Grave Risen

This rotting, worm-ridden corpse is draped in tattered and loosely fitting rags and dented and armor. Blackened eye sockets serve as its eyes, and the stench of death clings to its body. Its nails are long and filthy, caked with dirt and soil from the grave.

Grave Risen (CR 4)

Medium Undead
Alignment: Chaotic Evil
Initiative: +6
Senses: Darkvision 60 feet; Perception +10

Speed: 30 feet
Space: 5 feet

Defense

Armor Class: 15, touch 12, flat-footed 13 (+2 Dex, +3 natural)
Hit Points: 42 (5d8+15 plus 5)
Saving Throws: Fort +4, Ref +3, Will +6
Channel Resistance +2
Immunity: undead traits

Offense

Melee: 2 claws +6 (1d4+2 plus blood poisoning)
Reach: 5 feet

Spell-Like Abilities (CL 5th):

• 1/day- Animate Dead

Statistics

Str	Dex	Con	Int	Wis	Cha
14 (+2)	15 (+2)	-	13 (+1)	14 (+2)	16 (+3)

Base Attack Bonus: +3
CMB +5
CMD 17

Feats: Improved Initiative, Toughness, Weapon Focus (claw)

Skills: Acrobatics +7, Climb +10, Escape Artist +7, Perception +10, Stealth +10

Languages:

Special Abilities

Blood Poisoning (Ex)

A creature hit by a claw attack must succeed on a DC 15 Fortitude save or contract blood poisoning. This deals 1 point of Constitution damage to the victim per minute until the victim dies or the blood poisoning is healed. A neutralize poison or remove disease spell rids the victim of blood poisoning, as does a DC 15 Heal check. Multiple wounds to the same foe do not result in multiple instances of blood poisoning. The save DC and check DC are both Charisma-based.

Ecology

Environment: Any
Organization: solitary or troupe (1 grave risen plus 2-5 zombies)
Treasure: none


Grave risen are rotting undead creatures that upon first glance resemble zombies. They are created from a normal corpse in an area where the blood of a spellcaster is spilled and permeates the ground. The blood fuses with a corpse which sometimes animates as a grave risen. These creatures rarely wander far from the area where they were risen, preferring the stench of death and the serenity of death that lingers in the air.

Grave risen have no love for the living and attack living creatures on sight. Living creatures slain by a grave risen are clawed and mutilated and then buried in a shallow grave by the grave risen as a mockery of its own current existence. Grave risen do not speak or communicate; only occasionally loosing guttural tones from their rotting vocal organs.

Since grave risen are rarely encountered anywhere but cemeteries, burial grounds, or the like, they usually begin combat by animating corpses and sending them against their aggressors. After animating corpses, the grave risen attempts to down its foes with its filthy claws. Slain foes are destroyed (as detailed above) and are not consumed by a grave risen.

Copyright Notice Author Scott Greene.