Stephan Hornick
Community Goblin & Master of the Archive
Platinum WoA
Wizard of Story
Wizard of Combat
Borderland Explorer
Flesh Currency
James SingaramI thought of a possible mechanism for advancing undead. In a similar way to how souls grant power to fiends, flesh could grant power to undead. All undead would have the capability to cast a Flesh Harvest Ritual on humanoids and beasts slain within the last ten days. For each minute, one unit of flesh is collected, up to a maximum amount determined by the target's size:
- Tiny - 5
- Small - 20
- Medium - 50
- Large - 200
- Huge - 500
- Gargantuan - 1000
- Skeleton - 0 (all undead start here)
- Zombie* - 50
- Ghoul - 200
- Ghast - 500
- Mummy or Wight - 1000 (undead's choice)
- Vampire Spawn (if Mummy) or Wraith (if Wight) - 2500
- Vampire (if vampire spawn) - 5000
- Lich (if vampire) - 15000
Weapon and skill proficiencies are retained upon advancement. For example, a zombie would be able to wield weapons after advancing from a skeleton.
Flesh could also be used to create more specialized undead, taking one minute per flesh consumed in the ritual.
- Shadow (Wraith only) - 100
- Specter (Wraith only) - 200
- Will-o'-wisp (Wraith only) - 500
- Banshee (Wraith only) - 1000
- Flameskull (Vampire Spawn, Vampire, or Lich) - 1000 + humanoid skull
- Revenant (Vampire Spawn, Vampire, or Lich) - 1000 + humanoid body, decays after one year
- Flesh Golem (Vampire Spawn, Vampire, or Lich) - 2500
- Demilich (Vampire or Lich) - 10000 + ashes of a slain lich*
- Dracolich (Lich only) - 25000 + skeleton of a dragon
All undead created through these rituals are bound to the undead that created them. There is no limit on how many creatures an undead can raise, giving rise to entire armies created over centuries.
All undead above ghasts are able to create a skeleton using a fresh corpse. There is no cost in flesh to raise a creature, however the flesh on the corpse cannot be harvested before or after the ritual. The time taken is two minutes per available flesh on the corpse. For instance, a mummy could raise a recently slain human by casting a 100 minute ritual. No flesh would be collected or consumed during this process.
Undead follow a hierarchy in a similar fashion as devils. Lesser undead would collect flesh for and carry out the will of its leaders, who would in turn reward skill or loyalty with flesh and advancement. A lich would rule over an entire undead realm with a dozen or so vampire underlings. Each vampire would lead a city, assisted by a half dozen vampire spawn and upwards of twenty wraiths. Vampire spawn and wraiths would both lead mummies and wights, who would in turn command ghasts. They would direct ghouls. With only the faintest spark of intelligence, zombies and skeletons would be at the bottom of the ladder.
Ghasts and higher undead would deal with disobedient or treasonous underlings by using the Flay Flesh ritual, taking one flesh per minute cast from the target undead, possibly demoting the victim in the process. Skeletons and zombies possess neither the cunning or inclination to cheat their masters for their own progression, so such measures would primarily be used against higher undead.
Because demotion is a real possibility for undead who fail their master, some commanders will flay their underlings to advance themselves and complete their objective. Having its flesh stolen is the only time undead feel pain. Upon being demoted to a skeleton an undead will lose all memory of its previous existence. These memories will be missing even if the undead advances in the future. Because of the violent nature of this ritual, only 50% of flesh taken is salvageable.
Certain undead enlist mortal followers in their armies. Often these mortals appear slender and gaunt. To prove their loyalty they are required to make a flesh sacrifice to their master. In addition to providing useful skills, such as spell casting, they do not require payment in flesh and are more easily able to infiltrate mortal settlements. In times of need, these mortals can be harvested for flesh.
Some undead prefer a peaceful existence over that of domination. In these rare circumstances, undead will seek out alternative methods of flesh collection. Cattle farms and fishing ships crewed by skeletons are not unheard of. More advanced undead might seek employment in a morgue where they can steal flesh from their clients. In exceptional cases, advanced undead will live with subterranean humanoids, such as kobolds. In exchange for the colony's dead, they provide magical support in times of need and alleviate the need for corpse disposal pits.
All listed undead above were created using the 5E MM.