Troubling the Dead: Dwarven Draugr

Today we have a discussion of the dwarven draugr, or tomb-spirits, that can sometimes be found guarding the treasures of their clans or even their personal wealth. It's important to note that dwarves of all stripes (but particularly iron dwarves) are buried with great stores of money. Their bodies are generally not interred into the earth but rather placed into sacred sarcophagi or otherwise bound up and preserved.

CLIMATE/TERRAIN: Dwarven crypts and tombs

FREQUENCY: Very Rare

ORGANIZATION: Nil

ACTIVITY CYCLE: Night

DIET: Nil

INTELLIGENCE: Very (11-12)

TREASURE: M (x5), (G, Qx20, R)

ALIGNMENT: LG

NO. APPEARING: 2d4

ARMOR CLASS: 2/4/6 (chain and shield)

MOVEMENT: 6

HIT DICE: 8

THAC0: 10

NO. OF ATTACKS: 1

DAMAGE/ATTACK: 1-8 (weapon) +8

SPECIAL ATTACKS: see below

SPECIAL DEFENSES: see below

MAGIC RESISTANCE: see below

SIZE: S to M (4’ and taller)

MORALE: Unshakeable

XP VALUE: 4,000

In appearance, draugr resemble their former selves, generally bedecked in glimmering ornamental armor and wielding ornamental weapons. Their eyes burn with a cold blue light and their flesh is taught and hard as nutwood. They are extremely cold, mist or steam generally rising from them in warmer (temperate) climes. They are also immensely heavy and dense, the presence of the dwarven spirit in the deceased body lending it gravity and weight (and granting an effective strength of 20).

Draugr retain all their personal tics and expressions of life, leaving them looking like ghastly shadows of their former selves.

COMBAT: When a character closes within 5’ of a draugr, they’re in for a surprise. The intense cold that this creature radiates actually deals 1d4 points of damage per round at that range.

In addition, draugr can lock eyes with someone and attempt to stare them into submission. The target must save vs. paralyzation or immediately lose 2d4 points of strength. These points return at a rate of 1 per hour. If the target saves, he may never again be affected by that individual draugr’s stare.

Draugr are immune to normal weapons and are also immensely strong, with an effective strength of 20 (+8 to all damage and the ability to deal structural damage).

ECOLOGY: Draugr are guardians of dwarven crypts, the honored dead who wake to defend their territory. There is a chance that the spirit of a dwarf who's tomb is being looted will suddenly return to its body (and dwarven bodies tend to remain preserved for longer than mannish ones) and animate it, demanding that the intruders leave and surrender all booty or die. Of course, they retain the personalities they had in life and can be reasoned with (though taking treasure from their crypt is never an option they are willing to entertain).

Only dwarves who, in life, reached level 5 or above as fighters can ever reawaken as draugr. They have a 1% chance of waking up when their tombs are disturbed. They are still dwarves, and the spirits inhabiting the dead forms are those of the deceased ancestor. They recall their former lives and would even be willing to assist their kin in times of need.