Wednesday, December 9, 2020

OSR: Mummies

 Mummification is an ancient magical ritual, practiced likely since sorcery was first invented.  Some argue it is even older than Lichdom, a proto-Lichdom, as it attempts the same thing, to maintain corporeal existence beyond the natural life span. Proponents of this theory state that Lichdom grew out of Mummification, while others say they are competing schools of thought, as Liches usually only end up as Undead because of errors the Lich makes, while a Mummy attempts to become Undead in the first place.

                                                                    by Daniel Zrom

A brief digression about Souls:

Just as the Human body plays host to many other micro-organisms who assist in digestion and other essential functions, so to does the Human soul host other spiritual organisms.  Simply put- what you call your "soul" is actually a fusion of many different spiritual parts. 

First is your Nefet, your pre-Soul.  Your Nefet is your first soul and is attached to a zygote when it first forms.  The other souls are carried within it and grow to maturity within it, before engulfing it and surrounding it protectively.  Your Nefet supplies mortals with innate knowledge, as well as linking them to Fate and the Wheel of Fortune.  It also produces your shadow.

Next is your Iko, the Mineral Soul.  The Iko governs cell division, homeostasis, and runs most autonomous functions in the body.  Damage or deformation of the Iko causes cancer and the emergence of genetic diseases later in life.  After death, the Iko directs the decomposition effort, before eventually fading back into the ether.

Then comes your Vita, the Animal Soul.  The Vita provides instincts, desires and contributes to emotions.  When fight or flight responses are triggered, that is your Vita speaking up.  The Vita is also what transforms the energy of food into mana, as well as stock-piling that mana, making it the most bloated and obvious part of the soul.  However, the Vita is not all positive.  It governs primal responses and is only concerned with the Fs, feeding, fighting, fleeing or fornication.  The Vita usually dies with the body, lasting only a few minutes before fading into nothing.

After those three comes the Ren, the Named Soul.  The Ren is the soul that you would most likely describe as "yourself".  It contains your internal monologue, thoughts, feelings, opinions, memories and everything else that makes up "you".  At night, the Ren is known to leave the body temporarily and travel into the Floating Realm, otherwise known as the Dreamlands.  Particularly strong-willed or magically talented souls are sometimes aware of these jaunts and can alter the local environment of that part of the Dreamlands to their liking, barring outside interference of course.  This ability is also called "Lucid Dreaming". 

And lastly comes your Imago, or simply the Spirit.  The Imago is the smallest soul, and its' function is debated.  The most common theories are that it binds the other souls together, or otherwise provides some kind of information.  Another popular theory is that the Imago contains moral reasoning.

When a lesser Undead is created, a Ren is summoned from the Netherworld and bonded to a corpse, then supplied with mana. 

A Greater Undead is created when the Necromancer sustains the Vita and/or the Ren in a deceased creature and also places a new Ren in that same corpse, allowing the alien Ren to torture those lower souls. 

Lichdom involves subjugating the Iko and Vita to the Ren through the use of sorcery, to allow direct control. 

Mummification involves the removal of the Iko and the Vita, then using them as portable power sources to maintain the Mummy. 

                                                          by unknown

Mummy
HD 1d6+2
AR Enchanted Clothes/Wrappings [1d6+4 Armor]
Atk Fist or Weapon (1d10/1d10) + Dread Stare
Mor 13
Saves (7+HD) or less

Undead: Mummies are Undead.  Undead do not feel pain or get tired.  They are immune to poison and disease.  They do not need to eat, sleep or breathe.  Any spell that says "Undead" in its title or description is talking about something like this.

Sunlight Vulnerability: Mummies take 1d6 radiant damage for every round they spend in sunlight.

Already Dead: Unless decapitated, cut to pieces, burnt to ashes by sunlight or reduced to zero HP by a magical attack or weapon, the Mummy has an X-in-8 chance of it's body knitting itself back together and recovering from the damage it took, where X is equal to the number of HD it has.

Dread Stare: As an action, a Mummy can attempt to frighten a creature.  That creature must make a save.  On a failed save, that creature is frightened of the Mummy and takes 1d6 COG damage for each round he is in combat with or opposes the Mummy.  If this COG damage reduces a creature's COG to 0, he flees from the Mummy and gains the conviction, "I am terrified of Mummies."  

Cursed Touch: Mummies are created by profane magicks and have blasphemous curses wound up in their flesh.  Whenever a creature is struck by a Mummy or touches one, that creature must save.  On a failed save, that creature is afflicted by one of the diseases placed on the Mummy.  The disease varies depending on the type of Mummy. 

Tactics:
- Use Dread Stare on the strongest creature
- Hit the weakest one
- Repeat as necessary
- Retreat if below half health, unless it is necessary to stay to finish your mission

                                                                    by Brian Valeza
 

To customize a Mummy, roll on the tables below:

This Mummy is a...

1d4

1- Sand Mummy.  This Mummy was created by drying the body, removing the organs and placing them in canopic jars, and wrapping it in bandages marked with runes and interspersed with magical charms.  Besides it's natural armor, this Mummy's wrappings 1d4 [1= Give it resistance to non-magical weapons; 2= Make it immune to fire and fire damage; 3= Give it advantage on all saving throws against spells; 4= Cause it's fist attacks to do an extra 1d6 necrotic damage.]  These wrappings can be destroyed by fire or acid.  If that is done so, the Mummy loses the additional ability the wrappings provide.  This Mummy carries the disease of Mummy Rot.

Mummy Rot: A disease that causes one's organs and blood to slowly turn to sand, while the skin is marked with horrible buboes.  Any creature infected with Mummy Rot loses 1d4 CHA and 1d4 CON a day until it is cured or dies.  This disease can only be cured magically.
 
2- Ice Mummy.  This Mummy was created by burying it, potentially alive, in snow in a freezing environment.  The Mummy is remarkably well preserved and even looks alive from a distance, but up close you can see how its' skin is unmoving and how its eyes hide a darkened interior.  This Mummy's fists do an additional 1d6 cold damage on a hit.  The Mummy can be robbed of this ability by heating it up sufficiently, then it's fists will do less damage.  This Mummy carries the disease of Snow Skin.

Snow Skin: A disease that causes the skin to transform into a brittle, ice-like substance that gradually flakes away to reveal bare muscle and bone.  Any creature infected with Snow Skin loses 1d4 CHA a day and gains a vulnerability to fire and bludgeoning damage.  He also makes all saves against disease with disadvantage.  This disease can only be cured magically.
 
3- Bog Mummy.  This Mummy was created by binding the body, weighing it down with stones and sinking it into a peat bog.  Sometimes these poor souls were still alive when this was done.  Bog Mummies have wrinkled, blackened skin, empty eye sockets blazing with unnatural light.  This Mummy possesses the ability to vomit up bog mud once every 1d4 rounds.  This mud hits everyone in a 15' cone.  All those creatures must save.  On a failed save, they are immobilized as the mud covers and quickly hardens over the areas it has hit.  On a success, they cannot move but can take another action.  Those with a shield can save to avoid being hit at all.  The Mummy can be robbed of this ability by immersing it in clean water or strong alcohol.  This Mummy carries the disease of Swamp Fever.

Swamp Fever: A disease that causes fever, vomiting, hot flashes, weakness and hallucinations.  Any creature infected with Swamp Fever loses 1d3 STR and 1d4 COG a day.  Once the disease has reduced either stat to half or below, the infected creature begins hallucinating.  This disease can only be cured magically.      

4- Salt Mummy.  A Mummy created either by the will of, or merely of, a holy man or other worthy sacrifice.  The creature to become the Mummy is stuffed full of desiccating food or salt, then wrapped in embroidered robes marked with holy symbols and marks of power.  The face is then covered by a mask and the mummy is sealed inside a dry, cold cave.  This Mummy's enchanted robes give it the 1d4 [1= The ability to conjure clouds of choking dust that cover up to 30', creatures within must save or lose an action choking and coughing; 2= The ability to teleport up to 30' as an action; 3= The ability to turn invisible as a free action; 4= The ability to change the density of the cloth to make it hard as steel, this grants the Mummy +15 Armor but slows it down and makes its attacks less accurate.]  The Mummy can be robbed of this ability by ripping its' robes and damaging the runework.  This Mummy carries the disease of Cave Lung.

Cave Lung: A disease that prevents the infected person from breathing unless they are in a damp or humid area.  If the air is dry or has recently been de-humidified, such as after that person takes fire damage, that person takes 1 HP damage and begins bleeding from the mouth.  This disease can only be cured magically.

Next, decide what kind of Mummy this is.  Is it a Servitor Mummy or a Royal Mummy?

Servitor Mummies are created to serve a purpose.  Sometimes it is a great honor to be mummified and many volunteer for the right, while in other cases Mummies are created unwillingly using sentient sacrifices.  Servitor Mummies' original personality is largely preserved, but their priorities are radically reordered through trimming of the soul conducted during the Mummification process. 

This (Servitor) Mummy was created...

1d4

1- To protect an important place, person or resource.  The Mummy may protect the ancestral lands of its forebears, and if foreigners ever come to these lands, the Mummy will rise to drive them away.  Or the Mummy may protect the Temple of a Deity, an elite honor guard.
2- To serve a specific master.  This Master may be a creature that can persist through the ages, such as an Outsider or Lich, or it may be a more general category, such as the King of Ardol.
3- To take revenge upon a specific person, clan, people or nation.  This one is self-explanatory.
4- To carry out a long-term mission.  For example, ensuring the prison of an ancient Demon-King is not disturbed, that no one steals books from the Stygian Library or that the treasures of the royal family are not disturbed until the rightful heir returns to claim them.  

                                                              by unknown

Royal Mummy
HD 2d6+1 (Max 12)
AR Magical Wrappings/Clothing [2d8+6 Armor]
Atk Fist or Weapon (1d6 + 2d6 necrotic/1d6 + 2d6 necrotic)
Mor 16
Saves (4+HD) or less

Aura of Glory: A Royal Mummy possesses an aura of terrible power around it.  Upon first encountering the Royal Mummy, creatures must save.  On a failed save, these creatures may not take any action to harm the Mummy directly, unless the Mummy attacks first or there is no other way for the creature to preserve itself.  If the creature is then in combat the with Royal Mummy, that creature must save again or be frightened by the Royal Mummy.  Those who fail this save take 1d6 COG damage a round they are in combat with the Royal Mummy.  If this damage reduces a creature's COG to 0 that creature flees in a blind panic and gains the Conviction, "I am terrified of Mummies and will avoid them as much as possible."

Undead: Royal Mummies are Undead.  Undead do not feel pain or get tired.  They are immune to poison and disease.  They do not need to eat, sleep or breathe.  Any spell that says "Undead" in its title or description is talking about something like this.

Sunlight Vulnerability: Royal Mummies take 1d6 radiant damage for every round they spend in sunlight.

Already Dead: Unless decapitated, cut to pieces, burnt to ashes by sunlight or reduced to zero HP by a magical attack or weapon, the Mummy has an X-in-12 chance of it's body knitting itself back together and recovering from the damage it took, where X is equal to the number of HD it has.

Cursed Touch: Royal Mummies are created by profane magicks and have blasphemous curses wound up in their flesh.  Whenever a creature is struck by a Mummy or touches one, that creature must save.  On a failed save, that creature is afflicted by one of the diseases placed on the Mummy.  The disease varies depending on the type of Mummy. 

Tactics:
- Use your magical abilities
- Divide the group, prevent them from working together
- Focus damage on those who can heal/support their allies
- Then, focus on damaging the weakest one
- Retreat if in danger of dying

                                                               by Ivan Sevic

To customize a Royal Mummy, roll on the table below:

This Royal Mummy is a...

1d4

1- Sand Mummy.  It's wrappings give it 1d4 [1= The ability to animate cloth and fabric and make it obey the Mummy; 2= The ability to summon swarms of flesh-eating beetles; 3= The ability to conjure dust devils of swirling sand that tear at exposed skin, doing 2d6 damage.  The Mummy may create one of these every 1d4 turns, and they last for 1d4 rounds or until the Mummy summons another one; 4= The ability to choke someone telekinetically as an action- this does 1d6 CON damage a round and consumes the Mummy's action.  CON damage done this way regenerates at 1 point a round once the creature can breathe again.]  These wrappings can be destroyed by fire or acid.  If that is done so, the Mummy loses the additional ability the wrappings provide.  This Mummy also carries Mummy Rot.

2- Ice Mummy.  This Ice Mummy has runic tattoos on it's preserved skin that give it 1d4 [1= The ability to breathe freezing clouds that do 2d6 cold damage and 1d6 DEX damage in a 15' cone, the Mummy may make such an attack every 1d4 rounds; 2= The ability to cling to walls and ceilings like a spider; 3= The ability to parry weapons and reduce them by the Mummy's weapon damage.  Non-magical metal weapons shatter if the damage of an attack is reduced to 0; 4= The ability to create a wall of ice (as per the spell) 1/Day.] The Mummy can be robbed of this ability by destroying the tattoos or cutting off that section of skin.  This Mummy also carries Snow Skin.

3- Bog Mummy.  This Bog Mummy has a magic item on its' body that gives it the ability to 1d4 [1= Control local plant life to entangle up to 1d6 creatures.  Those creatures must save or be restrained by brambles, vines and roots; 2= The ability that if it damages a creature, the wounds will automatically become infected and gangreous; 3= The ability to spoil food and poison water by touching it; 4= The ability to vomit up 1d4+1 poisonous snakes.  These snakes obey the Mummy and do 1 damage on a hit, plus 1d6 poison damage a turn (3d6 max) until a successful save is made against the poison.  If these snakes are killed, the Mummy can create 1 new one per day.]  The Bog Mummy can be robbed of this ability by finding the magic item and taking it.  This Mummy also carries Swamp Fever.

4- Salt Mummy.  This Salt Mummy's mask gives it the ability to 1d4 [1= Create walls of force.  These walls have 2d10 HP and are immune to psychic, poison and bludgeoning or sharp damage from non-magical weapons.  The Mummy can create a new wall every 1d4 rounds; 2= Fly and levitate in the air; 3= Fill the air with black spores that are infused with necrotic energy.  Anyone who is touched by one, by failing a DEX save or failing to hide under something (shield, blanket, etc) takes 1d6 necrotic damage and must save or suffer agonizing pain (-1 to all rolls requiring precision, including attacks).  This penalty stacks; 4= Incredible Strength.  The Mummy has a STR of 19(+4) for as long as it wears the mask.]  The Salt Mummy can be robbed of this power by taking off it's mask.  This Mummy also carries Cave Lung.

This Royal Mummy also has the ability to...

1d6

1- Cast spells.  This Royal Mummy can cast spells as if it was a level 1d4+2 Magic-User.  The Mummy has a number of spells and Mana Dice equal to its' HD. 

2- Raise/create/summon lesser Undead to attend it.  The Royal Mummy can command the corpses of the dead to rise as 1 HD Undead and serve it.  This Royal Mummy is also attended by 1d6 Undead Bodyguards with 1d4 HD.

3- Use a Fist or Weapon Art.  This Royal Mummy is 1d3 [Journeyman; 2= Expert; 3= Master] or a random Fist or Weapon Art.

4- Surround itself with a magical field.  This magical field extends 15' away from the Royal Mummy.  This magical field 1d4 [1= Causes all living creatures within to take 1 damage a round; 2= Repels projectiles from outside the field, automatically deflecting them.  This can stop bullets, arrows or spells, but not boulders or high explosives; 3= Creates a bubble of magical darkness that snuffs out any lights that enter into it.  This darkness can only be destroyed by spells that use 4 or more MD or natural sunlight; 4= Creates 1d6 Simulacra Duplicates of the Royal Mummy.  These Duplicates look, sound, smell and act exactly as if they were the Royal Mummy.  They flit about the field area, pretending to be the Royal Mummy.  They can make attacks but only do 1d6 damage on a hit and only have 1 HP.  If struck, they die and disintegrate into sand/snow/muck/dust.  The duplicates will also sacrifice themselves to take a hit for the original.]

5- Channel Energy.  The Royal Mummy can, as an action, channel a wave of energy that affects 100' around them or an entire floor of a dungeon.  This wave of energy 1d4 [1= Prevents any living creature within range from recovering HP or FS until they bathe in holy or running water; 2= Reverses gravity for all those within range; 3= Causes any water, whether free-flowing or in containers within range to break apart into hydrogen and oxygen.  Hopefully no one is smoking when this happens.  If this would affect a large source of water, such as a river, it instead only affects the top layer; 4= Plunges the affected area into pitch darkness, extinguishing all non-magical lights and limiting all magical lights without the properties of sunlight to 30'.  Beyond that 30', there is nothing but pitch black.]

6- Transform into an animal.  This Royal Mummy can transform itself into an animal.  While an animal, the Royal Mummy gains all the physical traits of that animal but none of the mental ones.  This animal is 1d4 [1= A bird of prey; 2= A crocodile.  The Royal Mummy gains a bite attack and +10 HP while in this form; 3= A beetle or insect.  The Royal Mummy gains a +6 bonus to stealth rolls while in this form; 4= A fish or eel.  The Royal Mummy gains a swimming speed and the ability to breathe underwater in this form.]

7- Devour Souls.  If the Royal Mummy is within 30' of a creature, the Mummy can attempt to devour that creature's soul as an action.  That creature must save.  On a failed save, the creature takes 1d6 CHA damage as the Mummy attempts to pull the soul from his body.  If this CHA damage ever reduces the creature's CHA to 0, the Mummy devours that creature's soul, killing that creature instantly.  This also heals the Mummy by 1d8+X HP, where X was the HD/number of class levels the creature had.

8- The Royal Mummy can, as a free action on it's turn, teleport up to 50' in any direction.  It can only teleport once every 1d4 turns.

This Royal Mummy's immortality is assured by...

1d3

1- A canopic jar.  Unless the jar with its' heart is found and destroyed, the Royal Mummy will return to life in 1d20+4 hours at full health.

2- A specific death condition.  The Royal Mummy must be killed in a specific way.  That way is 1d4 [1= Immolation by Sunlight; 2= Burned to ashes; 3= Immersed in acid until completely dissolved; 4= Chopped into pieces, then the pieces are buried in different places.]  If the Royal Mummy is not slain by this, its body will reassemble itself at a rate of 1 HD per hour. 

3- The Royal Mummy has multiple bodies.  If slain, its' soul will simply be transferred to another body.  It currently has 1d6 other bodies, not counting the one it is occupying.  It can create a new body by performing a ritual that will take 1 month, a fresh corpse and some rare alchemical ingredients.

                                                              by Dylan Pierpont

2 comments:

  1. Overall, very nice. I especially like the treatment of environmental effects on mummies. The different types of souls reminds me of the Greek and Judaic esoteric beliefs. However, for me personally I try to avoid modern biological concepts such as zygotes. I get enough science in my day-to-day life already and prefer my fantasy to be pre-scientific. Otherwise, this post has been bookmarked!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. That's fair, I probably should have used another word instead.

      Delete