Sorcery: Zombie Spells

Sorcery: Zombie Spells

Creating undead is the trademark of necromancy. Every typical necromancer has at least a single undead servant, usually more. Zombie animates a single corpse, while Mass Zombie does this on a massive scale. Control Zombie seizes control of an animated corpse. Zombie Summoning calls a zombie to the caster.

   

Control Zombie

Keywords: Resisted (Will).

Full Cost: 23 points.

Casting Roll: IQ.

Range: Unlimited.

Duration: Special.

You can mentally dominate an undead creature raised with the Zombie spell by some other wizard. You must be able to see or touch the victim. To use this ability, concentrate for one second and then roll a Quick Contest: your IQ vs. your subject’s Will. Use the following modifiers: Range penalties to the subject (see p. B550); -1 per slave already under your control; +2 if you concentrate for a full minute, or +4 if you concentrate for a full hour.

If you win, your victim will obey your every command until you free him. In effect, he temporarily gains the Reprogrammable disadvantage (p. B150), with you as his master. Your control persists for as long as you take uninterrupted Concentrate maneuvers.

Once you stop, your control lingers for one minute per point by which you won the Quick Contest. If you are incapacitated (stunned, knocked out, etc.), or attempt to force the subject to act against his principles (e.g., commit suicide or harm a loved one), roll another Quick Contest. If your victim wins, he breaks free. Roll at the moment of truth – you can march him to the edge of a cliff, but he doesn’t roll until he’s about to leap.

If you lose, you cannot attempt to control that subject again for 24 hours, and he feels a sense of mental coercion emanating from you. On a critical failure, you also lose control of anyone else under the influence of this ability!

Your victims have no initiative while under your control, and temporarily acquire Slave Mentality (p. B154).

Statistics: Mind Control (Accessibility, Zombies Only, -50%; Cosmic, Affects zombies, +50%; Puppet, -40%; Sorcery, -15%) [23].

Mass Zombie

Keywords: None.

Full Cost: 10/14/17/20 points for levels 1-4, +10 points/additional level.

Casting Roll: None.

Range: Self.

Duration: Indefinite, see text.

The caster animates corpses in an area with a radius equal to (spell level^2)*10 yards. The nature and condition of the corpse in question determines the nature of the undead creature produced. An animated corpse becomes an undead servant of the caster. The zombies can only be commanded as a group; individual members of the horde cannot be given separate tasks. The caster has a cap on the number of undead creatures under his control.

Spell Level	Maximum Horde Size	Spell Cost
1	10	10
2	20	14
3	50	17
4	100	20
+1	x10	+10

If the undead horde is destroyed, the summoner must wait a full day to call replacements. Dismissing the undead is a free action, but you may only dismiss him if he is physically present. A zombie’s point value should not be higher than 5% of the summoner’s point value.

Unlike most spells with an Indefinite duration, this spell drains FP at a rate of 1 FP per hour, not minute.

Statistics: Ally (Zombie Horde; Built on 5%; Group Size, 6-10; Constantly, no roll required; Accessibility, Group Control Only, -15%; Adjustable, Small Class, Cannot provide information, +50%; Conjured, +100%; Magical, -10%; Minion, +0%; Requires bodies, -20%) [10]. Additional levels increase the maximum ally group size, as per p. B37.

Zombie

Keywords: None.

Full Cost: 18 points.

Casting Roll: None.

Range: Touch.

Duration: Indefinite, see text.

The caster touches a corpse and animates it. The nature and condition of the corpse determines the nature of the undead creature produced. The animated corpse becomes an undead servant of the caster.

If the undead is destroyed, the summoner must wait a full day to call replacements. Dismissing the undead is a free action, but you may only dismiss him if he is physically present. You can only cast this spell if your character’s point total is at least 2 times bigger than the undead creature’s.

Unlike most spells with an Indefinite duration, this spell drains FP at a rate of 1 FP per hour, not minute.

Statistics: Ally (Zombie; Built on 50%; Constantly, no roll required; Adjustable, Small Class, Cannot provide information, +50%; Conjured, +100%; Magical, -10%; Minion, +0%; Requires a body, -20%) [18].

Zombie Summoning

Keywords: Resisted (Will).

Full Cost: 79 points.

Casting Roll: Per to detect, IQ to analyze, IQ to assume control.

Range: Unlimited.

Duration: 3 minutes.

After casting, the GM rolls against the sorcerer’s Per, with a penalty based on the distance to the nearest zombie (any undead creature created with the Zombie spell). This spell uses long-distance modifiers. If successful, the caster knows the exact distance and direction to the zombie, and may fist make a follow-up IQ roll to analyze the target (for example, to determine its physical health) and then make another follow-up IQ roll with the same penalty to call it to himself. It moves towards the caster as fast as it can, until the spell ends or the zombie reaches the immediate vicinity of the caster.

Once the zombie reaches the caster, it stays nearby, without attacking, until the spell ends. The spell is broken if the caster or one of his companions attacks the zombie.

Statistics: Detect Zombie (Link, +10%; Lock-On, +50%; Long-Range 1, +50%; Magical, -10%; Precise, +100%; Selective Effect, +20%) [16] + Mind Control (Accessibility, Zombies Only, -50%; Accessibility, Only to make the zombie travel to you, -80%; Cosmic, Affects zombies, +50%; Fixed Duration, +0%; Independent, +70%; Link, +10%; Long-Range 1, +50%; Sorcery, -15%; Terminal Condition, Broken if attacked, -10%) [63].