Apparitions to Zombies

From Jade Tower

Title Page

Apparitions to Zombies – A Practical Guide to the Walking Dead.
8th edition

Edited by E'osa Brightwing, Secretary of the Order of the Light of ORB.
Published by Barnabus and Nobble, Gnomish Book Printers.

Undead Types

Ghost

Sometimes, dying isn't the final end. Sometimes, there is unfinished business left behind by the departed. And if that business is compelling enough, and the will of the deceased strong enough, the spirit remains in the mortal world, haunting a place or a person, waiting to finish that business.

Those spirits are called ghosts, and they gain power from their anger or their confusion. Destroying them with weapons and magic is difficult, and often a temporary solution at best, as until their business is complete, they will return again and again.

Recorded Powers

Incorporeal
Every ghost seems to exist in this state naturally, being creatures solely of spirit and lacking a physical body entirely. They may pass through walls, are invisible, and ignore both the armor and weapons of mortals, unless they are magical.
Manifestation
Every ghost seems to have this ability, which allows it to become visible to mortals, and use its other powers.
Corrupting Gaze
Even the gaze of a ghost is dangerous, and can corrupt mortal flesh and spirit.
Corrupting Touch
The touch of a ghost is corrupting to mortal flesh, and armor provides no protection.
Draining Touch
The touch of some ghosts is even more draining, as they can render mortals weak of body and spirit, and seemingly gain strength from the same attack.
Frightful Moan
Some ghosts emit a frightful moan, which can panic all but the most string-willed.
Horrific Appearance
It is recorded that simply looking upon the Hag of the Waters was enough to drain the body of virtue.
Malevolence
Ghosts seem able, sometimes, to take over or enter the bodies of mortal creatures, allowing them access to the pleasures and temptations of the flesh.
Telekinesis
The anger that often fuels a ghost's powers often allows it to move objects, hurling them or breaking them as an attack or a simple display of fury.

Notable Members

Ghoul

One of the most dangerous types of undead, ghouls are smart, cunning, and driven by a boundless hunger for the flesh of mortals. Many ghouls are known to have retained and even expanded upon their mortal skills, adding to them the dark power of the undead.

Recorded Powers

Claws and Fangs
The dark hunger that animates ghouls also gives them to tools to feed.
Ghoul Fever
The bite of a ghoul carries a foul disease, which not only kills, but causes the victims to rise as ghouls themselves.
Paralysis
Those hit by a ghoul’s bite or claw attack are often subject to being paralyzed. Elves seem to have some immunity to this paralysis, for reasons unknown.

Ghast

A more powerful sub-type of ghoul.

Lich

Arguably the most powerful type of undead creature in Crescent, a lich was a powerful mortal spellcaster who devised and performed a dark ritual, dragging himself through death and into undead immortality. Retaining all of their spellcasting ability, and adding to it a great many unliving abilities and an immortal patience, liches are a grave enemy to face.

Notable Members

The last known lich, Va'aster DarkLight, was destroyed in the Year of the Sun 377, by the Company of the Lamp. The Company suffered heavy casualties in the process, and was forced to disband.

Lich Spawn

Entry by Kimo FallenLeaf and Jericho Arnon

A type of lich, but rather than performing a ritual that pulls them through death into undeath, they are apparently the subject of such a ritual, presumably performed by a much more powerful entity, possibly an actual lich. This results in a creature that shares many of the characteristics of liches, but at a much lower power level.

The only example of such a creature yet encountered by the Light of ORB is now interred at the Zoo in Luminaux. The existence of such a creature is worrisome, as it implies a threat as yet unknown, in the shape of its master.

Notable Members

Mummy

The eternal protectors of a tomb, shrine, or dungeon, mummies are undead with a purpose. Most mummies are slow, strong, and possessed of only limited intellect, knowing only their purpose and domain. History records that most were unwilling victims, sacrificed to a dark power and bound by that same power to eternal slavery. This tends to account for their rather negative outlook on (un)life.

However, there are reported encounters with some mummies have have retained not only their intellect, but their reason and magical power. Additional reports hint at the possibility that some of these intelligent, reasonable mummies are powered not by negative energy, but by the Light, having given their lives willingly to protect a sacred location or item.

Notable Members

Skeleton

Vampire

Bloodsucking undead. Major bad news.

Notable Members

Vampire Spawn

Spawn of bloodsucking undead. Bad news.

Notable Members


Zombie

Illustrations from the book

Undead Illustrations created with South Park Studio.

Game Notes

Using the most recent (8th) edition of this book as a reference confers a +2 masterwork bonus on Knowledge:Religion Checks made in reference to undead. The previous edition confers a +1 bonus.

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