A simple red leather-bound tome, titled "The Book of Bone and Shadow". A symbol of undoubtedly dark origins decorates its face.

Page 1 The Book of Bone and Shadow The Necromancer's Handbook

by Desdemona Wraithe

Page 2 Table of Contents

Chapter 1: Undead (pg 3)

Chapter 2: Necromantic Spells and Rituals (pg 22)

Page 3 Chapter 1: Undead Elucidation, requiem, controlling, care instructions and creation of various forms of undead, sorted alphabetically by name.

- Allips (pg 4) - Bodaks (pg 5) - Curst (pg 6) - Doom Knight (pg 7) - Ghast (pg 8) - Ghouls (pg 9) - Ghoul Kings (pg 10) - Liches (pg 11) - Mummies (pg 12) - Shadows (pg 13) - Shadow Fiends (pg 14) - Skeletons (pg 15) - Spectres (pg 16) - Vampires (pg 17) - Wights (pg 18) - Wraiths (pg 19) - Wraith Spiders (pg 20) - Zombies (pg 21)

Page 4 Allips

Description: Allips are the intelligent, incorporeal remains of men and women who were driven to suicide by madness. Allips have a vague resemblance to the beings which they were in life, but with glowing eyes and greatly distorted, wispy features which become more vague towards the feet, trailing away to vaporous nothingness. Watch for faint trails of fog - Allips are known to leave fog behind them as they go about their solitary existences, serving to reconcile with those people who pushed them over the edge in life.

Allips are perhaps the bane of Illithid, more so than other undead, as attempting to read one's mind is said to make the reader mad. Their touch, while inflicting very little physical pain, is similarly maddenning, and preparation with magical restoratives is advised when attempting to control or confront these beings.

Summoning and Creation: The mind of a living humanoid must be warped to insanity, to the point where she commits suicide. Though magical means of achieving this effect exist, tormenting the subject with physical pain, isolation and loss, and providing ample opportunities for suicide can be just as effective. The chances of an Allip emerging can theoretically be improved if suicide is committed on ground desecrated by a priest.

Fourth-tier summoning magic, directed through the skeleton knuckle suspension as instructed in Ghost Summonation (See Chapter 2: Necromantic Spells and Rituals) will conjure and Allip and bind it to your will.

Controlling: Allips are vulnerable to many general magical methods of controlling undead. If none of these methods are known or available, psychological controls are possible with a bit of foresight. If you have the opportunity of creating the Allip yourself, utilizing shapeshifting magic to assume the appearance of an enemy during torture of the living humanoid will direct the Allip's vengeance towards that enemy. One should not attempt to form a social bond with an Allip - their madness, as well as their inability to form meaningful words should make them immune to reasoning.

Allips summoned with the Rite of Ghost Summonation are automatically under the control of the summoner, as per the nature of the spell.

Care instructions: An Allip naturally feeds and replenishes itself on the sanity of the living, though channeling negative energy into the Allip may serve instead to sate this thirst. An Allip has few other requirements, and is quite adept at looking after itself.

Requiem: An allip has a strong resilience to normal physical weapons, so a warrior should seek to have his weapon treated with magic or holy water before considering a direct assault. However, you will find that just about anything else will damage an allip. They are known to be susceptible to extremes in temperature, acid, electricity and sonic vibrations and blasts of magical energy, if the same is harmful to humans.

Allips have no unusual vulnerabilities which separate them from their undead counterparts, and presently specific rituals for their banishment are not known. Magic and treated weapons will be your best options in ridding yourself of a rogue Allip.

Page 5 Bodaks

Description: Legend has it that humanoids who perish under incredible evil, such as those who die in the most dark and evil parts of the Abyss, rise again as Bodaks. In this form, they essentially maintain their human shape, but have smooth, greyish-black skin, and no features on its elongated, skull-like face except white, empty eyes. The chilling gaze of a Bodak is said to spell instant death to any living subject without the necessary magical protections.

Free-willed as they may be, Bodaks are incredibly stupid and chaotic. They are driven only by their desire to kill.

Summoning and Creation: Summoning or creating a Bodak is generally a poor idea. If creating a Bodak is ever necessary, the process is generally much simpler if a Bodak is already on hand. Any humanoid killed by the gaze of a Bodak will always rise as the same a day later. Lacking a Bodak, a necromancer would need to expose the subject to such incredible evil that it kills him or her. Evil of this potency can be obtained from certain parts of the Infinite Layers of the Abyss, higher Powers and spellcasters of legendary skill.

Controlling: Usual methods of controlling undead should work on Bodaks, though specific means are not common knowledge. The best policy may even be not to control the Bodak at all. Releasing a Bodak or two in the middle of an enemy village is certain to harrow at an unprepared population.

Care instructions: What a Bodak requires to keep active and healthy is not known. It is likely that a Bodak requires nothing at all, in which case a wise owner should keep it isolated until a need for it arises.

Requiem: A Bodak should only ever be approached with proper magical preparation. The divine ritual "Death Ward" should avert the effects of the creature's stare, allowing a skilled warrior to cleave it apart using a weapon enchanted with magic, or treated with holy water. A bodak's flesh is difficult to penetrate with normal weapons. An assault with magic is also viable, but be advised that they are able to resist electricity, fire and corrosion by acid.

Bodaks are intolerant to the touch of sunlight. If exposed for a long period of time, it will gradually burn away and perish entirely.

The body of any humanoid suspected of being killed by a Bodak should be consecrated immediately, if not destroyed entirely by immolation and disintegration of remaining bone. If this does not occur within 24 hours, the humanoid will become a Bodak as well.

Page 6 Curst

Description: Curst are undead humanoids immortalized in suffering. The ritual which created them almost invariably steals much of their their sanity and intelligence, making their behavior, at times, erratic. They are completely free-willed, however, and intelligent enough to speak and seek vengeance against the force which cursed them. The skin of a Curst is withered and grey, and its eyes are black, with its irises greatly darkened. They prefer to remain in the dark, alone, plotting ways to finally end their tortured unlives.

In their blighted state, it is known that Curst are incapable of using magic, though many retain some of the more physical feats they learned in life.

Summoning and Creation: The primary magical component of the creation of a Curst, according to legend, is the power of a normal Curse spell. Other details of the ritual are rare knowledge, possessed only by the most elite of spellcasters.

Controlling: Specific means of controlling Curst through magic are not known. However, a cunning tongue can achieve a similar affect, by appealing to every Curst's intrinsic desire to die (see Requiem). Take care not to push the Curst's fragile psyche too far, lest it break free from your carefully-woven promises and attack.

Care instructions: Like any intelligent undead, a Curst needs to be treated with love and attention. Constantly reassure it of its death, and foster illusory bonds of comradeship with the creature. Remember always that obedience isn't a natural facet of Curst behavior, and always be prepared for the possibility of betrayal. Command obedience with threats to revoke the eventuality of death, and consider using a leash to mitigate its unpredictable behavior. If the Curst becomes too troublesome, destruction may be a necessary measure (see Requiem).

The essence which maintains a Curst never requires replenishing. Thus, it is not necessary to feed it or bolster it regularly with negative energy.

Requiem: A curst cannot be killed while still under the curse which prolongs its life. If deprived of a limb, the curst will grow another in its place with time. If damaged sufficiently, a curst will fall to the ground, unable to move until its physical faculties return to a more acceptable state. If decapitated, a Curst's body will disintegrate, and a new body will grow from the head. Many an undead-slayer has been fooled by this false appearance of death. Remember always that there is only one known way to give a Curst eternal rest.

A rite of Curse Removal must be performed with the Curst as the subject. The Curst, eager for death, may be willing to cooperate. Otherwise, sword and spell should be utilized to incapacitate the Curst first (Curst are able to shrug off extremes of temperature, and are slightly resistant to magic). When the rite is completed, the Curst will disintegrate to dust, and never return again, either of its own accord, or by magical means.

Page 7 Doom Knights

Description: Doom Knights are the animated remains of fallen paladins. They are tough and sturdy, being highly resistant to normal weapons and magic. The aura of evil which emanates from their forms is said to be difficult to endure, causing the weak-minded to flee in terror.

Doom Knights are somewhat of a mystery, owing mostly to the apparent undecidedness of public knowledge regarding these entities. Are they mindless and obedient, or intelligent and free-willed? What motivates a Doom Knight when a necromancer loses control? Answers to these would all require experimentation on an actual Doom Knight, which are fairly scarce within the confines of Dunwarren.

Summoning and Creation: Processes for creating and summoning Doom Knights don't fail to frustrate with their obscurity. An adventurous necromancer might try to empower the body of a fallen paladin with the Rite of Animation. Should a fallen paladin not be on hand immediately, the 'Just' variety has never been in short supply. With persistence, corrupting and killing one of them should prove a simple task.

Controlling: If the Rite of Animation is successful in producing a doom knight, the product will almost certainly be controllable to the Animator by the exertion of one's will. Otherwise, standard magical methods for controlling undead should apply.

Care Details: Unknown. A necromancer who succeeds in animating a Doom Knight should observe its instinctive behavior, and care for it accordingly.

Requiem: The traditional weapon against Doom Knights in tales seems to be an enchanted sword, mace, or in some cases, arrows or bolts dipped in holy water. Whether these actually work against a Doom Knight remains to be seen. Their magic is said to have a variety of effects, including those which stun or otherwise temporarily incapacitate the unwary, so assailants of a rogue Doom Knight should ward themselves against evil beforehand.

Page 8 Ghasts

Description: Ghasts are very similar to ghouls, except that they are stronger, more cunning, and emit a potent nauseating stench. A Ghast's paralyzing touch is potent enough to affect elves. Aesthetically, there is no way to tell between a Ghoul and a Ghast.

All details for "Ghouls" on page 9 apply to Ghasts unless otherwise stated above.

Page 9 Ghouls

Description: When a man savours the flesh of people during his life, it is said that he runs the risk of becoming a ghast or ghoul in death. Little has been done to test the validity of this claim, although this would do much to explain ghoul behavior. Ghouls have humanoid forms, but their decaying flesh, ranging from shades of grey to green, clings tightly to their bones, leaving the superficial bone structure clearly visible to the casual observer. They feed on the flesh of humanoids, and as a result, are found on battlefields and graveyards where flesh is in abundance. They do not limit themselves to feeding on the dead, however, and happily feed on the living as they make themselves available.

Stories portray Ghouls as intelligent, free-willed creatures, capable of cognitive speech. Their bite is formidable, and said to be rife with a disease called "Ghoul Fever", which ravages the victim's vitality. Most victims are strong enough to overcome the disease. Others manage to find treatment before Ghoul Fever becomes fatal. For everyone else, death is immanent, and during the next midnight, the body will rise as either a Ghast or Ghoul, depending on how physically able the victim was in life.

A ghoul's touch can be greatly disturbing. Exposure can cause temporary full-body paralysis in the subject. Elves are known to be immune to this effect.

Summoning and Creation: The most obvious way to produce new ghouls is to infect a humanoid subject with the dread disease "Ghoul Fever", and ensure that the infection endures to the Subject's death. Infecting large numbers of weak, sickly humanoids with the disease will, of course, improve the chances of someone dying and returning as a ghoul. However, actually obtaining the disease to begin with assumes that you have the convenience of an existing ghoul on hand. Without access to the Ghoul Fever disease, another strategy must be employed to make the disease more readily available.

If tales of the origins of Ghouls prove accurate, raising the child of a humanoid race to feed on humanoid flesh, and teaching that child to conduct itself in as much debauchery and wicked behavior as possible, that child should theoretically rise as a Ghoul or Ghast when he dies (of natural causes or otherwise). Having the child die on desecrated ground may improve the yield. Once this is achieved, producing additional ghouls is a relatively simple task.

Controlling: Having a source of humanoid flesh is a good start to winning a Ghoul's cooperation. Remember that Ghouls are intelligent creatures, and techniques for establishing social control over living subjects probably apply here also. If social control fails, magic for the general commanding of undead will work just as well, if it is available. Magic for controlling Ghouls specifically is not known.

Care details: Keep your Ghoul well-fed with humanoid flesh. If deprived for too long, a Ghoul will usually turn on its owner for food. The flesh does not need to be fresh - meat from the local mausoleum will suffice. Calm it down regularly with soothing words, or pet it through a thick, sturdy set of leather gloves. If the Ghoul's flesh starts to become too dry, spray it with a bit of water to prevent undesired stiffening. Punish bad behavior by tethering it in a point of isolation, depriving it of flesh for a period of time depending on the severity of the offense.

Requiem: Ghouls can be harmed by just about anything that will harm humans, barring the obvious exceptions which apply to all undead. Attack with normal weapons, fire, electricity, holy water... whatever happens to be available at the time. Continue the assault until the Ghast is unable to move, at which time the wise would decapitate or burn the body for good measure.

Page 10 Ghoul Kings

Description: Even more strong and cunning than your Ghoul and Ghast varieties, Ghoul Kings are the remains of corrupt officials who emit doom-bringing auras in addition to standard Ghoul attributes. Ghoul Kings are often noted in folklore to be surrounded by a retinue of subservient undead.

All details for "Ghouls" on page 9 apply to Ghoul Kings unless otherwise stated above.

Page 11 Liches

Description: Lichdom is perhaps the highest form of existence which a mortal can aspire to. It is said that if a powerful necromancer is dedicated and studious enough, he will uncover this powerful secret to immortality, and by taking incalculable risk, claim immortality for his own. The pestilent urges to eat, drink, breathe and sleep no longer distract a Lich. He has the freedom to spend every moment from his ascention to immortality until the end of time itself perfecting his art, and concocting devious plans to extend his domain of power. As a result, Liches are dangerously intelligent, charismatic and wise.

The secret of a Lich's immortality is a specially-prepared container called a Phylactery, containing strips of parchment with words of power inscribed on them. A Phylactery can take just about any form, and can vary greatly in size, which can make Liches difficult to destroy (see Requiem). While some Liches carry their phylacteries on their bodies, others keep them hidden nearby - under a simple tile, inside an undying pot plant, or guarded by spells and an army of undead. The possibilities are truly endless.

A Lich's touch can paralyze its victim permanently. Most dangerous of all, a Lich's magic is usually highly refined. They are expert necromancers, often surrounded by large numbers of undead. They can mould reality and craft destruction like a blacksmith moulds iron into weapons and armor. Coupled with immortality, few sane mortals make themselves enemies of Liches.

Summoning and Creation: How does one become a Lich? There is no easy answer to this question. Spellcasters have spent lifetimes trying to find out, and never succeeded. However, there are certain elements of the ritual which are more clear to us:

- The necromancer must construct a Phylactery, containing spells written on bits of parchment. - To become a Lich, the necromancer must die first. Obviously, this phase of the ritual will be highly controlled. - The soul of the necromancer must somehow be directed into the prepared Phylactery. - The Lich's former body is reanimated, thus ending the transformation.

Controlling: A Lich will not easily be controlled by magical means, though it shouldn't be impossible. Many of the conventional magical methods of commanding undead should, if well-implemented, command Liches as well. Lich arrogance (as sensible as it may be), as a rule, does not permit subservience to mortals. There is an exception, however. A mortal who manages to find and claim a Lich's Phylactery has the power to destroy that Lich utterly. In this power, a Lich has little choice but to follow that mortal's whims by the letter.

A word of caution - mortals must sleep, whereas Liches do not. Possessing a Phylactery will only allow you to control the Lich who owns it for as long as it takes for it to find a way to kill you and reclaim its Phylactery. Once the Lich has done what was required of it, destroy it at the earliest opportunity (See Requiem).

Requiem: Destroying a Lich's body will do little but set it back temporarily, as it is always able to regenerate its old body, or find a new one.

There are two phases to destroying a Lich permanently. First, one must find and shatter the vessel which houses the Lich's soul - the Phylactery.

The tenuous bond between a Phylactery and a Lich usually cannot extend over huge distances. If the real Phylactery is not found on the Lich's body (be wary of decoys), it will probably be found somewhere within the Lich's domain. Actually locating a Phylactery can be a difficult task to undertake alone, and it is recommended that a team support you in the search. Do not count on being able to scry for the Phylactery - the location of the device is often obscured by powerful abjurations.

Once the Lich's Phylactery is found, destroying it is a much simpler task. They are often fragile, and can be shattered with a few strong blows from a heavy weapon.

Destroying a Lich's Phylactery does not automatically destroy the Lich. Once the Phylactery is gone, one seeking to destroy a Lich permanently must destroy the body which it has most recently occupied. This alone can be a difficult feat, given a Lich's impressive repertoire of magic, and resistances to cold, electricity and normal weapons. Wield enchanted swords and hammers, and have a few spellcasters counterspelling the Lich's magic from far behind. Never confront a Lich alone, or with an unexperienced group. Tales suggest that a Lich's body is also quite susceptible to a necromancer's death-inducing magic usually reserved for the living. Once the deed is done, the Lich will have been destroyed irreparably.

Page 12 Mummies

Description: Mummies are the ritually preserved remains of desert-dwelling civilizations. Oftentimes the gods of these desert-dwelling civilizations animates these Mummies from the dead to act as guardians of tombs. Other times, Mummies are animated through strange rituals as a curse for treason and similarly dire crimes. The most powerful mummies are the Mummy Lords, who were often high-ranking members of their living societies, and continued to receive the auspices of their gods in death as unliving clerics. Mummy Lords are easily identified by their abundance of exotic jewelry and other adornments.

Mummies have a distinctive appearance. They are invariably found wrapped in bandages, and treated with herbs and oils which gives them a sharp, pungent odor, rather than that of carrion. Mummies have a characteristic slow, shambling walk about them, which makes it relatively easy to flee if needed.

Mummies attack all intruders on the domains they guard with relentless, thoughtless hostility. They will not cease in their attacks until either they or the invader is dead, or until the invader resolves to make an escape - a common tactic with mummies, who possess a supernaturally horrific visage which causes the weak-minded to flee in abject terror.

The flesh of a mummy is infected with a dangerous magical disease called "Mummy Rot". When transferred to living hosts, the victims of the disease will continue to lose vitality until they either shrivel away into sand and dust, or receive the magical blessing of a cleric.

Summoning and Creation: Methods for the summoning and creation of mummies are not well-known.

Controlling: General methods for controlling undead through magic apply to mummies.

Care details: If your mummy is involved in regular movement, occasionally tighten its bandages to ensure that it is preserved against decay at all times. For similar reasons, one should avoid getting a mummy wet. Approaching a mummy with fire is ill-advised, as the dessication, bandages and oils used in preservation make them highly flammable.

Requiem: A mummy is easiest to dispatch with fire spells and flame-treated weapons. Do not attempt an assault with mundane weapons, as mummies are highly resistant to normal physical attacks. If possible, avoid engaging a rogue mummy in hand-to-hand combat, as Mummy Rot disease is fatal, infects easily and is difficult to cure.

Page 13 Shadows

Description: Shadows are sentient beings spawned of the Plane of Shadow with an innate hatred of life and light. As they are formed from pure darkness, Shadows can be difficult to observe in dimly-lit places. When illuminated, a shadow is quite easy to see.

Beware the Shadow, for its insubstantial claws can pierce flesh, and leave behind the morbid chill of darkness, and in that darkness, engulf the flame of life, to assume darkness' form.

Summoning and Creation: The only well-known way to actually "Create" a Shadow is to allow it to drain a living creature to lifelessness. There is merely no easy way to simulate the conditions on the Plane of Shadow which causes Shadows to form.

A Shadow can be summoned with the Rite of Shadow Summonation (Chapter 2: Necromantic Spells and Rituals).

Controlling: Despite their peculiar origins, Shadows can be controlled with the same magic which controls most other undead. Binding an arbitrary Shadow from the Shadow Plane with a Rite of Shadow Summonation also ensures that the Shadow is under the complete control of the summoner.

Controlling a Shadow should also control any of its spawn.

Care Details: A shadow needs nothing, but is never satisfied. Shadows are unintelligent and not known to speak, so social contact should not be attempted. The best you can do is ensure that the Shadow remains under complete, uninterrupted magical control.

Always be prepared to destroy the Shadow in anticipation of an unexpected breach of control (See requiem).

Requiem: In spite of popular belief, no amount of nonmagical light will harm a Shadow. In actuality, Shadows can be very difficult to destroy without magic or proper preparation. Normal weapons glide straight through a Shadow's form without doing any damage, unless the blow is forceful enough. Also, the black, incorporeal form of a Shadow can make it difficult to determine where to swing one's weapon, and it is rare for even a skilled warrior to hit with unerring precision. An enchanted weapon can solve the first problem. The latter can be solved with good practice with a blindfold. Be certain to treat the draining effects of the Shadow's touch with restorative potions and spells, to avoid becoming drained entirely.

Offensive spells are probably the easiest way to dispose of a Shadow. A few sets of magic missiles will cause most Shadows to unmanifest.

Page 14 Shadow Fiends

Description: Shadow Fiends are no more cunning than the lesser variety, but are known to be much harder to destroy, on top of being impervious to cold, fire and electricity.

All details for "Shadows" on Page 13 apply to Shadow Fiends, unless otherwise stated above.

Page 15 Skeletons

Description: Skeletons are the mindless animations of the fleshless bones of the dead. They cannot think for themselves - Skeletons are only extentions of the will of the powers which created them.

With this knowledge, it is peculiar that skeletons have sometimes been observed with skill as wizards. Scholars have speculated that the shadows of the memories which once belonged to the living owners of the bodies become interwoven with the magic which animates them.

Summoning and Creation: The body of any once-living creature with a bone skeleton will suffice. If the bones are not bare yet, boil the body to loosen the soft flesh and peel it away. Perform the Rite of Animation on the remaining bones.

Controlling: Being the animator of the skeleton should be sufficient to ensure absolute control. If the skeleton in question was not animated by you, controlling the animator is the most logical nonmagical means of controlling it. General magical methods of controlling undead still apply to skeletons.

Always keep in mind that Skeletons are not intelligent. Commands they receive from a controller shouldn't be more complicated than "Protect me", or "Kill everyone who opens this box".

Care Details: Skeletons are the ideal pets - they do not require rest, nourishment or social interaction. They are quiet, clean and unquestioningly obedient. Should your skeleton begin to weaken, break or crumble, a simple spell of negative energy will rejuvenate it.

While not an absolute necessity, a quality weapon and a suit of armor can be helpful in making your skeleton more effective in its assigned tasks, or perhaps a set of leathers and picks or shovels, depending on what those tasks actually are.

Requiem: As Skeletons are comprised entirely of bone rather than soft, fragile flesh, cutting and piercing weapons are not as effective against Skeletons. A heavy hammer or mace can render a Skeleton useless, if aimed to break the legs, arms and spine, after which one is free to destroy the remains to whatever extent deemed necessary. Skeletons are susceptible to almost any form of nonphysical damage, though some of the stronger varieties are known to be highly resistant to magic.

Oftentimes an exposed animator is weaker than the skeletons which serve him. Killing the animator will usually dispel the animating essence in any Skeletons he created, especially if that animator is unskilled and isn't drawing essence from a source outside of his body.

Page 16 Spectres

Description: Spectres are faintly luminous, intelligent, sentient incorporeal undead which very closely resemble the humanoids they were in life. They are often mistaken for ghosts, but are differentiated from their cousins by their glow, and by their sheer hatred of all life.

A Spectre's touch is very disturbing, said to drain away at the essence of life itself. Lesser restoratives will not replace the void left behind by this touch - only moderate and greater varieties are powerful enough. If a Spectre is allowed to drain all life from its victim, the victim also rises as a Spectre within seconds, fully under the control of the Spectre which killed it.

Spectres are said to be powerless when exposed to natural sunlight. As light from fire and magic does not have the same effect, they can make troublesome foes in the Underdark.

Sometimes when encountering Spectres, the observant may note evidence of violent death on the entity's diaphanous form. Whether this is a hint as to the origins of spectres has not been validated.

Summoning and Creation: A living humanoid must be presented to death at the hands of an existing Spectre. Upon dying, that humanoid will manifest a Spectre under the original's control within seconds. Knowledge of the conditions which cause spontaneous Spectre formation is not developed enough to simulate these conditions, so the creation of Spectres without a 'parent' is not possible without further research.

Controlling: As intelligent creatures, communication with Spectres may potentially yield some semblance control, but the chances are very small. The hatred of life inherent in every Spectre is likely to overpower any capacity for reasoning when confronted by living flesh and blood.

Usual methods of controlling undead with magic still apply to Spectres. Theoretically, if a group of Spectres can be traced back to an original, controlling the original Spectre will control the group.

Care Details: If a Spectre is not allowed to feed on the living for a while, augment it with negative energy spells to keep it strong and content.

Requiem: The incorporealness of Spectres makes them strongly resistant to physical weapons, and frustratingly difficult to pin with a direct blow. Weapon enchantments are a necessity for those who cannot use magic. Engage a Spectre only with moderate-grade restoration potions, and sip it before approaching death to its draining effect. Anyone who is likely to die in the encounter should withdraw, or risk manifesting more Spectres. Spells are the most ideal approach to unmanifesting a Spectre - mages should approach Spectres with any damaging spells they have prepared, excluding those which operate through negative energy.

Page 17 Vampires

Description: Although human in appearance, Vampires are easily recognized. Their pale forms cast no shadows, and they have no reflection. When their mouths are open, it is often easy to see a pair of long, pointed canines, which are used to penetrate the flesh, particularly of the neck, for feeding on blood. They are no less intelligent than their human counterparts, if not more so, and possess supernatural strength and dexterity. A Vampire is able to feed on one's life force with a touch, empowering itself while leaving its victim horribly drained, or more likely, dead.

Vampires are anchored to the areas where their coffins are. If a Vampire's coffin is destroyed, that Vampire loses its immortality. Similarly, if the coffin is moved far from a Vampire's body, or vice versa, that Vampire may perish entirely should it be forced to assume its gaseous form and fail to return to that coffin.

A Vampire is attuned to the lesser creatures of the wild such that they can assume the form of a bat or wolf at will. They are also known to be able to call large numbers of rats, bats and wolves over vast distances to attack.

Summoning and Creation: If a Vampire drains a fatal volume of blood from a humanoid of sufficient lifeforce, it will rise as a fully-fledged Vampire between one and four days after it is buried. If the Vampire's victim is not sufficiently strong to undergo a full transformation, or if it drains its victim's lifeforce rather than its blood, the body of the victim will also manifest between one and four days after burial, but as a lesser undead creature called a Vampire Spawn instead.

What constitutes a humanoid of sufficient lifeforce? This is really something that needs to be tested to be known with any degree of certainty. Generally those who have decent prowess as fighters and spellcasters have enough lifeforce to become Vampires, although these are by no means the only gauges for Vampire eligibility.

It is not known what created the first time, but supposedly the curse of all vampires can be traced back to a single origin. It is doubtable that other mortal methods for creating vampires exist.

Controlling: Any manifested vampire or vampire spawn will always be under the supernatural control of the original either until the original perishes, or he voluntarily relinquishes this control. It naturally follows that controlling the original, whether by magic or some other means, will also control its spawn.

By controlling a Vampire's coffin, one may be able to control the owner diplomatically. Failing this, magic which controls other undead will also control Vampires.

Care Details: Feed your Vampire the warm blood of living humanoids three times a day, if possible. Tastes may vary widely, but the general agreement is that goblinoid, orc, half-orc, dwarf and gnome blood is the least palatable (though one should never underestimate a Vampire's hunger).

In anticipation of the possibility that your Vampire turns on you, always keep a mirror or holy symbol on hand to reprimand it. Both items, when strongly presented, will ward a Vampire away. Lacking these, run into a private building to which the Vampire was not invited, or across running water, as both prohibit the Vampire from following. The smell of garlic repulses a Vampire, and keeping a room laced with the plant in case of emergencies can provide a safe haven should the Vampire indeed fall out of your control. Once control is restored, assert your influence using a whip or other weapon drenched in holy water.

Requiem: Vampires are some of the most stubbornly resilient creatures known to mortals. They naturally regenerate physical damage at an incredible rate which can outstip the feeble attacks of less experienced warriors. They are resistant to cold, electricity and physical attacks, save those from silver or enchanted weapons. So how, then, does one go about killing a Vampire?

Exposing a Vampire directly to Sunlight will slay it utterly within seconds. Unfortunately, this approach isn't open against Vampires who dwell in the Underdark. More viable is the option to immerse the Vampire in running water, which will achieve a similar effect. Driving a wooden stake into a Vampire's heart will slay the Vampire, but the effects of this are not as permanent as folklore would lead you to believe - removing the stake allows the Vampire to regenerate and return to its unlife, unless the body is first destroyed. One of the more popular ways of doing this is to decapitate the Vampire and fill its mouth with holy wafers.

Alternatively, one can destroy the Vampire's coffin before approaching it more directly. If the coffin will not be destroyed easily, move it somewhere else such that the Vampire's gaseous form will not or cannot locate it (a private residence, for instance). Silver and enchanted weapons will both penetrate a Vampire's flesh. Avoid using spells which operate through cold or electricity. As the stare of a Vampire is hypnotic, prepare with mind-warding magic prior to the encounter. The bodies of any casualties of a Vampire hunt should be burned, or wooden stakes should be driven through their hearts before they are buried. This ensures that they do not manifest as Vampires or Vampire Spawn later.

Vampire Spawn Description: Vampire Spawn are, as the name suggests, the progeny of Vampires. They form in place of full Vampires when a Vampire kills its victim by draining its lifeforce, or as the product of a Vampire's feeding, where the victim simply does not have enough lifeforce to ensure a complete transformation. They are Vampires in almost every respect, except that their bite and life-draining touch do not spawn further Vampires. They are also weaker, do not regenerate damage as quickly, and are less resistant to physical damage. They cannot shift into bats or wolves, and have little or no power over bats, wolves and rats. All weaknesses attributed to Vampires apply to Vampire Spawn

Page 18 Wights

Description: Wights are a crazed but sentient variety of undead which hate the living. They most often make homes in areas which reek of death, such as mausoleums and old battlefields.

The physical form of a Wight is twisted into a terrible mockery of life, resembling the animated corpse of a humanoid, but having wild, malevolent eyes, sharp, jagged needles for teeth and leathery grey-white desiccated flesh.

The claws of a Wight drain at the essence of life, such that most victims of Wight attacks do not die of mortal wounds. Regardless of how a Wight kills, the victim is doomed to join its killer in undeath seconds after it dies.

Summoning and Creation: Wights form from the victims of other Wights. It isn't known how the original Wights formed, though scholars suspect that they may have originally formed as a result of a Necromancer's experiment. Others suggest that they spawn from certain debilitating psychological conditions after death. Regardless, such knowledge is even beyond the scope of today's most skilled Necromancers, and is not contained in this book.

Controlling: Social control of Wights is too unreliable to put to practical use, save by the most creative and cunning diplomats. Fortunately, magical methods of controlling undead apply to Wights.

Care Details: A Wight can be fed just about anything which is alive. The stronger the lifeforce of that creature, the more effective it will be at quenching the Wight's hunger. Alternatively, feed the Wight with regularly applied channels of Negative Energy.

A Wight has few other requirements.

Requiem: Removing a Wight is rarely a challenge when its draining claws can be avoided. Almost everything that will hurt humans will hurt a wight also (Interpret intelligently. Do not attempt to destroy a Wraith with Negative Energy). Beat at the Wight until it ceases to move, and decapitate for good measure.

Wights, Explosive

Description: For some unknown reason, a few rare instances of Wight become highly volatile, such that damaging them too much causes them to explode in deadly, searing balls of flame. There is unfortunately no known physical difference between these and normal Wights. If faced with any Wight, prepare with heavy elemental protection, just in case.

Page 19 Wraiths

Description: Wraiths are incorporeal undead robed in darkness, lacking visible features save for a pair of glowing pinpricks for eyes. They hate and seek to destroy all living things. The dreaded touch of a Wraith can drain one's vitality to dangerous, potentially fatal levels, doing justice to its haunting appearance.

Summoning and Creation: Wraiths spawn from the victims of existing Wraiths. The causes of spontaneous Wraith formation, if they exist at all, are not known.

Controlling: Magical methods for controlling undead also apply to Wraiths.

Care Details: Life of any nature, whether vermin or humanoid possesses some degree of vitality suitable for feeding a Wraith. The degree to which a meal will sate a Wraith's thirst depends on how healthy that meal is.

Alternatively, bolster your Wraith with Negative Energy at regular intervals to keep it invigorated.

Requiem: A Wraith can phase through attacks from most normal weapons. Prepare with weapon enchantments. Be wary of a Wraith's shifting outline - a skilled Wraith slayer knows how to combat this by fighting without his eyes. Keep minor restoratives handy and imbibe them when needed, but remember that the best policy for protecting oneself from a Wraith's draining touch is simply not to get hit. Persist until the Wraith unmanifests.

Spellcasters have a much easier time combatting rogue Wraiths. Most damaging spells are as devastating to these children of shadow as they are to the living.

Page 20 Wraith Spiders

Description: While not true Wraiths, Wraith Spiders are nonetheless devastating opponents in combat. Their incorporeal teeth, while seemingly insubstantial, drip with real, dilapidating spider venom. The touch of a Wraith Spider can be compared to that of a Spectre, in that it sucks the life from its victim. In short, most of those people who are foolish enough to engage a Wraith Spider in close combat have either been killed and devoured, or come to regret their decision later when they are left treating a number of horrific injuries and disabilities.

Summoning and Creation: The origins of Wraith Spiders are little known, save that they must have spawned from living spiders.

Controlling: Magical methods for controlling Undead in general also apply to Wraith Spiders.

Care Details: Not enough is known about Wraith Spiders to determine how they should be cared for.

Requiem: Confront with damaging spells and ranged weapons - anything which allows you to avoid contact with the beast's fangs. In case the Wraith Spider does engage you, ready yourself with moderate-grade restoratives and antivenom, and don heavy armor, along with an evasive fighting style to deflect the Spider's fangs. Continue until the Wraith Spider unmanifests.

Page 21 Zombies

Description: Zombies are probably the most popular form of undead among Necromancers, as they can be created in large numbers with relatively little effort. What makes them especially attractive is that they are mindlessly obedient to their creators. A Zombie is slow and clumsy, but is empowered by negative energy to be physically strong. The extent of that Zombie's strength, speed and resilience depends on a number of factors including the quality and freshness of the corpse, and the skill of the animator.

Zombies have, at times, been observed to exhibit magical abilities. This has provoked some conflict in the minds the brightest Necromancers in the industry, who are generally puzzled by this combination of mindlessness and grasp of magical principles. As with Skeletons, it has been suspected that the memories which once belonged to the living owners of the bodies become interwoven with the magic which animates them, and that these seemingly intelligent displays are only echoes of the living owner's former existence.

Summoning and Creation: Perform the Rite of Animation on the body of any formerly living creature. The bodies of especially large and powerful creatures may need to be treated with correspondingly more powerful implementations of the Rite of Animation, possibly involving a group of Necromancers working in unison.

Controlling: The animator of a Zombie controls it absolutely. If you did not animate the Zombie in question, the Zombie can be controlled by controlling the Animator. Otherwise, magic which commands undead works equally well on Zombies.

Care Details: Popular fiction which insists that Zombies must feed on the brains of the living should not be believed. In truth, a Zombie will happily feed on any flesh which is given to it. At the same time, a Zombie won't suffer from long periods of starvation. Regardless, some Necromancers have been known to go out of their way to feed their Zombies as rewards for good work. This depends largely on the animator's preference.

Zombies should be invigorated with negative energy as they begin to weaken or fall apart.

Requiem: Exposure to anything that will harm the living should be able to harm a Zombie as well (with obvious exceptions). Some of the more exotic varieties of Zombie are also known to exude supernaturally putrescent auras, exhibit resistance to unenchanted weapons and move with a speed comparable to that of the living. Be ready to adapt as needed. Persist with an assault until the Zombie stops moving, and destroy the body at the earliest opportunity to ensure that it never moves again.

Page 22 Chapter 2: Necromantic Spells and Rituals

An alphabetical listing of spells and Rituals which manipulate life, death and twilight.

Page 23 Ghost Summonation Description: Ghost Summonation tears the incorporeal remains of a spirit from the realms of the dead, to follow your every whim unquestioningly for the course of a few minutes. This is the proud first step for most spellcasters who step into the threshold of black necromancy, yet is still being perfected by the eldest and most learned in the profession due to its versatility.

Spell Components: - The bare knuckle of a humanoid skeleton - A summoning focus orb, or equivalent - Any raw summoning spell - A vial of clean water

Instructions: Grind the knuckle in a mortar and pestle, careful not to lose the resulting bone dust. Collect all of it in the vial of water.

Before summoning, shake the vial to resuspend the bone dust. With a summoning focus orb or similar item, concentrate the effects of a summoning spell onto the prepared vial as it is inverted, and its contents poured to the ground.

Page 24 Shadow Summonation Description: The Rite of Shadow Summonation is a difficult spell to master. It requires an understanding of the nature of the Plane of Shadow, and the magic involved in harnessing its power. This spell can yield Shadows of greatly varying order, depending on how well the spell is executed (For further information on Shadows, see Chapter 1: Undead).

Spell Components: - Distilled essence of darkness, produced by the Polovarius Process. - A single drop of mammal blood. - A sharp iron dagger

Instructions: Add a drop of mammal blood to essence of darkness. Concentrate on thoughts of pure darkness as you dip the dagger in the diffusion, and hold it steadily in the air while the following incantation is recited:

Ack von razalis yem naahv, Ulcivar non arcanu eldis vemm, Necron desparis, Necron cadavre, Necron semper daxine fluorescis, Attal voidea.

As shadow begins to leak from the dagger's tip, drag it downward, cutting the air in a fluid motion, until shadow flows no more. The resulting rift will expand to approximate humanoid shape to serve its summoner without reservation.