The Dread Codex

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By Bret Boyd Edited By:

Gareth Michael Skarka

Art:

Nathan Rosario & JupiterMedia Corp.

Layout:

Gareth Michael Skarka

Requires the use of the Dungeons & Dragons ® Third Edition CoreBooks, published by Wizards ofThe Coast ® Dungeons & Dragons ® and Wizards of the Coast ® are registered trademarks of Wizards of the Coast, Inc., and are used with permission. ʻD20 Systemʼ and the ʻd20 System ʻ logo are trademarks of Wizards of the Coast, Inc. and are used according to the terms of the d20 System License. version 5.0. A copy of the license can be found at www.wizards.com/d20 All text is designated as Open Game Content .

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Table of Contents

Creature Akyanzi Barrow Wight (Template) Sample Barrow Wight Blighted One Blood Wraith Bog Slain Bone Slime Cadaver Canine Stalker Carcaetan Cinder Ghoul Crucifixion Spirit Dark Voyeur Deadwood Tree Death Crab Swarm Death Roach Death Squid Dread Sphere Dreadwraith Fear Guard Filth Croc Fire Phantom Flame Servant Flying Abomination Fog Spirit Frozen Horror Gallows Tree Gallows Tree Zombie Ghost Eater Ghostly Slasher Ghoul & Ghast (Template) Sample Ghoul Ghast Prestige Class Ghoul, Ichor Ghoul, Primal Grave Risen Gray Death Hoar Spirit Inscriber Jikini Lector Murder-Born Ndalawo NecʼHaan 2

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Creature Necroling Necrotic Entrailer Orc, Death Lord Orphan of the Night Phantasm Quick-Shard Cavalier Red Jester Rom Persistent Soldier Sacred Guardian Skeleton, Black Souless One Spellgorged Zombie (Template) Sample Spellgorged Zombie Spirit of Hate Tavern Prowler Terkow (Template) Sample Terkow Thanatos Tortured Tree of Woe Undead Lord (Template) Sample Undead Lord Undead Stalker Vohrahn Webbed Sentinel Wraithlight Zombi, True (Template) Sample True Zombi

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NEW MAGIC ITEMS

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NEW SPELLS

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OPEN GAMING LICENSE

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This supplement is a toolbox of undead-themed material for the busy GM. Herein you will find monsters, spells, and magic items all relating to the undead. Undead Type Undead are once-living creatures animated by spiritual or supernatural forces. Features: An undead creature has the following features. —12-sided Hit Dice. —Base attack bonus equal to 1/2 total Hit Dice (as wizard). —Good Will saves. —Skill points equal to (4 + Int modifier, minimum 1) per Hit Die, with quadruple skill points for the first Hit Die, if the undead creature has an Intelligence score. However, many undead are mindless and gain no skill points or feats. Traits: An undead creature possesses the following traits (unless otherwise noted in a creature’s entry). —No Constitution score. —Darkvision out to 60 feet. —Immunity to all mind-affecting effects (charms, compulsions, phantasms, patterns, and morale effects). —Immunity to poison, sleep effects, paralysis, stunning, disease, and death effects. —Not subject to critical hits, nonlethal damage, ability drain, or energy drain. Immune to damage to its physical ability scores (Strength, Dexterity, and Constitution), as well as to fatigue and exhaustion effects. —Cannot heal damage on its own if it has no Intelligence score, although it can be healed. Negative energy (such as an inflict spell) can heal undead creatures. The fast healing special quality works regardless of the creature’s Intelligence score. —Immunity to any effect that requires a Fortitude save (unless the effect also works on objects or is harmless). —Uses its Charisma modifier for Concentration checks. —Not at risk of death from massive damage, but when reduced to 0 hit points or less, it is immediately destroyed. —Not affected by raise dead and reincarnate spells or abilities. Resurrection and true resurrection can affect undead creatures. These spells turn undead creatures back into the living creatures they were before becoming undead. —Proficient with its natural weapons, all simple weapons, and any weapons mentioned in its entry. —Proficient with whatever type of armor (light, medium, or heavy) it is described as wearing, as well as all lighter types. Undead not indicated as wearing armor are not proficient with armor. Undead are proficient with shields if they are proficient with any form of armor. —Undead do not breathe, eat, or sleep.

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Introduction

Monsters Besides having the usual information and being updated for the revised 3rd edition rules, each monster comes with its own treasure hoard (if applicable) as well as ideas for somehow using it “in your campaign.” Each item in the treasure section is listed with its respective gold piece value. This makes it easier to swap out items for others which more closely fit your adventure or campaign flavor and yet keep a balanced value as a whole. The In Your Campaign feature expounds on the monster in new ways, including possible variants and/or adventure ideas and more! Monsters with “(B)” after a listed feat indicates it is a bonus feat.

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Akyanzi

A disembodied humanoid head speeds through the air toward you. Its eyes and throat glow with a crimson radiance, highlighting its otherwise featureless coal-black skin. The head dives quickly, sharp teeth bared for combat. Akyanzi are the heads of spellcasters who are slain by a fireenchanted weapon. After slain (and likely beheaded) by victorious warriors, negative energy wells from the caster’s anger at being defeated by a non-spellcaster and animates the head only. Oddly enough, it is not the death of the blade wielder that the akyanzi desires, it is the destruction of the weapon, and to a greater extent, all magic weapons. Without weapons, the undead believes, non-spellcasters cannot hope to achieve positions of power in the world. Obviously, the akyanzi have been less than successful in their quest to eliminate all magical weapons, but this does not dissuade them from trying. Akyanzi lair close to crossroads or even on the tallest buildings of larger communities. They attack blacksmiths on sight and often do the same to sword-bearing caravan guards. They reserve a special enmity for those expert smiths of magical weapon-crafting—dwarves. Combat Akyanzi ignore creatures themselves, going straight for their magical weapons. This often pits them against more powerful foes, since low-level characters do not likely carry such items. Undaunted, the akyanzi attacks until the weapon is disenchanted and then speeds back to its lair. Eat Enchantment (Su): Akyanzi are inherently disruptive to a weapon’s magical enchantments. Any time a swordeater comes into contact with an enchanted weapon, whether

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Small Undead (Fire) Hit Dice: 1d12 (6 hp) Initiative: +3 Speed: Fly 30 ft. (good) AC: 16 (+3 Dex, +1 size, +2 natural), touch 14, flat-footed 13 Base Attack/Grapple: +0/-4 Attack: Bite +4 melee* (1d4) Full Attack: Bite +4 melee* (1d4) Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft. Special Attacks: Eat enchantment, profane sunder Special Qualities: Darkvision 60 ft., fire subtype, smell steel, undead traits Saves: Fort +0, Ref +3, Will +4 Abilities: Str 10, Dex 16, Con —, Int 11, Wis 14, Cha 10 Skills: Hide +8, Knowledge (arcana) +3, Listen +5, Search +3, Sense Motive +5, Spot +5 Feats: Weapon Finesse, Sunder (B) Environment: Any land or underground Organization: Solitary, cluster (2-5), or pack (5-20) Challenge Rating: 1 Treasure: None Alignment: Always chaotic evil Advancement: 2-3 HD (Small); 4-5 HD (Medium) Level Adjustment: —

striking or being struck, that weapon’s special abilities are suppressed for 1d4 hours. This is an antimagic effect, rendering the weapon mundane in all ways (but it is still considered masterwork since that is a nonmagical condition). Profane Sunder (Ex): Akyanzi enjoy the benefits of the Sunder feat. A sword-eater’s bite does 1d6 points of damage and ignores hardness. They only attack weapons and shields. *Akyanzi have a +8 racial bonus to opposed attack rolls when striking weapons (not included in the stats above). Smell Steel (Ex): Akyanzi automatically detect the presence of any steel objects within 100 feet. They are able to determine the general placement of steel objects, no matter how small, but gain no special means of precisely locating secret hiding places or seeing through disguises. This ability does not detect any other materials. Treasure None—As disembodied undead craniums, akyanzi have no need, much less the ability to carry, treasure. In Your Campaign Since the akyanzi don’t deal any fire damage, the fire subtype is just window dressing for their origin story. In reality, you can keep the stats and either drop or change the subtype to better suit your needs as GM. Perhaps akyanzi in your game come from spellcasters slain by drow weapons, or slain by weapons forged in a specific geographic area. To further feature this monster, there is a new minor artifact for this monster called the Seven-Headed Sword (see the New Magic Items section later in this book).

Barrow Wight (Template)

“Barrow wight” is a template that can be added to any sentient creature with an organic body and a culture with death rituals and has recently died either by a barrow wight’s energy drain ability or naturally; if naturally, the creature must be raised as a barrow wight by some magical force (referred to hereafter as the “base creature”). The creature’s possession of a soul is a determination for the GM to make, but in most campaigns it includes any dragon, giant, humanoid, or monstrous humanoid. Fey, elementals, and other such creatures depend on the campaign’s cosmology; creatures that are a type of spirit are not subject to being raised as a barrow wight. It uses all the creature’s statistics and special abilities except as noted below. Size and Type: The base creature’s type changes to undead. As base creature Hit Dice: Change to d12, and adjust hit points bonus for ability score modifications. Speed: Same as the base creature but 5 ft. in daylight. Armor Class: The barrow wight has +4 natural armor or the creature’s natural armor, whichever is better, though it loses any manufactured armor bonuses.

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Base Attack: A barrow wight has a base attack bonus equal to one-half its Hit Dice.

Damage: Creatures without natural weapons gain 2 claw attacks based on the barrow wight’s size category. If the creature already has claws that do more damage, the creature retains these, but adjusted for ability score modifications.

Size

Claw Damage

Fine

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Diminutive

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Tiny

1d2

Small

1d3

Medium

1d4

Large

1d6

Huge

2d4

Gargantuan

2d6

Colossal

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Special Attacks: A barrow wight retains all of the special attacks of the base creature. Saves have a DC of 10 + 1/2 barrow wight’s HD + barrow wight’s Cha modifier. It also gains the following: Create Spawn (Su): Any sentient creature with a soul and death rituals slain by a barrow wight’s energy drain rises as a barrow wight the next night, as per this template. The new barrow wight is under the command of the barrow wight that created it and remains enslaved until its master’s destruction as well as the destruction of every master in the direct line of creation back to the first master barrow wight of that line. Once the creator line of wights is destroyed, the wight spawn has free will. From that point on, every time the barrow wight uses its create spawn ability on a creature with a soul, it gains 1 HD and remains its original size. Energy Drain (Su): Living creatures hit by a barrow wight’s claw attack gain one negative level. For each negative level bestowed, the barrow wight gains 5 temporary hit points. A barrow wight can use its energy drain ability once per round.

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Attack: The barrow wight retains any natural attacks, and gains 2 natural claw attacks if it doesn’t already have them, though it loses any attacks with manufactured weapons. Adjust retained natural attacks for ability score modifications.

Fire Vulnerability (Ex): A barrow wight takes double damage from fire attacks unless a save is allowed for half damage. A successful save halves the damage and a failure doubles it.

Life Sense (Ex): The barrow wight can sense the presence of any creature subject to its energy drain attack. One round of concentration reveals the presence of life forces within 30 feet of the wight. A second round of concentration reveals the general number and strength (Hit Dice) of the life forces. A third round of concentration reveals the exact position of the life forces. Nature Rejection (Ex): The barrow wight’s connection to the Negative Energy Plane is tangible to natural creatures within 200 feet of the wight, and they react accordingly. Animals and fey become agitated in the presence of barrow wights, often exhibiting fear reactions. Sunlight Vulnerability (Su): A barrow wight’s connection to the Negative Energy Plane is significantly impaired in sunlight. In sunlight, the wight’s abilities are all effectively reduced to 1, its speed is reduced to 5 feet, and the wight can only take partial actions. The wight cannot use its energy drain ability in sunlight and loses its damage reduction but not its natural armor. Time spent in sunlight does not count for recovering for those barrow wights who are spellcasters. Turn Resistance (Ex): A barrow wight has +3 turn resistance. Saves: As base creature, modified by changes to abilities. Abilities: As base creature, though an undead creature has no Constitution score. Skills: Barrow wight class skills when advancing are Climb, Hide, Listen, Move Silently, Search, and Spot. Barrow wights otherwise use the skills of the base creature and also gain a +8 racial bonus on Move Silently checks. Feats: As base creature. Environment: Any land or underground. Organization: Solitary, gang (1 barrow wight and 1-4 spawn), or pack (1 barrow wight and 5–10 spawn). Challenge Rating: As the base creature +2. Treasure: Varies from none to double standard. Alignment: Usually chaotic evil. Advancement: Special; see the create spawn ability.

Special Qualities: A ghoul retains all the special qualities of the base creature and receives those special qualities listed below. Damage Reduction 10/silver (Ex): The barrow wight ignores 10 hit points from most weapons and natural attacks. A silver weapon or better negates the ability.

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SAMPLE BARROW WIGHT Annis Hag Barrow Wight

Nearly eight feet tall, this spindly female humanoid has clearly been dead for some time. The crone’s desiccated skin is wrapped tightly around the bone and an eerie gray haze plays about its eyes. This annis barrow wight, after several centuries, is finally freed of a master. The creature has taken to its old haunt in a cold marsh, spurning the company of other undead, and has established itself once again as a brigand commander. Calling herself Manx, the barrow wight has learned patience over the years as is willing to let months or years pass by before enacting a plan. But as slow as Manx is in plotting actions, she is all-too quick to react to danger or personal insult. Manx throws caution to the wind if a creature is obviously trying to hamper her plans. For example, the leader of the brigands was an obvious and immediate obstacle so she walked into his tent, dragged him from his bed, and slew him in front of the assembled band. Unsurprisingly, Manx’s leadership has gone unchallenged ever since. Combat Though physically powerful, this undead hag does not favor simple assaults but tries to divide and confuse its foes before combat. Using either of its spell-like abilities can provide just enough of a distraction to slay a single enemy quickly before its companions can form a defense. If the annis barrow wight does manage to slay a creature during its surprise attack, it makes certain to throw the corpse’s bits at its fellows before striking at them.

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Large Undead Hit Dice: 7d12 (45 hp) Initiative: +1 Speed: 40 ft. AC: 20 (–1 size, +1 Dex, +10 natural) Base Attack/Grapple: +3/+14 Attack: Claw +9 melee (1d6+7) Full Attack: 2 claws +9 melee (1d6+7) and bite +4 melee (1d6+3) Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft. Special Attacks: Create spawn, energy drain, improved grab, rake 1d6+7, rend 2d6+10, spell-like abilities Special Qualities: Damage reduction 10/silver, darkvision 60 ft., fire vulnerability, life sense, nature rejection, SR 19, +3 turn resistance, undead traits Saves: Fort +4, Ref +6, Will +6 Abilities: Str 25, Dex 12, Con —, Int 13, Wis 13, Cha 10 Skills: Bluff +8, Diplomacy +2, Hide +13, Intimidate +2, Listen +10, Spot +10 Feats: Alertness, Blind-Fight, Great Fortitude Environment: Any land or underground Organization: Solitary, gang (1 barrow wight and 1-4 spawn), or pack (1 barrow wight and 5–10 spawn) Challenge Rating: 8 Treasure: Standard Alignment: Always chaotic evil Advancement: As undead creature Level Adjustment: —

Energy Drain (Su): Living creatures hit by a vampire spawn’s slam attack gain one negative level. The DC is 13 for the Fortitude save to remove a negative level. The save DC is Charisma-based. For each such negative level bestowed, the barrow wight gains 5 temporary hit points. Improved Grab (Ex): To use this ability, an annis barrow wight must hit a Large or smaller opponent with a claw attack. It can then attempt to start a grapple as a free action without provoking an attack of opportunity. Rake (Ex): Attack bonus +9 melee, damage 1d6+7. An annis barrow wight can attack a grappled foe with both claws at no penalty. Rend (Ex): An annis barrow wight that hits with both claw attacks latches onto the opponent’s body and tears the flesh. This attack automatically deals an extra 2d6+10 points of damage. Spell-Like Abilities: Caster level 8th; 3/day - disguise self, fog cloud. Skills: Barrow wights have a +8 racial bonus on Move Silently skill checks. Treasure Standard—Manx has a great deal of treasure but keeps a certain supply reserved for herself. That supply is what this treasure hoard details. Banded agate (x3) [8 gp each] Tourmaline (x3) [90 gp each] Ring of jumping [2,500 gp] 606 gp In Your Campaign The obvious way to get PCs involved with Manx is to come into conflict with her brigand band. More than anything the former annis desired control of her own life. Being a barrow wight temporarily compromised that freedom but now she is back with a vengeance. Caravans passing anywhere near the wight’s marsh must pay tribute or be destroyed. Investigating PCs must not only locate her lair but also fight through her fanatically loyal band of brigands (their loyalty is bought and paid for many times over thanks to the riches Manx has been able to gather). For higher level campaigns, Manx may decide to make her brigand group more powerful by adding giants beneath her rule. However, the annis barrow wight knows that the local hill giant chieftain will not react well to dealing with an undead creature. So, she sends her trusted lieutenant to broker a deal. Can the PCs stop this political move by the annis’ band or will interference incur not only Manx’s anger but that of the giants as well?

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Blighted One

You see only a glimpse of this creature, but even that is enough to make you wretch. This amorphous shape is about the height of a human but that is where the similarity ends. Red and yellow sores ooze puss across the creature’s undulating green skin. A single pseudopod reaches out from the mass, swinging dangerously in your direction. Born of pestilence, the blighted one is the incorporeal manifestation of creatures that have died from a disease. For only a shadow of the deceased’s essence remains on the Material Plane. When enough creatures die in a general area from the same disease, their shadowy soul remnants band together to form a blighted one (usually 20 creatures to a blighted one). From that point on, the blighted one exists as one consciousness, determined only to spread the same disease which slew its component souls. Combat Blighted ones exist solely to harass the living and spread their horrible diseases. They spend their nights passing through towns, caressing the faces of the sleeping in order to infect them. This is likely how characters encounter a blighted one and immediately identify it as a threat. Disease (Su): Any creature touched by a blighted one must succeed at a DC 13 Fortitude save or contract an advanced form of whatever disease killed the blighted one originally. GMs can tailor such disease to the specifics of their campaigns, but they should assume as a default that the disease has an onset period of 1d10 days and that it subsequently causes 1d3 points of temporary Constitution damage per day until it is cured. Diseasecuring magic (remove disease, wish and the like) restores the victim to health.

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Medium Undead (Incorporeal) Hit Dice: 6d12 (39 hp) Initiative: +1 Speed: 15 ft. AC: 12 (+1 Dex, +1 deflection), touch 11, flat-footed 11 Base Attack/Grapple: +3/— Attack: Touch +4 melee (disease) Full Attack: Touch +4 melee (disease) Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft. Special Attacks: Disease Special Qualities: Damage reduction 10/magic, incorporeal traits, undead traits Saves: Fort +2, Ref +3, Will +4 Abilities: Str —, Dex 13, Con —, Int 10, Wis 9, Cha 12 Skills: Bluff +2, Hide +3, Jump +2, Listen +3, Spot +3 Feats: Alertness, Improved Unarmed Strike Environment: Any land or underground Organization: Solitary, ward (10-20), or plague (25-100) Challenge Rating: 4 Treasure: None Alignment: Usually neutral evil Advancement: 7-12 HD (Medium); 13-18 (Large) Level Adjustment: —

Treasure None—As an incorporeal creature, the blighted one has neither the need nor interest for treasure of any kind.

In Your Campaign Blighted ones are the logical result of massive plagues that sweep across nations, sending many creatures to their graves. The way a blighted one is made means that the spirits of those who create one can still pass onto the afterlife, for only an echo of that essence remains. This is why so many are needed just to create a single blighted one. It may also be why they are not hunted by more people who want their slain loved ones to rest in peace—because they already are. Sages speak of blighted ones who, after infecting more creatures that then die and become blighted ones, become stronger. These “ancient blighted ones” have roamed the lands for centuries or longer in their eternal mission to spread disease. There have been some evil creatures that have searched for these ancient blighted ones in hopes of harnessing a more powerful version of a disease. Strong outbreaks of a particular plague will be the tip off that those creatures were successful (unless the PCs stop them first, of course).

Bloodwraith

Medium Undead Hit Dice: 6d12 (39 hp) Initiative: +8 Speed: Fly 50 ft. (average) AC: 15 (+4 Dex, +1 natural), touch 14, flat-footed 11 Base Attack/Grapple: +3/-1 Attack: Blood touch +7 melee (see below) Full Attack: Blood touch +7 melee (see below) Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft. Special Attacks: Blood touch Special Qualities: Blood tracking, carnivore attraction, darkvision 60 ft., +2 turn resistance, undead traits Saves: Fort +2, Ref +6, Will +7 Abilities: Str 3, Dex 18, Con —, Int 12, Wis 14, Cha 16 Skills: Hide +11, Intimidate +7, Listen +11, Move Silently +9, Search +10, Spot +13, Survival +6 Feats: Alertness, Improved Initiative, Weapon Finesse Environment: Any land or underground Organization: Solitary or team (3-5) Challenge Rating: 4 Treasure: None Alignment: Always chaotic evil Advancement: 7-11 HD (Medium) Level Adjustment: — This humanoid figure has translucent skin encapsulating a reservoir of its bloody fluids. There is no obvious face or other features to the form except a slight black haze that plays across the creature’s hands. The bloodwraith rises from a site of much bloodshed to hunt the creatures that bled, yet did not die, there. Battlefields are, naturally, the most common areas of bloodwraith origin. But

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Combat Bloodwraiths carefully stalk a victim and attack at the first sign of him. Without any ranged abilities, the bloodwraith simply uses its blood touch on its prey. If more than one opponent threatens the bloodwraith, it needs to first paralyze its prey before worrying about those threats (to insure that its chosen victim does not escape in the meantime). The bloodwraith is not foolish and flees if severely damaged. When slain, the bloodwraith explodes, sending out a fountain of blood in a 10-foot radius. While disgusting, the blood has no adverse affects on those it lands on. Blood Touch (Su): The bloodwraith attacks by touch and, if successful, floods the victim with waves of chilling negative energy. The touch attack does not inflict damage but unless the victim succeeds a Fortitude save (DC 16) it is paralyzed for 1d4 rounds and suffers 1d4 points of permanent Constitution damage each round the touch is maintained. Blood from the victim can be seen pouring into the bloodwraith through its grip. Every time the bloodwraith successfully drain Constitution, it heals 5 hit points of damage no matter how many points it drains. If the amount of healing is more than the damage the creature has suffered, those hit points are lost. Restoration can restore a character’s lost Constitution; a character with 0 Constitution is dead. The save DCs are Charisma-based. Blood Tracking (Su): This ability allows the bloodwraith to find its victim by the scent of its blood. It functions much like the Scent ability, but the bloodwraith is so sensitive that it can begin to scent its victim within ten miles instead of 30 feet, making a Wisdom check DC 10 + 2 per hour that the trail is cold to track its victim. It then slowly homes in on the scent, getting a better and better idea of the current location of the target as it gets closer to him. If it is within 30 feet of its intended victim, the bloodwraith can pinpoint its location. Carnivore Attraction (Ex): The bloody form of the bloodwraith attracts carnivores that depend on smell for their hunting in any degree. If a PC sees a pack of dogs sniffing around a cloaked figure while seeming to cringe at the same time, he might just be a bloodwraith. Treasure None—The bloodwraith is concerned only in slaying its prey. The collecting of precious baubles is not part of that mission. In Your Campaign What if the bloodwraith only went after creatures with certain blood types? Perhaps the undead was created to hunt and destroy elves or maybe a vengeful necromancer fashioned the creature to wipe out a particular family’s bloodline. Giving the bloodwraith an angle like this adds depth to both the monster and the adventure it is used in.

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if the slain creatures are strong enough (i.e. high-level), then not much blood is required to birth a bloodwraith. These undead are persistent trackers who never deviate from their mission. The creature’s mind may have come from different entities, but the bloodwraith is nonetheless an individual. The bloodwraith cannot speak but it understands Common and one language native to the region where it was birthed (GM’s choice).

Although the bloodwraith cannot speak, there is still the possibility of two-way communication through the creature’s blood touch ability. As a variant option, when you roll successfully for the bloodwraith to inflict Constitution damage, a victim that has sufficient “awareness” may be able to prevent the damage. If the victim has a Charisma score of 13 or higher, the intimate connection inherent in the blood touch allows telepathic communication. Give this situation form by having the bloodwraith and the character facing each other on an empty plain that ends in misty nothingness (perhaps a 60 ft. by 60 ft. field). The two creatures then square off using the same abilities they possess when the blood touch is affected. Instead of its usual appearance, however, the bloodwraith shifts forms—appearing as all of the creatures whose blood it is created from (use its stats as listed above; only the physical appearance changes). In this way, the victim can converse with the bloodwraith to find out why it is hunting him, for the undead has no choice but to respond truthfully to questions in this state of consciousness. This might be how sages learned of its true origins in the first place. The bloodwraith’s voice and personality can change with its form as per the GM’s wishes. During combat it cannot fly but has a land speed of 30 feet. The inevitable combat between the bloodwraith and the victim determines whether or not the victim is paralyzed and loses Constitution points. A victory for the bloodwraith means its attack progresses as usual but a defeat for it means the victim is unaffected in all ways by the blood touch.

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Bog Slain

This bloated excuse for a humanoid bears a foul stench and squishy footfalls. It has pale green skin and heavy brown eyes devoid of intelligence. Its mouth opens as it spots you, releasing thin orange wisps from its insides. The bog slain is essentially a better version of a zombie. Created by a water mage of little repute (her name is not even remembered today), the only corpses the woman had to work with were ones found in the bog nearby her home. Harvesting the lost bog bodies proved difficult but did not expose her machinations to the authorities (as would stealing bodies from the local cemetery). The bog slain served the mage for many years before her death at the hands of a rival sorcerer. This man took her notes, copied them, and sold them to all interested parties. This is how bog slain have come to be located in all parts of the world; as wizards similar in situation to the water mage worked to make their own undead servants. Combat Bog slain are unintelligent creatures that exist to slay others. They attack anything that moves unless ordered otherwise by their master. A blast from the bog slain’s breath weapon is a common first attack against a foe before closing in for melee slams. That is as tactical as a bog slain gets. Breath Weapon (Su): Instead of attacking with a slam attack, a bog slain may instead spew a gout of foul water from its lungs and stomach out through its mouth as a standard action every 1d4 rounds. No attack roll is necessary; the line of water reaches 60 feet, and is 5 feet high and 5 feet wide. If fills the area and any creature who fails a Reflex save (DC 12) is caught in the area; he is checked for one round and must make a Fortitude save (DC 11) or become infected with blinding sickness (the save DC is Strength-based). This disease has an incubation period of 1d3 days and inflicts 1d4 points of

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Medium Undead Hit Dice: 1d12 (6 hp) Initiative: +0 Speed: 30 ft., swim 20 ft. AC: 16 (+6 natural), touch 10, flat-footed 16 Base Attack/Grapple: +0/+1 Attack: Slam +1 melee (1d6+1) Full Attack: Slam +1 melee (1d6+1) Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft. Special Attacks: Breath weapon Special Qualities: Darkvision 60 ft., damage reduction 3/—, fire resistance 10, undead traits Saves: Fort +0, Ref +0, Will +3 Abilities: Str 13, Dex 10, Con —, Int —, Wis 12, Cha 3 Feats: Ability Focus (breath weapon) (B) Environment: Any marsh Organization: Solitary, gang (2-5), squad (6-10), or mob (1120) Challenge Rating: 1 Treasure: Standard Alignment: Always chaotic evil Advancement: 2-3 HD (Medium) Level Adjustment: —

temporary Strength damage. Each time a victim takes 2 or more points of Strength damage from the disease, he must make another Fortitude save or be permanently blinded. Bog slain can use their breath weapon three times before needing to submerge in water again to replenish their water reserve. Replenishing the breath weapon takes two rounds for each time the bog slain has used the ability.

Treasure Standard—The poor souls who die in bogs are usually low-level commoners caught in a bad spot or who ran afoul of the local crime organization. What little in treasure they had upon death is still on them. Masterwork sling [300 gp] 100 sp In Your Campaign As long as they are near to a water source, bog slain can indefinitely survive. Not only do their breath weapons need replenishing, but you might rule that their body does as well. For every day a bog slain does not submerge for at least an hour, its fire resistance rating decreases by 2 and they take 1 hit point of damage. Since water is part of their nature, it seems only natural to throw in this hindrance.

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Huge Ooze Hit Dice: 6d10+32 (65 hp) Initiative: -4 Speed: 20 ft., climb 20 ft. AC: 4 (-2 size, -4 Dex), touch 4, flat-footed 4 Base Attack/Grapple: +4/+12 Attack: Slam +4 melee (1d8 and 1d6 cold) Full Attack: Slam +4 melee (1d8 and 1d6 cold) Space/Reach: 15 ft./10 ft. Special Attacks: Cold, engulf, skeletons Special Qualities: Blindsight 60 ft., creeping, ooze traits, undead qualities Saves: Fort +4, Ref -2, Will -2 Abilities: Str 10, Dex 3, Con 15, Int —, Wis 2, Cha 1 Environment: Any land or underground Organization: Solitary Challenge Rating: 7 Treasure: None Alignment: Always chaotic evil Advancement: 7-12 HD (Huge); 13-18 HD (Gargantuan) Level Adjustment: — A large blob of inky darkness moves slowly toward you. As it catches the light, you can see bleached bones inside the creature. The bone slime is a negatively-powered ooze which not only slays other creatures but then animates their bones by instinct later. The origins of this ooze are not as many believe, that more mundane oozes eat undead and therefore become creatures of undeath themselves. No; in actuality, bone slimes are born from the Negative Energy Plane itself. Every so often, the Negative Energy Plane, for lack of a better term, bursts. In this spot, an infinitesimally small hole appears on the Material Plane. Instead of sealing itself, the planar hole instead forms a scab. In this case, that scab is actually a bone slime. It has negative energy properties even though it is not undead. Wherever the bone slime moves, the hole to the Negative Energy Plane moves with it; too small to see yet large enough to impart power to the slime. When the bone slime is finally defeated, the rupture to the Negative Energy Plane seals itself. Combat The bone slime’s tactics are simple—if it senses a creature, it attacks. If more than one creature is near, than the bone slime is just as likely to release a few skeletons before entering combat itself. Cold (Ex): Any victim hit by the bone slime’s slam attack suffers 1d6 points of cold damage in addition to the physical damage. This cold radiates forth from the bone slime’s tiny negative singularity which hides inside it. Engulf (Ex): Any Large or smaller opponent hit by a successful slam attack may be engulfed in the next round. Victims can forgo their attacks of opportunity and instead can make a DC 13 Reflex save to avoid being engulfed. Engulfed victims are subject to 1d6 cold damage each round and are considered to be

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Bone Slime

grappled and trapped within the bone slime’s body. The bone slime is free to make other slam attacks in subsequent rounds, but can engulf only one Medium creature per 3 HD, one Small creature per 2 HD, or one Large creature per 4 HD. If a victim dies while engulfed, it becomes a preferential skeleton (taking the place of the oldest one the bone slime currently possesses). This distinction means nothing, but rather is simply the way the bone slime operates. Skeletons (Su): If confronted with multiple opponents, the bone slime expels 1d6 skeletons form its mass. These skeletons conform to the statistics of standard Medium skeletons (see the MM) and attack any living thing in the area. If no living beings remain in the bone slime’s blindsight range, the skeletons collapse into piles of bones, rusty armor and dented weaponry awaiting the bone slime to slide over and reabsorb them. Creeping (Ex): The bone slime can climb any vertical surface and can hang from the underside of any horizontal surface as long as a third of its mass touches a vertical surface. It can pass through openings as small as a human hand. Undead Qualities (Ex): Bone slimes share certain traits with undead. They are not subject to ability drain or energy drain, they are healed by negative energy (such as inflict spells), and they take damage from positive energy (such as cure spells). Treasure None—As an unintelligent ooze, the bone slime cannot even use treasure, much less desire its presence. The only treasure a party might after defeating a bone slime is that of its most recently-absorbed victims. In Your Campaign When a bone slime is destroyed, the rupture to the Negative Energy Plane seals itself. But what if this was not always the case? Then the adventure really begins! A tiny pinprick of negative energy might always be at the same spot forever. The implications of direct access to this plane are far-reaching and quite dangerous. An undead creature could conceivably drink from the area as if it were a fueling station, healing damage literally as it was inflicted onto them if they stood in the right spot. As the GM, feel free to have fun with this scenario. Maybe instead of healing a creature, the rupture’s energy began to poison the land around it. Over the course of a few years, every plant and animal that dies within a mile of the rupture would rise as some kind of minor undead. This sounds like the perfect first exposure to undead for a low-level party. The objective is to locate the negative energy rupture, now enlarged into a visible phenomenon, and close it. This could be as simple as simple as exposing the rupture to positive energy or even striking it with a weapon.

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Cadaver

This monster resembles a humanoid dressed in tattered rags. Rotted flesh reveals corded muscles stretched tightly over its skeletal frame. Hollow eye sockets flicker with a hellish glow. Broken and rotted teeth line its mouth and its hands end in wicked claws. Cadavers are the undead skeletal remains of people who have been buried alive or given an improper burial (an unmarked grave or mass grave for example). They can be found haunting graveyards and cemeteries. Cadavers are infused with a hatred that rivals many other undead creatures. This hatred includes its own existence as well as the existence of all living creatures. They have a distinct hatred for light, but it does not damage them. All encounters with cadavers are at night or places cloaked darkness. Multiple cadavers do not work in consort with each other; being mindless they simply charge into combat, killing all creatures they

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Medium Undead Hit Dice: 2d12 (13 hp) Initiative: +5 Speed: 30 ft. AC: 13 (+1 Dex, +2 natural), touch 11, flat-footed 12 Base Attack/Grapple: +1/+2 Attack: Claw +2 melee (1d4+1 plus disease) Full Attack: 2 claws +2 melee (1d4+1 plus disease) and bite +3 melee (1d6 plus disease) Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft. Special Attacks: Disease Special Qualities: Damage reduction 5/bludgeoning, darkvision 60 ft., immunity to cold, reanimation, undead traits Saves: Fort +0, Ref +1, Will +3 Abilities: Str 13, Dex 13, Con —, Int —, Wis 10, Cha 13 Feats: Improved Initiative (B) Environment: Any Organization: Solitary or gang (2-5) Challenge Rating: 2 Treasure: Standard Alignment: Always chaotic evil Advancement: 3-6 HD (Medium) Level Adjustment: —

can. Cadavers are sometimes found in the employ of greater undead (such as wights or ghasts).

Combat A cadaver attacks by raking with its filthy claws or biting with its sharp, disease-infested teeth. They often lie in shallow graves waiting for potential victims to wander too close, where they immediately spring to attack, raking and biting until destroyed or until all foes are dead. Disease (Ex): Filth fever—claw or bite, Fortitude save DC 11, incubation period 1d3 days; damage 1d3 Dexterity and 1d3 Constitution (see Disease in the DMG). The save DC is Charisma-based.

Reanimation (Ex): When reduced to 0 hit points or less, a cadaver is not destroyed; rather it begins the process of reanimating by regaining 1 hit point per round. Hit points lost to magical weapons or spells are not regained. When the creature reaches its full hit point total (minus damage dealt from magical attacks and weapons), it stands up, read to fight again. If the creature is destroyed by a cleric’s turning ability, it cannot reanimate. If a cleric casts gentle repose on the cadaver when it reaches 0 hit points, it cannot reanimate. A bless spell delays the reanimation, causing the creature to regain hit points at half its normal rate (i.e. 1 hit point every other round). Treasure Standard—A cadaver becomes an undead dressed in whatever it was buried in. This includes money and equipment (unless looted beforehand, which is likely). Still, a cadaver usually manages to have some treasure on it when found by brave adventurers. Finely wrought gold anklet [100 gp] Musical instrument, masterwork [100 gp] Silver comb with

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In Your Campaign The problem with mindless dead like the cadaver is that once their disease and reanimation abilities are identified, they are essentially treated as a more powerful form of zombie by characters. Cadavers lose their edge as unique undead and tend to get shuffled into the low-level minion category that, essentially, they are. But what can you do to breathe some life into these lifeless foes? Let’s take their unique characteristic of reanimating. Truly the restless dead, cadavers don’t even stay down when you kill them. You could use this ability to pair a cadaver up with an evil deity of similar rebirth nature. After a few encounters against cadavers and this deity’s followers, the PCs will recognize cadavers as not just another type of restless dead, but the harbingers of a known and feared cult of religious fanatics! Furthermore, perhaps the initial animating process does not occur until a priest of the rebirth deity casts a spell over the illburied corpse. Such ability could be a special one granted by the evil god whenever a follower casts animate dead or similar magics.

Canine Skulker

Medium Undead Hit Dice: 3d12 (19 hp) Initiative: +2 Speed: 40 ft. AC: 16 (+2 Dex, +4 natural), touch 12, flat-footed 14 Base Attack/Grapple: +1/+3 Attack: Bite +4 melee (1d6+4 plus blood paralysis) Full Attack: Bite +4 melee (1d6+4 plus paralysis) Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft. Special Attacks: Ghoul fever, howl, paralysis, trip Special Qualities: Darkvision 60 ft, low-light vision, scent, undead traits Saves: Fort +1, Ref +3, Will +5 Abilities: Str 15, Dex 15, Con —, Int 10, Wis 14, Cha 12 Skills: Hide +5, Jump +4, Listen +10, Move Silently +10, Search +5, Spot +7, Survival +6*, Swim +3 Feats: Weapon Finesse, Weapon Focus (bite) Environment: Any land Organization: Pack (6-12) Challenge Rating: 4 Treasure: None Alignment: Always chaotic evil Advancement: 4-9 HD (Medium) Level Adjustment: — This creature was clearly once a living dog, but that time is long past. A pale glow emanates from its eye sockets and whitebrown fur is stuck in scruffy tufts across its mostly skeletal body. Jagged, sharp teeth are bared as the canine growls loudly.

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moonstones, tarnished [352 gp] 48 gp

Canine skulkers prowl the lands of the living in an eternal hunt for prey. The first skulkers were actual hunting dogs buried with their master. When a lich was slain atop their burial ground, the creature’s necromantic energies seeped into the ground and animated the dogs as skulkers. Since that day centuries past, the canine skulkers have done the only thing they were trained to do—hunt and kill. Their improved mental faculties and special powers are a direct result of the lich energies which accidentally birthed them. Combat Canine skulkers are a great deal more intelligent than their living counterparts, and arrange to attack from surprise whenever possible. They secretly shadow their chosen victims for days, waiting for the right moment to strike. When they are ready to attack, they unleash their fearsome howls and rush their victims en masse. Canine skulkers are utterly fearless, attacking no matter how large and dangerous their opponents. Once they have caught the scent of prey, nothing short of their own destruction can deter them from the hunt. Much like humanoid ghouls, the bite of a canine skulker causes paralysis. Those paralyzed are quickly overwhelmed by the undead pack and torn to pieces. Ghoul Fever (Su): In most cases, packs of canine skulkers devour their victims. One the occasion that they do not, however, their victims run the risk of being exposed to the terrible disease carried by their bite. Ghoul fever—bite, Fortitude DC 12, incubation 1 day, damage 1d3 Dex and 1d3 Con. The save DC is Charisma-based. An afflicted humanoid or canine that dies of ghoul fever rises as a ghoul or a canine skulker, respectively, at the next midnight. A creature that becomes a ghoul or a canine skulker in this way retains none of the abilities it possessed in life. It is not under the control of any other ghouls or canine stalkers, but it hungers for the flesh of the living and behaves like other ghouls or canine skulkers in all respects. Howl (Su): When a canine skulker howls, all living creatures within a 180-foot spread must succeed at a DC 12 Will save or be stunned for 1 round and shaken for 2d4 rounds thereafter. Whether or not the save is successful, an affected creature is immune to the same canine skulker’s howl for 24 hours. The save DC is Charisma-based. Paralysis (Ex): Those hit by a canine skulker’s bite must make a DC 12 Fortitude save or be paralyzed for 1d4+2 rounds. Elves are immune to this paralysis. The save DC is Charismabased. Trip (Ex): A canine skulker that hits with its bite attack can attempt to trip its opponent (+3 check modifier) as a free action without making a touch attack or provoking an attack of opportunity. If the trip attempt fails, the opponent cannot react to trip the canine skulker.

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Treasure None—As undead dogs, canine skulkers have no need or desire for money or equipment of any kind, preferring to use their own abilities to rend victims limb from limb. In Your Campaign A successful Knowledge (arcana) check (DC 20) allows a character to know that properly treating a canine skulker’s tail bone (at least a one-inch fragment) grants the bearer a +2 resistance bonus to saves against paralysis by a ghoul, ghast, or canine skulker. This magic item is called an anti-paralysis pendant: CL 6th; Craft Wondrous Item, creator must have a canine skulker tail bone; Price 4,000 gp. The canine skulker’s lichly origins may grant more than elevated mental faculties. Perhaps a few skulkers have limited spell ability. Adding a spell-like ability like “3/day—obscuring mist (as 3rd-level caster)” enhances the skulker’s hunting prowess and does not affect the CR.

Carcaetan

Medium Undead Hit Dice: 3d12 (22 hp) Initiative: +0 Speed: 30 ft. AC: 15 (+5 natural), touch 10, flat-footed 15 Base Attack/Grapple: +1/+4 Attack: Bite +4 melee (1d6+3/19-20) Full Attack: Bite +4 melee (1d6+3/19-20) and 2 claws +2 melee (1d4+1) Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft. Special Attacks: Feed Special Qualities: Rejuvenation, graft, undead traits, darkvision 60 ft. Saves: Fort +1, Ref +1, Will +3 Abilities: Str 17, Dex 10, Con —, Int 11, Wis 10, Cha 13 Skills: Climb +5, Hide +6, Listen +4, Move Silently +4, Search +2, Spot +6 Feats: Improved Critical (bite) (B), Multiattack, Toughness Environment: Any Organization: Solitary or pack (3-7) Challenge Rating: 2 Treasure: None Alignment: Always neutral evil Advancement: 4-10 HD (Medium); 11-17 HD (Large) Level Adjustment: — This clearly unnatural humanoid shambles toward you with open scars, blackened limbs, and wounds that should be lethal. A sliver of flesh from its last meal dangles lazily from its chin and sharp teeth.

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Separated from the natural world, not quite alive and unable to die, carcaetans maintain their existence through a diet of mortal flesh.

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Skills: Canine skulkers have a +2 racial bonus on Listen and Spot checks and a +4 racial bonus on Move Silently and Search checks. *When tracking by scent, they have a +4 racial bonus on Survival checks.

Carcaetans vary dramatically in appearance. Some look exactly as they did before their transformation, with only a slight pallor and lack of scent to differentiate them from the living. Others are quite disturbing, bearing horrible wounds and a clearly unnatural bearing. A few, who maintain some degree of sanity and adapt to their new existence, learn to replace their destroyed extremities with parts from other creatures, rebuilding their bodies piece by piece. A carcaetan is created by magic designed to remove a creature from the cycle of life. The ritual is sometimes used as punishment or a powerful curse, but some evil individuals undergo it intentionally. The carcaetan loses its ability to grow, heal, reproduce, and die, and must steal energy from the living to gain the strength to act. The blood and flesh of animals and humanoids provide the greatest amount of nourishment, but carcaetans can survive off grass and leaves for days. A rat can keep a carcaetan energetic for hours, while a human can satiate one for a week. Without nourishment, carcaetans lose the capacity to exert themselves, becoming thinking lumps of inanimate flesh. An injured carcaetan’s wounds never close, but even burnt or mutilated carcaetans eventually pull themselves back together. Carcaetans who suffer grave injuries often lost the ability to think clearly, becoming mindless, flesh-eating monsters. Carcaetans speak any languages they spoke in life (usually Common). Combat Carcaetans tend to be fearless in combat, tearing wildly with their mouths and claws. However, only the most dangerous or powerful do not flee from creatures wielding positive energy. Feed (Ex): Upon striking a successful critical hit against a living, corporeal creature with a bite or claw attack, a carcaetan can feed on the creature’s torn flesh and blood. If the carcaetan hits with a claw attack, it must take a move action to feed, or the meat and blood loses its potency and is wasted. A carcaetan that feeds gains 1d4+1 points of Strength for 1 hour. Rejuvenation (Su): Unless destroyed by some form of positive energy (such as turning or cure spells), a destroyed carcaetan rises again with maximum hit points after 1d4 hours. If its body is mutilated, the rejuvenation usually takes 1d4 days instead, unless the body parts are actively prevented from gathering in one place. (In this case, the rejuvenation can be prevented indefinitely.) Cremated, frozen, or similarly treated carcaetan bodies take 1d4 weeks to reassemble. Dealing damage from a positive energy source to a carcaetan corpse permanently destroys it, regardless of what kind of damage reduced it to 0 hit points. Graft: A carcaetan can gain some of the abilities of living, corporeal foes by replacing its limbs with theirs, drinking their blood, or ornamenting itself with their bones, skin, or internal

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Breath Weapon: By wearing the head or skull (as a helm or mantle, or by replacing the carcaetan’s head) of a Small to Large creature, a carcaetan can gain the creature’s breath weapon. The effect is identical to the creature’s, but the save DC is 10 + 1/2 carcaetan’s HD. Fast Healing: A carcaetan who grafts on part of the anatomy of a creature with fast healing gains fast healing 1, or adds to its current level of fast healing. Gaze Attack: By wearing the eyes of a Small to Large creature, a carcaetan can gain the creature’s gaze attack. The effect is identical to the creature’s, but the save DC is 10 + 1/2 carcaetan’s HD + carcaetan’s Charisma modifier.

d% 01 02-07 08-09 10-16 17-23 24-27 28 29-30 31 32-42 43-46 47-50 51 52-54 55-59 62-62 63-67 68-70 71 72-74 75-79 80-84 85-89 90-92 93-95

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Resistance to Energy: A carcaetan can gain one-half (maximum 20) of an energy-resistant creature’s resistance to one type of energy. If the creature is immune to the type of energy instead, the carcaetan gains a resistance of 20.

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organs. This process takes several hours under the best of circumstances, and the carcaetan must succeed on a DC 15 Will save or gain no benefit. No foe can grant a carcaetan more than one ability, and some creatures simply do not have compatible physiologies that a carcaetan can use. Guidelines for granting carcaetans new abilities are (but are not limited to) as follows: Attacks: A carcaetan can replace its bite attack, and either of its claw attacks, with the bite or claw attack of a Small to Large creature. This grants the carcaetan the damage and threat range of the grafted natural weapon but does not change the carcaetan’s attack bonus or grant it any supernatural abilities. Extraordinary abilities carried over with natural weapons include poison and disease effects, and extra energy damage, but not improved grab, swallow whole, or rend.

Spell-Like Abilities: Drinking a creature’s blood can give a caracetan access to one of its spell-like abilities. The carcaetan can choose the ability from those available to the creature, but the ability must emulate a spell of a level no higher than onehalf the carcaetan’s HD. The carcaetan can use the ability once per day, or at the same frequency as the creature, whichever is less frequent. The ability operates at a caster level equal to the carcaetan’s HD, and the save DC is Charisma-based. Spell Resistance: As resistance to energy. Treasure None—But it is very possible that a grafted limb from a civilized humanoid might still have a piece of jewelry attached. Carcaetans don’t go out of their way to hoard treasure, but the occasional bracer or ring (whether magical or mundane) on a body part will not be removed from the creature automatically. Who knows? A PC might just get lucky. In Your Campaign A carcaetan that gains Hit Dice or advances by character class is likely to gain abilities from other creatures along the way. To randomly determine these abilities and their sources, use the following table. Roll once per added HD or level. A roll indicating a feature which already exists (a second head, or a third claw) means that the caracetan gains no ability.

Effect Claw 1d3 plus 1d4 fire Bite 2d6 Breath weapon, 15-ft. cone, once every 1d4 rounds, damage 4d6 cold Claw 2d6 Bite 1d4 plus filth fever Spell resistance 11 Dimension door 1/day Resistance to fire 5 Detect good 1/day Fast healing 1 Spell resistance 7 Dancing lights 1/day Petrifying gaze, turn to stone, 30 feet Resistance to cold 20 Bite 2d6 plus poison (DC 18, initial and secondary damage 1d8 Constitution) Paralyzing gaze, paralyzed for 1d6 rounds, 30 feet Resistance to electricity 5 Remove disease 1/week Bite 2d8 Breath weapon, 60-foot cone, once every 1d4 rounds (but no more than 5/day), turn to stone Resistance to acid 5 Ventriloquism 1/day Claw 1d6 Dancing lights 1/day Breath weapon, 10-foot cone, once every 2d4 rounds, damage 2d6 fire Roll twice

Source Fire mephit claw Skum head Winter wolf skull Avoral claw Dire rat jaws Barbed devil skin Barghest blood Vrock feathers Imp blood Air mephit blood Sea hag skin Gnome heart Medusa eyes Ice mephit blood Spirit naga head Rast skull Aasimar blood 6th-level paladin heart Adult tojanida jaws Gorgon skull Erinyes skin Lamia pelt Destrachan arm Drider blood Hell-hound skull

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Large Undead (Fire) Hit Dice: 8d12 (52 hp) Initiative: +9 Speed: Fly 40 ft. (perfect) AC: 20 (-1 size, +5 Dex, +6 natural), touch 14, flat-footed 15 Base Attack/Grapple: +4/+11 Attack: Slam +8 melee (1d8+4 plus 1d6 fire and energy drain) Full Attack: Slam +8 melee (1d8+4 plus 1d6 fire and energy drain) Space/Reach: 10 ft./5 ft. Special Attacks: Energy drain, fire, smoke inhalation Special Qualities: Damage reduction 10/ magic, darkvision 60 ft., fire subtype, +2 turn resistance, smoke form, undead traits Saves: Fort +2, Ref +9, Will +7 Abilities: Str 16, Dex 20, Con —, Int 4, Wis 12, Cha 19 Skills: Spot +12 Feats: Improved Initiative, Lightning Reflexes, Weapon Finesse Environment: Any Organization: Solitary, gang (2-5), or mob (6-11) Challenge Rating: 7 Treasure: None Alignment: Always chaotic evil Advancement: 9-24 HD (Large) Level Adjustment: — This creature is a swirling, humanoid cloud of burning ash and charred body parts. A red glow of burning embers can be glimpsed floating within the mass. This creature reeks of smoke and burnt flesh. A creature that is burned to death by magical fire may rise again as a fiery undead being called a cinder ghoul. The lairs of old red dragons may be haunted by many of these pathetic, angry spirits, and many a wizard that has dispatched a foe with a well-placed fireball has been found mysteriously charred to death many months after the deed. Cinder ghouls are barely intelligent, but they do have a very vivid recollection of the pain they endured in the moments before their death. Filled with anger as fiery as the flames that took their life, cinder ghouls harbor a strong hatred of fire and any living creature that has control over it. Although it cannot speak, the sound of wailing and screaming and the rushing of fire-stoked wind constantly accompany a cinder ghoul. Combat In melee, a cinder ghoul slams with the charred remains of its fists. If a cinder ghoul encounters an opponent that demonstrates any form of control over fire—either through casting a fire spell or using a magic item that produces fire—it attacks that opponent to the exclusion of all others.

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Cinder Ghoul

Energy Drain (Su): Living creatures hit by a cinder ghoul’s slam attack gains one negative level. The DC is 18 for the Fortitude save to remove a negative level. The save DC is Charisma-based. For each such negative level bestowed, a cinder ghoul gains 5 temporary hit points. Fire (Su): Any opponent struck by a cinder ghoul’s slam attack must succeed on a DC 18 Reflex save or catch fire (see catching on fire in the DMG). The save is Charisma-based. Smoke Inhalation (Su): As a full-round action, a cinder ghoul can attempt to force some of its smoky form into the lungs of a living opponent. The target must succeed on a DC 18 Fortitude save or inhale part of the creature. Smoke inside the victim’s lungs burns the surrounding tissues and organs, dealing 1 point of Constitution damage each round for 1d4+2 rounds. The affected creature can attempt another Fortitude save each round to cough out the burning residue. A successful save halts the damage. The save DC is Charisma-based. Smoke Form (Ex): A cinder ghoul’s natural form is similar to the gaseous form spell, though the creature retains its natural armor bonus, all attacks, and can use its supernatural abilities. Its fly speed is 40 feet per round with perfect maneuverability. A cinder ghoul is subject to the effects of wind (in that it can be blown away, but it cannot be dispersed and takes no damage

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from wind). A cinder ghoul cannot enter water or other liquid and cannot pass through small holes or narrow openings.

In Your Campaign Just because the cinder ghoul has limited intelligence, do not make the mistake of having it forget about its flying maneuverability. Even the dumbest monster with a perfect fly rating knows that “up” is safe while “down” is not. For this reason alone, throw in some three-dimensional tactics when cinder ghouls fight the PCs.

Crucifixion spirits are most often encountered within 1,000 feet of the place of their execution (presumably the place where their fleshly body was laid to rest). Their only purpose seems to be to torment and kill any that cross their path. They hold no memories of their former life, save the pain and suffering they endured at their time of execution, and they want all those they encounter to share in this pain.

For a little variety, feel free to make a cinder ghoul capable of launching some of its fire at an opponent. Those who are out of reach at the moment find a surprise when a small fireball is launched from this undead. This fireball would inflict the same 1d6 damage on a successful ranged attack (30 foot range) but after every attack the cinder ghoul is incapable of using its fire ability for the following round. Or, perhaps you would like to reserve this variant only for spellcasters who become cinder ghouls just to save the flavor for special occasions.

Crucifixion Spirit

Medium Undead (Incorporeal) Hit Dice: 15d12 (97 hp) Initiative: +7 Speed: 30 ft., fly 50 ft. (perfect) AC: 18 (+3 Dex, +5 deflection), touch 18, flat-footed 15 Base Attack/Grapple: +7/— Attack: Incorporeal touch +10 melee (1d8 plus paralysis); or crucify soul +10 ranged touch (crucify soul) Full Attack: Incorporeal touch +10 melee (1d8 plus paralysis); or crucify soul +10 ranged touch (crucify soul) Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft. Special Attacks: Crucify soul, paralysis Special Qualities: Darkvision 60 ft., immunity to turning, incorporeal traits, SR 22, undead traits Saves: Fort +5, Ref +10, Will +15 Abilities: Str —, Dex 17, Con —, Int 15, Wis 18, Cha 20 Skills: Escape Artist +19, Hide +19, Intimidate +20, Listen +21, Search +17, Sense Motive +20, Spot +21 Feats: Alertness, Blind-Fight, Dodge, Improved Initiative, Iron Will, Lightning Reflexes Environment: Any Organization: Solitary Challenge Rating: 11 Treasure: Standard Alignment: Always chaotic evil Advancement: 16-45 HD (Medium) Level Adjustment: — This entity appears as a gaunt and translucent humanoid with puncture injuries to both wrists and both feet. Its face is twisted in eternal pain and its eyes flicker with a reddish glow.

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Treasure None—Any treasure the cinder ghoul once possessed has either burned up or fallen off its form long ago.

Crucifixion spirits are the ghostly remains of living beings executed through crucifixion. Their soul having not entirely departed the Material Plane, has risen to seek vengeance on the living, particularly clerics or other divine spellcasters whom they blame for forsaking them and allowing them to die in such a ghastly manner.

Combat A crucifixion spirit engages any living creature that enters its territory. In combat, the crucifixion spirit’s hatred for clerics and divine spellcasters becomes readily apparent as they are usually the first ones targeted by its crucify soul ability. A crucified soul is left to die and the crucifixion spirit turns its attention to another opponent. A crucifixion spirit attacks until it is destroyed or its foes are slain or driven off. Crucify Soul (Su): Once per round, a crucifixion spirit can point at a single target within 60 feet and crucify its soul. The crucifixion spirit must succeed on a ranged touch attack. If successful, the target’s soul leaves its body which collapses in a heap upon the ground. The target’s soul appears as a translucent copy of the victim and is suspended above the spot its body collapsed, crucified in midair to a translucent, “X” shaped structure, the soul held in place by translucent spikes or nails, driven through the soul’s wrists and feet. The victim is not dead and is visible to all those viewing it. Furthermore, a crucified soul cannot be attacked or affected by anything, cannot take actions (other than trying to escape, see below), and experiences excruciating pain that deals 2 negative levels to it in the round it is crucified, and one negative level each round thereafter. A creature slain in this manner cannot be returned to life except through the casting of a wish, miracle, or true resurrection spell. Even then, there is a 50% chance that such magic fails. If the check fails, the creature cannot be restored to life by mortal magic. A crucifixion spirit does not need to concentrate on this ability for it to continue to affect the target. It can divert attacks against different opponents. A crucified creature can attempt to escape each round by succeeding on a DC 22 Will save. If successful, the creature’s soul is freed and returns to its body in the same round. The target is stunned for one round, but afterwards can act normally. The Fortitude save is Charisma-based. A crucifixion spirit can use this ability five times per day. Paralysis (Su): A living creature hit by a crucifixion spirit’s incorporeal touch must succeed on a DC 22 Fortitude save or be paralyzed for 1d4 rounds. Remove paralysis or any other spell that can remove a curse removes the paralysis. The effect

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Dark Voyeur

cannot be dispelled. The save DC is Charisma-based.

Treasure Standard—Crucifixion spirits do not care about treasure; they care about sharing their suffering with others. That said, any time you have a powerful monster which keeps to one area, then you’re going to have a lot of dead adventurers. The treasure given below reflects this and can be found scattered about the spirit’s home area. Blue sapphire [1,100 gp] Golden yellow topaz [750 gp] White pearl (x3) [100 gp each] +1 chain shirt [1,250 gp] Masterwork greatsword [350 gp] Short sword [10 gp] Wand of acid arrow (39 charges) [3,510 gp] 40 gp 19 pp In Your Campaign The crucifixion spirit is a very specific undead creature. First, your campaign must utilize that method of execution. Second, the PCs have to be adventuring near to the culture that uses it. That said, crucifixion spirits would make great undead in campaigns like Green Ronin’s Testament setting (or similar Biblical-themed worlds). To make these undead a bit more generic, or at least more appropriate to medieval fantasy, have their deaths be from a torture instrument like the rack, where victims are stretched until death. The physical result of elongated limbs and a hatred for clergy still ring true. Just make sure to emphasize rope marks on the wrists and ankles instead of nails and you’re good to go. An alternate idea to consider with the spirit’s turning immunity would be to allow a turning attempt if the cleric attempting it had a physical remnant of the cross/rack which was used to slay this spirit. A piece of wood or a nail from the crucifixion or a shard of wood or rope bit from a rack-slain spirit. But if the turning attempt is not successful, the spirit is immune to turning from that cleric for 24 hours.

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Immunity to Turning (Ex): A crucifixion spirit cannot be turned, rebuked, or commanded.

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Medium Undead (Incorporeal) Hit Dice: 4d12 (26 hp) Initiative: +6 Speed: Fly 70 ft. (good) AC: 13 (+2 Dex, +1 deflection), touch 13, flat-footed 11 Base Attack/Grapple: +2/— Attack: Incorporeal touch +4 melee or +3 against ethereal foes (1d4 or 1d4+1) Full Attack: Incorporeal touch +4 melee or +3 against ethereal foes (1d4 or 1d4+1) Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft. Special Attacks: Corrupting touch Special Qualities: Darkvision 60 ft., fear aura, incorporeal traits, light vulnerability, mirror bound, mirror travel, undead traits Saves: Fort +1, Ref +3, Will +5 Abilities: Str 13, Dex 15, Con —, Int 13, Wis 12, Cha 13 Skills: Diplomacy +4, Hide +13, Intimidate +12, Listen +8, Search +3, Sense Motive +5, Spot +6 Feats: Blind-Fight, Improved Initiative Environment: Any land or underground Organization: Solitary Challenge Rating: 3 Treasure: None Alignment: Always neutral Advancement: 5-8 HD (Medium) Level Adjustment: — The reflection in the mirror before you is not your own. A pale face stares back with brilliant golden eyes, the pupils of which form dark spinning vortices. The humanoid wears unkempt antiquated finery and seems to reach a soft hand toward you through the mirror itself.

A dark voyeur is the spirit of someone who died in its reflection. The slain individual must have had some familiarity with the mirror; which can be as simple as it being in his home or possession for more than five years. The spirit of the slain is unwilling to leave this life and retreats to the mirror in order to watch life as it happens after his death. Since wealthy folk are normally those who own expensive mirrors of great proportion, the dark voyeur’s appearance matches this, albeit with an undead twist. The negative power which gives the voyeur unlife is not strong enough to give it a body, which is why the soul must remain in or near to a mirror. This same weakness also explains the vulnerability to light of any kind. Sages believe that, while the voyeur’s will to remain in the world is strong, if the undead sees its new form in the mirror, it will be so ashamed that it perishes. Dark voyeurs can speak any languages they knew in life. When they do speak, every uttered sound is immediately repeated as a shadowy echo from the closest mirror. Combat Dark voyeurs are ultimately cowards and retreat from all confrontation. Only in darkness do they actively fight, but rarely to a fatal outcome, preferring to watch their opponents’ fear of the unknown overtake them.

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way. While not a real asset in combat, the voyeur can be called on as a terrific distraction in a crucial fight in the undead’s former home. Or perhaps its former home is in danger and the voyeur decides to haunt the place to the best of its ability. When the PCs speak with the undead, can they blame it for wanting to protect its home?

Fear Aura (Su): Dark voyeurs constantly emanate an aura of fear, affecting all that come within a 5-foot radius. This ability operates exactly as the spell fear as cast by a 6th-level sorcerer, and requires a Will save (DC 13) to negate. The save DC is Charisma-based. Light Vulnerability (Ex): Dark voyeurs are disoriented when exposed to any form of light. They can take only a single move action or attack action and are destroyed utterly in the three rounds if they cannot escape. Mirror Bound (Su): A dark voyeur’s affinity for mirrors is caused primarily by its link to one special mirror. This “home” mirror commonly reflected the voyeur when he was alive, and trapped part of the parting soul within its glass. The mirror is always a glass of the inhabiting voyeur’s size category or larger with a hardness of 1 and 5 hit points. All damage inflicted upon a dark voyeur’s mirror is also inflicted upon the undead creature itself. Due to the dark voyeur’s vulnerability to light, this mirror is always kept in a dark area so the creature might rest in it during the day. If its mirror is shattered, the voyeur instantly returns to the broken glass, its body transforming 1d6 shards into exact copies of itself, but of Diminutive size and with only 1 hit point. These copies must all be destroyed to kill the dark voyeur, otherwise they each flee to anther mirror of their home mirror’s original size or larger and reappear at full size and with normal hit points in 1d4 days. A mirror bound to a dark voyeur has the properties of a ghost touch item and may be manipulated by ethereal and incorporeal creatures. Such an item retains its properties even if its inhabitant is destroyed. Mirror Travel (Su): Dark voyeurs may travel between any two mirrors known to them much like the spell tree stride allows druids and rangers to walk between trees. This is cast as if by a 10th-level sorcerer. The mirrors traveled through can be no more than one size category smaller than the voyeur, lest they be too small to travel through, and dark voyeurs have a transport range of 1 mile. Dark voyeurs may emerge and travel without the use of mirrors, but avoid doing so due to their vulnerability to sunlight. Skills: Dark voyeurs have a +4 racial bonus to Hide and Intimidate checks. Treasure None—As an incorporeal viewer of the world, the dark voyeur has no need for treasure of any kind. In Your Campaign As an adventure idea, the dark voyeur may give up its mirror haunting if it can participate in life once more in a meaningful

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Corrupting Touch (Su): A dark voyeur that hits a living target with its incorporeal touch attack deals 1d4 points of damage. Against ethereal opponents, it adds its Strength modifier to attack and damage rolls. Against nonethereal opponents, it adds its Dexterity modifier to attack rolls only.

The longer a dark voyeur stays inside a particular mirror, it may pick up the quality of disrupting magic cast on it. Alternately, you might apply the following quality to all mirrors inhabited by a dark voyeur no matter how long it spends inside it— Energy Dispersal (Sp): This spell-like quality of a dark voyeur’s mirror disrupts any spell cast on it, reflecting its energies outward in a brilliant display of black electricity. A successful Concentration check (DC 16) by the caster negates this reaction. If he fails, the resulting electricity erupts in a 5-foot radius for every two levels of the caster. The damage inflicted on creatures in that area around the mirror is 1d6 points of electrical damage per spell level cast on it (Reflex save DC 14 halves). For example, an 8th-level wizard casts scry on a dark voyeur’s mirror. He fails the Concentration check and everyone within 20 feet of the mirror takes 4d6 points of electrical damage.

Deadwood Tree

Huge Undead Hit Dice: 12d12 (78 hp) Initiative: -1 Speed: 30 ft. AC: 21 (-2 size, -1 Dex, +14 natural), touch 7, flat-footed 21 Base Attack/Grapple: +6/+24 Attack: Slam +14 melee (2d6+10 plus energy drain) Full Attack: 2 slams +14 melee (2d6+10 plus energy drain) Space/Reach: 15 ft./15 ft. Special Attacks: Spell-like abilities, touch of corruption, trample 2d6+15 Special Qualities: +4 turn resistance, damage reduction 10/ slashing and magic, darkvision 60 ft., deadwood, immunity to cold, electricity, polymorph, and mind-affecting spells, lowlight vision, undead traits, vulnerability to fire Saves: Fort +4, Ref +3, Will +11 Abilities: Str 30, Dex 8, Con —, Int 18, Wis 17, Cha 16 Skills: Hide +6*, Intimidate +18, Knowledge (arcana) +14, Knowledge (nature) +14, Knowledge (religion) +14, Listen +18, Sense Motive +18, Spot +18, Survival +14 Feats: Awesome Blow, Improved Bull Rush, Improved Sunder, Power Attack, Quicken Spell-Like Ability (cause fear) Environment: Any forest Organization: Solitary, may be accompanied by 24 HD of zombies Challenge Rating: 12 Treasure: Standard Alignment: Always neutral evil Advancement: 13-17 HD (Huge); 18-22 HD (Gargantuan) Level Adjustment: —

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Deadwood trees have been around as long as anyone (including elves) can remember. In the grand scheme of things, these undead monsters balance the scales where treants are on the other end. It is thought by some elven sages that the deadwood trees were created when the dark elves broke away from the surface world and descended into the underearth, leaving behind a taint on the land which infected random treants throughout the lands. Most scholars scoff at this grandiose theory, but none have been able to disprove it so the myth remains. Combat Deadwood trees hate all living things. They revel in slaughtering the creatures of the woods and transforming both beasts and men into zombies. While driven by hatred, a deadwood tree is an intelligent and careful strategist. It will make full use of its zombies as cannon fodder, often using the weaker undead to form a wall of flesh over which it can strike at its enemies. Using blight and the touch of corruption, it can recover from a great deal of damage. fire poses the greatest threat to a deadwood, and if at any point an enemy readies to inflict fire damage, the deadwood will turns its full attention to destroying that particular foe. Deadwood (Su): A deadwood tree is a bizarre blending of undead, plant, and fey, and has qualities of each species. Most notably, it is unaffected by control plant, command plant, or antiplant shell. A blight spell will actually heal the deadwood tree for half the amount of damage that would normally be inflicted. The deadwood can use its own blight ability to heal itself. However, plant growth will inflict 1d6 points of damage for every two caster levels (Will save half). Touch of Corruption (Su): Living creatures struck by a deadwood tree’s slam attack gain one negative level. The save

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This tree has long, gently bending branches with serrated black leaves coating nearly every inch of them. Three patches of what appear to be white fungi rest about 10 feet off the ground in a triangular pattern. When the tree speaks, the top pair marks its eyes and the bottom, larger area is its mouth.

DC to remove the negative level is 19; this save is Charismabased. For each negative level bestowed the deadwood tree gains 5 temporary hit points. Plants suffer an additional 1d6 points of damage from the slam attack. Living creatures killed by a deadwood tree rise in 16 rounds as zombies. At any given moment, a deadwood tree can support a number of zombies whose combined Hit Dice is equal to or less than twice that of the tree. A deadwood tree can telepathically communicate with the zombies it has created; this communication has a maximum range of 1,000 feet. Trample (Ex): Reflex DC 26 half. The save DC is Strengthbased.

Spell-Like Abilities: At will—cause fear (DC 14), detect animals or plants, diminish plants, entangle (DC 14); 5/ day—blight (DC 17), command undead (DC 15), fear (DC 17); 1/day—antilife shell, antiplant shell, mass inflict light wounds (DC 18). Caster level 15th. The save DCs are Wisdom-based. Entangle takes the form of withered roots and weeds as opposed to healthy plants. Skills: *Deadwood trees have a +16 racial bonus to Hide checks made in forested areas. Treasure Standard—What does an undead tree do with treasure? In reality, not much. While a deadwood can certainly use magic items, it would rather utilize its already significant powers to destroy (and zombify) living creatures foolish enough to enter its domain. What treasure a deadwood does possess is hidden inside a neighboring tree’s upper branches when enemies approach (loose coins and gems are swept beneath underbrush or into nearby holes). Otherwise, the deadwood keeps magical items within its own branches in an attempt to taint their powers for evil. Deadwoods are powerful monsters and their hope to taint items is not a futile one—for every month spent in the clutches of a deadwood tree, a magic item that requires the bearer to use it in some manner has a 5% chance to simply not work when activated (wasting a charge if the item has charges). Potions are a special case; they have the same percentage chance of

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mutating into the equivalent of striped toadstool poison (see Chapter 8: Glossary in the DMG).

ghoul touch, one ounce of the sap increases the duration of the potion’s effect to 1d10+5 rounds; however, the victim does not exude a carrion stench. A wand of ghoul touch made from a deadwood twig has the same effects.

Carved harp of exotic wood with ivory inlay and zircon gems [1,100 gp] Fire opal pendant on a fine gold chain [1,500 gp] Darkwood shield [257 gp] Javelin of lightning [1,500 gp] Potion of aid [300 gp] Potion of cure moderate wounds (x3) [900 gp] Potion of resist energy 10 (cold) [300 gp] Scroll of animal messenger (CL 3rd) [200 gp] Scroll of sleet storm (CL 5th) [375 gp] Wand of shatter (15 charges) [1,350 gp] 2,018 gp In Your Campaign There is a certain combination of roots and herbs that can help someone recover from the effects of a deadwood tree’s corrupting touch. If the character possesses the knowledge (DC 15 Knowledge (nature) or DC 20 Knowledge (religion) checks), is in a warm or temperate forest, and is willing to take half an hour to search for supplies, he receives a +3 bonus when making his save to recover negative levels. The character can harvest enough supplies to assist 1d6 people, but the mixture only retains its potency for 1 hour. A spellcaster who understands how to tap into the power of deadwood can increase the power of certain spells by using a piece of deadwood as an additional material component. The spell and the associated effects are listed below on the table. With the exception of shillelagh—which requires a deadwood club—the deadwood shard is destroyed when the spell is cast. Spell Components Spell Effect Animate dead Increase caster level by 4 (zombies only) Antilife shell Increase caster level by 2 Antiplant shell Increase caster level by 2 Blight Increase save DC by 1 Cause fear Increase save DC by 1 Diminish plants Increase caster level by 2 (stunt growth only) Energy drain Increase save DC by 2 Enervation Increase caster level by 2 Entangle Increase save DC by 1 Fear Increase save DC by 1 Scare Increase save DC by 1 Shillelagh Enchantment bonus increased to +2 Magic Item Uses Dead Tree’s Blood: The sap of a deadwood is hard to find, because their wood is dry and brittle. A Craft (alchemy) check (DC 25) allows a character to extract one ounce of sap from a slain deadwood tree. When used in the creation of a potion of

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What treasure is kept by a deadwood is from those creatures who died fighting it. For the sample treasure list below, assume that a magic item has been in the deadwood’s clutches for 2d4+1 months and roll appropriately for taint:

Deadwood Bark: Deadwood bark can be simmered in water for seven days to make a magical ink with a successful Craft (alchemy) check (DC 25); a typical deadwood tree can yield 75 pounds of bark when slain, and 10 pounds of bark will yield enough ink to inscribe one spell on a scroll. Using this ink reduces the XP cost to scribe the scroll by 50%; however, it may only be used to scribe spells from the following schools and domains: Necromancy, Chaos, Death, and Evil. Because of its evil nature, deadwood bark is not traded but can fetch as much as 5- gp per pound on the black market. Deadwood Slaying Arrow: If a slaying arrow is created with a deadwood shaft, the enchantment bonus is increased to +2. The DC to avoid the death effect is 25 for a normal slaying arrow and 30 for a greater slaying arrow. Such an arrow can only be crafted to slay fey, humanoids (all subtypes), or animals. This increases the cost of the arrow by 50%. Deadwood Weapons: A piece of deadwood may be enchanted to become chaotic or unholy without requiring the creator to know chaos hammer or unholy blight; all other requirements are unchanged. Depending on its size, the weapon counts as a club or a greatclub. A suitable sized piece of deadwood, when used as the shaft of a cursed backbiter spear, removes the need for the weapon’s creator to know bestow curse; the malevolence of the tree lasts beyond its death, and substitutes perfectly for the spell.

Death Crab Swarm

Tiny Undead (Swarm) Hit Dice: 10d12 (65 hp) Initiative: +5 Speed: 25 ft., swim 25 ft. AC: 16 (+2 size, +1 Dex, +3 natural), touch 13, flat-footed 16 Base Attack/Grapple: +5/— Attack: Swarm (3d6 plus energy drain) Full Attack: Swarm (3d6 plus energy drain) Space/Reach: 10 ft./0 ft. Special Attacks: Distraction, energy drain, soul trapping Special Qualities: Damage reduction 5/—, darkvision 60 ft., fast healing 1, group mind, half damage from slashing and piercing, swarm traits, tremorsense 60 ft., turn resistance +2, undead traits Saves: Fort +3, Ref +4, Will +9 Abilities: Str 3, Dex 12, Con —, Int 6, Wis 14, Cha 14 Skills: Climb +10, Hide +15, Listen +6, Move Silently +10, Spot +12 Feats: Alertness, Improved Initiative, Improved Natural Attack (swarm), Weapon Finesse Environment: Any coastal or aquatic Organization: Solitary or legion (2-4 swarms) Challenge Rating: 7

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the crabs. The victim cannot be restored to life by any means until the swarm has been destroyed. The victim is not truly conscious while his spirit is part of the swarm; his thoughts are subsumed by the violent, angry impulses of the group mind.

A pitch black blanket of crabs scurries together along the ground. The only distinguishing feature on each creature is a single splotch of crimson atop their carapaces.

Skills: A death crab swarm has a +4 racial bonus on Spot checks and a +8 racial bonus on Climb checks.

Despite their power, death crab swarms are at the bottom of the intelligent undead hierarchy. When ghouls and other lesser intelligent undead types are destroyed, what is left of their spirits is automatically stored between the material and negative energy planes. When 300 or so of these twice-slain souls are amassed, they reenter the material plane near a coastal area as death crabs. The swarm represents the final effort by the spirits to hold onto life itself as their energy drain power indicates. Combat Death crabs are driven by their hatred of all living things, and they attempt to destroy any living creature they encounter. The swarm possesses a communal intelligence, driven by the merged anger and evil impulses of the spirits trapped in the swarm. As a result, it is capable of making intelligent tactical decisions and responding to the capabilities of its opponents. It takes full advantage of its surroundings, lurking in areas that require multiple victims to come together in a narrow space where they can all be hit by a single swarm. While it prefers to attack the maximum number of opponents it can, it is intelligent enough to target the characters who pose the greatest threat to the swarm—usually clerics, wizards, and other spellcasters. A death crab swarm is amphibious, but it cannot swim. A swarm searches for surroundings that limit an opponent’s ability to escape by swimming towards the surface. a death crab swarm inflicts 3d6 points of damage on any creature whose space it occupies at the end of its move, along with energy drain. Distraction (Ex): Any living creature that begins its turn with a death crab swarm in its space must succeed at a DC 18 Fortitude save or be nauseated for 1 round. The save DC is Charismabased and includes a +1 racial bonus. Energy Drain (Su): A death crab swarm that has at least 1 hit point per Hit Die (or 10 hit points, for a standard death craw swarm) can drain the life from its victims. At the end of its move, the death crab swarm bestows one negative level on all creatures whose space it shares. A creature must succeed a DC 17 Fortitude save to recover from a negative level; the save DC is Charisma-based. For each negative level bestowed, the death crab swarm gains 5 temporary hit points. Group Mind (Su): A death crab swarm that has at least 1 hit point per Hit Die possesses a group consciousness, giving it an Intelligence score of 6. If it is reduced below this hit point threshold, it becomes mindless. Soul Trapping (Su): When a death crab swarm kills a living creature, it draws the spirit of its victim into the shell of one of

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Treasure: None Alignment: Always neutral evil Advancement: None Level Adjustment: —

Treasure None—Once a body’s spirit is added to the swarm, it moves away from the corpse. Characters battling a swarm can hope only to free the spirits of the damned. Treasure is simply nowhere to be found. In Your Campaign When a soul becomes trapped within the swarm, there is a 20% chance that its knowledge is not subsumed, but rather is assimilated by the swarm. This knowledge can be used to guide the swarm to the slain creature’s home community (and thus more souls) or simply to expand the swarm’s knowledge of the surrounding region. Only bare facts are assimilated in this way and not the emotional ties which might have been present in the slain creature. PCs that have recently lost an ally to a death crab swarm might be quite surprised when the swarm anticipates their most common tactics!

Death Roach

Large Undead Hit Dice: 3d12 (19 hp) Initiative: +3 Speed: 40 ft., climb 30 ft., swim 20 ft. AC: 18 (-1 size, +3 Dex, +6 natural), touch 12, flat-footed 15 Base Attack/Grapple: +1/+10 Attack: Claw +5 melee (1d4+5 plus disease) Full Attack: 2 claws +5 melee (1d4+5 plus disease) and bite +0 melee (1d6+2 plus disease) Space/Reach: 10 ft./5 ft. Special Attacks: Disease, frightful presence Special Qualities: Blindsense 30 ft., collective mind, undead traits, vermin traits Saves: Fort +1, Ref +4, Will +5 Abilities: Str 20, Dex 17, Con —, Int —, Wis 15, Cha 6 Skills: Climb +16, Hide +13, Listen +5, Move Silently +11, Spot +5, Swim +16 Feats: Run (B) Environment: Warm forest or marsh Organization: Cluster (2-4), colony (5-40), or hive (50-100) Challenge Rating: 3 Treasure: 1/2 coins; 50% goods and items Alignment: Always neutral evil Advancement: 4-9 HD (Large) Level Adjustment: — This great roach-like insect has a rotting black carapace atop a jelly-like white underbelly. Sharp pincers and claws twitch excitedly as it regards you with lifeless inky eyes and crooked antennae.

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Combat Death roaches serve no one. Fearless to the point of recklessness, they grow more effective individually when more of their numbers congregate. While initially bold, solitary death roaches flee when damaged (reduced to 10 hit points or lower). However, multiple death roaches pose a significant surprise to those unfamiliar with them as a group (see “Collective Mind” below). Disease (Ex): Festering ague—claw or bite; Fortitude save DC 13, incubation 1d4 days, damage 1d3 Str and 1d3 Con. Any day during which a victim takes 3 points of Constitution damage, he must make an additional saving throw or suffer 1 point of that damage as permanent drain. Frightful Presence (Ex): 30 feet; Will DC 9 negates; shaken for 2d6 rounds if less than 3 HD, shaken for 1d4 rounds if 4 HD or more. For each death roach the victim can see beyond the first, the save DC is increased by +2. If any creature fails the save by 5 or more, it is frightened rather than shaken. Collective Mind (Su): For every 3 death roaches congregated within 100 feet of each other (even if separated by stone, earth, water, or other nonmagical barriers), each gains an effective Intelligence bonus of +2 for the purpose of its relative capacity to make tactical decisions (to a maximum effective Intelligence of 10). Thus, if 15 or more death roaches are present, they can react as logically and effectively to changes in local conditions, environment, and other stimuli as an average human might. Further, if 5 or more roaches are within 100 feet of each other, each gains the benefit of the Combat Expertise feat; if 10 or more are present, they also gain the benefit of the Improved Trip feat. This ability does not allow the death roaches to actually communicate information in any way. Skills: Death roaches have a +2 racial bonus on Move Silently checks and a +8 racial bonus on Climb, Hide, and Swim checks. They can always choose to take 10 on Climb and Swim checks, even if rushed or threatened. They can use the run action while swimming, provided they swim in a straight line. Treasure Half—Death roaches have a tendency to gnaw at coins and equipment when there is nothing better to do.

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Amethyst [90 gp] Chalcedony (x2) [60 gp each] Holy symbol, silver [50 gp] Smokestick (x2) [20 gp each] 50 gp 1,000 sp

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Death roaches, like their living counterparts, are a plague that will likely outlive humanoid civilization. As soon as one is slain, two more seem to take its place. In living roaches, this is due to rapid birthing from multiple egg batches. But for the death roaches, the reason is a bit more mysterious. When a death roach is killed, its necromantic energy is released and wanders the world like a stale breeze. After one month per hit die of the slain death roach has passed, the energy somehow finds a living roach and inhabits it. When that roach then dies, it immediately animates as a death roach. Only a bless spell cast on a slain death roach prevents its energy from leaving the corpse and inhabiting another roach. Unfortunately, no one bothers to research the death roach enough to discover this fact and so these bothersome undead continue to exist in great numbers.

In Your Campaign A spellcaster casting raise dead or resurrection can use death roach carapaces as a material component. For every two death roach bodies a caster has on hand, the more common diamond component is reduced by 1,000 gp. This replacement comes from the roach’s quality to send out negative energy after death. Instead of inhabiting a living roach (as discussed above), the energy is used in the caster’s spell. The single caveat is that the death roach corpse need be used within a week after its death. There are some primitive tribes of humans who believe that death roaches are not a world-wide infestation. Rather, death roaches are confined to a certain country and are all part of the same soul. An ancient legend says that Gritztaa, deity of vermin, was attacked and nearly slain by a rival god. So weakened was the deity, that Gritztaa wove his essence into several thousand roaches in order to survive and eventually to regain strength to reassemble as a single entity in the future. Sages prompted for evidence of this theory point to the death roach’s collective mind ability. In addition, several of these primitive humans have taken to worshipping the death roach itself as a sacred animal.

Death Squid

Large Undead (Aquatic) Hit Dice: 10d12 (65 hp) Initiative: +7 Speed: Swim 30 ft. AC: 20 (-1 size, +3 Dex, +8 natural), touch 12, flat-footed 17 Base Attack/Grapple: +5/+14 Attack: Tentacle +9 melee (1d8+5) Full Attack: Tentacle +9 melee (1d8+5) and bite +4 melee (2d6+2) Space/Reach: 10 ft./10 ft. Special Attacks: Energy drain, improved grab, constrict 1d8+5 Special Qualities: Animate dead, darkvision 60 ft., ink cloud, jet, sunlight powerlessness, undead traits Saves: Fort +3, Ref +6, Will +9 Abilities: Str 21, Dex 17, Con —, Int 13, Wis 14, Cha 12 Skills: Hide +12, Knowledge (any one) +14, Listen +17, Search +14, Spot +17, Swim +13 Feats: Alertness, Blind-Fight, Dodge, Improved Initiative Environment: Any aquatic Organization: Solitary, pair, or fleet (3-9) Challenge Rating: 7 Treasure: None Alignment: Always chaotic evil Advancement: 11-22 HD (Large); 23-30 HD (Huge) Level Adjustment: —

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squid, but attack any living foes within reach. The death squid cannot have more than 24 HD worth of undead animated at one time.

Death squids survive by sucking the life force from living creatures. They haunt both the depths and the surface of the world’s larger bodies of water. Some sages believe they are the souls of sailors who drowned beneath the waves. Others are convinced that there are necromantically-charged stones from a long-submerged undead kingdom which turn large aquatic lifeforms into death squids on contact. What is certain is that these aquatic undead are not to be taken lightly. Attacking only at night or in the deepest depths of water, death squids are the creatures that some sea legends are based on. Naughty children are told to shape up or else the death squid will get them. Some sailors hold to an old belief that a slain pirate rises again as a death squid that eternally hunts for its killer, prompting pirate-slaying sailors to retire from sea life. Combat Death squids strike opponents with their tentacles, draining the life from their prey before finishing their victims with their powerful jaws. If a death squid encounters a large number of foes or a powerful opponent, it resorts to using its animating ink to create undead allies or simply to cover its escape. Constrict (Ex): A death squid deals automatic tentacle damage with a successful grapple check. Energy Drain (Su): Living creatures hit by a death squid’s tentacle attack gain one negative level. The DC is 16 for the Fortitude save to remove a negative level. The save DC is Charisma-based. For each negative level bestowed, the death squid gains 5 temporary hit points. Improved Grab (Ex): To use this ability, the death squid must hit an opponent of up to Medium size with an arm attack. If it establishes a hold, it automatically drains energy and constricts each round that the hold is maintained. Animate Dead (Su): Twice per day, a death squid may choose to have its ink cloud (see below) animate any corpse with which it comes into contact. A single cloud can animate up to 12 HD of undead, as if it were a single casting of the animate dead spell (caster level 12th). These undead do not attack the death

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This creature looks like a dead squid. At least half a dozen withered tentacles squirm behind the beast’s flaking blackskinned body. Two hollows where its eyes should be shine with a dark crimson radiance.

Ink Cloud (Ex): A death squid can emit a cloud of jet-black ink in a 60-foot spread four times per day as a free action. The cloud provides total concealment, which the death squid uses to escape a combat that is going badly or to cover itself when exposed to sunlight. Creatures within the cloud are considered to be in total darkness. Jet (Ex): A death squid can jet backward once per round as a full-round action, at a speed of 180 feet. Sunlight Powerlessness (Ex): Death squids are utterly powerless in natural sunlight (not merely a daylight spell) and flee from it. Skills: Death squids have a +8 racial bonus on Swim checks. They can always choose to take 10 on Swim checks, even if rushed or threatened. Treasure None—These undead sea creatures have no use for treasure and, as such, do not hoard or carry any. Their lair is the ocean itself, so any treasure remaining from a kill is left with the body, which could be hundreds of miles distant by the time the PCs encounter one. In Your Campaign Sahuagin clerics use death squids to bolster any large-scale attack force. In fact, sahuagin are actually the creators of the death squid, despite the more prominent origin theories bandied about (mentioned above). The ritual used to create them was unique to the evil sea humanoids, but has since been sold to land cultures in exchange for other magics. Some organizations introduce death squids into a city’s sewer system either to protect their headquarters there or simply to cause mayhem. Properly preserved, a death squid’s ink can be used to animate dead as the spell (caster level 12th). Characters having Knowledge (arcana) ranks of 10 or more know how to preserve the ink. The harvesting of ink from one death squid (or one vial) is only enough to animate 24 HD worth of undead at one time. The other caveat is that the ink only works on bodies that are less than a week old. One vial of death squid ink sells for 1,800 gp and requires the Knowledge ranks (above) and the Brew Potion feat.

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Dread Sphere

This organism appears to be a floating ball-shaped mass of dead flesh. Two long arm-like appendages are curled around its bulk. A pair of beady black eyes stares at you with a sinister gleam as its wide, toothy maw grins in anticipation. In an ancient magical struggle, the dread spheres were created to perpetuate undead forces for all time. Although the spheres’ creators lost this conflict, a few dozen of these undead abominations remain to terrorize the living everywhere. Dread spheres float from continent to continent and from world to world, creating all manner and number of undead in their circuitous wake. When the undead eventually it creates eventually slay it (see below), the sphere simply regenerates to begin the process anew. Combat The dread sphere does not seek engage in combat unless something directly threatens it. It uses its screech ability as much as possible. Holy damage and positive energy irritate it, and it may attack targets who can wield such powers, usually slamming ground-bound victims with its tentacles or slaying them with its screech. Complex tactics are not a part of the sphere’s agenda and it uses its abilities to finish off a foe as quickly as possible. If the sphere loses its ability to fly, its limited land movement speed is used to roll over opponents and inflict considerable trample damage.

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Huge Undead Hit Dice: 19d12 (123 hp) Initiative: +3 Speed: 20 ft., fly 90 ft. (average) AC: 20 (-1 size, +2 Dex, +9 natural), touch 11, flat-footed 18 Base Attack/Grapple: +5/+14 Attack: Slam +9 melee (1d8+9) Full Attack: Slam +9 melee (1d8+9) and bite +4 melee (2d8+4) Space/Reach: 10 ft./15 ft. Special Attacks: Screech, trample (1d8+13) Special Qualities: Aura of undeath, damage reduction 10/good and magic, darkvision 60 ft., flight, immunity to cold, fire, and sonic, regenerate 10, resistance to electricity 10, spell resistance 29, undead traits Saves: Fort +6, Ref +10, Will +18 Abilities: Str 28, Dex 15, Con —, Int 5, Wis 24, Cha 23 Skills: Listen +9, Search +10, Spot +27 Feats: Alertness, Combat Reflexes, Flyby Attack, Improved Critical (bite), Improved Natural Armor, Lightning Reflexes, Multiattack Environment: Any land Organization: Solitary or horde (1 dread sphere and 6d100 HD of undead) Challenge Rating: 16 Treasure: None Alignment: Always neutral evil Advancement: 20+ HD (Huge) Level Adjustment: —

Screech (Su): Three times per day, the dread sphere can emit waves of terrible noise capable of slaying those nearby. This effect is similar to the spell wail of the banshee (caster level 19th; Fort DC 25 negates), except that it extends in an 80-foot radius from the sphere. The save DC is Charisma-based. Trample (Ex): Reflex half DC 28. The save DC is Strengthbased. Aura of Undeath (Su): The miasma of unholiness that surrounds the dread sphere sickens the living and bolsters the undead. Living creatures within 190 feet of the dread sphere must succeed at a DC 18 Fortitude save each round or be sickened for 1d6 rounds and take 1 point of Strength and 1 point of Constitution damage. The save DC is Constitution-based. The 190-foot radius aura also functions as a double-strength desecrate spell. (The benefits of the aura are not included in the dread sphere’s statistics.) Finally, any corpse (be it fleshy or skeletal) within this aura or that the sphere casts its shadow upon as it flies overhead may rise up as some type of undead (see the table below). These undead attack any living being they encounter, but are primarily compelled to follow and slay the dread sphere. A corpse must succeed a DC 25 Will save (using the Will save bonus it possessed in life) to avoid rising as an undead. The save DC is Charisma-based. If the save fails, roll d% and add the deceased’s effective character level. The result determines what manner of undead arises from the corpse; giants, humanoids, and monstrous humanoids may rise as most kinds of undead, while other monster types usually rise as skeletons and zombies. Use templates where possible. Sunlight-vulnerable undead arise as soon as it is safe for them to do so. In each case, the GM should feel free to substitute another undead creature of the same approximate level of power if it better suits his game.

d% Result 01-15 16-30 31-40 41-50 51-60 61-70 71-80 81-85 86-90 91-95 96-100 101+

Undead Created Zombie or skeleton Ghoul Shadow Wight Persistent soldier (consult entry in this book) Ghast Vampire spawn Wraith Spectre Bodak Vampire Special (GM’s choice, something rare and/or powerful

Flight (Su): The dread sphere is supernaturally buoyant and can move through the air at the listed fly speed with average maneuverability. Regeneration (Ex): The dread sphere takes damage from goodaligned weapons, effects with the good descriptor, and attacks that deal divine (holy) damage.

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Treasure None—The dread sphere is always moving, forever spreading the gift of unlife across the world. Even if treasure interested the creature, there is no practical way it could carry or store it. In Your Campaign The dread spheres are all that remain of a war between undead lords and living creatures on a world far from your own campaign. However, the dread spheres have a habit of finding their way onto planar highways and emerging to wreak havoc in a new world until destroyed. Only the highest level clerics and necromancers can hope to control these powerful undead. Indeed, controlling the spheres may not even be necessary for these evil people. Instead, if the dread spheres can simply be directed in a certain direction, it will likely do the caster’s dirty work without his guidance. For example, if an evil cleric wanted to rid a city of its populace to get at an artifact buried beneath one of the streets, he might use a dread sphere to this end. First he must locate the sphere and then project its path, for these undead rarely deviate from their course since they have the ability to fly. The cleric would then want to point the sphere toward the city but only along a course that would insure it grows its undead supply (over a recent battlefield or a graveyard the cleric’s minions dig up). During the time it crosses a high obstacle is when it is most vulnerable to a course change. The reasoning behind this has something to do with the effort needed to climb at high elevations (even though the sphere shows no outward sign of exertion). By the time it reaches the apex of the mountain (or whatever high obstacle it is crossing), the sudden appearance of a moving creature or object off to the side easily distracts the sphere from its ascent. The dread sphere immediately moves to intercept the moving entity. The evil cleric knows this and sends an imp minion to lead the sphere toward the city. The rest is up to the sphere. A simple tactic to put in motion a terrifying series of events. As GM, you can introduce the PCs into any point along this kind of storyline for a great adventure. Maybe the party learns of the cleric’s desire and tries to prevent him from finding a local dread sphere. Or maybe the PCs enter at the crucial point where the imp must lead the dread sphere on its new course. Perhaps the party is investigating why someone decided to dig up a graveyard only to leave the bodies strewn across the ground. The rude awakening would come when the dread sphere’s shadow passes over the bodies and the PCs would be in the middle of a very sudden undead eruption.

Ifyouaretranslatingthisyouhavetoomuchfreetimeonyourhands

Skills: The dread sphere has a +4 racial bonus on Search checks and a +8 racial bonus on Spot checks.

The most dangerous mission would be if the PCs discover the sphere by accident when it is just hours away from the city with a hefty undead contingent.

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Medium Undead (Incorporeal) Hit Dice: 12d12 (78 hp) Initiative: +4 Speed: 30 ft., fly 60 ft. (good) AC: 17 (+4 Dex, +3 deflection), touch 17, flatfooted 13 Base Attack/Grapple: +6/— Attack: Incorporeal touch +10 melee (1d6) Full Attack: Incorporeal touch +10/+5 melee (1d6) Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft. Special Attacks: Flaming lantern Special Qualities: Darkvision 60 ft., fear aura, incorporeal traits, undead traits, vulnerability to fearlessness Saves: Fort +6, Ref +8, Will +8 Abilities: Str 10, Dex 18, Con —, Int 10, Wis 10, Cha 16 Skills: Hide +19, Intimidate +18, Listen +17, Spot +17 Feats: Alertness, Dodge, Great Fortitude, Mobility, Weapon Finesse Environment: Any land or underground Organization: Solitary Challenge Rating: 7 Treasure: None Alignment: Always chaotic evil Advancement: 13-18 HD (Medium) Level Adjustment: — Materializing before you is the translucent form of a young soldier. Wide eyes that burn with a golden flame highlight the warrior’s otherwise pale face. The armor and weapons that adorn this creature appear rusted and useless. The only functioning piece of equipment is a lantern throwing eerie green light. The spirits of soldiers who flee from their post in fear return after death as dreadwraiths. These undead are mere shadows of their former selves, inflicting the fear that once held them in thrall (and haunted them all through life) on others. Each dreadwraith carries a lantern to aid in attracting others to it to be frightened. Some sages believe that the lantern is a manifestation of the dreadwraith’s secret desire to find its own courage. These undead do not speak except for long sorrowful moans. Combat Dreadwraiths prefer to play with their prey, but when combat is inevitable or when their victim has been tortured to his limit, they fight to kill. Flaming Lantern (Su): The dreadwraith relies upon the unnatural fire within its lantern to destroy and kill. Three times per day, the dreadwraith can summon a cone-shaped burst of hideous roaring green fire from the front of the lantern. Composed not only of flame but also of cruel shards of pain and shame that are cousins to fear, the lantern’s blazing fire inflicts 5d10 points of damage and set ablaze flammable items

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Dreadwraith

within the 30-foot cone. A successful Reflex save (DC 20) means that the target takes only half damage. The save DC is Dexterity-based. Fear Aura (Ex): The dreadwraith’s very presence inspires great fear. If the dreadwraith is unseen, those affected may not understand why they feel intensely frightened. When clearly visible, the sight of a dreadwraith with its eerie lantern is enough to freeze the bravest heart. Those within a 60-foot radius of the dreadwraith that see it must succeed at a Will save (DC 19) or be affected as though by fear as cast by a 12th-level sorcerer. The save DC is Charisma-based. Vulnerability to Fearlessness: Those who are completely without fear, such as paladins, inflict double damage with handto-hand attacks against a dreadwraith. The power of confidence and purity of heart that the truly fearless possess is enough to

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severely unravel the dreadwraith’s already tenuous physical existence. This vulnerability does not apply to creatures incapable of fear in the first place (such as constructs).

In Your Campaign A reclusive order of monks is called on whenever a dreadwraith appears too close to civilization. The monks of the Valiant Hand worship a deity of justice and bravery and are able to take advantage of the dreadwraith’s vulnerability to fearlessness. The order uses the appearance of this undead to test initiates by sending them against it. If the PCs accept a mission to destroy a dreadwraith, they may soon find a Valiant Hand hopeful at their side. While sowing general fear is the mainstay of the dreadwraith, the undead may go after a single creature in particular if it identifies that person as somehow related to (or a member of) the same military unit the dreadwraith belonged to while living. The dreadwraith reserves a special hatred and loathing for that group from which sprung the root of its journey to an undead monster. This is a quality the dreadwraith can sense and even a PC who is the son of a military parent might find himself on the receiving end of an attack and not have any reason why he is singled out.

Fear Guard

Medium Undead (Incorporeal) Hit Dice: 6d12 (39 hp) Initiative: +6 Speed: fly 30 ft. (good) AC: 15 (+2 Dex, +3 deflection), touch 15, flat-footed 13 Base Attack/Grapple: +3/— Attack: Incorporeal touch +6 melee (1d4 Wis) Full Attack: Incorporeal touch +6 melee (1d4 Wis) Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft. Special Attacks: Fear aura, spell-like abilities, Wisdom damage, create spawn Special Qualities: Darkvision 60 ft., daylight weakness, incorporeal traits, see in darkness, +2 turn resistance, undead traits Saves: Fort +1, Ref +3, Will +5 Abilities: Str —, Dex 15, Con —, Int 10, Wis 12, Cha 16 Skills: Hide +8*, Listen +7, Spot +7 Feats: Blind-Fight, Improved Initiative, Weapon Focus (incorporeal touch) Environment: Underground Organization: Solitary or group (2-5) Challenge Rating: 5 Treasure: Standard Alignment: Always chaotic evil Advancement: 7-9 HD (Medium); 10-18 HD (Large) Level Adjustment: —

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Treasure None—As an incorporeal undead, the dreadwraith wishes only to inflict fear on others. Acquiring treasure is not part of that mission.

This incorporeal entity appears as a hooded humanoid figure donned in flowing robes of translucent gray over a suit of incorporeal armor. Its facial features are a swirl of maddening images, fluctuating between a serene and calm countenance to a face twisted in horror and fear. Fear guards embody evil in its blackest incarnation. They are summoned from some unknown place by evil wizards and clerics to guard prized possessions or a valued location. Fear guards do not speak, but unleash a frightful moan when they encounter living creatures. Combat Shrouding themselves in a preternatural darkness, fear guards fight using spell-like abilities and their incorporeal touch. If guarding a particular location, a fear guard fights until either it is slain or driven away, or its opponents are slain or flee.

Fear Aura (Su): A fear guard can radiate a 20-foot radius fear aura as a free action. A creature in the area must succeed on a DC 16 Will save or be affected as though by a fear spell (caster level 8th). A creature that successfully saves cannot be affected again by the same fear guard’s aura for one day. The save DC is Charisma-based. Spell-Like Abilities: At will—ray of enfeeblement, darkness; 2/day—deeper darkness. Caster level 8th. Wisdom Damage (Su): The touch of a fear guard deals 1d4 points of Wisdom damage to a living foe if it fails a DC 16 Fortitude save. A creature reduced to Wisdom 0 dies. The save DC is Charisma-based. Create Spawn (Su): Any living creature reduced to Wisdom 0 by a fear guard becomes a fear guard under the control of its killer within 2d6 hours. If a bless spell is cast on the corpse before this time, it prevents the transformation. Daylight Weakness (Ex): A fear guard exposed to natural sunlight (not merely a daylight spell) suffers 2d6 points of damage and immediately flees from the source of light. A fear guard caught in sunlight cannot attack and can only take a single move or attack action in a round. See in Darkness (Su): A fear guard can see perfectly in a darkness of any kind, even that created by deeper darkness spells. Skills: *A fear guard has a +8 racial bonus on Hide checks in areas of darkness. Treasure Standard—As incorporeal creatures, fear guards do not have treasure, per se; but they are almost guarding some and that is where treasure is gained by victorious PCs. The list below details the possible treasure a single fear guard might be guarding. Old masterpiece painting (depicts a graveyard with a single mausoleum; the moonlight is striking the structure’s first

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eastern window—a clue to a treasure that the owner is currently deciphering) [1,100 gp] Silver holy symbol (of evil deity) [25 gp] Flask of unholy water (x3) [25 gp each] 4,000 sp

As for where fear guards truly come from, it could be as simple as guards who take a blood oath to a necromancer to serve them in exchange for eternal life. But in this case, it may not be the existence the guards planned.

Filth Croc

Large Undead Hit Dice: 6d12 (39 hp) Initiative: +0 Speed: 20 ft., swim 20 ft. AC: 18 (-1 size, +9 natural), touch 9, flat-footed 18 Base Attack/Grapple: +3/+12 Attack: Bite +7 melee (1d8+5) Full Attack: Bite +7 melee (1d8+5) and tail rake +5 melee (1d8+2 plus poison) Space/Reach: 10 ft./5 ft. (10 ft. with tail) Special Attacks: Improved grab, poison, stream of filth Special Qualities: Blindsight 60 ft., burst of speed, tremorsense 120 ft., undead traits Saves: Fort +2, Ref +2, Will +5 Abilities: Str 21, Dex 10, Con —, Int —, Wis 10, Cha 1 Skills: Hide +9, Move Silently +13 Feats: Multiattack (B) Environment: Warm or temperate marsh Organization: Solitary, pair, or nest (3-16) Challenge Rating: 5 Treasure: Standard coins; double goods; 50% items Alignment: Usually neutral evil Advancement: 7-9 HD (Large); 10-18 HD (Huge) Level Adjustment: — This creature was once a crocodile but those days are long passed. The undead version is much more unpleasant looking— dark orange skin, vermin-infested hide, and sharp scaly protrusions make this former croc a revolting opponent. Filth crocs stay within their dank marshes, emerging only if prey wanders too close to their lairs. Sages speculate that these creatures are the result of necromantic experimentation by an ancient sahuagin lich named Klek-tiim. The extensive marshes were the only buffer zone between Klek-tiim’s burgeoning

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In Your Campaign Fear guards should be handled in battle with the intelligence they were given. Incorporeal creatures can hide on the surface of objects and should give PCs quite a shock after the party struts past them unknowingly. As a rogue picks at the treasure vault’s lock, a watching fear guard can attack the rear PC and then retreat into the ceiling to attack another PC next round. This works especially well if the PCs are trapped within a thin corridor, where they cannot attack as effectively at the same time.

kingdom and the mainland civilization. The lich wanted to stock the marshy borderland with creatures that would deter those who wished to destroy it. As one of the most numerable types of creatures in the marsh, the crocs became the target of undead transformation. Now, centuries later, the filth crocs continue to somehow maintain their numbers despite being slain at every opportunity. Combat Filth crocs prefer to charge at prey from hiding places in shallow or stagnant water. They weaken their victim with their poisonous, festering tail barbs, then drag it down under the water. They use their stream of filth against any opponents who attacks them with ranged weapons (including spells). Filth crocs flee from combat only if severely damaged. Improved Grab (Ex): To use this ability, the filth croc must hit with its bite attack. If it establishes a hold, it tries to drag its opponent into deep water and pin it to the bottom. Poison (Ex): Tail rake, Fort DC 13, 1d3 Str/1d3 Str. Stream of Filth (Su): A filth croc can spew out a 60-foot line of maggot-infested acidic filth. Any creature in the area of effect must succeed a DC 13 Reflex save or take 2d4 points of damage and be nauseated for 1d4 rounds; creatures that save take no damage but are sickened for 1 round. If a creature takes damage, it must make a second save (Fortitude DC 13 negates) or take 1s2 points of Charisma damage and be exposed to a random nonmagical disease. The saves are Constitution-based. Burst of Speed (Ex): Three times a day, a filth croc can move at five times its normal speed (100 feet) when it makes a charge. Skills: Filth crocs have a +4 racial bonus on Hide and Move Silently checks. Treasure Partial— Each filth croc has a lair that it keeps interesting looking treasure in. As it is unintelligent, the undead croc cannot appreciate what it has; it simply “likes” these objects as lair furnishings. Moonstone [60 gp] Red garnet [130 gp] 1,000 sp In Your Campaign If you read the descriptive text then you’re probably wondering—how the hell can these undead crocs multiply? The answer is that they don’t “multiply” but rather keep their numbers through a permanent enchantment laid on the marshlands by the sahuagin lich. As long as a filth croc is slain within the marsh area, its essence returns to its lair within 1d4 days and reforms as the exact same filth croc. There are a couple of ways adventurers can put this threat to rest permanently. The first is to locate every filth croc lair and then cast a targeted dispel magic on its floor (against DC 17; the magic has weakened over the centuries allowing for a lower DC). Beating the DC by 5 or more not only means that

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The second way to stop the filth crocs from reforming necessitates a variant in the magic which accomplishes it. Instead of each lair being responsible for its own croc, perhaps the sahuagin lich hid a powerful magic item somewhere in the marsh which reforms them. There could be a few adventures worth of material when the PCs are paid to locate the item and destroy it. But what if a part of the sahuagin lich remains and wants the item to remain functioning? Perhaps a bit of its soul was hidden inside the crocs themselves and needs a few more years to reform with the aid of the item? Alternately, another evil creature has discovered the item and is studying it for use outside the marsh. Imagine other types of undead that, once destroyed, are reformed—inside a city’s walls!

Fire Phantom

Medium Undead (Extraplanar, Fire) Hit Dice: 6d12 (39 hp) Initiative: +6 Speed: 30 ft. AC: 16 (+2 Dex, +6 natural, -2 rage), touch 10, flat-footed 14 Base Attack/Grapple: +3/+7 Attack: Slam +8 melee (1d4+6 plus 1d6 fire) or fire blast +5 ranged touch (2d6 fire) Full Attack: Slam +8 melee (1d4+6 plus 1d6 fire) or fire blast +5 ranged touch (2d6 fire) Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft. Special Attacks: Fire, fire blast, immolation, rage Special Qualities: Darkvision 60 ft., fire subtype, turn immunity, undead traits Saves: Fort +2, Ref +4, Will +6 Abilities: Str 18, Dex 14, Con —, Int 4, Wis 12, Cha 14 Skills: Intimidate +11, Listen +12, Spot +12 Feats: Alertness, Improved Initiative, Weapon Focus (slam) Environment: Elemental Plane of Fire Organization: Solitary Challenge Rating: 5 Treasure: None Alignment: Always chaotic evil Advancement: 7-18 HD (Medium) Level Adjustment: — This burning creature appears as a humanoid encased in flames. Its eyes are tiny balls of molten fire and its tongue is a snake-like stream of flame. Its teeth are charred and flames dance in the back of its throat. When a creature dies on the Elemental Plane of Fire, its soul often melds with part of the fiery plane and reforms as a fire phantom; a humanoid creature composed of rotted and burnt flesh swathed in elemental fire. Fire phantoms desire nothing more than to return to the Material Plane and destroy as many living creatures as possible by consuming them in the same flames that now house their spirit.

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the location cannot be used to recorporealize a filth croc, but that the croc does not even consider the place as its lair. It is homeless until destroyed for the final time.

Fire phantoms are encountered in areas where fires are already burning (campfires, pyres, vigils, etc.). They step through a portal from the Plane of Fire into a fire on the Material Plane. This fire must be at least Small or larger; else any attempt by the fire phantom to enter the Material Plane through that fire fails automatically. Once it enters the plane, it often lies in wait in the fire for potential victims to come near it. A fire phantom hiding inside a fire is difficult to see (Spot check DC 25, +2 for each size larger than Medium the fire is).

Combat A fire phantom waits inside its fire until it spots a living creature. It then rushes out, shrieking and hurling globes of fire. If faced with overwhelming odds or facing certain destruction, the creature attempts to close the distance between itself and as many of its opponents as it can so it can use its immolation ability. In normal melee, a fire phantom alternates between hurling globes of fire and pummeling a foe with its burning fists. Fire phantoms fight until destroyed or all opponents are dead of flee. When a fire phantom is wounded, flame dance and play around the wound. Fire (Ex): A fire phantom’s fists are swathed in elemental fire. Any melee hit deals fire damage. Creatures attacking a fire phantom unarmed or with natural weapons take fire damage each time their attacks hit. Fire Blast (Su): Once every 1d4 rounds as a standard action, a fire phantom can hurl a small globe of elemental fire to a range of 30 feet (no range increment). By making a successful ranged touch attack, it deals 2d6 points of fire damage. A creature hit must succeed on a DC 15 Reflex save or catch on fire. The save DC is Charisma-based. (See the DMG for more information on catching on fire.) Immolation (Su): Normally used as a last resort, a fire phantom can detonate itself in an inferno of elemental fire that deals 6d6 points of fire damage to all creatures within a 10-foot radius. A successful DC 15 Reflex save halves the damage. The save DC is Charisma-based. This instantly kills the fire phantom if it fails a DC 20 Will save. Even if the fire phantom survives, its flames are extinguished for 1 minute. During this time the fire phantom cannot use its fire blast ability and does not deal fire damage with its slam attack. It retains the fire subtype. After 1 minute, its fire relight. If the fire phantom survives the immolation, it may not use it again for one day. Rage (Ex): A fire phantom is in a constant state of agony from the elemental fire that consumes its body. Therefore, it is always in a berserk rage and gains Str +4 and -2 AC (both already included in the stat block above). The fire phantom cannot end this rage voluntarily and it cannot be suppressed or negated. Turn Immunity (Ex): A fire phantom cannot be turned, rebuked, or commanded.

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Treasure None—Whatever treasures the creature might have had before becoming a fire phantom have long since burned to ashes in the extreme conditions on the Elemental Plane of Fire.

Flame Servant

Medium Undead (Fire) Hit Dice: 8d12 (52 hp) Initiative: +0 Speed: 30 ft. AC: 16 (+6 natural), touch 10, flat-footed 16 Base Attack/Grapple: +4/+7 Attack: Slam +7 melee (1d6+4 plus 1d6 fire) Full Attack: Slam +7 melee (1d6+4 plus 1d6 fire) Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft. Special Attacks: Fire cone, heat aura, burn item Special Qualities: Darkvision 60 ft., immunity to fire, undead traits, vulnerability to cold Saves: Fort +2, Ref +2, Will +6 Abilities: Str 16, Dex 10, Con —, Int —, Wis 10, Cha 3 Environment: Any Organization: Solitary Challenge Rating: 7 Treasure: None Alignment: Always neutral Advancement: 9-12 HD (Medium); 13-18 HD (Large) Level Adjustment: — This humanoid figure resembles a burning corpse, painted with runes and wrapped with cloth around its arms and torso. Its skin is black and charred, its scent is oily and thick, and black smoke pours constantly from its extremities. The creature walks slowly, flaking off dark ashes and leaving scorched earth in its wake. Born from dark necromancy, flame servants are tools of violence and hatred. Every flame servant is created by a spellcaster to complete a particular task. The task is set when the flame servant is created, and even its master cannot alter its instructions. The task must be straightforward, involve a particular person, object, or location, and have a specific end goal. Thus, a flame servant could not be told to guard a room against intruders indefinitely, or to seek out and destroy all members of a particular race, but it could be asked to retrieve an object, destroy a building, or to stop a specific individual from entering an area.

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In Your Campaign For some reason, undead and fire seem to go hand in hand when new undead are written for a campaign. However, this fiery-based undead can just as easily be one of extreme cold and originate from an icy region on the Elemental Plane of Water. Its game mechanics need only be changed from heat/fire to chill/cold (see the Flame Servant below for an example of this switch). For introducing the “chill phantom,” use extremely cold arctic environments. The chill phantom attacks from beneath a mound of snow. Its skin is blue and mysterious snows swirl about its form.

Its creator imbues the flame servant with the knowledge necessary to complete its task, and the flame servant mindlessly acts as instructed. Once a flame servant succeeds its task, it crumbles into ash. Combat A flame servant is driven by its appointed task, and does not tolerate interference. Anyone who impedes the servant in achieving its goal is attacked. Usually, a flame servant uses its fire cone to open combat, then proceeds to enter melee. A flame servant ends its attack as soon as its opponents flee or are destroyed. Fire Cone (Su): Every 4 rounds, a flame servant can produce a 30-foot cone of ash, smoke, and flames from its hands. Creatures within the cone when it erupts take 8d6 points of fire damage (Reflex DC 14 half). The smoke and ash remain in the air for 1d4 rounds thereafter, granting creatures within the area concealment against creatures 5 feet away, and total concealment against creatures 10 or more feet away. The smoke does not obscure the flame servant’s vision. The save DC is Constitution-based. Heat Aura (Su): A flame servant exudes an enormous amount of heat. Any creature within 5 feet of a flame servant takes 1d6 points of fire damage per round (Fortitude DC 14 half). The save DC is Constitution-based. In addition, a flame servant’s slam attack deals 1d6 points of fire damage per hit. Burn Item (Su): A flame servant can burn or melt any weapon or item of Large size or smaller by grasping the item in its hands. The flame servant must make a successful disarm attempt to grab an item held by an opponent. The item is entitled to a DC 14 Fortitude save to resist destruction. The save DC is Constitution-based. Construction The creation of a flame servant is a long and taxing process and must begin no later than seven nights after the host body’s death. The body is prepared by replacing its innards with leaves and wet mud, stuffing its throat with dried insect larvae, pouring fresh blood into its mouth, painting it with runes, and soaking it in oils. These special materials cost 500 gp. Preparing the body requires a DC 13 Craft (leatherworking) or Heal check, and can be done by the spellcaster or another party. After the body is readied, it must be animated through an extended magical ritual that requires a specially prepared laboratory similar to an embalmer’s workshop and costing 200 gp to establish. If personally preparing the body, the creator can perform the preparations and ritual together. The cost to create listed below includes the cost of all the materials and spell components that are consumed or become a permanent part of the flame servant. A flame servant with more than 8 Hit Dice can be created, but each additional Hit Die adds 4,000 gp to the base price and another 50 gp to the market price. The price increases by 20,000 gp if the creature’s size increases to Large, or 50,000

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cold immunity and fire vulnerability.

gp if the creature’s size increases to Huge. The cost to create is modified accordingly.

Treasure None—flame servants do not carry treasure (for obvious reasons). However, enterprising PCs who can discover the construction method for the flame servant could be paid quite a bit by necromancers who have just learned of the creature’s existence. In Your Campaign Arguably more expensive and costly than a standard golem, the flame servant is the necromancer’s answer to constructs. Unfortunately, it is a very poor answer. Used only by those infatuated with death and/or fire, the flame servant requires a high level caster, can only perform a single task, and is not universally effective in any terrain like standard golems. While a flame servant is cheaper in terms of raw materials, the price increases dramatically due to the necessary spells. So, why would a necromancer create one? That’s a question you, as GM, need to answer before inserting one into a campaign. There are a few missions where a flame servant can come in handy: • Wholesale destruction: While golems can effectively smash their way through obstacles, the flame servant can light them on fire with a touch. Should the necromancer (or his employer) want to eradicate trees, crops, homes, or merchandise-filled warehouses, the flame servant is a good buy. • Fiery retrieval: Sometimes treasures are hidden where no creature would waste effort looking for it—active volcanoes, lava tubes, etc. The flame servant has the luxury of time when searching such locations for the treasure. Spells, equipment, and even patience fade during a search, but the flame servant’s singular mind and fire immunity do not. • Anonymous assassination: When someone wants a person eliminated, they commonly turn to a thieves’ guild or trained assassin. Such entities, while effective at their trade, all too often leave a clue that can be traced back to the source. Words misspoken or identifying markings on the part of the assassin all potentially endanger his employer. On the other hand, a flame servant, successful or not, leaves a pile of ash and many questions. Maybe your campaign is currently distanced from hot or tropical locales. Fortunately, the flame servant’s powers are easily enough turned to the opposite extreme. For more arctic climates, you can use the above statistics with the modifications below to unleash the “chill servant” on your PCs.

Ifyouaretranslatingthisyouhavetoomuchfreetimeonyourhands

CL 14th; Craft Construct, Spell Focus (necromancy), burning hands, create undead, fire shield, caster must be at least 14th level; Price 60,900 gp; Cost to Create 30,900 gp + 2,400 XP.

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• To preserve the same cost to create, a cold-related 1st-level spell must replace burning hands. This is called torpor and can be found in the “Spells” section later in this supplement. Also in the construction section of the entry, replace “wet mud” with “wet snow.” • The Fire Cone (Su) ability changes to Chill Cone (Su): Every 4 rounds, a chill servant can produce a 30-foot cone of numbing arctic winds and snow from its hands. Creatures within the cone when it erupts suffer a -1d3-5 penalty to Dexterity (Fortitude DC 14 half). The snow squall remain in the air for 1d4 rounds thereafter, granting creatures within the area concealment against creatures 5 feet away, and total concealment against creatures 10 or more feet away. The snow does not obscure the chill servant’s vision. The save DC is Constitution-based.

• The Heat Aura (Su) ability changes to Cold Aura (Su): A chill servant exudes an enormous amount of cold. Any creature within 5 feet of a chill servant takes 1d6 points of cold damage per round (Fortitude DC 14 half). The save DC is Constitutionbased. In addition, a chill servant’s slam attack deals 1d6 points of cold damage per hit. • The Burn Item (Su) ability changes to Freeze Item (Su): A chill servant can freeze and shatter any weapon or item of Large size or smaller by grasping the item in its hands. The chill servant must make a successful disarm attempt to grab an item held by an opponent. The item is entitled to a DC 14 Fortitude save to resist destruction. The save DC is Constitution-based.

• The basics stay the same (Hit Dice, AC, attack and damage amounts) but all references to fire are replaced with cold. A chill servant gains the cold subtype (instead of fire) and thus

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Flying Abomination

Challenge Rating: 2 Treasure: None Alignment: Always neutral

Tiny Undead Hit Dice: 1d12 (6 hp) Initiative: +2 Speed: Fly 30 feet (good) AC: 16 (+2 size, +2 Dex, +2 natural), touch 14, flat-footed 14 Base Attack/Grapple: +0/-9 Attack: Slam +1 melee (1d3-1) Full Attack: Slam +1 melee (1d3-1) Space/Reach: 2 ft./0 ft. Special Attacks: As original creature Special Qualities: Undead traits Saves: Fort +0, Ref +2, Will +2 Abilities: Str 8, Dex 14, Con –, Int –, Wis 10, Cha 10 Environment: Any Organization: Pack (3-12) Challenge Rating: 1/2 Treasure: None Alignment: Always neutral Small Undead Hit Dice: 2d12 (13 hp) Initiative: +1 Speed: Fly 30 feet (good) AC: 14 (+1 size, +1 Dex, +2 natural), touch 12, flat-footed 13 Base Attack/Grapple: +1/-3 Attack: Slam +2 melee (1d4) Full Attack: Slam +2 melee (1d4) Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft. Special Attacks: As original creature Special Qualities: Undead traits Saves: Fort +0, Ref +1, Will +3 Abilities: Str 10, Dex 12, Con –, Int –, Wis 10, Cha 10 Environment: Any Organization: Pack (3-12) Challenge Rating: 1 Treasure: None Alignment: Always neutral Medium Undead Hit Dice: 3d12 (19 hp) Initiative: +0 Speed: Fly 30 feet (good) AC: 12 (+2 natural), touch 10, flat-footed 12 Base Attack/Grapple: +1/+2 Attack: Slam +2 melee (1d6+1) Full Attack: Slam +2 melee (1d6+1) Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft. Special Attacks: As original creature Special Qualities: Undead traits Saves: Fort +0, Ref +1, Will +3 Abilities: Str 12, Dex 10, Con –, Int –, Wis 10, Cha 10 Environment: Any Organization: Pack (3-12)

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These monsters are created by the spell of the same name (see below). Parts from a Small creature make Tiny abominations, parts from a Medium or Large creature can make a Tiny or Small abomination, and parts from a Huge or larger creature can make a Medium-size abomination.

A head, leg, tail, or other monstrous appendage floats before you. Its dull skeletal composition betrays its undead state. The pale radiance of magic plays about the body part before it launches toward you. Like all undead, flying abominations have no place in the natural order of the world. A spellcaster creates these skeletal body parts to have as “handy” servants and to act as guardians of low priority treasures or places. Combat When used in combat, a flying abomination is sent to attack, and thereby distract, enemy spellcasters. On their own, a pack of abominations is likely guarding an area from intrusion and attacks the first creature to enter the restricted area en masse. Without intelligence, flying abominations do not utilize tactics but neither do they succumb to fear or intimidation. Treasure None—Flying abominations have no desire or need to acquire material possessions. It is possible they guard a minor treasure but otherwise adventurers should not hope to reap great financial or magical rewards after slaying them. In Your Campaign Some enterprising spellcasters have been known to use Tiny and Small flying abominations in an unusual defensive tactic. At the opposite end of an enclosed space (a hallway for example) which intruders must enter, one abomination is set to float on either side with a rope tied between them. When an intruder steps halfway down the protected area, the abominations fly forward at their fastest rate in an attempt to trip him. If the target can see the abominations approaching, he can make an attack of opportunity against one of them. Unless the attack succeeds in destroying one of the abominations, they continue with the trip attack. If the abominations are not of the same size, use the higher Strength score between them. Even if the trip attempt does not succeed, the target cannot make a trip attempt against the flying abominations. Another variant which uses the same tactic is for two Medium flying abominations to be tied together by a thin silk rope and then sent against the front lines of a large attacking force. If the massive trip attempt fails, it still succeeds in throwing those frontline attackers into mild confusion, for the distance between the abominations (50 to 150 ft.) is so great.

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Fog Spirit

An undulating mist coalesces into the form of a humanoid. With wide eyes, the figure watches your movements carefully. Every creature hides a secret fear. For the fog spirit, that fear is fire. Whether fire slew the creature in life or was just its terrible phobia, the emotion was intense enough at the time of unnatural death to reform its essence as a fog spirit. Appearing as misty forms of their former selves, fog spirits now possess a chilling aspect and are formed in this one image of water in an instinctively protective way. Trapped in a misty body, the fog spirit drifts lazily within natural fog banks it encounters until something peaks its interest. It then moves to watch the event unfold, never interfering unless provoked. Fog spirits have a need to watch the life it can no longer live. A fog spirit speaks whatever languages it knew in life but rarely does so, preferring to instead witness events without interfering in them. Combat Evil fog spirits work their mischief through lies and treachery, sending would-be saviors into hazardous traps and pitfalls. If confronted, they use their affinity with the mists to their advantage, seeming to strike from every direction at once and leeching the warmth from their victims’ bones with their chilling touch. Chilling Touch (Su): The fog spirit’s touch is colder than ice. Victims hit by the fog spirit must make a DC 15 Fortitude save or take 1 point of temporary Constitution damage in addition to the normal damage from the blow. Lost Constitution points heal at the rate of one per hour. The save DC is Charismabased.

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Medium Undead (Incorporeal) Hit Dice: 6d12 (39 hp) Initiative: +4 Speed: 120 ft. AC: 14 (+2 Dex, +2 deflection), touch 14, flat-footed 12 Base Attack/Grapple: +3/— Attack: Touch +5 melee (1d8 and chilling touch) Full Attack: Touch +5 melee (1d8 and chilling touch) Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft. Special Attacks: Chilling touch Special Qualities: Damage reduction 15/magic, incorporeal traits, mist walk, undead traits, vulnerability to fire Saves: Fort +2, Ref +4, Will +4 Abilities: Str 10, Dex 15, Con —, Int 9, Wis 9, Cha 14 Skills: Bluff +7, Hide +9, Knowledge (religion) +2, Listen +7, Spot +7 Feats: Alertness, Improved Initiative, Weapon Finesse Environment: Any land Organization: Solitary Challenge Rating: 4 Treasure: None Alignment: Usually neutral Advancement: 7-12 HD (Medium); 13-18 (Large) Level Adjustment: —

Mist Walk (Su): Within the bounds of the misty fog, the fog spirit can make attacks on a victim at the beginning, middle, or end of its movement, as desired. Treasure None—As an incorporeal wanderer, the fog spirit has no interest in treasure of any kind, much less a lair to keep it in.

In Your Campaign Fog spirits might work best in your campaign as undead to be role-played. As combatants, they can be useful in frightening PCs in foggy alleyways, but their commonly neutral alignments make for more interesting creatures. As witnesses, fog spirits may be needed to shed light on a recent incident—a murder or robbery the PCs are investigating, for example. The fog spirit is capable of speech but how to get it to converse (much less finding it in the first place), could be part of the challenge. Characters who know about the creature’s intense fear of fire can actually use that as a lure. Building a great bonfire outside of town has a good chance of attracting a fog spirit, for while it might be afraid of the inferno, it is irresistibly drawn to it if only to discern its cause.

Frozen Horror

Medium Undead (Cold) Hit Dice: 7d12 (45 hp) Initiative: +3 Speed: 30 ft., climb 15 ft. AC: 15 (+3 Dex, +2 natural), touch 13, flat-footed 12 Base Attack/Grapple: +3/+6 Attack: Bite +6 melee (1d4+1 and numbness) Full Attack: Bite +6 melee (1d4+1 and numbness) Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft. Special Attacks: Numbing grip, numbness Special Qualities: Cold subtype, undead traits Saves: Fort +2, Ref +5, Will +2 Abilities: Str 16, Dex 17, Con —, Int 6, Wis 5, Cha 10 Skills: Climb +5, Hide +8, Jump +4, Listen +4, Move Silently +8, Search +1, Spot +4 Feats: Ability Focus (numbness), Alertness, Track Environment: Cold hill and mountains Organization: Solitary, pair, gang (3-5), or pack (6-20) Challenge Rating: 4 Treasure: Standard Alignment: Always chaotic evil Advancement: 8-21 HD (Medium) Level Adjustment: — Frost-rimmed and torn clothing clings loosely to this blueskinned humanoid. A bestial glint in its coal-black eyes highlights its otherwise withered features. The humanoid bares a jagged set of teeth and claws before rushing to attack. The frozen northern landscape is a sea of ice and snow amidst tranquil snow-packed mountains. But amidst this beauty is a veritable graveyard of creatures that die in that dangerous beauty. Harsh elements and starvation take the lives of so many creatures that are not native to the north. Those that lay dead

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Combat Frozen horrors fall upon their victims with tooth and claw, numbing their victims with their icy grip as they rend flesh from bone. They sometimes grapple with their prey, holding them in a freezing embrace until the victim is overcome by the chill, and meanwhile dig with their teeth for warm blood. If outnumbered, frozen horrors endeavor to use their numbing grip on as many foes as possible before moving to the task of finishing their chilled victim. Numbness (Ex): Anyone hit by a frozen horror must make a DC 15 Fortitude save or take 1 point of temporary Dexterity damage. Numbing Grip (Ex): If a frozen horror successfully grapples an opponent or otherwise maintains contact with him for a full round, he must succeed at a DC 13 Fortitude save at the beginning of his turn or take 1d4 points of temporary Dexterity damage. Skills: Frozen horrors receive a +2 racial bonus on Hide, Move Silently, and Survival checks, and a +4 racial bonus on Listen and Spot checks. Treasure Standard—While a frozen horror does still possess the equipment it had during its life, it does not use any it. Weapons are ignored in favor of its numbing bite and claw attacks and treasure such as coins and magic items are carried out of familiarity. In fact, it is because of familiarity with certain items that the horror acquires more treasure—tending to pick up and carry items from its victims which resonate on some kind of emotional level. Rose quartz gems (x4) [60 gp each] Belt pouch [1 gp] Dagger [2 gp] Leather armor [1 gp due to uselessness of the armor from age] Masterwork short sword [310 gp] Potion of endure elements [50 gp] Small tapestry depicting an icy locale with a lone pine tree in the center of a grassy field; an “X” is hand drawn just west of the pine tree [350 gp but the tapestry could be worth far more if it is what it appears to be—a treasure map. Different horrors in the same pack might have other important pictorial clues about the treasure or the GM can replace the tapestry in this list with a family heirloom of comparable value] 246 gp In Your Campaign Frozen horrors are not without some intelligence. In its

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for over a year, however, gather the power to return. If a living creature being walks over the grave spot of a creature that died in the elements, there is a 10% chance per Hit Die of the living creature that the corpse animates as a frozen horror. It claws its way to freedom and follows the tracks of the creature which tread across its former resting place. Frozen horrors see their victims as arrogant nobodies who purposely strode over their grave to mock their failure at overcoming the elements.

relentless pursuit of the creature which disturbed its rest, a horror pretends to be a living being to those it encounters. Communities, no matter their size, might house a pack of frozen horrors and no one would be the wiser. These undead may crave the warm bodily juices of humanoids, but they do not need them to survive like a vampire needs blood. Frozen horrors can be cautious and cunning, even to the point of renting an apartment in a city whilst it attacks in the dead of night; for after its primary victim is slain, the horror is free to kill at its whim. Frozen horrors can lie buried for decades before awakened by unknowing passerby. This makes their clothing out of date and is a possible tip-off for those characters encountering them that something is suspicious. You can grant a character a +3 circumstance bonus on a Spot check to notice something “odd” about the horror. Or, conversely, give the horror a -3 bonus to any Disguise checks meant to fool a character into believing it is not undead.

Gallows Tree

Huge Plant Hit Dice: 16d8 (168 hp) Initiative: +1 Speed: 20 ft. AC: 24 (-2 size, +1 Dex, +15 natural), touch 9, flat-footed 23 Base Attack/Grapple: +12/+30 Attack: Slam +20 melee (2d6+10, 19-20/x2) Full Attack: 6 slams +20 melee (2d6+10, 19-20/x2) Space/Reach: 15 ft./15 ft. Special Attacks: Create gallows tree zombies, gallows tree zombies, improved grab Special Qualities: Damage reduction 10/slashing and magic, low-light vision, plant traits, resistance to fire 10, tremorsense 60 ft. Saves: Fort +16, Ref +6, Will +7 Abilities: Str 30, Dex 12, Con 23, Int 10, Wis 14, Cha 6 Skills: Listen +18, Move Silently +17 Feats: Cleave, Great Cleave, Improved Critical (slam), Improved Initiative, Power Attack, Weapon Focus (slam) Environment: Temperate and warm forest, hill, marsh, and plains Organization: Grove (1 gallows tree, plus 6-11 gallows tree zombies) Challenge Rating: 13 Treasure: 50% standard Alignment: Always neutral Advancement: 17-24 HD (Huge); 25-48 HD (Gargantuan) Level Adjustment: — This creature appears as a massive, tall tree with thick branches from which hang several humanoid corpses tightly secured by their necks with greenish-brown ropes. Its canopy is thick and busy, and its trunk is mottled brown. Gallows trees are sentient plants that sustain themselves on the internal organs and body fluids of living creatures. They use deception to lure potential prey into range at which time they

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Combat A gallows tree normally stands idle, lowering its zombies to the ground when living prey come within 100 feet of the tree. If a foe comes within 15 feet of the tree itself, it lashes out with its sharpened branches or attempts to grab the foe. A grabbed foe is subjected to additional damage as the gallows tree pummels it with its other branches. Occasionally the tree works in concert with its zombies, grabbing a foe and holding it while its zombies pound it into goop. Slain creatures are dragged close to the tree, sliced open, and their innards devoured by the tree’s roots. Create Gallows Tree Zombies (Su): When a creature dies within 15 feet of a gallows tree, it uses a sharpened tendril to slice open the creature’s abdomen, thereby spilling the corpse’s innards on the ground. The organs and fluids are absorbed by the tree’s roots. Corpses of a size other than Medium or Large are simply left to rot. Medium or Larger corpses are filled with a greenish pollen fired from one of the tree’s branches. The abdominal wound heals over the next 1d4 days, at which time the slain creature rises as a gallows tree zombie connected by a tether-vine to the gallows tree that created it. gallows tree zombies possess none of their former abilities. Gallows Tree Zombie (Ex): Each gallows tree has several gallows tree zombies connected to it. A Huge gallows tree may have no more than seven gallows tree zombies connected to it at one time. A Gargantuan gallows tree can have a maximum of 11 zombies connected to it at any given time. See the gallows tree zombie entry below for details on that monster. Improved Grab (Ex): To use this ability, a gallows tree must hit with its slam attack. It can then attempt to start a grapple as a free action without provoking an attack of opportunity. If it wins the grapple check, it establishes a hold and deals slam damage each round the hold is maintained. Tremorsense (Ex): Gallows trees can automatically sense the location of anything within 60 feet that is in contact with the same vegetation the tree is touching. Treasure Half-standard-- Gallows trees do not collect treasure but occasionally such items (the remnants of devoured prey) are found in the vicinity of the creature. Citrine (x2) [60 gp each] Fire opal [700 gp] Tourmaline [100 gp] Gloves of arrow snaring [4,000 gp] Potion of bull’s strength [300 gp] Scroll of dispel magic (CL 5th) [375 gp] 905 gp

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unleash the gallows tree zombies attached to their branches to kill or capture the prey. While mobile, a gallows tree prefers to remain in one spot for an extended length of time (usually until its food supply in the area runs out). From this location, it simple waits for prey and then attacks when such beings come into view.

In Your Campaign Many villages and towns have a great tree where their ancestors hung evil-doers. Over the decades and centuries of use, the amount of death the tree helped to cause affected it in a way none could have foreseen. The gallows tree is born of death, which is why it is in this supplement of undead. Its “offspring,” the gallows tree zombies, are detailed below for similar reasons, even though they are not undead.

Gallows Tree Zombie

Medium Plant Hit Dice: 6d8+6 (33 hp) Initiative: +6 Speed: 30 ft. AC: 17 (+2 Dex, +5 natural), touch 12, flat-footed 15 Base Attack/Grapple: +4/+8 Attack: Slam +8 melee (1d6+4) Full Attack: 2 slams +8 melee (1d6+4) Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft. Special Attacks: Spore cloud Special Qualities: Darkvision 60 ft., fast healing 5, low-light vision, plant traits, tether-vine, tremorsense 60 ft. Saves: Fort +6, Ref +4, Will +2 Abilities: Str 19, Dex 15, Con 13, Int 4, Wis 10, Cha 1 Skills: Hide +5, Listen +5, Move Silently +5, Spot +2 Feats: Alertness, Improved Initiative, Power Attack Environment: Temperate and warm forest, hill, marsh, and plains Organization: Grove (6-11 plus 1 gallows tree) Challenge Rating: 4 Treasure: None Alignment: Always neutral Advancement: 7-12 HD (Medium); 13-18 HD (Large) Level Adjustment: — This creature is a humanoid with deathly gray-green skin dressed in tattered and torn clothes. Small plants, weeds, and fungi grow on the creature’s body. A long, sinewy, greenishbrown noose connects the creature to the massive tree behind it. Gallows trees zombies were once living humanoids slain and devoured by a gallows tree and reborn from the seedlings as a minion of said creature. They serve no purpose in life now other than killing to capturing living prey for the gallows tree that created them. These monsters retain small memories of their former lives and these scenes sometimes manifest in the zombie’s mind, causing it great anger which it vents on the nearest living creature. Gallows tree zombies show no spark of life in their eyes, but are not completely mindless. They are no undead even though their name suggests otherwise; therefore, they cannot be turned or rebuked. Combat Gallows tree zombies hand motionless from the gallows tree, appearing lifeless. When a living creature comes within 100 feet of a gallows tree, the zombies are lowered to the ground

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Ghost Eater

and they move to attack.

Spore Cloud (Ex): As a free action, once every 1d4 rounds (but no more than three times per day), a gallows tree zombie can breathe a cloud of poisonous, greenish spores in a 5-foot cube directly in front of it. a creature caught in the cloud must succeed on a DC 14 Fortitude save or be slowed (as the slow spell) for 6 rounds. Once minute later, the creature must make another Fortitude save (same DC) or take 1d3 points of Strength damage. The save DC is Constitution-based. Fast Healing (Ex): A gallows tree zombie heals only if it is connected to its gallows tree by its tether-vine. Tether-Vine (Ex): A gallows tree zombie is connected to the gallows tree that created it by a long sinewy vine. This vine can be lengthened to allow the zombie to move up to 100 feet away from the tree. The vine is AC 19 (touch 12) and has 10 hit points. Harming the vine deals no damage to the gallows tree zombie or the tree itself, but if severed, does prevent the zombie from using its fast healing ability. Tremorsense (Ex): Gallows tree zombies can automatically sense the location of anything within 60 feet that is in contact with the same vegetation the zombie is touching. Treasure None—Any treasure around the gallows tree zombie is part of the trove listed with the gallows tree above. In Your Campaign Although not true undead, the gallows tree and its zombies make for a great bluff. A villain could conceivably make his hideout in a cave where a gallows tree would be the first line of defense. Alternately, he could simply set up an ambush for the party near to one. After pumping the local rumor mill full of false information (how the area is guarded by a vicious undead tree and its zombies, the PCs would come equipped to deal with such a threat. Of course, they would have prepared wrongly and the villain gains that much more of an upper hand when he launches his counterstrike.

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Gallows tree zombies prefer uneven odds that favor them, so ganging up on an individual is the norm in battle. Slain foes are dragged back to the gallows tree to be devoured or transformed into a gallows tree zombie to replace any that fell in battle.

Small Magical Beast Hit Dice: 2d10+2 (13 hp) Initiative: +2 Speed: 30 ft., climb 30 ft. AC: 14 (+1 size, +2 Dex, +1 natural), touch 13, flat-footed 12 Base Attack/Grapple: +2/-2 Attack: Bite +4 melee (1d4) Full Attack: Bite +4 melee (1d4) and 2 slams -1 melee (1d3) Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft. Special Attacks: Disrupting bite, eerie howl, final repose Special Qualities: Darkvision 60 ft., detect undead, ghostly resilience, low-light vision, scent Saves: Fort +4, Ref +5, Will +3 Abilities: Str 11, Dex 15, Con 12, Int 2, Wis 14, Cha 12 Skills: Climb +10, Jump +10, Listen +4, Spot +4, Survival +3 Feats: Ability Focus (eerie howl), Weapon Finesse (B) Environment: Any land or underground Organization: Solitary, pair, or troupe (5-8) Challenge Rating: 2 Treasure: None Alignment: Any Advancement: 3-4 (Small) Level Adjustment: — This short humanoid’s form is quite emaciated, its long limbs ending in gnarled claws and feet. Short tufts of white hair just from the creature’s brown skin like moss patches on a tree. Its golden-hued eyes fade totally to an off-white as it bears sharp teeth and attacks. Found in any environment where there is undead, the ghost eater hunts these unnatural creatures and consumes their essence by biting into what is left of their bodies. A wizard, whose home town was destroyed by an undead horde of ghouls, labored for years to create the perfect vehicle for his vengeance—the ghost eater. Few would guess the ghost eater is fashioned from infant trolls found near the wizard’s tower. The creature’s innate defensive abilities were mutated by exposure to positive energy to be more effective against the undead. In addition, the basic troll size was altered to lure intelligent undead into a false sense of security. Today, ghost eaters have bred enough that their kind are spread across the lands and have collectively consumed thousands of their undead prey over the decades since their creation. Combat Ghost eaters typically avoid living creatures. When dealing with undead, they are cautious and careful; despite their special powers, ghost eaters are still small and weak in comparison to most undead creatures, and they rely on stealth and speed to bring down their more powerful prey. Detect Undead (Su): A ghost eater can continuously detect undead as the spell, with no need for concentration. This covers a 120-foot radius around the ghost eater, and allows it to interact with invisible undead without penalty. In addition, the ghost eater gets a +10 bonus to Survival checks when tracking undead creatures.

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Handle Animal (DC 15-20) skill to teach a ghost eater any basic set of commands (such as distract, howl, or warn) to follow at any given moment.

Eerie Howl (Su): The ghost eater’s eerie, echoing howl causes mindless terror to take hold of all creatures that hear it— including the spirits of the dead. All creatures within 60 feet must make a Will save (DC 14). The howl has the same effect as a fear spell with the following exceptions: it affects undead creatures, and it is a sonic effect which can be countered with silence or the bard’s countersong ability. A ghost eater can emit an eerie howl up to 3 times per day. The save DC is Charismabased. Final Repose (Ex): Undead creatures destroyed by a ghost eater cannot return; even ghosts with the rejuvenation ability are destroyed forever. A living creatures killed by a ghost eater cannot rise as undead, its corpse cannot be affected by or used for animate dead, create greater undead, create undead, raise dead, reincarnate, resurrection, or similar spells. There are two ways to restore life to a creature slain by a ghost eater. True resurrection still functions normally. And if the ghost eater that killed the victim can be found, captured alive, and brought to the corpse of the victim, wish, limited wish, or miracle can restore the connection between spirit and corpse, at which point raise dead and similar spells function normally. If the ghost eater is killed, the spirits it has consumed are lost forever. Ghostly Resilience (Ex): A ghost eater receives a +10 racial bonus to resist the spell-like abilities and supernatural powers of undead creatures. It is immune to the level drain and ability damage attacks of undead creatures. It receives a +4 deflection bonus to AC against the physical attacks of undead. Finally, it receives spell resistance 17 against spells cast by undead creatures. Skills: A ghost eater receives a +8 racial bonus on Climb and Jump checks. It can always choose to take 10 on these checks, even if distracted or endangered. The ghost eater uses its Dexterity modifier for these checks instead of its Strength modifier. Treasure None—Sine ghost eaters’ prey is the undead, not even defeated foes leave treasure lying around for the taking. The ghost eater has no use for these items, using only its abilities to hunt. In Your Campaign As magical beasts, ghost eaters used as companions are extremely difficult to train. In the past, a few paladins and undead hunters have managed to subdue and domesticate ghost eaters, training the creatures to assist them in their battles against the restless dead. Some simply use ghost eaters as living warning systems, training them to howl any time they detect the presence of the undead. A character can use the

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Disrupting Bite (Ex): The ghost eater’s bite has the same effect as the spell disrupt undead. Whenever the ghost eater makes a successful bite attack against an undead creature, it inflicts an additional 1d6 points of damage. In addition, a ghost eater can hit incorporeal creatures with its bite attack as if using a ghost touch weapon.

A character who understands how to harvest and employ elements of a ghost eater can use its body to empower certain spells (as spell components), as shown below: • Ghost Eater Eye for detect undead (Effect: +2 caster level) • Ghost Eater Tooth for animate dead (+2 caster level), create greater undead (+1 caster level), create undead (+1 caster level), disrupt undead (increase damage to 2d4), undeath to death (increase damage to 1d6/level) • Ghost Eater Tongue or Windpipe for fear (spell can affect the undead), halt undead (+2 caster level) Each spell component is destroyed when the associated spell is cast. As ghost eaters are rare and few people know how to properly harvest these powers, there is little market for ghost eater organs. If it is incorporated into a magic item, the ghost eater tooth reduces the XP cost of creating ghost touch or bane (undead) weapons by 10%. It is possible that a ghost eater tooth could be used to create potions of restoration, if the GM wanted to put these items on the market.

Ghostly Slasher

Medium Undead (Incorporeal) Hit Dice: 3d12 (19 hp) Initiative: +2 Speed: 30 ft. AC: 14 (+2 Dex, +2 deflection), touch 14, flat-footed 14 Base Attack/Grapple: +1/— Attack: Spectral short sword +3 melee (1d6) Full Attack: Spectral short sword +3 melee (1d6) Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft. Special Attacks: Fear Special Qualities: Incorporeal traits, undead traits Saves: Fort +1, Ref +3, Will +1 Abilities: Str —, Dex 15, Con —, Int 10, Wis 7, Cha 14 Skills: Hide +6, Intimidate +8, Listen +2, Search +3, Spot +2 Feats: Ability Focus (fear) Environment: Any land or underground Organization: Solitary Challenge Rating: 3 Treasure: None Alignment: Always chaotic evil Advancement: 4-9 HD (Medium) Level Adjustment: — An amorphous gathering of shadows hides a humanoid form within it. The face inside the shadows changes every few seconds, but all share the same crazed glare and obvious evil intent, evidenced further by the brief appearance of a pale sword blade.

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As many as a dozen former murderers inhabit a ghostly slasher. The area a particular slasher inhabits is dependant on the most powerful spirit’s former life. Wherever it held dominion, be it urban or rural, that is where the slasher inhabits. Besides this determination, the individual souls inside a slasher do not surface as a single being. Rather the image others see always shifts from one spirit’s former visage to the next even though all think as a collective mind. Combat The ghostly slasher seeks to ambush its victims, and then dismembers them horribly to inspire as much fear and furor in a community as possible. It does not attack with its material shortsword (which remains under the slasher’s cloak), but with a spectral version of the same weapon that deals spiritual damage as opposed to bodily wounds (but it all ends up as real damage in game terms—simply tell the player that his PC feels intense chills and a sense of sorrow when hit by a spectral sword). Fear (Su): Three times per night, as a free action, a ghostly slasher may make a fear attack. Spectral winds fill its cape, making it resemble the wings of a vulture spread over a kill. From the shadows of the cape, the faces of the slasher’s victims can be seen shrieking in horror. All within 30 feet who see the slasher must succeed at a DC 15 Will save or be frightened for 2d4 rounds. Skills: Ghostly slashers gain a +8 racial bonus on Hide checks in dark or shadowy conditions. Treasure None—Ghostly slashers exist only to frighten and kill others. Even if they could manipulate physical objects (thereby taking their victim’s possessions as their spirits did in life), they would have no use for them, relying instead on their own abilities. Only if the PCs slay a slasher as it finishes killing another creature would the possibility of treasure exist (and then only if friends or family of the slain creature do not claim the possessions). In Your Campaign Inspiring fear isn’t the only reason ghostly slashers dismember their victims. The deeper meaning for this ritual is that the spirits inside the slasher are jealous of the bodies they slay. A victim’s form represents the uniqueness which the slasher’s component spirits can never again hope to attain. While the slasher may continue these murdering spirits’ life works, there was always more involved than the act of killing itself. Each

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murderer gained his own measure of infamy, thus stoking the fires of ego. Now even that joy is gone from existence, making the slasher that much more intent on killing.

Ifyouaretranslatingthisyouhavetoomuchfreetimeonyourhands

Every region in a campaign world has its handful of crazed killers and other evil creatures whose only joy in life is to inflict fear and death on others. When these creatures are eventually hunted down and slain (commonly by brave adventurers), not all of their souls descend into the realm of the damned. The forces in charge of the hells decide to wad many of these murdering, irredeemable spirits together and then send them back onto the Material Plane as one creature—a ghostly slasher—to continue their evil work.

Despite the fact that a ghostly slasher operates as a single entity, there is a possibility that PCs can speak to just one of the spirits which inhabits it. A cleric can cast speak with dead on the slasher and, if it fails a Fortitude save, it is stunned for a number of rounds equal to the cleric’s caster level. During this time, if the cleric speaks the name of one of the inhabiting spirits, he can ask questions as per the spell (but only for as long as the slasher is stunned). The knowledge of the spirit is limited to its own corporeal life before becoming part of the slasher. The party may need to find out where the killer hid one of his victim’s bodies or perhaps even where his former lair was located. The spirit receives a Will save for the first question. If it succeeds, it can answer the cleric however it likes (truth or a lie) or not at all. If it fails the Will save, the spirit must answer all questions put to it truthfully. A cleric who successfully questions a spirit within the slasher becomes its next target. Unless the undead is dispatched, the ghostly slasher hunts for the cleric and does not rest until one of them is slain. The violation of the slasher by the speak with dead spell is an unforgivable act.

Ghoul and Ghast (Template)

“Ghoul” is a template that can be added to any sentient creature with an organic body and a soul who was killed by a ghoul and affected by its Create Spawn ability, or who ate the flesh of creatures of its type in life and recently died (referred to hereafter as the “base creature”). In most campaigns, this will include any dragon, giant, humanoid, monstrous humanoid, or shapechanger. Fey, elementals, and other such creatures depend on the campaign’s cosmology; creatures that are a type of spirit are not subject to undead raising as a ghoul. It uses all the creature’s statistics and special abilities except as noted below. Size and Type: The base creature’s type changes to undead. As base creature Hit Dice: Change to d12, and adjust hit points bonus for ability score modifications. Speed: Same as the base creature. Armor Class: The ghoul has +2 natural armor or the creature’s natural armor, whichever is better, though it loses any manufactured armor bonuses. Base Attack: A ghoul has a base attack bonus equal to one-half its Hit Dice. Attack: The ghoul retains any natural attacks, and gains 2 natural claw attacks and a bite attack if it doesn’t already have them, though it loses any attacks with manufactured weapons. Adjust retained natural attacks for ability score modifications.

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Turn Resistance (Ex): A ghoul has +2 turn resistance.

Damage: Creatures without natural weapons gain a bite and 2 claw attacks based on the ghoul’s size category. If the creature already has a bite or claws that do more damage, the creature retains these, but adjusted for ability score modifications.

Bite

Claws

Fine

1

—

Diminutive

1d2

1

Tiny

1d3

1d2

Small

1d4

1d3

Medium

1d6

1d4

Large

1d8

1d6

Huge

2d6

2d4

Gargantuan

2d8

2d6

Colossal

4d6

2d8

Special Attacks: A ghoul retains all of the special attacks of the base creature, except for those affected by Degeneracy (see below). Saves have a DC of 10 + 1/2 ghoul’s HD + ghoul’s Cha modifier. It also gains the following: Ghoul Fever (Su): Disease—bite, Fort save negates, incubation period 1 day, damage 1d3 Con and 1d3 Dex. The save DC is Charisma-based. An afflicted humanoid who dies of ghoul fever rises as a ghoul at the next midnight. A humanoid who becomes a ghoul in this way retains none of the abilities it possessed in life. It is not under the control of any other ghouls, but it hungers for the flesh of the living and behaves like a normal ghoul in all respects. A humanoid of 4 Hit Dice or more rises as a ghast, not a ghoul. Paralysis (Ex): Those hit by a ghoul’s bite or claw attack must succeed at a Fortitude save or be paralyzed for 1d6 rounds. Elves are immune to this paralysis. Special Qualities: A ghoul retains all the special qualities of the base creature, except for those affected by Degeneracy (see below), and receives those special qualities listed below. Degeneracy (Ex): A ghoul loses all skills and abilities not typical of brute predators. All class abilities are lost except for base saves. Ghouls are not able to learn or use feats that require tool use, such as weapon and armor proficiencies or most combat feats. The ghoul cannot learn or use skills such as Craft, Profession, Disable Device, etc. The ghoul cannot advance in class levels after becoming a ghoul, unless it is levels in the ghast prestige class (see below). The ghoul does retain racial abilities, except for those that a ghoul is otherwise prohibited from learning.

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Size

8

Saves: As base creature, modified by changes to abilities.

Abilities: Modify from the base creature as follows: Str +4, Dex +0, Int –2, Wis +2, Cha –4. The creature’s ability scores cannot go below a 1. As an undead creature, a ghoul has no Constitution score. Skills: Ghoul class skills when advancing are Climb, Escape Artist, Hide, Intuit Direction, Jump, Listen, Move Silently, Search, and Spot. See Degeneracy, and adjust skills for ability score modifications. Ghouls suffer a –2 racial penalty on skill rolls when using skills requiring fine manipulation. Feats: The ghoul gains Multiattack. See Degeneracy. Environment: Any land or underground. Organization: Solitary, gang (2–4), or pack (7–12). Challenge Rating: Same as the base creature. Treasure: None. Alignment: Always chaotic evil. Advancement: As an undead creature.

SAMPLE GHOUL Ogre Ghoul Large Undead Hit Dice: 4d12 (26 hp) Initiative: –1 Speed: 40 ft. AC: 13 (–1 size, –1 Dex, +5 natural) Base Attack/Grapple: +2/+13 Attack: Bite +10 melee (1d8+7 plus paralysis) Full Attack: Bite +10 melee (1d8+7 plus paralysis) and 2 claws +8 melee (1d6+3 plus paralysis) Space/Reach: 5 ft./10 ft. Special Attacks: Ghoul fever, paralysis Special Qualities: Darkvision 60 ft., degeneracy, +2 turn resistance, undead traits Saves: Fort +4, Ref +0, Will +2 Abilities: Str 25, Dex 8, Con —, Int 4, Wis 12, Cha 3 Skills: Climb +7, Listen +3, Spot +3 Feats: Multiattack, Weapon Focus (bite) Environment: Any land or underground Organization: Solitary, gang (2–4), or pack (7–12) Challenge Rating: 3 Treasure: None Alignment: Always chaotic evil Advancement: As undead creature Nearly ten feet tall, this muscular humanoid has seen better days. Once an ogre, time and becoming an undead monstrosity, have, if possible, worsened its appearance. The creature’s pale

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either he or it dies.

brown skin is stretched tightly across its form. Sharp claws and teeth are the most prominent features as the creature moves to attack.

Combat Attacking without fear, an ogre ghoul rushes a victim and tries to kill him as quickly as possible to get at its warm flesh. If faced with multiple opponents, the undead ogre tries to paralyze the most dangerous looking warrior before going after a weaker, and likely spellcasting, character. Since its intelligence is rather low, the ogre ghoul does not retreat from combat until below 5 hit points. Even then, it retreats only long enough to find a better location to attack its prey from. Ghoul Fever (Su): Disease—bite, Fort DC 8, incubation period 1 day, damage 1d3 Con and 1d3 Dex. The save DC is Charisma-based. An afflicted humanoid who dies of ghoul fever rises as a ghoul at the next midnight. A humanoid who becomes a ghoul in this way retains none of the abilities it possessed in life. It is not under the control of any other ghouls, but it hungers for the flesh of the living and behaves like a normal ghoul in all respects. A humanoid of 4 Hit Dice or more rises as a ghast, not a ghoul. Paralysis (Ex): Those hit by a ghoul’s bite or claw attack must succeed at a Fortitude save (DC 8) or be paralyzed for 1d6 rounds. Elves are immune to this paralysis. Skills: Ghouls suffer a –2 racial penalty on skill rolls when using skills requiring fine manipulation. Treasure None—Ghouls of any origin are interested only in consuming the flesh of living creatures; a habit which leaves no time for gathering useless treasure. In Your Campaign A typical ghoul is on every PC’s “I’ve killed that” list. But an ogre ghoul (indeed, any non-human originated ghoul) is a variant that isn’t encountered every day. Twists like this to such classic undead can remind the PCs that although they may have fought one, they haven’t fought them all. Besides the more common description above, how might an ogre get unlucky enough for ghoul-dom? Perhaps his particular tribe believes in exiling an old or infirm ogre into an area known for its ghoul infestation. Once transformed into an undead, the ogre is obliged to return to its brethren where it can serve as a perimeter guard or advance warrior in a battle. This loyalty comes from a ritual performed by the ogre tribe’s cleric or shaman at the same time the slain ogre is rising as a ghoul. This binds the ogre ghoul to the will of the tribe’s chieftain until

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This ogre succumbed to a ravenous pack of ghouls many years ago. The giant slew most of them before going down and thereafter becoming a ghoul itself. While it normally hunts alone, the ogre ghoul does not mind joining with a gang or pack of its fellows. When it does so, however, it always leads the group, as its size and strength make it an obvious choice for such a role.

NEW PRESTIGE CLASS: GHAST Ghouls who adapt to their degenerate undead state and thrive become fearsome predators called ghasts. While they can no longer follow the classes of civilization, cunning ghasts can progressively build upon the powers of their cursed state and travel down darker paths, increasing their connection to the Negative Energy Plane and becoming ever more deadly threats to those they encounter. Hit Die: d12

Requirements To qualify to become a ghast, a character must fulfill all of the following criteria. Race: Ghoul Special: Must create a pack of spawn.

Class Skills The ghast’s class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Balance (Dex), Climb (Str), Hide (Dex), Jump (Str), Listen (Wis), Move Silently (Dex), Search (Int), and Spot (Wis). Skill Points at Each Level: 2

Class Features All of the following are class features of the ghast prestige class. Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Ghasts gain no proficiency in any weapon or armor. Paralytic Potency (Ex): At 1st level, the DC for the ghast’s paralysis attack increases by +3. Potent Fever (Ex): At 2nd level, the ghast’s ghoul fever DC increases by +3. Ghastly Combatant (Ex): At 3rd level, the ghast’s natural armor increases to +4 if not already higher, and the ghast’s bite and claw damage increases by one size category as per the ghoul damage table, if not already higher. Shake the Elven Spirit (Ex): At 4th level, the ghast’s connection to the Negative Energy Plane is now sufficient to affect even elves with its paralysis. Stench (Ex): At 5th level, the stink of death and corruption surrounding a ghast is sickening. Those within 10 feet must succeed at a Fortitude save or be wracked with nausea; nauseated characters are unable to attack, cast spells, concentrate on spells, or do anything else requiring attention. The only action such a character can take is a single move or move-equivalent action per turn. The save DC is Charismabased.

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Class Table: The Ghast

Fort Save

Ref Save

Will Save

Special

1st

Base Attack Bonus +0

+0

+0

+2

Paralytic potency

2nd

+1

+0

+0

+3

Potent Fever

3rd

+1

+1

+1

+3

Ghastly combatant

4th

+2

+1

+1

+4

Shake the elven spirit

5th

+2

+1

+1

+4

Stench

Ghoul, Ichor

Medium Undead Hit Dice: 6d12 (39 hp) Initiative: +2 Speed: 30 ft. AC: 17 (+2 Dex, +5 natural), touch 12, flat-footed 15 Base Attack/Grapple: +3/+5 Attack: Bite +5 melee (1d8+2 plus paralysis and poison) or spit +5 ranged touch (poison) Full Attack: Bite +5 melee (1d8+2 plus paralysis and poison) and 2 claws +0 melee (1d4+1 plus paralysis) or spit +5 ranged touch (poison) Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft. Special Attacks: Death spray, ghoul fever, paralysis, poison Special Qualities: Damage reduction 5/silver, darkvision 60 ft, +2 turn resistance, undead traits Saves: Fort +2, Ref +4, Will +7 Abilities: Str 15, Dex 15, Con —, Int 13, Wis 14, Cha 14 Skills: Balance +8, Climb +11, Hide +11, Jump +9, Move Silently +11, Spot +9 Feats: Dodge, Mobility, Spring Attack Environment: Any land or underground Organization: Solitary, pair, gang (3-4), or pack (5-12) Challenge Rating: 5 Treasure: None Alignment: Always chaotic evil Advancement: 7-12 HD (Medium) Level Adjustment: — A dirty white humanoid stares at you with oozing eye sockets pitted with a greenish glow. Rotting black teeth and stringy hair are its most handsome features when you compare it to the dozens of boils and pussy blisters across its form. Created to spread disease and general revulsion, the ichor ghoul can be found in any environment where living creatures dwell. Ichor ghouls are found infrequently on their own. They are most often acting on the directives of their creator, a being of some power known as the Dripping Darkness. Combat In combat, an ichor ghoul often begins by spitting its poison at one or more targets and then charging in to attack with tooth and claw. Ichor ghouls are fearless in combat, fighting to

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Class Level

8

the last—they are fanatical in their devotion to the Dripping Darkness, and willingly allow themselves to be destroyed in order to spread their horrid diseases. Death Spray (Ex): The instant an ichor ghoul is killed or destroyed, the pustules on its skin all burst simultaneously, so that all creatures within 5 feet of it are exposed to its ghoul fever. Ghoul Fever (Su): Disease—bite, Fortitude DC 15, incubation 1 day, damage 1d3 Dex and 1d3 Con. The save DC is Charisma-based. An afflicted humanoid who dies of ghoul fever rises as a normal ghoul at the next midnight. A creature that becomes a ghoul in this way retains none of the abilities it possessed in life. It is not necessarily under the control of any other ghouls, but it hungers for the flesh of the living and behaves like other ghouls in all respects. Paralysis (Ex): Those hit by an ichor ghoul’s bite or claw attacks must succeed at a DC 15 Fortitude save or be paralyzed for 1d4+1 rounds. Elves are immune to this paralysis. The save DC is Charisma-based. Poison (Ex): Spit (20 feet, once every 1d3 rounds) or bite, Fort DC 15, 1d4 Con/ghoul fever. If a spell or spell-like ability is used to delay, neutralize, or otherwise mitigate the effects of the poison, the caster must first make a caster level check as if trying to overcome spell resistance 19. If this check fails, the spell has no effect. Treasure None—While ichor ghouls have the intelligence to use treasure and equipment, such items do not fall into their diseasespreading purview. In Your Campaign Ichor ghouls make ideal guardians (at least thematically) for temples and clergy dedicated to any deity of disease (the Dripping Darkness is a placeholder for any campaign god with this portfolio). Temples where ichor ghouls are dwellers might feature areas where their skills can nicely complement. For

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When sent on the offensive, ichor ghouls make great sewer dwellers within larger cities. Their diseased forms are more than appropriate for these subterranean waste tunnels. When challenged by a superior force inside a community, ichor ghouls flee toward the largest concentration of people. Thus, when they are inevitably slain by city defenders, their death spray infects as many people as possible.

Ghoul, Primal

Large Undead Hit Dice: 7d12+3 (78 hp) Initiative: +1 Speed: 50 ft. AC: 18 (-1 size, +1 Dex, +8 natural), touch 10, flat-footed 17 Base Attack/Grapple: +3/+14 Attack: Bite +9 melee (2d6+7 plus paralysis) or tongue +9 melee touch (paralysis) Full Attack: Bite +9 melee (2d6+7 plus paralysis) and 2 claws +7 melee (1d6+2 plus paralysis) or tongue +9 melee touch (paralysis) and 2 claws +7 melee (1d6+2 plus paralysis) Space/Reach: 10 ft./10 ft. (20 ft. with tongue) Special Attacks: Ghoul fever, grappling tendrils, improved grab, paralysis, spines, stench Special Qualities: Heightened scent, +2 turn resistance, undead traits Saves: Fort +2, Ref +4, Will +7 Abilities: Str 25, Dex 15, Con —, Int 13, Wis 14, Cha 16 Skills: Balance +6, Climb +12, Escape Artist +6, Hide +7, Jump +14, Listen +22, Move Silently +9, Search +5*, Survival +2* Feats: Multiattack, Power Attack, Toughness Environment: Any Organization: Solitary, pair, gang (3-5), pack (2-4 plus 7-12 ghasts), or contingent (2-5 plus 7-12 ghasts and 20-40 ghouls) Challenge Rating: 6 Treasure: Standard Alignment: Usually chaotic evil Advancement: 8-14 HD (Large); 15-21 HD (Huge) Level Adjustment: — This grotesque humanoid’s form is elongated with dark mauve skin and pale spiky growths. Gangly arms and head end in razor-sharp claws and teeth that snap eagerly as the form lopes toward you. Perhaps most shocking is the monster’s open chest cavity which sprouts fleshy undulating tendrils. Sometimes when a spellcaster wants to build a better monster, the result is not always what he expected. The primal ghoul was developed originally as a more powerful version of a ghoul. And while this goal was achieved, the creature was

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still supposed to be submissive to its creator. Unfortunately, the primal ghoul’s nature forbids it to serve others. Instead the monster leads other ghouls and ghasts in their eternal quest to consume flesh. Adventurers should not be fooled by the name “primal.” This name was given due to the creature’s appearance, not its intelligence.

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example, the ichor ghoul’s competent Balance and Climb skills are ideal for a room where a narrow beam stretches from one side to the other. Characters falling from the beam might find themselves in pools of filth that can cause ghoul fever or more perhaps more run of the mill pools such as acid. In these areas, ichor ghouls can move across the narrow walkway to attack with practiced ease or even attack while hanging from a low ceiling.

Combat Like lesser ghouls and ghasts, primal ghouls prefer to attack from ambush. In wilderness or urban areas, they like to climb sheer walls where they lie in wait, dropping down to attack from above when their prey passes beneath them. Few expect undead creatures to move quickly, so primal ghouls use their superior speed to make furious charge attacks from a distance or to flee from combat if they are overwhelmed. Primal ghouls are quite poor-sighted (they do not have darkvision or low-light vision), but they have exceptional senses of small and hearing. Ghoul Fever (Su): Disease—bite, Fortitude DC 16, incubation 1 day, damage 1d3 Dex and 1d3 Con. The save DC is Charisma-based. An afflicted humanoid who dies of ghoul fever rises as a normal ghoul at the next midnight. A creature that becomes a ghoul in this way retains none of the abilities it possessed in life. It is not necessarily under the control of any other ghouls, but it hungers for the flesh of the living and behaves like other ghouls in all respects. Grappling Tendrils (Ex): A primal ghoul’s internal organs have been transformed into animate tendrils. If the primal ghoul begins its turn holding an opponent within a square it threatens with its bite, it may transfer the victim to its abdominal tendrils with a successful grapple check. Thereafter, the tendrils can hold the opponent, freeing up whatever appendage had been holding the creature previously. As long as the hold is maintained, the primal ghoul automatically deals bite damage (including paralysis) to the held creature each round. If only these tendrils hold an opponent, the primal ghoul is not considered grappled. Improved Grab (Ex): To use this ability, a primal ghoul must hit with its tongue attack. If it establishes a hold, it can attempt to pull the victim to any position within its reach with an opposed Strength check. Paralysis (Ex): Those hit by a primal ghoul’s bite, claw, or tongue attack must succeed at a DC 16 Fortitude save or be paralyzed for 1d4+1 rounds. Even elves can be affected by this paralysis. The save DC is Charisma-based. Spines (Ex): Any creature grappling a primal ghoul takes 1d6 piercing damage each round from bony growths on the monster’s body. Stench (Ex): The stink of death and corruption surrounding these creatures is overwhelming. Living creatures within 15 feet must succeed a DC 16 Fortitude save or be sickened for 1d6+7 minutes. A creature that successfully saves cannot be affected by the same primal ghoul’s stench for 24 hours. A

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Grave Risen

Heightened Scent (Ex): Primal ghouls have the scent ability to a range of 90 feet, rather than the standard 30 feet (strong smells may increase this range). Within 30 feet, they can effectively “see” by means of scent, as if with the blindsight ability. Creatures that have no scent (such as incorporeal creatures or some constructs) cannot be “seen” by the primal ghoul’s sense of small. Skills: Primal ghouls have a +8 racial bonus on Listen checks. *When tracking by scent, they have a +10 racial bonus on Survival checks. They also have a +8 racial bonus on Search checks if the search might be aided by superior olfactory senses (for instance, finding a secret door when a creature has recently passed through it). Treasure Standard—As with any corporeal creature who utilizes tactics and is self-aware, treasure (specifically equipment) is something to be kept and later used as the situation warrants. As such, the primal ghoul keeps non-weapon/armor equipment on hand. Elixir of fire breath [1,100 gp] Ring of clumsiness (left behind when outmatched so opponents will be using it next time the primal ghoul attacks) [500 gp] 400 gp In Your Campaign As far as ghoul-level undead go, the primal ghoul is certainly the most dangerous. But hey do have one weakness that a kindly GM will let players exploit. The creature’s heightened scent ability is sharp enough to allow them to “see” but what if PCs can throw a blanket over that sense? By carrying or strategically placing particularly pungent items in a combat area, the primal ghoul’s scent ability can be thrown off or blocked altogether. Alternately, a few enterprising merchants now carry “stench sticks” which are very similar to smokesticks (Craft (alchemy) DC 20 and creator must be a spellcaster) for adventurers to use against these and other scentusing creatures. Stench stick: This alchemically treated wooden stick instantly creates pungent, translucent smoke when ignited. The smoke fills a 20-foot cube (treat the effect as a stinking cloud spell, except that a moderate or stronger wind dissipates the smoke in 1 round). The stick is consumed after 1d4 rounds, and the smoke dissipates naturally. In addition to the nauseating effect, any creature which has the scent or heightened scent ability are unable to use that ability while inside the stench cloud plus an additional 1d4 rounds after leaving the cloud. The cost for a stench stick is 40 gp and the weight is 1/2 lb.

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delay poison or neutralize poison spell removes the effect from a sickened creature. Creatures with immunity to poison are not affected, and those resistant to poison receive their normal bonus on saves. The save DC is Charisma-based.

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Medium Undead Hit Dice: 5d12+3 (35 hp) Initiative: +2 Speed: 30 ft. AC: 15 (+2 Dex, +3 natural), touch 12, flat-footed 13 Base Attack/Grapple: +2/+4 Attack: Claw +5 melee (1d4+2 plus blood poisoning) Full Attack: 2 claws +5 melee (1d4+2 plus blood poisoning) Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft. Special Attacks: Animate dead, blood poisoning Special Qualities: Darkvision 60 ft, +2 turn resistance, undead traits Saves: Fort +1, Ref +3, Will +6 Abilities: Str 14, Dex 15, Con —, Int 13, Wis 14, Cha 16 Skills: Climb +7, Escape Artist +5, Hide +8, Jump +5, Listen +8, Move Silently +8, Search +6, Spot +8 Feats: Toughness, Weapon Focus (claw) Environment: Any Organization: Solitary or troupe (1 grave risen plus 2-5 Medium zombies) Challenge Rating: 4 Treasure: None Alignment: Always chaotic evil Advancement: 6-12 HD (Medium); 13-15 HD (Large) Level Adjustment: —

This rotting, worm-ridden corpse is draped in tattered and loose fitting rags and dented armor. Blackened eye sockets serve as its eyes, and the stench of death clings to its body. Its nails are long and filthy, caked with soil from the grave. Grave risen are rotting undead creatures that upon first glance resemble zombies. They are created from a normal corpse in an area where the blood of a spellcaster is spilled and permeates the ground. The blood fuses with a corpse which sometimes animates as a grave risen. These creatures rarely wander far from the area where they were risen, preferring the stench of death and the serenity of death that lingers in the air. Grave risen have no love for the living and attack living creatures on sight. Living creatures slain by a grave risen are clawed and mutilated and then buried in a shallow grave by the grave risen as a mockery of its own current existence. Grave risen do not speak or communicate; only occasionally loosing guttural tones from their rotting vocal organs. Combat Since grave risen are rarely encountered anywhere but cemeteries, burial grounds, or the like, they usually begin combat by animating corpses and sending them against their aggressors. After animating corpses, the grave risen attempts to down its foes with its filthy claws. Slain foes are destroyed (as detailed above) and are not consumed by a grave risen. Animate Dead (Sp): Once per day, a grave risen can animate dead, as the spell (caster level 5th). Blood Poisoning (Ex): A creature hit by a claw attack must succeed on a DC 15 Fortitude save or contract blood poisoning.

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Gray Death

Treasure None—Grave risen see any equipment and treasure as part of their living existence and throw each piece they find as far away as possible; most likely into the nearest running water source. In Your Campaign Besides the locations listed above, PCs are likely to encounter grave risen on former battlefields where spellcasters have also fallen and shed blood. As such, there is still a heap of corpses the grave risen can animate as needed. The grave risen work well in adventures where a main villain isn’t present. For example, perhaps the PCs are sent to find a magical weapon lost in a battle decades ago. When they arrive at the battleground, the area is littered with grave risen. The problem is two-fold here; for even if the PCs could dispatch all of the grave risen and their zombies (or otherwise sneak onto the battlefield to search without being noticed), how can they be sure that the weapon has not already been pitched like these undead do with all treasure. If the PCs come up empty-handed on a search, they might try throwing another sword into the protected area. Then they can monitor what happens when a grave risen finds it. Does he throw it somewhere obvious, like a nearby river, or does he drop it into a deep chasm which was hidden to the PCs up until that point?

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This deals 1 point of Constitution damage to the victim per minute until the victim dies or the blood poisoning is healed. A neutralize poison or remove disease spell rids the victim of blood poisoning, as does a DC 15 Heal check. Multiple wounds to the same foe do not result in multiple instances of blood poisoning. The save DC and check DC are both Charismabased.

Large Undead (Fire) Hit Dice: 12d12 (78 hp) Initiative: +7 Speed: Fly 30 ft. (good) AC: 15 (-1 size, +3 Dex, +3 deflection), touch 15, flat-footed 12 Base Attack/Grapple: +6/— Attack: Touch +8 melee (burn) Full Attack: Touch +8 melee (burn) Space/Reach: 10 ft./10 ft. Special Attacks: Burn, engulf, smother Special Qualities: Blindsight 120 ft., cloudform, damage reduction 5/magic, fire subtype, immunity to sonic, lifesense, undead traits Saves: Fort +4, Ref +7, Will +9 Abilities: Str —, Dex 17, Con —, Int 10, Wis 13, Cha 16 Skills: Hide +11, Move Silently +15, Search +12, Spot +13, Survival +13 Feats: Combat Reflexes, Dodge, Flyby Attack, Improved Initiative, Mobility Environment: Warm desert Organization: Solitary Challenge Rating: 7 Treasure: None Alignment: Always neutral evil Advancement: 13-19 HD (Large); 20-36 HD (Huge) Level Adjustment: — A towering gray form flies toward you. It has a vaguely humanoid upper body with a swirl of ash and dirt as the lower body beneath. As the creature nears, you see a smoky mouth and pupiless eyes open on its face. Behind each opening is a fiery red glow emanating from the bowels of the monster. Born from a creature that was burned alive, the gray death seeks to destroy all living creatures in revenge for its current state. When this creature dies, its spirit gathers up the elemental force which slew it. The soul then drifts slowly and invisibly for 1d4 days before reforming up to a mile from the place of its death. The gray death’s “birth” is a spectacular display of fiery explosions contained within a 10-foot area. A gray death avoids all bodies of water, even to the point of giving up pursuit of living prey. Despite the fact that the gray death flies, it still does not cross larger bodies of water no matter how high it climbs. Knowledgeable adventurers try to use this fact to their advantage when they are forced to fight a gray death. Combat Gray deaths pursue and engage all living creatures they find. They use their great agility and flight to close with slow-moving opponents, usually reserving Flyby Attack and their engulf ability for quicker foes or against greater numbers of targets. Burn (Ex): A gray death’s touch attack deals 2d6 points of fire damage. Flammable substances or creatures touched by a gray death must make a DC 15 Reflex save or be ignited (see “Catching on Fire” in the DMG). A creature or flammable item that remains in contact with the gray death for 1 full round takes

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resulting birth explosion inflicts 4d6 points of fire damage to any creatures within the 10-foot by 10-foot area.

Engulf (Ex): A gray death can simply engulf creatures smaller than itself. It cannot make a touch attack on a round during which it attempts to engulf. To engulf a target, the gray death need only move into that creature’s space. The target of the engulf attack may make an attack of opportunity against the gray death, but doing so prevents it from making a Reflex save (DC 10 + 1/2 the gray death’s HD + the gray death’s Dex modifier) to avoid being engulfed. Engulfed creatures automatically take burn damage every round and are also smothered (see below). Creatures that succeed their Reflex save dodge back or aside (player’s choice) when the gray death move into their space. The body of a creature slain while engulfed by a gray death bursts into flames and is completely consumed at the beginning of the gray death’s next turn. The ashes of victims one or two sizes smaller than the gray death merge with it and cause it to grow; a victim two sizes smaller grants it one extra HD, while a victim one size smaller grants it 2 HD (up to its maximum of 36 HD and size Huge). A resist energy (fire) spell cast on the victim’s corpse prevents this transformation for 1d4 rounds, while a protection from energy (fire) spell cast on the victim’s corpse prevents the transformation for the spell’s duration. Similar spells or powers also retard or stop this process, at the GM’s discretion. Touch-range healing spells applied to an engulfed creature damage the gray death instead. Smother (Ex): Any creature engulfed by a gray death must make a DC 16 Reflex save or begin to smother. If the creature makes its save, it catches its breath in time and merely begins the process of suffocation normally (see “Suffocation” in the DMG). If the save failed, the creature is nauseated, and is unable to hold its breath: It must begin making Constitution checks immediately (per the suffocation rules) to avoid passing out and suffocating. Leaving the gray death ends the checks, but a creature that had begun to make Constitution checks is nauseated for 1d3 rounds after leaving the death’s space. Successfully turning a gray death forces it to expel any engulfed victims. Cloudform (Ex): This ability is identical to the effects of the spell gaseous form. Lifesense (Su): Gray deaths can sense the presence and the direction toward all living creatures within one mile. Treasure None—The gray death barely has a body, much less the need, to carry treasure. In Your Campaign When a gray death is born in its fiery explosion, it is actually triggered by a tiny pinprick which links the Elemental Plane of Fire to the Material Plane. When the soul which powers this undead dies in a fire, it then searches for a more permanent source of fire to power itself. The soul spark drifts for a time because it unconsciously is looking for a “weak” area where the Fire Plane can be accessed. When it finds such an area, the

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16 points of fire damage.

This can be a real problem if a massive fire sweeps through an urban community. If even just a handful of those slain turn into gray deaths, their subsequent births could inflict even more damage to parts of the city not even near the original fire.

A sage knowledgeable in the undead (specifically the gray death) will hire an adventuring band after a local fire to search for potential gray death soul sparks before they can explode into their true forms. Characters can locate these dangerous soul sparks with any of the usual means used to detect invisible creatures. Once located, the spirit can be put to rest by either inflicting 12 points of damage to it (with magic only) or by succeeding a turn undead check against it as if it were a 6 Hit Dice creature.

Hoar Spirit

Medium Undead (Cold) Hit Dice: 5d12 (32 hp) Initiative: +2 Speed: 30 ft. AC: 17 (+2 Dex, +5 natural), touch 12, flat-footed 15 Base Attack/Grapple: +2/+5 Attack: Claw +6 melee (1d4+3 plus 1d3 cold and glaciate) Full Attack: 2 claws +6 melee (1d4+3 plus 1d3 cold and glaciate) Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft. Special Attacks: Cold, cone of cold, glaciation Special Qualities: Cold subtype, darkvision 60 ft., sense heat, undead traits Saves: Fort +1, Ref +3, Will +6 Abilities: Str 17, Dex 15, Con —, Int 10, Wis 15, Cha 15 Skills: Balance +7, Climb +7, Hide +8, Listen +10, Move Silently +7, Spot +10 Feats: Alertness, Weapon Focus (claw) Environment: Any cold land Organization: Pair or gang (6-11) Challenge Rating: 3 Treasure: None Alignment: Always chaotic evil Advancement: 6-10 HD (Medium) Level Adjustment: — This being is a gaunt humanoid dressed in tattered rags. Its skin and pale gray and ice crystals have formed on various parts of its body. Its hands end in claws, each with translucent icy blue nails. Its eyes are frozen open and show no signs of life. Believed to be the spirits of humanoids that freeze to death either because of their own mistakes or because of some ritualistic exile into the icy wastes by their culture, hoar spirits haunt the icy wastelands of the world seeking warm-blooded living creatures to share their icy hell.

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Hoar spirits do not speak, and it is not known if they even understand language at all. They have a distinctive low-pitched moan that sounds like a whistling wind blowing though ice and snow covered trees. Combat When confronted, a hoar spirit attacks with its claws attempting to freeze its foe. If facing multiple opponents, a hoar spirit blasts them with its cone of cold before engaging them with its claws. Creatures killed by a hoar spirit are dragged to its icy lair, kept on ice, and devoured at the monster’s leisure. Cold (Ex): Hoar spirits generate intense cold. Any melee hit deals cold damage. creatures attacking the hoar spirit unarmed or with natural weapons suffer cold damage each time their attack hits. Cone of Cold (Sp): Once per day, a hoar spirit can produce an effect similar to a cone of cold spell. The cone is 30 feet long and deals 3d6 points of cold damage to creatures caught in the area. A successful DC 14 Reflex save halves the damage. The save DC is Charisma-based. Glaciation (Su): A creature hit by a hoar spirit’s claw must succeed on a DC 14 Fortitude save or be overcome with bonenumbing cold that paralyzes the opponent for 1d4+1 rounds and deals 1 point of Dexterity damage. The save DC is Charismabased. Sense Heat (Su): Hoar spirits can detect heat (such as that generated by living creatures) in a 60-foot radius. This includes the heat given off by invisible creatures. This ability can be stopped or started as a detect evil spell (caster level 7th) except there is no chance the hoar spirit is stunned and it is not blocked by stone, wood, or other material. Treasure None—After their rebirth as hoar spirits, these humanoids leave all equipment buried where they died. Equipment and other accoutrements only get in the way between a hoar spirit and heated flesh. Using a weapon would deprive a hoar spirit from the pleasure of tearing at living creatures with its own icy claws. In Your Campaign The fact that no hoar spirits are encountered on their own can point to a more unusual cause than is stated above. Instead of attributing it to like minds, perhaps hoar spirits are the result of a magical device hidden in the icy wastes of the spirits’ home. While calling to these undead to unearth itself, the gem might also have a “hive mind” effect on the spirits. Not only are they drawn to each other, but they can, as a variant ability, share each others’ thoughts. Adding this ability increases the hoar spirit’s CR by +1 and reads like that for a formian: Hive Mind (Ex):

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All formians within 50 miles of their queen are in constant communication. If one is aware of a particular danger, they all are. If one in a group is not flatfooted, none of them are. No formian in a group is considered flanked unless all of them are.

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Hoar spirits are rarely encountered alone. Though they act independently and never communicate to each other, something draws these creatures to each other. Perhaps some semblances of their former lives or maybe like-minded creatures that share the same fate are drawn together. Sages have speculated on this for ages.

The unifying factor might not be a magic item, but could be the lost fragments of a forgotten ice deity. The godling was thought destroyed in a long-ago struggle and the pieces of its body were flung to the ends of the campaign world. However, the pieces which landed in the godling’s native environment (arctic cold) are still powerful enough to animate and call upon the hoar spirits to find them.

Inscriber

Medium Undead Hit Dice: 4d12 (26 hp) Initiative: +0 Speed: 30 ft. AC: 14 (+4 natural), touch 10, flat-footed 14 Base Attack/Grapple: +2/-3 Attack: Slam +3 melee (1d4+1 plus mnemonic exchange) Full Attack: Slam +3 melee (1d4+1 plus mnemonic exchange) Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft. Special Attacks: Mnemonic exchange, confusion aura Special Qualities: Absorb text, spell-like abilities, darkvision 60 ft., fast healing 1, undead traits Saves: Fort +1, Ref +1, Will +5 Abilities: Str 12, Dex 10, Con —, Int 19, Wis 13, Cha 15 Skills: Concentration +7, Craft or Knowledge (any two) +14, Decipher Script +11, Listen +5, Move Silently +2, Profession (any one) +8, Search +11, Sense Motive +7, Spot +5 Feats: Skill Focus (any Craft or Knowledge) (2) Environment: Any Organization: Solitary Challenge Rating: 4 Treasure: Standard Alignment: Always neutral Advancement: 5-12 HD (Medium) Level Adjustment: — A gray-skinned corpse in tattered common clothes leers at you with soft yellow eyes. Despite being on the verge of decomposition, the creature’s skin is covered in strange black writing. It has been said that the search for knowledge can be a soulconsuming pursuit. The unfortunate case of the inscribers proves the saying’s literal truth. Every inscriber was once a living scholar who obsessed over a certain field of study. Some inscribers devoted their lives to particulars of occult lore, while others strove to catalog every species of plant in existence, or to learn the secrets of creating perfect wine. Regardless of their missions, they shared the same end: after death, their lust for knowledge overcame the laws of nature, driving them to search the world for further information. But with their minds shattered and their self-identities subsumed by their missions, inscribers are unable to learn from experience.

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Many inscribers have a gray cast to their skin due to the bleeding of the magical ink used to write on themselves. The writing is an inscriber’s summary and analysis of absorbed texts and memories, and is constantly scrawled over blank flesh as if by an invisible pen. When inscribers run out of room on their bodies, they tear off strips of skin, and press the “pages” into enormous tomes they carry at all times. The skin soon regrows, and is filled with writing once again. Inscribers use their absorbed information to determine where to search for more. They travel to libraries, monasteries, the homes of experts in their fields, and wherever else they might acquire knowledge. Though they rarely cause harm intentionally, inscribers can bring great misfortune to populated areas, due to the auras of confusion that surround them. Inscribers do not speak, but understand Common and any languages they knew in life. An inscriber is exceedingly difficult to communicate with, but a creature who gets an inscriber’s attention by displaying knowledge of the inscriber’s chosen field has a chance of getting through to what remains of the scholar’s mind. When this happens, the inscriber’s writing slows, as it lets its focus slip. There are stories of inscribers who, reminded of their lives, chose to assist those who approached them by giving away some of their knowledge. Combat Inscribers generally pursue their own tasks, ignoring others and protected by their confusion auras. Inscribers who are attacked or have their tomes stolen will use any appropriate spell-like abilities they have absorbed on their opponents, and then, if brought into melee, daze and drain their enemies. Mnemonic Exchange (Su): Intelligent creatures hit by an inscriber’s slam attack are affected by one of two possible effects (inscriber’s choice). The inscriber can either cause the creature 1d6 points of Intelligence damage, learning all that the creature knows about the inscriber’s area of study in the process, or infuse the creature with a portion of the inscriber’s own knowledge. In the latter case, the creature gains a +6 competence bonus on a Craft, Knowledge, or Profession skill possessed by the inscriber for a number of days equal to the creature’s Intelligence modifier, and must immediately succeed on a DC 16 Will save or be dazed for 2d12 rounds. This is a mind-affecting effect. The save DC is Intelligence-based. Confusion Aura (Su): All intelligent creatures who come within 40 feet of an inscriber have their minds flooded with images and words related to the inscriber’s field of study. An affected creature must succeed on a DC 14 Will save or be overwhelmed by the torrent of information and confused for 2d4 rounds. Creatures who make successful saves cannot be affected again by that inscriber’s confusion aura for 24 hours. An inscriber’s confusion aura is a mind-affecting phantasm effect. The save DC is Constitution-based.

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Instead, they rob the memories of the living and drink the text of books.

written materials within 15 feet as a standard action. By concentrating, the inscriber lifts all writing off nearby surfaces, and the text swirls through the air into the inscriber’s mouth. Affected objects are left blank, and the inscriber gains full knowledge of all absorbed text. Only text written with some form of liquid (whether ink, dye, or blood) is affected. Objects the inscriber is unaware of (such as hidden objects, and objects inside containers) are unharmed, and attended or magical items can make DC 14 Will saves to resist. The save DC is Charismabased. If the inscriber absorbs the text of a scroll, the inscriber gains the ability to cast the scroll’s spells once each as a spelllike ability. Spell-Like Abilities: At the start of any encounter, a given inscriber is assumed to have absorbed 1d4+1 scrolls. The inscriber can cast each spell from a scroll once, as a spell-like ability, at the scroll’s caster level. The contents of absorbed scrolls can be determined as if they were medium magic items found in a treasure. The inscriber can also convert (as a good cleric converts prepared spells to cure spells) spell-like abilities gained from scrolls into any of the following: discern location, find the path, illusory script (DC 15), legend lore, secret page, sepia snake sigil (DC 15). Caster level 7th. The save DCs are Charisma-based. Inscribers activate their spell-like abilities by tearing off skin where mystic text is written, and holding the scraps aloft. The skin cannot be used by creatures other than the inscriber.

Inscribers’ Tomes: A typical inscriber’s tome weighs about 4 pounds and is slightly smaller than a human torso. It has no inherent magical qualities, but may be warded with illusory script and sepia snake sigil. The text is written in the inscriber’s native language, and its style is confusing and opaque. Nonetheless, an inscriber’s tome is an extremely comprehensive and valuable resource on a given subject. A creature using an inscriber’s tome for research must make an appropriate Craft, Knowledge, or Profession check in the inscriber’s area of study to understand enough of the text to find useful information. The DC for this check ranges from 15 for relatively common information, to 30 for extremely complicated or obscure topics. Inscribers will fight to the death to protect their tomes, and abandon their quests to recover them. Treasure Standard—The treasure of an inscriber is always related to its field of study. Given below are items having to do with the study of rust monsters. Loose coins are kept in separate belt pouches so that trails can be left for a rust monster to follow to another location the inscriber desires (as well as to note its reaction to different metals). Large well-done wool tapestry (depicting a rust monster with draconic wings) [350 gp] Crowbar [2 gp] Masterwork dagger (x2; both with rust monsters depicted on the handles) [302 gp] 20 cp 58 sp 138 gp 10 pp

Absorb Text (Su): An inscriber can absorb the text of all

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It is said that, centuries ago, a trickster god convinced a young man to devote his life to researching the other gods. The minor deity wished to learn his greaters’ weaknesses and knew that only a lowly mortal might succeed at the task (the trickster was forbidden to even speak of such knowledge). That young man became so involved with the cosmic directive that he died and became the first inscriber. It is only now that the trickster discovered the young man succeeded in his mission and the deity searches for the undead. The obvious adventure idea here is for the PCs to keep the trickster from finding the ancient inscriber while trying to learn where the former scholar is traveling to and possibly gain his allegiance.

Jikini

Medium Undead Hit Dice: 2d12+3 (16 hp) Initiative: +1 Speed: 20 ft., climb 20 ft., swim 20 ft. AC: 13 (+1 Dex, +2 natural), touch 11, flat-footed 12 Base Attack/Grapple: +1/+2 Attack: Bite +2 melee (1d6+1 plus disease) Full Attack: Bite +2 melee (1d6+1 plus disease) Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft. Special Attacks: Minor rot Special Qualities: Darkvision 60 ft, eat corpse, +2 turn resistance, undead traits Saves: Fort +0, Ref +1, Will +4 Abilities: Str 13, Dex 13, Con —, Int 13, Wis 13, Cha 13 Skills: Balance +14, Climb +14, Hide +10, Listen +10, Spot +10, Swim +9 Feats: Toughness Environment: Any land or underground Organization: Solitary or gang (2-5) Challenge Rating: 2 Treasure: None Alignment: Always chaotic evil Advancement: 3-5 HD (Medium) Level Adjustment: — A bone-white serpent slithers clumsily into your view. Its bulk protrudes disgustingly with undigested bones. Powerful jaws snap together as it notes your presence. Fashioned from common vipers, jikini were created for a good purpose—to dispose of dead bodies after a plague swept through the region. Unfortunately, their undead nature turned these snakes to evil, mutating their poisonous bite into a disease and increasing their mental attributes to dangerous levels. When they were finished with their task of corpse clean-up, they

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turned on those creators and caused the destruction of several communities. Since that time their kind has dispersed to claim marshes all over the continent.

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In Your Campaign When an adventure or even a campaign focuses on the written word, the normally benign inscribers become deadly foes. While a party of adventurers seeking information might be able to gather information from a local bard, it is far more likely that they require a library for proper research on the topic. If an enemy wants to keep the knowledge hidden, directing an inscriber to the library is the best way.

Some sages speculate that these undead are controlled by a Large jikini of great power and intelligence but this theory is, thankfully, as yet unsubstantiated. The jikini can speak Common and one language native to the region they are in (GM’s choice). Their speech is raspy and accented by soft squish from their throats at the end of every statement. Combat Jikini prefer to attack from a hidden position if at all possible, climbing to a decent height before dropping on their victims being a preferable tactic. The jikini is also capable of making use of nearby areas of water to both attack from and lead victims into. Minor Rot (Su): Disease—bite, Fortitude DC 12, incubation period 1 day, 1 Con and 1 Con. The save DC is Charismabased. Eat Corpse: One disgusting aspect of the jikini nature can actually work against them in combat. Due to their everravenous hunger, corpse-eaters are prone to falling upon any fresh corpse they encounter, including those of their fallen comrades, becoming momentarily oblivious to their surroundings while they feed. To avoid this potentially suicidal behavior, jikini must succeed a Will save (DC 15) or spend a full round greedily gulping down chunks of flesh, thus losing their Dexterity bonus to AC and granting opponents a +4 bonus to their attack rolls. Skills: Like the snakes they are created from, jikini have a +4 racial bonus on Hide, Listen, and Spot checks and a +8 racial bonus on Balance and Climb checks. Jikini can always choose to take 10 on a Climb check, even if rushed or threatened. Jikini use either their Strength modifier or Dexterity modifier for Climb checks, whichever is higher. It has a +8 racial bonus on any Swim check to perform some special action or avoid a hazard. Jikini can always choose to take 10 on a Swim check, even if distracted or endangered. It can use the run action while swimming, provided it swims in a straight line. Treasure None—If the jikini have goals, collecting treasure is not one of them. In Your Campaign Any character hailing from a region with temperate marshes may have heard of the jikini and know about their origins (Knowledge (local) check DC 17). Such knowledge can grant a distinct advantage especially in light of the undead’s eat corpse quality. Instead of the origin story given above, the jikini can make for a good one-shot adventure by twisting the story. Perhaps the jikini are the result of one tribe of humanoids being cursed into this form. They beg the PCs to help them escape undeath and the curse by slaying a nearby sorcerer. But after further

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investigation and a hasty explanation by the sorcerer at the end of the characters’ blades, circumstances may reveal that these jikini were cursed for a very good reason.

Medium Undead Hit Dice: 10d12 (65 hp) Initiative: +5 Speed: 30 ft., climb 20 ft. AC: 26 (+5 Dex, +6 natural, +5 profane), touch 15, flat-footed 21 Base Attack/Grapple: +5/+9 Attack: Claw +14 melee (1d8+9) Full Attack: 2 claws +14 melee (1d8+9) and bite +12 melee (1d6+7) Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft. Special Attacks: Curse Special Qualities: Greater darksight 60 ft., profane aura, sense bad ju-ju, undead traits Saves: Fort +8, Ref +13, Will +13 Abilities: Str 18, Dex 20, Con —, Int 14, Wis 12, Cha 17 Skills: Hide +8, Intimidate +6, Knowledge (arcana) +10, Listen +13, Move Silently +8, Open Lock +10, Search +12, Spellcraft +10, Spot +11 Feats: Alertness, Combat Reflexes, Dodge, Multiattack Environment: Any Organization: Solitary Challenge Rating: 12 Treasure: Special (see text) Alignment: Usually neutral evil Advancement: 11-20 HD (Medium); 21-30 HD (Large) Level Adjustment: — A skeleton of red-hued bone crouches slightly in an attack posture. Knives and other bric-abrac jut from the monster at wicked angles, making the skeleton appear quite patchwork. Its cranium is ablaze with a hellish crimson radiance. Lectors are intelligent undead creatures that scour the cities of the world looking for items with powerful negative auras to augment their physical bodies. It is not entirely known how a lector forms, though it is believed that a lector is created when an ordinary skeletal undead creature comes into contact with a powerful evil object. When such an event occurs, the skeleton is endowed with a powerful intelligence and a desire to seek out and find other such

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Lector

items and absorb them into itself. The items that the lector acquires bestow it with intense power, making it a dangerous and frightening opponent.

The objects that lectors seek are unique, and need not be magical in nature; they must simply have histories involving evil acts. A lector may be attracted to a kitchen knife that a woman used to murder her husband, a teddy bear that was used to smother a child, a manacle that kept a slave imprisoned for 40 years, or a toy that caused one child to push another out of a high window in a fit of greed. Weapons are the most common types of objects sought, especially those that have been used to kill good creatures. Once a lector acquires such an item, it attaches it to its grotesque body somehow. Lectors often add knives and blades to their claws and teeth, embellishing their already cruel and wicked nature. Other items are tied on or wedged between bones, left dangling strangely. As a lector acquires objects, it takes on their evil energies, becoming more and more powerful. Combat A lector roams at random about the cityscape’s underbelly, following its ability to sense powerful magic items of evil taint. When it picks up on an aura, it moves towards it, attacking and killing anything that makes an effort to prevent it from getting

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Curse (Su): The profane aura that surrounds a lector’s head empowers its bite attack with deadly magic. Anyone bit by a lector must make a Will save (DC 18) or be cursed (as bestow curse). The lector may choose what type of curse to bestow, but it is usually the “befuddlement” curse—opponents are unable to act 50% of the time. Greater Darksight (Su): A lector receives the effect of a permanent darksight spell from its profane aura, giving it darkvision to a range of 60 ft. as well as the ability to see in all forms of magical darkness, including deeper darkness. Profane Aura (Su): As a lector gathers items of power around it, it begins to acquire an aura of profane energy. In appearance, this aura makes it look as if the creature’s head is engulfed in flames. The aura serves both to protect the creature as well as to empower its attacks and damage rolls. The strength of the aura is equal to half the lector’s HD, rounded down, and is added to all attack rolls, damage rolls, saves, and to the creature’s AC. Sense Bad Ju-Ju (Su): If a lector comes within 100 feet of an object considered by the GM to have an evil taint, it feels a mental tug in the direction of the item. The range of this ability may be extended with particularly evil objects or artifacts. Treasure Special—A lector has no lair, but if it is ever destroyed, it leaves its objects behind as a form of treasure. These items are equivalent to standard treasure for the creature, but all magical items in the hoard are cursed, and all nonmagical items—if not cursed as well—are sure to bring bad luck to anyone that takes them. In Your Campaign The statistics above represent a typical lector’s profane power. This power is dependant on the number of evil items it has affixed to its body (in this case, five). For every evilly tainted item removed (or added) to its body, the profane bonus is reduced (or strengthened) by 1. Characters who have done their homework on these undead might attempt to weaken the lector’s profane power by ripping off the tainted items. This requires a successful disarm attempt to cut a bound item or, alternately, the character can try grabbing an item that is simply wedged into the skeletal structure. In either case, the lector receives a +4 bonus to its opposed attack roll and cannot attempt to disarm the PC if they fail. A character who successfully grabs one of the profane items takes 1 point of damage per round until it is dropped. Lectors are often used by more powerful undead to locate missing artifacts and other miscellaneous magic of evil origins. For when the lector returns to the lord’s lair, it is plucked of all

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interesting magical wares, usually reducing its profane bonus back to the typical level. Interestingly enough, more than one adventuring party has discovered that a lector has been shadowing it for months, acquiring tainted items the characters left behind as “unworthy” mundane items.

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what it wants. It slices its foes to bits with its sharp claws and pierces and curses them with its jagged teeth. A lector fights to the finish and never retreats or flees once battle is engaged. Lectors are not stupid, however, and if they feel greatly outmatched by an opponent they can be quite patient, remaining in hiding and waiting for the right opportunity to strike.

Murder-Born

Tiny Undead (Incorporeal) Hit Dice: 6d12 (39 hp) Initiative: +6 Speed: fly 40 ft. (good) AC: 17 (+2 size, +2 Dex, +3 deflection), touch 17, flat-footed 15 Base Attack/Grapple: +3/— Attack: Incorporeal touch +7 melee (1d4 Charisma drain) Full Attack: Incorporeal touch +7 melee (1d4 Charisma drain) Space/Reach: 2-1/2 ft./0 ft. Special Attacks: Charisma damage, despondent wail Special Qualities: Darkvision 60 ft., incorporeal traits, sense living, undead traits, unnatural aura Saves: Fort +2, Ref +4, Will +7 Abilities: Str —, Dex 15, Con —, Int 14, Wis 14, Cha 16 Skills: Hide +12, Intimidate +12, Listen +11, Search +11, Sense Motive +11, Spot +11 Feats: Combat Reflexes, Improved Initiative, Strength of the Grave Environment: Any Organization: Solitary or (very rarely) pair Challenge Rating: 6 Treasure: None Alignment: Always chaotic evil Advancement: 7-12 HD (Small) Level Adjustment: — This creature appears as a ghostly child with translucent, yet delicate features. Its unholy eyes rage with absolute and thorough evil. Spawned of hatred when both mother and child are murdered, the rapacious soul of the unborn sometimes rises as a foul and corrupt spirit. It is bent on exacting revenge against its killers and against all living creatures it crosses. Driven mad by its unloving existence, the murder-born has blurred its senses into believing that every living creature is responsible for its current state and it never hesitates to attack any that come within range of it. A murder-born is always encountered within 500 feet of the place it was killed. It is a solitary creature, though very rarely, when twins are involved, two of these cursed creatures may be encountered. Neither is aware of the other’s presence; they do not communicate, interact, or even see each other. They are oblivious to the other’s existence. Whether this is because the creatures are so driven with rage it blinds them, or because some magical and mystical force prevents them from interacting, is unknown.

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Murder-born do not speak but seem to understand a variety of

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knew a mother and unborn child who recently died. Wouldn’t they be in for a shock when, after visiting the grave site, they are attacking by a murder-born which closely resembles the mother? Would that PC allow his party (much less himself) to destroy the undead without trying to otherwise bring it peace?

Combat A murder-born closes quickly when it detects a living creature in its realm. It always opens combat by unleashing its despondent wail. It then moves to melee and uses its incorporeal touch to destroy its enemies. Unless driven away or its opponents flee, a murder-born attacks relentlessly until it is destroyed. Charisma Damage (Su): A murder-born causes 1d4 points of Charisma drain each time it hits with its incorporeal touch attack. On each such attack, it gains 5 temporary hit points. At Charisma 0, a creature dies. Despondent Wail (Su): Twice per day, as a standard action, a murder-born can unleash a child-like wail. Any living creature within 60 feet that hears the wail must succeed on a DC 16 Will save or be overcome with supernatural feelings of hopelessness. An affected creature suffers a -10% penalty to all XP earned from this point forward until the curse is removed. A remove curse or break enchantment (requiring a DC 20 caster level check for either spell), limited wish, wish, or miracle breaks the curse, but XP “lost” while this curse is in effect are not regained. Whether or not the save is successful, that creature cannot be affected again by the same murder-born’s despondent wail for one day. The save DC is Charisma-based. Sense Living (Su): A murder-born can detect living creatures within 100 feet, just as if it possessed the blindsight ability. It also senses the strength of their life force automatically, as if it had cast deathwatch. Unnatural Aura (Su): Both wild and domesticated animals can sense the unnatural presence of a murder-born at a distance of 30 feet. They will not willingly approach nearer than that and panic if forced to do so; they remain panicked as long as they are within that range. Treasure None—The murder-born isn’t even aware of the humanoid need for “things” in its life. Therefore, even if it could use treasure, it would not collect it. In Your Campaign Yet another undead that rises because of the way it was slain. However, the murder-born has above-average intelligence and a distinctly unique form in that of a small baby. While the murder-born’s objective is to kill living creatures, it does not need to do so recklessly. It can pretend to be a helpless infant, weeping softly until its living victims draw close enough for a despondent wail. While inherently intelligent, the murder-born gains its knowledge of its domain from its mother. The more familiar she was with the surroundings, the more the murder-born is as well (and thus can use it to its advantage when attacking residents). This might also provide intimate knowledge of some individuals’ schedules, allowing the undead to attack when it is most convenient. Imagine if one of the PCs personally

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languages including Common.

New Feat Strength of the Grave [General] Undead that have been turned can attempt to recover and negate the turning effect. Prerequisites: Undead type, base attack bonus +2 Benefit: An undead that has been successfully turned and is fleeing or cowering can attempt a Will save (DC equal to the turning check that turned it). If successful, the undead creature is no longer turned, but is frightened and takes a -2 penalty on all attack rolls, saving throws, skill checks, and ability checks for the remainder of the time it would have been turned. If the save fails, the undead creature can attempt a new save each round, but the save DC increases by +1 each time. A creature that breaks the turning effect can be turned again.

Ndalawo

Medium Undead (Incorporeal) Hit Dice: 6d12 (39 hp) Initiative: +6 Speed: 40 ft., fly 60 ft. (good) AC: 17 (+6 Dex, +1 deflection), touch 17, flat-footed 11 Base Attack/Grapple: +3/— Attack: Bite +9 melee (1d6 temporary Strength) Full Attack: Bite +9 melee (1d6 temporary Strength) and 2 claws +4 melee (1d4 temporary Strength) Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft. Special Attacks: Create spawn, pounce, strength damage Special Qualities: Darkvision 60 ft., incorporeal traits, turn resistance +3, undead traits Saves: Fort +2, Ref +8, Will +7 Abilities: Str —, Dex 22, Con —, Int 5, Wis 14, Cha 6 Skills: Balance +14, Hide +16, Listen +4, Spot +4 Feats: Dodge, Mobility, Weapon Finesse Environment: Warm forest and underground Organization: Solitary or troupe (1 and 2-5 shadows) Challenge Rating: 6 Treasure: None Alignment: Always neutral evil Advancement: 7-12 HD (Medium) Level Adjustment: — This powerful feline form is a large as a man but shadowy in appearance. Dark spots on the creature’s hide drift of their own accord as the monster tenses to strike. Also known as a shadow leopard, the ndalawo is a leopard that has been transformed into an undead shadow of its former self. Though they prefer to prey on other leopards, perpetuating their foul species, they occasionally attack humanoids as well.

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Nec’Haan

Create Spawn (Su): Any humanoid reduced to a Strength score of 0 by a shadow leopard becomes a shadow under control of its killer within 1d4 rounds. A leopard reduced to 0 Strength by a ndalawo becomes a new shadow leopard within 1d6 rounds. In both cases, the creature does not retain any of its previous characteristics, such as those based on race, class, or creature type, but rather uses the standard d20 rules for shadows if a humanoid or the ndalawo stats given here if a leopard. Pounce (Ex): If a ndalawo leaps on a foe during the first round of combat, it can make a full attack even if it has already taken a move-action. Strength Damage (Su): Any living creature struck by a ndalawo’s claws suffers 1d4 points of temporary Strength damage, and any creature struck by its bite suffers 1d6 points of temporary Strength damage. Any creature killed by the ndalawo becomes an undead shadow (see Create Spawn above). Skills: A ndalawo’s shadowy appearance gives it a +8 racial bonus to hide checks. It also receives a +8 racial bonus to Balance checks; these bonuses are already figured into the stats above. Treasure None—As an incorporeal monster, the ndalawo has little need or desire for treasure. As an undead leopard, it has even less need or desire for it. Any items or coins found near to this creature are likely from the bodies of its now-shadowy victims. In Your Campaign Like most undead, the ndalawo is best used in an adventure at night or underground. The shadow leopard has no specific weakness to light, it simply does not care for it. Survivors of an ndalawo troupe’s attack report that the monsters are particularly averse to moonlight. The shadow leopard’s lair deep within jungle or other forested areas. Despite their incorporeal natures, ndalawo that are on their own tend to think like the leopards they once were, moving around objects instead of through them. Observant characters might somehow be able to capitalize on this weakness. An ndalawo makes a great addition to the minions of a deity of shadow in your campaign. As long as they are assured the chance to propagate their shadowy kind, they can be persuaded into the service of a shadow cult or other evil group. Ndalawo are best used as spies and assassins given their incorporeal nature. The creatures’ lack of signature alliances makes it difficult for investigating PCs to deduce just who the ndalawo are working for (or indeed if they are working for anyone).

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Combat The ndalawo prefers to attack with surprise. If it is unable to do so, it usually waits until a more opportune moment presents itself. Despite its caution, the creature is not cowardly, and rarely retreats once combat is joined.

Medium Magical Beast Hit Dice: 5d10+15 (37 hp) Initiative: +3 Speed: 50 ft. AC: 17 (+4 Dex, +3 natural), touch 14, flat-footed 13 Base Attack/Grapple: +5/+7 Attack: Bite +7 melee (1d8+3 plus necrotic bite) Full Attack: Bite +7 melee (1d8+3 plus necrotic bite) Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft. Special Attacks: Necrotic bite, trip Special Qualities: Damage reduction 5/magic, immunities, low-light vision, scent Saves: Fort +7, Ref +7, Will +1 Abilities: Str 14, Dex 17, Con 17, Int 3, Wis 10, Cha 6 Skills: Listen +4, Hide +5*, Spot +4, Survival +2* Feats: Alertness, Combat Reflexes Environment: Any land Organization: Solitary, pair, or pack (5-8) Challenge Rating: 5 Treasure: None Alignment: Always neutral Advancement: 6-9 (Medium); 10-15 (Large) Level Adjustment: +3 (cohort) This dog-like creature has green-brown fur and a bushy brown tail. Green ichor drips from its toothy maw as its yellow eyes watch you with open suspicion. The nec’haan is a trained hunter of the undead. This dog-like creature takes its name from an old Elvish tongue and translates to “death hound.” An unknown clan of elves bred the nec’haan not only to be used in their own territory but to be sold and bred for others against the vile roaming undead that occasionally haunt civilized areas. It is quite unusual for an elven patrol to not have at least one nec’haan with them. Many mistake the animal for a dog or wolf, but closer examination reveals that this hound is much different. Nec’haan feast, if at all possible, on the flesh of the dead. Despite this gruesome truth, the act is actually one of sanitary origin. The nec’haan have saved many a village not only from undead but from plague as well, the hounds eating the fallen victims before their bodies spoil and infect more folk. Combat Nec’haan are crafty hunters, usually employing tactics similar to those of hyena packs. Against more powerful opponents they are cautious (but fearless), rushing in and biting, then retreating to allow their necrotic bites to take their toll. Necrotic Bite (Su): Nec’haan saliva have acidic and necromantic properties that break down rotting flesh that the nec’haan can more easily digest their fetid diet. A nec’haan’s bite deals 1d6 points of acid damage to undead or dead flesh. However, this enzyme is also harmful to living tissue: Bites from a nec’haan do not heal naturally and must be cured with magic. Further, living creatures bitten may also contract a magical rotting disease: Nec’haan’s breath—injury, 1 day, DC 15, 1d3 Con. (The save is Constitution-based.)

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Necroling

Immunities (Ex): Nec’haan are immune to disease, fear, paralysis, ability damage, and ability or energy drain. Skills: *Due to their greenish-brown colorization, nec’haan have a +4 racial bonus on Hide checks in forests. When tracking by scent, they have a +4 racial bonus on Survival checks. Treasure None—The nec’haan has no interest or use for treasure of any kind. In Your Campaign Anyone with 5 or more ranks in Knowledge (arcana) can successfully harvest the saliva glands from a slain nec’haan. The amount of corrosive acid inside one gland (the creature has 4 glands) is enough to coat two Medium size weapons like a poison (or four Small weapons or one Large weapon). Once spread upon a weapon, the acid lasts for 24 hours or until the weapon strikes a creature twice in that time. Against undead, the coated weapon inflicts an extra 1d4 points of acid damage. On the open market, a vial of nec’haan acid (a vial contains one gland’s worth of fluid) can fetch up to 200 gp. Intelligent undead who have previously encountered a nec’haan may be reluctant to approach a residence which has one inside (or patrolling in the yard depending on the locale). An adventure idea could be that a noble worried about undead attack hires the PCs to find a pair of nec’haan and bring them to the man’s estate. The problem is where to find these hounds, especially if no known elven communities are nearby.

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Trip (Ex): A nec’haan that hits with its bite attack can attempt to trip the opponent (+7 check modifier) as a free action without making a touch attack or provoking an attack of opportunity. If the attempt fails, the target cannot react to trip the nec’haan.

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Tiny Undead Hit Dice: 4d12 (26 hp) Initiative: +7 Speed: Fly 30 feet (perfect) AC: 22 (+2 size, +7 Dex, +3 natural), touch 19, flat-footed 15 Base Attack/Grapple: +2/-2 Attack: Tiny short sword +11 melee (1d3+4) Full Attack: Tiny short sword +11 melee (1d3+4) and bite +6 melee (1 and sleep) Space/Reach: 2-1/2 ft./0 ft. Special Attacks: Sleep bite Special Qualities: Damage reduction 5/good, smoke form, retreat, vanishing bottle, undead traits Saves: Fort +1, Ref +8, Will +4 Abilities: Str 18, Dex 25, Con —, Int 13, Wis 10, Cha 10 Skills: Escape Artist +14, Hide +22, Listen +3, Move Silently +14, Search +4, Sense Motive +5, Spot +3 Feats: Dodge, Weapon Finesse Environment: Any land Organization: Solitary Challenge Rating: 4 Treasure: None Alignment: Usually neutral evil Level Adjustment: —

The form of this inky black creature can be seen only when it pauses its flight—a wispy humanoid upper body clad in tattered sheets of midnight. A funnel of darkness comprises the lower body, its tip marking the creature’s trail as far back as you can see. Two pinpricks of white radiance flash in its eye sockets before striking. The necroling is the heritage of all necromancers. Each student of the black arts is required to create a necroling of his own before more potent spells and powers are available to him. The necroling, commonly forgotten by the caster, is then used to guard his laboratory or other precious possessions. Designed so the necromancer can experience the feelings associated with death and rebirth as undead, the necroling is created with the spark of a soul who died unnaturally. The necromancer essentially puts a sliver of the angry soul inside its own tiny sarcophagus (in this case an ink bottle) after imbibing the emotions it experienced at death by way of dreams. The necroling is content to simply exist, holding some perverted sense of gratitude for the necromancer for extending its “life” even in this fashion. Combat Although necrolings are not the most imposing creatures, they can make terrifying combatants. They dart around with incredible speed, which grants them surprising reach for their size, biting at foes in order to incapacitate them before slashing with their tiny swords. Necrolings are inordinately strong for their tiny stature. A necroling can travel up to 100 feet from its bottle, always connected by a small tether of smoke (which can be disrupted without injuring the necroling, although the necroling senses the disturbance). Some necromancers who command necrolings

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the drawing of the necromantic glyph of undeath on the corpse’s forehead (requires a DC 12 Knowledge (arcana) check).

The only way to destroy a necroling is to smash the bottle. Due to its magical construction, such a vessel is treated as having hardness 10, with 10 hit points, and a Break DC of 26.

Once the spells have been cast and the glyph drawn, the necromancer must sleep next to the body for 8 hours with the enspelled ink vial on the other side. During the slumber, the necromancer imbibes the thoughts and feelings the corpse’s soul endured at the point of death. The spellcaster learns in vivid mind-wrenching detail what it means to cross the barrier from life into death. At the same time, the ink vial absorbs the last wisp of spirit before it leaves the corpse. This wisp becomes the necroling’s mind while the ink is used when the creature manifests a physical body.

Sleep Bite (Su): Anyone bitten by a necroling must make a successful DC 12 Fortitude save or fall into a deep slumber for 10d6 minutes. Smoke Form (Ex): Necrolings can turn gaseous at will, as if by the gaseous form spell cast by a 4th-level sorcerer. Retreat (Su): When a necroling is reduced to 0 hit points, it is not destroyed; instead, it automatically and instantaneously becomes gaseous, teleports into its bottle, and pulls in the stopper. After 24 hours, it returns to full strength and may once again exit its bottle. Vanishing Bottle (Su): Three times per night, as a standard action, a necroling may teleport its bottle up to 300 feet away; this functions as the vanish spell, except the necroling need not touch its bottle, there is no chance of the bottle being disintegrated, and the bottle cannot be sent to the Ethereal Plane. When the bottle teleports, the necroling travels with it. Of course, if the necroling perceives an attack directed at its bottle, it usually activates the bottle’s vanishing power to escape. The necroling has usually scouted out the surrounding area to find the most innocuous locations to hide its bottle in the event of an emergency (wine cellars and gutters are favorites). Treasure None—The necroling’s size and the place it calls home are both too small for treasure keeping. The creature’s very nature omits the desire for treasure but that same nature means that it is never very far from a necromancer’s laboratory. PCs that encounter a necroling and know what it is can deduce that the lab—and thus a room stocked with rare and expensive materials—is not far away. Hopefully the necromancer isn’t home… In Your Campaign So what starts a spellcaster on the road to becoming a necromancer? Are they all power-hungry wizards who cherish the dead more than the living? As with all things, the answer to such questions lies with the individual. If you do not have some kind of established necromantic lore in your campaign, you might want to use the necroling as a starting point for curious characters to learn about. For while no two people will give the same answer for entering necromantic studies, necroling creation is the standard by which all in the field are measured. Any spellcaster can focus their efforts on the school of necromancy and call themselves necromancers but only those truly worthy of the title create necrolings. Let’s look a little closer at necroling construction. A spellcaster requires the following: Craft Wondrous Item feat, a corpse of someone who died unnaturally no longer than a day ago, a vial filled with black ink, consecutive casting of sleep, gaseous form, dimension door, and detect thoughts on the ink vial, and finally

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wear the bottles at their waists, releasing the creatures to aid them in combat.

Necromancer and necroling are not bonded, as such, when he awakens but there is a definite connection between the two. The necroling intuitively recognizes the necromancer as having touched a piece of its former mind and desires to remain close to that presence. The necromancer gains a permanent black stain right below the back of his neck. What this stain does is mark him as a true necromancer. He has experienced what it is to die and understands the very nature of undeath in the creature he has created. The mark also identifies him to other “true” necromancers, perhaps thereby gaining access to secretive cults or information. Undertaking necroling creation is a wholly evil act since the character is ripping part of a person’s soul from its rightful rest and forcing it into eternal servitude. You can use the information presented here to warn PCs who consider becoming true necromancers. However, those who do fashion necrolings also find themselves in a position to take previously unknown feats (see below). Each of the three feats capitalizes on the unique knowledge gained by necroling creation. Augment Animations Your animated undead are more powerful than normal. Prerequisites: Created a necroling Benefits: Undead you create through your spells (animate dead, create undead, etc.) gain +1 hit point per die and a +1 competence bonus on attack and damage rolls. Strengthen Undead You can use arcane energy to protect undead from being turned. Prerequisites: Created a necroling, Spellcraft ranks 12+ Benefits: Choose a spell of 2nd-level or greater. As a standard action, you channel its energies to a single undead creature you can see. The energy grants a turn resistance of +1 per 2 spell levels used (round down, maximum of +4). An undead creature cannot be strengthened in this manner more than once in a 24 hour period. Undead Sensitivity Special intimacy with the undead gives you a special sight to detect their presence. Physically, the whites of your eyes turn an inky black. Prerequisites: Created a necroling Benefits: At will, you can detect undead (as the spell).

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Medium Undead Hit Dice: 5d12 (32 hp) Initiative: +4 Speed: 40 ft., climb 50 ft. (with tethers) AC: 18 (+4 Dex, +2 natural, +2 leather armor), touch 14, flatfooted 14 Base Attack/Grapple: +2/+4 Attack: Bite +4 melee (1d6+2 and paralysis) or mouth tether +6 ranged (2d6 and paralysis) Full Attack: Bite +4 melee (1d6+2 and paralysis) and 2 claws +2 melee (1d4+1) or mouth tether +6 ranged (2d6 and paralysis) and 2 hand tethers +4 ranged (1d6) Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft. Special Attacks: Tethers of sinew, paralysis Special Qualities: Darkvision 60 ft., undead traits Saves: Fort +1, Ref +5, Will +6 Abilities: Str 15, Dex 18, Con —, Int 14, Wis 15, Cha 12 Skills: Balance +10, Climb +8, Hide +14, Listen +10, Move Silently +14, Spot +10, Tumble +10, Use Rope +20 Feats: Blind-Fight, Multiattack Environment: Any land or underground Organization: Solitary, cell (3-7), or host (8-12) Challenge Rating: 5 Treasure: Standard Alignment: Always chaotic evil Advancement: 6-15 HD (Medium) Level Adjustment: — This humanoid has translucent skin which shows you coils of fleshy rope where there should be bone and muscle. Sharp claws and teeth enhance the monster’s dangerous appearance. It suddenly raises a hand and unleashes a barbed coil from a pulpy area in the middle of its hand. The necrotic entrailer is an undead which makes use of the unneeded bits from other undead like skeletons and zombies. The entrails of those undead corpses either desiccate quickly or slip out between open ribcages. The practical necromancer can use these supposedly unnecessary organs to fashion a necrotic entrailer. The ritual that creates an entrailer not only causes its insides to reorganize into the monster’s tethers, but actually fuses the entrails from other creatures into its matrix. These entrails occupy the entire interior of the entrailer except the brain. As a result, a necrotic entrailer has many densely packed miles of tethers available to it. Creators of necrotic entrailers commonly use them as reconnaissance and/or assassination creatures because of their quick, silent nature and built-in escape methods. Combat Necrotic entrailers like to prepare ambushes for their chosen prey. When hunting in a group, entrailers use pack tactics and work together like a well-oiled machine. Some have even been known to carry others on their backs, allowing the carried necrotic entrailer to make five tether attacks.

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Necrotic Entrailer

Tethers of Sinew (Ex): If a necrotic entrailer hits with a tether attack, the tether’s barbs or hooks sink into the opponent’s body, dealing 1d6 points of damage with a hand (or foot) tether and 2d6 points of damage with the mouth tether, and latching onto the opponent’s body. The entrailer can draw a Medium opponent 25 feet closer each round as a move action that requires an opposed Strength check (if the victim wins the Strength check, he does not move); this does not provoke an attack of opportunity.

For each size the target is below Medium, this rate increases by 10 feet per round (a Tiny creature effectively can be drawn in 45 feet per round in this way). A creature can break free from a tether with a successful DC 19 Escape Artist check, or else a DC 15 Strength check; in either case, the victim takes 1d6 points of damage from tearing free. A necrotic entrailer that pulls a victim to within 5 feet of itself can bite and claw that victim in the same round, and gains a +4 bonus to these attacks. Necrotic entrailers can detach a sinew at will, allowing it to be used as extremely strong rope, and a new tether immediately takes its place. The maximum tether length an entrailer can throw is equal to 10 feet per Hit Die of the necrotic entrailer (or 50 feet, for the standard monster stats given above). Paralysis (Ex): The necrotic entrailer’s saliva causes paralysis. A victim bitten by an entrailer or hit by its mouth tether must succeed at a DC 13 Fortitude save or be paralyzed for 3d6 minutes. Skills: Necrotic entrailers receive a +2 racial bonus on Listen and Spot checks, a +4 racial bonus on Hide and Move Silently checks, and a +10 racial bonus on Use Rope checks. Treasure Standard—Necrotic entrailers are not without intelligence or free will. Therefore, the accumulation of treasure, no matter its form, is something they take advantage of much like an adventurer does. Magic items (such as rings miscellaneous) are used capably and wealth is spent (commonly through a third party) to bring it more potent magic items. Brooch of shielding (unused) [1,500 gp] 100 gp In Your Campaign Those pirates who favor undead in your campaign might be especially favorable to the necrotic entrailer. With its longreaching tethers, the entrailer can efficiently board enemy ships. With a successful Use Rope check (DC as per securing a grappling hook; except the entrailer knows if its tether is secure), the entrailer can wrap its tether around a enemy’s rail and swing across. Alternately (and this is a favorite among necrotic entrailers), the entrailer can use tether attacks at creatures on the enemy ship’s deck. Once secure, the entrailers reel their prey in. As a result, the foe must choose between saving himself by holding on (thus allowing the entrailer to reel itself aboard) or pitching over the rail. In the latter case, the entrailer can simply release the tether and climb up the ship’s side, leaving its foe to fend for

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GMs should not overlook the great range a necrotic entrailer has in using touch attack effects. It can utilize magic items to take advantage of its great reach such as gauntlets of ogre power or a high-level cleric can use imbue with spell ability to allow the entrailer to have several options when using its tethers. A necrotic entrailer prefers to have its own magic items, as opposed to the temporary nature of using another caster’s spells, but accepts the latter type of aid if the situation warrants it.

Orc, Death Lord

Medium Undead Hit Dice: 15d12 (97 hp) Initiative: +7 Speed: 40 ft. AC: 23 (+3 Dex, +6 natural, +4 masterwork chain shirt), touch 13, flat-footed 20 Base Attack/Grapple: +7/+11 Attack: +1 greatsword +12 melee (2d6+7/19-20) or claw +9 melee (1d6+4) Full Attack: +1 greatsword +12/+7 melee (2d6+7/19-20) or 2 claws +9 melee (1d6+4) Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft. Special Attacks: Desecrate, leech strength, rebuke undead, spell-like abilities Special Qualities: Damage reduction 5/good and magic, darkvision 60 ft, incorporeality, servant of none, spell resistance 16, +4 turn resistance, undead traits Saves: Fort +5, Ref +8, Will +11 Abilities: Str 18, Dex 17, Con —, Int 17, Wis 14, Cha 20 Skills: Appraise +12, Balance +11, Climb +12, Concentration +14, Intimidate +23, Jump +12, Listen +20, Move Silently +11, Search +12, Spot +20, Swim +13 Feats: Combat Casting, Dodge, Extra Turning, Improved Initiative, Mobility, Spring Attack Environment: Any land or underground Organization: Solitary, pair or battle troupe (1-3, plus 6 orcs and accompanied by 15+ HD worth of undead such as skeletons, zombies, ghouls, or ghasts) Challenge Rating: 11 Treasure: No coins; double goods (gems and jewelry); standard items Alignment: Always lawful evil Advancement: 16-30 HD (Medium); 31-45 HD (Large) Level Adjustment: — This humanoid bears an uncanny resemblance to an orc. Outfitted in a dented chain shirt and wielding a blood stained greatsword, this orc is clearly ready for battle. Its most peculiar qualities are a faint green radiance in its eyes and throat as well as thick, cracked skin of a dark purple hue. Powerful orc commanders, if they worship the right god, are returned to the world soon after their usually bloody demise as death lord orcs. These undead commanders are instilled with a great sense of pride for being worthy enough to be

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returned to the world in this new form. Serving a deity of pain and undeath, death lord orcs lead an undead strike force (occasionally accompanied by other orc warriors) against all living armies. The cleric of a particularly devout orc horde might find that a death lord orc and his undead troupe answer a call for military aid, guided to the horde by their dark deity.

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himself. If using its mouth tether, a paralyzed creature assures the necrotic entrailer of a secure “grappling hook.”

Left to their own devices, death lord orcs use hit and run tactics against larger communities, sometimes attacking even small cities if an opportunity arises. During such raids, the death lord and his battle troupe slay as many living creatures as possible and then flee before organized resistance is formed. Treasure is in no way a priority. Combat A death lord orc uses its incorporeality to slide into the ground, then rise up amidst enemy troop formations, wreak havoc, and slip once again back into the ground. Enemies who approach the death lord orc are weakened by its leech strength ability. The death lord usually fights with a unit of orcs and lesser undead, using its orc troops and spell-like abilities to deal with enemies who remains while healing its undead minions. Desecrate (Su): The death lord orc permanently radiates a desecrate effect, as the spell (caster level equals the death lord’s HD), in a 30-foot radius. Leech Life (Su): Any living being within 30 feet of a death lord orc must make a DC 22 Fortitude save each round or take 1 point of Strength damage. For every additional death lord orc within 30 feet of each other, the leech life radius of each is extended by 10 feet. Thus, if two death lord orcs are within 30 feet of one another, both have their radius extended to 40 feet. A creature within overlapping radii need only save once each round. A creature whose Strength score is reduced to 0 by this ability dies and then rises upon the following midnight as a ghoul. Rebuke Undead (Su): Death lord orcs can rebuke or command undead as evil clerics (effective cleric level equals the death lord’s HD). Due to their Extra Turning feat, they may do so 12 times per day. Spell-Like Abilities: At will—command undead (DC 17), ghoul touch (DC 17); 3/day—control undead (DC 22), mass inflict wounds (DC 20); 1/day—planar eruption* (Fort DC 23), unholy aura (DC 23). Caster level 15th. The save DCs are Charisma-based. *See the New Spells section below. Incorporeality (Su): As a standard action, a death lord orc may make itself and all of its equipment incorporeal. Becoming material again is a free action. Servant of None (Ex): Due to their prideful sense of self, death lord orcs cannot be controlled, though they can be turned, destroyed, or rebuked. Treasure Partial—Death lord orcs have no use for money since entering into the special service of their deity. On some level, however,

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In Your Campaign Death lord orcs would make great rear line undead directors if they could stop from being on the front lines like possessed warriors. These undead orcs need to clash with the best an enemy has to offer while its battle troupe engages lesser foes. This fact can be used to the PCs’ advantage if they learn of it. Once a death lord orc is known to be terrorizing the area, they can hype up a fighter’s reputation and make certain to spread the rumor (and where the fighter can be found) wherever they go. When the death lord orc learns of this “unbeatable warrior with golden armor” (or whatever catch-phrase the party comes up with), he will make sure to attack the area where this person is supposed to be. Of course, the characters will have a cunning trap readied for the death lord and his troupe. The question is whether or not it is good enough to stop this cunning undead foe. Death lord orcs are almost never found in pairs. Their egos are simply too overwhelming to be compatible within a single combat unit. When there are two in one troupe, it is because a higher power (likely a divine being) has forced them into it. Even then, the two undead lords will be commanding their own units on either side of the battle.

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Orphan of the Night

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they are still attracted to shiny baubles, which explains the presence of gems and jewelry. Otherwise, goods and equipment are chosen for their use in combat. Alexandrite [800 gp] Amethyst (x4) [82 gp each] Malachite [70 gp] Golden circlet with four aquamarines [4,000 gp] +1 dagger [2,302 gp]

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Small Undead (Incorporeal) Hit Dice: 5d12+3 (35 hp) Initiative: +5 Speed: 20 ft. AC: 13 (+1 size, +1 Dex, +1 deflection), touch 13, flat-footed 12 Base Attack/Grapple: +2/— Attack: Snatch (see below) Full Attack: Snatch (see below) Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft. Special Attacks: Snatch Special Qualities: Darkvision 60 ft., frightful presence, incorporeal traits, undead traits, vanish Saves: Fort +1, Ref +2, Will +4 Abilities: Str 7, Dex 12, Con —, Int 10, Wis 10, Cha 12 Skills: Bluff +9, Hide +6, Listen +5, Search +8, Sense Motive +5, Spot +5 Feats: Alertness, Toughness Environment: Any land (night only) and underground Organization: Solitary or group (2-10) Challenge Rating: 4 Treasure: None Alignment: Always neutral evil Advancement: 2-4 HD (Small); 6-8 HD (Medium) Level Adjustment: —

This creature appears as a child-size shadow with no discernible features. You are suddenly struck by waves of fear that roll off the shadowed humanoid. It moves without a sound and raises an open hand in your direction. Many children are pranksters that, as they mature, repress those childish impulses to the point that they vanish from the adult mind. Those repressed thoughts do actually disappear and reform on the Plane of Shadow as orphans of the night. These undead creatures manifest only within the gloom of night. At daybreak, they disappear into the mist and are not apparent at all under the rays of the sun. An orphan of the night can only speak Common. Combat Orphans of the night do not seek out combat but instead choose to “play” with those they encounter using its snatch ability. If threatened or made angry, they disappear into thin air, possibly taking a souvenir of its encounter back to the Plane of Shadow (see below). Snatch (Sp): An orphan of the night can use a limited form of telekinesis to attempt to disarm an opponent. This attempt is resolved as normal, except that it does not provoke an attack of opportunity and the orphan is not penalized for its size. The orphan uses its Charisma modifier in place of its Strength modifier and further gains a +4 racial bonus to the opposed attack roll. A failed attempt doesn’t allow a reactive disarm attempt by the target. No save is allowed against these attempts, but spell resistance applies normally (the orphan is considered a 9th-level sorcerer to overcome spell resistance). Frightful Presence (Ex): Just being from the Plane of Shadow

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Vanishing (Su): When angered or threatened, an orphan of the night disappears into thin air, leaving behind no trace of its existence. One nearby living creature also suddenly vanishes (determine randomly), drawn with the orphan through an invisible gate to the Plane of Shadow unless it succeeds a Reflex save (DC 13). This effect emanates as a beam of dark purple light. A typical use of this power deprives a traveler of his horse or pack animal, but other times the unlucky traveler himself is the target of this malicious ability. Vanishing can be used once a round. The save DC is Dexterity-based. Treasure None—Even if something useful or interesting is snatched from an opponent, the orphan’s incorporeality and very nature are incompatible with taking treasure. In Your Campaign Unfortunately, for every person who leaves their childish ways behind, there two more who do not. Some of these individuals actually move in the opposite direction, leaving behind caring and innocence. These cast off emotions could theoretically coalesce into “orphans of the light”; undead of good alignment who appear as children who are encompassed by a soft golden radiance. Replace the orphan of the night’s snatch ability with one of the following: bear’s endurance, bull’s strength, cat’s grace, eagle’s splendor, fox’s cunning, and owl’s wisdom. The orphan of the light can use whichever of these spells is most appropriate and can do so once per round (but only one of each particular spell in a 24 hour period). You should also replace the frightful presence quality with one that provides the effects of a bless spell to those within 30 feet. Finally, instead of hailing from the Plane of Shadow, an orphan of the light exists on the Ethereal Plane and does not suck others into that locale when using the vanishing ability.

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Phantasm

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has endowed these eternal tricksters with the diminished ability to unsettle foes by their mere presence. The ability takes effect automatically whenever an orphan comes within 30 feet of a living creature. Those creatures with 5 or fewer Hit Dice are affected and must succeed at a Fortitude save (DC 13) or become shaken for 2d4 rounds. Success means that the creature is unaffected by that orphan of the night’s frightful presence for 24 hours. The save DC is Charisma-based.

Medium Undead (Incorporeal) Hit Dice: 9d12 (58 hp) Initiative: +9 Speed: 30 ft., fly 60 ft. (perfect) AC: 18 (+5 Dex, +3 deflection), touch 18, flat-footed 13 Base Attack/Grapple: +4/— Attack: Incorporeal touch +9 melee (1d6+1 plus energy drain) Full Attack: Incorporeal touch +9 melee (1d6+1 plus energy drain) Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft. Special Attacks: Energy drain, possession Special Qualities: Aura of desecration, darkvision 60 ft., incorporeal traits, undead traits Saves: Fort +5, Ref +8, Will +8 Abilities: Str —, Dex 20, Con —, Int 15, Wis 15, Cha 16 Skills: Bluff +12, Hide +16, Intimidate +14, Listen +13, Search +8, Sense Motive +13, Spot +13 Feats: Alertness (B), Blind-Fight, Great Fortitude, Improved Initiative, Strength of the Grave (see the Murder-Born entry above) Environment: Any Organization: Solitary or gang (2-5) Challenge Rating: 8 Treasure: None Alignment: Always chaotic evil Advancement: 10-27 HD (Medium) Level Adjustment: — This entity appears as a translucent humanoid with faintly discernible facial features twisted and corrupted by evil. Its arms are long and thin and trail off in wisps of immaterial matter. Phantasms are malevolent and sinister spirits that delight in the destruction of good-aligned creatures. While many undead creatures are the undead form of once living creatures, phantasms have no real material connection to living creatures; they are spirits born of pure evil. They are most often found haunting ruined temples or churches dedicated to evil gods, or dungeons constructed by evil creatures; any place where the stench of evil permeates the very air. Combat A phantasm begins battle by attempting to possess a foe, and if successful, it then controls the host like a puppet. In addition, while possessing a foe, it is constantly sapping its life energy. When the host is destroyed, the phantasm leaves the body and attempts to repeat the process on any opponents still in the area. Energy Drain (Su): The incorporeal touch of a phantasm deals one negative level. The Fortitude save to remove a negative level has a DC of 22. The save DC is Charisma-based. For each such negative level bestowed, the phantasm gains 5 temporary hit points. Possession (Su): Once per round, a phantasm can merge its body with a creature on the Material Plane. This ability is similar to a magic jar spell (caster level 9th), except that it does not require a receptacle. To use this ability, the phantasm

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A phantasm automatically deals one negative level (from its energy drain ability) each round to its host. The host can eject the phantasm with a successful DC 17 Will save. This save can be attempted once per round. If successful, the phantasm is forced from the host’s body and it cannot attempt to possess the same host for 1 minute. If turned or subjected to a dismissal spell while possessing a host, the phantasm is ejected. The save DCs are Charisma-based. Aura of Desecration (Su): A phantasm has a continuous aura of desecration that affects a 10-foot radius. This aura can be dispelled, but the phantasm can restart it again as a free action on its next turn. All turn attempts made within the aura suffer a -3 profane penalty; all undead within or entering the aura gain a +1 profane bonus to attack rolls, damage rolls, and saves (these bonuses are already included in the phantasm’s stat block). This ability otherwise functions as a desecrate spell. Unnatural Aura (Su): Both wild and domesticated animals can sense the unnatural presence of a phantasm at a distance of 30 feet. They will not willingly approach nearer than that and panic if forced to do so; they remain panicked as long as they are within that range. Treasure None—As incorporeal creatures without a humanoid origin, the phantasm carries no treasure; indeed, it deems such items as worthless. In Your Campaign Left to their own devices, phantasms keep to the areas described above (old evil temples, etc.). But when commanded by highlevel clerics or necromancers, phantasms often serve as standard bearers of a sort in large undead battalions. Within the masses, phantasms bolster the undead around them until they are able to surprise enemies who break through the lines. As a being formed from pure evil, you should have the phantasm perform the most heinous acts imaginable while possessing a humanoid body (at least as far as your group’s decorum allows). Specifics are perhaps best left to the imagination. Once a phantasm does leave a host body then that body should carry some sort of scarring. Without altering game balance, you could age the body’s appearance one year for every negative level inflicted while possessed. Depending on the host’s race, gray hair and wrinkles might now be evident where there was recently youthful color and tone.

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Quick-Shard Cavalier

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must try to move into the target’s space; moving into the target’s space to use this ability does not provoke an attack of opportunity. The target can resist the attack with a successful DC 17 Will save. A creature that successfully saves is immune to that same phantasm’s possession for one day, and the phantasm cannot enter the target’s space. If the save fails, the phantasm vanishes into the target’s body.

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Large Undead Hit Dice: 12d12 (78 hp) Initiative: +5 Speed: 60 ft. AC: 21 (-1 size, +1 Dex, +8 full plate, +2 natural), touch 10, flat-footed 20 Base Attack/Grapple: +6/+14 Attack: Lance +9 melee (2d6+6) or greatsword +9 melee (3d6+6) or longbow +7 ranged (2d6) Full Attack: Lance +9/+4 melee (2d6+6) or greatsword +9/+4 melee (3d6+6) or longbow +7/+2 ranged (2d6) Space/Reach: 10 ft./5 ft. (10 ft. with lance) Special Attacks: Trample 1d8+6, spurs Special Qualities: Darkvision 60 ft., undead traits Saves: Fort +4, Ref +6, Will +8 Abilities: Str 18, Dex 14, Con —, Int 10, Wis 10, Cha 14 Skills: Balance +10, Climb +12, Intimidate +10, Jump +12, Listen +10, Move Silently +10, Spot +10 Feats: Cleave, Improved Initiative, Power Attack, Weapon Focus (heavy lance), Weapon Focus (greatsword) Environment: Any land Organization: Patrol (4-6) or column (11-16) Challenge Rating: 8 Treasure: None Alignment: Usually neutral Advancement: 13-24 HD (Large) Level Adjustment: — A skeletal hybrid, half-humanoid/half-horse, taps a lance against its plate mail in an emotionless salute. It gleaming white hooves then suddenly burst into motion. As it gallops toward you, the furious clanking of the creature’s greatsword mimics the frightened beating of your own heart.

The quick-shard cavalier is considered to be the most accomplished undead soldier. With its speed, weapons, and average intelligence, a patrol of these undead can break the ranks of many an adventuring band. The origins of the quickshards lie in ambitious, militant necromancer-kings. Not merely content to craft spells which slay others and animate them, these necromancers of some forgotten continent cooperated to create the quick-shard ritual. The ability to create many quick-shards at one time is a well-guarded secret today. To create even one, however, requires magic en par with create greater undead. The bones of slain creatures are gathered together (enough to make a Large creature) and, as long as a humanoid head is amongst the ivory pile, a quick-shard cavalier can be fashioned. The other bone shards fuse together to create the core skeleton while other bits are left to form the creature’s spurs (see below). The cavalier aspect of the monster is a direct mockery of the mounted warriors that the necromancer-kings fought in their own time. A quick-shard salutes an opponent with a curt tap of its lance or greatsword to its armor before attacking. But after that no quarter is given and surrendering to one of these undead is not an option unless a controlling master orders it. If only one quick-shard is encountered, it means that the rest of its patrol or column has recently been defeated and the survivor

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fragments spinning wildly in a 20-ft. radius. All creatures within the area of effect must succeed a Reflex save (DC 18) or take 2d6 points of slashing and piercing damage.

Combat Quick-shard cavaliers are remarkably quick for undead and often catch their opponents flat-footed with the speed of their assaults. They typically begin combat with a massed charge, driving lances into targets and then drawing greatswords to hack at foes. Some, particularly parapet guards, use longbows to whittle down opponents at a range. Quick-shards are not particularly tactically innovative, although those under a necromancer’s direction gain the benefit of their master’s intelligence and can follow ever more complicated instructions. Trample (Ex): Quick-shard cavaliers can trample their opponents. When one performs an overrun action, its opponent may not choose to avoid it. If the overrun is successful, the opponent takes 1d8+6 points of damage. Spurs (Ex): The bone spurs protruding from quick-shard cavaliers serve as a measure of defense. Anyone attempting to grapple a quick-shard in combat (which may include attempts to leap on its back, body slams, or bite attacks) must make a successful Reflex save (DC 12) or take 1d6 points of damage from striking a spur. Treasure None—It is not in the quick-shard’s scope of consciousness to either collect or use treasure. Its purpose is to fight with its fellows until destroyed. The only treasure a party might find is the treasure of a quick-shard patrol’s necromancer commander. In Your Campaign While it is easy to think of these undead as PC-trampling war machines, take another look at their alignment—usually neutral. Now how could this be given the stated background? Perhaps, over the centuries, the cavaliers the quick-shards were modeled after not only provided the undead’s physical form but somehow penetrated into their “psyche” as well. Cavaliers are good-aligned protectors of the weak and helpless. How can anything born of such roots become evil? In this case, the answer is that it cannot. Make the quick-shard cavaliers a bit more unpredictable by having an evil-controlled patrol fight the PCs one adventure and having a column guard a good-aligned temple the next. Some necromancers are hard at work on designing another feature to add when a quick-shard is created. There are a few prototypes with a death throe quality that causes the final blow against a quick-shard cavalier to make it explode, sending jagged fragments of bone spinning in all directions. Such a quality would raise the quick-shard cavalier’s CR by +1 and look like this... Death Throes (Ex): When the quick-shard cavalier is reduced to 0 hit points or below, it explodes, sending jagged bone

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is returning to its master to “report” (a controlling necromancer or cleric can ask a quick-shard up to three questions a day which can be answered with one word). A lone quick-shard never engages in combat, seeing its primary mission as returning to the lair with vital information as to the race, number, and location of the foes that routed it.

Red Jester Medium Undead Hit Dice: 15d12 (97 hp) Initiative: +8 Speed: 30 ft. AC: 24 (+4 Dex, +10 natural), touch 14, flat-footed 20 Base Attack/Grapple: +7/+9 Attack: +2 light mace of merriment +13 melee (1d6+4) or slam +11 melee (1d4+2) or jester’s deck +11 ranged touch (see below) Full Attack: +2 light mace of merriment +13 melee (1d6+4) or 2 slams +11 melee (1d4+2) or jester’s deck +11 ranged touch (see below) Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft. Special Attacks: Fear cackle, jester’s deck, merriment Special Qualities: Damage reduction 10/magic, darkvision 60 ft., SR 21, unassailable mind, turn immunity, undead traits Saves: Fort +5, Ref +9, Will +11 Abilities: Str 15, Dex 18, Con —, Int 14, Wis 14, Cha 16 Skills: Balance +16, Hide +10, Listen +16, Move Silently +16, Perform (act) +21, Perform (comedy) +25, Perform (oratory) +21, Spot +16 Feats: Ability Focus (fear cackle), Alertness, Dodge, Improved Initiative, Mobility, Weapon Finesse Environment: Any Organization: Solitary Challenge Rating: 10 Treasure: Standard Alignment: Usually chaotic neutral Advancement: 16-45 HD (Medium) Level Adjustment: — This hideous and rotting humanoid is arrayed in brightly colored clothes, floppy shoes, and a bright red jester’s cap complete with jingling bells. The monster has a never-changing smirk or smile on its rotting visage. Red jesters are thought to be the remains of court jesters put to death for telling bad puns, making fun of the local ruler, or dying in an untimely manner (which could be attributed to one or both of the first two). Another tale speaks of the red jesters as being the court jesters of a god of undeath, sent to the Material Plane to “entertain” those the deity has taken a liking to. The actual truth to their origin remains a mystery. While they can be encountered from the coldest to the warmest regions of the world and on any type of terrain, a red jester is generally encountered near civilized areas. Though it is undead now, the creature still delights in entertaining living creatures through its humor. Red jesters speak Common and at least two other languages and often engage in humor during combat, spilling bad puns and riddles at their opponents. Some red jesters, in an effort to disguise their undead nature, don masks or wear heavy makeup.

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spell (caster level 15th). The save DC is Charisma-based.

Combat A red jester opens combat using its fear cackle attempting to affect as many opponents as possible. Those that resist its effects are assailed with its magical playing cards and mace. During the entire combat, the red jester talks, laughs, and tells jokes and riddles.

Jester’s Deck (Su): The red jester uses a deck of playing cards in combat that functions as a deck of many things (see the DMG for details). Once per round, as a standard action, the red jester can draw a single card and throw it at an opponent to a range of 20 feet. This requires a successful ranged touch attack. If successful, the card takes effect that round and affects the target just as if he had drawn a card from the deck of many things. A red jester can draw the same card more than once. The playing cards only function in the hands of a red jester. To anyone else, they are merely normal playing cards. Merriment (Su): If a red jester strikes an opponent with its mace, the creature must succeed on a DC 20 Will save or fall to the ground laughing for 1d3 rounds. The opponent is not helpless, but cannot take any action. A mace of merriment functions only in the hands of a red jester. In the hands of any other creature it functions as a masterwork light mace.

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Fear Cackle (Su): A red jester can unleash a fear-inducing cackle as a free action. Anyone within 60 feet that hears it must succeed a DC 22 Will save or become panicked for 2d4 rounds. Whether or not the save is successful, an affected creature is immune to the same red jester’s fear cackle for one day. The save DC is Charismabased.

Skills: A red jester has a +4 racial bonus on Perform (comedy) checks.

Treasure Standard—A red jester collects treasure which either aids its Perform skill or is simply to amusing to let anyone else possess. Eyepatch with mock eye of sapphire and moonstone [1,700 gp] Silver crown with profanity written across front [1,750 gp] Salve of slipperiness [1,000 gp] 1,350 gp In Your Campaign There are several phrases a red jester can use in combat with the PCs to make it memorable. Below a few examples, but you’ll likely need to see how your own combat progresses and make bad puns off the cuff: • “Is that a dent in your codpiece or are you just happy to see me?” • “Seems the pen is mightier than the sword!” (on stabbing someone in the eye with a quill) • “This will hurt you more than it hurts me.” • (singing) “When you swim in a creek and an eel bites your cheek, that’s a moray!” • “Don’t worry. Laughter is the best medicine!” (after striking a PC with its mace) If ever an undead reminded you of a class, the red jester does this for the bard. As a variant to the origins listed above, perhaps bards that reach 10th level become red jesters if animated properly (say, if a deck of many things is placed on the corpse during the ritual). A red jester isn’t interested in destroying the living, but rather making them laugh. It will not, however, give quarter to those seeking its destruction.

Unassailable Mind (Ex): Anyone targeting a red jester with a thought detection, mind control, or telepathic ability must succeed on a DC 20 Will save or suffer the effects of an insanity

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Rom

A great humanoid shape takes form before you. Despite its misty form, the giant’s muscles can be clearly seen and match its perpetual scowl. The rom are a race of ghostly stone giants. As living giants, they once ruled over the population of a great mountain chain. However, these giants’ brutality eventually met with revolution spearheaded by a tribe of dwarves known as the Skull Splitters. During their retreat, the giants’ shaman took matter into his own hands and laid a curse on the region—every giant who died in the war would one day rise again as undead to take back what was once theirs. Unfortunately for the ancestors of that war’s victors, for it is now a century later, the curse appears to be coming true. Several dozen rom (named for the shaman who laid the curse) have been spotted around the northern mountains and all attempts to parlay with them have met with the diplomats’ own deaths. Combat Rom initiate combat without warning, hurling endless ghostly rocks at foes from a safe distance. In melee, a rom uses a ghostly greatclub that drains Constitution from its victims with every hit. Constitution Drain (Su): Living creatures hit by a rom’s incorporeal club must succeed a Fortitude save (DC 17) or suffer 1d6 points of permanent Constitution damage. Those hit by a rom’s incorporeal throwing rocks must succeed a Fortitude

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Large Undead (Incorporeal) Hit Dice: 14d12 (91 hp) Initiative: +6 Speed: 40 ft., fly 60 ft. (perfect) AC: 12 (-1 size, +2 Dex, +1 deflection), touch 12, flat-footed 10 Base Attack/Grapple: +7/— Attack: Incorporeal greatclub +6 melee (2d8 plus 1d6 Constitution drain) or incorporeal rock +9 ranged (2d8 plus 1d4 Constitution drain) Full Attack: Incorporeal greatclub +6/+1 melee (2d8 plus 1d6 Constitution drain) or incorporeal rock +8/+3 ranged (2d8 plus 1d4 Constitution drain) Space/Reach: 5 ft./10 ft. Special Attacks: Constitution drain, incorporeal rock throwing Special Qualities: Darkvision 60 ft., incorporeal rock catching, incorporeal traits, sunlight powerlessness, turn resistance +4, unnatural aura, undead traits Saves: Fort +4, Ref +6, Will +9 Abilities: Str —, Dex 15, Con —, Int 10, Wis 10, Cha 11 Skills: Hide +8 (+16 in rocky terrain), Intimidate +12, Listen +10, Search +10, Spot +10, Survival +8 Feats: Combat Reflexes, Improved Initiative, Point Blank Shot, Power Attack, Precise Shot Environment: Warm mountains and underground Organization: Solitary, gang (2-5), or mob (7-12) Challenge Rating: 10 Treasure: None Alignment: Always neutral evil Advancement: By character class Level Adjustment: —

save (DC 17) or suffer 1d4 points of permanent Constitution damage. Unlike many undead that drain ability points, rom cannot create spawn. Incorporeal Rock Catching (Su): Rom can catch Small, Medium, or Large incorporeal rocks or projectiles. Once per round, a rom that would normally by hit by an incorporeal rock can make a Reflex save to catch it as a free action; C 15 for Small objects, DC 20 for Medium objects, and DC 25 for Large objects. The rom must be ready for and aware of the attack. Because of the brutal nature of rom, this ability is more useful than it might be otherwise since violence frequently erupts between them. Incorporeal Rock Throwing (Su): Rom are accomplished rock throwers and gain a +1 racial bonus to attack rolls using them as a weapon. The rocks thrown by a rom are incorporeal, and the rom can produce them out of thin air. Sunlight Powerlessness (Ex): Rom are utterly powerless in natural sunlight (not merely a daylight spell) and flee from it. A rom caught in sunlight cannot attack and can take only partial actions. Unnatural Aura (Su): Both wild and domesticated animals can sense the unnatural presence of a rom at a distance of 30 feet. They do not willingly approach nearer than that and panic if forced to do so; they remain panicked as long as they are within that range. Skills: A rom gains a +8 racial bonus to Hide checks in rocky terrain (as noted in the statistics above). Treasure None—After returning from the dead, the rom are without the desire for possessions. Being incorporeal is a set back to having personal treasure too. Any items or coins the rom do come across likely belong to one of their hated racial foes in the mountains (dwarves, humans, etc.) and, as such, are avoided and left as bait to lure in more victims. In Your Campaign Although they are established as major antagonists here, the rom might just as easily be used as minions for a more powerful undead lord. When using these monsters, remember that they command a perfect flying maneuverability. Not only are rom lairs located in the most remote mountain peaks, they should also have no conventional entrances (since they can pass through a thin stone layer without consequence). But if you’re not using the backstory as given here, just what can these evil incorporeal giants be up to in your game? Well, perhaps they were cursed to exist in this form before their natural deaths. Now the rom want out of these undead forms and to simply rest in peace. In this case they hire to the PCs to track down a reversal spell for the curse. The treasures of their former corporeal forms should be payment enough. But given their evil alignment, can the rom be trusted? While some genuinely want to rest, others may want to regain living corporeal bodies and plan to adjust the magics the PCs might

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return with to this end. All hell breaks loose amongst the rom if this is attempted and the PCs may find themselves caught in the middle.

Medium Undead Hit Dice: 5d12 (32 hp) Initiative: +0 Speed: 20 ft. AC: 21 (+5 natural, +4 scale mail, +2 shield), touch 10, flatfooted 21 Base Attack/Grapple: +2/+5 Attack: Warhammer +6 melee (1d8+3) or javelin +2 ranged (1d6+3) Full Attack: Warhammer +6 melee (1d8+3) or javelin +2 ranged (1d6+3) Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft. Special Attacks: Finishing blow Special Qualities: Undead traits Saves: Fort +1, Ref +1, Will +4 Abilities: Str 16, Dex 10, Con —, Int 8, Wis 10, Cha 11 Skills: Climb +6, Intimidate +5, Jump +6, Listen +3, Ride +3, Search +3, Spot +3 Feats: Ability Focus (finishing blow), Weapon Focus (warhammer) Environment: Any land Organization: Solitary, strike team (2-5), fist (7-12), or company (15-48) Challenge Rating: 3 Treasure: Standard Alignment: Usually lawful evil Advancement: 6-15 HD (Medium) Level Adjustment: — A humanoid, clearly of warrior status, regards you coldly. Discolored flesh peels from its twisted face and arms. The soldier’s tarnished warhammer and dented armor show all onlookers that it is no stranger to combat. Whether or not their respective units were victorious, persistent soldiers are those inevitable casualties of any war who perished on the battlefield. It is because of these monsters that visitors to a known battlefield site often speak in hushed reverent tones. For it is said that those who mock the fallen military risk their eternal ire. Although they can be centuries perished, some wisp of the persistent soldier’s soul still remains tied to his corporeal body. Accusations against the soldiers, be they in jest or truly malicious, have a chance of rousing that soul to action once again. The fractured personality and memories call their old body which crawls from the earth in the same condition it was in just moments after it died. Persistent soldiers take up the same mission they followed upon their death, whatever that may have been. If confronted with irrefutable proof of their cause’s futility (or they manage to accomplish their objective), persistent soldiers can be commanded like any other undead. They serve their new master unwaveringly, only too pleased to be of service to a

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Persistent Soldier

greater cause. However, hatred of the living is an unfortunate side effect of the process by which they become animated. Thus, no matter their alignment in life, persistent soldiers are irredeemably evil.

Combat Although they lack conventional intelligence, persistent soldiers rely on whatever martial experience they had in life. They fight like trained soldiers, be it in close combat or during a coordinated siege. Most soldiers use whatever armor and weapons they carried in life (the statistics given above are likely for that of a temple guard; GMs are encouraged to change the persistent soldier’s weapon and/or armor to bring the monster more into line with the flavor of his campaign setting). Finishing Blow (Su): Any victim with 10 or fewer current hit points who is struck in combat by a persistence soldier must make a DC 14 Fortitude save or take double damage. This ability does not function against creatures protected by any defensive spell with the good or holy descriptor. Treasure The treasure a persistent soldier has comes in the form of equipment it either can no longer use as an undead or it no longer remembers how to use. PCs find such items in pristine condition, for although the soldier carries it, he does so out of familiarity and ensures the items remain in static condition. Loose coin and gems are kept in a belt pouch. Deep blue spinel (x2) [200 gp each] Carved ivory statuette (depicting a king on a throne) [85 gp] Masterwork dagger (pommel shaped like a frog head) [302 gp] Potion of jump [50 gp] 63 gp In Your Campaign Persistent soldiers are yet another look at the classic “fallensoldier-turned-undead” model. Famous battlefields are the most obvious places to discover and summon these undead monsters but they are by no means the only ones. Any guard type position makes for good persistent soldier origins— caravan guards along a trade road, city watchmen (who may have their own special burial area inside the community’s cemetery), or even more specialized army divisions (engineers, reconnaissance, strike team, etc.). Determining the specifics about the persistent soldiers you use aids in determining how many are summoned originally. Whether you use the blasphemy method given above to raise the soldiers or some other reason, the number of undead you bring into the game should follow the numbers given in the “Organization” statistics above—solitary, strike team (1d4+1), fist (1d6+6), or company (3d12+12). A middle to high-magic campaign world likely sees the use of protective magics during battle. If it suits you, feel free to carry these spells over to the soldiers as if no time had elapsed between their deaths and the point in time they animate. As a general rule of thumb, have only a 5% chance per soldier for a spell to be active. To determine what spell is in effect and for what duration, consult the table on the next page.

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Spell bull’s strength* bless prayer

Duration Remainiing 1d4 min. 1d4 min. 1d4+1 rounds

*Unless this soldier’s battalion is well-documented as having numerous spellcasters, the likelihood of a persistent soldier bearing a bull’s strength enhancement is not good. As always, this is at your discretion. Perhaps this particular soldier was a company commander and warranted the extra benefit. The procedure behind a persistent soldier’s animation is left purposefully vague. Obviously if all it takes is a little bad mouthing to raise these dead, adventurers everywhere would have their hands full. If you choose to keep this activation method, feel free to limit the time period in which it is effective. If the soldier perished in the early morning, then only allow his animation as a persistent soldier at the same time of day.

Sacred Guardian

Gargantuan Undead Hit Dice: 23d12 (149 hp) Initiative: +3 Speed: 40 ft. AC: 21 (-4 size, -1 Dex, +16 natural), touch 5, flat-footed 21 Base Attack/Grapple: +11/+38 Attack: Bite +22 melee (4d6+15) Full Attack: Bite +22 melee (4d6+15) and 2 claws +17 melee (2d8+7) Space/Reach: 20 ft./15 ft. Special Attacks: Trample (2d8+22) Special Qualities: Blindsense 30 ft., damage reduction 10/ magic, darkvision 60 ft., fast healing 5, ground meld, low-light vision, spell resistance 25, +4 turn resistance, undead traits Saves: Fort +9, Ref +6, Will +19 Abilities: Str 40, Dex 9, Con —, Int 11, Wis 18, Cha 6 Skills: Intimidate +21, Listen +26, Move Silently +22, Sense Motive +27, Spot +21 Feats: Alertness, Awesome Blow, Cleave, Great Fortitude, Improved Bull Rush, Improved Initiative, Iron Will, Power Attack Environment: Any land Organization: Solitary Challenge Rating: 16 Treasure: Triple Standard Alignment: Always neutral Advancement: 24-46 HD (Gargantuan) Level Adjustment: — The earth before you opens like a great blooming flower. But instead of a beautiful bud, from inside rises a giant tiger. The creature’s skin is almost a translucent white and its eyes glow with a green radiance. The tiger’s claws click and its powerful tooth-filled jaw clenches for battle. The sacred guardian is a ghostly tiger of great size which keeps eternal watch over very special graveyards and other burial sites. Whether the guardian is summoned or created

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for its task is not known; the only certainty being that it is the stuff of powerful magic. The one commonality that sages have discovered amongst the sites protected is that they all have something to do with famous (or infamous) adventurers. Whatever secrets these places hold are not easily going to be retrieved.

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Roll d6 1 2-4 5-6

Combat The sacred guardian rises from the earth as soon as it senses an intruder. Any intruder—even one who stumbles into the graveyard by accident—is considered a foe and is likely to be attacked furiously; however, anyone who immediately attempts to leave while assuring the sacred guardian that it has no intention of harming or stealing from the graves (note the guardian’s +27 Sense Motive bonus) may be allowed to depart safely. The sacred guardian’s uses all the attacks available to it, but it cannot speak. Once the threat is gone, whether killed or driven off, the guardian melds back into the earth, which settles over it undisturbed. Nothing can cause the guardian to leave its post inside the graveyard or burial site it guards. Trample (Ex): Reflex DC 36 half. The save DC is Strengthbased. Earth Meld (Su): The sacred guardian can enter and leave the earth of its graveyard as if by means of the spell meld into stone. Leaving and entering the ground is a move action. Treasure Triple standard—The vast amount of treasure in the area a guardian calls home comes from all of the creatures the great cat has slain. Coins and items are pushed off of graves but that is as far as the guardian will trouble itself with the stuff. Fire opal (x7) [900 gp each] Red-brown spinel (x8) [120 gp each] Boots of striding and springing [5,500 gp] +3 dwarven waraxe [18,330 gp] Potion of enlarge person [250 gp] Potion of resist energy (fire) 10 [300 gp] Ring of x-ray vision [25,000 gp] Scroll of baleful polymorph (CL 9th) [1,125 gp] Scroll of break enchantment (CL 9th) [1,125 gp] 20,110 gp 500 pp In Your Campaign The sacred guardian is not a well known creature. Those who fight it tend to perish or never speak of it lest it bring a convulsive fit of fear. Those who successfully parlay without combat don’t speak of it partially out of reverence for the place and partially because they fear the great cat will come for them in their sleep should they utter a word. There are a couple of ways you can use this cat in your game. First, the mere legend of the sacred guardian can be used in a plot. If an enemy of the party wants to use a burial ground for secret meetings, he can make sure the PCs get to know about the sacred guardian legends first. That way, when they find out

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within days after their death, the slain creatures rise as black skeletons, leaving their former lives and bodies behind. Black skeletons are intelligent and do maintain some memories of their former lives.

Second, perhaps the sacred guardian doesn’t guard the dead at all. Perhaps really great adventurers are asked to serve on another plane of existence before their deaths. If they agree to serve the beings that contact them, these unknown creatures help to fake the adventurer’s death, provide an elaborate burial site, and then bring the adventurers out of this world. To ensure that no one discovers the portal to that other plane which is left in the graveyard or site, the sacred guardian is summoned to duty there.

Black skeletons wear any clothes or armor they had in life, and some still carry their gear or weapons (most discard their weapons in favor of two short swords as soon as they can). Black skeletons speak Common and Abyssal.

Skeleton, Black

Medium Undead Hit Dice: 6d12 (39 hp) Initiative: +4 Speed: 40 ft. AC: 20 (+4 Dex, +6 natural), touch 14, flat-footed 16 Base Attack/Grapple: +3/+3 Attack: Short sword +8 melee (1d6, 19-20/x2 plus 1d3 Strength) or claw +7 melee (1d4 plus 1d3 Strength) Full Attack: 2 short swords +8 melee (1d6, 19-20/x2 plus 1d3 Strength) or 2 claws +8 melee (1d4 plus 1d3 Strength) Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft. Special Attacks: Frightful presence, strength damage Special Qualities: Damage reduction 10/bludgeoning and good, darkvision 60 ft., +4 turn resistance, undead traits Saves: Fort +2, Ref +6, Will +5 Abilities: Str 11, Dex 19, Con —, Int 13, Wis 10, Cha 14 Skills: Climb +6, Escape Artist +10, Hide +10, Jump +9, Listen +5, Move Silently +10, Search +7, Spot +6 Feats: Two-Weapon Fighting, Weapon Finesse, Weapon Focus (short sword) Environment: Underground Organization: Any Challenge Rating: 5 Treasure: Standard Alignment: Always chaotic evil Advancement: 7-9 HD (Medium); 10-18 HD (Large) Level Adjustment: — This creature looks like a skeleton with glistening black bones, seemingly constructed of blackened steel. Small red pinpoints of light burn in its hollowed eye sockets. Black skeletons are intelligent monsters and are not subject to the mindless commands that can be given to such undead as skeletons or zombies. They have a clear mind, and sometimes go against the commands and wishes of those they serve, if it benefits the black skeleton in question. Such treachery is rare, however, since the skeletons know that betrayal likely means a quick demise at the hands of spellcasting masters. Black skeletons are the remnants of living creatures slain in an area where the ground is soaked with evil. The bodies of fallen humanoids are contaminated and polluted by such evil and

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about the evil creature’s dealings and move to stop him, he can create an illusory duplicate of the guardian to scare the PCs away. And, to a lesser degree, keep all common folk away from the area as well.

Combat Black skeletons attack with two short swords in battle with little more than the intention of cutting their foes to pieces. They are intelligent opponents and will use tactics during battle, often sending several of their number against a foe’s front, while the others move into position to flank their adversaries. Black skeletons are smart enough to know when the battle is lost and withdraw from combat, though rarely. Most simply fight to the death, driven by some unseen hatred for the living. Frightful Presence (Ex): The mere presence of a black skeleton is unsettling to foes, especially when the skeleton shrieks. Creatures within 60 feet and with less HD than the black skeleton that hear it must succeed on a Will save (DC 15) or become panicked for 4d6 rounds. Creatures that successfully save are immune to the frightful presence of the same black skeleton for one day. The save DC is Charisma-based. Strength Damage (Su): Good-aligned creatures hit by a black skeleton (either by a weapon or natural attack) must succeed on a Fortitude save (DC 15) or take 1d3 points of Strength damage. The save DC is Charisma-based. This effect is a function of the black skeleton itself, not its short swords. Feats: Because of the black skeleton’s magical nature, its TwoWeapon Fighting feat allows it to attack with both weapons at no penalty. Treasure Like persistent soldiers, the treasure of black skeletons is found carried by the undead not because of usefulness, but because of an instinctive need to possess a part of their former lives. Loose coin and gems are kept in a belt pouch. Alexandrite [800 gp] Moss agate [10 gp] Elixir of love [150 gp] Feather token, fan [200 gp] 400 gp 4 pp In Your Campaign The efficient, if bland, explanation of the black skeleton’s origins above leaves little room for expansion. Monsters become far more intriguing with good backstories. Let’s explore some possibilities you can mull before introducing these undead into your game. • Black skeletons are patterned after the evil dark elves because of that race’s distinctive two-handed fighting style (not to mention the black bones). But when drow society becomes

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aware of these undead, will they see the monsters as flattery, insult, or the source of a myth that should be propagated?

• After a fighter wielding two blades fell in battle, an enterprising necromancer attempted to add the fighter to his undead force. But the necromancy became somehow contaminated and the fallen fighter rose as a free-willed skeleton, its bones blackened by the evil which birthed it. The two-handed fighting style was retained and passed to all victims of this original black skeleton. For this backstory, those humanoids slain by a black skeleton become black skeletons themselves within 1d4 days unless their corpses are burned. • In numerous prophecies, the End Times are heralded by the appearance of “coal black bones wielding the twin blades of pestilence and fear.” When a planar portal opens not far from a major city and pours forth dozens of black skeletons at irregular intervals, could prophecy be coming true? More likely it is just a plot by a necromancer using the prophecies and black skeletons to his advantage. But using the skeletons as harbingers of Armageddon makes for a more arresting hook!

Soulless One

Medium Undead (Incorporeal) Hit Dice: 12d12 (78 hp) Initiative: +5 Speed: 30 ft., fly 50 ft. (perfect) AC: 17 (+1 Dex, +6 deflection), touch 17, flat-footed 16 Base Attack/Grapple: +6/— Attack: Incorporeal touch +8 melee (2d6 cold plus hypothermia) Full Attack: Incorporeal touch +8 melee (2d6 cold plus hypothermia) Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft. Special Attacks: Hypothermia, death gaze Special Qualities: Frigid aura, unholy aura, unhallowed presence, darkvision 60 ft., immunity to cold, incorporeal traits, undead traits, +4 turn resistance Saves: Fort +8, Ref +11, Will +16 Abilities: Str —, Dex 12, Con —, Int 17, Wis 14, Cha 15 Skills: Bluff +15, Hide +14, Intimidate +18, Listen +15, Perfect Recall +16, Search +16, Sense Motive +15, Spot +15 Feats: Fearful Advantage, Improved Initiative, Iron Will, Lightning Reflexes, Weapon Focus (incorporeal touch) Environment: Any Organization: Solitary Challenge Rating: 13 Treasure: None Alignment: Always chaotic evil Advancement: 13-18 HD (Medium) Level Adjustment: —

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• Shock troops of a deity of fear and/or darkness, black skeletons are forbidden to be created by any but this deity’s clergy. Sometimes a “face” is needed for a religion to be properly noticed and such monsters make for the perfect identifier.

This eerie form is like living shadows cloaked in tattered scarlet shrouds. Flashing eyes highlight an otherwise dark face with indistinguishable features. Soulless ones are powerful undead spirits driven by lament and hatred of the living. They are surrounded by bitterly-chilling auras, but generate no frost or other visual manifestations of cold. They move slowly and gracefully, passing confidently through objects and touching their fingertips to their enemies. Soulless ones are the products of unbearable lament, the spirits of stillborn children who were taken by darkness. These spirits are raised by evil entities, learning to hate the living and grant strength to undead. They search for other spirits to capture, and protect the interests of the dead. Some act as elite agents of the beings who raised them, sent to slay hunters of undead, retrieve artifacts of evil power, or otherwise fulfill dangerous tasks. Soulless ones speak no languages. Combat A soulless one rarely needs to enter melee, slaying opponents with its gaze before they have a chance to engage it. When forced into a genuine fight, a soulless one relies on its auras to weaken or kill its foes, but can only rarely inflict serious damage with its touch attack. Therefore, a soulless one who fights powerful opponents will usually retreat and gather undead allies before fighting again. Hypothermia (Ex): A creature who takes damage from a soulless ones touch attack must succeed on a DC 18 Fortitude save or suffer the effects of hypothermia. Treat the creature as fatigued. The penalties end when the creature is healed of all cold damage caused by the soulless one (including damage from its frigid aura, and damage taken after the creature succumbs to hypothermia). The save DC is Charisma-based. Death Gaze (Su): Death, 30 feet, Fortitude DC 18 negates. The save DC is Charisma-based. Frigid Aura (Ex): A soulless one constantly radiates a field of extreme cold in a 25-ft. radius. Each round a creature is within this area, it must succeed on a DC 18 Fortitude save or suffer 1d6 points of cold damage. The save DC is Charisma-based. Unholy Aura (Su): Evil creatures within a 25-ft. radius of a soulless one (including the soulless one itself) are protected by the effects of an unholy aura spell (caster level 15th). The deflection and resistance bonuses from the aura are calculated into the soulless one’s statistics. The unholy aura can be dispelled, but the soulless one can create it again on its next turn as a free action. Unhallowed Presence (Su): A soulless one exudes an unholy effect similar to that of an unhallow spell. Within 25 feet of the soulless one, all turning checks to turn undead suffer a -4 profane penalty and turning checks to rebuke undead gain a +4 profane bonus. This is in addition to the soulless one’s turn resistance.

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Treasure None—Soulless ones are less likely to have treasure around it than most encountered undead. If the soulless one has a habit of staying in one place, then the corpses that litter its lair might be sources of treasure.

The origins of the soulless one lie with a young woman who once carried the child of a purportedly-celibate priest. Angry that his sin might be exposed to his superiors, the priest attacked and nearly killed the young woman. Days later, she gave premature birth to a stillborn child, who was taken by the “Dark Ones” to become the very first soulless one. Every hundred years, it returns to the material plane and slays three of the same priest’s clergy in a random temple over the course of three nights. The Dark Ones can be whatever you want them to be— extraplanar baddies, an undead deity (and its secretive cult), or even other undead like liches. This sinister group takes in not only stillborn children but other wayward souls in their efforts to produce powerfully evil undead minions. Whether left on their own (like the soulless ones) or given specific missions, these products of the Dark Ones’ power are still susceptible to being recalled to their master’s side at a moment’s notice.

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For creatures that live thousands of years, it is essential that they learn how to remember things clearly, and how to sort through a lifetime of memories.

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In Your Campaign Some undead are powerful, others are creepy, and then there are those like the soulless ones that cover both categories. This monster is guaranteed to throw fear into the hearts of players and characters alike if used under the right conditions. These undead need an appropriately spooky place to hang out in order to do so. You should feel free to turn the lights down low for an adventure featuring a soulless one. And while they don’t speak languages (which in itself can be creepy), it might serve the fear factor more if they had some kind of shared noise. If you hunker down behind the GM’s screen and whisper something like, “Shanasss” as the soulless one manifests (or attacks), it can give you that extra fear-inspiring mile.

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New Skill Perfect Recall (Int)

Check: A creature can make a Perfect Recall check to remember an event from long ago in vivid detail, with incredible accuracy. Remember an Event From… 1 year ago 4 years ago 20 years ago 100 years ago 500 years ago 2500 years

DC 10 15 20 25 30 35

The importance of the memory can make or harder to recall. Perfect Recall Importance DC Trivial; the food at a particular, but uneventful breakfast +10 Minor; the name of an acquaintance or co-worker +5 Somewhat; the name of a casual friend or the layout of a previous home +0 Very; the name of a lover or a close friend, or the circumstances of a life-altering battle -5 Extreme; the exact words of a mortal enemy’s dying curse, or the hiding place of an artifact -10 Action: Usually none. Like Knowledge checks, remembering doesn’t take an action Try Again: Not for one month, unless the creature is presented with something to remind it of the memory.

New Feat Fearful Advantage The creature knows how to take advantage of an opponent’s fear in combat. Prerequisites: Base attack bonus +4 or higher, Intimidate (4 ranks) Benefit: The creature gains a +3 circumstance bonus on attack rolls against opponents who are shaken, frightened, or panicked.

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Spellgorged Zombie (Template)

Creating a Spellgorged Zombie “Spellgorged Zombie” is an acquired template that can be added to any character capable of casting arcane or divine spells (hereafter referred to as the “base creature”). It uses all the base creature’s statistics and special abilities except as noted here. Size and Type: The base creature’s type changes to undead. It retains any elemental type modifiers (such as Fire or Aquatic), but loses any alignment or racial type modifiers. It does not gain the “Augmented” subtype. Size is unchanged. Hit Dice: Increase all current and future HD to d12s. Speed: If the base creature can fly, reduce its maneuverability to clumsy. Armor Class: A spellgorged zombie has a +2 natural armor bonus or the base creature’s natural armor bonus, whichever is higher. Base Attack: A spellgorged zombie has a base attack bonus equal to one-half its HD. Attack: The spellgorged zombie retains all the natural attacks and weapon proficiencies of the base creature. A spellgorged zombie also gains a slam attack if it did not already have one. Recalculate the base creature’s attack bonus on its new type and ability scores. Damage: A slam attack deals damage depending on the spellgorged’s size. Creatures with natural attacks retain their old damage rating or use the values below, whichever is higher.

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Size

Slam Damage

Fine

1

Diminutive

1d2

Tiny

1d3

Small

1d4

Medium

1d6

Large

1d8

Huge

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It is the ultimate humiliation for a spellcaster to be reduced to a mindless, rotting husk used only to store the spells of a rival. Created with the use of a create greater undead spell, a spellgorged zombie is a programmed being, which appears much like a normal zombie. It must be made from a corpse that was in life an arcane or divine spellcaster. Spellgorged zombies may be used to store spells much like a ring of spell storing with the notable exception that they may be programmed to exhaust those spells by the spellcaster through a series of commands.

Special Attacks: A spellgorged zombie loses all the special attacks of the base creature and gains spell storing: Spell Storing (Su): A spellgorged zombie can store any spells cast into its mouth as if it were a ring of spell storing. The spellgorged zombie can store a number of spell levels equal to its Hit Dice. Each spell has a caster level equal to that of the spellcaster that placed the spell in the spellgorged. The save DC for any spell stored in a spellgorged zombie is determined using the ability scores of the spellcaster who placed the spell. The spellgorged zombie need not provide ay material components or foci, or pay an XP cost to cast the spell, and there is no arcane spell failure chance for wearing armor (since the spellgorged zombie need not gesture). When the spellcaster stores the spells in the spellgorged zombie, however, he must use all required components for the spell. For randomly generated spellgorged zombies, treat the spellgorged zombie as a scroll to determine what spells are stored in it. If you roll a spell that would put the spellgorged over its spell level limit, ignore that roll; the spellgorged has no more spells in it. (Not every spellgorged need be fully charged.)A spellcaster can cast any spells into the spellgorged, so long as the total spell levels do not equal more than the spellgorged zombie’s Hit Dice. Any excess spells or spell levels are lost. Special Qualities: A spellgorged zombie loses all the special qualities of the base creature and gains the undead type. Abilities: Modify from the base creature as follows: Str +2, Dex -2. Being undead the spellgorged zombie has no Constitution score. Being a zombie, it has no Intelligence. Skills: The spellgorged zombie loses all skills. Feats: A spellgorged zombie loses all feats and gains Toughness. Environment: Any. Organization: Any. Challenge Rating: The spellgorged zombie’s CR depends on its HD as follows: Hit Dice Challenge Rating 1

1/2

2

1

3-4

2

5-6

3

7-11

4

2d6

12-14

5

Gargantuan

2d8

15-17

6

Colossal

4d6

18-20

7

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Treasure: None. Alignment: Always neutral.

Sample Spellgorged Zombie This sample uses a 5th-level wizard as the base creature. Spellgorged Zombie Medium Undead Hit Dice: 5d12 (35 hp) Initiative: +1 Speed: 30 ft. AC: 13 (+1 Dex, +2 natural), touch 11, flat-footed 12 Base Attack/Grapple: +2/+3 Attack: Slam +3 melee (1d6+1) Full Attack: Slam +3 melee (1d6+1) Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft. Special Attacks: Spell storing (5 total levels) Special Qualities: Darkvision 60 ft., undead traits Saves: Fort +1, Ref +2, Will +5 Abilities: Str 12, Dex 12, Con —, Int —, Wis 12, Cha 8 Feats: Toughness (B) Environment: Any Organization: Solitary, gang (2-5), squad (6-10) Challenge Rating: 3 Treasure: None Alignment: Always neutral Advancement: — Level Adjustment: — This humanoid has rotting skin and tattered clothes hanging from its desiccated form. A faint blue glow plays inside the creature’s otherwise dead eye sockets, suggesting hidden power. This spellgorged zombie was slain by a more powerful rival for some blackmail the former caster threatened to employ. In retribution, the wizard decided to use the slain caster as a spellgorged guardian. Dubbed “Knick-Knack” by the evil caster, this spellgorged stays inside the wizard’s tower in deep in the forest. The zombie’s sad duty is to guard now the wizard’s laboratory or treasure room, but to guard his kitchen. The wizard is certain that on some level, the former caster is in eternal torment. Combat Knick-Knack has the following spells at his disposal (caster level 7th; DC 13 + spell level): acid arrow, cause fear, magic missile, sleep. The spellgorged zombie is instructed to try and subdue intruders with a sleep spell. Failing that, it casts cause fear and follows up with slam attacks. Its ranged magic is saved for fleeing opponents or those who are otherwise too far to reach with melee attacks.

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Advancement: None.

In Your Campaign It is a little known fact that a spellgorged zombie can be useful even after defeated. Assuming it still had spells within it when beaten, its arm, leg, or head (if whole) can be used as a wand to trigger the magic left inside. This means that any spellcaster with a spell remaining that is also on his class lists can activate the spell using one of these zombie parts. A rogue can also use the Use Magic Device skill to activate the “wand” (DC 20) if he knows there is a spell (or spells) in there. The magic remains stored within the spellgorged zombie until used. Alternatively, the creator of a spellgorged zombie can implant a hidden command which causes unused spells to detonate if the spellgorged is slain. This requires an extra 200 gp worth of components per spellgorged HD (so the example above would require an extra 1,000 gp upon creation). This special attack does not raise the spellgorged zombie’s CR. It reads like this: Death Throes (Ex): When the spell-gorged zombie is reduced to 0 hit points or below, it explodes, sending destabilized spell energies in a 20-ft.-radius. All creatures within the area of effect must succeed a Reflex save (DC equals 10 + one-half spellgorged’s Hit Dice + Cha modifier, if positive) to halve the damage or take 1d6 points of damage per spell level detonated. For example, if the above spellgorged zombie had already cast sleep and cause fear before being slain, then acid arrow and magic missile would be included in the death throes (Reflex DC 12 halves; 3d6 damage).

Treasure None—Whatever treasure this former spellcaster had was taken by the caster that animated it.

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Medium Undead (Incorporeal) Hit Dice: 9d12 (58 hp) Initiative: +7 Speed: Fly 60 ft. (good) AC: 17 (+3 Dex, +4 deflection), touch 17, flat-footed 14 Base Attack/Grapple: +4/— Attack: Incorporeal touch +7 melee (1d8 cold plus 1d6 Charisma drain) Full Attack: Incorporeal touch +7 melee (1d8 cold plus 1d6 Charisma drain) Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft. Special Attacks: Charisma drain, hateful gaze Special Qualities: Darkvision 60 ft., incorporeal traits, lowlight vision, +2 turn resistance, undead traits Saves: Fort +3, Ref +6, Will +7 Abilities: Str —, Dex 17, Con —, Int 14, Wis 12, Cha 18 Skills: Hide +15, Intimidate +16, Listen +13, Search +14, Sense Motive +13, Spot +13 Feats: Blind-Fight, Combat Expertise, Flyby Attack, Improved Initiative Environment: Any land or underground Organization: Solitary Challenge Rating: 7 Treasure: None Alignment: Always chaotic evil Advancement: 10-18 HD (Medium) Level Adjustment: — Softly illuminated with white radiance, this humanoid is at once beautiful and terrifying. The creature’s face is hazy and indistinct but its piercing eyes are a defined blue. Creatures that are slain just before a pleasingly anticipated event return to this plane within 1d4 days as a spirit of hate. Hatred for all living beings is customary but a special hatred is reserved for those creatures that are obviously happy. There are just as many females as there are males that become spirits of hate although a victim cannot tell which sex he might be facing because a spirit’s features are hidden within the fuzzy radiance of its energy. The spirit knows all languages it knew while living but rarely speaks. When it does speak, its voice is always accompanied by a high-pitched whine. In elven mythology, spirits of hate (or “pec’zaah” in the Elven tongue) originated in the time just after the split between surface and dark elves. After centuries of discontent, those elves who would become the black-skinned menaces of today finally broke tradition with their surface cousins in an organized protest (the specifics are not known to non-elves). When it seemed these elves were lost to the darkness, a few dozen of their number returned to the forest as part of a ruse. When their surface brothers emerged from their protected community to welcome them home, the dark elves turned on them in a bloody massacre. The deaths of so many elves filled with glad tidings of their fellows’ return supposedly gave birth to the first sprits of hate. There may indeed be some truth to this legend because drow elves are documented as attacking these spirits on sight.

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Spirit of Hate

Combat A spirit of hate often chooses a particular individual or a couple to be the object of its malicious attention. It then shadows its targets, waiting for the best moment to strike. When possible, it traps the lovers together, using its hateful gaze to drive them to destroy one another. Alternatively, the spirit of hate may employ its gaze against only one of the couple, perhaps even retreating from its victim to fool it into believing that the spirit has been defeated. The victim then “escapes” and returns to the lover—whom he or she now sees as a deadly enemy. The spirit of hate then uses its deadly incorporeal touch attack to finish the heartbroken victim. Charisma Drain (Su): Living creatures hit by a spirit of hate’s incorporeal touch attack must succeed a DC 18 Fortitude save or take 1d6 points of Charisma damage. The save DC is Charisma-based. Those reduced to Charisma 0 by a spirit of hate’s touch have become so loathsome and repulsive to themselves that they retreat into a comatose state and are no longer aware of themselves or their environment. In this state, the creature loses 2d10 hit points per day until it perishes. Hateful Gaze (Su): Gaze, 30 feet, Will DC 18 negates (caster level 9th). The save DC is Charisma-based. A character that fails her save against the spirit of hate’s hateful gaze believes that her closest friend or lover is a hated enemy. She seeks at once to kill the “enemy,” using the most efficacious means at her disposal. The effect lasts 2d6 hours, or until the spirit of hate is destroyed. The effect of the hateful gaze can be removed with a successful dispel magic or remove curse. Treasure None—Robbing creatures of their happiness is the only treasure a spirit of hate is interested in. In Your Campaign The spirit of hate can spontaneously emerge from a person who was wrongly slain in sight of her would-be rescuers. The energy of an anticipated rescue becomes the force for undying revenge as the spirit of hate then shadows the failed rescuers until their deaths. When a villain of the PCs just cannot seem to slay them, he might set up a situation where a person is killed at the moment before the party rescues him. The resulting spirit of hate might just be able to succeed where the villain failed and he will have lost nothing in the attempt.

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Small Undead (Incorporeal) Hit Dice: 4d12 (26 hp) Initiative: -1 Speed: 30 ft. AC: 11 (+1 size, -1 Dex, +1 deflection), touch 11, flat-footed 11 Base Attack/Grapple: +1/-4 Attack: 1d6 thrown objects +1 ranged (1d4 per object) or 1 thrown object +1 ranged (3d4) Full Attack: 1d6 thrown objects +1 ranged (1d4 per object) or 1 thrown object +1 ranged (3d4) Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft. Special Attacks: Energy drain Special Qualities: Damage reduction 5/magic, spell resistance 12, darkvision 60 ft., incorporeal traits, undead traits Saves: Fort +1, Ref +2, Will +3 Abilities: Str 9, Dex 9, Con —, Int 8, Wis 9, Cha 9 Skills: Climb +4, Hide +9, Listen +6, Spot +6 Feats: Alertness, Lightning Reflexes Environment: Any land (taverns) Organization: Solitary Challenge Rating: 3 Treasure: None Alignment: Always neutral Advancement: 4-8 HD (Small); 9-12 HD (Medium) Level Adjustment: — This creature appears as a faintly glowing humanoid. It wears the unkempt clothing of a commoner and its eyes flash with a white radiance as loose items fly off the bar counter. All adventurers see the barflies that inhabit every location of drunkenness and revelry in each community. Some of these wretched drunkards were former adventurers themselves. But too many waste their lives away on the barstool, waiting for some kind of emotional pain to dissipate or for good paying work to materialize out of thin air. It is no surprise that these men (and some women) die either inside or on their way to/from the tavern. These are the souls that become tavern prowlers. Having no goals in its living existence, the tavern prowler finds one in undeath. A spirit returns to the same tavern it frequented one month to the day after its death. The people inside the bar experience a sudden chill when the tavern door blows open mysteriously even though there may have been no wind outside. This is the only physical manifestation to clue patrons in on what has happened. For the rest of its existence, the prowler remains inside the tavern, feeding off the lives it never had during the long nights. Combat If a tavern prowler is attacked, it can hurl the objects in a room at its attacker in a typically drunken fit of anger. A tavern prowler can, with the sheer force of its anger, hurl 1d6 objects weighing up to 5 pounds (1d4 damage) each per round without penalty, or one object that weighs up to 30 pounds (3d4 damage).

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Energy Drain (Su): Tavern prowlers draw energy from

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Tavern Prowler

sleeping mortals over the course of an entire night. To drain a victim successfully, the prowler must be in “contact” with a victim’s sleeping form for a minimum of six hours. During this time, the victim is wracked by terrible nightmares and may wake up with a successful DC 11 Will save. If the victim wakes up, the tavern prowler’s drain attempt fails and it flees the room. If the life drain is successful, the victim pays a steep price, suffering 1d2 negative levels, and he ages five years, appearing older with drawn skin and graying hair. Removing a negative level requires a successful DC 11 Fortitude save. Treasure None—As an incorporeal being, the tavern prowler has no treasure; and even if it did, that would have gone toward buying a pint of ale long ago. In Your Campaign For the most part an innocuous monster, the tavern prowler can still make for an interesting detail in the party’s favorite tavern. For whatever reason, the same powers which gave the prowler life also gave it a purpose—protect its former home. If the tavern comes under attack or is in danger of being destroyed by a fight, the prowler instinctively intervenes to stave off the destruction. PCs getting into a bar fight might find themselves on the receiving end of a tavern prowler attack. Most assuredly, they become the target of its energy drain once they retired to upstairs quarters. In some taverns, the prowler is a known entity, celebrated for his eternal vigilance in guarding the establishment. A prowler can easily be the subject a bard’s tale or perhaps a plot hook when knowledge of a past incident is required. The incident took place in the bar room during the prowler’s living tenure and the party must somehow convince it to give up that knowledge. Locating the tavern prowler can be as easy as asking for it aloud to following the faintest smell of ale into the tavern’s cellar.

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Terkow (Template)

Constitution damage each round the pin is maintained. For every Constitution point drained, the terkow heals itself 5 hit points, up to its normal maximum.

Though weaker than vampires in many ways, a terkow’s ability to operate under direct sunlight and disguise itself by wearing the skins of its victims makes it a very dangerous opponent. Creating a Terkow “Terkow” is a template that can be added to any humanoid creature (referred to hereafter as the base creature). The terkow uses all the base creature’s statistics and special abilities except as noted here. Size and Type: The creature’s type changes to undead (augmented humanoid or monstrous humanoid). Do not recalculate base attack bonus, saves, or skill points. Size is unchanged. Hit Dice: Increase all current and future Hit Dice to d12s. Speed: Same as the base creature. If the base creature has a swim speed, the terkow retains the ability to swim, and is not vulnerable to destruction from immersion in salt water (see below). Armor Class: The base creature’s natural armor improves by +4. Attacks: A terkow retains all the attacks of the base creature and also gains a claw attack if it didn’t already have one. A creature with natural weapons retains those natural weapons. Damage: Terkow have dual claw attacks. If the base creature does not have this attack form, use the appropriate damage value from the table below according to the terkow’s size. Creatures that have other kinds of natural weapons retain their old damage values or use the appropriate value from the table below, whichever is better. Terkow Claw Damage Size Small Medium Large

Damage 1d4 1d6 1d8

Special Attacks: Same as the base creature, plus the following. Saves have a DC of 10 + 1/2 terkow’s HD + terkow’s Cha modifier unless noted otherwise. Improved Grab (Ex): To use this ability, the terkow must hit with a claw attack. If it gets a hold, it can drain blood; see below. Blood Drain (Ex): The terkow can suck blood from a living victim with its fangs by making a successful grapple check. If it pins the foe, it drains blood, inflicting 1d6 points of temporary

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Terkow are jungle vampires. They appear as skinless humans, and are also known as “skinwalkers,” “skinchangers,” “skinshifters,” and a variety of other related names. As skinless creatures, terkow are constantly losing blood and must suck the blood from living beings to replenish their supply.

Create Spawn (Ex): Any creature reduced to a 0 Constitution score by the terkow’s blood draining attack and then skinned by the creature returns as a true zombie if it had 4 or fewer HD, and a terkow if it had 5 or more HD. In either case, the new zombie or terkow is under command of the terkow that created it and remains enslaved until its master’s death. Special Qualities: A terkow retains all the special qualities of the base creature and gains those described below. Blood Loss (Ex): A terkow continually oozes blood. This causes it to lose hit points at the rate of 2 per day. Terkow do not heal naturally; they can only restore lost hit points by draining blood or through negative energies designed to heal the undead. Damage Reduction (Su): Terkow have damage reduction 15/ magic. Energy Resistance (Ex): A terkow has acid, cold, and electricity energy resistance 20. Spell Resistance (Ex): Terkow have spell resistance equal to 10 + 1/2 their Hit Dice. Skin Flay (Ex): After a terkow drains a humanoid victim of blood, it flays off the victim’s skin and wears it to replace its own (provided the terkow and the victim are of the same race). This provides it with several benefits: • Wearing a skin allows the creature to disguise itself as its victim, adding an additional +10 circumstance bonus to its Disguise checks. • The skin reduces the rate of the creature’s blood loss to 1 hp per day instead of 2 hp per day. • The skin helps to absorb incoming damage, causing the creature to take half damage from weapons. This reduction is not cumulative with damage reduction—apply either the DR or the half damage, whichever results in less damage. The skin can only absorb an amount of damage equal to half the (uninjured) hit points of the original victim, at which point the skin sloughs off, revealing the monster beneath. Damage reduced due to the creature’s DR is not subtracted from the skin. Turn Resistance (Ex): A terkow is treated as if 6 Hit Dice higher when subjected to turning or rebuking attempts. Vulnerable to Salt Water (Ex): Terkow suffer agonizing pain and take 20d6 points of damage per round of total immersion in salt water. Smaller quantities of salt water inflict 1d6 points of damage per round of contact with the creature (no save). Saves: Base save bonuses are Fort +1/3 HD, Ref +1/3 HD, and Will +1/2 HD + 2.

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Abilities: Adjust from the base creature as follows: Str +4, Dex +4, Int +4, Wis +4, Cha +4. Being undead, terkow have no Constitution score.

Sample Terkow

Skills: Terkow gain a +4 racial bonus to Bluff, Climb, Disguise, Hide, Intimidate, Listen, Move Silently, Search, Sense Motive, and Spot checks. Otherwise as base creature.

Terkow, 4th-Level Sorcerer Medium Undead (Augmented Humanoid) Hit Dice: 4d12+3 (29 hp) Initiative: +4 Speed: 30 ft. AC: 17 (+2 Dex, +4 natural, +1 ring), touch 13, flat-footed 15 Base Attack/Grapple: +2/+4 Attack: Claw +4 melee (1d6+3) Full Attack: 2 claws +4 melee (1d6+3) Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft. Special Attacks: Improved grab, blood brain, create spawn, spells Special Qualities: Blood loss, damage reduction 15/magic, darkvision 60 ft., acid, cold, and electricity resistance 20, SR 12, skin flay, +6 turn resistance, salt water vulnerability, undead traits Saves: Fort +1, Ref +3, Will +6 Abilities: Str 14, Dex 14, Con —, Int 18, Wis 14, Cha 22 Skills: Bluff +10, Climb +6, Concentration +7, Disguise +10, Hide +6, Intimidate +10, Knowledge (arcana) +11, Listen +9, Move Silently +6, Search +10, Sense Motive +6, Spellcraft +11, Spot +9 Feats: Alertness, Combat Reflexes, Dodge, Improved Initiative, Lightning Reflexes, Scribe Scroll, Toughness Environment: Any Organization: Solitary or squad (3-5) Challenge Rating: 6 Treasure: None Alignment: Usually chaotic evil Advancement: By character class Level Adjustment: +8

Environment: Any land or underground. Organization: Solitary, pair, gang (2-5), or troupe (1-2 plus 2-5 true zombies). Challenge Rating: Same as base creature +2. Treasure: Double standard. Alignment: Always chaotic evil. Advancement: By character class. Level Adjustment: Same as the base creature +8. Terkow Characters Terkow are always chaotic evil, which causes characters of certain classes to lose their class abilities. In addition, certain classes suffer additional penalties. Clerics: Terkow clerics lose their ability to turn undead but gain the ability to rebuke undead. This ability does not affect the terkow’s controller or any other terkow that a master controls. A terkow cleric has access to two of the following domains: Chaos, Destruction, Evil, or Trickery. Sorcerers and Wizards: Terkow sorcerers and wizards retain their class abilities, but if a character has a familiar, the link between them is broken and the familiar shuns its former companion.

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Feats: Terkow gain Alertness, Combat Reflexes, Dodge, Improved Initiative, and Lightning Reflexes, assuming the base creature meets the prerequisites and doesn’t already have these feats.

This example uses a human 4th-level sorcerer as the base creature.

A skinless humanoid with great claws leers menacingly at you. It licks bloody lips in hungry anticipation of your death. The presence of a pouch and equipment informs you that there is more to this monster than an ugly disposition. This terkow sorcerer was just beginning a promising career in the arcane academy before an expedition to the southern jungles turned his life into unlife. A terkow slaughtered the spellcaster’s companions before feeding on him last. The terkow has long since been freed of its master’s control and slowly continues to learn sorcery—if only to defeat creatures more easily in order to harvest more skin. Combat The terkow sorcerer uses invisibility to enter a community and then abduct a merchant or other humanoid who sees many people in the course of a day. The terkow learns what it can shadowing the target before abducting and draining him. The resulting undead minion is kept nearby in a safe location until needed (or the terkow leaves the community). In its new post, the terkow sorcerer masquerades as the victim, biding its time until it is convenient to take another victim for blood draining. As many as a dozen targets can be drained in a large city before anyone suspects it of the crimes.

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Spells Known: (Spells per Day: 6/8/5; DC 16 + spell level): 0—arcane mark, detect magic, light, mending, read magic, resistance; 1st—mage armor, shocking grasp, sleep; 2nd— invisibility Treasure Double standard—The terkow has discarded the weapons it used in life in favor of its new claws. Replacement equipment comes in the form of magic items and coin/gems: shoulder bag [1 gp] ring of protection +1 [2,000 gp] scroll of identify (x2) [125 gp each] scroll of misdirection (CL 3rd) [150 gp] scroll of silence (CL 3rd) [200 gp] scroll of undetectable alignment [50 gp] wand of magic missile (CL 3rd) (23 charges) [1,035 gp] citrine gems (x3) [50 gp each] 20 sp 162 gp In Your Campaign Although a terkow normally discards its weapons in favor of its claws, this does not necessarily have to hold true for all of them. Besides the spellcasting terkow, you can inject some variety by allowing the warrior classes (barbarians, fighters, paladins, or rangers) a chance to retain the desire for a weapon. Roll a 10% chance for every 2 HD the character has to see if it keeps its primary melee weapon (thus a 6th-level fighter would have a 30% chance).

Thanatos, Large

Large Undead (Aquatic) Hit Dice: 10d12 (65 hp) Initiative: -1 Speed: Swim 40 ft. AC: 16 (-1 size, -1 Dex, +8 natural), touch 8, flat-footed 16 Base Attack/Grapple: +5/+16 Attack: Bite +12 melee (2d6+7 plus energy drain) Full Attack: Bite +12 melee (2d6+7 plus energy drain) Space/Reach: 10 ft./5 ft. Special Attacks: Energy drain, improved grab, shallow whole Special Qualities: Blindsense, damage reduction 5/magic, darkvision 60 ft., fast healing 3, keen scent, immunity to cold and electricity, low-light vision, undead traits, vile luminescence Saves: Fort +3, Ref +2, Will +12 Abilities: Str 24, Dex 8, Con —, Int 1, Wis 16, Cha 10 Skills: Listen +8, Spot +11, Swim +15

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When engaged in melee, the terkow uses its claws to rend enemies while they attempt to penetrate its appreciable defensive qualities. For ranged targets, magic missile is the standard attack form. If it needs to retreats, the terkow first attempts to sleep its foes. Failing that, it either flees invisibly or takes a hostage for a more orderly withdrawal (the latter if there are not more than five foes present).

Feats: Improved Natural Attack (bite), Iron Will, Power Attack, Weapon Focus (bite) Environment: Any aquatic Organization: Solitary Challenge Rating: 12 Treasure: Standard Alignment: Always neutral evil Advancement: 11-15 HD (Large); 16-20 HD (Huge) Level Adjustment: —

Thanatos, Gargantuan

Gargantuan Undead (Aquatic) Hit Dice: 25d12+15 (177 hp) Initiative: -1 Speed: Swim 80 ft. AC: 21 (-4 size, -1 Dex, +16 natural), touch 5, flat-footed 21 Base Attack/Grapple: +12/+38 Attack: Bite +22 melee (4d6+14 plus energy drain) Full Attack: Bite +22 melee (4d6+14 plus energy drain) Space/Reach: 20 ft./15 ft. Special Attacks: Energy drain, improved grab, shallow whole Special Qualities: Blindsense, damage reduction 10/magic, darkvision 60 ft., fast healing 5, keen scent, immunity to cold and electricity, low-light vision, undead traits, vile luminescence Saves: Fort +7, Ref +6, Will +19 Abilities: Str 38, Dex 8, Con —, Int 1, Wis 16, Cha 10 Skills: Listen +17, Spot +17, Swim +15 Feats: Improved Natural Attack (bite), Iron Will, Power Attack, Toughness x5, Weapon Focus (bite) Environment: Any aquatic Organization: Solitary Challenge Rating: 19 Treasure: Standard Alignment: Always neutral evil Advancement: 26-30 HD (Gargantuan); 35-45 HD (Colossal) Level Adjustment: — This whale of a fish stinks like the carrion which clings from its enormous teeth. It bears fins and flippers of bleached bone, solid blue eyes, and a vibrant orange glow across its grayskinned body. Spawned by evil, the thanatos is a great undead fish which exists only to spread that evil. As often as great wars tear apart the land, there are just as many that wage across the ocean depths. Thanatos are one of the earliest attempted at an aquatic doomsday weapon. Created by ancient magic held by sahuagin clerics, the gargantuan versions of these undead fish were sent against all good-aligned aquatic creatures, slaying hundred if not thousands of souls before the assault was countered. And while the sahuagin were obviously unsuccessful in their bid for total domination, dozens of gargantuan thanatos remain today as a chilling reminder of that time; warning all aquatic races that not all stories of the past are fiction. The sahuagin have no direct method of creating more thanatos in modern times, but secret rituals known only to the high clerics enable those who can find a thanatos to command it. Other rituals allow the mutation of whales into large thanatos, but not gargantuan ones.

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Blindsense (Ex): A thanatos can locate creatures underwater within a 30-ft. radius. This ability only works when the thanatos is underwater. Energy Drain (Su): Living creatures struck by the bite of a thanatos gain one negative level; if the thanatos is gargantuan or larger, this is increased to two negative levels. The save DC to remove the negative level is 15 for a Large thanatos and 22 for a Gargantuan thanatos; these saves are Charisma-based. For each such negative level bestowed, the thanatos gains 5 temporary hit points. Living creatures killed by this energy drain rise in 1d4 rounds as zombies. These zombies are not under control of the thanatos, but do not attack the dead fish; they either attack the nearest living creature or simply swim off into the depths. Improved Grab (Ex): When a thanatos hits a creature with its bite attack, it can deal normal damage and attempt to start a grapple as a free action without provoking an attack of opportunity. No initial touch attack is required. If it wins the grapple check, the thanatos establishes a hold and can try to swallow the victim on the following round. This ability can only be used on creatures that are at least one size category smaller than the dead fish. Keen Scent (Ex): A thanatos can notice creatures by scent in a 360-foot radius and can detect blood in the water at a range of up to 5 miles. Swallow Whole (Ex): A thanatos can swallow a grabbed opponent that is at least two sizes smaller by making a successful grapple check. The swallowed creature takes 2d6 bludgeoning damage and loses 1d4 Strength each round he remains within the stomach of the thanatos. He can cut his way free by using a light slashing or piercing weapon to inflict a total of 25 points of damage on the thanatos, but the fast healing ability of the creature counts against this. The fast healing ability quickly seals any exit, and each swallowed victim must cut his own way out. • A Large thanatos can hold 2 Small, 8 Tiny, or 32 Diminutive or smaller creatures in its stomach. A Gargantuan thanatos can swallow 2 Large, 8 Medium, 32 Small, or 128 Tiny or smaller opponents. • The gullet of a thanatos has one other unusually property. Incorporeal and ethereal creatures cannot escape from the stomach of the thanatos; the flesh of the monster has the same effect as an object enchanted with the ghost touch ability. Vile Luminescence (Su): A thanatos gives off an eerie, pale glow. At night, this can allow enemies to see the thanatos approaching them far away (+8 to Spot checks). However, this ghostly glow has a useful function; it duplicates the effects of the spell unhallow in a 40-foot radius surrounding the thanatos. This also duplicates the effects of a magic circle against good, gives all checks to turn undead a -4 penalty, and gives all checks to rebuke undead a +4 bonus.

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Skills: A thanatos receives a +8 racial bonus to any Swim check to perform a special action or to avoid a hazard. It can always choose to take a 10 on a Swim check, even if distracted or endangered. It can use the run action while swimming, provided that it moves in a straight line.

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Combat A thanatos is not a subtle foe. Drawn by the scent of life, it angrily seeks to devour any creature that crosses its path.

Treasure Standard—Thanatos generally lair around shipwrecks and other coastal disasters where the aura of death and despair is strongest. Not that the creatures derive any sustenance off these areas; just that they are more comfortable in these areas. The treasure list given here represents the more common thanatos, the Large size: Black pearl (x6) [500 gp each] Masterwork rapier (x2) [320 gp each] Potion of water breathing [750 gp] Cloak of resistance +1 [1,000 gp] Horn of fog [2,000 gp] 4,000 sp 2,010 gp In Your Campaign Like a few other undead creatures, thanatos remnants can provide some useful magical components. If a craftsman possesses thanatos teeth, he can create a life drinker axe or nine lives stealer without needing to cast finger of death or enervation. The scales of a thanatos allow the wizard to create ghost touch armor and shields without needing to cast etherealness. Of course, it can be hard to recover scales and teeth from the corpse of a thanatos, as it sinks to the bottom of the sea as soon as it is destroyed. A mission to recover the teeth from the corpse of a thanatos can be a challenging salvage operation for the PCs. A finger-stall carved from a tooth of a thanatos adds +2 to the damage the wearer can cause with chill touch and similar necromantic spells. If a character is unfamiliar with certain necromantic rituals, he can craft a small rod out of the tooth of a gargantuan thanatos. Used an additional arcane focus, this can enhance the effect of certain spells such as animate dead (add +2 caster level), chill touch (add +2 to damage rolls), energy drain (add +1 negative level), enervation (add +1 negative level), and ray of enfeeblement (add +1 Strength drain).

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Tortured

A humanoid with pained expression and lifeless eyes lurches towards you. Its pale skin is studded with large bony shards and as it gets closer you can tell that these spurs are actually the splintered parts of its own skeleton, reaching out through the skin. Around these spurs are long-dried patches of blood and puss. Tortured undead are those poor creatures who are unfairly tortured to death. The desperate fevered emotions running through the creature at the time of death are enough to push it to the attention of the dread gods responsible for raising undead creatures. But those emotions are just barely enough to grant it an undead status, for the tortured has no intelligence and is only barely aware of itself. Physically, the creature has the same body it possessed in life. The main difference is that bones of its form have splintered and now pierce through the skin at odd angles, further giving the impression that the creature is being tortured (although it can no longer actually feel pain). Although it has no language skills, the tortured manages a pained moan when it strikes, or is struck by, an opponent. Combat Desperate in their mindless desire to escape their anguish, the tortured attack any creatures they come across in a fantastic rage. The tortured is driven to homicidal lunacy, and attacks even if hopelessly outmatched, neither fleeing nor surrendering. Tortured intuitively see smaller creatures such as gnomes and halflings as easy targets, and often attack such opponents first, trying to grapple them and impale them on their bone-studded flesh. Pain Aura (Su): All living creatures within 30 feet of a tortured must succeed at a DC 12 Fortitude save or suffer terrible pains. The save DC is Constitution-based. Affected creatures move

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Medium Undead Hit Dice: 4d12+3 (29 hp) Initiative: +0 Speed: 30 ft. AC: 13 (+3 natural), touch 10, flat-footed 13 Base Attack/Grapple: +2/+4 Attack: Slam +4 melee (1d6+3) Full Attack: Slam +4 melee (1d6+3) Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft. Special Attacks: Bone spikes, pain aura Special Qualities: Damage reduction 2/—, darkvision 60 ft., pain leech, undead traits Saves: Fort +1, Ref +1, Will +4 Abilities: Str 14, Dex 10, Con —, Int —, Wis 10, Cha 1 Feats: Toughness (B) Environment: Any land or underground Organization: Solitary, pair, group (3-5), or pack (6-11) Challenge Rating: 3 Treasure: None Alignment: Always neutral Advancement: 5-12 HD (Medium); 9-12 HD (Large) Level Adjustment: —

at half-speed and suffer a -2 penalty on attack rolls, saves, and ability and skill checks as long as they remain in the area. A creature that saves is immune to that tortured’s aura for 24 hours. Creatures that do not feel pain (such as oozes and plants) are immune to the tortured’s pain aura. Bone Spikes (Ex): The sharp bone spikes jutting from the tortured’s skin function as armor spikes. Pain Leech (Su): Any time a tortured deals a total of 6 or more points of damage in a single round, it heals 1 hit point. If the amount of healing would cause the undead to exceed its maximum normal hit points, it gains any excess as temporary hit points (which it cannot have more than equal to its normal hit point total). Treasure None—With a singular mission to inflict pain and death on others, even if a tortured had the mental faculties to collect and use treasure, it would not do so. In Your Campaign Despite their propensity to attack any creature in their path, the tortured are not evil undead. They instinctively seek to harm others in the same way they have been harmed—because, after all, misery loves company. However, what the tortured truly seeks is a release from its suffering. This can be accomplished in one of two ways. The first, and most obvious, is the tortured’s own destruction. The second way is a bit more involved. Since tortured only come from unfairly tortured and slain creatures, they respond as much to force as they do to justice for their former living selves. If PCs can bring the creature responsible for a tortured’s death to court (or some kind of official trial), then the tortured stops its spree of attacks, heading immediately for the court location. The tortured attacks no one as long as the trial is ongoing, remaining within 100 feet of its torturer until the trial’s conclusion. If the accused is found guilty and punished (not necessarily killed), then the tortured collapses, the negative energies holding its existence together departing in a whiff of black smoke. If found innocent, the tortured flies into a rage, attacking any creature within sight. It also gains a limited Intelligence score of 3 until either it is slain or it can slay its torturer. This second method is a great way for lower level PCs to defeat a tortured without a “kill or be killed” combat.

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Gargantuan Plant Hit Dice: 16d8+128 (200 hp) Initiative: -5 Speed: 0 ft. AC: 27 (-4 size, -5 Dex, +26 natural), touch 1, flat-footed 27 Base Attack/Grapple: +12/+19 Attack: — Full Attack: — Space/Reach: 20 ft./0 ft. Special Attacks: Absorption, carrion stench, foul influence, subjugate undead Special Qualities: Damage reduction 6/—, plant traits, spell resistance 22 Saves: Fort +18, Ref —, Will +8 Abilities: Str —, Dex —, Con 27, Int —, Wis 16, Cha 21 Environment: Temperate and warm forests Organization: Corpse-copse (1 tree of woe plus any number of controlled undead) Challenge Rating: 17 Treasure: Standard Alignment: Always neutral evil Advancement: 17-30 HD (Gargantuan); 31-48 HD (Colossal) Level Adjustment: — This leafless tree has alternating patches of blistering red and cracked blue-black bark. Spindly limbs seem to just hang from the tree’s bulbous trunk while cluttered heaps of bone and mulch lie around it. Trees of woe seem to exist only to attract undead to themselves. An unknown number of skeletons, zombies, and worse undead patrol the tree’s area of influence like ants in a hive. This area is maintained as a haven to all that is opposed to the living world. The tree’s patches of red and blue-black make it appear as if the tree had been exposed to blistering heat (for the former) and frostbite (for the latter). The rotting material around the tree of woe is the remnant of carcasses which are left of creatures that die in the tree’s area of influence. Such detritus powers the tree’s stench ability and the bones compose the protective undead that can be animated as necessary. Combat Besides a tendency to sway in non-existent breezes, trees of woe are immobile. However, their abilities to animate and control undead guardians and to exude waves of incapacitating stench leave them far from defenseless. Absorption (Ex): A low mount of pulpy, glistening, decomposing animal matter extends in a 20-foot radius from the tree of woe’s base for a typical adult tree. Any creature lying prone within this area is quickly enveloped in the muddy, festering earth around the tree’s roots; a character may avoid this fate with a DC 18 Reflex save (helpless creatures get no save). Complete envelopment takes 2 full rounds, during which time the victim may make a DC 18 Strength or Escape Artist check each round to break free.

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Once fully enveloped, a victim begins to suffocate and takes

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Tree of Woe

1d6 points of acid damage per round, and may be freed only by another character who makes a successful Strength check (DC 20 + 1 per round the victim has been enveloped). A dead creature has its flesh and other bodily tissues soughed away from its bones after 30 minutes, and the bones are ejected back onto the ground’s surface while the rest of the body is slowly drawn into the tree over the course of several weeks. Carrion Stench (Ex): Once every 3 rounds, a tree of woe can expel a wave of carrion stench. Several ulcers in its bark open and vent their putrid contents, and all living creatures within 30 feet of the tree must make a DC 26 Fortitude save or be rendered unconscious for 1d6 rounds; those who save are instead sickened for 1d6 rounds. The save DC is Constitutionbased.

Foul Influence (Su): The tree of woe exerts its foul influence to a radius of one mile for every 2 HD of the tree. Any animal, giant, humanoid, or monstrous humanoid corpse within this range that remains in contact with the ground for 1 full round is animated into a skeleton or zombie (see MM). Corpses of humanoids with 2 or 3 class levels are instead turned into ghouls, while those with 4 or more class levels are turned into ghasts; there is a 5% chance that a ghoul or ghast so created also retains half of its class levels (round down). The tree of woe’s primary defense is these undead creatures. In addition to the undead it accumulates with its subjugate undead ability, it may animate the circle of bones that surrounds it. Every round, it may cause 1d6 skeletons to assemble themselves, moving to attack any opponents of the tree in the next round. An additional d6 roll determines the size of each skeleton formed: 1 = Small; 2-3 = Medium; 4 = Large; 5 = Huge; 6 = Gargantuan. Enough bones are normally present for the tree to create up to five times its own HD worth of skeletons. Subjugate Undead (Su): Any undead within the area of the tree of woe’s foul influence (1 mile per 2 HD) must make a DC 23 Will save every hour or be compelled to move toward the tree. The save DC is Charisma-based. Weak corporeal undead are simply brought to the tree to be absorbed, but those with 3 or more HD or having the incorporeal subtype are spared this final fate and instead linger near the tree, compelled to protect the tree of woe from attackers. At least 6d6 undead, mostly ghouls, ghasts, and zombies of various sizes, strengths, and compositions (those animated by the tree), with perhaps a few incorporeal undead, typically roam near a fully grown tree of woe. Treasure Standard—The potentially staggering amount of creatures a tree of woe animates into service allows for an equally staggering amount of treasure. Buried in and around the detritus mound are the items listed below. Amethyst (x5) [110 gp each] Golden yellow topaz (x6) [400 gp each] Rich purple corundum (x3) [600 gp each] Cape of the mountebank [10,080 gp] Potion of haste [750 gp] Staff of charming (30 charges) (bears spiraling design of 4 pairs

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of eyes chained together) [9,900 gp] 10,020 gp 5,000 sp

The genesis of a tree of woe can be a source of adventure in your campaign instead of the more typical scenario of fighting one. Perhaps a powerful evil druid needs to sacrifice his humanoid form to create the tree. Or maybe the tree of woe grows as a result of planting a lich’s phylactery in the soil at the base of a normal tree. Whatever the origin, the PCs are called upon by a good druid to stop the tree of woe from being born.

Undead Lord (Template)

For every type of undead, there exists an undead lord, a being of great power that commands the lesser if its kind. They are powerful creatures that inspire awe and fear in those they rule. Undead lords are extremely dangerous opponents. They are stronger, tougher, and more intelligent than the ones they command. As such, they are rarely encountered by chance (are rarely alone). Most maintain a lair away from civilization where they plot and plan, sending their minions on missions to further their goals. Undead lords, appear as normal undead of their type, though there seems to be a strong aura of evil and power resonating about them. Undead lords speak any languages they spoke before applying this template. Mindless undead gain an Intelligence score of 10 and speak Common. Creating an Undead Lord “Undead Lord” is an inherited template that can be applied to any undead creature (referred to hereafter as the “base creature”). The creature’s type does not change and it uses all of the base creature’s statistics and special abilities as noted here. Size and Type: Same as the base creature. Hit Dice: An undead lord’s HD is equal to 5 or the base creature’s HD (including class levels), whichever is greater. Armor Class: The base creature’s natural armor bonus increases by +4. If the base creature is incorporeal, it does not gain this bonus. Attacks: The undead lord retains all the attacks of the base creature. Recalculate its base attack bonus based on its new HD

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In Your Campaign A tree of woe is often the focal point for a location referred to as an “anti-grove” by sages of the natural world. Evil druids can somehow congregate in the tree of woe’s area of influence without fear of attack. They treat the tree with reverence as it embodies the aspects of “nature” that they hold so dear—rot and death. Such conclaves of dark druids are rare but when they do occur it is a dire symbol for the surrounding lands.

and any ability modifiers or use the base creature’s base attack bonus (adjusted for any ability score changes), whichever is higher. Special Attacks: An undead lord retains all the special attacks of the base creature and also gains those listed below. Saves have a DC of 10 + ½ the undead lord’s HD + the undead lord’s Charisma modifier unless noted otherwise). Command Undead (Su): Undead lords command or rebuke undead creatures of the same type as itself as a cleric equal to its current Hit Dice. If the base creature can already command or rebuke undead, this ability stacks. Create Spawn (Su): A creature slain by an undead lord rises in 1d4 minutes as an undead creature of the same type as the

undead lord. Spawn are under control of the undead lord. This replaces any other create spawn ability the base creature possesses. Spell-Like Abilities: 1/day—darkness, fear. Caster level is equal to the undead lord’s HD. Saves have a DC of 10 + spell level + the undead lord’s Cha modifier. Summon Undead (Sp): Once per day, an undead lord can summon a total number of HD worth of undead (of the same type as the undead lord) equal to its HD x 1.5. Undead lords cannot summon an undead

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creature that has more HD than it does.

Level Adjustment: Same as the base creature +4.

Special Qualities: An undead lord retains special qualities of the base creature and also gains those listed below.

Sample Undead Lord

Damage Reduction (Ex): Undead lords with 5 to 7 HD gain DR 5/magic; undead lords with 8 or more HD gain damage reduction 10/magic. If the base creature already has damage reduction/magic, use it or one of the above, whichever is better. If the base creature has another type of damage reduction (bludgeoning, piercing, and so on) its type modifiers stack. For example, a base creature with 5 HD and damage reduction 5/ piercing that becomes an undead lord now has DR 5/magic and piercing. Turn Resistance (Ex): Undead lords gain turn resistance +4. If the base creature already has turn resistance, use this one or the base creature’s, whichever is higher. Undead Telepathy (Su): Undead lords can communicate telepathically with any other undead within 100 feet, including mindless undead such as zombies and skeletons. Abilities: Increase from the base creature as follows: Str +4 (unless incorporeal), Dex +2, Int +2, Wis +2, Cha +4. Undead lords have an Intelligence of at least 10, so mindless undead such as zombies and skeletons gain this Intelligence score. Incorporeal creatures do not gain the Strength bonus (since they have no Strength), but instead gain an additional +2 bonus to their Dexterity score. Saves: Same as the base creature. If the base creature had less than 5 HD and was advanced (as above, under Hit Dice), recalculate its saves based on its new HD. Undead have good Will saves. Skills: Same as the base creature. Mindless undead that gain an Intelligence score gain a number of skill points equal to 4 + Intelligence modifier x (HD + 3). Feats: Same as the base creature (including bonus feats). If the base creature had less than 5 HD and was advanced (as above, under Hit Dice), it gains one additional feat. Organization: Solitary or troupe (undead lord plus 1-4 undead creatures of the same type as the base creature). Challenge Rating: Same as the base creature +2. If the base creature was advanced to 5 HD (see Hit Dice above), its CR is increased an additional +1.

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Advancement: By character class.

The following example uses a cadaver (see Cadaver on page 11) as the base creature.

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Aura of Desecration (Su): Undead lords constantly project an aura in a 20-foot radius that functions as a permanent desecrate spell. Undead within the area (including the undead lord) gain a +1 profane bonus to attack rolls, damage rolls, and saves. In addition, all turning checks made in the area suffer a -3 profane penalty. Summoned or created undead that appear in the area gain +1 hit points per HD.

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Cadaver Lord Medium Undead Hit Dice: 5d12 (32 hp) Initiative: +6 Speed: 30 ft. AC: 18 (+2 Dex, +6 natural), touch 12, flat-footed 16 Base Attack/Grapple: +2/+5 Attack: Claw +6 melee (1d4+4 plus disease) Full Attack: 2 claws +6 melee (1d4+4 plus disease) and bite +1 melee (1d6+2 plus disease) Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft. Special Attacks: Aura of desecration, command undead, create spawn, disease, spell-like abilities, summon undead Special Qualities: Damage reduction 5/magic and bludgeoning, darkvision 60 ft., immunity to cold, reanimation, turn resistance +4, undead traits, undead telepathy Saves: Fort +2, Ref +4, Will +6 Abilities: Str 16, Dex 15, Con —, Int 10, Wis 12, Cha 15 Skills: Intimidate +10, Listen +9, Search +8, Spot +9 Feats: Improved Initiative (B), Power Attack Environment: Any Organization: Solitary or troupe (cadaver lord plus 1-4 cadavers) Challenge Rating: 5 Treasure: Standard Alignment: Always chaotic evil Advancement: By character class Level Adjustment: +4 This monster resembles a humanoid dressed in tattered finery. Rotted flesh reveals corded muscles stretched tightly over its skeletal frame. Hollow eye sockets flicker with a hellish glow. Broken and rotted teeth line its mouth and its hands end in wicked claws. This cadaver lord has gathered four standard cadavers and driven a clan of goblins from their deep cave lair. As a result, the goblins have attacked caravans on the nearby trade road that they might not otherwise have done out of need for food and supplies. The cadaver lord doesn’t realize it, but the increased goblin presence will soon signal that there is a more deep-seeded problem; otherwise, why would the normally docile goblins be attacking caravans? The cadaver lord is only interested in slaying the living with its brethren. At night, the five creatures slip into a nearby village and slay two of the residents. After eviscerating them, the corpses are not raised as cadavers. Rather they are hung on display in the community’s central gathering place as a symbol of fear. The cadaver lord may take a particularly strong victim as a cadaver servant, but this is rare. Combat A cadaver lord attacks by raking with its filthy claws or biting

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Command Undead (Su): Cadaver lords command or rebuke undead as 5th-level clerics. Create Spawn (Su): A creature slain by a cadaver lord rises in 1d4 minutes as a cadaver. Spawn are under the control of the cadaver lord. Disease (Ex): Filth fever—claw or bite, Fortitude save DC 11, incubation period 1d3 days; damage 1d3 Dexterity and 1d3 Constitution (see Disease in the DMG). The save DC is Charisma-based. Spell-Like Abilities: 1/day—darkness, fear (DC 16). Caster level 5th. The save DCs are Charisma-based. Summon Undead (Sp): Once per day, a cadaver lord can summon 7 HD worth of cadavers. Aura of Desecration (Su): Cadaver lords constantly project an aura in a 20-foot radius that functions as a permanent desecrate spell. Undead within the area (including the cadaver lord) gain a +1 profane bonus to attack rolls, damage rolls, and saves (included in the above stats). In addition, all turning checks made in the area suffer a -3 profane penalty. Summoned or created undead that appear in the area gain +1 hit points per HD. Reanimation (Ex): When reduced to 0 hit points or less, a cadaver lord is not destroyed; rather it begins the process of reanimating by regaining 1 hit point per round. Hit points lost to magical weapons or spells are not regained. When the creature reaches its full hit point total (minus damage dealt from magical attacks and weapons), it stands up, read to fight again. If the creature is destroyed by a cleric’s turning ability, it cannot reanimate. If a cleric casts gentle repose on the cadaver lord when it reaches 0 hit points, it cannot reanimate. A bless spell delays the reanimation, causing the creature to regain hit points at half its normal rate (i.e. 1 hit point every other round). Undead Telepathy (Su): Cadaver lords can communicate telepathically with any other undead within 100 feet, including mindless undead such as zombies and skeletons. Treasure Standard—A cadaver lord has intelligence enough to not only appreciate the finer items, but also to appreciate the impact certain equipment can have in a fight. As such, its treasure reflects that of an adventurer. This treasure is the cadaver lord’s alone; any of its minion’s treasures are left on their bodies. Ceremonial electrum dagger with a star ruby in the pommel [700 gp] Masterwork manacles [50 gp]

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Silver torque with moonstones [450 gp] Thunderstone (x4) [30 gp each] 280 gp

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with its sharp, disease-infested teeth after confusing opponents with darkness. Ideally, however, it stays out of combat. Its cadaver servants, bolstered by the lord’s aura, are usually left to deal with opponents who come to close to its lair. Only if sorely pressed does the cadaver lord summon a cadre of other cadavers.

In Your Campaign The cadaver lord, and indeed the undead lord template itself, represents the chance to enhance weaker undead and really bring them back as a threatening foe once PCs have reached middling levels. If such a party faced a group of zombies, they would not be particularly worried. But if a zombie lord was hiding amidst the flock, secretly bolstering and directing them, then the PCs’ opinion might change. Combat-inclined undead lords can perfectly masquerade as a typical member of the undead type it originated from, directing its minions to flank and attack spellcasters, as well as surprising opponents with its spell-like and disease powers. But where does the power to become an undead lord come from? And why do not other types of creatures occasionally benefit from this type of enhancement? It could be chalked up to a favorable brush with an undead deity, the accidental discovery of a magical pool, or a complex ritual which sacrifices many creatures to enhance a chosen one. The truth is that it is totally up to you as the GM. The only certainty is that the every possible reason conjures up a wealth of adventure ideas on its own.

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Undead Stalker

This hulking 9-foot-tall beast has skin of deep crimson, lined with bulging veins and corded muscles. Its arms end in dangerous four-clawed hands and its large head bears glowing eyes and a maw filled with shiny teeth. Its thick black hair is greasy and unkempt and takes on a purplish sheen in the moonlight. Undead stalkers are large, humanoid monsters that feed on the living and undead alike. They speak no languages. Undead stalkers are nocturnal, and even at night or when underground they keep to the shadows. They spend their days in dark holes and subterranean chasms, and while their favored hunting grounds are forests and mountainsides, they can be found in any environment. Cunning and cruel, they seek out intelligent and magical creatures, devouring their souls after killing them. But undead stalkers ignore all other potential meals in favor of undead, whenever possible. They gain great strength from negative energy, and the desire to consume undead creatures seems to be the driving force of their existence. Undead stalkers hunt relentlessly until dawn, when they hastily retreat to their lairs. It is unknown why they despise sunlight, as it appears to only repulse, rather than harm them. Undead stalkers show no ability to socialize. They do not form families, communicate among themselves or with other species, or empathize with creatures they encounter. They reproduce asexually, and each only once; when an undead stalker is several centuries old and has consumed enough lives, it returns to its lair and collapses. It dissolves, melting and joining with a bed made of the remains of its victims. After several days, a new undead stalker rises out of the morass of bone and ichor. Given their inability to increase their number, the death of

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Large Aberration Hit Dice: 9d8 (85 hp) Initiative: +1 Speed: 40 ft. AC: 17 (-1 size, +1 Dex, +7 natural), touch 10, flat-footed 16 Base Attack/Grapple: +6/+16 Attack: Claw +11 melee (2d4+6) Full Attack: 2 claws +11 melee (2d4+6) Space/Reach: 10 ft./10 ft. Special Attacks: Energy drain, devour soul, ghost touch Special Qualities: Disjoin spirit, photophobia, undead qualities, damage reduction 15/magic or silver, darkvision 60 ft. Saves: Fort +8, Ref +4, Will +5 Abilities: Str 22, Dex 12, Con 20, Int 6, Wis 9, Cha 11 Skills: Climb +7, Hide +5, Listen +2, Move Silently +6, Spot +2 Feats: Alertness, Lightning Reflexes, Power Attack, Stealthy Environment: Any Organization: Solitary Challenge Rating: 7 Treasure: Standard Alignment: Always chaotic evil Advancement: 10-16 HD (Large) Level Adjustment: —

undead stalkers as a species seems inevitable.

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Combat Undead stalkers enjoy toying with adversaries, often preparing primitive traps and ambushes. They almost never retreat from battle, focusing on killing one enemy at a time. An undead stalker’s natural weapons are treated as magic weapons for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction. Energy Drain (Su): An undead stalker that hits with both claw attacks tears at the spiritual “membrane” that protects an opponent’s soul. The creature receives 1d4 negative levels. The Fortitude save to remove a negative level has a DC of 14. The save DC is Charisma-based. For each such negative level bestowed, the undead stalker gains 5 temporary hit points.

Devour Soul (Su): An undead stalker devours the souls of creatures it kills with its claws. A creature whose soul has been devoured cannot be raised or resurrected until its soul is freed. A limited wish, miracle or wish frees the soul, as does the death of the undead stalker. Ghost Touch (Su): An undead stalker’s claws deal damage normally against incorporeal creatures. An incorporeal creature’s 50% chance to avoid damage does not apply to attack with an undead stalker’s claws. When an undead stalker is incorporeal, its claws deal damage against corporeal creatures normally, and it retains its natural armor bonus to AC. Disjoin Spirit (Su): Once per day as a standard action, an undead stalker can use the negative energy it has collected to take on spirit-form, leaving its body behind. The spirit appears as a ghostly version of the undead stalker, and gains all the traits of incorporeal creatures, but can use its ghost touch ability to affect corporeal creatures and objects normally. As it loses its Strength score, the undead stalker’s attack bonus with its claws changes to +6, but the stalker ignores material armor not made of force and lacking the ghost touch quality. It also gains a +1 deflection bonus to AC. While the stalker is in spirit-form, its body lies unconscious. Damage taken by either the spirit or the body injures both, and the death of the body destroys the spirit. The undead stalker can merge with its body once again by touching it as a move action, but it automatically rejoins its body after a number of minutes spent incorporeal equal to its Constitution modifier. Photophobia (Ex): In sunlight or when within the radius of a daylight spell, an undead stalker must succeed on a DC 15 Will save or become frightened until it reaches a dark or shadowy area. Even if the undead stalker succeeds, it must repeat the save every minute it stays in the light. Undead Qualities (Ex): Undead stalkers share certain traits with undead. They are not subject to ability drain or energy drain, they are healed by negative energy (such as inflict spells), and they take damage from positive energy (such as cure spells).

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In Your Campaign The result of heavy magical experimentation on owlbears, undead stalkers were first created to attack a necromancer’s fortress. The king who commissioned the monster wanted the necromancer and his undead legions wiped out after their fourth attack against his kingdom. Originally good-aligned, the first taste of negative energy somehow warped the stalkers’ arcane matrices and turned them into the soul-sucking bloodthirsty beasts they are today. Several adventure ideas present themselves where the undead stalker is concerned. In an enormous mortuary where the spirits of the ancient dead can be called upon to advise the living, both resident spirits and the mortuary’s caretakers have been disappearing. The caretakers lock themselves, along with the PCs, inside, and ask the party to determine who is causing the disappearances, and why. One of the caretakers has called an undead stalker into the mortuary in order to hide his summoning of spirits for personal gain, and is doing his best to hide evidence from the PCs. A grieving widow whose husband was slain by an undead stalker is the subject of another adventure idea. She asks the PCs to free her husband’s soul so it might find peace. But the undead stalker is the sole guardian of an ancient pyramid where undead are feared to dwell, and the only force preventing the undead from escaping. After some investigation, the only known way to extract a soul from inside an undead stalker is with a spell hidden inside the pyramid, so the PCs must sneak past the stalker, explore the pyramid, and then find the stalker again.

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Vohrahn

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Treasure Standard—Since the remains of slain creatures are taken to the undead stalker’s lair, there is certainly treasure to be had there. Defeating the creature anywhere else yields a large smelly carcass. Chain shirt [100 gp] Cloth of gold vestments [90 gp] Dagger (x4) [2 gp each] Holy symbol, silver [25 gp] Masterwork battleaxe [310 gp] Masterwork longbow [375 gp] Masterwork studded leather [175 gp] Longsword (x2) [15 gp each] Smokestick (x2) [20 gp each] Potion of cure moderate wounds (x2) [300 gp each] Potion of lesser restoration [300 gp] Scroll of consecrate (CL 3rd) [200 gp] 347 gp

Medium Undead Hit Dice: 4d12 (26 hp) Initiative: +0 Speed: 30 ft. AC: 15 (+5 natural), touch 10, flat-footed 15 Base Attack/Grapple: +2/+6 Attack: Claw +6 melee (1d6+4 plus cursed touch) Full Attack: 2 claws +6 melee (1d6+4 plus cursed touch) Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft. Special Attacks: Cursed touch, tainted passion Special Qualities: Damage reduction 10/magic or silver, darkvision 60 ft., fast healing 3, undead traits Saves: Fort +1, Ref +1, Will +6 Abilities: Str 18, Dex 10, Con —, Int 7, Wis 10, Cha 12 Skills: Climb +4, Hide +2, Intimidate +4, Listen +2, Move Silently +2, Spot +4 Feats: Iron Will, Power Attack Environment: Any Organization: Solitary or squad (3-5) Challenge Rating: 4 Treasure: None Alignment: Usually chaotic evil Advancement: 5-9 HD (Medium) Level Adjustment: — A humanoid with grievous wounds moves in awkward step. Its arms end in sharp talons and its dark face is highlighted by fiery orange eyes. Created by spellcasters by binding dead spirits to the bodies of fallen warriors, vohrahn are lost souls trapped within corpses, whose distress over their predicament only furthers their masters’ goals. A vohrahn’s body appears as it did at the time of death, whatever injuries that killed it still present. The sharp talons all bear are a result of the animation process. Its jerky movements are the result of the spirit’s unfamiliarity with the host body, as well as the body’s injuries and decomposition. A vohrahn feels no pain and is completely subject to its master’s will. Most despair of ever being free, and show no resistance. Rarely, a vohrahn’s trapped spirit will maintain its self-identity and fight for control of the body, but such efforts are ultimately futile. When a vohrahn is destroyed, the magic binding its spirit is shattered, allowing the spirit to escape. A peaceful spirit may depart from a vohrahn’s eyes in a wisp of vapor, sending the body toppling to the ground. Other spirits escape more violently, causing their host bodies to burst into flame and disintegrate into green smoke. Combat Vohrahn rarely wield weapons, preferring to rend opponents with their claws. They are usually encountered in groups, sent on whatever missions their creators demand. Cursed Touch (Su): Any creature that suffers damage from a vohrahn’s claws must succeed on a DC 13 Will save or suffer a -4 morale penalty on all attack rolls, saving throws, ability

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actually be a violent trigger. Depending on the spirit which inhabits the body, wealth may be a sign of its former like and cause the vohrahn to lash out against any creature seen carrying some—be it jewelry or even a few gold pieces.

Tainted Passion (Su): Every vohrahn contains the soul of a dead being who was at peace before its entrapment. The spirit’s passionate desire to return to death is converted by the vohrahn’s animating magic into violent power, but the power’s nature depends upon the nature of the spirit. All vohrahn have one of the following abilities. All save DCs are Charismabased.

In Your Campaign Whether or not your campaign has an established protocol concerning the afterlife, the concept of the vohrahn should be able to fit in nicely, especially from an adventure standpoint. Characters attempting to contact the spirits of the dead (as part of a murder investigation, for example) find that they receive no answer. Such a result is unheard of so the characters consult someone who knows of spiritual matters who confirms that such occurrences have been noted throughout the region. This is the beginning of trail which leads the party to a necromancer who has begun creating vohrahn, stealing local spirits before they can reach the afterlife. Alternately, a necromancer might be taking a more proactive stance and planning the deaths of others on a massive scale, for the purpose of harvesting their angry spirits in order to raise an army of vohrahn.

Burning Fury: Vohrahn who rage over their entrapment can set their opponents on fire. When the vohrahn hits with its claw attack, its opponent must succeed on a DC 13 Reflex save or catch fire, taking 1d6 points of fire damage on its next turn. The flames burn for 1d4 rounds, or until extinguished. Each round, the burning creature must make another Reflex save. Failure means he takes another 1d6 points of fire damage that round. Success means that the fire has been put out. A character on fire may automatically extinguish the flames by jumping into enough water to douse himself. If no body of water is at hand, rolling on the ground or smothering the fire with cloaks or the like permits the character another save with a +4 bonus. Icy Steadfastness: A vohrahn who focuses all its will toward resisting its master develops a coating of frost, and deals an extra 1d4 points of cold damage to opponents hit by its claw attack. Shield of Vigilance: A vohrahn who feels a sense of duty to obey its master until its mission is complete is protected by a magic circle against good (caster level 10th). The circle can be dispelled, but the vohrahn may create it again on its next turn as a free action. Spirit of Undeath: After decades or centuries of existence, the vohrahn’s animating magics have worn a hole between the realms of life and death. The vohrahn’s passion is gone, but its power causes creatures slain by its claw attacks to rise as zombies under the vohrahn’s control after 1d4 rounds. They do not possess any of the abilities they had in life. A vohrahn with 7 or more Hit Dice can raise creatures as wights instead. Vicious Render: The vohrahn finds satisfaction in taking out its anger on the living. When the vohrahn hits with both claws, it latches onto its opponent’s body and tears the flesh. This attack automatically deals an extra 2d6+6 points of damage. Wail of Despair: The vohrahn, whose spirit despairs of being freed, can let out a howl, paralyzing all creatures within 30 feet for 1d4 rounds (Will DC 13 negates). Whether or not its save is successful, a creature cannot be affected again by that vohrahn’s wail for 24 hours. This is a sonic, necromantic, mind-affecting compulsion effect.

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checks, and skill checks for 1d4 days. Whether or not the save is successful, an affected creature cannot be affected again by the vohrahn’s cursed touch for 24 hours. Dispel evil or remove curse eliminates the effect. The save DC is Charisma-based.

Or perhaps the battling of a vohrahn is but the means to an end. The party hardly wants to destroy this monster if the soul inhabiting it happens to be that of a close friend or family member. Can a trapped soul be set free again to enjoy eternity in the afterlife? Or will destroying the vohrahn mean destruction for the soul inside as well?

Treasure None—As a member of the undead, vohrahn have no use for treasure. But in this particular monster’s case, treasure may

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Medium Undead Hit Dice: 9d12+3 (61 hp) Initiative: +6 Speed: 30 ft. AC: 19 (+2 Dex, +7 natural), touch 12, flat-footed 17 Base Attack/Grapple: +4/+10 Attack: Slam +10 melee (1d6+9 plus lassitude and poison) Full Attack: Slam +10 melee (1d4+1 plus lassitude and poison) Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft. Special Attacks: Lassitude, poison, summon spiders Special Qualities: Damage reduction 5/—, darkvision 60 ft., fast healing 2, spider affinity, undead traits, vulnerability to fire Saves: Fort +5, Ref +5, Will +8 Abilities: Str 23, Dex 14, Con —, Int 8, Wis 14, Cha 15 Skills: Climb +14, Hide +8, Jump +12, Listen +10, Move Silently +8, Search +5, Spot +10 Feats: Alertness, Great Fortitude, Improved Initiative, Toughness Environment: Any underground Organization: Solitary, pair, or group (3-10) Challenge Rating: 7 Treasure: None Alignment: Always neutral evil Advancement: 10-17 HD (Medium); 18-27 HD (Large) Level Adjustment: — A large gray web hangs from the wall above you. At its center appears to be a lounging spider of the same color. Before you can

draw closer, the webbing drops from its perch and assumes a humanoid form with the spider hanging motionless on its chest like some sort of insignia. Smaller spiders also burst from the surrounding cracks in the walls to attack! Webbed sentinels were created by dark elves soon after their retreat into the subterranean world. To deter pursuit by surface elves (and attack by other underearth races), drow necromancers fashioned these

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Webbed Sentinel

creatures made from the most common element they encountered—spiders and their webs. Webbed sentinels patrolled the areas surrounding drow camps and, eventually, fledgling drow cities. After the dark elves managed to establish a firm hold in the underearth, the webbed sentinels were released from servitude to roam the subterranean world, inflicting fear and death on all they met. Dwarves and underearth gnomes each share similar tales about the sentinels and teach them to their children as dreaded nursery rhymes. Combat A webbed sentinel normally remains motionless, hanging on walls or ceilings where the spider has apparently built its web. When any living being approaches, the sentinel attacks as quickly and savagely as possible. Lassitude (Su): Any living creature hit by a webbed sentinel’s slam attack must make a DC 16 Will save or be slowed (as the spell) for 2d6 rounds. The save DC is Charisma-based. Poison (Ex): Touch or slam, Fort DC 14, 1d6 Con/1d6 Con and paralyzed for 1d6 minutes. Summon Spiders (Sp): Three times per day, a webbed sentinel can summon a swarm of spiders (as per the spell summon swarm) as a full-round action. The swarms summoned by a webbed sentinel are under its complete control, as if by means of the spell dominate monster. Spider Affinity (Su): As a standard action, a webbed sentinel can try to control any single spider swarm or monstrous spider within 60 feet. The target spider or spider swarm must make a

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DC 16 Will save or be controlled by the sentinel as if by means of the spell dominate monster. The save DC is Charisma-based.

Treasure None—Webbed sentinels do not value treasure, preferring their own abilities and tactics to the “cumbersome” use of weapons and equipment. In Your Campaign In years gone by, when a webbed sentinel was encountered, a person knew that dark elves were nearby. These days, with the release of the sentinels from servitude, you never know what you’ll find (if anything) around their lairs. Even though they no longer guard drow strongholds specifically, these undead still tend to stay in one location and patrol it on a regular basis. PCs who are looking for a safe place to rest in the underearth, may wish to consider such locations if they can convince the sentinel that they are dark elves themselves. This can be accomplished by two methods. The first, and most obvious, is by a good Disguise skill (opposed by the sentinel’s Spot check). With a little magic and luck, the sentinel can be fooled into allowing entry into its lair. A successful Disguise check in this manner allows full access to the lair for 24 hours, after which another check is required. The second method to fool a webbed sentinel is making it believe a PC is a friend of the drow. If the character has a drow object (be it a piece of jewelry, magic item, or weapon) and presents it to the sentinel boldly, he has a chance to gain its trust temporarily. This works like a cleric attempting to turn undead. The PC holding the drow item makes a Charisma check and then consults the Turning Undead table (see the PH). If the check is successful enough to affect the sentinel, roll 2d6 + PC level + Charisma modifier to determine how many hours the sentinel allows you free reign of its lair. At the end of this duration, another “turning” attempt must be made. If a character attempts this action while successfully disguised as a dark elf, his Charisma check gains a +10 circumstance bonus (thus allowing lower level PC a good chance of fooling the sentinel for a time).

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Spider Climb (Ex): Webbed sentinels can climb sheer surfaces as if with the spell spider climb.

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Fine Undead (Incorporeal) Hit Dice: 4d12 (26 hp) Initiative: +4 Speed: Fly 50 ft. (perfect) AC: 25 (+8 size, +4 Dex, +3 deflection), touch 25, flat-footed 21 Base Attack/Grapple: +2/— Attack: Incorporeal touch +14 melee (1d8 cold) Full Attack: Incorporeal touch +14 melee (1d8 cold) Space/Reach: 1-1/2 ft./0 ft. Special Attacks: Spell-like abilities, wisdom damage Special Qualities: Darkvision 60 ft., incorporeal traits, spell resistance 15, undead traits Saves: Fort +1, Ref +7, Will +5 Abilities: Str —, Dex 19, Con —, Int 13, Wis 12, Cha 16 Skills: Bluff +8, Hide +23, Listen +9, Search +5, Sense Motive +7, Spellcraft +6, Spot +9 Feats: Alertness, Lightning Reflexes Environment: Any Organization: Solitary or group (1-3) Challenge Rating: 5 Treasure: None Alignment: Usually neutral Advancement: 5-6 HD (Fine); 7 HD (Diminutive) Level Adjustment: — Spheres of floating light, no larger than a few inches in diameter, swoop silently in the air. Each emits a different color and pulses with random intensity.

Wraithlights are mischievous wandering spirits that despise all living creatures. They can be found within ruins, dungeons, and other abandoned places. Wraithlights prefer to be left alone and detest the presence of creatures other than their own kind. Very temperamental, they are as likely to ignore intruders as they are to attack. They easily grow impatient, however, and attempt to drive away or slay those who actively disturb them. Theologians, historians, and hunters of the undead are unsure of wraithlights’ true origins. Their actions suggest that they be earthbound spirits who refuse to pass into the afterlife, but some spellcasters claim that they are the ghosts of a strange and ancient race from another plane, tapped in a foreign world after theirs was destroyed and trying to continue their existence. Whatever their real nature, wraithlights are best left alone by those who want to avoid conflict. Wraithlights do not speak, but can understand any language. In rare instances where a wraithlight attempts to communicate, it does so by “gesturing” through movement and by shifting colors. Combat When agitated, a wraithlight grows darker in color and zips back and forth erratically through the air. In battle, wraithlights prefer to toy with their opponents, using their spell-like abilities to sow confusion among foes and passing through opponents’ bodies to harm them. if strongly angered, wraithlights dominate their enemies and have them fight unaffected allies. When in danger, wraithlights use mislead to escape. Wraithlights are vengeful, and do not easily forget creatures they have fought.

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Wisdom Damage (Su): Three times per day, by touching its opponent, a wraithlight can force the creature to see glimpses of horrors in the spirit realm instead of suffering cold damage. A living creature hit by a wraithlight’s touch attack must succeed on a DC 15 Will save or suffer 1d4 points of Wisdom damage. The save DC is Charisma-based. Treasure None—Wraithlights know that treasure draws creatures so they want no part of it. a successfully dominated creature is made to throw the treasure of its defeated companions as well as its own off a precipice or into a swamp or pit—any place that other creatures will not immediately notice it. In Your Campaign If the origin theories of wraithlights given above are not enough, here’s another one. These undead creatures are the losers in a battle between two ancient races. The gods punished both races for their insolence at destroying much of the lands during their war. The victors were changed into will-o’-wisps. The losing race, who had been subjected to massive necromantic energies from the victors, was changed into today’s wraithlights. They see living creatures as their own lost opportunity at existence and, while they harbor no lust for death against them, this is not the same for their will-o’-wisp cousins. Those evil creatures are attacked on sight and woe to any creatures caught in the middle of such a blood feud. Wraithlights make for engaging adventure material besides the role of adversary as well. An evil cleric, along with his allies, has entered an ancient city swarming with wraithlights to retrieve a powerful relic. The wraithlights are too numerous to fight and it seems the cleric is intimidating them somehow. The pursuing PCs must find a way through the city, and possibly seek help from the wraithlights (who know the city and its perils better than anyone).

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Spell-Like Abilities: 2/day—confusion (DC 17), dominate person (DC 18), hypnotic pattern (DC 15), mislead (DC 19). Caster level 10th. The save DCs are Charisma-based.

Zombi is the name of the fiendish deity with dominion over serpents and the animation of the dead. Zombi is so closely associated with the animated dead that his name became synonymous with them. Other lands know these creatures are zombies, but the so-called zombies of other lands are but a mere shadow of the true zombi. A true zombi can only be created by a Zombi cultist or through the use of magical zombi powder (see Magic Items below). Unlike the zombies of other realms, the true zombi retains the skills and abilities it had in life, making it a much more dangerous opponent. Even more horrifying, good-aligned creatures can be made into true zombis just as easily as evil ones, and they are forced to do the will of Zombi just the same. Creating a True Zombi “True Zombi” is a template that can be added to any humanoid creature (referred to hereafter as the base creature). Size and Type: The creature’s type changes to undead. It retains any subtypes except alignment subtypes and subtypes that indicate kind. It does not gain the augmented subtype. It uses all the base creature’s statistics and special abilities except as noted here. Hit Dice: Increase all current and future Hit Dice to d12s. Speed: Same as the base creature. If the base creature can fly, its maneuverability rating drops to clumsy. Armor Class: The base creature’s natural armor improves by +6. Base Attack: The true zombi has a base attack bonus equal to 1/2 its Hit Dice. Attacks: A true zombi retains all the natural weapons, manufactured weapon attacks, and weapon proficiencies of the base creature. A true zombi also gains a slam attack. Damage: Natural and manufactured weapons deal damage normally. A slam attack deals damage depending on the zombi’s size. (Use the base creature’s slam damage if it’s better.) Size Tiny Small Medium Large Huge

True Zombi Slam Damage Damage 1d3 1d4 1d6 1d8 2d6

Special Attacks: Same as the base creature. Special Qualities: A true zombi retains all the special qualities of the base creature and gains those described below.

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Controlled (Ex): Even though a true zombi is sentient and retains the memory of its former life, it is under complete

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Fast Healing (Ex): True zombis regain hit points at the rate of 5 points per round. However, they cannot fast heal damage from fire, acid, holy water, blessed weapons, holy weapons, or weapons dipped in water and sprinkled with at least one ounce of salt. It takes a standard action to treat a weapon with salt, and the salt is only good for one hit, after which it must be reapplied. Mute (Ex): True zombis cannot speak. True zombi spellcasters cannot cast spells unless those spells have no verbal components or are prepared with the Silent Spell feat. Single Actions Only (Ex): Zombis have poor reflexes and can perform only a single move action or attack action each round. A zombi can move up to its speed and attack in the same round, but only if it attempts a charge. Salt Vulnerability (Ex): True zombis cannot abide the touch of salt. A magic circle against evil drawn with powdered salt keeps a zombi at bay regardless of its alignment. A sufficient quantity of powdered salt can actually inflict damage to a true zombi. The damage inflicted is 1d4 points per round for every 10 pounds of salt with which the zombi is put in contact, to a maximum of 100 points. True zombis cannot fast heal damage inflicted by salt. Saves: Base save bonuses are Fort +1/3 HD, Ref +1/3 HD, and Will +1/2 HD + 2. Abilities: Adjust from the base creature as follows: Str +6, Dex -2, Int -4, Cha -4. Being undead, terkow have no Constitution score. Skills: True zombis gain a +4 racial bonus to Move Silently checks. Otherwise as base creature. Feats: True zombis gain Toughness and Improved Critical (slam), assuming the base creature meets the prerequisites and doesn’t already have these feats. Environment: Any warm land and underground. Organization: Gang (2-5), squad (6-10), or mob (11-20). Challenge Rating: Same as base creature -1. Treasure: None Alignment: Same as the base creature. Non-evil zombis that are constantly commanded to perform evil actions eventually gain an evil alignment, with all the usual repercussions. Advancement: None: A true zombi loses the ability to gain experience.

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control of the zombi master or other creature that created it. Zombi cultists must use care in giving instructions to these creatures, since the true zombi’s limited intelligence may cause it to misinterpret (intentionally or unintentionally) those instructions.

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Zombi Characters Though not innately evil, a zombi’s action may eventually change its alignment to evil. This can cause characters of certain classes to lose their class abilities. In addition, certain classes suffer additional penalties regardless of alignment. Clerics: True zombi clerics lose their ability to turn undead but gain the ability to rebuke undead. This ability does not affect the zombi’s controller or any other zombis that master controls. Zombi clerics have access to two of the following domains: Chaos, Destruction, Evil, or Trickery.

Sorcerers and Wizards: These characters retain their class abilities, but if a character has a familiar, the link between them is broken and the familiar shuns its former companion.

Sample True Zombi This example uses a 5th-level half-orc barbarian as the base creature. True Zombi, 5th-Level Half-Orc Barbarian Medium Undead (Augmented Humanoid) Hit Dice: 5d12 (32 hp) Initiative: +4 Speed: 30 ft. AC: 17 (+1 Dex, +6 natural), touch 11, flat-footed 17 Base Attack/Grapple: +2/+9 Attack: Masterwork greataxe +11 melee (1d12+7/x3) or slam +9 melee (1d6+10) or javelin +3 ranged (1d6+7) Full Attack: Masterwork greataxe +11 melee (1d12+7/x3) or slam +9 melee (1d6+10) or javelin +3 ranged (1d6+7) Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft. Special Attacks: Rage 2/day Special Qualities: Controlled, darkvision 60 ft., fast healing 5, improved uncanny dodge, mute, single actions only, salt vulnerability, trap sense +1, uncanny dodge, undead traits Saves: Fort +5, Ref +2, Will +2 Abilities: Str 25, Dex 12, Con —, Int 5, Wis 12, Cha 3 Skills: Climb +10, Jump +10, Listen +7, Survival +7 Feats: Dodge, Weapon Focus (greataxe) Environment: Any warm land and underground Organization: Solitary Challenge Rating: 4 Treasure: None Alignment: Chaotic evil Advancement: — Level Adjustment: — The rotting hulk of a half-orc shambles toward you with a raised greataxe. Despite the humanoid’s decomposing form, the spark in its otherwise dark eyes is enough to warrant proceeding with caution. The barbarian zombi craves freedom from its master and has been led to believe that slaying enough enemies will grant that wish. An arrogant leader of his own group of bandits, the halforc led his soldiers into an ambush set by the sinister cult of Zombi. It remembers a brief clash of metal and then a magical powder being blown at it. While life as a bandit leader had its

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ups and downs, being a controlled zombi is definitely a career change for the worse.

Treasure None—Although the zombi has been left to keep its masterwork greataxe for battle. That is all the treasure one can obtain from defeated this one zombi. The rest of its gear has gone on to supply the living members of the cult of Zombi. In Your Campaign As a controlled creature, our barbarian zombi here does not provide an overwhelming array of options for the campaign. PCs always encounter it on the front lines of an enemy’s force or on important guard duty within a cult safehouse. It is important to remember that these are intelligent zombis and can be told by a master to lead characters into waiting traps. Some sages believe that deep within the world’s largest jungle there exists an ancient magical well of zombi-making. Living creatures partaking of its waters are stricken with the “curse of the true zombi” and become a free-willed undead of this type within 24 hours. Legends also persist that someone who knows the proper command phrase can gain ownership of the well and thus mastery of all zombis made from its waters. The cult of Zombi has searched for this well for centuries without success.

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Combat The barbarian zombi exists to slay others and it does so incredibly effectively. Only when faced with 3 to 1 odds does the barbarian call on its ability to rage. In either case, it attacks with powerful axe swings sure to give any enemy pause.

The magic items listed below are usable to either aid or hinder undead creatures or necromantic processes.

Armor Qualities Undead Controlling The wearer of a suit of armor or a shield with this property may control up to 26 HD of undead per day, as the control undead spell. At dawn each day, the wearer loses control of any undead still under his sway. Strong necromancy; CL 13th; Craft Magic Arms and Armor, control undead; Price: +3 bonus.

Specific Armor Armor of the Undead Created by evil wizards and clerics as protection for their undead servants, this enchanted suit of chainmail armor is specially crafted to offer superior protection to creatures that draw their strength from the Negative Energy Plane. As reward for loyal service, this armor is often given to such free-willed undead by malicious deities and their powerful followers. The protection afforded the wearer is dependant on the Hit Dice of the sacrifice—the stronger the creature, the more protection granted by the armor (see below). As a result this armor is highly coveted by powerful undead such as vampires, skeletal warriors, bodak, and liches. This enchantment grants a profane bonus to both armor class and saving throws, plus grants an SR equal to the 5 times the enchantment against Good spells. If a creature already has SR better than this, it gets a bonus to its SR of the base enchantment. Hit Die 1-4 5-7 8-10 11-13 14+

Profane Bonus +1 +2 +3 +4 +5

This armor can only be worn by undead creatures. Living creatures that wear the armor suffer two negative levels and these cannot be restored by any means, though they return once the armor is removed. Sacrifice: In addition to the monetary requirements, undead creatures must sacrifice the living to their dark gods. The level of the creature serves as the baseline profane bonus granted to the armor. The levels of the sacrifice do not stack; each must be directed toward a different set of armor. Liches and other powerful undead have sometimes tried to lure powerful

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adventurers to their lairs for just such a purpose. Strong transmutation; CL 15th; Craft Magic Armor and Armor, unholy aura; Price: 20,000 gp.

control up to 10 HD worth of zombies created through the use of this weapon. Moderate necromancy; CL 6th; Craft Magic Arms and Armor, animate dead; Price: +3 bonus.

Traeken’s Defense A cleric named Traeken developed this shield idea as a last defensive measure for his undead-besieged fortress. After a year of the siege, warriors armed with these shields were able to push back the undead horde for as long as was needed to evacuate the fortress. Traeken’s defense is a +1 large steel shield that becomes +3 against undead opponents. In addition, against undead only, the shield may cast searing light as a 5thlevel cleric. After three uses, the shield may not use the spell again until it is left in the sun to recharge for three hours. Faint evocation; CL 5th; Craft Magic Arms and Armor, searing light; Price 17,670 gp; Weight 15 lb.

Weapon Qualities Bone, Celestial Weapons possessing this quality have not only their appearances altered, but their entire composition. This powerful enchantment literally change the weapon from one of wood, metal, or stone to one of celestial bone—the very essence of goodness and light. Weapons converted to celestial bone retain all prior bonuses and abilities, but with a few additional exceptional properties: • These items shine with a divine light, constantly radiating as if a daylight spell had been cast on them. • These weapons cannot be broken by any mortal means (although spells such as disintegrate and disjunction do have a chance of destroying them). • A celestial bone weapon confers the following powers upon the wielder once per day: bless, shield of faith, and holy smite. • Cleric and paladin wielders can add the weapon’s enchantment bonus to their turn undead checks. • Any non-good creature that picks up the weapon gains two negative levels that cannot be overcome in any way; although they never result in actual level loss and disappear when the weapon is set down again. Strong conjuration; CL 12th; Craft Magic Arms and Armor, gentle repose, planar ally; Price +3 bonus. Undead Creator, Minor Any suitable creature killed by an undead creating weapon rises one round later as a zombie under the wielder’s control. In addition, use of this type of weapon adds an additional 10 HD to the total amount of undead that the wielder can control at any time. a wielder without the ability to command undead can

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Specific Shields

Undead Creator, Major This type of weapon is similar to a minor undead creator except that slain creatures rise again as wights instead of zombies. Also, the maximum number of undead the wielder may control rises by +15 HD. A wielder without this ability to command undead can control up to 15 HD worth of wights created through use of this weapon. Strong necromancy; CL 12th; Craft Magic Arms and Armor, create undead; Price: +5 bonus. Undead-Destroying Designed for fighting everything from skeletons to liches, the undead-destroying weapon is capable of damaging the structural weak points in an undead creature, allowing the wielder to score critical hits against them. These weapons always stink like rotting flesh. Moderate divination; CL 8th; Craft Magic Arms and Armor, true strike; Price +1 bonus. Undead Sensitive The undead sensitive special ability may only be applied to weapons already enhanced with either the ghost touch or undead bane special abilities. Any time a wielder scores a critical hit against an undead creature, the target must make a Fortitude save (DC 14). If it fails, then the creature takes an additional 1d10 points of positive energy damage. Undead sensitive weapons have also been enchanted to detect undead. If a weapon of this type comes within 60 feet of an undead creature, it appears to turn from clear crystal to shining white. Moderate conjuration; CL 9th; Craft Magic Arms and Armor, cure moderate wounds, detect undead; Price +2 bonus. Vampiric Weapons with the vampiric quality siphon the life energy of creatures they wound in combat. Each time a living creature takes damage from a vampiric weapon, the wielder is healed as detailed below. Damage Inflicted Less than 8 points 9-16 points 17-20 21-24 25-30 31+ points

Healing Effect None 1d4 1d8 1d12 2d8 3d8

Only a handful of melee weapons can become vampiric weapons. The healing effect applies only to attacks against living creatures of the same type as the wielder (subtypes need not be identical). Hit points gained through this use of the weapon cannot be stored (so an unwounded wielder of a vampiric weapon gains no benefits from using it). Striking undead creatures does not cause any negative effects for the wielder. Moderate necromancy; CL 9th; Craft Magic Arms and Armor,

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Vampiric, Greater Weapons with this enchantment have the same abilities as the regular version, except that the healing effect applies against any living creature that is struck by the weapon. Moderate necromancy; CL 9th; Craft Magic Arms and Armor, cure serious wounds, vampiric touch; Price: +5 bonus.

Zombi Powder, Greater This horrific substance is used by undead cultists to simultaneously slay their enemies and reanimate them as true zombies (see the Monsters above).

Specific Weapons Blood Sword The blood sword functions as a +2 longsword. On scoring a successful critical hit, the weapon produces the effects of a vampiric touch spell as cast by a wizard or sorcerer of 5th level in addition to any damage inflicted by the blade. The damage inflicted by the vampiric touch is transferred as hit points to the blood sword’s wielder, exactly as per the spell description. Additionally, any character of non-evil alignment wielding the sword gains one negative level. This negative level is removed as soon as the character drops the blade. Although this effect does not result in actual level loss, the negative level cannot be avoided in any way (including spells such as restoration). There is also no saving throw allowed to avoid this effect. Moderate necromancy; CL 6th; Craft Magic Arms and Armor, vampiric touch; Price 20,315 gp; Weight 4 lb. Ivory Lash This weapon functions as a +3 whip. It deals subdual damage or regular damage as the wielder desires. There is no penalty to attack regardless of which type of damage the wielder is attempting to inflict. The ivory lash is animated and responsive to the wielder’s will, so it can wrap around an enemy’s leg or other limb, enabling it to make trip attacks with a +6 bonus. Ivory lashes also add a +2 bonus on any opposed attack roll when attempting to disarm an opponent (including the roll to keep from being disarmed if the wielder fails to disarm the opponent). Moderate necromancy; CL 10th; Craft Magic Arms and Armor, animate dead; Price 18,300 gp; Weight 3 lb. Sword of Ghosts The steel of this eerie weapon is worked in a pattern that writhes and swirls slowly when examined closely. The blade emits a milky hue that seems to rise from the surface and swirl, like mist or smoke. The weapon is a +3 longsword with the ghost touch quality. Additionally, any creature slain by the sword cannot be raised or animated as an undead creature, though they may be raised or resurrected normally. Even creatures slain by the sword, resurrected, and then again slain by another means cannot be turned into undead creatures. Strong conjuration; CL 15th; Craft Magic Arms and Armor, consecrate, plane shift; Price 44,315 gp.

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cure serious wounds, vampiric touch; Price: +3 bonus.

Unlike most potions, greater zombie powder is not consumed by the user, but is released into the air for others to breathe. Greater zombie powder creates a 5-foot radius cloud either directly in front of the user (if blown at a target), or at the point of impact (if thrown). Using greater zombie powder is dangerous and requires a Concentration check (DC 5) to avoid inhaling it. Any living being who breathes greater zombie powder must succeed a Fortitude save (DC 20) or immediately die. Even on a successful save, a target still takes 3d6+10 points of damage. Any humanoid killed by greater zombie powder rises up as a true zombie at the following sunset. Reanimation can be prevented by using fire, salt, acid, or holy water on the body, or by dismembering the corpse with a holy or blessed weapon. Moderate necromancy; CL 9th; Brew Potion, animate dead, slay living, creator must be at least 5th level; Price 3,088 gp. Zombi Powder, Lesser Lesser zombie powder is similar to greater zombie powder, except that it has no power to slay. Unlike most potions, lesser zombi powder is not consumed by the user, but is instead sprinkled upon the corpse of a dead humanoid. The corpse immediately reanimates into a true zombie. Reanimation does no occur if the body is treated or damaged by fire, salt, acid, or holy water, or dismembered with a holy or blessed weapon. Faint necromancy; CL 5th; Brew Potion, animate dead, creator must be at least 5th level; Price 800 gp.

Rings Bone-Breaker Ring The wearer of this silver ring engraved with Dwarven script (that reads “bone-breaker”) can ignore the damage reduction of undead opponents and inflict critical hits against undead creatures in melee and ranged combat. The ring does not negate the relative immunity of incorporeal undead against damage from a corporeal source. The wearer also gains a +2 bonus on saves against life-draining attacks that normally allow a save. Moderate transmutation; CL 7th; Forge Ring, creator must be a dwarven cleric, greater magic weapon, protection from evil; Price 25,000 gp. Elven N’Sathii Ring The elven word “n’sathii” refers to an ancient ritual wherein an elf is blessed by the high goddess of good against undead. The enspelled elf then led a small force against the nearest undead concentration and destroyed it. This ritual worked, to a lesser extent, on non-elves as well but was rarely performed unless the need was truly dire.

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Felbin’s Ring Created for a halfling paladin named Felbin by his cleric companion, the ring is a potent tool for those who battle the undead. When worn by a class that can turn undead, Felbin’s ring gives the wearer a +4 sacred bonus to turning checks and +2d6 turning damage. Moderate evocation; CL 9th; Forge Ring, creator must be a halfling cleric, hallow; Price 12,000 gp. Ring of Ancestor Speech The wearer of this bone ring gains the ability to speak with corpses. Upon activating the ring with a whispered command word, the character can speak with a corpse that has been deceased for any amount of time, but the body must be mostly intact to be able to respond. A damaged corpse must at least have a mouth in order to speak. The character cannot actually speak to the person (whose soul has departed). It instead draws on the imprinted knowledge stored in the corpse. The partially animated body retains the imprint of the soul that once inhabited it, and thus it can speak with all the knowledge that the creature had while alive. The corpse, however, cannot learn new information. Indeed, it cannot even remember the conversation. Any corpse that has been turned into an undead creature cannot be spoken with. Unlike the speak with dead spell, a ring of ancestor speech does not compel the corpse to answer questions. Faint necromancy; CL 5th; Forge Ring, speak with dead; Price 27,000 gp. Ring of Ebony Bolts Clutching his hand into a fist, the wearer of this plain silver ring blasts a burst of ebony energy from its dark jewel. This bolt of energy, at 5 feet wide and 60 feet long, inflicts 12d6 points of negative energy damage. Any living creature in its path must make a Reflex save (DC 19) to suffer half damage. Like all applications of negative energy, this effect heals all undead. The ring can be used three times per day. Strong necromancy; CL 12th; Forge Ring, harm; Price 86,000 gp.

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An elven n’sathii ring provides a variable deflection bonus to AC and resistance bonus to saving throws depending on the wearer’s race: +3 for elves, +2 for half-elves, +1 for non-elves. Half-elves also gain immunity to the paralyzing touch of a ghast. Finally, the ring negates a number of energy drain or ability drain attacks per day equal to its bonus. Each energy or ability drain negated reduces the protection and resistance bonus of the ring by 1 for 24 hours, after which time the bonus is automatically restored. Moderate necromancy; CL 9th; Forge Ring, creator must be an elven cleric, bless, death ward, resistance, shield of faith; Price 68,400 gp.

Ring of Control Undead This ring allows the wearer to control up to 20 HD worth of unintelligent, corporeal undead per day. Undead within sight that fail a Will save (DC 22) are placed under the wearer’s control until the next sunrise, up to the ring’s 20 HD maximum. Once under the ring’s control, undead are difficult to turn or rebuke and gain turn resistance +4. Ring-controlled undead that are later turned or rebuked still count against the 20 HD daily limit that the ring can control. Moderate necromancy; CL 10th; Forge Ring, control undead; Price 140,000 gp.

Rods Necromancer’s Rod Made from a human femur and often decorated with grotesque carvings, this item strikes as a +1 might mace. In the hands of an evil-aligned wielder who knows its command word, the necromancer’s rod displays its full power. Its magical powers are as follows: Contagion (on command, DC 16) Inflict serious wounds (on command, DC 16) Vampiric touch (on command, 4d6 damage) Animate dead (3/day) Moderate necromancy; CL 9th; Craft Magic Arms & Armor, Craft Rod, animate dead, contagion, inflict serious wounds, vampiric touch; Price 84,000 gp. Rebuker’s Rod When evil necromancers fight each other, they discover that commanding enemy undead proves to be more of a challenge than they ever could have imagined. Given the maximum amount of undead a necromancer can control, it is a good idea to pick and choose which ones one wants. So as not to leave the rest of an attacking force breach his defenses, a necromancer uses this rod to rebuke those he cannot command. The rebuker’s rod enables a necromancer to rebuke undead as though he were a neutral cleric of equivalent level. The owner may use this power a number of times per day equal to his Charisma bonus. If the wielder is a cleric or has levels in any other class that grants the ability to turn/rebuke undead, the wielder adds his necromancer level to his effective turn/rebuke undead level but does not gain additional turn/rebuke attempts per day. Finally, the rod doubles the number of undead that the wielder can animate with a single casting of the animate dead spell, though the caster is still limited to controlling 2 HD/ caster level at any one time. Strong necromancy; CL 13th; Craft Rod, animate dead, control undead; Price 75,000 gp. Rod of the Walking Dead This heavily carved rod is crafted from a human femur. Any dead body touched by this rod is immediately animated as if by an animate dead spell. The rod of walking dead does not have charges, and can be used as often as desired, but undead animated by the rod count toward the caster’s normal limit of controlled undead (2 HD x caster level). Moderate necromancy; CL 7th; Craft Rod, animate dead; Price 50,400 gp.

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Faint enchantment; CL 3rd; Craft Wondrous Item, creator must have the Extra Turning feat, bless; Price 3,600 gp; Weight 1 lb.

Shaman Staff A shaman staff is usually, as the name implies, carried by the shaman or even the elder of a tribal (commonly jungle) clan. It is used to breach the barriers between the living and the dead. Such a staff is made of hardwood, and usually capped with a statuette depicting a mother with a newborn child. It can cast the following spells: Hide from undead (1 charge) Gentle repose (1 charge) Speak with dead (2 charges) Faint necromancy; CL 5th; Craft Staff, hide from undead, gentle repose, speak with dead; Price 13,125 gp.

Death’s Stare These dark purple eye-crystals fit over the eyes and closely resemble the eyes of the eagle. Unlike that item, however, the death’s stare serves a much darker purpose. Once per day the wearer may use death’s stare to kill an opponent. This effect is identical to a finger of death spell cast at 13th level. Strong necromancy; CL 13th; Craft Wondrous Item, finger of death; Price 36,400 gp.

Wondrous Items Arresting Vestment This dark purple vest with silver embroidery causes two skeletal arms to burst form beneath the wearer’s regular arms when the command word is spoken. These arms remain until a second command retracts them. These arms may be used as natural arms except that they cannot be used to cast spells, and they do not confer the benefits of any feats such as Multiattack (although they can be used with feats such as Multiattack if the wearer already has such a feat). Three times per day, the owner may use these skeletal arms to deliver a touch attack that paralyzes the victim for 1d6+2 rounds, unless a DC 13 Fortitude save is made. In addition, the vest confers a +2 competence bonus to all Intimidate and grapple checks when the arms are out. Faint necromancy; CL 3rd; Craft Wondrous Item, alter self, ghoul touch; Price 10,880 gp. Ash Pendant Worn about the neck, the ash pendant must be activated by the wearer with a short prayer or litany (a free action) to trigger its power for 6 hours. If during those six hours, the wearer is reduced below -10 hit points or is killed by an effect, the wearer is instantly turned to ash, scattering across the ground. This prevents all but the most potent of resurrections, but it also prevents the enemy from using the fallen character’s corpse as an undead or as a target for any other spells or effects. Strong necromancy; CL 13th; Craft Wondrous Item, destruction; Price 4,550 gp. Clasp of the Lightbringer The Lightbringer is an ancient deity common to all races. She encompasses all that is good among humanoids and any race can worship her without fear of prejudice by other clerics of different good-aligned deities. Established churches of the Lightbringer have not been seen in centuries, yet individual clerics do appear from time to time. This minor symbol of turning is a silver clasp which fits onto the bottom of any standard holy symbol. It allows any cleric or paladin with the ability to turn undead to make two more attempts each day. This effect stacks with the Extra Turning feat.

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Staffs

Gravedigger’s Lantern The light of this polished hooded lantern acts as a magic circle against evil and a consecrate spell. The spells’ effects are centered on the lantern with a radius of 20 feet. The lantern can be turned on and off by the bearer on command. It provides illumination as per a light spell. Faint abjuration; CL 5th; Craft Wondrous Item, consecrate, light, magic circle against evil; Price 11,250 gp; Weight 2 lb. Heart Thief This looks like a short wooden staff or rod with a large carved dragon’s claw on one end. It can be used once to cast steal heart (see the Spells section). When activated, the heart appears in the wooden dragon’s claw and is destroyed. Now the victim cannot be restored to life until the item is destroyed. Most users proceed to lock a used hear thief away in a well guarded vault, drop it, weighted down, into the deepest part of the ocean, or cast it off into the Astral Plane. It can only be used once. Strong necromancy; CL 13th; Craft Wondrous Item, steal heart; Price 4,500 gp; Weight 5 lbs. Pendant of the Lightbringer This small golden talisman is shaped like a sunburst (for more on the Lightbringer deity, see clasp of the Lightbringer above) and dangles from a dainty chain worn around the neck. Any time a spell with the Good descriptor is cast into it, it gains one charge per level of the spell. Additionally, if a cleric or paladin uses a turn attempt to channel positive energy into the pendant, it is given a number of charges equal to one-fourth the turning check’s result (minimum of 1 charge). The pendant can hold a total of 9 charges at a time; any excess charges given to it are lost without effect. To unleash the pendant’s power and expend a single charge, the wearer needs to speak the command word and point an open palm toward a visible target. This is a standard action that does not provoke an attack of opportunity. A bright flash of light shaped like a sunburst shoots forth from the wearer’s hand and automatically strikes the target if it has anything less than total cover or concealment. If the target is of evil alignment, it takes 1d4+1 points of damage. The effect can strike ethereal or incorporeal creature as well. The target does not receive a saving throw, though any applicable spell resistance may stop the missile. If the target is of any alignment other than evil, it takes no damage at all from the sunburst’s impact. Spells that mask alignment do not affect the damage caused by the sunburst—it is the target’s true

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Pipes of Protection These magical pan pipes, when played, offer up a sphere of magical protection based on the player’s desire. The sphere forms a 5-foot radius around the pipes’ player and lasts as long as she plays. Using them properly calls for a Perform check (DC 15). A new check is required every 10 minutes, with the DC increasing by +1 each time. A character can take only move actions while playing the pipes. Each type of protection can only be used once per day. • Protection Against Flame: No open flames can exist within the sphere. It hedges out fire (including beings of the fire subtype) and objects hotter than 100 degrees Fahrenheit (such as lava) from outside, as if the sphere were a wall of force. • Protection Against Frost: The temperature within the sphere remains 70 degrees Fahrenheit, no matter what forces or spells are used against it. It hedges out cold and ice (like a cone of cold) and creature of the cold subtype. • Protection Against Undead: Undead cannot exist within the sphere (they are immediately thrust out) and cannot enter. • Protection Against Poison: All poison, including poison gas, loses potency within the sphere. Creatures inside with a natural venom regain their poisonous ability once outside the sphere in 1d3 rounds. Strong necromancy; CL 14th; Craft Wondrous Item, control undead, neutralize poison, protection from energy; Price 35,000 gp; Weight 3 lbs. Skull Necklace This necklace is a tiny animal skull, painted with magical symbols and suspended from a leather thong. When worn around the neck, it marks the wearer as a master of the undead. A skull necklace grants the wearer free use of the Extra Turning feat but only for the purposes of rebuking, commanding, or bolstering undead. Those unable to channel negative energy cannot make use of a skull necklace. Faint necromancy; CL 3rd; Craft Wondrous Item, animate dead; Price 4,000 gp, Weight 2 lb. Tome of the Lightbringer The tome of the Lightbringer is a small, leather-bound book, created by followers of deity of goodness known only as the Lightbringer. There are two ways that it can be used. First, the wielder tears a page from the time and reads aloud the passages inscribed as a standard action. The page then bursts into brilliant white flames, and the reader then makes a turning attempt with a +5 sacred bonus and a +1d6 bonus to the total HD of undead affected.

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alignment at the time of impact that determines whether or not he receives damage. As a side effect, for the instant that the sunburst is in existence, it creates light equal to that produced by a light spell. Faint evocation; CL 1st; Craft Wondrous Item, creator must be good-aligned, light, magic missile; Price 2,700 gp; Weight 1 lb.

The second method of using the tome involves calling on all the remaining power that it contains and releasing it in a blaze of holy light. To use this function, the user must hold the book aloft and read aloud the inscriptions on the back as a full-round action. This causes the entire book to glow with a blinding light, and all undead within 60 feet suffer 1d6 points of positive energy damage per page remaining. The book is destroyed if this function is used.

Tomes of the Lightbringer were, in their time, created with 20 pages and are typically found with 1d10+10 pages remaining. This tome may only be used by a lawful good cleric or paladin. Moderate abjuration; CL 10th; Craft Wondrous Item, dispel evil, flame strike; Price 16,250 gp; Weight 2 lb.

Cursed Items Terkow Skin This armor appears to be +2 hide armor, but carries a dangerous curse. When donned, the armor begins draining the wearer’s blood, causing 1d4 points of permanent Constitution damage every round. The only way to stop the drain is to slay the armor. Any attack on the armor causes half damage to the wearer, and half damage to the armor. The armor has a hardness of 5, 15 hit points, and is immune to cold, electricity, and sonic attacks. If the terkow skin slays its victim, it releases its grip and awaits a new owner. (Information on the terkow can be found in the Monsters section above.) Strong necromancy; CL 19th; Craft Magic Arms and Armor; vampiric touch; Price 9,165 gp.

Minor Artifacts The Seven-Headed Sword Once a greatsword of unsurpassed beauty, this artifact is now a terror; he who wields it commands the seven akyanzi bound by hatred to its blade. The sword belonged to a line of wizardguarding warriors until it fell into the hands of a disloyal minion. Believing the wizards were planning an attack on his family’s nation, the man used the weapon to slay the seven ranking members spell wielders in their sleep. The communal anger at having their lives snuffed out by one wretched traitor binds them to the sword until their heads can be replaced with new victims. Whenever the seven-headed sword is drawn from its sheath, akyanzi are simultaneously drawn from the state of limbo where the original wizards’ souls went to after their murder. These akyanzi are the last seven people slain by the sword; so long as these sword-eaters are bound to the weapon, they cannot find rest or resurrection. Each new victim headed by the sword replaces the oldest bound akyanzi. Only beheaded victims are claimed by the sword. Freed akyanzi immediately burn apart like beehives. When the sword is sheathed, the akyanzi return to a state of limbo.

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Unholy Scepter The unholy scepter enables the wielder to rule up to 500 HD worth of ghouls and ghasts in exactly the same manner as a rod of rulership (see the DMG for details), save that no time limit applies to the scepter’s rulership ability. In addition, the scepter strikes as a +3 unholy light mace, and all opponents struck by the scepter must make a Fortitude save (DC 20) or be paralyzed for 1d6+2 minutes as if struck by a ghoul. Finally, the scepter can emit a nauseating stench equivalent to that of a ghast, requiring all creatures within 10 feet to make a Fortitude save (DC 20) or be wracked with nausea, suffering a -2 penalty on all attacks, saves, and skill checks for 1d6+4 minutes. Strong evocation [evil] and necromancy; CL 19th; Weight 4 lb.

Major Artifacts Ubuto’s Shield Ubuto, a legendary undead hunter from the jungle regions, used this shield during his many forays against the zombi minions of a powerful necromancer. The shield has absorbed some of Ubuto’s power, and is a potent defense against the undead. Ubuto’s Shield is a +5 large leather shield weighing about 7 pounds. Anyone who wields this shield in battle is completely immune to disease, level drain, paralysis, and negative energy damage. The wielder is not immune to temporary ability damage, but such is recovered at the phenomenal rate of 1 point per minute instead of the usual 1 point per day. While the shield does not automatically heal permanent ability damage, it does allow the wielder to cast greater restoration once per day. A lich can destroy Ubuto’s Shield by casting shatter upon it. No other creature can harm it.

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New Materials

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The seven-headed sword can be used to rebuke its bound akyanzi up to three times per day as a 10th-level cleric. It is a +5 greatsword that ignores object hardness and automatically casts heat metal on any metal, bladed weapon which it contacts. So long as it is held in hand, the wielder cannot be damaged below zero hit points. When used to perform a coup de grace, the sword automatically, simultaneously casts circle of death, centered on the victim. The sword cannot be destroyed by any means until all its seven heads have been destroyed. Strong evocation [fire] and necromancy; CL 15th; Weight 5 lb.

Bergasalt No known substance proves more lethal against undead than bergasalt. As a result, the most accomplished warriors sworn to the destruction of these abominations covet this valuable material. Because the mineral naturally appears in small quantities and must remain largely intact to retain its mystical properties, bergasalt-tipped arrows are the most common form of weaponry forged from the elusive crystal. Rumors persist that a band of seven undead hunters wields bergasalt daggers; however, no definitive proof verifies these tales. One bergasalt arrow or bolt costs 140 gp, while a bergasalt dagger costs 6,500 gp. Bergasalt weapons ignore the natural armor bonus or corporeal undead up to a maximum of +5 and are masterwork weapons for the purposes of enchantment. One ounce of bergasalt contains enough material to craft one bergasalt arrow or bolt. Bergasalt weighs half as much as steel, but it only possesses a hardness of 5 and 15 hit points per inch of thickness. Bonebreaker Derived from the elusive skullcap mushroom, adventurers anticipating encounters with the undead keep at least a few applications of this expensive substance nearby. Bonebreaker applied to any weapon provides a +1 bonus to the weapon’s attack and damage rolls for the next 2d4 rounds whenever the wielder attacks corporeal undead. Coating the weapon with an application of bonebreaker requires a full round action that provokes an attack of opportunity. One application costs 300 gp.

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New Spells

Acid Symbol Necromancy [Fire] Level: Sor/Wiz 6 Components: V, S Casting Time: 1 action Range: Medium (100 ft. + 10 ft./level) Target: 1 HD of animated corporeal undead/level Duration: Instantaneous Saving Throw: None Spell Resistance: No Undead creatures animated by you are imbued with a undulating sigil that floats just above their heads. The body of the creature drips with thick grayish slime, and acid oozes steadily from its eye sockets. The spell affects a number of hit dice of animated undead equal to your level. Undead with the acid symbol inflict an extra 1d6 points of fire damage when they strike with a natural weapon. Creatures touching or striking the symbol-bearing undead with a natural weapon also suffer this damage. The creature’s acidic touch deals 20 points of damage per round to wood or metal objects. Armor and clothing dissolves and becomes useless immediately unless succeeding a Reflex save (DC 19). The acid cannot harm stone. A wooden or metal weapon that strikes a symbol-bearing undead creature also dissolves immediately unless if succeeds a Reflex save (DC 19). Additionally, undead under this spell have acid, cold, and fire immunity. This spell does not stack with other symbol spells. Age Other Necromancy Level: Drd 6, Sor/Wiz 6 Components: V, S, M Casting Time: Standard action Range: Touch Target: 1 creature Duration: Instantaneous Saving Throw: Fortitude negates Spell Resistance: Yes This spell causes magical aging in the target. All of the normal effects of aging apply (e.g. ability score adjustments) as if the target had aged those years naturally. By means of this spell, the target ages 1d10 years. A successful saving throw negates the aging. A greater restoration reverses the aging effects of the spell. Material Component: A lock of an elderly person’s hair.

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The spells listed below are either necromantic in nature or are mentioned in the previous sections.

Animate Necrosis Necromancy Level: Sor/Wiz 5 Components: V, S, M Casting Time: 1 action Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels) Target: One wounded living creature Duration: Instantaneous Saving Throw: Fortitude negates (later Will partial, see text) Spell Resistance: Yes You animate the dead tissue in the wound of a wounded living creature. This spell can affect any creature currently below its maximum hit points due to injury. Bits of animated flesh form a sickly tendril that reaches up and out of a single wound, attacking the living portion of the creature. The creature must make a Will save immediately or the sight of this horror stuns it for 1d3 rounds. Whether the creature is stunned or not, the undead tendril of flesh makes attacks with a +15 bonus (Strength 20). It makes a grapple attack as a creature of the subject’s size (even though it is actually smaller). If it achieves a hold, it immediately begins constricting and strangling the creature, inflicting 2d6 points of damage per round. The necrotic tendril has 2 hit points per Hit Die of the original creature, and AC 15 (+2 for size, +3 for natural armor). A single casting of this spell affects only one wound. Material Component: A bit of string coated in animal fat.

Attract Undead Necromancy Level: Sor/Wiz 1 Components: V, S, M Casting Time: 1 action Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels) Target: One undead creature Duration: 1 round/level Saving Throw: Will negates Spell Resistance: Yes You cause the target undead to approach within 5-ft. of you. If the undead is hostile, it attacks you or any other creature in range. If in order to reach you the undead would be harmed (such as fire, a pool of holy water, an enemy creature’s square, etc.), the spell ends. Any attack upon the undead ends the spell immediately. A turn or rebuke attempt on the undead counts as an attack and breaks the spell. Material Component: A carved U-shaped bone.

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When the spell expires, the bones collapse and become inert, but can be reanimated again with another use of the spell. The bones legs cannot Climb, but they can use Jump. They cannot make attack. They otherwise are identical to a Small or Medium creature. The spell can be made permanent with the permanency spell at a minimum caster level of 9th and at a 500 XP cost. When the caster dies, the leg bones come under the command of the first person to touch them. Such bones are often one of the treasures to be found inside a necromancer’s dungeon. Bone Tattoo Necromancy Level: Sor/Wiz 3 Components: V, S, M Casting Time: 1 minute Range: Touch Target: One living creature Duration: One minute/level Saving Throw: Will negates (harmless) Spell Resistance: Yes This spell creates a bone-colored skull-and-bones tattoo pattern on the flesh of a living creature. As long as the tattoo lasts, the tattooed creature has spell resistance 10 + your level against cold, polymorph, and mind-affecting attacks. Further, mindless undead creatures react to the tattooed creature as if he were undead. However, any creatures with this tattoo can be turned as if he were undead with turn resistance +4.

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Bone Legs Necromancy Level: Clr 1, Sor/Wiz 1 Components: V, S, M (see text) Casting Time: 1 action Range: Touch Target: One Small or Medium humanoid corpse or set of leg and hip bones Duration: 1 hour/level Saving Throw: None Spell Resistance: No You infuse a corpse or a set of leg and hipbones with a negative energy, creating a short-lived undead creature consisting of feet, legs, and a pelvis. The bones legs have a base speed of 30 feet and a Strength score of 10 + 1/caster level. The bone legs are normally used for carrying objects in the manner of a floating disk spell, though the weight is supported by the hipbones rather than a concave plane of force. Using a standard action, you can direct the bone legs to any location within close range, command them to follow you, or even ride them as if they were a mount. The legs follow your path exactly, at a distance you specify that is no greater than close range. If you pass beyond close range, the bone legs stand in place and wait for you to return.

Burrowing Bony Digits Necromancy Level: Sor/Wiz 4 Components: V, S, M Casting Time: 1 action Range: Medium (100 ft. + 10 ft./level) Target: Up to five creatures, no two of which can be more than 15 ft. apart Duration: See text Saving Throw: Reflex partial Spell Resistance: Yes By mean of this fiendish spell, you cause up to five skeletal fingers to streak forth and imbed themselves in the flesh of the targets. Each digit inflicts 1d6 points of damage upon striking its target. They do not stop there, though. Any creature that fails its Reflex save is unable to extract the bony digit before it can lodge itself into the wound. A bony digit continues to penetrate the creature’s body for one round for every 3 caster levels, dealing 1d6 additional damage per round. Once the bony digit is lodged in the wound, it cannot be extracted. A creature can only be targeted by one finger at a time.0-9 Arcane Material Component: Five humanoid fingers stripped of flesh and muscle. The individual finger bones must then be tied together with black thread. Change Zombie Necromancy [Evil] Level: Sor/Wiz 6 Components: V, S, M Casting Time: 1 full round Range: Touch Target: One zombie touched Duration: Instantaneous Saving Throw: Fortitude negates Spell Resistance: Yes You touch a single zombie, which must then attempt a Fortitude save to avoid the spell’s effects. If the zombie fails its save, it becomes a ghoul. Controlled zombies transformed by this spell remain under their controller’s command and still count against controlled undead HD limits, as do spawn created by the controlled ghouls. Material Component: A bone from a ghoul and a black onyx gem worth at least 100 gp.

Material Component: A bit of white ink and a needle.

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Material Component: A piece of flesh from a plague victim. Contagion, Greater Necromancy [Evil] Level: Clr 5, Drd 5, Sor/Wiz 6 Components: V, S, M Casting Time: 1 action Range: Touch Target: Living creatures touched Duration: 1 minute/level Saving Throw: Fortitude negates Spell Resistance: Yes You can infect any living creature with a disease by simply touching it. this effect works like contagion, and the victim must make a Fortitude save or be infected with a disease of your choice, which strikes immediately with no incubation period. The main difference between this spell and contagion is that you have the potential to infect many more creatures because of the spells duration. Material Component: A piece of putrid flesh and a drop of blood. Continual Wounds Necromancy Level: Drd 8, Sor/Wiz 8 Components: V, S, DF Casting Time: 1 full round Range: Medium (100 ft. + 10 ft./level) Target: One creature Duration: 1 day/level Saving Throw: Will negates Spell Resistance: Yes Continual wounds is a powerful curse that prevents all forms of healing, magical or otherwise. If the target fails its Will save, the spell prevents the recovery of hit points and ability damage by any means. All cure spells and spells with the healing descriptor automatically fail when directed at the target, and the target cannot recover hit points through natural healing, use of the Heal skill, or use of the fast healing or regeneration abilities.

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Cone of Stupidity Necromancy Level: Drd 6, Sor/Wiz 6 Components: V, S, M Casting Time: 5 minutes Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels) Area: Cone Duration: 1 hour/level (D) Saving Throw: Fortitude negates Spell Resistance: Yes You exhale a cone-shaped cloud of deadly spores. Those in the cloud’s area of effect must make an immediate Fortitude save or permanently lose 1d3 points of Intelligence as the spores spread through their brains and nervous systems. Victims must make a Fortitude save each subsequent round up to the spell’s maximum duration or continue to lose Intelligence. The cloud is only infectious on the round that it is discharged.

Corpse Defense Necromancy [Evil] Level: Sor/Wiz 5 Components: V, S, M Casting Time: 1 action Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels) Target: All corpses and dying creatures in range Duration: 1 hour/level Saving Throw: Fortitude negates Spell Resistance: Yes When this spell is cast, all corpses and dying creatures (those below 0 hit points and disabled) in the spell’s area are affected. Dying creatures are allowed a Fortitude save to avoid the spell’s effects, but slain creatures are not. Those affected by the spell have all the blood drawn from their bodies (killing all those still alive), forming horrible tentacles of clotting, black blood. These tentacles always remain in contact with the bodies from which they were drawn, lashing out and flailing at your foes. One tentacle is created per affected corpse, up to a maximum of 1 per caster level. No more than 20 tentacles can ever be created with this spell. Each tentacle is 10 feet long (large) and saves as the creature from which it was created. Each has AC 15, 1 hit point per HD of the creature from which it was drawn plus 1 hp/2 caster levels, half the attack bonus of its host creature, and a Strength score of 19. It is immune to spells that do not cause damage, save disintegrate, dispel magic, and those spells that can affect water or blood.

Each round that a tentacle is not already grappling someone, starting the round after it appears, it makes a slam attack against a foe within reach, dealing 1d6 points of damage and making a grapple attack as a free action. If the tentacle succeeds in its grapple attack, it deals no further damage but begins to drown the target (see DMG for water rules). As described in the rules, the target can hold its breath for a number of rounds equal to twice its Constitution score and may attempt to break the grapple every round. If the target fails, he must begin to make Constitution checks as described. Material Component: A handful of dirt from a strangled man’s grave.

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Up to 5 undead crewmen may be summoned per caster level. These crewmen are treated as Medium-size skeletons with the additional ability of Profession (sailor) +5. These crewmen do not fight or otherwise engage an enemy in combat, though they can and will operate ballistae or catapults, firing such machinery as 1st-level warriors. Arcane Material Component: The bones or remains of 5 drowned men. Dangerous Digits Necromancy Level: Sor/Wiz 3 Components: V, S Casting Time: 1 action Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels) Target: 1 animated skeleton per caster level Duration: Permanent Saving Throw: None Spell Resistance: No A skeleton enhanced by dangerous digits gains the ability to use its fingers as missile weapons. Each finger can only be used once. If the skeleton uses more than 3 fingers, it loses one of its claw attacks; if it uses more than 7, it has lost both claw attacks. A finger can be launched at an opponent (in a brilliant blue flash) within range and hits as a ranged touch attack. If a finger hits, it inflicts 1d6 points of piercing damage. Small skeletons do only 1d3 points of damage. Huge or Large skeletons do 1d8 points of piercing damage, and Colossal or Gargantuan skeletons deal 2d6 points of damage. Skeletons smaller than Small cannot be affected by this spell.

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Create Sailors Necromancy Level: Brd 5, Death 6, Sor/Wiz 6 Components: V, S, M Casting Time: 10 minutes Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels) Target: One ship Duration: 1 hour/level, Concentration discharge (D) Saving Throw: None Spell Resistance: No This spell summons a crew of undead servitors to sail or row a ship for you. These undead automatically know how to crew the ship as long as you maintain concentration. If the concentration is broken, the undead simply fail to do anything until you resume concentrating on directing their actions. A bard who casts this spell must direct the crew through encouraging singing of sea shanties.

Dark Channeling Necromancy Level: Sor/Wiz 8 Components: V, S, F Casting Time: 1 minute Range: Long (400 ft. + 40 ft./level) Target: You and one undead creature Duration: 10 minutes/level (D) Saving Throw: Will negates (see text) Spell Resistance: Yes With this powerful spell, you place your body in a state of suspension and project your psyche into any corporeal undead creature within range. If the undead creature is intelligent, it is entitled to a Will save to resist the dark channeling. If this saving throw is successful, the spell fails. The caster must have line of sight to the undead before casting the spell. If the undead fails its save, you gain control of the undead target upon completion of the spell. You can use its body as if it were your own, including any special abilities of the undead. If you inhabit a vampire, for example, all of the vampire’s special attacks and qualities are available for use. You retain your own intelligence, but lose the ability to cast spells unless the creature you are inhabiting is a spellcaster as well. If unable to do so normally, the dark channeling empowers the possessed undead to speak. You cannot move beyond the range limit of this spell, counting your location when the spell was cast as the center point, without ending the spell immediately. You can vacate the one undead host in favor of another within range by concentrating for one round. As normal, if the new would-be undead host is intelligent, it is entitled to a Will save. If the undead host is destroyed before you can vacate it, you must succeed a Will save (DC 20). Failure means your disembodied spirit is unable to escape before being destroyed as well. Success immediately ends the spell and stuns you for 1d10 rounds. Arcane Focus: A bronze brazier in which you must burn 1,000 gold pieces worth of incense. You must wear a cap made from the flesh of a sentient creature during the casting. Darksight Transmutation Level: Brd 3, Clr 3, Sor/Wiz 3 Components: V, S, M/DF Casting Time: 1 action Range: Touch Target: Creature touched Duration: 1 hour/level Saving Throw: None Spell Resistance: Yes (harmless) This spell is similar to the spell darkvision except that it also conveys the ability to see in magical darkness effects of 2ndlevel and below, including the spell darkness. Arcane Material Component: A pinch of dried carrot and an agate.

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If the spell is cast upon a skeleton, zombie, ghoul, or any other corpse that has been raised as undead, the target must make a Fortitude save. If it fails, it is instantly turned into dust, as detailed above. If it succeeds, it suffers 1d4+1/level (maximum +10) points of damage. If the spell inflicts enough damage to destroy the undead corpse, the corpse turns to a fine dust and can no longer be animated or raised again as detailed above. If the spell does not inflict enough damage to destroy the undead, the spell has no further effect. Material Component: A fine powder made of dried seeds. XP Cost: 50 XP. Dirge of the Walking Dead Necromancy Level: Brd 2, Clr 3 Components: V Casting Time: 1 action Range: Medium (100 ft. + 10 ft./level) Target: One living creature Duration: Concentration, up to 1 round/level (D) Saving Throw: Will negates (harmless) Spell Resistance: Yes (harmless) By means of this spell, you enable one living creature within range to continue to act normally even if its hit points have been reduced to 0 or below. If you are somehow rendered unable to sing (or pray for clerics), the spell is negated immediately. When the spell is negated, the target does not suffer any additional damage, but immediately suffers the effects appropriate to its current hit point level (meaning, usually, that he is unconscious and slowly bleeding to death). If your target is reduced to -10 or fewer hit points, it dies immediately even if under the influence of this spell. Disruption Missiles Evocation [Positive Energy] Level: Sor/Wiz 2 Components: V, S Casting Time: 1 action Range: Medium (100 ft. + 10 ft./level) Target: Up to five creatures, no two of which can be more than 15 ft. apart

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Decay Necromancy Level: Drd 2, Rgr 2 Components: V, S, M, XP Casting Time: 1 action Range: Touch Target: Creature touched Duration: Instantaneous Saving Throw: Fortitude partial Spell Resistance: Yes Non-animated corpses that you touch are instantly turned into a fine dust. The corpse can then no longer be magically animated or otherwise become undead. Thus, such spells as animate dead, control undead, create greater undead, and raise dead have no effect upon the corpse affected by decay. This spell does not interfere with resurrection. A non-animated corpse gets no saving throw. The spell has no effect on living matter.

Duration: Instantaneous Saving Throw: None Spell Resistance: Yes A missile of positive energy darts forth from the palm of your hand and unerringly strikes its target. The missile is designed specifically to affect undead creatures only and deals 2d4+2 points of damage.

As magic missile, the disruption missile strikes true, even if the target is in the midst of melee or has anything less than total cover or concealment for protection. This spell has no effect on living creatures. For every two levels of experience over three, the caster gains an additional missile: two at 5th level, three at 7th, four at 9th and so on. Multiple missiles can be directed at the caster’s choosing (one per target or all at one target) but must be targeted before rolling for any applicable spell resistance possessed by the target(s). Disruption Wave Evocation [Positive Energy] Level: Clr 7, Sor/Wiz 7 Components: V, S, M/DF Casting Time: 1 action Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels) Area: Cone Duration: Instantaneous Saving Throw: Fortitude partial Spell Resistance: Yes Disruption waves creates a cone of positive energy that originates from your hands and extends outward toward your opponents. The disruption waves harm only undead creatures as it fills them with positive energy, disrupting the negative energy which fuels them. An undead creature struck by the disruption wave must succeed a Fortitude save or be destroyed. If the save is successful, a disruption wave still deals 1d8 points of damage per level (maximum 15d8) to any undead struck. Arcane Material Component: A small glass marble. Divine Heart Necromancy Level: Clr 2 Components: V, S, DF Casting Time: 1 action Range: Touch Target: Living creature touched Duration: 10 minutes/level Saving Throw: None Spell Resistance: Yes (harmless) This spell is prized by good-aligned clerics for its ability to protect against fear effects, allowing them to protect attempt even more heroic deeds. Divine heart makes the subject immune to all fear effects, both magical and mundane.

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Material Component: A small vial of quicksilver. Draining Mist Necromancy Level: Sor/Wiz 3 Components: V, S, M Casting Time: 1 action Range: Medium (100 ft. + 10 ft./level) Area: 20-ft. radius spread Duration: Instantaneous Saving Throw: Fortitude half Spell Resistance: Yes A charnel stench arises from the ground in the affected area, causing a powerful life-sapping effect that robs all within the area of 1 point of temporary Strength damage for every two levels of the caster (to a maximum of -10). Any who resist successfully suffer only half of the ability damage. In either case, the lost Strength points return at an accelerated rate of one points/hour. Material Component: Ash from the body of a sentient creature consumed by fire. Dread Blade Necromancy [Evil] Level: Clr 9, Sor/Wiz 9 Components: V, S, M Casting Time: 1 action Range: Medium (100 ft. + 10 ft./level) Target: One creature Duration: Instantaneous Saving Throw: Will partial Spell Resistance: Yes You create a dagger of dark, shimmering energy that instantly speeds toward its target. You must make a ranged touch attack. If successful, the target takes 1d4 points of damage per caster level (to a maximum 20d4). Those slain by this spell must make a Will save or immediately be transformed into an undead creature. The victim immediately gains the undead type: immune to poison, sleep, paralysis, stunning, disease, death effect, and necromantic effects; ignore mind-affecting powers such as charm or feeblemind; not subject to critical hits,

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subdual damage, ability damage, or death by massive damage. The newly created undead has no Intelligence or Constitution score. Its alignment is neutral, and it takes no action unless it is controlled by you. Arcane Material Component: A dagger that has drawn a paladin’s blood.

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Double Aging Necromancy Level: Clr 5, Sor/Wiz 5 Components: V, S, M Casting Time: Standard action Range: Touch Effect: Living creature touched Duration: Permanent Saving Throw: Fortitude negates Spell Resistance: Yes The target of this spell has his natural aging magically increased to double the normal rate. All of the usual effects of aging apply as if the target had aged normally despite the aging being far from normal. A successful Fortitude save negates the accelerated aging (see the PHB for details on aging).

Elemental Shroud Necromancy [Varies] Level: Sor/Wiz 5 Components: V, S Casting Time: 1 action Range: Medium (100 ft. + 10 ft./level) Target: Up to one animate dead creature/level Duration: Permanent Saving Throw: None Spell Resistance: No You cover undead creature you have animated with a shroud of energy. This energy can be whatever type you wish: acid, cold, electricity, fire, or sonic. Acid shrouds drip with dark, bubbling effluvium; cold shrouds are icy blue and glistening; electricity shrouds crackle with lightning; fire shrouds appear to be molten and burning; and sonic shrouds appear as distortions in the air accompanied by a shrill shriek. The undead is granted +2 turn resistance, +2 natural armor. It inflicts an additional 1d6 points of elemental damage (whatever type is appropriate to the shroud) when it strikes a foe. It also inflicts 1d6 points of damage when touched or when struck by natural weapons. An undead creature may have only one elemental shroud cast upon it at a time. Enhance Skeletons Necromancy Level: Sor/Wiz 4 Components: V, S, M Casting Time: 1 action Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels) Targets: Skeletons with total HD equal to 1 HD/level Duration: 1 hour/level Saving Throw: Will negates (harmless, object) Spell Resistance: Yes (harmless, object) One or more skeletons within range with total HD equal to 1 HD/caster level gain damage reduction of 10/magic. Damage from piercing and slashing weapons is halved prior to subtracting from the skeletons’ DR. Material Component: 1 pound of iron per skeleton.

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Material Component: 1 pound of adamantine per skeleton.

Enhance Skeletons, Lesser Necromancy Level: Sor/Wiz 3 Components: V, S, M Casting Time: 1 round Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels) Targets: Skeletons with total HD equal to 1 HD/level, no two of which are more than 30 ft. apart Duration: 1 hour/level Saving Throw: Will negates (harmless, object) Spell Resistance: Yes (harmless, object) One or more skeletons within range with total HD equal to 1 HD/caster level gain damage reduction of 5/silver. Damage from piercing and slashing weapons is halved prior to subtracting from the skeletons’ DR. Material Component: 10 silver pieces per skeleton.

Flame Symbol Necromancy [Fire] Level: Sor/Wiz 5 Components: V, S Casting Time: 1 action Range: Medium (100 ft. + 10 ft./level) Target: 1 HD of animated corporeal undead/level Duration: Instantaneous Saving Throw: None Spell Resistance: No Undead creatures animated by you are imbued with a burning sigil that floats just above their heads. The body of the creature radiates heat, and its eye sockets smoke and burn with orange flame. The spell affects a number of hit dice of animated undead equal to your level.

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weapon. Creatures touching or striking the symbol-bearing undead with a natural weapon also suffer this damage. This spell does not stack with other symbol spells.

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Enhance Skeletons, Greater Necromancy Level: Sor/Wiz 6 Components: V, S, M Casting Time: 1 full round Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels) Targets: Skeletons with total HD equal to 1 HD/level Duration: 1 hour/level Saving Throw: Will negates (harmless, object) Spell Resistance: Yes (harmless, object) One or more skeletons within range with total HD equal to 1 HD/caster level gain damage reduction of 20/magic. Damage from piercing and slashing weapons is halved prior to subtracting from the skeletons’ DR.

Flying Abominations Necromancy [Evil] Level: Clr 5, Evil 5, Sor/Wiz 7 Components: V, S, M/DF Casting Time: 1 action Range: 10 ft. Target: One or more body parts within range Duration: Instantaneous Saving Throw: None Spell Resistance: No With this grotesque spell, you animate one or more body parts, imbuing them with the ability to fly and to follow simple verbal commands. The body parts must be relatively fresh (no more than a week old) and cannot be larger than Medium. Any creature that can be affected by animate dead can have a body part subjected to this spell. You can animate one HD worth of flying abomination per caster level. These HD can be divided among different body parts as required. A 14th-level wizard could, for example, animate seven 2 HD body parts, or one 10 HD body part and four 1 HD body parts, etc. All body parts to be animated must be within 10 feet of you during casting. The characteristics of a flying abomination are determined by the creature’s original size. See the Flying Abominations monster entry above for each creature’s characteristics based on size. The body part does retain the special attacks of the original creature, but only those that could be delivered with only the part in question. Thus, an animated red dragon’s head could bite but could not breathe fire. A dragon’s breath weapon is not a power of its head. An animated giant scorpion stinger, however, would retain the ability to inject poison. Supernatural and spell-like abilities may never be retained. Flying abominations obey simple verbal commands in the same manner as a zombie or skeleton and the body parts remain animated until destroyed. They can be turned or rebuked normally. Arcane Material Component: The body parts to be animated and a vial of unholy water which is sprinkled over the fragments during casting.

Undead with the flame symbol gain the fire subtype as an extraordinary ability, granting them fire immunity and exposing them to double damage from cold except on a successful save. Additionally, undead affected by the flame symbol inflict an extra 1d6 points of fire damage when they strike with a natural

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Frost Symbol Necromancy [Cold] Level: Sor/Wiz 5 Components: V, S, M Casting Time: 1 action Range: Medium (100 ft. + 10 ft./level) Target: 1 HD of animated corporeal undead/level Duration: Instantaneous Saving Throw: None Spell Resistance: No Undead creatures animated by you are imbued with a icy sigil that floats just above their heads. The body of the creature radiates cold, and its eye sockets glow with blue energy. The spell affects a number of hit dice of animated undead equal to your level. Undead with the frost symbol gain the cold subtype as an extraordinary ability, granting them cold immunity and exposing them to double damage from fire except on a successful save. Additionally, undead affected by the frost symbol inflict an extra 1d6 points of cold damage when they strike with a natural weapon. Creatures touching or striking the symbol-bearing undead with a natural weapon also suffer this damage. This spell does not stack with other symbol spells.

Ghostly Deliverer Necromancy Level: Sor/Wiz 4 Components: V, S Casting Time: 1 action Range: Medium (100 ft. + 10 ft./level) Target: One ghostly hand Duration: 1 minute/level Saving Throw: None Spell Resistance: No This spell functions in all ways like spectral hand, with the following exceptions. Upon casting the spell, you lose 1d8

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hit points that return when the spell ends, but not if the hand is destroyed. Any touch spell of 6th-level or lower that can be cast by you can be delivered by ghostly deliverer. The hand has your save bonuses +2, AC 24, plus your Intelligence modifier. The hand has as many hit points as are lost during the spell’s casting.

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Force Corporealness Abjuration Level: Clr 2, Pal 2 Components: V, S, DF Casting Time: 1 action Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels) Target: One creature Duration: 1 round/level Saving Throw: Will negates Spell Resistance: Yes One target incorporeal creature becomes corporeal. It loses all the benefits normally associated with its incorporeal state. The creature’s other abilities are unaffected. A creature that is partially or entirely inside of a solid object when affected by this spell is moved to the nearest open space, taking 1d6 points of damage in the process for every 5 feet it must travel to get out of the object. The creature remains substantial for the duration of the spell, at which time it returns to its incorporeal state.

Halve Aging Necromancy Level: Clr 7, Sor/Wiz 7 Components: V, S, M Casting Time: 1 action Range: Touch Effect: Living creature touched Duration: 1d10 years Saving Throw: Fortitude negates (harmless) Spell Resistance: Yes (harmless) This spell temporarily stops all aging in the target. For 1d10 years, the target does not grow physically older. Additionally, any magical aging, such as that from an age other spell, is absorbed by halt aging. Absorbed years shorten the duration of the spell by the number of years absorbed. A Fortitude save prevents the pause in aging. (See the PHB for details on aging.) Material Component: A handful of sand from an hourglass. Halve Aging Necromancy Level: Clr 5, Sor/Wiz 5 Components: V, S, M Casting Time: 1 action Range: Touch Effect: Living creature touched Duration: Permanent Saving Throw: Fortitude negates (harmless) Spell Resistance: Yes (harmless) The target of this spell has her natural aging magically reduced to half the normal rate. Additionally, any magical aging, such as that from an age other spell, is affected by halve aging. Affected years reduce the duration of this spell by one year for every two years of magical aging. A Fortitude save avoids the effects of this spell (see the PHB for details on aging). Material Component: A drop of molasses. Heal Undead Necromancy Level: Clr 3, Sor/Wiz 4 Components: V, S Casting Time: 1 action Range: Touch Target: One or more skeletons or zombies touched Duration: Instantaneous Saving Throw: Will negates (harmless, object) Spell Resistance: Yes (harmless, object) With heal undead, you instantly repair one animated skeleton or zombie per caster level, up to a maximum of 20. Animated skeletons and zombies are instantly repaired and restored to full hit points. Destroyed skeletons and zombies are not healed, only those that have been damaged.

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Focus: The weapon. Instill Foolishness Necromancy Level: Sor/Wiz 6 Components: V, S, M Casting Time: 1 action Range: Touch Target: One creature touched Duration: Instantaneous Saving Throw: Will negates Spell Resistance: Yes You must make a successful touch attack against the intended victim. If the touch attack is successful, the target is allowed a Will save to avoid all negative effects. A failed Will save results in 3 points of permanent Wisdom damage per 4 caster levels. You can intentionally lessen the damage dealt but must declare your intention to do so before the attack is rolled. Damage dealt to the mind by instill foolishness can be healed by normal means (i.e. restoration, wish, miracle, etc.), although if the damage is not healed within 24 hours of the infliction it is permanent and incurable. Arcane Material Component: A bit of bone from a dead man’s skull and a live maggot.

My Life For Yours Necromancy [Evil] Level: Sor/Wiz 3 Components: V, S, M Casting Time: 10 minutes Range: Touch Target: One corpse touched Duration: Instantaneous Saving Throw: None Spell Resistance: No You draw forth a part of your own life force and (if you are not an undead) corrupt it into negative energy, which you can use to animate one corpse as a skeleton or zombie. Because the process of infusing the corpse with the negative energy

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Imprint Draining Necromancy Level: Sor/Wiz 3 Components: V, S, F Casting Time: 1 action Range: Touch Target: One touched weapon Duration: 1 round/level Saving Throw: None Spell Resistance: Yes You touch a weapon while casting this spell, imprinting the draining power of a vampire upon it. Half the damage inflicted by the touched weapon against a living opponent is then gained as temporary hit points by the wielder. These temporary hit points disappear 1 hour after being gained.

is inefficient, you must draw forth twice as much of your life energy as what the undead would actually use. Therefore, you lose twice the number of hit points the undead creature would have when finished (so creating a normal Medium skeleton with 6 hit points costs you 12 hit points). Any skeleton or zombie created with this spell is treated as if it had been created with animate dead for the purpose of how many undead you can control. These hit points can be recovered normally (rest, magical healing, etc.)

If you cannot lose these hit points for any reason (such as if you are protected by a spell that prevents you from taking damage or converts normal damage to subdual or any other kind of damage) the spell fails. If you have no life force, whether positive or negative (for example, if you are a construct) the spell fails. Material Component: A black onyx gem worth at least 50 gp with iron and silver wires wrapped around it, which must be placed in the mouth or eye socket of the corpse. Necrocone Necromancy Level: Sor/Wiz 5 Components: V, S Casting Time: 1 action Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels) Area: Cone Duration: Instantaneous Saving Throw: Fortitude negates Spell Resistance: Yes Necrocone drains negative energy in a cone-shaped area that extends outward from your hand, inflicting 1d6 points of damage per caster level against all corporeal and incorporeal undead (maximum 20d6). This area is also partially drained of heat, inflicting 1d6 points of cold damage per 2 caster levels against living creatures. Necroflames Necromancy Level: Sor/Wiz 5 Components: V, S, M Casting Time: 1 action Range: Personal Target: You Duration: 1 round/level (D) Saving Throw: None Spell Resistance: No This spell surrounds you in wisps of dark flame, providing immunity against energy drain and ability drain attacks. These flames also drain negative energy from the undead, inflicting 1d6 points of damage +1 point per caster level (maximum +10) upon corporeal and incorporeal undead that attack you in melee. Living creatures that attack you are similarly drained of heat and suffer half this damage as cold damage. Arcane Material Component: A fingernail from a wight or piece of cloth torn from the robe of a wraith.

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Necrotic Blast Necromancy [Evil] Level: Sor/Wiz 5 Components: V, S, M Casting Time: 1 action Range: Medium (100 ft. + 10 ft./level) Area: 20-ft.-radius spread Duration: Instantaneous Saving Throw: Reflex half Spell Resistance: Yes This spell taps into the dark energies generated in fresh corpses as the creature’s soul leaves its material prison. In order to cast this spell, there must be fresh humanoid corpses (no more than a week old) within range of the spell. During the casting, the necrotic energies in the corpses are drawn into a ball between your hands. You then hurl the ball at your target, causing damage to all living creatures within a 20-ft.-radius. Each corpse provides 1d6 damage (maximum 10d6). The necrotic blast also automatically spoils food and water and corrupts holy water within the blast radius. One pound of food, one gallon of water, or one vial of holy water is ruined for each die of damage the necrotic blast possesses. Negative energy protection provides protection from this spell. Undead caught within the blast radius are healed, gaining a number of hit points equal to the damage rolled. Arcane Material Components: Translucent gemstone of any sort worth at least 50 gp.

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Necrosword Necromancy Level: Sor/Wiz 2 Components: V, S Casting Time: 1 action Range: Personal Effect: Swordlike beam Duration: 1 minute/level Saving Throw: None Spell Resistance: Yes Necrosword creates a 3-foot longsword of swirling energy that springs forth from your hand. The blade strikes as a melee touch attack and drains negative energy, inflicting 1d8 points of damage +1 point per 2 caster levels (maximum +10) against corporeal and incorporeal undead opponents. The blade is also bone-chillingly cold and inflicts half this damage as cold damage against living opponents.

Necrotize Weapon Necromancy Level: Sor/Wiz 1 Components: V, S, F Casting Time: 1 action Range: Touch Target: Weapon touched Duration: 1 round/level Saving Throw: Fortitude negates Spell Resistance: Yes A weapon touched by you glows with pale blue energy. If a weapon so endowed successfully hits a foe, it causes 1 points of temporary Strength damage on a failed Fortitude save, in addition to normal weapon damage. Undead suffer no Strength loss but must make a successful Will save or flee directly away from the wielder for 1d4+1 rounds per caster level. The weapon remains charged with this spell for 1 round per caster level. Focus: The weapon. Pack of Ghouls Necromancy (Summoning) [Evil] Level: Clr 4 Components: V, S, DF Casting Time: 1 full round Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels) Effect: 3d4 summoned ghouls, no two of which can be more than 5 ft. apart Duration: 1 round/level (D) Saving Throw: None Spell Resistance: No You summon a pack of ghouls to defend you and your allies. The ghoul pack appears where you designate and acts immediately on your turn. They follow your commands to the best of their ability—attacking or performing other actions—as long as you can communicate with them. Arcane Material Component: A bone from a ghoul. Plague Carrier Necromancy [Evil] Level: Clr 7, Drd 7, Sor/Wiz 8 Components: V, S Casting Time: 1 action Range: Touch Target: Living creature touched Duration: Instantaneous Saving Throw: Fortitude negates Spell Resistance: Yes The subject contracts 1d3 diseases, which strike immediately (no incubation period). You infect the subject with any disease allowed by the GM, though a Fortitude save is allowed for each one. For the next day, if uncured, all living creatures that come within 20 feet of the plague carrier must save against each disease he carries. The individual disease, not the spell, affects those failing their saves in this case. In order to rid the victim of this curse, each disease must be individually cured by magical means.

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Ray of Exhaustion Necromancy Level: Sor/Wiz 2 Components: V, S Casting Time: 1 action Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels) Effect: Ray Duration: 1 round/level Saving Throw: Fortitude partial Spell Resistance: Yes Upon casting this spell, you exhale toward the target, sweeping it with a gust of foul-smelling wind and draining the strength from its limbs. This is considered a ray attack and requires a ranged touch attack to strike. A target that fails its Fortitude save is considered exhausted (see DMG) for the spell’s duration. A target that successfully saves instead suffers the effects of fatigue (see the DMG). Unlike normal exhaustion or fatigue, once the spell’s duration expires, the subject is restored to full vigor. This effect does not stack with any other source of fatigue or exhaustion. Seek the Soulless Necromancy Level: Sor/Wiz 3 Components: V, S, M Casting Time: 1 action Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels) Area: Cone Duration: Instantaneous Saving Throw: Reflex half Spell Resistance: Yes Seek the soulless creates a cone of strange magical energy. Within its area, living mortal creatures with souls (all creatures other than undead, constructs, plants, or outsiders) find themselves surrounded by a momentary nimbus of light that

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protects them from the spell’s influence. All those not protected suffer 1d6 points of damage per caster level (maximum 10d6). Inanimate objects suffer full damage from this blast of energy. This spell proves useful for fighting undead or other creatures without worrying about harming your friends.

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Planar Eruption Necromancy [Evil] Level: Death 8, Sor/Wiz 8 Components: V, S Casting Time: 1 full round Range: Long (400 ft. + 40 ft./level) Area: 5 ft., and 30-ft. emanation Duration: 2 rounds (see text) Saving Throw: Fortitude, Reflex, and Will half Spell Resistance: Yes You select a 5-foot square area within range that acts as the center of the spell. A small gate to an evil alternate plane opens, expelling pure negative energy in a fountain of darkness, damaging anyone in its area of effect. On the first round of the spell, the eruption’s energy deals 1d6 points of negative energy damage per caster level (maximum 20d6) to everything within 5 feet of the spell’s center. On the second round, the eruption’s area of effect grows to a 30-foot radius, after which it collapses and the gate vanishes. Undead affected by the eruption are healed of 1d6 points of damage per caster level (maximum 20d6), but cannot receive more hit points than their maximum.

Material Component: A feather dipped in lacquer. Skeletal Spurs Necromancy Level: Drd 5, Sor/Wiz 5 Components: V, S, M Casting Time: 1 action Range: Touch Effect: Creature touched Duration: 1 round/level Saving Throw: Fortitude negates Spell Resistance: Yes (harmless) The target of this spell sprouts long, sharp spurs of bone all over his body. The target deals 2d6 points of piercing damage (critical x2) with a successful grapple attack. Anyone who successfully grapples the subject takes the same amount of damage. Material Component: A small piece of bone whittled into a blade. Spirit Horde Necromancy [Death, Evil] Level: Sor/Wiz 6 Components: V, S, M Casting Time: 1 action Range: Medium (100 ft. + 10 ft./level) Area: Cone Duration: Instantaneous Saving Throw: Fortitude half Spell Resistance: No When you invoke this spell, you instantly summon a horde of dozens of wrathful, screaming spirits—gray and incorporeal shades driven to slay the living. You shape these spirits into a cone, which is then directed at foes. Every creature in the area of effect must make a Fortitude save or take 1d6 points of damage per caster level (maximum 10d6). Those who fail their save must make an additional Will save or acquire 1d4 negative levels. A successful Will save completely negates this effect. Oddly enough, this spell is also effective against undead, who are vulnerable to the wrath of angry spirits.

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Soul Burst Necromancy Level: Sor/Wiz 4 Components: V, S, M Casting Time: 1 action Range: Medium (100 ft. + 10 ft./level) Target: 20-foot-radius burst Duration: Instantaneous Saving Throw: Reflex half Spell Resistance: Yes You summon a burst of energy that harms all living creatures that have a soul. Thus, inanimate objects suffer no damage, but neither do undead, constructs, plants, or outsiders. Those affected take 1d6 points of damage per level (to a maximum of 10d6). This spell was developed by mages in charge of defending the citadel of their king against invaders—they did not want to damage their own defenses or the structure itself. Soul burst is also favored among necromancers who wish to damage their enemies but not their own undead guardians. Material Component: A crushed feather. Steal Heart Necromancy Level: Sor/Wiz 7 Components: V, S Casting Time: 1 round Range: Touch Target: One corpse Duration: Instantaneous Saving Throw: No Spell Resistance: No The heart of a dead creature (or portion of the creature’s body with similar symbolic importance) is torn from the corpse and placed in the caster’s hand, whereupon the caster must eat it. Thereafter, the dead creature cannot be brought back to life until the caster dies.

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Spirit Knife Necromancy [Death] Level: Clr 7, Sor/Wiz 7 Components: V, S, F Casting Time: 1 action Range: 0 ft. Effect: One knife Duration: 1 round/5 levels Saving Throw: Fortitude partial Spell Resistance: Yes This spell creates a knife of crackling necromantic energy that you use to slay or severely injure your opponents. You must succeed at a melee attack against an opponent, at which time the target must make a Fortitude save or die. Success means the target still receives 1d6 points of temporary Constitution damage.

Syron’s Energy Armor Conjuration (Creation) [Positive Energy] Level: Brd 1, Sor/Wiz 1 Components: V, S Casting Time: 1 action Range: Touch Target: Living creature touched Duration: 1 round/level (D) Saving Throw: Fortitude negates Spell Resistance: Yes (harmless) This spell creates a glowing barrier of positive energy that surrounds the subject, making it dangerous for undead to come into contact with him. When an undead creature touches the subject, it must make a successful Fortitude save or the armor inflicts 1d8 points of damage. Syron’s energy armor also damages incorporeal undead that strike the subject. The armor imposes no armor check penalty, arcane spell failure, or speed reduction. Torpor Evocation (Cold) Level: Sor/Wiz 1 Components: V, S Casting Time: 1 action Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels) Effect: Ray Duration: 1 minute/level Saving Throw: Fortitude negates Spell Resistance: Yes An icy blue ray fires from your open palm. You must succeed at a ranged touch attack to strike your target. The struck target suffers a -1d3 penalty to Dexterity, with an additional -1 per two caster level (maximum additional penalty of -5). The subject’s Dexterity cannot drop below 1. Toughen Undead Necromancy Level: Sor/Wiz 5 Components: V, S, M Casting Time: 1 action Range: Touch Target: One undead creature that is subject to turning Duration: 1 hour/level Saving Throw: None Spell Resistance: Yes (harmless) Toughen undead grants a single undead creature turn resistance of +3 for the spell’s duration. This effect stacks with any existing turn resistance. It cannot be cast on a target already under the effect of any other toughen undead spell. Material Component: Three drops of your blood.

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Material Component: Five drops of your blood. Toughen Undead, Lesser Necromancy Level: Sor/Wiz 3 Components: V, S, M Casting Time: 1 action Range: Touch Target: One undead creature that is subject to turning Duration: 1 hour/level Saving Throw: None Spell Resistance: Yes (harmless) Lesser toughen undead grants a single undead creature turn resistance of +1 for the spell’s duration. This effect stacks with any existing turn resistance. It cannot be cast on a target already under the effect of any other spell (like greater toughen undead above). Material Component: A drop of your blood. Undead Friend Necromancy Level: Sor/Wiz 1 Components: V, S, M Casting Time: 1 action Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels) Target: One and one undead creature Duration: 1 minute/level Saving Throw: Will negates Spell Resistance: Yes You link yourself to the target undead with an invisible bond of negative energy. As long as you remain within range and maintain a line of effect form yourself to the undead, this bond makes the undead perceive you as an allied undead creature. a non-intelligent undead target ignores you, while an intelligent undead creature assumes you are either some type of undead that appears living or are disguised as living. If used in conjunction with a disguise or illusion to appear undead, this spell gives you a +5 bonus on Disguise checks to fool the undead target. If you attack the target while this spell is in effect, the spell immediately ends. Material Component: Dust or bone fragments from any destroyed undead creature.

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Toughen Undead, Greater Necromancy Level: Sor/Wiz 7 Components: V, S, M Casting Time: 1 action Range: Touch Target: One undead creature that is subject to turning Duration: 1 hour/level Saving Throw: None Spell Resistance: Yes (harmless) This spell functions as turn resistance and lesser toughen undead, but gives its target a turn resistance of +5. This effect stacks with any existing turn resistance. It cannot be cast on a target already under the effect of any above-mentioned spell.

Undead Gate Conjuration (Summoning) [Evil] Level: Sor/Wiz 8 Components: V, S, F Casting Time: 1 minute Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels) Effect: One or more summoned undead creatures, no two of which can be more than 30 ft. apart Duration: See below Saving Throw: None Spell Resistance: No By means of this spell, you enchant any normal portal (doorway, archway, window, etc.) to act as a gate for undead monsters. The portal need not be large enough to allow the undead to pass through it, as the magic of the spell causes the undead to appear within range of the portal.

Once the undead gate has been placed, it cannot be moved. Furthermore, no more than one undead gate can exist in any given square mile area. Any attempt to create more than one in such an area destroys both gates. An undead gate remains enchanted indefinitely until used once per level of the caster. Thus, a 16th-level wizard could use her undead gate 16 times, after which the enchantment would vanish. An undead gate registers to detect magic, although this may not reveal the portal’s nature. A successful dispel magic rids the portal of its enchantment (although any undead produced before this remain). Once the undead gate is in place, you can use it so long as you are within range of the portal. Upon command, the undead gate summons a random number of the desired type of undead monster. Summoned undead appear anywhere within range of the portal, as designated you. They behave in a manner consistent with creatures called forth by the various summon monster spells, remaining until destroyed or dismissed, for up to one round per level of the caster. The magic of this spell imbues the undead with the ability to understand your spoken commands. You may only summon one group of undead at a time. so once the gate is activated, no additional undead may be summoned by that particular gate until the first group was slain or dismissed. Undead that are turned, but not destroyed, count against this limit. As soon as the last of the group is destroyed or disappears, the gate may be used again. To determine the number and type of undead summoned, choose from the following table: 1 Zombie, Colossal 1d3 Skeletons, Colossal 1d3 Zombies, Gargantuan 1d6+1 Skeletons, Gargantuan 1d6+1 Zombies, Huge Undead summoned via an undead gate are standard representatives of their type. They have all the normal strengths and weaknesses, conforming to their entries in the MM.

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Voice of the Grave Necromancy Level: Sor/Wiz 4 Components: V, S Casting Time: 1 full round Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels) or unlimited; see text Target: One incorporeal undead Duration: 1 minute/level Saving Throw: Will negates; see text Spell Resistance: Yes You attempt to trap an incorporeal undead within your own body. If you know the undead creature’s birth name, the spell has unlimited range and the undead suffers a -2 penalty on its saving throws. Otherwise, you must be able to see the creature, and the spell is countered if the undead is protected by protection from good or a similar effect.

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Arcane Focus: A mortar and pestle made from human bone. Arcane Material Component: Nineteen teeth extracted from a fresh human corpse (no more than a week old) that must be crushed in the bone mortar bowl. The resulting powder is blown at the frame of the portal, thus completing the spell.

Once inside you, the undead gains control of the body. The undead keeps its Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma, Hit Dice, class, base attack bonus, base save bonuses, alignment, spells, skills, feats, and spell resistance. The body retains its type, subtypes, Strength, Dexterity, Constitution, hit points, natural abilities, extraordinary abilities, supernatural abilities, and automatic abilities. The undead cannot leave your body voluntarily, but can otherwise act freely in its new body. When the spell’s duration ends, the undead reappears wherever it was when the spell was cast. If you die while the spell is active, both you and the undead are slain. Voice of the grave can be combined with magic circle against evil and similar spells as if it were a calling spell. Doing so extends voice of the grave’s duration so long as the undead does not break free of the circle. A number of times per day equal to your Charisma modifier (minimum of 1), you can try to take control of the undead in your body. The undead must make another Will save or act as you desire for 1 round. As this is the only action you can take while possessed, treat it as a perpetually readied action that can respond to anything the undead attempts.

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