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Undead

AX.C.13.11 - Undead

Undead are creatures animated by necromantic energy, cursed to unlife, or bound by dark rituals. They defy the natural order, existing between life and death. Unlike living creatures, undead don't tire, hunger, or fear, making them relentless and terrifying opponents.

Overview

What Makes Undead Unique

  • Unliving: No need for food, water, air, or sleep
  • Fearless: Immune to fear, morale checks don't apply
  • Necromantic Origin: Created through dark magic or curses
  • Negative Energy: Often healed by necrotic damage, harmed by radiant
  • Variable Intelligence: From mindless zombies to cunning vampires
  • Condition Immunity: Immune to poison, disease, and many physical conditions

Using Undead in Your Campaign

Undead threats serve multiple roles:

  • Mindless Servants: Animated by necromancers as shock troops
  • Cursed Remnants: Tragic figures bound by unfinished business
  • Intelligent Predators: Vampires and liches pursuing dark agendas
  • Environmental Hazards: Haunted locations with restless spirits
  • Army Opposition: Legions of undead controlled by dark lords
  • Ancient Guardians: Protecting tombs and forbidden places

Undead Categories

Corporeal Undead: Physical bodies animated by dark energy

  • Zombies, skeletons, ghouls, vampires
  • Can be physically destroyed
  • Typically easier to detect and fight

Incorporeal Undead: Spirits and ghostly entities

  • Ghosts, wraiths, specters, shadows
  • Difficult to harm with normal weapons
  • Can pass through solid objects

Intelligent Undead: Retain or exceed living intelligence

  • Vampires, liches, mummies, death knights
  • Use tactics, magic, and planning
  • Build organizations and pursue long-term goals

Mindless Undead

Zombie (Minion)

Shambling corpses animated by necromantic energy. Slow but relentless.

Type: Undead (Corporeal, Mindless) Power Level: Minion Size: Medium

Attributes

  • Body: 2D
  • Speed: 1D
  • Wit: 1D

Talents

  • Strike: 1D
  • Fortitude: 2D

Combat Statistics

  • Health: 27 (20 + 2 + 5)
  • Defense: 1 (1 + 0 = 1 ÷ 3 = 0.33, +1 base = 1)
  • Armor: None (thick dead flesh provides natural toughness)

Saves

  • Body Save: 4D (Body 2D + Fortitude 2D)
  • Speed Save: 1D (Speed 1D)
  • Wit Save: 1D (Wit 1D)

Attacks

  • Slam: Body 2D + Strike 1D = 3D vs Defense, 2-3 damage typical
  • Bite: Body 2D + Strike 1D = 3D vs Defense, 1-2 damage, target makes Body Save (Threshold 3) or contract disease

Undead Traits

  • Unliving: Immune to poison, disease, exhaustion, fear
  • Undead Resilience: Reduce all physical damage by 1 (minimum 1)
  • Radiant Vulnerability: Radiant damage ignores Undead Resilience and deals +2 damage
  • Mindless: Immune to psychic effects, follows simple commands only

Special Abilities

  • Undead Fortitude: When reduced to 0 Health, roll Body Save (Threshold 3). Success: remain at 1 Health instead
  • Relentless Advance: Cannot be frightened or forced to retreat, always moves toward nearest living creature

Tactics Zombies pursue the nearest living target with single-minded determination. They grapple and bite when possible. No sense of self-preservation; fight until destroyed. Often used in waves to overwhelm defenders or trigger traps. Some necromancers command them directly; otherwise they attack any living creature.

Lore & Ecology Created through Necromancy (Wit + Magic vs Threshold 3). Basic undead requiring minimal magical power. Remain animated until destroyed or animating magic is dispelled. Found in graveyards, battlefields, and areas of dark magic. Bodies slowly decay over months, becoming weaker but no less dangerous.

Destruction

  • Reduce to 0 Health and bypass Undead Fortitude
  • Sever head from body (called shot at disadvantage)
  • Burn completely (requires 10 minutes)
  • Dispel magic animating corpse (Threshold 3)
  • Holy water deals 1D6 damage per flask

Treasure

  • Whatever victim wore in life (often rotted)
  • 1-10 copper pieces (if recent corpse)
  • Possible items in pockets or pouches

Skeleton (Minion)

Animated bones driven by dark magic. Faster than zombies but more fragile.

Type: Undead (Corporeal, Mindless) Power Level: Minion Size: Medium

Attributes

  • Body: 1D
  • Speed: 2D
  • Wit: 1D

Talents

  • Strike: 2D
  • Precision: 1D

Combat Statistics

  • Health: 26 (20 + 1 + 5)
  • Defense: 1 (2 + 0 = 2 ÷ 3 = 0.66, +1 base = 1)
  • Armor: None

Saves

  • Body Save: 1D (Body 1D)
  • Speed Save: 2D (Speed 2D)
  • Wit Save: 1D (Wit 1D)

Attacks

  • Rusty Sword: Body 1D + Strike 2D = 3D vs Defense, 2-3 damage typical
  • Shortbow: Speed 2D + Precision 1D = 3D vs Defense, 1-2 damage typical

Undead Traits

  • Unliving: Immune to poison, disease, exhaustion, fear
  • Bludgeoning Vulnerability: Bludgeoning weapons deal +2 damage (crush bones)
  • Piercing Resistance: Piercing weapons deal -2 damage (arrows pass through ribs)
  • Mindless: Immune to psychic effects, follows simple commands

Special Abilities

  • Reassemble: If not completely destroyed, bones can be reanimated with same spell. Separate or scatter bones to prevent
  • Silent Movement: No flesh to make sound. Stealth 2D in dark or cluttered areas

Tactics More versatile than zombies. Use weapons and can operate bows. Follow simple commands like "guard this area" or "attack intruders." Often deployed as sentries or archers supporting melee undead. No survival instinct but will use cover if commanded.

Lore & Ecology Easier to create than zombies (less mass to animate). Popular with necromancers for garrison duty. Can remain inactive indefinitely until triggered. Some ancient tombs have guardian skeletons centuries old. Bones can be reused multiple times if collected.

Destruction

  • Reduce to 0 Health
  • Crush major bones (skull, spine, pelvis)
  • Scatter remains to prevent re-animation
  • Dispel animating magic (Threshold 2)
  • Holy water deals 1D6 damage per flask

Treasure

  • Weapons (often rusty but functional)
  • Armor pieces (20% chance of wearable condition)
  • Ancient coins or jewelry (if tomb guardian)

Ghoul (Standard)

Flesh-eating undead with paralytic claws. More intelligent than zombies, driven by insatiable hunger.

Type: Undead (Corporeal, Low Intelligence) Power Level: Standard Size: Medium

Attributes

  • Body: 2D
  • Speed: 3D
  • Wit: 2D

Talents

  • Strike: 2D
  • Stealth: 2D
  • Notice: 1D

Combat Statistics

  • Health: 32 (20 + 2 + 10)
  • Defense: 2 (3 + 0 = 3 ÷ 3 = 1, +1 base = 2)
  • Armor: None

Saves

  • Body Save: 2D (Body 2D)
  • Speed Save: 3D (Speed 3D)
  • Wit Save: 2D (Wit 2D)

Attacks

  • Paralytic Claws: Body 2D + Strike 2D = 4D vs Defense, 2-3 damage, target makes Body Save (Threshold 4) or paralyzed for 1D3 Turns
  • Bite: Body 2D + Strike 2D = 4D vs Defense, 3-4 damage

Undead Traits

  • Unliving: Immune to poison, disease, exhaustion, fear
  • Grave Hunger: Heal 1D6 Health when consuming fresh corpse (Primary Action)
  • Darkvision: See perfectly in complete darkness

Special Abilities

  • Pack Feeder: Advantage on attacks against paralyzed targets
  • Carrion Stench: Living creatures within Close range make Body Save (Threshold 3) or disadvantage on attacks due to overwhelming smell
  • Cunning Ambusher: Hide among corpses or in graves, surprise on 4+ instead of 5+

Tactics Ghouls hunt in packs, using stealth to ambush prey. Lead with paralytic claws to disable dangerous targets, then feed while victim helpless. Intelligent enough to set traps and lure prey. Will drag paralyzed victims away to feed later. Retreat if taking heavy damage, but return with reinforcements.

Lore & Ecology Created when living creatures consume undead flesh or through specific curses. Graveyards and battlefields attract them. Form loose packs with alpha ghouls leading. Maintain crude lairs in tombs or caves filled with corpses. Some retain fragments of living memories, making them dangerously unpredictable.

Destruction

  • Reduce to 0 Health
  • Destroy brain (decapitation or crushing skull)
  • Burn completely
  • Radiant damage deals double damage to ghouls
  • Remove Curse (Threshold 4) can return recently transformed to life

Treasure

  • Items scavenged from victims
  • 10-50 silver pieces
  • Possibly valuable grave goods
  • 10% chance of minor magic item

Zombie Horde (Standard)

A seething mass of animated corpses moving as one relentless body, overwhelming defenders through sheer numbers and weight of dead flesh.

Type: Undead (Corporeal, Mindless, Swarm) Power Level: Standard Size: Large (occupies Close area)

Attributes

  • Body: 3D
  • Speed: 1D
  • Wit: 1D

Talents

  • Strike: 2D
  • Fortitude: 2D

Combat Statistics

  • Health: 33 (20 + 3 + 10)
  • Defense: 1 (1 + 1 = 2 ÷ 3 = 0.66, +1 base = 1)
  • Armor: None

Saves

  • Body Save: 5D (Body 3D + Fortitude 2D)
  • Speed Save: 1D (Speed 1D)
  • Wit Save: 1D (Wit 1D)

Attacks

  • Mob Slam: Body 3D + Strike 2D = 5D vs Defense, 3-4 damage typical; target makes Speed Save (Threshold 3) or knocked prone
  • Drag Under: Body 3D + Strike 2D = 5D vs Defense, target grappled on success; grappled targets take 2 damage per Turn from crushing mass

Special Abilities

  • Swarm: Any creature that starts its Turn within Close range of the horde is automatically targeted by Mob Slam as a free Reaction
  • Thinned Horde: When reduced to half Health, the horde loses the Swarm ability and acts as a single Standard zombie for the remainder of the encounter
  • Unliving: Immune to poison, disease, exhaustion, fear
  • Mindless: Immune to psychic effects; follows simple commands only

Tactics Zombie hordes surge forward in a mass, using their swarm ability to overwhelm multiple defenders simultaneously. They ignore casualties within their own mass and press toward the nearest living creatures. Necromancers deploy them as walls of corpses to exhaust defenders before sending more dangerous undead.

Lore & Ecology Zombie hordes arise when a necromancer animates a battlefield graveyard or releases dozens of individual zombies simultaneously into a confined space. Over time, the mindless corpses begin moving in loose synchrony, following the same prey and acting as a single terrible organism.

Treasure

  • Items worn by the individual corpses (mostly rotted)
  • 2D10 copper pieces scattered across the mass

Skeleton Archer (Minion)

Animated bones bearing bow and quiver, these undead skirmishers harass enemies from a distance while melee undead absorb attention.

Type: Undead (Corporeal, Mindless) Power Level: Minion Size: Medium

Attributes

  • Body: 1D
  • Speed: 2D
  • Wit: 1D

Talents

  • Strike: 1D
  • Precision: 2D

Combat Statistics

  • Health: 26 (20 + 1 + 5)
  • Defense: 1 (2 + 0 = 2 ÷ 3 = 0.66, +1 base = 1)
  • Armor: None

Saves

  • Body Save: 1D (Body 1D)
  • Speed Save: 2D (Speed 2D)
  • Wit Save: 1D (Wit 1D)

Attacks

  • Longbow: Speed 2D + Precision 2D = 4D vs Defense (Near), 2-3 damage typical
  • Bone Claws: Body 1D + Strike 1D = 2D vs Defense, 1-2 damage typical

Special Abilities

  • Reassemble: If not completely destroyed, bones can be reanimated with the original spell; scatter or separate bones to prevent this
  • Bludgeoning Vulnerability: Bludgeoning weapons deal +2 damage
  • Piercing Resistance: Piercing weapons deal −2 damage (arrows pass between bones)
  • Mindless: Immune to psychic effects; follows simple commands

Tactics Skeleton archers hold position at maximum range, firing at targets pointed out by their controller. They prefer exposed or lightly armored targets and ignore personal danger entirely. When melee is unavoidable they lash out with bone claws before retreating if commanded.

Lore & Ecology Necromancers prize skeleton archers for garrison duty; they can guard positions indefinitely without food or relief, and their ranged capability extends the reach of a typical undead warband. Ancient tomb complexes often contain dormant archer skeletons triggered by intrusion.

Treasure

  • Longbow (functional, brittle, breaks on a natural 1)
  • 1D6 serviceable arrows remaining in quiver

Skeleton Warrior (Standard)

Armed and armored animated bones, skeleton warriors combine the relentlessness of undead with functional combat training retained in muscle memory, or in this case, in the animating magic itself.

Type: Undead (Corporeal, Mindless) Power Level: Standard Size: Medium

Attributes

  • Body: 2D
  • Speed: 2D
  • Wit: 1D

Talents

  • Strike: 2D
  • Fortitude: 1D

Combat Statistics

  • Health: 32 (20 + 2 + 10)
  • Defense: 2 (2 + 1 = 3 ÷ 3 = 1, +1 base = 2)
  • Armor: Light (battered plate fragments, +1)

Saves

  • Body Save: 3D (Body 2D + Fortitude 1D)
  • Speed Save: 2D (Speed 2D)
  • Wit Save: 1D (Wit 1D)

Attacks

  • Longsword: Body 2D + Strike 2D = 4D vs Defense, 2-3 damage typical
  • Shield Bash: Body 2D + Strike 2D = 4D vs Defense (Touch), 1-2 damage; target makes Speed Save (Threshold 3) or knocked prone

Special Abilities

  • Reassemble: Bones can be reanimated unless scattered
  • Bludgeoning Vulnerability: +2 damage from bludgeoning
  • Piercing Resistance: −2 damage from piercing
  • Unliving: Immune to poison, disease, exhaustion, fear
  • Mindless: Immune to psychic effects

Tactics Skeleton warriors fight in organized formations when commanded, holding chokepoints and protecting more valuable undead. Without orders they advance on the nearest living target with whatever tactic the animating magic encoded, usually straightforward shield-and-sword engagement.

Lore & Ecology Created from soldiers, guards, and warriors, skeleton warriors retain martial posture and formation instinct through the animation magic. They are a step above common skeletons and often serve as the spine of a necromancer's undead army.

Treasure

  • Longsword (functional but notched)
  • Shield fragments (50% chance one is usable)
  • 1D10 silver pieces (if tomb guardian)

Wight (Standard)

A powerful undead that drains life force with its touch, wights are former warriors or soldiers risen through dark energy. They retain cunning and hatred for the living.

Type: Undead (Corporeal, Low Intelligence) Power Level: Standard Size: Medium

Attributes

  • Body: 3D
  • Speed: 2D
  • Wit: 2D

Talents

  • Strike: 2D
  • Fortitude: 1D
  • Resolve: 1D

Combat Statistics

  • Health: 33 (20 + 3 + 10)
  • Defense: 2 (2 + 1 = 3 ÷ 3 = 1, +1 base = 2)
  • Armor: Light (corroded mail, +1)

Saves

  • Body Save: 4D (Body 3D + Fortitude 1D)
  • Speed Save: 2D (Speed 2D)
  • Wit Save: 3D (Wit 2D + Resolve 1D)

Attacks

  • Corrupting Claws: Body 3D + Strike 2D = 5D vs Defense, 3-4 damage; target makes Body Save (Threshold 3) or maximum Health reduced by 1 until long rest
  • Life Drain: Body 3D + Strike 2D = 5D vs Defense (Touch), 2-3 damage; wight heals Health equal to damage dealt

Special Abilities

  • Unliving: Immune to poison, disease, exhaustion, fear
  • Darkvision: Sees perfectly in complete darkness
  • Sunlight Sensitivity: Disadvantage on all rolls in direct sunlight
  • Create Wight: Humanoids slain by a wight's Life Drain rise as wights under its control at the start of the next Turn (max Wit value in controlled wights)

Tactics Wights lead with Corrupting Claws to reduce a defender's effective Health pool, then follow with Life Drain to sustain themselves while the target weakens. They target healers and spellcasters first. Intelligent enough to hold ground and coordinate with other undead, though they don't communicate verbally.

Lore & Ecology Wights arise from warriors who died in battle against the forces of necromancy, or soldiers cursed by a dark lord's dying breath. They retain the ambition and hatred of their living selves, channeled entirely toward consuming life. Found in blighted ruins, cursed battlefields, and necromancers' keeps.

Treasure

  • Rusted weapons (still functional)
  • Corroded armor fragments
  • 1D6 gold pieces in a belt pouch
  • 10% chance of a minor enchanted weapon

Ghast (Standard)

A more powerful evolution of the ghoul, ghasts exude a supernatural stench so overwhelming it staggers even seasoned warriors. Their paralytic touch carries a stronger venom and their hunger is boundless.

Type: Undead (Corporeal, Low Intelligence) Power Level: Standard Size: Medium

Attributes

  • Body: 2D
  • Speed: 3D
  • Wit: 2D

Talents

  • Strike: 2D
  • Stealth: 2D
  • Notice: 1D

Combat Statistics

  • Health: 32 (20 + 2 + 10)
  • Defense: 2 (3 + 0 = 3 ÷ 3 = 1, +1 base = 2)
  • Armor: None

Saves

  • Body Save: 2D (Body 2D)
  • Speed Save: 3D (Speed 3D)
  • Wit Save: 2D (Wit 2D)

Attacks

  • Paralytic Claws: Body 2D + Strike 2D = 4D vs Defense, 2-3 damage; target makes Body Save (Threshold 4) or paralyzed for 1D3+1 Turns
  • Carrion Bite: Body 2D + Strike 2D = 4D vs Defense, 3-4 damage; target makes Body Save (Threshold 3) or contracts Ghoul Fever (diseased, Body Save Threshold 3 each long rest or lose 1D to all rolls; three failures = death and rise as ghoul)

Special Abilities

  • Paralyzing Stench: All living creatures within Close range must make Body Save (Threshold 4) at the start of each Turn or suffer Disadvantage on all rolls that Turn; undead are immune
  • Grave Hunger: Heals 1D6+2 Health when consuming a fresh corpse (Primary Action)
  • Pack Feeder: Advantage on attacks against paralyzed targets
  • Unliving: Immune to poison, disease, exhaustion, fear
  • Darkvision: Sees perfectly in complete darkness

Tactics Ghasts function like ghouls but with superior paralysis and the added weapon of their stench. They open by closing distance quickly to activate the stench aura, then target the most dangerous-looking warrior with Paralytic Claws. Once a target is down they bite to infect before moving to the next threat.

Lore & Ecology Ghasts arise when ghouls feed extensively over many years or are touched by particularly potent necromantic energy. They are pack leaders among ghoul groups, directing lesser ghouls through territorial behavior rather than speech. A single ghast can anchor a pack of eight to twelve ghouls.

Treasure

  • Items scavenged from victims
  • 1D6 × 10 silver pieces
  • 15% chance of minor magic item (absorbed from a particularly powerful victim)

Incorporeal Undead

Shadow (Standard)

A creature of living darkness born from a soul so consumed by negativity that only its hungriest aspect remains. Shadows drain the strength from living creatures until they too become shadows.

Type: Undead (Incorporeal, Mindless) Power Level: Standard Size: Medium

Attributes

  • Body: 1D
  • Speed: 4D
  • Wit: 2D

Talents

  • Strike: 2D
  • Stealth: 3D

Combat Statistics

  • Health: 31 (20 + 1 + 10)
  • Defense: 2 (4 + 0 = 4 ÷ 3 = 1.33, +1 base = 2)
  • Armor: None (incorporeal)

Saves

  • Body Save: 1D (Body 1D)
  • Speed Save: 4D (Speed 4D)
  • Wit Save: 2D (Wit 2D)

Attacks

  • Strength Drain: Speed 4D + Strike 2D = 6D vs Defense (Touch), 3-4 damage; target makes Body Save (Threshold 3) or one Body die is suppressed until a long rest (if all Body dice suppressed, target dies and rises as a shadow)

Special Abilities

  • Incorporeal: Immune to non-magical physical damage; can pass through walls and solid objects
  • Shadow Blend: Stealth 5D (Stealth 3D + Speed 2D) in dim light or complete darkness; effectively invisible in deep shadow
  • Amorphous: Can pass through any gap larger than a hairline crack
  • Unliving: Immune to poison, disease, exhaustion, fear
  • Sunlight Weakness: Disadvantage on all rolls in direct sunlight; destroyed if held in direct sunlight for 10 consecutive Turns
  • Create Shadow: Humanoids killed by Strength Drain rise as shadows under the slaying shadow's loose influence

Tactics Shadows lurk in the deepest darkness of their territory, using Shadow Blend to remain invisible while stalking prey. They strike with Strength Drain to progressively weaken targets, retreating into walls between attacks to prevent retaliation. They prioritize the physically strongest targets to create the most powerful shadow spawn.

Lore & Ecology Shadows form in places of profound despair, dungeons where prisoners died slowly, sites of mass sacrifice, or wherever the boundary between life and negative energy is thin. They are drawn to light instinctively, not to approach it but to consume it.

Treasure

  • None (incorporeal; possessions consumed along with their physical form)

Specter (Standard)

The malicious remnant of a tortured soul, specters project waves of horror and drain the very life force that sustains living creatures. Unlike ghosts, they retain no memory of who they were, only the hunger remains.

Type: Undead (Incorporeal, Minimal Intelligence) Power Level: Standard Size: Medium

Attributes

  • Body: 1D
  • Speed: 3D
  • Wit: 3D

Talents

  • Strike: 2D
  • Resolve: 1D

Combat Statistics

  • Health: 31 (20 + 1 + 10)
  • Defense: 2 (3 + 0 = 3 ÷ 3 = 1, +1 base = 2)
  • Armor: None (incorporeal)

Saves

  • Body Save: 1D (Body 1D)
  • Speed Save: 3D (Speed 3D)
  • Wit Save: 4D (Wit 3D + Resolve 1D)

Attacks

  • Life Leech: Wit 3D + Strike 2D = 5D vs Defense (Touch), 3-4 damage (necrotic); target makes Wit Save (Threshold 3) or maximum Health reduced by the damage dealt until a long rest

Special Abilities

  • Incorporeal: Immune to non-magical physical damage; passes through solid objects
  • Horrifying Presence: Creatures within Close range make Wit Save (Threshold 3) at the start of each Turn or are frightened for that Turn
  • Unliving: Immune to poison, disease, exhaustion, fear
  • Sunlight Sensitivity: Disadvantage on all rolls in direct sunlight

Tactics Specters drift through walls to appear in enclosed spaces, maximizing their Horrifying Presence aura before attacking. They target the lowest-Wit target with Life Leech, progressively reducing their capacity to resist. They avoid heavily armored targets in favor of lightly-defended spellcasters and healers.

Lore & Ecology Specters arise from souls that suffered prolonged torment, slow starvation, decades of imprisonment, or the anguish of watching loved ones destroyed. The personality burns away but the capacity for suffering remains, expressed as an insatiable hunger for others' life force.

Treasure

  • None

Phantom (Standard)

A ghost-like remnant bound to a specific location or memory, phantoms are more willful than specters and capable of manifesting partially in the physical world to interact with objects or terrify witnesses.

Type: Undead (Incorporeal, Low Intelligence) Power Level: Standard Size: Medium

Attributes

  • Body: 1D
  • Speed: 3D
  • Wit: 3D

Talents

  • Strike: 1D
  • Resolve: 2D
  • Deception: 1D

Combat Statistics

  • Health: 31 (20 + 1 + 10)
  • Defense: 2 (3 + 0 = 3 ÷ 3 = 1, +1 base = 2)
  • Armor: None (incorporeal)

Saves

  • Body Save: 1D (Body 1D)
  • Speed Save: 3D (Speed 3D)
  • Wit Save: 5D (Wit 3D + Resolve 2D)

Attacks

  • Phantom Touch: Speed 3D + Strike 1D = 4D vs Defense (Touch), 2-3 damage; target makes Wit Save (Threshold 3) or frightened for 2 Turns
  • Terrifying Manifestation: Wit 3D + Deception 1D = 4D vs Wit Save of all creatures within Close, no damage; targets who fail are frightened and must spend their next Turn moving away from the phantom

Special Abilities

  • Incorporeal: Immune to non-magical physical damage; passes through solid objects
  • Manifest: Once per scene, the phantom partially enters the physical world for 1 Turn, loses Incorporeal but gains +2D to all attacks and can interact with physical objects; returns to incorporeal at Turn's end
  • Haunt: The phantom can subtly affect its bound location, causing doors to slam, objects to fall, fires to gutter, and whispers to be heard; it cannot cause direct harm this way but can terrify and disorient
  • Unliving: Immune to poison, disease, exhaustion, fear

Tactics Phantoms prefer to frighten rather than fight, using Terrifying Manifestation to scatter groups before picking off isolated targets with Phantom Touch. They use Haunt between encounters to wear down the psychological resilience of intruders before direct confrontation.

Lore & Ecology Phantoms retain fragments of their living personality, usually centered on the event or place that bound them. They are not always hostile, some seek resolution, others merely want witnesses to their tragedy. A skilled negotiator can sometimes communicate with a phantom and uncover its unfinished business.

Treasure

  • Items from its living era may be found near its haunt (the phantom itself carries nothing)
  • 10% chance of a personal item of historical significance

Poltergeist (Standard)

An invisible, rageful presence that manifests through violent telekinetic attacks, hurling furniture, stones, and debris at intruders. Poltergeists are bound to locations and grow more powerful the longer they remain undisturbed.

Type: Undead (Incorporeal, Emotional Intelligence) Power Level: Standard Size: Medium (invisible; detected only through effects)

Attributes

  • Body: 1D
  • Speed: 3D
  • Wit: 3D

Talents

  • Strike: 2D
  • Notice: 1D

Combat Statistics

  • Health: 31 (20 + 1 + 10)
  • Defense: 2 (3 + 0 = 3 ÷ 3 = 1, +1 base = 2)
  • Armor: None (incorporeal)

Saves

  • Body Save: 1D (Body 1D)
  • Speed Save: 3D (Speed 3D)
  • Wit Save: 3D (Wit 3D)

Attacks

  • Hurl Object: Wit 3D + Strike 2D = 5D vs Defense (Near), 3-4 damage; hurls furniture, stones, or debris at a visible target
  • Telekinetic Slam: Wit 3D + Strike 2D = 5D vs Defense (Close), 2-3 damage; target makes Speed Save (Threshold 3) or knocked prone and pushed to Near

Special Abilities

  • Incorporeal: Immune to non-magical physical damage; invisible unless choosing to manifest briefly
  • Telekinesis: Can move objects up to Body 2D equivalent weight at Near range as a Secondary Action; can hold up to three objects in motion simultaneously
  • Bound to Location: Cannot move more than Far from its haunt; if forced to leave, loses all abilities for 1D3 days upon return and must "recharge"
  • Environmental Control: In its haunt, the poltergeist can lock doors, shatter windows, cause fires to surge or die, and create deafening noise as Secondary Actions with no roll required
  • Unliving: Immune to poison, disease, exhaustion, fear

Tactics Poltergeists open by using the environment against intruders, slamming doors, hurling objects from unexpected directions, creating noise and confusion. They target isolated individuals with Telekinetic Slam to separate the group, then pelt downed or prone targets with debris. They never leave their haunt.

Lore & Ecology Poltergeists are almost always created from violent, sudden deaths, murder victims whose rage was too intense to leave quietly. They have little conscious thought, only the overwhelming emotion of their final moments expressed as kinetic fury. Laying a poltergeist to rest usually requires finding and interring the physical remains with proper rites.

Treasure

  • Found in the haunt: items belonging to the poltergeist's victim, personal effects, 2D6 × 5 silver pieces

Wraith (Elite)

Creatures of absolute cold and darkness, wraiths are incorporeal undead of great power. They can withstand far more punishment than specters and their touch reaches into the essence of a victim's physical capability, slowly eroding the body's capacity to endure.

Type: Undead (Incorporeal, Average Intelligence) Power Level: Elite Size: Large (spectral form)

Attributes

  • Body: 1D
  • Speed: 4D
  • Wit: 4D

Talents

  • Strike: 3D
  • Resolve: 2D
  • Stealth: 2D

Combat Statistics

  • Health: 36 (20 + 1 + 15)
  • Defense: 2 (4 + 0 = 4 ÷ 3 = 1.33, +1 base = 2)
  • Armor: None (incorporeal)

Saves

  • Body Save: 1D (Body 1D)
  • Speed Save: 4D (Speed 4D)
  • Wit Save: 6D (Wit 4D + Resolve 2D)

Attacks

  • Withering Touch: Speed 4D + Strike 3D = 7D vs Defense (Touch), 4-5 damage (necrotic); target makes Body Save (Threshold 4) or one Body die is suppressed until a long rest
  • Life Drain: Wit 4D + Strike 3D = 7D vs Defense (Touch), 3-4 damage (necrotic); wraith heals Health equal to damage dealt

Special Abilities

  • Incorporeal: Immune to non-magical physical damage; passes through walls and solid objects
  • Create Specter: Humanoids killed by the wraith rise as specters under its control at the start of the following Turn; wraith can control a maximum of Wit value in specters
  • Wraith Shroud: All light sources within Close range of the wraith are reduced one step (torch to near-darkness; lantern to dim); magical light resists this with a Threshold 3 check each Turn
  • Sunlight Annihilation: Destroyed immediately if exposed to direct sunlight; wraiths plan their movements to avoid all sunlit areas entirely
  • Unliving: Immune to poison, disease, exhaustion, fear

Tactics Wraiths hunt alone or with specter thralls that serve as expendable screens. They use Wraith Shroud to reduce visibility before engaging, then alternate Withering Touch (to erode physical capability) and Life Drain (to sustain themselves). They retreat through walls when seriously threatened, regenerating with Life Drain against weaker targets before returning.

Lore & Ecology Wraiths form from the most powerful and bitter spectral undead, either ancient specters that have grown stronger over centuries, or powerful individuals whose deaths were catastrophic betrayals. They are cold, purposeful, and deeply malevolent. A wraith's territory is always expanding as it converts slain victims into specter servants.

Treasure

  • The wraith's lair contains accumulated valuables from centuries of victims: 1D6 × 50 gold pieces, 1D3 minor magic items, 1 rare scroll or ritual text

Banshee (Elite)

The wailing spirit of a betrayed or grief-stricken soul, the banshee's cry is among the most feared sounds in the world; it can kill outright. Those who hear the full force of a banshee's lament rarely survive to describe it.

Type: Undead (Incorporeal, Emotional Intelligence) Power Level: Elite Size: Medium

Attributes

  • Body: 1D
  • Speed: 3D
  • Wit: 5D

Talents

  • Strike: 2D
  • Resolve: 3D

Combat Statistics

  • Health: 36 (20 + 1 + 15)
  • Defense: 2 (3 + 0 = 3 ÷ 3 = 1, +1 base = 2)
  • Armor: None (incorporeal)

Saves

  • Body Save: 1D (Body 1D)
  • Speed Save: 3D (Speed 3D)
  • Wit Save: 8D (Wit 5D + Resolve 3D)

Attacks

  • Corrupting Touch: Speed 3D + Strike 2D = 5D vs Defense (Touch), 3-4 damage (necrotic)
  • Wail of the Banshee: Primary Action; all living creatures within Near range make Wit Save (Threshold 4) or are instantly reduced to 1 Health; usable once per encounter; creatures that succeed still take 3-4 damage from the sonic force

Special Abilities

  • Incorporeal: Immune to non-magical physical damage; passes through solid objects
  • Horrifying Aura: Creatures within Close range must make Wit Save (Threshold 3) at the start of each Turn or suffer Disadvantage on all rolls that Turn
  • Keening: As a Secondary Action the banshee emits a low moan; all creatures within Near make Wit Save (Threshold 2) or are shaken (−1D to attack rolls) for 1 Turn; this does not count as the Wail
  • Unliving: Immune to poison, disease, exhaustion, fear

Tactics A banshee opens combat with Keening to soften defenses, uses Corrupting Touch against any creature that closes, and saves its Wail for the moment when the most enemies are clustered within Near range. After the Wail it pursues survivors with Corrupting Touch while its Horrifying Aura continues to punish those nearby.

Lore & Ecology Banshees are exclusively born from powerful women, queens, high priestesses, matriarchs, who experienced a shattering betrayal at the moment of death. Their grief crystallizes into something weaponized and eternal. Unlike most undead, banshees often appear semi-lucid, capable of speaking, but their conversations always spiral back to the moment of betrayal.

Treasure

  • The banshee's haunt contains mementos of its living life: personal jewelry worth 3D6 × 10 gold pieces, a portrait or tapestry, possibly a letter or document explaining the betrayal that created it

Intelligent Undead

Vampire Spawn (Elite)

A vampire recently created by a lord or ancient, vampire spawn retain much of their living personality but are bound in thrall to their creator. They are fast, strong, supernaturally resilient, and hungry for blood.

Type: Undead (Corporeal, High Intelligence) Power Level: Elite Size: Medium

Attributes

  • Body: 3D
  • Speed: 4D
  • Wit: 3D

Talents

  • Strike: 3D
  • Stealth: 2D
  • Deception: 1D

Combat Statistics

  • Health: 38 (20 + 3 + 15)
  • Defense: 2 (4 + 0 = 4 ÷ 3 = 1.33, +1 base = 2)
  • Armor: None

Saves

  • Body Save: 3D (Body 3D)
  • Speed Save: 4D (Speed 4D)
  • Wit Save: 3D (Wit 3D)

Attacks

  • Claws: Body 3D + Strike 3D = 6D vs Defense, 3-4 damage typical
  • Bite: Body 3D + Strike 3D = 6D vs Defense (Touch), 2-3 damage; target makes Body Save (Threshold 4) or maximum Health reduced by 2 until long rest; vampire spawn heals Health equal to damage dealt

Special Abilities

  • Spider Climb: Moves on walls and ceilings without a roll
  • Misty Escape: When reduced below half Health, the spawn transforms into mist as a Reaction; it moves up to Near and cannot act for 1 Turn, but all attacks against it fail during the transition
  • Unliving: Immune to poison, disease, exhaustion, fear
  • Sunlight Hypersensitivity: Takes 1D6 damage per Turn in direct sunlight; Disadvantage on all rolls while in sunlight
  • Vampire Weaknesses: Repelled by garlic and holy symbols (must make Wit Save Threshold 3 to approach or attack the holder); cannot cross running water without invitation; sunlight is lethal over time; a wooden stake through the heart while incapacitated destroys it

Tactics Vampire spawn use Stealth to close distance before attacking, preferring to isolate victims from the group. They lead with claws to drop a target quickly, then bite to sustain themselves. If the party is too strong, Misty Escape lets them flee and report back to their master.

Lore & Ecology Vampire spawn are created when a vampire drains a victim to death and feeds them vampire blood. They awaken in thrall to their creator, compelled to serve. Some seek freedom from this bond; a few manage to resist long enough to plot against their master. Most are loyal instruments of predation.

Treasure

  • Personal effects from their living life (kept as mementos)
  • 1D6 × 10 gold pieces
  • 10% chance of a minor magic item absorbed from a victim

Vampire (Champion)

An undead predator centuries old, vampires combine physical power with supernatural charm and tactical intelligence. They maintain complex social lives, infiltrating noble houses and merchant dynasties to protect their feeding territory.

Type: Undead (Corporeal, High Intelligence) Power Level: Champion Size: Medium

Attributes

  • Body: 4D
  • Speed: 4D
  • Wit: 4D

Talents

  • Strike: 3D
  • Stealth: 3D
  • Deception: 3D
  • Resolve: 2D

Combat Statistics

  • Health: 49 (20 + 4 + 25)
  • Defense: 2 (4 + 0 = 4 ÷ 3 = 1.33, +1 base = 2)
  • Armor: None (supernatural speed and reflexes serve in place of armor)

Saves

  • Body Save: 4D (Body 4D)
  • Speed Save: 4D (Speed 4D)
  • Wit Save: 6D (Wit 4D + Resolve 2D)

Attacks

  • Vampiric Strike: Body 4D + Strike 3D = 7D vs Defense, 4-5 damage typical
  • Bite: Body 4D + Strike 3D = 7D vs Defense (Touch), 3-4 damage; target makes Body Save (Threshold 5) or maximum Health reduced by 3 until three long rest rituals; vampire heals Health equal to damage dealt

Special Abilities

  • Charm: Primary Action; Wit 4D + Deception 3D = 7D vs target's Wit Save; on success, target is charmed for 24 hours (treats vampire as trusted companion; Save allowed if vampire or its allies harm the target); requires concentration
  • Mist Form: As a Secondary Action, transform into a mist cloud; the vampire is Incorporeal, cannot attack, and moves silently; returns to physical form as a Secondary Action
  • Spider Climb: Moves on walls and ceilings at full Speed
  • Legendary Resistance: Once per scene, when the vampire fails a Save, it may treat the result as a success instead
  • Vampire Weaknesses: As Vampire Spawn; additionally, must rest in a coffin containing earth from its place of death or lose 1 Health per hour
  • Unliving: Immune to poison, disease, exhaustion, fear
  • Sunlight Hypersensitivity: 1D6 damage per Turn in direct sunlight; Disadvantage on all rolls

Tactics Vampires are patient and intelligent. They use Charm before combat if possible, cultivating thralls over days or weeks. In direct confrontation they open with Vampiric Strike to assess defenses, use Mist Form to reposition or escape when damaged, and save Bite for when a target is isolated or incapacitated. Legendary Resistance is held for saves against Turn Undead or banishment effects.

Lore & Ecology A vampire's territory is its most prized possession; it maps every patrol route, tavern schedule, and noble calendar within it. Saltmere's vampire population is small but the Port district provides ideal cover: travelers pass through constantly, missing persons go unreported, and the Fleethold's captains ask few questions about crew rosters.

Treasure

  • 2D6 × 50 gold pieces
  • 1D3 minor magic items
  • 1 significant magic item (250+ gp value)
  • Blackmail material, contracts, or political secrets worth considerable leverage

Vampire Lord (Legendary)

The apex predator of the undead world, a vampire lord has survived centuries of hunters, politics, and rival undead. Its will is a physical force; its charm can enslave kingdoms; its combat capability exceeds most mortal champions.

Type: Undead (Corporeal, Exceptional Intelligence) Power Level: Legendary Size: Medium

Attributes

  • Body: 5D
  • Speed: 5D
  • Wit: 5D

Talents

  • Strike: 4D
  • Stealth: 3D
  • Deception: 4D
  • Resolve: 3D

Combat Statistics

  • Health: 75 (20 + 5 + 50)
  • Defense: 3 (5 + 1 = 6 ÷ 3 = 2, +1 base = 3)
  • Armor: Light (supernatural resilience, skin like cold iron, +1)

Saves

  • Body Save: 5D (Body 5D)
  • Speed Save: 5D (Speed 5D)
  • Wit Save: 8D (Wit 5D + Resolve 3D)

Attacks

  • Legendary Strike: Body 5D + Strike 4D = 9D vs Defense, 5-6 damage typical
  • Dominating Bite: Body 5D + Strike 4D = 9D vs Defense (Touch), 4-5 damage; target makes Body Save (Threshold 5) or maximum Health reduced by 5 and target becomes Dominated (acts on vampire lord's commands for 1 hour; Wit Save Threshold 4 each hour to break); vampire lord heals equal to damage dealt

Special Abilities

  • Legendary Actions: The vampire lord may take 2 Reactions per scene usable as attack, movement, or Charm; these do not count against its normal actions
  • Master Charm: Wit 5D + Deception 4D = 9D vs target's Wit Save; affects up to Wit value in targets simultaneously; charmed creatures do not receive Save on being harmed by allies of the vampire lord (only direct harm breaks it); requires concentration
  • Children of the Night: Primary Action; 2D6 bats, wolves, or rats appear within Near and act on the lord's next Turn; usable 3× per encounter
  • Coffin Rebirth: If destroyed, the vampire lord's essence flows back to its prepared coffin and it reforms after 3 days; permanent destruction requires staking the body, decapitation, exposure to an hour of direct sunlight, AND destroying the coffin with the remains inside
  • Mist Form: As a Secondary Action; full Incorporeal movement
  • Spider Climb: Full Speed on any surface
  • Legendary Resistance: 3× per scene, treat any failed Save as a success
  • Unliving: Immune to poison, disease, exhaustion, fear
  • Sunlight Hypersensitivity: 2D6 damage per Turn in direct sunlight

Tactics A vampire lord never fights without preparation. Its lair is a labyrinth of escape routes, thrall-guarded corridors, and planted evidence of other threats. It opens with Master Charm on the most powerful party member, uses Children of the Night to create chaos and cover, and reserves Legendary Resistance for saves against holy power or banishment. It uses Dominating Bite only when certain it can be sustained.

Lore & Ecology Vampire lords are measured in centuries and kingdoms. They have outlasted the dynasties they once infiltrated and sometimes are the dynasty, hiding under new names and fresh faces. Their goals are typically territorial expansion, the collection of power (political, magical, financial), and the acquisition of ever-more-skilled thralls.

Treasure

  • Vault containing 1D6 × 500 gold pieces
  • 1D6 minor magic items
  • 1D3 significant magic items
  • 1 legendary artifact or relic
  • Political documents, blackmail, and secrets of generational value

Mummy (Elite)

A preserved corpse animated by ancient burial rites and bound to protect its tomb, the mummy's curse withers the living with a touch. Its eyes carry a dreadful power that paralyzes even brave warriors with supernatural terror.

Type: Undead (Corporeal, Low Intelligence) Power Level: Elite Size: Medium

Attributes

  • Body: 4D
  • Speed: 2D
  • Wit: 3D

Talents

  • Strike: 2D
  • Fortitude: 3D
  • Resolve: 1D

Combat Statistics

  • Health: 39 (20 + 4 + 15)
  • Defense: 2 (2 + 1 = 3 ÷ 3 = 1, +1 base = 2)
  • Armor: Light (burial wrappings soaked in preservative oils, +1)

Saves

  • Body Save: 7D (Body 4D + Fortitude 3D)
  • Speed Save: 2D (Speed 2D)
  • Wit Save: 4D (Wit 3D + Resolve 1D)

Attacks

  • Rotting Fist: Body 4D + Strike 2D = 6D vs Defense, 3-4 damage; target makes Body Save (Threshold 4) or cursed with Mummy Rot, cannot regain Health by any means and loses 1 maximum Health per day until cured (Remove Curse Threshold 4)
  • Dreadful Gaze: Primary Action; one creature within Near makes Wit Save (Threshold 3) or is frightened and paralyzed for 1 Turn; usable once every 2 Turns

Special Abilities

  • Undead Resilience: Reduces all physical damage by 1 (minimum 1)
  • Fire Vulnerability: Fire damage ignores Undead Resilience and deals +2 damage; Disadvantage on Body Saves against fire effects
  • Unliving: Immune to poison, disease, exhaustion, fear
  • Tomb Sense: Knows the precise location of every creature within its tomb at all times; cannot be surprised within its burial complex

Tactics Mummies move slowly but purposefully. They use Dreadful Gaze to freeze the most mobile defender, then close with the nearest intruder for Rotting Fist. Once Mummy Rot is applied, the mummy focuses on grappling and holding targets rather than killing quickly; it wants the curse to do the work. Fire is the primary tactical threat; mummies will attempt to extinguish or avoid it.

Lore & Ecology Mummies are created through deliberate ritual, ancient burial practices designed to protect tombs for eternity. The most powerful are generals and high priests; lesser mummies were servants and guards sacrificed to guard the honored dead. Most mummies have no agenda beyond defending their tomb. They will not pursue intruders who flee the burial complex.

Treasure

  • Found in the tomb: 1D6 × 100 gold pieces in ancient coins
  • Canopic jars and burial goods (worth 1D3 × 50 gp to collectors)
  • 1D3 minor magic items (ancient scrolls, ritual components, enchanted jewelry)

Mummy Lord (Champion)

An ancient ruler or high priest preserved as a mummy, but with intellect and magical power fully intact. The mummy lord commands lesser undead, hurls death magic, and anchors its existence to a set of canopic jars that allow it to return from destruction.

Type: Undead (Corporeal, High Intelligence) Power Level: Champion Size: Medium

Attributes

  • Body: 4D
  • Speed: 3D
  • Wit: 5D

Talents

  • Strike: 3D
  • Fortitude: 2D
  • Resolve: 2D
  • Arcane: 3D

Combat Statistics

  • Health: 49 (20 + 4 + 25)
  • Defense: 3 (3 + 3 = 6 ÷ 3 = 2, +1 base = 3)
  • Armor: Heavy (ceremonial battle armor beneath the wrappings, +3)

Saves

  • Body Save: 6D (Body 4D + Fortitude 2D)
  • Speed Save: 3D (Speed 3D)
  • Wit Save: 7D (Wit 5D + Resolve 2D)

Attacks

  • Cursed Staff: Body 4D + Strike 3D = 7D vs Defense, 4-5 damage; on hit target makes Body Save (Threshold 4) or cursed with Mummy Rot
  • Death Bolt: Wit 5D + Arcane 3D = 8D vs Defense (Near), 5-6 damage (necrotic); no Save required

Special Abilities

  • Legendary Resistance: Once per scene, treat any failed Save as a success
  • Rejuvenation: If destroyed while its canopic jars remain intact, the mummy lord reforms at full Health in 1D6 days; permanent destruction requires destroying all four canopic jars and the mummy lord's physical remains simultaneously
  • Undead Command: All undead within Far range gain +1D to attack rolls while the mummy lord is alive and within range; the lord can direct undead as a Secondary Action
  • Fire Vulnerability: As Mummy; the lord cannot use Legendary Resistance against fire damage
  • Unliving: Immune to poison, disease, exhaustion, fear
  • Spellcasting: Unlimited arcane casting within its tomb; no Chaos Burn; outside the tomb, Unbound rules apply

Tactics Mummy lords direct their undead minions into combat while staying at range hurling Death Bolts. They apply Cursed Staff in melee only when necessary. They save Legendary Resistance for the moment a holy character attempts to banish or turn them. If the canopic jars are discovered and threatened, the mummy lord abandons all other tactics to protect them.

Lore & Ecology Mummy lords are created through the most complex and costly preservation rituals, processes that take years and require the sacrifice of dozens of attendants. They typically served as rulers or high priests of dead civilizations and retain those civilizations' values, customs, and grudges entirely intact after millennia.

Treasure

  • Royal burial goods: 2D6 × 100 gold pieces in ancient coinage and jewelry
  • 1D3 minor magic items
  • 1 significant magic item (royal scepter, ceremonial weapon, or similar)
  • Canopic jars (each worth 200 gp to the right scholar, and vital to the lord's immortality)

Death Knight (Champion)

A fallen champion bound to serve a dark power even beyond death, the death knight combines the martial excellence of a legendary warrior with undead resilience and unholy magic. Its mere presence withers the courage of the living.

Type: Undead (Corporeal, High Intelligence) Power Level: Champion Size: Medium

Attributes

  • Body: 5D
  • Speed: 3D
  • Wit: 3D

Talents

  • Strike: 4D
  • Fortitude: 2D
  • Resolve: 2D

Combat Statistics

  • Health: 50 (20 + 5 + 25)
  • Defense: 3 (3 + 3 = 6 ÷ 3 = 2, +1 base = 3)
  • Armor: Heavy (black plate armor sealed with unholy rites, +3)

Saves

  • Body Save: 7D (Body 5D + Fortitude 2D)
  • Speed Save: 3D (Speed 3D)
  • Wit Save: 5D (Wit 3D + Resolve 2D)

Attacks

  • Unholy Greatsword: Body 5D + Strike 4D = 9D vs Defense, 5-6 damage (magical, ignores non-magical damage reduction)
  • Hellfire Strike: Body 5D + Strike 4D = 9D vs Defense (Close range, the sword erupts in unholy flame), 4-5 damage + 2 additional fire damage; usable 3× per encounter

Special Abilities

  • Aura of Doom: All living creatures within Close range suffer Disadvantage on Body and Speed Saves; this aura cannot be suppressed as long as the death knight is conscious
  • Marshal Undead: Undead within Near gain +1D to all attack rolls while the death knight commands them; commanding undead is a free Secondary Action
  • Unholy Resilience: Immune to necrotic damage; radiant damage reduced by 2
  • Legendary Resistance: Once per scene, treat any failed Save as a success
  • Unliving: Immune to poison, disease, exhaustion, fear

Tactics Death knights function as shock troops and commanders simultaneously. They advance into the heaviest fighting, relying on Aura of Doom to cripple defenders, while using Hellfire Strike to drop the most dangerous target quickly. They direct undead with Marshal Undead as a free action and save Legendary Resistance for holy power or banishment. They do not retreat, death knights were warriors in life and retain the pride.

Lore & Ecology Death knights are created from exceptional warriors who failed a terrible oath, a general who surrendered when he should have died, a paladin who betrayed a sacred vow, a champion who chose survival over sacrifice. A dark power claims the soul before it can move on, offering continued existence at the cost of eternal servitude. Some death knights seek redemption; most have forgotten what redemption even means.

Treasure

  • Black plate armor (worth 500 gp melted down; 1,500 gp to a collector if the curse can be removed)
  • Unholy Greatsword (magic weapon, +2D to attacks; cursed, wielder must make Wit Save Threshold 3 after each combat or gain 1 level of the Corruption condition)
  • 1D3 × 50 gold pieces in a belt pouch

Revenant (Elite)

A being of pure vengeance, the revenant rises from death with one purpose: to kill the creature responsible for its murder. Nothing stops it. Nothing deters it. It knows precisely where its target is at all times.

Type: Undead (Corporeal, High Intelligence) Power Level: Elite Size: Medium

Attributes

  • Body: 4D
  • Speed: 3D
  • Wit: 2D

Talents

  • Strike: 3D
  • Fortitude: 2D
  • Notice: 2D

Combat Statistics

  • Health: 39 (20 + 4 + 15)
  • Defense: 2 (3 + 2 = 5 ÷ 3 = 1.66, +1 base = 2)
  • Armor: Medium (the clothes it died in, reinforced by supernatural will, +2)

Saves

  • Body Save: 6D (Body 4D + Fortitude 2D)
  • Speed Save: 3D (Speed 3D)
  • Wit Save: 2D (Wit 2D)

Attacks

  • Vengeance Strike: Body 4D + Strike 3D = 7D vs Defense, 4-5 damage typical; against the target of its Oath, the revenant adds +2D (Body 4D + Strike 3D + Oath 2D = 9D, 5-6 damage)
  • Crushing Grip: Body 4D + Strike 3D = 7D vs Defense (Touch), 2-3 damage; target is grappled; grappled targets take 2 damage per Turn and cannot move away without a Threshold 4 Body Save

Special Abilities

  • Revenant's Oath: The revenant knows the direction and exact distance to its designated target at all times; the Oath cannot be transferred and ends only when the target is dead or the revenant achieves permanent rest
  • Undying Purpose: If killed before completing its Oath, the revenant reforms at dawn 1D6 days later with full Health; permanent destruction requires that the Oath be fulfilled (target dies) or negated through a Threshold 4 ritual that requires the revenant's willing cooperation
  • Relentless: Immune to fear, charm, and paralysis; cannot be compelled to stop pursuing its target
  • Unliving: Immune to poison, disease, exhaustion, fear

Tactics Revenants pursue their target single-mindedly, ignoring all other combatants unless actively attacked. Against creatures that attack it, it defends efficiently with Vengeance Strike, but spends no more effort than necessary, its energy is for its Oath. Against its target, it uses Crushing Grip to immobilize, then strikes relentlessly until dead.

Lore & Ecology Revenants are created through the sheer force of will of a murder victim, not through magic, but through the depth of their injustice and their refusal to pass on while it goes unanswered. They are not angry or mindless; they are calm, determined, and patient. A revenant will wait years if necessary, tracking its target across continents. They occasionally communicate with bystanders if those bystanders have information about the target.

Treasure

  • Personal effects from its living life (kept on its body)
  • A token tied to its Oath (a locket, a ring, a letter, always present, always meaningful)
  • Whatever the target carried, if the revenant succeeded

Necromantic Constructs

Corpse Collector (Standard)

A multi-limbed construct assembled from corpse parts and animated by a necromancer to harvest battlefield dead and missing persons. Spider-like in movement, it wraps victims in necrotic webbing for transport back to its master.

Type: Undead (Corporeal, Mindless Construct) Power Level: Standard Size: Large

Attributes

  • Body: 3D
  • Speed: 3D
  • Wit: 1D

Talents

  • Strike: 2D
  • Fortitude: 1D

Combat Statistics

  • Health: 33 (20 + 3 + 10)
  • Defense: 2 (3 + 0 = 3 ÷ 3 = 1, +1 base = 2)
  • Armor: None

Saves

  • Body Save: 4D (Body 3D + Fortitude 1D)
  • Speed Save: 3D (Speed 3D)
  • Wit Save: 1D (Wit 1D)

Attacks

  • Grasping Limbs: Body 3D + Strike 2D = 5D vs Defense, 2-3 damage; target grappled on success; Speed Save (Threshold 3) to escape each Turn
  • Web Cocoon: Primary Action against a grappled target; wraps target in necrotic webbing, restrained and takes 1D6 necrotic damage per Turn; Body Save (Threshold 4) to break free; usable once per target

Special Abilities

  • Harvest: Can drag a grappled target up to Near as a Secondary Action without releasing the grapple
  • Spider Climb: Moves on walls and ceilings at full Speed
  • Unliving: Immune to poison, disease, exhaustion, fear
  • Mindless: Follows its creator's instructions only; no self-preservation instinct; will continue trying to harvest targets even when severely damaged

Tactics Corpse collectors prefer to incapacitate rather than kill, their function is capture, not murder. They rush the nearest isolated target, apply Grasping Limbs, then Web Cocoon to restrain and begin harvesting. If multiple targets are present they will ignore combat entirely once a cocooned target is being dragged away, unless attacked.

Lore & Ecology Corpse collectors are a necromancer's logistics infrastructure. They patrol battlefields, graveyards, and roads near their master's lair, gathering raw material for further animation. Merchants and shepherds who go missing near blighted regions are often a corpse collector's doing. The Craft Guilds of Saltmere have reported finding suspiciously harvested tunnel sections beneath the city, evidence someone is operating a collector in the underground.

Treasure

  • Items from cocooned victims (still wrapped and accessible in the collector's carrying net)
  • 1D6 bundled corpses (potential undead material for the right practitioner)

Bone Construct (Elite)

A massive form assembled from dozens of skeletons by a skilled necromancer, the bone construct stands twice human height and swings limbs of fused bone with crushing force. It can spray shards of its own structure as a ranged attack.

Type: Undead (Corporeal, Mindless Construct) Power Level: Elite Size: Large

Attributes

  • Body: 5D
  • Speed: 2D
  • Wit: 1D

Talents

  • Strike: 3D
  • Fortitude: 4D

Combat Statistics

  • Health: 40 (20 + 5 + 15)
  • Defense: 2 (2 + 1 = 3 ÷ 3 = 1, +1 base = 2)
  • Armor: Light (dense fused bone plates, +1)

Saves

  • Body Save: 9D (Body 5D + Fortitude 4D)
  • Speed Save: 2D (Speed 2D)
  • Wit Save: 1D (Wit 1D)

Attacks

  • Bone Slam: Body 5D + Strike 3D = 8D vs Defense, 5-6 damage typical
  • Bone Shard Spray: Body 5D + Strike 3D = 8D vs Defense, 3-4 damage; affects all creatures within Close range simultaneously; Speed Save (Threshold 3) for half; usable 3× per encounter (the construct sacrifices structural material each use)

Special Abilities

  • Bludgeoning Vulnerability: Bludgeoning weapons deal +2 damage as bones fracture and weaken
  • Crushing Frame: When grappling, the construct adds +2D to the grapple roll; grappled targets take 2D6 damage per Turn from crushing pressure
  • Reassemble: When reduced to 0 Health, roll Body Save (Threshold 3); success, the construct reassembles at 10 Health but loses Bone Shard Spray permanently; failure, destroyed
  • Unliving: Immune to poison, disease, exhaustion, fear
  • Mindless: Follows creator's commands only

Tactics Bone constructs are blunt instruments. They advance on the nearest target, slam it, and attempt to grapple when possible. If multiple enemies cluster they use Bone Shard Spray to thin them. They continue fighting through severe damage until Reassemble triggers or they are finally destroyed.

Lore & Ecology Assembling a bone construct requires access to fifty or more complete skeletons and a necromancer with considerable skill. The result is an almost unstoppable guardian, slow but nearly impossible to put down quickly. They are used to guard entrances to major necromantic operations where subtlety is no longer possible.

Treasure

  • None (the construct itself is the treasure to its creator, 300 gp worth of animated bone material to the right buyer)

Flesh Golem (Elite)

Assembled from the bodies of a dozen or more corpses and animated through a combination of necromantic and alchemical techniques, the flesh golem is a lurching, powerful construct. Unlike purely undead creatures, it has a fragile spark of stitched consciousness that occasionally rebels against its creator.

Type: Undead (Corporeal, Constructed Intelligence) Power Level: Elite Size: Large

Attributes

  • Body: 5D
  • Speed: 2D
  • Wit: 2D

Talents

  • Strike: 3D
  • Fortitude: 3D

Combat Statistics

  • Health: 40 (20 + 5 + 15)
  • Defense: 2 (2 + 1 = 3 ÷ 3 = 1, +1 base = 2)
  • Armor: Light (iron stitching and reinforced skin, +1)

Saves

  • Body Save: 8D (Body 5D + Fortitude 3D)
  • Speed Save: 2D (Speed 2D)
  • Wit Save: 2D (Wit 2D)

Attacks

  • Slam: Body 5D + Strike 3D = 8D vs Defense, 5-6 damage typical
  • Hurl: Body 5D + Strike 3D = 8D vs Defense (Near); hurls a creature or object of Body 3D or less at a target; both the thrown object/creature and the target take 3-4 damage

Special Abilities

  • Berserk: When reduced below half Health, make Wit Save (Threshold 3) at the start of each Turn; on failure, the golem is Berserk for that Turn; it attacks the nearest creature regardless of allegiance; the creator can attempt to re-assert control with a Wit Save (Threshold 3 opposed by the golem's Wit) as a Primary Action
  • Lightning Absorption: Lightning damage heals the golem for the amount that would have been dealt instead of damaging it
  • Fire and Cold Vulnerability: Fire and cold damage each deal +2 damage to the golem
  • Magic Immunity: Spells of Threshold 3 or lower have no effect on the flesh golem; it must roll its Wit Save (no talents added) against Threshold 4+ spells as normal
  • Unliving: Immune to poison, disease, exhaustion, fear
  • Mindless (mostly): Follows creator's commands; Berserk overrides all commands

Tactics Flesh golems advance and slam. Their tactics are simple by design, but Berserk makes them dangerous in close quarters where allies might also be struck. Canny opponents will use fire or cold magic to soften them, or deliberately trigger Berserk when allies are clear of the golem. Lightning use heals rather than harms.

Lore & Ecology The flesh golem represents the outer limit of what can be achieved through necromantic construction. The process requires a skilled alchemist's workshop in addition to necromantic power, making them rare. The Collegium of Saltmere officially condemns flesh golem construction as a violation of their ethical charter, which has not stopped black-market requests from reaching Unbound researchers.

Treasure

  • The creation notes and alchemical formulae are worth 500 gp to the right buyer
  • Iron stitching tools and preserved components (100 gp in alchemical supplies)

Undead Dragon (Champion)

A dragon preserved in death and animated by overwhelming necromantic power. It retains the dragon's territorial instincts and predatory intelligence but is stripped of living ambition, replaced by the dark will of whoever animated it, or by hunger, if it broke free.

Type: Undead (Corporeal, High Intelligence) Power Level: Champion Size: Huge

Attributes

  • Body: 5D
  • Speed: 4D
  • Wit: 4D

Talents

  • Strike: 4D
  • Fortitude: 2D
  • Resolve: 1D

Combat Statistics

  • Health: 50 (20 + 5 + 25)
  • Defense: 3 (4 + 2 = 6 ÷ 3 = 2, +1 base = 3)
  • Armor: Medium (rotting but still dense scales, +2)

Saves

  • Body Save: 7D (Body 5D + Fortitude 2D)
  • Speed Save: 4D (Speed 4D)
  • Wit Save: 5D (Wit 4D + Resolve 1D)

Attacks

  • Necrotic Bite: Body 5D + Strike 4D = 9D vs Defense (Touch), 5-6 damage (necrotic)
  • Claw Rend: Body 5D + Strike 4D = 9D vs Defense; can split the dice pool to attack two adjacent targets simultaneously (divide pool evenly: 4D + 5D or similar split), each target taking 3-4 damage
  • Death Breath: Body 5D + Strike 4D = 9D vs Defense; all creatures in a Near cone, 4-5 damage (necrotic); Speed Save (Threshold 4) for half; usable once every 3 Turns

Special Abilities

  • Flight: The dragon moves up to Far as a Secondary Action when airborne; it can carry one Large or two Medium creatures
  • Frightful Presence: All creatures within Near make Wit Save (Threshold 4) at the start of combat; on failure, frightened for 3 Turns; on success, immune to this dragon's Frightful Presence for 24 hours
  • Marshal Undead: All undead within Near gain +1D to attack rolls while the dragon is alive; directing undead is a free Secondary Action
  • Legendary Resistance: Once per scene, treat any failed Save as a success
  • Unliving: Immune to poison, disease, exhaustion, fear

Tactics Undead dragons open with Frightful Presence and Death Breath to devastate clustered groups, then use Flight to stay airborne and alternate between Necrotic Bite on isolated targets and Claw Rend to sweep multiple defenders. They use Marshal Undead to direct accompanying lesser undead while staying mobile above melee.

Lore & Ecology Animating a dragon requires either the cooperation of an exceptionally powerful necromancer or a particularly fresh corpse. Most undead dragons were created by necromantic lords seeking aerial superiority; a few animated spontaneously in locations saturated with death energy, ancient battlefields where a dragon fell defending its territory. The resulting undead dragon often retains territorial behavior but has no living goals beyond defense and feeding.

Treasure

  • In the dragon's lair: 3D6 × 100 gold pieces in coins and valuables
  • 1D3 minor magic items
  • 1 significant magic item
  • Dragon bones (worth 500 gp to the right buyer, if extractable)

Legendary Undead

Lich (Legendary)

The pinnacle of necromantic ambition: a spellcaster who voluntarily became undead to pursue magical knowledge beyond the limits of mortal life. A lich's body is a vessel; its true self resides in its phylactery, a magical receptacle that prevents final death. Liches are extraordinarily patient, frighteningly intelligent, and view all other beings as either tools or obstacles.

Type: Undead (Corporeal, Exceptional Intelligence) Power Level: Legendary Size: Medium

Attributes

  • Body: 2D
  • Speed: 3D
  • Wit: 9D

Talents

  • Strike: 2D
  • Resolve: 4D
  • Arcane: 5D

Combat Statistics

  • Health: 72 (20 + 2 + 50)
  • Defense: 2 (3 + 1 = 4 ÷ 3 = 1.33, +1 base = 2)
  • Armor: Light (magical wards layered into its robes, +1)

Saves

  • Body Save: 2D (Body 2D)
  • Speed Save: 3D (Speed 3D)
  • Wit Save: 13D (Wit 9D + Resolve 4D)

Attacks

  • Necrotic Touch: Body 2D + Strike 2D = 4D vs Defense (Touch), 3-4 damage (necrotic); target makes Body Save (Threshold 4) or paralyzed for 1 Turn
  • Death Ray: Wit 9D + Arcane 5D = 14D vs Defense (Far), 8-10 damage (necrotic); single target
  • Disrupt Life: Wit 9D + Arcane 5D = 14D vs Defense; all living creatures within Near, 5-6 damage (necrotic); Speed Save (Threshold 5) for half; usable once per scene

Special Abilities

  • Phylactery: If the lich is destroyed, its soul transfers to its phylactery and it reforms at the phylactery's location in 1D6 days at full Health; permanent destruction requires locating and destroying the phylactery (a Threshold 5 ritual or direct physical destruction) before or simultaneously with the lich's body
  • Legendary Resistance: 3× per scene, treat any failed Save as a success
  • Legendary Actions: 3× per scene, the lich may take an additional action (cast, move, or use a special ability) as a Reaction immediately after another creature's Turn
  • Turn Immunity: Cannot be turned or repelled by faith-based abilities
  • Legendary Spellcasting: Unlimited arcane casting; no Chaos Burn; may use any Arcane Philosophy effect as a Primary Action
  • Unliving: Immune to poison, disease, exhaustion, fear
  • Frightful Presence: Creatures within Near make Wit Save (Threshold 4) at the start of combat or frightened for 3 Turns

Tactics A lich fights from Far range, opening with Death Ray to eliminate the greatest threat, using Disrupt Life when the group clusters, and reserving Legendary Resistance for saves against anything that might prevent casting. In melee it uses Necrotic Touch and teleports away (using an Arcane Portage effect) to reestablish distance. It has usually studied the party for weeks before any confrontation, having prepared contingencies for every likely approach.

Lore & Ecology The transformation to lichdom requires decades of preparation, a willing sacrifice, and a ritual of profound self-destruction. The resulting being is functionally immortal, essentially immune to conventional harm, and freed from all mortal needs. Most liches are centuries old and have accumulated more knowledge than any living scholar. Their phylacteries are hidden in locations of extraordinary ingenuity, and finding one is often a campaign-length endeavor.

Treasure

  • Lair vault: 2D6 × 500 gold pieces
  • Library of rare tomes and scrolls (worth 2,000+ gp, contains unique magical knowledge)
  • 1D6 significant magic items
  • 1 legendary artifact or relic
  • The phylactery itself (invaluable as leverage; priceless to the lich)

Demilich (Legendary)

A lich that has transcended even its undead body, voluntarily abandoning the physical form to become a drifting skull of incomprehensible power. The demilich has shed every mortal limitation and now exists primarily as pure magical will expressed through a vessel of bleached bone.

Type: Undead (Incorporeal-Capable, Exceptional Intelligence) Power Level: Legendary Size: Small (floating skull)

Attributes

  • Body: 1D
  • Speed: 5D
  • Wit: 9D

Talents

  • Resolve: 5D
  • Arcane: 6D

Combat Statistics

  • Health: 71 (20 + 1 + 50)
  • Defense: 3 (5 + 1 = 6 ÷ 3 = 2, +1 base = 3)
  • Armor: Light (layered magical aura, +1)

Saves

  • Body Save: 1D (Body 1D)
  • Speed Save: 5D (Speed 5D)
  • Wit Save: 14D (Wit 9D + Resolve 5D)

Attacks

  • Soul Devour: Wit 9D + Arcane 6D = 15D vs Defense (Near), 7-9 damage; target makes Wit Save (Threshold 5) or soul is imprisoned within the demilich's skull, target is incapacitated; release requires a Threshold 5 ritual performed outside the demilich's presence
  • Howl of the Demilich: Primary Action; all living creatures within Near make Wit Save (Threshold 5) or are stunned for 1 Turn and permanently lose 1 maximum Health (this loss cannot be recovered by any means); usable once every 3 Turns

Special Abilities

  • Incorporeal Shift: As a Secondary Action, the demilich becomes fully incorporeal for 1 Turn; all attacks against it automatically miss; it can pass through solid objects; returns to semi-corporeal at Turn's end
  • Avoidance: When subjected to an effect that allows a Save, the demilich takes no damage on a success and half damage on a failure (opposite of normal)
  • Flight: Always airborne; moves up to Far as a Secondary Action
  • Legendary Resistance: 3× per scene, treat any failed Save as a success
  • Legendary Actions: 3× per scene, additional action as a Reaction
  • Turn Immunity: Cannot be turned or affected by faith-based abilities
  • Phylactery Link: As per Lich; the demilich's phylactery is often the skull itself, requiring a separate ritual to sever the link before the skull can be destroyed
  • Unliving: Immune to poison, disease, exhaustion, fear

Tactics The demilich hovers at Near range using Soul Devour to imprison souls while becoming incorporeal through Incorporeal Shift to prevent retaliation. It uses the Howl to permanently reduce the party's capacity to survive. It uses Avoidance as a passive defense, even spells that connect deal only half damage. It is patient, methodical, and has been planning this encounter for centuries.

Lore & Ecology The transition from lich to demilich is not a degradation but a choice, a further shedding of attachment to material existence. Most liches never make this transition; those who do have typically completed every magical project they began as mortals and want only continued existence and the distillation of pure knowledge. A demilich's lair is usually the most magically saturated location within hundreds of miles.

Treasure

  • The skull itself (worth 10,000 gp to the right buyer, and the buyer should ask careful questions about what happens to soul-devoured victims when the skull changes hands)
  • Hidden vault: 5D6 × 500 gold pieces, 2D6 significant magic items, 1D3 legendary artifacts
  • Accumulated magical knowledge (priceless)

Vampire Ancient (Legendary)

A vampire so old that it has become something beyond what the word "vampire" describes. The Vampire Ancient has outlasted kingdoms, religions, and entire races. Its will is geological in its patience; its power is absolute within its domain.

Type: Undead (Corporeal, Transcendent Intelligence) Power Level: Legendary Size: Medium

Attributes

  • Body: 5D
  • Speed: 5D
  • Wit: 5D

Talents

  • Strike: 5D
  • Stealth: 3D
  • Deception: 4D
  • Resolve: 3D

Combat Statistics

  • Health: 75 (20 + 5 + 50)
  • Defense: 3 (5 + 1 = 6 ÷ 3 = 2, +1 base = 3)
  • Armor: Light (supernatural resilience, centuries of accumulated undead power, +1)

Saves

  • Body Save: 5D (Body 5D)
  • Speed Save: 5D (Speed 5D)
  • Wit Save: 8D (Wit 5D + Resolve 3D)

Attacks

  • Legendary Strike: Body 5D + Strike 5D = 10D vs Defense, 6-7 damage typical
  • Dominating Bite: Body 5D + Strike 5D = 10D vs Defense (Touch), 5-6 damage; target makes Body Save (Threshold 5) or begins transforming into a vampire spawn over 1D6 Turns; transformation stopped by Remove Curse (Threshold 5) before completion; vampire ancient heals equal to damage dealt

Special Abilities

  • Legendary Actions: 3× per scene, additional action as a Reaction (attack, charm, or move)
  • Lair Actions: 3× per scene, the ancient activates one of its lair's effects, doors seal, crypts open, shadows deepen, bats flood a room, etc.
  • True Charm: Wit 5D + Deception 4D = 9D vs Wit Save; affects up to Wit value in targets simultaneously; charmed targets do not receive saves when harmed by the ancient's allies; only direct harm from the ancient or a Threshold 5 Remove Curse breaks it
  • Blood Magic: The ancient may spend its own Health to fuel magical effects (1 Health = 1D magical dice added to any roll)
  • Coffin Rebirth: Near-impossible destruction; requires staking through the heart with wood from a blessed tree, decapitation with a silver blade, exposure to dawn sunlight for a full hour, and destroying the coffin with the remains inside, all accomplished in sequence within one hour
  • Mist Form: As a Secondary Action, full incorporeal transformation
  • Spider Climb: Unlimited; on any surface
  • Children of the Night: 3D6 creatures summoned as Primary Action; usable 3× per encounter
  • Legendary Resistance: 3× per scene, treat any failed Save as a success
  • Unliving: Immune to poison, disease, exhaustion, fear
  • Sunlight Hypersensitivity: 3D6 damage per Turn in direct sunlight

Tactics The Vampire Ancient rarely fights directly, that is what spawn are for. When it does engage, it opens with True Charm on the most capable party member to turn them against the group, uses Lair Actions to create chaos and cover, and reserves direct combat for weakened survivors. It uses Blood Magic freely, having accumulated centuries of blood-power reserves. It does not fear death in the conventional sense, it has contingency plans for contingency plans.

Lore & Ecology A Vampire Ancient may be the oldest sentient being within a thousand miles. It has watched civilizations rise and fall, outlasted every organized effort to destroy it, and accumulated wealth and influence beyond measurement. Most Ancients no longer identify with any specific kingdom or religion; they have simply outlasted those categories. Their goals are abstract: preservation of their domain, acquisition of whatever has caught their ancient interest, and the continuation of existence.

Treasure

  • Vault spanning multiple rooms: 5D6 × 500 gold pieces
  • 2D6 minor magic items
  • 1D6 significant magic items
  • 1D3 legendary artifacts
  • Political, religious, and historical documents of incomprehensible scope and leverage

Ghost Dragon (Legendary)

A dragon that died in a place so saturated with necrotic energy that its spirit could not pass on, or chose not to. The ghost dragon exists in a state between worlds, partially incorporeal, able to phase through stone and scale, exhaling a breath weapon of pure spectral cold and death.

Type: Undead (Incorporeal-Capable, High Intelligence) Power Level: Legendary Size: Huge

Attributes

  • Body: 3D
  • Speed: 5D
  • Wit: 6D

Talents

  • Strike: 4D
  • Resolve: 3D
  • Arcane: 3D

Combat Statistics

  • Health: 73 (20 + 3 + 50)
  • Defense: 3 (5 + 1 = 6 ÷ 3 = 2, +1 base = 3)
  • Armor: Light (semi-corporeal spectral scales, +1)

Saves

  • Body Save: 3D (Body 3D)
  • Speed Save: 5D (Speed 5D)
  • Wit Save: 9D (Wit 6D + Resolve 3D)

Attacks

  • Spectral Bite: Speed 5D + Strike 4D = 9D vs Defense (Touch), 5-6 damage (necrotic); this attack bypasses non-magical armor entirely, only magical armor contributes its bonus to Defense against it
  • Ghostfire Breath: Wit 6D + Arcane 3D = 9D vs Defense; all creatures in a Near cone, 5-6 damage (necrotic + cold); Speed Save (Threshold 4) for half; usable once every 3 Turns

Special Abilities

  • Incorporeal: When phased, immune to non-magical physical damage and can move through solid objects; the ghost dragon can choose to phase or unphase as a Secondary Action
  • Flight: Moves up to Far as a Secondary Action; can fly while phased (passes through ceilings, walls, the ground)
  • Frightful Presence: Creatures within Near make Wit Save (Threshold 5) at the start of combat; on failure, frightened and paralyzed for 1 Turn; on success, immune to this dragon's Frightful Presence for 24 hours
  • Age Drain: Creatures killed by the ghost dragon's attacks age rapidly, their bodies appear decades older at death and cannot be raised as undead by normal means (Threshold 5 ritual required to restore the soul's connection to the corpse)
  • Haunt Lair: The ghost dragon's lair generates supernatural cold and darkness in a Far radius; fires dim, temperatures drop below freezing, and any creature spending more than 1 hour within the radius makes Body Save (Threshold 3) or gains the Exhausted condition
  • Legendary Resistance: 3× per scene, treat any failed Save as a success
  • Legendary Actions: 3× per scene, additional action as a Reaction
  • Unliving: Immune to poison, disease, exhaustion, fear

Tactics The ghost dragon begins combat phased, flying above the battlefield to deny conventional attacks. It uses Frightful Presence to freeze targets, then dives through walls and floors to emerge beneath the party for Ghostfire Breath. It alternates between corporeal (for Spectral Bite, which bypasses armor) and phased (for repositioning and immunity to counterattack). It uses Age Drain on any creature that seems capable of raising the dead.

Lore & Ecology Ghost dragons are extraordinarily rare; they require both a dragon's death and a location of sufficient necrotic density that the spirit cannot move on. Most known instances are ancient, having haunted the same region for centuries. They retain the dragon's territorial instinct and intelligence but have shed living needs entirely, existing only as apex predators of the dead zone around their lair.

Treasure

  • Found in the dragon's haunted lair: 4D6 × 200 gold pieces (accumulated over centuries)
  • Dragon bones partially fused with spectral matter (worth 1,000 gp to the right scholar)
  • 1D3 significant magic items
  • 1 legendary artifact (often something the dragon gathered during its living years)

GM Notes

Undead Immunities

Most undead share these traits:

  • Immune: Poison, Disease, Exhaustion, Fear
  • No Morale: Never flee due to casualties
  • No Sustenance: Don't need food, water, air, or sleep
  • Negative Energy: Often healed by necrotic damage

Exceptions:

  • Recently turned undead might retain some living vulnerabilities
  • Intelligent undead might flee tactically to preserve existence
  • Some undead (vampires) require sustenance (blood)

Creating Atmosphere

Environmental Cues

  • Temperature drops near undead concentrations
  • Plant life withers and dies
  • Animals flee the area
  • Unnatural silence or whispers
  • Shadows seem deeper and longer

Sensory Details

  • Smell: Decay, dust, mold, grave earth
  • Sound: Rattling bones, dragging feet, moaning
  • Sight: Pale skin, glowing eyes, tattered burial clothes
  • Touch: Supernatural cold, clammy skin

Undead Tactics by Intelligence

Mindless (Wit 1D)

  • Direct pursuit of living creatures
  • No self-preservation
  • Simple commands from controller
  • Predictable attack patterns

Low Intelligence (Wit 2D)

  • Basic ambush tactics
  • Pack hunting behavior
  • Remember simple patrol routes
  • Use terrain advantages instinctively

Average Intelligence (Wit 3D)

  • Coordinate attacks
  • Set traps and ambushes
  • Use minions as shields
  • Tactical retreats

High Intelligence (Wit 4D+)

  • Long-term planning
  • Political manipulation
  • Create undead armies
  • Use magic and artifacts
  • Multiple contingency plans

Undead Creation

Animate Dead Spell

  • Threshold: 2 (basic), 3 (per additional corpse)
  • Duration: Permanent until destroyed or dispelled
  • Limit: Caster can control undead = Wit Attribute value
  • Components: Fresh corpses or complete skeletons

Spontaneous Undead Areas of concentrated evil may spontaneously create undead:

  • Battlefields with massive casualties
  • Sites of dark rituals or curses
  • Desecrated holy ground
  • Locations of great tragedy

Destroying Undead

Physical Destruction

  • Reduce Health to 0
  • Some require specific methods (stake for vampire)
  • Separate or destroy critical body parts
  • Total cremation

Holy Methods

  • Consecrate ground (prevents animation)
  • Holy water (1D6 damage per flask)
  • Radiant damage (often deals extra damage)
  • Turn Undead abilities

Magical Solutions

  • Dispel magic on animated undead
  • Remove curse for cursed undead
  • Destroy phylactery (liches)
  • Complete buried tasks (intelligent undead)

Plot Hooks

Necromancer Antagonists

  • Building undead army for conquest
  • Seeking artifact to create more powerful undead
  • Experimenting with new animation techniques
  • Hiding among living society

Undead Plagues

  • Disease turning victims into undead
  • Expanding dead zone from cursed site
  • Ancient king rising with tomb guardians
  • Failed resurrection ritual creating undead

Tragic Undead

  • Ghost seeking resolution to unfinished business
  • Cursed noble trying to protect family
  • Undead guardian fulfilling ancient oath
  • Victim of necromancy seeking destruction

Environmental Threats

  • Haunted castle preventing rebuilding
  • Undead-infested forest blocking trade route
  • Graveyard overflowing with zombies
  • Ghost ship threatening harbor

Treasure from Undead

Mindless Undead

  • Items from life (often damaged)
  • Coins and jewelry (if buried with wealth)
  • Weapons and armor (variable condition)

Intelligent Undead

  • Accumulated wealth over unlife
  • Magic items and artifacts
  • Forbidden knowledge and texts
  • Political or historical information

Lairs

  • Tomb treasures
  • Spell components for necromancy
  • Previous victims' possessions
  • Undead creation notes

Variant Rules

Turning Undead

Faith-based characters can attempt to turn undead:

Turn Undead

  • Action: Primary Action
  • Pool: Wit + Faith
  • Threshold: Undead's Wit Save value
  • Range: Near
  • Effect: Turned undead flee for Wit value in Turns

Power Levels

  • Minions: Destroyed on successful turn
  • Standard: Flee as described
  • Elite+: Resistant, only flee if caster's roll exceeds threshold by 3+

Negative Energy Healing

Some undead heal from necrotic damage:

  • Mindless: Heal 1/2 necrotic damage received
  • Intelligent: Heal full necrotic damage received
  • Special: Some can drain life force to heal

Undead Evolution

Long-existing undead may grow stronger:

  • Zombies → Wights (if fed enough life energy)
  • Skeletons → Skeleton Champions (if given purpose)
  • Ghouls → Ghasts (over time and feeding)
  • Vampires → Vampire Lords (centuries of existence)

Creating Unique Undead

Mix traits from different undead types:

  • Zombie with ghoul's paralysis
  • Skeleton with wraith's incorporeal ability
  • Ghost with vampire's charm
  • Mummy with lich's spellcasting

Undead provide endlessly customizable threats. Their lack of needs and fearless nature make them ideal for sustained campaigns and epic confrontations.