Undead Origins

[Voadam]

Rappan Athuk Bestiary - Pathfinder
Pathfinder 1e
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.
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 Horde: When gathered together in a horde, these mindless creatures are a terror to behold.
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.
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.
Undead Ooze: ?
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.

 

[Voadam]

Rhune Dawn of Twilight Campaign Guide
Pathfinder 1e
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.

 

[Voadam]

The Blight - Pathfinder
Pathfinder 1e
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.

 

[Voadam]

The Tome of Blighted Horrors
Pathfinder 1e
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.
Blight Ghoul Fever disease.
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.

 

[Voadam]

Monster Compendium: Monsters of Faerun
3.0
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: ?

 

[Voadam]

Book of Vile Darkness
3.0
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.

 

[Voadam]

Forgotten Realms Lords of Darkness
3.0
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: ?

 

[Voadam]

Living Greyhawk Gazetteer
3.0
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.
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.
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: ?

 

[Voadam]

Manual of the Planes
3.0
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: ?

 

[Voadam]

Book of Vile Darkness Web Enhancement Yet More Archfiends
3.0
Shadow: ?