Undead Origins

[Voadam]

Unearthed Arcana (1e)
1e
Ghost: ?
Lich: ?
Shadow: Shadow Lanthorn magic item.
Monster Skeleton: Animate Dead Monsters spell.
Monster Zombie: Animate Dead Monsters spell.
Spectre: ?
Vampire: ?
Wight: ?
Wraith: ?
Juju Zombie: Energy Drain spell.

Animate Dead Monsters (Necromantic)
Level: 5 Components: V, S, M
Range: 1” Casting Time: 7 segments
Duration: Permanent Saving Throw: None
Area of Effect: Special
Explanation/Description: This spell enables the caster to animate 1 humanoid or semi-humanoid skeleton or corpse for every 2 levels of experience which he or she has attained. The dweomer animates the remains and empowers the caster to give commands. Direct commands or instructions of up to about 12 words in length will be obeyed by the skeletons or zombies animated (cf. animate dead spell). Monster types which can be animated by this spell include but are not limited to: apes (carnivorous and giant), bugbears, ettins, giants (all varieties), ogres, and trolls (all varieties). In general, the remains must be of bipedal monsters of more than 3 hit dice and with endoskeletons similar to those of humans, except in size (which must be greater than 7’ height). Corpses animated by this spell are treated either as monster zombies (see Monster Manual II), or else as normal (living) creatures of the same form if that creature type normally has less than 6 hit dice. Skeletons animated by this spell are treated as monsters of half the hit dice (rounded up) of the normal sort. Animated monsters of either type receive their normal physical attacks, but have no special attacks or defenses other than those typically possessed by monster zombies or skeletons. The material components for the spell are the cleric’s holy/unholy symbol and a small specimen of the type of creature which is to be animated.

Energy Drain (Evocation)
Level: 9 Components: V, S, M
Range: Touch Casting Time: 3 segments
Duration: Permanent Saving Throw: None
Area of Effect: One creature
Explanation/Description: By casting this spell, the magic-user opens a channel between the plane he or she is on and the Negative Material Plane, the caster becoming the conductor between the two planes. As soon as he or she touches (equal to a hit if melee is involved) any living creature, the victim loses two energy levels (as if struck by a spectre). A monster loses two hit dice permanently, both for hit points and attack ability. A character loses levels, hit dice and hit points, and abilities permanently (until regained through adventuring, if applicable). The material component of this spell is essence of spectre or vampire dust. Preparation requires three segments, the material component is then cast forth, and upon touching the victim the magic-user speaks the triggering word, causing the dweomer to take effect instantly. There is always a 5% (1 in 20) chance that the caster will also be affected by the energy drain and lose one energy level at the same time the victim is drained of two. Humans or humanoids brought to zero energy level by this spell become juju zombies.

Shadow Lanthorn: This mundane-appearing light radiates a faint, evil dweomer. If it is fueled by oil rendered from fat of human corpses, its beam will generate 5-8 shadows who will serve the possessor of the device for as long as it burns. When the oil is consumed the shadows will disappear. Typical burning time is one hour. Note: Characters of good alignment will lose experience points equal to the value of the item if they do not destroy such a device.

 

[Voadam]

WG4 The Forgotten Temple of Tharizdun (1e)
1e
Wongas, Coffer Corpse: This unusually powerful coffer corpse is the remains of the last High Priest of the Temple, Wongas by name. Unable to place himself in the chief crypt, not being able to get past the guardian there, he had his vault placed in this chamber. Before he could begin proper decoration of the sarcophagus, however, the last of the lesser priests and servants deserted the Temple. Eventually, Wongas stalked to his tomb alone, full of rage and hate and shame. The High Priest made his own corpse into a monster by force of hate and displeasure. The resulting coffer corpse is thus far stronger than that normally encountered.

 

[Voadam]

WG5: Mordenkainen's Fantastic Adventure (1e)
1e
Slow Shadow: Slow shadows are related to their cousins, the shadows. It is thought by those who study arcane fauna and undead creatures such as these that shadows (and particularly slow shadows) come from the Negative Material Plane. Some place their origin in Shadowland, but this is not substantiated.
Those killed by slow shadows are transformed into slow shadows, but these usually remain within 40 ft. of where they were killed. This, of course, suggests that wandering slow shadows are created, or summoned, and those that stay within one area are past victims.
Shadow: Slow shadows are related to their cousins, the shadows. It is thought by those who study arcane fauna and undead creatures such as these that shadows (and particularly slow shadows) come from the Negative Material Plane. Some place their origin in Shadowland, but this is not substantiated.
Spectre: ?

 

[Voadam]

WG7 Castle Greyhawk (1e)
1e
Wight: ?
Crypt Thing: ?
Headless Mouse Horde: Mudstone has been making mouse-head hors d’oeuvres for three days in room 25, but he is too lazy to dispose of the bodies. He uses a special animate dead spell to order the bodies to run to the swill pit (room 18) and dispose of themselves.
Galomohgen, Disembodied Spirit:
Ghost: ?
Spectre: ?
Bones, Skeleton Cleric 1: ?
Ghast: Nabassu Death Stealing power.
Vampire: ?
Revenant: ?
Wraith: ?
Death Knight: ?
Shadow: Nabassu Bestow Death power.
Lich: In actuality, this room is a time trap; time here moves very slowly compared to that in the outside world. One round in this room equals a half hour outside it. The tome is Secrets of Immortality by X. Gig, Magus Paragon, Regum Rex, etc., etc. The book is tied to the lectern by strange silver threads, as thin as gossamer. These are strands from Istus’s web in the plane of Time. They cannot be broken by any force save Istus herself. Nor can any force move or break the lectern.
Secrets of Immortality is readable (although highly technical in its use of language), but it is incomprehensible to all creatures with Intelligences below 21. For magic-users who have Intelligences of 21 who would read it, it would take 10 years of careful study to understand its principles. (A nonweapon proficiency taken in the study of the abstract theories of magic will reduce the time of study to only three years.) If the book is mastered, characters will know how to create an elixir of youth, become a shade or a lich, and understand “general principles of life force extension.”
Duke Grave, Death Knight: ?
Rahz, Lich 20: ?
Melvin, Ghost: The apparition is the ghost of Melvin, an evil human who in life delighted in stopping up sinks and toilets, causing much embarrassment and suffering to those who followed him in using the bathroom. He also enjoyed overflowing the bathtub and switching the cold and hot water knobs in the shower. Such were the extent of his evil deeds that in death he was consigned to wander the sewers, carrying a phantom pipe wrench and forever searching for leaks, to atone for his evil acts.
Juju Zombie: ?
Stan, Death Knight: ?
Mummy: ?
Ghoul: ?

Nabassu's death stealing (save vs. death magic or become a ghast).

Nabassu's bestow death (must successfully steal death first, save vs. death magic or become a shadow).

 

[Voadam]

WG8 Fate of Istus (1e/2e)
2e
Ghost: This section of Re1 Mord was a crowded area of commoners' residences until a fire destroyed most of it in 1152 O.R. More than 500 persons died in the smoke and flames. After the fire, clean-up crews complained of hauntings and strange occurrences, and the area was abandoned.
This ghost is the spirit of an evil-worshiper who kept her nature secret. She's been disturbed from her slumbers by the activities of Mordel.
Ghoul: ?
Wight: The wight was once a brutal mercenary captain, who came to Harper's Hold to force Diambeth into giving him some information that the hard wished to keep secret. When it became obvious he had no choice, the bard summoned his guardian from room 2 to slay the captain. While there would he no legal consequences from his act, Diambeth decided it would be best if the captain's colleagues never found out about his fate. Rather than dumping the body outside his grounds as he would otherwise have done, the bard made other arrangements: a secret chamber, where the captain would remain undisturbed. As with others of great evil, however, the captain's spirit didn't find rest. Consumed with hatred for Diambeth-which, over the years, generalized to hatred for the living-the captain became a wight.
Haunt: In life, the haunt was an elven cavalier who swore a mighty oath that she’d bring warning to the Theocrat himself that a large bandit force was massing on the border for an attack into the Pale. Since the cavalier died more than 20 years ago, her information is a little out of date, but her oath still binds her.
Spectre: Mordel and his assistant had opened one of the crypts (the one marked “F” on the map), and had taken various unpleasant substances from within. Mordel’s activities around the cemetery have disquieted some of the dead, and the occupant of this crypt is no exception. In life, he was a lawful evil assassin who entered the city disguised as a visiting cleric of Pholtus. While in Wintershiven, he died in a tragic accident and was interred-ironically enough-with great honor. His spirit was already troubled over his body being buried with people so antithetic to his alignment; now this last desecration proved to be the last straw. Ten rounds after the combat with Mordel begins, the occupant rises as a spectre.
Xaene the Accursed, Two-Headed Lich: Xaene, once ousted from the court wizard position he had coveted for such a long time, took to studying necromancy, an art he had become efficient in while creating Ivid’s various servants. While raiding graveyards and tombs he came upon the artifact described in room 17 above, as well as those detailed in room 11. All three artifacts are aligned to Nerull, especially the Tapestry of Nightmares. In unraveling the tapestry’s secret, Xaene was converted to neutral evil (from chaotic evil) and was transformed into a lich. However, his mind, strong as it was, could not stand (or fathom) the change; and his will persisted to such a stubborn degree that Nerull actually cursed Xaene, saying, “You have two minds-so have two heads to go with them!”
Mummy: ?
Skeleton: ?
Zombie: ?
Wraith: ?
Shadow: ?
Vampire: ?
Nerlax, Vampire: ?
Swordwraith: ?
Coffer Corpse: ?
Juju Zombie: ?
Bach: ?
Giant Bach: ?

1e
Ghost: This section of Re1 Mord was a crowded area of commoners' residences until a fire destroyed most of it in 1152 O.R. More than 500 persons died in the smoke and flames. After the fire, clean-up crews complained of hauntings and strange occurrences, and the area was abandoned.
This ghost is the spirit of an evil-worshiper who kept her nature secret. She's been disturbed from her slumbers by the activities of Mordel.
Ghoul: ?
Wight: The wight was once a brutal mercenary captain, who came to Harper's Hold to force Diambeth into giving him some information that the hard wished to keep secret. When it became obvious he had no choice, the bard summoned his guardian from room 2 to slay the captain. While there would he no legal consequences from his act, Diambeth decided it would be best if the captain's colleagues never found out about his fate. Rather than dumping the body outside his grounds as he would otherwise have done, the bard made other arrangements: a secret chamber, where the captain would remain undisturbed. As with others of great evil, however, the captain's spirit didn't find rest. Consumed with hatred for Diambeth-which, over the years, generalized to hatred for the living-the captain became a wight.
Haunt: In life, the haunt was an elven cavalier who swore a mighty oath that she’d bring warning to the Theocrat himself that a large bandit force was massing on the border for an attack into the Pale. Since the cavalier died more than 20 years ago, her information is a little out of date, but her oath still binds her.
Spectre: Mordel and his assistant had opened one of the crypts (the one marked “F” on the map), and had taken various unpleasant substances from within. Mordel’s activities around the cemetery have disquieted some of the dead, and the occupant of this crypt is no exception. In life, he was a lawful evil assassin who entered the city disguised as a visiting cleric of Pholtus. While in Wintershiven, he died in a tragic accident and was interred-ironically enough-with great honor. His spirit was already troubled over his body being buried with people so antithetic to his alignment; now this last desecration proved to be the last straw. Ten rounds after the combat with Mordel begins, the occupant rises as a spectre.
Xaene the Accursed, Two-Headed Lich: Xaene, once ousted from the court wizard position he had coveted for such a long time, took to studying necromancy, an art he had become efficient in while creating Ivid’s various servants. While raiding graveyards and tombs he came upon the artifact described in room 17 above, as well as those detailed in room 11. All three artifacts are aligned to Nerull, especially the Tapestry of Nightmares. In unraveling the tapestry’s secret, Xaene was converted to neutral evil (from chaotic evil) and was transformed into a lich. However, his mind, strong as it was, could not stand (or fathom) the change; and his will persisted to such a stubborn degree that Nerull actually cursed Xaene, saying, “You have two minds-so have two heads to go with them!”
Mummy: ?
Skeleton: ?
Zombie: ?
Wraith: ?
Shadow: ?
Vampire: ?
Nerlax, Vampire: ?
Swordwraith: ?
Coffer Corpse: ?
Juju Zombie: ?
Bach: ?
Giant Bach: ?

 

[Voadam]

World of Greyhawk Fantasy Game Setting (1e)
1e
Lacedon, Sea Ghoul: ?
Skeleton: ?
Werewolf Vampire: ?
Zombie: ?

 

[Voadam]

Dungeon 1
1e
Yattele-Ettes, Vampire: ?
Wraith: ?
Shadow: These shadows were originally followers of Kholum who were slain as thieves and reincarnated by their deity as shadows to guard their former guildmaster's tomb. Over the centuries, these shadows have been joined by the spirits of graverobbers, wanderers, and others who were trapped in the tomb, until a small army of these creatures lurks in the area.
Skeleton: ?
Ghoul: In this sarcophagus is a witch doctor who was less than entirely devout in his service of Maglubiyet; his transgressions were not too serious, so he was only cursed to be a ghoul rather than be sentenced to eternal torture.
Haunt: This spirit is that of a woman looking for her missing husband-who was slain by Flame sixty years ago.
Ghoul: ?
Ghast: ?

 

[Voadam]

D&D Companion Set (BECMI Ed.) (Basic)
Basic
Haunt: A haunt is an undead soul of some creature (usually human) unable to rest. Haunts are most often encountered near the spots where their mortal bodies died—often a bog, old forest, or dungeon.
Banshee: It is rumored that a banshee is the soul of an evil female elf, atoning for its misdeeds in life.
Ghost: Some ghosts appear in forms related to their death. A drowned human might appear soaked in water, soaking all things around it; the ghost of a person who died of fire might appear cloaked in ethereal flames.
A Neutral ghost is a human soul who has become trapped, unable to rest, either because the body remains unburied, or because the being was greatly betrayed, harmed, or cursed.
Poltergeist: ?
Phantom: ?
Apparition: Any human or demi-human slain by an apparition will become one in one week; the only way to avoid this fate is to cast a dispel evil spell on the body before casting a raise dead (all within the week's time). If a raise dead is cast without the dispel evil, the character will revive, apparently none the worse for the experience —but will begin to fade a week later, turning into an apparition.
Shade: ?
Vision: ?
Spirit: Spirits are powerful evil beings inhabiting the bodies (or body parts) of others.
Druj: ?
Odic: ?
Revenant: ?
Ghoul: ?
Skeleton: ?
Wight: ?
Mummy: ?
Spectre: ?
Vampire: ?
Wraith: ?
Lich: ?

 

[Voadam]

D&D Master Set (BECMI ed.) (Basic)
Basic
Undead Beholder: An undead beholder is similar to a living one, but is a construct created for some specific evil purpose.
Vampire Devilfish: ?
Lich: A lich is a powerful undead monster of magical origin. It looks like a skeleton wearing fine garments, and was once an evil and chaotic magic-user or cleric of level 21 or greater (often 27-36).
Nightshade: They are all extremely rare, usually created or summoned for a specific purpose by a more powerful being.
Nightcrawler: ?
Nightwalker: ?
Nightwing: ?

Undead: Whenever an energy-draining undead slays a victim, the victim later rises as an undead of the same type, under the control of the slayer.
Create Magical Monsters spell.
Phantom Apparition: ?
Haunt Banshee: ?
Death Leech: ?
Spirit Druj: ?
Haunt Ghost: ?
Ghoul: ?
Mummy: If a cleric becomes a mummy (through a process known only to the ancient high priests of certain religions), the undead mummy may use clerical spells to the full extent possessed in life and may control other undead as well (see Lieges and Pawns).
Spirit Odic: ?
Haunt Poltergeist: ?
Spirit Revenant: ?
Sacrol: ?
Phantom Shade: ?
Skeleton: ?
Spectre: ?
Vampire: ?
Velya: ?
Phantom Vision: ?
Wight: ?
Wraith: ?
Zombie: ?
Zombie Minotaur: ?

Create Magical Monsters
Range: 60 feet
Duration: 2 turns
Effect: Creates one or more monsters
This spell is similar to the 7th-level create normal monsters spell, except that monsters with some special abilities (up to two asterisks) can be created. The range and duration are double those of the lesser spell. All other details are the same: the creatures are chosen by the caster, appear out of thin air, and vanish at the end of the spell duration.
The total number of Hit Dice of monsters appearing is equal to the level of the magic-user casting the spell. Humans and demihumans may not be created by this spell, but undead are permitted. Creatures of 1-1 Hit Die are counted as 1 Hit Die; creatures of 1/2 Hit Die or less are counted as 1/2 Hit Die each.
Special Note: To create a construct (as defined in the Companion Set DM's Book, page 21), the proper materials must be used with this spell. Only one construct will appear, regardless of the caster's Hit Dice; but it is permanent, and does not vanish at the end of the spell duration. The construct, however, may have only two asterisks (special abilities) or less. The cost of materials is a minimum of 5,000 gp per asterisk (or more, depending on your campaign).

 

[Voadam]

D&D Immortals Set (BECMI ed.) (Basic)
Basic
Undead: ?
Skeleton: ?
Zombie: ?
Ghoul: ?
Wight: ?
Wraith: ?
Mummy: ?
Spectre: ?
Vampire: ?
Phantom: ?
Haunt: ?
Spirit: ?
Nightshade: ?
Lich: ?
Nightcrawler: ?
Nightwalker: ?
Nightwing: ?
Druj: ?
Odic: ?
Revenant: ?
Undead Beholder: ?
Undead Gargantua: ?
Gargantuan Skeleton: ?
Gargantuan Zombie: ?
Gargantuan Ghoul: ?
Gargantuan Wight: Level-draining gargantuans (wights, wraiths, and spectres) can only be created or Called by a demon ruler, not by any mortal or lesser Immortal.
Gargantuan Wraith: Level-draining gargantuans (wights, wraiths, and spectres) can only be created or Called by a demon ruler, not by any mortal or lesser Immortal.
Gargantuan Mummy: ?
Gargantuan Spectre: Level-draining gargantuans (wights, wraiths, and spectres) can only be created or Called by a demon ruler, not by any mortal or lesser Immortal.