d6+1 days later as a vampire with one hit point.

A Red and Pleasant Land

Spoiler

Vampire: If a vampire successfully slays a victim through energy drain, the victim will become a vampire of the same type of the lowest rank (pawn or ace).
Voivodjan Vampire: ?
Nephilidian Vampire: ?
Colorless Bishop, Nephilidian Vampire: ?
Colorless Knight, Nephilidian Vampire: ?
Colorless Pawn, Nephilidian Vampire: ?
Colorless Queen, Nephilidian Vampire, Nyvyan: ?
Colorless Rook, Nephilidian Vampire: Colorless Rooks are made from the remains of dead Pale Rooks: first the corpse is sat on a throne and enmeshed in a kind of rolling frame pulled by horses. Then the top of the Rook’s head is sawn off like the lid off a pot and the head is filled with sea water nearly to the rim. If a vampire then sits floating in the head, the Colorless Rook comes to life, and can act as a powerful battle oracle or magical battery.
Decapitated Lord, Voivodjan Vampire: ?
Elizabeth Bathyscape, Heart Queen, Voivodjan Vampire: ?
Pale Horse: If a Stalking Horse is slain, a Pale Horse—a kind of horse-headed ghoul— will burst forth and simultaneously attack all nonvampires within 7’, attempting to strangle them with the slain horse’s entrails at +6 to hit for 2d10hp. This happens as soon as the Stalking Horse dies (no initiative roll) and the Pale Horse then dies immediately after the attack, regardless of its outcome.
Nadasdy, King of Hearts, Voivodjan Vampire: ?
Knave of Hearts, Voivodjan Vampire: ?
Order of Clubs, Voivodjan Vampire: ?
Order of Diamonds, Voivodjan Vampire: ?
Order of Hearts, Voivodjan Vampire: ?
Order of Spades, Voivodjan Vampire: ?
Pale Bishop, Voivodjan Vampire: ?
Artorius, Pale King, Voivodjan Vampire: ?
Pale Knight, Voivodjan Vampire: ?
Pale Pawn, Voivodjan Vampire: ?
Red Bishop, Voivodjan Vampire: ?
Red Bride, Voivodjan Vampire: ?
Vlad Vortigen, Red King, Voivodjan Vampire: ?
Red Knight, Voivodjan Vampire: ?
Red Pawn, Voivodjan Vampire: ?

Carcosa

Spoiler

Mummy: Mummies are sorcerous devotees of Nyarlathotep entombed beneath the ground in various places, most notably beneath the vast Radioactive Desert.
The mummies of the world of Carcosa are not mindless, shambling things wrapped in bandages! Rather, they are dead Sorcerers (of any level) whose services to Nyarlathotep have earned them the state of being undead.
Mummy Brain: As millennia pass, the dry bodies of mummies gradually crumble to dust. Usually the living brains of mummies rot away upon the dissolution of a mummy’s body. But a few of the brains of mummies who are of 8th or higher level and have an 18 intelligence score continue to think and exist.
Unquiet Worms: The nethermost caverns are not for the fathoming of eyes that see; for their marvels are strange and terrific. Cursed the ground where dead thoughts live new and oddly bodied, and evil the mind that is held by no head. Wisely did Ibn Schacabao say, that happy is the tomb where no wizard hath lain, and happy the town at night whose wizards are all ashes. For it is of old rumour that the soul of the devil-bought hastes not from his charnel clay, but fats and instructs the very worm that gnaws; till out of corruption horrid life springs, and the dull scavengers of earth wax crafty to vex it and swell monstrous to plague it. Great holes secretly are digged where earth’s pores ought to suffice, and things have learnt to walk that ought to crawl.
Sometimes the worms that feed on a dead Sorcerer’s brain will assimilate the Sorcerer’s memories and sorcerous and psionic powers. Such worms swell to thrice their normal size and assemble in a horrid, vaguely humanoid shape that walks as a man.

Death Frost Doom

Spoiler

Risen Dead: Grimoire of Walking Flesh. This text, written in the Duvan’Ku language, allows the creation of a flesh golem. It requires the parts of 10d4 fresh bodies, takes two weeks time as the parts are assembled, and then requires a strong electrical charge (a lightning bolt will do) to activate the body. There is no monetary cost to making the golem with this book, and an unlimited amount may be made. When the golem activates, the mutilated remains of the bodies used for parts will rise and seek to destroy the creator of the golem. The golem will not fight these undead. The risen dead will be 2 Hit Dice 50% of the time, 2 Hit Dice and able to paralyze 40% of the time, and 4 Hit Dice and able to drain levels 10% of the time (check each creature individually). If the bodies have been utterly destroyed, then the creatures will be incorporeal, and 4 Hit Dice and energy draining (75%) or 7 Hit Dice and double energy-draining (25%). Anyone using the book will of course not know about the vengeful dead until it’s rather obvious.
Ghoul: ?
Undead Creature: ?
Sarcophogus Corpse: ?
Altar Corpse: ?
Disembodied Ghost: ?
Mummy: ?
Hideous Undead Thing: ?
General Overlord Cyris Maximus, Vampire: ?
Child Corpse: ?
Commoner Corpse: ?
Priest Corpse: ?
Warrior Corpse: ?
Above-Ground Corpse: ?
The Sleepless Queen: This woman in life was a streetwalker who was kidnapped, murdered, and corrupted into this form specifically as bait to lure greedy people to their deaths.

Death Love Doom

Spoiler

Restless Dead: If the child is touched, the clock will begin to spin backwards at great speed, and all corpses on the grounds will rise. The clock will then stop, and the undead will converge on this point.
Animated Fetus: Then her husband gave her this gift which brought a demon, and it told her that she was not her husband’s deepest love. The look on Erasmus’ face told her it was true. As flesh tore and bent around her, she directed all of her hate to the latest of his offspring which she was carrying, and it gained unnatural life. No one but her knows that this is her doing and not that of the demon’s, but it has gotten away from her now.
Myrna is a wreck of a human being, as her late-term fetus gained self-awareness and miscarried itself. After dying, it rose from the dead, its mother’s blood and nourishment still coursing through its veins.

England Upturn'd

Spoiler

Oannes Neverborn, Animated Mutant Foetus: The thing inside the jar is Oannes Neverborn, a foetus who cut his way out of his mother—a mentally disabled woman who lived in St. Mark’s—with the egg tooth on his face before being trapped by the local witch and preserved by William Jackson, the local physician.

Hammers of the God

Spoiler

Dwarf Sentinel: Dwarf Sentinels are those dwarfs so loyal to a cause that they continue to serve even after their body dies a natural death. It must be noted that their existence is not an unnatural affront to the gods; indeed, their existence is a testament to their devotion to the gods.
Stories about dwarfs that place so much importance on their duty that death itself does not deter them. These Sentinels maintain their posts as undead things, as the Old Miner grants them their greatest wish: To continue to serve.

Lusus Naturae

Spoiler

Progeny of Lilith: These undead children are not actually the spawn of Lilith; they are human children who have been bitten by fleas contaminated with Wastrel blood. Anyone who is bitten by such a flea, and has not yet reached puberty, becomes one of the Progeny within 1-20 minutes.
If one of the Progeny manages to bite a child, he becomes one of them in 1-6 rounds.
Undead: Void's Memory wields a nightmarish sword called Hymn To Forgotten Mothers Who Buried Stillborn Children in Shallow Graves Beneath Rotting Sycamores. Anyone struck by the blade takes 7-12 damage, and must save vs. Magic or become undead for a period of 1-100 days.
Crawler: In combat, the wastrel bites for 1-6 damage. If it deals 6 points of damage, and the victim is human or demihuman, then she must save vs. Magic or become undead for a period of 1-4 days.
Devourer: In combat, the wastrel bites for 1-6 damage. If it deals 6 points of damage, and the victim is human or demihuman, then she must save vs. Magic or become undead for a period of 1-4 days.
Leaper: In combat, the wastrel bites for 1-6 damage. If it deals 6 points of damage, and the victim is human or demihuman, then she must save vs. Magic or become undead for a period of 1-4 days.
Shambler: In combat, the wastrel bites for 1-6 damage. If it deals 6 points of damage, and the victim is human or demihuman, then she must save vs. Magic or become undead for a period of 1-4 days.

Metegorgos

Spoiler

Sad Zombie: On those rare occasions in which Metegorgos has faced some real threat, she has awakened her snakes and turned to stone those who defied her. This happens uncommonly, in part because she has quite a few other deadly strengths. Mostly, though, fossilizing folks uses up what little warmth she has left, leaving her many children hungry.
When this happens, she has the statues destroyed. Some hours later, she will stillbirth walking dead in the same shapes as those destroyed.

No Salvation for Witches

Spoiler

Undead Fish: Until recently, the pond was full of perch, carp, and trout, but these all died when the spheres manifested. Shortly thereafter, an incandescent spiral full of twisted sorcery tore through the brambles and splashed into this pond, imbuing the dead fish with a twisted form of life.
Hooded Man: To each side of the nave, in the transept,
a hooded man waits silently. These two men are actually nothing more than animated skins—Woolcott tracked down and killed two witch-hunters, then flayed them and animated their skins (tossing their muscles, bones, and organs into the gutter). Though hollow, these attendants are quite strong, and serve Woolcott unto death.

Qelon

Spoiler

Angry Ghost: ?
Araq: The araq are invisible guardian spirits, usually family ghosts of powerful or notable ancestors. They have become angry as families are slaughtered and villages destroyed.
Beisaq: The beisaq are hungry ghosts, spirits of men or women killed by violence and unburied – lots of those around during wartime.
Daereqlan: These are the spirits of villagers forced to flee into the wilderness to die. Their spirits reincarnate or possess warm-blooded wild animals (deer, panthers, tigers, dholes, boars, apes, birds, bears, etc.).
Qmoc Praj: These are the ghosts of women who died in childbirth.
Quon Praj: ?
Varangian Cool Hand: Given the decades of war that they have been fighting, it is understandable that the Varangians may have undergone some wear and tear, to be repaired as best he can by Hagen, their dwarven necromancer-alchemist.
Varangian Dead Eye: Given the decades of war that they have been fighting, it is understandable that the Varangians may have undergone some wear and tear, to be repaired as best he can by Hagen, their dwarven necromancer-alchemist.
Hound-Lich: Hagen has also created some undead servant animals to help him and the company, reanimated by tiny brazen gears and pistons, and by the power of alchemy.
Elephant-Lich: Hagen has also created some undead servant animals to help him and the company, reanimated by tiny brazen gears and pistons, and by the power of alchemy.
Garuda-Lich: Hagen has also created some undead servant animals to help him and the company, reanimated by tiny brazen gears and pistons, and by the power of alchemy.

Scenic Dunnsmouth

Spoiler

Skeleton: ?
Zombie: Uncle Ivanovik lives in a log cabin, much the same as 4. Anyone he captures is strapped to the dining room table, and Ivanovik begins the process of mummification while they still live. Unlike 4 above, Ivanovik is cold and dispassionate and will not say a word throughout the whole process, however much his victim pleads and screams. He will then row the body out to a specific point in the bog, utter some chants and dump the body. If the player characters raise any of these bodies out of the swamp they will rise as “bog people” zombies within a few Rounds and attempt to fill their bellies with warm flesh.
If any of these skeletons manage to kill someone they will instantly de-animate. Within two Rounds the person slain will rise as a zombie and attempt to kill the nearest living person in same fashion using his weapons.
The skeleton is clutching a two-handed, double-edged copper axe known as Kinslayer. It is also wearing several pieces of copper jewelry worth a total of 24sp or 200sp if sold to a university or archaeologist. Kinslayer deals double the normal amount of damage to people of Celtic descent (Irish, Scottish, or Welsh), as it literally causes their blood to boil in their veins. Any human killed by the axe will rise at the next full moon as a flesh hungry, free-willed, intelligent zombie intent on revenge, unless it is buried on hallowed ground or has Bless cast on its body.
Ensouled Dead Ensoul the Dead spell.
Ghost of the van Kaus: Anyone who is killed in the van Kaus crypt will have their corpse possessed by a ghost of the van Kaus family.
Van Kaus Dead: ?
Fir Mac Nolg: If all four of the gold coins are removed from the pots before the axe is removed from the skeleton, it will awaken.

Kinslayer
This two-handed double-bladed copper axe dates from Paleolithic times. The axe head is beaten copper, engraved with ancient sigils, circles and crosses. Any attempt to map them to astrological patterns will show that they are binding rituals based upon the constellations in the sky. The hilt itself is an aged wood, flying rowan soaked in the blood of the dark druid’s goddess to seal its dark pact.
The two-handed axe deals double damage to any individual with at least 1/16th Irish, Welsh, or Scottish ancestry. Any human (of any ancestry) slain by the blade will rise on the next full moon as a free willed undead with two main urges: a belly full of warm mammal flesh and revenge upon their killer. They will instinctively know the direction of the axe at any given time. The only way to prevent this from occurring is to bury the body on hallowed ground or cast Bless upon its corpse before it rises. If it cannot eat fresh, warm meat at least every other day it will expire.
Move: 120’
Armour: as Armour
Hit Dice: Living total + 1
Attacks: d4 or by weapon
Special: suffers damage from direct sunlight (1d6 /round).

Ensoul the Dead
Magic-User Level 4
Range: Touch
Duration: Permanent
This spell summons a tem poral pathogen to stitch the remaining psychic echoes of a person’s life to his rotting corpse, moving back in time to pull his mind from the last moment of his existence. This is extremely painful as these shards of a mind are stitched together and the subject of the spell will scream in pain and beg for an end to their suffering if they are able to speak. While the resulting undead is as intelligent as it was in life, it cannot harm the caster and must obey the Magic-User’s every order, but as it seeks to relinquish its own curse, it will try to involve as much murder in the orders given by the Magic-User as possible (including murdering anyone it was not specifically ordered not to).
If an Ensouled Dead manages to kill a living person, it will de-animate. The person it just killed will rise in the next Round as an Ensouled Dead. The Ensouled Dead have as many Hit Dice as it had in life, increased by 1 if its corpse is still coated in flesh. It also retains its combat bonus and any spells still in memory. The caster can raise one corpse per caster level, but cannot raise the corpse of an Ensouled Dead that has de-animated by killing another person.

The Cursed Chateau

Spoiler

Lord Joudain: Lord Joudain turned to necromancy, black magic, and eventually devilry as means to alleviate his world-weariness and boredom. He communed with elemental entities, slew his servants and raised them from the dead, and even summoned demons from Beyond, but he found no pleasure in any of these activities. Lord Joudain eventually came to the conclusion that the mortal realm offered him nothing but tedium and so committed suicide according to a ritual found in an ancient grimoire in the hope that the next world might prove more interesting than the present one.
Lord Joudain’s consciousness persisted after his death, just as he had hoped. Rather than moving on to some other plane of existence—or even the heaven, hell, or purgatory preached by the Church—his being was instead bound to his earthly home for reasons he had neither anticipated nor could explain. He could not move on to whatever reward—or punishment—awaited him in some afterlife. Instead, he remained forever linked to his chateau.
Arnaud: Joudain slew him with his sword and reanimated him later, but sewed his lips shut so that he might never again utter a word against Ysabel.
Bertrand: ?
Clareta: When Clareta died at an advanced age, Joudain deeply missed her. One of the few times he can remember actually praying to God was when he asked that Clareta be restored to life like Lazarus of Bethany in the Gospel of St. John. When this did not happen as he demanded, it only confirmed to him that God was, at best, a myth or, at worst, impotent. Regardless, he had no need for belief in him. When Joudain committed suicide and his consciousness was bound to the chateau, he found he could call Clareta’s ghost from beyond the grave and she has served here ever since.
Elias: Elias was very loyal to Joudain and remained in his service until he died of fever. Conseq-uently, he was one of the first servants whom Joudain reanimated. Unfortunately, the effects of the fever—paralysis—remained even after death and Elias moves somewhat slowly and stiffly. In addition, his face is grotesquely contorted by rigor, which impairs his ability to speak clearly.
Esteve: Lord Joudain took advantage of this by ensuring that he partook of Hervisse’s “special” meals, which ultimately resulted in his current state. He is now a ravenous nigh-immortal mockery of his former self.
Guilhem: Guilhèm died when he was ten years old after a fall from the window of the Observatory. Joudain sincerely mourned his death and continued to ponder why it was that he had such affection for the boy. After Joudain committed suicide, he found that Guilhèm’s consciousness lingered about the chateau as well.
Hervisse: His consciousness was called back from the Beyond by Joudain.
Jaume: Jaume made the most unfortunate mistake of seducing Ysabel and taking her virginity, a sacrilege for which the sentence was death. Enraged upon finding this out, Joudain cleaved Jaume’s head in two with an axe and then raised him from the dead to continue his duties.
Miquel: Jaume made the most unfortunate mistake of seducing Ysabel and taking her virginity, a sacrilege for which the sentence was death. Enraged upon finding this out, Joudain cleaved Jaume’s head in two with an axe and then raised him from the dead to continue his duties. Not long afterward, Joudain decided that, because the twin footmen no longer “matched,” he had no choice but to inflict the same fate on Miqèl, who now looks exactly like his older brother.
Julian: When he died, he was buried in the garden, under his beloved rose bushes. Joudain called to his consciousness after he committed suicide and his incorporeal form answered.
Landri: Joudain kept Landri around, because it amused him to taunt and mock him and his beliefs. He even hoped that he might eventually break him, but it never occurred and Landri remained steadfast in his faith. Annoyed by this, Joudain slew Landri with his sword in the Chapel (see p.48) and then raised him from the dead in that very room, using it to once more sneer at Landri’s faith.
Laurensa: ?
Martin: ?
Mondette: ?
Rixenda: ?
Ysabel: In his blasphemous Black Masses, Joudain needed a young and virginal woman whose naked body would serve as his altar. He found such a woman in Ysabel, whom he brought to the chateau after searching across southern France for a “perfect” woman with all the right qualities he sought. Though ostensibly a maid, Joudain treated her very well and provided for her every need, provided she never leave his domain and that she perform her “religious” duties without complaint.
In time, Jaume seduced Ysabel and her deflowering made her no longer suitable for Joudain’s purposes. He killed Jaume in retaliation and Ysabel, her sanity already tenuous by this point, took her own life by drinking poison. He tried to reanimate her like his other servants but, for some reason, the process did not work as he had hoped and the result was a semi-corporeal ghost-like being with transparent “skin” who spends most of her undead existence weeping.
Undead: A character who dies on the chateau’s grounds can be reanimated by Joudain as the result of certain results on the Random Event table.
Dame Hellisente: This locked bedroom is now the haunt of Dame Helissente, a mistress of Lord Joudain, who locked herself in this bedroom without either food or water in order to “punish” him for his having taken another lover. Helissente had hoped that Joudain would express his love for her by saving her from wasting away, but, to her surprise and dismay, he found her actions diverting for a time and ordered the room (included its windows) bolted from the outside as well. He took pleasure in listening to Helissente’s begging for him to release her from the room, as well as her claims to have forgiven him for his “indiscretion.” The jilted mistress eventually died in the bedroom and her vengeful consciousness remains here, mad with grief and rage.

The Squid, the Cabal, and the Old Man

Spoiler

Mummy-Squid: The Treasury is guarded by five mummies that have had their arms replaced by tentacles. The mummies have been here longer than the current members of the cult who believe that the mummies were also stolen during the assault on the Library of Alexandria. Making use of all the knowledge gathered in the Treasury, the cultists were able to reproduce old Egyptian rituals several centuries ago to revive them, adding a special touch – the tentacles – of their own to the beasts.

Thulian Echoes

Spoiler

Work Detail: ?

Tower of the Stargazer

Spoiler

Ghostly Attackers: ?

Towers Two

Spoiler

Voiden: For Razak has discovered the power of the Loi-Goi (or rather it discovered him), and with it he has created an undead force of warrior-zombies (The Voiden) which he plans to use in the final campaign to destroy his brother and lay absolute claim to the Towers Two.
The Voiden are creatures Razak has created in the shops of necromancy he calls home, under the direct guidance of the Loi-Goi, who has reached into Razak’s mind through the questing tentacle-pod of the Loi-Goi, which Razak discovered beneath his tower, in the deep catacombs near his mother’s tomb. The Voiden are created using the parts of those once alive...they are then bathed in various sorcerous and chemical compounds which merge the various bits and pieces together.
Captain Chaulk: Captain Chaulk, a captain whose rule caused such derision in his own crew that half rose against him in mutiny, bringing about such a violent upheaval that every man involved in this bloody brawl was killed... every man save the Captain, who, though mortally wounded, lashed himself to the wheel and somehow piloted the ship into the port of Mlag. Here it crashed itself onto the large rock outcropping on the south side of the bay, and has remained there ever since. And even though Captain Chaulk and his crew were given a decent burial, it did not deter the Captain from returning to his duty.
Lord Javon, The Damned Thing: The guilt-stricken Lord Javon spent years weeping beside his dead wife’s stone coffin praying for the forgiveness that could never come. He heaped flowers and jewelry on her decaying corpse, but nothing could assuage his undying guilt. The despondent lord finally climbed into his coffin and slashed his own jugular, but even death could not cure his despair. Javon rose weeks later in undeath, cursed for all eternity as a damned thing.
Tomb Zombie: The guilt-stricken Lord Javon spent years weeping beside his dead wife’s stone coffin praying for the forgiveness that could never come. He heaped flowers and jewelry on her decaying corpse, but nothing could assuage his undying guilt. The despondent lord finally climbed into his coffin and slashed his own jugular, but even death could not cure his despair. Javon rose weeks later in undeath, cursed for all eternity as a damned thing. The curse allowed the undead lord to raise any corpse back to life except his beloved Lady Morose.

Vaginas are Magic

Spoiler

Undead: Raise the Dead spell.
Storming Through Red Clouds and Holocaustwinds spell miscast.
Undead Wizard: Raise the Dead spell.
Undead Dead God: Raise the Dead spell.

RAISE THE DEAD
While Biblical scholars have determined that the Earth is about 6000 years old, mystic explorers guess the world may be much older, perhaps as much as three or four times older than that! That’s a lot of time for a lot of humans to live and die. Hordes of the dead in less civilized times were never
properly buried, and many of the graves of those who were have no markers. We tread on the dead with every step.
Raise the Dead allows the caster to animate a number of these ancient dead, 1d6 of them per level of the caster, with the dimmest semblance of cohesion, motor function, and awareness. With all reason and natural instinct rotted away, all that is left is the primal need to kill and devour the living, though sustenance does these things no good.
The creatures will pop up out of the ground, including the walls, or the ceiling, if this is more appropriate, within a 50’ radius of the caster, fairly evenly distributed. If the caster is inside a structure, understand they will pop out of the ground, not the floor, and the distinction is important. If there is no ground within this area, the spell has no effect.
These creatures are not in any way under the caster’s control, although they will not harm the caster in any way, or even acknowledge her if there are other living beings nearby to attract their attention. If there are no such other beings, the dead will congregate around the caster, and often mimic her actions.
The creatures are Armor 12, Move 60’, 1 Hit Die, 1 rending and biting attack doing 1d6 damage, Morale 12. Because they cannot feel pain, the lower half of any damage roll has no effect. For example, if a weapon does 1d4 damage, a 1 or 2 result does no damage; with 1d8 damage, a 1–4 result does no damage; and so on.
W
MISCAST TABLE (1D12)
1. The undead are all very angry with the caster, and will move to rip her apart to the exclusion of all other activities before settling back to their rest.
2. Ten times the amount of undead are raised.
3. All of the undead retain their intellect and full memories of their former lives (assume corpses this close to the surface will be 1d100x1d4 years old), and will behave accordingly.
4. Every living creature in a 10’ x level of caster area, centered on but not including the caster, turns undead. Basically, they are dead but still retain consciousness and motor function, but do not need to breathe, eat, etc. They also never heal.
5. Only one undead creature is raised. It is the corpse of a wizard, level 1d6 + 1d12, who will rise with a full spell complement, full memories and intellect, free will and autonomy, and a bad, bad attitude.
6. A Dead God is raised. It will wreak havoc on all, without bounds. Armor 25, Move 150’, 150 Hit Dice, one sweeping attack per round doing 1d4 instigators worth of damage, Morale 12.
7+. Refer to Miscast Table, inside front cover.

STORMING THROUGH RED CLOUDS AND HOLOCAUSTWINDS
Humans are tribal creatures, that much is plain. What is perhaps more shocking is the ease in which a human’s tribal identification can be manipulated. Storming Through Red Clouds and Holocaustwinds creates a barely perceptible red mist cloud, the consistency perhaps of the edges of spurting blood,
which touches the perception of everyone it envelops. The mist originates at a point up to 20’ per caster level away, and covers a space of radius 10’ per caster level.
Everyone in the mist must save versus Magic. Those succeed retain themselves. Those who fail become territorial, paranoid, xenophobic, and bestial in thought. They will attack anyone within sight as fiercely as possible, in this order:
Whoever is within immediate striking distance
Whoever has been touched by the mist but is not affected by it
Whoever has been touched by the mist and was affected by it
Whoever is closest.
The cloud travels 120’ per round directly away from the caster, and persists for one round per caster level. After failing a saving throw, effects last (caster level)d6 rounds, persisting for this duration even if the mist itself has dissipated.
When the spell ends, the cloud does not entirely disappear. It is diluted in the greater atmosphere to the point that it is no longer effective. But every time the spell is cast, additional red cloud particles saturate the atmosphere. How long until the very air we breathe will become hostile to human cooperation and civilization?
H
MISCAST TABLE (1D12)
1. Anyone killed in the cloud will rise as undead, seeking revenge on the caster.
2. The cloud does not affect anyone in it, but the caster will go berserk.
3. The cloud will have no immediate effect on anyone in it, but each person exposed to the cloud will go berserk in 1d12 hours, mindlessly attacking anyone nearby.
4. The cloud’s effect on those exposed to it are permanent, although victims will only be berserk towards others affected by the cloud. As each such victim dies, the remaining survivors each gain a +1 to their Attack Bonus and +1 to their maximum hit points.
5. Everyone in the cloud gains 1d8 hit points and a preternatural sense about other people: they can always know when a particular person is thinking about them.
6. All affected by the cloud clump together to form a Constructicon-style superbeast that has the combined Hit Dice of its constituents (treat 0 level characters as ½ Hit Dice for this purpose) with the resulting hit point and Attack Bonus advantages. It smashes for 1d6 damage per 10 human-sized members or fraction thereof.
7+. Refer to Miscast Table, inside front cover.
MISCAST TABLE
ROLL 1D12 TO DETERMINE THE EFFECT OF A MISCAST SPELL
1-6. Effect custom to the specific spell.See the spell description for details.
7. An extradimensional entity has slipped into this reality through a hole created by the casting attempt. Treat as if the Summon spell has been cast, with the creature having Hit Dice equal to the level of the spell originally attempted +1d4. The creature is automatically out of control.
8. An entirely different spell has been cast. Randomly determine what spell was cast from the campaign spell list (reroll if the intended spell comes up) with a 1d10 effective caster level. If the spell requires a specific target or target area, determine this randomly.
9. Uncontrolled extradimensional radiation floods an area equal to the intended spell level x 20’ radius. Every biological creature of at least one Hit Die (except the caster) suffers 1d6 damage. The sum of the damage done is pooled together, and this pool of damage heals the caster up to maximum hit points, but all remaining damage beyond that is subtracted back from the caster’s hit points.
10. The misappropriation of magical energy causes time to slide ahead:
If play is in “slow time” (wilderness exploration, staying put in a particular location for healing or research purposes, or any such gameplay where time passes at a great rate), then 1d6 days for every spell level passes instantly. All characters within 20’ staying in the same place the entire time. Any environmental effects of the character being in that spot unmoving for that many days are instantly applied (for instance, if they are in an unforgiving tundra, they will suffer the results of 1d6 days of cold exposure). The characters are then affected as if they have not eaten or slept in that entire time.
If play is in “medium time” (such as dungeon exploration or any game play where time is measured in 10 minute turns), then 1d6 turns per spell level pass instantly. All characters within 20’ stay in the same place the entire time. Light sources are expended, encounter checks are made, and any effect of the characters being in that spot unmoving for that period of time are instantly applied.
If play is in “fast time” (such as combat or any game play where time is measured in six-second rounds), every biological being within 20’, including the caster, rolls 1d6 per spell level, and is effectively paralyzed for that many rounds.
11. Odd and alien light floods a 100’ area, destructive and harmful to physical life, but so strange that biological bodies don’t know the proper response to the harm suffered. Bodies therefore guess at how they are supposed to respond to the malignant force, deciding to “remember” the last damage suffered and recreate that to express the harm caused by the light. Every character within the area re-suffers the last damage inflicted upon them. If the specific damage suffered cannot be remembered, then surely the foe that caused it can be; assume maximum damage was suffered. If even that cannot be remembered, the character suffers 1d20 points of damage. If a character has never before suffered hit point damage and is subject to this effect, it does no damage and instead doubles their maximum (and current) hit point amount.
12. Microscopic organisms floating in the air are engorged with strange energies, growing large enough to be seen and emitting glowing hues. They pass through all matter freely and devour all perishables (food, oil, torches, ammunition, gunpowder, basically any item individually accounted for and expended in a character’s inventory, money and other such valuables excepted) within a 10’ per spell level radius.

Veins of the Earth

Spoiler

Egg Dead, Pseudo Oolites: When a pregnant dragon dies, the young starve in their eggs. Very occasionally something bleak and awful seeks the corpse. It wants a toy and, finding one, cranks up the wasted flesh with automatic fires. The moonwhite eggs forgotten in the corpse-fat earth.
The foetal wyrmlings curling in necrotic yolk, stir. Cold miniature hearts flex. The eggs crack late and undergrown. Cold curls of baby lizardflesh poke through. They spew out from the grave-nest in a snapping tangle. Moving like a knotted pile of wet garden hose sloping down steps. The last thing they recall is starving to death inside.
A Dragon, even pre-birth, has the intelligence of a man. These un-dead ever-starving children, genetically prepped for raptorous majesty, are unshaped by material experience. They are hungry, cannot eat, and cannot die. They wander in birth-flocks, looking for something they cannot find and do not understand. Then they return to the egg. They do not understand the world. Rot has written invisible curls on the still-developing brains. Their bodies are unripe. The egg is all they know.
They crawl back inside and carefully rebuild the shell. This takes long weeks of agonised failures as they learn. But they have time, infinite time, and nowhere else to go. They wait inside. Sleepless and tense.
Perhaps the endless shiftings of the river-pools remind them of their mother’s heart. They don’t feel cold. The thoughtless bubbling flow that gently and ceaselessly rocks them in the infinite night may fake a parent’s touch. Lulling them to the edge of unachievable sleep. Perhaps underground nothing will bother or disturb them. Perhaps the cold, smooth Oolites in the cave-wells remind them of a nest they’ve never seen. But perhaps, it is just possible, that something places them there, a half-deliberate trap or lure, of what purpose noone knows.
They crawl into the pools in river-caves where Oolites form. Scatter amongst them in re-assembled eggs, and wait. Until you disturb them.
Fossil Vampire: Vampires cannot die. Long ago they infested the earth. When day came, they swarmed under the soil like worms shifting in bait. There was never enough space. The weak were thrust up through the topsoil into the sunlight to die. Their ash made thicker soil to save the rest. At sunset the land heaved and vomited out continents of pale writhing undead. They killed everything. They ate all living things. They fed off each other, unable to die and afraid to walk into the sun.
No-one knows how, but in a single day they were destroyed. The world turned inside out. They were burnt, buried and eaten by angry tectonics. Frozen in stone, fossilised and crushed. Most were torched by unknown cosmic fire but the ash-clouds exploded so fast that large pockets remain. They are still there. There is a vampire stratum. A thin band of shadow in the rock, two feet thick, coal-black. No-one mines it. They go around.
Panic Attack Jack: THE JACK IS THE BODY OF A caver of some sighted, civilised, humanoid race. They’re dead, and often wrapped in ropes that broke their neck. The limbs are all splintered from falls, the spine is bent. The wet ropes trail behind them like a veil. The pack is still unopened on their back. The Rapture killed them and took the body for a spin. The skin is bleached. The flesh is puffed. They are screaming for their mother and praying now, locked forever in the seconds of their death.
Spectre of the Brocken: The Bröcken was intended to end the world and drag it down in flames. Not this one, a better one. She failed. And died.
You are the shadow of a five-dimensional being existing in a higher plane and this is why much of your life makes no sense. Sometimes you sleep and dream, and if your dream dreamed and that last dream thought it was alive, then that is your relative position to the world the Bröcken was fated to destroy. You are a shadow of a shadow of that five-dimensional plane. There are lots of you, parallel selves and places, not quite real. You’ll never meet them.
When the Bröcken fell her spirit flowed away, Trickled, surprisingly, into a lower dimension like a hole in a shopping bag. She is a ghost-thing now. A spectre. A memory. But still real. Hyper-real like nothing else can be. She might be dead but she is still slumming it here.

Vornheim The Complete City Kit

Spoiler

Hollow Bride: ?
Plasmic Ghoul: ?
Parnival, Vampire Monkey: ?
Vampire: If Parnival successfully slays a victim with his energy drain, it will become a vampire.
Vorkuta, The Nephilidian Vampire:
Nephilidian Vampire: If Vorkuta successfully slays a victim with her energy drain, it will become a nephilidian vampire.

Weird New World

Spoiler

Minor Vampire: ?
Vampire: Victims who die as a result of a minor vampire's bite rise as a vampire.
Vampire King: ?
Undead Crewman: Killed and animated by elf raiders purely for amusement.
Invisible Dead: Killed and animated by elf raiders purely for amusement.

World of the Lost

Spoiler

Ogbanje: These undead were conjured by Henriette, a necromancer. She refers to them as "ogbanje," referring to a local myth about undead children. In reality, these undead are simply mindless ghouls summoned by her necromantic incantation; still, ogbanje is as good a name as any.
These walking corpses are mostly citizens of Akabo who were infected and are now undead. Behind them, a dozen dead bodies twitch; soon, they will rise up.
A necromancer named Henriette cursed the city, and the dead have risen. These undead, known as ogbanje, attacked the living, and the curse spread to those who have been bitten.
Ajimuda: These walking corpses are mostly citizens of Akabo who were infected and are now undead. Behind them, a dozen dead bodies twitch; soon, they will rise up. One of these is Ajimuda, the chieftain of Akabo.

Mazes and Minotaurs

Spoiler

Creature Compendium

Spoiler

Animate: The ancient Necromancer Princes of the Anubian race were the ones who first brought necromancy to the wizards of the Stygian Empire, teaching them how to create mummies, skeletons, Stygian dogs and other foul animates.
Charont: Charonts are the spirits of misers and selfish hoarders turned into wraiths by the powers of the Underworld.
Empusa: Empusae are the revenants of seductive witches who have given their souls to Hecate, goddess of darkness, in exchange for eternal unlife.
Ghost: ?
Mummy: Specially preserved corpses from the Desert Kingdom reanimated by foul necromancy.
The ancient Necromancer Princes of the Anubian race were the ones who first brought necromancy to the wizards of the Stygian Empire, teaching them how to create mummies, skeletons, Stygian dogs and other foul animates.
Skeleton: Human skeleton animated by magic.
These Animates can be produced by a variety of means, including the necromantic arts of Anubians and Stygian Lords and the famous Hydra Teeth method.
The ancient Necromancer Princes of the Anubian race were the ones who first brought necromancy to the wizards of the Stygian Empire, teaching them how to create mummies, skeletons, Stygian dogs and other foul animates.
Hydra Teeth
Stichios: Stichioses are trees possessed by vampiric spirits.
Stygian Hound: Huge skeletal undead dogs “bred” by the necromancers of Stygia.
The ancient Necromancer Princes of the Anubian race were the ones who first brought necromancy to the wizards of the Stygian Empire, teaching them how to create mummies, skeletons, Stygian dogs and other foul animates.

It is a well-known fact that a Hydra’s teeth can turn into animated Skeletons. Each Hydra head holds four such magical teeth - so a dead seven-headed Hydra could mean a small army of 28 Skeletons! Simply toss the tooth on earthy ground: one battle round later, a sword-wielding Skeleton will sprout from the ground, ready to obey your every command – but only for 10 battle rounds, after which it will fall apart, crumbling into a pile of old dead bones. This is a one-time trick, since each tooth can only be used once.

Creature Cyclopedia

Spoiler

Dark Mormo: According to some sources, these sexless-looking beings are actually the undead, cursed spirits of demented mothers who have slain their own children in a fit of madness. Other sources identify them as the revenants of mortals who dabbled in necromancy and forbidden rituals of child sacrifice during the darker days of the Age of Magic.
Dark Muse: According to some tales, Leanans were once true Nymphs who, like the Alseids, became corrupted by the powers of darkness; other sources, however, deny them any link with the forces of nature, presenting them as undead temptresses akin to the sinister Empusae.
Silent Guardians: They were created during the Age of Magic by the use ancient (and now forgotten) Urok rituals.
Skeletar: The undead skeleton of a Minotaur, animated by the foul power of Stygian necromancy.

Atlas of Mythika: Charybdis

Spoiler

Tokoloshe: A human transformed into a pain-driven, zombie-like humanoid whose flesh is slowly turning into living wood. This horrendous process causes terrible agony to the unfortunate subject, driving him mad, warping his body into a grotesque parody of humanity and eventually turning him into a mindless, semi-vegetal undead. Tokoloshe are the results of infection by the Hili seed.

Seeds of Doom
The Hili seed is a particularly dreadful vegetal (and probably semi-magical) toxin used by the Red Hill Pygmies to bring a fate worse than death to those who have offended them. The usual method of delivery is through the use of a coated dart or javelin but the poison can also be mixed with food or drink but has a distinctive, bitter, “woodsy” taste.
In all cases, the victim must make a Physical Vigor saving roll against a target number of 15.
If this saving roll fails, the victim immediately falls unconscious for 1d6 hours, after which he will awaken in incredible pain, transformed into a Tokoloshe. 1d6 days later, the Tokoloshe will become Mindless, usually obeying the orders of its vicious creators (as long as these orders are not too complex).
There is no natural way to prevent this horrible and irreversible fate: only magical healing can prevent the transformation, provided it is given before the fateful 1d6 hours have passed (use the rules for curing poison by magical means given in the M&M Companion).
Only the Red Pygmies know how to brew this concoction – and trying to steal this secret from them is a sure way to end up as a Tokoloshe…

Atlas of Mythika: The Untamed North

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Dwimmerlaik:
Wight: Wights are brought back to life (or rather ‘undeath’) by the Life-Energy Drain ability of Dwimmerlaiks. There is no other way of creating a Wight. Since their soul is still trapped in their undead bodies, they qualify as Spirits rather than as Animates.
Humans killed by a Dwimmerlaik’s Life Energy Drain automatically become Wights.
As hinted above, they are responsible for the creation of Wights, which are brought back to unlife by the Dwimmerlaik’s foul life-energy drain powers.

Mazes & Perils

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Mazes & Perils Deluxe Edition

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Ghoul: ?
Mummy: ?
Skeleton: These animated armatures obey only the orders of their creator.
Spectre: Every hit by a spectre causes a drain of 2 levels in addition to normal damage. When the victim is reduced to less than 1st level, he becomes a spectre under the control of the one that killed him. At the GM’s discretion, a spectre drains constitution instead of levels.
Vampire: Legends whisper of the original vampire of sin, Cain, the first vampire cursed to walk the lands as undead. All bitten by Cain inherited some of his power, but the blood thinned out over the eons.
Anyone killed by a vampire becomes a lesser vampire under the control of their slayer.
Wight: Crypt creatures of little substance, wights drain 1 level from any victim struck. If a character is reduced to zero levels, he dies and becomes a wight under the control of his killer.
Wraith: ?
Zombie: Animated corpses created by an evil Cleric or Magic-User.

Garret's Guide to the Undead

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Ghost: Ghosts are the spirits of the wrongfully murdered.
Ghosts are spirits that have been wrongfully murdered.
Ghoul: ?
Mummy: Let's just say that the magical powers used to create them, whether arcane or divine, are more than a drop in the bucket. We're talking impressive rituals, components, and will as the major ingredients for creating them.
There is also some debate about the idea of victims of Mummy Rot turning into mummies themselves. We have reports of emaciated bodies attacking at known mummy locations but without the traditional trappings of such creatures. Such a transformation is possible, but not confirmed at this time.
Skeleton: We have seen talented mages and priests create skeletons from the smallest piles of bones.
Spectre: Spectres do both physical damage and drain life experience from their victims. If killed, these victims will become spectres themselves.
Let's get the ugly part out of the way. Why are these creatures so very dangerous? They can steal your life essence. Entire years of experience, gone without a trace. And if they take enough, to the point where you forget yourself entirely, you become one of them, a minion of the spectre who killed you.
Wights... could it be that they are in fact ghouls who have starved too long without flesh? What could this possibly mean for these types of undead... is there an evolution over time? As they gain life force from their victims, do they also gain in strength and become... wraiths? spectres? Worse?
Every hit by a spectre causes a drain of 2 levels in addition to normal damage. When the victim is reduced to less than 1st level, he becomes a spectre under the control of the one that killed him.
Vampire: Each of these evil creatures is descended from Cain, cursed to forever walk the world thirsting for the blood of innocents.
Legends whisper of the original vampire of sin, Cain, the first vampire cursed to walk the lands as undead. All bitten by Cain inherited some of his power, but the blood thinned out over the eons.
Anyone killed by a vampire becomes a lesser vampire under the control of their slayer.
Wight: Any victims drained to the point where they forget themselves entirely become wights themselves and under the control of their new master.
Wights... could it be that they are in fact ghouls who have starved too long without flesh? What could this possibly mean for these types of undead... is there an evolution over time? As they gain life force from their victims, do they also gain in strength and become... wraiths? spectres? Worse?
Crypt creatures of little substance, wights drain 1 level from any victim struck. If a character is reduced to zero levels, he dies and becomes a wight under the control of his killer.
Wraith: With a touch, they will drain your life experience. If they drain enough, you will become a wraith under their command for all eternity.
Wights... could it be that they are in fact ghouls who have starved too long without flesh? What could this possibly mean for these types of undead... is there an evolution over time? As they gain life force from their victims, do they also gain in strength and become... wraiths? spectres? Worse?
Zombie: They are most likely animated pawns of evil Clerics or Magic-Users typically set to guard a location.
Animated corpses created by an evil Cleric or Magic-User.

OSRIC

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OSRIC Pocket SRD

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Undead: A player character drained below level 1 is slain (and may rise as some kind of undead creature).
Banshee, Groaning Spirit: The legendary banshee is the ghost of an evil elven female.
Coffer Corpse: They are the bodies of the dead who are left behind, never given a proper burial, their souls never finding rest.
Ghast: Shadows and ghasts are often created from kullule by their demonic masters. The success or failure of this is largely dependent on how evil they were as living souls.
Ghost: Ghosts are the spiritual remains of extremely evil humans who have been denied the ordinarily inexorable movement of their souls to the outer planes of existence after discarding their mortal shell. This sundering of their metaphysical essence creates a foul thing, roaming dark and desolate places, existing in both the æthereal plane and the prime material, seeking to slake a thirst that can never be sated.
Ghoul: Ghouls are humans, who feasting on corpses and engaging in other vileness, have become undead, or in turn were killed by another ghoul without their corpses being sanctified by a cleric.
Ghoul, Lacedon:
Lich: Liches are the remains of powerful wizard-priests who, through fell magics and sinister grimoires, have cheated death and live on beyond the grave in a decaying shell that still revels in awesome magical energies. Unholy magics and an unwavering devotion are not the only things keeping them on the prime material plane. Their souls are already traded to dark gods, but a spark of their essence remains that must be encased in a talisman of sorts. This trinket is a requirement of their Unlife, but no scholar knows how or why this is.
Mummy: ?
Poltergeist: Poltergeists are non-corporeal and invisible spirits of humans who have died a tragic death or were murdered in cold blood. So far as is known, all poltergeists were formerly human or at least half-human.
Shadow: Shadows flitter about old ruins and dusty dungeons, seeking the living. Their ties to the negative material plane cause living things they hit in melee to lose a point of Str, Dex or Con. The attribute drained is random; but once determined further attacks by the same pack of shadows drain the same attribute until that statistic reaches zero—at which point the victim becomes a shadow under the control of the creature that drained the last point.
Shadows and ghasts are often created from kullule by their demonic masters. The success or failure of this is largely dependent on how evil they were as living souls.
Skeleton: These things are the result of an evil (or neutral at best) magic user or cleric wielding magics that animate the fleshless remains of humans, demi-humans, and various humanoids.
Some sages speak, though, of the mere proximity to great Evil can animate the dead, resulting in armies of these horrors springing to Unlife in forgotten catacombs and foul dungeons.
Animate Dead spell.
Spectre: Certain lemures (5%) are chosen by archdevils to form wraiths, spectres, and other æthereal undead.
Vampire: Vampires create others of their kind by draining humans or humanoids of all life energy. The victim must be buried. After 1 day he or she will arise as a vampire. The victim will retain class abilities he or she had in life but will become a chaotic evil undead being. The new vampire is a slave to the vampire that created him or her, but becomes free willed if the master is killed.
Vampire Eastern: ?
Wight: A human killed by a wight becomes a wight under the control of its maker.
Wraith: Certain lemures (5%) are chosen by archdevils to form wraiths, spectres, and other æthereal undead.
Zombie: Zombies are the risen corpses of the dead. In many cases they have been animated by a powerful spell caster, though sometimes zombies rise from other supernatural influences.
Animate Dead spell.
Zombie Monster: Monster zombies are the animated corpses of larger humanoid monsters such as bugbears, ettins or ogres.
Zombie Juju: Juju zombies are undead specially created by evil magic users practising a little-known and universally-banned magic known as necromancy. This unholy process involves draining all the life force from the unfortunate victim, who can be a human, demi-human, or humanoid.

Animate Dead
Clerical Necromancy
Level: Cleric 3
Range: 10 ft
Duration: Permanent
Area of Effect: See below
Components: V,S,M
Casting Time: 1 round
Saving Throw: None
By casting this spell, the cleric calls the bones or bodies of dead humans or humanoids to rise and become lesser undead (skeletons or zombies). The undead will obey their creator’s simple commands, following him or her, or perhaps guarding a location he or she designates against any creature (or not guarding it against certain creatures) that might enter. The spell’s effects are permanent, but can be dispelled by the use of dispel magic. Use of this spell is inherently not in accordance with the good alignment and is seldom used by good clerics unless there is pressing need. Moreover, casting the spell in the confines of a city may subject the caster to inquiry by secular and religious authorities alike. A cleric may animate one zombie or skeleton per caster level.

Animate Dead
Arcane Necromancy
Level: Magic user 5
Range: 10 ft
Duration: Permanent
Area of Effect: See below
Components: V,S,M
Casting Time: 5 rounds
Saving Throw: None
Other than as noted above, this spell is identical to the clerical spell animate dead.

OSRIC 0.02

Spoiler

Skeleton: Animate Dead spell.
Zombie: Animate Dead spell.

Animate Dead
Clerical Necromancy
Level: Cleric 3
Range: 10 ft
Duration: Permanent
Area of Effect: See below
Components: V,S,M
Casting Time: 1 round
Saving Throw: None
By casting this spell, the cleric calls the dead bones or bodies of dead humans to rise and become lesser undead, skeletons or zombies. The undead will obey their creator’s commands, following him, guarding a location he designates against any creature (or not guarding it against certain creatures) that might enter. The spell’s effects are permanent, but can be dispelled by the use of dispel magic. Use of this spell is inherently not in accordance with the good alignment, and is seldom used by good clerics unless there is pressing need. Moreover, casting the spell in the confines of a city may subject the caster to inquiry by secular and religious authorities alike. A cleric may animate one zombie or skeleton per caster level.

Animate Dead
Arcane Necromancy
Level: 5
Range: 10 ft
Duration: Permanent
Area of Effect: See below
Components: V,S,M
Casting Time: 5 rounds
Saving Throw: None
Other than as noted above, this spell is identical to the clerical spell animate dead.

OSRIC 1.00

Spoiler

Skeleton: Animate Dead spell.
Zombie: Animate Dead spell.

Animate Dead
Clerical Necromancy
Level: Cleric 3
Range: 10 ft
Duration: Permanent
Area of Effect: See below
Components: V,S,M
Casting Time: 1 round
Saving Throw: None
By casting this spell, the cleric calls the bones or bodies of dead humans or humanoids to rise and become lesser undead (skeletons or zombies). The undead will obey their creator's commands, following him or her, or perhaps guarding a location he or she designates against any creature (or not guarding it against certain creatures) that might enter. The spell's effects are permanent, but can be dispelled by the use of dispel magic. Use of this spell is inherently not in accordance with the good alignment and is seldom used by good clerics unless there is pressing need. Moreover, casting the spell in the confines of a city may subject the caster to inquiry by secular and religious authorities alike. A cleric may animate one zombie or skeleton per caster level.

Animate Dead
Arcane Necromancy
Level: Magic user 5
Range: 10 ft
Duration: Permanent
Area of Effect: See below
Components: V,S,M
Casting Time: 5 rounds
Saving Throw: None
Other than as noted above, this spell is identical to the clerical spell animate dead.

Monsters of Myth

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Barrow Corpse: ?
Crawling Corpse: Crawling corpses are created (usually unintentionally) when animate dead is cast upon skeletons or corpses with damaged legs, or when normally created undead are damaged after being animated.
Deceived of Set: The Deceived of Set were once priests of Set. Greedy and sadistic, they were misled by their superiors into thinking that they would be granted great status in the afterlife by performing a series of hideous rituals upon themselves. However, these rituals instead cursed them, condemning them to an eternity of torment and madness.
Ghoul Monkey: Whatever foul magic is used to animate and control simian undead in this form is not widely known, but these loathsome creatures are found from time to time in the service of witch doctors or other evil spellcasters. More commonly, however, they are created without human agency, in places where there is a residue of great evil such as ancient sacrificial sites, forgotten temples, and similar locales. When monkeys die near such places, their corpses may rise as ghoul monkeys, filled with vile cunning and hungry for living flesh.
Ishabti: Ishabti are undead warriors embalmed and preserved with many of the same techniques used in mummification.
They are not ordinarily wrapped in grave bandages as mummies are, but do show the effects of magical embalming.
Rimmeserker: Rimmeserkers are the undead remnants of berserkers who died by freezing to death instead of falling in honorable battle. While alive, these battle-mad killers sought entry into a warrior’s heaven (Valhalla, for those following the Norse gods), but by failing to die in battle they have consigned themselves to a lesser status in the afterlife. It is said that their very rage keeps them tied to the material plane, refusing to move on to an afterlife they will not accept.
Shade Walker: On very rare occasions, the tortured soul of an evil person manages to escape somehow from the nether planes, fleeing into the prime material plane by unknown means. These escaped souls become shade walkers.
Skeleton Altered: An altered skeleton is the undead skeleton of a large animal, its bones rearranged to suit the purposes of the necromancer who animated it.
The creation of an altered skeleton requires the use of a special manual for the reconstruction and alteration of animal skeletons prior to animation. Most such tomes contain instructions for both the tauran and equine forms of altered skeletons, and some are reputed to contain formulae for other types beyond these two.
Skeleton Altered Equine: The creation of an altered skeleton requires the use of a special manual for the reconstruction and alteration of animal skeletons prior to animation. Most such tomes contain instructions for both the tauran and equine forms of altered skeletons, and some are reputed to contain formulae for other types beyond these two.
Skeleton Altered Tauran: The creation of an altered skeleton requires the use of a special manual for the reconstruction and alteration of animal skeletons prior to animation. Most such tomes contain instructions for both the tauran and equine forms of altered skeletons, and some are reputed to contain formulae for other types beyond these two.
Skeleton Slime: Slime skeletons are odd undead creatures resulting from a skeleton’s long-term immersion in living slimes, jellies, or oozes. What process prevents the digestion of a victim’s bones is not known, but seems to be related to unholy influences in the area where the victim fell prey to the slime.
Eventually, the rubbery horror rises from its place of death and walks the earth again, dripping (harmless) drops of slime from its bones.
Sleeper: They are created when a powerful chaotic evil cleric, and his congregation (of at least 13), purposefully commit suicide in the hopes of returning as a single, undead entity. When successful (which is very rare), such an entity is composed of not only the souls of the cleric and his congregation, but also the souls of any who are killed by the evil entity.
Zuul-Koar, The Forgotten: ?
Ktthjj: Sages say they are “made of dreams, decay and old magic” and they are creatures of strong chaos.
These creatures appear in several of Steve Marsh’s various worlds. Some are associated with the Starstrands, some with the World Tree, and some are touched by the runes of Undeath and Dream. Some seem to breed with creatures called Stoorwyrms, or other greater chaos creatures to procreate; others are formed from men.
Shadow Vampire: ?
Fell Troll: ?

Wight: Any person drained of all life energy by a Zuul-Koar rises within 1d6 turns as a wight under the Zuul-Koar’s control.

Advanced Adventures 1: The Pod-Caverns of the Sinister Shroom

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Ghast: ?
Ghoul: ?

Advanced Adventures 2: The Red Mausoleum

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Harbinger: If a paladin dies in a state of disgrace without having atoned, there is a 1% chance the abyssal powers will claim his body as well as his soul. The re-animated body becomes a harbinger and serves at the direction of some powerful force for evil.

Ghast: ?
Shadow: ?
Wraith: ?
Crypt Thing: ?
Crypt Thing Aberration: ?
Skeleton Warrior: ?
Ghost: ?
Apparition: Tzen-Wahr, the high priest of the Mausoleum’s temple, is interred here and he has become an Apparition.
Banshee: ?
Zombie: ?
Skeleton: ?
Ghoul: ?
Wight: ?
Mummy: ?
Lich, Gaheris Lord of the Red Mausoleum: ?

Advanced Adventures 3: The Curse of the Witch Head

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Spectre: ?

Advanced Adventures 6: The Chasm of the Damned

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Wraith: ?

Advanced Adventures 8: The Seven Shrines of Nav'k-Qar

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Ghoul Drider: They are the reanimated remains of driders who were once trapped here and driven to suicide.

Spectre: ?

Advanced Adventures 10: The Lost Keys of Solitude

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Avatar of Famine: Formed through a horrible ritual where at least 500 hundred sentient creatures are sacrificed via starvation. The last creature to die is transformed into the avatar. The avatar of famine is the will of the god of famine made permanent.
Bone Sovereign: Usually encountered near the ancient tombs and other fell places that spawned them, these undead creatures are driven by the need to assimilate other skeletal monsters into their own bodies, feeding off the animating enchantments that bind such creatures in undeath.
Bone sovereigns are amalgamations of skeletons whose animating enchantments coalesced to form a single, self-aware undead entity.
Flesh Sovereign: ?

Skeleton: Instead of attacking, a bone sovereign can create any number of skeletal monsters from its body in one round.
Apparition: This living quarter is haunted by the spirit of a slain Keeper who returned as an apparition.
Zombie: ?
Ghoul: ?
Shadow: ?

Advanced Adventures 12: The Barrow Mound of Gravemoor

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Zombie: A group of reavers killed during a raid wander eternally through the bog as zombies. Their willpower was strong enough to return them from the battlefield upon which they perished, but they can never complete the journey.
Wight: In life he was a sadistic murderer, who skinned his victims and wore their flesh.
Wraith: This wraith is a vengeful spirit, a victim of a murderous outlaw, who mistakes any human for his assailant.
Richard Dirkloch, Wight:
Shadow: The tortured remains of the murdered monks.
Crawling Hand:

Advanced Adventures 13: White Dragon Run

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Zombie: Not everyone abandoned this temple to evil; many worshipers and two lower priests stayed behind and were ultimately destroyed only to rise as undead.
Wight: ?
Ghast: An especially evil fighter was abandoned here when the outpost was sacked. He died and became a ghast.
Shadow: ?
Ghoul: ?
Skeleton: ?
Poltergeist: ?
Coffer Corpse: Not everyone abandoned this temple to evil; many worshipers and two lower priests stayed behind and were ultimately destroyed only to rise as undead.

Advanced Adventures 15: Stonesky Delve

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Slavering Mouthers: Slavering mouthers are thought to be undead gibbering mouthers, brought back from the dead by dark powers.

Advanced Adventures 20: The Riddle of Anadi

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Groaning Spirit: ?
Shadow: ?
Wraith: ?
Spectral Troll: ?

Advanced Adventures 21: The Obsidian Sands of Syncrates

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Duplicate Zombie: ?

Skeleton: ?
Zombie: ?
Ghoul: ?
Wight: ?
Crypt Thing Aberrant: ?

Advanced Adventures 23: Down the Shadowvein

Spoiler

Zombie: ?
Skeleton: ?
Ghoul: ?
Coffer Corpse: ?

Advanced Adventures 24: The Mouth of the Shadowvein

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Lich Tyrhanidies: ?

Zombie: ?
Skeleton: ?
Ghoul: ?
Wraith: ?
Juju Zombie: ?

Advanced Adventures 26: The Witch Mounds

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Haugbui: These are undead Maerling warriors, servants of Sorana who were so evil in life that they attracted the interest of the goddess.
Haugbui Draugir: ?
Haugbui Jormungandr: ?
Minotaur Zombie: ?

Skeleton: ?
Ghast: ?
Specter: ?
Zombie: ?

Advanced Adventures 28: Redtooth Ridge

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Ghoul: ?
Haunt: This was the favorite room of a Mrs. Cornelia Metella, whose prim and proper spirit still resides within the room as a haunt.
The haunt desires to punish the lazy servants who ruined her best dress.
Zombie: The former servants of the Ivory House. These servants were left behind to perish of thirst by their masters. The three weakest zombies are child zombies.

Cloud World of Arme

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Skeleton: ?
Zombie: ?

Found Folio Volume One

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Beheaded: A beheaded is a severed head or skull animated as a mindless undead sentinel that silently floats at eye level as it lies in wait for living prey or is sent out into the lands of the living to terrorize everyone it finds.
A spellcaster can create a beheaded with animate dead.
Each beheaded created requires two onyx gems worth 100 gp and the casting of one fly spell. Beheaded can be created with additional abilities from the list below, using the spell indicated.
Belching: The beheaded can make a ranged attack with a maximum range of 30 feet that deals 1d6 points of energy damage (acid, cold, electricity, or fire, chosen at the time of creation by the use of acid arrow, cone of cold, lightning bolt, or fireball)
Flaming: The beheaded gains immunity to fire. Its slam attack also deals 1d4 points of fire damage and might catch the target on fire. Fire Shield must be cast when the beheaded is created.
Screaming: This type of beheaded can scream out once every 1d4 rounds. Every creature within 30 feet must succeed at a save or suffer from the effects of a Fear spell. Whether or not the save is successful, any creature in the area can't be affected by that beheaded's scream for the next 24 hours. Fear must be cast when the beheaded is created.
Ecorche: Created to be bodyguards and spies by necromancers and liches and other powerful undead, ecorche appear to be a very large, incredibly muscular human without skin. This musculature has been overdeveloped by infusions of necromantic toxins and grafts of reanimated sinew.
Gholdako: A gholdako is a dreadful undead cyclops created by the foul priests and necromancers of a fallen cyclops empire thousands of years ago.
Grave Ape: Their origin is unknown, but many sages have speculated that they are the spirits of exceptionally brutal killers, while others say they are to ogres, what ghouls are to humans.
Gravebound: Gravebound are hateful creatures formed when the souls of people who were buried alive return, animating grave dirt to form new bodies.
Graveknight: Graveknights are yet another fighter version of lich, notable warriors (of at least 9th level) who have returned from their grave by storing their life essence in their armor.
Mohrg: Mohrgs were formerly mass murderers in life, given new unlife as an undead monstrosity resembling a skeleton with intestines and really long tongue.
Zombie: Anyone killed by a mohrg becomes a zombie under its control in 2-8 rounds.
Necrocraft: A necrocraft is a medley of undead body parts and corpses grafted together with dark magic to create a single animated undead creature with abilities based on its component pieces and the surgical and necromantic talents of its creator.
The details of the ritual to create a necrocraft vary greatly, and depend on the particular undead parts used and the intended size of the resulting creature.
Necrocraft Standard: Necrocraft require five corpses to create and can be built with extra arms (providing additional attacks), improved armor (either extra bones improving AC by 2, or metal plates improving by 5), and by replacing forearms with metal blades (either short or broadswords).
Necrocraft Large: They require 10 corpses to create.
Necrocraft Giant: They require twenty-five corpses to create.
Riddlemaster: Riddlemasters are lich like beings, the undead forms of great sages and game show hosts.
Skeleton Gem-Eyed: First created by the legendary lich, Tamov the Moldy, a gem-eye skeleton is a form of skeleton that has magically enchanted gems for eyes.
The creator casts a spell into a 500 gp gem (1st level spells) or 1,000 gp gem (2nd level spells) during creation using animate dead. These spells are cast as if by a 9th level magic-user.
The type of gem corresponds to the spell. For instance, a garnet for burning hands, moonstone for sleep.Spider Deathweb: Deathweb spiders are the exoskeletons of death giant spiders (of S,M, or L sizes) animated by the binding of thousands of living spiders into said exoskeleton, moving it about like a puppet.
Wasp Deathflyer: Deathflyer wasps are similar to deathweb spiders, exoskeletons of dead giant insects (in this case a wasp) reanimating by infusing it with a horde of thousands of living wasps.

Malevolent and Benign

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Autmnal Mourner: As the lingering spirits of the neglected dead, autumnal mourners appear during the gray mists of autumn. Deprived of a proper funeral, burial, or even commemoration, they now mourn the summer’s annual passing and the subsequent death of the trees’ falling leaves.
Avatar of Famine: Avatars of famine are formed through a horrible ritual where at least 500 sentient creatures are sacrificed via starvation. The last creature to die is transformed into the avatar. An avatar of famine is the will of the god of famine made permanent.
Bone Sovereign: Bone sovereigns are terrible amalgamations of skeletons whose animating enchantments coalesce to form a single, self-aware undead entity.
Flesh Sovereign: ?
Cadaver: Cadavers are the undead remains of people who have been buried alive or given an improper burial (an unmarked or mass grave, for example).
Dark Voyeur: Dark voyeurs are incorporeal undead that live and travel in mirrors. A dark voyeur’s affinity for mirrors is caused primarily by its link to one special mirror. This “home” mirror commonly reflected the death of the voyeur’s living form and trapped part of the departing soul within its glass.
Foul Spawner: Foul spawners are obese masses of undead flesh that result from a truly evil hill giant returning from the grave.
Gray Lady: Many a sailor who ventures out into the trackless sea is destined never to look again on the loved ones he left behind. Either death or the lure of foreign lands keeps them from returning to those who wait patiently for them. Pining away on shore for the sight of a lost husband or son, and ultimately dying of a broken heart, some women return to haunt the coast as gray ladies.
Harbinger: If a paladin dies in a state of disgrace without having atoned, there is a 1% chance the abyssal powers will claim his body as well as his soul. The reanimated body becomes a harbinger and serves at the direction of some powerful force for evil.
Haze Horror: Heat and humidity often manifest as a visible haze, and many people have survived the dangers of a hostile environment only to succumb to heat exhaustion. A haze horror is that fate manifested. It is a malevolent spirit that strongly resembles normal haze until it comes across a living creature. Then, as it lashes out in its hatred for the living, visages of a life long-forgotten surface and become visible in a misty, human-sized outline. The forms are rotted and decayed corpses, usually in the semblance of the person the haze horror used to be or those close to him. A haze horror typically lingers in the area of its death. Its presence causes the temperature in the vicinity to be unnaturally warm. It is as if the heat that killed it originally is being forever re-released into the world.
Haze Horror Variant: ?
Hearth Horror: A hearth horror is the ghost of a dead place, horribly corrupted by evil and obsessed with restoring itself to its former glory.
Heartless: Natives of gehenna, heartless are the animated remains of planar travelers that died in that foul realm, left behind by their comrades.
Hellscorn: Hellscorns are the undead manifestations of vitriolic hate that only spurned love can engender.
Lostling: Lostlings are the pitiful souls of lost individuals who died in the wilderness from exposure.
Lostling Variant: ?
Neverlasting: The great elves of old were longer-lived, but even they were still mortal. A proud few could not bear the end and chose the path of unlife, never truly living, yet never dying - these are the neverlasting. Through an evil ritual, the flesh is flayed from their heads, their clan banners animate and turn to shadow, their swords gain a powerful enchantment, and their skin becomes as tough as the strongest iron.
Sabulous Husk: Walking corpses filled with sand, sabulous husks are the dry and leathery remains of an unfortunate killed in the desert. They have no intelligence and are animated through the will of the desert itself, being mere containers for the scourging sand within.
Shadow Lord: ?
Skeleton Black: Black skeletons are the remnants of living creatures slain in an area where the ground is soaked through with evil. The bodies of fallen heroes are contaminated and polluted by such evil, and, within days after their deaths, the slain creatures rise as black skeletons, leaving their former lives and bodies behind.
Slavering Mouther: Slavering mouthers are thought to be undead gibbering mouthers, brought back from the dead by dark powers.

Skeleton: Instead of attacking, a bone sovereign can create any number of skeletal monsters from its body in one round.
Every deadwood projects a zone of foul influence to a radius of 150 feet for every HD of the tree. Thusly, an 18-HD deadwood has a foul influence to 900 yards, a 27-HD deadwood to 1,350 yards, and the mighty 36-HD deadwood has a foul influence out to 1,800 yards (just over 1 mile radius).
Any human, giant, or humanoid corpse within this range that remains in contact with the ground for 1 full turn is animated into a zombie or skeleton. Corpses of humanoids with 2-3 HD are turned into ghouls, while those with 4 or more HD are instead turned into ghasts (50%), wights (35%), or wraiths (15%).
In addition to the undead it accumulates with its subjugate undead ability, a deadwood may animate the circle of bones that surrounds it. Every round, it may cause 1-6 skeletons to assemble themselves, moving to attack any opponents of the tree in the next round.
Zombie: Every deadwood projects a zone of foul influence to a radius of 150 feet for every HD of the tree. Thusly, an 18-HD deadwood has a foul influence to 900 yards, a 27-HD deadwood to 1,350 yards, and the mighty 36-HD deadwood has a foul influence out to 1,800 yards (just over 1 mile radius).
Any human, giant, or humanoid corpse within this range that remains in contact with the ground for 1 full turn is animated into a zombie or skeleton. Corpses of humanoids with 2-3 HD are turned into ghouls, while those with 4 or more HD are instead turned into ghasts (50%), wights (35%), or wraiths (15%).
Those pushed into the abdominal cavity of a foul spawner suffer 1-10 hit points of damage per round. In addition to this gut-grinding damage, a paralytic poison is excreted within the cavity, and any living creature must make a save against poison or become paralyzed for one turn. Any creature killed in this manner rises as a zombie within the hour under the control of the foul spawner.
Ghoul: Every deadwood projects a zone of foul influence to a radius of 150 feet for every HD of the tree. Thusly, an 18-HD deadwood has a foul influence to 900 yards, a 27-HD deadwood to 1,350 yards, and the mighty 36-HD deadwood has a foul influence out to 1,800 yards (just over 1 mile radius).
Any human, giant, or humanoid corpse within this range that remains in contact with the ground for 1 full turn is animated into a zombie or skeleton. Corpses of humanoids with 2-3 HD are turned into ghouls, while those with 4 or more HD are instead turned into ghasts (50%), wights (35%), or wraiths (15%).
Any human that consumes more than three pieces of the ghoulfruit tree’s fruit, or more than three cups of ghoulfruit tree liquor, in the space of a week must save against poison. Those failing die and rise as ghouls in two weeks. Only humans are affected in this manner by ghoulfruit.
Ghast: Every deadwood projects a zone of foul influence to a radius of 150 feet for every HD of the tree. Thusly, an 18-HD deadwood has a foul influence to 900 yards, a 27-HD deadwood to 1,350 yards, and the mighty 36-HD deadwood has a foul influence out to 1,800 yards (just over 1 mile radius).
Any human, giant, or humanoid corpse within this range that remains in contact with the ground for 1 full turn is animated into a zombie or skeleton. Corpses of humanoids with 2-3 HD are turned into ghouls, while those with 4 or more HD are instead turned into ghasts (50%), wights (35%), or wraiths (15%).
Wight: Every deadwood projects a zone of foul influence to a radius of 150 feet for every HD of the tree. Thusly, an 18-HD deadwood has a foul influence to 900 yards, a 27-HD deadwood to 1,350 yards, and the mighty 36-HD deadwood has a foul influence out to 1,800 yards (just over 1 mile radius).
Any human, giant, or humanoid corpse within this range that remains in contact with the ground for 1 full turn is animated into a zombie or skeleton. Corpses of humanoids with 2-3 HD are turned into ghouls, while those with 4 or more HD are instead turned into ghasts (50%), wights (35%), or wraiths (15%).
Wraith: Every deadwood projects a zone of foul influence to a radius of 150 feet for every HD of the tree. Thusly, an 18-HD deadwood has a foul influence to 900 yards, a 27-HD deadwood to 1,350 yards, and the mighty 36-HD deadwood has a foul influence out to 1,800 yards (just over 1 mile radius).
Any human, giant, or humanoid corpse within this range that remains in contact with the ground for 1 full turn is animated into a zombie or skeleton. Corpses of humanoids with 2-3 HD are turned into ghouls, while those with 4 or more HD are instead turned into ghasts (50%), wights (35%), or wraiths (15%).
Undead: Few mortal creatures have ever attempted to eat an entire deadwood fruit, and none who has is known to have survived. Tales of what might happen to those who “live” through such an attempt vary — some believe they would gain permanent command over the dead, and others that they would be transformed into strange, powerful, and unique undead themselves.
Shadow: Good-aligned creatures hit by a black skeleton (either by a weapon or natural attack) must succeed on a save vs. spells or take 1-3 points of temporary strength loss. A victim heals 1 point of strength per turn. If a creature is drained of all its strength and reaches strength 0, it dies and returns as a shadow during the middle of the night of the next full moon.

Old School Gazette 1

Spoiler

Ghoul: Animate Dead spell using grim dust.
Ghast: Animate Dead spell using grim dust.
Wight: Animate Dead spell using grim dust.

Grim Dust: When a grim axe crumbles it leaves behind grim dust. This dust is highly valued by necromancers as it can be used during the casting of animate dead to create ghouls, ghasts, or even wights. Like normal animated dead, the creatures created through the use of grim dust are faithfully loyal to their creator and obey his every command. A single use of grim dust weighs one pound and animates 2 undead (user’s choice) from the above list. Experience Point Value: 500 G. P. Value: 2,000.

OSRIC Player's Reference

Spoiler

Skeleton: Animate Dead spell.
Zombie: Animate Dead spell.

animate dead Clerical Necromancy level: Cleric 3 Range: 10 ft duration: Permanent area of effect: See below components: V,S,M casting time: 1 round Saving throw: None
By casting this spell, the cleric calls the bones or bodies of dead humans or humanoids to rise and become lesser undead (skeletons or zombies). The undead will obey their creator’s simple commands, following him or her, or perhaps guarding a location he or she designates against any creature (or not guarding it against certain creatures) that might enter. The spell’s effects are permanent, but can be dispelled by the use of dispel magic. Use of this spell is inherently not in accordance with the good alignment and is seldom used by good clerics unless there is pressing need. Moreover, casting the spell in the confines of a city may subject the caster to inquiry by secular and religious authorities alike. A cleric may animate one zombie or skeleton per caster level.

animate dead Arcane Necromancy level: Magic user 5 Range: 10 ft duration: Permanent area of effect: See below components: V,S,M casting time: 5 rounds Saving throw: None
Other than as noted above, this spell is identical to the clerical spell animate dead.

OSRIC Monster Listing

Spoiler

Banshee, Groaning Spirit: ?
Coffer Corpse: ?
Ghast: ?
Ghost: ?
Ghoul: ?
Lich: ?
Mummy: ?
Poltergeist: ?
Shadow: ?
Skeleton: ?
Spectre: ?
Vampire: ?
Wight: ?
Wraith: ?
Zombie Juju: ?
Zombie Monster: ?
Zombie Animal: ?

Pyramid of Gorsh

Spoiler

Ghoul: ?
Zombie: ?
Gorsh, King of the Desert by the Sea: If the sarcophagus is opened the body will animate.

Teratic Tome

Spoiler

Banshee Ivory: The ivory banshee is the ghost of an elven woman who worshiped the demon queen Abyzou.
Demimondaine: The demimondaine, in the form of a pale green light, descends upon the body of an unavenged female murder victim, typically a prostitute or courtesan. The undead spirit animates the corpse and sends it lurching after the murderer.
Ghast Ash: ?
Ghast Cicatrix: ?
Ghost Palimpset: The palimpsest ghost is the spirit of a halfling so ferocious in its cruelty that it has broken the bonds of mortality to become undead.
Ghoul Lesion: Created by an errant demon lord while visiting the Prime Material plane.
Malchior: A legendary thief, Malchior the Deft accumulated great wealth during his adventures, but it was never enough. Eventually, he heard tales of the Malist Oubliette, a horrific dungeon. There, those who use magic are hunted and destroyed; those who pray are excoriated; those who stand and fight are rent and devoured; and those who skulk and sneak are rewarded for their guile.
He deceived his fellow adventurers, and they entered the Oubliette; treachery ensued. Malchior backstabbed his allies and left them to die so that he could survive the dungeon.
Eventually, he reached the Inconcessus, a place where a daring thief might even steal the secrets of death itself. He did so, and became a lich.
Querist: Once a mighty pit fiend, and personal servant of an archdevil in the coldest of the Hells, the devil known as Vassago was infected by a verminate zombie (q.v.) while on the Prime Material plane. His body was transformed: though deathless, he decays, dropping bits of putrescent viscera as he stumbles from one room to the next, muttering to himself.
Skeletal Warden: Twelve dark paladins served their dark masters so well that they continue to do so beyond death: these are the dreaded skeletal wardens. Heavily armored undead warriors, they carry out the will of their creators, the archdevils of Mictlan.
Spectre Battle: ?
Xarualac: The xarualac is the restless spirit of a dead musician, one who loved music so much that it could not move on.
Zombie Verminated: Verminated zombies are small animals, such as rats, weasels, rabbits, or cats, which have contracted the red plague.
Once infected with the red plague (known to chirurgeons as necrosis), a victim will lose 1-8 hit points per hour, and must also save vs. death each hour or become a zombie. A cure wounds spell will restore hit points, but the save vs. death must still be made on the hour. The only way to end the spell is with cure disease, heal, or remove curse.

The Forgotten Temple of Baalzebul

Spoiler

Stone-Cleaver, Specter: The work gang leader from area 18d, Stone-Cleaver, was so cruel to his workers in life that he earned undead status in death. Almost immediately after his death resulting from a cave-in that occurred during the final construction phase of the temple, he was interred herein. He arose again, three days later, as a powerful specter infused with absolute evil.
Aerdolph, Vampire: Aerdolph was second in command to the bishop himself. When the order was dissolved some 500 years ago, the bishop elected to have himself and a group of his most trusted advisors transformed into various forms of the undead. The bishop became a lich and Aerdolph a vampire.
Sundar, Ghost: Over time, the corrupting influence of the clerics and their evil edifice began to exert its hold on the originally neutral-aligned Sundar. Whereas before he was only slightly wounding those students failing their tests, he was now inflicting grievous harm upon them, in some instances killing them outright with his extensive arsenal of offensive spells. The bishop, at first, tolerated Sundar’s increasing depravity. But when Sundar began killing his students outright, the bishop decided that drastic measures would have to be taken. He ordered a group of his most powerful cleric/assassins to assassinate the troublesome instructor; this they did whilst he slept. Shortly after his death, Sundar’s tortured spirit took the form of a ghost.
Sorcerell, Lich: In order to convert Sorcerell into a lich, Asalon needed to slay him in a most violent manner while calling on his dark lord to curse the cleric. Sorcerell still bears great enmity towards Asalon for first gouging out his eyes and then plunging a ceremonial dagger into his heart.
Malignaant, Lich: When Malignaant fell to Asalon’s sacrificial knife, in much the same manner as Sorcerell before him, he became a lich almost instantly.
Sarmux, Lich: When the time was at hand to dissolve the order, Asalon urged Sarmux to undergo lichdom, despite his strong protests. The proposition of merging with the Negative Material Plane mortified poor Sarmux. But, in the end, he relented, falling to the same sacrificial knife as Malignaant and Sorcerell before him.
Celrax, Huecuva: When told of Asalon’s plan to have himself along with his most loyal servants transformed into various forms of the undead, Celrax thought the bishop to be insane. As the time of his forced undead rebirth neared, Celrax became mad with worry. Before the sacrificial knife was to be plunged into his chest, Celrax opted to take his own life in a mad fit of despair. Now, because of his final act in life, Celrax haunts his beloved temple as a huecuva, an undead abomination composed of chaotic energy.
Asalon, Lich: He performed the necessary rites to transform himself into a powerful lich long ago.
When the order was dissolved some 500 years ago, the bishop elected to have himself and a group of his most trusted advisors transformed into various forms of the undead. The bishop became a lich.

World of Arkara Gazetteer of the Known World

Spoiler

Lich: Imar is the patron deity of liches, mummies and vampires and is worshipped by a great number of these creatures. According to legend, Imar conferred the “blessing” of these conditions on particularly devout followers long ago so that death would not prevent them from serving him.
Mummy: Imar is the patron deity of liches, mummies and vampires and is worshipped by a great number of these creatures. According to legend, Imar conferred the “blessing” of these conditions on particularly devout followers long ago so that death would not prevent them from serving him.
Vampire: Imar is the patron deity of liches, mummies and vampires and is worshipped by a great number of these creatures. According to legend, Imar conferred the “blessing” of these conditions on particularly devout followers long ago so that death would not prevent them from serving him.

Zor Draxtau Issue 3

Spoiler

Xerksis, The Mage-King: Seeking a means to quash the ranger’s ‘pitiful little band’ of rogue humans and pathetic demi-humans from the northern peninsula on the Usher Arm Peninsula, Xerksis created the Bone-Hilt sword; a thing of purest, darkest evil. And into the sword, Xerksis sacrificed a portion of his evil soul, so that whomever should wield the weapon, would also be invoking his spirit. And during this process, Xerksis also achieved his life-long desire to ultimately commit himself to the dark life of a lich.

Romance of the Perilous Lands

Spoiler

Romance of the Perilous Land

Spoiler

Ghost: Ghosts are the incorporeal remnants of the dead a restless spirit whose work on earth is not yet done.
Vampire: Vampires are the living corpses of those who had committed a cardinal sin.

Saga of the Splintered Realms

Spoiler

Saga of the Splintered Realm Book 1 Core Rules

Spoiler

Banshee: The banshee is a wailing spirit of a fallen mortal, often a female elf.
Ghost: A ghost is the spirit of a mortal that has been left behind, consigned to the realm of the living due to some curse.
Undead: Undead are the remains of the deceased infused with unholy power.
Skeleton: Animate Dead spell.
Zombie: Zombies, as mindless animated corpses of humans, demi-humans and humanoids, are often placed to guard treasures or used to perform mundane tasks.
Animate Dead spell.
Ghoul: ?
Wight: Wights, undead spirits indwelling human, demi-human or humanoid corpses.
Wraith: ?
Mummy: Mummies are the preserved remains of powerful creatures.
Vampire: ?
Skull Warden: The remains of a fallen paladin, the skull warden is a vengeful spirit, a skeleton clad in ruined armor wielding a cruel blade.
Lich: The lich is the undead remains of a powerful magic user from before the Great Reckoning.

Arcane Magic Sphere 5 Faith Magic Sphere 4
Animate Dead (60’). Create undead creatures (either skeletons or zombies) of total CL equal to your level. These will obey your commands until destroyed or another caster uses dispel magic to sever your connection to these undead. You may not have more than 2x your level in CL undead under your control at any one time.

Saga of the Splintered Realm Book 2 Adventures

Spoiler

Goblin Zombie: ?
Bugbear Skeleton: ?
Goblin Skeleton: ?
The Summoner, Wight: ?
The Lorekeeper, Goblin Vampire: ?
Skeletal Snake: ?
Skull Warden Captain: ?
Wight Crew Member: ?
The Painter, Goblin Lich: ?
Irdana, Vampire Magic User: ?
Undead Goblin Miners: Both the dwarves and the goblins have been cursed to fight perpetual battles on a daily basis as they search for the Gem of Crakjeko, the key to lifting the curse of the Necromancer that cursed them centuries ago.
Undead Dwarf Miners: Both the dwarves and the goblins have been cursed to fight perpetual battles on a daily basis as they search for the Gem of Crakjeko, the key to lifting the curse of the Necromancer that cursed them centuries ago.
Dwarf Provisioner: ?
Goblin Mummies: ?
Dragon Skeleton: ?
Dwarf Ghoul: ?

Zombie: ?
Banshee: ?
Wight: ?
Wraith: ?
Ghost: A ghost of a fallen human thief who attempted to steal from the goblins
Skeleton: ?
Ghoul: Gem of Skulls magic item.

The Gem of Skulls
The gem of skulls appears as a large black obelisk, nearly 6” long. Once per day, this magical gemstone will automatically turn one corpse within 120’ into a ghoul. It may be beyond the abilities of the PCs to destroy the gem, and this may require a special quest or journey to complete. The gemstone is worth 500 gp to the right buyer, but the gemstone will definitely prove deadly in the hands of the wrong character, allowing the amassing of a ghoul army.
The gem gives no power to control or influence ghouls once created, and this gem could quickly lead to a character’s death. A lawful creature touching the gem suffers 1d6 damage. Any creature dying within 120’ of the gem is re-animated as a ghoul within 1d6 rounds. While the gem is valuable (worth up to 250 gp on the market), it is an object of evil, and PCs who sell it will likely live to regret it.

Scarlet Heroes

Spoiler

Scarlet Heroes

Spoiler

Undead: Slaves of Bone and Mist spell.
Ghoul: Some hungry ghosts are touched by the ice of the Hells, animating their unburied corpse with an endless, unbearable hunger for human flesh to warm them.
Hungry Ghost: Some spirits fear to pass on to their ultimate reward or everlasting punishment. Others are unable to leave the living world, having become lost without the guidance of funeral rites or snared by the demands of unfinished business among the living. Without the help of a priest to calm them and guide them onward, these shades are doomed to become hungry ghosts, maddened and anguished undead entities that torment the living.
Hungry ghosts are commonly found in the wake of mass slaughters, plagues, and famines. Even the complete burning of a corpse is not sufficient to prevent their manifestation should proper funeral rites be neglected; the hungry ghost will assemble a body from ash and dust if it must. Some necromancers also have the power to create or bind hungry ghosts, with the more adept among them torturing the maddened souls into new, more hideous forms of undead.
Defilement of the Unquiet Grave spell.
Slaves of Bone and Mist spell.
Jiangshi, Leaping Vampire: The dreaded jiangshi are undead most often produced by a misfortunate death far from home, where an unburied victim’s soul is left unable to find its way back to familiar places. Other jiangshi are the product of dark necromancy or a life of evil, when the soul is too fearful to face its fate in the afterlife.
Langsuyar, The Hungry Mother: These strange undead are the result of the childbirthing death of both a beautiful young mother and her child. Appropriate funerary rites usually prevent such creatures from manifesting, but every so often some poor woman or lonely mother perishes without the help of such rites, and thus leaves her soul vulnerable to the misfortune of this state. In darker cases, some bereaved husbands actually spoil the funerary rites so as to encourage the creation of a langsuyar, hoping only to regain their lost love.
Ma Ca Rong, The Filth Vampire: These loathsome undead creatures are the remains of men and women who uttered ruinous lies and practiced terrible deceits in life. Fearing the punishment that awaits them beyond the grave, their spirit animates their restless corpse as a ma ca rong, tearing loose their viscera as their head separates from the rest of their body.
Ma Lai, The Plague Vampire: A relative of the ma ca rong, the ma lai also is an undead creature, one born of the plague-slain or fever-killed. To observers, it appears that whatever sickness claimed them grew very dire before receding; in truth, the plague killed them, but their restless spirits refused to leave their corpses.
Nu Gui, The Vengeful Deceiver: The nu gui is created when placatory funeral rites prove insufficient to calm an outraged spirit, and their vengeful purpose is clothed in the power of an undead form. While many types of undead are the product of such unsatisfied purposes, nu gui are unique for the insidiousness of their actions, for they manifest as the friends and loved ones of their target.
Polong, The Bitter Servant: While most cultures of the isles honor their dead and seek only their dignified peace, some necromancers find the undead make excellent servants. A ghost slave is created from a victim sacrificed in a particular sorcerous fashion, one lingering and terrible. A single unbroken bone remains at the end of the process, most often a skull, and so long as the bone remains intact the polong is forced to obey its creator in all ways. If the bone is smashed, the polong is free to work its vengeance for one hour before it passes on to its eternal reward.
Fashioning a polong is costly, and even those necromancers who would not balk at the price are often leery of the risks of an uncontrolled ghost slave. Creating a polong requires ingredients worth 500 gp per hit die of the victim and a magic-user or cleric level no less than the victim’s hit dice. A necromancer may have no more polongs bound to him than he has levels.
Shui Gui, The Water Twin: The water twin is an undead creature produced by the terror of drowning and the anguish of the unlamented dead.
Skeleton: One of the simplest forms of undead, a skeleton is simply a set of bones animated by the decaying remnants of a spirit’s lower, animalistic soul.

Defilement of the Unquiet Grave Level 4
Duration: Special Range: Touch
The followers of the Nine Immortals cherish the peaceful sleep of their ancestors. That does not prevent other priests from having different ideas on the topic. This spell may forcibly create undead from corpses that were not buried with the correct funerary rites. A number of hit dice worth of undead equal to the caster’s level may be created at once, most often hungry ghosts as per the Bestiary chapter. These undead are obedient to their creator, becoming uncontrolled upon his death. Each ritual costs 50 gp in expendable implements for each hit die of undead created, and the ritual can only be performed on a night of the new moon. Most clerics can command no more than ten hit dice of undead slaves for every level they possess.

Slaves of Bone and Mist Level 5
Duration: Indefinite Range: Touch
Necromancy is profoundly repugnant to most of the cultures of the isles, but some sorcerers are unconcerned with the respect due the ancestors. With a supply of corpses that have not received appropriate burial rites the wizard can call up a number of undead servants. A number of hit dice worth of undead equal to the caster’s level may be created at once, most often hungry ghosts as per the Bestiary chapter. These undead are obedient to their creator, becoming uncontrolled upon his death. Each ritual costs 50 gp in expendable implements for each hit die of undead created, and the ritual can only be performed on a night of the new moon. Other, more powerful or costly rites exist to conjure more numerous or potent undead slaves.

Godbound: A Game of Divine Heroes

Spoiler

Undead: The undead of the realms are products of fear, longing, and dark sorcery. Ever since the fall of Heaven and the corruption of Hell the prospect of an agonizing afterlife has filled countless men and women with dread. While the rites of the Unitary Church, the ancestor cults, and other true faiths can serve to anchor a soul to its native realm in peaceful sleep, not every spirit has the advantage of that shelter. Those who die alone and far from solace might still cling to this world for fear of what comes next.
Others simply cannot endure the idea of leaving their work unfinished, and are sealed to their decaying corpses by their unquenchable will. Even when a spirit is absent and only the dead flesh remains, a skilled sorcerer can imbue the husk with a kind of half-life to create a mindless servitor.
A swarm of minor creeds can be found in the cities and villages of the realm, most of them revolving around a locally-important spirit or heroic ancestor. Few of these faiths have any real power to save, though a few have priests that actually can ensure a peaceful eternal rest to their followers. Sometimes this safety can be granted with a simple ritual or sequence of prayers, but other faiths require expensive or bloody rites to ensure that a soul is safely anchored to the sleep of the mundane realm. Occasionally these rites go awry, and the soul is left to persist as some form of undead. Less often, these rites are intended to create such revenants, either to serve the cult or to act as loci for their devout worship.
A Pale Crown Beckons Death Word Lesser Gift.
Ranks of Pale Bone Theurgic Invocation.
Draugr: The great majority of labor in the skerries is performed by draugrs, the walking dead beckoned up by the witch-queens and their priestesses.
Witch-queens measure their status by the number of living and draugr they command and the richness of their cold palaces. They do not love each other, but the great necromantic rituals they work require the cooperation of several adepts, and so they cannot afford to quash all potential usurpers.
Mob Undead Horde: ?
A Pale Crown Beckons Death Word Lesser Gift.
Lesser Undead: Lesser undead are purely corporeal in nature, dead bodies animated by magical power and imbued with a kind of half-intellect by the spell.
A Pale Crown Beckons Death Word Lesser Gift.
Ranks of Pale Bone Theurgic Invocation.
Greater Undead: Greater undead are qualitatively different. They have a human soul at their core, either animating a decaying corpse or manifesting as an insubstantial wraith. Their minds are usually dulled by the decay of their flesh or the confusion of their death, but they can remember their living days and reason as humans do. Spells to create them are substantially more difficult, and most necromancers must take care to keep greater undead safely bound.
A Pale Crown Beckons Death Word Lesser Gift.
Ancalian Husk: The eruption of the Night Roads in Ancalia has produced the dreaded Hollowing Plague which makes risen corpses of its victims. The desperate husks of those slain rise now as lesser undead, swarming in Mobs to devour the living.
War-Draugr: The biggest and best-preserved of the wretched draugr of Ulstang are swathed in mail and iron plates to become war-draugr.
Dried Lord: This greater undead corpse houses the burning soul of a great warlord or mighty high priest.
Hulking Undead Thing: ?
Greater Undead Revenant: ?

A Pale Crown Beckons Action
Commit Effort for the scene. You can call up undead, summoning parts instantly from the nearest source if necessary. A single greater undead of hit dice no more than twice your level is called, or one Small Mob of 1 HD lesser undead is created for each three levels you have, rounded up. A corpse made into a greater undead must not have received funeral rites or been dead more than a month. The undead are loyal, but dissolve when you use this gift again. Summoned entities or Mobs can be preserved indefinitely for 1 Dominion point each.

Ranks of Pale Bone
The theurge imbues corpses or other remains with an animating force, raising them as soulless lesser undead. For each hit die or level of the caster, 1d6 hit dice worth of lesser undead can be raised, assuming sufficient raw materials are available. The corpses need not be intact, as bones and tissue will merge and flow under the sorcery. Undead that have already been destroyed once, however, are no longer useful for further necromancy.
The great majority of human-sized corpses rise as 1 hit die undead, though the corpses of terrible beasts or fearsome Misbegotten may be more dangerous. The raised creatures are mindlessly loyal to the theurge or any lieutenants they nominate, but otherwise act as do most lesser undead. They remain animate until destroyed or until the invocation that fuels their existence is dispelled. If their creator is slain, the risen creatures will run rampant against the living.

Ancalia: The Broken Towers

Spoiler

Husk: This ended five years ago, in 995. Without warning, nine massive Night Roads erupted in locations throughout Ancalia. Yawning gates of devouring darkness belched forth a sky-blackening miasma and an endless swarm of savage Uncreated abominations. While the darkness in Ancalia's sky cleared after nine terrible days, the tide of Uncreated had already overwhelmed most of Ancalia's cities and towns.Worse still, the darkness brought with it the Hollowing Plague.
Victims of the plague grew light-headed and feverish, their spittle turning black and their chests sunken. A gnawing pain inside their bellies grew worse and worse until the delirious sufferer could only dull it by choking down gobbets of still-warm entrails. The pain was so great that it robbed its sufferers of their reason, and many committed horrible acts against their own families simply to still the mad hunger.
Those who sought death as a relief from the pain were cheated by the grave. When their heart ceased to beat and the blood no longer flowed in their veins, the sufferers rose up once more as lesser undead that came to be called "husks".
There was no cure for the Hollowing Plague that mortal art could devise. It swept over the nation, decimating the survivors. It even managed to infect the corpses of the freshly dead, with perhaps one in ten lurching up from the charnel fields to hunt fresh prey. The worst outbreaks of the Hollowing Plague seem to be over, but anyone who lingers within Ancalia runs the risk of infection. Close contact with a husk may increase the chance, but no clear vector has been determined, nor any sure way of keeping back the sickness. A thousand folk preventatives are mustered, but none seem sure.
The origins of these restless abominations lie in a magical plague that came to Ancalia, and a curse that mere mortal magic could not efface.
The first symptoms of the Hollowing Plague appeared immediately after the opening of the Night Roads. The signs were fever, gluttony, and an irrationality driven by increasingly piercing hunger pains that could eventually only be satisfied by human viscera. The fever inevitably killed its victims within a month of the first appearance of symptoms, assuming that the victim wasn't killed by others in self-defense. By the time the Ancalians understood what was going on, it was too late. More than half the entire population was infected by the plague.
Anyone killed by a husk will inevitably rise as one within a few hours, if not immediately, as will anyone who dies from the plague's fever. The exact vectors of contagion are still not clear; bites don't necessarily seem to transmit it, nor does close contact with the victims. Instead, it seems to be a kind of psychic miasma that affects anyone within the former borders of Ancalia, potentially striking them down despite their best prophylactic measures. Some believe that being in the presence of large numbers of sufferers increases one's chance to fall ill, while others insist on the preventative power of one of a host of holy relics, peasant charms, or learned countermeasures. The reliability of such measures is altogether unproven.
Currently, the Hollowing Plague appears to be ongoing at a lesser rate of infection. There is a roughly one percent chance of developing the plague every month a person remains in Ancalia. Thus, the remaining living population of Ancalians is decreasing at a rate of approximately 11% a year, even aside from the violence and slaughter endemic to the peninsula. If the plague is not stemmed somehow, the population will be effectively wiped out within a decade from the disease's effects alone.
General scholarly opinion is that the plague does not manifest outside of Ancalia. Victims killed by Ancalian husks outside of the country will also rise as undead, but carriers of the Hollowing Plague do not appear to be infectious otherwise. As husks do not normally leave Ancalia unless driven by greater intellects, the chief danger of the infection is that some freebooter could take sick in Ancalia before returning to their homeland. Once there, a victim who dies, rises as a husk, and starts slaughtering their neighbors might form the nucleus of a dangerous outbreak.
Unbeknownst to the populace of Ancalia, the plague is not so much a biological malady as it is an otherworldly curse. The nine Night Roads that opened throughout Ancalia brought with them this magical contagion, and they exude it like a form of magical radiation.
Five years ago, in 995 AS, nine terrible Night Roads ripped open in various locations throughout the peninsula. A black miasma of disaster erupted from the roads, bringing with it a host of horrible Uncreated monsters. Just as awfully, the roads brought the Hollowing Plague; a maddening disease that turned its victims into cannibals before raising their corpses as ravenous, mindless undead "husks".
Deviant Husk: ?
Energumen: Sometimes a soul refuses to leave its corpse even after it's brought low by the plague or the teeth of the dead. Most souls instinctively sense the peaceful repose emanating from the prayers of Patriarch Ezek and will gradually fall into secure slumber over the course of a month, safe from the horrors of Hell and the agonies of their death. Yet those souls that led particularly vile or sinful lives may fear even this end, dreading what awaits them after death so greatly that their soul refuses to leave their body.
On other occasions, dark spirits infest a fallen husk, filling it with an evil intellect and an inhuman set of cravings. Sometimes these wraiths are Uncreated shades, while others are errant ghosts, constructs of dark sorcery, or malevolent natural spirits.
Energumen Depraved: The Depraved are normal men and women who have led lives of such wickedness that their spirits dread the grave.
Energumen Spirit-Ridden: The Spirit-Ridden are those energumen created when a spirit inhabits an empty husk, either the ghost of a fearful victim or another spiritual entity in search of a corporeal housing.
Energumen Uncreated Husk: An Uncreated Husk has been inhabited by an Uncreated spirit.
Energumen Eaten Prince: Eaten Princes are the most powerful variety of energumen, as they've carefully prepared themselves for the transition into an unliving husk. Most candidates fail the process, but those souls that remain clinging to the eviscerated shell of their former body gain great occult power from the gory transition.
Some exceptionally desperate cults have formed around men and women who choose to be devoured by husks in hopes of rising as an energumen. These half-suicidal initiates understand that the more foul and reprehensible a soul's life, the more likely it is to rise as one of these self-willed husks, though few realize that this result is due more to a dead soul's terror of judgment than any quality of spiritual vileness they bring to their grave. By enduring the brief horror of being eaten alive, they hope to win survival for themselves and their cultists, to say nothing of the ageless immortality that undeath brings.
Despite whatever qualms they may have, these candidates perform horrible acts in a ritualized manner in order to prepare themselves for "the new life". When the cult's leadership is confident that they have properly prepared themselves fully, they are shackled to a rack and killed by a husk. Most such souls fall into the dreamless sleep of the grave, but a few spirits cling to their mutilated bodies with such fervor that they rise as energumens, strengthening the leadership of the cult.

The Secret Fire

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The Secret Fire

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Undead: Call Forth the Dead prayer.
Ghast: ?
Ghost Warrior: Some are bound by oaths that survive death, ties of loyalty or duty that compelled them in life and now do so in death. Ghost Warriors are such, often returning to the same site many times over and walking the same paths as they did when they were mortal. Ghost Warriors are often found in ancient ruins and battlefields, where it is not unknown for opposing forces of Shades to battle once again and forever. They often manifest in specific times and at specific places, or when they are summoned, as with the Avengers of the Fallen prayer.
Ghoul: They usually come into being as the result of a creature that has resorted to cannibalism, or by way of an ancient ritual found in certain necromantic texts.
Mummy: Their internal organs have been removed, stored in Canopic jars, and undergone powerful rituals and alchemical processes to ensure that their former host will endure for eternity.
None know which Elder God was involved in the process, but it is with the utmost cruelty that the god laid these powerful lords to rest, only to see them rise again as Undead, often imprisoned within tombs for eternity.
Revenant: Sometimes, a resurrection spell goes wrong and though the body dies, the soul and intelligence remain. This leaves the subject in a terrible twilight world in which their rotting body is driven by willpower alone.
Sandwalker: It is written in the Scrolls of Ytonethotep that anyone consumed by the Locust Swarm of a Mummy while within a tomb sacred to Horus will be cursed to an eternity of undead service. Forever will they serve the Mummy whose treasure they sought to steal.
Anyone reduced to 0 Stamina by a Mummy’s Locust Swarm attack will become a Sandwalker, so cursed for as long as its Mummy creator exists.
Skeleton: Skeletons are one of the more common forms of undead, and are the easiest to create for those with a penchant for necromancy. Essentially, Human and Eld remains are imbued with a semblance of life and rudimentary intelligence, allowing them to obey simple commands and have a basic understanding of their environment.
Skeleton Shattering: ?
Vampire: None know how they came into being, but they have fed on mortals from time immemorial. Sages whisper of an ancient curse, while others insist that Vampires are created, not damned. The sages whisper for good reason — any who pry too deeply into Vampire lore tend to disappear.
Vampires can create more of their own kind by draining a victim of all Health then restoring it. Their (possibly willing) victim is drained to the point of death when the Vampire opens one of its veins to enable the would-be Vampire, or Childer, to feed. This results in an intense bond between the creator, or Sire, and the victim. The Childer is dead for all intents and purposes, but rises three days later as a true Vampire at dusk.
Vampire Spawn: Stamina Points lost to a Vampire’s blood drain ability return after a d6 days of bed rest. During that time, the victim is linked psychically to the Vampire but remains in a delirium. Each Health point a Vampire drains gives it an Energy Point that it can use. A Vampire may return to the victim to drain more, but should the victim’s Health drop to 0 as a result, he or she will die — rising three days later at dusk as Vampire Spawn.
Whisperer in Darkness, Wraith: Characters killed from a whisperer in darkness' touch of death return from the grave as a Whisperer in Darkness in 1d6 hours unless they succeed on a Luck Throw.
Zombie: A rotting corpse shambles toward you, animated by the dark art of necromancy.
Zombies are the mindless corpses of beings that have been animated by necromancy.
Zombie Tomb: Mummies often create their own undead servants, called Tomb Zombies, using their Infect ability.
Tomb Zombies are withered corpses, created by a Mummy to enforce his will.

Call Forth the Dead (Death)
Circle: III Casting Time: 1 hour
Range: 10 feet (2 squares) Resistance: —
Area of Effect: Sphere 6 (corpses) Duration: 1 hour/level
Description: Most Holy-Men dare not dabble in powers claimed exclusively by the Elder Gods. Only the worshippers of certain Evil Deities like Set or the foolhardy or utterly desperate, dare to challenge Death itself. Invoking this prayer, you imbue motive force into the corpses of the fallen, the murdered, and the massacred.
The vision of summoning a vast army, unfettered by morale or the base needs of sentience, overcomes any ethical questions or fear of reprisal from Death. You work this dark art in forgotten battlefields or near unmarked mass graves and it is from these macabre sites that large numbers of desiccated undead can be raised. The deeper your knowledge and experience, the more powerful the undead you may raise. Unfortunately, the dead curse the name of anyone who awakens them from their final rest. You have been warned….
Mechanics: All corpses within the area of effect are animated, a number determined by the location in which the prayer is cast (and deteremined ultimately by the MC). An attack roll is made against each corpse, which automatically succeeds, raising the target as an undead creature of the night (see below). However, on a natural roll of 1, 6, or 13, the corpse animates and turns on you, attacking you until destroyed.
The Holy-One determines the type of undead each creature becomes upon being raised, drawing from a pool of twice her own level. For example, a 2nd-Level Holy-Woman (who can create 4 levels of undead) might create a skeleton (level 3) and a zombie (level 1), or four skeletons (level 1), and so forth.
Animated dead automatically follow simple commands given by the Holy-One who raised them. These commands can be no more complex than those she might give a trained animal. The dead follow these commands to the best of their ability until destroyed or until the duration of the prayer expires. If the Holy-Man moves beyond shouting distance, the animated dead continue to perform the last command given them. The Elder God of Death has placed a strong limit on this prayer, preventing a destroyed animated dead from being animated again.
The newly animated dead know very little, and will only act in a manner befitting their existence while alive, namely performing repetitive tasks ingrained in them by years of combat or other occupation. This is another reason battlefields are best suited for raising an army of walking dead.

Curse of Nephren-Ka
Mummies and Tomb Zombies carry a particularly nasty magical curse. As a free action, the curse is invoked and the next melee attack will infect the victim with Mummy Rot. The affected creature immediately suffers great pain as their skin becomes desiccated and covered in lesions. The victim must make a Luck Throw to resist the effects or immediately suffer the loss of 2d6 points of Health. If they are still alive, they will also be scarred and lose 1d6 Presence as a result.
Anyone reduced to 0 Stamina will rise as a Tomb Zombie under the control of the spellcasting Mummy (in the case of Tomb Zombies, then it is their Mummy creator — if the creator still exists). The Tomb Zombie will rise from the dead during the next sandstorm in the domain of their Mummy creator.
Mummy Rot cannot be cured with conventional healing, and requires a remove curse or Aura flensing prayer. The disease also impedes healing, requiring a healer to pass a DC20 Healing check to use any healing spells on the victim.

Curse of Aryneops
Anyone reduced to 0 Stamina by a Mummy’s Locust Swarm attack will become a Sandwalker, so cursed for as long as its Mummy creator exists. Sandwalkers will rise from the sands only when summoned by their Mummy masunholy landters.

Spears of the Dawn

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Spears of the Dawn

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Eternal: The Eternal come in several different varieties depending on the nature of the rites used to animate them.
Eternal may be created by humans, but the new-made immortal is under no obligation to obey their creator, and will likely despise them for their hateful liveliness.
It was the
Gods Below who taught the Eternal King the secrets of a twisted immortality, and even now they send dark dreams to their slaves in the living world.
Two centuries ago the eastern land of Deshur, the Sixth Kingdom, was driven to the brink of destruction by the armies of Nyala. The empire’s legions were hurled back into the black deserts of the east and Deshur’s king was driven to take shelter beneath the stones of the mountains in temples long since lost to men. There he discovered new teachers and an old power, and with it he bought a damnable salvation for his people, a salvation that made them Eternal.
The accursed creatures known as the Eternal are the result of a grim and forbidden lore. They are a product of the unholy rites dredged up by the pharaoh of Deshur in the face of his realm’s destruction, learned from serpentine teachers among the roots of the Weeping Mountains. Their existence is an abomination to the Sun and the spirits alike, but the satisfactions of their undying state still tempt many in the Three Lands.
An Eternal is created from an intact human corpse, one lacking no major limb or organ. Through a series of rituals of greater or lesser complexity, the hold of death is broken upon the remains, and the subject rises up as they did in life. Their flesh is in the same condition as it was upon their death, whole or torn, but it has all the warmth, pliancy, and response of life. Indeed, the most perfectly-restored Eternal are indistinguishable in every way from a living human. The Eternal do not age, or breathe, or eat common food, or drink mortal wines. They do not sleep or dream, and they do not weary as mortal flesh wearies.
The Gods Below are hideous things, their numberless names foul upon the lips and tainting to the soul. It was their whispers that taught the Eternal King the black secrets of immortality. Some men secretly worship them for the sorcery they teach, but their rites are invariably and unspeakably loathsome.
The Nyalan empire is blamed for setting off the Long War with their invasion of the eastern kingdom of Deshur. The Black Land’s pharaoh was not a good man but he had done little to earn Nyala’s wrath. Still, Emperor Shangmay would not be content until he ruled the whole of the Three Lands, and his legions pushed the Deshrites up the banks of the Iteru into the foothills of the Weeping Mountains. They made their stand near their stony throne-city of Desheret, and the pharaoh went down into the forbidden temples in the mountains’ roots to make bargains with the servants of the Gods Below.
The secrets he brought back transformed him and his people.
Eternal Dreamer: The Eternal come in several different varieties depending on the nature of the rites used to animate them. Those who receive only the simplest and most cursory rituals rise as dreamers, men and women locked into a half-dreaming existence that leaves them only dimly aware of their surroundings.
The rituals of their creation require at least 1,000 si worth of obscene icons and hideous ritual tools, but once these implements are at hand any number of dreamers may be created with only fifteen minutes’ work each by someone with at least Occult-1 skill and training in the rituals.
Eternal Noble: The Eternal come in several different varieties depending on the nature of the rites used to animate them. Those who receive better rites become nobles, reborn with their full intellect and a clear understanding of their new estate.
Creating a noble requires 10,000 si worth of expended ingredients.
Very rarely, a ritual meant to create a lesser Eternal will somehow result in the creation of a greater variety, either through blind luck or the natural strength of will possessed by the victim.
Eternal Lord: The Eternal come in several different varieties depending on the nature of the rites used to animate them. Those who receive the finest and most glorious rituals of translation will rise as lords, mighty beyond the dreams of ordinary men and gifted with great sorcerous powers.
Creating a noble requires 10,000 si worth of expended ingredients, while the revivification of a lord demands ritual implements worth 25,000 si and ingredients worth 50,000 more.
Very rarely, a ritual meant to create a lesser Eternal will somehow result in the creation of a greater variety, either through blind luck or the natural strength of will possessed by the victim.
Ghost: Both spirit and undead, the ghost is the disembodied shade of some poor, ill-buried wretch, or a victim so tied to the world by grief or need that they cannot pass on to the land of the spirits.
One of the most important functions provided by a priest is the conducting of funeral rites for the dead. While any family patriarch is familiar with the necessary rituals, the spiritual force of the priest is anxiously prized as a further guarantee against the deceased’s suffering in the afterlife. The people of the Three Lands believe that one who has just died is vulnerable and disoriented by their new condition, and must have help and guidance if they are to safely reach the spirit world. Those without this aid will often go astray, becoming tormented ghosts who share their suffering with their kinsmen. To die alone and unburied is a horrifying fate for any man.
The most minimal rites involve washing the body, arranging its limbs neatly, and burying it with appropriate prayers for its peace and right guidance. Such a pauper’s burial is better than nothing, but still a cause for fear and anxiety. A proper funeral involves the entire community, with a great funeral meal, priestly rituals, and sacrifices to the gods for their aid and favor. The Sun Faithful replace the sacrifices with prayer, but they too share the anxieties of their neighbors over safe passage to the Burning Heavens of their god.
Many peasants and common folk are too poor to afford such a grand funeral, and so instead place their reliance in secret societies of funerary adepts. These societies assure members of powerful magical rites to make up for the lack of material expenditure, and conduct elaborate secret rituals over their deceased members. While membership in these societies is common knowledge, the inner secrets of their practices are guarded jealously. Though a great comfort to the poor, they also sometimes form the nucleus of bands of rebels, dark cultists, and other malefactors meeting under the guise of innocent charity. Other societies restrict their membership to the community’s elite and count nobles, chieftains, and great priests among their number. They join not because they cannot afford the customary feasting, but because the society promises a still better place in the world to come for those worthies who aid it on earth. Sometimes that betterment extends to material concerns or the quiet advancement of their members in court society.
The stronger and better the rites, the more aid is given to the spirit of the deceased. If a dead man or woman is courageous and clear-minded their soul can win through to the spirit world even without any aid. Lesser souls require more help, or they may lose their way between this world and the next and forever haunt the living. Their pain and confusion makes them dangerous to everyone, and ngangas or other spiritual adepts must be called in for exorcisms.
Walking Corpse: Born of an unsanctified death, a walking corpse is an undead body
possessed by its furious soul, one baffled in its attempts to reach the spirit world. Those who die without the help of proper funerary rites risk arising as a walking corpse, to haunt the living as a decaying abomination of noisome flesh.
Spirit: Humanoid spirits are often the shades of restless humans who have returned from the spirit world for their own varied purpose, and qualify as undead for the purposes of certain spells and powers.

Stay Frosty

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Stay Frosty

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Zombie: ?

Small But Vicious Dog

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Small But Vicious Dog

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Carrion: Blame the death-fetishists of Hekhara for these beauties. Some bright spark just had to see what happened when you feed the giant vultures on a diet of zombie flesh. The answer: nothing good. Although at least we now know what’s grosser than a vulture: a giant stinking undead ghoul-vulture.

Swords and Wizardry

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Swords and Wizardry

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Banshee: One particularly unusual thing about banshees is that they often associate with living faerie creatures of the less savory variety; they might even be an undead form of faerie.
Ghost: ?
Ghoul: ?
Lich: Liches are the undead remnants of wizards, either made undead by their own deliberate acts during life, or as the result of other magical forces (possibly including their own magics gone awry).
Mummy: ?
Shadow: Their chill touch drains one point of Strength with a successful hit, and if a victim is brought to a Strength attribute of 0, he or she is transformed into a new shadow.
Skeleton: Skeletons are animated bones of the dead, usually under the control of some evil master.
Animate Dead spell.
Spectre: Any being killed (or drained below level 0) by a spectre becomes a spectre as well, a pitiful thrall to its creator.
Vampire: ?
Wight: Any human killed or completely drained of levels by a wight becomes a wight.
Wraith: ?
Zombie: The standard zombie is simply a corpse animated to do its creator’s bidding.
Zombie Contagious: If their Undeath is contagious, they should be worth a few more experience points than described here, and if a single hit from a zombie causes contagion or any other sort of disease, they should be worth considerably more experience.
Animate Dead spell.

Animate Dead
Spell Level: Magic-User, 5th Level
Range: Referee’s Discretion
Duration: Permanent
This spell animates skeletons or zombies from dead bodies. 1D6 undead are animated per level of the caster above 8th. The corpses remain animated until slain.

Swords and Wizardry Monster Book

Spoiler

Allip: The allip’s touch does not deal damage, but causes the victim to lose 1d4 points of wisdom. If a victim’s wisdom falls to 0, it dies and will become an allip within 2d6 days.
Banshee: ?
Skeletal Remains: In addition to the adhesive film it exudes, the piece of pure chaos at the bone mound’s core gives it an innate ability to animate, partially, the bones that stick to it. The effects of this spell-like ability extend up to 2ft away from the creature’s body. The bone mound can animate 1d6 of the bony remains that have adhered to it each round. Each of these animated body parts may attack once, inflicting 1d4 damage. A cleric may turn these newly living bits of skeletal remains as if they were Type 1 undead. The bone mound may shift its animate dead power from one set of bones to another at any time.
Cat Feral Undead: Feral undead cats look like they were created by zombie-raising magic, but they are actually things quite unlike normal animated undead such as skeletons or zombies.
Ethereal Shade: ?
Exoskeleton Giant Ant: Giant ant exoskeletons can be animated into undead creatures by unusual and rare necromantic magic.
Exoskeleton Giant Beetle: Giant ant exoskeletons can be animated into undead creatures by unusual and rare necromantic magic.
Exoskeleton Giant Crab: Giant crab exoskeletons are animated by specific necromantic spells, cast upon the very largest giant crab exoskeletons (10ft in diameter).
Exploding Bones: ?
Eyeless Filcher: An eyeless filcher is the undead body of a criminal maimed or tortured to death in brutal punishment for its crimes; usually these criminals were guilty of particularly heinous crimes during life. These creatures are animated by an extremely powerful undead force, which causes fear and horror in any onlooker: at the sight of an eyeless filcher, anyone failing a saving throw will either f lee in terror for 1d12 rounds or be paralyzed until the undead is out of sight (equal chance).
Ghast: ?
Ghoul: ?
Ghoul Ao-Nyobo, Blue Wife: ?
Glitterskull: ?
Gravebird: Gravebirds are highly intelligent undead birds (usually ravens or crows) that have been brought back to life through foul magic.
Head-Stealer: A head-stealer is the headless, undead body of someone who has been decapitated, usually by execution or dungeon trap. The body is animated with a vengeful spirit, and seeks to re-enter society by removing someone else’s head and placing it atop its own neck.
Jackal of Darkness: ?
Lich: Liches are the undead remnants of wizards, either made undead by their own deliberate acts during life, or as the result of other magical forces (possibly including their own magics gone awry).
Nykoul: Nykoul are undead hill giant shamans, driven to continue plaguing the world by dark powers from beyond this world.
Rusalka: Rusalka are undead maiden-witches that haunt the cold rivers and lakes in which they drowned.
Females slain by a rusalka will themselves rise as rusalkas the next night, and will serve the rusalka who slew them until that rusalka is herself destroyed.
Shadow: Their chill touch drains one point of strength with a successful hit, and if a victim is brought to a Strength of 0, he becomes a shadow.
Silent Knight: ?
Skeletal Fury: The skeletal fury is an undead creature created from the skeleton of a horse, with claws or talons grown from the hooves, horns or antlers grown from the skull, the bones of large bat-like wings grown from the shoulders, and a red glow burning in the eye sockets.
Skeleton: Skeletons are animated bones of the dead, usually under the control of some evil master.
Fossil Skeleton: Fossilized skeletons are normally found only in underground caverns or complexes that have been left undisturbed for millennia, although they might also be found in inter-dimensional pockets, or in areas where the fossilization has been deliberately induced. In some limestone caverns where the mineralized water is in constant contact with the bones, skeletons might also fossilize relatively quickly – over the course of a hundred years rather than a thousand. Older fossilized skeletons may show pre-human features; fossilized Neanderthal skeletons are not uncommon.
Spectral Scavenger: ?
Spectre: Any being killed (or drained below level 0) by a specter becomes a specter himself, a pitiful thrall to its creator.
Spectre Parasitic: ?
Sumatran Rat-Ghoul: ?
Tree Ghost: Tree ghosts are the undead form of a Dryad who was killed by a wraith, vampire, or other such undead creature.
Vampire: ?
Vierd: ?
Wight: Any human killed or completely drained of levels by a wight becomes a wight.
If a creature possessed by a parasitic spectre is slain, the corpse will instantly transform into an undead creature, having abilities identical to those of a wight. If such a “wight” is destroyed, the spectre is expelled, taking 2d8 hit points of damage in the process. Non-magical weapons cannot harm a parasitic spectre. Note that parasitic spectres can possess corpses as well as living beings, and transform them immediately into wight-form, but they cannot possess corpses that have been dead more than a few minutes.
Zombie: The standard zombie is simply a corpse animated to do its creator’s bidding.
If the eyeless filcher manages to kill an officer of the law, whether guard or magistrate or scribe of the court, the unfortunate victim rises from the dead the next day as a double-strength zombie under its control.
Zombie Contagious: If their Undeath is contagious, they should be worth a few more experience points than described here, and if a single hit from a zombie causes contagion or any other sort of disease, they should be worth considerably more experience.
Zombie Brain-Eating: ?
Zombie Leper: Any who battle them must save vs disease at the end of the fight or contract Zombie Leprosy (die in 3 days and return as a Leper Zombie).
Anyone slain by a Leper Zombie reanimates as a leper zombie in 1d6 rounds.
Carrying equipment, arms or armor of one slain by a leper zombie or used to destroy a leper zombie carries a risk to the bearer, they must save vs disease at +4 each day or contract Zombie Leprosy. Holy water, remove curse and other methods of cleansing may render the gear safe again.
Zombie Pyre: ?
Zombie Raven: Zombie Ravens are the rotting, undead bodies of ravens.

Monstrosities

Spoiler

Allip: The allip’s touch does not deal damage, but causes the victim to lose 1d4 points of wisdom. If a victim’s wisdom falls to 0, it dies and will become an allip within 2d6 days.
Banshee: Ellyllon was an elf warrior who visited the monastery to learn the secrets of the world and to achieve his own inner peace. He instead found ancient words carved into the hollow bells. Reciting them turned him into a deadly banshee.
Skeletal Remains: In addition to the adhesive film it exudes, the piece of pure chaos at the bone mound’s core gives it an innate ability to animate, partially, the bones that stick to it. The effects of this spell-like ability extend up to 2ft away from the creature’s body. The bone mound can animate 1d6 of the bony remains that have adhered to it each round.
Cat Feral Undead: Feral undead cats look like they were created by zombie-raising magic, but they are actually things quite unlike normal animated undead such as skeletons or zombies.
Unfortunately, her beloved cats wandered into a necromancer’s garden and were turned into 18 feral undead cats.
Ghoul Aquatic: ?
Kraken Zombie: ?
Demonvessel: A demonvessel is a corpse that has been animated by trapping the essence of a demon within the body rather than relying on the more basic necromantic means of animating corpses. Depending upon the exact method used to bind the demon into a dead corpse, these undead creatures usually resemble mummies, but in some cases they will appear to be zombies with strange runes tattooed into the skin.
Since his wife’s natural death, the successful lamp merchant Garrick has wallowed in self-pity. He offered his vast fortune to anyone who could bring Corliss back to life. Unfortunately, the gods deemed her time had come and resurrection lies beyond mortal magic. A priestess of Orcus (under the guise of a cleric of Freya) named Edlyn (Cleric 8) approached Garrick with empty promises.
Edlyn indeed brought Corliss back from death. Her body, infused with a demonic spirit, became a demonvessel.
Ethereal Shade: Lady Baymoral is the true danger in the room. She became an ethereal shade after her death. Her spirit haunts the dining table.
Exoskeleton Giant Ant: Giant ant exoskeletons can be animated into undead creatures by unusual and rare necromantic magic.
Exoskeleton Giant Beetle: Giant beetle exoskeletons are animated by necromantic magic quite different from that used in the Animate Dead spell.
Exoskeleton Giant Crab: Giant crab exoskeletons are animated by specific necromantic spells, cast upon the very largest giant crab exoskeletons (10ft in diameter).
Exploding Bones: ?
Eyeless Filcher: An eyeless filcher is the undead body of a criminal maimed or tortured to death in brutal punishment for its crimes; usually these criminals were guilty of particularly heinous crimes during life. These creatures are animated by an extremely powerful undead force, which causes fear and horror in any onlooker: at the sight of an eyeless filcher, anyone failing a saving throw will either flee in terror for 1d12 rounds or be paralyzed until the undead is out of sight (equal chance).
The cavern is the home of Jelida Daribe, a vile killer who attacked villages in the dead of night – and left none alive to tell of his foul deeds. Jelida was eventually caught and convicted, but the relatives of his victims tore him apart shortly after his trial. Jelida returned as an eyeless filcher.
Flenser: ?
Ghast: ?
Ghost: There are innumerable types of ghosts with varying qualities, often depending on the nature and circumstances under which the person died.
Ghost Strangling: Anyone strangled by a strangling ghost will rise as a strangling ghost within 1d6 days.
At night, the alley is haunted by 3 strangling ghosts, a trio of assassins who were cut down by mysterious means after leaving the manse one dark and stormy night. They had killed the inhabitant, a sorceress of no little influence in the courts of Hell (where she is said to rule to this day).
Ghoul: Zombies are mindless creatures, the walking dead. (These are merely animated corpses, not carriers of any sort of undead contagion as are ghouls.)
Ghoul Ao-Nyobo, Blue Wife: The palace of the emperor is enormous, but even the emperor knows not how enormous. Behind the walls covered in gilt plaster and mosaics of tortoise shell and amber there are secret, dank passages haunted by the former empress, a woman called Obomay, who would have ruled the empire from behind the imperial throne had not the emperor took a liking to a dancing girl called Othea who was practiced in the secret art of the of seven venoms. Othea now holds the place of power behind the man-child emperor, and Obomay dwells in the shadows after being unceremoniously dumped into a dry well in the Anemone Garden, her hatred re-awakening her as an ao-nyobo ghoul.
Ghoul Crimson: Crimson ghouls are created by strange and terrible magical procedures worked by necromancers upon a normal ghoul.
Gravebird: Gravebirds are highly intelligent undead birds (usually ravens or crows) that have been brought back to life through foul magic.
Head-Stealer: A head-stealer is the headless, undead body of someone who has been decapitated, usually by execution or dungeon trap. The body is animated with a vengeful spirit, and seeks to re-enter society by removing someone else’s head and placing it atop its own neck.
Jackal of Darkness: ?
Lich: Liches are the undead remnants of wizards, either made undead by their own deliberate acts during life, or as the result of other magical forces (possibly including their own magics gone awry).
The lich Arus Kezanlizil rules the Forge-Temple, claiming it after an unforeseen accident transferred his undead spirit into the body of the dwarven cleric Arbor Oakenchisel.
Mummy: ?
Nykoul: Nykoul are undead hill giant shamans, driven to continue plaguing the world by dark powers from beyond this world.
Redwraith: Weaker redwraiths slowly gain strength over a period of years, eventually becoming full redwraiths that are no longer under the control of the original.
Redwraith Weaker: If a creature is drained of all life energy by a redwraith, roll d100 to determine the result. 01-40: the creature rises as a weaker redwraith under control of the original one, 41-50: the creature rises as a wight (not under control of the redwraith), 51-00: the creature’s body is animated as a zombie under the redwraith’s control.
Rusalka, Water Witch: Females slain by a rusalka will themselves rise as rusalkas the next night, and will serve the rusalka who slew them until that rusalka is herself destroyed.
Shadow: Their chill touch drains one point of Strength with a successful hit, and if a victim is brought to a Strength attribute of 0, he or she is transformed into a new shadow.
Silent Knight: ?
Skeletal Fury: The skeletal fury is an undead creature created from the skeleton of a horse, with claws or talons grown from the hooves, horns or antlers grown from the skull, the bones of large bat-like wings grown from the shoulders, and a red glow burning in the eye sockets.
Skeleton: Skeletons are animated bones of the dead, usually under the control of some evil master.
Skeleton Fossil: Fossilized skeletons are normally found only in underground caverns or complexes that have been left undisturbed for millennia, although they might also be found in inter-dimensional pockets, or in areas where the fossilization has been deliberately induced. In some limestone caverns where the mineralized water is in constant contact with the bones, skeletons might also fossilize relatively quickly – over the course of a hundred years rather than a thousand. Older fossilized skeletons may show pre-human features; fossilized Neanderthal skeletons are not uncommon.
The caves contain the remains of the first creatures to call the Seething Jungle their home. The native lizardmen died during a natural disaster that collapsed their tunnel homes into the ground around them. The lizardmen’s broken bodies merged with the flowing limestone to create 18 skeleton fossils trapped in the walls.
Spectral Scavenger:
Spectre: Any being killed (or drained below level 0) by a spectre becomes a spectre as well, a pitiful thrall to its creator.
Parasitic Spectre: ?
Sumatran Rat-Ghoul: ?
Tree Ghost: Tree ghosts are the undead form of a Dryad who was killed by a wraith, vampire, or other such undead creature.
The pale woman is a dryad named Melene slain years ago by the vampire Valmont De Shade as he traveled the countryside seeking a permanent lair.
Vampire: Any human killed by a vampire becomes a vampire under the control of its creator.
Four bone pillars stand about this 30-foot-square ossuary. Each four-foot-diameter pillar is crafted from hundreds of random bits of bones and skulls. A low wall of femurs runs from one pillar to the next. Four skull chalices sit on the wall. Each chalice is filled with steaming blood. Anyone drinking from a chalice must make a saving throw or be cursed so he can only drink blood from that moment onward until cured. If the curse is not reversed within 3 months, the victim becomes a vampire.
If a possessed creature possessed by a parasitic spectre is slain, the corpse will instantly transform
into an undead creature, having abilities identical to those of a wight.
Note that parasitic spectres can possess corpses as well as living beings, and transform them immediately into wight-form, but they cannot possess corpses that have been dead more than a few minutes.
Varn: These are the restless spirits of dead fighters and warriors whose armor continues to fight long after they are gone.
Inside the structure is a sarcophagus set into the tiled floor. It is carved to resemble the man buried within. Standing before the grave is the warden’s guardian, a Varn who fell in battle protecting the body from those who would defile it, and continues to do so after death.
Vierd: ?
Wight: Any human killed or completely drained of levels by a wight becomes a wight.
If a creature is drained of all life energy by a redwraith, roll d100 to determine the result. 01-40: the creature rises as a weaker redwraith under control of the original one, 41-50: the creature rises as a wight (not under control of the redwraith), 51-00: the creature’s body is animated as a zombie under the redwraith’s control.
Wight Sea: Sea-wights are highly similar to normal wights, originating from bodies in ocean-flooded tombs, bodies that were consigned to the depths of the ocean, or from individuals – usually those of some power – who perished beneath the dark waves.
As with normal wights, a successful attack by a sea-wight drains one level of experience from the victim, and a fully-drained victim rises as a sea-wight of half normal strength under the command of its killer.
Zombie Giant Shark: ?
Zombie Giant Octopus: ?
Zombie: The standard zombie is simply a corpse animated to do its creator’s bidding.
The bodies of six dwarves are tied to the dead trees of the Hallawstack Trees by their black beards. Each dwarf’s body is cut and bruised, and arrows protrude from their backs. The arrows have ostrich feather fletching. The dwarven bodies have no treasure. They have been dead for six days. One of the dead dwarves is now a zombie that sits facing tree until PCs approach. Its violent death caused it to awake as one of the undead.
If a creature is drained of all life energy by a redwraith, roll d100 to determine the result. 01-40: the creature rises as a weaker redwraith under control of the original one, 41-50: the creature rises as a wight (not under control of the redwraith), 51-00: the creature’s body is animated as a zombie under the redwraith’s control.
Zombie Contagious: If their Undeath is contagious, they should be worth a few more experience points than described here, and if a single hit from a zombie causes contagion or any other sort of disease, they should be worth considerably more experience.
Zombie Waterlogged: ?
Zombie Brain-Eating: ?
Zombie Leper: Anyone slain by a Leper Zombie reanimates as a leper zombie in 1d6 rounds.
The woman and her companions drank from the tainted pond and turned into 8 leper zombies.
All of the clothes are tainted with leprosy that turns someone wearing them into a leper zombie if they fail a saving throw.
Zombie Pyre: These undead creatures are weirdly enchanted with some sort of necromancy.
Zombie Raven: Zombie Ravens are the rotting, undead bodies of ravens.

Battle Axes & Beasties

Spoiler

Undead: The restless dead, corpses that are animated by malevolent spirits or foul magics.
Lich: Powerful Wizards or Faithful sometimes want to live forever, even if ‘live’ is a loosely defined term for those who pursue the path to becoming a powerful undead creature.
A spellcaster intentionally pursues the path to becoming a lich, and it is a long, arduous, and irreversible path, ending with the spellcaster becoming ‘blessed’ with eternal undeath.
There are rumors that some of these creatures gained this state accidentally as the result of magical research gone horribly wrong.
Mummy: The desiccated, undead remains are inhabited and animated by a malevolent spirit.
Skeletal Warrior: Bones animated by the malevolent spirit of a warrior.
Skeleton: The animated bones of the dead, imbued with a souless semblance of life by the spirit that animates their remains.
Specter: Any creature reduced to less than 0 Constitution by the touch of a specter dies and returns in 1d3 days as a specter themselves.
Vampire: ?
Wampyre: The bite of a vampire drains 2d3 points of Strength from the victim. Those reduced to 0 Strength or lower in this manner become wampyre (lesser vampires) under the control of the creator vampire.
Wight: The touch of a Wraith will drain 1d4 points of Strength from their victim (save for half – minimum of 1 point drained). Victims reduced to 0 Strength or lower will return as a wight in 1d4 days.
Wraith: Powerful, older wights.
Zombie: Zombies are mindless undead creatures, driven by a spirit that hungers for the taste of fresh flesh.
Any humanoid killed or completely drained of strength (1 point per hit unless a successful saving throw is made) by a wight returns as a zombie after 1d3 days.
Zombie Contagious: These zombies carry within their bite or scratch a disease that turns those infected into mindless undead.
Those slain by Contagious Zombies rise in 1d3 combat rounds as common zombies.

Black Books Tomes of the Outer Dark

Spoiler

Zombie: The zombie's bite causes D4 damage and, if the victim is killed as a result of a bite, will infect the victim. This infection turns the victim into a zombie in 1D6 hours.
Create Zombies spell.

Create Zombies This spell requires a human corpse which retains sufficient flesh to allow mobility after activation. The caster puts an ounce of his or her own blood in the mouth of the corpse, then kisses the lips of the corpse and 'breathes part of himself' into the body. Once the spell is cast, the corpse awakes ready to obey simple commands from its creator. Should the caster die, the zombie becomes inactive. The number of zombies than can be created is unlimited (as long as the caster can pay the SAN cost). Part of the invocation refers collectively to the Outer Gods - every caster knows such entities exist, though no names are used. These zombies stay useful indefinitely. SAN: 1D2

Chance Encounters

Spoiler

Null: When a Cleric or Magic-User dies while affected by Feeblemind, the corpse may reanimate as a null, a rare and terrible form of zombie.
Sibilant Corpse: Rarely, after a Chaotic Magic-User dies, especially if in life he sowed dissension through deceit and gossip, the mage's evil takes new form as an undead sibilant corpse. The necromantic forces that animate a sibilant corpse also grant it frightening sorcerous power.

Crimson Blades 2: Dark Fantasy RPG d20 Version

Spoiler

Undead: Undead are either the dead bodies of people that have been reanimated by evil sorcerers and cultists to serve them as bodyguard or, tormented souls that due to the way they died have been unable to leave the earthly realm.
Crypt Corpse: ?
Ghoul: ?
Lich: Liches are the undead remnants of sorcerers and wizards, either made undead by their own deliberate acts during life, or as the result of other magical forces (possibly including their own magic, gone awry).
Mummy: Mummies are preserved corpses animated through the auspices of dark desert gods best forgotten.
Skeleton: ?
Zombie: Zombies are mindless creatures; created from the more recent dead. The standard zombie is simply a corpse animated to do its creator’s bidding, but the GM can give them extra HD or abilities if required.
Banshee: ?
Ghost: They are often stuck in the material realm because they have unfinished business; which when completed allows them to “die”.
Shadow: Any person reduced to 0 STR becomes a shadow under the control of the shadow that killed him.
Wight: Anyone reduced to 0 DEX by a wight becomes a wight under the control of the wight that killed him.
Wisp: ?
Wraith: ?
Vampire Prince: Vampires are creatures that have been infected by vampirism; a disease that is transmitted from some creature already infected to another, by biting them and draining all their blood.
Lich Lord: ?

Crypts & Things Remastered

Spoiler

Undead: With the Gods departed from Zarth there is no clear passage to the afterlife, so many people return from the grave as grisly animated rotting corpses.
Evil Priest powers that require blood soaked rituals to invoke include raising the undead
Corpse Colossus: “I watched in horror as the necromancer’s acolytes set about their master’s grisly work in that hellish ruined castle. From the great pile of bodies gathered from local graveyards, they stripped the flesh from them and tossed them into giant cauldrons. The bones were ground up and similarly prepared. Great black magics where cast that night, and in the light of a fearful and hesitant dawn the rotting Giant stood there, eyes burning like fire ready to terrorize the lands of the living.”
Made of a small mountain of freshly dead bodies, that are reanimated by ancient and powerful magics in a long and expensive ritual, a Corpse Colossus usually serves the evil will of a necromancer.
Crypt Fiend: ?
Faceless: ?
Ghoul: Necromancers can automatically raise any bodies as skeletons or zombies depending on their decomposition, at a rate of 1D6 per round. Given time and ritual conditions they can create higher forms of undead, such as Ghouls and Wights, at the rate of one per night.
The woman is the Countess, the would be bride of the Nizur-Thun slain in her sleep before her wedding night day and returned from the grave as a Ghoul.
Anyone wearing the Countess' diamond wedding ring at the time of death, on a successful Saving Throw, will return from the dead as a ghoul 1D6 nights after their death.
Hanged Man: These undead assassins are created by foul black magic that reanimates thieves after their death by hanging.
Lich: “The priests of the Isle of the Dead have formed an unholy pact with their master the Silent One. In return for perpetual life, they form and act out plans to bring the whole of Zarth under the Silent One’s Eternal Night.”
A Lich is the undead remnants of a wizard, either made undead by their own deliberate acts during life, or as the result of other magical forces (possibly including their own magics gone awry).
Mummy: “Some Kings and High-Priests are rich enough and powerful enough to cheat death.”
Red Zombie: These plague infected zombies are becoming a distressingly more common sight, as the Red Death spreads outwards from the Locust Star into the world. Primary carriers of the disease are the Red Zombies themselves and they seem to seek out living beings to pass it on. Any victim of their attack will rise two hours after death as one, and anyone wounded by them can be infected by the disease. Player characters may Test their Luck to avoid infection.
This was once the Merchant’s guild house and the Red Zombies are the inner circle of the guild who failed to escape being transformed when Wimble entered the Shroud.
Reincarnate: The Reincarnate is a sorcerer who has ritually sacrificed their living soul to join the ranks of the undead.
Skeleton: Skeletons are animated bones of the dead, usually under the control of some evil master.
Necromancers can automatically raise any bodies as skeletons or zombies depending on their decomposition, at a rate of 1D6 per round. Given time and ritual conditions they can create higher forms of undead, such as Ghouls and Wights, at the rate of one per night.
Knights of death are able to raise 2D6 undead (skeletons or Zombies depending on state of decay) every round.
Animate Dead spell.
Spore Zombie: “In accordance with the mistress’s wishes I placed Ozric’s corpse in the dungeon with the giant mushroom fiend he had discovered. She was pretty certain he had been infected but wanted to be sure. I was ordered to watch through the door panel. The next day I observed his corpse, ridden with mini-mushrooms, shambling around the room.”
Spore Zombies are victims of a Spore Fiend risen under the control of the fiend, to protect it from harm and to gather more food.
Spore Fiends are otherworld mushroom monsters, who trap living beings using their spores which cause madding hallucinations on a failed Test vs Luck. These hallucinations in turn lead to a Sanity check. While the victim is incapacitated the Spore Fiend moves in to kill the victim, sucking its life force out with a bite from a ‘mouth’ hidden under its hood. A day later the slain victim rises as a Spore Zombie under control of the Fiend.
Tattooed Warrior: “A famed warrior, long dead but preserved by
black arts to fight on the tribes behalf.”
Created by foul black arcane rituals from the dead bodies of tribal champions, these are the elite of the undead.
Wight: Any human killed or completely drained of levels by a wight becomes a wight.
Necromancers can automatically raise any bodies as skeletons or zombies depending on their decomposition, at a rate of 1D6 per round. Given time and ritual conditions they can create higher forms of undead, such as Ghouls and Wights, at the rate of one per night.
Wind Wraith: Wind Wraiths are created by special rituals to act as advanced shock troops for invading armies, or from deaths during server storms.
Zombie: The standard zombie is simply a corpse animated to do its creator’s bidding.
A crypt fiend raises 2D6 of the dead as Zombies per round with its right hand.
Necromancers can automatically raise any bodies as skeletons or zombies depending on their decomposition, at a rate of 1D6 per round. Given time and ritual conditions they can create higher forms of undead, such as Ghouls and Wights, at the rate of one per night.
Knights of death are able to raise 2D6 undead (skeletons or Zombies depending on state of decay) every round.
Animate Dead spell.
Zombie Contagious: If their Undeath is contagious, they should be worth a few more experience points than described here, and if a single hit from a zombie causes contagion or any other sort of disease they should be worth considerably more experience.
Great Undead Whale: ?
Hollow: The Hollows are the soulless husks of the victims of the House. Cast away but some how still linked to the House, which psychically controls them.
Ozzark the Dead King, The Plague Lord: ?
Blood Pope: ?
The Green Man, Minor Corpse Colossus: When the Haunted lands initially went to the Shroud, the surviving villagers buried the people who died of shock in a mass grave (see the pit below). Malek’s apprentice, a suitably half mad and childlike young man called Mildark, used the last of his magical knowledge to summon them back into undead life as a small Corpse Colossus (his magical power was not great enough to summon a full version of this monster and besides there wasn’t enough corpses).
A large mass grave where the villagers of Wimble buried the folk who died of shock when the Village moved to the Shroud. Although Windy Mildark reanimated the dead as the Green Man.
Giant Undead Pike: ?

Animate Dead
Spell Level: 5th Level
Colour: Black
Range: Crypt Keeper’s Discretion
Duration: Permanent
This spell animates skeletons or zombies from dead bodies. 1D6 undead are animated per level of the caster above 8th. The corpses remain animated until slain.

The Countess’ diamond Wedding ring.
This is worn by the Countess and will have to be taken from her cold undead fingers. It is engraved with “Death shall not part us!”’Anyone wearing the ring at the time of death, on a successful Saving Throw, will return from the dead as a ghoul 1D6 nights after their death. Of course they must pass another Saving Throw or else go insane from the transformation. Further Sanity rolls are required when ever the character feeds on raw sentient flesh, which they need to do at least once a weak, or uses their Ghoulish abilities. Furthermore the now Ghoul only heals Hit Points and lost Constitution via feeding (full Hit Points and 2D6 Constitution per corpse) and must make a Saving Throw whenever passing a fresh corpse or stop and feed. The ring has a monetary value of 100 GP.

Chthonic Codex

Spoiler

Lecternomancer: Grand Sorcerer of the Valley of Fire Deleterios III killed, in a single stroke, all of his 15 apprentices. Opinions on the reasons differ. Of his detractors, the Chimerists mention he needed corpses of spellcasters for his own nefarious experiments, while the Orthodox Necromancers remind that Deleterios III was reckless during experimentations.
Rumours circulate about how all of his apprentices might or might not have been corrupted by their Master’s enemies to plot against him, that somehow Deleterios III found out and crushed their hearts with magic.
Anyway, he took their corpses and retired for a long while, a couple of years, in his laboratories, flayed the bodies, tanned the skins with their brains to make vellum, wrote on their skin with their blood, then stitched them in codexes with their hair and bound them in books.
Skullsnatcher: Orthodox Necromancers usually satisfy their mad power ravings by achieving immortality and leading giant undead armies. Others, like the Reformed Necromancers, are not happy with simple massacre, and desire to fight their enemies using the Black Art in much subtler ways.
Skullsnatchers are sometimes used for this purpose, using the rites developed by Grand Sorceress of the Valley of Fire Deleterios II. She created these headless undeads by performing rituals on the decapitated remains of the rebellious Orthodox Necromancy apprentices after the revolts following her predecessor's Apotheosis ritual.
Savant Emeritus: Savants never truly retire. As they become older and wiser, more and more bent and withered, even more haughty and crotchety, often they die. And while sometimes it's not noticeable, some other times it is, and it's ok. So when they do go properly dead and motionless, we usually bury them in the catacombs, so that we can protect them. And when we can't do that, they're reanimated and buried in crypts or in their hermitage with all their stuff. Or sometimes they just go there by themselves. Away from the Schools, because it would be trouble to keep them close or keep them unprotected; th reasoning goes that, if they can cast spells, they can prevent the plundering of their tomb, to say the least.
Hypogean Dragon Ghostly: ?
Hypogean Dragon Mummified: ?
Undead: These creatures are non-living corpses animated by their psyche, somehow still lingering with the corpse. More rarely they are simply a disembodied lost psyche roaming our world.
School of Necromancy Level 5 - Drink of Immortality - it’s a deadly poison brewed from the brewer’s blood and unwholesome ingredients like human bone meal, ground polycerate goat horn, amethyst and 2 random results from the Pharmacopeia Rare IngredientsTable. The first time the drinker dies, they will become a undead after 1d6 rounds. When drunk, immediately SAVE OR DIE. And become an undead in 1d6 rounds, ofcourse, because the Drink stillworks.
School of Necromancy Level 8 - Drink ofEternalPower - it’s an even deadlier poison brewed from mana-tar, seven caster pineal glands, a bucket of honey and 6 random results from the Pharmacopeia Rare Ingredients Table. When drunk, immediately SAVE OR DIE. If the caster survives, the first time they die, they will return as an undead after 1d6 rounds. The ordeal will confer them a power from the Savant Necropowers Table: the player can pick any power lower than 1d6 + caster level. The potion immediately kills any drinker except the brewer, NO SAVE.
Interrupted Rest spell.
Zombify spell.
Back from the Graves spell.
Gift of Immortality spell.
Great Gift of Immortality spell.
Lost Company spell.
Grand Celebration of the Chthonic Gods spell.
Zombie: Zombify spell.
Lost Company spell.
Grand Celebration of the Chthonic Gods spell.
Dead Head: Dead Head spell.

Interrupted Rest
Level: 1/i. Range: touch. Casting time: 1 round. Duration: instantaneous.
The touched corpse corpse animates as an undead oflevel 1. Its personality has
been completely corrupted by the ordeal ofwaking up as a rotting corpse; it is
free-willed but spiteful, ravenous and angry with all that is alive.
Dispensation - the caster must pour a pint ofinnocent blood on the corpse.

Zombify
Level: 2/i. Range: touch. Casting time: 8 hours. Duration: instantaneous.
The caster lights incense and candles around a corpse, then rubs it with special
powders and mhyrr. The corpse animates as an undead of level equal to the Tier of the Caster. It is completely subject to the Casters will. The ingredients cost 50c per level of the undead created.
Alteration - Necrosurgery - this spell must be cast within 2d6 rounds of the subject's death. The caster treats the corpse with oils (500c) and replaces the heart with a stone. The subject is animated as a zombie, their powers, skills, levels, personality, will and agency escaping the clutch of death completely preserved, but completely subject to the caster's will. The undead will lose 1 level per month until, at level 0, they instead become a mindless ravenous lvl1 undead.

Back from the Graves
Level: 5/iii. Range: 20'. Casting time: 1 turn. Duration: instantaneous.
The closest humanoid corpses to the caster will animate as undead. The spell affects 2 corpses per Caster level and the undead created are level 1. Their personalities have been completely corrupted by the ordeal of waking up as rotting corpses: they are spiteful, ravenous and angry with all that is alive, but they must save or obey every wish of the caster. The spell ingredients cost 1000c.
Dispensation - the casting time is 1 turn per corpse to be reanimated.

Gift of Immortality
Level: 6/iii. Range: touch. Casting time: 8 hours. Duration: instantaneous.
Like Interrupted Rest except that the subject's powers, skills, levels, personality, will and agency escape the clutch ofdeath completely preserved. The spell also laces the corpse with necromantic energy. The subject gains undead immunities, one Undead Ability determined rolling 1d6 on the following table, plus the ability to see in the dark. The spell needs ingredients costing 1000c.
1: any physical contact transfers 1d6 hits from the victim to the undead
2: immunity to cold and spells up to level 1d6+1
3: any victim killed with natural attacks will raise as a lvl 1 undead minion in 1 turn
4: once per day the undead can teleport between shadows
5: victims hit by the undead natural attack must save or be paralyzed for 1 turn
6: become incorporeal for up to 1 hour, either once per day or spending 1 mana.
While incorporeal the undead can't interact with non-magic objects.

Great Gift of Immortality
Level: 10/v. Range: touch. Casting time: 12 hours. Duration: instantaneous.
Like Gift of Immortality except the subject gains one random undead ability per Tier it had before death. The spell requires ingredients costing 5000c.

Lost Company
Level: 11/iv. Range: 100 yards. Casting time: 1 round. Duration: instantaneous.
Like Zombify except it affects the closest 250 corpses. The spell needs ingredients costing 10000c.

Grand Celebration of the Chthonic Gods
Level: 12/vi. Range: 1 mile. Casting time: 8 hours. Duration: instantaneous.
The caster finds a suitable threshold for having a meal of dog meat and burying
alive 12 innocent people, 6 men and 6 women, each person wearing jewelry worth 2500c. Two hours after the burial 250 corpses within range animate like Zombify. At the fourth, sixth and eight hour of casting a characters of level 1d6+1 animates as per the spell Great Gift of Immortality. They report for duty as lieutenants, their devotion to the caster unshakable. Each lieutenant independently controls 250 corpses that animate together with them. If a lieutenant is destroyed its now free-willed company will do its best to take as many lives as possible. The 12 victims are never reanimated: after the burial they simply vanish from below the ground.
Alteration - Totentanz - Like Interrupted Rest except affecting all corpses in range. The ingredients cost 10000c.

Dead Head
Level: 4/ii. Range: touch. Casting time: instantaneous. Duration: until dawn.
The Caster animates an undead severed head, known as a Dead Head, completely subject to the caster’s will. The head has 1 Hit per caster’s Tier and whispers with a really quiet voice. If an appendage is stitched to it, the Dead Head will be able to use it to move around, flying with bird or bat wings, hopping on a foot, crawling on a hand.
Alteration - Heeding Head - Duration: permanent - a head is set up to watch over a passage or an entrance, and the caster can order it to watch for a particular event or creature. When the head witnesses the event or creature it will report it by talking, whispering or shouting.

Gary vs the Monsters

Spoiler

Dream Stalker: Dream Stalkers are a special kind of ghost of people who have done truly heinous acts during their lives and then came to an unfortunate (and usually violent) end.
Ghost: Ghosts are the tortured souls of mortals who have stuck around because something keeps them anchored to the material world. This could be lots of things from loose ends of a mortal life, a violent or tragic death, trapped by some crazy necromancer, or even trapped by a more powerful and evil ghost.
Mummy: ?
Necroid: The Necroids are evil demon-like beings who enter the real world and possess corpses.
Psycho-Slasher: Some evil won't die. It keeps going and going. It won't stop. Nothing seems to stop it. Ever.
Spirit: While ghosts were once living mortals, spirits have always been, well, spirits.
Vampire Master: ?
Vampire Thrall: A Vampire may attempt to bite a victim. If the attack is successful then the Vampire latches on and begins to drain the victim's blood at a rate of 1d6 damage per round and healing the Vampire for an equal amount. A victim may attempt an opposed Attack Roll to free themselves. A charmed victim will not attempt to break free. If the blood drain kills the victim then the victim attempts a Saving Throw. If the roll is successful then the victim will come back as a Vampire (Thrall) at the next sunset.
Zombie: If a character is bitten by a zombie attempt a Saving Throw. On a failure, the character dies in 1d6 hours and turns into a zombie.
Zombie Upper Torso: A zombie that has been cut in half.

Rantz's Fair Multitude

Spoiler

Undead: When the Ebon Contagion swept across the Cairn Lands, not even the Kivulis could stem the tide of soulless evil that followed. The sacred burial grounds guarded by the Kivulis for generations became corrupted, and the cairns themselves cracked open as the hallowed dead within clawed their way to the surface as undead horrors.
Hungry Ghost: A hungry ghost was a person with a passion for some pleasure that ruled his life, leading him to commit all manner of crimes to sate his inordinate desires.
Kummua: ?

Ruins & Ronin

Spoiler

Ao-Nyobo, Blue Wife: ?
Azuki-Arai: ?
Banshee: ?
Gaki, Hungry Spirits: Gaki are the undead spirits of the wicked dead turned into horrible monsters for their horrid sins. The precise nature of the crimes committed by the Gaki in life determines their type, 3 kinds are commonly known but they may be more.
Jiki-Ketsu-Gaki: ?
Jiki-Niku-Gaki: ?
Shikki-Gaki: ?
Ghoul: ?
Jikininki, Trash Eating Ghoul: Similar to the Gaki in appearance, these undead originate from greedy, selfish or impious individuals who are cursed after death to seek out and eat human corpses.
Kubi-no-nai-bushi: A Kubi-no-nai-bushi (headless warrior) is a particularly rare and powerful form of undead that is sometimes created when the spirit of a honorable Samurai that was unlawfully or unjustly forced to commit Sepukku returns from the grave in search of vengeance.
Kyonshi, Hopping Vampire: Sometimes when a body is buried improperly or in an inauspicious location, it reanimates with a hunger to kill mortals and consume their lifeforce.
Anyone who suffers damage from a Kyonshi runs the risk of becoming a vampire in turn. Exactly how this occurs is a mystery, but most sages agree it is a form of curse. The percentage chance of turning into a vampire is equal to the amount of hit points lost on a 1d100. Those who succumb to the curse slowly turn into vampires themselves, growing fangs and long fingernails and becoming more and more bestial. The process a number of days equal to the victim’s CON minus 1d6 and usually only becomes evident after a couple of days have passed. To stop the transformation a Remove Curse spell must be cast on the victim.
Lich: Liches are the undead remnants of wizards, either made undead by their own deliberate acts during life, or as the result of other magical forces (possibly including their own magics gone awry).
Mummy: ?
Shadow: A shadow's chill touch drains one point of strength with a successful hit, and if a victim is brought to a strength of 0, he becomes a shadow. Strength points return after 90 minutes (9 turns).
Skeleton: Skeletons are animated bones of the dead, usually under the control of some evil master.
Animate Dead spell.
Spectre: Any being killed (or drained below level 0) by a spectre becomes a spectre himself, a pitiful thrall to its creator.
Vampire: Any human killed by a vampire becomes a vampire under the control of its creator.
Wight: Any human killed or completely drained of levels (1 level per hit) by a wight becomes a wight.
Wraith: ?
Zombie: The standard zombie is simply a corpse animated to do its creator’s bidding.
Animate Dead spell.
Zombie Contagious: If their undeath is contagious, they should be worth a few more experience points than described here, and if a single hit from a zombie causes contagion or any other sort of disease they should be worth considerably more experience.

Animate Dead
Spell Level: Sh5
Range: Referee’s discretion
Duration: Permanent
This spell animates skeletons or zombies from dead bodies. 1d6 undead are animated per Level of the caster above 8th. The corpses remain animated until slain.

Swords & Wizardry Continual Light

Spoiler

Ghoul: ?
Shadow: ?
Skeleton: Bones of the dead, animated by vile necromancy.
Wight: ?
Zombie: ?

The Cartographer's Guide to the Creatures of Eira

Spoiler

Bone Spider: Bone Spiders are malign spirits who form their bodies from the bones of the dead and who haunt the ancient barrows, tombs, bone pits and crypts of the world growing and gaining power as they add more bones (fresh and ancient) to their form.
The Chained: No one knows for certain what The Chained is, some say it is the avatar of the Goddess of Pure Death, others a freak magical accident created by a mage with a vengeance streak. The stories are endless, but all end the same way; The Chained comes for bad folks and when it does they die.
Guest: Spirits that cannot rest, cursed by broken oaths, business left undone, or something else. Left in this world and slowly driven mad by it. Guests were never meant to be in the realms of the mortals and every day they do not pass on is yet another day insanity inducing pain.
Unquiet Bodere: The undead remnants of a mortal who looked into the Outside and didn't have enough sense to die immediately. Driven insane by what they saw the mortal went through what remained of their short life muttering and rambling in their madness revealing truths – oh so dark truths – of what existed Outside. Even when death finally claimed them the things they saw and remembered refused to die with them.

The Hero's Journey Fantasy Roleplaying

Spoiler

Banshee: ?
Death Knight: ?
Ghoul: Animate Dead spell.
Liche: Liches are the undead remnants of wizards, either made undead by their own deliberate acts during life or as the result of other magical forces (possibly including their own magics gone awry).
Mummy: ?
Poltergeist: Poltergeists are incorporeal spirits animated by anger.
Sanguine Fog: ?
Shade Lord: ?
Shadow: A shadow's chill touch drains one point of strength with a successful hit, and if a victim is brought to a strength of 0, he becomes a shadow. Strength points return after 90 minutes.
Skeleton: Skeletons are animated bones of the dead and are usually under the control of some evil master.
Animate Dead spell.
Skeleton Flaming: Flaming skeletons have been animated with an unholy fire that radiates from them.
Specter: Any being killed (or drained below level 0) by a specter becomes a specter himself—a pitiful thrall to its creator.
Vampire: Any human killed by a vampire becomes a vampire under the control of its creator.
Wight: Any human killed or completely drained of levels (1 level per hit) by a wight becomes a wight.
Animate Dead spell.
Wraith: ?
Zombie: These are merely animated corpses, not carriers of any sort of undead contagion as ghouls are.
The standard zombie is simply a corpse animated to do its creator’s bidding.
Animate Dead spell.
Zombie Contagious: If their undeath is contagious, they should be worth a few more experience points than described here, and if a single hit from a zombie causes contagion or any other sort of disease they should be worth considerably more experience.

Animate Dead
Spell Level: Wizard 5
Range: Referee’s discretion
Duration: Permanent
This spell animates skeletons, zombies, ghouls or wights from dead bodies. The caster determines which type of creature is animated from the corpse. Each casting of this spell produces either 1d6+1 skeletons, 1d6 zombies, 1d6−3 ghouls, or 1 wight. The corpses remain animated and under the command of the caster until destroyed or banished.

The Little Book of Adventuring Classes Vol. 1

Spoiler

Dead Dog Spirit: ?
Undead: Raise Greater Undead spell.
Wight: Raise Greater Undead spell.
Wraith: Raise Greater Undead spell.
Skeleton: Raise Lesser Undead spell.
Zombie: Raise Lesser Undead spell.
Ghoul: Raise Lesser Undead spell.
Unliving: Unliving are created by dying and being resurrected by a necromancer, in much the same way a zombie is.

RAISE GREATER UNDEAD
Spell Level: Deathwitch 5th level, Magic-User 7th level
Range: 240 feet
Duration: Permanent
Greater undead such as wights or wraiths can be created from dead bodies, 1d4 for each level of the caster. They remain under the command of the caster, and will remain until slain.

RAISE LESSER UNDEAD
Spell Level: Deathwitch 3rd level, Magic-User 5th level
Range: 240 feet
Duration: Permanent
Lesser undead such as skeletons (1d8), zombies (1d6), or ghouls (1d4) can be created from dead bodies for each level of the caster. They remain under the command of the caster, and will remain until slain.

The Majestic Wilderlands

Spoiler

Vampire: Kalis, the blood goddess, has created several monsters using the power of blood. The power of blood can infuse mortals with powerful strength and other arcane abilities. However, that power comes at a price of one’s humanity and deadly weaknesses. Kalis has experimented with many ways of infusing the power of blood but the two most common are the vampires and the werewolves.
Vampires are the first of the Children of Blood. Vampires are undead; their immortality and thirst for blood was passed down from Avernus, the first vampire.

The Rising Dark: An Introduction to Agraphar

Spoiler

Undead: The people of Agraphar believe that when you die, you either reincarnate if your soul has not yet advanced enough to ascend, or you are taken to one of two places. If you have led a good and virtuous life, you are ascended; valkyries of the heavens descend, and you are taken to the cosmic landscape of the Beyond, where the gods dwell, and you are cast in to the role of soldier in the never ending war between the light and chaos. Most often, a man who has proven himself a virtuous or determined soul who is a master of his craft is believed to ascend as such to the heavens. If, however, you are a vile and wicked person, and you revel in misery, then you are most likely cast down, dragged by the shadow demons of the underworld to the underworld below even the subterranean realms of Agraphar, where you are shaped in to one of the nameless demons of the horde of chaos, turned in to an undead being, or worse. A few wicked souls go willingly, and they are often promoted, it is said, to sadistic roles as archdemons and lords of undeath. Some people lose their way, or are so tangled with the affairs of their living self that they come back as ghosts and spirits to haunt the land; some demonic beings have powers so vile that they can cause this to happen to otherwise good souls, severing the celestial cords that bind the soul to the heavens of the afterlife.
Lord of the undead, Maligaunt is an enigmatic being who is said to have been the first mortal of Agraphar to master the existence of undeath.
Lich: The necromancer Crotus perished, but his acolyte Varimoth lived and has stolen his master’s secret cache of lore, allowing himself to become a lich!
Burning Skeleton: ?

The Witch: Hedgewitch for the Hero's Journey RPG

Spoiler

Gloaming: It is the undead creature of a large predatory animal.

Tomb of the Iron God

Spoiler

Skeleton: ?
Zombie: ?
Ghoul: Anyone killed by the Eater of the Dead becomes a ghoul under the Eater's command, rising within one round.
Glowing Skeleton: ?

Tome of Adventure Design

Spoiler

Ghost Shipwreck: ?
Undead Giant Crab Carapace: ?

Undead: In folklore, almost all undead creatures arise from some sort of break in the normal life cycle as that culture defines the life cycle (and that’s not always the same in all cultures). Some ceremony wasn’t performed – often burial or last rites, or some action taken by the undead person during his life represented a breach of the natural order of things.

Table 2-64: Basic Types of Undead Creatures
Die Roll
Undead Type
01-04
Corporeal, genius, non-reproductive
05-08
Corporeal, genius, reproduces through prey
09-12
Corporeal, non-intelligent, non-reproductive
13-16
Corporeal, non-intelligent, reproduces through prey
17-20
Corporeal, semi-intelligent, non-reproductive
21-24
Corporeal, semi-intelligent, reproduces through prey
25-28
Incorporeal, genius, non-reproductive
29-32
Incorporeal, genius, reproduces through prey
33-36
Incorporeal, non-intelligent, non-reproductive
37-40
Incorporeal, non-intelligent, reproduces through prey
41-44
Incorporeal, semi-intelligent, non-reproductive
45-48
Incorporeal, semi-intelligent, reproduces through prey
49-52
Non-human corporeal, intelligent, non-reproductive
53-56
Non-human, corporeal, intelligent, contagious Undeath
57-60
Non-human, corporeal, non-intelligent, contagious Undeath
61-64
Non-human, corporeal, non-intelligent, non-reproductive
65-68
Non-human, corporeal, semi-intelligent, contagious Undeath
69-72
Non-human, corporeal, semi-intelligent, non-reproductive
73-76
Non-human, incorporeal, intelligent, contagious Undeath
77-80
Semi-corporeal, genius, non-reproductive
81-84
Semi-corporeal, genius, reproduces through prey
85-88
Semi-corporeal, non-intelligent, non-reproductive
89-92
Semi-corporeal, non-intelligent, reproduces through prey
93-96
Semi-corporeal, semi-intelligent, non-reproductive
97-00
Semi-corporeal, semi-intelligent, reproduces through prey
Table 2-65: Causes of Intelligent Undeath
Die Roll
Cause of Intelligent Undeath
01-10
Cursed by enemy
11-20
Cursed by gods
21-30
Disease such as vampirism
31-40
Prepared by others for Undeath, at or before death (unwillingly)
41-50
Prepared by others for Undeath, at or before death (willingly)
51-60
Prepared self for Undeath, during life
61-70
Rejected from underworld for some reason
71-80
Returned partially by actions of others
81-90
Returned to gain vengeance for own killing
91-00
Returned to guard location or item important to self during life
Table 2-66: Preparations for Intelligent Undeath
Note that some of these preparations might be voluntary on the part of the person being prepared for intelligent Undeath. Other preparations described on this table would be the activity of someone else, with or without the consent of the person being prepared.
Die Roll
Preparation
01-10
Actions are taken to ensure that a god will curse the soul with intelligent undeath
11-20
Corpse/body is preserved/prepared in such a way that the soul (or life force) cannot depart
21-30
Living body parts incorporated into corpse keep it “alive”
31-40
New soul brought into dead body
41-50
Pact with gods/powers of afterlife to reject soul
51-60
Physical preparation raises body with echo of former intelligence
61-70
Physical preparation raises body with full former intelligence
71-80
Ritual binds soul to a place
81-90
Soul captured by ritual, kept in the wrong plane of existence
91-00
Soul captured in item to prevent completion of the death cycle
Table 2-67: Breaks in the Life Cycle
As mentioned above, most Undeath traditionally results from a break in the natural order of the victim’s life cycle. Looking through the following wide assortment of such “breaks” may give you some good ideas for specific details about your undead creature.
Die Roll
Nature of the Break (d100)
01
Deliberately cursed at death by others for actions during lifetime
02
Died after committing crime: Arson
03
Died after committing crime: Assault
04
Died after committing crime: Bankruptcy
05
Died after committing crime: Battery
06
Died after committing crime: Begging
07
Died after committing crime: Blackmail
08
Died after committing crime: Blasphemy
09
Died after committing crime: Breach of contract
10
Died after committing crime: Breach of financial duty
11
Died after committing crime: Breaking and entering
12
Died after committing crime: Bribery
13
Died after committing crime: Burglary
14
Died after committing crime: Cattle theft or rustling
15
Died after committing crime: Consorting with demons
16
Died after committing crime: Counterfeiting
17
Died after committing crime: Cowardice or desertion
18
Died after committing crime: Demonic possession
19
Died after committing crime: Desecration
20
Died after committing crime: Disrespect to clergy
21
Died after committing crime: Disrespect to nobility
22
Died after committing crime: Drug possession
23
Died after committing crime: Drug smuggling
24
Died after committing crime: Drunkenness
25
Died after committing crime: Embezzlement
26
Died after committing crime: Escaped slave
27
Died after committing crime: Extortion
28
Died after committing crime: False imprisonment
29
Died after committing crime: Fleeing crime scene
Die Roll
Nature of the Break (d100)
30
Died after committing crime: Forgery
31
Died after committing crime: Forsaking an oath
32
Died after committing crime: Gambling
33
Died after committing crime: Grave robbery
34
Died after committing crime: Harboring a criminal
35
Died after committing crime: Harboring a slave
36
Died after committing crime: Heresy
37
Died after committing crime: Horse theft
38
Died after committing crime: Incest
39
Died after committing crime: Inciting to riot
40
Died after committing crime: Insanity
41
Died after committing crime: Kidnapping
42
Died after committing crime: Lewdness, private
43
Died after committing crime: Lewdness, public
44
Died after committing crime: Libel
45
Died after committing crime: Manslaughter
46
Died after committing crime: Misuse of public funds
47
Died after committing crime: Murder
48
Died after committing crime: Mutiny
49
Died after committing crime: Necromancy
50
Died after committing crime: Participating in forbidden meeting
51
Died after committing crime: Perjury
52
Died after committing crime: Pickpocket
53
Died after committing crime: Piracy
54
Died after committing crime: Poisoning
55
Died after committing crime: Possession of forbidden weapon
56
Died after committing crime: Prison escape
57
Died after committing crime: Prostitution

Die Roll
Nature of the Break (d100)
58
Died after committing crime: Public recklessness
59
Died after committing crime: Racketeering
60
Died after committing crime: Rape
61
Died after committing crime: Receiving stolen goods (fencing)
62
Died after committing crime: Robbery
63
Died after committing crime: Sabotage
64
Died after committing crime: Sale of shoddy goods
65
Died after committing crime: Sedition
66
Died after committing crime: Slander
67
Died after committing crime: Smuggling
68
Died after committing crime: Soliciting
69
Died after committing crime: Swindling
70
Died after committing crime: Theft
71
Died after committing crime: Treason
72
Died after committing crime: Trespass
73
Died after committing crime: Using false measures
74
Died after committing crime: Witchcraft
75
Died after violating taboo: dietary
76
Died after violating taboo: loyalty
77
Died after violating taboo: marriage
78
Died after violating taboo: sexual
Die Roll
Nature of the Break (d100)
79
Died as a glutton
80
Died as a miser
81
Died as coward
82
Died deliberately
83
Died unloved and unmourned
84
Died while a slave
85
Died while owning slaves
86
Died without children
87
Died without dying (I don’t know, but it sounds good)
88
Died without fulfilling contract
89
Died without fulfilling oath
90
Died without honor (marriage or parenthood)
91
Died without honor (traitor)
92
Died without manhood/womanhood rites
93
Died without marrying
94
Died without proper preparations for death
95
Died without properly honoring ancestors
96
Died without tribal initiation
97
Eaten after death
98
Not buried/burned
99
Not given proper death ceremonies
100
Not given proper preparations for afterlife
Table 2-68: Manner of Death
The manner in which an undead creature might have died can give rise to good ideas about the nature of the creature’s abilities, appearance, and motivations (if it is an intelligent form of undead).

Die Roll
Manner of Death
01
Burned in fire
02
Burned in lava
03
Cooked and eaten
04
Crushed
05
Defeated in dishonorable combat
06
Defeated in honorable combat
07
Died during a storm
08
Died during harvest time
09
Died during peacetime
10
Died in a swamp
11
Died in particular ancient ruins
12
Died in the hills
13
Died in the mountains
14
Died near particular type of flower
15
Died near particular type of tree
16
Died of disease
17
Died of fright
18
Died of natural causes
19
Died of thirst
20
Died while carrying particular weapon
Die Roll
Manner of Death
21
Died while carrying stolen goods
22
Died while wearing particular garment
23
Died while wearing particular piece of jewelry
24
Drowned
25
Executed by asphyxiation
26
Executed by cold
27
Executed by drowning
28
Executed by exposure to elements
29
Executed by fire
30
Executed by hanging
31
Executed by live burial
32
Executed by starvation
33
Executed by strangulation
34
Executed by thirst
35
Executed despite having been pardoned
36
Fell from great height
37
Frozen/hypothermia
38
Heart failure
39
In the saddle
40
Killed by a creature that injects eggs

Die Roll
Manner of Death
41
Killed by a deception
42
Killed by a jealous spouse
43
Killed by a jester
44
Killed by a lover
45
Killed by a lynch mob
46
Killed by a traitor
47
Killed by a trap
48
Killed by accident
49
Killed by ancient curse
50
Killed by birds
51
Killed by blood poisoning
52
Killed by demon
53
Killed by dogs/jackals
54
Killed by gluttony
55
Killed by insect(s)
56
Killed by inter-dimensional creature
57
Killed by magic
58
Killed by magic weapon
59
Killed by metal
60
Killed by mistake
61
Killed by own child
62
Killed by own parent
63
Killed by particular type of person
64
Killed by poisonous fungus
65
Killed by poisonous plant
66
Killed by pride
67
Killed by priest
68
Killed by relative
69
Killed by soldiers during battle
70
Killed by some particular monster
71
Killed by strange aliens
Die Roll
Manner of Death
72
Killed by undead
73
Killed by wine or drunkenness
74
Killed by wooden object
75
Killed for a particular reason
76
Killed in a castle
77
Killed in a particular place
78
Killed in a tavern
79
Killed in particular ritual
80
Killed in tournament or joust
81
Killed near a particular thing
82
Killed on particular day of year
83
Killed under a particular zodiacal sign (i.e., a particular month or time)
84
Killed under moonlight
85
Killed underground
86
Killed while exploring
87
Killed while fishing
88
Killed while fleeing
89
Killed while hunting
90
Killed while leading others badly
91
Killed while leading others well
92
Murdered
93
Sacrificed to a demon
94
Sacrificed to a god
95
Sacrificed to ancient horror
96
Starved to death
97
Strangled
98
Struck by lightning
99
Struck down by gods
100
Tortured to death

Dexterity Loss. The attack drains one or more points of dexterity from the victim. The attacker may or may not gain a benefit from the drain (additional hit points, to-hit bonuses, etc) depending upon whether it seems to fit well with the concept. If the victim reaches a dexterity of 0, one of several things might happen: the victim might die and become a creature similar to the attacker (this is common with undead, but a bit weird when dexterity is the attribute score being drained). One explanation for death at 0 dexterity is that the body’s internal systems (circulatory, etc) are no longer working in time with each other.
Zombie: Animated bodies need not be the result of black magic (which is the case for, say, the standard zombie).
Individual Curse Death Magic.
Ghoul: ?
Skeleton: ?
Ghost: ?
Vampire: ?
Wraith: Individual Curse Death Magic.

Individual Curse Death magic (saving throw) possibly combined with something unpleasant that happens after death (becoming a zombie or a wraith, for instance)

White Box: Fantastic Medieval Adventure Game

Spoiler

Banshee: ?
Death Knight: ?
Ghoul: ?
Lich: Liches are the undead remnants of wizards, either made undead by their own deliberate acts during life or as the result of other magical forces (possibly including their own magics gone awry).
Mummy: ?
Shadow: A shadow's chill touch drains one point of strength with a successful hit, and if a victim is brought to a strength of 0, he becomes a shadow. Strength points return after 90 minutes.
Skeleton: Skeletons are animated bones of the dead and are usually under the control of some evil master.
Animate Dead spell.
Spectre: Any being killed (or drained below level 0) by a spectre becomes a spectre himself— a pitiful thrall to its creator.
Vampire: Any human killed by a vampire becomes a vampire under the control of its creator.
Wight: Any human killed or completely drained of levels (1 level per hit) by a wight becomes a wight.
Wraith: ?
Zombie: These are merely animated corpses, not carriers of any sort of undead contagion as ghouls are.
The standard zombie is simply a corpse animated to do its creator’s bidding.
Animate Dead spell.
Zombie Contagious: If their undeath is contagious, they should be worth a few more experience points than described here, and if a single hit from a zombie causes contagion or any other sort of disease they should be worth considerably more experience.

Animate Dead
Spell Level: M5
Range: Referee’s discretion
Duration: Permanent
This spell animates skeletons or zombies from dead bodies. 1d6 undead are animated (per level of the caster above 8th). The corpses remain animated until destroyed or dispelled.

White Box Omnibus

Spoiler

Death Knight: ?
Poltergeist: Poltergeists are incorporeal spirits animated by anger.
Sanguine Fog: ?
Shade Lord: ?
Skeleton Flaming: Flaming skeletons have been animated with an unholy fire that radiates from them.
Wight: The prisoner has been turned to a wight by the radiant necromantic energy from the room below.
Wraith: ?

WWII Operation White Box

Spoiler

Ghost: A ghost is an undead spirit that is doomed to wander the earth. Ghosts are bound to the place where they died or to a particular object that had special meaning to them in life (locket, diary, etc.).
The touch of an attacking ghost drains one (1) Experience Level unless a Saving Throw is made. If a character is reduced to 0-level by these attacks, he becomes a HD 1 ghost and joins his slayer.
Vampire: ?
Vampire Minion: Anyone drained of blood by a vampire becomes a HD 3 vampire minion unless the corpse is cremated before the next full moon.

Wayfarers

Spoiler

Wayfarers

Spoiler

Undead: Undead creatures are those that were once living, but are now animated by energies native to other planes.
A hideous ablocanth has laired here for centuries, and using an old ritual, has turned many of the corpses from the barge workers into its undead minions.
Apparition: ?
Barghest: ?
Draugr: Draugr are semi-corporeal undead guardians of cursed warriors or kings, found in ancient tombs and mausoleums. It is not clear whether draugr are imbued with the spirit of the deceased, or otherworldly guardians charged with guarding their resting place.
Ghost: Ghosts are solitary undead, the spiritual remains of tortured souls such as murder victims or those consumed by intense hatred while living.
Lich: These creatures were once powerful magic-users that voluntarily transformed themselves into beings that draw their energies from other realms.
Mummy: Mummies are the animated remains of a long dead humanoid. Unlike skeletons, mummies typically retain some of their mortal flesh, often a result of efforts to embalm or preserve the deceased individual’s remains.
Mummies are the animated corpses of a long-dead humanoid.
Create Undead spell.
Myling: In fact, it is widely believed that mylings are the tortured spirits of murdered youth.
Shadow: Shadows are the embodiment of the nefarious impulses or lusts of wicked humanoids that are now deceased.
Skeleton: Skeletons are the animated skeletal remains of a long dead humanoid.
Skeletons are the animated bones of an undead humanoid. Thus, their size and appearance depends upon the type of humanoid the skeleton was derived from. Although most skeletons are humanoids, some are the remains of other creatures.
Create Undead spell.
Spectre: A spectre is a particularly evil apparition that haunts the crypts of depraved individuals.
Vampire: Vampires are an undead corruption of a once living humanoid. In fact, it might be said that vampires are not true undead, but actually living creatures infected with an undead disease.
Any creature bit by a vampire (1 point of damage) must make a Mental Resistance check of 15 or become a vampire within one week.
Wendigo: The wendigo are the physical manifestations of tortured spirits of that wander the ruins of past civilizations.
Wight: Wights are the remains of dead nobles and kings. They are found within old crypts and mausoleums, sometimes alone or in small numbers and with multiple lesser undead servants. Wights do not typically leave their tombs, as they are bound to the trappings of wealth left behind in their graves.
Wraith: ?
Zombie: A zombie is the animated rotting corpse of a dead humanoid.
Zombies are the animated corpses of a dead humanoid. Thus, their size and appearance depends upon the type of humanoid the zombie was derived from. Although most zombies are humanoids, some are the undead remains of other creatures.
Create Undead spell.

Create Undead
Circle: 5th Resist: None
Duration: Permanent Casting time: 12 hours
Effect: Special Range: Touch
Formula: DDGGSS Damage type: Special
Components: V, G, M
When cast upon a humanoid corpse, the Create Undead spell enables the mystic to create an undead servant. This undead creature will perform simple tasks if able, or attack the mystic’s foes. The undead servant has no motivation independent of its master, and will serve the mystic until it is destroyed.
In addition to a humanoid corpse, when creating the undead, the mystic must employ a vial of blood of the same type of corpse to be animated. For example, were the corpse a human, a vial of human blood must be used to create the undead creature. In addition, the ritual requires the consumption of incense of at least 200 silver royals in value.
The type of undead created is dependent upon two factors: the age of the corpse, and the presence of the mystic casting the spell. As such, 1d10 is rolled to determine the type of undead created, modified by +1 for each point of the mystic’s presence, and +1 for each year of age of the targeted corpse. For example, if a mystic with a presence of 12 were to cast upon a 4 year-old corpse, a +16 modifier would be added to the d10 roll. The result of this roll is as follows:
2 to 25: Zombie: Health points: 12 + 2d4, Dodge score: 11, Initiative: -2, Hide/armor: none, To-hit: +2, Attacks: claw: 2 x 1d6 + 4. Intellect: 3, Physical Resist: +5, Mental Resist: n/a, Movement: 80’. Zombies are immune to spells of possession, charm, or illusion, take only half damage from cold, and are immune to poison and disease.
26 to 30: Mummy: Health points: 20 + 1d8, Dodge score: 13, Initiative: +0, Hide/armor: none, To-hit: +0, Attacks: fists: 2 x 1d8 + 2. Intellect: 3, Physical Resist: +6, Mental Resist: n/a, Movement: 90’. Mummies are immune to spells of possession, charm, or illusion, take only half damage from cold, and are immune to poison and disease. Any creature struck by a mummy must make a Physical Resistance check or be infected as if by the 1st Circle Ritual magic spell Infect.
31 or more: Skeleton: Health points: 10 + 1d8, Dodge score: 13, Initiative: +1, Hide/armor: none (or by worn armor), To-hit: +1, Attacks: claws: 2 x 1d4 + 1, or 1 x weapon + 1. Intellect: 5, Physical Resist: +1, Mental Resist: n/a, Movement: 160’. Skeletons are immune to spells of possession, charm, or illusion, take only half damage from cold, and are immune to poison and disease.
A mystic may create and control a maximum number of undead equal to half his or her presence score. For example, a mystic with a presence of 13 could create and control up to 7 undead creatures. If any more undead creatures are created, they will instantly go mad, attacking any creature in sight until destroyed.

 

[Voadam]

Non-D&D/D20

Non-D&D/D20

Call of Cthulhu

Spoiler

Dragon 162

Spoiler

Vampire Lesser: The most obvious way of becoming a vampire is to be bitten by one. In some legends, the mere bite of a vampire is not enough to infect the victim with the curse of blood-thirst. The vampire must have killed the victim by completely draining all of his blood. If the proper steps are not taken, the corpse will rise within a week or two (for game purposes, 2d6 days).
Another way of becoming a vampire is to be excommunicated by one's church.
According to this belief, the body of the excommunicated person will never rest until it is accepted back into the church. In this case as well, the corpse arises as a lesser vampire within a few days of its burial.
The last method of becoming a vampire is one that should set any good CALL OF CTHULHU Keeper's creative gears in motion. The bodies of men and women who were purported to be sorcerers were said by legend to rise again to continue their evil doings.
As we saw earlier, a vampire can create a new vampire by completely draining a victim of blood.
A victim slain by a vampire’s blood draining (i.e., brought to zero POW or CON) arises within 2d6 game days as a lesser vampire.
Vampire Greater: Add together the STR, CON, INT, POW, and DEX scores the vampire had when it was alive, then subtract the total from 100. This gives you the number of months the vampire must remain a lesser creature before becoming a greater vampire.

Cthulhu Live

Spoiler

D-Infinity 1

Spoiler

Cyris Crane: The cold grip of winter came early that year, and the corpse of Cyris Crane lay frozen and preserved in the riverbed. With the spring thaw, the corpse washed up on the riverbank, where the maggots and worms of the earth set about their grim task. However, the disembodied and deranged will of Cyris Crane was not powerless.
Death had stripped Cyris of the last of his sanity. With a sorcerer’s skill, Cyris reanimated his body, taking possession of the worm-ridden corpse and willing it into a semblance of life, disguising his decomposing visage with a potent glamour.
I am Cyris Crane and I am something else. I remember being accosted by a foreign type while searching for those accursed standing stones. I remember every sensation as he strangled me and threw my body over a cliff. I remember the moment my heart stopped. Yet my mind went on.
A lifetime of exposure to the occult and my own indomitable will ensured that I did not truly die. I returned!
Walking Corpse: The climax begins as Cyris Crane successfully transfers his soul into a fresh body, leaving his victim’s soul trapped within his worm-ridden former shell. Crane’s victim is rendered a weak and gibbering mass by The Crossing, passing out from exhaustion at the ritual’s conclusion.
As Crane’s former body rises as the Walking Corpse, the glamour concealing it’s hideous form fails. The mind within the body is thoroughly insane and prone to attack anyone it sees. The walking corpse bares a special hatred for Cyris Crane, who will bare the brunt of the monster’s hostilities.
It is possible that Cyris is unable to perform ritual of The Crossing. If this is the case, Crane loses the last of his Façade and he becomes the walking corpse.

Dead and Breakfast

Spoiler

Dragon 276

Spoiler

Ghost: ?

GURPS

Spoiler

Dragon 198

Spoiler

Undead: Victims of the Mad Lands gods who are denied proper funeral services may be resurrected as undead spawn.

Marvel Super Heroes

Spoiler

Dragon 104

Spoiler

Vampire: If Baron Blood is able to make a Red FEAT roll on the Grappling table, he can bite his held victim and drain him or her of blood. The bite inflicts Typical damage every round, but if the hold isn't broken before the victim dies, the victim's body will arise in three days as a vampire. Anyone who suffers a loss of over half his or her Health to a vampire's bite will develop into a vampire in 2-20 weeks, being under the complete influence of the attacking vampire until then. The lost Health cannot be recovered, and the medical science of the 1940s cannot stop the onset of vampirism. Note that aliens, robots, androids, and nonhumans (including Jack Frost) cannot become vampires and cannot be drained of blood in this manner.
Baron Blood, Vampire: Baron Blood was a member of the British aristocracy, a young nobleman who sought the tomb of Dracula in hopes of reviving and controlling him. Unfortunately, Dracula bit and killed Lord Falsworth, turning him into a vampire.
Dracula, Vampire: ?

Dragon 126

Spoiler

Vampire: Dracula's canines were enlarged so that he could deliver the classic “vampire bite.” This bite inflicted 6 points of damage per turn. If the victim was killed in the attack, an enzyme in the vampire's saliva caused the body to produce a greenish ichor which replaced its blood. In three days, sufficient ichor existed to turn the victim's body into a vampire.
Long ago, powerful proto-deities roamed the surface of the cooling Earth. Most of these were forced into other dimensions, but one, Cthon, left behind a store of dark lore and magic, which was gathered together and is now known as the Darkhold. The Darkhold found its way to Atlantis before that continent's destruction, where a sect of evil magicians discovered in its text a method of reviving the dead as blood-drinking bat warriors. These Atlantean Darkholders created the first vampires, who promptly slew their creators and escaped Atlantis.
Dracula, Vampire: In a battle with a Turkish warlord, Vlad was mortally wounded and Castle Dracula was taken. The warlord took Vlad to a gypsy healer to recover, but the gypsy was a vampire and killed Vlad, turning him into a vampire.

Dragon 162

Spoiler

Victor Strange, Vampire: Many years ago, when Stephen Strange was a mere apprentice to his mentor, the Ancient One, Strange cast a spell he was not familiar with (the Vampiric Verses) in order to save his dying brother, Victor. Victor's life was saved, but he was transformed into a vampire.
Vampire: If a victim died from blood loss from Lilith's vampire's bite, the enzyme injected by her bite would cause him to arise three nights later as a normal vampire.
Dracula, Vampire: Dracula himself was mortally wounded in battle and was taken to a gypsy healer who was actually a vampire. The healer killed Vlad and transformed him into a vampire.
Lilith, Vampire: All of Lilith's vampiric powers stemmed from a spell cast on her by a gypsy when Lilith was a normal child.
Lilith's vampirism was due to the spell cast upon her.
The vengeful mother of one of the gypsies Dracula killed, Gretchin, cast a spell on Dracula's daughter, Lilith. This spell transformed the child into an adult vampire.

Dragon 170

Spoiler

Grim Reaper, Zombie: After falling in love with the living Grim Reaper, Nekra twice reanimated the Reaper's body as a zombie. In its first incarnation, the zombie had the same abilities and ranks of the living Eric Williams, with an additional Body Armor power. Most recently, Nekra reanimated the Grim Reaper as a zombie of enhanced Strength and Endurance.
The Grim Reaper was revived by his lover, Nekra, and became a zombie, although he believed himself to still be alive.
Recently, the Grim Reaper was once again brought back to unlife by Nekra; this time, her spell revived his body and made it more powerful, but her spell also demanded that the Reaper absorb the energy of one living human a day to maintain his current existence.

Runequest

Spoiler

Dragon 172

Spoiler

Ghoul: Transform to Undead spell.
Mummy: Transform to Undead spell.
Vampire: Transform to Undead spell.
Mummy: Transform to Undead spell.

Transform to Undead
ritual Enchant spell
6 points
This spell allows the caster to enchant himself to the form of an undead. A caster may place his essence in the form of a ghoul, mummy, vampire, or zombie. The spell costs the full POW of the caster, and if it fails, he dies. When the spell is cast, the caster appears to die; any procedure for creating the specific undead must then be performed on the body. As an example, a mummy requires evisceration, spicing, binding, and drying. On the other hand, ghouls, vampires, and zombies need no real preparation. Upon emergence from the ceremony, the undead has Magic Points equal to what they were before the spell was cast, and he has all attributes, alterations, and special abilities of that specific undead. Magic Points must be regained through the method used by the specific undead. If the APP formula is different from the natural one, it must be rerolled. This spell is rare for two reasons: It is an especially vile and evil one, and it is used only once by the caster. Once used, the undead caster is reluctant to teach it to anyone else.

Unisystem

Spoiler

All Flesh Must be Eaten Revised
Zombie: There were many early successes for our group. We determined the source of the infected cadaver outbreak was not the result of the wrath of a vengeful God, witchcraft, voodoo or something equally ludicrous. The source of the outbreak was radiation -- radiation carried on the back of a comet like rats carried plague-riddled vermin on their backs centuries ago.
A Zombie or Jumbie (the name given to them in the Virgin Islands) is described by the Island experts as “a soulless human corpse, still dead, but taken from the grave and endowed by sorcery with a mechanical semblance of life.” These creatures are brought to life by sorcerers called “Houngans” who bring the dead back to work as their eternal slaves.
Legend and folklore have long held that sometimes, when a person dies with unfinished business, he may rise from the dead to finish it, or to seek revenge for some evil doing.
Voodoo priests that turn the dead, and sometimes the living, into Zombies.
The creatures are created to work in the harsh conditions of outer space.
Angry prisoners inhale formaldehyde to get high, die and return.
Entomologists create a machine that only affects the underdeveloped nervous systems of insects. This machine causes the insects to attack and devour themselves leaving our farms and gardens insect free without harmful poisons. Perfect, except for one thing we didn’t count on. The nervous systems of the dead have decomposed to the level of insects. They are affected by the machine and begin eating human flesh.
The germ warfare scientists in the military develop a means to create an army of the dead. These soldiers cannot be killed except by a shot to the head. The problem is that they also spread the germ through biting and scratching. Once the living are infected, they too become zombies.
A dangerous germ warfare chemical.
I don't know what the zombies house for saliva but within thirty-six hours of being bit most people turn into zombies themselves.
The life forms controlling the corpses were arthropod-like in composition.
I still can’t believe it, AIDS would have been enough but when I think of what PHADE will do to me . . . my body rotting from the inside out, my skin peeling like old wallpaper, and when my heart finally gives in to the virus, the real fun starts. Somehow PHADE will jump start my nervous system and make me into something not quite alive and not quite dead.
The zombie has to actually kill its victims in order for them to come back as a member of the club. Anyone killed by a zombie rises again within a few hours.
The zombie need only bite a living being and the chain reaction begins. The process usually takes a day or so to finally set in, during which time it might be possible to reverse the effects if a skilled research doctor treats the victim. Otherwise, the bitten goes straight from living to undead without ever really passing out and dying.
Sometimes its not the zombie that reanimates the corpse but rather something in the very soil or air. In order to rise again, a body has to be buried under the ground or stored in some container, or coated with some chemical. Zombies created this way have a natural instinct to bury their victims, or otherwise prepare the body, and thus enlarge the undead community every step of the way. Rising from the shallow grave, or awakening after embalment usually takes between six and twelve hours, but sometimes occurs much more quickly.
Thirty years ago, the government decided these caves were the perfect place to store containers of spent uranium and other nuclear waste. They bought the land, buried tons of radioactive sludge deep in the cave system and, once they thought it full, sealed the whole thing off. They didn’t plan on the containers leaking and getting into the local soil and water table. And no one could have imagined the effect this radiation would have on the local population, particularly the local dead population.
Some said the radiation became a tool of the spirits or demonic forces, particularly those who remembered that the native Americans who once lived in the region held the caves as sacred. Others maintained that it was the radiation itself, somehow jump-starting the dead nervous system, creating brain-dead beasts who could only act on the most basic instinct: find food. Whatever the cause, it didn’t discriminate about who it raised from the dead. Every deceased creature, animal or human, within fifty miles of those caves became one of the walking dead.
The PHADE virus is more than just another sexually transmitted disease. It is in fact a recipe for zombification. Zombies have always been with us in one form or another. Many cultures, including modern voodoo practitioners, have theories about the process of animating the dead through magical potions, elixirs, and rituals. In the modern information age, the details of such practices are more accessible to the common man, or in this case, the common high school student.
Distraught and disbelieving, Philip sought to conquer death, and after months of cruising the internet and frequenting voodoo chat rooms, he learned all he needed to know to raise lovely Jenna from the grave. Quite mad by this time, Philip raised the decaying girl and consummated his love with her. When he woke up the next morning, the handsome young man came to his senses and decided that the Jenna corpse wasn’t nearly as desirable as the living thing. He disposed of the hapless zombie and got on with his life. By then, it was too late. He had contracted PHADE, a zombie STD that Jenna’s body created when her AIDS-infected corpse rose from the dead.
Those who died at the zombies' hands rose hours or days later to join the undead hordes.
Millions of years ago and hundreds of light years from our own world, an ancient civilization toyed with forces better left undisturbed. Their own dead rose up against them as the result of a series of diabolic necromantic experiments. The only way they could save themselves was to literally blow a chunk of their world off into space, ridding the planet of any trace of the zombie taint. Ever since then the zombie planetoid has traveled through space, unbeknownst to anyone, on a direct collision course with Earth.
American scientists detected the incoming chunk of rock, although they had no clue as to its true origins or deadly purpose. Fearing the end of life on Earth, the nuclear powers of the world combined their arsenals, modified their missiles, and sent millions of megatons flying into space. Already eroded by millions of other impacts in its long history, the zombie planet burst apart under the nuclear onslaught. The Earth thought itself safe.
Then the irradiated pieces of the planet came hurtling down to Earth, burning up and dissolving into the atmosphere. As a result of prevailing winds and the widespread dispersal pattern of the dust, hardly a corner of the planet escaped exposure. As the dust settled to the ground it began immediately to seep into the soil, water, and even the air. The result was all too horrible and predictable -- the ancient powers awoke the dead from their eternal rest.
Anyone who dies anywhere on the planet that has been exposed to the planetoid dust (meaning anywhere but sealed rooms) rises from the dead within ten minutes to an hour of their passing on. Those who actually die from a zombie attack turn into one of the undead almost immediately. Those who somehow survive an attack continue on as normal (although other diseases might infect them).
OrganoCore’s fertilizers and pesticides met with all my demands for an environmentally safe product. I used the stuff for two years and my crop yields increased by forty percent. I was happy as a clam. Then two weeks ago, I started using the new and improved formula and that’s when it happened.
I had a dog, a big ole’ German shepherd named Shep. When he got hit by a car three weeks ago, I buried him out by the lettuce fields. One night, I hear a scratching at the front door, just like Shep used to do when he wanted in. I open the door and there he is -- his rotting corpse stinking to high heaven. I thought it was some sick joke but then the corpse moved. It lunged at me, biting for my leg. I screamed and kicked him away but the damned thing kept coming. I finally made it to the kitchen and, well, I defended myself with a butcher’s knife. It wasn’t pretty, and worst of all, the damn dog bled everywhere. The blood wasn’t what bothered me, though. What bothered me was that he bled green.
Funded in part by various environmental groups, the company embarked on a groundbreaking research project which ultimately yielded them some amazing results. Combining a number of tribal and ancient folk remedies with newly found ingredients imported from the jungles of the Carribean and Indonesia, the researchers managed to create some astounding products. Their new fertilizers and pesticides worked just as well or better than the artificial varieties and they were entirely harmless to the environment.
Once the OrganoCore products hit the market, they were a smash success, and farms across the country and around the world began using them. When OrganoCore recently announced its new line of improved products, it was estimated that fully three quarters of America’s farm acreage planned on using them. That’s exactly what happened. OrganoCore became a Fortune 500 company, but the results were more disastrous than anyone could imagine.
The new products, again using formulas derived from ancient Caribbean and Indonesian rituals, were more effective than the original formula and seemed just as safe. Indeed, by themselves they were safe, but when combined with the older formula, they awakened a previously untapped potential within the soil. Some say they awakened the vengeful soul of mother Earth herself and now she has chosen to strike down the animals that have oppressed her for so long. Others say that the chemicals spurred some speedy and powerful mutation in plant life, effectively jumping it ahead millions of evolutionary years.
Whatever the true cause, the result was obvious: the dead were coming back to life all across the country, wherever corpses and OrganoCore products mixed. The alchemical mixture gave the world’s plants a new life and new purpose. Growing with incredible speed, the vegetation sent tendrils into the bodies of the dead humans and animals buried beneath the ground. These plant tendrils replaced the veins and nervous system of the dead bodies but kept the bones and muscles strong. Thus, vegetatively animated, the dead began to rise and do the deadly work of their plant overlords.
The zombies buried their dead victims in the foul soil that had spawned them, creating more plant-infested cadavers.
The drones in their natural state look like foot-long centipedes with four pairs of two-foot tentacles running down the sides of their bodies. By themselves, the creatures seem harmless enough -- certainly not capable of bringing death and destruction down upon countless different worlds. In fact, the Race cannot conquer anything without a little help; namely, the recently dead bodies of the Others. The drones can insert themselves into any dead body and fully reanimate it.
As the Allies prepared for D-Day, Hitler’s top-secret Occult Corps got ready to repulse the invasion. The researchers had, in a matter of speaking, conquered death. Although the secret to immortally still eluded them, they had achieved the next best thing: the living dead. Based on ancient formulae and magic rituals, the Nazis developed a serum that would raise their soldiers from the dead once they had fallen in battle.
What no one suspected was that Chinese scientists had managed to make their own variations on the nuclear payload. It was a highly radioactive, low destructive yield device that would kill millions but leave the buildings intact.
The specially designed Chinese radiation bombs had their desired effect, killing millions of Americans and European civilians but leaving the cities mostly intact for those few survivors who could take advantage of them. Now, thirty years later, the world is beginning to see that the bombs had another, rather interesting effect: they mutated the living and the unborn in strange and unpredictable ways. Some were born with missing or extra limbs and other malformations, but a few came into this world with radiation literally flowing through their veins. Some have theorized that this was an evolutionary solution to the new hostile world environment.
The result: a race of humans that can survive radiation just fine, live, grow old, and die in it. The problem is, once they die, they don’t stay dead. The dead rise again, stronger, meaner, and more deadly than they ever were in life.
An ancient Sanskrit manuscript had outlined for him a ritual that he had not previously dared to attempt. Now, in anger and desperation, he turned to it and made the necessary preparations.
Mordecai chose the city of Paris as the site of his ritual. On a moonless night, he gathered his coven in the city cemetery, along with thirteen sacrificial virgins The neighbors huddled in their beds in terror as lighting flashed, thunder roared, and the smell of brimstone filled the air. The blood of innocents spilled to the ground and awakened the bodies of those who lay at rest. At the command of the Italian magician, the dead clawed their way from their graves, hungering for the flesh of the living.
When these zombies kill a person, the victim’s soul is immediately judged and sent on to the appropriate afterlife. The body then rises up and joins the ranks of the undead.
We learned that when someone dies, you decapitate them and then burn the body or else you’re gonna have one flesh-eating corpse on your hands before too long.
So the gods went to war in earnest and left humanity in the lurch. This might not have been a problem except that the gods left in place their rather arcane system of judging and assigning new bodies to old souls. Now that process has broken down and no one is doing anything to fix it, at least for the moment. As a result, the unthinkable is happening: souls are being reborn into bodies that are already dead.
Vampire: if a vampire bites you and doesn’t rip you apart, you become a vampire.
Man created these Vam-pyres. They were mistakenly risen by science.