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I can think of several possibilities.
Ghouls if they cannibalized others in order to survive, though you'd need to do something tricky to make any number of CR2-3 ghouls a threat to a 9th level party (6 ghouls with some terrain advantages, maybe extra equipment, maybe attacking with surprise as they know the area well.) This would be a straight combat encounter.
Maybe a vampire (and the others now its spawn), perhaps turned by one of the people who abandoned them and thought it would be funny to make one member of the family a vampire and make them eat the others, or perhaps just a case of blood drinking instead of cannibalism. Play up the pathos (child blood-drinkers, for instance...) One vampire isn't much of a threat to a 9th level party unless it can turn them against each other somehow; 4-6 vampire spawn would be a combat encounter much like the ghoul bash.
Perhaps most likely ghosts of those who starved to death, who need either to be fed or to escape. Having several of them try to possess PCs (and then savagely tear into their rations, or run straight for the exit) might give them a challenge. Especially if they use telekinetic abilities first to attack, before manifesting. Bonus if the PCs talk to them and help them: they can tell about a treasure hidden in a back corner, or a secret way (or something) further along in the dungeon. Or the PCs can fight their way through, which should be fairly easy. This would be a more intellectual/tricky encounter.
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Wraiths?
Skeletons that just won't die! hehe... some 10 HD Skellies with some kind of regen? In order to lay them to rest permanently you have to destroy the contract that their master brought them into slavery with.
Cool idea, no matter what direction you take it :)
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How about a revenant? I know their undertones imply more direct murder...but denpending on the interdimensional space itself I could see it.
Basically, I could totally see Mufasa becoming a revenant to hunt down Scar. Particularly since Mufasa most likely got a little mangled by what happened. Just putting the slaves in an underground cave type deal and having some rocks fall and pin one would be enough flavor-wise in my mind.
Anyway, it would have an interesting RP aspect, since the revenant would know where the murderer is, but have no way of actually getting there until the PCs open the place up (or whatever).
Oh, to note- does it have to be only one kind of undead? Everyone faces death differently, and their personal reactions could fuel different transformations into undeath. Maybe make a bit of a mixed bag. One guy dreams only of revenge, while another started to spew hateful words at everyone, and another, the last to survive, could be forced to eat the flesh of his companions just to live a little longer. Giving a variety helps to characterize each of these people in their final moments.
Even have their reactions can be a little different as well. A revenant might book it the instant a door gets opened, since he knows it is his chance, while a wraith would directly target the PCs as a general loathing, and a ghoul would hunger for their flesh. That could divide the party's attention- stick around and deal with the ones in front of you, or go for the one that seems to be moving at full speed with desperate intention?
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I ended up running the encounter with a Revenant with 4 levels of fighter and a ghost sorcerer 10. I decided that the old master of the keep where the extra-dimensional space was portaled to murdered the revenant and let the ghost starve.
The first PC went through the portal and the revenant figured it had a way to go after its old master and tried going through the portal that was keyed only to allow living creatures. *smack* into the wall. The ghost then waited to use its Malevolence ability on the 2nd PC through the portal (because of story reasons), and when it controlled the body started eating everything in sight.
The PCs eventually defeated both, took the dust that was the ghost's remains to be buried with an offering of food and let the revenant go to find the old master and kill it.
...
Then it got weird when a Blue Dragon showed up in the keep and offered to side with the PCs temporarily to drive out the drow who were holding the place.
Thank you for the ideas!