UNDEAD AND THE DAY OF DREAD

By Marco Dalmonte

 

What happens to undead during the Day of Dread, or in general during periods of No-Magic? What could happen to them if they entered an area of Anti Magic of Immortal level?

First of all, we must understand that not all the undead are equal, both in powers and origins, and as such there is no clear rule that envelops the whole "undead" cathegory. We must therefore examine each type of undead and analyze the possible effects of Day of Dread upon it. What follows here is a list of all kinds of undead (often regrouped in broad cathegories), followed by the method of creation and what happens to them during the Day of Dread (between parentheses).

 

Skeleton/Zombie: Animate Dead (destroyed), Animated Dead + Permanency (destroyed), Artifact Spell (not destroyed but remains inactive for the duration of the no magic timespan), Bestow Curse Spell (destroyed), Create Any/Magical Monsters (destroyed), Magical accident (DM's rule -may be destroyed since it's a very weak type of undead).

 

Ghoul/Wight: Ancient Curse (not destroyed but remains in deep slumber), Artifact Spell (not destroyed but remains inactive for the duration of the no magic timespan), Bestow Curse Spell (destroyed), Create Any/Magical Monsters (destroyed), Magical accident (DM's rule -may be destroyed since it's very weak), Transmitted Curse/Infected (remains active but acts as if slowed, with impaired vision, movement and strength).

 

Lesser Incorporeal Undeads (6 HD or less: Spectre, Lesser banshee, Lesser Haunt, etc.): Ancient Curse/Self Imposed Curse (not destroyed but remains in deep slumber), Artifact Spell (not destroyed but remains inactive for the duration of the no magic timespan), Create Any/Magical Monsters (destroyed), Magical accident (DM's rule -may act as if slowed, see above).

 

Greater Incorporeal Undeads (7 HD or greater: Wraith, Haunts, Phantoms): Ancient Curse/Self Imposed Curse (unable to materialize on the Prime Plane), Artifact Spell (not destroyed, acts freely), Create Any/Magical Monsters (destroyed), Magical accident (DM's rule - probably acts as if it had half of its HD and powers), Transmitted Curse/Infected (acts normally).

 

Mummy: Ancient Curse/Self Imposed Curse (if it's a weak mummy -8HD or less- it goes into slumber; if more powerful -9+ HD or intelligent mummy- acts freely but cannot use special powers), Artifact Spell (not destroyed, acts freely), Create Any/Magical Monsters (destroyed), Magical accident (DM's rule - probably goes into slumber if it's not too powerful) , Transmitted Curse/Infected (acts normally).

 

Vampire: Ancient Curse/Self Imposed Curse (if a young and weak vampire -less than 9HD or 200 years- sleeps for the whole period; if more powerful he acts freely but cannot use his magical powers), Artifact Spell (not destroyed, acts freely), Create Any/Magical Monsters (destroyed), Magical accident (DM's rule - probably goes into slumber if a fledgling vampire -less than 9 HD or 200 years of undeath; in any case he doesn't retain his powers for the duration of the anti magic period), Transmitted Curse/Infected (if a young and weak vampire -less than 9HD or 200 years- sleeps for the whole period, if more powerful he acts freely but cannot use his magical powers)

 

Lich: Artifact Spell (not destroyed, acts freely), Magical accident (DM's rule - probably goes into slumber), Magical Transformation (acts normally but doesn't retain his spellcasting abilities)

 

Nightshadows, Spirits: Ancient Curse/Self Imposed Curse (acts freely but cannot use spellcasting abilities), Artifact Spell (not destroyed, acts freely), Attained status (acts normally but cannot cast spells), Create Any/Magical Monsters (destroyed), Magical accident (DM's rule - probably acts freely but as if it had half of normal HD)

 

Special Undead (Undead Beholder, Gargantuan Undead, Undead Dragon, Undead Chimera, etc.): Ancient Curse/Self Imposed Curse (acts normally but cannot cast spells), Artifact Spell (not destroyed, acts freely), Create Any/Magical Monsters (destroyed), Magical accident (DM's rule - probably functions as a Created)

 

 

Note 1: the "Magical Accident" cathegory involves thosee beings created via use of tremendous magic forces that have been unleashed without the control of the caster, or that derive from magical places or cursed places. The Created Undead (like Gargantuan Undead or Undead Chimera) normally stop to function during the no magic period as if they were Golems.

Note 2: normally, the wizard/priest/psionic lich performs a ritual to attain lichdom. During this ritual he imbues an object (Phylactery) with his life essence, thus creating a very resilient magical item that will hold his life force forever if not destroyed properly. This makes the phylactery of the lich a real "artifact". Any Anti-Magic effect doesn't destroy the item: it simply "turns it off". So, if the spirit of the lich is not in his body but in the phylactery in that period, he's trapped inside there for the duration of the anti-magic. If he's in his body, he CAN BE KILLED permanently, because he won't be able to enter the phylactery for the duration of the anti-magic. The Day of Dread has no further effects on liches.

Note 3: the sentence "acts normally" means that the creature can use all its normal powers (strengths, resistances), but is prevented to use any magical powers, spells or spell-like abilities just as any other being is because of the Anti Magic.

 

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