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| Undead Viking Raid by SC4V3NG3R |
The Draugr
The strongest and most well-preserved of the animated corpses of the Ulstang ranks are known as War-Draugr and each is a mighty deathless foe, more than a match for an average mortal soldier. These horrific creatures are capable of displaying abilities similar to Gifts through their arcane nature, bloodthirst and and resilience. They are zealous warriors, bound to the command of raiding captains (presumably 'loaned' from a Witch-Queen patron of the expedition) but they will seek permanent death in battle. Until they do find said death in battle it will befall all the enemies in their path.Draugr can and often wield melee weapons as mortal warriors do but that is more out of habit: in actuality their monstrous strength is enough to crush bones and remove limbs from bodies bare-handed.
Stat-wise, Draugr are fairly basic Greater Undead with only slight variation in the 'scaling' of their base stats. Greater Draugr are rarely, if ever, encountered in any large number in raids as they tend to form the guard and elite minions of Witch-Queens. A few of the greatest of these bodyguards may be imbued with an extra gift (or point of Effort) to give them a little extra edge and surprise in battle. Most Draugr have only a single Gift, with Greater Draugr maybe have two.
Draugr Type
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HD
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AC
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Atk.
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Dmg
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Move
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Morale
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Saves
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Effort
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Lesser
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3
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4
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+5
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1d10 Smash
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40’
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12
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13+
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1
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Average
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5
|
3
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+7
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1d12 Smash
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40’
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12
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12+
|
1
|
Greater
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9
|
3
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+10
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2d6 Smash
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40’
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12
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10+
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3
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Draugr Powers
The (rather non-specific) creation process of Draugr, combined with the average one being at least a powerful and skilled mortal in life (and one of great size and strength, usually) ensure they can express a combination of their skill and necromantic might in battle in the form of gifts: this allow these creatures a level of flexibility in their battlefield role, even if GM may want to limit a mob of Lesser and Average Draugr to a single, easy-to-use gift for the sake of ease in combat encounters.
- Defy The Iron: As per the Gift in the Core Book. Lesser blows are utterly deflected upon the calcified skin of the Draugr or even possibly ignored.
- Descent of the Mountain: As per the Gift in the Core Book. As an alternative to building catapults (which are a pain to carry across the sea), the Witch-Queen have been known to train Draugr to lob rocks and debris at enemies.
- Harder Than This: As per the Gift in the Core Book. Draugr feel no pain and are barely, if even affected at all by environmental hazards and whatever their foes can throw at them.
- Indestructible Champion: Sworn to servitude to a Winter-Queen, this Draugr takes 1 point of damage less and is immune to physical damage as long as it is fighting to defend it's mistress. It must be within 30' of her for this Gift to function. Greater Draugr Only.
- Maw of Winter: As per the Gift in Lexicon of the Throne. The Draugr has been blessed with the cold, ravenous life-sapping powers of the Ulstang winter.
- Shield of Phobos: As per the Gift in Lexicon of the Throne. Draugr are terrying monsters and the most horrific of them emit a palpable sense of supernatural dread.
- Surge of Strength: As per the Gift in the Core Book. The Draugr's undying body is capable of burst of great strength and/or murderous berserker rage.
- The Dread Breath of Winter: The Draugr has received the blessings of a Witch-Queen for it's service and continued servitude (which it probably loathe, deep down). It can use the Gift Corona of Fury, tied to the Word of Winter. Greater Draugr Only.
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| Ice Sorcerer by Samuel Thorne. |
The Witch-Queens
Do not be fooled by their form, be it lovely and fair as an unmarred snowbank or old, shrunken and sickly-looking: the Witch-Queen of Ulstang are powerful foes, deadly tricksters and vindictive war-sorceress rolled into one and more. Each one of them command staggering necromantic powers and forbidden magics. There are few known facts about them and their origins and even more speculations as to the true extent of their powers.
The Acolytes and Apprentice to the Witch-Queen are best modeled as Minor Heroes, Major Heroes or (most likely) as Skilled Mages. Those with a more war-like bent to their magic, such as would-be battle mages or those who focus upon wielding necromantic powers directly into battle are best modelled as the former. A few failed apprentices could be kept around as a form of Greater Undead as a temporary measure until a more suitable replacement is found: adjust stats to reflect their undead immunities if that is the case. The Witch-Queens themselves are modeled as Lesser Eldritch and Greater Eldritch.
Words of the Witch-Queens
One possible option for Witch-Queen is to make their first Word the Lich-King Concept Word, representing their near-undead to fully undead nature as a result of their necromantic potency. While they would not be rotting and/or frozen corpses necessarily, they would also not be completely affected by living frailties anymore. Most, if not all have bound the Words of Sorcery, Death and Winter with Deception, Passion and Desire being possible options if not for an extra Word then at least for possible Gifts tied to their Concept Word.
If the Game Master need so, a possible non-standard Word can be randomly rolled. This table include an idea or two on how this Witch-Queen would exercise this power.
D6
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Word
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Possible Concept
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1
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Beast
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Living in the wilderness, alone safe for her Draugr and the horrific winter-beast she control and has created. This Witch-Queen’s domain is one of vast and foreboding forests where little sunlight enter and all beasts report to their mistress.
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2
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Sword
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This Witch-Queen was a powerful warrior, possibly the daughter of some mighty champion in the past who trained all his children well in the art of combat. Equally skilled at arms and magic, she is a deadly ‘sword-mage’ who combine magic and weapon alike.
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3
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Desire
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A vain seductress who has traded away her humanity for impossible and eternal beauty. She is radiant in her form, with a body men and women alike desire, unmarred by scars or any faults. Her disgusting harem is full of chained men and/or women, living and undead alike.
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4
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Fear
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Cruel and feared even by the standards of her fellow Witch-Queen, this one command the greatest powers of dread, which she use to keep her minions both living and undead in line. She is a bully and torturer of impossible cruelty.
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5
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Madness
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An insane, disheveled creature whose disturbed behavior and odd appearance belies incredible magical powers: could be a ragged waif or a crazy, wild-eyed hag (or even both, if she can shapeshift or cast illusions) who can laugh one moment and scream in rage the next. May or may not be saner than she appear and playing up her madness.
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6
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Underworld
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This Witch-Queen’s domain are the dark, frozen caves below Ulstang which build ships and store Draugr for the next raid. Her network of caves allows her and her minion great mobility across the island and even beyond.
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Each Witch-Queen's panoply of Gifts should be fairly versatile, with at least one option for offense, defense, supporting and assisting their minions (or summoning them). While one could carefully craft their arsenal here is a table to generate them quickly. Refluff the Gift if need be and assign it to a suitable Word. The magic of the Witch-Queen can be as subtle or as flashy and destructive as it need to be so long as if fit their theme of necromancy, dread sorcery and the winter. For example, Legion's Bane is from the Dragon Concept Word but it could be refluffed as the Witch-Queen summoning spectral weapons forged from deathly energy which rend mobs asunder or it could be a swarm of otherworldly and hungry restless spirits eating the flesh of men from their bones. Defy The Iron is likely some highly potent Theurgic ward of some kind, able to fully deflect blows.
All Witch-Queen are assumed to have at least the following Gifts by default:
- Adept of the Throne
- A Pale Crown Beckon
- Divine Wrath
- Greater Pavis of Rule
- The Will That Burn
Then roll on each column of the following table to quickly generate their panoply of dread sorcery. which they will primarily use if confronted, be it within their lair or if one was to lead a Draugr army against one of the nations of Arcem.
D6
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Table A (Offense)
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Table B (Defense)
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Table C (Support)
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1
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Corona Of Fury
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Mantle Of Quietus
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Guards! Seize Them!
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2
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3
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Eater Of Legions
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Blood For Blood
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Bonefather
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4
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5
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Legion’s Bane
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Defy The Iron
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Will Of The Spear-Throne
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6
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Bloody Vengeance
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