Hey Paul? In the unlikely event you're reading this, don't ;-) Spoilers! Also applies to anyone else who doesn't want one broad conceptual spoiler for Empty Graves and one specific early encounter one for Half Dead City
Right, now that's out of the way, I want three interesting undead to drop on my party across the events of Empty Graves.
Specifically, the three characters that have already died in this game :D
I don't want them to be hideously nasty or overpowered... it just feels appropriate that when so many undead are rising, and some in fairly specific fashions, for the PCs that died in an early encounter (the Animated Sarcophagus in the first tomb) to do so too.
I also have 'previous' in this; in another game I ran, when players had a 'all bar one' die at a rather higher level, and that one survivor run from the powerful caster baddie in the penultimate book of Rein of Winter, I had those party members come back over the last book in different specific high level undead forms.
Not wanting to be quite so OTT or nasty with it now. But something I can slot in as a 'random' encounter, put somewhere otherwise empty, or add to an existing encounter carefully without breaking things.
Party will be 4th to 6th level, briefly 7th at the end of the book. Something that's not an "Oh gods we're all going to die!" but that's more than a speedbump.
Their previous existences were:
Name: Sekhmet (named for the god whose bloodline flows distantly in her veins)
Race: Half Orc
Classes/levels: Bloodrager 1 (Abyssal refluffed to be Sekmet 'Rage + Leonine' themed)
Vague thoughts: Something with beastial and/or divine elements.
Name: Sarema
Race: Human
Classes/levels: Alchemist 1 (Crypt Breaker + Trap Breaker)
Vague thoughts: Something weird that resulted from her reagents mixing with the water that drowned her?
Name: Akhen
Race: Human
Classes/levels: Cleric 1 (Pharasma, Healing + Repose Domains)
Vague thoughts: Unsure. Hitty. Likely armoured. Not going for "gave up on faith" as that's s*#@ty to the player.
I did something like this for a game I took over GMing for after a TPK around 7~8, rebooting the party from 1. I've had them encounter most of the previous party so far, some early, some still yet to come, as they started exploring the same territory. I accidentally pushed the monk's AC to 42 with only minor tinkering... at level 7ish. Still holding that ace in reserve.
I suggest things like, Ghoul, Ghast, Skeletal Champion, and Zombie Lord.
For the Pharasmin? How about a non-combat encounter with a ghost? It's very ... antithetical for a Pharasmin Cleric of all things to rise as an undead, but a brief warning from beyond, with a heavy dose of foreshadowing of what's to come? Particularly about someone trying to avoid Pharasma's Judgement? Iconic.
Let's see... Bloodrager Ghoul 3? and Zombie Lord Alchemist 3? Floodslain Alchemist?
I suggest things like, Ghoul, Ghast, Skeletal Champion, and Zombie Lord.
Since they were so low level, and because I want to bring out their archetypical qualities more than replicate their character sheet, I'm tempted to go for more specific things that bring that out archetypical qualities - so the Bloodrager would be something of claws, rage, potentially feline/bestial, etc.
Floodslain is interesting, though having looked through non-templated similar things, I'm tempted by a Corpse Candle if I can find the right moment...
For the Pharasmin? How about a non-combat encounter with a ghost? It's very ... antithetical for a Pharasmin Cleric of all things to rise as an undead, but a brief warning from beyond, with a heavy dose of foreshadowing of what's to come? Particularly about someone trying to avoid Pharasma's Judgement? Iconic.
OTOH, in a city where everything is rising from the dead despite the best efforts of the Grand Mausoleum of Pharasma? It'll show the power of what they're up against. But agree it's something that needs care...