Undead Origins

[Voadam]

MC15 Monstrous Compendium Ravenloft Appendix II: Children of the Night (2e)
2e
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.

 

[Voadam]

A Light in the Belfry
2e
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: ?

 

[Voadam]

Birthright: Cities of the Sun
2e
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.
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.

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.

 

[Voadam]

Bleak House (2e)
2e
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.

 

[Voadam]

Caravan
2e
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.

 

[Voadam]

Castle Spulzeer
2e
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, 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: ?

 

[Voadam]

Dark of the Moon
2e
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.

 

[Voadam]

Die Vecna Die
2e
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.

 

[Voadam]

FOR2 The Drow of the Underdark
2e
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.

 

[Voadam]

FOR7 Giantcraft (2e)
2e
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: ?