Crypt things were a rare kind of intelligent undead[note 1][4][5] bound to protect a specific burial site.[3]
Description[]
A crypt thing resembled a human-sized skeleton wearing dark robes. Their empty eye sockets contained eerie points of red light.[3]
Combat[]
What made crypt things most dangerous was their ability to teleport adversaries away. Otherwise they attacked with their bare, skeletal hands. Aside from the common immunities of the undead, only weapons imbued with magic were able to hurt a crypt thing. Due to their strong attachment to the place they guarded, priests were unable to drive them away with their holy power.[3]
History[]
Following the actions of the Shoon Imperium's Necromancers' Corp in the Year of the Black Horde, 1235 DR, crypt things were among the many undead that roamed the ruins of Mamlukkar in Tethyr.[6]
Rumors & Legends[]
Some rumors claimed that there existed a type of crypt thing would paralyzed its opponents and make them invisible at the same time, rather than teleporting them.[4]
Society[]
On rare occasions, a corpse rose as a crypt thing on its own accord and was driven by a desire to protect the graves of its descendants. More often, such an undead was created by a priest or wizard with the help of the create crypt thing spell. Only one crypt thing was found at one burial place,[3] but it sometimes commanded a group of less powerful crypt servants.[7]
The bones of a crypt thing could be used in the creation of a potion of undead control or especially effective pipes of haunting.[3]
Homelands[]
According to the sage Elminster, crypt things existed in the ruins in the Undermoor, the area of the Underdark below the High Moor and Serpent Hills.[8][9] They could also be encountered in the dreaded ruins of Shoonach.[10]
Crypt things also dwelt in the Abyss, both in the endless black sand of the Layer of Desert,[11] as well as in the realm of Orcus, where there existed a whole Valley of Crypt Things. As an exception to the rule, 24 of them sat together, each on a throne, at the sides of this vale.[12] They could also be found in the Domains of Dread.[13]
Notable Crypt Things[]
- Damien Morienus, a former master of the North Tower of the Host Tower of the Arcane in Luskan. He was turned undead by the demons he himself summoned. He was discovered haunting his Accursed Tower in Icewind Dale circa 1369 DR.[14]
- A pair of crypt things safeguarded the Toryvhallen crypt within the catacombs of Ascalhorn. One of them possessed a girdle of stone giant strength, while the other held a ring of shocking grasp. Both were capable of teleporting intruders to either outside the main gates of the fortress-town or to the pillories in its central square. The latter action was only ever taken when an intruder displayed intent to vandalize or rob the crypt.[15]
Appendix[]
Gallery[]
Appearances[]
- Adventures
- The Accursed Tower • Castle Spulzeer • Hellgate Keep
- Card Games
- AD&D Trading Cards
- Video Games
- Icewind Dale: Trials of the Luremaster
Notes[]
- ↑ In 1st edition, the crypt thing, though skeletal in appearance, is not undead, while in 2nd edition it is.
References[]
- ↑ Scott Kurtz & Christopher Perkins (2013). Mines of Madness. (D&D Next), p. 44.
- ↑ Eric Cagle, Jesse Decker, James Jacobs, Erik Mona, Matthew Sernett, Chris Thomasson, and James Wyatt (April 2003). Fiend Folio. (Wizards of the Coast), pp. 36–37. ISBN 0-7869-2780-1.
- ↑ 3.00 3.01 3.02 3.03 3.04 3.05 3.06 3.07 3.08 3.09 3.10 3.11 Mike Breault (ed.) (1990). Monstrous Compendium Greyhawk Adventures Appendix (TSR, Inc.). ISBN 0-88038-836-6.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 Don Turnbull (1981). Fiend Folio. (TSR Hobbies), p. 21. ISBN 0-9356-9621-0.
- ↑ Ed Greenwood, Alan Zumwalt, Don Turnbull (November 1981). “Fiend Folio Findings”. In Kim Mohan ed. Dragon #55 (TSR, Inc.), pp. 6–10.
- ↑ Steven E. Schend (August 1997). “Book One: Tethyr”. In Roger E. Moore ed. Lands of Intrigue (TSR, Inc.), p. 81. ISBN 0-7869-0697-9.
- ↑ Monstrous Compendium included in Tim Beach, Tom Prusa and Steve Kurtz (1993). City of Delights. (TSR, Inc). ISBN 1-56076-589-5.
- ↑ Tim Beach (October 1995). “The High Moor”. In Julia Martin ed. Elminster's Ecologies Appendix II (TSR, Inc), p. 30. ISBN 0786901713.
- ↑ Tim Beach (October 1995). “The Serpent Hills”. In Julia Martin ed. Elminster's Ecologies Appendix II (TSR, Inc), p. 31. ISBN 0786901713.
- ↑ Steven E. Schend (August 1997). “Book One: Tethyr”. In Roger E. Moore ed. Lands of Intrigue (TSR, Inc.), pp. 80–81. ISBN 0-7869-0697-9.
- ↑ Douglas Niles and Michael Dobson (1988). The Throne of Bloodstone. (TSR, Inc), pp. 33–34. ISBN 0-8803-8560-X.
- ↑ Douglas Niles and Michael Dobson (1988). The Throne of Bloodstone. (TSR, Inc), p. 52. ISBN 0-8803-8560-X.
- ↑ William W. Connors (1996). Monstrous Compendium - Ravenloft Appendices I & II. (TSR, Inc.), p. 71. ISBN 0786903929.
- ↑ R.A. Salvatore, The Seven Swords (March 1999). The Accursed Tower. Edited by Dale Donovan. (TSR, Inc.), p. 16. ISBN 0-7869-1337-1.
- ↑ Steven E. Schend (March 1998). Hellgate Keep. (TSR, Inc), p. 25. ISBN 978-0786907861.