The Deluded Revenant – Some Folks Are Too Stupid To Die!

[clavis123]

Inspired by old African-American folktales, the Deluded Revenant will add a touch of dark comedy to your Campaign. It's definitely a monster best played for (disgusting) laughs.

DELUDED REVENANT
A walking corpse that refuses to believe it is dead.

NO. ENCOUNTERED: 1
SIZE: Medium
HD: 1 (d20)
MOVE: 20'
AC: 8
ATTACKS: 1 Weapon (by weapon type - 1)
SPECIAL: -1 To-Hit and Damage, Undead Immunities, Putrescent, Collapse, Immune To Turning
SAVES: M+P
INT: Inferior - Average
ALIGNMENT: Neutral
TYPE: Undead (cannot be turned)
TREASURE: 1
XP: 15+1

Some people, through utter imbecility, a shocking lack of common sense, or sheer orneriness, may not accept the fact of their own death. Shambling along in their rotting bodies, they insist upon being treated as if they were still alive. Such Deluded Revenants will keep on going until their flesh falls from their bones, in the meantime making life a living hell for those subjected to their foolish antics.

Any time a person with an Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma score of less than 6 dies, the dumb, dense or stubborn soul may refuse to leave their rotting body. Those few mortals who achieved the rare trifecta of being simultaneously stupid, imperceptive, and obnoxiously intractable, may even be considered so undesirable by the spiritual powers that their souls are denied a place in the realms of the afterlife!

There are four accepted ways of ridding oneself of a Deluded Revenant. The first is to wait until the thing's muscles and tendons fall apart, which generally takes about a month (but may take longer during the winter). Those who lose patience with having a corpse hanging around may try to hack the thing apart and bury the pieces. The third way to rid oneself of the monster is to try to convince it that it is dead, and should go to its grave. The fourth way is the most clever, since it involves tricking the Revenant into performing a strenuous activity that will cause its rotting body to collapse.

Combat: The putrefaction of a Deluded Revenant is not arrested in any way. Their liquifying muscles therefore make them weak melee opponents, and unable to adequately dodge blows. Since they believe themselves to be alive, they will generally only attack if someone attacks them first. They will try to use any weapons they were proficient with in life, but make all attacks at a -1. The Deluded Revenant's oddly high Hit Die type reflects the fact that it will not stop moving until it is has been completely dismembered (and may even try to keep going after that!) Of course, the stress of combat will probably make the Deluded Revenant begin to fall apart on its own...

Putrescent: Deluded Revenants who have been dead longer than a week emit extremely foul smelling gases. Anyone who engages one in melee must save versus Constitution or be affected as by a Stinking Cloud.

Collapse: A Deluded Revenant who engages in vigorous action (such as melee, dancing, or farm labor) must save versus Constitution each round or suffer 1d6 points of damage. Many Deluded Revenants are too stupid to stop performing the damaging activity, even after they start losing hands and legs.

Immune To Turning: Deluded Revenants have such faith that they are still alive that they cannot be turned by Clerics.

Adventure Seed:
During a sudden and violent storm, the adventurers are forced to take shelter at the only inn on a lonely road. Strangely, as they enter, other folks are actually running out! The characters soon find out why – the innkeeper's dead wife refuses to go to her grave, but is in the common room haranguing her poor husband as persistently as she did in life! The Innkeeper promises the party that they can stay and eat for free, if only they would take care of his problem.

[Falinor]

This is too good. I will have to try this on my players.

[Sir Osis of Liver]

Yeah, this is utterly hysterical. I could definitely see myself throwing one of these at the group. Nice work!

[Go0gleplex]

I think I have a couple of these in my classes!

[KaiserKris]

One of your best yet, and an excellent example of why the best enemies aren't always the most powerful.

[Lurker]

Nice! Love the idea of this one

I think I have a couple of these in my classes!

Haaaa, wait I hope to be teaching next year, crud ...

[Go0gleplex]

Nice! Love the idea of this one

I think I have a couple of these in my classes!

Haaaa, wait I hope to be teaching next year, crud ...

Don't worry Lurker. The three I deal with seem to think it's the teacher's fault they are failing. Not like only showing up to half the classes or doing a third of the work is the problem at all.

[Aladar]

Good work clavis123. I have the perfect use for this. One of my players is going to get a visit from an old flame (deserving of blond jokes) who was pursuing him for marriage, but was unfortunately killed during a party melee in town. Imagin the shock when she shows up still expecting to get hitched to the player. Thanks.