These tragic undead spirits protect and shepherd the dead to their rightful place.
Folklore tells that the first to be buried within a cemetery doesn’t cross over to the Land of the Unliving, but helps others to move on. Wanting not to “lose” their family and friends, a solution was found- a local dog was buried first, meaning that the humanoid inhabitants of the area were guarded against evil spirits by a faithful and loyal servant. They appear as a great dark hound, streaming glowing spirit-essence as they pant or breathe, and can pass through objects without disturbing them. Statistics: a Hallow Grim is an incorporeal creature with 4HD, and can sense any other undead within a mile of its cemetery. They can take on a semi-corporeal form to battle physical threats, but fade away in sunlight. As a ritual action, they can howl, granting a specific target within hearing Protection From Evil, usually come to protect the spirits of those about to pass on. Unfortunately, this has become associated with causing the death of those who hear it. When they spend a night sitting over the grave of someone recently deceased, they grant a Gentle Repose effect, preventing that creature rising as an undead. How you can use a Hallow Grim within your game: • PCs who come across a new frontier town might be surprised to see a dog being feted, showered with affection, and fed treats aplenty. They might also be surprised to see that the parcel they are delivering carries a small vial of a fast-acting and lethal poison, intended for the dog before any inhabitants of the town die. They may have concerns as to its usage, however. • A PC who has a connection to the Land of the Unliving somehow (whether scarred by a necromantic spell at birth, or somehow undead themselves) may face some antagonism from a Hallow Grim, which doesn’t quite understand their state of being. This might also apply to someone cursed by necromancy. Alternately, they may have had the spirit bound to them to protect them. • A town being haunted by a great black spirit hound may request help to vanquish it, unaware that it’s attempting to hunt out some kind of evil undead within the town, whether a vampire, wraith, or other kind of insidious creature masquerading as one of the living. (Originally posted on Game Masters Stash on 19 February 2019) Comments are closed.
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