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Mummy, Creature

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Creature mummies are undead whose bodies are preserved, then animated by their restless spirits. They draw their power from the Plane of Positive Fnergy. Most creature mummies are dessicated, dried corprs preserved from rot with spices, protective wrappings, and an arid environment. However, some may be preserved by baking or freezing the body, by airless internment in tar, by the use of salves or alchcJnical baths, or by preservative magics or curses.

All creature mummies are fixated on a single purpose for their existance, whether this is a hatred of the living, a consuming need for revenge or a mystical geas to act as a guardian or an agent for some mission. Animal mummies are often the minions of powerful mummies or other undead. Monster mummies may have been created to serve as an undying guardian of some ancient secret or treasure.

Creature mummies vary in appearance. Most are swathed in bandages or have withered flesh dyed green, mhre, blue or violet with an herbal or salve preservative tincture; other hues such as black and russet may occur. Some creature mummies may look skeletal or alive, with or without funerary wrappings. Often vital organs, such as the heart, brain, liver, or pancreas have been removed and preserved in separate jars. The creature may be invulnerable to destruction without the destruction of these parts as well.

Many creature mummies have a distinctive odor due to the preservation process. Variations on odors run from spices: cinnamon, ginger, saltpeter, roses, myrrh, frankincense, lye and pomegranates, to scents of the grave: fresh earth, vegetable rot, and decaying flesh. Occasionally mummies exude surprising odors, such as the smell of fresh bread (yeast), wine, vinegar, and roast viandes.

Mummy animals can see in the dark, having infravision to 30 feet; monsters see to 60 feet. Animals may have other heightened senses based on the type. Creature mummies are supernaturally strong; the more powerful have strength rivaling that of a vampire.

Only creature mummies with average intchgence or better and a tongue and lips can speak in their native language. though haltingly.

Combat: The sight of a creature mummy is horrifying: the living who see one must save vs. spell or be paralyzed for 1d4 rounds. More powerful creature mummies penalize the saving throw by -1 to 4, and their aura causes fear (as the spell) or dread (-2 penalty to all rolls). There is strength in numbers for the living; for every 6, each saving throw is improved by +1. Humans have an additional +2 bonus to this saving throw.

Creature mummies attack using natural weapons — ragged claws, snarled teeth, tusks and hooves — inflicting bloody wounds. The type of attack is determined by the animal or monster the mummy is derived from. Successful natural attacks require a saving throw vs. poison to avoid infection with a dread disease, most commonly mummy rot. Other diseases include deadeye (blindness), heartsting (cardiac disease), deathbite (virulent poison), and palsy (involuntary muscle spasms causing action penalties and exhaustion). Weapons wielded by creature mummies do not transmit disease.

Cure wound spells will not heal a diseased creature, though normal rest will restore 1 hit point per 10 days. Mummy rot reduces a victim’s Charisma by 2 points, and drains 1 point of Strength and Constitution each week until fatal. Other mummy afflictions become progressively worse if left untreated, eventually killing the afflicted. A cure disease spell can cure the victim.

Creature mummies may retain a special attack from their mortal form: mummified serpents may be venomous, sphinxes may have a fearsome roar, birds may fly, ettercaps may spin webs, shamans may still cast spells, and so on. But the most diabolical ability is the innate cunning of creature mummies, since undead creatures are traditionally viewed as dull and slow-witted.

Only magical or special weapons can harm a creature mummy. Magical weapons inflict half damage; any special weapons the creature is vulnerable to (one of cold iron, silver, an arcane metal, special wood, etc.) inflict only half damage.

More powerful creature mummies may be immune to damage from special weapons and suffer only half damage from magical weapons.

Creature mummies possess many of the immunities of other undead. Sleep, charm, hold, poison, paralysis and cold attacks cause no damage. More powerful creature mummies may be immune to a second form of elemental energy. Unlike other undead, healing magic will rejuvenate the damaged form.

Most creature mummies are vulnerable to fire. A torch inflicts 1d3 points of damage and an oil flask causes 1d8 points on the first round and 2d8 the second round. Magical fires cause +1 per die of damage.

Creature mummies are turned by priests and paladins according to their Hit Dice, treating bonus hit points of 4 or more as another Hit Die. More powerful creature mummies may cause a penalty of -1 to -4 to the turn roll. If the turn attempt is successful 2d6 creatures are turned minus the power of the mummy’s penalty.

Holy water dissolves a creature mummy’s flesh, inflicting 2d4 points of damage if thrown on the creature, though the more powerful ones may be resistant to this damage.

Creature mummies are able to rejuvenate their damaged form through their connection to the Positive Material Plane. While weaker ones may be destroyed by physical damage, the more powerful ones can reconstitute their forms even if completely destroyed.

Habitat/Society: Creature mummies tend to either dwell on their past or rail against the loss of their life for this unending torment of unlife. Most remain dormant for long periods of time, lying within their tombs until intruders invade it or threaten their charge or mission. Then they become cunning, unstoppable juggernauts intent on bringing down their opponents so that they may return to their rest.

The true tombs of creature mummies are hidden from grave robbers through a series of false chambers and traps in the heart of a crypt. Often the final resting place contains funerary treasures and possessions from its previous life — foodstuffs, bodies of slain comrades, tools, and riches. Often these items, if removed without deference and a series of proper rituals, will trigger a curse that may haunt the robber unto death.

Ecology: Creature mummies may be created in a variety of ways. Their reanimation may result from intense death throes coupled by a will to live, invocation from dark priestly rituals, or creation by a necromancer or some powerful undead creature.

Creature mummies rarely eat, but might consume some substance, elixir, or energy in order to retain their vitality or rejuvenate or repair their form. The greatest need for most of them is to fulfill their guardianship or task.

Besides the (often cursed) treasures that they guard, a destroyed creature mummy may provide valuable materials in the form of its dust or ceremonial wrappings, which are considered valuable by scholars and alchemists for concocting restorative, regenerative, and rejuvenating salves, powders, and other magics.

Animal Mummy

An animal mummy’s statistics are determined by its abilities in life. Its Hit Dice are the same as those in life, plus 1 HD + 3 hp. Movement is its natural speed to a maximum of 12 (flying 24), depending on how well the physical form is preserved. Armor Class is the natural armor class, bit no worse than 6.

Animal mummies retain any natural abilities they had in life, if they retain an non-skeletal form. Skeletal form mummies lose any hiding, flight, swimming, scent and sighting abilities. Instead, they gain an inate cunning, beyond the norm.

In combat, animal mummies retain their natural damage plus a bonus of +1 damage due to their extraordinary strength.

*includes tree movement (brachiation) of 12

Monster Mummy

A monster mummy’s statistics are determined by its abilities in life. Add 2 HD + 3 hp to the base Hit Dice. Movement is the monster’s natural speed, to a minimum of 9. Armor Class is monster’s natural Armor Class, with a minimum of 3.

Monster mummies retain any natural abilities they possessed in life if their form and flesh is intact. Abilities may be lost as a result of decay or lost body parts. They may retain one or more special abilities, and have a special ability to curse those who profane their graves or sacred duty. Possible curses include: blindness, insanity, phobias, geases, weaknesses and vulnerabilities, hallucinations, debilitation, and bad luck.Monster mummies are very strong, adding +2 to damage caused by natural or non-missile weapon attacks.

Special abilities

Alter self allows the mummy to change its appearance.

Command undead allows the mummy to command undead as if a priest of a level equal to its Hit Dice.

Create undead allows the mummy to animate dead as a priest.

Elemental command grants the power over one element so that the mummy may create an attack, control the element, resist the element, and if powerful enough, summon an elemental.

Fascinate allows the mummy to stun animals, monsters or people whose Hit Dice total equals twice the mummy’s Hit Dice or less.

Illusion allows the mummy to create illusionary sights.

Passage gives the mummy the ability to pass through solid matter, such as stone walls or wood.

Resist magic grants a 10% to 40% magic resistance.

Summon horde grants the mummy the power to summon an horde of small creatures that incapacitate and injure foes.

Symbiosis makes the mummy a host to a slime, ooze, or infestation of insects, rot grubs, or fungus.

Weight control allows a mummy to cross any surface, while more powerful ones may levitate or even fly.

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