The Damned
Various Status Effect
Immunity
Death has many forms. Some are ethereal, bridging the gap between the underworld and the physical world. Others are solid flesh and bone which are driven to persist after death by some twisted magic or perversion of soul matter. Some Undead are benevolent souls with a mission to protect or warn, others are twisted by strong emotions such as anger, guilt, remorse, or love. Then there are those who willingly shed their mortal coil to become something twisted and dark - set on the eradication of all life on earth.
Knock-Out Immunity
Shadow Adept
s
Status Effect Magicks
Adept
s
Holy/Light
Weakness
Fire Weakness
Positive Energy
Weakness
Curse of
Undead Flesh
U
ndead
Lore
U
ndead
"No matter if you are mortal man or immortal being, all will eventually die. That is why they look upon us with fear."
- Normath Drusdae, Archlich
​
Of all of Rhydin's many species and all of their differences, one thing all have in common is the assurance of death. Some find death to be a natural progress - the final stage in life. Some even welcome and celebrate it so, for many devout see death as the conclusion of a "test" and an eternal reward awaits their spirit in paradise. Yet by some unexplained phenomenon, there are some who reject the inevitable. Those whose body or spirit persists beyond the mortal coil. They are seen as perversions of natural law and order, blemishes of what should be and always is.
​
Some "return" to finish loose ends, others to seek revenge, and then there are some who wander aimlessly in their unlife unaware of why they cannot move on - a torment to last eternity. The Undead are a vast and multi-faceted kind, and where some may cast their prejudiced eyes upon them and see nothing but evil, some truly find themselves beyond the grave and see Death for what she really is.
​
Beautiful.
Undead
Unlife is nothing to envy: while you may have more time than you had in life, it holds none of life’s sweetness. The lilies of the field do not smell, food has no taste, and even friendship itself is a rare and valuable commodity in unlife, is more difficult to come by in unlife by an order of magnitude than it was in life.
​
Folk fear few things more than death, but undeath is certainly one of them. Despised, the undead are an anathema in most corners of the world and are slain or driven out by extreme prejudice. Indeed, no small numbers of clerics and some paladins spent good portions of their lives keeping the essences of undeath at bay.
They are the monsters under your bed, the bad men and women in myths, legends, and even fairy tales. They are the Undead. However some stories are true, monsters do exist, under your bed, stirring beneath the surface of the earth, waiting for their time to reawaken.
​
What drives the undying can be a multitude of things: raised unwillingly from eternal rest, a curse of damnation, willingly embracing immortality through Rituals of Lichdom. Undead are all tortured souls one way or another - denied eternal rest willingly or not. Fueled by ambition either to persist, find eternity, or pursue their own ambitions, they undead are numerous and unique to any other race, for as they kill, they bolster the potential of their own kind.
​
Notable Undead Attributes
​
-
Superior Minion Control
-
Superior Status Effect Spells
-
Immunity to Ice Magic
-
Immunity to Stun
-
Immunity to Blind
-
Immunity to Mind Control
-
Immortality
-
Enhanced Regeneration
-
Magically Adept​
​
Notable Undead Weaknesses
​
-
Severe Fire Weakness - Undead's bane is that of the flame. Dead flesh is highly flammable, although some claim fire is the ultimate purifier and hence why the Undead fear the flame. Even a small torch is a fatal threat. 300% damage taken.
-
Weakness to Holy/Light - Light and Holy implements burn like fire. Purity versus the Undead flesh causes violent burning reactions. 200% damage taken.
-
Positive Energy Weakness - A spell that channels positive energy deals as much damage to an undead creature is it heals a living one. Healing effects that don't rely on energy such as herbology will have no effect on the Undead.
Reapers - Death's Hand
​
Undead often not have much say in what type of undead they become. Either by forced ritual or traumatic death, the Undead don't exactly procreate as other races do. Other than a natural death, Undead are created using a Ritual of the Damned often performed by powerful Archliches as they are the only ones powerful enough to summon the vast amounts of dead energies required to birth an Undead. Yet despite how they have come into this world, all Undead be them Ethereal or Corporeal can aspire to become something more.
Reapers are agents of Death. They are responsible for maintaining the Deathly Balance. As often as legends speak of ominous hooded skeletons, true Reapers are those who appear as the living do. They walk among you - invisible while they seek souls departing their mortal coils. They have utter control over Undead powers - capable of possessing both Ethereal or Corporeal skills as well as being able to not only end life but create and return it as well. Reapers respect the equity between life and death and labor to maintain it.
Steps to Becoming a Reaper
-
Getting Started - Reapers are not creatures that happen overnight. Lady Death, herself, does choose her reapers lightly. Create a post explaining why Lady Death has considered you to become one of her own. Along with this, the intent to gain the reaper spot must be made known to the RL and ARL so they can track your progress.
-
Descent to Purgatory - Story out your character’s death. This can be a death that occurs within TSR (change race from another race to undead), or it can be a flashback of how your character died. Feel free to utilize other characters to tell the story of how your character died, and their crossing over into purgatory. This can be one scene or multiple. Be creative with this scene, and don't be afraid to get detailed. Ideally, this should be a flashback, a way to tell the events leading up to your death.
-
Bare Bones (at least 1 month after starting the Reaper Path) - Reapers are not merely made from the brimstone of purgatory. Since you are now undead, you must master your own skills and be able to demonstrate your control over them.
Dice Requirements: T4/d70 at minimum
The wide use of skills in their chosen sub-race skills to aid in combat
Sufficient knowledge of the reapers, what they do, and how they can function in TSR as a whole
-
Soul Matter - Your undead comes into contact with the sensation of soul matter. While souls are not tangible to most, there is something about the feeling that enters you when you are able to feel your first one. This may be in someone who is close to death or had recently expired. Develop and tell the story of how your character feels, what they are thinking of, or even how addictive the matter becomes. This is important, as your character will begin to develop motives for the collection of soul matter prior to becoming a reaper.
-
Keeping the Balance (at least 2 months after starting the Reaper Path) - Reapers are meant to maintain the balance between life and death, as a result, they need to be able to see the balance in the world around them, even at the distaste of those around them. They are the keepers of balance and embody this. Selfish acts within the context of working towards reaper may have negative impacts on how long it takes to get there. Work with RL/ARL to determine when Lady Death approaches you about your first reaping.
-
First Reaping - (at least 3 months after starting the Reaper Path ) Utilizing a bestiary, perform your first reaping. Whether one soul or multiple, the soul must be removed prior to the death of the creature (Between 0 and 50 HP) with the creature(s) rolling a WP < 5. This can be done as a 1v1 or in a large group. If the potential reaper fails, they must return to Lady Death to tell of their failure. This may cause the character to incur a negative status effect for a week period. After the week has elapsed and the status effect is gone, another attempt can be made. You do not get to choose what you are fighting, this is determined by the RL/ARL. The way in which your character obtains the soul is important
-
Deliverance - Once you have collected souls from various creatures (Bestiaries, or storied souls), you must return to Purgatory and hand them over to Lady Death. Discussions with RL/ARL will determine how many you will need before you are "ready" to head to purgatory to meet with Death herself.
-
Acquiring the Reaper’s Mark ( 3-4 months after starting the Reaper Path ) - Reapers who have yet attained their final step wander aimlessly within Purgatory. In order to attain your mark, you must defeat another failed Reaper within Purgatory.
U
Sub-Types and Manifestations
ndead
B
anshees
P
hantoms
Incorporeal
Spirits who herald the death of a family member, usually by wailing, shrieking, or keening. Banshees rely on their voices to harm, curse and lock down opponents.
Tree Details:
Stun enemies with Banshee's Wail.
Fortell impending doom for your enemies and infect them with fear of their own demise with Precognition.
Inflict a curse that reduces battle effectiveness upon your helpless foe.
An apparition who dwells on in the real world. They prefer to haunt by means of possession and dance upon the edges of the real and the ethereal.
​
Tree Details:
Infect the mind, Possess your victim with corruptive thoughts bending them to your whim.
Become virtually Invisible or take an opposite approach and become tangible to increase defenses against magical attacks.
Nothing can truly end a Phantom until its will is done. Death may weaken you, but it will never spell the end unless you say so when you gain Amortality.
S
pecters
A godly apparition who employs it's vast age and knowledge to manipulate the minds of others while striking hard with potent magics.
​
Tree Details:
Increases the effectiveness of Magical Attacks.
Inflict fear upon the masses. Make them lose all control when you alter their reality.
Herald their end with a cataclysmic onslaught of magical energies raining from the heavens when you employ Nigh Omnipotence.
W
raiths
An incorporeal evil spirit from the netherworld that manifests itself to physically harm others through manipulating energies.
​
Tree Details:
Gain the ability of Telekinetic Flight in order to hover out of physical harm's way.
Further grasp the power of Telekinesis and throw objects at your foes.
Manipulate surrounding energy to form barriers that protect the user from harm.
corporeal
iches
L
J
iangshi
A type of undead often confused with that of a vampire. The "Corpse Hopper" however prefers to consume to life essence of its victims instead of blood.
​
Tree Details:
Masters technical physical Prowess.
Increases Physical Damage through the usage of natural claws as sharp as razors.
Consume the life essence of others and restore your own health with Life Force Absorption.
Stun and bind your opponents with your long tongue.
Powerful undead magi who through dark magics, have enabled themselves to persist through death. Often the very magic they used to possess is twisted and perverted in undeath.
​
Tree Details:
Gain mastery over magic and increase your Shadow Magic Die to 3d.​
Fear Inducement injects fear into the minds of others, forcing them to drop their weapons and cower.
Rise above death and ensure your place in the world by placing your soul into a Phylactery which restores your life in time, after death.
M
ummies
An ancient corpse given rites of ceremonial burial. Its powers hearken from the sandy earth in whence they hail from. Capable of commanding sands and plague, their pacts with exotic gods make them able to stave off multiple forms of harm.
​
Tree Details:
Increase defenses with Rites of Osiris.
Inject a severe poison with Biblical Plague and summon insects to deliver your vile toxin.
Master the sands and earth below and traverse them freely.
N
ecromancers
Practitioner of the dark arts which resolved around souls. Either benevolent or evil, necromancers can inject new life into a being, then force it to enact it's will.
​
Tree Details:
Is peerless in the arts of Soul Magic - the principle of raising souls from the Underworld and injecting them into undead minions.​
Give yourself to the dark. The ritual weakens your body but empowers your minions.
Death Simulacrum ensures your minions' strength is bolstered.
S
T
orment
Shared Trees
oul Forgery
The forbidden art of Soul Forging has been outlawed in all realms of Rhy'din. By stealing wayward souls and forcing them into tangible objects the Soulsmith steals eternities from the dead for his or his patrons' whims.
​
Tree Details:
Increases Defenses to Supernatural Levels.
Increases all forms of Damage to peerless proportions.
Bestow your forgery to your minions.
Adds an element to your minion's attacks.
All Undead, in one shape or another, are here for a purpose - unable to move on until their task is done. Some live on because they were never done living, while other vile creatures live only to torment and cause strife to others.
​
Tree Details:
Induce Pain, Guilt, and Torment to debuff your enemies.
Masochism enables you to harm yourself to add an additional bite to your attacks.
Mastery Over Death allows you to bypass a Mortal Blow.
R
eapers
Restricted
Responsible for escorting deceased souls to the afterlife. As one could imagine, sometimes souls refuse and thus persuasion is needed.
​
Tree Details:
This tree is locked and requires a very defined set of steps to partake in. The road to becoming Death's Hand is long and arduous.
S
acrilege
Perversion of life itself, the undead hordes all share several traits in common: constitution beyond that of their living former selves.
​
Tree Details:
Grants defensive benefits.
Can overcome the natural weaknesses all Undead are susceptible to.
Form of the Living allows you to take the form of a normal human despite what you truly are.
R