The Apollinarian, a new type of undead for True20 and Blue R

[Sparrowhawk]

The Apollinarian, a new type of undead for True20 and Blue Rose
by Miguel Deluis, CC 3.0 -BY -SA

Introduction.

The Apollinarian is a strange kind of undead, created by powerful sorecers using a secret ritual on a deceased body. Though, rumor has it that the angst for losing a loved one, could also create one. In any case, death should not be older than two months at the time of its creation. Once the spell is cast the body transforms within hours into the perfect servant.

An apollinarian resembles the person - or animal - which it once was. However it is free of any ailments, sickness or other impariments. Moreover they are strickingly beautiful, and apparently of a young age. Apollinarians appear to be of any of three ages: 13, 23 or 33 (1). Those who died at 12 or younger are risen as 13 years old, those who died older than 12 but younger than 34 are rised as 23 years old and those who died 34 or older are rised as 33 years old.

If harmed by a sword they would not bleed, and when smitten or otherwise 'killed' they will fall to the ground as in a sleep, from which they will not awake until the ritual is repeated. An apollinarian can get sick or poisoned but if it survives the first 24 hours, it will recover instantly in the next dawn.

An apollinarian is at all times very polite and warm, it would never be angered, nor show fear or its related emotions but it could cry out simpathy. They will obey every command that they receive, and if ordered to kill they would do so with the utmost cortesy for their victim. They retain the basic skills and knowledge when they were living, but again will only use them as ordered to.

Apollinarians cannot leave a designated area, of roughly one acre or less of surface. So they are normally used as labourers and house servants, where they work without a single complain for ages to come. If an apollinarian is ever forced out of their area, they will become parallyzed neck down until they are returned.

Honey is their food, needing a spoonful for day, else they would fall in a deep sleep.


An apollinarian can be restored to mortal life by taking it to a temple or another sacred place of light ("good") alignment. Their emotions would turn back to normal, but they will retain their appearance. From that point one the apollinarian will age normally (2). Apollinarians who were previously 'killed' would wake up gravely injured, sick, burned, starved or in other grave condition as appropiate to the cause.

True20 / Blue Rose rules

* Typical 13 y/o Apollinarian Servant
Small 1st-level unliving; Initiative +1; Speed 30 ;Defense 10;
Attack Expert (damage per weapon) Alignment: Neutral;
Saves: Tough +1, Fort+1, Ref +0, Will +0;
Str -2, Dex +1, Con +1, Int +0, Wis +0, Cha +3
Skills Craft +5, Notice+3, and either Handle Animal+5, Heal+5 or Perform +7 (plus any other skills they knew as living)
Advacement, Expert.
Note: 13 y/o are the only apollinarian who would reveal their nature to a trusted individual and would beg to be restored.


"Typical 23 y/o Apollinarian Servant
Medium 1st-level unliving; Initiative +0; Speed 30 ;Defense 10;
Attack Expert (damage per weapon) Alignment: Neutral or Shadow;
Saves: Tough +2, Fort+2, Ref +0, Will +0;
Str 0, Dex 0, Con +2, Int +0, Wis +0, Cha +2
Skills Craft +7, Notice+3, and either Handle Animal+7, Heal+7 Perform +7 (plus any other skills they knew as living)
Advacement, Expert.

*Typical 33 y/o Apollinarian Servant
Medium 1st-level unliving; Initiative +0; Speed 30 ;Defense 10;
Attack Expert (damage per weapon) Alignment: Neutral or Shadow;
Saves: Tough +1, Fort+1, Ref +0, Will +0;
Str 0, Dex 0, Con +1, Int +2, Wis +0, Cha +2
Skills Craft +7, Notice+3, and either Handle Animal+7, Heal+7 Perform +7 (plus any other skills they knew as living)
Advacement, Expert.

Template, when a character is transformed into an Apollinarian apply the following template.
Str +0 Dex +0 Con +2 Int +0 Wis +0 Cha +3
Skills are learned the hard way, working.

[~HANZO~]

Very interesting. Some time ago on another forum some one posted the idea of undead as slave labor. It brought up a lot of questions. Like do they retain any rights. And what about the family of the deceased person. Do they have rights to the body. How do they fit into the system of law. Basically if an Apollinarian was to kill some one who is the responsible party? the owner of the slave or the Apollinarian?

Just a few thoughts.

[Sparrowhawk]

Hi Hanzo

I never thought about legal matters; in my view, apollinarians were to be rare, probably created by some evil adept, in some remote howling wilderness.

I guess it depends on the setting, if you are playing in Aldea, then there is only one land that will admit those. In other worlds, where slavery is legal, I guess the creator would buy or otherwise procure a body and problem solved, and if it is illegal, then the issue is a question of power.

Now that I think about it, what about a fiancee having her sweetheart back as an apollinarian, even paying a fee?

And last but not least, why not solve those legal questions roleplaying them? What about a trial? Or a rescue mission?...

[~HANZO~]

Greetings Sparrowhawk,

Yes could lead to some interesting adventures. Rescue the body to from a necromancer to lay it to rest. What about the reverse. The undead brought back to rescue there loved ones from slavers. A little blue rose meets the crow.