Carrion Mage

Here’s an undead ghoulie inspired by the works of H.P. Lovecraft that I posted in the Dragonsfoot ClassicD&D forums sometime ago; yes, I am Strange Vistor lurking there.  

"The nethermost caverns," wrote the mad Arab, "are not for the fathoming of eyes that see; for their marvels are strange and terrific. Cursed the ground where dead thoughts live new and oddly bodied, and evil the mind that is held by no head. Wisely did Ibn Schacabao say, that happy is the tomb where no wizard hath lain, and happy the town at night whose wizards are all ashes. For it is of old rumour that the soul of the devil-bought hastes not from his charnel clay, but fats and instructs the very worm that gnaws; till out of corruption horrid life springs, and the dull scavengers of earth wax crafty to vex it and swell monstrous to plague it. Great holes secretly are digged where earth's pores ought to suffice, and things have learnt to walk that ought to crawl."

 -- H.P. Lovecraft, The Festival

Carrion Mage*

Armor Class:         3                                  No. Appearing:     1

Hit Dice:                  11–14**                      Save As: Wizard: 11–14

Move:                        120’ (40’)                   Morale:                    11

Attacks:                    1 Touch or                 Treasure Type:     F 
                                   1 Spell

Damage:                  1–8 + paralysis         Alignment:             Chaotic 
                                     or by Spell or
                                     by engulfment

Carrion Mages are undead created when the specially prepared body of a dead Chaotic magic-user is devoured by scavengers, such as worms, beetles or other vermin.  The scavengers, dominated by the dead magic-user’s will, assume a human form made up of a swarm of the vermin that feasted on the spellcaster’s dead flesh.  Carrion Mages always return to their former lair or can be found wherever they are needed to further their nefarious schemes.  A carrion mage is still able to use spells as it did while alive, which makes it a formidable adversary.

Carrion Mages will always clothe themselves as though they were still alive, using gloves and a waxen mask of their former face to complete the illusion.  Carrion Mages can even speak, though their voice is the dry rattle of multitudinous insect parts rubbing together or the whisper of countless worms sliding over one another.  Once the carrion mage’s true nature is revealed, however, all characters must save vs. paralysis or flee in abject fear; those who make the save still suffer a –1 to all rolls while within the carrion mage’s presence.

A carrion mage may also shed it's human shape altogether to enable it to engulf characters as an Insect Swarm (B37) with increased Hit Dice.

Carrion Mages can only be damaged by fire, spells or magical weapons, all of which will only do half damage.  They are unaffected by charm person, hold and sleep spells.  Note that morale is given as 11, but if a carrion mage finds itself in actual danger, either from adventurers or some other threat, they may disperse the individual vermin that make up their gestalt form, which will scurry away into the darkness, disappear down tiny crevices or otherwise affect an escape.  A carrion mage can reform its horrid swarm body in a number of hours equal to its hit dice.

Supplemental/Supporting Information on Carrion Mages:

Cleric Turning Table

Cleric Level	Carrion Mage
1	--
2	--
3	--
4	--
5	--
6	--
7	11
8	9
9	7
10	T
11+	T

This entry goes on the Cleric vs. Undead table (Expert Set, page X5), after the entry for Vampire.  As you see above carrion mages cannot be destroyed by a cleric, only turned.  If at higher levels (15–36), a ‘D’ result is possible the carrion is dispersed rather than destroyed.    In any case, if a cleric gains a T or D result when attempting to turn an undead spellcaster, like the Carrion Mage, the undead may make a saving throw vs. spells to avoid the effect entirely.

SIXTH LEVEL MAGIC-USER SPELLS

Carrion Reincarnation                                                                           Range: 0’

                                                                                                                            Duration: 24 hours
If a Chaotic magic-user is killed before the expiration of this spell, regardless of how his body is disposed of, he will rise from death as a carrion mage in one year and a day.  Only burning the body to ashes can prevent this gruesome resurrection.

Additional Comments:

Unlike Advanced D&D, the Vampire is the high-end of undead fiends in Basic/Expert D&D and I have always wished for something more, like AD&D's Lich, an undead magic user.  So the Carrion Mage was my answer, inspired by Lovecraft.  Carrion Mages are meant to be the scheming, plotting heart of terrible events in a campaign, always at the center of a complex and convoluted plan to bring local civilization to its knees and under the carrion mage's heel.

I've also toyed with a version called a 'Carrion Faithful' that's an undead cleric cursed (blessed?) by some eldritch horror for the cleric's dutiful service to a writhing eternity of service to its loathsome, inhuman master(s).  Swap out the origins and substitute Cleric spells for Magic User's and you're done.  Mix, match and dispatch; player characters, that is.

Headless

Cross-pollenization of D&D with CRPGs is always fun and recruiting your favorite monsters from other sources can really help personalize your campaign.  From the Ultima series of PC games comes the…

Headless                                                    

Armor Class:         3                                  No. Appearing:     1-6 (4-24)

Hit Dice:                  5                                  Save As:                   Fighter: 6

Move:                        120’ (40’)                   Morale:                    10

Attacks:                   2 fists or                     Treasure Type:     V

                                    1 weapon                   

Damage:                  1d3/1d3/+1d6           Alignment:             Chaotic

                                    or weapon

Headless resemble hirsute, lithe and wiry humans in almost every way, except for the glaring lack of a neck or head.  They are said to be the result of experiments by an unnamed mage. Despite their lack of eyes and ears, headless have no trouble sensing their surroundings and are apt fighters.  If a headless hits with both hands on the same victim in one round of combat, the headless is throttling its victim and will cause 1-6 (1d6) additional points of damage in the same round as the fist attacks.  This additional damage will continue each round after the first as the headless strangles the life from its victim, this continues until either the headless or the victim are dead.  Headless tend to pick up the pouches and sacks of their fallen foes.  If headless are detected by characters before entering the range at which these abominations can detect prey (about 60 feet), it can be a simple matter to avoid a pack of these brutes by implementing silence in the party and keeping a discreet distance.  Headless are immune to spells or magical devices that affect the mind (such as Charm Person, Hold or Sleep) or senses (you cannot blind one by use of a Light spell, for example).

Attribution:

The Ultima game series and Headless are the creation of Richard Garriott, aka Lord British, and property of Electronics Arts (EA).  Presentation of that property here should be considered Fair-Use and does not represent an attempt to dispute ownership.

A Good Old-Fashioned Classic

Monster, that is.  Any Dungeon Master (hereafter DM) worth his dice makes up his own material; be it monsters, magic treasure, spells, or player character classes.  You'll find I'm no different, though I do have to confess in the case of monsters I have a special affinity for the undead, hence it's only fitting that my first monster on the blog be one of those, no?  Intended as a threat to higher level B/X characters, it's my pleasure to present to you my take on the classic ghost:

Haunt***

Armor Class:         0                                  No. Appearing:     1 to 4
Hit Dice:                  8**-14**                     Save As: Wizard:    8-14
Move:                        120’ (40’)                   Morale:                    10
Attacks:                   Special, see below     Treasure Type:     V (G)
Damage:                  Special                        Alignment:             Chaotic

Haunts are Undead that have, because of unfinished business with the world of the living or their own selfish desires, resisted passage into the afterlife.  Haunts are always tied to a location or object they held dear in life, whether a cherished home or miserly hoard or simple wedding ring, which is the haunt's focus.  The movement rate given above is also the maximum distance a haunt can move away from their focus.  As a haunt is unable to effect its focus physically, it is possible for sorely harassed adventurers to outrun a haunt.  A Haunt can only be hit by magic weapons of +3 or greater power.

Haunts are normally invisible to the living but able to effect the world by the use of their poltergeist powers; teleporting, moving, rearranging, stacking or even throwing items within their area of influence.  Haunts also possess the ability to use an Improved Phantasmal Forces spell-like effect at will, which can be used to frighten, mislead or otherwise confound the haunt's victims.  Whatever the effect - bleeding walls, weeping statues, maze-like corridors, unearthly moaning - will seem completely real at the time but leaves no traces later on.  Victims of these effects, either manipulated objects or Improved Phantasmal Force, must save vs Spells or become unnerved, suffering a -1 to all rolls while within the haunt's area of influence; this penalty ceases once the character moves beyond the haunt's influence, but remains in effect indefinitely otherwise.  This fear is cumulative with the results of a Haunt's Manifestation ability.

Haunts can become visible briefly, called a manifestation, appearing as they did at the time of their death. Victims of manifestations will faint or flee the haunt's influence unless they Save vs. Paralysis in which case the character will merely be frozen in fear for 1d4 rounds, then act at -1 to all rolls while within the confines of the haunted area.

Haunts cannot be turned by clerics as their focus anchors them firmly to an area, however, any cleric of 4th level or greater can attempt an exorcism.  An exorcism requires one vial of holy water and one turn of uninterrupted prayer.  At the end of the ten minutes, if the haunt has been unable to stop the cleric, the haunt must save vs. Spells or be exorcized, unable to manifest or manipulate the physical world for a period of at least a year; possibly much longer.  An exorcism is not without peril for the cleric, however, for if the haunt saves successfully the would-be exorcist must save vs. Spells or be possessed by the haunt.  Possessed character will be used by the haunt to accomplish their unfinished business, secure their focus, bury their bones, what-have-you depending on the Haunt's motivation.  Once their business is completed the haunt will vacate the possessed character for the afterlife or return to their lair and continue their haunting.  Only the destruction of their focus can force a Haunt to continue on to the afterlife before their purpose is accomplished.  If a Haunt's focus - whether it be a house, a piece of jewelry, a letter - should be destroyed the Haunt must save vs. Paralysis or pass on to the afterlife.  If the Haunt saves successfully it may select another focus and continue about its unfinished business.  Like others of its ilk, a Haunt is immune to spells that effect the mind, such as Charm Person, Sleep or Hold.

Notes:

The 'G' treasure type should only be used for those Haunts attached to manor houses, castles or other such locations where the accumulation of such riches can occur, the 'V' treasure type should be used for those poor unfortunate souls who have perished in remote, lonely places such as deeper dungeon levels and desolate and foggy moors.

Despite a Haunt's Chaotic nature Lawful characters who assist a Haunt in finishing its business should receive an XP bonus determined by the DM, as long as such business doesn't voilate the Lawful character's beliefs.  This should included such actions as arranging a proper burial for the Haunt's remains, communicating a message to a Haunt's loved ones,  delivering an item, discharging an unfulfilled duty, etc.