The Furry Tree-Zombies

Furry Tree-Zombie History
The jungle-dwelling Kalanori were a secluded race of tribal halflings that no one really knew about. They lived in relative peace in a old and overgrown jungle for hundreds of years. This slighty barbaric people avoided visitors at all costs and when that wasn't enough they simply attacked with nets, capturing intruders, then dragged them out of the forest. However, all good things must come to an end.

An insane practitioner of the necromatic arts named Herwest the Re-Animator discovered the Kalanori. He watched them in secret for a few years, learning all he could about them how best to 'put them to good use'. He eventually decided that he would turn them into ferocious warriors with incredible speed and near-mindless bloodlust so that they would protect the underground laboratory that he planned on buildling on their lands.

Herwest launched his plan by making friends with the Kalanori, he offered them meat, taught them about seasonings and advanced weaponry. This took time. He eventually became trusted enough that they didnt mind when he starting doing wierd things like brewing odd potions and making them drink them. One night after all the Kalanori had drank one of his potions Herwest cast a massive death spell that wiped out the entire tribe he was working with. The next day each of the Kalanori from that tribe rose as undead creations, they had more of a bloodlust than Herwest had expected and they instantly slaughtered him and devoured the rest of his odd potions and chemicals. Some died, some grew larger, some grew extra arms, some gained the ability to see perfectly in the dark... the list goes on.

The bloodthirsy Zombies took to the trees with their newfound dexterity, bringing their nets with them. They hunted down all of the other tribes, killing them, in the morning they rose as Zombies as well. This was unforseen, but somehow whenever a halfling was killed by a Tree-Zombie it also rose as a Tree-Zombie the next day. Now they live forever as undead creatures in an old jungle just waiting for more halflings so they can expand their numbers.

Additional Information

I suppose by now you are wondering why they are called 'furry' Tree-Zombies. This is because of their rotting flesh they grew a wierd type of fuzzy mold all over their bodies.

There are two types of Furry Tree-Zombies:
The Shrieking and the Screaming Furry Tree-Zombies. The Shrieking Tree-Zombies (ShFTZ) are from the original tribe of Kalanori and have one of six different powers due to the consumption of Herwest's potions.
(Roll 1d6 to determine randomely)
1 - They are about six feet tall.
2 - They have four arms instead of two.
3 - They can see perfectly in the dark.
4 - They have two tails that help it balance in the trees.
5 - They have razor-sharp claws.
6 - They have a sheet of flesh connecting their arms to thier bodies so they can glide from tree to tree (like a flying squirrel).
- All ShFTZ also have the ability to utter an awful shriek that causes sonic pain to any living creature that hears it.

...and the Screaming Tree-Zombie (ScFTZ). Not a strong or even interesting, these are the halflings from other tribes that became Zombies.

(These creatures were inspired by a conversation in the Strolen's Chat Room and by H. P. Lovecraft's Herbert West - Re-Animator. If you would like to view the original chat conversation just PM me and I will send it to you.)