Undead are, simply put, among the most horrific things one can think of. Can you imagine anything more frightening than a being which is dead and yet still walks? Can you imagine the horror of being faced by the hollow shell of being, a hollow shell which must feed?
Codex introduction
Undead are, simply put, among the most horrific things one can think of. Can you imagine anything more frightening than a being which is dead and yet still walks? Can you imagine the horror of being faced by the hollow shell of being, a hollow shell which must feed?
Well, if you can imagine that, then you must have some inkling that the undead are definitely not being used to their full potential.
I think that there are few things that are more anathema to the human psyche than the living dead; the fear of the thing which should not live is a potent one, even in the modern society of sarcasm and realism.
So why do we not fear the undead? Why do the heroes of our favorite games not flee in horror from the shambling zombie? Why do pale corpse-lords who thirst for blood not inspire shaking terrors from adventurers who come to steal their treasure?
This Codex is devoted to restoring the dead-who-live to their former horrible glory. Here, we will post unique and different kinds of undead, new and more fearful beings from beyond the grave. Ghosts, mummies, zombies, liches, worms-that-walk; all of those and more will be remade in this thread.
Codex
Gathered submissions
This hub collects similar pieces — an “if you liked this, try these” shelf. Skim the summaries; open a title for a light reading preview, then follow through to the full piece to finish, award XP, or leave a scroll.
34 pieces
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Souless
The call to Him is unnerving. The power He gives is unmatched. He is the reason why I turned my back on my God and now worship Him. I will live eternal for the trade of my Soul to a God. I can live with that. -Rakeos -Follower of Sethalis, fallen Priest of Aduivo -
The Torlakia
Hiding deep within catacombs of the ancients, in low, deep alcoves where they lie, spider-like, awaiting the taste of fresh blood, there are the hideous Torlakia, dark beings who once lived and are now, fearfully, undead. -
Azhag
The Azhag ('ah-ZHAHG'; from Old West-Carmanian azadg, meaning watchman, sentry), called Tomb Guardians or Demon Shadows, are the terrible Undead guardians of the tombs of the Ancient Ones. -
Hungry Ghosts -1
A Hungry Ghost is born when the lower soul (the animal soul of the body, containing physical urges and violences) becomes angered and, rather than descending to the Underworld, lashes out against the living, which, in its instinctive state and having dulled senses, it percieves as enemies who have 'wronged' it. -
Crawling Ghosts
The Crawling Ghosts (from Parsic 'yabuj', 'it crawls') are the loathsome, disturbing ghosts of those who die lonely and rejected, shut-ins and the forgotten. -
Ghulas - Eaters of the Dead
Below the surface of the Earth, dwelling in darkness and forgotten catacombs, the goat-headed Ghouls, dark spirits of murder, feast on the dead. Ghouls dwell in old, forgotten places, luring others down into the grasping claws of their evil tribes. -
The Possesive Ones
There are some men who treat their wives the way they would chattel,that is,with utter control and domination,regarding their spouses not as independent beings entitled to their free will,but as mere objects of theirs,subject to the will of their lords. Such is the nature of those doomed to become the Possessive Ones,upon their death. -
Via-shaal, the Lost Healers
Many of the Undead face this terrible fate for mistakes of their own. Dark sins, or conscience heavy for the criminal deeds they have commited, they cannot pass on and linger in this world. But some do not deserve this curse... -
The Year of Red Leaves
In the royal year 451, also known as the year of Red Leaves, something strange occured. A star fell blazing from the heavens, in to the Midlands. Imperial Wizardry could be sent to examine the object. However things changed in the area. Royal Viziers were unable to postulate a cause for the matter, but the fact that none of the countyfolk were alive led to the whisper of one, chilling word. Zombie. -
Sarks: The Sark-Hound
The Sark-Hound is a basic form of Sark which is created for a very specific purpose, to wit, the hunting and killing of the necromancer's enemies (in Centas, the place of the banal zombie is taken by these creatures). -
The Cynocephali
The Cynocephali are those wretched beings who are cursed to walk the earth after death for the betrayal of those most dear to them. The gods look upon such traitors with terrible anger, and as such, those who do nothing to remedy their betrayal or offset the sin are doomed to an eternal unlife, bearing the head of a dog. -
The Horror of Pamplemousse
Some years ago a dark cult was founded in the Forecastle area of Hahvrensburg. The cultists were defeated by a band of heroes. A month after the heroes left the city and went on about their business, something massive came out of the earth. -
Necrosia Animensis
'Since the vile Plante's Deceased Hoste is not technically a Part of its Anatomy, any attemptes to Kill the Monster using regular methods is likely to prove Futile, especially that of Beheading the Creature. It seems to regarde its Head as a most Unnecessary part of its Composition, and thus as it moves its Head exhibits a frightening lacke of Expression, and lolls in a way most Unpleasant to observe.' -
The Cyahoi
The Cyahoi are horrific undead beings created as powerful servants by the cults of the frightful Lord Sarku, flesh-eating Master of the Living Dead. They are animalistic and violent creatures whose lower, animal souls have been driven wild with spiritual starvation, and whose higher, reasoning souls are held captive in their black hearts. -
The Corpse Eater
In the strict caste based society of the mystical sub-continent of Valur, belief in re-incarnation is powerful and the concept of ''dah'', or the actions of one's previous life having far reaching consequences for the present one, holds powerful sway. Thus, does one receive great punishment or reward in his next life, depending on the actions of his current existence. -
The Mogrolyth
Forget the rickety, fragile skeletons. Remove all thoughts of the limping, weak zombies. Shrug off thoughts of blood-dependant vampires. Whereas the former are reflections of necromatic magic, the Mogrolyth is a creation derived from the pure essence of unholy power - namely pain. -
The Zombie
The spirit which dies with a murderous rage upon it’s conscience cannot rest, and re-inhabits the corpse it once dwelt in, stalking the earth in search of one thing: revenge. -
Ironbones
Skeletons are weak. The armies of darkness made them into something much more suitable. -
Urn Beast
Several arson attacks, and two deaths later, as the Mayor retreated from the ashy figure before him and his curtains went up in flame, he decided that burning the Bishop had been a very bad idea. -
Bandage Beasts
Deep within the shifting sands, natives whisper of creatures trapped within ancient tombs, their insane wails audible through feet of solid stone seals. Read, now, as I delve through the mystery and bring forth the facts about the Tah'k Mumz'kar; the Bandage Beast; The Mummy. -
The Chosen of Uep-Hawet
Transformed by the Ghulscorch Ague, the Lords of the Ghouls walk among us... -
Sorcerghul
Beware this wizardly cadaver! His spells might not kill you, but you will wish they had… -
Clochardshire Shambler
Dont mind him, he's just a rag man Clochardshire resident, common quote -
Deaders - a different take on Zombies
Recycling the dead for the greater good since 1704 -
Oldu Corpses
They march, march forever. Eerie chanting fill the air. Death Cometh. -
The Unclean Ones
The dead, when buried without last rites, often find it impossible to rest easy... -
The Forsaken
Pitiable creatures, wandering forever in search of that denied them, unable to rest even as they crumble away to little more than crawling wrecks of bones. -
The Parched
Slain by thirst and heat, these sad souls seek moisture - any moisture - to quench their eternal, burning thirst. -
Whispers
The leftover remnants of Mind can sometimes cling to existence when the Body fails and the Spirit departs... -
Greendeath
"Though they walk as men and grow as weeds, they are neither; the angry dead, feeding the green with the rage until they walk again, yellowing bones bound by the twining green." -
The Soli
Malevolent Vampire Mutation? Or Brain-Dead Sun-Junkie? -
Shivenhusk the Unliving Refuse
He stood before me, a freankenstien of a man beast that towered twenty feet tall or more. Its rigor colored flesh stunk of eons of decay both sickly sweet and of putrescence beyond what the mortal mind could fathom. I tried to gag it from my throat but my stomach refused to relieve its contents and for that made me more uneasy. Former Cult Leader who outlived his usefulness -
Maire's Monsters
The unnatural offspring of a zombie father and a human mother. -
Gigaschadel
You can't miss it, it's eight feet tall, glows in the dark and breathes ghost flames. Even if you're blind it utters blasphemies and damnations, a black poetry of the underworld. If you're deaf and blind you can feel the cold in the air when they turn up.
Also in
Codex hubs that gather this piece with similar work.
- The Zombie CaptainPenguin
- New Looks and Takes and Makovers MoonHunter
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Links to this article 4
- Maire's Monsters Dossta linked by Dossta
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Use alongside
Submissions that pair well with this one at the table.
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Dark Mantle of D'Geen
The sound was most troublesome. Long have I been prisoner to Kormack and his evil designs, and the torturous sounds my heart has been cursed to endure has left …
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Mother Monster
All Maire wanted was to give her husband a child. She wasn't about to let death stand in the way.
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The Moira Chalice of Kormak
I watched in horror as the final pieces were infused together with dark magics granted to the mighty Kormak by Shivenhusk Himself. The head from Lord King Vyrkr…
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Treatise on Necromancy
The true depths of darkness travel far deeper into the hearts of mortal man than the darkest and deepest cave I have ventured in. What once could have started a…
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30 More Necromancers
Thirty more nasty, notorious Necromancers to disturb the eternal rest of the Dead.
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Church's Devil
'You know that saying that man made god? No, of course you don't. But we didn't make god. We made the Devil, and god is just a word the frightened cling to, to …
Walkers Plague
This disease can lead to a new kind, for a fantasy game, of zombie.
Finally your stuff is coming to its right CP.
Everyone: Start handing out the hall of honour awards.
Yes, this is a really good idea. But the execution is even better and that's what matters the most. Go undead!
While this isn't a real submission I will give credit where credit is due for CP thinking this idea long ago in the forums. Good job.
Yes, good thinking.
We really ought to find a better definition for what kind of lifeform an undead is, because not all of them are 'ethereal', and I don't think 'fauna' really works.
Forgotten shall this not be, even a HoH shall it receive.
What manfred said. A truely excellent collection!
Hoh for upcoming All Hallows Eve!
I think the key to remember here is that description is everything. If you describe zombies and undead in such a fashion as to reduce their horrific aspects, then your players will lose any squeamishness they might have about the undead. Alternatively, if you decide to take a page from the Cthulhu mythos, you can well and truly freak out your players when they encounter the shambling corpses of yesteryear.
Awesome collection of submissions!
My vote is for the entire codex itself. I will loose my mind in here with all of these undead.