The Bound Ones
The evil fruit of Necromancy within the depths of the Aelfen forests may tap into a power older and more sinister than ever seen in human lands...
Few necromancers dare to raise the walking dead within the ancient forests of the Sidhe, for the forgotten magic of that mysterious people can overwhelm the necromancer's planned result. Rare are the masters of both natural and death magic, able to deliberately draw on the power of the forest to create a form of undead more potent and fierce than any mere revenant could be.
The undead thing lurched forward on eight bloated human legs, covered with dead vines and drooping brown leaves. Sir Palomar tried to run, but burdened by the body of his squire, Richelm, he couldn't escape the thing. Dropping the body, he drew his blade and turned to fight the bizarre undead horror.
As it reached the winded knight, he could see that it wasn't some sort of plant as he had first supposed. Rotted human heads and limbs projected from the decaying abomination! Of more immediate concern, several of the thing's hands clutched makeshift weapons, massive clubs or weathered spears. Determined to destroy the shambling travesty, Palomar struck again and again, opening great rents in the rotted corpses that made up the thing's body. He could sense it beginning to weaken.
Then just as Palomar thought victory would be his, the abomination stepped over toward Richelm's body. As he frantically struck at the thing, it drew the battered corpse into itself. To his horror, he saw his squire's head emerge from the dead vines that covered the thing, as his fallen squire's arms grasped a fallen spear, the battle began anew.
These shambling horrors appear to be several dead bodies, bloated with rot, bound together with clinging sheets of dead vine and ivy. They aggressively stagger forward on their numerous legs, swinging clumsily with the weapons clutched by their numerous arms. Those adjacent to these revolting things will discover that their undead flesh has melded together; rather than several of the walking dead bound together, they are actually one creature.
If damaged, these things can meld new bodies into their undead forms, casting out the torn flesh of the most damaged corpses. In minutes, a Bound One with access to fresh bodies can rebuild itself into a new and terrifyingly intact nightmare. The dead vines that bind it together will eerily creep around the new corpses as the old, damaged bodies fall to the ground.
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? Responses (12)
Run Sir Palomar, Run!
Unfortunately, Sir Palomar's fate is sealed: After he dared enter Destinen Wood, he was assaulted by a Bellowes Beast. Surviving that, he and his dying squire were attacked by The Bound Ones. He survived that dire fight, but he picked up a hot date afterward: The Twystened Sidhe.
Some guys just don't get a break.
...Wulfhere, you are one SERIOUSLY depressing boyo. Props, though: your entries always rock!
Yeah, this guy's life sucks, doesn't it?
Clumsy it may be, but this monstrosity demonstrates why PC groups should take NPC helpers along - so they can die in a horrifying way. This creature shows why some locations are dangerous.
Ah monsters to mangle and be mangled. Not everywhere is just a clever dramatic plot, some places are just darn dangerous.
Not something to be messed with.
Awesome! This is really nasty critter.
Does it have any special vulnerability to Cold Iron?
I hadn't thought of it, but the Bound Ones are creatures crafted of darkest necromancy and the indomitable spirit of the primordial forests: Thralls of the Unseleigh Aelfen. Based on that, I would expect Cold Iron to wreak a terrible toll on them, if wielded boldly.
A wonderful monster. A PC might be able to remain cold and distant when fighting most creatures; but, when the creature absorbs the PC's friend and that friend takes up arms agianst them.... a 'horror check' is in order!
Awesome Job!
