Return to the Tomb of Horrors
2e
Bone Weird: It is doubtful that bone weirds are called into existence by mere chance; a wizard or necromancer of powerful ability is most commonly the cause for their appearance.
A strange essence inhabits the cast-off bony dross of this mom, drawn here and shaped by Acererak's ever-busy hands. In his efforts to understand and fully grasp the true nature of the Negative Energy Plane, Acererak's paradigm shifted enough so that he was able to think of the plane as just another elemental plane, albeit an anomalous one. Following this line of reasoning, he was able to coerce the nihilistic essences of the plane into the dead bones within this chamber (with the help of his former servant Deverus). In effect, he brought into being bone weirds-the first of their kind to exist.
Moilian Heart: A moilian heart is an example of a previously undiscovered class of undead creatures created by the dissolution of the lost city of Moil.
The moilian heart is an entirely artificial monster, created by dark necromancy.
The artificial animation of moilian creatures involves a very rare spell researched and codified by the necromancer Drake of the Black Academy, who has discovered the unique undead creatures of Moil, the City That Waits. The moilian heart represents the necromancer’s first essay into this new avenue of the Dark Arts, but certainly not his last.
Drake is investigating many lines of research, but one of his most promising has produced the creature that he keeps safely locked away in this lead-lined vault. This line of research (among others) was actually illuminated to him when he encountered some of the denizens of The City That Waits (of all the necromancers in Skull City, only Drake has secretly penetrated thus far into Acererak's realm).
Animate Moilian spell.
Moilian Zombie: They lie as dead, although they are not marked by violence, as their deaths came to them in dark slumber. Neither is there any rot apparent, due to the supernatural cold which permeates the air in the city of their origin, Moil.
There was once a city called Moil that daily saw the light of the sun. The inhabitants of Moil were a foul people, as evidenced by their worship of the powerful tanar'ri lord called Orcus. With the passage of time the Moilians’ faith in their deity slipped. The tanar’ri lord sought vengeance, and placed a curse upon Moil; its inhabitants fell into an enchanted slumber which would lift only with the dawn. Orcus then removed the city from its natural site and transformed it into a nightmarish demiplane with ties to the Negative Energy Plane, assuring that the sun would never again shine upon Moil. Over time, the slumbering moilians all perished in their dark sleep. Because of their proximity to the Negative Energy Plane, the frozen forms of the inhabitants became undead moilian zombies.
Any character reduced to 0 hit points through a Moilian heart's draining dies and has a 13% chance of spontaneously animating as a Moilian zombie.
Predictably, Orcus was wroth. In horrible but unlooked-for vengeance, the entity cast what initially seemed a mild curse over Moil: its inhabitants fell into an enchanted sleep that could only be broken by the dawning of the sun. Orcus then physically removed the city from its natural site and transformed it into a nightmarish, lightless demiplane of its own, assuring that the sun would never shine upon its tall towers. Having completed this deed, Orcus dubbed the demiplane anew as The City That Waits.
Over time, the slumbering Moilians all perished in their dark sleep, leaving the place strewn with unquiet dead and dangerous dreams.
Animate Moilian spell.
Vestige, Undead Dream: The Vestige is a creature born from the nightmares of every citizen of the city of Moil as they died in cursed sleep.
With the advent of Orcus’s curse of sleep, the strengthened dream consciousness of the city’s citizenry survived beyond the death of their corporeal bodies; thus was born the Vestige.
Predictably, Orcus was wroth. In horrible but unlooked-for vengeance, the entity cast what initially seemed a mild curse over Moil: its inhabitants fell into an enchanted sleep that could only be broken by the dawning of the sun. Orcus then physically removed the city from its natural site and transformed it into a nightmarish, lightless demiplane of its own, assuring that the sun would never shine upon its tall towers. Having completed this deed, Orcus dubbed the demiplane anew as The City That Waits.
Over time, the slumbering Moilians all perished in their dark sleep, leaving the place strewn with unquiet dead and dangerous dreams.
Winter-Wight: Acererak created winter-wights in his quest for knowledge and power.
Acererak creates winter-wights from lower forms of undead in a special process. This process involves the immersion of the undead in a bath of amplified radiation from the Negative Energy Plane, in conjunction with powerful rites of binding and animation.
The blank canister in the chamber is part and parcel of Acererak's researches. Acererak calls the device a Dim Forge, and with it he is able to enervate immensely powerful undead beings such as his most recent invention, the winter-wight (although a specific spell exists to create winter-wights, one of the material components of the spell is a negative-energy focusing device, such as the Dim Forge). While the Dim Forge is a potent tool for undead creation, it is prone to spawn failed experiments. Hundreds of unfavored beings have left the black canister of the forge only to be relegated to the Theater of the Dead.
Although not apparent to the observer, the crystal dome located above the Forge represents the endpoint of an array of magically protected antennas that reach into the Negative Energy Material Plane. The antennas are over a mile long and branch many times. Through a series of complex enchantments, Acererak has created a means of collecting, concentrating, and amplifying negative energy down the length of the antennas so that the crystal blister in the room acts to focus negative energy into the canister.
If the characters inspect the canister, they find only a latch and a pair of heavy-duty hinges that allow the weighty lid to be thrown back. Within the canister, there is a chill space large enough to contain One human-sized creature. Activation of the Dim Forge is automatically accomplished merely by closing the lid, as the PCs may discover-possibly to their dismay-with a minimum of experimentation.
Upon activation of the Dim Forge, the large unseen antennas draw in the essence of the Void. A thrum of magic vibrates through its mile-long length. The characters hear a gonglike thrum. The noise has no more volume than normal conversation during the first round, but quickly builds, reaching a thunderous crescendo three rounds later. At the end of the third round, the blister on the ceiling releases a single bolt of negative energy, so black that it appears to be a rip in the fabric of reality itself. The energy discharges from the ceiling pod into the black canister below. All is silent after the discharge, and nothing moves save for a bit of residual blackfire (as the spell; stand back!) upon the surface of the canister. The flames dissipate in the space of a round.
If a body of any size that can fit (living, dead, or undead) is within the closed Forge at the time of
discharge, consult the table below to determine the result of the concentrated annihilating energy. Even fully empowered undead (such as a winter-wight) can be destroyed by a second exposure to the Forge's energies. If the canister contains an inanimate object or is empty, a negative energy elemental is always generated. If the spell create winter-wight is cast in conjunction with the activation of the Dim Forge, add +2 to the die roll.
If the canister is open when the energy discharge strikes, the bolt fragments and showers the room with sparks of negative energy. Objects in the chamber suffer no ill effects, but creatures must attempt saving throws vs. breath weapon. All who fail suffer the effect noted on the table.
Dim Forge Activation Results (1d8)
1. Not even dust remains within the canister.
2. The object is destroyed and small carbon fragments burn fitfully with blackfire for ld6+6 rounds.
3. Body is burnt almost past recognizability; the smell is truly ghastly.
4. Burnt body animates as a standard zombie; no remnant of personality remains.
5. Body internalizes energy and animates as a standard spectre; no personality remains.
6. Body completely internalizes energy and is destroyed; negative energy elemental is generated and personality is lost.
7. Body internalizes energy and animates as a half-strength winter-wight (8 Hit Dice); original personality is destroyed.
8. Body internalizes energy and animates as a winter-wight; original personality, if any, survives with a successful Wisdom check.
Create Winter-Wight spell.
Acererak, Lich: The balor (a true tanar’ri) called Tarnhem is held imprisoned in this chamber through powerful dweomers and Acererak’s knowledge of its truename: Maasgheldur. Acererak discovered the name because it was a requirement of his particular ritual of transformation from cambion to lich-he needed to know his supernatural father. Tarnhem’s ravishment of a human female engendered the half-tanar’ri child whom his mother named Acererak (see Desatysso’s Journal for details).
Acererak, Demilich: ?
Blaesing, Vampire: ?
Absalom, Vampire: ?
Harrow, Vampire: ?
Minor Death: ?
Mistress Ferranifer, Vampire Scion Necromancer 18: ?
Gustaeth: Of all the trophies mounted in the Tower of Test, three were infused with the energy of unlife by the Dark Intrusion.
Tyr's Undead Hand: Those who believe the hand to truly be that of Tyr are not disappointed to discover that the hand truly does possess power from beyond the grave-it is animated. Unfortunately, it is animated by the Dark Intrusion.
Faericles, Lord High Exultant, Moilian Zombie: Faericles was the last of the Lord High Exaltants, and his fate was the same as most of the rest of the populace of Moil: he perished in his sleep and became a Moilian zombie. However, Acererak found that he had use for such martial prowess and rejuvenated Faericles to the point where he now remains constantly animated. In the process, Faericles became empowered far beyond “normal” Moilian zombies.
He appears as a leathery-skinned human who is illuminated with an eerie violet glow; this is a side effect of the necromantic energization that allows him permanent animation.
Faericles spends at least 12 hours out of 24 on this mat in contemplation of the mysteries of his art. At the same time, the enchanted stones energize his body so that he can remain animate even without the nourishing presence of living beings. These stones (created by Acererak) emit a necromantic radiation capable of saturating living or once-living objects. This radiation has the effect of linking the saturated being with the Negative Energy Plane. For Faericles, an undead Moilian zombie, it means he can operate indefinitely as long as he gets his regular “fix.”
Acererak, Demilich Form: ?
Acererak, Skeleton Form: ?
Acererak, Winter Wight Form: ?
Undead Statue: The statue in the corner was a human captured and brought to the Fortress of Conclusion by one of the resident tanar’ri. Isafel turned her stony gaze upon the poor fellow, turning him to stone, after which she subjected her new sculpture to the negative energies of the Dim Forge. In this one instant, Isafel knew success; in effect she had created an undead statue.
Winter-Wight Giant Toad: Acererak experimented with nonhumanold forms during his research into the creation of the winter-wight. After some limited success, the spirit of the demilich abandoned these efforts due to his inability to graft sufficient intelligence into the creations for his purposes. Acererak destroyed every one of his mentally dim formulations save for the One that lingers yet in this chamber. In the mood for a bit of novelty, Acererak invested the skeletal structure of a giant toad with a blackfire link to the Negative Energy Plane after the manner of a true winter-wight.
Wight: These wights were spontaneously animated by an outlying finger of the Dark Intrusion. They have been lying dead at the bottom of the river for a week and have only now gained the impetus to rise again.
They took the crew of Payvin’s Pearl with stealth and magic, drained their blood, then dropped the corpses into the concealing waters of the Thelly River. Payvin is alive only because they were just leaving as he came aboard, and it amused them to terrorize him. The bodies of the crew remained beneath the river for a week (a vampire's victims must be buried to become vampires themselves) before another surge of Negative Energy spontaneously animated them into evil wights.
Again, it is the Dim Triad who has been causing the deaths and disappearances in Pitchfield. The vampires do not return for many nights. However, on the second night after the PCs' arrival, a strange fog flows in from the river and the buried dead of the town's cemetery begin to animate in the night. Since the Dim Triad extracted blood for Mistress Ferranifer's necromantic experiments rather than merely drinking it themselves, their victims do not become vampires in turn but merely wights.
Vampire: A vampire's victims must be buried to become vampires themselves.
Ghast: ?
Skeleton: The skeletal remains here have been infused with unlife by seepage from the Negative Energy Plane that surrounds the Fortress of Conclusion.
Zombie: Any living creature of rat size or larger that is slain in the Tomb of Horrors has a 60% chance of spontaneously animating within 1d6 rounds as an undead zombie with the same Hit Dice as the original creature.
Any living creature of rat size or larger that is slain in The City That Waits has an 80% chance of spontaneously animating within 1d3 rounds as an undead zombie with the same Hit Dice as the original creature.
Any freshly slain living creature of rat size or larger that is slain in The Fortress of Conclusion has a 95% chance of spontaneously animating as a zombie of the same HD as the original creature. Naturally this applies to PCs who perish in combat or any of Acererak's fiendish traps. The animation takes 1 round.
The blank canister in the chamber is part and parcel of Acererak's researches. Acererak calls the device a Dim Forge, and with it he is able to enervate immensely powerful undead beings such as his most recent invention, the winter-wight (although a specific spell exists to create winter-wights, one of the material components of the spell is a negative-energy focusing device, such as the Dim Forge). While the Dim Forge is a potent tool for undead creation, it is prone to spawn failed experiments. Hundreds of unfavored beings have left the black canister of the forge only to be relegated to the Theater of the Dead.
Although not apparent to the observer, the crystal dome located above the Forge represents the endpoint of an array of magically protected antennas that reach into the Negative Energy Material Plane. The antennas are over a mile long and branch many times. Through a series of complex enchantments, Acererak has created a means of collecting, concentrating, and amplifying negative energy down the length of the antennas so that the crystal blister in the room acts to focus negative energy into the canister.
If the characters inspect the canister, they find only a latch and a pair of heavy-duty hinges that allow the weighty lid to be thrown back. Within the canister, there is a chill space large enough to contain One human-sized creature. Activation of the Dim Forge is automatically accomplished merely by closing the lid, as the PCs may discover-possibly to their dismay-with a minimum of experimentation.
Upon activation of the Dim Forge, the large unseen antennas draw in the essence of the Void. A thrum of magic vibrates through its mile-long length. The characters hear a gonglike thrum. The noise has no more volume than normal conversation during the first round, but quickly builds, reaching a thunderous crescendo three rounds later. At the end of the third round, the blister on the ceiling releases a single bolt of negative energy, so black that it appears to be a rip in the fabric of reality itself. The energy discharges from the ceiling pod into the black canister below. All is silent after the discharge, and nothing moves save for a bit of residual blackfire (as the spell; stand back!) upon the surface of the canister. The flames dissipate in the space of a round.
If a body of any size that can fit (living, dead, or undead) is within the closed Forge at the time of
discharge, consult the table below to determine the result of the concentrated annihilating energy. Even fully empowered undead (such as a winter-wight) can be destroyed by a second exposure to the Forge's energies. If the canister contains an inanimate object or is empty, a negative energy elemental is always generated. If the spell create winter-wight is cast in conjunction with the activation of the Dim Forge, add +2 to the die roll.
If the canister is open when the energy discharge strikes, the bolt fragments and showers the room with sparks of negative energy. Objects in the chamber suffer no ill effects, but creatures must attempt saving throws vs. breath weapon. All who fail suffer the effect noted on the table.
Dim Forge Activation Results (1d8)
1. Not even dust remains within the canister.
2. The object is destroyed and small carbon fragments burn fitfully with blackfire for ld6+6 rounds.
3. Body is burnt almost past recognizability; the smell is truly ghastly.
4. Burnt body animates as a standard zombie; no remnant of personality remains.
5. Body internalizes energy and animates as a standard spectre; no personality remains.
6. Body completely internalizes energy and is destroyed; negative energy elemental is generated and personality is lost.
7. Body internalizes energy and animates as a half-strength winter-wight (8 Hit Dice); original personality is destroyed.
8. Body internalizes energy and animates as a winter-wight; original personality, if any, survives with a successful Wisdom check.
Bone Naga: ?
Undead: “As part of the enchantment of their creation, undead 'siphon' a bit of the energy flowing toward the Negative Energy Plane. This 'stolen' energy serves as their energy of animation. More powerful types of undead have a stronger connection to the Negative Energy Plane and are therefore able to siphon even more energy for their own purposes before it is forever lost in the Final Void. This type of animation is known as "necromancy," but it could also be called Entropic Animancy. Other forms of enchantments exist that can link objects or corpses to the Positive Energy Plane; in this case the flow of energy is reversed. Undead linked to the Positive Energy Plane continually radiate energy and are able to siphon a bit of that energy for purposes of animation. Undead of this type often are associated with the control over living tissue, such as mummies. More powerful undead linked with the Positive Energy Plane are able to manipulate these energies with specific purposes and effects. This type of enchantment is sometimes known as Positive Animancy.”
Predictably, Orcus was wroth. In horrible but unlooked-for vengeance, the entity cast what initially seemed a mild curse over Moil: its inhabitants fell into an enchanted sleep that could only be broken by the dawning of the sun. Orcus then physically removed the city from its natural site and transformed it into a nightmarish, lightless demiplane of its own, assuring that the sun would never shine upon its tall towers. Having completed this deed, Orcus dubbed the demiplane anew as The City That Waits.
Over time, the slumbering Moilians all perished in their dark sleep, leaving the place strewn with unquiet dead and dangerous dreams.
These stones (created by Acererak) emit a necromantic radiation capable of saturating living or once-living objects. This radiation has the effect of linking the saturated being with the Negative Energy Plane. For Faericles, an undead Moilian zombie, it means he can operate indefinitely as long as he gets his regular “fix.”
For a living being the radiation from the stones causes a sharp pain after one round’ s exposure. An unaccountable feeling of dread also surfaces, along with a desire to move out of the glow of the stones.
An actual link to the Negative Energy Plane is forged at the end of the second round. At this point, the life force of the affected being is drawn forth in one continuous discharge, killing the being and transforming him or her into a free-willed undead in one turn. The newly formed undead retains the Hit Dice and hit points that he or she had upon “death,” as well as skills, proficiencies, spells, and class abilities (except for paladins, who lose all associated class abilities and become undead fighters).
Flameskull: ?
Wraith-Spider: Victims drained of all Constitution from a wraith-spider's venom die and have a 100% chance (here in the City) of coming back within 24 hours as wraith-spiders with humanoid heads.
Nightwalker: These creatures seem to embody the principle of destructive entropy inherent in the Negative Energy Plane.
Spectre: The blank canister in the chamber is part and parcel of Acererak's researches. Acererak calls the device a Dim Forge, and with it he is able to enervate immensely powerful undead beings such as his most recent invention, the winter-wight (although a specific spell exists to create winter-wights, one of the material components of the spell is a negative-energy focusing device, such as the Dim Forge). While the Dim Forge is a potent tool for undead creation, it is prone to spawn failed experiments. Hundreds of unfavored beings have left the black canister of the forge only to be relegated to the Theater of the Dead.
Although not apparent to the observer, the crystal dome located above the Forge represents the endpoint of an array of magically protected antennas that reach into the Negative Energy Material Plane. The antennas are over a mile long and branch many times. Through a series of complex enchantments, Acererak has created a means of collecting, concentrating, and amplifying negative energy down the length of the antennas so that the crystal blister in the room acts to focus negative energy into the canister.
If the characters inspect the canister, they find only a latch and a pair of heavy-duty hinges that allow the weighty lid to be thrown back. Within the canister, there is a chill space large enough to contain One human-sized creature. Activation of the Dim Forge is automatically accomplished merely by closing the lid, as the PCs may discover-possibly to their dismay-with a minimum of experimentation.
Upon activation of the Dim Forge, the large unseen antennas draw in the essence of the Void. A thrum of magic vibrates through its mile-long length. The characters hear a gonglike thrum. The noise has no more volume than normal conversation during the first round, but quickly builds, reaching a thunderous crescendo three rounds later. At the end of the third round, the blister on the ceiling releases a single bolt of negative energy, so black that it appears to be a rip in the fabric of reality itself. The energy discharges from the ceiling pod into the black canister below. All is silent after the discharge, and nothing moves save for a bit of residual blackfire (as the spell; stand back!) upon the surface of the canister. The flames dissipate in the space of a round.
If a body of any size that can fit (living, dead, or undead) is within the closed Forge at the time of
discharge, consult the table below to determine the result of the concentrated annihilating energy. Even fully empowered undead (such as a winter-wight) can be destroyed by a second exposure to the Forge's energies. If the canister contains an inanimate object or is empty, a negative energy elemental is always generated. If the spell create winter-wight is cast in conjunction with the activation of the Dim Forge, add +2 to the die roll.
If the canister is open when the energy discharge strikes, the bolt fragments and showers the room with sparks of negative energy. Objects in the chamber suffer no ill effects, but creatures must attempt saving throws vs. breath weapon. All who fail suffer the effect noted on the table.
Dim Forge Activation Results (1d8)
1. Not even dust remains within the canister.
2. The object is destroyed and small carbon fragments burn fitfully with blackfire for ld6+6 rounds.
3. Body is burnt almost past recognizability; the smell is truly ghastly.
4. Burnt body animates as a standard zombie; no remnant of personality remains.
5. Body internalizes energy and animates as a standard spectre; no personality remains.
6. Body completely internalizes energy and is destroyed; negative energy elemental is generated and personality is lost.
7. Body internalizes energy and animates as a half-strength winter-wight (8 Hit Dice); original personality is destroyed.
8. Body internalizes energy and animates as a winter-wight; original personality, if any, survives with a successful Wisdom check.
Animate Moilian
(Necromancy)
Level: 8
Range: 10 yds. Components V, S, M Duration: Pemranent Casting Time: 8 rounds
Area of Efffect 1 body or body part Saving Throw: None
This incantation allow the caster to animate bones, body fragments, or complete bodies of dead
humanoids of up to human size. Creature created in this way are referred to as Moilian (after Moil, the city because of their origin), rather than simply undead. This is because their energy of animation does not come from the Negative Energy Plane but rather from the life energies of living creatures nearby. Examples of creatures created by this spell include the Moilian heart and the Moilian zombie.
Moilians created by this spell obey simple verbal commands from the caster. Mobile Moilians can follow the caster, remain in an area to attack any intruders, and perform other uncomplicated tasks.
This spell only animates a single corpse or body part with each casting. Regardless of the caster’s level, the Moilian created has 3 Hit Dice if a body part or 6 Hit Dice if it is a full body. The magic cannot be dispelled, but creatures created can be turned at the appropriate Hit Dice.
The material components required are the body or body part, a drop of blood, a pinch of bone powder, and the perspiration of fear. Only evil beings would consider using this spell.
Create Winter-wight
(Necromancy) (Reversible)
Level 9 Range 10 yds. Components V, S, M
Duration: Permanent Casting Time: 1 round
Area of Effect: 1 body Saving Throw: None
This spell turns a properly prepared body into a winter-wight. Preparation of the body requires many days, though the spell itself can be cast on the prepared body in only a single round. Create
winter-wight can only be cast in conjunction with unique devices (such as the Dim Forge) capable of focusing and concentrating Negative Energy into a skeleton as part of the preparation step. Even with the use of this spell with the proper Negative Energy focusing devices, the spell is only effective 1% to 10% (1d10) of the time. Failures range between mere dust to warped, fragmented undead of little mobility and wit.
Once properly animated, the winter-wight obeys the commands of its creator. The personality of the
created creature may vary widely but is certain to combine calculating intelligence with cold cruelty, unless animal bones are used in the process (in which case little intelligence can be found in the final deadly undead construct).
Once animated, the winter-wight remains active until physically destroyed. Destruction is also possible if the undead creature is subject to the reverse of this spell, destroy winter-wight, that utterly annihilates any single winter-wight that fails its saving throw vs. death magic.
1e
Demi-Lich, Acererak: Eventually even the undead life force of Acererak began to wane, so for the next 8 decades, the lich's servants labored to create the Tomb of Horrors. Then Acererak destroyed all of his slaves and servitors, magically hid the entrance to his halls, and went to his final haunt, while his soul roamed strange planes unknown to even the wisest of sages.
Animated Skeleton of a Giant: ?
Magically-Prepared Zombie: Magically-prepared zombie with spells upon him.
Lich, Acererak: Ages past, a human magic-user/cleric of surpassing evil took the steps necessary to preserve his life force beyond the centuries he had already lived, and this creature became the lich, Acererak.
Mummy: Inside this sarcophagus are the parts of a mummy (not an undead, exactly, for at this time it is the mummified remains of a human) with wrappings partially undone and tattered, and a huge amethyst just barely visible between the wrappings covering the head. This 5,000 g.p. Gem has an evil magic placed upon it, and if it is removed from the eyesocket the remains become a true mummy.
Ghost: All that remains now of Acererak are the dust of his bones and his skull resting in the far recesses of the vault. This bit is enough! If the treasure in the crypt is touched the dust swirls into the air and forms a man-like shape. If this shape is ignored, it will dissipate in 3 rounds, for it can only advance and threaten, not harm. Any physical attack will give it 1 factor of energy, however, and spell attacks give it 1 energy factor for every level of the spell used, i.e., a 3rd level spell bestows 3 energy factors. Each factor is equal to a hit point, and if 50 energy factors are gained, the dust will form into a ghost controlled by Acererak.
